Senate returns to consider financial package for coronavirus aid

WASHINGTON — Senators scrambled back to empty halls in the Capitol on Monday to continue work on House-passed legislation to provide economic relief and testing kits for the coronavirus that has shut down the nation.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that on Tuesday he would propose a $750 billion package to aid hospitals, help states through Medicaid, provide assistance to rural schools and place a moratorium on foreclosures.

The hefty financial package would be the third that Congress has put forward since a surge in the virus has swept the nation, creating a wake of health and economic upheaval.

“We need big, bold, urgent federal action to deal with this crisis,” Schumer said from the Senate floor as lawmakers in the upper legislative chamber returned during a scheduled work period recess to deal with the coronavirus.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., urged Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to protect coronavirus patients who have been treated at military facilities for exposure from aggressive debt collection tactics by the Treasury Department on Social Security benefits and tax refunds.

It was just one of several measures lawmakers were pushing as the coronavirus continued to spread.

The House passed a measure early Saturday that would provide more testing kits, unemployment benefits and assistance for businesses.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that technical corrections and some adjustments were being eyed by Republicans. A vote on that bill has not been scheduled.

Schumer said Democrats were angered when McConnell refused to keep the Senate in over the weekend and immediately approve the bill that was agreed to overwhelmingly by the House.

McConnell said the House failed to complete the bill, but that the Senate was behind efforts to help those being impacted by the virus.

Congress this month passed an $8.3 billion bill to provide help due to the coronavirus spread.

“We agree there are three major areas where the Senate must continue to develop bold and bipartisan action,” McConnell said, listing help to individuals, businesses and health care workers.

House lawmakers were back in their congressional districts, dealing with the coronavirus as cases continued to soar. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a letter to lawmakers that work on a third package, Families First, is underway.

Work on the legislative measures continued as Nevada reported its first death from the virus on Monday.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said he was “heartbroken” to learn of the death.

Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., sent condolences to the family and urged state residents to follow directions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to wash hands and practice social distancing.

“We will all get through this together, but we must all cooperate to stop the spread of coronavirus to the most vulnerable in our community,” Horsford said.

Meanwhile, the halls of Congress were empty on Monday as many staffers were tele-working from home and visitor tours were canceled.

Members of the news media were asked to also work from home, where applicable, and refrain from approaching lawmakers in the hallways to avoid the risk of spreading the virus to elected officials who are also in high-risk categories for infection.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.