At last, more Covid relief may be on its way

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VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE FRI, DEC 04, 2020 CNBC POLITICS EDITOR'S NOTE Hello,   This is CNBC.com politics reporter Jacob Pramuk, in for politics editor Mike Calia.    Capitol Hill is on the brink of a long-awaited breakthrough.    After months of starts and stops, Congress is closer to sending more help to Americans reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sees "momentum" toward a relief deal after she spoke to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Members of both parties have started to get behind a bipartisan $908 billion aid package.  The path ahead is tricky. The leaders have to resolve outstanding disputes over relief. They also need to craft a funding bill that can get through the Democratic-held House and GOP-controlled Senate before the government shuts down on Dec. 12.    Any agreement will face resistance. Democrats worry Americans struggling to afford food and housing will get little relief if a bill lacks direct payments or a robust unemployment insurance supplement. Some Republicans back little or no new spending to address the crisis.    Fiscal support is overdue after months of infighting in Congress. The November employment report shows a job market wavering in the face of record Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations.   President-elect Joe Biden cited the "grim" jobs report as he called on Congress to provide immediate aid. He promised more relief after he takes office next month.    Thoughts? Email Mike Calia at CNBCPolitics@nbcuni.com.   Have friends or colleagues who might like this newsletter? They can sign up here.    Subscribe to CNBC's daily new podcast The News with Shepard Smith, which provides deep, non-partisan coverage and perspective on the day's most important stories. Mike Calia @Michael_Calia KEY STORIES  Pelosi sees 'momentum' toward a Covid stimulus deal as job growth slows Congressional leaders are rushing to pass new coronavirus stimulus, and they hope to tie it to a government funding bill. Biden warns the economy is stalling after 'dire' jobs report — calls for 'urgent action' on Covid stimulus Biden said Friday's underwhelming jobs report foreshadows a "dark winter" that demands "urgent action" from Trump and Congress. Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs center on stock trading and Trump's false claims of rigged elections Georgia voters will shape Biden's policy plans, the odds of tax reform and the balance of progressives and moderates in the Cabinet. CDC quietly adjusted Covid death data, shows higher relative toll on Black, Hispanic people The CDC's previous infographic, which downplayed the disproportionate burden on communities of color, was widely shared. Trump doubles down on $740 billion defense bill veto threat over Section 230 tech fight This is not the first time the president has targeted the NDAA. House passes bill to decriminalize marijuana, set up steps to wipe out convictions The bill, which comes as more states legalize recreational marijuana, aims to curb the damage done to Black Americans by cannabis convictions. USAID inspector general is looking into possible violations of Federal Records Act by agency leaders, sources say An inspector general is looking into whether leaders at the U.S. Agency for International Development possibly violated the Federal Records Act, sources said. U.S. Foreign Service group blasts State Department's plans for large indoor holiday events during Covid surge As Covid-19 surges across the country, the American Foreign Service Association criticized large indoor holiday events scheduled at the U.S. State Department.     Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Terms of Service Join the CNBC Panel Digital Products Feedback Privacy Policy   © 2020 CNBC LLC. All rights reserved. A property of NBCUniversal. 900 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes and Market Data and Analysis. Data also provided by THOMSON REUTERS