Will Stimulus Checks Be Discussed at Tonight's Debate?

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will participate in the first presidential debate on Tuesday. Since the topic of stimulus checks has been a significant talking point of the national conversation amidst the ongoing coronavirus crisis, will they be discussed during the first debate? Given that the two men will discuss the economy and COVID-19 during two of the six segments during the event, it's incredibly likely that they will touch upon stimulus checks.

Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace will serve as the moderator of this debate. He chose six different topics that will be addressed during the event — Trump and Biden's records, the Supreme Court, the economy, the COVID-19 crisis, race in the United States, and the integrity of the election. Since there will be a segment tied to the economy and another to the coronavirus pandemic, it's entirely possible that the topic of stimulus checks could be touched upon during the debate. Americans have been wondering whether another stimulus package could be on the way amid months of failing negotiations in Congress. So, the topic is likely one that is on many Americans' minds at the moment and, thus, will be one that they want to be addressed during the presidential debate.

It has been about six months since Congress and the White House agreed to their historic $2 trillion stimulus package, the CARES Act. But, since the coronavirus pandemic remains an ongoing issue, many are calling on lawmakers to produce another stimulus package to help Americans and the economy amidst this difficult time. Over the past several months, Democrats and Republicans have introduced various proposals for another stimulus package. However, the two sides have not been able to agree on one package. More specifically, Democrats and Republicans disagree on the total price point of another stimulus plan. Democrats have called for a package in the $2.2 to $3 trillion range, while Republicans have not introduced a plan that is worth more than $1.3 trillion.

Most recently, both the Democrats (led by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer) and the Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have both tried to introduce last-minute stimulus packages. Although, it doesn't appear as though any of these packages will be able to garner enough support to pass. As a result, since Congress is set to go on recess in advance of the November election, Americans could be waiting some time before they receive more financial assistance from the government amid this ongoing health pandemic.