The House of Representatives approves an aid plan against the coronavirus

By María Peña

WASHINGTON.— The House of Representatives approved at dawn this Saturday a help package against him coronavirus in a bipartisan vote, after Democrats and the administration of President Donald Trump reached an agreement that includes free tests and other resources intended to help stop the ensuing health crisis and stabilize financial markets.

The vote, which ended after 12:30 am Eastern Standard Time, closed with the result in favor of aid plan 363-40. Now him draft go to Senate, where it could be put to the vote early next week, according to NBC News.

The Speaker of the Lower House, Nancy Pelosi, announced the agreement in a letter to her caucus, shortly before the legislation was submitted to a vote in that legislative body.

“We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to solve pending challenges”, said Pelosi, who led a feverish negotiation with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin since last Wednesday.

As Pelosi explained, the plan “puts families first” and will provide a stimulus to the economy.

Pelosi made the announcement on measure “H.R. 6201” a few hours after President Donald Trump declare a national emergency to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, which has exceeded more than 1,600 cases and has claimed the lives of at least 41 people.

Trump said on Twitter that he supports the deal and urged both parties to approve it. Hours earlier, Trump had criticized Democrats because, in his view, they were not offering “enough” and did not want “to do the right thing for the country.”

In the end, the 107-page measure includes much of the Democratic ideas to help working families, but excludes Trump’s proposal to cut the payroll tax, which faced rejection by both parties for its high cost. It is not ruled out that Congress analyze the proposal to cut the payroll tax in other legislation in the coming weeks.

The lower house is expected to debate and vote on the bipartisan agreement using a parliamentary measure that will speed up the process, so that legislators have up to 40 minutes for debate. The final vote could take place around midnight.

Once approved by the House of Representatives, the economic package will be sent to the Senate for its final vote next week, since the Upper House suspended its recess precisely to attend the coronavirus crisis.

In the letter, Pelosi explained that the democratic coronavirus legislation will include free tests for the coronavirus; 14 paid sick days and up to three months of paid medical and family leave for individuals and households directly affected by the coronavirus; and more funds for food stamps, unemployment benefits and school meals.

video-player">

—-

It also authorizes some $ 500 million in funding for the nutrition program for low-income women and children, and more funding for food aid for children and seniors, in addition to strengthening protections for workers in the health sector .

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.

To help small businesses affected by having to give paid sick days to their employees, the measure imposes a limit of $ 7,156 for each employee for a quarter. The legislation also offers them a tax credit of “100%” of what they have paid for sick days

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 negotiations with Mnuchin, which included numerous phone conversations since last Wednesday, and there were times when the deal ran the risk of falling apart, 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 were not 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.

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

–

THE NEW CONTINENT, new real estate program Angers - REALITIES

Benny Gantz calls for early elections in Israel and appeals for the unity of society amid protests

"TFC Falls Short against Brave Lens After Coupe de France Victory"

Biden says US will defend Taiwan against Chinese invasion