February 2, 2021
The White House is open to narrowing eligibility for the next round of stimulus payments but not lowering those payments below $1,400 per person, according to a White House spokeswoman.
Congressional Republicans and even some centrist Democrats have in recent days raised concerns that President Biden's proposal to send another round of stimulus checks would give government aid to affluent Americans who do not need it.
Biden has publicly expressed willingness to negotiate the stimulus payments, which under Democrats' current plans would begin to diminish at $75,000 for individuals and couples making $150,000 a year. Biden is also aiming to provide $1,400 per every adult and child under that threshold, on top of the $600 per adult and child approved by Congress in December.
A group of 10 Senate Republicans trying to strike a bipartisan compromise on a stimulus plan has proposed both lowering the income thresholds on the payments — to $50,000 for individuals and $100,000 for couples — and reducing the size of the checks from $1,400 to $1,000.
During the bipartisan meeting at the White House on Monday, White House officials expressed openness to lowering the income threshold on the payments but will not accept reducing the size of the checks, two people briefed on the discussions said. These people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations with White House staff.
"The President remains committed to finishing the job on delivering $2,000 in direct relief to Americans who are struggling to make ends meet during this crisis," Rosemary G. Boeglin, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement.
Still, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki added at her press briefing on Tuesday that Biden is wary of limiting the income thresholds on the payments too dramatically. For instance, she said Biden believes a nurse and a teacher jointly earning $120,000 a year in Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pa., still "should get a check." Biden reiterated this commitment in a meeting with White House aides on Tuesday, she said.
"That is in his plan," Psaki said. "People need to get the relief they need."
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the bipartisan group, also said in an interview that Biden demonstrated willingness to negotiate with Republicans over more narrowly targeting the income threshold for the stimulus payments.
"He instructed and told us, 'Let's follow up,'" Capito said. "No promises made, and no real concessions made at the time, but certainly a greater understanding of where we are."
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