https://www.rollcall.com/2020/12/21/another-stopgap-needed-to-give-trump-time-to-sign-massive-bill/
Trump signs weeklong funding extension to buy time to prep omnibus
Measure would extend government funding for a week to prevent shutdown while 5,593-page package is prepared and sent to president
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/second-stimulus-check-congress-12-21-2020/index.html
US President Donald Trump signed a stopgap spending bill to keep the government open until December 28.
Just after midnight, Trump signed the bill, H.R. 1520, known as the “Further Extension of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021,” which provides fiscal year 2021 appropriations to “Federal agencies through Monday, December 28, 2020, for continuing projects and activities of the Federal Government,” a statement from the White House read.
This continuing resolution CR will keep the US government open until December 28. CNN’s Manu Raju said paperwork still needs to be completed on the massive relief bill, and has not been sent to the White House yet. That process will take a few days.
This post was updated to reflect that President Trump signed the stopgap spending bill.
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The Senate has passed a $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief/omnibus spending package, following the House’s passage earlier Monday evening. The legislation now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for a signature. The final vote was 92-6.
The White House has said that Trump will sign the legislation.
Congress also approved a continuing resolution to keep the government funded for an additional seven days to allow time for the legislation to be formalized and sent to the White House.
The six Republican senators who voted against the bill were
Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee,
Rand Paul of Kentucky,
Rick Scott of Florida,
Ron Johnson of Wisconsin,
Mike Lee of Utah,
Ted Cruz of Texas.
This post has been updated to accurately reflect the final vote.
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/second-stimulus-check-congress-12-21-2020/index.html
Here are key provisions that will be included as part of the $900 billion agreement, according to releases sent out Sunday evening by members of Democratic and GOP leadership:
Direct payment checks of up to $600 per adult and child
Aid for struggling small businesses, including more than $284 billion for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans and $15 billion "in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions"
$300 per week for enhanced unemployment insurance benefits
$20 billion to buy vaccines and make "the vaccine available at no charge for anyone who needs it" and $8 billion for vaccine distribution
$20 billion for coronavirus testing efforts
$25 billion for rental assistance and an eviction moratorium extension
$82 billion for education providers like schools and colleges, including aid to help reopen classrooms safely and $10 billion for child care assistance
The deal will rescind "$429 billion in unused funds provided by the CARES Act for the Federal Reserve's emergency lending facilities"
$13 billion in increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and child nutrition benefits
$7 billion to bolster broadband access to help Americans connect remotely during the pandemic
$45 billion to support transportation services, including $2 billion for airports, $1 billion for Amtrak and $16 billion for "another round of airline employee and contractor payroll support"
A tax credit "to support employers offering paid sick leave"
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/second-stimulus-check-congress-12-21-2020/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/second-stimulus-check-congress-12-21-2020/index.html
12 hr 29 min ago
Read the text of the new stimulus deal and funding bill
From CNN's Phil Mattingly and Kristin Wilson
Congress just posted the text of its funding bill and bipartisan Covid-19 stimulus plan.
It's 5,593 pages long, and if you'd like to read all of it, the full text is available here.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/21/politics/new-covid-stimulus-bill-text/index.html
What comes next: The House Rules Committee will meet at 2:45 p.m. ET.
After the bill is processed by the House Rules Committee, it will move to the House floor before final action in the Senate. There will be no ability to amend the legislation, and lawmakers will be left to a take-it-or-leave-it proposition with the government on the brink of another shutdown at midnight.
https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Features/story/Article/1713087/4-major-military-events-that-happened-on-christmas/
4 Major Military Events That Happened on Christmas
DEC. 17, 2018 | BY KATIE LANGE
1776: Washington's Famous Crossing of the Delaware
The mission, which became known as the Battle of Trenton, was of huge significance to the Continental Army's cause. Not only did it raise the troops' spirits, but it revived the hope of the colonists, who were beginning to think their battle for independence wasn't feasible.
1864: The First Battle of Fort Fisher
For most of the Civil War, North Carolina's Fort Fisher saw very little combat. But that changed on Christmas 1864, when the Union decided it wanted to capture the last port the Confederates held on the Atlantic Ocean.
It was a debacle for the Union.
First, the Union tried to pack a warship with explosives and blow up the fort's walls — but that didn't work. It just blew up their ship and alerted the Confederates of an imminent attack. So on Christmas Eve, the Union tried again, bombarding the fort with heavy gunfire, most of which fell short or missed its target.
On Christmas morning, Union commanders decided to shell an area north of the fort so troops could land and come ashore. But when they did, more disappointment followed — the fort's heavy artillery was completely unscathed, so that was a no-go, too. It was only then that the Union ordered troops to retreat.
While the first Battle of Fort Fisher was a massive failure for the Union, the second wasn't. In mid-January 1865, Union troops were finally able to capture the fort, effectively cutting the Confederates off from global trade and supplies. The Civil War ended three months later.
1972: Operation Linebacker II in North Vietnam
American troops were in the middle of the biggest bombing mission in military history during the Christmas season of 1972. The air campaign, called Operation Linebacker II, has largely been considered the action that ended U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
President Richard Nixon ordered the bombings to begin on Dec. 18 after North Vietnamese delegates walked out on peace talks. Nicknamed the "11 Days of Christmas," the operation consisted of 11 successive days of raids by B-52 Stratofortress bombers flown in from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
The only day that both sides got a reprieve was Christmas, when troops were given a 36-hour break to celebrate. During that time, Nixon ordered the North Vietnamese to return to the bargaining table. The North Vietnamese refused, so the bombings continued until Dec. 29, when they agreed to resume peace talks.
1896: "Stars and Stripes Forever" is Written
While this wasn't exactly a military action, it's definitely a symbol of America's military might.
John Philip Sousa, who grew up during the Civil War, was a talented musician who became a long-time director of the U.S. Marine Band. Known as the "March King," he was a rock star of his time, eventually starting his own band in 1892.
On Christmas Day 1896, while crossing the Atlantic on his way home from a European vacation, Sousa's lasting legacy came to him. He said the notes for "Stars and Stripes Forever" were born out of homesickness and fond memories of his time as the Marine Band's leader.
The iconic song officially became America's national march in 1987.
Updated December 21, 2020
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm
PROVISIONAL
Total Deaths 2,823,030
Provisional counts are not final and are subject to change. Counts from previous weeks are continually revised as more records are received and processed.
Q4842 Oct 9 2020 14:51:34 (EST)
2019: 2,855,000
2018: 2,839,000
2017: 2,814,000
NOTE:
Number of deaths reported in this table are the total number of deaths received and coded as of the date of analysis and do not represent all deaths that occurred in that period. Counts of deaths occurring before or after the reporting period are not included in the table.
The United States population, based on 2019 postcensal estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, is 328,239,523.