After Senate Republicans balked at the $2.2 trillion price tag of the House’s pandemic relief bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would instead consider “targeted relief for American workers, including new funding for the Paycheck Protection Program.” It is as yet unclear what else will be covered, but an earlier proposal incorporated $300/week federal unemployment benefits, support for coronavirus testing and vaccine research, forgiveness for a $10 billion loan granted to the US Postal Service, and funding for schools. Voting on the pared down package, which costs an estimated $500 billion, will be the Senate’s “first order of business” when it returns on 19 October. Read more