Nancy Pelosi predicted Thursday that upcoming relief packages will likely include more direct checks for Americans to address fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.

'I don't think we've seen the end of direct payments,' the House Speaker told reporters during a briefing on Capitol Hill.

The $2.2 trillion bill that passed Wednesday night in the Senate includes a measure that will send direct payments of $1,200 to most Americans making less than $75,000.

Pelosi asserted her confidence that the coronavirus relief package will easily pass in the House on Friday.

'Tomorrow we will bring the bill to the floor. It will pass – it will pass with a strong bipartisan support,' she vowed, adding that while some lawmakers' objections would be noted, the bill would still land on the president's desk by the end of the week.

'We will have a victory tomorrow for America's workers,' she lauded during her weekly briefing.

The bill’s passage in the Senate Wednesday and Pelosi’s vow for more checks for Americans comes as U.S. employment claims surged to 3.28 million last week – four times the previous all-time-high.

Three million people filed claims between March 14 and March 21, according to a report that was released by the Department of Labor on Thursday morning, shattering President Donald Trump's record-breaking unemployment lows.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Americans would likely see more direct checks in future economic stimulus packages. 'I don't think we've seen the end of direct payments,' she said

The $1,200 will be sent to Americans as thousands have lost their jobs or are unable to work – causing a spike in unemployment to nearly 3 million new claims

Unemployment claims spiked in the last week, raising from record low levels to nearly 3.3 million out of a job due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Department of Labor revealed in a report Thursday

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin argued on CNBC during a call-in interview that the unemployment number is 'not relevant'

The Senate passage comes as the number of coronavirus cases in the U.s. skyrocketed over the last week, nearing 70,000 by Thursday morning

In the week ending March 14, the number of initial unemployment claims was 282,000 - meaning 3,001,000 new ones have been filed since then.

Before the virus hit, unemployment in the U.S. was at its lowest in 60 years and the economy was stronger than it had ever been.

Pelosi signaled Wednesday night that she is prepared to move the massive economic stimulus package swiftly through the lower chamber before the end of the week after the Senate voted unanimously to pass the bill.

She told reporters Wednesday night, following the 96-0 Senate vote, that she would like to see 'a good debate on the floor' over the more than $2 trillion relief package.

She added Thursday that Democrats had to do 'jiu jitsu on the bill' to get it ready for passage in the Senate.

The House Speaker, whose 80th birthday is Thursday, also said Wednesday that if any lawmaker asked for a recorded vote rather than a voice vote procedure, which would force the lower chamber back into session, that she would move to change the rules to allow 'proxy voting.'

This change would give a small group of lawmakers the power to vote on behalf of the larger group of congressmen and women on the floor.

'If somebody calls for a recorded vote, and once they know we have options [to pass the bill], they probably won't call for it,' Pelosi told a gaggle Wednesday night, which was pooled by Washington Post reporter Paul Kane due to social distancing.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced the chamber will consider the stimulus bill on Friday morning.

'Members are advised that the House will convene at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, March 27, 2020 to consider the bill,' Hoyer's office released in a statement Wednesday night.

'Members are further advised that due to the limited flight options, Members participating in self-quarantine, and several states mandating stay-at-home orders, we expect the bill to pass by voice vote on Friday,' he continued.

A voice vote is where lawmakers shout 'aye' or 'nay' on the chamber floor – and House leadership is hoping the 'ayes' will far outweigh the 'nays.'

Assuming everything goes off without a hitch, the House will pass the bill Friday and send the package to Donald Trump's desk for signature.

The Senate isn't scheduled to hold its next vote until April 20, but McConnell said Wednesday night in his floor remarks that lawmakers had to be 'nimble' to potentially come back into session before then – adding he would give senators 24 hours' notice before reconvening.

The almost 900-page measure is the largest economic relief bill in U.S. history, and both parties were desperate for quick passage as the coronavirus cases in the country skyrocketed over the last week and thousands of Americans lost their jobs and paychecks.

