All eyes are on the Senate’s plans for stimulus check 2, but Republicans seem unprepared to make any firm commitments. Several lawmakers have expressed hesitation and concern about the idea of providing additional direct payments to Americans.
“It was a massive amount of money, not at all targeted to the people who really needed it,” Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said last week. “So, I’m a skeptic about whether we should do another round of that.”
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Texas Sen. John Cornyn has said that the status of direct stimulus check payments is unclear, but also noted that lawmakers may need to “reprogram” parts of the stimulus package, according to WKRN. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana has expressed similar uncertainty.
There is at least one proposal that may soon come up for debate. Sen. Mitch McConnell has said he expects to introduce his own version of a stimulus package, but payments under his plan may be limited to workers who make less than $40,000 per year.
However, the Senate is on recess until July 17, and once it returns to work, it has just a few weeks (until August 7) to consider and pass a second stimulus package. It could push the stimulus check 2 date back past September 7, when the Senate’s next recess is over.
Stimulus check 2 proposals
There are several proposals floating around for stimulus check 2 and no clear answers. The Heroes Act, which the U.S. House of Representatives approved in May, expands relief payments for individuals and families, including additional funds for dependent children and workers with taxpayer identification numbers. Under this bill, individuals who qualify would receive $1,200, with up to $6,000 in benefits per family. You can see how much you may get using the stimulus check 2 calculator.
From the White House, President Trump has said on separate occasions that “very generous” benefits may be coming “very soon” while Vice President Pence has offered support for a payroll tax cut reflected in worker paychecks. And White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow has said that “direct checks are probably going to be part” of a second stimulus bill.
Meanwhile, Sen. Kamala Harris has called for providing $2,000 per month in direct payments for the foreseeable future, and a group of economists is recommending ongoing checks to individuals and families with amounts fluctuating with economic growth.
Find your first stimulus check
If you’re expecting a payment from the first round of stimulus checks but haven’t yet received your benefits, look up the status using the IRS's Get My Payment app. You can also sign up for stimulus check notifications via USPS's Informed Delivery tool, which lets you know when your check or stimulus check debit card is scheduled to arrive.
Finally, you can try to reach a representative at the IRS stimulus check phone number.
