U.S. Senate sends $8.3B coronavirus aid bill to White House

WASHINGTON — Congress cleared an $8.3 billion emergency spending package Thursday that’s intended to bolster public health resources and assuage fears as the novel coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country.

The Senate voted 96-1 following limited debate on the legislation, sending it to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it quickly. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who wanted the cost offset with cuts to foreign assistance programs, was the chamber’s lone “no” vote.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., made it clear that Congress was ready to provide even more funding if necessary, though he noted lawmakers added substantially to the White House’s initial $2.5 billion proposal.

“We hope we won’t need it. That’s why we bumped it up,” Shelby said. “If they need money, we will provide it . ... Money should be no problem or no object when it comes to the health of the American people, especially to prevent something this contagious.”

The 28-page bill was released Wednesday afternoon, following days of behind-the-scenes debate on its size and scope as well as disputes about the best way to ensure the affordability of vaccines and drug treatments to respond to the disease. It moved through the House on a 415-2 vote following about 15 minutes of debate.

The legislation would provide $7.8 billion in discretionary spending, mainly for Department of Health and Human Services accounts. About $6.5 billion would go to HHS, including $3.1 billion for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to stockpile medical supplies, conduct research, and development and help community health clinics.

Of that HHS funding $300 million would be for purchases of drug treatments, tests and eventually vaccines once developed. The measure would apply “fair and reasonable price” standards in federal contracting to such purchases, though Democrats were unsuccessful in their push to apply the same standard to the commercial market.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, admitted Democrats “weren’t 100% successful” in securing the drug pricing language they wanted in the supplemental. “We were only able to succeed with that in the public sector piece of the bill,” she said, noting Democrats “fought to the end” to apply it to the private sector.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would receive about $2.2 billion, including $1 billion for state and local preparedness grants; $300 million for global health security accounts; and $300 million for a fund set up to allow the agency to respond quickly to infectious disease outbreaks. Other funding includes:

• $1.25 billion for global health programs, economic support funds and diplomatic programs.

• $836 million for the National Institutes of Health, mainly for R&D but also $10 million for training to reduce disease exposure for hospital workers, first responders and others.

• $61 million to the Food and Drug Administration to work “monitor and mitigate” any shortages of medical products as well as to strengthen the country’s medical product manufacturing sector.

• $20 million for the Small Business Administration to boost lending to affected businesses.

• $136 million to reimburse programs the administration had tapped for initial COVID-19 response efforts, including a program that helps low-income individuals and families heat, cool and insulate their homes.

Another provision would temporarily waive Medicare telehealth reimbursement rules during the COVID-19 emergency period, so beneficiaries can avoid exposing themselves to the virus without incurring significant outof-pocket expenses. The Congressional Budget Office estimated the telehealth waiver would cost $490 million.