Less than 20 hours after Congress passed a Covid-19 relief bill that was a bev/al lobbyists dream — it incorporated the Craft Beverage Modernization & Tax Reform Act as well as relief for hard-pressed restaurants — President Trump asked Congress to amend the package to increase direct payments to Americans to $2,000 from $600.
“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple,” he said.
His request was not a veto. But it raised the possibility that lawmakers would need to pass new legislation to provide the higher stimulus checks or to vote to override a veto. And it also raised the possibility of a government shutdown.