Indian American House representatives, Pramila Jayapal and Ro Khanna, along with the House Progressive Caucus, have successfully pushed for a second round of direct payment checks to American taxpayers in the face of the raging COVID pandemic.
An increased funding for unemployment insurance, to be included in the new stimulus relief bill, is currently being debated in Congress.
Members of the House Progressive Caucus, of which Jayapal is co-chair, said they would not approve a bill that did not offer at least $600 one-time direct payments to every eligible US resident. The first round of stimulus checks enacted in April 2020 offered American taxpayers a relief of approximately $1,200.
On late Wednesday, Congressional leaders announced that a one-time check of $600-$700 would be added to the relief bill currently under debate.
“The point we were trying to make is that we’ve got to have direct relief – money in people’s pockets – with any bill that passes. Direct relief – which Jayapal called survival checks – along with expanded unemployment benefits are “the most effective way to get money to people”, said Jayapal excited at the announcement.
"There is desperation around the country,” added the Congresswoman. She added that people are worried about whether they’re going to be able to keep their heat on in the midst of winter storms, pay their rent or buy groceries.
President-elect Joe Biden too has come out in support of a second COVID relief package.
The deadline to pass the bill is 18 December. The House and Senate are debating a second, much slimmed down stimulus bill that will pump $908 billion into the US economy to mitigate the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At present, it remains unclear whether a deeply divided House and Senate will pass a second round of funding.
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