⁍ The U.S. economy could benefit if the nation were to ‘lock down really hard’ for four to six weeks, a top Federal Reserve official said on Sunday.

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⁍ Neel Kashkari, president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, said Congress can well afford large sums for coronavirus relief efforts.

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⁍ He said Congress is positioned to spend big on coronavirus relief efforts because the nation’s budget gap can be financed without relying on foreign borrowing.

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– Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says President Trump will spend what is needed to help the economy, but he warns that the US deficit is a problem. “On the other hand, we have to be careful about not piling on enormous amount of debts for future generations,” Mnuchin told ABC’s This Week on Sunday, per Reuters. “There’s obviously a need to support workers and support the economy. On the other hand, we have to be careful about not piling on enormous amount of debts for future generations.” Mnuchin said Trump will spend what is needed, but that the deficit is a factor. “There’s obviously a need to support workers and support the economy,” he said. “On the other hand, we have to be careful about not piling on enormous amount of debts for future generations.” Also on the Sunday dial: Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank President Neel Kashkari on coronavirus: “If we don’t do that and we just have this raging virus spreading throughout the country with flare-ups and local lockdowns for the next year or two, which is entirely possible, we’re going to see many, many more business bankruptcies. That’s going to be a much slower recovery for all of us.”