WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2020) A $1,000 payment to every American adult plus $500 for every child offers a simple way to cushion the US economy from the full impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Congressman Adam Schiff proposed in a statement.
"We need an economic response to this crisis as well as a health response. Let's start by keeping it simple. An immediate payment of $1,000 for every adult. $500 for every kid. This will help keep families afloat and businesses that depend on them. We are all in this together," Schiff said via Twitter on Monday.
Congress has already passed an $8.3 billion package of relief measures to fund free COVID-19 tests, meals for children who would normally receive food at now shuttered schools, accelerated vaccine research, expanded unemployment benefits and aid for health departments in individual US states.
In addition, the Federal Reserve has slashed interest rates to a 0 - 0.25 percent range and announced it would purchase hundreds of billions of Dollars in bonds, as part of a sweeping emergency effort to boost the economy.
Schiff's proposal for direct payments to individuals comes as Congress prepares additional spending packages to protect consumers from an anticipated economic slump as factories and businesses close and international commerce grinds to a halt with nations sealing borders to block the virus.
