House Democrats on Monday launched a key platform for President Biden’s stimulus plan, proposing legislation to send direct payments of $ 1,400 to Americans earning up to $ 75,000 and families with incomes of up to $ 150,000.
The plan, drawn up the day before scheduling important committee meetings to consider it, is at odds with the proposals of some Republicans and moderate Democrats who want to restrict eligibility for direct payments, targeting low-income people. Biden said he is open to such changes.
For now, the measure would allow individuals earning up to $ 100,000 and families earning up to $ 200,000 to be eligible for some payment, although the size of checks is gradually eliminated for those with an income above $ 75,000, or $ 150,000 for a family.
The bill, presented by Representative Richard E. Neal, Massachusetts Democrat and Chair of the Forms and Resources Committee, is part of a series that Democrats presented on Monday before a week of legislative work to solidify the details of the stimulus for Proposed Biden.
The decision to keep the income ceiling at the same level as the last round of stimulus payments comes after days of debate among the Democratic caucus in the House over the size of checks, as some moderates pressed to restrict the total amount to those who earn $ 50,000 or less and families earning up to $ 100,000.
The legislation also includes a series of significant changes to the tax code and an increase in the extent of weekly federal unemployment benefits. This would increase the payment from $ 300 a week to $ 400 a week and continue the program – currently scheduled to expire in March – until the end of August.
The $ 1.9 trillion plan would also provide billions of dollars for schools and colleges, small businesses and a provision that would raise the federal minimum wage to $ 15 by 2025, a progressive priority.