Senators from both parties have agreed to approve $10 billion to fight COVID-19 without counting funding for the global response to the virus, Senate aides say.
Because it’s important?
The deal could pave the way for Congress to finally approve new funds to fight the virus. On March 30, President Joe Biden urged lawmakers to step up funding for the nation’s COVID response, warning of “the consequences of their inaction.”
- Federal authorities on Tuesday approved a fourth injection of the vaccine for people over the age of 50. However, US officials have said they do not have sufficient funds to pre-order additional vaccine doses for all citizens.
- The deal is less than half of the $22.5 billion originally requested by the White House. Even that full amount was for short-term needs only, and the Biden administration said he would have to come back later for more money, a second attempt that could be unsuccessful.
the context
Lawmakers originally struck a $15.6 billion deal last month. Although it was fully funded, a group of House Democrats opposed using some of the state’s funds from a previous relief bill as compensation.
- Senate Republicans have refused to commit new funds to the package after many House Democrats said they could not reuse funds already promised to states.
- The removal of $5 billion in funding for the global response to COVID-19 is a major blow to efforts to vaccinate the world, which experts say is also key to preventing the formation of dangerous new variants that also threaten the United States .
“Not funding the global fight against COVID-19 is a choice to spread the pandemic, accept avoidable suffering and insecurity for all, and live with the knowledge that it is deep in the time of the world’s greatest need, the United States gave up,” said Peter Maybarduk, an activist with the progressive group Public Citizen.
With information from The Hill