Senate passes emergency coronavirus spending bill

The Senate passed the $8.3 billion emergency spending bill to respond to the coronavirus Thursday, 96-1. The one vote against it was Sen. Rand Paul, who had failed in his effort to create an offset for the spending bill by taking it out of foreign assistance programs. That amendment was tabled in an 80-16 vote.

The legislation includes $3 billion for research and development on diagnostic tests, treatments, and vaccines. Of that $300 million is targeted for the government to purchase drugs from manufacturers at "fair and reasonable" prices to distribute them to those who can't pay for them. It also provides more than $2 billion for federal, state, and local government preparation and response, including an additional $300 million for the Centers for Disease Control's rapid response fund. It adds $1.3 billion for overseas spending to combat the virus and designates $350 million to help states like Washington that have become "hot spots." It allocates $500 million for drugs, masks, syringes and other supplies to state and local governments and hospitals, and $100 million to community health centers. It also earmarks $500 million to Medicare for patients to have remote "telehealth" consultations and treatment, so sick people who aren't so unwell they don't have to be hospitalized don't have to visit the doctor in person.