After months of hoping for additional relief, a second stimulus check seems to be out of the cards. On Tuesday, as they reconvened on Capitol Hill, Senate Republicans revealed a new, slimmer stimulus bill that does not include additional direct payments to Americans, and many are demanding to know why.
Under this new proposal, which was brought forth after negotiations regarding the HEALS Act collapsed last month, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) would be extended, allowing some small businesses to receive a second loan, according to Yahoo Finance. The bill also seeks to extend enhanced unemployment benefits, at $300 per week, through Dec. 27. The legislation also includes $105 billion for schools, $16 billion for coronavirus testing and contact tracing, and $31 billion for vaccine development and distribution, as well as some liability protections from coronavirus lawsuits.
Notably missing, however, is a provision allowing for a second round of stimulus checks, a measure that had been include in both the HEROES Act, which was introduced by Democrats in May, and the HEALS Act, which was introduced by the Senate. Neither the HEROES Act nor HEALS Act have seen bipartisan support. Stimulus payments had also received the backing of President Donald Trump.
The lack of stimulus payments has not settled well with the American people. As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took to Twitter Tuesday to applaud the new legislation's introduction, some people took to the comments to demand to know why stimulus payments are not included. Keep scrolling to see what they are saying.