Getty Images | Miami Herald | Tribune News Service There are no indications that Congress intends to issue Americans a fourth stimulus check. Many people and families, however, continue to beg for more money. Last year, a Change.org petition calling for $2,000 per month for every adult in the United States, as well as $1,000 for each child, gained 2.5 million signatures. It continues to attract supporters, with comments like “Families are still struggling,” and “We deserve to be able to survive no matter what” being posted on Wednesday. During the Covid-19 epidemic, the notion of a government-provided regular income gained traction. One Senate proposal at the time proposed a monthly stipend of $2,000 for individuals and up to $10,000 for families for the duration of the crisis. Senators Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) introduced the bill in May 2020. Meanwhile, some localities in the United States are experimenting with guaranteed income programs. Though no signs of a fourth stimulus check have emerged on Capitol Hill, new direct payments to families, particularly the monthly child tax credit payments slated to begin this month, have prompted some to label the latest federal coronavirus assistance a universal basic income experiment. Some families could receive a total payment of more than $14,000. However, it’s unclear whether or not some of those protections will be extended or made permanent./n
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