npr--2020-02-27--Schools Are Embracing Mindfulness, But Practice Doesn't Always Make Perfect

Schools Are Embracing Mindfulness , But Practice Does n't Always Make Perfect When kids at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School act up , they are n't sent straight to the principal 's office .
Instead , many students at the high-poverty school in Nashville , Tenn. , go to the `` BeWell '' room .
The serene space is awash in sunlight and brimming with plants .
There are yoga mats , toys , a lounging nook and soothing music drifting out of a desk speaker .
In this room , teacher Riki Rattner , who is also trained as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep breathing and check in with their emotions .
`` Let 's get you checked in and calming down .
Taking care of you , '' she tells a fourth grader who walks in after a tiff in art class .
One in 5 American children struggles with anxiety , according to the National Institute of Mental Health , and almost half experience at least one serious stressor at home — like divorce , poverty or a parent 's addiction — according to the nonprofit Child Trends .
To help students cope , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are turning to mindfulness .
Its boosters claim all kinds of benefits , and there is research to back them up .
But mindfulness in schools can mean many different things , and the explosion of interest has some researchers and proponents advising caution .
`` Mindfulness when delivered in a high-quality structured program can be beneficial for youth , '' says Erica Sibinga , a professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine .
`` We ca n't immediately assume it 's effective when delivered in other ways . ''
Mindfulness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a secularized version of practices that draw from religions like Buddhism and Hinduism .
It might include things like focusing on the senses , deep , regular breathing and mental exercises designed to promote awareness and kindness .
In schools , mindfulness has taken many forms , from intensive curricular programs , to professional development for teachers , to an occasional behavioral respite .
Some for-profit companies advertise videos and audio tracks meant to be played to children for as little as five minutes a day ; others market toys and gadgets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rattner uses an expandable ball to demonstrate deep breathing and a liquid motion bubble timer filled with colorful oil to help students calm down .
But Tish Jennings , an education researcher at the University of Virginia says buyers should beware .
`` There 's people out there that have good intentions , and they 're really trying to support schools , but they may not have the evidence behind what they 're doing . ''
Almost 90 % of Warner students live in poverty , and many come to school carrying trauma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ability to focus .
The mindfulness program , which began this school year , is one way Warner is trying to address those challenges .
In addition to one-on-one sessions with students , Rattner also hosts yoga classes and provides classroom support .
And twice a day , Principal Ricki Gibbs leads school-wide breathing exercises .
Gibbs says he 's already seen an improvement : Behavior referrals are down 80 % compared to the same time last year .
`` We 've given them avenues to work on mindfulness , '' Gibbs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calming themselves , getting to their center place where they can just be children . ''
Gibbs may be seeing results , but there 's little research behind mindfulness programs like his .
And the programs that have been studied — and proven effective — take a lot more time than what 's being done at Warner .
Most of the clinical research on mindfulness has centered on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction , a specific protocol created in a medical school .
It draws from traditional Buddhist meditation practices , but secularized and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive : It typically takes place over the course of eight weeks , for two or two and a half hours per week , plus an all-day retreat .
Studies have found that MBSR improves both chronic pain and the body 's immune response .
And there are significant mental health benefits : For adults , across populations , this protocol has been shown to have a similar effect as antidepressants .
Sibinga at Johns Hopkins has published several studies on the efficacy of mindfulness for children and teenagers , particularly those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the studies , which Sibinga designed , the training consists of 12 weekly sessions of 50 minutes each — a significant amount of instructional time at any school .
Some of the language has been simplified or made less abstract for young people , but it 's still very much based on MBSR , she says .
And , it works .
`` We see mental health benefits , '' Sibinga explains .
`` We see some behavioral benefits .
Youth are more likely not to engage in conflict — more likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They express greater acceptance of themselves . ''
Jennings at the University of Virginia has taken a different , in some ways even more intensive approach .
She believes successful mindfulness programs should include adults as well as the children in a school , and they should be integrated with a schools ' approach to discipline and social and emotional learning .
Jennings co-created a program called CARE , which provides intensive mindfulness training for teachers .
Randomized controlled trials show the program is effective not only in improving teachers ' well-being , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as teachers become more centered and less reactive to stressful situations .
Jennings says the programs that are backed by the best evidence are `` doing a really good job of fitting into the school system in a way that the teachers and students can use .
It 's not being plugged in or added on .
It 's building a new climate in the school where everyone '' — from the principal to the bus driver — `` is approaching what they 're doing with a more mindful and compassionate approach .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ program in Louisville , Ky. , that is trying to do just that .
In the United States , mindfulness has long been associated with white , affluent and highly educated people , as well as with the technology industry and the corporate world .
As its use spreads in schools , and as researchers like Sibinga focus specifically on how it can help children who face trauma and adversity , experts like Tiara Cash are raising concerns about equity and inclusion .
Cash is with the Center for Mindfulness , Compassion and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization that works to promote what she calls `` equitable mindfulness '' to diverse communities in culturally specific ways .
Statistics show , in schools across the country , black and Hispanic students are disciplined more often and more harshly .
Cash says it 's possible that a given student is feeling angry or disruptive because teachers really do show implicit bias — and mindfulness is n't going to fix that underlying problem .
`` Mindfulness really is n't spiritual bypassing , '' she says .
`` So we 're not trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injustices and systematic issues that show up in these different communities and in these different spaces . ''
She says that while it is helpful to give a student a chance to process difficult emotions that come up in class , mindfulness would be better used to allow teachers to interrogate and eliminate their own implicit biases .
`` What we 're really trying to do is elevate the understanding that , you know , with our own personal practices , with our own sitting with ourselves , we 're able to break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that , Cash , like Jennings , says it 's hard to do mindfulness effectively unless teachers walk the talk .
And that , of course , takes a holistic approach , with lots of resources , time and support — three things that are often in short supply in the nation 's schools .

Schools Are Embracing Mindfulness, But Practice Doesn't Always Make Perfect
Enlarge this image toggle caption William DeShazer/WLPN William DeShazer/WLPN
When kids at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School act up, they aren't sent straight to the principal's office. Instead, many students at the high-poverty school in Nashville, Tenn., go to the "BeWell" room.
The serene space is awash in sunlight and brimming with plants. There are yoga mats, toys, a lounging nook and soothing music drifting out of a desk speaker. In this room, teacher Riki Rattner, who is also trained as a yoga instructor, helps students practice deep breathing and check in with their emotions.
"Let's get you checked in and calming down. Taking care of you," she tells a fourth grader who walks in after a tiff in art class.
One in 5 American children struggles with anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and almost half experience at least one serious stressor at home — like divorce, poverty or a parent's addiction — according to the nonprofit Child Trends.
To help students cope, a growing number of schools like Warner are turning to mindfulness. Its boosters claim all kinds of benefits, and there is research to back them up. But mindfulness in schools can mean many different things, and the explosion of interest has some researchers and proponents advising caution.
"Mindfulness when delivered in a high-quality structured program can be beneficial for youth," says Erica Sibinga, a professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "We can't immediately assume it's effective when delivered in other ways."
Mindfulness is a bit of a catch-all term for a secularized version of practices that draw from religions like Buddhism and Hinduism. It might include things like focusing on the senses, deep, regular breathing and mental exercises designed to promote awareness and kindness.
In schools, mindfulness has taken many forms, from intensive curricular programs, to professional development for teachers, to an occasional behavioral respite. Some for-profit companies advertise videos and audio tracks meant to be played to children for as little as five minutes a day; others market toys and gadgets. For example, at Warner, Rattner uses an expandable ball to demonstrate deep breathing and a liquid motion bubble timer filled with colorful oil to help students calm down.
Enlarge this image toggle caption William DeShazer/WLPN William DeShazer/WLPN
But Tish Jennings, an education researcher at the University of Virginia says buyers should beware.
"There's people out there that have good intentions, and they're really trying to support schools, but they may not have the evidence behind what they're doing."
Evidence-Based Mindfulness
Almost 90% of Warner students live in poverty, and many come to school carrying trauma and other troubles that affect their behavior and ability to focus. The mindfulness program, which began this school year, is one way Warner is trying to address those challenges. In addition to one-on-one sessions with students, Rattner also hosts yoga classes and provides classroom support. And twice a day, Principal Ricki Gibbs leads school-wide breathing exercises.
Gibbs says he's already seen an improvement: Behavior referrals are down 80% compared to the same time last year.
"We've given them avenues to work on mindfulness," Gibbs says, "to work on just calming themselves, getting to their center place where they can just be children."
Gibbs may be seeing results, but there's little research behind mindfulness programs like his. And the programs that have been studied — and proven effective — take a lot more time than what's being done at Warner.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Meribah Knight/WLPN Meribah Knight/WLPN
Most of the clinical research on mindfulness has centered on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, a specific protocol created in a medical school. It draws from traditional Buddhist meditation practices, but secularized and standardized. MBSR for adults is fairly intensive: It typically takes place over the course of eight weeks, for two or two and a half hours per week, plus an all-day retreat.
Studies have found that MBSR improves both chronic pain and the body's immune response. And there are significant mental health benefits: For adults, across populations, this protocol has been shown to have a similar effect as antidepressants.
Sibinga at Johns Hopkins has published several studies on the efficacy of mindfulness for children and teenagers, particularly those who cope with significant stress and trauma. In the studies, which Sibinga designed, the training consists of 12 weekly sessions of 50 minutes each — a significant amount of instructional time at any school. Some of the language has been simplified or made less abstract for young people, but it's still very much based on MBSR, she says. And, it works.
"We see mental health benefits," Sibinga explains. "We see some behavioral benefits. Youth are more likely not to engage in conflict — more likely to walk away from contentious discussions. They express greater acceptance of themselves."
Jennings at the University of Virginia has taken a different, in some ways even more intensive approach. She believes successful mindfulness programs should include adults as well as the children in a school, and they should be integrated with a schools' approach to discipline and social and emotional learning.
Jennings co-created a program called CARE, which provides intensive mindfulness training for teachers. Randomized controlled trials show the program is effective not only in improving teachers' well-being, but also in improving the classroom environment as teachers become more centered and less reactive to stressful situations.
Jennings says the programs that are backed by the best evidence are "doing a really good job of fitting into the school system in a way that the teachers and students can use. It's not being plugged in or added on. It's building a new climate in the school where everyone" — from the principal to the bus driver — "is approaching what they're doing with a more mindful and compassionate approach."
She's currently studying a district-wide program in Louisville, Ky., that is trying to do just that.
Equitable Mindfulness
In the United States, mindfulness has long been associated with white, affluent and highly educated people, as well as with the technology industry and the corporate world. As its use spreads in schools, and as researchers like Sibinga focus specifically on how it can help children who face trauma and adversity, experts like Tiara Cash are raising concerns about equity and inclusion. Cash is with the Center for Mindfulness, Compassion and Resilience at Arizona State University, an organization that works to promote what she calls "equitable mindfulness" to diverse communities in culturally specific ways.
Statistics show, in schools across the country, black and Hispanic students are disciplined more often and more harshly. Cash says it's possible that a given student is feeling angry or disruptive because teachers really do show implicit bias — and mindfulness isn't going to fix that underlying problem.
"Mindfulness really isn't spiritual bypassing," she says. "So we're not trying to bypass the fact that there are social injustices and systematic issues that show up in these different communities and in these different spaces."
She says that while it is helpful to give a student a chance to process difficult emotions that come up in class, mindfulness would be better used to allow teachers to interrogate and eliminate their own implicit biases.
"What we're really trying to do is elevate the understanding that, you know, with our own personal practices, with our own sitting with ourselves, we're able to break down these barriers better."
Because of that, Cash, like Jennings, says it's hard to do mindfulness effectively unless teachers walk the talk. And that, of course, takes a holistic approach, with lots of resources, time and support — three things that are often in short supply in the nation's schools.


