WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and other federal lawmakers want to send out cold, hard cash to help you cope with the coronavirus crisis.

Booker joined several of his Democratic colleagues Tuesday in urging Senate leaders to pass legislation providing most Americans with an immediate $2,000 cash payment, and it could grow to $4,500 by the end of the year if the crisis doesn’t abate.

“In mere days, we’ve gone from life as normal to implementing dramatic changes in how we work, socialize, and live,” said Booker, D-N.J. “The ramifications to our economy — and to the millions of American workers and businesses who underpin it — are massive and require a large-scale, aggressive federal response.”

The money would be paid to U.S. adults and their dependents, as well as every Social Security, Veterans Affairs, or Supplemental Security Income recipient.

The funds automatically would go to those who file tax returns for 2019. Those who do not file a return could submit a separate Form 1040. The payment would phased out for those with higher incomes.

"Workers have seen their hours cut or eliminated entirely, and millions of American families are assessing how they will weather a potentially long-lasting economic paralysis,” the senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

“We must provide direct cash support to the American workers and families who need it most – to help them purchase essentials; pay the rent, mortgage, and bills; and otherwise weather the coming weeks and months,” they wrote.

The idea of direct payments to Americans was embraced Tuesday by President Donald Trump and his treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin.

“We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” Mnuchin said, according to the Washington Post. “And I mean, now in the next two weeks.”

Under the senators’ proposal, Americans would receive another $1,500 if the emergency continues into July or the unemployment rates climbs by at least 1 percentage point, or receive $750 if the unemployment rate increases by half of a percentage point.

They would continue to receive $1,000 every three months if the unemployment rate remains 1 percentage point above the average from December 2019 to February 2020, or $500 if the rate is up half a percentage point.

The senators are not the only lawmakers asking the government to cut a check to employees who may lose their jobs as businesses are forced to close.

U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, proposed a $1,000 cash payment for every adult as part of a package of steps to help Americans get through the economic downturn brought about by the coronavirus.

And U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., called for payments of $1,000 to every adult making less than $100,000 ($2,000 for a married couple filing jointly making less than $200,000), plus $500 for each dependent.

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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