The $2.2 trillion package includes setting aside $500 billion to give direct payments to most Americans making less than $75,000 and expands unemployment benefits as the rates skyrocketed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Senate finally approved the massive coronavirus relief package 96-0 Wednesday night. 'It's a proud moment for the Senate,' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin dismissed the 3.3 million unemployment figure as irrelevant as he argued Thursday that the rescue package being voted on in Congress will help alleviate joblessness.

'I just think these numbers right now are not relevant,' Mnuchin told CNBC when he called in to talk to the network about measures being taken to combat the coronavirus' effect on the economy.

'Obviously there are people who have jobless claims and, again, the good thing about this bill is the president is protecting these people, so you know, now with these plans, small businesses will hopefully be able to hire back a lot of these people,' he argued.

He also pointed out there are job opportunities out there.

'By the way, you know, lots of big, big companies do continue to hire for obviously grocery stores, pharmacies, you know, delivery services. These companies are on overtime, so I know they are hiring people as fast as they can,' he said.

The previous high unemployment was 695,000 in October 1982. The Labor Department report says service industries - specifically food and accommodation - are the hardest hit but adds that claims are also coming from the healthcare industry and from people who work in manufacturing, entertainment and arts.

Mnuchin added that the coronavirus relief bill is Trump's way of 'protecting' workers and claims the checks will be in people's bank accounts in three weeks.

'Most of these will be direct deposit,' Mnuchin told CNBC. 'It will be within three weeks.'

'We're determined to get money in people's pockets immediately,' he continued.

The Treasury secretary added that the coronavirus relief bill is Trump's way of 'protecting' workers.

The bill also provides a $367 billion program for small businesses to keep making payroll while workers are forced to stay home and allocates $10 billion to help airlines struggling as travel restrictions are imposed.

The U.S. death toll reached 823 on Wednesday

Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mitt Romney and Mike Lee of Utah and John Thune of South Dakota are all self-isolating over fears of coronavirus – the reason for the 96-person vote in the Senate.

Paul announced Sunday that he tested positive for the fast-spreading respiratory disease.

The package was also delayed at the last-minute, according to statements from aides from both parties, when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he wanted loans for businesses to be publicized every seven days.

Wednesday night, after the GOP-backed package had already been blocked by Democrats twice this week, the bill was passed.

'It's a proud moment for the Senate,' McConnell told Politico. 'We responded to the way the American people are acting among themselves by helping each other and putting whatever past grievances they have behind and trying to work together to get this behind us.'

Trump also touted the Senate passage in a tweet after midnight, writing: '96-0 in the United States Senate. Congratulations AMERICA!'

Democrats are preparing to present a fourth coronavirus stimulus package next week – and Pelosi is promising more relief for Americans in the form of a direct checks, especially in light of the surge in those losing their jobs or out of work.

The highest number of new unemployment claims was in Pennsylvania, where there were more than 360,000. California saw an increase of 130,000 and there was an increase of 180,000 in Ohio.

Fed Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, in an interview on NBC's 'Today Show’ Thursday, acknowledged that 'significant' rises in unemployment were ahead but argued that would pass when the virus was under control.

'You may well see, you know, significant rises in unemployment, significant declines in economic activity,' he said. 'But there can also be a good rebound on the other side of that and that's actually one of the main things we're trying to do by assuring the flow of credit in the economy and keeping rates low is to assure that that rebound, when it does come, is as vigorous as possible.'

Powell said he's looking to the second half of the year for the economy to turn back around.

'The sooner we get through this period and get the virus under control the sooner the recovery can come,' he said. 'I would expect the economic activity to resume and move back up in the second half of the year, very hard to say precisely when that will be and it will really depend on the spread of the virus. The virus is going to dictate the timetable here.'

Coronavirus has now killed more than 1,000 people in America and 20,000 around the world since November – and the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. continues to skyrocket, showing no sign of slowing.