npr--2020-02-27--Pence's New Coronavirus Role Raises Questions About His Public Health Record

Pence 's New Coronavirus Role Raises Questions About His Public Health Record When President Trump announced Wednesday that Vice President Mike Pence would oversee the government effort to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus , he said the former Indiana governor `` has a certain talent for this . ''
But not everyone agrees .
Pence 's public health record , especially while he was governor , is now coming under harsh scrutiny .
Pence , who has no medical experience , will lead the response — though on Thursday , he said that Debbie Birx , a globally recognized expert on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him as the White House coronavirus coordinator .
Six years ago , Trump criticized former President Obama for appointing a longtime adviser , Ron Klain , to lead the government response to Ebola , instead of a medical professional .
Trump defended his decision to pick Pence Wednesday by arguing that Ebola was a more serious disease .
Indeed , coronavirus appears to have a much lower fatality rate than Ebola , but it has spread more widely .
During the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak , there were 28,600 cases and 11,325 deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice president for the role is being criticized more for his record on health policy than his lack of medical experience .
A spokeswoman for Pence was not immediately available for comment .
During Pence 's time as governor , one of Indiana 's poorest counties was hit hard with an HIV outbreak .
More than 200 infections were eventually attributed to the outbreak in Scott County , Ind .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention descended on the state to investigate .
The outbreak was blamed on opioid addiction and needle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needle exchange .
But Pence was delayed in his response , saying he was morally opposed to the state providing needles to drug users — even if those needles could effectively slow the spreading of HIV .
`` I do n't believe that effective anti-drug policy involves handing out paraphernalia to drug users by government officials , '' he said at the time .
`` I reject that . ''
He eventually relented and signed an emergency declaration that allowed Scott County to start a needle exchange program , but he did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Yale School of Public Health found that had Indiana acted earlier the number of people affected could have been reduced by more than 90 percent .
`` Our findings suggest that with earlier action the actual number of infections recorded in Scott County — 215 — might have been brought down to fewer than 56 , if the state had acted in 2013 , or to fewer than 10 infections , if they had responded to the ... outbreak in 2010-2011 , '' said Forrest Crawford , an associate professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was released .
Critics have pointed to the HIV outbreak to argue that Pence is the wrong person to lead the response .
`` There was an outbreak of HIV in Indiana a few years ago because Governor Mike Pence was horrible on public health policy , '' tweeted Rep. David Cicilline , D-R.I. `` So no , I 'm not relieved that Trump has him leading the coronavirus effort . ''
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she expressed concerns to Pence about the HIV outbreak when she spoke to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is about resources , it is also about personnel , it 's also about respect for science , for evidence-based decision making , '' Pelosi said .
Pelosi also criticized Pence for his past decisions to slash Indiana 's public health budget and his work to restrict access to abortions .
As WFYI 's Jake Harper reported in 2016 , Pence signed legislation that cut Indiana 's budget for public health programs , despite Indiana 's high smoking rate , high obesity rate , and high infant mortality rate .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health in Pence 's last year as governor — less than almost any other state .
Pence , an evangelical Christian who staunchly opposes abortion , has made ending public funding for Planned Parenthood one of his signature political issues .
`` If Planned Parenthood wants to be involved in providing counseling services and HIV testing , they ought not be in the business of providing abortions , '' he said in 2011 .
`` As long as they aspire to do that , I 'll be after them . ''
Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also actually hurt his ability to deal with Indiana 's HIV crisis , as a Planned Parenthood clinic that closed in Scott County was the county 's only HIV testing facility .

Pence's New Coronavirus Role Raises Questions About His Public Health Record
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
When President Trump announced Wednesday that Vice President Mike Pence would oversee the government effort to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus, he said the former Indiana governor "has a certain talent for this."
But not everyone agrees.
Pence's public health record, especially while he was governor, is now coming under harsh scrutiny.
Pence, who has no medical experience, will lead the response — though on Thursday, he said that Debbie Birx, a globally recognized expert on HIV and AIDS, would report to him as the White House coronavirus coordinator.
Six years ago, Trump criticized former President Obama for appointing a longtime adviser, Ron Klain, to lead the government response to Ebola, instead of a medical professional.
Trump defended his decision to pick Pence Wednesday by arguing that Ebola was a more serious disease. Indeed, coronavirus appears to have a much lower fatality rate than Ebola, but it has spread more widely. During the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak, there were 28,600 cases and 11,325 deaths.
Regardless, Trump's selection of his vice president for the role is being criticized more for his record on health policy than his lack of medical experience.
A spokeswoman for Pence was not immediately available for comment.
HIV Outbreak
During Pence's time as governor, one of Indiana's poorest counties was hit hard with an HIV outbreak. More than 200 infections were eventually attributed to the outbreak in Scott County, Ind.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention descended on the state to investigate. The outbreak was blamed on opioid addiction and needle sharing and health experts called for a needle exchange.
But Pence was delayed in his response, saying he was morally opposed to the state providing needles to drug users — even if those needles could effectively slow the spreading of HIV.
"I don't believe that effective anti-drug policy involves handing out paraphernalia to drug users by government officials," he said at the time. "I reject that."
He eventually relented and signed an emergency declaration that allowed Scott County to start a needle exchange program, but he did not legalize the practice statewide.
A study by the Yale School of Public Health found that had Indiana acted earlier the number of people affected could have been reduced by more than 90 percent.
"Our findings suggest that with earlier action the actual number of infections recorded in Scott County — 215 — might have been brought down to fewer than 56, if the state had acted in 2013, or to fewer than 10 infections, if they had responded to the... outbreak in 2010-2011," said Forrest Crawford, an associate professor of biostatistics at Yale, when the study was released.
Critics have pointed to the HIV outbreak to argue that Pence is the wrong person to lead the response.
"There was an outbreak of HIV in Indiana a few years ago because Governor Mike Pence was horrible on public health policy," tweeted Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I. "So no, I'm not relieved that Trump has him leading the coronavirus effort."
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she expressed concerns to Pence about the HIV outbreak when she spoke to him about his new position.
"This is about resources, it is also about personnel, it's also about respect for science, for evidence-based decision making," Pelosi said.
Other issues
Pelosi also criticized Pence for his past decisions to slash Indiana's public health budget and his work to restrict access to abortions.
As WFYI's Jake Harper reported in 2016, Pence signed legislation that cut Indiana's budget for public health programs, despite Indiana's high smoking rate, high obesity rate, and high infant mortality rate. The state spent just $12.40 per resident on public health in Pence's last year as governor — less than almost any other state.
Pence, an evangelical Christian who staunchly opposes abortion, has made ending public funding for Planned Parenthood one of his signature political issues.
"If Planned Parenthood wants to be involved in providing counseling services and HIV testing, they ought not be in the business of providing abortions," he said in 2011. "As long as they aspire to do that, I'll be after them."
Pence's battle against abortion clinics may have also actually hurt his ability to deal with Indiana's HIV crisis, as a Planned Parenthood clinic that closed in Scott County was the county's only HIV testing facility.


