US House Passes Coronavirus Aid Package after Announcing State of Emergency

By Staff, Agencies

The US House of Representatives passed on Friday a bill providing relief to millions of American citizens including free testing and paid sick leave amid the coronavirus global pandemic.

The legislation, designed to limit the economic impact of the disease which has shuttered schools, offices and entertainment venues across the country, was passed following intensive negotiations between Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and the Trump administration.

The final vote was 363 to 40, and reportedly has gotten the approval of US President Donald Trump, who declared the state of emergency across the country on the same day, raising the likelihood the bill will pass the Republican-controlled Senate.

"This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers," Trump tweeted, adding that he had directed the Treasury and Labor secretaries to issue regulations to ensure small businesses would not be hurt by the measures.

The legislation provides up to two weeks of paid sick leave for individuals and families affected by the virus, while businesses will receive a tax credit to cover the expenses.

Trump announced a national state of emergency earlier on Friday, freeing up $50 billion in federal funds for the battle against the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic.