The increase in financial assistance to individuals is moving a little further.

The leader of the Republican majority in the United States Senate, Mitch McConnell, on Wednesday, December 30, put the brakes on President Donald Trump's attempt to obtain increased personal assistance as part of the stimulus package voted in Congress to offset the impact of the health crisis. 

Speaking to senators, Mitch McConnell said it was unrealistic to think the Senate could quickly pass the bill, passed earlier this week by the House of Representatives, which provides for direct aid to Americans of $ 2,000 versus $ 600 initially. 

"The Senate will not be intimidated"

Resolutely opposed to an increase in checks sent to individuals, McConnell, who controls the agenda in the upper house of Congress, presented a competing text including direct aid of $ 2,000, but also provisions considered unacceptable by Democrats, who could therefore oppose the text. 

This approach appears to be an almost certain means of destroying the efforts to increase aid to individuals, while a new legislature is to be inducted on Sunday. 

The budget package approved last week by the Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives, where the Democrats have a majority, calls for sending Americans a check for $ 600. 

Dismissing a request made by Donald Trump himself, Mitch McConnell said that "the Senate will not be intimidated into rushing to put more borrowed money into the hands of wealthy friends of the Democrats who do not need money. help". 

"Pathetic"

Democrats reiterated that the checks will be intended for Americans in dire straits from the coronavirus health crisis, which has killed nearly 340,000 people nationwide.

Mitch McConnell complained that aid was not targeted on the basis of need. 

Donald Trump has intensified in recent days the pressure, via Twitter, on the main Republican elected officials, asking Wednesday morning "2,000 dollars as quickly as possible".

The day before, the outgoing president had described as "pathetic" the Republican leaders of the Congress. 

Republican parliamentarians have generally sided with Donald Trump during his tumultuous four years in office, but the current tenant of the White House sharply criticizes elected officials for not having supported his accusations of electoral fraud to the end. 

Joe Biden, who won the November presidential election, will be inaugurated on January 20. 

With Reuters 

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