The U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved a nearly $500 billion aid package for small businesses and hospitals hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, setting up a vote in the House of Representatives as President Donald Trump threw his support behind the measure.

The Congressional Budget Office revised its cost estimate of the massive CARES Act passed last month to $1.8 trillion - slightly less than the $2.2 trillion informally projected at the time by the White House. The CBO says the difference is due to scorekeeping on $454 billion provided to back trillions of dollars in guaranteed loans by a Federal Reserve emergency lending facility.

A call-to-action within a new report, "E2: Clean Jobs America," shows why it's imperative for lawmakers to focus on clean energy in economic stimulus packages and other policies aimed at restarting the US economy. Clean energy has been one of the US economy's biggest and fastest-growing employment sectors over the past decade, growing 10.4% since 2015.

It's not hard to see the economic devastation being visited upon America's small businesses. It's a bit more difficult to perceive the economic harm being done to startups—young, technology-driven companies working especially in software and life sciences. But, as a new report from the Startup Genome makes clear, many startups are struggling just as much as other small companies.

The State Economic Monitor, created by the Urban Institute's State and Local Finance Initiative, tracks and analyzes economic and fiscal trends at the state level. Its interactive graphics highlight differences across all 50 states and the District of Columbia in employment, earnings, housing, and state GDP.

The battle lines are hardening over Washington's next legislative response to the coronavirus crisis, with top Democratic lawmakers calling for another big spending package while the leading Senate Republican is urging restraint — especially when it comes to more aid for state and local governments.

USDA announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. This new USDA program will take several actions to assist farmers, ranchers, and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency. President Trump directed USDA to craft this $19 billion immediate relief program to provide critical support to our farmers and ranchers, maintain the integrity of our food supply chain, and ensure every American continues to receive and have access to the food they need.

One industry that can help now save skilled jobs in rural areas and improve everyone's health over the years while meeting society's needs is clean, renewable energy. The Union of Concerned Scientists is calling for Congress to extend the ITC and PTC by five years, and provide direct payments and refundable tax credits (or 1603 Grants in Lieu of Tax Credits) for renewable energy.

CDFA-Bricker PACE Webinar Series: PACE 101 - The Basics of PACE Financing
Tuesday, May 12, 2020 - 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Eastern

CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series: Historic Preservation Financing
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 - 1:00 PM Eastern

CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series: The Landscape of Food Systems Finance
Thursday, May 28, 2020 - 2:00 PM Eastern

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During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we will explore if the performance of social impact bonds (SIBs) is living up to the hype and how SIBs can be used as a powerful tool for community development.

During the first installment of the CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series, we will explore creative financing efforts being launched to support our local food economies during this time of unprecedented crisis of COVID-19.

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