Infrastructure Plan By Memorial Day??

Next week will be a major test in Biden’s quest for a bipartisan infrastructure deal otherwise known as the American Jobs Plan

Retail sales in the U.S. were flat in April after soaring in March when many received their $1,400 stimulus checks, but it wasn’t all bad.

The report from the U.S. Commerce Department was worse than the 0.8% rise Wall Street analysts had expected.

However, The report on Friday suggests Americans were heading out last month to eat instead of shop.

Sales at restaurants and bars rose 3%, but sales fell at stores that sell clothing, sporting goods, and furniture.

On Thursday, the CDC said vaccinated Americans don’t need to wear a mask or social distance outdoors and in most indoor settings, which may get more people to travel, eat out or shop.

Meanwhile, a federal judge who recently struck down an eviction moratorium agreed to put her ruling on hold while the case is reviewed by a higher court.

In a May 5th ruling, US District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich found that the CDC exceeded its authority with the temporary eviction ban.

However, she wrote a 10-page opinion the allows the CDC’s eviction moratorium to remain intact while the Biden administration appeals the judge’s May 5th decision.

Friedrich said the CDC’s “strong interest in controlling the spread of the virus and protecting public health” outweighed other factors, including the potential loss of revenue to landlords.

The eviction moratorium is extended through June and we have yet to hear if they will extend further.

And finally, nearly every day this week, President Biden met with different groups of influential lawmakers to attempt to reach some form of bipartisan agreement on infrastructure.

One of those meetings included the group of Republicans that introduced a $568 billion counterproposal to the president’s $4 trillion plan.