House Democrats introduce bill to help families deal with coronavirus

House Democrats introduced legislation to bolster the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak for families.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides paid leave, establishes free coronavirus testing, supports strong unemployment benefits, expands food assistance for children and families, protects health workers, and provides additional funding to states to deal with the pandemic.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee. It is co-sponsored by Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Richard E. Neal (D-MA), and Collin Peterson (D-MN).

“The coronavirus has officially reached a pandemic level, with a rising death toll and deepening impacts on workers and families in communities across the United States,” Lowey said. “While the $8.3 billion coronavirus supplemental we enacted into law was a crucial step that stabilized our public health system, more support for working families is clearly needed. House Democrats’ new legislation puts working families first by providing new resources and more protections as our country faces this public health emergency.”

The legislation builds on an $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus spending package enacted into law on March 6. That package includes support for state and local health agencies, vaccine and treatment development, and loans for affected small businesses.

“Around the nation, Americans are justifiably concerned about their health and the health of their families,” Pallone said. “With this legislation, we are ensuring that any American who thinks they may be infected with the virus can be tested without having to worry about paying for the costs of the test or the doctor visit. This will give people financial peace of mind if they believe they may have the virus and need to be tested.”