Hiring slowdown comes as relief talks stall - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

(NBC News) Unemployment fell to 10.2 percent last month while job growth slowed to 1.8 million.

The numbers underscore what Americans already know: The country needs a financial bailout.

But talks have stalled in Washington and coronavirus relief is in jeopardy.

“We’re still a considerable amount apart,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Thursday after the latest round of negotiations with Democratic Congressional leaders.

Instead of waiting it out in Washington, some Senators have already headed home.

Republicans have backed a limited relief plan, while Democrats are pushing for a much more expansive plan that would extend unemployment benefits and eviction moratoriums, as well as provide funding for schools, states and cities.

With no deal, President Trump is expected to issue executive orders to temporarily restore federal unemployment checks, halt evictions, suspend student loan payments and defer payroll taxes.

Democrats say that’s not enough.

“An executive order will leave millions of people out, it will be litigated, it won’t be effective. And things will get worse,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

A new forecast predicts 300,000 deaths by December without extreme measures to contain the spread of the virus.