U.S. Congress

The Senate Banking Committee took its first look at spending under the massive CARES Act approved in March. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said more should have been done to keep U.S. workers on the payroll.

Steve Linick is the fourth government watchdog President Trump has fired or sought to remove in the last six weeks.

Rick Bright, who filed a complaint after being removed from his government post working on the coronavirus, said he raised alarms about critical supply shortages early on.

Dozens of members of Congress sleep in their own offices. One longtime opponent, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., argues that it's particularly important to end the practice now.

The agency usually provides funding for legal aid hotlines after disasters. But the White House has not approved such funding for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Senators return to the Capitol on Monday, more than five weeks after their last formal gathering. There are new public health guidelines for the chamber.

Uber drivers, Airbnb hosts and other gig workers who have lost their livelihoods because of the coronavirus pandemic would get some relief under the proposed new $2 trillion federal rescue package.

Under the plan, single people earning incomes below $75,000 will receive as much as $1,200. The White House says it will issue funds in three weeks but experts say it could take months for some.

The deal means Congress could be close to passing a deal, and it comes after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Republicans and Democrats had closed the gap on their differences.

The White House team says it will make an assessment after next week as to how effective social distancing and other mitigation measures have been in stifling the spread of the virus.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer negotiated late into the night with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and spoke hopefully of a deal coming together on Tuesday.

The bill, which still needs to be negotiated with Senate Democrats, provides direct cash payments, loan guarantees for impacted businesses and more resources for testing and development of vaccines.