Virus relief bill up in air as negotiations resume

Negotiations to continue today. Debate over $600 unemployment benefit extension seems to be the big sticking point.

August 3, 2020 - 9:53 AM

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin walks in a hallway at the U.S. Capitol March 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. Secretary Mnuchin is on Capitol Hill to work with the Senate to finalize the coronavirus stimulus bill in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/TNS)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Slow, grinding negotiations on a huge COVID-19 relief bill are set to resume, but the path forward promises to be challenging. Both the Trump administration negotiating team and top Capitol Hill Democrats reported progress over the weekend even as they highlighted their differences.

Ahead of Monday’s talks, all sides predict a long slog ahead despite the lapse of a $600-per-week supplemental COVID-19 jobless benefit, the beginning of school season and the call of lawmakers’ cherished August recess. Several more days of talks are expected, if not…

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