Trump Announces His Support For House CoronaVirus Bill, Encourages Repubs & Dems To “Come Together & VOTE YES!”

President Donald Trump took to Twitter Friday evening to show his support for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that was negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

This comes after the president, during a press conference Friday, declared a national emergency to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic after more than 1,700 cases were confirmed in the United States.

Democratic leaders plan to put the bill on the House floor Friday evening under an expedited process and quickly send it over to the Senate, which is expected to take it up as early as Monday, reported Politico.

“I fully support H.R. 6201: Families First CoronaVirus Response Act, which will be voted on in the House this evening,” President Donald Trump announced. “This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers. I have directed the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations that will provide flexibility so that in no way will Small Businesses be hurt.”

“I encourage all Republicans and Democrats to come together and VOTE YES! I will always put the health and well-being of American families FIRST. Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!” the president expressed.

“This legislation is about testing, testing, testing,” Pelosi said during a news conference Friday. “To stop the spread of the virus, we have secured free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test, including the uninsured. We cannot fight coronavirus effectively unless everyone in our country who needs to be tested can get their test free of charge.” (Continued Below)

According to Pelosi, the bill includes paid emergency leave with two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave. “We have also secured enhanced unemployment insurance, a step that will extend protections to furloughed workers,” she said.

Pelosi stated that the bill will include nutrition security initiatives “including SNAP, student meals, seniors’ nutrition, and food banks,” adding that: “22 million children rely on free or reduced-price school meals for their food security; we must ensure that they have food to eat.”

The House Speaker also said the bill will include increased federal funds for Medicaid to support local, state, tribal and territorial governments and health systems “so that they have the resources necessary to combat this crisis.” (Video Below)

Trump had pressed for a payroll tax holiday to give some economic relief to Americans, but Pelosi has not included that in this bill, though she’s signaled more legislation could be needed as the scope and hurt of the pandemic is fully realized, Fox News reported.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram reports:

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President Donald Trump’s official tweets:

I fully support H.R. 6201: Families First CoronaVirus Response Act, which will be voted on in the House this evening. This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers. I have directed….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020

….the health and well-being of American families FIRST. Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020

(Continued Below)

President Trump also tweeted messages of hope:

„The spirit and the will of our nation is unbreakable. We will defeat this threat. When America is tested, America rises to the occasion.“ pic.twitter.com/67rS4XBE5J

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 13, 2020

To those families and citizens who are worried and concerned for themselves and their loved ones, I want you to know that your Federal Government will unleash every authority, resource and tool at its disposal to safeguard the lives and health of our people. pic.twitter.com/uVDY12vXAM

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 14, 2020