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A bill co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., would, among other things, put $1,000 in direct COVID-19 relief into the hands of adults and children.
The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D.-Del., is a companion bill to one introduced by a group of Repbulican Senators. The House bill would provide immediate relief to families across the United States still struggling through the COVID pandemic.
"More than half of households have reported major financial challenges due to the economic and public health crisis,” McKinley, a Wheeling native, said in a release. “By providing a second round of individual relief, millions of American families would receive the help they need to get through the holiday season. As Congress continues to negotiate additional COVID-19 relief measures, we must prioritize family-focused direct assistance to those who need it most.”
The bill would offer payments of $1,000 equally to both adults and children with social security numbers, $2,000 for those filing taxes jointly. According to a release from McKinley's office, a family of four would receive $4,000, which is $600 more than that family received during the first round of CARES Act payments.
The bill includes eligibility for adult dependents, including college students or those with disabilities. It also includes eligibility for U.S. citizens married to foreign nationals, but does not include eligibility for foreign nationals or those filing Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, which are only available for certain nonresident and resident aliens, their spouses and dependents who cannot get a Social Security Number.
COVID relief remains a priority topic on Capitol Hill. A bipartisan group led by Sens. Joe Manchin, D.-W.Va., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, has put forth a $908 billion relief package that includes a $300-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and $160 billion for states and local governments.
President Donald Trump's administration offered a $916 billion package that includes a $600 direct payment to most Americans and $1,200 to couples, but eliminates a $300-per-week unemployment benefit favored by the bipartisan group. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R.-Ky., said Congress would not adjourn until it provides that relief.