As Elderly Hope for Second Stimulus Check, Germany Pledges Financial Support for up to 60,000 U.S. Seniors

Germany has committed to providing extra financial support to Holocaust survivors across the world—including up to 60,000 U.S. seniors—amid the COVID-19 crisis, as elderly people in America hope for further assistance throughout the pandemic.

The agreement, between the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and the German government, is worth 564 million euros ($663 million) in total.

It will mean 240,000 survivors globally will be eligible to claim 2,400 euros ($2,800) over the next two years. The money will be received in the form of a payment each year worth around $1,400.

It is estimated around 58,000 to 60,000 survivors could benefit in the United States.

Gideon Taylor, the President of the Claims Conference, said the payments "will help our efforts to ensure dignity and stability in survivors' final years."

"We must meet the challenges of the increasing needs of survivors as they age, coupled with the new and urgent necessities caused by the global pandemic. It will always remain our moral imperative to keep fighting for every survivor."

Stuart E. Eizenstat, Claims Conference Special Negotiator, spoke of the importance of such support amid the coronavirus crisis.

"In the face of a devastating global pandemic, it was vital to secure larger increases for survivors while also seeking immediate funds to help them through these extremely challenging times," he said.

U.S. relief package

It comes as talks over a further relief package for the U.S. stalled, with the hopes of further stimulus check payments for Americans halted amid the stalemate.

Meanwhile, polling has indicated a majority of elderly people across the nation want to see more Economic Impact Payments, a round of which were disbursed following the CARES Act being signed more than six months ago, made.

The majority of U.S. adults, 70 percent, said they wanted to see more such payments, in a Gallop poll conducted August 3 to 11.

Of those who were aged 65 plus, this went up to 73 percent. Just 16 percent in that age bracket said they should not be made. Three quarters of those backing such action said the payments should be of $900 or more.

They were the age range with the second highest amount of support for payments, with 77 percent of 35 to 44-year-olds asked being in supportive.

This comes with other polling suggesting people would like such payments purely to cover essential costs, such as bills and rent.

While there has been bipartisan support for stimulus of some kind in the United States, there have been disagreements over the exact details.

An overwhelming point of contention has been cost, with Democrats pushing for more spending than Republicans have been willing to sanction.

President Donald Trump has reiterated his desire for further stimulus, however Democratic figureheads including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have branded his offers as insufficient.

Newsweek has contacted the White House and Pelosi for comment.