Nancy Pelosi to unveil coronavirus aid as GOP signals possible support
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., left, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., call on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to bring the Democrats' HR-1 "For the People Act" to the floor for a vote, during an event on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Nancy Pelosi coronavirus
Expanded paid leave could be part of the discussion.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi is moving swiftly toward House passage of a coronavirus aid package possibly this week as Congress rebuffs President Donald Trump’s proposed payroll tax break and focuses on immediate sick pay, unemployment benefits and other resources for America’s workers hit by the crisis.

Pelosi plans to unveil the measure Wednesday, with voting possible as soon as Thursday, and GOP leaders signaled it could have bipartisan support. Congress is racing to contain the outbreak and financial fallout on another grueling day as the number of confirmed U.S. cases topped 1,000 and the World Health Organization declared that the global crisis is now a pandemic. Communities nationwide canceled public events in the hopes of stopping the spread of the infection.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, whom Trump tapped to negotiate with the Democratic leader, agreed with the need for fast action.

“We urge Congress to pass legislation quickly,” Mnuchin testified on Capitol Hill.

Mnuchin told lawmakers there will be a “large number” of workers who will need to self-quarantine or stay home with family members — comparing the costs to a natural disaster that would require federal aid.

“We think it is appropriate for the government to pick up those costs. This is a little bit like a hurricane, and we need to cover these outside of normal expenses,” Mnuchin said. He and Pelosi spoke again early Wednesday to discuss proposals for the package.

The GOP leader in the House, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, signaled potential Republican support.

“We need to do something,” McCarthy said. “I think the things that will be put forth will not be as controversial, and I think they could become very bipartisan.”

Testifying on Capitol Hill, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned that the outbreak in the U.S. is going to get worse.

“I can say we will see more cases, and things will get worse than they are right now,” Fauci told the House Oversight and Reform Committee. The hearing was abruptly paused as he and other high-level officials rushed back to the White House for meetings.

The president was promoting an economic stimulus package as the financial markets reel. They nosedived at the start of the week, climbed back up and then fell again Wednesday. But lawmakers from both political parties roundly panned Trump’s call for a payroll tax holiday or industry aid as they focus on stopping the virus spread and helping households.

Associated Press



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