Revamped Coronavirus Bill Passes the House, Heads to Senate
The congressional response to the coronavirus outbreak is moving forward, with the Senate expected to consider a House-passed package of actions Tuesday while a second stage of responses is in the works.
The House had passed a version of its response bill on Saturday, USA Today reported, but needed to vote again Monday to deal with procedural issues surrounding that legislation and concerns from Republicans about the plan’s impact on small businesses.
The legislation includes paid emergency leave for America’s workers, including “two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave,” according to Fox News.
The bill makes coronavirus tests free, even for those without insurance.
“This legislation is about testing, testing, testing,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said this weekend.
“To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. We cannot fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested can get their test free of charge.”
President Donald Trump is urging Americans to act to blunt the spread of the virus.
Help make the next 15 days count and avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people. pic.twitter.com/txPAAFtxIu
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 16, 2020
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated the bill is likely to pass, and that it is the start of the Senate’s response.
The Kentucky Republican said the Senate is considering another package to address the economic impacts of the outbreak and the closings engendered by the disease.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, has proposed spending $750 billion on “emergency child care for health care workers and first responders; medicine and food delivery systems for seniors, and assistance to keep public transportation running,” among other things, according to USA Today.
McConnell is looking at help for small businesses and fiscally burdened families.
In addition to proposals from Capitol Hill, Trump is also calling for a payroll tax break to be considered.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland said that the upcoming plan will be wide-ranging, Politico reported.
“I’m not going to comment on the specific numbers right now. I’ll be talking to the Republicans at lunch tomorrow. But it’s a big number,” Mnuchin told reporters Monday.
“And we’ll be looking for support for small and medium-sized businesses, we’ll be looking for support for certain industries that we’ve talked about that are particularly hard hit. I’ve talked about airlines, hotels, others. And we will be looking at a general stimulus.”
“The president has instructed his team to look very expansively at what we have to do, and not be impeded by the potential price tag for what’s necessary here,” Ueland added.
The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020
Trump wants quick action, Ueland said.
“We can’t let weeks and months get under our feet here,” he said.
“Again, we have a real focus on urgent action, and I’m hopeful there could be swift consideration of consensus ideas as quickly as possible.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
