Lawmakers moved in quickly, cutting across party lines to help people in the initial stages of the pandemic. In the final year of the previous administration, two major bills were pushed through to provide stimulus checks for people severely affected by the pandemic. The initiative had the support of both the Republicans and the Democrats.
A couple of stimulus checks were passed in 2020, providing a total of $1,800 for individuals plus an additional check of $500 for qualifying children under the first stimulus check and another $600 under the second.
But bipartisan support evaporated once Joe Biden took over in 2021. The republicans tried every means possible but still could not stop the third stimulus check of $1,400 per individual under the American Rescue Plan.
The Economic Impact Payment, as it was named, provided relief to both adults plus dependent relatives at the same rate. But there has been no other direct stimulus check after the EIP started in March 2021.
But Americans carry on struggling as the economic condition remains grim. While employment has picked up, it is nowhere near the pre-pandemic levels.
Both ordinary citizens and federal Senators have petitioned for a 4th stimulus check. But the long delay of almost a year has left people wondering if the federal government will go in for any more checks.
Lack Of Republican Support Make A 4th Stimulus Check Unlikely
With zero Republican backing for a 4th stimulus check, President Biden would find it tough to pass any fresh bills. He is already stuck with the infrastructure and the social bill. And passing a bill without getting the opposition onboard has its limitations.
The process of reconciliation can be a recourse only a limited number of times and Joe Biden has other immediate priorities where it would prefer the use of this limited weapon.
The Biden administration has also to contend with two Democratic Senators, Joe Manchin, and Kyrsten Sinema, who have all along opposed the idea of a 4th check.
So it remains highly unlikely that resident Biden would be able to muster even the minimum number of votes needed to push through a stimulus check.
With the situation gradually improving, the prospect of a 4th check appears slim unless things suddenly take a turn for the worse. And that seems unlikely at the moment.
