npr--2020-11-17--How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress

How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress Updated on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m .
ET The coronavirus pandemic continues to upend the daily work of Congress , which has seen a series of outbreaks .
By November , more than 25 members of Congress and at least 150 workers have tested positive , or were presumed so , for the coronavirus .
And a Florida member 's aide died this summer from COVID-19 .
As a result , both chambers of Congress have recessed multiple times throughout the year as the Capitol has largely gone without a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Democrat-controlled House installed emergency proxy voting and remote hearings earlier this year .
And in November , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi triggered a broader COVID-19 testing program for Congress following a new requirement for travelers to the Washington , D.C. , area .
But the plan to test as many as 2,000 a week still falls woefully short for a Capitol complex that includes more than 530 lawmakers and a workforce of 20,000 or more .
Before traveling to Washington , D.C. , for a November session , several House members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Alaska Republican Don Young .
Others included outgoing Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Cheri Bustos of Illinois and Republican Tim Walberg of Michigan .
A previous outbreak was tied to a September White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce Amy Coney Barrett as President Trump 's Supreme Court justice nominee .
Trump , first lady Melania Trump and dozens of others in attendance tested positive , including Republican Sens .
Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina .
It was one of several instances forcing a recess for Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since its March beginnings , as House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members for several weeks in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing .
The Senate returned in May , but the much larger House still stayed mostly away as a result of advice from the attending physician to Congress .
That same month , the House approved historic rule changes to allow remote voting and hearings .
The initial rash of cases began March 8 , when two Republican lawmakers , Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of Congress to announce self-quarantines .
Both had attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor , Md.
, where an attendee at the conference had fallen ill .
The following week , the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus illness .
Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 vote on a coronavirus relief package .
By this summer , dozens of Capitol workers reported a positive test or were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a longtime staffer for Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida , died from COVID-19 on July 24 .
Some lawmakers have taken antibody tests to see if they were previously ill .
Among them , Democratic Sens .
Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring .
To stem the flow of new cases , both chambers issued new social distancing guidance .
Also , the U.S. Capitol remains closed to public tours and open only to members , staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In late July , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued a new mask mandate after Rep. Louie Gohmert , R-Texas , who has often rejected mask protocols , tested positive .
Gohmert had attended several hearings a day before testing and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection .
Gohmert 's case triggered quarantines for five House members , including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva .
Days later , Grijalva tested positive , but fully recovered symptom free .
Now , members can be forcibly removed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor if they are not wearing masks .
This story was originally published on April 15 , 2020 .

Congress and COVID-19: members' cases and quarantines
Enlarge this image toggle caption Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Editor's note: This page is no longer updating as of Dec. 31, 2021.
A number of congressional lawmakers experienced breakthrough COVID-19 infections as coronavirus cases rose nationwide with the spread of the omicron variant.
Earlier in 2021, Congress went months with no coronavirus cases among its members. That came a halt amid a national surge driven by the delta variant, when Republican Reps. Vern Buchanan of Florida and Clay Higgins of Louisiana reported infections in July. Buchanan says he was fully vaccinated, but that was less clear for Higgins.
At least another dozen members followed throughout the fall with news they had also tested positive for coronavirus; many of those infections involving vaccinated Senate and House members.
Before these latest waves, Congress' nearly six-month case pause came after a majority of more than 500 lawmakers were fully vaccinated by January. The Capitol's attending physician then lifted much of the mask mandates that dominated the past year. However, a minority of House Republican members have refused to seek vaccination.
Lawmakers impact by the coronavirus
This new threat arrives after the coronavirus already exacted a large toll on the Capitol.
Last year, the pandemic upended daily work for months, sickening dozens of members and hundreds of workers. A sitting congressman, a member-elect and an aide died.
By February 2021, more than 60 lawmakers and 360 Capitol Hill workers had tested positive, or were presumed so, for the coronavirus, according to NPR's tracker and congressional aides.
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See a list of all members who tested positive or quarantined.
That same month, Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, became the first sitting member of Congress to die after a more than two-week battle with COVID-19. In December, Rep.-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana died days before he was due to be sworn in for a seat that was later filled in April by his widow, Rep. Julia Letlow, following a special election.
And last summer, an aide to Buchanan died from COVID-19.
The rash of infections among members continued at a consistent pace since the pandemic began, with the longest stretch without any such cases lasting about three weeks during recess periods away from Washington, D.C.
But this past March, Capitol Hill began its first month-long stretch without any reported cases or quarantines among members. The most recent positive case before July was reported by Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., on Jan. 29, despite his having received his second dose of the vaccine days earlier.
Another member, House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., reported that she quarantined on Feb. 1. It ended Feb. 8 without a report of a positive test.
January 6 insurrection caused spike in cases on Capitol Hill
Up until this summer, the most recent outbreak of cases on Capitol Hill for members was triggered by the Jan. 6 insurrection, which forced members to cluster together in rooms for several hours. Some House Republicans were seen refusing to wear masks during the ordeal.
Later, Monahan told Congress that at least one of these holding rooms for House members included a lawmaker who was already positive.
More than a half-dozen members quarantined as a result, and several tested positive, including Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Brad Schneider of Illinois.
In all, January proved to be one of members' worst month for the coronavirus, with at least 16 lawmakers testing positive. Before the insurrection, the House met to launch a new session before reinstating rules allowing proxy voting.
This, as congressional leaders and lawmakers received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which became available to members in December. The doses were provided to meet long-standing requirements for continuity of government operations, Monahan told members in a Dec. 17 note.
Pandemic impacted congressional operations
Ahead of the vaccinations, both chambers of Congress recessed multiple times last year as the Capitol went largely without a widespread testing program.
The Democratic-controlled House installed emergency proxy voting and remote hearings in May 2020, and Pelosi extended the covered period several times due to the pandemic. It remains in place until at least until mid-August.
In November, Pelosi triggered a broader coronavirus testing program for Congress following new requirement for travelers to the Washington, D.C., area.
Pelosi has previously said with about 75% of House members vaccinated, and several Republicans who refuse to do so, she's unclear when Congress will fully get back to normal.
"One of the most substantial steps that can be taken is that everybody should be vaccinated," Pelosi told reporters in March, later adding, "We need 100% of the members vaccinated, because it just takes one to endanger others."
The pandemic delayed other rituals, such as President Biden's first address before a joint session of Congress, which was held with only 200 socially distanced guests on April 28.
Last year remains a reminder of how quickly outbreaks spiraled out of control among lawmakers.
In December, at least nine House members, including six Republicans, tested positive for the coronavirus. And November proved to be another one of the worst months of the pandemic for Congress, when at least 15 lawmakers said they were infected, including two of the oldest, Republicans Rep. Don Young of Alaska and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
A previous outbreak in September was tied to a White House Rose Garden ceremony to announce Amy Coney Barrett as then-President Donald Trump's Supreme Court justice nominee. Trump, then-first lady Melania Trump and dozens of others in attendance tested positive, including Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
It was one of several instances forcing leaders to change the congressional schedule.
Starting in the first month of the pandemic, in March 2020, House and Senate leaders delayed bringing back members in light of public health guidelines recommending social distancing.
The Senate returned in May 2020, but the much larger House remained mostly away under the advice of Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician. That same month, the House approved its historic rule changes to allow remote voting and hearings.
The first spate of cases began March 8, 2020, when two Republican lawmakers, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, were the first members of Congress to announce self-quarantines. Both attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., where another guest fell ill.
The following week, the first two members of Congress said they tested positive for the coronavirus. Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and then-Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah both said they developed symptoms after a March 14 floor vote on a coronavirus relief package.
By last summer, dozens of Capitol workers reported a positive test or were presumed so, and Gary Tibbetts, a longtime staffer for Buchanan died from COVID-19 on July 24.
Some lawmakers also took antibody tests to see if they were previously infected. They include Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, who both said they tested positive months after experiencing symptoms in the spring.
To stem the flow of new cases, both chambers early on issued new social distancing guidance. Also, the U.S. Capitol closed to public tours and remained open only to members, staff, the press and official business visitors, and aside from the Jan. 6 breach by pro-Trump extremists, it has remained so.
In late July 2020, Pelosi also issued a temporary, new mask mandate after Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert, who often rejected such protocols, tested positive. Gohmert had attended several hearings a day earlier and returned to the Capitol following a White House screening that caught his infection.
Gohmert's case triggered quarantines for five House members, including Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Days later, Grijalva tested positive but fully recovered symptom free. Until recent changes lifting the mask mandates, members could be fined or be forcibly removed by Capitol Police if they are not wearing masks.


npr--2020-11-17--Asia-Pacific Allies Sign Huge Trade Deal With China While U.S. Sits It Out

Asia-Pacific Allies Sign Huge Trade Deal With China While U.S .
Sits It Out President-elect Joe Biden said Monday the United States must align itself with other democracies so that they write the rules governing global trade — and not China .
He was replying to a reporter 's question on whether the U.S. should join a major trade deal , the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership , that 15 Asia-Pacific countries signed on Sunday .
RCEP unites China , Japan and South Korea in a trade deal for the first time and includes 10 Southeast Asian countries plus Australia and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the largest economy , and India , the largest democracy , on the sidelines of one of the world 's biggest trading blocs — even as China deepens trade and investment partnerships in the region and worldwide .
RCEP members ' combined 2.2 billion people make up almost a third of the world 's population , and a similar share of the global economy and trade , according to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN .
The Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates the new deal could potentially grow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 186 billion .
After eight years of tricky negotiations , RCEP arrives as the coronavirus pandemic is battering member countries ' economies .
In Indonesia and the Philippines , for example , the combined number of confirmed coronavirus infections has reached nearly 900,000 cases , and lockdowns to contain the virus have forced millions of people out of work .
In a joint statement , RCEP member leaders said signing the agreement `` demonstrates our strong commitment to supporting economic recovery '' from the pandemic downturn , with job creation and `` open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The pact will facilitate investments and reduce already low tariffs among member countries over time .
It will deliver modest benefits at the outset , according to Deborah Elms , founder and executive director of the Singapore-based Asian Trade Center .
`` Not everything will be cut .
Not everything will go to zero .
And the timelines are very long on some sensitive products , '' she says .
For example , Japan will maintain tariffs on rice , wheat , dairy products , sugar , and beef and pork @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The deal could have been `` more ambitious , '' Elms says , `` but this is a very diverse group of 15 , '' which mixes wealthy nations like Japan and Australia with poor ones like Laos and Cambodia .
Some media have labeled RCEP a China-led effort , but analysts say that 's inaccurate .
`` It was not even dominated by China for a long time , even though China is the largest economy in the agreement , '' says Michael Green , senior vice president for Asia at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He named Japan and ASEAN members , including Singapore , as the drivers .
India had been a party to the talks but withdrew last year .
President-elect Joe Biden did not say specifically if the U.S. should join RCEP in his conference Monday in Delaware .
But he noted , the U.S. makes up 25 % of the world 's economy , and , `` We need to be aligned with the other democracies , another 25 % or more , so that we can set the rules of the road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcomes because they are the only game in town . ''
He also said , after he takes office , labor and environmentalists will be `` at the table in any trade deals we make . ''
RCEP does n't address labor standards or environmental protections .
Nor does it prevent state-owned enterprises from gaining a competitive edge with government subsidies .
`` It really does n't provide any kinds of disciplines or constraints that would change China 's economic model at all , '' says Chad Bown , a trade economist with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Analysts say another pact originally known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership is more comprehensive than RCEP .
The trans-Pacific deal — which rebranded with `` Comprehensive and Progressive '' at the front of its name after the U.S. withdrew and 11 remaining nations signed on — set a high standard for rules , placing some restrictions on state-owned enterprises , slashing tariffs , promoting innovation and developing the digital economy , says Green of CSIS .
President Barack Obama championed the trans-Pacific trade pact as a hedge against China writing the global trade rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of taking office , President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal , and went on to impose tariffs on trading partners and kick off a trade war with China .
A Brookings Institution blog analysis says the trans-Pacific deal and the new RCEP `` together will offset global losses from the U.S.-China trade war , although not for China and the United States . ''
Green says the U.S. `` will regret '' being on the sidelines of two major multilateral agreements .
He says this will give China two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create a narrative within the region that China is the new leader with the most influence on trade and rules making .
And the second is it 's going to reduce barriers to trade with China at a time when the U.S. is not doing anything to reduce barriers to trade with the United States . ''
Former U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler pointed to another takeaway , writing in a recent commentary , `` RCEP is another reminder that our Asian trading partners have developed a confidence about working together without the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stiff challenges for the incoming Biden administration .
China , meanwhile , hailed RCEP as a win .
`` The signing of the RCEP is not only a monumental achievement in East Asian regional cooperation , but more important , a victory of multilateralism and free trade , '' Premier Li Keqiang said , according to Chinese state media .
However , CSIS ' Green says the `` critical game '' historians might look back on `` is not over 20th century reduction of tariffs , but 21st century definition of rules about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the U.S. is a critical player . ''
`` So , we 're not out of the game completely . ''

Asia-Pacific Nations Sign Huge Trade Deal With China While U.S. Sits It Out
Enlarge this image toggle caption Hau Dinh/AP Hau Dinh/AP
President-elect Joe Biden said Monday the United States must align itself with other democracies so that they write the rules governing global trade — and not China.
He was replying to a reporter's question on whether the U.S. should join a major trade deal, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, that 15 Asia-Pacific countries signed on Sunday.
RCEP unites China, Japan and South Korea in a trade deal for the first time and includes 10 Southeast Asian countries plus Australia and New Zealand.
That leaves the U.S., with the largest economy, and India, the largest democracy, on the sidelines of one of the world's biggest trading blocs — even as China deepens trade and investment partnerships in the region and worldwide.
RCEP members' combined 2.2 billion people make up almost a third of the world's population, and a similar share of the global economy and trade, according to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN. The Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates the new deal could potentially grow the global economy by an annual $186 billion.
After eight years of tricky negotiations, RCEP arrives as the coronavirus pandemic is battering member countries' economies. In Indonesia and the Philippines, for example, the combined number of confirmed coronavirus infections has reached nearly 900,000 cases, and lockdowns to contain the virus have forced millions of people out of work.
In a joint statement, RCEP member leaders said signing the agreement "demonstrates our strong commitment to supporting economic recovery" from the pandemic downturn, with job creation and "open, inclusive, rules-based trade and investment."
The pact will facilitate investments and reduce already low tariffs among member countries over time. It will deliver modest benefits at the outset, according to Deborah Elms, founder and executive director of the Singapore-based Asian Trade Center. "Not everything will be cut. Not everything will go to zero. And the timelines are very long on some sensitive products," she says.
For example, Japan will maintain tariffs on rice, wheat, dairy products, sugar, and beef and pork to protect its farmers, Bloomberg reported.
The deal could have been "more ambitious," Elms says, "but this is a very diverse group of 15," which mixes wealthy nations like Japan and Australia with poor ones like Laos and Cambodia.
Some media have labeled RCEP a China-led effort, but analysts say that's inaccurate. "It was not even dominated by China for a long time, even though China is the largest economy in the agreement," says Michael Green, senior vice president for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He named Japan and ASEAN members, including Singapore, as the drivers.
India had been a party to the talks but withdrew last year.
President-elect Joe Biden did not say specifically if the U.S. should join RCEP in his conference Monday in Delaware.
But he noted, the U.S. makes up 25% of the world's economy, and, "We need to be aligned with the other democracies, another 25% or more, so that we can set the rules of the road instead of having China and others dictate outcomes because they are the only game in town."
He also said, after he takes office, labor and environmentalists will be "at the table in any trade deals we make."
RCEP doesn't address labor standards or environmental protections. Nor does it prevent state-owned enterprises from gaining a competitive edge with government subsidies.
"It really doesn't provide any kinds of disciplines or constraints that would change China's economic model at all," says Chad Bown, a trade economist with the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Analysts say another pact originally known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership is more comprehensive than RCEP. The trans-Pacific deal — which rebranded with "Comprehensive and Progressive" at the front of its name after the U.S. withdrew and 11 remaining nations signed on — set a high standard for rules, placing some restrictions on state-owned enterprises, slashing tariffs, promoting innovation and developing the digital economy, says Green of CSIS.
President Barack Obama championed the trans-Pacific trade pact as a hedge against China writing the global trade rules for the 21st century. But within days of taking office, President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal, and went on to impose tariffs on trading partners and kick off a trade war with China.
A Brookings Institution blog analysis says the trans-Pacific deal and the new RCEP "together will offset global losses from the U.S.-China trade war, although not for China and the United States."
Green says the U.S. "will regret" being on the sidelines of two major multilateral agreements. He says this will give China two advantages: "One is it will create a narrative within the region that China is the new leader with the most influence on trade and rules making. And the second is it's going to reduce barriers to trade with China at a time when the U.S. is not doing anything to reduce barriers to trade with the United States."
Former U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler pointed to another takeaway, writing in a recent commentary, "RCEP is another reminder that our Asian trading partners have developed a confidence about working together without the United States."
All this poses stiff challenges for the incoming Biden administration.
China, meanwhile, hailed RCEP as a win. "The signing of the RCEP is not only a monumental achievement in East Asian regional cooperation, but more important, a victory of multilateralism and free trade," Premier Li Keqiang said, according to Chinese state media.
However, CSIS' Green says the "critical game" historians might look back on "is not over 20th century reduction of tariffs, but 21st century definition of rules about data, reciprocity, digital trade, where the U.S. is a critical player."
"So, we're not out of the game completely."


npr--2020-11-17--A Rush On Coronavirus Testing Strains Laboratories, Drives Supply Shortages

With the pandemic out of control in the United States , the nation 's precarious coronavirus testing system is starting to strain again .
Long lines are again forming in some places as the surge of infections drives a surge in demand for testing .
Testing companies , lab directors and testing policy experts warn that waiting times for results could soon start to lengthen .
In fact , one of the largest commercial testing companies Tuesday reported turnaround times had already started creeping up .
`` We 're still far behind where we need to be with testing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for tests are far outpacing what we have , '' says Heather Pierce , senior director for science policy and regulatory counsel at the Association of American Medical Colleges .
Testing shortages have hobbled the nation 's ability to fight the pandemic since it began .
But testing improved significantly since the spring , when tests were scarce and waiting times were often long .
Tests are now accessible at many locations , including doctors ' offices , clinics , fire stations , drive-through test sites , and grocery and drug stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of spit into the mail to find out if they 're infected .
More than 167 million tests have been conducted in the U.S. and more than 1.4 million tests were done daily on average in November , according to data gathered by The Covid Tracking Project .
That 's up from just over 800,000 on average per day in September .
But even the current level of testing is far less than what many experts say is needed .
And even though people can sometimes get their results within minutes , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days or more , which is still too long to make sure they do n't spread the virus to other people .
The lack of enough quick testing is probably one of the reasons driving the surge , experts say .
`` We have come a long way , '' says Mara Aspinall , a professor of biomedical diagnostics at Arizona State University .
`` But testing is not broadly available everywhere in the country .
Despite the federal government 's continued efforts to ship millions of swabs and vials and other testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reporting shortages of test kits and two-thirds are reporting shortages of crucial chemicals and other supplies , such as like plastic tips for devices called pipettes .
So labs still scramble every day , lab directors report .
And they say the shortages are intensifying , especially for pipette tips and some test kits .
`` I feel like we 're moving chairs around on the Titanic .
We 're trying to , you know , move things around to make things work and get everything in order .
But we 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says Melissa Miller , who runs the testing lab at the University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill .
Some labs are now also running short on staff because they 're getting infected and sick themselves .
`` A lot of people are out either because they 're being quarantined because of a potential exposure to someone with confirmed COVID or they themselves have COVID-19 , '' says Dr. Bobbi Pritt , who chairs the clinical microbiology committee for the College of American Pathologists and runs the division of clinical microbiology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would say that 's our biggest concern right now . ''
And the testing situation could easily get worse .
The flu season has n't even hit hard yet , which will strain labs even more .
And demand for tests will likely surge more as more people rush to to get tested so they can see family for the holidays .
`` If this pandemic continues and and blows off the top of this , I ca n't tell you for certain that in a couple of weeks doomsday 's not here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmar , who runs the state lab in Missouri and serves as president of the Association of Public Health Laboratories .
Trump administration officials say that in addition to rushing supplies to labs , the federal government has been doing everything it can to shore up testing .
The government has opened special surge testing sites in at least 10 states and is shipping tens of millions of rapid tests to nursing homes and for use by schools , first responders and others , according to Adm. Brett Giroir , who 's in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Services Department .
`` We 're aggressively helping states in in any way that we that we can , '' Giroir told reporters Monday during a briefing .

A Rush On Coronavirus Testing Strains Laboratories, Drives Supply Shortages
Enlarge this image toggle caption David McNew/Getty Images David McNew/Getty Images
With the pandemic out of control in the United States, the nation's precarious coronavirus testing system is starting to strain again.
Long lines are again forming in some places as the surge of infections drives a surge in demand for testing. Testing companies, lab directors and testing policy experts warn that waiting times for results could soon start to lengthen. In fact, one of the largest commercial testing companies Tuesday reported turnaround times had already started creeping up.
"We're still far behind where we need to be with testing. And as these cases skyrocket, the need for tests are far outpacing what we have," says Heather Pierce, senior director for science policy and regulatory counsel at the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Testing shortages have hobbled the nation's ability to fight the pandemic since it began. But testing improved significantly since the spring, when tests were scarce and waiting times were often long. Tests are now accessible at many locations, including doctors' offices, clinics, fire stations, drive-through test sites, and grocery and drug stores. People can even drop a sample of spit into the mail to find out if they're infected.
More than 167 million tests have been conducted in the U.S. and more than 1.4 million tests were done daily on average in November, according to data gathered by The Covid Tracking Project. That's up from just over 800,000 on average per day in September.
But even the current level of testing is far less than what many experts say is needed. And even though people can sometimes get their results within minutes, many still have to wait at least two days or more, which is still too long to make sure they don't spread the virus to other people. The lack of enough quick testing is probably one of the reasons driving the surge, experts say.
"We have come a long way," says Mara Aspinall, a professor of biomedical diagnostics at Arizona State University. "But testing is not broadly available everywhere in the country.
Despite the federal government's continued efforts to ship millions of swabs and vials and other testing supplies to states, half of labs are reporting shortages of test kits and two-thirds are reporting shortages of crucial chemicals and other supplies, such as like plastic tips for devices called pipettes. So labs still scramble every day, lab directors report. And they say the shortages are intensifying, especially for pipette tips and some test kits.
"I feel like we're moving chairs around on the Titanic. We're trying to, you know, move things around to make things work and get everything in order. But we're on this big ship that's sinking," says Melissa Miller, who runs the testing lab at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Some labs are now also running short on staff because they're getting infected and sick themselves.
"A lot of people are out either because they're being quarantined because of a potential exposure to someone with confirmed COVID or they themselves have COVID-19," says Dr. Bobbi Pritt, who chairs the clinical microbiology committee for the College of American Pathologists and runs the division of clinical microbiology at the Mayo Clinic. "I would say that's our biggest concern right now."
And the testing situation could easily get worse. The flu season hasn't even hit hard yet, which will strain labs even more. And demand for tests will likely surge more as more people rush to to get tested so they can see family for the holidays.
"If this pandemic continues and and blows off the top of this, I can't tell you for certain that in a couple of weeks doomsday's not here for laboratory capacity," says Bill Whitmar, who runs the state lab in Missouri and serves as president of the Association of Public Health Laboratories.
Trump administration officials say that in addition to rushing supplies to labs, the federal government has been doing everything it can to shore up testing. The government has opened special surge testing sites in at least 10 states and is shipping tens of millions of rapid tests to nursing homes and for use by schools, first responders and others, according to Adm. Brett Giroir, who's in charge of testing at the Health and Human Services Department.
"We're aggressively helping states in in any way that we that we can," Giroir told reporters Monday during a briefing.


npr--2020-11-17--Senate Blocks President Trump's Controversial Nominee To The Federal Reserve Board

Judy Shelton 's nomination as a member of the Federal Reserve Board is stalled .
The Senate failed to advance President Trump 's controversial pick to the powerful central bank on Tuesday after Republicans Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine joined the Senate 's Democrats in blocking Shelton 's appointment .
The 47-50 vote also came as Sens .
Rick Scott , R-Fla. , and Chuck Grassley , R-Iowa , both supporters of Shelton , were absent from the chamber and unable to vote .
They are at home because of exposure to the coronavirus .
Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shelton , who was campaign adviser to Trump in 2016 and whose name was first floated for the position more than a year ago .
The senator from California returned to the chamber for the first time since she and President-elect Joe Biden won to cast her vote against Shelton .
Shelton 's confirmation was expected to be contentious among the GOP because of her unconventional economic views that place her well outside the mainstream .
In the past , she questioned the mission of the central bank .
She has also expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would tie the dollar to physical gold — a move that would sharply limit the amount of money in circulation .
The attempt to advance her confirmation for a term that runs through 2024 comes as the Fed will enter a critical stretch under Biden , with key decisions to be made on how much support the central bank can continue to provide to U.S. markets during the coronavirus pandemic .
After the rebuff on Tuesday , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell quickly laid the groundwork for another potential vote .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Grassley will be allowed to return this week .
That could push another attempt to take up the Shelton vote until after the Senate 's Thanksgiving recess .
But even then , the GOP may not have enough votes to overcome the deficit seen on Tuesday .
Sen. John Thune , R-S.D.
, the chamber 's majority whip , said it 's unclear if Republicans ' majority in the chamber could shrink by the time they return .
Democratic Sen.-elect Mark Kelly of Arizona could replace Republican Sen. Martha McSally after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to certify the results of the special election by then .
`` There is a little bit of a complicated factor there with the Arizona seat , '' Thune told a Capitol Hill pool reporter Tuesday .

Senate Blocks President Trump's Controversial Nominee To The Federal Reserve Board
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Judy Shelton's nomination as a member of the Federal Reserve Board is stalled.
The Senate failed to advance President Trump's controversial pick to the powerful central bank on Tuesday after Republicans Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine joined the Senate's Democrats in blocking Shelton's appointment.
The 47-50 vote also came as Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, both supporters of Shelton, were absent from the chamber and unable to vote. They are at home because of exposure to the coronavirus.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris dealt another blow to Shelton, who was campaign adviser to Trump in 2016 and whose name was first floated for the position more than a year ago. The senator from California returned to the chamber for the first time since she and President-elect Joe Biden won to cast her vote against Shelton.
Shelton's confirmation was expected to be contentious among the GOP because of her unconventional economic views that place her well outside the mainstream. In the past, she questioned the mission of the central bank. She has also expressed support for the gold standard, which would tie the dollar to physical gold — a move that would sharply limit the amount of money in circulation.
The attempt to advance her confirmation for a term that runs through 2024 comes as the Fed will enter a critical stretch under Biden, with key decisions to be made on how much support the central bank can continue to provide to U.S. markets during the coronavirus pandemic.
After the rebuff on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell quickly laid the groundwork for another potential vote.
However, it's unclear if the missing Scott and Grassley will be allowed to return this week. That could push another attempt to take up the Shelton vote until after the Senate's Thanksgiving recess.
But even then, the GOP may not have enough votes to overcome the deficit seen on Tuesday. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the chamber's majority whip, said it's unclear if Republicans' majority in the chamber could shrink by the time they return. Democratic Sen.-elect Mark Kelly of Arizona could replace Republican Sen. Martha McSally after the recess, Thune noted. Arizona is expected to certify the results of the special election by then.
"There is a little bit of a complicated factor there with the Arizona seat," Thune told a Capitol Hill pool reporter Tuesday.


npr--2020-11-17--Fauci: Vaccine Results Are 'Important Advance,' But Virus Precautions Are Still Vital

Fauci : Vaccine Results Are 'Important Advance , ' But Virus Precautions Are Still Vital Dr. Anthony Fauci , the country 's foremost infectious disease expert , tells NPR that it 's `` OK to celebrate '' the good news about Moderna 's coronavirus vaccine , but warned it 's not the time to back off on basic health measures .
The biotechnology Moderna Inc. said Monday that its experimental vaccine was 94.5 % effective in preventing the disease , according to data from its clinical trial .
`` From a scientific and potential public health standpoint , this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Rachel Martin on Morning Edition Tuesday .
The Moderna study has 30,000 volunteers who either got a placebo or the vaccine .
There have been 95 people who happened to get sick with COVID-19 .
But 90 of the people who got sick did n't get the vaccine ; of people who got vaccinated , only five got sick .
A week earlier , Pfizer said its vaccine was more than 90 % effective in its own trial .
The Food and Drug Administration set a minimum effectiveness of 50 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would `` like [ a vaccine ] to be 75 % or more '' effective .
So the news of two vaccines showing early results of being 90 % or higher `` is a very , very important advance in our armamentarium of trying to stop this outbreak , '' Fauci said Tuesday .
Moderna said it will ask the FDA to approve its vaccine for emergency use `` in the coming weeks '' while a Pfizer partner said it could apply as early as this week .
The timeline is significantly quicker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process .
It 's helped by the government 's Operation Warp Speed , which has already paid companies billions of dollars to start making vaccines before they are approved .
Fauci said that hopefully by the end of the year , two companies ' vaccines will have enough doses available for 20 million people .
`` At best , what we will see , will that be some people — generally the highest priority , that 's determined by an advisory committee and ultimately the CDC — there will likely be some getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
The consensus is that health care workers will be the first ones to get vaccinated .
`` As we get into January , February , those doses will increase , '' Fauci said .
At that point , doses will still be limited to certain prioritized groups .
`` By the time you get to , let 's say , the end of April , the beginning of May , June , July , as we get into the second quarter , it 'll be much more likely that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general population ' that 's not on the priority list will be able to get vaccinated , '' he said .
There 's also the challenge of convincing people to get vaccinated once they can .
In one poll in August , 35 % of respondents said they would n't get a coronavirus vaccine once it becomes available .
Fauci says he hopes that people `` who are hesitant or reluctant '' to get vaccinated might be persuaded `` when they see the extraordinary efficacy of the vaccine . ''
Still , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meantime , the Trump administration has not coordinated with incoming members of President-elect Joe Biden 's team on coronavirus response .
Biden said on Monday : `` More people may die if we do n't coordinate . ''
Fauci , who sits on the current White House coronavirus task force , noted that he 's worked with six presidential administrations .
He said transitions are `` critical . ''
`` I would like to see the interaction with people who might be coming in and be doing the things that are being done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people in the health system , '' he said .
Despite lack of coordination with the current White House , the Biden team is already talking with vaccine manufacturers , which Fauci called a `` good thing . ''
The eventual vaccine is `` not going to do it alone , though , '' he said .
`` That 's the important point .
This should not be a signal to pull back on the public health measures that we must continue to implement . ''
As part of that , health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week is fraught with risk as coronavirus cases soar nationwide .
`` If you have people in the family who are at a higher risk , people that might be elderly with underlying conditions and you want guests to come in that might be going through crowded airports or on airplanes , you really got to think twice , '' Fauci said .
`` Is this something that I really want to take a risk for ? ''
Fauci , who is 79 , said his three daughters who live in different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home for Thanksgiving this year .
They 'll spend some time talking on video calls instead .
`` I do n't like it that way , but I think they 're making a prudent decision and trying to protect their father , and I 'm proud of them for that , '' he said .

Fauci: Vaccine Results Are 'Important Advance,' But Virus Precautions Are Still Vital
Enlarge this image toggle caption Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images Graeme Jennings/Pool/Getty Images
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's foremost infectious disease expert, tells NPR that it's "OK to celebrate" the good news about Moderna's coronavirus vaccine, but warned it's not the time to back off on basic health measures.
The biotechnology Moderna Inc. said Monday that its experimental vaccine was 94.5% effective in preventing the disease, according to data from its clinical trial.
"From a scientific and potential public health standpoint, this is an extraordinarily important advance," Fauci told Rachel Martin on Morning Edition Tuesday.
The Moderna study has 30,000 volunteers who either got a placebo or the vaccine. There have been 95 people who happened to get sick with COVID-19. But 90 of the people who got sick didn't get the vaccine; of people who got vaccinated, only five got sick.
A week earlier, Pfizer said its vaccine was more than 90% effective in its own trial.
The Food and Drug Administration set a minimum effectiveness of 50%. Fauci said a few months ago he would "like [a vaccine] to be 75% or more" effective. So the news of two vaccines showing early results of being 90% or higher "is a very, very important advance in our armamentarium of trying to stop this outbreak," Fauci said Tuesday.
Moderna said it will ask the FDA to approve its vaccine for emergency use "in the coming weeks" while a Pfizer partner said it could apply as early as this week.
The timeline is significantly quicker than the standard drug approval and distribution process. It's helped by the government's Operation Warp Speed, which has already paid companies billions of dollars to start making vaccines before they are approved.
Fauci said that hopefully by the end of the year, two companies' vaccines will have enough doses available for 20 million people.
"At best, what we will see, will that be some people — generally the highest priority, that's determined by an advisory committee and ultimately the CDC — there will likely be some getting vaccinated towards the end of December," he said.
The consensus is that health care workers will be the first ones to get vaccinated.
"As we get into January, February, those doses will increase," Fauci said. At that point, doses will still be limited to certain prioritized groups.
"By the time you get to, let's say, the end of April, the beginning of May, June, July, as we get into the second quarter, it'll be much more likely that you'll have, quote, 'the general population' that's not on the priority list will be able to get vaccinated," he said.
There's also the challenge of convincing people to get vaccinated once they can. In one poll in August, 35% of respondents said they wouldn't get a coronavirus vaccine once it becomes available.
Fauci says he hopes that people "who are hesitant or reluctant" to get vaccinated might be persuaded "when they see the extraordinary efficacy of the vaccine."
Still, that is many months away. In the meantime, the Trump administration has not coordinated with incoming members of President-elect Joe Biden's team on coronavirus response. Biden said on Monday: "More people may die if we don't coordinate."
Fauci, who sits on the current White House coronavirus task force, noted that he's worked with six presidential administrations. He said transitions are "critical."
"I would like to see the interaction with people who might be coming in and be doing the things that are being done now by the task force and by the people in the health system," he said.
Despite lack of coordination with the current White House, the Biden team is already talking with vaccine manufacturers, which Fauci called a "good thing."
The eventual vaccine is "not going to do it alone, though," he said. "That's the important point. This should not be a signal to pull back on the public health measures that we must continue to implement."
As part of that, health experts are warning that traveling for Thanksgiving next week is fraught with risk as coronavirus cases soar nationwide.
"If you have people in the family who are at a higher risk, people that might be elderly with underlying conditions and you want guests to come in that might be going through crowded airports or on airplanes, you really got to think twice," Fauci said. "Is this something that I really want to take a risk for?"
Fauci, who is 79, said his three daughters who live in different parts of the country aren't coming home for Thanksgiving this year. They'll spend some time talking on video calls instead.
"I don't like it that way, but I think they're making a prudent decision and trying to protect their father, and I'm proud of them for that," he said.
Avery Keatley and Arezou Rezvani produced the audio interview.


npr--2020-11-17--McCarthy, Other Top House Republicans Reelected To Leadership Posts For Next Congress

McCarthy , Other Top House Republicans Reelected To Leadership Posts For Next Congress House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif. , has been reelected to his post by his colleagues to lead a larger GOP conference in the new session of Congress next year .
Other top House leaders were also reelected to their current posts , including House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming as chair of the House Republican Conference .
The elections marked the first major gathering for the conference since the GOP surprised pundits and gained several new seats in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projected to pick up five to 10 seats or more in this year 's elections , but with several races still outstanding , Republicans have gained at least eight so far , stunning lawmakers and analysts alike .
Republicans `` delivered a historical , political upset fueled by conservative women , minorities and veterans , '' McCarthy , R-Calif. , told reporters .
`` Everyone predicted Republicans would lose 15 to 20 seats ; not one incumbent lost . ''
The conference is celebrating its new members , which includes a record number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will force Democrats to work with tighter margins as they retain control of the chamber .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , is expected to be reelected to another term by the Democratic caucus on Wednesday .
The GOP elections were held in person Tuesday afternoon at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill .
Democrats are holding their leadership elections remotely over two days this week .
Cheney said the conference is focused on expanding on its gains in future years .
`` The feeling in the room , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are and about the hard work ahead of us , with the momentum and energy to get that work done has been really remarkable , '' Cheney said .
`` We have a tremendous class of incoming members . ''
McCarthy conceded that Republicans will remain in the minority , but with more influence over floor action .
`` We may not be able to schedule the floor , but we are going to run the floor , '' he said .
Scalise said it 's been a `` battle '' fighting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many issues remain to be addressed in the new Congress .
In the coming months , Scalise said it 's key to get another coronavirus relief package moving ; however , that 's been stalled as both parties struggle to reach a deal .
`` We 're not going to stop fighting , '' Scalise said .
`` We 're going to continue battling . ''
House Democrats blame Senate Republicans for inaction on additional aid , pointing out that they passed multiple packages in recent months that have not moved in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlighted President Trump 's role in House races , saying he has helped GOP candidates .
`` I think the president — regardless of whether he 's president again or he 's citizen Trump — I think he will continue to play a part in this nation , '' McCarthy said .
`` I look at the number of members who got elected ; they got elected under President Trump .
... And we expanded the party . ''
McCarthy and other congressional Republicans have supported Trump 's false claims that he could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's win .
Trump has n't conceded to Biden .
Still , McCarthy bets Trump 's influence will help grow the GOP in the future .
`` So how 's the party going to look different ?
It 's going to look broader .
It 's going to reach more people than it reached before , '' McCarthy said .
On Tuesday , House Republicans also reelected Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota for another term as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee .
And Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama will also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's policy chair .
Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana won election as vice chair for the House conference , and Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina will be its secretary .

McCarthy, Other Top House Republicans Reelected To Leadership Posts For Next Congress
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been reelected to his post by his colleagues to lead a larger GOP conference in the new session of Congress next year.
Other top House leaders were also reelected to their current posts, including House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming as chair of the House Republican Conference.
The elections marked the first major gathering for the conference since the GOP surprised pundits and gained several new seats in the November elections.
Democrats had been projected to pick up five to 10 seats or more in this year's elections, but with several races still outstanding, Republicans have gained at least eight so far, stunning lawmakers and analysts alike.
Republicans "delivered a historical, political upset fueled by conservative women, minorities and veterans," McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters. "Everyone predicted Republicans would lose 15 to 20 seats; not one incumbent lost."
The conference is celebrating its new members, which includes a record number of new Republican women. The moves will force Democrats to work with tighter margins as they retain control of the chamber. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is expected to be reelected to another term by the Democratic caucus on Wednesday.
The GOP elections were held in person Tuesday afternoon at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Democrats are holding their leadership elections remotely over two days this week.
Cheney said the conference is focused on expanding on its gains in future years.
"The feeling in the room, and the enthusiasm and the excitement about where we are and about the hard work ahead of us, with the momentum and energy to get that work done has been really remarkable," Cheney said. "We have a tremendous class of incoming members."
McCarthy conceded that Republicans will remain in the minority, but with more influence over floor action.
"We may not be able to schedule the floor, but we are going to run the floor," he said.
Scalise said it's been a "battle" fighting for legislative efforts in the minority, but many issues remain to be addressed in the new Congress. In the coming months, Scalise said it's key to get another coronavirus relief package moving; however, that's been stalled as both parties struggle to reach a deal.
"We're not going to stop fighting," Scalise said. "We're going to continue battling."
House Democrats blame Senate Republicans for inaction on additional aid, pointing out that they passed multiple packages in recent months that have not moved in the upper chamber.
McCarthy on Tuesday also highlighted President Trump's role in House races, saying he has helped GOP candidates.
"I think the president — regardless of whether he's president again or he's citizen Trump — I think he will continue to play a part in this nation," McCarthy said. "I look at the number of members who got elected; they got elected under President Trump. ... And we expanded the party."
McCarthy and other congressional Republicans have supported Trump's false claims that he could overturn the election results showing President-elect Joe Biden's win. Trump hasn't conceded to Biden.
Still, McCarthy bets Trump's influence will help grow the GOP in the future.
"So how's the party going to look different? It's going to look broader. It's going to reach more people than it reached before," McCarthy said.
On Tuesday, House Republicans also reelected Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota for another term as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee. And Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama will also remain in his role as the party's policy chair.
Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana won election as vice chair for the House conference, and Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina will be its secretary.


npr--2020-11-17--Ohio Governor Orders 3-Week Statewide Curfew As Coronavirus Cases Rise

Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine on Tuesday ordered a statewide curfew , mandating that residents be in their homes by 10 p.m. , beginning Thursday .
The curfew will be in place every day for at least three weeks , lasting overnight until 5 a.m .
But there are exceptions , including for those who need to be at work or see to medical needs .
The order will also not stop grocery shopping or drive-through and pickup food services .
`` Our situation in Ohio is deteriorating .
We see more and more cases , more and more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a press conference .
`` We 've got to turn this thing around . ''
DeWine 's order comes as the coronavirus is surging across the United States .
Ohio reported more than 7,000 new cases on Tuesday .
The state has had 312,000 cases since the start of the pandemic .
`` As we look around the state , every county is being impacted .
There is no relief found .
There is no place where the virus is n't transmitting at a high rate , '' said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer .
`` A month ago we had 1,000 people in the hospital at any given time .
Today , that number is more than 3,600 , and it 's growing considerably . ''
DeWine asked Ohio residents to make additional efforts to cut down trips outside the home , even within the curfew 's parameters .
He suggested consolidating grocery trips and saying no to social activities , instead opting for calling friends and family .
`` Ask yourself what you can do for your fellow man .
Ask yourself what you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' DeWine implored .
`` We are all in this together , and what each of us does will make a difference . ''
Reese Oxner is an intern on NPR 's News Desk .

Ohio Governor Orders 3-Week Statewide Curfew As Coronavirus Cases Rise
Enlarge this image toggle caption Megan Jelinger/AFP via Getty Images Megan Jelinger/AFP via Getty Images
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday ordered a statewide curfew, mandating that residents be in their homes by 10 p.m., beginning Thursday.
The curfew will be in place every day for at least three weeks, lasting overnight until 5 a.m. But there are exceptions, including for those who need to be at work or see to medical needs. The order will also not stop grocery shopping or drive-through and pickup food services.
"Our situation in Ohio is deteriorating. We see more and more cases, more and more people in the hospital," DeWine said during a press conference. "We've got to turn this thing around."
DeWine's order comes as the coronavirus is surging across the United States. Ohio reported more than 7,000 new cases on Tuesday. The state has had 312,000 cases since the start of the pandemic.
"As we look around the state, every county is being impacted. There is no relief found. There is no place where the virus isn't transmitting at a high rate," said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Ohio Department of Health chief medical officer.
"A month ago we had 1,000 people in the hospital at any given time. Today, that number is more than 3,600, and it's growing considerably."
DeWine asked Ohio residents to make additional efforts to cut down trips outside the home, even within the curfew's parameters.
He suggested consolidating grocery trips and saying no to social activities, instead opting for calling friends and family.
"Ask yourself what you can do for your fellow man. Ask yourself what you can do for the people of Ohio," DeWine implored. "We are all in this together, and what each of us does will make a difference."
Reese Oxner is an intern on NPR's News Desk.


npr--2020-11-17--Lil Wayne Faces Federal Charge For Gun Possession

Lil Wayne was charged in federal court Tuesday with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon .
The 38-year-old rapper is facing 10 years in prison for the offense , if convicted .
Documents filed in the Southern District of Florida Court identify him by his given name , Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. and allege that he had a gun with him on his private plane last December , `` knowing that he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment . ''
`` Carter is charged with possessing a gold-plated handgun in his luggage on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a lawyer for Lil Wayne , said in a statement .
`` There is no allegation that he ever fired it , brandished it , used it or threatened to use it .
There is no allegation that he is a dangerous person .
The charge is that because he was convicted of a felony in the past , he is prohibited from possessing a firearm . ''
The rapper 's first court date is set for Dec. 11 , the Associated Press reported .
Lil Wayne already has a felony conviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York .

Lil Wayne Faces Federal Charge For Gun Possession
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lynne Sladky/Lynne Sladky/AP Lynne Sladky/Lynne Sladky/AP
Lil Wayne was charged in federal court Tuesday with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. The 38-year-old rapper is facing 10 years in prison for the offense, if convicted.
Documents filed in the Southern District of Florida Court identify him by his given name, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. and allege that he had a gun with him on his private plane last December, "knowing that he had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment."
"Carter is charged with possessing a gold-plated handgun in his luggage on a private plane," Howard Srebnick, a lawyer for Lil Wayne, said in a statement. "There is no allegation that he ever fired it, brandished it, used it or threatened to use it. There is no allegation that he is a dangerous person. The charge is that because he was convicted of a felony in the past, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm."
The rapper's first court date is set for Dec. 11, the Associated Press reported.
Lil Wayne already has a felony conviction for possession of a firearm in 2009 in New York.


npr--2020-11-17--Biden Wants To Help Pay Some Student Loans, But There's Pressure To Go Further

Biden Wants To Help Pay Some Student Loans , But There 's Pressure To Go Further President-elect Joe Biden has affirmed his support for erasing some student debt `` immediately . ''
Student debt forgiveness was a major campaign plank of some of his more progressive rivals for the Democratic nomination , but it remains controversial even among some Democrats .
In answer to a question at a Monday press conference , Biden repeated his support for a provision passed as part of the HEROES Act , which the Democratic-controlled House updated on Oct. 1 .
The provision calls for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to $ 10,000 in private , nonfederal student loans for `` economically distressed '' borrowers .
Biden specifically highlighted `` people ... having to make choices between paying their student loan and paying the rent , '' and said the debt relief `` should be done immediately . ''
Senate Democrats are pushing for much more debt relief .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer co-authored a resolution in September with Sen. Elizabeth Warren calling for the next president to cancel up to $ 50,000 of outstanding federal student loans per borrower .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would mean erasing all debt for more than three-quarters of borrowers .
The senators cited an opinion from attorneys at a Harvard legal clinic who argue that the power to cancel federal student loan debt rests with the president and his or her education secretary , since it 's the Education Department that actually originates these loans .
That means it can be done regardless of who controls the Senate without passing any new laws .
It can be done — but should it be done ?
Some economists argue canceling student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up younger people to start businesses , buy homes and even start families .
Warren , in her presidential campaign proposal , cited arguments that debt forgiveness would reduce the racial wealth gap , reverse rural brain drain and allow more people to complete their educations .
Activist groups such as the Debt Collective go further , arguing that student debt is wrong in principle .
`` We must return education to the status of a public good , '' the organization says on its website .
Critics point out that people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who do n't have them .
They say student debt cancellation is , in that sense , regressive , because it 's a form of economic aid targeted to people who are already at an advantage .
Some commentators also see a partisan slant to debt forgiveness .
That 's because white voters without a college degree are far more likely to vote Republican .
And then there 's the moral hazard argument — that debt cancellation would tempt people to take out more student loans and act irresponsibly in the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency , and targeting the economically distressed , as Biden is calling for , might reduce these kinds of criticisms .
And Biden coupled his endorsement of debt cancellation with the idea of lowering the cost of college through more federal aid going forward , `` everything from community college , straight through to doubling Pell Grants , to making sure that we have access to free education for anyone [ from households ] making under $ 125,000 for four years of college , '' he said .
His wife , Jill Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the call for free community college at a remote keynote address she gave Monday to a group called College Promise , where she is the former honorary chair .
College Promise supports and advocates for a network of 360 local free college programs across the country , which operate with a mixture of public and philanthropic support .

Biden Wants To Help Pay Some Student Loans, But There's Pressure To Go Further
Enlarge this image toggle caption Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images
President-elect Joe Biden has affirmed his support for erasing some student debt "immediately."
Student debt forgiveness was a major campaign plank of some of his more progressive rivals for the Democratic nomination, but it remains controversial even among some Democrats.
In answer to a question at a Monday press conference, Biden repeated his support for a provision passed as part of the HEROES Act, which the Democratic-controlled House updated on Oct. 1. The provision calls for the federal government to pay off up to $10,000 in private, nonfederal student loans for "economically distressed" borrowers. Biden specifically highlighted "people ... having to make choices between paying their student loan and paying the rent," and said the debt relief "should be done immediately."
Senate Democrats are pushing for much more debt relief. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer co-authored a resolution in September with Sen. Elizabeth Warren calling for the next president to cancel up to $50,000 of outstanding federal student loans per borrower. According to data from the College Board, that would mean erasing all debt for more than three-quarters of borrowers.
The senators cited an opinion from attorneys at a Harvard legal clinic who argue that the power to cancel federal student loan debt rests with the president and his or her education secretary, since it's the Education Department that actually originates these loans. That means it can be done regardless of who controls the Senate without passing any new laws.
It can be done — but should it be done? Some economists argue canceling student debt will boost the economy, freeing up younger people to start businesses, buy homes and even start families.
Warren, in her presidential campaign proposal, cited arguments that debt forgiveness would reduce the racial wealth gap, reverse rural brain drain and allow more people to complete their educations. Activist groups such as the Debt Collective go further, arguing that student debt is wrong in principle. "We must return education to the status of a public good," the organization says on its website.
Critics point out that people with college degrees usually earn more money than those who don't have them. They say student debt cancellation is, in that sense, regressive, because it's a form of economic aid targeted to people who are already at an advantage. Some commentators also see a partisan slant to debt forgiveness. That's because white voters without a college degree are far more likely to vote Republican. And then there's the moral hazard argument — that debt cancellation would tempt people to take out more student loans and act irresponsibly in the future.
Tying debt cancellation to the COVID-19 emergency, and targeting the economically distressed, as Biden is calling for, might reduce these kinds of criticisms.
And Biden coupled his endorsement of debt cancellation with the idea of lowering the cost of college through more federal aid going forward, "everything from community college, straight through to doubling Pell Grants, to making sure that we have access to free education for anyone [from households] making under $125,000 for four years of college," he said.
His wife, Jill Biden, a community college professor, echoed the call for free community college at a remote keynote address she gave Monday to a group called College Promise, where she is the former honorary chair. College Promise supports and advocates for a network of 360 local free college programs across the country, which operate with a mixture of public and philanthropic support.


npr--2020-11-18--FAA Gives Boeing OK To Resume 737 Max Passenger Service

FAA Gives Boeing OK To Resume 737 Max Passenger Service After 20 months on the tarmac that followed two fatal crashes , Boeing 's troubled 737 Max airliner has been given the green light to resume passenger flights , the Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday .
The plane 's return to the skies will not be immediate , however .
The FAA is requiring a series of design changes to the planes laid out in a 115-page directive .
It also put forward training requirements for pilots and maintenance requirements for airlines .
The FAA and aviation authorities around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 2019 , after a 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed , killing all 157 people on board .
It occurred less than five months after another 737 Max operated by Lion Air crashed in Indonesia , killing all 189 passengers and crew .
The two crashes were later linked to faulty sensors and a flawed flight control system that repeatedly forced the planes into nose dives that the pilots were unable to control .
Boeing has admitted that it knew about problems with the plane a year before the deadly crashes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investigators looking into the cause of the crashes found a `` culture of concealment '' at the manufacturer .
Critics have accused the company of cutting corners in a rush to development the 737 Max , which was billed to airlines as a new , more efficient version of the venerable medium-haul airframe .
Boeing and the FAA were also widely criticized over the way the 737 Max was first certified .
A congressional inquiry found `` a disturbing pattern of technical miscalculations and troubling management misjudgments '' by the airplane maker and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
In September , FAA Administrator Steve Dickson , a former Delta Air Lines pilot and executive , made good on a promise not sign off on recertifying the Max until he flew the plane himself .
On Sept. 30 , Dickson piloted a 737 Max out of Boeing Field in Seattle , putting it through its paces to test the flight control system .
`` I liked what I saw , '' he told reporters after landing .
However , families of the victims of the crashes say they do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Naoise Ryan , whose husband Mick died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash , says neither Boeing nor the FAA has provided enough information about the fixes to convince her .
`` We want answers as to why the crash happened and also we want answers to exactly what they 've done to make sure this never happens again , '' Ryan said .
Michael Stumo , father of 24-year old Samya Rose Stumo , who died on the flight as Ryan 's husband , urged passengers to avoid flying on the 737 Max @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust us just like before , '' he said .
`` [ But ] they do n't meet with us .
They meet with each other .
And we can not trust this plane . ''
That distrust has also tainted the Boeing brand .
Although the FAA says it is safe for passengers to fly on 737 Max again , the plane 's image may have suffered irreparable damage .
When the 737 Max returns to the skies , as planned , some airlines are likely to downplay the `` Max '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names , such as `` 737 -7 '' or `` 737 -8 , '' instead , Reuters reports , citing industry sources familiar with the branding .
`` You will see the MAX name used less frequently , '' one of the sources told the news agency .
Last year , Brand Finance estimated that the 737 Max 's problems had caused $ 7.5 billion in damage to Boeing 's brand .

FAA Clears Boeing's 737 Max To Resume Passenger Service
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elaine Thompson/AP Elaine Thompson/AP
Updated at 4:55 p.m. ET
After 20 months on the tarmac following two fatal crashes, Boeing's troubled 737 Max airliner has been given the green light to resume passenger flights, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday.
The plane's return to the skies will not be immediate, however. The FAA is requiring a series of design changes laid out in a 115-page directive. It also put forward training requirements for pilots and maintenance requirements for airlines.
In a briefing today with reporters, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson insisted that what he called a comprehensive, methodical and deliberate review process has ensured the 737 Max is now safe to fly passengers again.
"This airplane has undergone an unprecedented level of scrutiny by the FAA," Dickson said. "We have not left anything to chance here."
After the FAA announcement, the Air Line Pilots Association released a statement saying it "believes that the engineering fixes to the flight-critical aircraft systems are sound and will be an effective component that leads to the safe return to service of the 737 MAX."
The FAA and aviation authorities around the world ordered the aircraft type grounded in March 2019, after a 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed, killing all 157 people on board. It occurred less than five months after a 737 Max operated by Lion Air crashed in Indonesia, killing all 189 passengers and crew.
The two crashes were later linked to faulty sensors and a flawed flight control system that repeatedly forced the planes into nosedives that the pilots were unable to control.
Boeing has admitted that it knew about problems with the plane a year before the deadly crashes but failed to take action. Investigators looking into the cause of the crashes found a "culture of concealment" at the manufacturer. Critics have accused the company of cutting corners in a rush to develop the 737 Max, which was billed to airlines as a new, more efficient version of the venerable medium-haul airframe.
Boeing and the FAA were also widely criticized over the way the 737 Max was first certified. A congressional inquiry found "a disturbing pattern of technical miscalculations and troubling management misjudgments" by the airplane maker and "grossly insufficient oversight by the FAA."
In September, Dickson, a former Delta pilot and executive, made good on a promise not to sign off on recertifying the Max until he flew the plane himself. On Sept. 30, Dickson piloted a 737 Max out of Boeing Field in Seattle, putting it through its paces to test the flight control system.
"I liked what I saw," he told reporters after landing.
After Wednesday's announcement, Dickson went further.
"The design changes that we have overseen make it impossible for these accident scenarios to reoccur," he said.
However, families of the victims of the crashes say they don't believe the plane is safe yet.
Naoise Ryan, whose husband Mick died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, says neither Boeing nor the FAA has provided enough information about the fixes to convince her.
"We want answers as to why the crash happened, and also we want answers to exactly what they've done to make sure this never happens again," Ryan said.
Michael Stumo, whose 24-year-old daughter, Samya Rose Stumo, died on the same flight as Ryan's husband, urged passengers to avoid flying on the 737 Max.
"They say [to] trust us just like before," he said. "[But] they don't meet with us. They meet with each other. And we cannot trust this plane."
That distrust has also tainted the Boeing brand. Although the FAA says it is safe for passengers to fly on 737 Max again, the plane's image may have suffered irreparable damage. When the aircraft returns to the skies, as planned, some airlines are likely to downplay the "Max" label using the plane's formal variant names, such as "737 -7" or "737 -8," Reuters reports, citing industry sources familiar with the branding.
"You will see the MAX name used less frequently," one of the sources told the news agency.
Last year, Brand Finance estimated that the 737 Max's problems had caused $7.5 billion in damage to Boeing's brand.


npr--2020-11-18--Financial Watchdog Expected To Get Its Teeth Back Under Biden

Financial Watchdog Expected To Get Its Teeth Back Under Biden The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created after the last financial crisis to be the tough cop on the beat , making sure people do n't get taken advantage of by lenders , debt collectors or other companies .
It 's returned $ 12 billion to people harmed by financial firms .
`` This agency was designed to be a watchdog , '' says Deepak Gupta , a former top enforcement lawyer at the bureau .
`` That mission is more important than ever . ''
With millions of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , he says , more people are vulnerable to predatory practices .
But under the Trump administration , this federal watchdog had its teeth removed .
President Trump put one of the bureau 's fiercest Republican critics , Mick Mulvaney , in charge of running it .
As a congressman , Mulvaney called the bureau `` a joke . ''
He said , `` That 's what the CFPB really has been in a sick , sad kind of way . ''
Mulvaney sponsored legislation to abolish the bureau .
Under Mulvaney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement cases fell sharply .
By one count , the money the bureau returns to consumers dropped by 96 % .
But in its zeal to weaken the agency , the Trump administration backed a lawsuit claiming that the bureau was unconstitutional , in part because its director had too much power and could n't be removed by the president .
The case eventually went all the way to the Supreme Court .
And this past summer , the court said the president could fire the director .
But by then Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had no need to fire anybody .
And so the lawsuit , in a sense , backfired , because had the suit not been brought , President-elect Joe Biden would have been stuck with a Trump-appointed director at the CFPB for years to come .
`` The irony of that is that now on Day 1 , President Biden will be able to name his own director — someone who is much more committed to the mission that the agency has to look out for American consumers , '' Gupta says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot to be done .
Just one example : Millions of American homeowners have been able to skip mortgage payments if they lost income during the pandemic .
Congress mandated that flexibility for most mortgages under the CARES Act to prevent foreclosures during the pandemic .
And lenders are not supposed to stick people with unaffordable repayment plans .
`` The CFPB can make sure that banks and financial companies are actually following those rules , '' Gupta says .
The pandemic recession has hit many lower-income communities hardest .
Aracely Panameño , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Responsible Lending , says that people in such communities are more likely to get into trouble borrowing from high-interest rate payday lenders .
`` They are highly concentrated in communities of color , Black neighborhoods , Latino neighborhoods , '' she says .
The Trump administration weakened a rule that aimed to protect people who get payday loans .
Panameño says she hopes the bureau can strengthen that rule .
But she says in the meantime , the CFPB can still be policing deceptive or unfair practices — not just by payday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and auto-title lenders who have people put their vehicles up as collateral .
`` For a certain type of car title loans , 20 % of borrowers end up in repossession — losing their car , truck , '' Panameño says .
For their part , financial firms do n't want the agency under Biden to be too aggressive .
Mary Jackson , CEO of the industry group the Online Lenders Alliance , says too much regulation can prevent people from borrowing money when they need it .
`` It 's really important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to capital and access to credit so they can get their car repaired , so they can keep their lights on , so that they can take care of their children , '' Jackson says .
`` And it really is up to the government to make sure they strike that balance in their policies . ''
Still , there 's been a sharp increase in complaints to the CFPB during the pandemic .
So Gupta , the former CFPB attorney , is looking forward to the watchdog getting its teeth back .

Financial Watchdog Expected To Get Its Teeth Back Under Biden
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created after the last financial crisis to be the tough cop on the beat, making sure people don't get taken advantage of by lenders, debt collectors or other companies. It's returned $12 billion to people harmed by financial firms.
"This agency was designed to be a watchdog," says Deepak Gupta, a former top enforcement lawyer at the bureau. "That mission is more important than ever."
With millions of Americans in desperate financial straits due to the pandemic, he says, more people are vulnerable to predatory practices.
But under the Trump administration, this federal watchdog had its teeth removed. President Trump put one of the bureau's fiercest Republican critics, Mick Mulvaney, in charge of running it.
As a congressman, Mulvaney called the bureau "a joke." He said, "That's what the CFPB really has been in a sick, sad kind of way." Mulvaney sponsored legislation to abolish the bureau.
Under Mulvaney and his successor, the number of enforcement cases fell sharply. By one count, the money the bureau returns to consumers dropped by 96%.
But in its zeal to weaken the agency, the Trump administration backed a lawsuit claiming that the bureau was unconstitutional, in part because its director had too much power and couldn't be removed by the president. The case eventually went all the way to the Supreme Court. And this past summer, the court said the president could fire the director.
But by then Trump's director was already in place, so he had no need to fire anybody. And so the lawsuit, in a sense, backfired, because had the suit not been brought, President-elect Joe Biden would have been stuck with a Trump-appointed director at the CFPB for years to come.
"The irony of that is that now on Day 1, President Biden will be able to name his own director — someone who is much more committed to the mission that the agency has to look out for American consumers," Gupta says.
Meanwhile, Gupta says there's a lot to be done. Just one example: Millions of American homeowners have been able to skip mortgage payments if they lost income during the pandemic. Congress mandated that flexibility for most mortgages under the CARES Act to prevent foreclosures during the pandemic. And lenders are not supposed to stick people with unaffordable repayment plans.
"The CFPB can make sure that banks and financial companies are actually following those rules," Gupta says.
The pandemic recession has hit many lower-income communities hardest. Aracely Panameño, director of Latino affairs at the Center for Responsible Lending, says that people in such communities are more likely to get into trouble borrowing from high-interest rate payday lenders.
"They are highly concentrated in communities of color, Black neighborhoods, Latino neighborhoods," she says.
The Trump administration weakened a rule that aimed to protect people who get payday loans. Panameño says she hopes the bureau can strengthen that rule. But she says in the meantime, the CFPB can still be policing deceptive or unfair practices — not just by payday lenders, but also online lenders, and auto-title lenders who have people put their vehicles up as collateral.
"For a certain type of car title loans, 20% of borrowers end up in repossession — losing their car, truck," Panameño says.
For their part, financial firms don't want the agency under Biden to be too aggressive. Mary Jackson, CEO of the industry group the Online Lenders Alliance, says too much regulation can prevent people from borrowing money when they need it.
"It's really important for everyday working people to have access to capital and access to credit so they can get their car repaired, so they can keep their lights on, so that they can take care of their children," Jackson says. "And it really is up to the government to make sure they strike that balance in their policies."
Still, there's been a sharp increase in complaints to the CFPB during the pandemic. So Gupta, the former CFPB attorney, is looking forward to the watchdog getting its teeth back.


npr--2020-11-18--With Cases Surging, Colleges Turn To Students For Help

With Cases Surging , Colleges Turn To Students For Help Lately , Echo Fridley has had a raspy voice and a sore throat .
Not from illness but from many hours on the phone talking with other students about quarantine and isolation , as a contact tracer at Syracuse University .
`` I 'm definitely super-overwhelmed , '' says Fridley , a junior studying public health and biology .
`` We 've seen such an explosion of cases . ''
The spike in coronavirus cases on campuses nationwide comes at a particularly bad time : the final days before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will also mark the end of in-person instruction for the fall semester and the return of these students to their home communities .
At Syracuse last week , there were about 200 new student cases in just five days .
More than 600 students are in quarantine , and the university moved classes online until the end of the year .
Throughout this unusual fall semester , as campuses have seen caseloads rise , contact tracers have been an essential tool in the fight to stop that spread .
But at times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelming : An outbreak at a big party can mean hundreds of phone calls .
So for help , colleges across the U.S. have turned to their own students .
`` I 'm not a public health official that 's going to yell at them .
I 'm a student too , '' explains Diana Morales , a contact tracer and junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign .
Most days she 's tasked with calling people — often fellow students — who tested positive for the coronavirus and must isolate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ those people and letting them know that they 've been identified and must quarantine .
She says her main mission is to make people feel comfortable .
`` I 'll just add little phrases like , 'Oh , that 's cool ' or ' I feel that ! '
or 'Sweet ! '
`` Morales makes her calls from a large room at the local health department alongside more than a dozen other callers .
In many ways , it feels like the epicenter for the coronavirus in her college town : Posters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back in September it was mostly sororities and fraternities ) , and there are rows of desks surrounded by plexiglass , giving off a tech-startup vibe .
On the day NPR visited , we heard snippets of conversations from ongoing calls : Are you able to quarantine ?
Do you have any of the following symptoms ?
Can you think of anyone you 've had close contact with that 's tested positive ?
In a call with a student living in a sorority who tested positive , a contact tracer tries to figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caught the virus .
There 's about a minute of silence and then : Oh , the boyfriend !
Looks like we found the culprit .
He owes you one .
Often , a contact tracer is the first human a student talks to after the student tests positive .
Shelby Dorsey , a junior studying theater at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , sees herself as a COVID-19 therapist .
She says it 's her job to give out health information and set folks at ease — for example , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been at a popular student bar .
`` We 're not here to chastise , '' she says .
`` I 'll say like , 'Oh , I miss going to the bars . '
Like , I 'm not here trying to judge you . ''
Not all contact tracers go into an office .
In Boulder , Colo. , Sarah Bellatti set up a desk in the corner of her off-campus group house to make her tracing calls , surrounding the spot with gauzy curtains for a bit of privacy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes , '' says Bellatti , a senior studying integrative physiology and public health at the University of Colorado Boulder .
This far into the semester , she does n't need her script for the calls , but she always has it up on her screen in case she encounters someone who 's agitated or who `` does n't really want to speak with you . ''
One of the biggest challenges for Bellatti — as well as contact tracers throughout the country — is compliance : Even getting students to pick up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the University of Illinois , the school 's leadership sent an email asking students to save the health department 's numbers in their phones , so they would n't screen out those numbers .
And then there 's the question of whether students will listen when they 're told to quarantine or isolate .
`` You can hear a student 's resistance in the first few minutes , '' says Bellatti .
`` They talk slowly , and they ask very few questions : 'Is this a scam ? '
And they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ca n't go to the gym ?
Who 's enforcing this ? '
`` Enforcement is a big challenge , and student contact tracers said that while they hope students are truthful with them , they do n't have many options if a student is lying .
Echo Fridley , at Syracuse , has talked with students who try concealing whom they 've been hanging with and for how long .
`` Sometimes they 'll change their stories while we 're on the phone . ''
Other students will say they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people hanging out in the background , '' Fridley says .
With the recent spike on campus , she 's had a particularly hard time tracking people down and confirming they are following the rules .
With Thanksgiving break approaching and classes now online , many students have been heading home early .
`` People are scared they 're gon na get trapped , '' she says , `` so they 're jumping on planes and going all over the country . ''
It has made her job especially challenging : `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she says .
`` Telling [ students ] they have to go into quarantine , that 's one of the hardest jobs .
And I get it — like just being alone in a hotel room for two weeks just does not sound appealing for most people . ''
Max Onderdonk , another contact tracer at Syracuse , had to quarantine himself earlier this semester .
When he 's making his calls , he offers his own experience as advice : `` Fourteen days of underwear , that 's really the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to bring some entertainment .
For Onderdonk , that meant `` a lot of '90s hip-hop albums and a lot of Sopranos . ''
By the end of his quarantine , he 'd made it to season four .

With Cases Surging, Colleges Turn To Students For Help
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
Lately, Echo Fridley has had a raspy voice and a sore throat. Not from illness but from many hours on the phone talking with other students about quarantine and isolation, as a contact tracer at Syracuse University.
"I'm definitely super-overwhelmed," says Fridley, a junior studying public health and biology. "We've seen such an explosion of cases."
The spike in coronavirus cases on campuses nationwide comes at a particularly bad time: the final days before the Thanksgiving break. For many colleges, that will also mark the end of in-person instruction for the fall semester and the return of these students to their home communities.
At Syracuse last week, there were about 200 new student cases in just five days. More than 600 students are in quarantine, and the university moved classes online until the end of the year.
Throughout this unusual fall semester, as campuses have seen caseloads rise, contact tracers have been an essential tool in the fight to stop that spread. But at times, that task has proved to be overwhelming: An outbreak at a big party can mean hundreds of phone calls. So for help, colleges across the U.S. have turned to their own students.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
"I'm not a public health official that's going to yell at them. I'm a student too," explains Diana Morales, a contact tracer and junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Most days she's tasked with calling people — often fellow students — who tested positive for the coronavirus and must isolate. Or she's calling close contacts of those people and letting them know that they've been identified and must quarantine.
She says her main mission is to make people feel comfortable. "I'll just add little phrases like, 'Oh, that's cool' or 'I feel that!' or 'Sweet!' "
Morales makes her calls from a large room at the local health department alongside more than a dozen other callers. In many ways, it feels like the epicenter for the coronavirus in her college town: Posters on the wall list known outbreaks (back in September it was mostly sororities and fraternities), and there are rows of desks surrounded by plexiglass, giving off a tech-startup vibe.
On the day NPR visited, we heard snippets of conversations from ongoing calls: Are you able to quarantine? Do you have any of the following symptoms? Can you think of anyone you've had close contact with that's tested positive?
In a call with a student living in a sorority who tested positive, a contact tracer tries to figure out how the student on the line caught the virus. There's about a minute of silence and then: Oh, the boyfriend! Looks like we found the culprit. He owes you one.
Often, a contact tracer is the first human a student talks to after the student tests positive.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
Shelby Dorsey, a junior studying theater at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, sees herself as a COVID-19 therapist. She says it's her job to give out health information and set folks at ease — for example, when a student sheepishly tells her they've been at a popular student bar.
"We're not here to chastise," she says. "I'll say like, 'Oh, I miss going to the bars.' Like, I'm not here trying to judge you."
Not all contact tracers go into an office. In Boulder, Colo., Sarah Bellatti set up a desk in the corner of her off-campus group house to make her tracing calls, surrounding the spot with gauzy curtains for a bit of privacy.
"Talking to strangers can be nerve-wracking sometimes," says Bellatti, a senior studying integrative physiology and public health at the University of Colorado Boulder. This far into the semester, she doesn't need her script for the calls, but she always has it up on her screen in case she encounters someone who's agitated or who "doesn't really want to speak with you."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
One of the biggest challenges for Bellatti — as well as contact tracers throughout the country — is compliance: Even getting students to pick up a call can be an issue. At the University of Illinois, the school's leadership sent an email asking students to save the health department's numbers in their phones, so they wouldn't screen out those numbers.
And then there's the question of whether students will listen when they're told to quarantine or isolate. "You can hear a student's resistance in the first few minutes," says Bellatti. "They talk slowly, and they ask very few questions: 'Is this a scam?' And they say, 'Wait a minute? So I can't go to the gym? Who's enforcing this?' "
Enforcement is a big challenge, and student contact tracers said that while they hope students are truthful with them, they don't have many options if a student is lying.
Echo Fridley, at Syracuse, has talked with students who try concealing whom they've been hanging with and for how long. "Sometimes they'll change their stories while we're on the phone."
Other students will say they're quarantining, "but I can hear people hanging out in the background," Fridley says. With the recent spike on campus, she's had a particularly hard time tracking people down and confirming they are following the rules.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
With Thanksgiving break approaching and classes now online, many students have been heading home early. "People are scared they're gonna get trapped," she says, "so they're jumping on planes and going all over the country."
It has made her job especially challenging: "I feel like I'm the bad guy," she says. "Telling [students] they have to go into quarantine, that's one of the hardest jobs. And I get it — like just being alone in a hotel room for two weeks just does not sound appealing for most people."
Max Onderdonk, another contact tracer at Syracuse, had to quarantine himself earlier this semester. When he's making his calls, he offers his own experience as advice: "Fourteen days of underwear, that's really the biggest thing."
He also reminds them to bring some entertainment. For Onderdonk, that meant "a lot of '90s hip-hop albums and a lot of Sopranos." By the end of his quarantine, he'd made it to season four.