WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday laid out the broad outlines of the next massive coronavirus-response bill Democrats will seek, with possible votes as soon as next week.
Pelosi said the bill’s major components will include additional aid to state and local governments, more money for coronavirus testing and help for the financially troubled U.S. Postal Service.
Just before she spoke, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, said such a bill was premature.
Without providing dollar figures or details, Pelosi also discussed the need “for putting money in people’s pockets, direct payments.”
And while she said she was “hoping” that the Democratic-led House would be in session next week — a hint that that is when votes on her coronavirus bill could be cast — she also said of the legislation, “I have to get agreement among my caucus” on the bill’s many provisions.
(Reporting by Richard Cowan and Lisa Lambert; Editing by Chris Reese and Jonathan Oatis)
