Kennedy calls for $4,000 direct payments for Americans who earn less than $100,000 a year

Colin A. Young
State House News Service

There is a “disconnect” between the White House and everyday Americans who are dealing with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic while trying to keep themselves and their families healthy, U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III said Sunday. Asked Sunday about reports that the White House plans to pause further stimulus talks, Kennedy said it is important to listen to the concerns of people who are pushing to re-open states’ economies.

“They need help. The quest to re-open this country is coming from families that need help, that want to go back to work, that are concerned about making ends meet,” he said during an interview on WCVB’s On The Record. “We need to make sure those concerns are addressed so people can still focus on their health and make sure that we get in front of the spread of this virus.”

Kennedy said he’s been calling for a direct payment of $4,000 to every American who earns less than $100,000 a year “so they can afford to pay their bills, pay their credit card bill, their rent, their mortgage.” He said the next federal stimulus package should also include more money for small businesses, the health care sector, and state and municipal governments.