EIP card: What it is and why the IRS could send you a debit card with your second stimulus check starting this week - CNET

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The IRS has three ways to distribute stimulus money to you.

Angela Lang/CNET

This week, the IRS started to send out the second round of stimulus payments, which are part of a larger COVID-relief package that President Donald Trump signed into law. The payments are going out via direct deposit and in the mail, either as a paper check or as an Economic Impact Payment card (or EIP).

When the IRS sent the first stimulus payments, about 4 million Americans received their funds on an EIP card. The IRS said it is using the same debit-card delivery method this time for some of the second stimulus payments in the interest of time. (Here's how to find out which IRS priority group you're in for the second payment.)

Below, we answer some common questions about EIP cards, including what to do if you actually get one. We recently updated this story.

Read more: Not everyone will qualify for a second stimulus check. Here's why

What's an EIP card?

About 4 million people received their stimulus payment on a prepaid debit card called an EIP card, which looks like this. 

Money Network/Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

An economic impact payment card is a prepaid debit card that the Treasury Department used to distribute some stimulus payments under the CARES Act, instead of an electronic monetary transfer or paper check. The cards were provided to some eligible US residents for whom the government didn't have banking information.

The IRS said it will use the cards to distribute stimulus payments this time too.

These Visa debit cards can be used to make purchases, get cash from in-network ATMs and transfer funds to your personal bank account without a fee. 

If you're sent one, after the card arrives, head to the EIP card website to activate it and learn more about how to use it. 

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Why would I get the EIP card instead of a paper stimulus check?

For the first round of payments, those who were eligible received the first stimulus payment by EIP card instead of by check if they filed their taxes but the IRS didn't have their bank account information on hand, and if the tax return was processed by IRS service centers in either Andover, Massachusetts, or Austin, Texas, according to a Treasury press release. It isn't clear what the significance is of those particular service centers, and the Treasury did not return our request for more information.   

For the second round of payments starting to go out this week, the IRS said it will send either paper checks or a debit card in the mail if it doesn't have banking information on hand. The IRS said some people who received a paper check last time might receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check.

How much stimulus money can be loaded on the EIP card? 

Getting your payment via an EIP card wouldn't change anything about the amount you'd get -- it's just a different format of the same payment.

The amount of money you're allotted in a second stimulus payment (whether it comes in the form of direct deposit, mailed check or EIP card) depends on your AGI, or adjusted gross income, from your tax filings, along with your filing status (single versus joint) and how many dependents you have. The maximum amount a single taxpayer could get is $1,200. 

Find out how to calculate how much you could get on a second stimulus payment here. You can also find out who counts as a dependent on your taxes and what that means for a stimulus payment. Here's how old a dependent has to be to get a separate stimulus payment and the stimulus check situation for older adults, people in the SSDI program, US citizens abroad and people living in US territories.

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How long could it take to get my EIP card now that a second stimulus payment is authorized?

When the CARES Act was passed in March, the first EIP cards didn't start going out until mid-May. But the IRS said it expects to start sending EIP cards in the mail starting Wednesday, Dec. 30.

The IRS said you'll also be able to track your money (in whatever form it will take) using the same IRS tool you can use to track the status of your stimulus payment, later this week.

How will my EIP card be delivered?

If you're eligible, the IRS said your EIP card will arrive at the address listed on your last tax return in a white envelope that displays the U.S. Department of the Treasury seal. The card will have the Visa name on the front and the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A., on the back. Information included with the card will explain that this is your Economic Impact Payment.

Because the envelope containing the first EIP card wasn't clearly marked, some people reportedly threw the letter away without opening it during the first round of stimulus payments. The IRS said for eligible people who don't receive a direct deposit to watch their mail carefully for the card in the coming weeks.

Note, if you moved, you'll need to inform the IRS and USPS of your new address.

Can I get direct deposit instead?

If the IRS has your bank account information on hand, it's more likely you'd get the payment by direct deposit instead of an EIP card. Since the first stimulus checks were sent, there has been greater effort to help people who don't have bank accounts get one for this purpose. Here are ways you might be able to help get a second check faster.

Will the IRS notify me that an EIP card is coming? 

With the first stimulus payments, the IRS sent a letter about your money to your last known address within 15 days after the payment was made. The letter included information on how you got the money (check or direct deposit or EIP card), and how to report it if you didn't receive the payment. But watch out: There have been a lot of stimulus check scams going around. Visit IRS.gov before giving anyone your information to make sure your letter is legitimate. 

What if my EIP card gets lost or destroyed?

With the first cards, if you've lost or destroyed your EIP card, you can request a free replacement through MetaBank Customer Service. The replacement fee will be waived the first time. We expect the IRS do to something similar this time.

You don't need to know your card number to request a replacement. Just call 800-240-8100, and choose the second option from the main menu, according to the IRS website. 

For more, find out if you're qualified for a second stimulus check and when you could expect a second stimulus payment. 

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January 01, 2021 at 05:05AM
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/eip-card-what-it-is-and-why-the-irs-could-send-you-a-debit-card-with-your-second-stimulus-check-starting-this-week/

EIP card: What it is and why the IRS could send you a debit card with your second stimulus check starting this week - CNET

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Trey Anastasio to Sell Handmade Masks, Sourced from 12/31/19 'Send In The Clones' Jumpsuit - jambands.com

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Trey Anastasio to Sell Handmade Masks, Sourced from 12/31/19 ‘Send In The Clones’ Jumpsuit

Photos via @TreyAnastasio on Twitter

As the calendar flips to 2021, Trey Anastasio will raise money for his Divided Sky Fund by selling some coveted, handmade masks.

