House Democrats and the Trump administration reached agreement on a coronavirus response package Friday after a day of grueling negotiations, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
“We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to resolve outstanding challenges, and now will soon pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” she wrote to Democrats after hours of back-and-forth with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The House aims to pass the proposal Friday to blunt the economic damage of the global pandemic. The Senate left Washington for the weekend and will not have a chance to approve it until next week. It is unclear if the GOP-held chamber will pass the bill, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was not directly involved in the talks.
Pelosi said the legislation includes:
- Free coronavirus testing for all who need it, including those without insurance
- Up to two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave
- Stronger unemployment insurance for furloughed workers
- Buttressing SNAP and other food programs for school children and seniors
- More money for Medicaid, the joint federal and state insurance program for low-income Americans
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, March 12, 2020.
Sarah Silbiget | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The speaker announced the deal only about two hours after Trump indicated he would oppose it. On an earlier conference call, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy also told GOP members he did not yet support the legislation.
As the overarching provisions described by Pelosi appear to match the developing agreement she described Thursday night, it is unclear exactly what made the White House back the bill later Friday. Pelosi and Mnuchin had 13 separate conversations throughout the day, the last at 5:48 p.m. ET after Trump’s Rose Garden news conference, according to Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill.
Trump took his own steps to try to mitigate damage on Friday as he faces backlash for his administration’s response to the crisis. He declared a national emergency, said he would temporarily waive the interest on federal student loans and directed his administration to buy oil for its strategic reserve.
The spreading coronavirus crisis has led to fears of widespread economic disruption and workers, either sick or laid off by businesses battered by the outbreak, unable to make ends meet. Major U.S. stock indexes all fell at least 8% this week despite a spike on Friday.
The U.S. has more than 1,700 cases of the coronavirus disease COVID-19, and at least 40 people have died from it, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The rapid spread of the coronavirus in other countries, and Trump’s public comments on its transmission here, have led to concerns about his administration’s ability to handle testing and the capacity of the U.S. health care system to treat patients.
The outbreak has upended American life. States and cities have suspended school or banned large gatherings.
Louisiana became the first state to delay its presidential primary due to the virus, as candidates have effectively stopped campaigning in person because of it. Sports leagues such as the NBA and NHL have suspended their seasons, while the NCAA canceled its March Madness basketball tournaments.
