US House Approves Coronavirus Relief Bill

WASHINGTON (AP)-- The Democratic-controlled House, with President Donald Trump's support, has passed a bipartisan bill to provide free testing for the coronavirus, as well as paid sick and family leave, strengthened unemployment insurance and increased food aid to ease the hardship on families.

It would require paid leave for workers who contract the virus or who care for those who do and additional food aid for the poor and senior citizens.

President Donald Trump on Friday declared the outbreak a national emergency, freeing up money and resources to fight it, then threw his support behind the congressional aid package.

Central to the aid package from Congress, which builds on an emergency $8.3 billion measure approved last week, are the free testing, sick pay and family leave provisions.

Pelosi negotiated the deal with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in days of around-the-clock negotiations with cross-town phone calls, even as Trump was speaking at the White House.

Voting in the Senate is not yet set, with senators out of town for the weekend. But Senate Leader Mitch McConnell canceled a planned recess week and senators were scheduled to return Monday. He said he expects most senators will want to “act swiftly.”