Fabric for the masks are sourced from Anastasio’s green ‘send in the clones’ jumpsuit, which Phish fans first saw on at the band’s 12/31/19 New Year’s gig at Madison Square Garden.

Anastasio was wearing the suit that same night when he famously got stuck in the rafters of MSG, inspiring the band’s ongoing “Rescue Squad” bit. He later revisited the experience during a 28 Days Later-inspired skit during The Beacon Jams.

“The Green Clone Mask: Handmade masks created from Trey’s Clone costume remnants,” reads an official description. “Masks signed by Trey. Only 150 available. One per customer.”

They are priced at $250 per mask plus $10 shipping and handling.

As Anastasio has said previously, The Divided Sky Fund is a cause close to his heart, with the goal of opening an addiction treatment center in Southern Vermont.

“I’ve been sober for 13 years. It’s a great blessing in my life,” Anastasio said ahead of The Beacon Jams. “We started talking about the idea of a treatment center about a year ago. I was worried that the project would get derailed because of the pandemic but it didn’t – it actually picked up steam; things are really rolling along now.”

Masks will go on sale on New Year’s Day at 1 p.m. ET at waterwheel-foundation.myshopify.com.

The Link Lonk


January 01, 2021 at 01:32AM
https://jambands.com/news/2020/12/31/trey-anastasio-to-sell-handmade-masks-sourced-from-12-31-19-send-in-the-clones-jumpsuit/

Trey Anastasio to Sell Handmade Masks, Sourced from 12/31/19 'Send In The Clones' Jumpsuit - jambands.com

https://news.google.com/search?q=Send&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

Third-quarter 3-pointers send Dordt past DWU women - The Daily Republic

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The Tigers carried a one-point lead in halftime, but the Defenders used a crisp 3-point shooting performance to outscore DWU 21-12 in the third quarter. Dordt made 5 of 10 field goal attempts, including 4-for-7 from behind the 3-point line in a 70-60 Great Plains Athletic Conference win.

DWU (5-5, 3-6 GPAC) forced 18 turnovers -- and committed 11 -- and held Dordt to 36.4% shooting for the game. But the Defenders went 9 of 20 from beyond the arc and had a 46-30 advantage on the boards. They also went 21 of 24 from the free-throw line, compared to 2-for-5 for the Tigers.

Kaylee Kirk connected to put the Tigers up 40-37 early in the third quarter, but Dordt (7-6, 6-4 GPAC) rattled off an 11-2 run behind a pair of 3-pointers from Ashtyn Veerbeek, while Jordyn Winterfeld also made two triples in the quarter.

Meanwhile, DWU went 6 of 17 from the field in the third frame and shot 38.8% for the game, including 6 of 22 from the 3-point line.

Kirk led the Tigers with 12 points, five assists and four rebounds, while Matti Reiner had 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Haidyn Pitsch and Rynn Osthus pitched in 10 points apiece.

Veerbeek recorded 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Bailey Beckman had 15 points and Erika Feenstra tossed in 14 points. Baylee Tetzlaff tossed in nine points and 10 rebounds for Dordt.

DWU returns to action against Doane at 2 p.m. Saturday in Crete, Nebraska in an attempt to snap an 0-3 start on the road in GPAC play.

Dordt 70, Dakota Wesleyan 60

Dordt (7-6, 6-4): Erika Feenstra 3-9 7-7 14, Baylee Tetzlaff 3-4 2-2 9, Bailey Beckman 3-8 7-8 15, Jordyn Winterfield 2-6 0-0 6, Ashtyn Veerbeek 5-14 2-3 14, Macey Nielson 1-1 0-0 3, Siennah Stamness 0-2 2-2 2, McKenna Kleckler 0-0 0-0 0, Mya Chmielewski 1-3 0-0 2, Karly Gustafson 0-3 1-2 1, Riley Van Hulzen 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 20-55 21-24 70.

Dakota Wesleyan (5-5, 3-6): Matti Reiner 5-10 0-0 11, Kaylee Kirk 6-12 0-0 12, Rynn Osthus 4-8 0-0 10, Haidyn Pitsch 4-14 0-2 10, Jada Campbell 1-8 2-2 4, Aspen Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Grace Imbery 0-0 0-0 0, Haylee Mork 1-6 0-0 3, Isabel Ihnen 0-2 0-0 0, Sydnaya Dunn 2-2 0-1 4, Britney Lovre 0-0 0-0 0, Natalie Gottlob 3-5 0-0 6. Totals 26-67 2-5 60.

DWU 17 36 48 60

DU 17 35 56 70

3-point field goals: DU 9-20 (Beckman 2-3, Winterfeld 2-4, Veerbeek 2-5, Nielsen 1-1, Feenstra 1-2, Tetzlaff 1-2, Van Hulzen 0-1, Stamness 0-2), DWU 6-22 (Osthus 2-5, Pitsch 2-6, Reiner 1-3, Mork 1-4, Kirk 0-1, Campbell 0-2, Ihnen 0-2). Rebounds: DU 46 (Veerbeek 14), DWU 30 (Reiner 8). Assists: DU 13 (Beckman 4), DWU 15 (Kirk 5). Steals: DU 6 (Winterfeld 4), DWU 7 (Kirk 3). Blocks: DU 2 (Feenstra 1, Veerbeek 1), DWU 5 (Reiner 3). Turnovers: DU 18, DWU 11. Fouls: DU 11, DWU 22.

