President Joe Biden is “comfortable” with limiting the number of direct payments included in his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.
A reporter asked Biden on Thursday, “Are you comfortable with having to limit the direct payments?”
Biden replied, “Yes.”
Watch his response below:
On Wednesday, Biden threw his support behind a plan to lower the income ceiling to qualify for a stimulus check, as IJR reported.
Individuals earning $80,000 or more a year or couples earning $160,000 or more a year will not receive stimulus checks.
The bill passed by the House of Representatives last week had a higher cutoff.
The cutoff consisted of one hundred thousand or more a year and $200,000 for couples filing their taxes jointly.
With those limitations, 9 million fewer households will receive a direct payment than in the last round of checks in 2020.
The Senate was expected to vote on a motion Thursday to begin the 20 hours of debate on the legislation, as IJR reported.
It seems likely Republicans are going to try and prolong the process by requiring a full reading of the legislation.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor, “No matter how long it takes, the Senate is going to stay in session to finish the bill.”
The package includes funding for vaccines and other medical supplies, additional unemployment assistance, and another round of financial aid to households, small businesses, and state and local governments.
“Washington Democrats are trying to exploit the last chapters of this crisis to pass the most progressive domestic legislation in a generation,” Senate Minority Leader McConnell said.
Democrats are seeking to pass the bill through the reconciliation process with a simple majority vote.