US Speaker of the House of Representative Nancy Pelosi during a conference call on Thursday announced the formation of a new House select committee that will be responsible for oversight of the more than $2 trillion approved by Congress for emergency relief during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd April, 2020) US Speaker of the House of Representative Nancy Pelosi during a conference call on Thursday announced the formation of a new House select committee that will be responsible for oversight of the more than $2 trillion approved by Congress for emergency relief during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
"I'm announcing the formation of a bipartisan committee to be chaired by Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, it's called the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis," Pelosi said. "Congress has taken an important step in meeting this crisis by passing three bills with over two trillion Dollars in emergency relief. We need to ensure those dollars are spent carefully and effectively."
On Friday, US President Donald Trump signed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. He also previously signed two other emergency relief bills Congress passed totaling $113 billion.
The most recent rescue package includes $100 billion for healthcare providers and hospitals, $27 billion for developing vaccines and distributing critical supplies, and $45 billion to help state, local and tribal communities.
The bill also includes $850 billion in aid to companies impacted by the pandemic.
The United States has more than 226,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with more than 5,300 deaths as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus resource center. The data shows that overall there are more than 981,000 confirmed cases around the world and more than 50,200 deaths with at least 204,600 recovered.