The Link Lonk


January 01, 2021 at 07:00AM
https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/sports/basketball/6824359-Third-quarter-3-pointers-send-Dordt-past-DWU-women

Third-quarter 3-pointers send Dordt past DWU women - The Daily Republic

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Short-handed Bulls send Wizards to 5th straight defeat - Yahoo Canada Sports

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The Canadian Press

Yu kidding? Darvish learned via Twitter of trade to Padres

SAN DIEGO — Yu Darvish found out things move fast when San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller is wheeling and dealing.The right-hander didn’t think he’d be traded away by the Chicago Cubs but was caught up in Preller’s vortex. Within the span of about 24 hours this week, the Padres obtained left-hander Blake Snell in a big deal with Tampa Bay, finalized a $28 million, four-year deal with South Korean slugger Kim Ha-seong, a deal that could be worth $34 million over five seasons if a a mutual option is excised and contains $1 million annually in performance bonuses. San Diego then obtained Darvish in another blockbuster deal.Darvish found out about it on social media.“When I woke up that morning I saw the Snell trade go down and I thought nothing’s going to happen,” Darvish said through an interpreter during a videoconference Thursday. “I wasn’t expecting the Padres to make another move but I was receiving phone calls within the hour and I found out on Twitter, yeah.“I wasn’t expecting to be traded and obviously this happened in one single day so I was pretty shocked. Not in a bad way,” Darvish said.After running out of starting pitching during their first post-season appearance in 14 seasons, the Padres added two aces in moves that solidify them as one of baseball’s best teams and should make for an interesting NL West race against the eight-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.The 34-year-old Darvish was 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts for Chicago during the pandemic-shortened season and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award race. He has three years and $59 million left on the $126 million, six-year deal he signed with the Cubs before the 2018 season.Chicago will send San Diego $3 million in $500,000 installments on the first day of each month from April through September in 2021, offsetting a portion of Darvish’s $22 million salary. He is owed $19 million in 2022 and $18 million in 2023.During his time in Texas’ front office, Preller scouted Darvish before the Rangers acquired the Japanese right-hander in 2012.The Padres also got catcher Victor Caratini as part of the trade for right-hander Zach Davies and four young minor leaguers. The switch-hitting Caratini caught Darvish in Chicago and batted .241 with 16 RBIs last season.The Padres made the playoffs this year for the first time since 2006, but injuries left their rotation in shambles when the post-season started.Mike Clevinger, obtained in a blockbuster deal with Cleveland at the trade deadline, and Dinelson Lamet were forced out of their final regular-season starts by elbow injuries. Clevinger missed the wild card round against St. Louis and started Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Dodgers, but was forced out in the second inning. He had Tommy John surgery in mid-November and will miss the 2021 season. Lamet missed the post-season entirely but has avoided surgery.The Cubs also made the playoffs but were swept in the wild-card round by the Marlins. Darvish started and lost Game 2.“Obviously with what’s happening with the coronavirus and the money that the Cubs have, I wasn’t really thinking about being traded and also they are a winning team, so I felt we would be able to compete," Darvish said.The Padres had the NL’s second-best record in 2020.“I think this is one of the best teams in baseball right now,” Darvish said. “Actually, I wanted to throw against the Padres last season just to see how good I was. I always want to be fighting against the best teams. I’m very happy to be joining a team as strong as the Padres.”Snell, the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner, helped the Rays reach the World Series. He went 4-1 with a 3.24 ERA in 11 starts, and then went 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA in six post-season starts. He was memorably pulled from Game 6 of the World Series after 73 pitches, and the Rays went on to lose the game and the Series to the Dodgers.Darvish and Snell join a rotation that will include Lamet and Chris Paddack, with a number of young pitchers, including top prospect MacKenzie Gore, competing for the fifth spot.“I just want to study a lot from the guys in this rotation,” Darvish said. “There’s a lot of great pitchers and myself, I want to be able to watch their bullpens, watch their numbers throughout the season, and hopefully that can help me grow into a better pitcher.”He’ll be backed by an exciting offence that plays with flair, led by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.Darvish said he’s had his kids watch highlights of the Padres’ lineup on YouTube.“They’re a very strong team and I’m really excited to watch batting practice,” he said.Kim gets a $4 million signing bonus, payable in $1 million installments on March 15, 2021, and each Jan. 15 from 2022 though 2024, and salaries of $4 million in 2021, $5 million in 2022, $6 million in 2023 and $7 million in 2024. The deal includes an $8 million mutual option for 2024 with a $2 million buyout.He would earn $100,000 a season for 400 plate appearances, $200,000 apiece for 450 and 500, and $250,000 each for 550 and 600. Bonuses would be payable on Jan. 15 following the season in which they are earned.Kim would get a one-time $1 million assignment bonus if traded, payable by the receiving team, and his team will provide an interpreter and English lessons for Kim and his family. He will receive eight round-trip business class plane tickets each season and the team shall reimburse or pay for visa fees. Kim cannot be sent to the minor leagues without his consent during the 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons, and he will become a free agent when the contract ends.___Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilsonBernie Wilson, The Associated Press

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January 01, 2021 at 07:56AM
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/short-handed-bulls-send-wizards-005615915.html

Short-handed Bulls send Wizards to 5th straight defeat - Yahoo Canada Sports

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Moderna said set to send 1 million vaccines next week, cover Israel’s shortfall - The Times of Israel

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One million vaccines from the US biotech company Moderna will arrive in Israel next week, rather than in March as had previously been agreed, boosting dwindling supplies that had led to expectations of a dramatic slowdown in the country’s mass inoculation drive, Channel 12 news reported Thursday.

The Health Ministry said it could not confirm the report.

“We would like to clarify that as of now, we don’t have information about Moderna’s intention to move up the delivery of millions of vaccines to Israel,” the ministry said in a statement.

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The Moderna vaccine has not yet been used in Israel as part of its immunization program. The Health Ministry has not officially announced its approval for use in the country, but is expected to do so after the FDA okayed it for emergency use in the US.

