© . FILE PHOTO: Restaurants reopen with people still wearing their masks amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. Feb. 8, 2022. REUTERS/David Swanson WASHINGTON () – It The White House said Monday it welcomed progress on an emerging deal in Congress for additional COVID aid, but said it would not meet all of the “serious” needs that a higher amount of aid would achieve. “We are encouraged by the strong progress Congress is making in closing a deal,” White House spokesman Jen Psaki said. She noted that the White House had asked for $22.5 billion instead of the $10 billion in the emerging deal and said the lower amount would not meet all of the country’s “urging needs.”
