White House, Pelosi reach coronavirus deal, House vote expected soon

The White House and the Democrat-controlled House reached a deal Friday on a second round of emergency coronavirus funding, setting up a rapid bipartisan floor vote.

The deal brokered by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to include free coronavirus testing, two weeks of paid sick leave and as many as three months of paid family leave. If approved, the spending measure would also fortify unemployment benefits, bolster Medicaid funding and extend free school lunches while classrooms remain closed to slow the spread of the virus, according to Politico. 

The amount of the spending package was not immediately clear. The first coronavirus-related spending measure passed by Congress and signed by President Trump was for roughly $8.3 billion.

Pelosi announced the specifics of the deal on Friday afternoon. It is expected to pass the House with bipartisan support. It’s unclear whether the GOP-controlled Senate will take up the measure or draft its own. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has canceled the Senate's recess next week. 

President Trump, who has been advocating for a payroll tax cut in response to the pandemic, said on Friday that the House proposal does not include "enough" but did not mention specifics.