U.S. Congress

"We do need a stimulus bill. There's no question about it," Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick said.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley is among the lawmakers who have said the direct payments agreed by Congress are not high enough.

The relief package, the second largest in history behind the $2 trillion CARES Act, received overwhelming bipartisan support, easily clearing both chambers of Congress.

Some of the programs and grants funded as part of the new coronavirus relief package aim to address problems exacerbated by the pandemic.

Lawmakers corrected an unintended consequence from the CARES Act that excluded Americans in mixed-status families from being eligible for stimulus payments.

"Members of Congress need to see & read the bills we are expected to vote on," Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.

Legislators included stimulus checks in another round of relief and if it passes Congress, eligible individuals will receive $600.

Congressman Adam Kinzinger suggested fellow Republicans were backing the effort "for retweets and money" from their base.

The new economic relief package will total about $900 billion—less than half the amount Democrats had hoped for and nearly double the amount Senate Republican leaders had backed.

The Trump ally told a conservative audience he will join a Hail Mary endeavor next month that's growing in popularity among his colleagues in the House for Congress to overturn President-elect Biden's win.

Lawmakers may need to again approve a stopgap spending measure to avoid a government shutdown as they finalize a nearly $1 trillion relief package.

Congressional lawmakers are finalizing the terms of additional COVID-19 relief legislation on Sunday.

"Without state and local funding, the vaccine distribution will be delayed. You will be held accountable for that delay, which will lead to more deaths and make the federal vaccine program a debacle," the New York governor wrote in a letter to the president.

Democrat and Republican negotiators are said to be closing in on a new package, but there remains some uncertainty over the eligibility for direct payments.

An independent government watchdog report says Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, tried to help the VA secretary damage the reputation of a woman who was sexually assaulted at a VA facility.

Congressional debate over the pending $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill again underscores the split between Democrats and Republicans over who should receive the funds and how the money can best be used.

Representative Kathleen Rice secured the final seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, shutting out Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

"I'm even more optimistic now than I was last night that a bipartisan bicameral framework for a major rescue package is very close at hand," the Senate majority leader said Friday.

The objection to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) trying to pass more direct payments was expected, but it underscored the tensions surrounding more coronavirus relief as congressional leaders have yet to reach an agreement over a nearly $1 trillion package.

The president sent a warning to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his GOP allies Friday morning.

When it comes to education, far too many of our nation's students are living without basic broadband internet connections.

With a more streamlined research process, real science could guide future marijuana policy reforms.

Passing another stopgap spending bill could keep the government open past a Friday night deadline while congressional leaders iron out their differences over a $900 billion package. However, resistance is expected.

Senator Josh Hawley tweeted on Thursday that direct payments to Americans would be the COVID-19 "relief working families need."

Congress will met on January 6 to count the electoral votes, with some Republicans planning to object to the president-elect's win.

Leaders are more optimistic and closer to reaching a deal than they have been in the past nine months since the CARES Act passed in March.

"I think that is misguided and I don't think it's candidly very progressive," Senator Mark Warner said about the progressive's demands for a second round of stimulus checks.

After progressives and some Republicans demanded $1,200 payments in a new relief bill, bipartisan negotiators put forward a provision to provide half that amount.

The package will be the first significant legislative response to the coronavirus pandemic since the CARES Act in March.

Mitch McConnell's warning to Republicans not to challenge Biden's Electoral College victory failed to sway Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who told Newsweek: "Every senator and every congressperson has got to make their own decision on that."