Washington, DC – Today, Congressmen Tim Ryan (OH-13) and Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) proposed legislation to establish an emergency Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would provide a check between $1,000 and $6,000 to every American who earned less than $65,000 last year. More than three-quarters of American workers would qualify for this tax relief. Americans most likely to be impacted by the public health crisis – including hourly workers, independent contractors, and gig workers – would get a much-needed emergency boost during this economic downturn.

The lawmakers’ proposal would send checks to 200 million Americans within three weeks of the legislation’s passage, followed by additional monthly payments for the rest of the year. Congressmen Ro Khanna and Tim Ryan urge leadership to consider their proposal for the third package of COVID-19 response legislation in the coming weeks.

“Nearly half of working Americans don’t have the cash to cover a $400 emergency. As more folks are staying in and taking necessary steps to avoid spread of the coronavirus, more Americans will struggle to cover basic needs like rent, groceries, and medicines. We can’t have Americans choosing between losing a paycheck or a job and taking the necessary precautions to keep their families safe,” said Congressman Tim Ryan. “This measure will minimize the economic fallout for hard-working Americans so we can all focus on getting our country healthy again.”



“In order to alleviate the economic fallout of the Coronavirus, we must ensure hard-working Americans have money in their pockets and are able to pay their bills,” said Rep. Ro Khanna. “We must soften the blow for workers as large gatherings and events are canceled and hours are cut. A payroll tax cut is not sufficient. This plan is about providing real, urgently needed relief to middle and working-class families. If we can afford to pump $1.5 trillion into lending markets, then we can afford this solution to help every American. I am proud to work with Rep. Ryan to make this proposal a reality.”

“We’re in the middle of a health crisis, and now we’re quickly approaching an economic crisis,” said Natalie Foster, co-chair of Economic Security Project. “The Fed just responded swiftly to shore up the markets, and we now must respond as swiftly to shore up American families. We’ve developed a plan to give Emergency Money To the People who need it, and who will spend it, using a proven tool in the tax code.”

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