(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) today joined Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Denny Heck (WA-10), Jackie Walorski (IN-02), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) in urging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to resolve several issues around Economic Impact Payments. In a letter signed by 111 members of Congress to IRS Commissioner Rettig, the lawmakers outline specific issues caseworkers are hearing about including delayed payments, issues around deceased spouses, “Get My Payment” tool issues, and direct deposit issues. The letter calls on the IRS to resolve these problems in a fair and timely manner and urges the agency to expand its capacity for casework assistance to Economic Impact Payments claims.
Economic Impact Payments, more commonly known as stimulus checks, were approved by Congress in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020. While millions of Americans have successfully received their payment, some who are facing increased financial hardship because of COVID-19 are still waiting for their payment.
“While the IRS has made a good faith effort to provide timely and updated information on their website, our constituents continue to express their frustration that the information available does not provide enough clarification,” the lawmakers write in the letter. “Ultimately, we are concerned that the general information provided is not sufficient to address the unique and highly individualized situations that our constituents are facing.”
Representatives Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), Colin Z. Allred (TX-32), Troy Balderson (OH-12), Karen Bass (CA-37), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Cheri Bustos (IL-17), Bradley Byrne (AL-01), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), André Carson (IN-07), Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Ed Case (HI-01), Sean Casten (IL-06), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-27), David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), Jim Costa (CA-16), Angie Craig (MN-02), Charlie Crist (FL-13), Joe Cunningham (SC-01), Peter A. DeFazio (OR-04), Mike Doyle (PA-18), Neal P. Dunn, M.D. (FL-02), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Abby Finkenauer (IA-01), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Bill Flores (TX-17), Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01), Bill Foster (IL-11), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Vincente Gonzalez (TX-15), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Deb Haaland (NM-01), Janana Hayes (CT-05), Brian Higgins (NY-26), Jim Himes (CT-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At-large), Kendra S. Horn (OH-05), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), John Katko (NY-24), Fred Keller (PA-12), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Ron Kind (WI-03), Darin LaHood (IL-18), Rick Larsen (WA-02), John B. Larson (CT-01), Robert E. Latta (OH-05), Al Lawson (FL-05), Debbie Lesko (AZ-08), Mike Levin (CA-49), Ted W. Lieu (CA-33), Daniel W. Lipinski (IL-03), Elaine G. Luria (VA-02), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Kenny Marchant (TX-24), Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS-01), Doris Matsui (CA-06), Michael T. McCaul (TX-10), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Grace Meng (NY-06), Paul Mitchell (MI-10), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25), Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), David E. Price (NC-04), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Tom Reed (NY-23), Harley Rouda (CA-48), Tim Ryan (OH-13), Linda T. Sanchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), David Schweikert (AZ-06), Terri A. Sewell (AL-07), Donna E. Shalala (FL-27), John Shimkus (IL-15), Elissa Slotkin (MI-08), Adam Smith (WA-09), Abigail D. Spanberger (VA-07), Jackie Speier (CA-14), Haley M. Stevens (MI-11), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02), David Trone (MD-06), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Peter Welch (VT-At-large), Brad R. Wenstrup (OH-02), and Susan Wild (PA-07) also signed onto the letter.
A copy of the letter can be found here.
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