WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has introduced new legislation that would use federal tariff revenue to send direct rebate checks to working Americans, aligning with former President Donald Trump’s recent call to return tariff dollars to taxpayers.
The proposed bill, titled the American Worker Rebate Act, would provide checks of at least $600 per adult and child, amounting to $2,400 for a family of four. Modeled after the COVID-era stimulus payments, the rebates would be funded by what Hawley and supporters describe as “record-breaking” tariff revenue collected by the federal government.
“Americans deserve a tax rebate after four years of Biden policies that have devastated families’ savings and livelihoods,” Hawley said in a statement. “Like President Trump proposed, my legislation would allow hard-working Americans to benefit from the wealth that Trump’s tariffs are returning to this country.”
The U.S. collected nearly $30 billion in tariff revenue in June, and some forecasts project that total revenue could surpass $150 billion in 2025. If tariff revenue exceeds those projections, the bill would allow for an increase in the rebate amount.
Hawley announced the legislation shortly after Trump reiterated his support for a rebate-style policy tied to tariffs, further signaling alignment between the senator and the former president ahead of the 2024 election.