Is another stimulus check likely in 2021? At present, President Biden and members of Congress are working on the next stimulus bill, and some members are pushing for another stimulus payment to be included as part of it.
But, the Biden administration, for the most part, has left the decision of issuing another stimulus check up to Congress. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in early June, “The president is certainly open to a range of ideas. He’s also proposed what he thinks is going to be the most effective for the short term.”
But a few lawmakers are pushing the Biden administration to release more pandemic relief money, either as recurring payments or a one-time direct check, citing support from financial analysts and the general public. Others in Washington are of the opinion that stimulus payments should be lower on the agenda, given that the economy is on the rebound.
Are stimulus checks on the table?
Since the American Rescue Plan came into effect in March, two additional stimulus checks have been proposed. But, neither the American Jobs Plan nor the American Families Plan calls for yet another stimulus payment at this stage. However, one of these two bills could introduce some money via direct payments for specific groups of people – for instance, people who are unemployed or parents who don’t earn enough.
Some members of the House of Senate have been in complete support of a fourth stimulus check. In late March this year, a group of lawmakers urged the Biden administration to make regular stimulus payments part of the next stimulus package. On May 17, many members of the House Ways and Means Committee submitted a similar request.
While a recent White House press conference indicates that President Joe Biden is happy to hear ideas to bring the economy back on track, the administration, it appears, has focused its recent efforts on the infrastructure spending package.