Almost 2.5 million people signed an online petition that calls on Congress to send $2,000 monthly stimulus payments to every American until the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Change.org petition, created in 2020 by Colorado restaurant owner Stephanie Bonin, directly addresses the House and the Senate, urging both congressional chambers to draft a bill that would provide “$2,000 payments for adults and $1,000 payment for kids” until the pandemic subsides.

In an updated version of the petition, Bonin also noted that the slight economic recovery “hasn't reached many Americans.”

“The true unemployment rate for low-wage workers is estimated at over 20 [percent] and many people face large debts from last year for things like utilities, rent and child care,” Bonin added. “These are all reasons that checks need to be targeted to people who are still struggling and that Congress needs to learn from this past year. It took nine months for Congress to send a second stimulus check, and just moments to spend it.”

Eligible recipients have received three separate rounds of checks since the start of the economic crisis. The most recent direct payment was authorized under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, where recipients saw $1,400 checks, some of which are still being sent out by the IRS. The agency, however, faces a massive backlog of unprocessed tax returns, so millions of stimulus payments will likely be delayed.

Former President Donald Trump also approved direct relief last year, as eligible Americans received $1,200 from the first round of federal aid and $600 from the second.

“Moving forward Congress needs to make recurring checks automatic if certain triggers are met. No more waiting around for our government to send the help we need,” Bonin wrote in an updated version of the petition. “Sign to join our movement to get recurring checks to the people.”

The growing support for the petition comes as groups of congressional Democrats have called on the White House to pass recurring payments, arguing that the first three rounds of federal relief were not enough to help Americans financially recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Biden, however, has offered no indication that he would stand behind the measure, and it is not included in the new bipartisan infrastructure proposal.

“We need immediate checks and recurring payments so that we can keep our heads above water,”  Bonin added. “Congress needs to make sure that we won’t be left financially ruined for doing our part to keep the country healthy.”

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill. This article is being republished due to reader interest.

Image: Reuters.