WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following calls from U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), the IRS announced that it would issue stimulus checks automatically to recipients of benefits through the Supplemental Security Income program. The Senators also vowed to continue pushing to ensure recipients of benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs would receive their checks automatically.

Last week, these Senators led the entire Democratic caucus in calling on the Trump Administration to issue checks to both veterans and SSI beneficiaries automatically. In their letter, the Senators pointed out that these are two groups with large amounts of non-filers and groups that the federal government has the data necessary to deliver the stimulus checks automatically.

The Senators’ urging followed successful efforts last week to push the U.S. Treasury Department to automatically send Social Security beneficiaries direct cash assistance without having to file tax returns.

“Our SSI beneficiaries cannot afford to miss out on the direct cash assistance included in the CARES Act, and shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to receive their stimulus checks,” said Sens. Brown, Hassan, Bennet and Booker. “We are pleased the administration heeded our call, and we’ll continue pushing to ensure our veterans will not need to take any additional action in order to receive their payments. This is the fastest, most-effective way to provide desperately needed help to more than 3 million people with disabilities, low-income seniors, and veterans.”

Along with Sens. Brown, Hassan, Bennet and Booker, the letter was signed by Sens. Baldwin (D-WI), Blumenthal (D-CT), Cantwell (D-WA), Cardin (D-MD), Carper (D-DE), Casey (D-PA), Coons (D-DE), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Duckworth (D-IL), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Gillibrand (D-NY), Harris (D-CA), Heinrich (D-NM), Hirono (D-HI), Jones (D-AL), Kaine (D-VA), King (D-ME), Klobuchar (D-MN), Leahy (D-VT), Manchin (D-WV), Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR), Menendez (D-NJ), Murphy (D-CT), Murray (D-WA), Peters (D-MI), Reed (D-RI), Rosen (D-NV), Sanders (I-VT), Schatz (D-HI), Schumer (D-NY), Shaheen (D-NH), Sinema (D-AZ), Smith (D-MN), Stabenow (D-MI), Tester (D-MT), Udall (D-NM), Van Hollen (D-MD), Warner (D-VA), Warren (D-MA), Whitehouse (D-RI) and Wyden (D-OR).

A copy of the Senators’ initial letter can be found HERE.

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