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$2 trillion federal stimulus deal reached, Governor Herbert rolls out recovery plan for Utah

Money to help cope with coronavirus pandemic
Posted at 7:08 AM, Mar 25, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-25 09:16:02-04

SALT LAKE CITY — Early Wednesday morning,the U.S. Senate announced a compromise on a nearly $2 trillion stimulus package.

That came on the heels of aUtah recovery plan announced by Governor Gary Herbert.

In the federal plan, money will be distributed to individual Americans along with small and large businesses and medical facilities.

Some $130-billion will go to hospitals, at a time when they're struggling to keep up with the influx of patients.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledges the bill is not perfect, but will at least ease the financial burden caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"We have the anguish of the American people, wondering about the future, of their health, the health of their loved ones and the economy," Schumer said. It necessitates us to do all we can to help them and help our country."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she hopes to quickly approve whatever deal the Senate reaches.

In Utah where businesses remain closed and unemployment is climbing, GovernorHerbert unveiled his plan for Utah's future in the coronavirus pandemic.

Public health is the most urgent priority and the goal is to get the coronavirus knocked down in the next eight to twelve weeks.

The plan also focuses on stabilizing Utah`s economy 10 to 14 weeks after that and finally, economic recovery 10 weeks after that.

"Iit`s a balancing act of you want to protect the health and welfare of the people, yet we want to make sure the economy doesn't completely tank either," the governor said. "So they`re both joined together, we`ll be reviewing our restrictions we have in place today. We`ll be doing that ongoing."

President Trump has said he wants the country to be opened back up by Easter,

The governor`s plan isn't that ambitious, saying he hopes to start opening things up in 2 to 4 months.