Stimulus Checks Now Expected in $900B COVID-19 Relief Package.
Congressional leaders met for hours on Dec.
15 in an attempt to reach a deal that will extend coronavirus relief programs that are set to expire at the end of December.
The next day, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell gave an optimistic speech on the Senate floor.
We made major headway into hammering out a targeted pandemic relief package that would be able to pass both chambers with bipartisan majorities, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, via CBS News.
We committed to continuing these urgent discussions until we have an agreement.
And we agreed we will not leave town until we've made law, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, via CBS News.
On Dec.
16, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin told CBS News that he expects stimulus checks to be $600, .
And unemployment benefits will likely last for 16 weeks.
They can come back in January when Joe Biden becomes president, take a look at the emergency needs that we still have.
This is an emergency bill, it's not an end all, be all, Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, via CBS News.
The bill must be signed by President Trump before Dec.
18 at midnight to avoid a shutdown