npr--2020-02-27--Harry Styles On 'Fine Line,' Stevie Nicks And His Definition Of Success

Harry Styles On 'Fine Line , ' Stevie Nicks And His Definition Of Success In a decade , Harry Styles has gone from teenage heartthrob to a global pop star in his own right .
As he 's distanced himself from his adolescent years as a member of One Direction , he 's become his own person , starring in the 2017 blockbuster Dunkirk , hosting Saturday Night Live and creating music that pulls from a variety of influences .
Styles released his second solo album Fine Line late last year , and in addition to showcasing some of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was also a huge commercial success , with the biggest U.S. sales week for a British male artist since Eric Clapton 's Unplugged in 1992 .
But Styles says he spent a lot of time rethinking his idea of success after touring his self-titled album .
`` I think if you 're making what you want to make , then ultimately no one can tell you you 're unsuccessful , because you 're doing what makes you happy , '' he says .
NPR 's Mary Louise Kelly spoke to Harry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and finding freedom in the music of the '70s , what he would say to his 16-year-old self and nail polish .
Listen in the player above and read on for a transcript of their full conversation .
This interview has been edited for length and clarity .
Mary Louise Kelly : Your most recent album seems tied up in the '70s , which is a decade you did n't actually live through .
What is it about that era that draws you in ?
Harry Styles : There 's a freedom in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you go back and listen to so much of that music , and you listen to songs from [ Carole King 's ] Tapestry and Harry Nilsson songs , they sound so fresh .
I think it 's crazy that something that was made so long ago , you can listen to it now and be like `` I want my drums to sound like these drums , and I want my strings to sound like these strings . ''
I think that 's really incredible .
And I think it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing what they wanted to do .
Obviously , the music business has changed so much since then — there was a lot more of everybody hanging out together and playing songs , and I feel like music is a lot more competitive now .
And is it maybe a little more produced now ?
Less organic ?
I think we just have different technology .
When we came to do my first solo album , I had this thing where I wanted to do everything to tape .
And then I kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use tape because it was really cool to use , they used it because it was the best technology they had [ at the time ] and it sounded the best .
And now we just have different ways of recording stuff and you can make stuff sound really nice — so we kind of abandoned the tape thing .
Overall what draws me to that time with music is just the freedom .
Was making Fine Line sound like the music of the '70s a conscious choice ?
I 'm not listening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I just want my stuff to sound like this . ''
You grow up listening to what your parents listen to .
For me it was the [ Rolling ] Stones , Beatles , Fleetwood [ Mac ] , a lot of Queen , Elvis Presley , Shania Twain , Savage Garden , Norah Jones .
That was kind of like the base of what my first experience with music was , and I feel like you ca n't help but have a lot of references from what you grew up listening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Speaking of Fleetwood Mac , I saw you 've gotten to know and work with Stevie Nicks .
What 's that like , to get to know someone who was the soundtrack of your childhood and go out on stage with them ?
It borders on an out-of-body experience .
`` Dreams '' was the first song I knew all the words to ; I used to sing it in the car with my mom .
Every time I 'm with her , you want to be , obviously , present , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being with her and soaking in .
But I think at the same time , while you 're in the room with her , I 'm sitting there thinking about being 10-years-old and singing the song .
Does it matter if you 're super famous yourself ?
I do n't think so , because ultimately we 're all humans .
It 's not like paralyzing starstruck , it 's more like I try and appreciate what my 10-year-old self would think of it .
I think ultimately you meet [ other famous people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awe of them , but at the same time you get to hang out with them on this human level , where you 're just talking and it 's really amazing .
Those are the moments that kind of mean the most because it 's real .
And when everything else about being in music goes away , that 's the stuff that I think you end up telling your grandkids .
For example , with Stevie , my favorite moments about it are n't usually the show , it 's the practicing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was at the Troubadour — famously , where Elton John did his first U.S. show — and it was an amazing moment , but my favorite was soundchecking .
It 's like four people in there and just us singing in the empty Troubadour .
For me , that 's a moment that I 'm going to hold on to .
Speaking of moments where you wish you could tell your younger self `` Buddy , you have no idea '' : 10 years ago when you auditioned for the British reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cowell asked you `` What do you want to do with your life , what are your future plans ? ''
You said you were going back to college in the fall to study `` law , sociology , business and something else , but I 'm not sure yet . ''
There 's a lot of us who wanted to be a rock star and ended up being lawyers .
You 've gone the other way .
Is it funny listening back to yourself ?
What do you wish you could tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Do n't worry . ''
In the early years , I spent a lot of time worrying about what would happen and getting things wrong and saying the wrong thing and doing the wrong thing .
I 'm trying to let go of the worrying thing , and that 's what I 've loved the most about this album , rather than the first one .
I think I had a lot of fear — whether it was conscious or subconsciously — just about getting it wrong .
When I listen back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I still love it so much , I feel like I was almost bowling with the bumpers up a little bit .
I can hear places where I was playing it safe .
I think with this one , after touring with an album that was n't necessarily a radio record and people came to see the show , I realized that the only thing that people really want is for you to do what you want to do .
Ultimately , I think if people believe in you , you can make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bad song , and people will still come to a show if they 're interested and they want to come see you .
I think the only time people go `` You know what ?
I 'm done with this , '' is when it stops being authentic .
You ca n't really blame people for that .
If there 's an artist I loved and I felt like they were faking it , I ca n't say that I 'd keep going to the shows .
I think that was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to worry less .
The worst thing that can happen is that I make a record that I think everybody else wants to hear , and then it does n't do well .
And you sit there going `` Well I wish I 'd just made the record that I wanted to make . ''
I think if you 're making what you want to make , then ultimately no one can tell you you 're unsuccessful , because you 're doing what makes you happy .
That 's the biggest thing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazingly .
You wear suits , but they 're patterned and florals and you had that blouse that got all the attention at last year 's Met Gala .
I noticed you 're wearing nail polish , and you do wear clothing that blurs traditional lines sometimes .
What are you hoping people take from that ?
Is it just `` This is what I want to wear , deal with it '' or are you trying to send any kind of message ?
For me , it 's not like doing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being on the last tour , when people came to watch the show , I realized `` Oh , these people just want to see me be myself , and I 'm telling them to be themselves . ''
And I just did n't want to be a hypocrite .
I do it when I 'm not working , so to me it does n't feel like it 's `` Oh , I 'm sending a message with my nail polish . ''
I just put a lot less weight behind it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because I 'll go somewhere and someone will be like `` Have you got nail polish on ? ''
I 'm lucky that I work in an industry that allows you to be creative and express yourself , and I 'd encourage it to anybody .
Can you tell us about a favorite song on the album ?
My two favorite songs on this album are probably `` Cherry '' and `` Fine Line . ''
`` Cherry '' is the fifth song on the album .
It 's one of my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came about .
When I started making this album ...
I felt like it had to be big .
The last record was n't really a radio record : The single [ `` Sign of the Times '' ] from it was a 6-minute piano ballad , so it was n't the typical formula .
So I felt a bit of pressure that I wanted to make something that worked .
I was trying this stuff one night in the studio , and I was worried because I just was n't really liking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt like I was trying too hard .
That 's when I make the music that I like the least , is when I 'm trying to write a pop song or I 'm trying to write something fun .
Everybody left for the weekend , and it was me , Tyler Johnson , who I work with , and Sammy Witte .
It was two or three in the morning , and we were having a drink and just talking .
I was saying how I have all these records that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all this kind of music and in five years I want to make this kind of record , and in 10 years I want to make this kind of album , and then I 'll get to make the music that I really want to make .
And Tyler just said `` You just have to make the music that you want to make — right now .
That 's the only way of doing it , otherwise you 're going to regret it . ''
And `` Cherry '' was the result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stayed and Sammy started playing the guitar riff , and we did it through the night and recorded it .
Everybody came back in the morning and listened to it ...
I heard it when it was finished and was like `` This is the kind of music I want to make . ''
How did you write `` Fine Line ? ''
`` Fine Line '' I wrote [ during ] a gap in the tour .
It was January 2018 and I was at my friend Tom 's house , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started strumming this thing , and we started layering these vocals , and it turned into this 6-minute thing .
I had it for a long time and I kept listening to it during the tour , like I 'd listen to it before I went to bed .
Just sonically I loved the song , and I loved the lyrics of the song .
When we wrote it , I kind of knew it was the last song of an album , and we ended up taking it to Bath , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record for a while .
I wanted it to turn into something else at the end , I wanted like a big crescendo ending .
While we were in Bath , Sammy started playing this little thing on the piano , and I tweaked it a little bit and I was like `` That has to go at the end of 'Fine Line . '
`` Now when I listen to it , it 's one of those things where I 'm just proud that it 's mine , I 'm so happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I 've always wanted to make .
NPR 's Mallory Yu , Sarah Handel and Sami Yenigun produced and edited this interview for broadcast .
Cyrena Touros and editorial intern Jon Lewis adapted it for the Web .

