House and Senate lawmakers passed a one-day government spending bill ahead of a vote on a major coronavirus spending package both chambers plan to approve on Monday.
Congressional leaders announced Sunday evening the two parties struck an accord on a $900 billion virus aid package that includes new stimulus checks, enhanced jobless benefits, small business loans, and other aid aimed at helping the nation cope with the effect of pandemic and a recent round of surges and economic lockdowns.
Lawmakers plan to bundle the virus aid package with fiscal 2021 spending, which expires Sunday at midnight.
The House and Senate will pass the one-day government funding measure Sunday night and on Monday. Both chambers will pass the virus aid package as well as full fiscal 2021 spending along with an unrelated water resources authorization measure, all wrapped in one piece of legislation.
The bill will also include yet another stopgap government funding bill meant to provide enough time for Congressional staff to enroll the massive measure.
“Today, we have reached agreement with Republicans and the White House on an emergency coronavirus relief and omnibus package that delivers urgently needed funds to save the lives and livelihoods of the American people as the virus accelerates,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a joint statement.
The virus aid package includes $600 stimulus checks for certain individuals and a new round of enhanced federal jobless pay that would provide $300 per week. New funding is provided to speed up vaccine distribution, and $25 billion is included for rental assistance.
The bulk of the measure, more than $300 billion, is aimed at propping up small businesses with another round of forgivable loans.
The agreement comes after months of stalled bipartisan talks and was pushed to the finish line by increasing demands for help due to virus surges. The package is based on a proposal authored by a bipartisan gang of lawmakers in the House and Senate who pressured leaders to take up their measure.
