UPDATE:
WASHINGTON (AP) – Trump waives interest on federally owned student loans in effort to ease financial impact of virus outbreak.
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)
WASHINGTON (AP/WBTW) – President Donald Trump is announcing that he is declaring the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency. He is speaking to the American people from the Rose Garden as Washington struggles with providing Americans with relief and officials race to slow the spread of outbreak.
Trump says the emergency will open up nearly $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak. Negotiations continue between the White House and Congress on an aid package, but there was no announcement of a breakthrough, as House Democrats prepare to vote on their own measure Friday.
It was also announced Friday that Governor Henry McMaster will declare a state of emergency due to coronavirus and order schools in two counties to close.
Gov. McMaster is scheduled to hold a news conference at 5 p.m on Friday, where he will declare a state of emergency and order schools in Lancaster and Kershaw counties to close, a press release from the Office of the Governor says. Read more here.
Count on News13 for updates.
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