Federal Stimulus and Relief Package Approved

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Congress has finally finalized the details on a stimulus package with a catchall measure to fund all federal spending for the remainder of the fiscal year ending in September 2021. This was accomplished after months of political gamesmanship between the two parties and Congress was at the peak of its dysfunction at the expense and added suffering of the American public.

Both chambers approved the measure and President Trump was expected to sign it. Final votes on the spending package were expected to approve it and clear it for Mr. Trump’s signature, but had yet to be scheduled. Once approved and signed, the emergency recovery plan would:

  • Provide funds for vaccine distribution.
  • Send direct payments of $600 to many Americans
  • Provide enhanced federal unemployment benefit payments of $300 per week until early spring
  • Provide food and rental assistance to millions of Americans, and
  • Provide hundreds of billions of dollars of relief to prop up small businesses, schools and other institutions struggling amid the pandemic.

Without action by Congress before the end of the calendar year, two programs designed to expand and enhance unemployment benefits are set to expire in the coming days, leaving about 12 million Americans without federal support. A number of other benefits are set to expire at the end of the year.

“We can finally report what our nation has needed to hear for a very long time,” Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said Sunday night. “More help is on the way.”

Both chambers approved the measure on Sunday night, and President Trump was expected to sign it before midnight. Final votes on the spending package were expected as early as Monday to approve it and clear it for Mr. Trump’s signature, but had yet to be scheduled.

References:

  1. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/19/us/politics/stimulus-deal-congress.html?referringSource=articleShare
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