US Congress passes 900 billion dollar Coronavirus stimulus

After months of stalled negotiations and squablling, the US Congress has passed a long-awaited 900 billion Dollar package of coronavirus pandemic aid. Senators approved the bill late on Monday night, hours after it was passed by the House of Representatives. The aid includes direct payments for many Americans and support for businesses and unemployment programmes. President-elect Joe Biden welcomed the relief package but said Congress needed to get to work to support his Covid-19 relief plan in the New Year.

The historic legislation is the second largest stimulus in U.S. history and comes more than eight months after Congress overwhelmingly passed a $2 trillion stimulus package in late March. The U.S. has seen a resurgence of the virus with a record number of cases, deaths and hospitalizations and millions more Americans falling into poverty and losing their jobs. The late-night votes are the culmination of weeks of negotiations and renewed pressure to pass additional relief before the year's end.