Coronavirus News: Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Ed Mackay Propose Monthly Pandemic Payment Of $2,000

Sens. Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Ed Markay said Friday they would introduce a stimulus bill that would provide Americans earning less than $120,000 a monthly stipend for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent three months.

The proposal would provide individuals $2,000 a month; couples, $4,000, and $2,000 per child -- including foster children. The number of children eligible for the funds would be capped at three. Debt collectors would be barred from seizing payments.

The bill echoes former Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang's proposal of universal basic income that became synonymous with his campaign. However, the proposed "Freedom Dividend" was wider in its reach as all U.S. citizens over the age of 18 would have received $1,000 every month"regardless of income or employment status."

The Democrats' proposal is expected to face resistance in the Republican-controlled Senate, where the one-time $1,200 stimulus check that was part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act became a major point of debate. One of the biggest potential roadblocks is the proposal does not require recipients to have Social Security numbers, meaning undocumented immigrants would qualify.

“The coronavirus pandemic has caused millions to struggle to pay the bills or feed their families. Bills will continue to come in every single month during the pandemic and so should help from government," Harris said in a statement. "The Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act will ensure families have the resources they need to make ends meet. I am eager to continue working with Senators Sanders and Markey as we push to pass this bill immediately.”

Sanders agreed: “The one-time $1,200 check that many Americans recently received is not nearly enough to pay the rent, put food on the table and make ends meet. During this unprecedented crisis, Congress has a responsibility to make sure that every working-class household in America receives a $2,000 emergency payment a month for each family member.”

The new proposal comes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said they were working on a new stimulus package. Schumer described the proposal as “Rooseveltian” in its scope during an appearance on MSNBC. He also took shots at Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy over their response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The people like McConnell and McCarthy and even [President] Trump who say, ‘Let’s wait and do nothing,’ well, they remind me of the old Herbert Hoovers,” Schumer said. “We had the Great Depression — Hoover said let’s just wait it out. It got worse and worse.”

A majority of Americans also appear to support the idea of regular payments to help meet needs during the pandemic. A poll released Wednesday by CNBC and Change Research found 74% of residents in several swing states support “sustained direct payments” until the pandemic ended.