HEADLINES & GLOBAL NEWS By Dec 31, 2020 07:38 AM EST Senator Mitch McConnell effectively renounced any change that Congress would increase the amount of stimulus checks to $2,000 prior to President Donald Trump's exit from office. He stated there was "no realistic path" for the Senate to pass a stand-alone bill. McConnell Dashes Hopes For $2,000 COVID-19 Relief Majority leader McConnell affirmed on Wednesday that lawmakers would merely consider an omnibus bill that involved the $2,000 checks and two other issues that President Trump has demanded Congress to address: probing into the integrity of the 2020 presidential election and invalidate legal protections for social media platforms. The Senate Majority Leader turned down the push for the Senate to pass the said bill, remarking instead that the increased direct payments would remain associated with nixing legal protection for internet companies and developing a commission to evaluate election integrity.