McConnell: Senate eager to help on coronavirus, but Pelosi's bill is a 'rough draft'

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell suggested Saturday that the GOP-controlled chamber is eager to help pass a coronavirus spending bill to help American families and businesses, but said the bill that his chamber received overnight from the Democrat-controlled House was a “rough draft” of legislation that “fell far short of what American families and small businesses deserve.”

The Kentucky Republican delivered the message shortly after the House overnight overwhelmingly passed an initial, bipartisan bill, which ensures all Americans can get free virus testing, helps employers guarantee their workers paid sick and family leave and provides food and medical aid to those lacking access. 

The bill passed 363-40, after several days of negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

McConnell has cancelled the chamber’s annual recess, next week, so that its 100 senators can remain on Capitol Hill to pass a coronavirus spending bill that President Trump can sign.

McConnell also on Saturday lauded Trump’s effort to control the spread of the deadly virus, which was first detected in China, and help Americans whose health and/or finances have been impacted. 

President Trump on Friday took several additional measures to help control and treat the virus – helping laboratories get more coronavirus test kits into the community; infusing roughly $1.5 trillion into the financial markets and declaring a national state of emergency, which includes an additional $50 million of coronavirus-related funding and gives the federal government the additional powers for crisis situations.

“I applaud the additional steps President Trump announced today to continue fighting the coronavirus," McConnell said. "The new emergency declaration will unlock even more resources and flexibility for the federal, state, and local officials working to protect American families."