Senate Reaches Deal on Additional COVID-19 Funding

On Monday, the U.S. Senate reached a deal on legislation to provide $10 billion in additional funding for COVID-19 relief. The deal is a result of bipartisan negotiations led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and joined by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Patty Murray (D-WA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

The additional funding is for domestic spending, as additional international aid was dropped from the package during negotiations. The legislation will allocate $10 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services to buy additional treatments, testing supplies, and vaccines.

Once the legislation passes in the Senate, it will be sent to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. It is unclear whether there are enough votes to pass the bill in the House, especially as many House Democrats have been vocal in opposing the removal of the international aid funding.