Following the end of former president Trump’s impeachment, lawmakers are scheduled for a recess this week, delaying their effort to deliver another round of stimulus checks and other relief to Americans.
The Senate and House will reconvene on February 22, when they begin to work out the specifics of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion plan.
Nancy Pelosi has told reporters that she hopes for approval “by the end of February so we can enact it before unemployment expires” on March 14.
The House Ways and Means Committee recently enacted a part of President Biden’s plan by a margin of 24-18, which includes the $1,400 payments. Other sections of the bill will be voted on one at a time as the DNC-led Senate intends to use reconciliation to get around opposition from the GOP.
The measure cannot get out of committee until the house votes on them after they reconvene.
The specifics surrounding the package’s income levels still need to be discussed, as moderates of both parties argue the next stimulus should be more targeted.
The IRS is expected to start issuing checks as soon as the bill becomes law.
According to a CNET timeline projection, the earliest the $1,400 stimulus check could be enacted is Feb. 26. The bill could then be signed into law by Biden by March 1, with direct deposits being sent out during the week of March 8.
On top of the stimulus checks, the measure also increases tax credits for low-income households and people paying for care for adults or children. Most American parents would get $3,000 per year for every child aged 6 to 17 and $3,600 per year for every child under the age of 6.
Families can also decide to get monthly payments – around $250 to $300 – instead of a yearly lump sum. Tax payments would start going out in July if lawmakers approve the plan.
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