Are Americans Getting Another Stimulus Check? Here's What Analysts Think

A new Gallup survey released Sept. 1 found seven in 10 Americans favor a second stimulus check for qualified adults. However, with the Senate on recess until Sept. 8 and the House having no planned debates on the topic, many voters are wondering: Will a second stimulus check be arriving in my mailbox soon?

While the only 100% accurate answer is that no one knows, there has been some conjecture on the topic. 

Currently, the White House and House Democrats are about $1 trillion away from each other in how much they'd like to pay for the next stimulus package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows had a phone call in Late August where they proposed spending $2.2 trillion and $1.3 trillion, respectively. 

While that seems like a large gap, it's a steady improvement from where negotiations were a month ago, according to Forbes contributor Rob Berger. 

"Recall that the starting positions were $3.4 trillion in the Heroes Act passed by House Democrats and $1 trillion in the HEALS Act introduced by Senate Republicans," he writes. "While both sides continue to wage a war of words, they did make meaningful progress toward a deal last week."

Additionally, while there is disagreement about many aspects of the next stimulus package, both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have strongly indicated they support a second round of direct payments, according to Associated Press. Berger suggests the non-partisan popularity of another stimulus check may encourage both sides to further compromise on price — and quickly.

"More than 100 House Democrats have signed public letters imploring [Pelosi] to find a solution to the impasse and to move forward on certain components of a stimulus deal," he writes. "For the Republicans, a stimulus deal could help some Senators at risk of losing their seats. Some believe the Republicans could lose the Senate, and a continued stalemate on another round of stimulus wouldn't help their cause."

Financial website The Motley Fool notes that even if a bill is passed A.S.A.P. upon the Senate returning, stimulus checks likely won't arrive for many Americans until October. Motley Fool writer Maurie Backman does believe it will happen, though. She writes: "There's a good chance a second direct payment will make it into the final relief package lawmakers pass for one good reason: The economy... does need to be stimulated."

On Sept. 8, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is scheduled to appear before a House of Representatives panel investigating the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. Many are hoping for an update on the stimulus deal then.