Mitt Romney calls for U.S. to give $1,000 to every American adult to bolster economy amid COVID-19 emergency

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) has proposed giving $1,000 to each American adult in response to the spread of COVID-19.

Romney made the proposal on Monday, encouraged the Senate to take up the House-approved COVID-19 package, and insisted that Congress should take greater steps to bolster the U.S. economy.

"We also urgently need to build on this legislation with additional action to help families and small businesses meet their short-term financial obligations, ease the financial burden on students entering the workforce, and protect health workers on the front lines and their patients by improving telehealth services," Romney said in a statement obtained by The Hill.

The outlet reported that such a stimulus payment would "help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy."

"Congress took similar action during the 2001 and 2008 recessions," Romney's office reasoned in the statement. "While expansions of paid leave, unemployment insurance, and SNAP benefits are crucial, the check will help fill the gaps for Americans that may not quickly navigate different government options."

CNBC reported that the Republican lawmaker's proposed stimulus would "ease the financial pain of the coronavirus pandemic that has tanked global markets and threatened to grind U.S. economic activity to a halt."

What else?
Larry Kudlow, who is national economic council director, said in a statement that the White House "might" support direct cash assistance to adult Americans during this time of crisis.

"The answer," he said, "[is] 'could be.'"

Despite the Federal Reserve's measures in slashing its benchmark rate to zero percent over the weekend, the U.S. stock market tumbled even further upon its Monday opening.

According to CNBC, Romney also proposed measures to provide small business grants and student loan deferment for recent grads.