JOE Biden will be sending out a letter to tens of millions of Americans to tout the success of his $1.9 trillion stimulus relief bill – but critics have slammed the president for acting like Trump.
Within weeks, all Americans who were eligible for the third round of stimulus checks under Biden's America Rescue Plan will be reminded by mail who was responsible for sending them the $1,400 payment.
The letter, sent via the IRS, will be full of self-praise for promises the president kept according to Insider, who obtained an advanced copy of the note.
"On March 11, 2021, I signed into law the American Rescue Plan, a law that will help vaccinate America and deliver immediate economic relief to hundreds of million Americans, including you," Biden writes.
"A key part of the American Rescue Plan is direct payments of $1,400 per person for most American households.
"This fulfills a promise I made to you, and will help get Americans through the crisis."
The letter also highlights others parts of Biden's landmark bill that "will help you as well", including aid for small businesses, expanded child tax credits for families, and resources to "reopen schools safely".
"When I took office, I promised the American people that help was on the way," Biden continues. "The American Rescue Plan makes good on that promise."
Biden adds that since the pandemic took a hold of the US last spring, it has been a "long, hard time for our nation."
"But I believe brighter days are ahead," the 46th US President declares. "We are on the path to vaccinating the nation. Our economy is on the mend. And our children will be back in school.
"I truly believe there's nothing we can't do as a nation, as long as we do it together," the letter concludes.
Biden's letter is almost identical in formatting to one former President Donald Trump sent out to the nation along with the first round of stimulus checks in April 2020.
Both of the notes were sent out by the IRS with the White House's letterhead, covered one page, and were addressed to "My fellow American".
When his letter was sent, Trump was criticized for wasting tax payer's money to "self-aggrandize", the center-left watch group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) complained at the time.
Controversy erupted also among Democrats when it was revealed physical checks sent out in the first round of stimulus payments would include Trump's name signature on the bottom left corner.
The move was said to have delayed their mailing at the time, though Trump denied the claims.
CREW's president, Noah Bookbinder, criticized Biden for following Trump's lead by sending stimulus recipients the letter.
"This trend toward presidents sending self-serving signed letters at taxpayer expense is unfortunate regardless of who does it," he told Insider.
"I hope that President Biden will not learn the wrong lessons from his predecessor and continue this kind of tactic."
Support has been gathering among Democrats for either a fourth round of stimulus payments or recurring monthly checks until the pandemic ends.
Biden is being urged to include more COVID relief in the $2.3 trillion Build Back Better infrastructure plan he is now formulating.
About 20 Democratic U.S. senators, including Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden of Oregon and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts urged him to include additional payments in the plan.
The senators wrote: "Families shouldn’t have to worry about whether they’ll have enough money to pay for essentials in the months ahead as the country continues to fight a global pandemic.”
However, any such measures would likely prove difficult to pass, considering Biden's Build Back Better plan received no support from Republicans in congress.
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