Stimulus deal comes into focus

Congress expects to work over the weekend on a nearly $1 trillion pandemic economic relief bill. Lawmakers will have to pass another continuing resolution to keep the government from shutting down Friday night, but they hope to have a stimulus deal and an overall federal budget passed by Christmas.

What relief can Americans expect? They’ve agreed so far on more than $300 billion in aid to businesses; an extension of additional unemployment benefits; $600 direct payments to individuals; vaccine distribution funds; and money for renters, schools, the Postal Service and people needing food aid. Negotiators are still at odds over disaster relief, healthcare spending, what to do with the Federal Reserve’s emergency lending program, and who should receive stimulus checks.

Dig deeper: Read Harvest Prude’s report in The Stew about the reasons for delays in the budgeting process.