rollcall--2020-05-05--Riggleman, Davis join list of 10 most vulnerable House members

Cunningham narrowly won the longtime Republican seat in 2018 , partly by using his opposition to offshore drilling to draw a contrast with a GOP opponent who had defeated Rep. Mark Sanford , a Trump critic and former governor , in the primary .
Democrats argue that voters in the affluent Hilton Head area and the Charleston suburbs might be unhappy with Trump ’ s response to the pandemic .
Cunningham was one of the first members of Congress to test positive for a mild case of COVID-19 .
But he is likely to face a stronger opponent this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draw out GOP-leaning voters who sat out the midterms .
Riggleman became vulnerable when the 5th District ’ s Republican committee voted in November to have a nominating convention instead of a primary .
The move could give extra weight to votes from religious conservatives on the committee who tried to censure the freshman lawmaker after he officiated a gay wedding .
The nomination process has been thrown into question by the coronavirus pandemic .
Riggleman ’ s campaign was pushing to revert to a primary as a safer alternative .
His opponent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Good , told CQ Roll Call the party committee was planning a drive-thru convention in the parking lot of the church where Good happens to worship .
Brindisi was hammered by outside GOP groups over his vote to impeach Trump , but the freshman also got a fundraising boost and ended the first quarter with nearly $ 2.2 million on hand .
That ’ s more than five times the amount held by former GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney , who is seeking a rematch after narrowly losing to Brindisi in 2018 .
Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on issues specific to the district and building on a moderate brand he first cultivated as a state legislator .
But he faces an uphill climb , considering Trump carried the upstate New York district by a wide margin and Republicans expect higher turnout from the president ’ s supporters in 2020 .
Davis held on by the slimmest of margins during the 2018 wave that swept Democrats into the majority , so he ’ s no stranger to tough races that attract a lot of outside money .
His bid for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and offers Democrats one of their few opportunities to oust a Republican .
The race will be hotly contested , with health care taking a prominent role in the messaging .
Dirksen Londrigan had a slight fundraising advantage with $ 1.6 million on hand on March 31 to Davis ’ $ 1.5 million .
Rose moves from fourth to seventh on the list as he ’ s built a financial advantage in the expensive New York City media market .
Campaign strategists in both parties say the blunt congressman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which includes Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn .
Rose is also expected to benefit from his recent deployment with the National Guard to respond to the pandemic in his district .
National Republicans have signaled that state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis is their preferred candidate to take on Rose — she carried the district when she ran unsuccessfully for New York mayor in 2017 .
Her campaign ended the first quarter with $ 884,000 .
Rose had $ 3.3 million .

Stephanie Akin, Bridget Bowman, and Kate Ackley

Cunningham narrowly won the longtime Republican seat in 2018, partly by using his opposition to offshore drilling to draw a contrast with a GOP opponent who had defeated Rep. Mark Sanford, a Trump critic and former governor, in the primary. Democrats argue that voters in the affluent Hilton Head area and the Charleston suburbs might be unhappy with Trump’s response to the pandemic. Cunningham was one of the first members of Congress to test positive for a mild case of COVID-19. But he is likely to face a stronger opponent this year, and Trump on the ballot may draw out GOP-leaning voters who sat out the midterms.
Riggleman became vulnerable when the 5th District’s Republican committee voted in November to have a nominating convention instead of a primary. The move could give extra weight to votes from religious conservatives on the committee who tried to censure the freshman lawmaker after he officiated a gay wedding. The nomination process has been thrown into question by the coronavirus pandemic. Riggleman’s campaign was pushing to revert to a primary as a safer alternative. His opponent, former Liberty University athletics director Bob Good, told CQ Roll Call the party committee was planning a drive-thru convention in the parking lot of the church where Good happens to worship.
Brindisi was hammered by outside GOP groups over his vote to impeach Trump, but the freshman also got a fundraising boost and ended the first quarter with nearly $2.2 million on hand. That’s more than five times the amount held by former GOP Rep. Claudia Tenney, who is seeking a rematch after narrowly losing to Brindisi in 2018. Democrats believe Brindisi can win again by focusing on issues specific to the district and building on a moderate brand he first cultivated as a state legislator. But he faces an uphill climb, considering Trump carried the upstate New York district by a wide margin and Republicans expect higher turnout from the president’s supporters in 2020.
Davis held on by the slimmest of margins during the 2018 wave that swept Democrats into the majority, so he’s no stranger to tough races that attract a lot of outside money. His bid for a fifth term once again finds him up against Betsy Dirksen Londrigan and offers Democrats one of their few opportunities to oust a Republican. The race will be hotly contested, with health care taking a prominent role in the messaging. Dirksen Londrigan had a slight fundraising advantage with $1.6 million on hand on March 31 to Davis’ $1.5 million.
Rose moves from fourth to seventh on the list as he’s built a financial advantage in the expensive New York City media market. Campaign strategists in both parties say the blunt congressman is a good fit for his district, which includes Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn. Rose is also expected to benefit from his recent deployment with the National Guard to respond to the pandemic in his district. National Republicans have signaled that state Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis is their preferred candidate to take on Rose — she carried the district when she ran unsuccessfully for New York mayor in 2017. Her campaign ended the first quarter with $884,000. Rose had $3.3 million.


rollcall--2020-05-05--China’s digital yuan gets ready for prime time

Fintech Beat sits down with the International Monetary Fund ’ s Sonja Davidovic and Jonathan Kiff to learn about the @ @ @ @ @ s digital currency foray , and how its pilot compares thus far to others around @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 and fintech in Hong Kong and China • How will fintechs survive a new @ @ @

Fintech Beat sits down with the International Monetary Fund’s Sonja Davidovic and Jonathan Kiff to learn about the latest developments with China’s digital currency foray, and how its pilot compares thus far to others around the world.
More podcast content
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-05-05--Details start to emerge about House Democrats’ coronavirus relief bill

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday previewed additional small-business relief that Democrats plan to include in their next coronavirus bill , including an extension of the loan forgiveness period of the so-called Paycheck Protection Program .
“ We ’ re going to be again strengthening PPP , expanding support beyond the PPP as it has been originally presented , and then having more resources , ” the California Democrat said during a webinar with the Small Business Roundtable .
Various small-business representatives spent the hour speaking with Pelosi about what provisions they hoped Congress would include in the next relief bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend the duration of the PPP loans , which currently provide businesses ten weeks ’ worth of payroll .
The loans are forgivable if the entities use them primarily to cover payroll over an eight-week period .
Pelosi assured the business representatives that the loan period would be extended in a bill Democrats are currently drafting .
Committee chairmen have submitted to leadership proposed text of their portions of the bill , Pelosi said , adding that the combined product could be released “ in the next couple of days.
” Earlier Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Democratic leaders have committed to include $ 25 billion for the U.S .
Postal Service in the bill .

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday previewed additional small-business relief that Democrats plan to include in their next coronavirus bill, including an extension of the loan forgiveness period of the so-called Paycheck Protection Program.
“We’re going to be again strengthening PPP, expanding support beyond the PPP as it has been originally presented, and then having more resources,” the California Democrat said during a webinar with the Small Business Roundtable.
Various small-business representatives spent the hour speaking with Pelosi about what provisions they hoped Congress would include in the next relief bill, and most mentioned the need to extend the duration of the PPP loans, which currently provide businesses ten weeks’ worth of payroll. The loans are forgivable if the entities use them primarily to cover payroll over an eight-week period.
Pelosi assured the business representatives that the loan period would be extended in a bill Democrats are currently drafting. Committee chairmen have submitted to leadership proposed text of their portions of the bill, Pelosi said, adding that the combined product could be released “in the next couple of days.”
Earlier Tuesday, House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney said Democratic leaders have committed to include $25 billion for the U.S. Postal Service in the bill.


rollcall--2020-05-05--Trump health official files whistleblower complaint, citing cronyism in COVID-19 response

Cronyism and a lack of urgency at the Department of Health and Human Services stymied the federal government ’ s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the first critical weeks of the crisis , according to a whistleblower complaint released Friday .
Rick Bright , a former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , alleges corruption and incompetence among leaders of the pandemic response in a 89-page complaint filed with the Office of Special Counsel .
Bright , who was involuntarily reassigned to a lower-ranked role at the National Institutes of Health in late April , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national crisis like COVID-19 but requests for political favors got in his way .
For example , he said he was asked to consider an unproved drug promoted by John Clerici , a pharmaceutical industry consultant with ties to Robert Kadlec , an HHS assistant secretary , as a treatment for COVID-19 despite a lack of clinical evidence .
Bright ’ s lack of action on the request “ clearly frustrated Dr. Kadlec and further strained their relationship , ” the complaint reads .
The complaint also alleges that there are “ reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice occurred ” when he was transferred and that Bright should be reinstated as BARDA director .

