What's the status of a second $1,200 stimulus check?

By Aimee Picchi

November 10, 2020 / 7:09 AM / MoneyWatch

Hopes for a fresh round of COVID-19 relief are reviving after Joe Biden secured enough electoral votes to become the president-elect. With many pandemic aid programs running out of money or expiring next month, American households may face more hardship without another round of government help.

It's likely that another stimulus bill will pass, analysts say, but the unknowns include its size and timing. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled he wants another stimulus package, noting in a November 4 press conference that he would like an aid deal passed before year-end.

Even so, any package passed during the so-called "lame duck" session — before the newly elected members of the Senate and the House take their seats in January — is likely to be far smaller than the more than $2 trillion sought by Democrats, according to Wall Street analysts.