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Reuters

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved an US$8.3 billion bill to combat the spread of the new coronavirus and develop vaccines for the highly-contagious disease, sending it to the Senate for final passage.
Reflecting the urgency among lawmakers to address the growing coronavirus crisis, the House voted 415-2 on the bill just hours after negotiators unveiled its contents.
It includes money to expand testing for the virus, which was linked to two more deaths reported on Wednesday, taking the US toll to 11.
The latest data from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed 80 confirmed and presumed cases reported by public health authorities in 13 states plus 49 among people repatriated from abroad, according to the CDC website.


Those figures do not necessarily reflect Wednesday’s updates from New York, California and Washington state, which reported 12, six and four new cases, respectively.
With the White House backing the effort, congressional leaders worked to win quick passage so that President Donald Trump could potentially sign it into law this week.
“We must quickly enact this legislation. Lives are at stake,” House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, a Democrat, said in a statement.
Shortly before the vote, the top four Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress received a classified briefing about contingency plans for Congress if there was a coronavirus outbreak in Washington.
An estimated 3 million people come through the Capitol Visitor Centre each year.
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Following the meeting, they brushed off reporters’ questions on whether plans were needed for Congress to meet somewhere else or whether public access to the Capitol might eventually be curtailed.
Congressman Matt Gaetz, after a separate closed briefing for Republican lawmakers with Vice-President Mike Pence about coronavirus preparations nationwide, compared the House chamber to a “Petri dish” for incubating germs.
“We all fly in these dirty airports, we touch and selfie everyone we meet and then we congregate together,” the Florida lawmaker said.
Under the bill, over US$3 billion would be devoted to research and development of coronavirus vaccines, test kits and therapeutics. No vaccines or treatments for the virus are currently in place, but patients can receive supportive care.


Gaetz said that while the United States is gearing up in the production of virus test kits, “We’re not where we want to be. The vice-president made that very clear that we’ve got to get more test assets in place.”
In a bid to also help control the spread of the virus outside the United States, US$1.25 billion would be available for international efforts.
The fast-spreading virus that emerged late last year in central China is now in some 80 countries. It has killed more than 3,000 worldwide and rattled financial markets.
State and local governments would receive US$950 million to support their work in combating the respiratory disease.
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Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican, called the bill “an aggressive and comprehensive response” to the crisis.
It would provide far more money than the US$2.5 billion initially sought by the Trump administration.
Included is more than US$300 million to help cover costs of any vaccine for those who cannot afford it. The Department of Health and Human Services would be authorised to ensure vaccines’ affordability in the commercial market.
Republicans cited a US$7.8 billion cost for the bill, instead of US$8.3 billion. That does not include US$500 million authorised for a “tele-health” programme for senior citizens.
Other provisions in the bill:

US$2.2 billion in public health funding for prevention, preparedness and response, including the US$950 million to bolster state and local government efforts
Nearly US$1 billion to help procure drugs and medical supplies
Small businesses affected by an outbreak could qualify for low-interest federal loans.



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Coronavirus: US House passes US$8.3 billion emergency bill to battle outbreak

Over US$3 billion would be devoted to research and development of coronavirus vaccines, test kits and therapeutics. Photo: Reuters

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Lawmakers vote overwhelmingly to send measure to Senate; Trump will potentially sign it into law this week
Over US$3 billion would be devoted to research and development of coronavirus vaccines, test kits and therapeutics



Over US$3 billion would be devoted to research and development of vaccines, test kits and therapeutics.
