The Senate has struck a $10 billion deal on COVID-19 support and relief, three sources tell CBS News.
The figure is less than half of the more than $22 billion the White House had requested, and doesn’t include funding for global efforts to combat the virus. The Biden administration has insisted for months the funding is vital to continue to provide therapeutics and vaccines, should subsequent booster shots become necessary.
The agreement will need the support of 60 members to pass the Senate. During negotiations, some of the Republican negotiators sought compromise with Democrats.
Last week, Senator Mitt Romney said there’s an “agreement in principle” on the COVID package.
“We’ve reached an agreement in principle on all the spending and all of the offsets,” he said. “It’s entirely balanced by offsets. And, but we just haven’t got it drafted up yet.”
Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images
Lawmakers left out COVID funding from a recent $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill, so Congress pursued a standalone agreement.
Mr. Biden himself has recently sounded the alarm on the need for additional COVID-19 funding. The president said Wednesday the administration has already had to cancel planned orders to monoclonal antibodies and cut the supply that’s sent to states. Last week, the president said the U.S. was on track to begin to run out of monoclonal antibodies by the end of May.
“This isn’t partisan; it’s medicine,” Mr. Biden said Wednesday before receiving his second booster shot. “Congress needs to act now, please.”
