Congress
- As
Secretary Mnuchin and Speaker Pelosi renew coronavirus stimulus
negotiations, Democratic lawmakers announced a yet-to-be-drafted $2.4
trillion bill that could be voted on as early as this week. The package
reportedly will include stimulus checks, aid for airlines, small
businesses, cities and states, rental assistance, unemployment insurance
benefits, and funds for election security and the U.S. Postal Service.
- The
Senate HELP Committee held a hearing
on the federal response to the pandemic and Dr. Fauci noted there is
"growing optimism" that scientists will find one or more safe
and effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of the year or early 2021, with
enough doses available for all Americans by next April.
- Treasury
Secretary Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Powell testified before the
House Financial Services Committee and indicated
that the Treasury and the Federal Reserve cannot provide the necessary
economic support through the agencies' lending powers so direct fiscal
support from Congress is needed for the hardest-hit sectors.
- Senators
Patty Murray (D-WA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) led 32 of their Senate
Democratic colleagues in introducing the Science
and Transparency Over Politics (STOP) Act, legislation to fight back
against political interference in the work of experts and the nation’s
public health agencies to respond to the pandemic.
- Senators
Susan Collins (R-ME) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced a bill
that would give passenger air carriers, cargo air carriers and airline
contractors an additional $28 billion in pandemic aid. Under the bill,
airlines that accept aid would be generally barred from laying off workers
until March 31.
- Senate
Small Business Committee Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-MD), Senator Chris
Coons (D-DE) and Representative Anthony Delgado (D-NY) introduced the Small
Business Debt Relief Extension Act, which would extend debt relief for
small businesses through at least February 2021.
- The
House Financial Services Committee passed two COVID-related bills, the COVID-19
Fraud Prevention Act and the Uniform
Treatment of NRSROs Act.
- Representative
Josh Harder (D-CA) introduced the Safe
Indoor Spaces Act, which would direct HHS to administer a $5 million
one-time prize for innovation in making indoor environments safer for
living and working during the pandemic.
- Representatives
Ted Budd (R-NC) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced the Make
PPE in America Act. The bill requires the Defense Logistics Agency to
issue longer-term contracts to make personal protective equipment in
America.
Administration
- The
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the CDC, was
slated to vote on formal recommendations for which groups
would be prioritized when limited doses of a COVID-19 vaccine become
available, but the committee made a decision to wait until Phase 3
clinical data about the characteristics and logistical requirements of the
vaccine is available.
- The
CDC updated its guidance
for how COVID-19 spreads via airborne transmission from person to person.
- HHS
announced upcoming
action by CDC to provide $200 million to 64 jurisdictions through the
existing Immunizations and Vaccines for Children cooperative agreement to
help states prepare for the COVID-19 vaccine.
- CMS
released preliminary Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program data
revealing that, during the COVID-19 public health emergency, rates for
vaccinations, primary and preventive services among children in Medicaid
and CHIP have steeply declined.
States
- CMS
announced the availability
of up to $165 million in supplemental funding to states currently
operating Money Follows the Person demonstration programs.
- Track
where all 50 states stand on reopening here.
- The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released resources
to assist states to reopen.
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