Three things for March 19
1. Coronavirus relief package signed into law
On Wednesday, President Trump signed a $100 billion coronavirus relief bill into law. The relief package includes free testing for COVID-19 as well as provisions for emergency paid leave. The Senate passed the legislation earlier in the day, following prompts from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
“This is a time for urgent bipartisan action,” McConnell said on the Senate floor. “I do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of something that will help even a subset of workers.”
Lawmakers and the White House are currently working on a third coronavirus bill intended to stabilize the economy in response to the pandemic.
2. Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden dies at 88
Astronaut Al Worden passed away in his sleep at age 88 on Wednesday.
Worden went to the moon in 1971 as command module pilot on Apollo 15. He circled the moon alone as his two crewmates, David Scott and Jim Irwin, walked on the its surface. Worden also performed the first deep-space spacewalk almost 200,000 miles from earth.
“Al was an American hero whose achievements in space and on Earth will never be forgotten,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “We remember this pioneer whose work expanded our horizons.”
3. Penguins roam aquarium overnight
Like most public spaces, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has closed to the general population. Despite the circumstances, the aquarium staff brought some joy to the situation by allowing several of the penguins to roam the facilities during the shutdowns.
Videos capturing these rockhopper penguins on their “field trips” have gone viral on social media. Although Shedd remains closed until March 29, the aquarium has invited the public to digitally follow along on the penguins’ adventures.
