Hawley Proposes $600 Tariff Rebate Checks for Americans

Written By Lexx Thornton

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., on Monday introduced a bill to send tariff rebate checks to American families, which would be similar to the stimulus checks sent during the COVID-19 pandemic. If enacted, the American Worker Rebate Act of 2025 would provide “at least” $600 per adult and dependent child, or $2,400 for a family of four, according to a statement from Hawley. The bill allows for a larger rebate if tariff revenue exceeds projections. 

 Whatever the final amount, the benefit would be reduced by 5% for joint filers with an adjusted gross income above $150,000 or single filers earning more than $75,000. 

 The Senate bill comes after President Donald Trump on Friday told reporters the administration was “thinking about a little rebate” for Americans from tariff revenue. 

 “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,” Hawley said in a statement. 

However, it’s unclear whether the proposal has broad Republican support, particularly among fiscally conservative lawmakers. 

 Earlier this year, Trump and Elon Musk floated a $5,000 dividend check for Americans, funded by savings from the so-called Department of Government of Efficiency. However, that idea has not happened. 

 The Treasury Department reported an unexpected surplus for June, with a boost from tariff revenue. Customs duties totaled roughly $27 billion for the month, compared with $23 billion in May. The duties reflect a 301% gain from June 2024. 

 The tariff rebate check proposal comes as a chorus of lawmakers and policy experts voice concerns about the federal budget deficit. 

“I don’t think [a rebate] would be particularly good policy,” Tax Foundation senior economist Alex Durante told CNBC on Friday. “I would prefer that the revenue be used for deficit reduction rather than just cutting checks to people.” 

 Enacted in early July, Trump’s “one big beautiful” tax-and-spending package could add an estimated $3.4 trillion to the deficit through 2034, according to a conventional score released by the Congressional Budget Office this week.