U.S. Rep. Tom Reed

Efforts to increase pandemic relief checks to Americans from $600 to $2,000 at the behest of President Donald Trump received the backing of U.S. Rep. Tom Reed.

The Corning Republican released a statement Sunday evening supporting the bump, which drew praise on Twitter that included former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang.

“The American people are hurting,” said Reed, also a member of the bi-partisan Problems Solvers Caucus. “Economic stagnation and lock downs have left many in difficult financial situations. I’ve communicated to the President my support for his directive to increase the total size of stimulus checks to $2,000 per individual and will be voting in favor of the CASH Act tomorrow to do so. It is only fair that we act decisively now to deliver the comprehensive relief individuals desperately need.”

Reed’s comments came shortly before Trump signed the $2 trillion-plus COVID-19 and annual federal spending package.

An effort to increase stimulus check payments was to be voted on Monday in the Democratic-led House, sending a new bill to the Senate. There, Republicans have the majority but oppose more spending and are likely to defeat the effort.

The showdown offers more symbol than substance, and it’s not expected to alter the massive package that Trump reluctantly signed into law late Sunday in Florida, where he is spending the holidays. The $900 billion in COVID aid and $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and avert a federal government shutdown that otherwise would have started Tuesday, in the midst of the public health crisis.