Lawmakers close in on $7.5B measure to battle coronavirus

By ANDREW TAYLOR and LISA MASCARO
March 3, 2020

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers are finalizing a $7.5 billion emergency bill to fund the government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, even as fear is growing that the rapid spread of the virus is a shock to the economy and will lead to significant disruption in people’s everyday lives.

Lawmakers across the spectrum said negotiations are likely to produce a bipartisan deal Tuesday or Wednesday in hopes of clearing the measure through Congress by week’s end — a burst of bipartisan cooperation that’s atypical of today’s Washington.

The $7.5 billion package would triple Trump’s request but is expected to enjoy support from both the White House and Trump’s GOP allies on Capitol Hill.

“When it comes to Americans’ health and safety, there is no reason to be penny-wise and pound-foolish,” top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said Tuesday.

Negotiators had hoped to seal an agreement Tuesday but differences over language sought by Democrats to guarantee low prices for a coronavirus vaccine that’s being developed with taxpayer funding are holding up the agreement. Republicans say current law is sufficient to deter price gouging and warn that the Democratic language could backfire and delay production by private sector drug companies. Both sides say the issue is unlikely to stall an accord for long.

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