House Democrats issued a change in the planned coronavirus relief package that would narrow eligibility for higher-income Americans.
Details
- The draft legislation from Democrats said Americans earning $75,000 or less would receive $1,400 payments, Fox News reports.
- The threshold for receiving a check would cut off for those earning $100,000 or more, and couples who earn more than $200,000, per Fox News.
- A previous plan considered sending $1,400 checks to individuals who made $50,000, and $100,000 for couples.
- The stimulus checks would be based on a person’s 2019 or 2020 tax income returns, per The Washington Post.
Context
Both sides of the aisle continue to debate who should be eligible for the stimulus checks. Per CBS News, researchers have said that “finances have stabilized for many middle- and higher-income families,” which has raised questions about who needs the direct aid.
Previous considerations
- The White House’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan — which was approved early Friday morning by the Senate and was sent to the House — looked to provide aid through stimulus checks.
- Per The Washington Post, the $1,400 wouldn’t have gone to everyone. People who made under $50,000 would get the full $1,400. Heads of households who earn under $75,000 would also qualify.
- “Similar to the prior rounds of stimulus checks, people who earn slightly above those thresholds would still qualify for a partial payment,” according to The Washington Post.
A history of stimulus checks
In December, the Trump administration got Congress to approve a $600 stimulus check. Taxpayers with a 2019 adjusted gross income up to $75,000 received a $600 stimulus check. Meanwhile, couples who earned up to $150,000 received a $1,200 payment, as I wrote about for the Deseret News.
In March 2020, President Donald Trump signed a $2.2 trillion coronavirus response bill that gave taxpayers who made up to $75,000 annually a $1,200 impact payment. Married couples who made up to $150,000 got $2,400.