Minister of Finance Janet Yellen
Janet Louise YellenSunday Show Preview: Budget Resolution Clears Path to 0.9 Trillion Stimulus; Senate prepares to impeach more than 200 Obama officials sign letter in support of Biden’s stimulus plan Biden’s economic adviser calls Summers ‘downright wrong’ with remarks on inflation MORE said Sunday she thought income levels identified by conservative Democratic senators to limit which Americans receive direct payments under the Biden administration’s COVID-19 aid package were too low.
I speak to CNNs Jake Tapper
Jacob (Jake) Paul Tapper Without Trump, nighttime ‘comedy’ gets even more excruciating CNN’s Gupta ‘baffled’ Cuomo said he doesn’t trust health experts Officials brace for second Trump impeachment trial MORE on State of the Union, Yellen indicated that she felt that individual Americans earning $ 60,000 a year should be eligible for the direct payments, a higher figure than senators like Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinSanders Criticizes Democrats Willing to Cut Eligibility for Stimulus Checks The Memo: Bad Jobs Report Stimulates Stimulus Case Biden Biden Expects Minimum Wage Hike Will Be Scrapped From Final Buyout Payment MORE (DW.Va.), which has called for payments to be phased out at an annual income of $ 50,000.
“[I]When you think of an elementary school teacher or a police officer making $ 60,000 a year, and facing kids out of school and people who may have had to retire from the workforce to take care of them and a lot of extra burdens, [President Biden] thinks, and I certainly agree, that it is appropriate that people there get support, ”said Yellen.
Yellen added that the White House is negotiating with Congress “to define what’s fair” in terms of phasing out income levels for direct payments in a stimulus package, telling Tapper that struggling middle-class families “need help too.”
“So you’re definitely thinking higher than $ 50,000 per person, but you’re not necessarily willing to commit $ 75,000, I hear?” Tapper asked, referring to the level at which payments were phased out in the package passed in December.
“Yes,” replied the secretary. “I think the details can be worked out. And the president is certainly willing to work with Congress to find a good structure for these payments.”
Senate Democrats have indicated their willingness to push through Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid package without Republican backing, after a group of 10 Republican senators proposed last week a framework totaling $ 600 billion, a lot less than the Democrats have demanded.
Democratic leaders, including speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi Man Seen With Pelosi Nameplate Sued Over Capitol Riot Republicans Worried Greene May Drag Party In Suburbs Claudia Tenney Wins New York House Race MORE (D-Calif.) Have said they expect the package to pass in two weeks.