House passes bill increasing stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000, in line with President Trump's request

It only takes one senator to block a bill, and more than one Republican in the upper chamber has voiced their opposition to raising payments higher than $600. During debate over the COVID-19 relief package earlier this month, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) twice blocked attempts to raise the payments to $1,200, citing the increase to the U.S. deficit.

Johnson joined five other GOP senators in voting against the coronavirus bill that was included in a massive spending package totaling $2.3 trillion.

Another fiscally conservative Republican who issued a "nay" vote against the bill in the upper chamber was Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.), who opined sarcastically in a floor speech, "Why not $20,000 a year for everybody, why not $30,000? If we can print out money with impunity, why not do it?"

But a number of Senate Republicans have also signaled their support for raising the direct payments, including Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.).