Cronyism and a lack of urgency at the Department of Health and Human Services stymied the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the first critical weeks of the crisis, according to a whistleblower complaint released Friday.
Rick Bright, a former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, alleges corruption and incompetence among leaders of the pandemic response in a 89-page complaint filed with the Office of Special Counsel.
Bright, who was involuntarily reassigned to a lower-ranked role at the National Institutes of Health in late April, said he spent his career preparing for a national crisis like COVID-19 but requests for political favors got in his way.
For example, he said he was asked to consider an unproved drug promoted by John Clerici, a pharmaceutical industry consultant with ties to Robert Kadlec, an HHS assistant secretary, as a treatment for COVID-19 despite a lack of clinical evidence. Bright’s lack of action on the request “clearly frustrated Dr. Kadlec and further strained their relationship,” the complaint reads.
The complaint also alleges that there are “reasonable grounds to believe that a prohibited personnel practice occurred” when he was transferred and that Bright should be reinstated as BARDA director.


rollcall--2020-05-05--Once locked out of some SBA loans, agriculture now has edge

The U.S. Travel Association is crying foul after the Small Business Administration decided for now to take applications just from farmers and agricultural businesses for the $ 50 billion Economic Injury Disaster Loan program .
“ Excluding major segments of the economy from emergency relief funding not only hurts small businesses and workers , but jeopardizes the strength of the broader economic recovery , ” Tori Emerson Barnes , the association ’ s public affairs and policy executive vice president , said in a written statement Tuesday .
Barnes said opening the SBA application portal to only agriculture-related businesses would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader economy .
The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides up to $ 2 million in low-interest loans and $ 10,000 in grants .
The interest on a loan for up to 30 years is 3.75 percent for small businesses and 2.75 percent for nonprofits .
“ Non-profit entities — such as destination marketing organizations and arts and culture groups — are essential for driving consumer demand to their regions , and therefore will be major engines of the recovery , ” she said .
SBA ’ s action is a reversal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were ineligible for the program when Congress appropriated COVID-19 emergency funds for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program in a March economic relief bill .
Aquaculture or fish farming , plant nurseries and agricultural cooperatives qualified under the narrow definition on the books at the time .

The U.S. Travel Association is crying foul after the Small Business Administration decided for now to take applications just from farmers and agricultural businesses for the $50 billion Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
“Excluding major segments of the economy from emergency relief funding not only hurts small businesses and workers, but jeopardizes the strength of the broader economic recovery,” Tori Emerson Barnes, the association’s public affairs and policy executive vice president, said in a written statement Tuesday.
Barnes said opening the SBA application portal to only agriculture-related businesses would undermine recovery efforts from COVID-19 in the broader economy. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides up to $2 million in low-interest loans and $10,000 in grants. The interest on a loan for up to 30 years is 3.75 percent for small businesses and 2.75 percent for nonprofits.
“Non-profit entities — such as destination marketing organizations and arts and culture groups — are essential for driving consumer demand to their regions, and therefore will be major engines of the recovery,” she said.
SBA’s action is a reversal of fortune for many segments of agriculture that were ineligible for the program when Congress appropriated COVID-19 emergency funds for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program in a March economic relief bill. Aquaculture or fish farming, plant nurseries and agricultural cooperatives qualified under the narrow definition on the books at the time.


rollcall--2020-05-05--Coronavirus Special Report: The Senate gets back to work

In this episode , we explain the latest thinking from the administration about disbanding the coronavirus task force , and @ @ @ @ @ with hearings .
We take you inside the room where one of those hearings happened @

In this episode, we explain the latest thinking from the administration about disbanding the coronavirus task force, and the Senate is busy again with hearings. We take you inside the room where one of those hearings happened.
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-05-05--Federal courts seek more money and judges in next COVID-19 bill

The federal courts asked Congress for an additional $ 36.6 million and more judge positions in the wake of the @ @ @ @ @ and to handle the backlog of cases that will be delayed until after it is @ @ @ @ @ operations .
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and the U.S .
Judicial Conference @ @ @ @ @ request and 17 legislative proposals last week , but publicly released the letter on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ behind each proposal is to ensure that the federal Judiciary continues to meet its constitutional @ @ @ @ @ and safety of court personnel , litigants , and the public , ” the letter @ @ @ @ @ include $ 15.1 million for enhanced cleaning of courthouses and $ 15 million for eight @ @ @ @ @ courthouse entrances .
The courts also requested $ 11.2 million for information technology costs , @ @ @ @ @ defender services , $ 7.5 million for video conferencing equipment , $ 2.2 million for @ @ @ @ @ million for increased costs of supervising offenders released from prison or awaiting trial .

The federal courts asked Congress for an additional $36.6 million and more judge positions in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, for safety and to handle the backlog of cases that will be delayed until after it is safe to restart regular court operations.
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and the U.S. Judicial Conference sent appropriators the supplemental funding request and 17 legislative proposals last week, but publicly released the letter on Tuesday.
“The underlying objective behind each proposal is to ensure that the federal Judiciary continues to meet its constitutional mandate while protecting the health and safety of court personnel, litigants, and the public,” the letter states.
The funding requests include $15.1 million for enhanced cleaning of courthouses and $15 million for eight weeks of health screenings at courthouse entrances.
The courts also requested $11.2 million for information technology costs, $9.4 million for public defender services, $7.5 million for video conferencing equipment, $2.2 million for court security and $1.6 million for increased costs of supervising offenders released from prison or awaiting trial.


rollcall--2020-05-05--Jaguar Health’s price hike questioned by Democrats

House Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney , D-N.Y. , sent a letter to Jaguar Health Inc. on Monday chiding the drugmaker for tripling the price of a medication that could be used with potential coronavirus treatments and demanding copies of the company ’ s internal communications about the increase .
The drug , Mytesi , can be used to alleviate gastrointestinal side effects that can often accompany the use of antiviral medicine .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance that identified the drug as a possible treatment for side effects from antiviral prescriptions that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Maloney ’ s letter , which was also signed by Rep. Jackie Speier , D-Calif .
The San Francisco-based pharmaceutical company asked the Food and Drug Administration in March to grant it an emergency use authorization to market its drug to treat gastrointestinal symptoms related to coronavirus treatment .
The request was denied on April 7 .
Days later , the medicine ’ s list price tripled to more than $ 2,200 a bottle from $ 688 , according to the lawmakers .
“ The timing of Jaguar ’ s price increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected with the company ’ s expectation that it eventually could market Mytesi to treat coronavirus patients , ” the members wrote in the May 4 letter that urged the drug manufacturer to “ reverse this drastic price increase .
”

House Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., sent a letter to Jaguar Health Inc. on Monday chiding the drugmaker for tripling the price of a medication that could be used with potential coronavirus treatments and demanding copies of the company’s internal communications about the increase.
The drug, Mytesi, can be used to alleviate gastrointestinal side effects that can often accompany the use of antiviral medicine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance that identified the drug as a possible treatment for side effects from antiviral prescriptions that could be used to treat COVID-19, according to Maloney’s letter, which was also signed by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif.
The San Francisco-based pharmaceutical company asked the Food and Drug Administration in March to grant it an emergency use authorization to market its drug to treat gastrointestinal symptoms related to coronavirus treatment. The request was denied on April 7.
Days later, the medicine’s list price tripled to more than $2,200 a bottle from $688, according to the lawmakers.
“The timing of Jaguar’s price increase raises questions about whether this decision was connected with the company’s expectation that it eventually could market Mytesi to treat coronavirus patients,” the members wrote in the May 4 letter that urged the drug manufacturer to “reverse this drastic price increase.”


