Congress Sets Aside Politics, Passes Coronavirus Relief Bill

WASHINGTON, DC – President Trump, as promised, signed the largest single piece of legislation ever passed by Congress. The $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill includes one-time payments to individuals, strengthened unemployment insurance, additional health-care funding and loans, and grants to businesses to avoid layoffs. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (CA-D) had described the bill “as mitigation” of the pandemic’s destruction, predicting Congress will draft more plans to aid in “recovery.” The White House and congressional leaders have said some individuals will receive direct payments of up to $1,200 within three weeks. For agriculture, the legislation will provide $14 billion to replenish the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) paving the way for another possible round of Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments later this year (MFP 3.0). It will also invest $9.5 billion for livestock, dairy, and specialty crop producers.