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YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS. The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved on Wednesday an $8.3 billion bill to combat the spread of the new coronavirus and develop vaccines for the highly contagious disease, sending it to the Senate for final passage, Reuters reported.
Reflecting the urgency among lawmakers to address the growing coronavirus crisis, the House voted 415-2 on the bill just hours after negotiators unveiled its contents.
A Senate vote was scheduled for Thursday.
It includes money to expand testing for the virus, which has infected at least 129 people in the United States. Two more deaths were reported on Wednesday, taking the U.S. toll to 11.
Under the bill, over $3 billion would be devoted to research and development of coronavirus vaccines, test kits and therapeutics. No vaccines or treatments for the virus are currently in place, but patients can receive supportive care.
In a bid to also help control the spread of the virus outside the United States, $1.25 billion would be available for international efforts.
State and local governments would receive $950 million to support their work in combating the respiratory disease.