CARES ACT

Drug shortages are scaring parents and ‘anemic response’ from the Biden administration isn’t helping. US needs to manufacture its own essential medicines.

A SoFi spokesperson said the company believes it has "been fully compliant with the mandates of our bank license and all applicable laws."

A 34-year-old man was charged with one count of wire fraud after being accused of filing a fraudulent loan application in 2020.

A bipartisan bill to raise asset limits for SSI beneficiaries could be the first step in updating the outdated federal benefits program, Sen. Sherrod Brown said.

Senior Trump officials, "potentially including the president," helped get the loan approved, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis said.

Some Covid tax relief has expired for the 2021 income tax filing season, but not all, and Main Street has been spared Build Back Better tax proposals.

Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) questions Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Powell during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on the CARES Act, at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC, September 28, 2021. Sen. Sherrod Brown, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, said Tuesday afternoon that the committee will delay its votes on five of President Joe Biden's nominees to the Federal Reserve. This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

The U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance Monday to reduce the number of households asked to repay pandemic-era jobless benefits paid in error.

The central bank's two-day meeting ends Wednesday, where it is expected to give more clues as to when it will hike rates and begin shrinking the balance sheet.

The nation’s top financial regulators told Congress Friday that threats to financial stability remain elevated even though the country has recovered from the worst economic shocks stemming from the COVID pandemic.

One survey found that 89% of student loan borrowers who work full time say they are not ready for federal student loan payments to resume.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell return to Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell believes that the omicron variant of Covid-19 and a recent rise in coronavirus cases pose a threat to the U.S. economy.

Dear Fed Chair Jerome Powell,While I understand that inflation is currently running well above the Fed's most lofty expectations, please don't listen to those who are comparing this "inflation" to price increases of prior economic cycles. At a cycle's peak, it's not unusual for both goods and service producers to operate at 100% of available capacity. In the case of paper, liner-board and container companies, along with chemical firms, they run in excess of 100% capacity and still can't keep pace with rising demand. Auto sales are running at about a 13.4 million unit annual rate, well below the 17 million units sold in peak times. Further, the undersupply of housing units, both single and multi-family, is pushing prices to record levels just as the millennial generation in entering the family formation years.

President Joe Biden didn't say if he planned to renominate current chair, Jerome Powell.

The Federal Reserve is likely to step away from a historic level of economic support and into a new regime.

Federal Reserve officials agreed at their last meeting that if the economy continued to improve, they could start reducing their monthly bond purchases as soon as next month and bring them to an end by the middle of 2022.

Yellow Corporation, previously known as YRC Worldwide, received a $700 million loan from a Treasury Department program meant for businesses crucial to national security. Members of a congressional oversight committee are skeptical.

Congress faces an Oct. 18 deadline to extend the debt ceiling. Here's what that could mean for Social Security checks if that does not happen.

The Senate parliamentarian has told Democrats that their newest proposal for helping millions of immigrants stay in the U.S. permanently could not be included in their $3.5 trillion social and environment bill.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is defending the ultra-low interest rate policies he has pursued since the pandemic decimated the economy more than 18 months ago.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell still expects inflation to ease eventually, but said he sees the current pressures running into 2022.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says that President Joe Biden’s spending proposals represent will address long-overdue U.S. infrastructure needs and prepare the country to meet future challenges.

In the course of the scheme, Marnell obtained seven PPP loans totaling just under $9 million from financial institutions for corporations he controlled. To obtain the loans, Marnell submitted fraudulent loan applications that made numerous false and misleading statements about the companies’ business operations and payroll expenses. Once the loans were funded, Marnell transferred millions of dollars from the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds to his brokerage accounts to make risky stock market bets. Marnell also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulently obtained loan proceeds at various gambling establishments. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General investigated this case.

"I understand the system, but it's not fair to our families to have this pending over their heads," one inmate said.

The charitable tax deduction for 2021 may be less generous than the 2020 write-off for some filers, according to tax experts. Here's what donors need to know.

