US Senate approves coronavirus relief bill worth $2 trillion

The USSenate on Wednesday unanimously passed a bill worth $2 trillion aimed at helping unemployed workers and industries hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as providing billions of dollars to buy urgently needed medical equipment.

By a vote of 96-0 the Senate passed the bill, sending it to the House of Representatives, which could vote sometime this week.

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After bitter negotiations, the deeply dividedSenatecame together and passed the bill by a unanimous96-0 vote, which sent the massive stimuluspackage to the House of Representatives, which could vote sometime this week.

President Donald Trump, whose top aides helped negotiate the bipartisan measure, promised to sign it into law as soon as it reaches his desk.

The massive bill - which would be the largest economic stimulusmeasure ever passed by Congress - includes a $500 billion fund to help hard-hit industries and a comparable amount for direct payments of up to $3,000 apiece to millions of USfamilies.

The package is intended to flood the economy with cash in a bid to stem the impact of an intensifying epidemic that has killed more than 900 people in the United States and infected at least 60,000.

(With inputs from Reuters)