What's behind the push for a fourth stimulus check

The IRS has issued some 161 million payments in the third round of direct stimulus aid, with 2 million people this week in line to receive the $1,400 checks. But some lawmakers are pushing for a fourth round of stimulus aid that would effectively send recurring payments until the pandemic ends.

So far, the federal response to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has delivered $3,200 to each eligible adult: $1,200 via the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act in March 2020; $600 in a December relief measure; and $1,400 under the American Rescue Plan signed in March by President Joe Biden.  Despite that financial assistance, millions of Americans remain in financial distress, with about 4 in 10 people saying their income remains below its pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent survey from financial services firm TransUnion. Unemployment remains elevated, especially in low-wage industries such as food services and hospitality where demand is still lagging amid rising coronavirus rates. One in three Americans has struggled to meet basic living expenses in the last three months, the Kaiser Family Foundation found in a February poll.