rollcall--2020-05-05--Duncan Hunter’s prison report date likely pushed back to 2021 due to coronavirus

Former Rep. Duncan Hunter , the California Republican who improperly spent over $ 150,000 in campaign funds on personal pursuits , will likely report to prison next year , several months beyond his original May report date .
In a joint motion filed Tuesday , the government and Hunter ’ s attorney ask U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan to push his self-surrender date to Jan. 4 , 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
In exchange for the government ’ s agreement to delay Hunter ’ s report date , he agreed to not attempt to modify his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time he has spent in home confinement from his prescribed time in federal custody .
The filing was signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Allen — whom Hunter has previously denigrated for being a partisan Department of Justice employee — and his lawyer , Devin Burstein .
Hunter was sentenced to prison on March 17 for illegally spending campaign money on a wide range of luxuries , including a family vacation to Italy and immense bar tabs .
His resignation from Congress took effect Jan. 13 , closing out an 11-year career .

Former Rep. Duncan Hunter, the California Republican who improperly spent over $150,000 in campaign funds on personal pursuits, will likely report to prison next year, several months beyond his original May report date.
In a joint motion filed Tuesday, the government and Hunter’s attorney ask U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan to push his self-surrender date to Jan. 4, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In exchange for the government’s agreement to delay Hunter’s report date, he agreed to not attempt to modify his 11-month prison sentence or ask to subtract time he has spent in home confinement from his prescribed time in federal custody.
The filing was signed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Allen — whom Hunter has previously denigrated for being a partisan Department of Justice employee — and his lawyer, Devin Burstein.
Hunter was sentenced to prison on March 17 for illegally spending campaign money on a wide range of luxuries, including a family vacation to Italy and immense bar tabs. His resignation from Congress took effect Jan. 13, closing out an 11-year career.


rollcall--2020-05-05--Democrats doubt Trump attorney can give independent oversight

Senate Democrats doubt that one of President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment attorneys will hold the administration accountable as special inspector general for pandemic recovery , but they asked Brian Miller to prove them wrong at his confirmation hearing Tuesday .
Shortly after the president signed the roughly $ 2.0 trillion economic rescue package into law in March with a statement saying he would not comply with the statute ’ s congressional reporting requirements , he nominated Miller , the associate White House counsel and special assistant to the president who sought to block congressional efforts to investigate Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the airline industry and the Treasury Department 's and Federal Reserve 's use of $ 454 billion to backstop as much as $ 4 trillion in emergency lending facilities .
So far , the Fed has established nine liquidity programs to support financial markets , larger businesses , and state and local municipalities while COVID-19 ravages the economy .
“ If confirmed , I will conduct every audit and investigation with fairness and impartiality , ” he said behind a powder blue cloth face mask .
“ I will be vigilant to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Special Inspector General .
I pledge to seek the truth in all matters that come before me , and use is my authority and resources to uncover fraud , waste , and abuse .
”

Senate Democrats doubt that one of President Donald Trump’s impeachment attorneys will hold the administration accountable as special inspector general for pandemic recovery, but they asked Brian Miller to prove them wrong at his confirmation hearing Tuesday.
Shortly after the president signed the roughly $2.0 trillion economic rescue package into law in March with a statement saying he would not comply with the statute’s congressional reporting requirements, he nominated Miller, the associate White House counsel and special assistant to the president who sought to block congressional efforts to investigate Trump.
Miller would oversee the federal bailouts to the airline industry and the Treasury Department's and Federal Reserve's use of $454 billion to backstop as much as $4 trillion in emergency lending facilities. So far, the Fed has established nine liquidity programs to support financial markets, larger businesses, and state and local municipalities while COVID-19 ravages the economy.
Miller promised to monitor the Treasury Department’s spending objectively.
“If confirmed, I will conduct every audit and investigation with fairness and impartiality,” he said behind a powder blue cloth face mask. “I will be vigilant to protect the integrity and independence of the Office of Special Inspector General. I pledge to seek the truth in all matters that come before me, and use is my authority and resources to uncover fraud, waste, and abuse.”


rollcall--2020-05-05--Democrats to push for $25 billion for Postal Service, Oversight chairwoman says

House Democratic leaders have resolved to push for $ 25 billion in funding for the U.S .
Postal Service in the next coronavirus relief bill , Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney said Tuesday .
“ I do have a commitment … of $ 25 billion to keep the postal office running , which is under the jurisdiction of the Oversight Committee , ” the New York Democrat said .
“ So I ’ m thrilled that that is in the package.
” The Postal Service is expected to run out of money by the end of September without a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much revenue during the pandemic , Maloney said .
“ The fact that so many of them are sick ; they ’ re essential workers on the front line , ” she said .
“ So that ’ s a crisis .
If we ’ re going to a campaign by [ mail-in voting ] and people need their medicines by mail , we have to have a post office.
” Maloney ’ s remarks came during a news videoconference that she held on legislation she ’ s introducing to provide student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said leadership has not yet committed to putting that proposal in the next bill but said she plans to continue advocating for it .

House Democratic leaders have resolved to push for $25 billion in funding for the U.S. Postal Service in the next coronavirus relief bill, Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney said Tuesday.
“I do have a commitment … of $25 billion to keep the postal office running, which is under the jurisdiction of the Oversight Committee,” the New York Democrat said. “So I’m thrilled that that is in the package.”
The Postal Service is expected to run out of money by the end of September without a new congressional appropriation because it’s losing so much revenue during the pandemic, Maloney said.
“The fact that so many of them are sick; they’re essential workers on the front line,” she said. “So that’s a crisis. If we’re going to a campaign by [mail-in voting] and people need their medicines by mail, we have to have a post office.”
Maloney’s remarks came during a news videoconference that she held on legislation she’s introducing to provide student loan forgiveness for front-line workers. She said leadership has not yet committed to putting that proposal in the next bill but said she plans to continue advocating for it.


rollcall--2020-05-05--White House weighs ending its coronavirus task force

Vice President Mike Pence confirmed Tuesday that discussions have begun on how to wind down the coronavirus task force that coordinates the Trump administration 's response to the global pandemic .
`` We ’ re having conversations about that and about what the proper time is for the task force to complete its work and for the ongoing efforts to take place on an agency-by-agency level , '' said Pence , who leads the task force .
`` And we ’ ve already begun to talk about a transition plan with FEMA . ''
Pence , who was being asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report , argued this was a positive development , and `` a reflection of the tremendous progress we ’ ve made as a country . ''
The vice president was speaking to reporters at a briefing with the task force that did not include the traditional press pool .
CQ Roll Call received a transcript from the vice president 's office .
`` I think we ’ re starting to look at the Memorial Day window , early June window as a time when we could begin to transition back to having our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage our national response in a more traditional manner , '' Pence said .

