Social Media Demands a Second Stimulus Check as 2020 Winds Down

The year may be coming to an end, but Americans' demand for a second stimulus check isn't letting [...]

By Allison Schonter

The year may be coming to an end, but Americans' demand for a second stimulus check isn't letting up. As the country enters its ninth month since the first relief payments began being distributed, and with little headway being made in efforts for further aid on Capitol Hill, the American people are taking to Twitter to demand that action be taken sooner rather than later.

The first stimulus payments had been possible under the March approval of the CARES Act, the first stimulus relief bill passed by Congress amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. It had been prompted after states across the country enacted lockdowns to slow the virus' spread, resulting in record-high unemployment rates. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) then began distributing the payments in mid-April. However, those payments of approximately $1,200 have since run out, and many Americans are still in need of help.

As hope dwindles that a second payment will soon be coming, many people are taking to social media to urge lawmakers to pass relief before the end of the year. Congress is currently scheduled to enter recess for the holidays in December, and many want to see progress made on a bill before they head home. Scroll down to see what people are saying.

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According to the 2020 congressional calendar, the House of Representatives is scheduled to begin their vacation after Dec. 10, with the Senate closing their current session on Dec. 18. The two chambers will not return until the new year.

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Lawmakers at the negotiations table had once been making a push to pass a relief bill before Election Day on Nov. 3. After that date passed, it had been believed that lawmakers would be able to pass a stimulus bill during the current lame duck session.

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Speaking to The Hill in October, one senior Senate GOP aid predicted that there would be "more opportunity" after the election to negotiate and strike a deal. Several lawmakers also expressed a belief that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would "have a strong incentive" to approve a stimulus bill during the lame-duck session, as it will make it easier to put together a full-year annual appropriations package before Christmas.

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Despite these beliefs, in the days that have followed those remarks, more doubt has been cast that a deal will be struck by the end of 2020. In mid-November, aides told CNN that "there are no signs that a deal is on the horizon." Those aides said that Democrats and Republicans "are still awaiting direction from their leadership on how to proceed."

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The lack of anther stimulus bill means that numerous provisions that were enacted under the CARES Act are now reaching their expiration dates. Enhanced unemployment benefits, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, eviction protection, and student loan deferrals will expire by the end of the year.

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At this times, it seems unlikely that another stimulus bill will be passed by the end of the year. This doesn't mean, however, that further aid is not on the way, as it is possible that additional aid will be passed after President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20.

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Biden, who has urged Congress to take action now rather than wait, already has plans for a stimulus relief bill. The package, according to reports, would include a second stimulus payment, among numerous other provisions.

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