Congress approves more economic aid

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President Donald Trump signs the coronavirus aid package into law in the Oval Office on Friday, as (from left) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy(R-Calif.) look on. Associated Press/Photo by Evan Vucci

President Donald Trump has signed a bill into law with almost $500 billion more in pandemic relief for small businesses, hospitals, and expanded coronavirus testing. The Senate passed the measure on Tuesday, and the U.S. House of Representatives approved it on Thursday.

How did the House vote go? Lawmakers showed up to vote in masks and gloves. The Capitol is closed to the public, so representatives used the visitors’ gallery to aid in social distancing. First, they approved a new committee with subpoena power to oversee the U.S. pandemic response, including how stimulus money is spent. That vote fell along party lines, with 212 Democrats in favor. Then the House chamber was cleaned, and lawmakers voted 388-5 to pass the spending package. At least $250 billion will replenish a loan program to help small and medium-sized businesses pay employees and other expenses during the pandemic.

Dig deeper: Read Charissa Koh’s report on Christian employees seeking to encourage customers during the pandemic.

Editor’s note: WORLD has updated this report since its initial posting.