Niels Lesniewski and Mary Ellen McIntire

Vice President Mike Pence confirmed Tuesday that discussions have begun on how to wind down the coronavirus task force that coordinates the Trump administration's response to the global pandemic.
"We’re having conversations about that and about what the proper time is for the task force to complete its work and for the ongoing efforts to take place on an agency-by-agency level," said Pence, who leads the task force. "And we’ve already begun to talk about a transition plan with FEMA."
Pence, who was being asked to respond to a New York Times report, argued this was a positive development, and "a reflection of the tremendous progress we’ve made as a country."
The vice president was speaking to reporters at a briefing with the task force that did not include the traditional press pool. CQ Roll Call received a transcript from the vice president's office.
"I think we’re starting to look at the Memorial Day window, early June window as a time when we could begin to transition back to having our agencies begin to manage – begin to manage our national response in a more traditional manner," Pence said.


rollcall--2020-05-06--Airline leaders grilled over safety, refunds and use of loans

Airlines that received billions of federal dollars after the coronavirus decimated their industry are now facing deep scrutiny over their handling of the pandemic , with lawmakers grilling them Wednesday about passenger safety , refund policies and their use of the money Congress allocated to keep employees on the payroll .
“ In effect , you are , forgive me , screwing the very taxpayers whose very money is going into your pockets , ” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal , D-Conn. , during a hearing of the Senate Commerce , Science and Transportation Committee on aviation oversight .
The roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress cleared in March included $ 31 billion in payroll support grants , including $ 25 billion for passenger airlines , $ 4 billion for cargo airlines and $ 3 billion for airline workers and contractors .
But lawmakers on the Senate panel Wednesday said they were worried that airlines were not working hard enough to regain consumer trust , citing several examples of ways carriers fell short .
Blumenthal said airlines had not been sufficiently flexible in offering refunds to passengers who canceled flights over concerns about the pandemic .
Delta , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have been sued by passengers who sought refunds for flights they did not want to take because of the pandemic .

Airlines that received billions of federal dollars after the coronavirus decimated their industry are now facing deep scrutiny over their handling of the pandemic, with lawmakers grilling them Wednesday about passenger safety, refund policies and their use of the money Congress allocated to keep employees on the payroll.
“In effect, you are, forgive me, screwing the very taxpayers whose very money is going into your pockets,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., during a hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on aviation oversight.
The roughly $2 trillion coronavirus aid bill that Congress cleared in March included $31 billion in payroll support grants, including $25 billion for passenger airlines, $4 billion for cargo airlines and $3 billion for airline workers and contractors.
But lawmakers on the Senate panel Wednesday said they were worried that airlines were not working hard enough to regain consumer trust, citing several examples of ways carriers fell short.
Blumenthal said airlines had not been sufficiently flexible in offering refunds to passengers who canceled flights over concerns about the pandemic. Delta, American and United are among the airlines that have been sued by passengers who sought refunds for flights they did not want to take because of the pandemic.


rollcall--2020-05-06--Why Trump didn’t have to veto the Iran resolution until Wednesday

It was almost two months ago that the House passed a joint resolution delivering a bipartisan rebuke of President Donald Trump ’ s Iran policy .
But the measure to terminate authority for engaging in hostilities against Iran or Iranian government officials , which had passed the House back in mid-February , was not actually vetoed by the president until Wednesday .
The president has 10 days from the date it is presented to him to sign legislation or veto it , or else it becomes law without being signed .
“ Today , I vetoed S.J .
Res .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces in hostilities against Iran .
This was a very insulting resolution , introduced by Democrats as part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party , ” the president said in a statement .
“ The few Republicans who voted for it played right into their hands.
” The delay was possible because both bills and joint resolutions must go through the enrollment process before being transmitted to the president .
Those procedural steps involve having the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed by an authorized leader in both chambers .

It was almost two months ago that the House passed a joint resolution delivering a bipartisan rebuke of President Donald Trump’s Iran policy.
But the measure to terminate authority for engaging in hostilities against Iran or Iranian government officials, which had passed the House back in mid-February, was not actually vetoed by the president until Wednesday. The president has 10 days from the date it is presented to him to sign legislation or veto it, or else it becomes law without being signed.
So what happened?
“Today, I vetoed S.J. Res. 68, which purported to direct me to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces in hostilities against Iran. This was a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party,” the president said in a statement. “The few Republicans who voted for it played right into their hands.”
The delay was possible because both bills and joint resolutions must go through the enrollment process before being transmitted to the president. Those procedural steps involve having the legislative text printed on parchment paper and signed by an authorized leader in both chambers.


rollcall--2020-05-06--Coronavirus Special Report: The pandemic’s impact on different sectors of the economy

In tonight 's episode , we dive into the debate in Congress over what a new aid package should contain @ @ @ @ @ on different sectors of the economy .

In tonight's episode, we dive into the debate in Congress over what a new aid package should contain and the impact of COVID-19 on different sectors of the economy.
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-05-06--Dear FCC, please don’t mess with our GPS, military tells senators

Senators and Pentagon officials on Wednesday criticized the Federal Communications Commission for giving a small satellite company permission to build a new fifth-generation wireless network , arguing that the decision is likely to hurt GPS systems and military readiness .
Sen. James M. Inhofe , R-Okla. , the Senate Armed Services chairman , said the FCC ’ s decision to approve the network license would “ place at risk the GPS signals that enable our national and economic security for the benefit of one company and its investors.
” A licensing request by the company , Ligado Networks LLC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 , a Sunday , leading Inhofe to accuse the agency of trying to operate in secrecy .
“ [ The FCC ] waited until the whole world was distracted by COVID-19 , ” Inhofe said , “ and when everyone was looking the other way , unannounced to the public , in total secrecy on a weekend , passed the most controversial licensing bill in the history of the FCC.
” Inhofe said his characterizing of the FCC ’ s decision was based on widespread opposition by the Pentagon , other federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that worry the GPS system could be disrupted by Ligado 's satellite technology .

Senators and Pentagon officials on Wednesday criticized the Federal Communications Commission for giving a small satellite company permission to build a new fifth-generation wireless network, arguing that the decision is likely to hurt GPS systems and military readiness.
Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Okla., the Senate Armed Services chairman, said the FCC’s decision to approve the network license would “place at risk the GPS signals that enable our national and economic security for the benefit of one company and its investors.”
A licensing request by the company, Ligado Networks LLC, was approved by the FCC on April 19, a Sunday, leading Inhofe to accuse the agency of trying to operate in secrecy.
“[The FCC] waited until the whole world was distracted by COVID-19,” Inhofe said, “and when everyone was looking the other way, unannounced to the public, in total secrecy on a weekend, passed the most controversial licensing bill in the history of the FCC.”
Inhofe said his characterizing of the FCC’s decision was based on widespread opposition by the Pentagon, other federal agencies, and numerous private sector industries that worry the GPS system could be disrupted by Ligado's satellite technology.


rollcall--2020-05-06--Senate GOP weighs letting states use virus aid to plug budget holes

Some Senate Republicans are warming to giving states the flexibility to use federal aid to replace lost revenue as advocated by Democrats and some governors .
John Kennedy , R-La.
, introduced a bill to provide this flexibility Tuesday and expressed confidence Wednesday that if his bill goes to the floor “ it will pass.
” At issue is the $ 150 billion in aid to state and local governments provided in the $ 2 trillion economic rescue package passed in March .
Under the law , that aid can only be used for pandemic-related costs , not to replace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic shutdown .
“ I think the general consensus is , make the money in the pipeline more flexible and take a pause , ” Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , said after the Senate GOP lunch Wednesday .
Kennedy said his proposal responds to complaints from governors that “ there are strings attached ” to the aid .
Governors say they “ ca n't use the money to plug holes in their budget .
So , the obvious answer it seems to me is to give them the authority , and my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

Some Senate Republicans are warming to giving states the flexibility to use federal aid to replace lost revenue as advocated by Democrats and some governors.
John Kennedy, R-La., introduced a bill to provide this flexibility Tuesday and expressed confidence Wednesday that if his bill goes to the floor “it will pass.”
At issue is the $150 billion in aid to state and local governments provided in the $2 trillion economic rescue package passed in March. Under the law, that aid can only be used for pandemic-related costs, not to replace state and local revenue lost due to the economic shutdown.
“I think the general consensus is, make the money in the pipeline more flexible and take a pause,” Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said after the Senate GOP lunch Wednesday.
Kennedy said his proposal responds to complaints from governors that “there are strings attached” to the aid. Governors say they “can't use the money to plug holes in their budget. So, the obvious answer it seems to me is to give them the authority, and my bill would do that,” he said.


rollcall--2020-05-06--Trump holds firm on bid to ask Supreme Court to end 2010 health care law

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his administration would not alter its call for the Supreme Court to strike down @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We want to terminate health care under Obamacare , ” Trump told reporters @ @ @ @ @ .
He said Republicans hoped to replace the 2010 health care law with a more @ @ @ @ @ for people with preexisting conditions .
As the United States grapples with the highest number @ @ @ @ @ country in the world , some Democrats are taking a different approach by seeking to @ @ @ @ @ upcoming legislation and defending the health care law in court .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ group , ” Trump said .
“ Obamacare is a disaster , but we ’ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his administration would not alter its call for the Supreme Court to strike down the 2010 health care law.
“We want to terminate health care under Obamacare,” Trump told reporters Wednesday in the Oval Office. He said Republicans hoped to replace the 2010 health care law with a more affordable alternative that maintains protections for people with preexisting conditions.
As the United States grapples with the highest number of COVID-19 cases of any country in the world, some Democrats are taking a different approach by seeking to expand government-funded insurance coverage in upcoming legislation and defending the health care law in court.
“We’re staying with Texas and the group,” Trump said. “Obamacare is a disaster, but we’ve made it barely acceptable.”
[Ten years into Obamacare, cost and access issues abound]


rollcall--2020-05-06--Momentum builds for restaurant-backed small-business program changes

Bipartisan support is growing for a fix to the massive new small-business lending program created in March that would let @ @ @ @ @ and still qualify for debt forgiveness .
Businesses , including many restaurants and hotels , @ @ @ @ @ loans offered under the so-called Paycheck Protection Program come with too many strings attached .
@ @ @ @ @ which runs the program , has required that at least 75 percent of the loan @ @ @ @ @ to meet a congressional objective of keeping workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic .
But @ @ @ @ @ with skeletal staff , often find that lease or mortgage payments make up 50 percent @ @ @ @ @ according to the National Restaurant Association .
And lawmakers have begun to recognize the problem @ @ @ @ @ 21 senators , led by Sens .
John Cornyn , R-Texas , and Bob Menendez @ @ @ @ @ letter to the administration Wednesday seeking to raise the 25 percent limit on nonpayroll expenses @ @ @ @ @ , as the main restaurant group has called for .

Bipartisan support is growing for a fix to the massive new small-business lending program created in March that would let recipients spend less on payroll and still qualify for debt forgiveness.
Businesses, including many restaurants and hotels, have complained that the forgivable loans offered under the so-called Paycheck Protection Program come with too many strings attached.
The Small Business Administration, which runs the program, has required that at least 75 percent of the loan money be spent on payroll to meet a congressional objective of keeping workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But restaurants, which can operate with skeletal staff, often find that lease or mortgage payments make up 50 percent of their monthly costs, according to the National Restaurant Association. And lawmakers have begun to recognize the problem.
A bipartisan group of 21 senators, led by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., sent a letter to the administration Wednesday seeking to raise the 25 percent limit on nonpayroll expenses to at least 50 percent, as the main restaurant group has called for.


rollcall--2020-05-06--Exemption sought for foreign physicians in next immigration ban

The organization 's request comes in the context of a proclamation , signed April 22 by President Donald Trump , that temporarily bars the entry of certain immigrants hoping to move to the United States on a permanent basis .
The proclamation mentions the administration would consider additional actions targeting work visas within the next 30 days .
The United States has a shortage of physicians and other health care workers , especially in rural counties and other areas that may have high poverty rates and incidence of multiple chronic diseases .
International medical professionals often fill those gaps in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted in the letter .
“ The U.S. health care workforce relies upon health professionals and scientists from other countries to provide high-quality and accessible patient care , ” the AMA said .
“ As such , during this pandemic , it is more critical than ever to ensure that the U.S. has a fair and efficient immigration system that strengthens the American health care system and advances the nation ’ s health security.
” In March , the AMA also sent a letter to Chad Wolf , the acting secretary of Homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Pompeo , recommending ways to ease the arrival of foreign medical workers cleared to come to America .
That letter asked that foreign students scheduled to begin residencies in the United States in the coming months be allowed to have their applications processed — or expedited , as needed — at U.S. consulates abroad .
Foreign processing of visas has largely been halted during the pandemic .

The organization's request comes in the context of a proclamation, signed April 22 by President Donald Trump, that temporarily bars the entry of certain immigrants hoping to move to the United States on a permanent basis. The proclamation mentions the administration would consider additional actions targeting work visas within the next 30 days.
[Trump issues narrow order suspending immigration amid pandemic]
The United States has a shortage of physicians and other health care workers, especially in rural counties and other areas that may have high poverty rates and incidence of multiple chronic diseases. International medical professionals often fill those gaps in health care, the physicians’ association noted in the letter.
“The U.S. health care workforce relies upon health professionals and scientists from other countries to provide high-quality and accessible patient care,” the AMA said. “As such, during this pandemic, it is more critical than ever to ensure that the U.S. has a fair and efficient immigration system that strengthens the American health care system and advances the nation’s health security.”
In March, the AMA also sent a letter to Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, and to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, recommending ways to ease the arrival of foreign medical workers cleared to come to America. That letter asked that foreign students scheduled to begin residencies in the United States in the coming months be allowed to have their applications processed — or expedited, as needed — at U.S. consulates abroad. Foreign processing of visas has largely been halted during the pandemic.


rollcall--2020-05-06--Pandemic precautions make for strange Senate reunion

When the Senate returned to Washington this week for the first time in nearly seven weeks , they found the @ @ @ @ @ against the coronavirus and themselves adopting new behaviors in the face of the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ Capitol Hill were dotted with large yellow spots placed at six-foot intervals , with the @ @ @ @ @ “ Thanks for practicing social distancing ” message on them .
“ It was like @ @ @ @ @ when I showed up today , ” one Capitol worker was overheard saying Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ sported new hardware this week , plexiglass partitions protecting staffers stationed behind .
Hustling to @ @ @ @ @ were in jeans and sneakers , coming straight from the airport or road trip .
@ @ @ @ @ Arizona made a show of pointing to her lavender wig as she cast her vote @ @ @ @ @ that her usual platinum blonde coif might require upkeep not available while hair salons remain @ @

When the Senate returned to Washington this week for the first time in nearly seven weeks, they found the Capitol transformed by protective measures against the coronavirus and themselves adopting new behaviors in the face of the pandemic.
The floors and sidewalks on Capitol Hill were dotted with large yellow spots placed at six-foot intervals, with the image of footprints and a “Thanks for practicing social distancing” message on them.
“It was like a big game of Twister when I showed up today,” one Capitol worker was overheard saying Monday.
A reporter stands on a marked spot in the Senate subway in an effort to social distance as the Senate reconvenes on Monday. (Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call)
Cafeterias and press galleries both sported new hardware this week, plexiglass partitions protecting staffers stationed behind.
Hustling to vote Monday, many senators were in jeans and sneakers, coming straight from the airport or road trip. Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona made a show of pointing to her lavender wig as she cast her vote Monday evening, a signal that her usual platinum blonde coif might require upkeep not available while hair salons remain shuttered.


rollcall--2020-05-06--‘Anything could happen,’ and it did. But political dynamics did not budge

We are less than six months away from Election Day , and the last few months have already seen an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump and a deadly coronavirus pandemic sweep the globe .
Electorally , though , we face much the same dynamics as before those epically historic events .
“ I think there was a clear trend before the coronavirus when it came to political handicapping .
And that ’ s that you spend all this time analyzing data and you give your best projections and you say , ‘ Well , anything could happen , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as a crutch , ” says CQ Roll Call elections analyst Nathan L. Gonzales , the publisher of Inside Elections .
So , the “ anything ” happened .
Now what ?
“ Nothing really changed , in terms of electorally .
Our lives have changed .
Our day-to-day lives have changed .
But politically , not a lot of voters ’ minds have changed about who they ’ re going to support for president , and I think that has a fundamental impact on even what the down-ballot issues are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

