Stimulus Checks 2: Could You Receive a Check by the End of 2020?

Given the difficulty Democrats and Republicans have had in coming together to pass another bill focused on financial coronavirus relief, it is unclear when — or even if — Americans could receive stimulus checks.

However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told “The State of The Union’s” Jake Tapper that she believed she and White House negotiator, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, could put a deal together. “When I have a conversation with the Administration, it is in good faith. I trust Secretary Mnuchin to represent something that can reach a solution and I believe we can come to an agreement,” she said.

Could you receive a stimulus check before the end of the year? Based on multiple timelines, a check could not only come before 2021, but could come as soon as October 4, depending on when a deal is struck by both chambers of Congress.

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If a Vote Comes by December 9, Payments Could Go out Before the End of the Year

According to CNET, it is still possible to pass a bill before the November 3 presidential election is held and before the end of the year. If a deal was reached in the month of October, CNET predicted the following dates of when Trump would sign it into law:

• If the Senate were to vote on October 2, the House would vote October 3 and the president would sign the bill October 4
• If the Senate were to vote on October 9, the House would then vote October 13 and the president would sign the bill October 14
• If the Senate were to vote on October 16, the House would then vote October 19 and the president would sign the bill October 20
• If the Senate were to vote on October 23, the House would then vote October 26 and the president would sign the bill October 27

CNET estimated that under a scenario where the president signs a bill during the week of October 4, the earliest payments would be distributed on October 12. Estimates for if Trump were to sign a bill into law October 14 put checks being distributed on October 19 at the earliest. Even a bill signed by the president as late as December 9 could still mean checks would be distributed before the end of the year.

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Talks Between Pelosi & Mnuchin on Stimulus Checks Have Been Restarted

In May, the House passed the $3 trillion HEROES Act, and later in May, Republicans introduced the $1 trillion HEALS Act. Since then, Pelosi offered to trim the Democrats’ bill by $800 billion and Republicans increased their estimate by $300 billion. Both sides, however, have struggled to close the gap between $2.2 trillion and $1.3 trillion.

The Hill reported that Pelosi and Democrats drafted a new coronavirus relief bill that would cost about $2.2 trillion. Business Insider said the new bill would include $1,200 direct payments (with up to $6,000 going to one household), $175 billion for renters and homeowners, $75 billion for coronavirus testing and contract tracing and $1 trillion for local and state governments.

Pelosi told Tapper on Sunday, September 27 that she is “hoping for a deal.” Pelosi, who has been engaged in negotiations with the White House and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, said that she thought they had “a chance to get something done and we want to.”

In her interview with Tapper, Pelosi said that she is not ideologically married to a bill, but wants a bipartisan proposal to pass. “I’d rather have a deal that puts money in people’s pockets than to have a rhetorical argument. What we will be putting forth is a proffer to say, now let us negotiate within a time frame and a dollar amount to get the job done,” Pelosi said.

During her interview with Jake Tapper, Pelosi said it was “definitely a possibility” that she would bring legislation forward even if a deal is not struck with Republicans and the White House.

According to The Hill’s reporting, Mnuchin said that he has spoken to Pelosi 15-20 times and they had “agreed to continue to have discussions about the CARES Act,” he said. During Mnuchin’s recent testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, he said that Trump still wants Americans to receive $1,200 checks for individuals and $2,400 checks for married couples. “The president and I remain committed to providing support for American workers and businesses,” he said.

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