Harry Styles On 'Fine Line,' Stevie Nicks And His Definition Of Success
Enlarge this image toggle caption Helene Marie Pambrun/Courtesy of the artist Helene Marie Pambrun/Courtesy of the artist
In a decade, Harry Styles has gone from teenage heartthrob to a global pop star in his own right. As he's distanced himself from his adolescent years as a member of One Direction, he's become his own person, starring in the 2017 blockbuster Dunkirk, hosting Saturday Night Live and creating music that pulls from a variety of influences.
Styles released his second solo album Fine Line late last year, and in addition to showcasing some of those influences and his talents as a songwriter, it was also a huge commercial success, with the biggest U.S. sales week for a British male artist since Eric Clapton's Unplugged in 1992.
But Styles says he spent a lot of time rethinking his idea of success after touring his self-titled album. "I think if you're making what you want to make, then ultimately no one can tell you you're unsuccessful, because you're doing what makes you happy," he says.
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly spoke to Harry Styles about his love of Fleetwood Mac and finding freedom in the music of the '70s, what he would say to his 16-year-old self and nail polish. Listen in the player above and read on for a transcript of their full conversation.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
YouTube
Mary Louise Kelly: Your most recent album seems tied up in the '70s, which is a decade you didn't actually live through. What is it about that era that draws you in?
Harry Styles: There's a freedom in the music that is so inspiring. If you go back and listen to so much of that music, and you listen to songs from [Carole King's] Tapestry and Harry Nilsson songs, they sound so fresh. I think it's crazy that something that was made so long ago, you can listen to it now and be like "I want my drums to sound like these drums, and I want my strings to sound like these strings." I think that's really incredible. And I think it's just the freedom, it's people doing what they wanted to do. Obviously, the music business has changed so much since then — there was a lot more of everybody hanging out together and playing songs, and I feel like music is a lot more competitive now.
And is it maybe a little more produced now? Less organic?
The worst thing that can happen is that I make a record that I think everybody else wants to hear, and then it doesn't do well. And you sit there going "Well I wish I'd just made the record that I wanted to make."
I think we just have different technology. When we came to do my first solo album, I had this thing where I wanted to do everything to tape. And then I kind of realized that The Beatles didn't use tape because it was really cool to use, they used it because it was the best technology they had [at the time] and it sounded the best. And now we just have different ways of recording stuff and you can make stuff sound really nice — so we kind of abandoned the tape thing. Overall what draws me to that time with music is just the freedom.
Was making Fine Line sound like the music of the '70s a conscious choice?
I'm not listening to stuff so much anymore being like "I just want my stuff to sound like this." You grow up listening to what your parents listen to. For me it was the [Rolling] Stones, Beatles, Fleetwood [Mac], a lot of Queen, Elvis Presley, Shania Twain, Savage Garden, Norah Jones. That was kind of like the base of what my first experience with music was, and I feel like you can't help but have a lot of references from what you grew up listening to [in your own music].
YouTube
Speaking of Fleetwood Mac, I saw you've gotten to know and work with Stevie Nicks. What's that like, to get to know someone who was the soundtrack of your childhood and go out on stage with them?
It borders on an out-of-body experience. "Dreams" was the first song I knew all the words to; I used to sing it in the car with my mom. Every time I'm with her, you want to be, obviously, present, right? I'm trying to enjoy being with her and soaking in. But I think at the same time, while you're in the room with her, I'm sitting there thinking about being 10-years-old and singing the song.
Does it matter if you're super famous yourself?
I don't think so, because ultimately we're all humans. It's not like paralyzing starstruck, it's more like I try and appreciate what my 10-year-old self would think of it. I think ultimately you meet [other famous people] and you're kind of in awe of them, but at the same time you get to hang out with them on this human level, where you're just talking and it's really amazing.
Those are the moments that kind of mean the most because it's real. And when everything else about being in music goes away, that's the stuff that I think you end up telling your grandkids. For example, with Stevie, my favorite moments about it aren't usually the show, it's the practicing. When we first played together, it was at the Troubadour — famously, where Elton John did his first U.S. show — and it was an amazing moment, but my favorite was soundchecking. It's like four people in there and just us singing in the empty Troubadour. For me, that's a moment that I'm going to hold on to.
Speaking of moments where you wish you could tell your younger self "Buddy, you have no idea": 10 years ago when you auditioned for the British reality show X Factor, the judge Simon Cowell asked you "What do you want to do with your life, what are your future plans?" You said you were going back to college in the fall to study "law, sociology, business and something else, but I'm not sure yet."
There's a lot of us who wanted to be a rock star and ended up being lawyers. You've gone the other way. Is it funny listening back to yourself? What do you wish you could tell your 16-year-old self?
I guess like "Don't worry." In the early years, I spent a lot of time worrying about what would happen and getting things wrong and saying the wrong thing and doing the wrong thing. I'm trying to let go of the worrying thing, and that's what I've loved the most about this album, rather than the first one. I think I had a lot of fear — whether it was conscious or subconsciously — just about getting it wrong. When I listen back to the first album now, although I still love it so much, I feel like I was almost bowling with the bumpers up a little bit. I can hear places where I was playing it safe.
When I listen back to the first album now, although I still love it so much, I feel like I was almost bowling with the bumpers up a little bit. I can hear places where I was playing it safe.
I think with this one, after touring with an album that wasn't necessarily a radio record and people came to see the show, I realized that the only thing that people really want is for you to do what you want to do. Ultimately, I think if people believe in you, you can make a bad record, you can make a bad song, and people will still come to a show if they're interested and they want to come see you. I think the only time people go "You know what? I'm done with this," is when it stops being authentic. You can't really blame people for that. If there's an artist I loved and I felt like they were faking it, I can't say that I'd keep going to the shows. I think that was a big thing for me, just trying to worry less. The worst thing that can happen is that I make a record that I think everybody else wants to hear, and then it doesn't do well. And you sit there going "Well I wish I'd just made the record that I wanted to make." I think if you're making what you want to make, then ultimately no one can tell you you're unsuccessful, because you're doing what makes you happy. That's the biggest thing that I learned this time.
You dress amazingly. You wear suits, but they're patterned and florals and you had that blouse that got all the attention at last year's Met Gala. I noticed you're wearing nail polish, and you do wear clothing that blurs traditional lines sometimes. What are you hoping people take from that? Is it just "This is what I want to wear, deal with it" or are you trying to send any kind of message?
Enlarge this image Tim Walker/Courtesy of the artist Tim Walker/Courtesy of the artist
For me, it's not like doing it to send a message. Part of being on the last tour, when people came to watch the show, I realized "Oh, these people just want to see me be myself, and I'm telling them to be themselves." And I just didn't want to be a hypocrite. I do it when I'm not working, so to me it doesn't feel like it's "Oh, I'm sending a message with my nail polish." I just put a lot less weight behind it, I think. And sometimes I forget, because I'll go somewhere and someone will be like "Have you got nail polish on?" I'm lucky that I work in an industry that allows you to be creative and express yourself, and I'd encourage it to anybody.
Can you tell us about a favorite song on the album?
My two favorite songs on this album are probably "Cherry" and "Fine Line." "Cherry" is the fifth song on the album. It's one of my favorites, mostly because of how it came about. When I started making this album ... I felt like it had to be big. The last record wasn't really a radio record: The single ["Sign of the Times"] from it was a 6-minute piano ballad, so it wasn't the typical formula. So I felt a bit of pressure that I wanted to make something that worked. I was trying this stuff one night in the studio, and I was worried because I just wasn't really liking anything that I was doing. I felt like I was trying too hard. That's when I make the music that I like the least, is when I'm trying to write a pop song or I'm trying to write something fun.
YouTube
Everybody left for the weekend, and it was me, Tyler Johnson, who I work with, and Sammy Witte. It was two or three in the morning, and we were having a drink and just talking. I was saying how I have all these records that I'd love to make, I love all this kind of music and in five years I want to make this kind of record, and in 10 years I want to make this kind of album, and then I'll get to make the music that I really want to make. And Tyler just said "You just have to make the music that you want to make — right now. That's the only way of doing it, otherwise you're going to regret it."
And "Cherry" was the result of that?
Yeah, so we stayed and Sammy started playing the guitar riff, and we did it through the night and recorded it. Everybody came back in the morning and listened to it ... I heard it when it was finished and was like "This is the kind of music I want to make."
How did you write "Fine Line?"
"Fine Line" I wrote [during] a gap in the tour. It was January 2018 and I was at my friend Tom's house, who I work with, and we just started strumming this thing, and we started layering these vocals, and it turned into this 6-minute thing. I had it for a long time and I kept listening to it during the tour, like I'd listen to it before I went to bed. Just sonically I loved the song, and I loved the lyrics of the song. When we wrote it, I kind of knew it was the last song of an album, and we ended up taking it to Bath, in England, where I was making this record for a while. I wanted it to turn into something else at the end, I wanted like a big crescendo ending. While we were in Bath, Sammy started playing this little thing on the piano, and I tweaked it a little bit and I was like "That has to go at the end of 'Fine Line.' " Now when I listen to it, it's one of those things where I'm just proud that it's mine, I'm so happy. It's one of those songs that I've always wanted to make.
NPR's Mallory Yu, Sarah Handel and Sami Yenigun produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Cyrena Touros and editorial intern Jon Lewis adapted it for the Web.


