Congresswoman Cori Bush Sends Letter to the IRS Commissioner Regarding Inequitable Access to the Third Round of Stimulus Checks for Unhoused Community Members
ST. LOUIS, MO – Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig with deep concern regarding inequitable access to the third round of Economic Impact Payments (EIP3s) for our unhoused community in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District and in communities throughout the nation. In her letter, the Congresswoman urged the IRS to uphold the high standards of outreach and access set forth during the first EIP by working with the Free File Alliance to re-open the Non-Filer Portal, creating an expedient alternative for individuals without internet access, and issuing guidance to ensure our unhoused community can receive their stimulus checks as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“In Missouri alone, there are over 4,000 unhoused individuals and 2,000 unhoused families with children who are eligible to receive this critical relief payment,” the Congresswoman wrote. “Earlier this month, Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law, the American Rescue Plan Act—a $1.9 trillion relief and recovery effort that will provide billions of dollars in urgently needed direct cash to people and families all across this country. The very purpose of the $1,400 Economic Impact Payments is to ensure people and families who are struggling have adequate support amid this devastating global pandemic and economic crisis. As homelessness skyrockets in the wake of this economic crisis, the federal government must ensure robust accommodations and access to all those eligible for the stimulus check, particularly those communities that are hardest to reach.”
“As it stands now, unhoused people in the St. Louis region and around the nation must overcome daunting barriers when filing the required paperwork, including: understanding and completing federal forms, stable internet access, functioning electronic devices, a reliable address, and awareness of constantly changing rules and procedures. Immediate action to address return filing difficulties would significantly impact the nearly 12 million people who desperately need to obtain their EIP3s,” the Congresswoman continued.
The Congresswoman looks forward to working in collaboration with the IRS to ensure Economic Impact Payments are distributed to those who need it most during this unprecedented pandemic. She requested a response to her inquiry by Friday, April 23, 2021.
A PDF of the letter can be found here.
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Congresswoman Cori Bush represents Missouri’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. She serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. She is also a Deputy Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a proud member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She is a registered nurse, single mother, and an ordained pastor. Following the murder of Michael Brown Jr. by a now-terminated Ferguson police officer, she became a civil rights activist and community organizer fighting for justice for Black lives on the streets of Missouri and across the country.