Items Tagged with 'Heroes Act'

Negotiations on a major new coronavirus relief package remain alive, but with the election less than two weeks away, Senate Republicans see little chance of passing a deal before a lame duck session in November or December at the earliest.

It looks like farm sectors that have been waiting for Congress to authorize new forms of coronavirus relief will have to wait until after the election or possibly next year. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was suspending negotiations with congressional Democrats on a new aid package until after the election.

The Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief plan Thursday evening even as leaders continue to negotiate a final package. Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats were still trading proposals with the White House but wouldn’t have a deal before today. ”We’re going back and forth,” she said.

We have some more clarity on the Senate GOP plan for helping farmers cope with the coronavirus, although Republicans were unable to roll out their full bill on Thursday as originally planned.

A $1 trillion coronavirus relief package that Senate Republicans are trying to finalize would authorize compensation to livestock and poultry producers and also aid ethanol plants as well as additional direct payments to farmers, a key senator said Thursday.

The House takes up legislation today to fund USDA, FDA and other agencies for fiscal 2021, and Democrats will use the debate to target President Donald Trump’s effort to address the coronavirus-related slowdowns in meatpacking.