npr--2020-02-27--Scotland Poised To Become 1st Country To Make Period Products Free

Scotland Poised To Become 1st Country To Make Period Products Free Scotland is now a big step closer to becoming the first country in the world to make tampons and pads free to anyone who needs them .
The Period Products ( Free Provision ) ( Scotland ) Bill passed through the first of three stages in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday by a vote of 112-0 , with one abstention .
Its champion is Monica Lennon , a Scottish Parliament member who has led a years-long campaign to build support for the measure .
She first proposed the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazing victory for everyone who has campaigned for free universal access to period products and who has convinced the Scottish Government to back this ground-breaking Bill , '' Lennon told the Daily Record after the vote .
`` Scotland has already taken important steps towards improving access to period products and tackling stigma but legislation will guarantee rights , ensure that current initiatives continue in future on a universal basis , and will help us achieve period dignity for all , '' she added .
The legislation would create the legal obligation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products are available for free for those who need them .
The Scottish government estimates the cost to implement the legislation at £24 million annually ( about $ 31 million ) .
The bill now goes to the second stage , in which members of Parliament can propose amendments .
While the measure passed with near unanimity , some members warned that there is still much work to do before it is final .
The bill aims to alleviate `` period poverty , '' in which girls and women have difficulty accessing or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parliament cited a 2019 report on the issue suggesting that while many women can afford to purchase their sanitary products , `` those who most need the free products are the ones who are almost guaranteed not to ask for them . ''
Since 2018 , the Scottish government has made period products freely available in schools , colleges and universities — another global first .
That program followed a survey of 2,000 students in Scotland that found 1 in 4 respondents struggled to access sanitary products .
Last month , England launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free at state schools and colleges .
In the U.S. , several states have moved to outlaw taxes on menstrual products .
In a world where women 's periods are still rarely discussed in public , the two-hour debate over the bill in the Scottish Parliament was remarkable .
Topics ranged from why toilet paper and bins for menstrual products are required in restrooms but not menstrual products themselves , to how to ensure that women who experience endometriosis and heavy bleeding get access to the products they require , to the broad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — including among men .
Member of Parliament Neil Findlay noted that the bill has broken down `` the barrier of our inability to discuss such serious issues about our health and well-being in the media or in public without embarrassment , reticence and discomfort . ''
`` It has allowed people to talk about the issues without embarrassment or stigma , which is a very good thing , '' he said .
`` It was absolutely fantastic to see male industrial workers from Unite the union — members of my own union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gallery — out there campaigning on period poverty .
Long may that continue . ''
Member Alison Johnstone asked , `` Why is it in 2020 that toilet paper is seen as a necessity but period products are n't ? ''
`` This is so often characterized as a women 's issue , but it is not .
It is a social justice issue , an equalities issue , and a rights issue , '' she said .
`` It is estimated that a woman will , over her lifetime , spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financially penalized for a natural bodily function is not equitable or just .
Being unable to afford or access period products denies women access to education , work , sport and so much more . ''
This issue has become a popular one in Scotland , and Lennon is far from the only one working on it .
In 2018 , three female fans of the Celtic soccer team — Erin Slaven , Mikaela McKinley and Orlaith Duffy — started an effort to get the team 's stadium in Glasgow to provide free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On The Ball .
`` One of our aims at the start was to remove the stigma and get people talking about it , '' Slaven said last year .
`` It 's one of the most normal things in the world but it was radical for us to bring up periods in football grounds .
That would have been unheard of in the past . ''
It worked .
Within weeks , Celtic Park began providing free sanitary products , and more soccer clubs in the U.K. soon followed .
`` No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's just that there 's no products to hand , '' Slaven said .
`` You do n't have to turn up to the football with your own soap or toilet roll , so why should girls have to pay for something out of a machine , or ask their parent for money ? ''
Between efforts like Lennon 's bill and the On The Ball campaign , Scotland has turned periods from a stigmatized subject to a selling point in just a few short years .
On Tuesday , the country 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter touting Scotland 's global leadership in making period products accessible .
`` The way I see it , if you want something to change , you ca n't just hope someone else will fight for it , '' a young woman says in the video .
`` We have to stand up for what we believe in , together . ''

Scotland Poised To Become 1st Country To Make Period Products Free
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images
Scotland is now a big step closer to becoming the first country in the world to make tampons and pads free to anyone who needs them.
The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill passed through the first of three stages in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday by a vote of 112-0, with one abstention.
Its champion is Monica Lennon, a Scottish Parliament member who has led a years-long campaign to build support for the measure. She first proposed the bill in 2017.
"This is an amazing victory for everyone who has campaigned for free universal access to period products and who has convinced the Scottish Government to back this ground-breaking Bill," Lennon told the Daily Record after the vote.
"Scotland has already taken important steps towards improving access to period products and tackling stigma but legislation will guarantee rights, ensure that current initiatives continue in future on a universal basis, and will help us achieve period dignity for all," she added.
The legislation would create the legal obligation for the Scottish government to make sure period products are available for free for those who need them. The Scottish government estimates the cost to implement the legislation at £24 million annually (about $31 million).
The bill now goes to the second stage, in which members of Parliament can propose amendments. While the measure passed with near unanimity, some members warned that there is still much work to do before it is final.
The bill aims to alleviate "period poverty," in which girls and women have difficulty accessing or affording menstrual products. One member of Parliament cited a 2019 report on the issue suggesting that while many women can afford to purchase their sanitary products, "those who most need the free products are the ones who are almost guaranteed not to ask for them."
Since 2018, the Scottish government has made period products freely available in schools, colleges and universities — another global first. That program followed a survey of 2,000 students in Scotland that found 1 in 4 respondents struggled to access sanitary products. Last month, England launched a similar program making tampons and pads free at state schools and colleges. In the U.S., several states have moved to outlaw taxes on menstrual products.
In a world where women's periods are still rarely discussed in public, the two-hour debate over the bill in the Scottish Parliament was remarkable.
Topics ranged from why toilet paper and bins for menstrual products are required in restrooms but not menstrual products themselves, to how to ensure that women who experience endometriosis and heavy bleeding get access to the products they require, to the broad range of support the bill has garnered — including among men.
Members of Scottish Parliament debated the bill for more than two hours on Tuesday. The Scottish Parliament YouTube
Member of Parliament Neil Findlay noted that the bill has broken down "the barrier of our inability to discuss such serious issues about our health and well-being in the media or in public without embarrassment, reticence and discomfort."
"It has allowed people to talk about the issues without embarrassment or stigma, which is a very good thing," he said. "It was absolutely fantastic to see male industrial workers from Unite the union — members of my own union; I see some of them in the gallery — out there campaigning on period poverty. Long may that continue."
Member Alison Johnstone asked, "Why is it in 2020 that toilet paper is seen as a necessity but period products aren't?"
"This is so often characterized as a women's issue, but it is not. It is a social justice issue, an equalities issue, and a rights issue," she said. "It is estimated that a woman will, over her lifetime, spend approximately £5,000 on period products. Being financially penalized for a natural bodily function is not equitable or just. Being unable to afford or access period products denies women access to education, work, sport and so much more."
This issue has become a popular one in Scotland, and Lennon is far from the only one working on it.
In 2018, three female fans of the Celtic soccer team — Erin Slaven, Mikaela McKinley and Orlaith Duffy — started an effort to get the team's stadium in Glasgow to provide free sanitary products. They christened their campaign On The Ball.
"One of our aims at the start was to remove the stigma and get people talking about it," Slaven said last year. "It's one of the most normal things in the world but it was radical for us to bring up periods in football grounds. That would have been unheard of in the past."
It worked. Within weeks, Celtic Park began providing free sanitary products, and more soccer clubs in the U.K. soon followed.
"No matter the financial background, sometimes it's just that there's no products to hand," Slaven said. "You don't have to turn up to the football with your own soap or toilet roll, so why should girls have to pay for something out of a machine, or ask their parent for money?"
Between efforts like Lennon's bill and the On The Ball campaign, Scotland has turned periods from a stigmatized subject to a selling point in just a few short years.
On Tuesday, the country's global marketing arm posted a video to Twitter touting Scotland's global leadership in making period products accessible.
"The way I see it, if you want something to change, you can't just hope someone else will fight for it," a young woman says in the video. "We have to stand up for what we believe in, together."


