The Trump administration may just give every American citizen two checks

Governments across the world are rolling out various different measures in order to combat the disastrous effects of coronavirus. At home in the United States, that may look like a two-check payout for every American citizen. As per a new proposal from the Treasury Department, American taxpayers could soon expect two rounds of payments, one on April 6 and the second on May 18, NBC News reports. The proposal is yet to be sent to and approved by Congress, so it is perhaps too early to call for a celebration. Nonetheless, the federal government has been having several discussions about a $1,000 payment to American citizens ever since the coronavirus epidemic first hit the country.

In order to fulfill the proposal, the Treasury Department has asked Congress for $500 billion in direct payouts for taxpayers. This is part of a $1 trillion stimulus package formulated as a way to mitigate the adverse effects the coronavirus outbreak has had on the American economy. The payments each citizen is allotted will be tiered, depending on income level and family size. Both checks would be for the same amount. During a press briefing held on Wednesday at the White House, President Donald Trump did not have any further details to share about the proposal. "I don't want to get in that right now," he stated. "[But] we want to go big." Reportedly, "different numbers" are being discussed at present.

Nonetheless, Trump has extended his support for sending checks directly to taxpayers on Tuesday. Though he first favored a payroll tax cut in order to bring relief to those who are likely to struggle as a result of the coronavirus epidemic, it appears that the White House's official stance has shifted. On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin affirmed that the President hoped to get relief to American citizens as soon as possible. He said, "Americans need cash now, and the president wants to get cash now. And I mean now, in the next two weeks." While April 6 maybe a little more than two weeks away, it is still sooner rather than later.

Republican Senator Kevin Cramer, who has been working on the proposal, shared, "The President has a pretty specific goal on all of us by suggesting that the checks go out by April 6." Currently, the direct payments are being discussed as part of the federal government's third set of coronavirus relief measures. This set will be voted on following the second set of measures. The second set includes measures such as provisions for free coronavirus testing, food assistance, and unemployment protections. The third set is likely to comprise relief measures for those who are unlikely to receive benefits through the second set.

"The third piece will be composed, I think, of direct payments to those individuals who are not getting a paycheck now," Republican Senator John Cornyn stated. "We're trying to figure out what the fastest way [is] to get that money to them to get them over the hump during this period during which their employer shut down, and as well as what do we need to do to keep the airplanes flying and the hotel industry that employs an awful lot of people in keeping their viability." The discussion about direct payments comes after Republican Senator Mitt Romney, a former Presidential candidate, proposed to give every American $1,000 to get back on their feet following the public health crisis. Several Senate Democrats were in favor of the measure, with many lawmakers upping the compensation to several thousands of dollars. Though Congress may not be able to guarantee a figure right now, such a measure has evidently proven necessary.

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