周六凌晨，美国国会众议院通过了一项应对新冠病毒法案，确保带薪休假、失业保险以及提供免费病毒检测。
法案赢得了两党议员的广泛支持，以363-40的票数通过。投下反对票的都是共和党人。
法案条款规定员工可以请带薪病假或家庭休假；扩大失业保险；确保所有美国人都能接受免费的新冠病毒诊断测试。
众院民主党人在周三晚就公布了他们的提案，并威胁称不管共和党支不支持，都会继续推进。但随着确诊病例不断增加，更多的学校、企业和娱乐场所关闭，活动取消，议员们也受到很大压力，必须采取果断的行动，使得议案能够通过成为法律。
佩洛西周五晚称，“我们昨天就可以通过议案。但我们认为，要让美国民众知道，我们愿意以及有能力一起合作，为他们完成一项工作，这点很重要。”
法案将首次推出全国范围内的带薪病假政策，但仅适用于今年应对冠状病毒疫情。在此政策下，民众因疾病缺勤将不会被扣薪水；员工少于500人的雇主将必须提供2个星期的带薪病假，这也包括政府部门。
法案还规定，对于被隔离的员工或是学校因疫情关闭而不得不照顾孩子的员工，雇主要给予最高3个月的带薪家庭休假或医疗休假。员工可拿到不低于薪水2/3的酬劳。
相应的，法案也为受到带薪休假条款影响的企业提供税收抵免，帮助减少企业损失。
法案也将为各州提供至少10亿美元补助金，应对疫情影响导致的失业人数增加问题。
对于学校关闭连续5天以上而无法像往常那样获得免费或低价校园餐的孩子，法案也确保他们可得到应急食物援助。
直到周五深夜，法案是否能通过仍不明朗。后来，财长姆努钦确认，双方达成了一致。
总统川普发文称，完全支持这一法案，并会将其签署成法。他表示，会让财政部和劳工部发布规定以增加灵活性，避免让小企业受到伤害。
参议院预计会在下周就法案进行投票。众院少数党领袖麦卡锡说，对法案获得通过很有信心。
The House of Representatives passed a new coronavirus response bill to ensure paid leave and free virus testing
In the early hours of Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a new coronavirus bill that would guarantee paid leave, unemployment insurance and free virus testing.
The bill won broad bipartisan support and passed by a margin of 363-40. It was the Republicans who voted no.
Under its provisions, workers could take paid sick or family leave; unemployment insurance would be expanded; and all Americans would be guaranteed free diagnostic tests for the new coronavirus.
House Democrats unveiled their proposal late Wednesday and threatened to press ahead with it, with or without Republican support. But with more cases confirmed, more schools, businesses and entertainment venues closed and events canceled, lawmakers are under pressure to act decisively to get the bill passed into law.
West Pello said Friday night, "We can pass the bill yesterday. But we think it's important for the American people to know that we're willing and able to work together to get a job done for them,"he said,
but only for this year's response to the coronavirus outbreak. Under the policy, people absent from work due to illness will not be paid; employers with fewer than 500 employees will have to provide two weeks of paid sick leave, including for government departments.
The bill also provides for up to three months of paid family or medical leave for employees who are quarantined or whose schools are closed because of the epidemic. Employees are paid no less than two-thirds of their salary.
In turn, the bill would provide tax credits to businesses affected by the paid leave provision to help reduce their losses.
The bill would also provide states with at least $1 billion in grants to deal with increased unemployment caused by the effects of the epidemic.
The bill also ensures emergency food assistance to children whose schools have been closed for more than five days without the usual free or low-cost school meals.
It was unclear late Friday night whether the bill would pass.
Finance Minister Mnuchin later confirmed that the two sides had reached an agreement.
President Trump said in a statement that he fully supports the bill and will sign it into law. He said the Treasury and labor departments would be asked to issue regulations to increase flexibility and avoid hurting small businesses.
The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week. Joseph McCarthy, the House Minority leader, said he was confident the bill would pass.
