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Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

Vice President Mike Pence greets Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, left, as Pence arrives, Thursday, March 5, 2020 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. Officials are avoiding handshakes due to the COVID-19 coronavirus. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Mike Pence praises coronavirus fight in Washington state

Vice President Mike Pence flew to the West Coast on Thursday to pledge support to leaders on the front lines of the coronavirus fight, as Congress sent President Trump an $8 billion package to thwart transmission and pursue a vaccine.

March 5, 2020
President Donald Trump with Vice President Mike Pence and White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, speaks during a coronavirus briefing with Airline CEOs in at the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Donald Trump poised to sign $8.3B coronavirus measure

The Senate approved an emergency bill that provides $8 billion for the coronavirus fight Thursday, clearing the way for President Trump's signature as Vice President Mike Pence crisscrossed the country to thank responders and pledge federal support.

March 5, 2020
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., responds to a question about a funding bill to fight the coronavirus outbreak, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Spending deal reached on emergency coronavirus funds

Congressional leaders raced to approve a roughly $8 billion package to combat the coronavirus Wednesday, as the U.S. death toll climbed to 11 and Vice President Mike Pence announced plans to visit the center of the crisis in Washington state.

March 4, 2020
A man wearing a mask and goggles rides his bike out of the parking lot at the Life Care Center is shown in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. The facility has been tied to several confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Congress deal on coronavirus response spending package near

Congress sped toward approval of a $7 billion-plus package to fight the COVID-19 coronavirus Tuesday as lawmakers demanded an aggressive response to an outbreak that has killed at least nine in the U.S. and more than 3,000 globally, while the Federal Reserve delivered an emergency rate cut to shield the economy.

March 3, 2020
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf testifies before a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on the coronavirus and the FY2021 budget, Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

DHS shutters Washington state office amid coronavirus fears

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said Tuesday he closed an agency office in Washington state for 14 days because an employee got sick after visiting someone at a nursing facility that's seen a number of coronavirus infections and multiple deaths.

March 3, 2020