npr--2020-02-28--Trump To Nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe To Top Intelligence Post

Rep. John Ratcliffe , a former federal prosecutor and a vocal Republican defender of President Trump throughout last year 's impeachment proceedings , will be nominated to be the next director of national intelligence , Trump announced Friday .
The director role is a critical one at the top of the intelligence community , which encompasses more than a dozen separate agencies and organizations including the CIA and the FBI .
`` John is an outstanding man of great talent ! ''
Trump tweeted .
The announcement comes exactly seven months after Trump last announced the same news .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the post last July , but days later backed down from that plan amid questions about whether Senate Republicans would back the selection , and reports in the press about past overstatements regarding Ratcliffe 's record .
`` Rather than going through months of slander and libel , I explained to John how miserable it would be for him and his family to deal with these people ... . ''
Trump tweeted then .
`` John has therefore decided to stay in Congress where he has done such an outstanding job representing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Country . ''
It 's unclear what has changed from then until now or made Ratcliffe a more viable choice for the post .
The DNI also serves as the `` principal advisor to the President , the National Security Council , and the Homeland Security Council for intelligence matters related to national security , '' according to the department website .

Trump To Nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe To Top Intelligence Post
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 8:01 p.m. ET
Rep. John Ratcliffe, a former federal prosecutor and a vocal Republican defender of President Trump throughout last year's impeachment proceedings, will be nominated to be the next director of national intelligence, Trump announced Friday.
The director role is a critical one at the top of the intelligence community, which encompasses more than a dozen separate agencies and organizations including the CIA and the FBI.
"John is an outstanding man of great talent!" Trump tweeted.
The announcement comes exactly seven months after Trump last announced the same news.
The president said he would be nominating Ratcliffe for the post last July, but days later backed down from that plan amid questions about whether Senate Republicans would back the selection, and reports in the press about past overstatements regarding Ratcliffe's record.
"Rather than going through months of slander and libel, I explained to John how miserable it would be for him and his family to deal with these people...." Trump tweeted then. "John has therefore decided to stay in Congress where he has done such an outstanding job representing the people of Texas, and our Country."
It's unclear what has changed from then until now that made Ratcliffe a more viable choice for the post.
The DNI serves as the "principal advisor to the President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council for intelligence matters related to national security," according to the department website.
Many critics have also questioned whether Ratcliffe is too much of a Trump loyalist to be relied upon to give impartial guidance to the president or unbiased information to Congress and the public.
Last year's impeachment proceedings will only fuel those concerns. As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Ratcliffe had a front-and-center role in attacking the credibility of House Democrats' case regarding the Trump administration's decision to link Ukrainian foreign aid to politically motivated investigations.
"Today Democrats are the Founders' worst nightmare come true," Ratcliffe said on the House floor, before the body voted to impeach Trump in December. "I think most Americans are probably wishing they could impeach the Democrats. To them I say — you can, next November."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Ratcliffe a "highly partisan operative" in a statement after the announcement, and said the selection shows Trump's "lack of respect for the rule of law and the intelligence community."
"At a time when the Russians are interfering in our elections, we need a nonpartisan leader at the helm of the Intelligence Community who sees the world objectively and speaks truth to power," Schumer said, adding that neither Rep. Ratcliffe nor Acting Director Richard Grenell will do those things.
Trump named Grenell acting director earlier this month, and his appointment garnered similarly harsh criticism because he has no background in intelligence nor top-level management experience.
Ratcliffe, however, does have some of that experience. He served from 2004-2012 as the mayor of Heath, Texas, a city northeast of Dallas with a population of about 8,000 people.
And he also served as a U.S. attorney from 2007-08.
But he has attracted questions about that time period, specifically about misrepresenting his role in winning terrorism convictions and arresting hundreds of "illegal aliens in a single day."
Shortly after the announcement, a number of legal analysts and academics speculated that the Ratcliffe announcement was nothing more than a ploy to allow the acting director, Grennell, to stay in his post past the March 11 date he is legally supposed to be replaced by.
"Even if there's no real chance that Ratcliffe will be confirmed by the Senate, the formal submission of his nomination will allow [Grenell] to continue to serve as Acting DNI past March 11 — and for another 210 days after Ratcliffe's rejection or withdrawal," tweeted Steve Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas.
Senate Republicans, who control the body, have yet to react to the nomination en masse to give an understanding of the likelihood of Ratcliffe's confirmation.
Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., released a statement saying he appreciated the dedication the intelligence community has shown in the time of transition, since Dan Coats announced his intention to step down last summer, and Joseph Maguire resigned from the acting director position earlier this month.
"I look forward to receiving Congressman Ratcliffe's official nomination and ushering it through the Senate's regular order," Burr said, which mirrored almost exactly what he said when Ratcliffe was nominated in July.


npr--2020-02-28--Federal Court Again Blocks Trump's 'Remain In Mexico' Program

A federal appeals court in California has blocked the Trump administration 's `` Remain in Mexico '' program , dealing a blow to the president 's controversial policy requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their day in U.S. immigration court .
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2 to 1 on Friday to uphold a lower-court 's injunction on the program , also known as the Migrant Protection Protocols , or MPP .
Judges said the policy `` is invalid in its entirety due to its inconsistency with '' federal asylum law .
`` It should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
About 60,000 migrants , mostly from Central America , have been forced to wait in Mexican border towns , often in dangerous and squalid conditions , as applications are slowly processed .
Trump administration officials considered the program a `` game changer '' in their effort to end to what they call `` catch and release . ''
They said that practice allowed migrants to enter the U.S. and stay illegally by avoiding authorities .
Officials have also credited the program with sharply reducing the number of migrants arriving at the southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The lawsuit , Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf , was filed by Innovation Law Lab , the Central American Resource Center of Northern California , and four other organizations on behalf of 11 asylum seekers who were sent to Mexico to wait .
A separate ruling by the court in East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v. Trump also upheld a block on the Trump administration 's attempt to restrict asylum applications to ports of entry .
ACLU attorney Judy Rabinovitz , who argued the appeal against MPP said : `` The court forcefully rejected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could strand asylum seekers in Mexico and subject them to grave danger .
It 's time for the administration to follow the law and stop putting asylum seekers in harm 's way . ''
Immigration rights advocates argue that forcing vulnerable asylum seekers to wait in temporary , often makeshift , shelters exposes them to even more violence than that which they are trying to escape .
Human Rights First has documented more than 600 violent crimes and at least one murder against migrants in the program .
The argument swayed two of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined that the effects of the MPP `` is staggering , '' adding that the program `` runs afoul '' of existing asylum laws , which state that `` an undocumented migrant may apply for asylum when she is 'physically present in the United States ( whether or not at a designated port of arrival ) . '
'' A May ruling by the Ninth Circuit allowed the MPP to restart after an initial ruling by a federal judge had halted the program .
Meanwhile , as asylum-seekers are processed in temporary tent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ granting far fewer asylum claims than other courts .
As of November 2019 , just 117 migrants had been granted protection out of tens of thousands of applicants , according to data released by the TRAC immigration project at Syracuse University .
That 's a success rate of less than 1 % .

Federal Court Suspends Injunction On Trump's 'Remain In Mexico' Program
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP
Updated at 11:35 p.m. ET
A federal appeals court in California on Friday briefly blocked the Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" program, seemingly dealing a blow to the president's controversial policy requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their day in U.S. immigration court.
But within hours, a three-judge panel voted unanimously to suspend its own order, giving the government until the end of Monday to respond with written arguments and plaintiffs until the end of Tuesday.
Earlier Friday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2 to 1 to uphold a lower-court's injunction on the program, also known as the Migrant Protection Protocols, or MPP. Judges said the policy "is invalid in its entirety due to its inconsistency with" federal asylum law.
"It should be enjoined entirely," the judges had said before voting late Friday to suspend the ruling.
About 60,000 migrants, mostly from Central America, have been forced to wait in Mexican border towns, often in dangerous and squalid conditions, as applications are slowly processed.
Trump administration officials considered the program a "game changer" in their effort to end to what they call "catch and release." They said that practice allowed migrants to enter the U.S. and stay illegally by avoiding authorities.
Officials have also credited the program with sharply reducing the number of migrants arriving at the southern border since it went into effect.
The lawsuit, Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf, was filed by Innovation Law Lab, the Central American Resource Center of Northern California, and four other organizations on behalf of 11 asylum seekers who were sent to Mexico to wait.
A separate ruling by the court in East Bay Sanctuary Covenant v. Trump also upheld a block on the Trump administration's attempt to restrict asylum applications to ports of entry.
ACLU attorney Judy Rabinovitz, who argued the appeal against MPP said after the initial ruling: "The court forcefully rejected the Trump administration's assertion that it could strand asylum seekers in Mexico and subject them to grave danger. It's time for the administration to follow the law and stop putting asylum seekers in harm's way."
Immigration rights advocates argue that forcing vulnerable asylum seekers to wait in temporary, often makeshift, shelters exposes them to even more violence than that which they are trying to escape. Human Rights First has documented more than 600 violent crimes and at least one murder against migrants in the program.
The argument swayed two of the three judges on the panel who determined that the effects of the MPP "is staggering," adding that the program "runs afoul" of existing asylum laws, which state that "an undocumented migrant may apply for asylum when she is 'physically present in the United States (whether or not at a designated port of arrival).'"
A May ruling by the Ninth Circuit allowed the MPP to restart after an initial ruling by a federal judge had halted the program.
Meanwhile, as asylum-seekers are processed in temporary tent courts along the border, judges are granting far fewer asylum claims than other courts. As of November 2019, just 117 migrants had been granted protection out of tens of thousands of applicants, according to data released by the TRAC immigration project at Syracuse University. That's a success rate of less than 1%.


