Duckworth pushes for changes to CARES Act

A local senator is calling for changes to be made to the CARES Act.

The package was signed into law last month to help families with newborn babies.

However, the way the bill is currently written, Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth said it blocks families who had babies during this calendar year from getting the $500 economic impact payments right now. Instead they have to wait until they file their 2021 income taxes to take advantage.

Duckworth said a tweak to the law should be made to allow these families access to the cash right now.

"This is something that they are entitled to anyway, just don't make them wait 18 months for it," Duckworth told CNN in an interview Friday. "Families can't wait until 2021 for this money because folks need money to buy diapers, formula and all those things right now."

Duckworth introduced the new bill Friday to speed up those payments and hopes it will be part of the next stimulus package Congress is working on.

The bill has Republican support. Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Mike Braun of Indiana have signed onto the bill as well as fellow Democrat, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

"I think we have a good shot, since it is bipartisan," Duckworth said, adding that her biggest pitch to Republicans she's talked to like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, is that it doesn't cost any additional money.

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