Pleas for new checks grow as last round winds down
Though people are still receiving stimulus checks of up to $1,400 from the pandemic's third round, that emergency support from President Joe Biden's administration is fast running out. And so far, there's no fourth stimulus check in the works.
Millions of struggling Americans are pleading for more relief to help them cover essential bills and pay down debt, and scores of lawmakers are fighting to keep the money flowing. There's talk in Congress of a fourth direct payment and even a fifth.
But proposals calling for additional stimulus checks appear to be in jeopardy, at least right now. Here's a look at where things stand.
Last week, the IRS sent another 1.8 million direct payments to households under the COVID-19 rescue bill President Joe Biden signed in March. That makes for a total of nearly 167 million payments worth roughly $391 billion since the third round of stimulus checks started going out on March 12.
The distribution is likely winding down. Round 2 last winter involved just 147 million payments, the IRS says, though this time the number has been higher because some people have received bonus checks based on their 2020 tax returns.
The chorus of voices calling for additional direct payments continues to build.
Nearly 2.25 million people have now signed an online petition started by an out-of-work restaurant owner in Denver calling for new $2,000 stimulus checks for adults and $1,000 payments for children. Those would be followed by regular checks for the duration of the pandemic.
More than 80 members of Congress have signed letters urging President Biden to support recurring payments for the rest of the crisis. Most recently, seven members of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee wrote to ask Biden to include the ongoing relief in his new package of support for families.
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