We are less than six months away from Election Day, and the last few months have already seen an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump and a deadly coronavirus pandemic sweep the globe. Electorally, though, we face much the same dynamics as before those epically historic events.
“I think there was a clear trend before the coronavirus when it came to political handicapping. And that’s that you spend all this time analyzing data and you give your best projections and you say, ‘Well, anything could happen,’ just to cover yourself or to use it as a crutch,” says CQ Roll Call elections analyst Nathan L. Gonzales, the publisher of Inside Elections.
So, the “anything” happened. Now what?
“Nothing really changed, in terms of electorally. Our lives have changed. Our day-to-day lives have changed. But politically, not a lot of voters’ minds have changed about who they’re going to support for president, and I think that has a fundamental impact on even what the down-ballot issues are going to look like,” Gonzales continues.


rollcall--2020-05-07--Uranium firm takes virus aid, says crisis hasn’t affected business

A Colorado uranium company that pressed the Trump administration to set up barriers against imports and found allies for that cause in Congress received a nearly $ 1 million loan for relief from the coronavirus pandemic even as it said the tumbling economy had not affected its flagship operation .
Ur-Energy Inc. received $ 893,300 through two of its subsidiaries during the first round of loans the federal government distributed in its Paycheck Protection Program .
Under the PPP , small businesses that have been affected by the pandemic and government-mandated shutdowns can get forgivable loans for payroll , rent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as at least 75 percent of the loan goes to payroll .
Small businesses are traditionally considered to have 500 employees or fewer , but the Small Business Administration has made exceptions during the pandemic .
Ur-Energy employed 13 people in Colorado , five in Wyoming and one in Arizona last year , according to its latest annual report .
In an April 20 news release about the loan , Ur-Energy said the pandemic has not altered activities at its flagship facility , Lost Creek , a mining site in Wyoming .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public .

A Colorado uranium company that pressed the Trump administration to set up barriers against imports and found allies for that cause in Congress received a nearly $1 million loan for relief from the coronavirus pandemic even as it said the tumbling economy had not affected its flagship operation.
Ur-Energy Inc. received $893,300 through two of its subsidiaries during the first round of loans the federal government distributed in its Paycheck Protection Program.
Under the PPP, small businesses that have been affected by the pandemic and government-mandated shutdowns can get forgivable loans for payroll, rent, utility and mortgage payments as long as at least 75 percent of the loan goes to payroll.
Small businesses are traditionally considered to have 500 employees or fewer, but the Small Business Administration has made exceptions during the pandemic. Ur-Energy employed 13 people in Colorado, five in Wyoming and one in Arizona last year, according to its latest annual report.
In an April 20 news release about the loan, Ur-Energy said the pandemic has not altered activities at its flagship facility, Lost Creek, a mining site in Wyoming. The SBA has not made individual loan applications public.


rollcall--2020-05-07--No, we don’t use TikTok, congressional staffers say

Politicians will try anything to reach the public , like microwaving weird sandwiches ( Sen. Mark Warner , we ’ re looking at you ) or getting their teeth cleaned on Instagram .
But they have stayed away from TikTok , and that wariness appears to have trickled down to their staff .
We asked nearly 150 congressional staffers if they use the video-sharing platform dominated by Gen Z ( and millennials too ) .
“ No , ” said an overwhelming 90 percent of them .
Those responses were collected as part of CQ Roll Call ’ s latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on April 27 .
We can ’ t say we ’ re shocked .
While the app has surged in global popularity , earning hundreds of millions of downloads in 2020 alone as quarantiners practice dance moves like the “ woah ” and try to be # HappyatHome , it has a bad reputation in Washington .
Lawmakers have raised privacy and censorship questions about parent company Bytedance , which is based in China .
“ TikTok and China should be considered one and the same because all the entities that prop up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether they are state-owned , have no choice but to adhere to Beijing ’ s authoritarian demands for control and oppression , ” Sen. Marsha Blackburn told tech outlet Protocol last month .

Politicians will try anything to reach the public, like microwaving weird sandwiches (Sen. Mark Warner, we’re looking at you) or getting their teeth cleaned on Instagram. But they have stayed away from TikTok, and that wariness appears to have trickled down to their staff.
We asked nearly 150 congressional staffers if they use the video-sharing platform dominated by Gen Z (and millennials too).
“No,” said an overwhelming 90 percent of them. Those responses were collected as part of CQ Roll Call’s latest Capitol Insiders Survey, sent to aides on April 27.
We can’t say we’re shocked. While the app has surged in global popularity, earning hundreds of millions of downloads in 2020 alone as quarantiners practice dance moves like the “woah” and try to be #HappyatHome, it has a bad reputation in Washington. Lawmakers have raised privacy and censorship questions about parent company Bytedance, which is based in China.
“TikTok and China should be considered one and the same because all the entities that prop up China’s economy, regardless of whether they are state-owned, have no choice but to adhere to Beijing’s authoritarian demands for control and oppression,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn told tech outlet Protocol last month.


rollcall--2020-05-07--States weigh what to do with millions of malaria pills

The Strategic National Stockpile has shipped 28 million tablets of a malaria drug that President Donald Trump touted as a potential treatment for COVID-19 to states since April 1 .
States received millions more from donations or taxpayer-funded purchases .
But after doubts arose about whether the drug , hydroxychloroquine sulfate , is safe and effective for the coronavirus-based disease , states are donating supplies to patients who need them for other reasons , seeking refunds or weighing what to do with them .
As Trump encourages some states to lift shelter-at-home orders , states report that hydroxychloroquine , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic , wo n't be used to prevent any resulting surge of illnesses and deaths because the drug may not work and has dangerous side effects .
Meanwhile , a whistleblower complaint that was filed Tuesday by former Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority Director Rick Bright raises other safety concerns about the stockpile ’ s hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine tablets .
Bright and other officials were “ concerned about the quality and potential toxicity of chloroquine supplies produced and shipped in from facilities in India and Pakistan that were not approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not approved to be used in the U.S. marketplace , ” the complaint to the Office of Special Counsel alleges .

Bright and other officials were “concerned about the quality and potential toxicity of chloroquine supplies produced and shipped in from facilities in India and Pakistan that were not approved by the FDA, and were therefore not approved to be used in the U.S. marketplace,” the complaint to the Office of Special Counsel alleges.
States like Texas report that the drug no longer plays a role in their emergency response plans. In one week stretching from late March into early April, dozens of Texas hospitals across the state requested 467 bottles of hydroxychloroquine from the state’s emergency supply.
By the week of April 20, as new evidence emerged about the drug’s sometimes deadly side effects, requests fell to a trickle. Ten bottles were requested between April 20 and April 24, data supplied by the Texas Department of State Health Services show. Over the last two weeks, following a Food and Drug Administration warning, no bottles were requested.
About 9,200 bottles of hydroxychloroquine, or 920,000 pills, remain sitting in the Texas stockpile.
North Carolina, which acquired 1.5 million tablets from donations and the national stockpile, also saw a drop-off in requests, according to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.


rollcall--2020-05-07--The opaqueness of Congress’ workplace rules hangs over the Tara Reade allegations about Biden

Why is Tara Reade ’ s official complaint against former Vice President Joe Biden so hard to find ?
Possibly because the system for lodging it was opaque and challenging for accusers .
Reade , a onetime Biden staffer , says she filed a complaint against him in 1993 when he was in his fourth term in the Senate representing Delaware .
The process would have subjected her to a system that did little to protect Capitol Hill staffers from retribution and offered little recourse if they were not satisfied with the outcome .
It would take a 1995 overhaul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line with federal labor and anti-discrimination laws .
Even almost 30 years later , the alleged complaint — the secretary of the Senate won ’ t even confirm or deny whether there is one — may never be released because of strict disclosure rules .
Biden wrote the secretary of the Senate on May 1 , asking the office to release any complaints Reade made against him .
The office declined , saying confidentiality requirements in the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991 gave it no discretion to disclose the information .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of any exceptions in law authorizing our office to disclose any such records that do exist , if any , even to original participants in a matter , ” a statement from the secretary ’ s office read .

