US Congress passes coronavirus response package in a hugely bipartisan vote

Cases of the coronavirus continue to skyrocket in other countries and the respective governments are doubling down on measures to keep the pandemic under control. In a largely bipartisan vote, the United States Congress has passed legislation for the coronavirus response package.

Politico reports that congress passed the legislation regarding the response to the coronavirus over the weekend. It was a very bipartisan vote allowing citizens access to free testing as well as providing $1 billion in food aid and an extension of sick leave benefits to those who are infected with the coronavirus or COVID-19. President Donald Trump’s backing of the bill helped secure the pass, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have called on the House Republicans to support the bill.

The bill was passed in the early hours of the morning on Saturday, March 14th. The Senate is expected to review the bill by Monday, March 16th. The coronavirus response package was an attempt to pass a measure that featured bipartisan support. Pelosi thought this was a way to show Americans that the lawmakers are all willing to put up a united front in combatting and containing the coronavirus.

“So we thank our Republicans - those who will be supporting the bill. We appreciate the president joining us with this tweet,” said Pelosi, referring to Trump’s confirmation about the coronavirus response bill and the cooperation between the two parties to pass the bill.

According to House Minority Leader, Republican representative Kevin McCarthy, “I think this was a very good sign of bipartisanship and working together, that we can overcome this virus. We’ve done much bigger things before.”

As the bill is set to be taken up by the Senate, CNN reports that the cases of coronavirus or COVID-19 in the United States have spiked up to over 3,000. National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci revealed that the pandemic was going to change life in America while health authorities and the government make efforts in testing and treating the infected as well as preventing the spread of the virus through other means.

“For a while, life is not going to be the way it used to be in the United States. We have to just accept that if we want to do what’s best for the American public,” said Dr. Fauci.