The latest developments in the effort to pass the third stimulus package already involves a compromise from the Biden administration that will impact about 12 million Americans.
In effort to find the 50 votes Democrats need to pass the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, President Joe Biden has apparently agreed to amend the bill.
Under the Senate version, it would disqualify individuals earning more than $80,000 and households whose incomes exceed $160,000 — from receiving stimulus checks of up to $1,400.
According to the New York Times, "the tentative agreement was detailed on Wednesday by a Democrat familiar with the details, who disclosed them on the condition of anonymity.”
The stimulus package is being watched closely in Ohio where 2 million people are expected to benefit including people like Derek Logan of Marysville.
The unemployed husband and father of a 7-year old girl and 14-year old stepson says he hopes the stimulus bill passes before his unemployment runs out on March 14th.
“Oh, it's been a struggle. You figure I was making $18 an hour (before the pandemic). That's about $650 a week so we had a good $2,000 to $3,000 a month that we were making. Now it's down to basically making next to zero,” Logan said.
Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) told reporters he expects the bill to pass Friday or Saturday. He defended the size of the bill on Wednesday.
“The point of this is that's it's big enough in this round that we don't need to do it again. Secretary Yellen, the Secretary of the Treasury told us two weeks ago, she said go big, if you fall short if you undershoot this will potentially will scar the economy for a generation,” Brown said.
As for Logan, he says he is cautiously optimistic the bill can be signed into law soon.
“I just hope they hurry up and pass it and not amend and do anything crazy to hold it up," he said.
The Senate bill also includes $400 per week in supplemental unemployment insurance benefits, which are set to expire on March 14. Those benefits would extend until mid-August.
For questions about the stimulus plan, you can find answers here.