The Briefing for December 21, 2020
Welcome to the new platform for The Briefing!
In a world full of disinformation and spectacle news, it was important for me to have a platform where I could distill information and express my opinions in a clear and concise manner for my readers. I hope during this new year, The Briefing can become a part of your arsenal for receiving and breaking down public policy news and the (accurate) truth.
COVID-19 Relief and Government Funding
On the 8th day of Christmas, before the clock struck midnight, congressional leaders and their staff reached a deal to keep the government open and provide more COVID-19 relief for Americans.
Yes, they did, indeed.
Congressional leaders, in a sort of Christmas miracle, were able to agree upon a 5,593-page bill to keep the Federal Government open and provide much needed economic relief to Americans and American businesses that continue to suffer from the economic fallout of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
For months, Republican and Democratic leadership in both chambers were at an impasse over how much relief was needed and who needed it in the first place. As was mentioned in a previous special edition of The Briefing, a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers released, at first, a framework, and then a fleshed out two-part, bipartisan proposal in a bid to pressure congressional leaders to pass a stimulus package before Christmas. Feeling the pressure, House Speaker Pelosi (D), House Minority Leader McCarthy (R), Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R), and Senate Minority Leader Schumer (D), met and hammered out a deal, that continued to be hobbled by last minute proposals from other members in each chamber, right before the clock struck twelve Sunday night.
This mammoth bill keeps the government open with current spending levels, along with the continuance and cementing of several tax deductions and credits in our tax code. Furthermore, the COVID-19 stimulus package includes money to save small businesses, certain, targeted industries, those who are unemployed, those who have low incomes, and more, with of course $600 for every eligible American also included. In sum, it will cost the Federal Government $2.3 trillion to fund everything in the bill.
For Republicans, it was more than they wanted to spend (months ago, McConnell kept proposing $500 billion stimulus packages). For Democrats, it was a lot less than they had hoped for (although, they keep saying that with President Biden, they will pursue more money). But for many of us, Congress passing this bill sometime today, provides much-needed assistance during these challenging times.
You can read (if you are that type of person) the full bill text here.
According to Politico (whose reporters were generous enough to provide a breakdown of what’s in the bill), this heavyweight bill contains the following:
$166 billion in direct checks
Individuals making up to $75,000 a year will receive a payment of $600, while couples making up to $150,000 will receive $1,200, in addition to $600 per child. The deal also makes the stimulus checks more accessible to immigrant families. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday that the checks could go out as soon as next week.
$120 billion in extra unemployment help
Jobless workers will get an extra $300 per week in federal cash through March 14. The legislation also extends employment benefits to self-employed individuals, gig workers and those who’ve exhausted their state benefits.
$325 billion small business boost
Pandemic-ravaged small businesses would see a total of $325 billion, including $284 billion in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, $20 billion for businesses in low-income communities and $15 billion for struggling live venues, movie theaters and museums — a major priority for Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The small business aid is only expected to cover less than three months of payroll costs, however, while many employers don’t expect to resume normal operations for more than six months.
Finding common ground on the Fed
After lots of intense bickering over the weekend, lawmakers agreed on language that will prevent the Treasury secretary from restarting emergency lending programs created by the CARES Act, as well as from designing any new programs that look exactly the same as the ones that are ending.
Totaling tax breaks
The legislation allows businesses to deduct expenses associated with their forgiven PPP loans, in addition to expanding the employee retention credit intended to prevent layoffs. It includes a two-year tax break for business meals — a priority for President Donald Trump — and rolls over a variety of temporary tax breaks known as “extenders,” some for multiple years. The package also extends a payroll tax subsidy for employers offering workers paid sick leave and boosts the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Border wall status quo
The government funding portion of the year-end package would maintain nearly $1.4 billion in cash for Trump’s southern border wall, in addition to $20 million for new border processing coordinators. The bill also includes $15 billion for Customs and Border Protection, nearly $8 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $840 million in emergency cash to help ports of entry cover revenue losses during the pandemic. There’s no new funding for an increased number of border patrol agents or immigration enforcement personnel.
$45 billion in transportation aid
That includes $15 billion to help airlines maintain their payrolls, $14 billion for mass transit, $10 billion for state highways, $2 billion for airports and $1 billion for Amtrak.
