US President Donald Trump has signed into law a coronavirus relief and spending package bill, averting a partial government shutdown.
Mr Trump had initially refused to sign the bill, saying he wanted to give people bigger one-off payments, reports BBC.
The delay meant that millions of Americans temporarily lost unemployment benefits.
The relief package worth $900bn (£665bn) was approved by Congress after months of negotiation.
It is part of a $2.3tn spending package that includes $1.4tn for normal federal government spending.
Had Mr Trump not signed the bill into law by midnight on Monday, a partial government shutdown would have begun unless legislators passed a stopgap bill.
About 14 million Americans faced a lapse in unemployment benefit payments and new stimulus cheques. Unemployment benefits will now be restored.
It was not immediately clear why Mr Trump – who is in Florida – finally decided to sign the bill into law. He had been under growing pressure from both sides of Congress.
Republican Senator Mitt Romney said he was “relieved” that the legislation had at last become law.
Earlier, Republican Senator Pat Toomey said the president risked being remembered for “chaos, misery and erratic behaviour”.
US President-elect Joe Biden had warned of “devastating consequences” if Mr Trump continued to delay signing.❐
Yahoo News
