New COVID-19 relief legislation that maintains encouragement for charitable giving and funding for a small loan program that includes churches gained President Trump’s signature Sunday evening (Dec. 27).
In a sudden reversal, the president signed into law a combined legislative package that provides $900 billion for COVID-19 relief and $1.4 trillion for an omnibus spending bill that will keep the federal government funded through September 2021. Trump had decried the legislation five days earlier, describing it as “a disgrace” and calling for Congress to amend it to increase direct payments to Americans from $600 apiece to $2,000.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives responded Monday (Dec. 28) by voting 275-134 to increase the payments to $2,000. The Senate appears less likely to take such action....