THE QUESTION:
Did the House of Representatives add a clause to get pay raises in the coronavirus stimulus bill?
THE ANSWER:
No. The money is real, but it's meant to help set up telework and cover other coronavirus-related expenses. Several government groups including the Senate and Supreme Court have similar money granted in the bill.
WHAT WE FOUND:
According to the summary by Sen. Patrick Leahy, vice chairman of the appropriations committee, the legislation allows for $25 million to support the House of Representatives’ capability to telework, including purchasing equipment and improving the network; reimburse the staff of the House Child Care Center for costs; and cover costs for House restaurant contracts. The Senate bill is called the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The language in the House bill, under House of Representatives, Salaries and Expenses, allows for $25 million “for necessary expenses of the House of Representatives to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus, to be allocated in accordance with a spend plan submitted to the Committee of Appropriations of the House of Representatives.”
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