Are there 2 new stimulus checks coming soon?
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- More Congressional lawmakers have lent support for fourth and fifth stimulus checks to help people get back on their feet as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic winds down. In a letter to President Joe Biden, seven Democratic members of the Ways and Means Committee joined other Congressional members in support of more stimulus checks in 2021. The letter urged Biden to approve a plan that would allow for recurring federal direct payments. The letter contends that the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plans checks kept 11 million out of poverty this year, and two additional stimulus payments could allow 12 million more people to live above the poverty line. The legislators said new stimulus checks could contribute to the reduction of the nations poverty level from 44 million to 16 million people. The success of the American Rescue Plan, combined with direct financial assistance in the CARES Act and prior federal legislation, is evident in communities nationwide, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, one of the congressmen who signed onto the letter, said in a statement to Masslive, the Advance/SILive.coms sister site. But we cant pretend that a $1,400 check will be enough to last a year, and we need to be prepared with a strengthened safety net should a similar economic crisis strike again.  With this said, its still currently unclear as to whether the federal government plans to issue a more rounds of stimulus checks. However, officials have faced increasing pressure from the public, as millions of people across the country have said that the federal government should not only send Americans a fourth stimulus check, but that the checks should be recurring monthly payments. A Change.org petition advocating for the monthly payments has garnered more than 2.3 million signatures in the past year. It was started by Colorado resident Stephanie Bonin, a restaurant owner, who has highlighted that previous stimulus checks havent reached many Americans.  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. 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, the petition states. CHILD TAX CREDIT  However, there is some government money on the way for many parents. As part of the American Rescue Plan, millions of parents across the country will begin receiving a child tax credit  $3,600 for each child under the age of 6 and $3,000 for each child between the ages of 6 and 17  on July 15. Payments by the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service of $300 per month will be sent to eligible parents for each child under age 6 and $250 for each child ages 6 to 17. The monthly payments will account for half the credit due to families; the other half will be claimed on their 2021 tax return. The payments will occur monthly through December, according to the IRS. While these recurring payments will help millions of families, they will not help those struggling who do not have children. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***  FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER