President-elect Joe Biden teased a new COVID-19 stimulus bill that could include more checks for most Americans during a press conference from Wilmington, Delaware on Friday.
During his remarks, Biden said he would be holding a press conference next Thursday to formally unveil a new COVID-19 stimulus plan that he would introduce to Congress upon taking office later this month.
Biden applauded lawmakers in passing the latest round of stimulus late last month — a bill that sent $600 checks to most Americans. However, Biden said that the last round was “not enough,” referring to it simply as a “down payment.”
Biden later added that his bill will total in the “trillions of dollars.” But he added that while the price will be high, he said that top economists have recommended spending now in order to “keep the economy from collapsing this year.”
“If we don't act now, it will be harder to get out of the hole later,” Biden said.
During his address on Friday, Biden again made mention of $2,000 stimulus checks for most Americans. Biden recently promised that he would propose such legislation should Democrats win control of the Senate — which was confirmed earlier this week with two wins in Georgia Senate runoffs.
However, The Washington Post reports that Biden may face a roadblock within his own party.
In an interview with the Post, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, said he would oppose another round of stimulus should it be introduced.
“Absolutely not. No. Getting people vaccinated, that’s job No. 1,” Manchin told the post. “How is the money that we invest now going to help us best to get jobs back and get people employed? And I can’t tell you that sending another check out is going do that to a person that’s already got a check.”
Manchin is among the most moderate members of the Democratic caucus. Given that Democrats only hold control in the Senate by way of a tiebreak vote, Manchin will prove to be among the most powerful Senators on Capitol Hill for the next two years.