Nearly two dozen Senate Democrats, led by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., are calling on President Joe Biden to include recurring direct payments in his infrastructure plan, The Hill reports.
“We urge you to include recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions tied to economic conditions in your Build Back Better long-term economic plan,” Wyden and 20 other lawmakers wrote in a letter to Biden.
The senators include Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
“While we are pleased that the American Rescue Plan included a one-time direct payment and an extension of federal unemployment insurance programs, a single direct payment will not last long for most families.”
The senators go on to say that another round of stimulus checks is also necessary to help Americans who have had switched to lower-paying jobs or had their hours cut but haven’t lost their jobs, and therefore don’t qualify for unemployment insurance or other benefits.
“Recurring direct payments have wide support from both the general public and economic experts,” they wrote, citing a report from the Urban Institute that said a single payment of $1,200, when combined with federal unemployment and assistance from states could help 12 million people keep from falling into poverty, while a second direct payment would help a further 6.3 million people.
They also note that a recent poll from Politico and Morning Consult shows that three-quarters of all Americans, including more than half of Republicans, support the American Rescue Plan that includes $1,400 payments for Americans who earn $75,000 or less per year.
“Polling shows 65 percent of Americans support recurring cash payments 'for the duration of the pandemic.' This includes support from 54 percent of Republicans and 60 percent of independents. Economists support the idea too,” the senators wrote.
The legislators conclude that the additional $300-per-week federal unemployment benefits will end at the start of September.
“We are worried about the cliff facing unemployed workers when the unemployment insurance extensions expire on September 6. This crisis is far from over, and families deserve certainty that they can put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Families should not be at the mercy of constantly-shifting legislative timelines and ad hoc solutions,” they wrote.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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