After nearly nine months of mostly stalled negotiations and bickering, Democratic and Republican congressional leaders have finally reached agreement on another sweeping Covid relief package.

The deal, worth an initial estimate of around $900bn, is the eleventh-hour culmination of talks that abruptly intensified last week between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on one side and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, on the other.

“For the information of all senators and more importantly for the American people, we can finally report what our nation has needed to hear for a very long time: More help is on the way,” Mr McConnell announced on the Senate floor on Sunday.

Lawmakers have “finalised an agreement,” the majority leader said.

The bill includes another round of direct payments to most Americans, this time worth only $600 instead of the $1,200 taxpayers received …continued .
[Source: CNBC News]