President-Elect Biden Hints To A Possible Second Stimulus Check

President-elect Joe Biden gave Americans a little bit of hop on Friday by saying another round of coronavirus stimulus checks “may still be in play” for U.S. families.

During a press conference, Biden responded to critics asking about a new COVID relief plan by saying that this week marks the starting point for another round of negotiations on Capitol Hill.

“I think it would be better if they had the $1,200,” he said. “And I understand that may still be in play. But, I’m not going to comment on the specific details. The whole purpose of this is, we’ve got to make sure people aren’t thrown out of their apartments, lose their homes, are able to have unemployment insurance [that] they can continue to feed their families on as we grow back the economy.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has backed a bipartisan $908 billion relief plan as a basis for talks with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, told reporters “there is momentum” toward lawmakers coming to an agreement.

Biden said this plan is a “good start” but is pushing for more aid as soon as his administration takes charge.

The bipartisan plan includes a portion of funding for a round of Paycheck Protection Program small business lines, relief for local and state governments, and money for schools. It also allocates money for transportation and vaccine distribution.

Skeptics are worried it will not put enough money directly into the pockets of Americans because while it authorizes a $300 per week enhanced federal unemployment that’s still only half of the weekly payments that Congress passed in March.

The President-elect’s willingness to compromise shows promise that the stalemate in Congress will give way to a deal just in time to “keep us from going off the edge here.”

“If you insist on everything,” he said, “you’re likely to get nothing on both sides.”