An extension for state spending
State and local governments now have until Dec. 31, 2021 to spend aid provided by the CARES Act.
Food and farmer assistance
The year-end package includes $13 billion to bolster food stamp benefits by 15 percent, although it doesn’t expand SNAP eligibility. Farmers and ranchers will also see another $13 billion round of direct payments to help cover pandemic-induced losses.
‘Surprise billing’ deal
The omnibus includes an agreement to protect patients from receiving “surprise” medical bills after last-minute haggling — a major priority for retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). As POLITICO reported earlier this month, shielding insured patients from eye-popping medical bills for unexpected out-of-network and emergency care has been a bipartisan priority for lawmakers, but progress had been stalled for over a year.
Billions for vaccines, testing and tracing
The package includes $20 billion for the purchase of vaccines, nearly $9 billion for vaccine distribution and about $22 billion to help states with testing, tracing and Covid-19 mitigation programs. The legislation also includes $5 million for testing in the Capitol Building. The National Strategic Stockpile would receive more than $3 billion.
Funding for funeral expenses
About $2 billion will be set aside for FEMA to distribute to states in order to help families with coronavirus-related funeral expenses through the end of this month, waiving a 25 percent state match requirement.
Restoring Medicaid for the Marshallese
Tens of thousands of Marshall Islanders will be allowed to sign up for Medicaid, with the year-end agreement revising a drafting mistake in the 1996 welfare reform bill that barred the islanders from the program. The problem was detailed in a series of POLITICO stories this year.
Rental aid and an eviction ban
Of the $25 billion in federal rental assistance, $800 million is set aside for Native American housing entities. A federal eviction ban has been extended through the end of January.
Infusion for schools and child care
Included in the $82 billion total for colleges and universities is more than $4 billion for a governors’ relief fund, more than $54 billion for public K-12 schools and nearly $23 billion for a higher education fund. Separately, the child care sector will receive about $10 billion in emergency cash.
Higher education compromise
The legislation includes a bipartisan agreement to forgive nearly $1.3 billion in federal loans to historically Black colleges and universities, deliver Pell grants to incarcerated students after a 26-year ban and simplify financial aid forms — the last of those three has been a long-time priority for the retiring Alexander. The deal would also repeal a 1998 law that prohibits students convicted of drug offenses from receiving federal financial aid.
Major anti-busing action
Lawmakers eliminated a last remaining vestige of the incendiary anti-busing fights of the 1970s, including language that nixes a prohibition on the use of federal funds for transportation costs to carry out school desegregation efforts.
Pay boost for troops
The omnibus portion of the year-end package includes a 3 percent military pay raise. It also preserves a 1 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees next year.
Cash for another Virginia-class sub
The fiscal 2021 funding bill for the Pentagon includes $2.3 billion for a second Virginia-class attack submarine, a major priority for lawmakers who’ve agitated for the construction of two attack subs per year.
A nod to new museums
The legislation authorizes a Smithsonian Women’s History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino on or near the National Mall after Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) blocked bipartisan legislation earlier this month that would establish the museums.
Keeping contractor relief
The package continues a CARES Act program that allows contractors to keep employees on the payroll even if federal facilities close.
Restricting access to e-cigarettes
Incoming House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) secured a win with the inclusion of legislation that requires in-person age verification when online purchases of e-cigarette and vaping products are delivered.
A variety of reauthorizations
The government funding piece includes a compromise version of an annual intelligence authorization bill and ensures that a major water infrastructure package will hitch a ride to passage. It also includes technical corrections to the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement.
A boon for broadband
The agreement invests $7 billion to increase expand broadband access for students, families and unemployed workers, including $300 million for rural broadband and $250 million for telehealth.
Personnel office stays independent
The legislation blocks the Trump administration’s plan to merge most of the functions of the Office of Personnel Management into the General Services Administration, a proposal decried by unions representing federal workers.
The News in Perspective
News from the Center: Omnibus spending package reflects shaky detente in Trump’s final chapter, Roll Call
News from the Right: Congress unveils massive $900B COVID government spending bill after months of negotiations, Fox News
News from the Left: Here’s What’s in Congress’ $900 Billion COVID Relief Deal, Huffington Post
