Top Senate Democrat to press for $8.5 bln for U.S. coronavirus response -source

The top Democrat in the U.S. Senate is preparing a spending proposal seeking $8.5 billion to bolster the nation's coronavirus response, a senior Senate Democratic aide told Reuters on Wednesday.

U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is seeking to finalize the proposal Wednesday morning to counter the funding request sought by the Trump administration, which is asking Congress for $2.5 billion.