HEALS Act: Who would qualify and be eligible for second stimulus money?
Millions of Americans will be getting a second stimulus check amid the coronavirus pandemic and unemployment benefits will continue but for less than $600.
The Republican-controlled Senate have agreed on the fourth and final stimulus relief package amid the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. On Monday Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell presented the HEALS Act. This new bill will include, among other measures, a second round of stimulus checks worth up to $1,200 per individual who qualifies.
Unemployment Benefits
The HEALS Act will not extend the weekly $600 in unemployment benefits set to expire by 31 July, but it will continue the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for reemployment bonuses, retention bonuses and tax credits for small businesses and restaurants.
The House Democrats approved the HEROES Act back in May and in that bill, among other measures, they wanted to extend the weekly $600 in unemployment benefits until January 2021. But in this new bill the Senate will continue this extra boost but people will only get $200 instead of $600.
Who qualifies?
McConnell’s stimulus plan targets a $1 trillion budget and it will be very similar to the CARES Act passed back in March in the beginning of the outbreak. In the first stimulus check Americans were getting $1,200 or $2,400 for married couples and reports suggest that they should expect the same amount of money in this new bill.
Also just like the CARES Act, people who qualify need to make less than $75,000 a year for individuals and married couples must make $150,000 or less. “We're talking about the same provision as last time, so our proposal is the exact same proposal as last time," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who is negotiating with lawmakers on behalf of the White House, told reporters.