For the second straight year, Democrats threatened but ultimately backed down from blocking Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue from getting a fresh pot of money to make payments to farmers.

Talks on a coronavirus relief package will heat up this week as Senate Republicans prepare to bring out their proposal this week with an eye toward getting the massive legislation passed ahead of the August recess. 

USDA promised to start getting those Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments out the door to farmers within a week of signup starting, and that’s what is happening.

House Democrats are focused this week on finishing their proposal for the next coronavirus relief bill, and farm groups and their allies in Congress are working to get priorities addressed in whatever Phase 4 package reaches the president’s desk.

Canada’s House of Commons and Senate went into overdrive Friday and rushed through votes to approve implementing legislation for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement before going on recess amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed the Trump administration’s revision of the North American trade pact with Canada and Mexico, sending the deal to the White House where the president has said he may sign it in a grand ceremony next week.

The Senate will likely clear the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement this week, ahead of an impeachment trial for President Donald Trump, says Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The Senate is moving ahead with the procedures needed to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement despite uncertainty over whether the impeachment process will bring the process to a halt.

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement is headed for easy approval on the Senate floor, but the uncertainty surrounding the impeachment process could mean farmers and ranchers will have to wait several more weeks for that final congressional vote.

The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday easily approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement with a bipartisan 25-to-3 vote, potentially setting the trade pact up for a speedy floor vote.