Nia Campbell

Since COVID-19 has affected the lives of many around the nation, Americans continue to urge officials for relief funds in order to provide for themselves and their families. In recent news, the leaders of the House Democratic Party proposed that families would be compensated up to $1,400. The payout may vary up to $3,000 per child for child-bearing families.

President Biden presented a proposed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan as one of his many plans to provide assistance to the American people. The president has urged Congress to hasten the distribution of the stimulus checks in order to aid those affected by the pandemic.

“We don’t have a second to waste when it comes to delivering the American people the relief they desperately need […] I’m calling on Congress to act quickly and pass the American Rescue Plan,” said President Biden on twitter shortly after his inaugural address. After the first and second distribution of the stimulus checks ranging from $600 to $2000, many people are wondering how much money they will be receiving the third go around.

Some officials in the Republican party are opposed to the stimulus bill. Sen. Pat Toomey stated the stimulus credit program was “inappropriate.” The Pennsylvania senator took to Twitter on the issue stating “[…] blindly borrowing more than $600 billion so we can send $2,000 checks to millions of people who haven’t lost any income is terrible policy. I won’t consent to a vote on that”. Sen. Toomey and other republicans are more on the sidelines about the stimulus bill for the concern that Americans may not spend the funds on the right expenses, thus giving out money to the “wrong people”.

Despite the uncertainty, most citizens are concerned if the stimulus checks will be sufficient enough to provide for constant expenses. As many are affected by the virus, some would find trying to pay for groceries, monthly bills and other expenditures a challenge. Families are deeply impacted by the pandemic and are trying to make ends meet while working and looking to the government for assistance.

“I feel like the stimulus checks soon be [distributed] sooner than later, because there are people out there, like myself, who are already struggling to keep up with all of the expenses I already have to take care of,” said mother and full time student, Junadah Anderson.

There is also some uncertainty if dependent adults will be eligible for the stimulus checks. Dependent adults such as college students are hopeful that they will eligible in order to cover their own expenses. 

“I hope that I get the stimulus check because I need things that I need to pay for, like my car, groceries and textbooks,” said Delaware State student, Ciara Jones.

Lawmakers are working to come to an agreement on President Biden’s relief plan.  many are unsure if upper-income families will receive the stimulus check as well, being that “struggling families need it the most” according to Republican Sen. Susan Collins. There will need to be certain leverage for the bipartisan plan to get approved.

With word of two new variants of the virus getting ready to spread across the United States, many are not sure what the future of the stimulus checks will be. Some are optimistic that the new distribution of the checks will provide Americans much needed money, but some are opposed to the idea.