NewsCoronavirus

Actions

Trump signs coronavirus funding bill, says he canceled trip to CDC after employee tested

Posted at 9:12 AM, Mar 06, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-06 09:32:09-05

While signing a bill that allocates $8 billion to fight COVID-19, President Donald Trump said he called off plans to sign the bill at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

According to The Associated Press, Trump told reporters Friday that there were concerns that a CDC employee who was "potentially infected with the coronavirus." Trump later added that the person tested negative for the coronavirus.

"Because of the one person they didn't want me going," Trump said, according to the Associated Press.

Trump said he would still like to visit the agency in the future.

In a statement to the AP, the White House said that Trump would no longer visit the agency because he "does not want to interfere with the CDC's mission to protect the health and welfare of their people and the agency."

The bill Trump signed also contains $500 million to expand access to health services for seniors.

Trump signed the bill a day after the Senate passed the bill 96-1. Sen Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) was the only Senator to vote against the measure, with three abstentions.

The House of Representatives approved the measure Wednesday by a count of 415-2, with 13 abstentions. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colorado) and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona) were the only House members to vote against the bill.

According to Johns Hopkins, at least 233 Americans have contracted COVID-19, and at least 14 people have died. At least 100,000 people have contracted the disease worldwide.

After the signing the bill, Trump plans to make a trip to visit Middle Tennessee to view damage left by a series of devastating tornadoes that hit the area earlier this week.