Sen. Pat Toomey Blocks Bill Protecting Stimulus Money from Debt Collectors, Says It's Too Late

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Newsweek

Republican Senator Pat Toomey (Pa.) has blocked a proposal from Senate Democrats to prevent debt collectors from garnishing the $1,400 stimulus checks included in President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan.

Democrats introduced an amendment to the COVID-19 relief package on Wednesday, hoping to add protections to stop debt collection companies from taking the checks from recipients who owe them money. On Thursday, Toomey single-handedly prevented the Senate from voting on the bill after Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) attempted to pass it by unanimous consent.

The Republican senator complained that the relief package had been passed without bipartisan support and insisted that the debt collectors have a "valid legal claim" to the payments. Toomey also argued that the amendment was coming too late to be anything other than a "political statement." The U.S. Treasury Department estimated that 90 million checks had already been issued on Wednesday.

"Now our Democratic colleagues perceive a problem with this legislation and they'd like Republicans' consent to fix what might have been resolved with some kind of compromise," Toomey said from the Senate floor. "My colleagues want to come here and block a valid legal claim from being honored."

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/sen-pat-toomey-blocks-bill-protecting-stimulus-money-from-debt-collectors-says-its-too-late/ar-BB1eJo8v?li=BBnb7Kz

[Walleye]

1. Sick and tired of these people. They know they're called lawmakers, right? Supposed to make laws

I think it was Senator Alan Simpson who said any mule can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.

[catrose]

2. VOTE HIM OUT

And it's just wrong that one person can kill or hold up legislation.

And Pat? You wouldn't have helped anyway.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. He plans to retire when his term's up I believe

[MyOwnPeace]

6. Oh, yeah - he's 'out!'

That's part of the 'funny stuff' he's doing now. He seems to be voting 'conscience' now and then, but then reverts to the 'party line' when he remembers who got him there.
It is important to remember that there is a very nice office on Wall Street waiting for him in 2022 - and he's NOT going to get anybody from there mad at him before his first day back.

NEVER forget who Pat Toomey is:

You know your bite is poisonous and now I'm going to die!"

"Oh shut up, silly woman," said the reptile with a grin,
"You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in."

[riversedge]

3. I say let the people decide which debts to paypart, or all. It is their money.

[patphil]

5. That's pretty shitty, even by Republican standards.

Just another underhanded way to take away hope and put more money in the hands of businesses that live off the poor and middle class.

He's not running for reelection is he?

[Midnight Writer]

7. They can't wait to take any benefits away from regular folk and give them to the rich, can they?

Senator, the rich and the corporations have enough power.

Let the little people have a few days of peace from their predations.

[hedda_foil]

8. Ok. This ridiculous use of blocks has to be stopped. Cancel the rule!

[sarcasmo]

9. Vile Republicans.

[Haggard Celine]

10. That shit happened to me today.

I had talked to the IRS weeks ago and told them to send my tax refund and my next stimulus check to my house instead of to that old account, and the lady I talked to said she put it into the computer, but they put it into that old account anyway and the bank won't give me the money because I owe on a credit card.

That money is for necessities, not for paying goddamn credit cards! The banks got their bailout last year, and just when I might be able to get up to date on my electric and other bills they get to play gotcha.

I haven't been abe to work in a year and a half because of health issues and I'm still unable to work right now. I was going to use that money for household repairs as well. I hope they pass this bill because I would love to go back down there and make them pay me.

[MiniMe]

11. One of my housemates is worried about debt collectors coming after her stimulus

She wrote a check to her mother as soon as she could today. She checked and found out that the payment had been deposited in her account. I have to thank DU for publicizing that the payments were coming out today so she could write the check before the creditors took it.

[rickyhall]

12. Doesn't understand the meaning of the word STIMULUS.

So which payday lender stimulated him?

[Indykatie]

13. Can Any Legislation Be Enacted Soon Enough to Stop This? Many Folks Already Have the $$$.

Why didn't we think of this at the beginning? This has been a complaint since the first stimulus money was sent out.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

26. We did.

This was a consequence of passing the bill through reconciliation, the Parliamentarian told Democrats they couldn't protect the money from bill collectors when passing the bill that way.

Unlike the earlier stimulus acts wherein they passed by large majorities.

[bucolic_frolic]

14. One of the worst hacks ever

[joetheman]

15. Can Biden pass an Executive Order of some kind on this?

[Journeyman]

16. Why didn't the Democrats include this in the original bill? . . .

Understandable, some things just get missed in any project of such considerable size, but you'd think various advocacy groups would have brought this to the Senate's attention before the final vote.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

17. I read it couldn't be done through reconciliation nt

[Journeyman]

20. Ah, that would explain it. Thank you . . .

[oasis]

18. Retiring senator goes out of his way to screw broke people.

[Fullduplexxx]

19. Doing what ever they can to blunt the extend of the recovery

Republicans can all go to hell the sooner the better

[Grokenstein]

21. "complained that the relief package had been passed without bipartisan support"

What, suddenly this is a problem now?

[Ziggysmom]

22. Look at his background backing deregulation of the banking industry.

Of course he supports his own kind.
Mother Jones did a great piece on him and his sleazy work.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/10/pat-toomey-derivatives-wall-street/

[IronLionZion]

23. I wish we had lots more Dems in the Senate nt

[JoeOtterbein]

24. I despise...

...the creep who represents me until 2023. I'm supporting big John Fetterman big time in PA 2022!

[Marcuse]

25. Toomey: "We could have negotiated garnishments! What's in it for me?"

Publicize this.

[Hotler]

27. Repugs are proud of their selfishness.

Nothing but scraps for the little people.

[OldBaldy1701E]

28. And

How much of a stake does he or his family/associates have in the debt collection business? I mean, these leaches are not even trying to be subtle anymore...