Officials in President Joe Biden’s administration vowed that $1,400 relief checks for millions of Americans would go out almost immediately.
Twelve days later, millions of Americans are still waiting.
Now, a group of Democrats in the House are demanding answers.
In a letter posted on Twitter by one Democrat who signed it, Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), the lawmakers asked the heads of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) to move the payments more quickly.
“The American Rescue Plan was intended to provide much-needed economic stimulus and assistance to people across the country — immediately — and we are counting on your agencies to ensure that beneficiaries are not left behind in the seamless delivery of those payments,” wrote the Democrats, who also included House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA), as well as Reps. John Larson (D-CT) and Danny Davis (D-IL).
Of course, they blamed former President Donald Trump. Pascrell said slow payments to U.S. military veterans and Social Security beneficiaries can be blamed on “Trump appointees.” “Their inability to get out stimulus checks is another reason they need to be shown the exit,” he said.
A few weeks ago I called for President Biden to fire the trump appointees trying to dismantle Social Security. Their inability to get out stimulus checks is another reason they need to be shown the exit. pic.twitter.com/0JxKhiKjeO
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) March 22, 2021
But there’s still time. The Treasury Department and IRS said Monday that another batch of payments is set to hit bank accounts by Wednesday.
“The IRS said a ‘large’ portion of the second batch of payments will be mailed, though it did not provide an exact figure. ‘Taxpayers who do not receive a direct deposit by March 24 should watch the mail carefully in the coming weeks for a paper check or a prepaid debit card,’ the agency said in a statement,” according to CNBC.
“We urge people to carefully watch their mail for a check or debit card in the coming weeks,” said IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig.
“The IRS is making approximately 17 million direct deposits with a payment date of March 24 and is beginning to mail about 20 million checks and debit cards, according to a banking industry official,” The Washington Post reported.
Americans earning up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income are eligible to receive up to $1,400, with couples filing jointly and making up to $150,000 eligible for $2,800 payments. The payments are cut off completely for individuals earning more than $80,000. The payments are based on either 2019 or 2020 income, depending on when a taxpayer files their 2020 tax return.
The $1.9 trillion stimulus package, signed into law by Biden on March 11, also expands the child tax credit for one year. It will increase to $3,600 for children under 6 and to $3,000 for kids between 6 and 17.
Biden said shortly after signing the bill that help was on the way. “The American Rescue Plan is already doing what it was designed to do: make a difference in people’s everyday lives. We’re just getting started. By the time all the money is distributed, 85% of American households will have gotten their $1,400 rescue checks,” Biden said.