Over 50 House Democrats Ask Biden Not To Lower Income Threshold For $1,400 Stimulus Checks

Topline

A group of more than 50 House Democrats are asking President Joe Biden to stick with a $75,000 income cap for individuals to receive upcoming $1,400 stimulus checks, as progressives and more centrist Democrats remain deadlocked over whether to lower the income eligibility threshold in what looks to be the first major test of party unity under the Biden administration.

Key Facts

For now, Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion stimulus package includes $1,400 checks for individuals making under $75,000 a year and joint filers making under $150,000 a year—just as they were for the previous round of checks—but there is a push to lower the threshold to $50,000 and $100,000, respectively.

That effort is being led by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)—widely considered the most conservative Democrat in the Senate—while Democratic leadership and the White House have said they’d be open to limiting who receives the checks.

Progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have expressed outrage at the proposed limits, with AOC tweeting Friday, “It is shockingly out of touch to assert that $50k is ‘too wealthy’ to receive relief.”

The letter to Biden was largely backed by members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, but also included more moderate Democrats like Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

Crucial Quote

“We understand that the administration is considering proposals from Republican senators to lower the income threshold for economic relief payments. These lower income thresholds would leave behind struggling individuals and families in regions where the costs are very high,” the letter said.

What To Watch For

Democrats are pushing the stimulus package through Congress using the reconciliation process, without any Republican support. But Manchin is demanding at least some effort at party unity before passing any final bill. In an interview set to air on CBS before the Super Bowl on Sunday, Biden predicted a $15 an hour national minimum wage provision currently in the package will not make it into a final bill. Manchin says he does not support a $15 an hour national minimum wage.

Key Background

Biden says the priority is to pass a stimulus package quickly, rather than finding common ground by working across the aisle with Republicans, irking many in the GOP after Biden promised he’d take a bipartisan approach as president. But even by taking the reconciliation approach—which does not require the vote of a single Republican—Democrats risk a bill failing to pass by losing the support of just one of its Senate members. That appears to put Manchin in a strong position to negotiate what goes into the final bill, and he has been vocal thus far in saying he won’t let Democrats go it alone on passing a stimulus bill, saying “If [Democrats] think that they’re going to…throw all caution to the wind and just shove it down people’s throats, that’s not going to happen.”

Surprising Fact

Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) have both strongly opposed the efforts of centrist Democrats and Republicans who want to impose stricter income limits, but neither signed on to the letter to Biden.

Further Reading

Manchin Doubles Down On Call For Bipartisan Stimulus: We’re Not Going To ‘Shove It Down People’s Throats’ (Forbes)

AOC Pushes For Higher Income Threshold On $1,400 Stimulus Checks As Democrats Split Over Issue (Forbes)

House Democrats Move Forward On Biden’s $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Package—All Republicans Vote Against (Forbes)

Biden Predicts $15 Minimum Wage Won’t Be In Relief Bill But Vows To Make Separate Push (Forbes)

Biden: ‘Easy Choice’ To Quickly Pass Stimulus Rather Than Work With Republicans (Forbes)

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