Numerous House Democrats sent a letter to President Joe Biden appealing for the White House to push for recurring cash payments to Americans in upcoming COVID-19 relief proposals, pressing the administration to go further in its plans to mitigate the economic decline due to the pandemic.
The president's current relief proposal involves a one-time direct payment of $1,400 to United States citizens with earnings under a specific threshold.
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According to a signed letter sent to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesotan Democrat, and over 50 other House members are prompting the Biden administration to support such policy.
Those who signed the January 28 letter included other leading House progressives such as Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
According to 56 House Democrats spearheaded by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in a letter, "We kindly request that your incoming administration consider including support for recurring cash payments in your future economic relief plans. Recurring payments would provide a longterm lifeline to struggling Americans for the duration of this deadly pandemic," reported Local 12.
The Democrats' letter did not exactly stipulate an anticipated amount, but it underscores that the United States is now in "the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression."
The letter merely stated a one-time $1,400 payment "would provide a temporary lifeline, but when that money runs out, families will once again struggle to pay for basic necessities," reported 95.5WSB.
The group of lawmakers is reportedly appealing for recurring cash payments from any COVID-19 relief package to:
- Be sent to all immigrant workers, refugees, and their families.
- Continue until the economy recuperates with equal payments to adults and dependents.
- Include older dependents such as elderly and disabled dependents and those over 16 years old still claimed as dependents.
Also Read: Democrats Plan to Provide $3,000 Payments per Child Through IRS
Progressives wrote to their president and vice president that one more check is not enough.
White House and congressional officials are acting swiftly to draft the next stimulus package. Democrats are working on legislation that would meet the broad outlines of the president's $1.9 trillion proposal and could be passed by the middle of March 2021.
According to lawmakers in the letter, "The stunning financial crisis for those at the bottom of the income ladder demands massive relief to those who need it most. Recurring direct payments until the economy recovers will help ensure that people can meet their basic needs, provide racially equitable solutions, and shorten the length of the recession," reported The Hill.
Biden's proposal of $1400 direct payments comes following two rounds of direct payments enacted in relief measures in 2020. It is not yet clear whether the eligibility requirements for Biden's $1400 direct payments will be the same as in the earlier series of the stimulus.
Lawmakers added that numerous families could not afford to wait for eight months between payments, referring to the fact that the first wave of stimulus checks under the CARES Act was transferred in March. It was late December before additional direct payments were transferred to Americans' bank accounts.
