Biden narrows eligibility for stimulus checks

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has agreed to tighten eligibility for a new round of $1,400 stimulus payments in his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, a concession to moderate Senate Democrats as party leaders moved Wednesday to lock down support and finalize the sweeping legislation.

Under the plan for stimulus checks passed by the House on Saturday, individuals earning up to $75,000 per year and couples making up to $150,000 per year would qualify for the full $1,400 payment. The size of the payments then would begin to scale down before zeroing out for individuals making $100,000 per year and couples making $200,000.

Under the changes agreed to by Biden and Senate Democratic leadership, individuals earning $75,000 per year and couples earning $150,000 still would get the full $1,400-per-person benefit. But the benefit would disappear for individuals earning more than $80,000 annually and couples earning more than $160,000.

That means singles making between $80,000 and $100,000 and couples earning between $160,000 and $200,000 would be newly excluded from seeing any relief benefit under the revised structure.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden always has been open to a faster phaseout for higher-earning individuals, and “he is comfortable with where the negotiations stand.”

“He is comfortable and knows there will be tweaks on the margin,” Psaki said at Wednesday’s White House briefing. “What his firm viewpoint is, is that it needs to meet the scope of the challenge, it needs to be the size he’s proposed, it needs to have the core components in order to have the impact on the American people.”

Biden and Senate Democratic leaders were scrambling to keep their caucus united since they can’t lose a single Democrat in the 50-50 Senate if Republicans remain united against the legislation.

Besides the stimulus checks, the sweeping economic package also would extend unemployment benefits through August; set aside $350 billion for state and local aide, $130 billion for schools and $160 billion for vaccinations, testing and other health care system support; and add an enhanced child tax credit and other provisions including rental aid and food assistance.

At least one Senate Republican, Lisa Murkowksi of Alaska, appeared open to voting for the revised legislation, saying, “My state needs relief.”

Elsewhere, though, GOP opposition was hardening, as Sen. Ron Johnson, R-wis., announced plans to force Senate officials to read the entire 600-page-plus bill aloud before debate could even begin — a process he predicted would take around 10 hours.

“I don’t want to sound like a leftist, but I’m gonna resist,” Johnson told a talk radio host in Wisconsin.