The tidal wave of COVID cases due to the omicron variant is renewing interest in another series of relief checks for beleaguered Americans.
Organizations of a major petition on Change.org have been calling for $2,000 monthly payments for adults and $1,000 per child since last year. The petition – already one of change.org’s most-signed efforts – has now topped 3 million signatures with a new goal of 4.5 million names.
The petition was established by Stephanie Bonin, a Denver restaurant owner who said the money was needed as the country was “deeply struggling.”
“The recovery hasn’t reached many Americans – the true unemployment rate for low-wage workers is estimated at over 20% and many people face large debts from last year for things like utilities, rent and childcare,” Bonin wrote. “These are all reasons that checks need to be targeted to people who are still struggling and that Congress needs to learn from this past year. It took nine months for Congress to send a second stimulus check, and just moments to spend it. Moving forward Congress needs to make recurring checks automatic if certain triggers are met.”
There have been three previous rounds of direct stimulus checks: $1,200 in March 2020, $600 in December 2020 and $1,400 in March 2021. The expanded child tax credit provided up to an additional $300 a month but those expired in December 2021.
Congress hasn’t shown any interest in another round of payments, however, and President Biden’s stalled Build Back Better plan, focuses on infrastructure and not direct stimulus.
In other words – the check isn’t in the mail. And, petition aside, it likely won’t be.
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