WASHINGTON — Racing to confront a growing public health threat, key lawmakers in the House and Senate reached a deal on Wednesday to provide $8.3 billion in emergency aid to combat the novel coronavirus, and the House planned a vote later Wednesday to approve it, according to three officials familiar with the negotiations.
The bipartisan package, which includes nearly $7.8 billion for agencies dealing with the virus and came together after days of rapid negotiations, is substantially larger than what the White House initially proposed in late February. It also authorizes roughly $500 million to allow Medicare providers to administer telehealth services so that more elderly patients, who are at greater risk from the virus, can receive care at home, according to two of the officials.
They spoke on condition of anonymity in advance of a formal announcement.
Representative Nita M. Lowey, Democrat of New York and chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, is expected to formally introduce the legislation Wednesday afternoon, and a senior Democratic aide said the House would vote on it soon thereafter.
The quick action was a recognition of the urgent need described by government health officials to respond to the virus. The Senate is expected to follow suit in approving the funding, sending the measure to the White House, where President Trump said at a news conference last week that he would “spend whatever is appropriate” to counter the outbreak.