Initial COVID-19 Outbreak Cripples US Economy, Congress Passes Massive Emergency Fiscal Aid

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, originating abroad, spread rapidly across the United States toward the end of the first quarter of 2020, federal and state governments were compelled to impose strict "stay-at-home" orders and business restrictions in March. The pandemic brought economic activity to an abrupt halt, resulting in millions of layoffs and unemployment rates rocketing to their highest levels since the Great Depression. To combat this sudden crisis, the U.S. Congress swiftly passed the over $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

This was one of the largest fiscal rescue packages in American history, designed to provide immediate support to affected individuals and businesses through direct stimulus checks, expanded unemployment benefits, and loans and aid for companies. For conservatives, while the necessity of the aid was recognized, the sheer scale of government spending and the rapid expansion of national debt sparked profound concerns over fiscal discipline and future inflation risks.