AKRON, Ohio — Millions of Americans spent the holidays under stress waiting for President Donald Trump to sign the pandemic relief bill Congress passed before Christmas.
The President signed the $900 billion dollar relief package on Sunday night after it sat on his desk for five days.
"2020 has been rough man. It just ... it's been rough," said Benjamin Robinson.
Robinson is a college student in Akron. He was making ends meet in March right before the pandemic hit by balancing classes and paying bills but his job at Staples was eliminated when the pandemic hit.
"It's been a real struggle in 2020 because I've been having to pay my bills and stuff and I don't have a job," he said sitting in his living room on Monday.
He said this year made him grow up fast.
"I'm only 22 and I'm realizing how hard it really is to be an adult and stuff like that," he said. "It's finally just like hitting me and stuff."
Robinson came to News 5 in October because he was waiting on months of unemployment assistance money to come in. The payments he was waiting on finally cleared and he was able to catch up on rent and bills.
"It's a struggle and that waiting period is hard for people," he said. "I know how they feel when they literally have nothing and can't get no job right now."
Just because he has the assistance money coming in, Robinson said people need more to survive a year like this. That includes raising the amount of stimulus check money.
"That's a whole $1,400 difference," he said about the difference between what Congress approved and what Trump wants.
Trump wants Congress to increase the stimulus check payments from $600 to $2,000.
That difference in check money is part of the reason Trump delayed signing the bill.
Robinson said that money means rent and a little more would be covered while he balances school and bills.
"If you just give out a $600 stimulus check, that's not going to help them," he said.
