(WWJ) Keep an eye on your bank account.
A White House spokesperson says — after President Joe Biden signed a massive $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill into law on Thursday — direct payments to many Americans will be going out very soon.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said eligible Americans will begin to receive $1,400 stimulus checks "as early as this weekend," adding that the Treasury Department and the IRS were "working hard to get relief payments out the door as fast as possible to the American people."
However, she said: "This is of course just the first wave. Payments to eligible Americans will continue throughout the course of the next several weeks."
Biden signed the package of legislation, known as the “American Rescue Plan,” in the Oval Office one day after the Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress passed the bill, without zero support from Republicans, including some who argued it was bloated or simply cost too much.
Who will get a check? $1,400 payments are going out to individuals earning less than $75,000 and couples earning less than $150,000. Parents will also get an additional $1,400 per child. Payments are based on either your 2019 or your 2020 return – whichever one was most recently filed,
There's good news if you're expecting, too. Unlike the previous stimulus packages, this latest bill include a provision that allows any eligible American who gives birth in 2021 to receive an additional $1,400 check for the baby, after filing a 2022 tax return.
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Michigan Senator Gary Peters said the big investment will provide "robust COVID relief" to Michigan residents.
Along with the direct checks, Peters said there's money in the package to accelerate vaccine distribution, help schools reopen safely, extend unemployment benefits, support small businesses and help local and state governments carry out essential functions.
A summary of the bill can be found here.
“There’s no question Michiganders need more relief from this pandemic – and the American Rescue Plan will provide the shot in the arm Michiganders and folks across the country need to get through this unprecedented public health and economic crisis,” said Sen. Peters, Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, in a release. “With $1,400 stimulus checks and robust investments to help schools safely reopen and accelerate vaccine distribution, significant relief is on the way to Michiganders. I’ll continue working with the Biden Administration to ensure Michigan has the resources and support needed to defeat this virus and emerge even stronger than before.”
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Jessalynn Johnson, a Grand Rapids mother of two, is among Michiganders who say they could sure use the money.
“This pandemic has put my family through unimaginable challenges. These checks will not only help me pay bills – but also pay down student loan debt and spend more at local small businesses, which supports our community economy during these difficult times," Johnson said, thanking Peters for supporting the bull.
Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow noted that so many Michiganders have struggled greatly since the first COVID-19 case was identified in the state one year ago.
"...People in our state have experienced so much – loss, sacrifice, and hardship. With President Biden’s signature today, the American Rescue Plan will provide something new: hope.," Stabenow said, in a statement. "It provides historic help to our families and communities. The Plan will save lives by vaccinating more Americans, put money and other critical support directly in the hands of those who need it and safely return students to the classroom.
She added: "Help is on the way.”
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