The CARES Act prohibited the Education Dept. from withholding wages for federal student loan borrowers who couldn't pay during the pandemic.

Two Jacksonville residents are accused of defrauding the federal Paycheck Protection Program and then trying to cover their tracks afterward.

Three jobless aid programs created in the March 2020 CARES Act are set to expire on September 6.

Unemployment-benefit filings are still double prepandemic levels. The RAND economist Kathryn Anne Edwards said it all changed after Trump's stimulus.

In the applications, Benlevi allegedly sought a total of $27 million in forgivable PPP loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The indictment alleges that based on Benlevi’s fraudulent loan applications, three of Benlevi’s companies — 1Stellar Health LLC, Bestways2 Health LLC, and Joyous-Health4U LLC — obtained $3 million in PPP funds. The Fraud Section leads the department’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. In the months since the PPP began, Fraud Section attorneys have prosecuted more than 100 defendants in more than 70 criminal cases. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities.

A rental crisis spurred by the pandemic prompted many states to make bold promises to help renters, but most failed to deliver on them after Congress passed the sweeping CARES Act in March 2020.

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that hundreds of millions of dollars in coronavirus relief money tied up in court should benefit Alaska Natives rather than be spread more broadly among Native American tribes around the U.S. The justices ruled 6-3 in the case, which involved the massive pandemic relief package passed last year and signed into law by then-President Donald Trump.

First-time applicants and those reaching underserved communities are encouraged to apply.

Respondents forecast the first major change be to reduce its $120 billion in monthly asset purchases in January 2022.

The Labor Department determined it doesn't have the legal authority to stop states from ending unemployment benefits through federal programs, an official said.

The Boston Herald cited IRS records showing 1.2 million people either refused to accept, paid back, or didn't cash the initial $1,200 stimulus check.

Texas lawmakers have passed a bill that would allow residents to carry handguns without a licence, background check, or training – sending the legislation to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk to sign. This measure has been long sought out by conservative gun owners, despite previous objections from law enforcement and gun control groups about the risk this new legislation could pose to the public. Mr Abbott has already indicated that he would sign the bill once it reached his desk.

An official told CBS News the federal government paying the benefits to some unemployed Americans directly is "pretty much off the table."

Former Trump administration officials feel shocked and betrayed after discovering they owe the federal government thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes.

The Navajo Nation has by far the largest land mass of any Native American tribe in the country. The figure surpasses the Cherokee Nation's enrollment of 392,000. The Oklahoma tribe has been receiving about 200 more applications per month from potential enrollees, leaving Navajo's position at the top unstable.

A Georgia man was accused Tuesday in a federal indictment of filing fraudulent coronavirus-related unemployment claims from his former home in south suburban Homewood.

Around a dozen Republican-led states are exiting federal unemployment programs a few months early. There may be a workaround for some recipients.

Eligible businesses could see a significant tax break for 2020 and 2021 by claiming the employee retention credit. Here's what to know.

Nearly 5,000 inmates may be sent back to prison. After rebuilding their lives, and being contributing members of society, how is being returned justice?

A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today for his role in fraudulently obtaining over $600,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to court documents, Stephen Smith, 42, of Milwaukee, admitted that he fraudulently sought, on behalf of three different companies, over $600,000 in PPP loans through applications to an insured financial institution. Trial Attorneys Laura Connelly and Leslie S. Garthwaite of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Ingraham of the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Justice Department's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act. In the months since the CARES Act was passed, Fraud Section attorneys have prosecuted more than 100 defendants in more than 70 criminal cases.

If you withdrew money from your 401(k) or IRA for reasons related to Covid, you're required to include at least a portion of taxes due on your 2020 return.

This tax season you can claim a recovery rebate credit for missing stimulus check funds. Here's how the IRS will sign off on how much you may receive.

