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Coronavirus Stimulus Check

What have Biden and Trump said about second stimulus check?

Negotiations are ongoing between Republicans and Democrats, a new skinny bill is awaiting a vote, but what have the leaders each said on stimulus checks?

Update:
What have Biden and Trump said about second stimulus check?
NACHO DOCEREUTERS

Tomorrow the Senate is scheduled to vote on a GOP half trillion stimulus bill, the total just a fraction of the $2.2 tn bill which passed in the House this month. Considering last month a similar Republican-backed bill of the same size was blocked by Democrats in the Senate, there’s not much hope for tomorrow’s proposition either.

Meanwhile, Pelosi and Mnuchin continue to meet and negotiate a new larger bipartisan bill, as the clock ticks on agreeing on anything before the 3 November election. Both sides claim they are making progress and “continue to narrow their differences” but to date an accord still seems out of reach.

Yesterday evening Pelosi’s Deputy Chief of Staff Drew Hammill tweeted that talks were progressing, and that the Speaker remained hopeful that by the end of Tuesday “we will have clarity on whether we will be able to pass a bill before the election.”

What has Joe Biden said about stimulus bill?

Joe Biden’s own coronavirus relief proposal could cost up to $3 trillion and would include more $1,200 stimulus checks “should conditions require”, extended unemployment benefits and an additional $200 to monthly social security checks. He would also forgive a minimum of $10,000 in federal student loans for each borrower.

Biden’s campaign proposal has also promised to pay for all coronavirus testing and tracing, to ensure that “no one has to pay a dollar out of pocket for covid-19 testing, treatment, or an eventual vaccine.”

A new Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index poll found that nearly one-third of Americans would not be willing to pay a cent for a coronavirus vaccine, once it’s available.

Biden has openly criticised the Republicans for prioritising the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett as Supreme Court justice over negotiations on a new stimulus relief bill.

What has Donald Trump said about stimulus bill?

Donald Trump’s messaging on economic impact payments this time round has frankly been all over the place. And that’s just in the past month.

On 6 October he publicly and rather aggressively slammed the door on any further negotiations before the election, stating that his administration had made an offer of $1.6 trillion but was not willing to go any higher. He also accused Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi of negotiating in bad faith.

Just over a week later the president did a complete u-turn, appearing suddenly desperate to pass a bill providing a second round of stimulus checks to get cash into Americans’ pockets ahead of the election.

He had initially refused to commit more than $1.6 trillion to the financial relief package but after his $1.8 trillion offer was rebuffed by Nancy Pelosi as being insufficient, Trump then said that he would be willing to go even higher.

He also refused to call up Pelosi himself to discuss the stalemate because she has “a lot of mental problems”

Oh, and China is going to pay for the Stimulus, apparently.

Four coronavirus aid packages passed so far

Earlier this year, Congress quickly passed four major bills providing about $3 trillion to respond to the Covid-19 crisis, most notably the $2.2-trillion CARES Act.

In May, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act, a bill that would provide another $3.4 trillion in aid, but the proposal has not been taken up by the Senate.

For the latest on coronavirus in the US as it happens, follow our dedicated rolling feed.

Here's a timeline for delivery of stimulus checks.