Economy

The Federal Reserve left interest rates near zero and signaled it would hold them there through at least 2023 to help the U.S. economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic. The Federal Open Market Committee “expects to maintain an accommodative stance... Read More

WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of 50 centrist lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled a $1.5 trillion proposal they hope will end the current stalemate over new relief to bolster the coronavirus battered economy. The Problem Solvers Caucus, led by co-chairs Reps.... Read More

President Donald Trump spent more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds, rolled back environmental rules and tried to stop power plant closings to fulfill a vow he made to West Virginia coal miners in the 2016 campaign. But nothing he’s... Read More

WASHINGTON -- Amtrak made a plea to Congress Wednesday for billions of dollars in supplemental funding to avoid financial collapse as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate its ridership. The number of riders on the national passenger railroad dropped by... Read More

WASHINGTON - The American Bar Association urged Congress last week to extend a moratorium on the eviction of renters who've lost their jobs or been otherwise adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. A national moratorium on evictions was originally adopted... Read More

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans plan to vote later this week on another economic relief package for Americans dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, but the slimmed-down plan — which does not include new checks for individuals — is already a deal-breaker... Read More

WASHINGTON - It was the kind of announcement that makes one stop and wonder if they'd heard it right. While unions have profitably invested in private equity firms as part of their portfolio for years, the general belief about the... Read More

Yesterday, Rep. Antonio Delgado and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand visited the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in an effort to push Congress to pass the bipartisan-supported RESTART Act, which will help live event venues, small and mid-sized businesses which have... Read More

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the Senate would vote on a trimmed-down Republican coronavirus relief package, though it's unlikely to appeal to Democrats who have already passed a much more sweeping package in the House. The... Read More

SODUS POINT, N.Y. — On Mother’s Day three years ago, Tom Frank was at his bayside restaurant, Captain Jack’s Good Time Tavern, when a brimming Lake Ontario surged onto the back patio. Water spilled across the wooden deck, a sun-soaked... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. unemployment rate fell sharply in August to 8.4% from 10.2% even as hiring slowed, with employers adding the fewest jobs since the pandemic began. Employers added 1.4 million jobs, the Labor Department said, down from... Read More

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed doubts about whether Congress can get a deal on another pandemic relief package when lawmakers return to Washington after a monthlong recess, despite the Trump administration’s push for a quick, targeted stimulus. “I don’t... Read More

WASHINGTON - Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., wants to reduce the barriers currently preventing many Rural Utility Service borrowers from refinancing their debt to take advantage of lower market rates. Unlike most private lenders, the Rural Utility Service, a division of... Read More

Senate Republicans hope to vote next week on a so-called “skinny” coronavirus stimulus package even as the gap between the White House and Democrats remains as wide as ever. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., a close ally of Majority Leader Mitch... Read More

WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress directed tough questions at the U.S. Treasury secretary Tuesday about fraud and abuse in the Trump administration’s coronavirus relief program. They said billions of dollars intended to protect jobs and family homes were being diverted... Read More

Rep. Tom O'Halleran, D-Ariz., made a little history on Monday by launching the Blue Dog Democrats' first-ever virtual rural opportunity roundtable series. The discussion with local and tribal leaders focused on the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on rural and... Read More

In Austin, Texas, they’re expecting more closures. In New York, they’re struggling to pay the bills. In San Francisco, they worry that the old normal is never coming back. Small businesses are often described as the heart of the U.S.... Read More

WASHINGTON - Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris said Friday that a nationwide mask mandate she and running mate Joe Biden have called for would simply reinforce the behavior of "responsible people who love our neighbors." "We have to... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department announced Wednesday it is seeking data from the governors of four states that issued orders "which may have resulted in the deaths of thousands of elderly nursing home residents." Officials said Wednesday afternoon that the... Read More

WASHINGTON - A coalition of haunted house operators and others who offer "seasonal" and "location-based" entertainment are pressing Congress to change the Paycheck Protection Program so their industry can take advantage of it. They are also asking that their industry... Read More

Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly increased last week, a stumble for the labor market in its long road to recovery. Initial jobless claims in regular state programs rose by 135,000 to more than 1.1 million in the week ended... Read More

WASHINGTON - Sales of existing homes in the United States rose by an unprecedented 24.7% in July extending the summer rebound from the coronavirus after the global pandemic hammered the market in late winter and spring. The National Association of... Read More

WASHINGTON - As the House convenes for a rare Saturday session, over 100 Democrats are urging Speaker Nancy Pelosi to open the floor to consideration of a bill to extend an emergency bonus to unemployment benefits due to the coronavirus... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Blue Dog Coalition of House Democrats has begun circulating a letter they plan to send to leaders in the House and Senate, urging them to return to bargaining on a new coronavirus relief bill. Earlier this month,... Read More

SALEM, Ore. - Starting this week, those who are unemployed in the state of Oregon can apply for a one-time $500 stimulus check on a first-come-first-served basis at select financial institutions. As many as 77,000 Oregon residents will be eligible... Read More

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are planning to roll out a “skinny” version of their eight-bill COVID-19 aid package with $10 billion added for the U.S. Postal Service as early as this week. The legislation will be composed of provisions that... Read More

LOS ANGELES — If you had posed the scenario to him as a hypothetical a few months ago — “Your company will be hemorrhaging cash, and you’ll turn to Uncle Sam for emergency funds” — Jim Brady would’ve confidently dismissed... Read More

WASHINGTON — Even as governors ask Congress for more pandemic relief money and more leeway to spend it, critics say some states are pushing the legal limits of how previous emergency federal aid can be spent. South Dakota auditors are... Read More

Despite renewed concerns over a summer resurgence of the coronavirus, nearly half of the world’s movie theaters are back in operation, according to new data from the United Kingdom’s Gower Street Analytics. Gower Street, a film tech company that provides... Read More

WASHINGTON - A District of Columbia judge’s ruling this week is the latest court judgment that absolves insurers from obligations to cover the losses of businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. A group of restaurants sued their insurer after the company... Read More