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Families First Coronavirus Response Act

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Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Great Seal of the United States
Acronyms (colloquial)FFCRA
Announced inthe 116th United States Congress
Legislative history
  • Passed the House on March 14, 2020 (363–40)
  • Passed the Senate on March 18, 2020 (90–8)
  • Signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 18, 2020

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act is a bill (H.R. 6201) sponsored by House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY), meant to respond to the economic impacts of the ongoing 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic. The act will provide funding for free coronavirus testing, 14-day paid leave for American workers affected by the pandemic, and increased funding for food stamps.[1]

The bill passed the United States House of Representatives early on March 14, 2020 before moving on to the United States Senate. President Donald Trump has voiced support for the legislative agreement.[2] The Senate passed the legislation on March 18, 2020.[3] Trump signed the bill into law later that day.[4]

Negotiations

Trump – with secretary Mnuchin (left) and Vice President Mike Pence (right) – signs the bill on March 18, 2020

Substantial negotiations for the bill happened between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin on Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13: "Pelosi and Mnuchin exchanged at least 20 phone calls on Thursday and Friday as they tried to hammer out a proposal that Trump could support."[5] Points of negotiations included the effectiveness of tax-credits being used "to offset the cost of Democratic-proposed sick leave provisions" and "how businesses can receive a tax credit for providing paid sick days and emergency leave for workers who are suffering from the coronavirus or helping take care of family members who contract the disease."[5]

On March 16, Congressman Louis Gohmert (R-TX) threatened to hold up the bill if certain technical problems are not worked out. Pelosi and Mnuchin worked to solve the problems.[6]

Contents

"The legislation provides paid leave, establishes free coronavirus testing, supports strong unemployment benefits, expands food assistance for vulnerable children and families, protects frontline health workers, and provides additional funding to states for the ongoing economic consequences of the pandemic, among other provisions."[7]

At Republican insistence, the initial House version of the bill allows the emergency leave provision to expire in a year and also exempts smaller businesses from those requirements.[5]

Negotiations

Soon after the draft of the bill was first released, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tweeted that the draft was "off-base" because "It does not focus immediate relief on affected Americans. It proposes new bureaucracy that would only delay assistance. It wanders into policy areas that are not related to the pressing issues at hand."[8]

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy stated the bill "comes up short," criticizing the bill for the way it ensures "paid sick leave would take months to administer, long after the relief is needed."[8] Some Senate Republicans say the bill is too harsh on small businesses.[6]

Support

House

In a March 13, 2020 letter to her Democratic colleagues, Nancy Pelosi writes "Today, the House is taking the next step to put Families First. We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to resolve outstanding challenges, and now will soon pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. We take great pride in the leadership of Chairs Lowey, Neal, Pallone, Scott, Peterson and McGovern, all the Committee and Subcommittee Chairs of Jurisdiction and the Rules Committee to craft this landmark legislation to protect families, which contains the priorities and provisions that Leader Schumer and I called for last weekend. We are especially grateful to the staffs of the Committees."[9]

The House passed the bill with broad bipartisan support in a vote that concluded at 12:30 AM on Saturday March 14, 2020 in a 363-40-1 vote, with 26 not voting.[10] Forty Republicans and no Democrats voted against the bill.[11] Independent Representative Justin Amash voted "Present."[11]

President

On the evening of Friday, March 13, President Trump tweeted his support for the bill.[12] The President wrote, in a series of tweets, that "This Bill will follow my direction for free CoronaVirus tests, and paid sick leave for our impacted American workers. I have directed...."[13] "....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...."[14] "....the health and well-being of American families FIRST. Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!"[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ Werner, Erica; DeBonis, Mike; Stein, Jeff (March 13, 2020). "White House, House Democrats reach deal on coronavirus economic relief package". msn.com. MSN. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  2. ^ Foran, Clare; Barrett, Ted; Mattingly, Phil (March 13, 2020). "Trump tweets support for House coronavirus relief bill, vote expected Friday night". CNN. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  3. ^ Dzhanova, Yelena; Pramuk, Jacob (March 18, 2020). "Senate passes coronavirus relief plan to expand paid leave, sends it to Trump". CNBC. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  4. ^ Trump signs coronavirus relief measure ensuring paid sick, emergency leave ABC News, March 18, 2020
  5. ^ a b c Ferris, Sarah; Bresnahan, John; Zanona, Melanie. "Trump tweet seals accord on coronavirus relief package". Politico. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  6. ^ a b MIKE LILLIS; JULIEGRACE BRUFKE (March 16, 2020). "Gohmert threatening to hold up House coronavirus bill". The Hill.
  7. ^ House Ways and Means Committee. "HOUSE DEMOCRATS INTRODUCE FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT". Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  8. ^ a b King, Ledyard. "Pelosi pushing for swift passage of coronavirus bill despite Republican concerns". USA Today. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  9. ^ Pelosi, Nancy. "Dear Colleague on Agreement with Administration on Families First Coronavirus Response Act". Nancy Pelosi - Speaker of the House: Newsroom. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  10. ^ Moe, Alex; Shabad, Rebecca; Clark, Dartunorro. "House passes coronavirus aid package, sending bill to the Senate". NBC News. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  11. ^ a b "FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 102". Office of the Clerk: United States House of Representatives. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Donald J. Trump on Twitter". Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Donald J. Trump on Twitter: 8:42 PM · Mar 13, 2020 Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Donald J. Trump on Twitter: 8:42 PM · Mar 13, 2020 Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Donald J. Trump on Twitter: 8:42 PM · Mar 13, 2020 Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
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