Congress seemingly has no plans to renew or pass more coronavirus relief before the year ends
A whole bunch of COVID-19 relief provisions are set to expire at the end of the year, and Congress shows no sign of renewing them .
The last COVID-19 relief bill expired at the end of July, and since then, Congress and the White House have been locked in negotiations to pass a series of new provisions. But as Politico reports, talks have essentially ground to a halt, likely forcing Americans to make it through the rest of the year with no sign of stimulus checks or other relief.
After the pandemic began in March, the federal government sent $1,200 stimulus checks to Americans and extended boosted unemployment benefits to the record number of people who had lost their jobs. Those unemployment benefits expired in July, but two pandemic unemployment programs meant for gig workers and those who had maxed out their state's unemployment benefits have remained, and will until the end of 2020. Also expiring at the end of the year is a federal eviction moratorium, a variety of state and local funding, and small business debt relief, among other provisions, Politico notes.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Democratic-controlled House passed its COVID-19 relief legislation months ago, but the GOP-held Senate still pushed for a bill totaling far less than the $2 trillion Democrats want. Months later, President Trump is in lame duck territory, the House and Senate remain committed to their own bills, and COVID-19 is spreading more than ever. As Politico's Jake Sherman points out, this means Americans will likely have to get through the holidays without another stimulus check, and will probably lose a range of benefits once the year ends.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - December 22, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - the long and short of it, trigger finger, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published