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It also authorizes funds for food banks and food aid for the elderly, and to strengthen the protection of workers in the health sector, of employees in charge of cleaning tasks in high-risk places, and workers in other sectors where they remain. exposed to infected people.
The measure will increase funding for the “Medicaid” program to help state governments face increased spending to deal with the public health crisis.
In addition, it will establish tax credits for small and medium-sized business, taking into account that many companies are suffering millionaire losses on a daily basis due to a resounding drop in tourism and consumption.
The service sector, which has a strong immigrant workforce, It is among the sectors of the economy hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
In the United States, 27% of workers in the service sector lack sick days with pay, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Although both parties agreed on the urgency of releasing more funds to respond to the crisis, they maintained differences regarding the scope of a legislative solution.
From his Twitter account, the Republican majority leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, had expressed hope that Congress could achieve bipartisan legislation, in the face of an epidemic that has caused the closure of schools and businesses, and the cancellation of all kinds of events social, political, and sports throughout the country.
Pelosi led the negotiations with Mnuchin, which included numerous phone conversations since last Wednesday, according to legislative sources.
According to official figures, the global coronavirus pandemic already exceeds 131,000 confirmed cases and almost 5,000 deaths. In the United States, Washington, California and New York lead the list of states with the highest number of cases.
Negotiations in Congress have not been without controversy, particularly because Republicans opposed the Democratic proposal to increase funding for the Medicaid program, which helps 74 million poor people in the country.
Trump himself complained again today that, in his view, Democrats did not want to “do the right thing for the country.”
In the end, the differences had to do with the amount of aid, for how long, and how it would be financed.
Republicans also did not support the government requiring companies to provide paid sick days. Some, however, considered that, if that element was included in the legislation, it was only temporarily for the duration of the crisis.
Trump’s evolution
The economic package approved by the Lower House is different from the $ 50 billion in funds released by the federal government under the national emergency declaration that Trump finally issued this afternoon, after several weeks of refusing to do so.
Trump has been the target of attacks by opposition and civic groups for his handling of the coronavirus crisis, and for what they described as a belated and insufficient response.
However, in recent days the president has modified the position he had adopted since the first case of coronavirus in the US emerged on January 21.
Trump first accused the Democratic opposition and the media of “exaggerating” the scope of the crisis, and resisted issuing an emergency declaration.
Faced with the voluntary quarantine of Republican leaders, the closure of colleges and universities and the cancellation of dozens of sporting, social, and political events, Trump has wanted to transmit a message of calm and that he controls the crisis.
During a press conference today at the White House Rose Garden and for the first time since the pandemic erupted, Trump did not rule out undergoing a test for the coronavirus, because he has been in contact with people exposed to the virus in recent days.
On March 6, Trump enacted an emergency funds package that provided an initial amount of $ 8.3 billion to mitigate the coronavirus crisis, after both houses of Congress approved it by majority and with great bipartisan consensus.
Specifically, this measure includes $ 300 million for the purchase of drugs directly from manufacturers and at “fair and reasonable” prices; just over $ 2.2 billion to combat the spread of the coronavirus, and $ 1 billion in foreign aid.
Also read:
Trump suspends travel from Europe, with exceptions, and announces more measures to deal with the coronavirus
What it means that the coronavirus is a pandemic and how it tries to stop its spread
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