Covid aid package: US Congress set to vote after compromise emerges

Central bank’s emergency powers key to agreement$600 for individuals and $300 a week welfare boostNew record for daily Covid cases as Moderna vaccine approvedThe US Congress appeared poised to vote on a $900bn coronavirus aid package on Sunday after senators struck a late-night compromise to clear one of the final hurdles: a dispute over Federal Reserve pandemic lending authorities.The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, said late on Saturday: “If things continue on this path and nothing gets in the way, we’ll be able to vote tomorrow.”Congressional leaders plan to attach the coronavirus aid package – which includes $600 direct payments to individuals and a $300 a week unemployment compensation supplement – to a $1.4tn spending bill funding government programs through to September 2021. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/19/congress-hurries-to-finalize-nearly-1tn-coronavirus-economic-relief-deal #us_congress #coronavirus #us_news #us_economy