Progressive Dems urge Biden to send recurring coronavirus stimulus checks

A group of more than 50 House progressives called on President Biden to include recurring stimulus checks instead of one-time payments in the next coronavirus relief package, urging the White House to go further on relief measures as Democratic leaders rush to strike a deal.

In a letter sent to the Biden administration on Thursday, the group of Democrats — led by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. — pushed for regular checks for Americans still struggling financially because of the pandemic, rather than a single $1,400 check. Other letter signatories included other members of the so-called "squad" Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

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“One more check is not enough during this public health and economic crisis," the lawmakers wrote in the letter to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The progressives did not specify a dollar amount for the payments, but previously introduced legislation last April that called for $2,000 monthly checks.

Under that proposal, every American age 16 or older who earns less than $130,000 annually would be eligible to receive a check worth up to $2,000 per month. The bill would distribute an extra $500 per child for up to three children and would last for six months; a married couple who makes under $260,000 and has three children would receive $5,500 per month.

"Recurring direct payments until the economy recovers will help ensure that people can meet their basic needs, provide racially equitable solutions, and shorten the length of the recession," the progressives wrote. "As we look at the coming year, another one-time round of checks would provide a temporary lifeline, but when that money runs out, families will once again struggle to pay for basic necessities."

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The White House and congressional leaders are rushing to draft the next stimulus package, with Democrats looking to model the measure after Biden's $1.9 trillion plan. Released earlier this month, Biden's proposal includes a one-time $1,400 stimulus check, supplemental unemployment benefits at $400 a week through September and $350 billion in funding for state and local governments.

But the plan is already running into a Republican roadblock, with GOP lawmakers, worried about the nation's surging deficit, arguing that Biden's proposal is too expensive and comes too soon on the heels of the $900 billion aid package that Congress passed in December.

Unless the Biden administration makes significant changes to the measure, it will almost certainly fail to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the upper chamber without Democrats relying on budget reconciliation.

The Biden administration has not ruled out the possibility of using reconciliation to pass the measure, with White House press secretary Jen Psaki telling reporters last week that "we are not going to take any tools off the table."

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Sen. Bernie Sanders, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said Sunday during an interview on CNN that Democrats would use budget reconciliation to pass the relief bill.

“We are going to use reconciliation, that is 50 votes in the Senate plus the vice president, to pass legislation desperately needed by working families in this country right now,” he CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union." "The new Senate stands on 50-50, with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tiebreaking vote when needed."