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Kamala Harris was an outspoken proponent of her monthly payment plan, the Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act, from March, when she introduced it, through July, when she was selected to be the vice-presidential candidate on Joe Biden’s ticket. But does she still support her own plan, which would provide at least $2,000 a month for most Americans, as well as retroactive payments?
It’s not clear.
Neither Harris nor Biden has commented on her radical stimulus relief proposal, which she co-introduced with Senators Bernie Sanders and Ed Markey. What’s more, Harris hasn’t made a single comment about the need for monthly payments since Biden pulled her onto his presidential ticket.
Here’s what you need to know:
Kamala Harris’ Plan Would Provide Upwards of $14,000 to Individuals & $60,000 for Certain Families
The Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act was introduced by Harris, Sanders and Markey in May. It would send $2,000 per month to individuals and $4,000 to married couples who file jointly, along with an additional $2,000 per child, up to three children. Any individual earning under $120,000 would be eligible; the payments would be reduced for income over $100,000 for individuals or $200,000 for married couples. The payments would be phased out by 10% of any amount over these limits.
This plan would send a payment to every U.S. citizen, even those without a Social Security number and those who haven’t filed a recent tax return. Debt collectors would not be allowed to seize the money.
This plan means that a married couple with a combined income of $200,000 or less with three or more children would receive $10,000 a month — but that doesn’t account for the retroactive payments.
In addition to a monthly payment of up to $10,000, families could also receive an initial payment of over $50,000 retroactive to March 2020, and individuals who qualify for $2,000 a month could receive a lump payment of $12,000. Harris’ plan doesn’t stipulate if that retroactive payment would be sent in a lump sum or portioned out over time.
When Was the Last Time Harris Mentioned Her Plan?
Congress must immediately pass my bill with @BernieSanders and @EdMarkey to get $2,000 a month in Americans’ hands.
We need direct monthly cash payments and we need them now.
Harris was announced as Biden’s vice president pick on August 11. Since then, she hasn’t made a single public comment about her monthly payment proposal. Her last public comment about it was a tweet on August 2. She wrote, “Congress must immediately pass my bill with @BernieSanders and @EdMarkey to get $2,000 a month in Americans’ hands. We need direct monthly cash payments and we need them now.”
In that tweet, Harris included a Washington Post article that described a “broken unemployment system” and how that has created a crisis during the pandemic.
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