Today: 12 May 2025
21 December 2020
2 mins read

Trump inks latest stopgap funding bill

In an announcement on Monday, the White House announced that Trump signed the bill, which will avert the government shutdown for the next 24 hours..reports Asian Lite News

US President Donald Trump has signed the latest stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown and provide lawmakers more time to vote on a newly reached Covid-19 stimulus deal, as well as an accompanying $1.4 trillion government funding bill.

In an announcement on Monday, the White House announced that Trump signed the bill, which will avert the government shutdown for the next 24 hours, after the House and Senate each passed the measure on Sunday evening, The Hill news website reported.

Congress is expected to take up the stimulus package and government funding bill on Monday morning.

In an statement on Sunday evening, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that congressional negotiators had finalised a deal that would link a $1.4 trillion government funding bill to roughly $900 billion in further coronavirus relief, a significant bipartisan breakthrough after months of deadlock.

The $900 billion relief plan under negotiation was set to include another round of direct payments for individuals, federal unemployment benefits, and more funding for Paycheck Protection Program to support small businesses.

The last stopgap funding bill was signed on December 18, which averted a government shutdown until Sunday.

It came almost a week after Trump had signed a one-week stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government open through December 18.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had recently said that they want to attach a long-awaited Covid-19 relief legislation to an omnibus funding bill, which will keep the government open while providing targeted relief to households and businesses.

Among the unresolved issues in the Covid-19 relief negotiations are a Republican push to shut down the Treasury Department’s and Federal Reserve’s credit lending facilities; the scope of the direct checks; and a Democratic effort to include funding for state and local emergencies to be administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to The Hill, a U.S. political website.

Economists, as well as Federal Reserve officials, have repeatedly argued that more fiscal relief is needed to sustain the economic recovery, warning of dire consequences if further fiscal support is not provided in time.

As of Monday morning, the virus, which originated in China a year ago, has infected a total of 17,840,000 Americans and killed 317,667 others, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

The two tallies are the highest in the world, making the US the hardest-hit country by the pandemic.

Also read:Trump to skip Biden’s inauguration

Previous Story

Modi To Inaugurate India Int’l Science Festival On Tuesday

Next Story

Hit US Show Debuts In India

Latest from -Top News

‘Dying of thirst’

Palestine Water Authority says Gaza is “dying of thirst” as water systems collapse. Gazans also reject U.S.-Israeli aid distribution plan, call for enhanced UN role The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) warned that

Rajasthan Returns to Dubai

This year, the Rajasthan Tourism Board set up their stand at ATM Dubai stage 2025—its first appearance in 15+ years. Under the stewardship of Additional Director Mr. Anand Tripathi, Department of Tourism,

UAE, Uganda forge closer ties 

President of Uganda received H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed; both countries have deepened ties with strategic agreements in energy, investment and digital innovation  In a significant diplomatic engagement aimed at expanding bilateral

Macron backs Syria sanctions shift 

 Diplomatic outreach, sanctions, reconstruction, and sectarian unrest shape Syria’s complex new chapter.  In a landmark visit signalling Syria’s first re-engagement with a European capital in over a decade, French President Emmanuel Macron

Singapore lauds UAE field aid

A Singaporean delegation visited the UAE Floating Hospital in Al-Arish, where they toured its various departments and were briefed on the medical and humanitarian services provided to patients arriving from the Gaza
Go toTop