Joe Biden Agrees to Cap Eligibility for Stimulus Checks in $1.9 Trillion Relief Bill

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden officially gave his approval to a plan that will phase out direct stimulus payments more quickly in his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, while lowering the eligibility cap, CNBC reports.

The plan will see anyone living on their own no longer eligible for the $1,400 stimulus checks if they make over $80,000, while for heads of households the cap is now $120,000. For joint filers, which has received the biggest jump, the cap is now $160,000. That’s up from $75,000, $112,500, and $150,000 respectively. The change will specifically impact single filers who make between $75,000 to $100,000 a year. Previously, the amount one would receive from the check would depend on how much one earns in that pay bracket.

The news has been met with mixed responses from Democrats, with moderates praising the move and the more progressive-minded senators criticizing it. “I think it’s an appropriate way of bringing this to a successful conclusion,” Sen. Michael Bennet said, per the New York Post. “I think the package as it was originally crafted is good to go,” argued Sen. Maria Cantwell. The Senate is expected to pass the long-gestating relief package this week, despite Republican objections.

The House passed the bill just last week, but the changes will need to be ratified. The new plan will see the checks phased out faster for those with a higher income, and comes part of Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. As of right now, it’s unclear how many people will be impacted by the change, but the $400 weekly unemployment insurance supplement is not expected to receive a change in the bill and will last until at least August of this year.