President Donald Trump proposed on Tuesday sending money to most Americans to help them tide over the coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted the US economy leading to prospects of large-scale unemployment.
He said that the details were being worked out on the exact amount and how to get the money out to the people "now".
While Trump and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin would not give the specifics, they indicated while responding to a question that it could be $1,000.
The payments would be a part of relief package of about $1 trillion that the Trump administration is proposing.
Mnuchin said that he would ask Congress to approve the proposal to send the money.
He said: "Americans need cash now. And the President wants to get cash now. And I mean now in the next two weeks."
He said direct payments, rather than indirect payments through tax cuts or deferments, was the administration's preference so the money could be sent out within two weeks.
"The president has instructed me we have to do this now," he said.