Americans across the country have relied on stimulus checks to get through COVID. The pandemic continues 17 months after the economy initially shut down, with the Delta variant driving up case numbers among the unvaccinated. The rise comes amidst an improving economic conditions and could slow the recovery.
Meanwhile, some people are still waiting for their recovery to start. Unemployment exceeds pre-pandemic levels, even with job opportunities widely available in certain sectors. The federal unemployment bonus is scheduled to end on Labor Day, and about half of all states have already ended it (or attempted to). Millions of people remain short of food and behind on bills. A fourth stimulus check would certainly help those in need. But can we expect more help from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 2021?
A group of Democratic Senators, including Ron Wyden of Oregon, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, sent a letter to President Joe Biden at the end of March requesting “recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions tied to economic conditions.”
As the Senators reasoned in their letter, “this crisis is far from over, and families deserve certainty that they can put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Families should not be at the mercy of constantly-shifting legislative timelines and solutions.
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