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STIMULUS CHECKS

$1,000 stimulus check: what is the new proposal by GOP senators?

Mitt Romney, Marco Rubio and two other Republican senators have introcuded a bill that differs to the HEALS Act.

Update:
U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) asks a question to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington, DC, U.S. July 30, 2020. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS
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Earlier, this week the Republicans unveiled the HEALS Act, a $1 trillion economic aid package which also includes a provision for the much-anticipated second round of stimulus checks.

Under the bill, eligible individuals earning less than $75,000 would receive up to $1,200 and $500 per dependent regardless of their age (in the previous CARES Act, the limit was set at child under 17, while the income limit was $99,000).

Democrats have also proposed a bill known as the HEROES Act, which would see eligible individuals receive a $1,200 payment plus $1,200 per dependent for up to three dependents. However, while that bill pass was passed by the House of Representatives in May, it had already been deemed dead on arrival at the Republican-controlled senate.

Rubio and Romney propose $1,000 payment for adults and children

But the HEALS Act is not the only proposal being put forward by Republican lawmakers, with four GOP senators introducing a bill on Thursday that would provide more money to children and less to adults compared to the first round.

Under the bill from GOP Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.), Steve Daines (Mont.), Mitt Romney (Utah), and Marco Rubio (Fla.), both adults and children would receive stimulus payments of $1,000. Like the HEALS Act, adult dependents who were not eligible under the CARES Act will also receive the $1,000 payment. The senators say the bill is focused on assisting families, highlighting that a family of four would receive $600 more than they did under the CARES Act.

“Much of the burden of the pandemic has fallen on parents and children. This legislation prioritizes their needs by providing resources for school supplies, childcare, and other unexpected expenses,” Senator Cassidy said in a news release.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) asks a question to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on the State Departmentx92s 2021 budget in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC on 30 July 2020.
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Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) asks a question to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on the State Departmentx92s 2021 budget in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC on 30 July 2020. GREG NASHAFP

Income limits under Rubio-Romney proposal vs. HEALS Act

The four senators’ bill would include the same income threshold of $75,000 outlined in the HEALS Act ($150,000 for couples), while payment would only be provided to those with social security numbers (in line with the CARES and HEALS Acts). The Democrat proposal, on the other hand, would allow payments to both those with Social Security numbers and those with individual tax identification numbers.

The new bill comes as Republicans and Democrats continue to debate a second coronavirus relief package aimed at jumpstarting the ailing US economy, which contracted 32.9% between April and June, the sharpest fall the nation has experienced since World War II.

Both parties are in favor of including a second round of stimulus payments for individuals and families; however they have yet to agree on all of the parameters.

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