npr--2020-02-28--WHO Says Risk Of COVID-19 Is Now 'Very High At A Global Level'

WHO Says Risk Of COVID-19 Is Now 'Very High At A Global Level' The World Health Organization says the risk that COVID-19 will spread and have a global impact is now `` very high , '' raising its assessment for the coronavirus disease that 's now been found in more than 50 countries .
As of Monday , cases of COVID-19 had been found in just 29 countries .
But thousands more diagnoses were confirmed this week , including two spikes that were tied to Italy and Iran .
`` Outside China , there are now 4,351 cases in 49 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing Friday morning .
`` Since yesterday , Denmark , Estonia , Lithuania , Netherlands and Nigeria have all reported their first cases . ''
Tedros said , `` We have now increased our assessment of the risk of spread and the risk of impact of COVID-19 to very high at a global level . ''
Dr. Michael Ryan , executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program , said he 's encouraged by signs that the coronavirus can be contained – and he cites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't be called a pandemic .
The new risk assessment , Ryan said , `` is not in order to alarm or scare people .
That is to get countries to understand '' that when they get their first case of the coronavirus , they have the ability to control its spread .
With the outbreak now roughly two months old , no country should be caught off-guard by the virus , Ryan said .
`` This is a reality check for every government on the planet : Wake up , get ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus may be on its way , and you need to be ready .
You have a duty to your citizens , you have a duty to the world , to be ready . ''
Many of the latest cases have links to Italy , which is now believed to have exported two dozen COVID-19 cases to 14 other countries , Tedros said .
The tally of cases there has grown at an alarming rate this week .
Italy had 229 cases as of midday Monday .
In an update late Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 888 people have been infected with the respiratory virus , including 531 in the Lombardy region .
New cases have also been confirmed in countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa , several of them linked to people who had traveled to Iran .
Tedros says 97 COVID-19 cases have been exported from Iran to 11 other countries .
South Korea has also seen a dramatic rise , with 2,337 cases now confirmed — an increase of more than 570 cases in just 24 hours .
On Monday , South Korea 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 977 cases .
The country says 13 people have died .
Even as he raised a new alarm over COVID-19 , Tedros also said he 's still hopeful that the novel coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan , China , months ago can be contained .
Epidemiologists and health agencies , he noted , have been able to trace most cases to known clusters or contacts who were infected .
`` We do not see evidence as yet that the virus is spreading freely in communities , '' the WHO director-general said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , we still have a chance of containing this virus , if robust action is taken to detect cases early , isolate and care for patients and trace contacts . ''
Tedros also said early Friday that China had reported just 329 cases in the past 24 hours — the lowest rate in more than a month for the country whose Hubei province , where Wuhan is located , had been the center of the outbreak .
The challenge for epidemiologists and health professionals is to `` break the chains of transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tedros said .
Researchers are also working to create an effective treatment for COVID-19 .
Tedros said more than 20 vaccines are being developed worldwide , with some already in clinical trials .
The first results could come in the next few weeks , he said .
Tedros also emphasized that people can protect themselves from the new coronavirus and other illnesses by washing their hands regularly with soap and water , or using an alcohol-based hand rub .
And he urged anyone who 's either experiencing symptoms of illness or at heightened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with others .
`` Our greatest enemy right now is not the virus itself .
It 's fear , rumors and stigma , '' Tedros said .
`` And our greatest assets are facts , reason and solidarity . ''
COVID-19 has caused more than 2,800 deaths , and there are more than 83,000 cases of the new coronavirus worldwide — the majority of them in China .
Some 37,000 people have recovered from the disease .
Citing the work of a joint WHO-Chinese research team in China , the WHO said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 is `` between 2 % and 4 % in Wuhan , and 0.7 % outside Wuhan . ''

Coronavirus Updates: CDC Announces '4 New Presumptive Cases' In The U.S.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Marzio Toniolo/via Reuters Marzio Toniolo/via Reuters
Updated at 1:11 a.m. ET, Feb. 29
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced late Friday that it is "aware of four new presumptive cases of COVID-19."
The new cases were reported in:
California (another possible instance of community spread),
Oregon (that state's first possible case of community spread),
and Washington (two cases — one that may be travel-related and another that may be community spread).
Officials are responding as if the cases were confirmed; the results are still pending from CDC tests.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said the risk that COVID-19 will spread and have a global impact is now "very high," raising its assessment for the coronavirus disease that's now been found in more than 50 countries.
As of Monday, cases of COVID-19 had been found in just 29 countries. But thousands more diagnoses were confirmed this week, including two spikes that were tied to Italy and Iran.
"Outside China, there are now 4,351 cases in 49 countries, and 67 deaths," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing Friday morning. "Since yesterday, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Nigeria have all reported their first cases."
Tedros said, "We have now increased our assessment of the risk of spread and the risk of impact of COVID-19 to very high at a global level."
Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, said he's encouraged by signs that the coronavirus can be contained – and he cites that as one reason the outbreak shouldn't be called a pandemic.
The new risk assessment, Ryan said, "is not in order to alarm or scare people. That is to get countries to understand" that when they get their first case of the coronavirus, they have the ability to control its spread.
With the outbreak now roughly two months old, no country should be caught off-guard by the virus, Ryan said.
"This is a reality check for every government on the planet: Wake up, get ready," Ryan said. "This virus may be on its way, and you need to be ready. You have a duty to your citizens, you have a duty to the world, to be ready."
Many of the latest cases have links to Italy, which is now believed to have exported two dozen COVID-19 cases to 14 other countries, Tedros said.
The tally of cases there has grown at an alarming rate this week. Italy had 229 cases as of midday Monday. In an update late Friday, the country's Ministry of Health said 888 people have been infected with the respiratory virus, including 531 in the Lombardy region.
New cases have also been confirmed in countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa, several of them linked to people who had traveled to Iran. Tedros says 97 COVID-19 cases have been exported from Iran to 11 other countries.
South Korea has also seen a dramatic rise, with 2,337 cases now confirmed — an increase of more than 570 cases in just 24 hours. On Monday, South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported 977 cases. The country says 13 people have died.
Even as he raised a new alarm over COVID-19, Tedros also said he's still hopeful that the novel coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China, months ago can be contained. Epidemiologists and health agencies, he noted, have been able to trace most cases to known clusters or contacts who were infected.
"We do not see evidence as yet that the virus is spreading freely in communities," the WHO director-general said. "As long as that's the case, we still have a chance of containing this virus, if robust action is taken to detect cases early, isolate and care for patients and trace contacts."
Tedros also said early Friday that China had reported just 329 cases in the past 24 hours — the lowest rate in more than a month for the country whose Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, had been the center of the outbreak.
The challenge for epidemiologists and health professionals is to "break the chains of transmission" so they can contain it, Tedros said.
Researchers are also working to create an effective treatment for COVID-19. Tedros said more than 20 vaccines are being developed worldwide, with some already in clinical trials. The first results could come in the next few weeks, he said.
Tedros also emphasized that people can protect themselves from the new coronavirus and other illnesses by washing their hands regularly with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based hand rub. And he urged anyone who's either experiencing symptoms of illness or at heightened risk for respiratory problems to limit their contact with others.
"Our greatest enemy right now is not the virus itself. It's fear, rumors and stigma," Tedros said. "And our greatest assets are facts, reason and solidarity."
COVID-19 has caused more than 2,800 deaths, and there are more than 83,000 cases of the new coronavirus worldwide — the majority of them in China. Some 37,000 people have recovered from the disease.
Citing the work of a joint WHO-Chinese research team in China, the WHO said earlier this week that the fatality rate for COVID-19 is "between 2% and 4% in Wuhan, and 0.7% outside Wuhan."
Engagement editor Nicole Hernandez contributed to this report.


npr--2020-02-28--Lawmakers Press Administration For More Transparency About Coronavirus Response

Lawmakers Press Administration For More Transparency About Coronavirus Response Some of the most senior government officials assigned to the coronavirus crisis briefed House lawmakers Friday , and assured them that the Trump administration is not impeding their work or their communications with the public .
Representatives on both sides of the aisle have lauded some aspects of the outbreak response , while voicing frustration with others .
`` I support the administration 's declaration of a public health emergency , '' said Rep. Rosa DeLauro , D-Conn. , in her opening remarks to the briefing .
`` That said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of transparency and unwillingness to allow public health experts to speak freely about what is happening.
`` After reports Thursday that Vice President Mike Pence 's office would be coordinating all government communications about the virus ' spread , Dr. Anthony Fauci told lawmakers at Friday 's briefing that he would be backing out of a series of T.V .
interviews this weekend .
Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , and is among the country 's leading experts on contagious diseases .
He told lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the changing leadership around the coronavirus this week .
On Wednesday , Pence was tapped by Trump to spearhead the administration 's response , and the vice president 's office announced Thursday that it had named a separate coronavirus coordinator .
`` Dr. Fauci said that when everything changed over to the Vice President being given the authority to lead the effort , Dr. Fauci had been already booked on a number of programs , '' said Rep. Mark Tacano , D-Calif. `` He said to everyone — I am not being muzzled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , who is among the Trump administration 's most vocal critics , said he believed Fauci .
`` The President has made so many false statements on so many things you ca n't really rely on the White House , but thankfully we do have good career people at the agencies and we are going to rely on them to be candid with us , '' Schiff said .
`` At the same time , I think [ Fauci ] should have been permitted to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He 's among the most knowledgeable in the federal government . ''
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Friday that there was `` no hard and fast process '' about requiring permission from the vice president 's office before making public comment , but that the administration was trying to `` coordinate our messages . ''
`` No one 's being stifled , no one 's being told what to say , '' Kudlow told reporters inside the White House .
`` You 've got veterans in [ the National Institutes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these things , they 've been through this before , and we 're all ears . ''
`` We want to hear what they have to say , '' he said , adding , `` there 's a big difference between stifling and coordinating . ''
In an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference , Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Democratic members of Congress were only complaining about transparency regarding the coronavirus in an effort to `` bring down the president . ''
He said the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak weeks ago , but Democrats only started caring once impeachment proceedings were over .
`` Is [ coronavirus ] real ?
It is absolutely real , '' Mulvaney said , before also noting that the fatality rate of the virus is lower than other recent global outbreaks like Ebola and SARS .
Mulvaney also bemoaned how media organizations have covered the outbreak , saying he recommended one way to calm the financial markets that have been in freefall this week is by `` telling people to turn off their televisions for 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many members voiced frustration with the slow response from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , specifically related to testing for the coronavirus .
California representatives like Rep. John Garamendi , whose district includes one of the military bases where people who have been evacuated from China are being quarantined , says health officials say they have updated policies that made it difficult to test a wide range of people who presented symptoms associated with the COVID-19 virus .
`` They had very strict protocols that said you can not get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were coming from China and then exposed to those who were here that came from China , '' Garamendi told reporters after a briefing .
`` That protocol prohibited testing .
Ultimately , can they explain why they did it ?
Stupidity .
That 's my word , not theirs . ''
Garamendi and others say they are also frustrated that there is a shortage of accurate tests available to health care workers in the U.S. '' They sat on their hands for two months , '' Garamendi said .
`` Tests are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Others , including Rep. Michael Burgess , R-Texas , who was a practicing physician until his election in 2003 , says he is concerned that the number of cases in the U.S. will inevitably grow and the number of tests available is insufficient .
`` We have kind of moved from the days of containment to mitigation , '' Burgess said .
`` My understanding is that two weeks ago there was a test that was being distributed and then there was a question about the efficacy . ''
Indeed , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the CDC distributed to labs around the country created a frustrating bottleneck in testing , requiring most testing to occur at the CDC in Atlanta , as NPR 's Rob Stein has reported .
The CDC announced Thursday that it had resolved the issue .
Congress is in agreement that emergency funding is needed to address the outbreak , which has infected more than 80,000 people worldwide and more than a dozen people in the U.S. , but House and Senate leaders are still haggling over the exact figures .
Senate Majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday that his chamber will consider a supplemental funding plan for the coronavirus within the next two weeks , and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress was `` coming close to a bipartisan agreement . ''
The number two Senate Democratic leader , Sen. Dick Durbin , tweeted Friday that Pence reached out to him about working together .
And on Friday , lawmakers still tried to project a sense of calm about the virus .
`` People should n't panic , '' said Rep. Joe Morelle , D-N.Y. `` The risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very low . ''

Lawmakers Press Administration For More Transparency About Coronavirus Response
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mark Wilson/Getty Images Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Some of the most senior government officials assigned to the coronavirus crisis briefed House lawmakers Friday, and assured them that the Trump administration is not impeding their work or their communications with the public.
Representatives on both sides of the aisle have lauded some aspects of the outbreak response, while voicing frustration with others.
"I support the administration's declaration of a public health emergency," said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., in her opening remarks to the briefing. "That said, I have grave concerns about the lack of transparency and unwillingness to allow public health experts to speak freely about what is happening. "
After reports Thursday that Vice President Mike Pence's office would be coordinating all government communications about the virus' spread, Dr. Anthony Fauci told lawmakers at Friday's briefing that he would be backing out of a series of T.V. interviews this weekend.
Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and is among the country's leading experts on contagious diseases. He told lawmakers that the decision had to do with the changing leadership around the coronavirus this week.
On Wednesday, Pence was tapped by Trump to spearhead the administration's response, and the vice president's office announced Thursday that it had named a separate coronavirus coordinator.
"Dr. Fauci said that when everything changed over to the Vice President being given the authority to lead the effort, Dr. Fauci had been already booked on a number of programs," said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif. "He said to everyone — I am not being muzzled, I want to clear that up."
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who is among the Trump administration's most vocal critics, said he believed Fauci.
"The President has made so many false statements on so many things you can't really rely on the White House, but thankfully we do have good career people at the agencies and we are going to rely on them to be candid with us," Schiff said. "At the same time, I think [Fauci] should have been permitted to keep the commitments that he had made... He's among the most knowledgeable in the federal government."
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Friday that there was "no hard and fast process" about requiring permission from the vice president's office before making public comment, but that the administration was trying to "coordinate our messages."
"No one's being stifled, no one's being told what to say," Kudlow told reporters inside the White House. "You've got veterans in [the National Institutes of Health] and CDC with immense knowledge of these things, they've been through this before, and we're all ears."
"We want to hear what they have to say," he said, adding, "there's a big difference between stifling and coordinating."
In an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Democratic members of Congress were only complaining about transparency regarding the coronavirus in an effort to "bring down the president."
He said the administration was holding sparsely attended hearings about the outbreak weeks ago, but Democrats only started caring once impeachment proceedings were over.
"Is [coronavirus] real? It is absolutely real," Mulvaney said, before also noting that the fatality rate of the virus is lower than other recent global outbreaks like Ebola and SARS.
Mulvaney also bemoaned how media organizations have covered the outbreak, saying he recommended one way to calm the financial markets that have been in freefall this week is by "telling people to turn off their televisions for 24 hours."
Testing concerns
After Friday's briefing, many members voiced frustration with the slow response from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specifically related to testing for the coronavirus.
California representatives like Rep. John Garamendi, whose district includes one of the military bases where people who have been evacuated from China are being quarantined, says health officials say they have updated policies that made it difficult to test a wide range of people who presented symptoms associated with the COVID-19 virus.
"They had very strict protocols that said you cannot get tested unless you can show that you were coming from China and then exposed to those who were here that came from China," Garamendi told reporters after a briefing. "That protocol prohibited testing. Ultimately, can they explain why they did it? Stupidity. That's my word, not theirs."
Garamendi and others say they are also frustrated that there is a shortage of accurate tests available to health care workers in the U.S.
"They sat on their hands for two months," Garamendi said. "Tests are readily available from Korea, now."
Others, including Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, who was a practicing physician until his election in 2003, says he is concerned that the number of cases in the U.S. will inevitably grow and the number of tests available is insufficient.
"We have kind of moved from the days of containment to mitigation," Burgess said. "My understanding is that two weeks ago there was a test that was being distributed and then there was a question about the efficacy."
Indeed, a problem with one ingredient in test kits that the CDC distributed to labs around the country created a frustrating bottleneck in testing, requiring most testing to occur at the CDC in Atlanta, as NPR's Rob Stein has reported. The CDC announced Thursday that it had resolved the issue.
Congress is in agreement that emergency funding is needed to address the outbreak, which has infected more than 80,000 people worldwide and more than a dozen people in the U.S., but House and Senate leaders are still haggling over the exact figures.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Thursday that his chamber will consider a supplemental funding plan for the coronavirus within the next two weeks, and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress was "coming close to a bipartisan agreement."
The number two Senate Democratic leader, Sen. Dick Durbin, tweeted Friday that Pence reached out to him about working together.
And on Friday, lawmakers still tried to project a sense of calm about the virus.
"People shouldn't panic," said Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y. "The risk right now in the United States is very low."