As September begins, many Americans are wondering when or even if there will be a second round of stimulus checks to help families get by during the pandemic. While both sides of the aisle are still debating and discussing what should be included and how to get legislation passed, there is also a lot of finger pointing.
On Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows pointed the finger at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as the reason nothing has been done, saying that “She puts forth a number, suggests that she came down, and yet she’s willing to turn down $1.3 trillion of help that goes to the American people because she would rather them have nothing than to give way on what her fantasy might be...” During an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Meadows also mentioned that Pelosi said Democrats would be willing to meet halfway — at $2.2 trillion — a slight reduction from her last proposal before talks collapsed in early August. The problem right now is that both sides are about $1 trillion away from each other in terms of an agreeable sum.
What does this mean for those waiting on another check to help them get by? If negotiations can create an agreement, it's possible that another round of stimulus checks could be sent out by the end of the year. It is also possible that direct deposit, EID and paper checks could all arrive faster this time than from the original stimulus payments. Much of the timing will depend on when or if Congress can reach mutually accepted terms.
During an interview on Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, "We're going to keep trying, because it's too important for the American people," and implied that the IRS could potentially start sending out checks within one week of reaching a new deal. But with lawmakers out until after the Labor Day holiday, it doesn't seem that there will be any progress made until later in the month.