Lawmakers in the United States on Wednesday introduced a slew of mostly bipartisan bills intended to expand nutrition benefits to cushion the impact of coronavirus, as it threatens consistent paychecks and access to meals for students and families. The House today is expected to vote on a sweeping stimulus package, H.R. 6201 (116), including pieces of those measures, though it’s unclear if the legislation released late Wednesday night will draw support from Republicans or the White House.
One proposal from Reps. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) would waive certain requirements in school nutrition programs to allow school officials to more easily distribute food, as well as grant flexibility on meal components if supply is limited. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) introduced a similar bill. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 1,500 schools were closed or about to shut their doors, affecting more than one million children.
The president on Wednesday night announced he’s suspending all travel from the EU for the next 30 days (but not the U.K.) though officials later clarified that the restrictions only apply to foreign nationals. Trump also promised unprecedented emergency action to bring financial relief to workers and businesses who are affected by the virus, including initial steps to defer tax payments for businesses and individuals, a move Trump said would inject $200 billion in liquidity to the economy.
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