ATLANTA (AP) As Congress bargains over more financial relief during the coronavirus pandemic, some of the hundreds of thousands of Georgians who are casting ballots for the Jan. 5 runoffs that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate are calling for action. I think the stimulus is overdue,” said handyman Louis Peters, 64, who voted Monday on the first day of early-in-person balloting in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta. He chose Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock over incumbent Republican U.S. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
The COVID-19 epidemic has done widespread economic damage in the state. An Associated Press Votecast survey in November found 38% of Georgia voters had someone in their household who lost a job or income because of COVID-19. And for some, the situation is getting worse. The federal government at first offered those who were unemployed $600 and then $300 weekly supplements, but those supports are now long gone.
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Atlanta, Georgia, United States – President-elect Joe Biden travelled to Georgia on Tuesday to campaign for two Democratic Senate candidates facing runoff elections that will determine control of the US Senate and shape Biden’s first years in the White House.
Biden urged residents in Georgia to vote early for Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and he framed success in the elections as crucial to his ability to pass his agenda as president.
“It’s time to stand up and take back our democracy,” Biden told the drive-in rally in Atlanta’s Kirkwood neighbourhood. “Send me these two men and we will control the Senate and we’ll change the lives of the people of Georgia.”
Congress Nears US Spending Deal With Fed To Weigh In On Economy By Heather SCOTT
12/16/20 AT 11:23 AM
Congressional leaders on Wednesday said they were nearing a long-awaited agreement on a stimulus package for the US economy, while the Federal Reserve is set to provide updated forecasts that could show renewed optimism for the months ahead.
A federal relief package to aid struggling business and jobless workers is seen as essential in getting the world s largest economy back on its feet even as vaccines against Covid-19 are rolled out, and would also ease the pressure on the central bank, which has limited tools to help the economy.
Lawmakers haggle over details as U.S. Congress closes in on $900 billion COVID-19 aid bill We made major headway toward hammering out a targeted pandemic relief package, McConnell said as he opened the Senate. We need vaccine distribution money, we need to re-up the Paycheck Protection Program to save jobs, we need to continue to provide for laid-off Americans.
Written By:
Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell / Reuters | 10:00 pm, Dec. 16, 2020 ×
United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks during a news conference following the weekly meeting with the Senate Republican caucus at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Dec. 15, 2020. Rod Lamkey/Pool via REUTERS