WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is urging Congress to quickly enact a new pandemic relief package targeting hardest-hit swaths of the economy, as lawmakers race to stand up federal aid in the face of the latest spike in coronavirus cases across much of the Sun Belt and persistent severe unemployment.

Deadlines loom as the $600 weekly federal benefits now received by tens of millions of unemployed workers are set to expire July 31.

Former Federal Reserve Chairs Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen say Congress should do more to help the economy, such as extending increased unemployment benefits.

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