The beer industry and its workers could get relief from an unprecedented government plan to boost the economy, as the nation hunkers down amid a global pandemic.
In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, congressional and White House negotiators announced that they had reached a deal on the $2 trillion stimulus package. Among other provisions, the ambitious plan includes various forms of relief for independent breweries, other small businesses, and their workers.
The House and Senate had yet to vote on final approval, a step that could be complicated by the virus itself—a handful of lawmakers are either infected, self-isolated, or in quarantine, and gathering them for a vote risks further spread. But chamber leaders from both parties expressed optimism that they would overcome logistical hurdles and approve the package swiftly.