by Mickey McLean
Post Date:
March 14, 2020

House approves coronavirus aid bill

Name: WORLD
Price range: $

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., talks to reporters on Capitol Hill on Friday prior to the vote. Associated Press/Photo by J. Scott Applewhite

A bipartisan effort in Congress to provide relief for Americans dealing with the coronavirus pandemic passed in the House early Saturday morning. The aid package comes after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday, freeing up as much as $50 billion toward the effort. The bill passed 363-40 and now heads to the Senate, which returns from recess on Monday and plans to act promptly.

What’s in the bill? The legislation includes provisions for free testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus; sick pay for workers; additional unemployment benefits; and enhanced food programs. Trump praised the effort in a tweet Saturday morning: “Good teamwork between Republicans & Democrats. … People really pulled together. Nice to see!”

Dig deeper: Read WORLD’s ongoing coverage of the outbreak.