4/1/2020
Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig announced plans to include students and others left out of a COVID-19 rescue package passed by Congress last week.
President Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law on March 27.
In the bill is a provision providing a $1,200 payment to adults earning up to $75,000 and $2,400 to joint filers earning up to $150,000 in the U.S., while the same households get $500 for each dependent child under the age of 17.
The payments then reduce until disappearing entirely for individuals earning $99,000 and couples earning $198,000.
However, the bill does not provide a $500 payment to families with children aged 17 and 18, or those who are in college despite the fact that many are still classed as dependents for tax purposes.
Rep. Craig, who represents Minnesota’s 2nd district, has authored a bill that would seek to correct this oversight. It would expand the definition of dependent to include dependent children younger than 19, and students younger than 24, while dependents with disabilities would be eligible regardless of age.
“In the middle of a pandemic, we need to look out for our working families and make sure we are doing everything we can to provide financial support to those most in need,” Craig said in a statement.
“When I learned that we were leaving out dependents over 17 and students up to age 24 as well as the disabled, I knew we needed to introduce legislation to fix this immediately. I urge the House to take up this legislation as quickly as possible or to correct this retroactively to the CARES Act in the next bill.”
Rep. Craig’s bill has bipartisan support, having be co-sponsored by 86 representatives including 3rd District Rep. Dean Phillips and 7th District Rep. Collin Peterson.