Drew Angerer | AFP | Getty ImagesTreasury yields flared on Thursday as bond market players grappled with the Federal Reserve's willingness to allow inflation to heat up. The 10-year Treasury yield shot up from 1.64% late Wednesday to 1.75% Thursday, a 14-month high. The bond market barely moved Wednesday afternoon, after the Fed issued its 2 p.m. "We're coming to understand it means higher growth and higher inflation in the longer run, which means higher interest rates." Choppiness in the stock market as yields riseSo far, the stock market has reacted to the rate rise with choppy moves up and down.

Consumer Reports investigates the problem and reveals what you need to do to check and clean up your credit report. Even a small error on your credit report can have a huge impact on your credit score. And complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about credit report errors have reached record levels. Go to annualcreditreport.com to get your credit report from the three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. AdDo you want to participate in Consumer Reports’ research?

Grigoryan, Hayrapetyan, and Paronyan were each also charged with 11 counts of wire fraud and eight counts of bank fraud. Vahe Dadyan was charged with six counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and one count of money laundering. Richard Ayvazyan is charged with five counts of money laundering, and Tamara Dadyan is charged with one count of attempted bank fraud. EIDL proceeds can be used to cover a wide array of working capital and normal operating expenses, such as continuation of health care benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed-debt payments. The Fraud Section leads the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act.

When asked about how the county would spend the money, Preckwinkle said there will be a similar flurry of assistance programs for small businesses, affordable housing and other COVID-19 recovery initiatives as seen last year from CARES Act funding. Cook County Health, which runs two safety-net hospitals in Chicago as well as CountyCare, the county’s Medicaid expansion program, also stands to benefit. Finally, cities, townships and villages with under 50,000 residents also will get some of that $998 million, as the act only provides direct support to larger municipalities.

Clay County has received $6.6 million from the Department of the Treasury through the CARES Act to provide rental assistance to eligible households negatively impacted due to COVID-19 and the resulting economic impact. Applicants for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program must meet all criteria to be considered. Applications for Emergency Rental Assistance can be submitted online beginning Monday, March 22. “The CARES Act has made a big impact in Clay County for individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations providing food assistance to residents. And now, we are pleased to be able to offer emergency rental assistance to those struggling to pay for rental housing and utilities during this year-long economic crisis.” Clay County Board of County Commission Chairman Mike Cella said.

Last year, Delta cut managers' pay and also reduced thousands of workers' hours by 25% to help weather the pandemic's plunge in travel demand, a policy that was criticized by some lawmakers. "We also believe the payment of bonuses limited to management is inconsistent with the spirit of the CARES Act. Delta says it is following the CARES Act terms, which placed limits on top executive compensation. Delta says it continued to pay rewards to frontline and other employees for hitting operational targets but those amounts are lower than the bonuses. The carrier and its U.S. competitors are on track to receive additional federal payroll aid.

While younger people just entering the workforce may think that they do not need to worry about retirement savings until later in life, the sooner you start saving for retirement, the better. If your company offers a 401(k) plan, it can be an easy way to start saving for the future, even if you start small. For many Americans, 2020 was a tough year financially. How much money Americans have saved in every age groupFidelity also provided CNBC Make It with a look at how much money Americans have in their 401(k)s at every age. Below, check out the average amount of money Americans have saved in their Fidelity accounts as of the fourth quarter of 2020, as well as how much their contributions are in relation to their salaries.

“So that money, the CARES Act money, should have gone to our cousins, our family members who did not have enough PPE when we were all out doing mutual aid drives, should have gone to people getting food, which we were all giving out doing mutual aid drives, not more criminals. Not the police, who have already proven that they cannot stop, they cannot follow the law and they cannot stop beating Chicagoans.”

