Here's the Lowdown on The Push for a Second Stimulus Check

If you're feeling stressed that your stimulus check won't be enough to cover your basic necessities--even for a few weeks--you're not alone. For many Americans, $1200, which is the maximum stimulus payment, is not enough to cover even a month of rent. A recent Money poll found that 60% of respondents felt that the stimulus check will fall short of covering their needs.

In response, Democratic lawmakers are pushing for  more money to be distributed. One proposal is a second stimulus bill called the Emergency Funding for the People Act. The bill would provide $2000 to every American over 16 who earns less than 130,000 a year--every month for the next six months. Spearheaded by Rep. Tim Ryan and Rep. Ro Khanna, the bill has seen support from Democrats. An even more generous proposal, the Automatic Boost to Communities Act (ABC for short), spearheaded by  Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Pramila Jayapal, would provide $2000 to everyone in the US throughout the coronavirus crisis and an additional $1000/month for one year following it.

In addition to the bills, 62 members of Congress including Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Kamala Harris signed a letter arguing for the benefits of monthly payments rather than a one time stimulus. However, the support for monthly payments has still largely come from Democrats, and with the Republican Party in control of the Senate and the White House, analysts aren't optimistic that we will be getting them.

However, even if a monthly payment system isn't approved, it is possible a second, one-time payment could be.  President Trump has even hinted at it, saying, "We could very well do a second round of payments. It is absolutely under serious consideration."

More stimulus money, even just a one-time payment, would have widespread public support--a recent WalletHub survey found that a whopping 84% of respondents were in favor of a second stimulus check.

We will keep you updated on the progress of the proposals for a second stimulus payment--and in the meantime, make sure to check out our stimulus tracker for the first payment to see how many of our users have received theirs.