Story Highlights
- 77% of U.S. adults approve of the package
- Approval is similar among Republicans, Democrats
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' immediate reaction to the $2.2 trillion spending package Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed into law late last week is positive. Seventy-seven percent of U.S. adults approve of the law designed to address the effects of the COVID-19 virus in the U.S. More than three-quarters of both Republicans and Democrats, and slightly fewer independents, approve.
| Approve | Disapprove | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. adults | 77 | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Democrats | 81 | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Independents | 70 | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Republicans | 76 | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gallup Panel, March 28-29, 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The legislation was signed after a week of negotiations between the White House and Congress. It aims to address the impact of the novel coronavirus on the U.S. economy and healthcare system. The law expands unemployment benefits, provides loans to businesses, gives direct cash payments to Americans, and directs money to state and local governments and hospitals to purchase protective medical equipment needed to treat those who have contracted the virus.
Americans' positive response to the legislation is consistent with the bipartisan consensus for it in both houses of Congress, as well as the public's approval of the way U.S. leaders and institutions are handling the response to the coronavirus more generally.
Learn more about how the Gallup Panel works.
