Many lawmakers claim that the giving out of stimulus checks are now unecessary
There are three main reasons why the Congress should consider continuing to give out stimulus checks to residents.
First, The COVID-19 pandemic is still persisting.
With the threat of the Omicron variant, the fight is still far from over.
Second, unemployment rates are still at an all time high.
In a phenomenon that is called ‘The Great Resignation’, so many workers are leaving their jobs. Many businesses that have closed down during the pandemic have yet to recuperate.
Read more: Americans Receive Surprise Stimulus Checks After Christmas
Third, it has been proven that stimulus checks work in alleviating people’s financial woes over the pandemic.
The first two stimulus payments alone helped lift 11.7 million people out of poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This includes 3.2 million children under 18, 6.4 million adults between 18 and 64, and 2.1 million people over 65.
It improved Americans’ ability to pay household expenses, buy food, and helped reduce anxiety and depression, especially in the poorest households.
A Change.org petition, launched by Denver restaurant owner Stephanie Bonin, urges the U.S. House and Senate to deliver legislation that would provide a “$2,000 payment for adults and $1,000 payment for kids immediately and continuing regular checks” until the pandemic ends.
“Our country is still deeply struggling. The recovery hasn’t reached many Americans – the true unemployment rate for low-wage workers is estimated at over 20% and many people face large debts from last year for things like utilities, rent and child care,” Bonin says in the petition. “These are all reasons that checks need to be targeted to people who are still struggling and that Congress needs to learn from this past year.
“It took nine months for Congress to send a second stimulus check, and just moments to spend it,” the petition continues.
Read more: U.S. States to Distribute $400 Stimulus Check for Couples Earning Under $150K. Here’s WHY?
“Moving forward Congress needs to make recurring checks automatic if certain triggers are met. No more waiting around for our government to send the help we need. Sign to join our movement to get recurring checks to the people.”
The campaign has drawn more than 2,962,640 signatures as of Saturday, with only about 34,870 new supporters in the past month and 6,000 in the past week. It will become one of Change.org’s most-signed petitions if it reaches its benchmark of 3 million signatures.
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