Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez echoes progressive ultimatum for stimulus checks: 'If Congress needs to spend Christmas on the House floor, so be it'
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- "If Congress needs to spend Christmas on the House floor, so be it," Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Tuesday night, as stimulus negotiations remain at a standstill.
- Ocasio-Cortez and the progressive caucus have been campaigning for the inclusion of $2,000 stimulus checks, as well as higher unemployment benefits, to be included in the next COVID relief bill.
- Mitch McConnell said that Congress would not adjourn this year if it did not pass a stimulus bill. Ocasio-Cortez accused him of "playing games with peoples' lives for corporate handouts."
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The Congressional Progressive Caucus issued a letter to congressional leaders on Tuesday asking for $2,000 stimulus checks to be included in the next relief package. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez then boosted the faction's message online.
On Twitter, Ocasio-Cortex shared a statement from the Progressive Caucus following their meetings and conversations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In the statement, caucus leader Representative Pramila Jayapal said that progressives were "united" and that "any package must include direct survival checks and enhanced unemployment assistance, the two most effective ways to get money directly to people."
In the letter sent to congressional leaders, progressives called for future Paycheck Protection Program loans to be capped at $500,000.
Ocasio-Cortez reiterated her commitment to pushing the first stimulus checks since April on Twitter, tweeting "I will not vote for a COVID package that doesn't include survival payments and unemployment relief for the American people. It's a red line. It's also common sense."
—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 16, 2020
Talks on COVID relief remain at a relative standstill, with several proposals being put forth.
In the bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill formally unveiled on Monday, party leaders negotiated to include $300 of weekly federal unemployment insurance from December through April 9, but did not include stimulus checks.
A smaller effort, led by independent Senator Bernie Sanders and Republican Senator Josh Hawley, called for one-time $1,200 direct payments to be included in the relief package, and threatened to withhold their votes if the checks are not included.
The White House has entertained including $600 stimulus checks, but in doing so, took increased unemployment benefits off the table.
And after McConnell said that Congress would not adjourn this year if it did not pass a stimulus bill, Ocasio-Cortez accused him of "playing games with peoples' lives for corporate handouts."
—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 16, 2020
"It ends here." Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "If Congress needs to spend Christmas on the House floor, so be it. People are getting kicked out of their homes. This help should not be partisan nor controversial. It is disgusting that the Senate GOP is holding financial help hostage to gain immunity for corp[orations] to harm workers," she added.
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