U.S. House passes US$ 3 trillion coronavirus aid bill opposed by Trump

The No. 2 Republican, Steve Scalise, urged the House to defeat the huge bill, calling it a "socialist giveaway" and blaming China, where the coronavirus emerged late last year, for the suffering brought by the pandemic.

Passage of the bill came as the United States has recorded more than 85,000 deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The number of U.S. coronavirus cases and deaths far outpace any other country.

Earlier on Friday the House also approved a change in its rules to allow members to temporarily cast their votes by proxy during the crisis if Pelosi deems it necessary.

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The Democratic initiative, which was opposed by Republicans, marked an historic shift for Congress which had never before allowed lawmakers to cast votes from anywhere but the House chamber.

It came as Congress struggles to function amid the pandemic, with members mainly sheltering at home in an effort to help stop the spread of the virus.

Under the new proxy-voting rules, House members could cast votes from remote locations.