The White House plans to request new funds from Congress for the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus, the Trump administration confirmed.
The funding request is expected to come midweek and will address the agencies’ operational costs for their pandemic response. President Trump signed an emergency bill earlier this month, approving $8.3 billion in funding for the Department of Health and Human Services to combat the spread of the coronavirus, targeting vaccine development, availability of testing kits, local response efforts, and low-interest loans for small businesses.
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The House passed a second economic stimulus package Saturday that would provide paid leave for some affected workers, food aid, and wider test access at no cost to individuals. The United States had 3,813 confirmed coronavirus cases as of early Monday, with 69 total deaths, according to data available from Johns Hopkins University.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said on Sunday that he expected a majority in either party would want to act quickly on the House legislation but that the bill would require unanimous consent until reform legislation on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a national security surveillance law that expired Sunday night, is passed. Trump has voiced skepticism of the FISA bill, as have some senators. It includes roving wiretap powers, among other intrusive provisions.
