Democrats fast-track COVID-19, relief - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC News) — New jobs numbers show a near half-point drop in the unemployment rate, now 6.3%, but little change in employment, with just 49,000 jobs created.

The release of the numbers came just hours after Democrats cleared a hurdle allowing a vote on COVID relief to pass with no Republican support.

The White House says President Biden won’t reduce stimulus checks from $1,400 but may agree to send them to the neediest families.

“We’re fine with that idea. What we’re not going to do is leave out large swaths of the middle class,” says White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain.