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- April 24, 2020 at 03:58PM
House gives overwhelming okay to $484 billion virus aid package
Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
With strong bipartisan support, the House on Thursday overcame individual jitters about being in session during the Coronavirus outbreak, as both parties joined to easily send President Donald Trump a nearly $500 billion measure with further aid for small business, along with help for hospitals and virus testing efforts. 'This is important for our communities and our small businesses,' said Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA). 'We should spare no expense when it comes to testing, treatments, and vaccines,' said Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL). 'It is past time that we add this necessary funding,' said Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH). 'But we all know that this cannot be the end of our work.' The package includes over $300 billion to refill the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses, along with $75 billion in aid for hospitals hit by the virus outbreak, and $25 billion to jump start efforts on Coronavirus testing. The vote was conducted under unique circumstances, as House members went to the floor in pre-assigned groups, in order to minimize the chance of Coronavirus infection. 'This is a good day for our businesses and hospitals,' said Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL). 'I think a silver lining in all of us will be all of us seeing America pull together,' Waltz said on the House floor. The debate on the latest batch of aid included both politically pointed - and poignant moments - as the two parties sparred over the timing of relief, even as they joined together on the final vote. 'I'm going to take a moment to dedicate this legislation to my dear sister who is dying in a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri right now, infected by the Coronavirus,' said Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA). The debate included floor speeches from several lawmakers who had been diagnosed with the Coronavirus, including Rep. Ben McAdams (D-UT), who was hospitalized for treatment at one point. 'We're here today functioning,' said Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK). 'Obviously we're taking precautions,' as most members wore masks in the halls of the Capitol. There was also grumbling from members of both parties about Congress being on the sidelines in recent weeks, as lawmakers said it was time to get back to Capitol Hill, no matter the threat from the virus. 'Congress must get back to work here in the Capitol,' said Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI), who said it was wrong that most lawmakers had been home for the past four weeks. 'Today we vote for one crucial item, and depart again,' Mitchell said. 'No hearings, no oversight,' said Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), who blasted what he labeled 'half-assed legislating' by lawmakers. 'Congress must convene - not just today - but every day until America is back on track,' said Roy. 'Congress should be here, Madam Speaker.' Only a handful of members voted against the plan: Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) voted 'Present.' While House members debated, the Coronavirus touched the family of one member of the Senate, as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) announced that her oldest brother had died from the virus. 'I’m grateful to the nurses and frontline staff who took care of him, but it’s hard to know that there was no family to hold his hand or to say “I love you” one more time,' Warren wrote on Twitter, 'and no funeral for those of us who loved him to hold each other close.” “I'll miss you dearly my brother,” Warren added.
(Feed generated with FetchRSS) - April 24, 2020 at 03:58PM House gives overwhelming okay to $484 billion virus aid package Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
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Back from their districts to vote on an over $480 billion emergency relief measure to deal with the spread of the Coronavirus, members of the House from both parties tried to press on with their work on Capitol Hill for one day, dealing with an array of new social distancing measures designed to keep them safe from the virus outbreak. 'We're here today functioning,' said Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) during debate on the House floor, as numerous lawmakers said they were glad to be back at the U.S. Capitol. 'Obviously, we're doing things differently. We're a bit out of our comfort zone as a body,' said Cole, who wore a mask - but took it off at times when he spoke on the House floor. 'We should be mindful of the people surrounding us,' said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), who sported a mask with the team logo of the New England Patriots, as he urged all members to keep their mask on at all times. But there were some - mainly GOP lawmakers - who resisted wearing a mask at all. 'Our nation faces a deadly virus,' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on the floor, her scarf pulled down around her neck for her speech. 'We come to the floor with 50,000 deaths - a huge number.' While most other work was on hold, the House Small Business Committee - led by a New York Democrat who already dealt with a likely case of the virus, Rep. Nydia Velazquez - heard from members about their concerns for small businesses during this pandemic. In the hearing room which was far emptier than normal, lawmakers were spread out, with signs all around reminding them to keep six feet apart from each other, as certain seats were cordoned off. 'SIX FEET,' read the sign hastily taped to the wall of the committee hearing room behind lawmakers. 'THIS SEAT IS NOT AVAILABLE,' read other signs on chairs. 'SOCIAL DISTANCING MARKER.' On a day of testimony from multiple members of Congress, as soon as one lawmaker was done, a staffer quickly tried to wipe away any germs left at the witness table. In the halls of the Capitol off the House floor, there were signs indicating where lawmakers should stand, as they were slated to vote in groups - arranged alphabetically. But with 435 members doing things 435 different ways, it was a day in Capitol Hill contrasts on the Coronavirus. In committee, Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) wore both a mask and gloves - but when he spoke later on the House floor, his mask and gloves were gone. Some spoke with their mask off - others let the mask dangle from their ear while they talked. There were lawmakers wearing orange gloves, purple gloves, pink gloves, and regular hospital-color blue gloves - some just put on their winter black leather gloves. Most had no gloves at all. The masks were blue, white and black, with some wearing homemade fabric masks. The House Chaplain had a yellow mask. As on the House floor, if you saw a lawmaker in the committee not wearing a mask, it was more likely to be a Republican. “I'm going to keep my mask on,” said Rep. McGovern.
(Feed generated with FetchRSS) - April 23, 2020 at 03:26PM With masks, gloves, and wipes, House gets back to work for a day Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
President Donald Trump on Tuesday publicly rebuked the Governor of Georgia over his plans to lift restrictions on certain businesses in coming days, saying he had told Gov. Brian Kemp (R) that he was moving too quickly to allow businesses like beauty parlors, barber shops, and tattoo parlors to be opened. 'It's just too soon, I think it's too soon,' President Trump said at a Tuesday evening White House briefing. 'At the same time, he must do what he thinks is right,' the President added, making it clear that Governors have the final say on how states lift Coronavirus limits. 'But I disagree with him on what he's doing,' Mr. Trump said. The President said while he 'loved' the people who use tattoo parlors, beauty salons and barber shops, now was not the time for them to open. “They can wait a little bit longer, just a little bit not much - because safety has to predominate. We have to have that,” Mr. Trump said to reporters in the White House Briefing Room. In a series of tweets after the President's Coronavirus news conference, the Governor said he was ready to work with the White House and follow the new guidelines for re-opening businesses.
(Feed generated with FetchRSS) - April 23, 2020 at 03:26PM Trump objects to plans in Georgia to lift virus restrictions Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
Hours after unveiling a proposal for special rules which would have allowed lawmakers to vote on Coronavirus-related legislation - even when they were not on Capitol Hill - Democrats dropped plans to vote on the measure this week, moving instead to set up a bipartisan group to study the issue. Congressional aides told reporters the House would instead vote Thursday on a plan to set up a special panel to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak, as Democrats try to centralize work related to the virus outbreak on one House committee. The proxy voting effort had drawn criticism from Republicans, who have been publicly urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to figure out how to bring lawmakers back to work in a safe environment during the virus outbreak. 'We ask our grocers to work, our truckers to drive, and our nurses to risk their lives,' said Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). 'Congress can show up to VOTE.' 'For weeks I’ve been saying that if nurses, truckers, farmers, soldiers, and grocery store workers must go to work, so should Congress,' said Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). Backers of the rules change argued it was time for the Congress to come up with an alternative to having all 435 members on Capitol Hill during a virus outbreak. 'I believe it is now clear to many of my colleagues that we need to develop plans for an e-Congress capability to be used in times of crisis,' said Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI). But Democrats struggled to put together the proxy voting proposal, and only unveiled it at 3 am on Wednesday morning. And before lunch time, it was officially derailed.
(Feed generated with FetchRSS) Democrats quickly back off House floor proxy vote plan Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
With the outbreak of the Coronavirus stalling most work in the U.S. Congress as lawmakers stay away from Capitol Hill, a key House panel will meet Wednesday evening to consider a new plan to allow members to vote from home during the pandemic, but only on bills dealing with Coronavirus outbreak. 'I don’t suggest these changes lightly, but this is an extraordinary time,' said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), the Chairman of the House Rules Committee. 'We need to ensure we can get our work done on behalf of the American people.' McGovern's plan - released very late on Tuesday night - would not only allow for proxy voting by one lawmaker on behalf of another on the House floor, but would also permit 'virtual' committee hearings. The House voting plan is designed to be a temporary change, and would only apply to 'measures responding to the COVID-19 pandemic,' for up to a 60 day period. The text of the measure is available here. Noting opposition to the idea from some quarters in Congress, McGovern told lawmakers in a letter that he does not want this to be a permanent change for the House. 'I strongly believe this should not become common practice for our regular business,' the Massachusetts Democrat wrote. The proposed temporary rules change came as the top Republican in the U.S. House on Tuesday urged Democratic leaders to put forward a 'clear, safe and effective' plan to get lawmakers back to work in person on Capitol Hill. 'In my view, conducting the business of the People's House is the definition of 'essential work,'' wrote House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. 'Unfortunately, members have yet to be given specific guidance as to how Congress will fulfill its core duties - from deliberation to oversight to legislation - over the coming days and weeks,' McCarthy added. 'This cannot become the norm,' the Minority Leader said in his letter. “For weeks I’ve been saying that if nurses, truckers, farmers, soldiers, and grocery store workers must go to work, so should Congress,” said Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who angered leaders of both parties by forcing many members to return for debate on a $2 trillion Coronavirus relief bill. With most committee and Congressional business on hold because of the virus outbreak, the plan for proxy voting is scheduled for debate at a meeting of the House Rules Committee on Wednesday at 5 pm. Instead of being held in the tight quarters where the panel normally meets on the third floor of the Capitol, the committee will gather in the giant room of the House Ways and Means Committee, which would allow members to spread out at proper social distancing intervals. The plan could get a vote in the full House on Thursday, when lawmakers are scheduled to consider a Senate-passed $484 billion Coronavirus relief measure. - April 22, 2020 at 02:52PM(Feed generated with FetchRSS) Panel unveils plan for proxy voting in House during virus outbreak Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
With the number of Coronavirus deaths in the United States going over 44,000 on Tuesday, the U.S. Senate approved an interim relief package of nearly half a trillion dollars to help offset the negative economic impact of the virus, speeding more aid to small businesses and hospitals, and approving $25 billion to help with testing needs. 'This bipartisan agreement will provide more than $320 billion in additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, which is already helping millions of small-business employees receive paychecks instead of pink slips,' said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. While McConnell welcomed the agreement, he also took several swipes at Democrats over the extra time taken for negotiations, after Democrats blocked a $250 billion addition in small business funding last week in the Senate. 'Republicans never wanted this crucial program for workers and small businesses to shut down,' McConnell added. This nearly half trillion plan - when added to the original $2.2 trillion in aid approved last month in Congress - upped the total amount to $2.7 trillion. 'This is a significant package,' McConnell added on the Senate floor. 'The agreement announced today will help workers, families, employers, and health professionals weather the enormous impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic,' said Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH). Democrats said their insistence on extra money for hospitals and virus testing paid off. “Democrats flipped this emergency package from an insufficient Republican plan that left behind hospitals and health and frontline workers and did nothing to aid the survival of the most vulnerable small businesses on Main Street,” said Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a joint statement. On the Senate floor, Schumer told Republicans it was better to negotiate than to try to “steamroll us.” “We don't have enough tests,” Schumer said in a loud voice on the floor. This deal also added more money for another small business program, known as Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which will see $60 billion more, with $50 billion going to disaster relief loans, and the other $10 billion to grants. 'EIDL provides economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue,' said Sen. John Boozman (R-AR). As for the main chunk of small business aid, $250 billion would be available to companies of all size that qualify for the assistance, but other money would be walled off depending on the size of the financial institution. $30 billion in aid would be available for community banks with under $10 billion in assets, with another $30 billion specifically going to lenders with between $10 billion and $50 billion in assets. At the White House, President Trump signaled his support for the plan before the Senate vote, but also made clear he's ready to spend much more money to spur economic growth. The President has already said he wants a $2 trillion infrastructure package; his proposal for a payroll tax cut has been estimated by some budget groups to cost $1 trillion on its own. This plan still needs approval in the U.S. House. A vote is expected on Thursday, as leaders are telling lawmakers to plan for a recorded vote on the bill. - April 22, 2020 at 02:52PM(Feed generated with FetchRSS) Senate approves $484 billion 'interim' Coronavirus relief measure Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
Part of an emergency $2.2 trillion effort to help businesses and workers hit by the Coronavirus outbreak, the federal government has started handing out money this week to major airlines under what's known as the Payroll Support Program, as President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he was ordering federal officials to consider similar help for the U.S. oil and gas industry. “The Payroll Support Program is critical to supporting American workers and preserving our airline industry, which is a vital part of the U.S. economy,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a written statement. Mnuchin announced Monday that the Trump Administration had reached deals with a series of major airlines to tap emergency aid from the feds, including big names like Delta, Southwest, American, Spirit, and United. “We continue to work quickly to deliver this needed relief,' Mnuchin added, as the Treasury Department said the first payments of $2.9 billion had been made on Monday. On Tuesday, President Trump tweeted that he would like to see additional financial help to another troubled sector of the American economy - the oil and gas industry. The President's comment came a day after some futures prices for West Texas Intermediate oil went negative, as the price of oil has dropped considerably in recent weeks. 'The problem is nobody is driving the car anywhere in the world, essentially, 184 nations,' the President told reporters on Monday. 'Factories are closed and businesses are closed.' U.S. lawmakers have accused Russia and OPEC nations are deliberately flooding the world markets with oil, in an effort to submarine American oil producers. The President's comments on Tuesday came as the oil market continued to encounter volatility, amid concerns of how the Coronavirus outbreak would continue to impact the economy, and the energy industry. Mr. Trump had reached a deal in recent weeks with Russia and Saudi Arabia to stabilize the price of oil, but oil markets have not stabilized.
(Feed generated with FetchRSS) - April 21, 2020 at 02:21PM As airline bailout begins, Trump urges aid for U.S. oil and gas industry Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
After days of pointedly telling the nation's governors that they were in charge of expanding testing resources for the Coronavirus, President Donald Trump on Monday expressed frustration and aggravation with the GOP Governor of Maryland after he purchased a half million virus tests from South Korea. 'The Governor from Maryland didn't really understand,' the President said, arguing that Gov. Larry Hogan (R) should have used a list of labs handed over by the feds to governors in every state on Monday, as the President showed off a map of Maryland marked with testing labs. During his regular White House briefing on the Coronavirus, the President clearly was aggravated by Hogan's move to buy the 500,000 tests, instead of using federal and commercial labs. 'He could have saved a lot of money,' the President told one reporter. 'No, I don't think he needed to go to South Korea. I think he needed to get a little knowledge would have been helpful.' Hogan, a more moderate Republican who has not been afraid to separate himself from the President, has been saying publicly for days that the White House was not helping states with testing. Also the current head of the National Governors Association, Hogan told CNN the President's claim that states have more than enough testing capacity for the Coronavirus was 'absolutely false.' “It’s not accurate to say there’s plenty of testing out there and the governors should just get it done. That’s just not being straightforward,' Hogan said. At a news conference on Monday afternoon, Hogan said his wife Yumi Hogan, had helped negotiate a deal with suppliers in her native South Korea. 'It should not have been this difficult,' Hogan told reporters. Testing remains maybe the biggest source of disagreement between the governors and the President on the Coronavirus, especially as states look to drop restrictions designed to hold down the spread of the virus.
(Feed generated with FetchRSS) - April 21, 2020 at 02:21PM Trump criticizes Governor for buying virus tests from South Korea Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
Without a final agreement yet on extra money for an emergency small business aid fund, the U.S. Senate was unable on Monday to pass any legislation addressing the Coronavirus, but Republicans set another session for Tuesday, hoping a deal could be reached by then with Democrats. 'It’s now been four days since the Paycheck Protection Program ran out of money,' said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. 'At this hour, our Democratic colleagues are still prolonging their discussions with the Administration, so the Senate won’t be able to pass more funding for Americans’ paychecks today,' McConnell added. Instead of not meeting again until Thursday, McConnell indicated the Senate would return for an unplanned session on Tuesday, in hopes of voting on a Coronavirus bill, which could include as much as $450 billion in relief. The package taking shape in Congress would add $300 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program - which ran out of money last week. That emergency fund was designed to help small businesses keep people on the payroll during the Coronavirus restrictions. While it worked for many small businesses, a number of people complained they had been shut out of getting money under the original $350 billion approved by the Congress in March. There reportedly would also be about $50 billion for a different emergency fund, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, which was also a vital lifeline for some displaced businesses. The emerging deal would also include $75 billion for hospitals - money eagerly sought by Democrats, and as much as $25 billion to help with Coronavirus testing.
(Feed generated with FetchRSS) - April 20, 2020 at 01:51PM Still no deal in Congress on extra Coronavirus aid Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider
With President Donald Trump ready for states to re-open for business, a series of governors said this weekend that they still need more federal help in securing needed Coronavirus testing to pave the way for relaxed restrictions, as the White House said over 41,000 people have now died from the virus outbreak since the first death in late February. 'More than 746,000 Americans have tested positive for the Coronavirus. Fortunately, more than 68,000 Americans have fully recovered,' Vice President Mike Pence said at a Sunday briefing. 'But sadly, more than 41,000 Americans have lost their lives.' The Vice President said conditions seemed to be improving overall in terms of infection numbers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, and were seen as stable in Detroit, New Orleans and Denver. 'Areas that we continue to watch carefully on the task force include the Chicago metro area, Boston metro, and the Philadelphia metropolitan area,' Pence added. Pence said he would speak Monday with governors from around the nation about ways to help them bolster testing resources, as governors in both parties say they need help, and dismissed talk from the President that they have more than enough testing resources already. 'That’s just not being straightforward,' Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland told CNN on Sunday. The big problems for the states right now are a lack of swab for testing, and then a shortage of the chemicals - known as reagents - which make it possible to accurately conduct the tests. 'They bought the machine, they have the machine, they have the test, but they need the reagents to do a higher volume of tests,' said Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), who again this week publicly pestered President Trump to do more about testing. 'We can’t get these other chemicals that we need to test,' Cuomo told reporters. At the White House on Sunday, the President alternated between saying that the feds would help the states, and that the states were on their own when it comes to testing. 'It's a local thing,' he said several times. As has become almost a ritual for the Coronavirus briefing, the President sparred with reporters who did not ask questions that he liked. 'Just relax,' he told one woman reporter, as he told her to 'keep your voice down.' 'You should say thank you very much for good judgment,' as he said the news media was not giving him proper credit for fighting the virus. 'Report accurately, because you are one of the most inaccurate reporters,' he said to another woman, who was pressing him about requests by Gov. Cuomo for testing help. The President did not answer that query and others, making it clear to reporters that he wanted to hear them say positive things about the U.S. government work on the virus. 'Because you don't have the brains you were born with,' the President said to another reporter. 'You should be praising the people that have done a good job.' 'They did say Abraham Lincoln had very bad treatment, too,' Mr. Trump added later.
(Feed generated with FetchRSS) - April 20, 2020 at 01:51PM Governors press for testing help as U.S. virus death toll hits 41,000 Click on this headline to read the full story at Jamie Dupree - Washington Insider |
Jamie DupreeJamie Dupree is the Washington Bureau Chief for Cox Communications. He writes and produces radio reports with the aid of digital reconstructions of the voice he lost in 2012.. Archives
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