BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of 47 Senators in calling on the Administration to issue stimulus checks automatically to recipients of benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Supplemental Security Income program. In their letter, Senator King and his peers point out that these are two groups with large amounts of non-filers and groups for whom the federal government has the data necessary to deliver the stimulus checks automatically. 

“Today, we write requesting that you again use your authority to provide stimulus payments automatically to recipients of benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Supplemental Security Income program, without requiring them to file a tax return. This is the fastest, most effective way to provide desperately needed help to more than 3 million low-income veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities,” the senators wrote.

Senator King was a leading voice calling for direct cash payments to the American people, and voted for the bipartisan agreement for the third phase of coronavirus relief, which includes a direct payment of up to $1,200. The CARES Act unanimously passed the Senate by a vote of 96 to 0 and was signed into law late last week. Earlier this week, he successfully advocated for the Treasury Department to allow Social Security beneficiaries to automatically receive the direct payments included in the recently-passed CARES Act without having to file tax returns.

The full letter can be downloaded HERE or read below: 

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Dear Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Wilkie, and Commissioner Saul:

We appreciate the swift attention you gave to our April 1st letter urging the Department of Treasury (“Treasury”) to automatically send rebates to Social Security retirement and disability beneficiaries that have not filed a tax return. Your decision will make receiving the rebate easier and faster for millions of seniors and people with disabilities across the country. Thank you.

Today, we write requesting that you again use your authority to provide stimulus payments automatically to recipients of benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Supplemental Security Income program, without requiring them to file a tax return. This is the fastest, most-effective way to provide desperately needed help to more than 3 million low-income veterans, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Treasury wisely decided to use its authority to take this step with regard to recipients of Social Security and Railroad Retirement benefits. Treasury can also make automatic payments to low-income veterans receiving VA benefits and very low-income seniors and people with disabilities receiving SSI. These are two groups with significant numbers of non-filers for whom the federal government has the data necessary to deliver the payments automatically — and they deserve the same treatment as Social Security recipients. 

The process for getting SSI and VA beneficiaries payments would mirror the process that it is using for seniors and people with disabilities receiving Social Security: Treasury can match its data against the Social Security Administration’s and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ data to determine those SSI and veterans beneficiaries who aren’t part of a tax filing unit and then issue them automatic payments for the amounts which Congress intended them to receive. Treasury should not require people with disabilities and low-income veterans and seniors to file a form to receive stimulus payments when the federal government already has the information it needs. 

The law also requires Treasury to conduct a public awareness campaign in coordination with other federal agencies to ensure those who don’t typically file a tax return receive these stimulus rebates. Please share information with us about your plans to design and implement this awareness campaign in a timely manner.

Thank you.