As the holiday season approaches, many Americans are waiting for a gift from Congress.

Concerns have arisen about the next stimulus package and whether or not it will be finalized before the new year. As many benefits for Americans end Dec. 31, the pressure is on Congress to create a new stimulus package. 

“When negotiating the stimulus package, the size of the stimulus matters a lot and it depends on what the money is spent on,” said Mack Shelley, Iowa State chairman and professor of the political science department.

Shelley said the delay in the stimulus package is due to partisanship and the election.

“Democrats didn’t want to give Trump claim to giving money to Americans,” Shelley said. 

Since the election, there still has not been any discussion about the package, but Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said it would be “job one” when Congress gets back in session. 

“As I’ve said repeatedly in the last few months, we need another rescue package,” McConnell said the day after the election. “Hopefully, the partisan passions that prevented us from doing another rescue package will subside with the election. And I think we need to do it and I think we need to do it before the end of the year.”

In the past few months, McConnell has disagreed with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin about a $2 trillion package, warning it is too expensive and will not receive support in the Senate.  

Although both Pelosi and McConnell seem to want to get a stimulus package before the end of the year, it is unclear when Americans will receive money from the stimulus. 

It is likely that the stimulus package will be finalized before President-Elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, Shelley said.  

“Trump will probably want to take credit for this stimulus package and will want to sign it,” Shelley said.

With the amount of the stimulus still unknown, it is unclear what the money will be used for.  

“It is hard to know where the money will go to without knowing the full amount of the package,” Shelley said. 

However, for college students, this stimulus package may not help them as much as they hope. 

“I would want the next stimulus package to include college students,” said Chris Hauser, a sophomore in political science. “In the previous stimulus package, most students were considered dependents and many either didn’t qualify or received a greatly reduced check. I feel a majority of college students would greatly benefit from a stimulus check.”

Similar to the last stimulus package, college students are likely to see debt relief from this stimulus package, Shelley said. 

Biden has proposed creating a new program that would offer student debt relief. This program would offer borrowers $10,000 of student debt relief for every year of national or community service for up to five years.

According to Biden’s proposal, “Individuals working in schools, government and other non-profit settings will be automatically enrolled in this forgiveness program; up to five years of prior national or community service will also qualify.” 

Hauser said he likes Biden’s plan and if a debt relief plan were to be put into place it should happen now more than ever. 

There is economic concern about what will happen if the stimulus package is not high enough. 

“The economy could tank if the package isn’t targeted the right way,” Shelley said. “The package needs to target individuals and families.” 

It is unclear if the stimulus package will target businesses or individuals. 

If there is not a stimulus package before the new Congress assembles in mid-January, the political dynamic might change. 

“If a stimulus package is not created before January, it leaves a lot of uncertainty,” Shelley said.