Coronavirus stimulus package: Pelosi 'confident' House will send bill to Trump with 'strong, bipartisan vote'
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she is "confident" the House on Friday will send a $2trn coronavirus economic aid package to Donald Trump to sign into law via a "strong, bipartisan vote."
The Senate late Wednesday night approved the measure, 96-0, after several delays. The measure includes direct payments to some Americans, small business loans, and assistance for large companies to help the country during the COVID-19 pandemic and national lock down. It also includes beefed-up unemployment insurance as tens of millions of Americans seek jobless benefits.
The lower chamber is following its normal rules by giving its members 24 hours to review the measure before floor debate and a likely final vote on Friday.
Still, the California Democrat said more needs to be done in terms of testing and help for medical workers. Ms Pelosi warned that "the light at the end of the tunnel" actually being a "train" that crashes into an already hobbled country. (The president earlier this week, while declaring victory against the virus before any public health worker or GOP member of Congress, said the United States is seeing just that light as he seeks to reopen all or parts of the country by 12 April.)
"Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate," Ms Pelosi said while reminding Americans to wash their hands routinely to help stop the spread of the virus.
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