Politics
House Democrats introduce plan for permanent $300 stimulus checks to parents
HOUSE Democrats have introduced a plan for permanent $300 stimulus checks to parents.
The plan unveiled this week proposes the extension of the one-year child tax credit expansion; an anti-poverty initiative which formed a major part of the $1.9 trillion stimulus plan approved last month.
Experts said implementing the measure permanently would halve the country’s child poverty rate[/caption]
Biden was thought likely to reject permanently expanding the measure[/caption]
Under President Biden’s stimulus, parents have the option of receiving the payment from the IRS as a monthly check of $250 or $300.
The new plan was introduced by three Democrats including Rep. Rosa DeLauro, chair of the House Appropriations Committee; Rep. Suzan DelBene, head of the centrist New Democrat coalition; and Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York.
The plan would maintain the strengthened child tax credit, increase to $3,600 per child under age 6 and a little less – $3,000 – for kids between 6 and 17.
The amount for both previously stood at $2,000.
Families with little or no tax obligations could not tap into the program.
Projections by the Tax Policy Center in March suggested 90 per cent of families would benefit from the scheme.
Further to this, experts said implementing it would halve the country’s child poverty rate.
“We must use this moment to pass the American Family Act and permanently expand and improve the child tax credit by increasing the benefit to families and providing payments monthly,” DeLauro said in a statement.
“Children and families must be able to count on this benefit long after the end of this pandemic.”
According to Washington Post reports, Biden was likely to reject permanently expanding the measure in the “American Families Plan”, and instead extend it through 2025.
A month ago the White House said Biden favored keeping the child tax credit expansion.
“He said, ‘I’d love to do it permanently, but I’m not sure that I can get that through the Senate,’” Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico told reporters after a meeting with Biden.
“You could tell he was interested in making it permanent, that was the back and forth on that.”
While Democrats are doubling down on efforts to make the measure permanent, there are reportedly concerns within the administration about its hefty price tag.
Joe Biden is said to be sending out a letter to tens of millions of Americans to tout the success of his $1.9 trillion stimulus relief bill[/caption]
The new plan was introduced by three House Democrats[/caption]
Meanwhile, Joe Biden is said to be sending out a letter to tens of millions of Americans to tout the success of his $1.9 trillion stimulus relief bill.
Rumours about the upcoming move have caused critics to slam the president for acting like Trump.
Within weeks, all Americans who were eligible for the third round of stimulus checks under Biden’s America Rescue Plan will be reminded by mail who was responsible for sending them the $1,400 payment.
The letter, sent via the IRS, will be full of self-praise for promises the president kept according to Insider, who obtained an advanced copy of the note.
“On March 11, 2021, I signed into law the American Rescue Plan, a law that will help vaccinate America and deliver immediate economic relief to hundreds of million Americans, including you,” Biden writes.
“A key part of the American Rescue Plan is direct payments of $1,400 per person for most American households.
“This fulfills a promise I made to you, and will help get Americans through the crisis.”
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The letter also highlights others parts of Biden’s landmark bill that “will help you as well”, including aid for small businesses, expanded child tax credits for families, and resources to “reopen schools safely”.
“When I took office, I promised the American people that help was on the way,” Biden continues. “The American Rescue Plan makes good on that promise.”
Biden adds that since the pandemic took a hold of the US last spring, it has been a “long, hard time for our nation.”
Under President Biden’s stimulus, parents have the option of receiving the payment from the IRS as a monthly check of $250 or $300[/caption]
