House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday introduced a coronavirus relief package that would include free testing and paid emergency sick leave to fight the rapid spread of the virus in the U.S. “We cannot fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested knows they can get their test free of charge,” Pelosi said. “We cannot slow the coronavirus outbreak when workers are stuck with the terrible choice between staying home to avoid spreading illness and the paycheck their family can't afford to lose.” Pelosi stressed that both Democrats and Republicans need to “come together and get the job done.” The speaker said that the House will vote on Thursday on the legislation despite dissent from GOP leaders, such as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who said the bill “comes up short.”
Pelosi announced the “families first” legislation, which will provide free coronavirus testing “by and large for almost everyone in the country,” paid emergency sick leave for 14 days, “hands down employment insurance that will extend protections to furloughed workers,” food securities, and increased funding for Medicaid. “We just need to decide to help families right now,” the speaker said. She also urged people to “bow in an Eastern style” and to “forget any physical contact,” including “elbow bumping.” President Trump said on Thursday that he does not support the relief package introduced by Democrats, saying that “there are things in there that have nothing to do with what we’re talking about. So, it’s not a way for them to get some of the goodies that they haven’t been able to get for the last 25 years.”
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