Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Highlights of $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief, Wrapup Bills
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 4 years ago on
December 21, 2020

Share

Congressional leaders have hashed out a massive, year-end catchall bill that combines $900 billion in COVID-19 aid with a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill and reams of other unfinished legislation on taxes, energy, education and health care. The huge, still-unreleased bill is slated for votes on Monday — with lawmakers having only a few hours to read it before casting their votes.

Here are some highlights of the measure with overall funding amounts and specific amounts for some but not necessarily all initiatives; some amounts are not yet available and some aspects of the catchall bill do not involve spending.

COVID-19 Relief

Unemployment insurance ($120 billion). Revives supplemental federal pandemic unemployment benefits but at $300 per week — through March 14 — instead of the $600 per week benefit that expired in July. Extends special pandemic benefits for “gig” workers and extends the maximum period for state-paid jobless benefits to 50 weeks.

Direct payments ($166 billion). Provides $600 direct payments to individuals making up to $75,000 per year and couples making $150,000 per year — with payments phased out for higher incomes —- with $600 additional payments per dependent child.

Paycheck Protection Program ($284 billion). Revives the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides forgivable loans to qualified businesses. Especially hard-hit businesses that received PPP grants would be eligible for a second round. Ensures that PPP subsidies are not taxed.

Vaccines, testing, health providers ($69 billion). Delivers more than $30 billion for procurement of vaccines and treatments, distribution funds for states, and a strategic stockpile. Adds $22 billion for testing, tracing and mitigation, $9 billion for health care providers, and $4.5 billion for mental health.

Schools and universities ($82 billion). Delivers $54 billion to public K-12 schools affected by the pandemic and $23 billion for colleges and universities; $4 billion would be awarded to a Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund; nearly $1 billion for Native American schools.

Rental assistance. ($25 billion) Provides money for a first-ever federal rental assistance program; funds to be distributed by state and local governments to help people who have fallen behind on their rent and may be facing eviction.

Food/farm aid ($26 billion) Increases stamp benefits by 15% for six months and provides funding to food banks, Meals on Wheels and other food aid. Provides an equal amount ($13 billion) in aid to farmers and ranchers.

Child Care ($10 billion). Provides $10 billion to the Child Care Development Block Grant to help families with child care costs and help providers cover increased operating costs.

Postal Service ($10 billion). Forgives a $10 billion loan to the Postal Service provided in earlier relief legislation.

Omnibus Appropriations ($1.4 Trillion)

The bill also includes $1.4 trillion in annual spending bills that fund agency operating budgets through Sept. 30 of next year. The measure has not been released but provides President Donald Trump with a last, $1.4 billion installment for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Miscellaneous

The measure also contains more than 3,000 pages of miscellaneous legislation, including:

Surprise medical billing. Includes bipartisan legislation to protect consumers from huge surprise medical bills after receiving treatment from out-of-network providers.

Tax extenders. Extends a variety of expiring tax breaks, including lower excise taxes of craft brewers and distillers. Renewable energy sources would see tax breaks extended, as would motorsport facilities, and people making charitable contributions. Business meals would be 100% deductible through 2022.

Water projects. Includes an almost 400-page water resources bill that targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control, environmental and coastal protection projects.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Russia Urges Citizens to Leave Israel as Tensions with Hezbollah Escalate

DON'T MISS

Taxpayers in 24 States Will Be Able to File Their Returns Directly With the IRS in 2025

DON'T MISS

California Collects Millions in Stolen Wages, but Can’t Find Many Workers to Pay Them

DON'T MISS

Sweet Lola on the Mend, Ready for a Forever Home

DON'T MISS

Houthis Vow Retaliation Against US for Yemen Airstrikes

DON'T MISS

Chavez-Quintero Debate: How Would You Rate City-County Cooperation?

DON'T MISS

Biden Talks Election, Economy and Middle East in Surprise News Briefing

DON'T MISS

Big Money Rolling in from Commercial Builders for Local School Bond Measure Campaigns

DON'T MISS

Behind the Scenes at Fresno Chaffee Zoo’s Sea Lion Cove: A Flipper-tastic Adventure

DON'T MISS

Clovis Daytime Burglary: 2 Suspects Arrested, 1 at Large

UP NEXT

Clovis Daytime Burglary: 2 Suspects Arrested, 1 at Large

UP NEXT

Tulare County Teen Arrested for School Shooting Threat

UP NEXT

Chemical Smoke Spewing From a Georgia Factory Is Projected to Spread Toward Atlanta as Winds Shift

UP NEXT

Hurricane Helene’s Death Toll Passes 150 as Crews Search for Survivors

UP NEXT

81-Year-Old South Korean Falls Short in Bid to Become Oldest Miss Universe Contestant

UP NEXT

Traffic Stop Leads to Cocaine Bust on Highway 99

UP NEXT

Will an October Surprise Shake Up the Trump-Harris Race?

UP NEXT

US Is Sending a Few Thousand More Troops to the Middle East to Boost Security

UP NEXT

Satellite Service DirecTV Buys Rival Dish as It Fights the Onslaught of Streaming Services

UP NEXT

Supplies Rushed to Communities Isolated by Helene as Death Toll Hits 121

Sweet Lola on the Mend, Ready for a Forever Home

23 hours ago

Houthis Vow Retaliation Against US for Yemen Airstrikes

1 day ago

Chavez-Quintero Debate: How Would You Rate City-County Cooperation?

1 day ago

Biden Talks Election, Economy and Middle East in Surprise News Briefing

2 days ago

Big Money Rolling in from Commercial Builders for Local School Bond Measure Campaigns

2 days ago

Behind the Scenes at Fresno Chaffee Zoo’s Sea Lion Cove: A Flipper-tastic Adventure

2 days ago

Clovis Daytime Burglary: 2 Suspects Arrested, 1 at Large

2 days ago

Trump Stalled California Wildfire Aid? Ex-Aide Reveals Political Motive

2 days ago

Costa Bill Opens Grants for Heavy Manufacturers to Start Using Hydrogen

2 days ago

Watch: Fresno County Supervisor District 3 Debate

2 days ago

Russia Urges Citizens to Leave Israel as Tensions with Hezbollah Escalate

Russia has advised its citizens to leave Israel amid rising tensions with Hezbollah and Iran, reports Newsweek. Moscow’s ambassador to...

20 hours ago

20 hours ago

Russia Urges Citizens to Leave Israel as Tensions with Hezbollah Escalate

23 hours ago

Taxpayers in 24 States Will Be Able to File Their Returns Directly With the IRS in 2025

23 hours ago

California Collects Millions in Stolen Wages, but Can’t Find Many Workers to Pay Them

23 hours ago

Sweet Lola on the Mend, Ready for a Forever Home

1 day ago

Houthis Vow Retaliation Against US for Yemen Airstrikes

Challenger Luis Chavez and incumbent supervisor Sal Quintero debate in Fresno, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024.
1 day ago

Chavez-Quintero Debate: How Would You Rate City-County Cooperation?

2 days ago

Biden Talks Election, Economy and Middle East in Surprise News Briefing

2 days ago

Big Money Rolling in from Commercial Builders for Local School Bond Measure Campaigns

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend