Fourth Stimulus Check Update: $600 Payments Coming Soon For Select Recipients

The federal government’s stimulus aid programs have ended, even as more Americans feel the financial pressure of sky-rocketing inflation, but for a few workers in Oregon, some relief will come before the summer months hit.

According to KOIN, a CBS affiliate, Oregon state House Democrats and the state Senate have approved a one-time $600 stimulus payment to low-income workers and households with people who worked during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To qualify, eligible Oregonians will include those who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit on their 2020 personal income tax returns or who filed an amended 2020 tax return by April 15. An estimated 250,000 residents in the state are expected to qualify. The payment is meant to help address the rising costs families have faced because of inflation tied to both the COVID-19 Pandemic and now, the Russian war in Ukraine. Costs have increased in all sectors, including housing, groceries, medication and fuel.

“Low-wage workers are a critical part of our economy and are also the most vulnerable to the rising costs of everyday necessities,” Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Portland) said of the bill. “Cash payments make a huge difference in the lives of individuals and working families. They can help pay a utility bill, buy necessary medicine or essentials like diapers and groceries. Cash payments also ease stress, allowing families some support to manage the obstacles they face in their daily lives.”

Oregon isn’t the only state considering funding for residents, as California has also mulled the idea of another round of Golden State Stimulus checks, provided there is enough surplus in the state budget to cover it. Massachusetts has also enacted a one-time stimulus payment to low-income residents, with those eligible expected to receive a $500 payment this month.

The Internal Revenue Service is providing some federal funds to Americans currently, but only through 2021 tax returns. According to CNBC, current average payments have been approximately $3,473.00.

The call for more money from the government comes as fears over the Russian conflict cause another spike in prices that were already climbing. Food prices that were already at a high are expected to soar further due to the conflict, and gasoline has already climbed in price, with California residents already seeing prices over $5.00 per gallon.