Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey said President Donald Trump will be known for “chaos and misery and erratic behavior” if he refuses to sign the coronavirus stimulus bill.
While the latest COVID-19 aid package passed Congress on Dec. 21 after months of negotiations, Trump threw a curveball into the mix on Tuesday when he demanded that the $600 in direct payments be expanded to $2,000.
During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Toomey called the measures included in the bill “really, really important” and suggested that the fact that Trump hasn’t explicitly stated he would veto the legislation was a “hopeful sign.”
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“I understand the president would like to send bigger checks to everybody,” Toomey told guest-host Mike Emanuel. “I think what he ought to do is sign this bill and then make the case. Congress can pass another bill. I don’t agree with $2,000 to people who have had no lost income whatsoever, which is the vast majority of Americans, but the president’s free to make that case.”
The Pennsylvania senator pointed out that Trump’s administration “helped negotiate” the current bill.
“I understand he wants to be remembered for advocating for big checks, but the danger is he’ll be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire, so I think the best thing to do, as I say, sign this and then make the case for subsequent legislation,” he added, responding to a question about whether another government shutdown could occur. (RELATED: Schumer, Pelosi, Sanders And ‘The Squad’ Support Trump’s $2,000 Payment Demand)
Toomey went on to explain his view on why any significant amount should be specifically targeted to Americans who need it rather than those who haven’t lost income.