U.S. student debt has ballooned for decades, but this year, legislators appear to be more serious about student debt forgiveness than ever before — prompting bold proposals and vigorous debate about potential impacts and costs. In March 2020, the CARES Act put into place a pause on federal student loan payments. "There should be broad student loan forgiveness," says Kevin Walker, a student loan expert and publisher of CollegeFinance.com. Two main proposalsThere are currently two student loan forgiveness proposals at play. "Forgiving $10,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower would cost $377 billion and would eliminate all federal student loan debt for about a third of borrowers," estimates higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A Florida House panel looking at public-school funding is asking the state Department of Education for answers on how federal CARES Act money is being spent, and if those expenditures are tied to COVID-19 recovery. The clock is ticking for the state to disburse districts’ shares of the “CARES Act 1.0” money, as Kelly called it. He told lawmakers that those federal funds must be obligated to districts by May of this year, and districts will have until September 2022 to spend the money. To do that, Kelly told the panel that districts had to “collapse funds around critical services.”“For those students, those schools were spending more money on food services. Florida expects to receive $2.8 billion in federal K-12 stimulus funding through a second round of CARES Act money, which officials anticipate could be spent through September 2023.

Governments raced to pass stimulus relief packages to keep economies running and citizens indoors. In December, Congress passed more relief centered around a $600 stimulus check that left many underwhelmed. But how do American efforts stack up to those of other countries? Check out this video for a breakdown of how much money other countries paid in stimulus. CHECK OUT: Why January is a particularly great time to invest your money via Grow with Acorns+CNBC.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than $2 million in JaxCares grant money has been paid out to help keep Jacksonville businesses and renters from being evicted. But hundreds more say they’re waiting on their landlords to uphold their end of the deal. But there are 782 people waiting on their landlord or mortgage company to fill out their part of the JaxCares application. Barnett says a wrong email addresses is one reason why a landlord or tenant may not have responded to the request. Yet some of the individuals who have contacted News4Jax say their landlord or mortgage company refuses to participate in the program.

Abramovs had been charged initially with bank fraud in a criminal complaint and was arrested on Jan. 17, 2021. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. The Fraud Section leads the department’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. In the nine months since the PPP began, Fraud Section attorneys have prosecuted more than 100 defendants in more than 70 criminal cases.

fstop123 | E+ | Getty ImagesIf you pulled money from your 401(k) plan or individual retirement account last year to get through tough times, now is the time to consider next steps. They were also given three years to replace the withdrawn money to the account without any penalties or taxes owed. "My first advice is don't withdraw money from your retirement plan," said Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. As is usually the case, employer-sponsored plans must approve the distribution as coronavirus-related and some may have mistakenly withheld the customary 10 percent withdrawal penalty prior to the IRS guidance. "They start off with good intentions but then they find that they don't have the money to replace it."

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded the Jacksonville Housing Authority $740,400 through the CARES Act to provide 100 vouchers to help Jacksonville residents avoid losing their homes. The CARES Act allowed HUD to allocate vouchers to public housing agencies like JHA to help them prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus in their communities. The Housing Authority says it plans to apply for more vouchers because of the need that exists in the city. There wasn’t enough housing, there’s not enough affordable housing to go around,” she said. The vouchers will fund residents with safe and sanitary housing for those facing homelessness.

The holdups mean a weekend session now appears virtually certain, and a top lawmaker warned that a government shutdown this weekend can't be ruled out. Now, Republicans are motivated chiefly to extend business subsidies and some jobless benefits, and provide money for schools and vaccines. The urgency was underscored Thursday by the weekly unemployment numbers, which revealed that 885,000 people applied for jobless benefits last week, the highest weekly total since September. Some Democrats also mourned the exclusion of a $500 million aid package to help states run their elections. The emerging package would combine the $900 billion in COVID-19 relief with a $1.4 trillion government-wide funding bill.

WASHINGTON – Congressional negotiators closed in Wednesday on a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package that would deliver additional help to businesses, $300 per week jobless checks, and $600 stimulus payments to most Americans. But lawmakers briefed on the outlines of the aid bill freely shared them. President-elect Joe Biden is eager for an aid package to prop up the economy and deliver direct aid to the jobless and hungry, even though the package falls short of what Democrats want. The frightening, record surge in COVID caseloads and deaths, combined with troubling economic indicators, however, is mandating an agreement, though the emerging package contains less economic stimulus than the March aid bill. With Congress otherwise getting ready to close up shop, lawmakers are eager to use the relief package to carry other unfinished business.