Israel has reached a pace of 150,000 vaccine injections every day for the past three days, giving shots to a total of at least 784,900 people.

The mass vaccination drive started at the beginning of last week and has so far focused mainly on healthcare workers, those aged over 60, and at-risk groups. Teachers are also being added to the roster.

The drive currently uses the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination, which requires two shots, spread three weeks apart. The Moderna vaccine is also a two-shot inoculation.

Though not yet available to the general public, some vaccination centers have been opening their doors to anyone who comes at the end of each day in an effort to make sure vaccine units available for immediate use do not go to waste. So far some 30 percent of citizens over 60 have had their first shot, according to Health Ministry figures.

However, a shortage of injections threatens to force a semi-freeze on the campaign for two weeks in January.

More Pfizer vaccine supplies are only due in February and current stocks will run out in about 10 days at the current pace of inoculation, Channel 13 reported Wednesday.

The scheduled pause would allow those who have received the first dose to get the second dose, but new first doses would generally not be given.

This in turn would likely lead to a delay in opening vaccinations to the general public. Some officials had previously assessed that could happen within a week or so, but unless stocks are replenished it would need to wait a month and a half or more, the report said.

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December 31, 2020 at 10:56PM
https://www.timesofisrael.com/moderna-said-set-to-send-1-million-vaccines-next-week-cover-israels-shortfall/

Moderna said set to send 1 million vaccines next week, cover Israel’s shortfall - The Times of Israel

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WhatsApp Happy New Year 2021 stickers: How to create, download and send your ‘virtual’ best wishes - The Financial Express

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If any WhatApp user wishes to send a new year wish sticker, third party stickers can be downloaded or custom-made stickers can be created or sent via WhatsApp.

In a hope that the Coronavirus pandemic is curbed and the coming year will be a bit easier than this one, a lot of people will hopefully stay home and welcome 2021. There is no doubt that this year end festivity will be unlike the ones in the previous years. With many restrictions and bans in various parts of the world, people are likely to have a low-key New Years’ eve celebration and social media will be leveraged to connect with the dear ones.

In order to make the experience interesting, many messaging platforms including Hike have rolled out New Year stickers to help users wish their family and friends. You can also use WhatsApp (one of the most used messaging apps globally) though the Facebook-owned messaging giant hasn’t introduced its own Happy new year 2021 stickers. But worry not.

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If any WhatApp user wishes to send a new year wish sticker, third party stickers can be downloaded or custom-made stickers can be created or sent via WhatsApp.

Here is how you can send New Year stickers on WhatsApp.

• The idea is to first update WhatsApp to the latest version so it supports third party stickers.

• Then, users can open the chat they want to send a sticker to.

• After this, users will have to find the smiley icon located inside the chat box and tap it.

• Under the smiley section, users can find another icon placed next to the GIF option and open it.

• Upon opening, a sticker panel will emerge and from there, users can click on the “+” sign.

• The sign will open a stickers panel and then users will have to scroll to the bottom and select the option to get more stickers.

• The users will be directed to the Google Play Store along with the search term WAStickerApps.

• There, users can search Happy New Year and download the third party stickers.

• The stickers pack will be added to WhatsApp then and from there, users can select stickers and send it.

It is to note that whenever the users will delete the third-party app from their phones, the downloaded sticker packs will disappear from the Sticker gallery in WhatsApp but any sticker that has been sent will remain in the chat and not disappear.

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December 31, 2020 at 04:47PM
https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/whatsapp-happy-new-year-2021-stickers-how-to-create-download-and-send-your-virtual-best-wishes/2161662/

WhatsApp Happy New Year 2021 stickers: How to create, download and send your ‘virtual’ best wishes - The Financial Express

https://news.google.com/search?q=Send&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

Congress: Just send the bigger stimulus checks already - Boston Herald

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Let’s get down to brass tacks: Sending $2,000 in direct payments to Americans is a politically effective but economically inefficient way to provide needed relief to workers and families.

When Congress recently approved a new stimulus package, it included $600 cash payments to Americans. But that struck many people as a measly gesture compared to the $1,200 checks issued in the previous stimulus, and considering the economic damage done by the pandemic over the nine months since the Cares Act. So when President Trump called for $2,000 checks, Democrats immediately jumped on board and some Republicans followed. The new $2,000 amount was approved in the House on Monday, though a vote in the Senate on Tuesday was blocked by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The proposal is still very much alive, garnering support from both GOP Senate incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, who face a runoff election Tuesday in Georgia. Given the controversy, it’s worth asking how much the larger amount will actually help the economy.

I’ll start with the positives. Most of the unemployment benefits passed in the Cares Act expired at the end of July, and because of archaic unemployment systems in states, many eligible workers never got them. These individuals have gone months wondering if or when more fiscal relief would come, and when we’ll get the kind of economic reopening that will bring back millions of jobs in industries like travel and dining. The fiscal relief package just passed by Congress will reinstate those unemployment benefits for a while, but at a reduced level. For everyone that falls into these buckets, an additional $1,400 payment is an efficient way to provide additional relief without relying on state unemployment systems to process claims on time, and to make up for Congress letting relief lapse over the summer.

And checks are broadly popular with the public. According to Data for Progress, 78% of Americans support the $2,000 payments. There’s something to be said for giving the people what they want in a high-profile way. It makes them feel like the system is working for them and builds trust for the future. Arguably, it was the success of the $1,200 checks in the Cares Act that bought the political will for another round of fiscal relief this month.

