WASHINGTON -- When Congress approved the eye-popping $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill in March, it was the biggest rescue of its kind in U.S. history.
Now, with the pandemic worsening, it's clear that package was only the start, and Congress returns to work Monday to try to draft another one.
The current round of aid is running out. Extra employment benefits expire and so does a federal eviction freeze.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is poised to roll out his $1 trillion-plus proposal.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi already has pushed through a more sweeping $3 trillion effort.
Big spending that Congress hoped to avoid now seems inevitable.