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – The community-based COVID-19 testing site in Green Cove Springs that has been funded by the CARES Act will shut down Dec. 22, Clay County Emergency Management announced Wednesday. The site at the Florida Department of Health Clay County on Idlewild Avenue has been a partnership of DOH-Clay and the county’s emergency management department. Clay emergency management said Clay County residents still have several options for COVID-19 testing. If you do not have a primary care physician, testing is available at urgent care centers and at CVS and Walgreens locations. All Clay County residents can also receive free COVID-19 testing at the state-funded location at the Regency Square Mall Sears parking lot at 9501 Arlington Expressway in Jacksonville.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – During a Tuesday night meeting, Jacksonville City Council voted in favor of a proposal to add more funding to a rent and eviction assistance program. An additional $1.5 million in funding was approved to help even more people that was initially offered. The additional $1.5 million is part of $6 million in CARES Act funding that needs to be distributed, which is intended to help small businesses and city assets. City Council said since residential applications opened last Thursday, there have been approximately 4,000 applicants to the CARES Act program by Monday. The City of Jacksonville is providing the money for the program.

The duo were the architects of the $1.8 trillion CARES Act, the landmark relief bill passed in March. Here are the top issues for the end-stage COVID-19 relief talks. ___JOBLESS BENEFITSThe CARES Act created a $600 per-week bonus COVID-19 unemployment benefit that sustained household incomes and consumer demand during the springtime shutdowns. House Democrats support the idea, but it is unpopular with many Senate Republicans and was left out of a scaled-back Senate GOP plan. ___LIABILITY SHIELDBusinesses reopening during the pandemic have for months been seeking a shield against lawsuits claiming negligence for COVID-19 outbreaks.

The duo were the architects of the $1.8 trillion CARES Act, the landmark relief bill passed in March. Here are the top issues for the end-stage COVID-19 relief talks. ___JOBLESS BENEFITSThe CARES Act created a $600 per-week bonus COVID-19 unemployment benefit that sustained household incomes and consumer demand during the springtime shutdowns. House Democrats support the idea, but it is unpopular with many Senate Republicans and was left out of a scaled-back Senate GOP plan. ___LIABILITY SHIELDBusinesses reopening during the pandemic have for months been seeking a shield against lawsuits claiming negligence for COVID-19 outbreaks.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Beginning Thursday, people facing eviction in Duval County can apply online to receive a portion of a $5.1 million stimulus. The money is part of the CARES Act and it will be given out on a first come, first served basis. The money is for both residential homeowners and businesses, however, Thursday will only be a residential application. LINK: List of requirements for eviction and foreclosure prevention programBusinesses will have to wait until next week to apply, and the money is expected to go fast. “Landlords should tell tenants that are behind that they should apply for this program,” explained Mayor Lenny Curry.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)WASHINGTON – Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is defending his decision to close down a number of emergency Federal Reserve loan programs at a time when coronavirus cases are surging. Mnuchin argued that the programs he decided not to extend into next year were being lightly utilized. He said the $455 billion allocated for those Fed loan programs could be better used elsewhere if Congress moved the funds into relief programs for small businesses and unemployed workers. “You appear to be trying to sabotage our economy on the way out the door,” Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, told Mnuchin. The Treasury and the Fed announced on Monday that four other lending programs the Fed has been using would be extended through March.

Faulting inaction in Washington, governors and state lawmakers are racing to get needed pandemic relief to small businesses, the unemployed, renters and others affected by the widening coronavirus outbreak. Funded through the CARES Act, it offered grants to small businesses, bars and restaurants, low-income renters, arts groups, and colleges and universities. “It’s shameful that they have not acted in Congress, especially (Senate Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell and the Republican Senate, to throw a lifeline to small businesses,” he said. Republicans have proposed a $300 million aid package to small businesses and nonprofits, but the legislation is stalled. “This isn’t like all the blue states are hurting and all the red states are humming along.

