Today's Politico Playbook Audio Briefing is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Good Monday morning. I'm Anna Palmer and welcome to your Politico Playbook Audio Briefing.

And I'm Jake Sherman. Big Book News. Phil Rucker and Carol Lenig will follow up their number one New York time bestseller, a very stable genius with a book about Donald Trump's

final year in office. Penguin is the publisher. This is a really, really big week on Capitol Hill.

Government funding expires Friday, and Congress is still trying to figure out its plan on COVID

relief and government funding. We hear Congress is likely to pass a one-week stopgap spending

bill to buy another week for talks on government funding.

Whether Congress eventually settles on a 12-bill omnibus or a three-month stop gap is still not clear.

At this point, it seems like a three-month CR or something of that nature is becoming more likely.

This would create a natural deadline in March for funding and another COVID relief bill.

On COVID relief, the bipartisan group is still talking.

They are hung up on liability overhaul, a sticky part of the talks.

They do appear to have figured out the state and local piece.

They will tie it to population based on revenue loss and expenditures with a cap.

Their total is $160 billion, which includes tribes.

But will it matter?

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be in the driver's seat on whatever they decide.

There's also a new urgency to include direct payments and those checks to individuals that

went out earlier this year.

The Washington Post has a look at how unemployment, sick leave, and housing aid are set to expire

in weeks.

The New York Times scoop that Joe Biden will pick Javier Bacera to lead HHS.

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