Several economic support programs will run out by year's end without help from Congress.
James Martin/CNETAfter Congress returns to work on Monday, Senators and Representatives are expected to once again debate the merits of a large or small stimulus package to pass before 2020 is through. There's just one problem: Congress is deeply divided on the size and scope of a COVID-19 rescue bill, which is why negotiations have already dragged on for six months. The urgency to pass a bill and the frustrations that it still might not happen, alarms US leaders and health experts alike as the country heads into what President-elect Joe Biden has called a "dark winter" of growing coronavirus cases and widening economic hardship.
On Wednesday, the US reported its deadliest day since May, with 2,300 deaths caused by the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that the US could reach a death toll of over 320,000 by mid-December.
A growing number of Republican and Democratic members are pushing for Congress to focused on a smaller bill than the one Democrats have backed since the spring. A smaller bill could extend some of the most critical programs set to expire at the end of the year and possibly leave out the popular second economic stimulus check. After agreeing on short-term aid, Congress could return to discussions on a broader package after the Biden administration takes over on Jan. 20.
For months, Democratic leaders have rejected the idea of smaller, targeted bill -- something House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has referred to as half a loaf -- but with the the Senate and House of Representatives meeting for just a handful of days before the end of the year, a smaller bill may be the only path forward to broker a deal before the end of the year.
"We need to do this now," said Senator Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouris, on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday. "The problem was, that our friends on the other side of the building thought that it was $2.4 trillion or nothing. Half of that would have made a big difference, and then after the first of the year, we could have dealt with this again."
A second stimulus check worth up to $1,200 per person is not assured, however. (And a payment could bring you less money than before.) Those arguing against a second direct payment suggest another direct payment may not be necessary, since a forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine points to a return to work and the kind of spending that drives the economy. Not everyone will get the vaccine at the same time, however, and wider distribution in mid-2021 is still months away.
Last week, a group of 127 economists signed an open letter (PDF) urging a second stimulus check as a fast, fair and effective way to "get families and the economy back on track." But after months of fruitless debate, what does it mean if another stimulus check doesn't come? We've looked at the other benefits a new stimulus package could bring you, even without a $1,200 per qualified adult. This story is regularly updated with new information.
Watch this: Next stimulus checks: What to expect
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A smaller bill could still bring more money to federal unemployment checks
The CARES Act in March authorized an additional $600 per week in unemployment money for out-of-work individuals. When that program ran out in July, President Donald Trump signed an executive action that extended payments through the end of the year at $300 extra per week, until Dec. 31 or until the money for each state ran out. With the total number of unemployed workers claiming benefits as high as 20 million, the government reported this month, a renewal of the federal unemployment assistance could directly help millions of people pay for rent, food and other essentials.
Assistance for small businesses to pay worker wages
The Payroll Protection Program, also part of the CARES Act, was designed to help keep workers employed by providing forgivable loans to small businesses for the purpose of paying wages. That means people who work for small businesses should be more likely to keep their jobs because their employer can get extra money to help keep workers on the books.
While recent studies suggest the payroll program was not as effective as it could have been -- with many businesses using the loans on nonpayroll expenses and to build up savings, according to a University of Chicago study -- both Republicans and Democrats have pushed for renewal of the program targeted at the hardest-hit small businesses.
Federal support for worker wages is set to run out as Democrats and Republicans continue to disagree.
Sarah Tew/CNETRenter protection to halt evictions
The CARES Act included a 120-day moratorium on evicting renters who were late on rent. Trump renewed the moratorium until Dec. 31. With a recent US Census study finding that one in five renters are not caught up on their rent during the pandemic, a lapse in protections could be catastrophic to American households and could be compounded by a predicted increase in personal bankruptcy.
With Congress out till after Thanksgiving and a Dec. 11 deadline to approve a new federal budget, lawmakers will have to act quickly to agree to a short-term fix before the new year.
Until then, here's what we know about the state of negotiations on another economic rescue bill, what could be holding up an agreement and five benefits going away unless Congress acts before the end of the year.
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If there's no second stimulus check in the next relief bill, you may still benefit - CNET
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