The Fed announced no new actions after its latest policy meeting but left the door open to provide further assistance in the coming months. Several Fed officials have expressed concern that Congress has failed so far to provide further aid for struggling individuals and businesses. But the Fed's policy statement, issued after a two-day meeting, made no mention of lawmakers' failure to act. A multi-trillion-dollar stimulus, enacted in the spring, had helped sustain jobless Americans and ailing businesses but has since expired. The Fed’s latest policy meeting coincided with an anxiety-ridden election week and an escalation of the virus across the country.

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – The Nassau County Commission has approved another round of CARES Act relief funds for rental and mortgage payments for residents who have been financially affected by the pandemic. For your application to be considered, it must be received by the Nassau CARES office no later than 5 p.m. on Nov. 30. Applications sent by mail or by FedEx should be addressed to Nassau CARES Application, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. Please note if the carrier does not deliver by 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30, your application will be ineligible. The incomplete information will need to be hand-delivered to the Nassau County, James S. Page Governmental Complex, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097 by the deadline.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Martinizing Dry Cleaning has opened its doors to the Jacksonville community for the last 18 years. “I wake up every morning my heart is pounding wondering is this going to be another day I stay in business or not." The only reason Olson says her doors are open right now is because of federal funding she received from the Paycheck Protection Program. She asked how another round of PPP funding would be used if Olson received it. Olson recently received an economic injury disaster loan that she will eventually have to pay back.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – City Council will be asked Tuesday night to transfer $5.3 million of CARES Act funding from the Vystar Small Business Relief program to fund a new Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program. The program is designed to assist those individuals and businesses impacted by COVID-19 who are facing potential eviction or foreclosure. The program will be managed by The Jacksonville Bar Association Inc. The legislation, Ordinance 2020-0673, is expected to be voted on as an emergency. CARES Act funding, which came from the federal government, expires Dec. 30, 2020.

PALATKA, Fla. – Individual and household financial assistance is now available for Putnam County residents through the CARES Act. The grants provide up to $2,500 to help households impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides mortgage, rent and utility assistance and no repayment is required. Applicants must demonstrate financial hardship, provide documentation of the expenses they are requesting assistance with and be residents of Putnam County. Eligible Uses:Rent or mortgage payments for your primary residenceUtility payments associated with your primary residenceIneligible Uses:Fund utilization for any expenses other than household rental payments, household mortgage payments, or utility payments associated with your primary residence is prohibited.

(Drew Angerer/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Tuesday that a tentative recovery from the pandemic recession could falter unless the federal government supplies additional economic support. Yet hours after Powell's remarks, President Donald Trump announced that he was cutting off talks with Democrats over a new economic aid package until after the November elections. But the U.S. economy still faces threats, and without further aid, those downward trends could still derail the recovery, Powell said. In recent months, in speeches and in testimony to Congress, Powell has repeatedly urged lawmakers to enact an additional economic aid package. “Still, since it appears that many will undergo extended periods of unemployment, there is likely to be a need for further support,” Powell said.

But a majority of the state’s 694 nursing homes have signed their own agreements with the company to resume staff testing and to allow resident testing, according to Curative CEO Fred Turner. The key question, however, is who is going to pay for the new round of testing at the 446 nursing homes that had signed memorandums of understanding with the testing firm as of Monday. Instead of billing the state for the test kits, Turner said the plan is to bill nursing home staff members' health-insurance companies for the costs of providing test kits and processing the results. Testing at nursing homes has been a high-profile issue during the pandemic, as COVID-19 has caused the deaths of more than 5,800 long-term care residents and staff members in Florida. The respiratory illness is particularly dangerous to seniors and people with underlying medical conditions — groups that fill nursing homes.

