Senate GOP blocks Democratic push for Trump’s $2K checks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has blocked Democrats’ push to immediately bring President Donald Trump’s demand for bigger $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks up for a vote. The GOP leader said the Senate would “begin a process” to address the issue. But the next steps are highly uncertain. Trump has been pushing to more than triple the $600 payments approved by Congress. The House approved the larger checks, but the issue divides Republicans. On Tuesday, two Georgia Republican senators, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, said they support Trump’s plan. They are in the fights of their political lives in runoff elections Jan. 5 that will determine which party controls the Senate.