Dems Confirm Use Of $1,400 Stimulus Payments, Relief Bill To Maintain House Power

Democrats believe they have the key to maintaining their hold in the House as President Joe Biden is expected to sign the $1.9 trillion relief bill and $1,400 checks into law.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said the sweeping coronavirus relief package would be the key to securing the House majority during 2022 midterm elections.

"Anytime you're delivering for the American people, you're strengthening your position politically. So this is going to strengthen us because it's good policy," he said during an interview with CNN. "We should shout it from the rooftops that we are passing historic legislation that will reboot the economy and end the pandemic."

In recent weeks, Democrats had to make sure that every member of their party in the Senate voted in favor of the bill through a budget reconciliation process. The bill passed in a 219-210 vote.

The House of Representatives is set to give the final passage to the Senate-version of the $1.9 trillion bill, which includes $1,400 checks for millions of Americans making up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 yearly.

The income phaseouts would cut off eligibility for single taxpayers earning more than $80,000 and couples filing jointly making above $160,000.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. Treasury Department is still working out when the payments can be distributed. However, she said millions of Americans are expected to receive the checks by the end of March.

“We expect a large number of Americans to receive relief by the end of the month,” the press secretary said.

At a White House press briefing on Tuesday, Psaki also revealed that President Biden’s signature would not appear on the payments. Instead, a career official at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service would sign the physical checks.

"We are doing everything in our power to expedite the payments and not delay them, which is why the president's name will not appear on the memo line of this round of stimulus checks," Psaki said. "This is not about him. This is about the American people getting relief, almost 160 million of them."