Mnuchin agreed that business loans and enhanced unemployment support would be good priorities for Congress to back in any new package. Pressed to state what the top priorities should be, Powell cited providing more support through the popular Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses and boosting unemployment benefits. The original relief package provided a $600-a-week federal unemployment benefit, on top of whatever jobless aid a state provides. Powell repeated his view that providing more support was essential to keep the economy on a sustained upturn. Mnuchin was pressed by some senators to further simplify government forms that businesses need to provide to qualify for having their Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried wants the state to be more open about how it plans to spend federal stimulus money received because of the coronavirus pandemic. Ron DeSantis on Friday, Fried requested a full accounting of federal “CARES Act” money the state has received so it can be discussed at a scheduled Sept. 22 Cabinet meeting. She noted that several states have used CARES Act dollars for school nutrition programs and would like some of the money Florida received to be “emergency relief” to schools and programs that provided lunches over the summer. The state Cabinet has met only once since Feb. 4, with a May 28 meeting held by phone. An agenda had not been posted on the Cabinet website as of Monday afternoon.

Financial assistance for mortgage payments, rental bills and utility expenses is available for residents of Woodbine and Kingsland who have suffered hardships from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To apply for the Kingsland and Woodbine COVID-19 CARES Relief Funding, citizens should visit Camden Connection’s website at www.camdenconnection.org to complete an intake survey. Following application submissions, Camden Connection’s COVID-19 Case Manager will contact individuals directly with information regarding next steps. There are no household income limits, but individuals must meet the following criteria to qualify:Must have a documented financial hardship attributed to COVID-19. Must have a verified address in the City of Kingsland or Woodbine, Georgia.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than one million Floridians are owed a combined $750 million from the CARES Act, according to the Florida Policy Institute. The Treasury Department and IRS began sending those payments in April, and within two months they sent out about 159 million payments. They can easily register to receive their payments using a tool for non-filers on the agency’s website. If you don’t have to file and do not plan to file a 2019 tax return, you can use the IRS’ non-filer’s tool. People who fit that bill but haven’t gotten their payments can use the Get My Payment tool to check on the status of their payments.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration awarded the funds in two grants to JTA. The $12.9 million grant awards are in addition to the $15.2 million CARES Act funding JTA previously received in May. JTA will use the grant funds for administrative expenses associated with its transit, passenger ferry and skyway operations. The CARES Act was signed by President Donald Trump on March 27. CARES Act funding can be used to cover 100 percent of these costs.

Ron DeSantis is making $250 million in CARES Act funding available to help families and individuals cover the cost of rent and mortgage payments. Those funds will be distributed through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC). County governments will share an additional $120 million to help those who don’t live in affordable housing but still need financial assistance. “There’s not enough affordable housing in Florida,” Price said. It’s unclear whether the governor intends to extend the eviction moratorium.

District applying for CARES Act reimbursement of applicable expensesIf you need help with WJXT’s or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville is giving up to $2,000 to small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. “The actions we took as a city to flatten the curve of COVID-19 were successful, but also placed a heavy burden on small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout our community,” Mayor Lenny Curry said. While the application period does not open until Monday, small businesses are encouraged to create a MyJax business account before then. That website will be the same location where business owners can find applications for the relief program. Once on the site, follow the link for the “Small Business Relief Grant Program.”Eligible businesses can apply beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 8.

(CNN) – Nursing homes have no claim to their residents’ stimulus checks. The Federal Trade Commission reported that that nursing homes in several states are requesting residents sign over their stimulus checks. Here's why: The stimulus checks are considered tax credits per the CARES Act, which is providing economic relief to people and businesses. And if you're not sure whether you're being swindled, the FTC has a resource to identify common coronavirus scams. Some links may contain malware that can steal the user’s private information so scammers could claim their checks.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Even as millions of Americans wait for stimulus checks, a proposal is being floated to pay them even more. The $2 trillion measure passed last month contained billions in financial aid for people and businesses hurt by the outbreak. Unlike the CARES Act, for instance, the bill would issue payments to college students and people with disabilities even if they are claimed as dependents. The new legislation would also take into account the number of people without bank accounts or physical addresses and issue payments through a range of ways such as direct deposit, checks, pre-paid debit cards and mobile apps. “Many Ohioans are just receiving — or about to receive — the first cash payment we passed in the CARES Act,” Ryan said.