Those positives dwarf the negatives associated with the checks. From a macroeconomic or distributional standpoint it would be better to tailor relief more to where it’s most needed — unemployed workers, or certain hard-hit state and local governments that continue to have big revenue shortfalls. But those options lack the political momentum that the $2,000 checks have. And a larger cash payment will still benefit these groups — for instance, money spent by individuals will be taxable, indirectly benefiting state and local budgets.

The bigger checks might be wasted on some recipients who don’t need the money — but not entirely. Any two-person households making $150,000 that receive the additional payments might just stick it into savings. Or maybe they’ll spend it on a Playstation 5 or a new set of AirPods Max.

Individuals with an impulse for gambling might use the money to buy speculative stocks or bitcoin. That could add some froth to the financial markets, but that’s not particularly harmful to the economy, either. With inflation and interest rates as low as they are, a little excess consumption of trendy gadgets or risky stock bets isn’t going to lead to any kind of economic overheating.

The bottom line is that checks are popular with the public, easy to deliver, will help the fortunes of those who are struggling, and don’t pose a near-term inflationary risk to the economy. Congress should go ahead and send ’em.

---

Conor Sen is a syndicated columnist.

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December 31, 2020 at 08:21AM
https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/12/30/congress-just-send-the-bigger-stimulus-checks-already/

Congress: Just send the bigger stimulus checks already - Boston Herald

https://news.google.com/search?q=Send&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

Why we 'send them money' | TheHill - The Hill

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“It’s a disgrace,” President Trump said of the recent COVID-19 relief and omnibus spending bill. Trump then rattled off a series of foreign aid programs that benefit Cambodia, Burma, Egypt, Pakistan, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama as evidence that Congress prioritizes foreigners over hardworking Americans. Trump followed up by retweeting an old quip of his from 2014, “I hope we never find life on other planets because there's no doubt that the U.S. Government will start sending them money!”

Over the course of his presidency, Trump has repeatedly called for slashing funding by over 20 percent, only to have the idea rejected by Congress. This time, however, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyTrump rips GOP leaders for allowing veto override This week: Trump's grip on Hill allies faces test House poised to override Trump veto for first time MORE (R-Calif.) offered to reexamine U.S. spending on foreign operations. Beneath the rhetoric is a legitimate question: Why does the United States send foreign countries American taxpayer money? The answer, in short, is because it serves the United States’s self-interest to do so. 

Foreign assistance accounts for a fraction of the overall U.S. budget. In 2021, the Trump administration requested some $32.7 billion in foreign aid. That seems like a staggering sum, but not compared to the 2.3 trillion dollar omnibus COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress. Moreover, in fiscal year 2018, towards the beginning of the Trump administration, the U.S. spent some $46.89 billion on foreign assistance. Even then, though, this sum represented only one percent of the total federal budget. While the foreign assistance budget grew in absolute terms as a result of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, the budget has hovered roughly between one and two percent of the total U.S. budget for the last four decades. 

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Foreign aid represents a good investment for this relatively modest sum. Even bracketing more normative foreign policy objectives like promoting democracy or human rights, foreign assistance serves American equities narrowly defined. Peace and security investments make up one of the largest sectors of American assistance dollars, enabling other states to combat terrorism, counter international crime and stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction — stopping potential crises before they escalate to the point where they require direct American intervention. Foreign aid opened markets for American goods. For example, 43 of the top 50 destinations for American agricultural products once received American foreign aid. Health assistance helps curb the spread of infectious diseases, possibly preventing global pandemics.

Foreign assistance will likely become a more important tool for American foreign policy in the coming years. As the Trump administration has argued, the United States is locked in competition with China, and foreign assistance forms an increasingly important front in this battle for global influence. While estimates vary, China may spend over $1 trillion on infrastructure in some 65 countries as part of its Belt and Road Initiative alone. These investments are not driven by benevolence. They trap countries in debt, bind them to China and potentially pave the way for future Chinese expansion. Countering Chinese influence may require more than artful negotiations. It may require the United States and its allies to offer an economically viable alternative to cheap, Chinese loans. Foreign assistance provides one such building block.

Admittedly, foreign assistance is not a panacea. It cannot deter China from flexing its muscles in the South China Sea, prevent Russia from waging a protracted conflict in Ukraine, deter Iran from backing its terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East or dissuade North Korea from doubling down on its nuclear weapons programs. For those objectives, the United States relies on more coercive tools of statecraft, including military power. Foreign assistance programs, however, keep any number of other crises off this list of problems.

In a few weeks, the administrations will change and so too will the debate over foreign assistance. Despite his reservations, Trump signed the COVID relief/omnibus spending bill. The incoming Biden administration has stated that it plans to “elevate diplomacy as the premier tool of our global engagement,” and may want to boost foreign assistance as part of this push. And so, the debate in Washington may shift from justifying foreign assistance to understanding its limitations.

The public skepticism around the United States “sending them money,” however, will almost certainly remain, especially as the United States economy continues to be battered by the COVID-19 pandemic. And so, it may be worth reinforcing why we give foreign aid in the first place. Aid is not some act of charity at the American taxpayers’ expense; it can help keep Americans safer, more prosperous and secure.

A former active-duty Army officer, Raphael S. Cohen is a senior political scientist and associate director of the Strategy and Doctrine Program, Project Air Force at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation.

The Link Lonk


December 30, 2020 at 09:30PM
https://thehill.com/opinion/international/532044-why-we-send-them-money

Why we 'send them money' | TheHill - The Hill

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Poll: 78% of Haredim back health rules, 60% broke them to send kids to school - The Times of Israel

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A majority of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox believe in the importance of lockdown restrictions to curb the coronavirus, but a majority of the community also sent their children to school in violation of the rules, according to a survey published Wednesday.

