Senate To Remain In Session To Fight Coronavirus

The U.S. Senate will remain in session next week to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Thursday afternoon that the Senate will cancel the scheduled recess and remain in session to focus on combating coronavirus. The announcement came as Congress attempts to pass legislation mitigating the outbreak of the disease.

“Notwithstanding the scheduled state work period, the Senate will be in session next week,” McConnell tweeted Thursday. “I am glad talks are ongoing between the Administration and Speaker Pelosi. I hope Congress can pass bipartisan legislation to continue combating the coronavirus and keep our economy strong.”

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The announcement came after Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse called Thursday morning on the Senate to cancel its upcoming recess in light of coronavirus, issuing a statement in which he warned that the Senate has work to do.

“Nursing home operators in Nebraska are telling me they’re worried because they have patients who might have coronavirus, but they don’t have enough testing kits to find out,” Sasse said.

“Instead of going into recess next week, the Senate ought to keep working on the people’s business — both addressing the obvious deficiencies in our diagnostic testing pipeline, and debating the President’s call last night for economic legislation. ”

He added: “The Senate has work to do. Let’s get to it.”

Sasse’s statement came less than a day after President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office and announced a near-total ban on travel from Europe to the United States.