April 23, 2020

Wyden Pushes Trump Administration to Ensure Americans Without Broadband Can Receive Stimulus Payments

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today urged the Trump administration to increase efforts to make stimulus payments available to the most vulnerable populations—including those without access to the internet who cannot file a tax return electronically. 

In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Wyden and 22 other senators highlighted that at least 21 million Americans are without high-speed internet access and face a significant barrier in their ability to file a simple tax return online in order to receive an automatic payment. 

“We request that you leverage the resources and information at your disposal or partner with the necessary federal agencies to get this relief into the hands of those who need it the most, including Americans who do not have internet access. Time is of the essence and we hope that you will act quickly and decisively in addressing our concerns,” the senators wrote.

Joining Wyden on the letter were U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Doug Jones, D-Ala., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Bob Casey, D-Pa., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Angus King, I-Maine, Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Tom Carper, D-Del., Mark Warner, D-Va., Amy Klobuchar, D-Maine, and Jack Reed, D-R.I.

A copy of the letter is available here.