The survey said that 78 percent of ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, Israelis believe there is “great” or “moderate” importance to adhering to the Health Ministry’s rules during the pandemic.

Twenty-two percent said there was little to no importance to following the guidelines.

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The survey by the Askaria research firm said 60% of respondents sent their children to Torah-teaching schools that opened against health regulations.

Of the remaining 40%, most did not send their children to school because the institutions were closed, rather than a conviction to keep to the guidelines.

Nearly one in five — 19% — of the survey respondents were infected by the virus before the third wave of infections had begun in Israel. Ninety-eight percent said they knew at least one person personally who was infected.

The Haredi community has been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. Though many Haredim keep to the guidelines, certain sectors of the community have repeatedly flaunted restrictions, including by holding mass events for holidays, weddings and funerals.

The survey found that Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox sects were most supportive of lockdown restrictions, with 70% agreeing they were “very important,” but also led the way in school violations, with 70% sending their kids to class against guidelines.

Ultra-Orthodox men attend the funeral of late Rabbi Aharon David Hadash, spiritual leader of the Mir Yeshiva, in Jerusalem, December 3, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

For Hasidic groups, 41% said guidelines were very important, and 66% violated school restrictions.

The most compliant were Sephardic groups — 25% sent their children to school against restrictions, and 65% strongly supported the guidelines.

The poll was carried out by the Askaria research firm, which specializes in surveying the ultra-Orthodox community, with assistance from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the University of Mainz in Germany. The results were reported by the Ynet news site.

The poll questioned 500 people representative of the Haredi population in Israel and had a margin of error of 4.4%. The report did not say when the survey was administered.

Health Ministry data showed that one in 132 Haredi adults in Israel over the age of 65 died of COVID-19, compared with one in 475 adults over 65 among the general population. That puts the death toll among Haredi adults over 65 at 3.6 times that of the general Israeli population of the same age group.

Israel’s vaccine campaign against COVID-19 is in full swing, with 152,000 shots administered on Tuesday, even as Israel recorded its highest number of new COVID-19 cases in months.

Israel is leading the world in per capita inoculations with a total of 635,000 vaccinations since the national campaign began on December 20.

The nation entered its third lockdown on Sunday to curb its third-wave virus outbreak. The Health Ministry said 5,583 new coronavirus cases were confirmed Tuesday, the highest daily tally since early October, during the second lockdown.

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December 31, 2020 at 08:52AM
https://www.timesofisrael.com/poll-78-of-haredim-back-health-rules-60-broke-them-to-send-kids-to-school/

Poll: 78% of Haredim back health rules, 60% broke them to send kids to school - The Times of Israel

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EIP card: What it is and why the IRS might send you a debit card with your second stimulus check starting this week - CNET

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The IRS has three ways to distribute stimulus money to you.

Angela Lang/CNET

Now that the second round of stimulus payments, which are part of a larger COVID-relief package, have been signed into law, the IRS has started to send out payments through direct deposit and in the mail, either as a paper check or as an Economic Impact Payment card (or EIP).

The IRS sent the first stimulus payment on an EIP card to about 4 million Americans, and will once again will use the same method for some of the payments to speed the delivery of the money to people who qualify. (Here's how to find out which IRS priority group you may be put in by the federal agency.)

Keep reading for help to figure out if you could get paid with an EIP card, how to identify it and what to do with it once you receive it. This story was recently updated.

Read more: Not everyone will qualify for a second stimulus check. Here's why

What is an EIP card?

About 4 million people received their stimulus payment on a prepaid debit card called an EIP card, which looks like this. 

Money Network/Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

An economic impact payment card is a prepaid debit card that the Treasury Department used to distribute some stimulus payments under the CARES Act, instead of an electronic monetary transfer or paper checks. The cards were provided to some eligible US residents for whom the government didn't have banking information.

The IRS said it will use the cards to distribute stimulus payments this time too.

These Visa debit cards can be used to make purchases, get cash from in-network ATMs and transfer funds to your personal bank account without a fee. 

If you're sent one, after the card arrives, head to the EIP card website to activate it and learn more about how to use it. 

Now playing: Watch this: Next stimulus checks: What to expect

3:03

Why would I get the EIP card instead of a stimulus check?

For the first round of payments, those who were eligible received the first stimulus payment by EIP card instead of by check if they filed their taxes but the IRS didn't have their bank account information on hand, and if the tax return was processed by IRS service centers in either Andover, Massachusetts, or Austin, Texas, according to a Treasury press release. It isn't clear what the significance is of those particular service centers, and the Treasury did not return our request for more information.   

For the second round of payments starting to go out this week, the IRS said it will send either paper checks or a debit card in the mail if it doesn't have banking information on hand. The IRS said some people who received a paper check last time might receive a debit card this time, and some people who received a debit card last time may receive a paper check.

How much stimulus money can be loaded onto the EIP card? 

Getting your payment via an EIP card wouldn't change anything about the amount you'd get -- it's just a different format of the same payment.

The amount of money you're allotted in a second stimulus payment (whether it comes in the form of direct deposit, mailed check or EIP card) depends on your AGI, or adjusted gross income, from your tax filings, along with your filing status (single versus joint) and how many dependents you have. The maximum amount a single taxpayer could get is $1,200. 

Find out how to calculate how much you could get on a second stimulus payment here. You can also find out who counts as a dependent on your taxes and what that means for a stimulus payment. Here's how old a dependent has to be to get a separate stimulus payment and the stimulus check situation for older adults, people in the SSDI program, US citizens abroad and people living in US territories.

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Keep track of the coronavirus pandemic.

How long could it take to get my EIP card now that a second stimulus payment is approved?

