For months, we wondered: What would it take for Congress to move on COVID-19 relief? What would be the moment that finally tipped the balance? On Monday, The Associated Press reported the awful details: 2020 was on pace to be the U.S.â deadliest year, with fatalities topping 3 million. While deaths typically rise each year, an expected 15% jump from 2019 would be the largest single-year increase since the 1918 combination of World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said life expectancy for 2020 could fall by three years. So while we welcome Mondayâs long-awaited passage of a $900 billion federal COVID-19 relief package, we see little cause for celebration. Why wasnât a deal reached before the election?