Chris Cioffi and Katherine Tully-McManus

Why is Tara Reade’s official complaint against former Vice President Joe Biden so hard to find? Possibly because the system for lodging it was opaque and challenging for accusers.
Reade, a onetime Biden staffer, says she filed a complaint against him in 1993 when he was in his fourth term in the Senate representing Delaware. The process would have subjected her to a system that did little to protect Capitol Hill staffers from retribution and offered little recourse if they were not satisfied with the outcome.
It would take a 1995 overhaul of congressional personnel laws to bring Congress in line with federal labor and anti-discrimination laws. Even almost 30 years later, the alleged complaint — the secretary of the Senate won’t even confirm or deny whether there is one — may never be released because of strict disclosure rules.
Biden wrote the secretary of the Senate on May 1, asking the office to release any complaints Reade made against him. The office declined, saying confidentiality requirements in the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991 gave it no discretion to disclose the information.
“Furthermore, we are not aware of any exceptions in law authorizing our office to disclose any such records that do exist, if any, even to original participants in a matter,” a statement from the secretary’s office read.


rollcall--2020-05-08--Problem Solvers show how Congress can work from home with virtual floor debate

Two dozen members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus hosted a virtual floor debate on state and local funding Thursday , hoping to illustrate that the House can conduct official proceedings remotely .
But the experimental session was not without a few technological hiccups .
Caucus members used the Zoom videoconferencing app to connect with one another for the mock debate , telecasting the proceedings to the public through Facebook Live .
Most of the problems seemed to occur with the Facebook Live feed cutting off even as the Zoom debate continued .
The first video showing the beginning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes and a second after just 33 seconds .
A third video remained functional through the end of the debate , which lasted an hour in total .
Members used a picture of an empty House floor as their Zoom background to set the scene , and in many ways , the mock session mirrored formal floor proceedings .
Other congressional caucuses and committees have held virtual hearings during the coronavirus pandemic .
But the Problem Solvers Caucus , a bipartisan group equally divided between Republican and Democratic members , was the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All virtual sessions have been informal , since House rules do not yet allow for the chamber to convene remotely as a full body or in committees .

Two dozen members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus hosted a virtual floor debate on state and local funding Thursday, hoping to illustrate that the House can conduct official proceedings remotely. But the experimental session was not without a few technological hiccups.
Caucus members used the Zoom videoconferencing app to connect with one another for the mock debate, telecasting the proceedings to the public through Facebook Live.
Most of the problems seemed to occur with the Facebook Live feed cutting off even as the Zoom debate continued. The first video showing the beginning of the mock proceedings cut out after three-and-a-half minutes and a second after just 33 seconds. A third video remained functional through the end of the debate, which lasted an hour in total.
Members used a picture of an empty House floor as their Zoom background to set the scene, and in many ways, the mock session mirrored formal floor proceedings.
Other congressional caucuses and committees have held virtual hearings during the coronavirus pandemic. But the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group equally divided between Republican and Democratic members, was the first group to hold a virtual floor debate. All virtual sessions have been informal, since House rules do not yet allow for the chamber to convene remotely as a full body or in committees.


rollcall--2020-05-07--Coronavirus Special Report: What’s next for the surplus of hydroxychloroquine?

In tonight ’ s podcast , we delve into the latest in health policy news : What will states that @ @ @ @ @ do with their supplies of the increasingly discredited COVID-19 treatment option ?
And what should @ @ @ @ @ Fauci ’ s Senate testimony next week ?
Also , Republican lawmakers reckon with oversight @

In tonight’s podcast, we delve into the latest in health policy news: What will states that purchased the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine do with their supplies of the increasingly discredited COVID-19 treatment option? And what should we expect from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s Senate testimony next week? Also, Republican lawmakers reckon with oversight.


rollcall--2020-05-07--A reminder to ‘Call Your Mother’ from Eleanor Holmes Norton

D.C. Del .
Eleanor Holmes Norton caught up with Heard on the Hill over bagels ( and Zoom ) this @ @ @ @ @ to Mother ’ s Day .
Appropriately enough , the bagels were from Capitol Hill @ @ @ @ @ Call Your Mother , ” which opened it ’ s new Barracks Row location despite @ @ @ @ @ for pick-up only .

D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton caught up with Heard on the Hill over bagels (and Zoom) this week as she looked forward to Mother’s Day. Appropriately enough, the bagels were from Capitol Hill’s newest deli “Call Your Mother,” which opened it’s new Barracks Row location despite the pandemic, selling bagels for pick-up only.
[ Also watch: Coronavirus funding slight emboldens DC statehood fight ]


rollcall--2020-05-07--NRSC chairman says incumbents have political advantage in pandemic

Indiana Sen. Todd Young , who chairs Senate Republicans ' campaign arm , said Thursday that GOP incumbents could have a political advantage as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic .
Several GOP senators are facing competitive reelection races in November as Republicans try to hold onto their Senate majority .
But the National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman said the senators could see a boost at the ballot box by focusing on what they 're doing in Congress to respond to the crisis .
`` Naturally our candidates have pivoted aggressively towards their official responsibilities .
And I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Young told reporters at the Capitol .
Eleven of the 13 Senate races that Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates as competitive involve seats held by Republicans .
Democrats need a net gain of four seats to flip the chamber , or three seats if they win the White House , since the vice president casts tie-breaking votes .
GOP senators , including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , Susan Collins of Maine and Martha McSally of Arizona , have already started to highlight their response to the pandemic in television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most vulnerable senators in 2020 .

Indiana Sen. Todd Young, who chairs Senate Republicans' campaign arm, said Thursday that GOP incumbents could have a political advantage as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
Several GOP senators are facing competitive reelection races in November as Republicans try to hold onto their Senate majority. But the National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman said the senators could see a boost at the ballot box by focusing on what they're doing in Congress to respond to the crisis.
"Naturally our candidates have pivoted aggressively towards their official responsibilities. And I think that will be beneficial come November," Young told reporters at the Capitol.
Eleven of the 13 Senate races that Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates as competitive involve seats held by Republicans. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to flip the chamber, or three seats if they win the White House, since the vice president casts tie-breaking votes.
GOP senators, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins of Maine and Martha McSally of Arizona, have already started to highlight their response to the pandemic in television ads. Collins and McSally are among the most vulnerable senators in 2020.


rollcall--2020-05-07--‘Shark tank’ competition for new virus tests draws strong interest

A rapid contest aimed at accelerating new testing technologies for COVID-19 prompted the start of more than 1,000 applications in @ @ @ @ @ noon Wednesday , with 79 applications completed .
National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins @ @ @ @ @ and somewhat astounded ” at the volume since the initiative was announced April 29 .
@ @ @ @ @ NIH , I have honestly never seen anything move this quickly , ” he told @ @ @ @ @ , Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday .
“ The expert review team already in place @ @ @ @ @ completed applications that are ready to move into that first phase of intense scrutiny and @ @ @ @ @ ” he continued .
“ And it 's going to be a wild ride.
” @ @ @ @ @ , and Missouri Republican Roy Blunt championed a provision in the most recent coronavirus aid @ @ @ @ @ shark tank ” style competition accelerating promising new testing technologies .

