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SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- The U.S. Economy gained a whopping 4.8 million jobs in June, bringing the unemployment rate down to around 11 percent, but legislators have said that the nation still has a long way to go, and are looking at another round of stimulus checks.

Congressman Richard Neal told Western Mass News he’s hopeful the House and Senate can reach an agreement by the end of the month for a new stimulus package.

"The worst thing that we can embrace right now would be complacency," Neal said.

Data that beats expert predictions have been released for June. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the U.S. economy has gained 4.8 million jobs, bringing the nationwide unemployment rate down to 11.1 percent.

"About 4 million people going back to work. Look we’re all encouraged by that, but not to miss the point also had 40 million Americans have filed unemployment insurance claims," he said. "That’s the reality, so we accept the good news whenever we get it, but not to miss the point. There’s a long way to go."

Neal, in a press conference in Springfield on Thursday, told Western Mass News that although more people are back at work, people are still struggling. That's why he told us more stimulus money may be coming to Americans soon.

"I think in the next round of negotiations, that I think will commence in the next few weeks, it’s likely to see major legislation passed in the House and the Senate and garner the president signature," he said. "You are likely to see another round of stimulus checks to the American people."

The House has already passed the largest relief package in history, the HEROES Act, which Senate Republicans have been quick to dismiss.

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"The legislative discussions that we’ve had with Senator McConnell, but I’ve been part of many of them. It frequently starts with the same rhetoric saying it’s not going to happen, only to succumb to what I think is the evidence and facts or data that it has to happen," Neal explained.

The HEROES Act includes an extension of the extra $600 a week provided by unemployment benefits in the CARES Act, extending it until January 2021.

But as of now, that extra weekly money is set to expire at the end of the month and whether it will continue or not is a point of conflict.

"That’s likely to be a point of the battle and our position is to favor that, the better in some cases to overdo it rather than under do it," Neal noted.

He told Western Mass News that officials are looking at ways to provide incentives for people to get back to work, and if an agreement is met, stimulus checks could be coming sooner rather than later.

"I think if we can reach an accord by the end of the month," he said. "We’re a long way already up the hill because now we know where the checks have to go."

In other action, the House and Senate have now both voted to extend the paycheck protection program for small businesses by an additional five weeks. It's now awaiting President Trump's signature.