Americans have been waiting to see if a bill with second stimulus checks will be approved, and as each week passes the chances seem to dwindle. For much of the nation, the coronavirus has caused significant financial troubles. From working individuals and families to small businesses, unemployment has risen and income has steeply decreased.
The first stimulus payments went out as part of the CARES Act legislation, which was created to help the U.S. with financial instability during the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine period. The Democrat-led House passed a follow-up bill in May — the HEROES Act — a $3 trillion bill that would meet the needs of many citizens and businesses. The Republican-led Senate did not support this bill, as they found it to be too costly. They drafted their own bill — the HEALS Act — which Democrats have felt does not provide enough financial help to Americans. There are currently no official details on what citizens can expect from a new bill to be finalized, but scroll down to read all the latest updates.
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House Passes Amended Relief Bill
The House of Representatives passed an amended version of the Democratic-led $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, The HEROES Act. Next, the bill will go to the Republican-controlled Senate, where its chances of passing are slim, as GOP leaders have already refused to vote on the HEROES Act. That bill passed the House in May, but Republican leaders took issue with its $3 trillion price tag.
Pelosi and Mnuchin Meet
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have met and spoken multiple times over the past weeks, but no deal has been reached regarding the next stimulus bill. According to CNBC, the two met for an hour on Monday, Oct. 5, but did not reach an agreement.
Trump Coronavirus: Delay Second Stimulus?
On Oct. 2, it was announced that President Trump had contracted COVID-19, for which he was subsequently hospitalized. This sparked speculation over how the next stimulus package would be impacted. The most prominent possibility seemed to be that it would delay the bill, as the President has to sign off on it. However, now that Trump has returned to the White House — where he continues to be infected with the virus — the timeline may not be affected at all.
Imprisoned Stimulus Order
On Sept. 24, U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis Hamilton issued a ruling to the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department to issue over $100 million in CARES Act stimulus payments to incarcerated individuals. Previously, the IRS stated that imprisoned Americans were not eligible to receive the economic impact payments, but that has been overruled. The government now must send the payments within the next 30 days, with the IRS and Treasury having 45 days to submit documentation that the payments were issued.
Domestic Abuse Survivors: New Payment
A bipartisan collective of politicians sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, urging them to send new checks to abuse victims who have had their stimulus checks taken or intercepted by their abusers. The group cited reports from many social workers who have encountered the situations in their cases as evidence. “Congress passed the bipartisan CARES Act to swiftly deliver money into the hands of our most vulnerable constituents, and we cannot leave out survivors of domestic violence,” the group of Democrat and Republican lawmakers — led by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) — wrote.
IRS Deadline Extention
The time limit that citizens had to register for their CARES Act stimulus checks had been pushed back by five weeks. The IRS has officially extended the deadline to Nov. 21, 2020. Millions of Americans have not applied for the payments, that IRS has been attempting to get in contact with all eligible citizens for months. If you have not received your payment but think that you are eligible, follow this IRS link to submit your information.
Government Shutdown Avoided
On Thursday, ahead of his coronavirus diagnosis announcement, President Donald Trump signed a bill that will keep the U.S. government running through December. The Senate managed to pass a temporary spending bill on Wednesday — following a short lapse of funding — with an 84-10 vote, per CNBC. The legislation has already been approved by the House the week prior.
