• House Democrats are pushing for more generous direct payments to Americans as the coronavirus pandemic plunges the country into what experts have predicted will be a long recession.
  • The Internal Revenue Service has begun sending one-time checks of up to $1,200 to many Americans as part of the recent $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief package.
  • House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Democrats during a conference call on April 6 that a bill Congress was negotiating with the Trump administration could amount to more than $1 trillion and include another set of direct cash payments.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

House Democrats are pushing for more generous direct payments to Americans as the coronavirus pandemic plunges the country into what experts have predicted will be a long recession.

The Internal Revenue Service has begun sending one-time checks of up to $1,200 to Americans making up to $75,000 as part of the recent $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief package.

Under Reps. Tim Ryan and Ro Khanna’s Emergency Money for the People Act, announced Tuesday, US citizens who are 16 or older and make less than $130,000 a year would receive up to $2,000 a month from the federal government for at least six months until unemployment falls to pre-pandemic levels.

Families who make under $260,000 would also receive an extra boost of $500 per child for up to three children.

"A one-time, $1,200 check isn't going to cut it," Khanna said. "Americans need sustained cash infusions for the duration of this crisis in order to come out on the other side alive, healthy, and ready to get back to work."

Those stimulus checks would be part of a fourth stimulus package that the White House is discussing with Congress. President Donald Trump enacted the third recovery package - which also included loans, grants, and other support for businesses - on March 27.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told House Democrats during a conference call on April 6 that the fourth bill could amount to more than $1 trillion and include another set of direct payments.

The president has also said he's interested in a "second round" of stimulus checks.

"We could very well do a second round," Trump said at a White House press briefing on April 6, adding, "It is absolutely under serious consideration."

Charles Davis contributed to this report.