U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday unveiled more than $8 billion in emergency funding to address the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
The House was expected to take up the proposal for a vote later Wednesday. Senate leaders hope to vote on the plan soon after.
The emergency supplemental spending plan was revealed as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 129 cases of coronavirus had been identified in the U.S. At least nine U.S. deaths have been counted, according to the CDC and state health officials.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby announced the deal in a press release.
“This should not be about politics; this is about doing our job to protect the American people from a potential pandemic,” said Shelby, an Alabama Republican.
“We worked together to craft an aggressive and comprehensive response that provides the resources the experts say they need to combat this crisis. I thank my colleagues for their cooperation and appreciate President Trump’s eagerness to sign this legislation and get the funding out the door without delay.”
The proposal, which followed days of negotiations on Capitol Hill, provides a total of $8.3 billion to combat the coronavirus outbreak. The bulk of that funding – 85% – will be spent domestically, according to Shelby’s statement.
A House Democratic aide told CNBC that the proposal includes:
- More than $3 billion dedicated to the research and development of vaccines, as well as therapeutics and diagnostics;
- $2.2 billion in public health funding to aid in prevention, preparedness, and response efforts – including $950 million to support state and local agencies;
- Nearly $1 billion to go toward medical supplies, health care preparedness, Community Health Centers and medical surge capacity’
- And $1.25 billion to address the coronavirus overseas.
The plan also allows an estimated $7 billion in low-interest Small Business Administration loans to affected small businesses, the aide told CNBC.
The House aide added that the emergency bill provides more $300 million to “help ensure that, when a vaccine is developed, Americans can receive it regardless of their ability to pay.”
The question of affordability has reportedly been a sticking point in negotiations, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar came under fire last week after declining to guarantee to lawmakers that a vaccine would be affordable for all.
House Appropriations Chair Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., will file the legislation in the House this afternoon, the aide said.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/04/lawmakers-strike-deal-on-more-than-7-billion-in-emergency-coronavirus-funding.html