Schumer: American Rescue Plan To Send $9 Billion In Stimulus Checks To Low-Income, Middle Class NYC Residents
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The federal government says in two weeks time a new round of stimulus checks will arrive in New York. Those with children are eligible for even more funds.
This comes after a weekend of marathon negotiations over the American Rescue Plan, CBS2's Lisa Rozner reported Monday.
READ MORE: Stimulus Check Update: When Might Your $1,400 Economic Relief Payment Arrive?
Andrae Gonzalo is going on a year of collecting unemployment. He was a dresser for the now-closed Broadway show "Mean Girls."
"My husband and I ... we've made certain concessions," Gonzalo said.
But a $1,400 check headed to families like Gonzalo's may help with those sacrifices.
"It'll keep the lights on. I don't know how soon my industry is going to come back. That's really scary,' Gonzalo said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the American Rescue Plan that was passed by the Senate over the weekend will send $9 billion in stimulus checks to low-income and middle class Americans living in the five boroughs.
Individuals qualify if they earned $80,000 or less in the last year they filed taxes, couples who earned $160,000 or less, and an additional $1,400 check will be sent per child and adult dependent.
"We expect the House to pass the bill Tuesday. We hope the president will sign it in the next few days," Schumer said.
READ MORE: Stimulus Check Update: Are Relief Payments Bad For The Economy?
It will also extend the $300 a week coronavirus pandemic unemployment benefits to Labor Day. They were set to expire March 14.
The plan also includes help for struggling small businesses, including those who opened after the pandemic's official start date.
EZ Paella in the Turnstyle Underground at Columbus Circle opened on March 15, 2020. It closed one day later due to the pandemic and has twice been denied federal assistance.
Schumer said businesses like this are now entitled to small business grants and additional Paycheck Protection funds.
"That would be a lifeline that would be a lifeline beyond believe because right now, like I said, I've been using my credit, I'm been using my 401K, so we've been depleting all our personal funds," EZ Paella co-owner Alex Del Gallego said.
"Definitely. We'd love to be here," Lorena Del Gallego added.
And still, "here" is looking quiet, with only a fraction of the normal foot traffic coming through the market.
But the businesses want to survive to see better days.