Democrats tighten stimulus check limits in bid to smooth passage of $1.9 trillion spending bill

The Senate on Wednesday is slated to advance a $1.9 trillion spending package after working out a deal with centrist Democrats on stimulus checks and enhanced jobless pay.

Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, had pushed for a reduction in the size and duration of enhanced unemployment. Instead, Democrats and President Biden have agreed to a quicker income phaseout of the next round of $1,400 stimulus checks, which will be capped at individuals earning $80,000 annually. The $400 in weekly bonus jobless pay remains in the bill and would expire at the end of August.

The deal was crafted to help pave the way for Democrats to pass the coronavirus spending bill this week without any help from GOP lawmakers, who say that the bill is too big and full of wasteful provisions unrelated to the pandemic.

Centrists appeared to be pleased with the changes, which would reduce the income cutoff for individuals from $100,000 to $80,000. For couples, the income cutoff for receiving checks would shrink from $200,000 to $160,000.