<p>US congressional leaders said on Sunday they had reached agreement on a $900 billion package to provide the first new aid in months to an economy hammered by the novel coronavirus pandemic, with votes likely on Monday.</p>.<p>Here's what is in the package, according to a summary released by House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and interviews with several congressional aides who provided additional details:</p>.<p><strong>Checks in the mail</strong>: The bill includes $166 billion in new direct payments of up to $600 per adult and child, for individuals making up to $75,000 a year and $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000 a year. The bill expands direct payments to mixed-status households.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/coronavirus-updates-cases-deaths-country-wise-worldometers-info-data-covid-19-834531.html" target="_blank"><strong>15 countries with the highest number of cases, deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a></p>.<p><strong>More unemployment benefits</strong>: An additional $300 per week for some unemployment recipients.</p>.<p><strong>A US Postal Service grant</strong>: Congress agrees to convert a $10 billion loan approved in March into direct funding for USPS without requiring repayment.</p>.<p><strong>Payroll loans</strong>: $284 billion for government payroll loans, including expanded eligibility for nonprofits and newspaper and TV and radio broadcasters, $15 billion for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions and $20 billion for targeted disaster grants</p>.<p><strong>Back-to-school funding</strong>: $82 billion for colleges and schools, including for heating-and-cooling system upgrades to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for childcare assistance. Includes $54.3 billion for K-12 schools and $22.7 billion for higher education Business meal write-offs. A new tax break for business meal expenses, nicknamed the "three martini" deduction. Ending surprise medical billing: Insured patients only need to pay in-network costs when an emergency or other issue forces them to use a medical provider who isn't covered by their network.</p>.<p><strong>Transport industry help</strong>: $45 billion for transportation aid, including $15 billion to US passenger airlines for payroll assistance, $14 billion for transit systems, $10 billion for state highway funding, $2 billion for airports, $1 billion for airline contractors and $1 billion for passenger railroad Amtrak. Rent and eviction aid: $25 billion for rent and utility payment assistance for people struggling to stay in their homes, and an extension of the eviction moratorium until January 31. States will receive a minimum of $200 million in assistance.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/coronavirus-live-news-covid-19-latest-updates.html" target="_blank"><strong>CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH</strong></a></p>.<p><strong>Vaccine distribution aid</strong>: $30 billion to support procurement and distribution of the vaccine, "ensuring it's free and rapidly distributed to everyone," as Schumer said.</p>.<p><strong>More to fight hunger</strong>: $13 billion for food assistance, including additional funding for food banks and senior nutrition programs, college student access to the federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.</p>.<p><strong>Farm aid</strong>: Another $13 billion for direct payments, purchases and loans to farmers and ranchers.</p>.<p><strong>Expanded Pell Grants</strong>: New grants for college tuition, which would reach 500,000 new recipients.</p>.<p><strong>Internet access</strong>: $7 billion to give more Americans broadband internet access, including $1.9 billion to replace telecom network equipment that poses national security risks and $3.2 billion for a new temporary benefit program to help low-income Americans get access to broadband service</p>.<p><strong>Global virus alliances</strong>: $4 billion for an international vaccine alliance</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank"><strong>For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here</strong></a></p>.<p><strong>Tax credits</strong>: Enhanced tax credits to encourage low-income housing construction, businesses to keep employees on payroll, employers to provide paid sick leave, and for low income workers.</p>.<p><strong>Minority-owned businesses</strong>: $12 billion for minority owned and very small businesses that struggled to access earlier Payroll Protection Program financing.</p>.<p><strong>What’s not in the bill</strong>: Liability protection for companies whose employees get coronavirus, which Republicans have backed for months, was not including in the final negotiations or bill; Democrats laid aside sizable funds for state and local governments in return. A last-minute attempt by the Republican Party to limit the Federal Reserve’s emergency lending power to small businesses and local governments was also left out. </p>
<p>US congressional leaders said on Sunday they had reached agreement on a $900 billion package to provide the first new aid in months to an economy hammered by the novel coronavirus pandemic, with votes likely on Monday.</p>.<p>Here's what is in the package, according to a summary released by House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and interviews with several congressional aides who provided additional details:</p>.<p><strong>Checks in the mail</strong>: The bill includes $166 billion in new direct payments of up to $600 per adult and child, for individuals making up to $75,000 a year and $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000 a year. The bill expands direct payments to mixed-status households.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/coronavirus-updates-cases-deaths-country-wise-worldometers-info-data-covid-19-834531.html" target="_blank"><strong>15 countries with the highest number of cases, deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a></p>.<p><strong>More unemployment benefits</strong>: An additional $300 per week for some unemployment recipients.</p>.<p><strong>A US Postal Service grant</strong>: Congress agrees to convert a $10 billion loan approved in March into direct funding for USPS without requiring repayment.</p>.<p><strong>Payroll loans</strong>: $284 billion for government payroll loans, including expanded eligibility for nonprofits and newspaper and TV and radio broadcasters, $15 billion for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions and $20 billion for targeted disaster grants</p>.<p><strong>Back-to-school funding</strong>: $82 billion for colleges and schools, including for heating-and-cooling system upgrades to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for childcare assistance. Includes $54.3 billion for K-12 schools and $22.7 billion for higher education Business meal write-offs. A new tax break for business meal expenses, nicknamed the "three martini" deduction. Ending surprise medical billing: Insured patients only need to pay in-network costs when an emergency or other issue forces them to use a medical provider who isn't covered by their network.</p>.<p><strong>Transport industry help</strong>: $45 billion for transportation aid, including $15 billion to US passenger airlines for payroll assistance, $14 billion for transit systems, $10 billion for state highway funding, $2 billion for airports, $1 billion for airline contractors and $1 billion for passenger railroad Amtrak. Rent and eviction aid: $25 billion for rent and utility payment assistance for people struggling to stay in their homes, and an extension of the eviction moratorium until January 31. States will receive a minimum of $200 million in assistance.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/coronavirus-live-news-covid-19-latest-updates.html" target="_blank"><strong>CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH</strong></a></p>.<p><strong>Vaccine distribution aid</strong>: $30 billion to support procurement and distribution of the vaccine, "ensuring it's free and rapidly distributed to everyone," as Schumer said.</p>.<p><strong>More to fight hunger</strong>: $13 billion for food assistance, including additional funding for food banks and senior nutrition programs, college student access to the federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.</p>.<p><strong>Farm aid</strong>: Another $13 billion for direct payments, purchases and loans to farmers and ranchers.</p>.<p><strong>Expanded Pell Grants</strong>: New grants for college tuition, which would reach 500,000 new recipients.</p>.<p><strong>Internet access</strong>: $7 billion to give more Americans broadband internet access, including $1.9 billion to replace telecom network equipment that poses national security risks and $3.2 billion for a new temporary benefit program to help low-income Americans get access to broadband service</p>.<p><strong>Global virus alliances</strong>: $4 billion for an international vaccine alliance</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank"><strong>For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here</strong></a></p>.<p><strong>Tax credits</strong>: Enhanced tax credits to encourage low-income housing construction, businesses to keep employees on payroll, employers to provide paid sick leave, and for low income workers.</p>.<p><strong>Minority-owned businesses</strong>: $12 billion for minority owned and very small businesses that struggled to access earlier Payroll Protection Program financing.</p>.<p><strong>What’s not in the bill</strong>: Liability protection for companies whose employees get coronavirus, which Republicans have backed for months, was not including in the final negotiations or bill; Democrats laid aside sizable funds for state and local governments in return. A last-minute attempt by the Republican Party to limit the Federal Reserve’s emergency lending power to small businesses and local governments was also left out. </p>