When the CARES Act was passed in March, the first EIP cards didn't start going out until mid-May. But the IRS said it expects to start sending EIP cards in the mail starting Wednesday, Dec. 30.

The IRS said you'll also be able to track your money (in whatever form it will take) using the same IRS tool you can use to track the status of your stimulus payment, later this week.

How would my EIP card be delivered?

If you're eligible, the IRS said your EIP card will arrive at the address listed on your last tax return in a white envelope that displays the U.S. Department of the Treasury seal. The card will have the Visa name on the front and the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A., on the back. Information included with the card will explain that this is your Economic Impact Payment.

Because the envelope containing the first EIP card wasn't clearly marked, some people reportedly threw the letter away without opening it during the first round of stimulus payments. The IRS said for eligible people who don't receive a direct deposit to watch their mail carefully for the card in the coming weeks.

Note, if you moved, you'll need to inform the IRS and USPS of your new address.

What if I would rather get direct deposit instead?

If the IRS has your bank account information on hand, it's more likely you'd get the payment by direct deposit instead of an EIP card. Since the first stimulus checks were sent, there has been greater effort to help people who don't have bank accounts get one for this purpose. Here are ways you might be able to help get a second check faster.

Will the IRS notify me that my EIP card is coming? 

With the first stimulus payments, the IRS sent a letter about your money to your last known address within 15 days after the payment was made. The letter included information on how you got the money (check or direct deposit or EIP card), and how to report it if you didn't receive the payment. But watch out: There have been a lot of stimulus check scams going around. Visit IRS.gov before giving anyone your information to make sure your letter is legitimate. 

What should I do if my EIP gets lost or destroyed?

With the first cards, if you've lost or destroyed your EIP card, you can request a free replacement through MetaBank Customer Service. The replacement fee will be waived the first time. We expect the IRS do to something similar this time.

You don't need to know your card number to request a replacement. Just call 800-240-8100, and choose the second option from the main menu, according to the IRS website. 

For more, find out if you're qualified for a second stimulus check and when you could expect a second stimulus payment. 

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December 31, 2020 at 04:30AM
https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/eip-card-what-it-is-and-why-the-irs-might-send-you-a-debit-card-with-your-second-stimulus-check-starting-this-week/

EIP card: What it is and why the IRS might send you a debit card with your second stimulus check starting this week - CNET

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$2,000 stimulus checks likely doomed after McConnell refuses to separate them from unrelated Trump demands - CNBC

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell leaves the Senate floor as he and the rest of the U.S. Senate face a decision over approving $2,000 stimulus checks on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 30, 2020.

Leah Millis | Reuters

Efforts to boost the direct payments in the year-end coronavirus relief bill to $2,000 appeared all but doomed Wednesday as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would not separate the plan from President Donald Trump's unrelated demands on technology and election policy.

"The Senate is not going to split apart the three issues that President Trump linked together just because Democrats are afraid to address two of them," he said on the Senate floor.

The Democratic-held House has approved a stand-alone bill to boost the checks to $2,000 from $600, as 44 Republicans prodded by Trump joined nearly all Democrats in backing the measure. The GOP-controlled Senate has said it will not pass the checks without attaching other Trump priorities that Democrats consider toxic — and McConnell knows would sink any legislation.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tried to unanimously call up a vote on the stand-alone bill to send bigger payments for the second straight day. He said, "the only way to get the American people the $2,000 checks they deserve and need is to pass the House bill, and pass it now." McConnell again rejected his request.

As the dispute played out in the Senate, the Treasury Department started to send out the payments of up to $600 on Tuesday night. If Congress can overcome the thorny political dynamics to increase the deposits to $2,000 — which looked unlikely Wednesday — the government would later add on to the cash it already distributed.

McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday introduced the bill that would boost the payments to $2,000 but also repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which provides legal liability protections for internet platforms, and create a commission on voter fraud. The president has pushed for the latter provision as he alleges without evidence that widespread fraud cost him the 2020 presidential race against President-elect Joe Biden.

Schumer said Tuesday that tying other proposals to the direct cash measure "would be a blatant attempt to deprive Americans of a $2,000 survival check."

McConnell has tried to balance a desire not to immediately add to the price tag of the $900 billion rescue package, while appeasing a GOP president who has fixated on sending more direct payments to struggling Americans. The president's demands have put the Senate GOP in a tricky position ahead of the Jan. 5 runoff elections in Georgia, which will determine whether the party keeps control of the chamber.

Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday urged the Senate to approve the stand-alone bill before the new Congress starts at noon ET on Sunday.

"I do hope that in the days ahead — we only have a few days left in the session — that they will see the light and understand the suffering that is going on in this country," Pelosi, a California Democrat, said of Republicans.

Meanwhile, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., blocked another attempt by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to force a vote on the bigger payments on Wednesday.

"It doesn't make sense to have these universal payments. Any relief should be targeted," he told CNBC earlier in the day.

The Senate has not yet voted to override Trump's veto of the annual National Defense Authorization Act. McConnell called lawmakers back this week to do so. While the chamber plans to take procedural steps Wednesday to move toward a vote, it may not override the veto until as late as Saturday.

Sanders blocked swift consideration of the defense measure Tuesday as he called for a vote on the stand-alone bill to increase the direct payments to $2,000. In pushing again to pass the legislation Wednesday, the senator brought a blown up copy of a Trump tweet in which the president pushed for "$2000 ASAP!"

At least four Republican senators — Josh Hawley of Missouri, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue of Georgia — have expressed support for bigger payments. Loeffler and Perdue are campaigning in Jan. 5 runoff elections that will determine which party controls the Senate for the next two years. Hawley and Rubio are considered potential GOP candidates for president in 2024.

