Republicans Looking to Tie Future Stimulus Relief Into Employment

The debate over a second round of stimulus payments continues to rage on in Washington, D.C. The first round of payments, part of The CARES Act, included a one-time sum of $1,200 for every adult citizen plus $500 for each dependent. While there's been vocal support behind an additional round of payments to both aid individuals as well as help keep the economy somewhat afloat, there's little consensus on how that aid should be distributed.

Some Republicans in Congress have floated the idea of tying additional stimulus payments to their employment, according to Forbes. Several in the GOP have called to end the $600 expanded unemployment insurance program, arguing that it de-incentives work. Rep. Kevin Brady, a Republican from Texas, has proposed a payroll tax cut, while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has advocated for liability insurance for employers. Tom Cotton also spoke to Sean Hannity Tuesday night about his proposed bill, No Bailouts for Illegal Aliens Act, which would withhold CARES Act funds to states and cities unless they "proved" the money wouldn't got to undocumented immigrants.

Of course, these proposals are not without its critics — namely, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "It's always interesting to me to see how much patience some people have with the pain and suffering of other people," Pelosi told reporters on Friday. "Let's take a pause? Do you think this virus is taking a pause? Do you think that the rent takes a pause?"

Pelosi's comments also came the same day the House of Representatives passed The HEROES Act, which would allocate another $1,200 payment to individuals, plus $1,200 for every dependent — though the amount would be capped at $6,000. President Donald Trump had previously expressed support for an additional round of stimulus payments, though he's offered few specifics, besides some recent support thrown behind payroll tax cuts. Democrats are largely in support of the act, which was originally introduced by Pelosi on May 12, though some members of the Senate have called it a "non-starter," making it dubious that it will be signed into law in its current state.

However, experts have pointed out that payroll tax cuts won't be as effective in jump-starting the economy, given the amount of money per paycheck is often marginal. Of course, those with larger paychecks would gain the most, though the millions who've filed for unemployment since March would see no benefit whatsoever.