Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked an initial attempt by Democrats to quickly approve the increased COVID payments on Tuesday, instead signaling he would link the measure with repealing protections for social media companies and investigating voter fraud. The Senate will "begin a process" to "bring these three priorities into focus." The trio of issues are each a priority for President Trump. Democrats have said lumping them together in one piece of legislation would be a nonstarter. This comes after a handful of Republicans, including the two facing re-election battles in Georgia, announced they would favor increasing payments to most Americans."I've stood by the president a hundred percen. I'm proud of that, and I've said absolutely, we need to get relief to Americans now. I will support that," said Sen. Kelly Loeffler.The process has created political odd couples with progressives on the same side of the issue as President Donald Trump. "The leaders of our country, President Trump, President-elect Biden, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, are all in agreement we have got to raise the direct payment to $2,000," said Sen. Bernie Sanders.Bernie Sanders has threatened to hold up a vote planned for today to override the president's veto on the defense authorization bill.
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IN PHOTOS | First snow of the season in Racine County in December 2020
Main Street in Downtown Racine soon after snow started falling Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020
Christmas lights and snowfall in Mount Pleasant
Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020
Pam Carey
Pam Carey flings snow into the air as she finishes clearing her Mount Pleasant driveway of snow Wednesday morning after 5-6 inches of snow was dumped on the area.
Union Grove snowplow clears street
A Union Grove village snowplow driver Wednesday clears Vine Street in Union Grove after the winter season's first major snowfall brought accumulations of four to six inches in southeastern Wisconsin.
Father and son
Father and son Ryan Smithke Sr. and Ryan Smithke Jr. use shovels to clear out a vehicle along Graceland Boulevard Wednesday morning.
Sophie Buford of Burlington plays in the snow
Sophie Buford, 3, of Burlington, enjoys a day in the snow Wednesday after the winter season's first major snowfall outside her family's apartment at Fox Crossing Apartments.
Father and son
Father and son Ryan Smithke Sr. and Ryan Smithke Jr., flinging snow into the air, use shovels to clear out a vehicle along Graceland Boulevard on the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020.
Pam Carey
Pam Carey uses a snowblower to clear her Mount Pleasant driveway Wednesday morning after the first significant snowfall of the season in Racine County.
Sisters Olivia and Sophie Buford play in the snow in Burlington
Sisters Sophie Buford, 3, left, and Olivia Buford, 8, play in the snow Wednesday outside their apartment in Fox Crossing Apartments in Burlington, taking advantage of the winter season's first major snowfall.
Pam Carey
Pam Carey flings snow into the air as she finishes clearing her Mount Pleasant driveway of snow Wednesday morning after 5-6 inches of snow was dumped on the area.
James Martin
James Martin of Racine uses a snowblower to clear a few inches of snow along Villa Street Wednesday morning.
Sweeping Away
Dave Slye deploys a broom to clear snow off a car on Wednesday outside his home on 14th Avenue in Union Grove, after an overnight snowfall that brought 5 to 6 1/2 inches of snow to Racine County.
James Martin
James Martin of Racine uses a snowblower to clear a few inches of snow along Villa Street Wednesday morning.
Brenda Norvell
Brenda Norvell of Racine shovels her sidewalk and front steps Wednesday morning on Villa Street.
Pam Carey
Pam Carey flings snow into the air as she finishes clearing her Mount Pleasant driveway of snow Wednesday morning after 5-6 inches of snow was dumped on the area.
Jesus Rodriguez
Jesus Rodriguez of Racine uses a snowblower to clear a few inches of snow along Villa Street Wednesday morning.
Smiling and sledding
Chris, who declined to give his last name, helps his son Domerion, 7, sled down a hill in Racine on Wednesday afternoon. Across the county, between 5 and 6 1/2 inches of snow fell, according to the National Weather Service, with 5 inches falling at the Racine Wastewater Utility, 6.3 inches falling south of the Oak Creek Power Plant, and 6 inches falling in Rochester. Those inch counts are near the median statewide, with Beloit, West Allis, Sullivan, Palmyra and Stoughton in Dane County all recording at least 8 inches of snow. In Kenosha, 2.2 inches were recorded, although Twin Lakes in western Kenosha County got more than 5 inches. For a preview of the snow that may be coming on New Year's Day, turn to Weather, Page A6.
Father and son on the sledding hill
Chris helps his 3-year-old son Nolan sled down a hill in Racine Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday was really the first time Nolan has been out in the snow, since they didn't get the chance to play in it last year when he was 2. Luckily, Chris, who didn't provide his last name, had the day off and could take his sons sledding.
Brothers and sleds
Brothers Nolan, 3, at right, and Domerion, 7, run back up a sledding hill Wednesday afternoon in Racine after the city was blanketed with snow for this first time this season.
Kayla Olalde shovels snow in Burlington
Kayla Olalde, manager of Sunset Apartments in Burlington, shovels snow outside the Sunset Drive apartment complex Wednesday following the area's first major snowfall of the winter season.
Christmas lights under the snow Tuesday night
Cars iced over Tuesday evening as Racine County gets hit with first significant snowfall of the season
Wisconsin Avenue soon after snow started to fall on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 29
Olivia Buford, 8, of Burlington plays in the snow
Olivia Buford, 8, of Burlington, catches her breath atop a snow pile Wednesday while enjoying the aftermath of the area's first major snowfall of the winter season outside her family's apartment at Fox Crossing Apartments.
Perry Avenue gets covered in snow
Kurt Lakatos of Burlington shovels snow outside his home
Kurt Lakatos shovels snow Wednesday from the sidewalk outside his home on Rose Ann Drive in Burlington, joining others in southeastern Wisconsin in digging out from the region's first major snowfall of the winter season.
Jason Houdek uses snow-blower in Union Grove
Jason Houdek uses a snow-blower to clear a neighbor's driveway Wednesday on Main Street in Union Grove, as the region digs out from the first major snowfall of the winter season.
Snowy Day
Ronald Strickland was out early Wednesday morning shoveling the sidewalk for a friend.
Snowy Day
City of Racine crews work to get the sidewalks cleared Wednesday morning.