Trump continues to call on Congress to approve $2,000 checks after he threatened to veto the relief bill because it included too little direct cash to Americans. He relented and signed it Sunday.

The Senate dispute over checks continues more than eight months of disagreement on Capitol Hill about how far the federal government should go to boost the economy and health-care system during the pandemic. Democrats have pushed to pass trillions more in aid since May, two months after Congress passed the more than $2 trillion CARES Act. Republicans started to call for more relief again in July, and never increased their price tag above about $1 trillion.

Lawmakers then failed for months to approve any new relief before settling on the $900 billion package that passed this month. They let lifelines such as the $600 per week federal unemployment supplement and the window to apply for forgivable small business loans, which helped to keep millions out of poverty and businesses' doors open during the early days of the pandemic, fall to the wayside.

The new rescue package, which passed in the same legislation as a $1.4 trillion regular government spending plan, renews some of the provisions from the spring. It puts a $300 per week unemployment enhancement in place through mid-March. The payment is half of what jobless Americans got from the CARES Act.

It also extends provisions that allow gig, freelance and self-employed workers to get unemployment insurance, and increases the maximum number of benefit weeks.

The bill sends $600 direct payments to most Americans. The sum is half of the $1,200 included in the CARES Act.

It also puts more than $300 billion into small business support, mostly through $284 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans. It includes $8 billion for vaccine distribution as states struggle to keep up with early inoculations.

The measure puts $82 billion into education and $45 billion into transportation. It does not include state and local relief, a measure Democrats and many Republicans back to prevent layoffs from government payrolls.

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December 31, 2020 at 12:07AM
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/30/coronavirus-stimulus-update-2000-checks-stall-in-the-senate.html

$2,000 stimulus checks likely doomed after McConnell refuses to separate them from unrelated Trump demands - CNBC

https://news.google.com/search?q=Send&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

Biden's Team Tells Senate Democrats To Send Him Judicial Nominees ASAP - HuffPost

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President-elect Joe Biden is signaling that he’s ready to move quickly with nominating judges once he’s sworn into office. And he specifically wants Democratic senators to recommend nominees to him who are diverse, not just in terms of race or gender, but professionally ― something progressives have been clamoring for for years.

In a letter obtained by HuffPost, Biden’s incoming White House counsel Dana Remus tells Democratic senators to try to find public defenders and civil rights attorneys in their states who they think would be a good fit for a federal judgeship.

“With respect to U.S. District Court positions, we are particularly focused on nominating individuals whose legal experiences have been historically underrepresented on the federal bench, including those who are public defenders, civil rights and legal aid attorneys, and those who represent Americans in every walk of life,” reads the Dec. 22 letter.

Biden also wants judicial nominee recommendations for existing district court vacancies “as soon as possible,” said Remus, and no later than Jan. 19 ― a day before Biden is formally sworn in.

As of Wednesday, there are 43 district court vacancies. 

Beyond that, the president-elect wants Democratic senators to recommend nominees to him within weeks of any vacancy opening up on a U.S. district court.

“Moving forward, we will request that you forward names to us within 45 days of any new vacancy being announced, so that we can expeditiously consider your recommendations,” she added.

Here’s Remus’ full letter, which urges senators to propose judicial nominees who are also diverse based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, veteran status and disability. 

A spokesperson for Biden’s transition team did not respond to a request for comment for more details on the judicial nominees Biden plans to put forward once he’s sworn in.

Progressives have long been calling for more diversity in federal court picks, particularly when it comes to a nominee’s professional background. President Donald Trump’s didn’t add much diversity to the courts at all; most of his federal judges are white men with ties to corporate law firms. President Barack Obama put a historic number of women and minorities onto the federal bench. But even he didn’t put forward many people who didn’t have a background in corporate law.

“We face a federal bench that has a striking lack of diversity,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said back in 2014, during an Obama-era event on professional diversity on the courts. “President Obama has supported some notable exceptions but ... the president’s nominees have thus far been largely in line with the prior statistics.”

Chris Kang of Demand Justice, a progressive judicial advocacy group, said the letter reflects “exactly the kind of priorities and processes that we have been pushing for and that will be necessary to rebalance our courts after four years of Trump and McConnell.”

That Biden is emphasizing the need for professional diversity in judicial nominees before he’s even sworn in “demonstrates his commitment to build on the historic demographic diversity of President Obama’s judges,” Kang said. “And his clear timeline underscores that judges will be a priority from day one of his administration.”

Of course, Biden’s plan for confirming judges hangs in the balance ahead of Georgia’s Senate runoff elections in January. The outcome of these elections will decide which party controls the Senate for the next two years.

Even if just one of Georgia’s two Republican senators, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, holds on  to his or her seat, which is likely, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will remain in charge. That would mean Biden may have to prepare for the kind of unwavering obstruction that Obama faced from McConnell in getting his judicial picks confirmed. For years, Republicans tossed aside Senate rules and traditions to block Obama’s court picks, even noncontroversial nominees they previously supported. 

That experience has left some experts skeptical of Biden’s chances of diversifying the courts if the GOP controls the Senate.

“I don’t think McConnell is likely to confirm many of Biden’s nominees at all,” said Russell Wheeler, a visiting fellow in the Brookings Institution’s Governance Studies Program, recently told HuffPost. “Some people have said that maybe Joe and Mitch would get together, these old buddies, these members of the Senate club are going to work things out. I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

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December 31, 2020 at 02:47AM
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joe-biden-courts-progressive-nominees_n_5fecc527c5b6e7974fd18321

Biden's Team Tells Senate Democrats To Send Him Judicial Nominees ASAP - HuffPost

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