WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the U.S. Senate voted on Wednesday to approve the House’s coronavirus response bill, President Donald Trump signed the bill Wednesday night.
The bill includes free coronavirus testing, expanded family and medical leave for some, paid emergency sick leave for some, unemployment benefits, food assistance, and protections for health care workers.
The Senate passed the bill 90-8. The following senators voted against the bill: Marsha Blackburn, Jim Inhofe, Ron Johnson, James Lankford, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Ben Sasse, and Tim Scott. Senators Cory Gardner and Rick Scott didn’t vote, as both are under a self-quarantine as a precaution.
The bill authorizes $500 million to provide access to nutritious foods to low-income pregnant women or mothers with young children who lose their jobs or are laid off due to the COVID-19 emergency.
The bill also allocates $400 million to assist local food banks to meet increased demand for low-income Americans during the emergency. Of the total, $300 million is for the purchase of nutritious foods and $100 million is to support the storage and distribution of the foods.
