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WASHINGTON — Congress passed a $900 billion pandemic relief package Dec. 21 that would finally deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and resources to vaccinate a nation confronting a frightening surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

Top congressional leaders are closing in on an agreement on a long-delayed COVID-19 relief package, hoping to seal a deal as early as Dec. 16.

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of lawmakers was unveiling a detailed COVID-19 aid proposal Dec. 14 as Congress labored toward a final agreement on a new round of virus relief.

WASHINGTON — In a sweeping bipartisan vote that takes a government shutdown off the table, the House passed a temporary government-wide funding bill Sept. 22, shortly after President Donald Trump prevailed in a behind-the-scenes fight over his farm bailout.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sept. 15 the House will remain in session until lawmakers deliver another round of COVID-19 relief, a move that came as Democrats from swing districts signaled discontent with a standoff that could force them to face voters without delivering more aid.

Slow, grinding negotiations on a huge COVID-19 relief bill are set to resume Aug. 3, but the path forward promises to be challenging and time is already growing short.

President Donald Trump is offering a $4.8 trillion election-year budget plan that recycles previously rejected cuts to domestic programs like food stamps and Medicaid to promise a balanced budget in 15 years — all while boosting the military and leaving Social Security and Medicare benefits untouched.