A rapid contest aimed at accelerating new testing technologies for COVID-19 prompted the start of more than 1,000 applications in just eight days as of noon Wednesday, with 79 applications completed.
National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins said he was “delighted and somewhat astounded” at the volume since the initiative was announced April 29.
“In 27 years at NIH, I have honestly never seen anything move this quickly,” he told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday.
“The expert review team already in place has identified 20 of these completed applications that are ready to move into that first phase of intense scrutiny and the game is on,” he continued. “And it's going to be a wild ride.”
Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Missouri Republican Roy Blunt championed a provision in the most recent coronavirus aid package to create a “shark tank” style competition accelerating promising new testing technologies.


rollcall--2020-05-07--Thornberry: Pentagon budget cuts would be shortsighted

Now is not the time to cut the Pentagon ’ s budget , Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry , the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee , said Thursday .
“ I bristle a little bit at the notion that of course the [ Defense Department ] is going to get their budget cut ” as a result of the trillions of dollars Congress has approved responding to the coronavirus outbreak , Thornberry told reporters during a conference call .
“ The world is not going to be any safer on the other side of COVID.
” Under a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the topline for national defense in fiscal 2021 is $ 740.5 billion , most of which will go to the Pentagon .
That ’ s a modest $ 2.5 billion increase from the previous year ’ s defense budget .
For now , Thornberry said , it is better to focus on getting the funding appropriated on time and moving ahead with the annual defense policy bill than to reopen that spending deal , unless there is bipartisan agreement to increase the Pentagon ’ s budget .
“ I am concerned , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of money to deal with COVID , and I don ’ t know what all of the future consequences of this spending and this debt will be , ” Thornberry said .
“ My bottom line is : This pandemic is changing a lot in this world , and I do not want the United States to come out of it in a weaker military position than we went into it .
”

Now is not the time to cut the Pentagon’s budget, Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said Thursday.
“I bristle a little bit at the notion that of course the [Defense Department] is going to get their budget cut” as a result of the trillions of dollars Congress has approved responding to the coronavirus outbreak, Thornberry told reporters during a conference call. “The world is not going to be any safer on the other side of COVID.”
Under a two-year budget deal struck last summer, the topline for national defense in fiscal 2021 is $740.5 billion, most of which will go to the Pentagon. That’s a modest $2.5 billion increase from the previous year’s defense budget.
For now, Thornberry said, it is better to focus on getting the funding appropriated on time and moving ahead with the annual defense policy bill than to reopen that spending deal, unless there is bipartisan agreement to increase the Pentagon’s budget.
“I am concerned, like anybody else, that we are spending a lot of money to deal with COVID, and I don’t know what all of the future consequences of this spending and this debt will be,” Thornberry said. “My bottom line is: This pandemic is changing a lot in this world, and I do not want the United States to come out of it in a weaker military position than we went into it.”


rollcall--2020-05-07--House legal fight for grand jury materials lands at Supreme Court

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to step into the legal fight over the House Judiciary Committee ’ s request to see the grand jury materials from former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III ’ s probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
Without an intervention from the justices , the Justice Department would have to turn over the materials on Monday under a court order from the federal appeals court in Washington , the Justice Department wrote in an application to the Supreme Court .
The Judiciary Committee has not opposed an administrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court considers the request , the DOJ told the justices .
The Justice Department plans later to file an appeal of the decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit .
The Justice Department wrote that if the Supreme Court does not pause the order while the government appeals the D.C .
Circuit ruling , it will “ force the government to turn over the grand-jury materials — thereby lifting their secrecy and rendering this dispute largely academic.
” A three-judge panel of the D.C .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 10 , that the House ’ s impeachment of President Donald Trump counted as a “ judicial proceeding , ” which qualifies the committee for an exemption to rules that typically keep grand jury information secret .

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to step into the legal fight over the House Judiciary Committee’s request to see the grand jury materials from former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Without an intervention from the justices, the Justice Department would have to turn over the materials on Monday under a court order from the federal appeals court in Washington, the Justice Department wrote in an application to the Supreme Court.
The Judiciary Committee has not opposed an administrative stay of seven days from Monday while the Supreme Court considers the request, the DOJ told the justices. The Justice Department plans later to file an appeal of the decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The Justice Department wrote that if the Supreme Court does not pause the order while the government appeals the D.C. Circuit ruling, it will “force the government to turn over the grand-jury materials — thereby lifting their secrecy and rendering this dispute largely academic.”
A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit found, in a 2-1 ruling on March 10, that the House’s impeachment of President Donald Trump counted as a “judicial proceeding,” which qualifies the committee for an exemption to rules that typically keep grand jury information secret.


rollcall--2020-05-07--At the Races: 6 months to go

At the Races: 6 months to go

Welcome to At the Races !
Each week we ’ ll bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call team that will keep you informed about the 2020 election .
Know someone who ’ d like to get this newsletter ?
They can subscribe here .
Painting a picture of where the battle for control of the House and Senate stands six months before Election Day can be tricky , especially when only eight states have held their congressional primaries and pandemic-postponed runoffs are still pending in such places as Texas and Alabama .
But by now we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers could be in trouble .
So it was time to update our lists of the 10 most vulnerable senators and House members .
These lists came together after many hours on conference calls with operatives in both parties and took into account the 2016 presidential results , fundraising , polling and race ratings from Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales .
And when it was over , we wondered : What happened to lawmakers who looked vulnerable at this point in past election cycles ?
We went back through our archives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House members on our May 2018 vulnerable list lost , some by double digits .
Of course , 2018 was a “ wave election ” and everyone in our top 10 at that point was a Republican .
It was a different story in the previous election .
Just four House members on a top 10 list published in July 2016 were defeated — and five of the six who won did so by double digits .
So depending on the election , vulnerable can be a relative term .
On our list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 10 House members we called most vulnerable lost .
But two ended up winning by 4 points or less , and two won only after tough primaries .

Bridget Bowman, Kate Ackley, and Stephanie Akin

Welcome to At the Races! Each week we’ll bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call team that will keep you informed about the 2020 election. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here.
Painting a picture of where the battle for control of the House and Senate stands six months before Election Day can be tricky, especially when only eight states have held their congressional primaries and pandemic-postponed runoffs are still pending in such places as Texas and Alabama.
But by now we do have a good sense of which lawmakers could be in trouble. So it was time to update our lists of the 10 most vulnerable senators and House members. These lists came together after many hours on conference calls with operatives in both parties and took into account the 2016 presidential results, fundraising, polling and race ratings from Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales. And when it was over, we wondered: What happened to lawmakers who looked vulnerable at this point in past election cycles?
We went back through our archives, and found mixed results. All 10 House members on our May 2018 vulnerable list lost, some by double digits. Of course, 2018 was a “wave election” and everyone in our top 10 at that point was a Republican. It was a different story in the previous election. Just four House members on a top 10 list published in July 2016 were defeated — and five of the six who won did so by double digits. So depending on the election, vulnerable can be a relative term.
On our list in May 2014, just four of the 10 House members we called most vulnerable lost. But two ended up winning by 4 points or less, and two won only after tough primaries.


rollcall--2020-05-07--Senate unable to override Trump veto of Iran war powers

The Senate was unable to muster the two-thirds vote needed to override President Donald Trump ’ s veto of a @ @ @ @ @ policy .
The measure to terminate authority for engaging in hostilities against Iran or Iranian @ @ @ @ @ Tim Kaine , D-Va. , cleared the Senate in February and House in March .
@ @ @ @ @ it to Trump ’ s desk until Tuesday , because the chambers did not send @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
[ Why Trump didn ’ t have to veto the Iran resolution until @ @ @ @ @ veto occurred Wednesday and was accompanied by a statement from the president , who called @ @ @ @ @ suggested the resolution was part of a Democratic strategy to divide the GOP in the @ @ @ @ @ The few Republicans who voted for it played right into their hands , ” Trump @ @

The Senate was unable to muster the two-thirds vote needed to override President Donald Trump’s veto of a bipartisan resolution rebuking his Iran policy.
The measure to terminate authority for engaging in hostilities against Iran or Iranian government officials championed by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., cleared the Senate in February and House in March. The measure did not make it to Trump’s desk until Tuesday, because the chambers did not send it over amid the coronavirus pandemic.
[Why Trump didn’t have to veto the Iran resolution until Wednesday]
Trump’s veto occurred Wednesday and was accompanied by a statement from the president, who called it “insulting” and suggested the resolution was part of a Democratic strategy to divide the GOP in the November election run-up.
“The few Republicans who voted for it played right into their hands,” Trump said.


rollcall--2020-05-07--Senators grill Navy nominee on leadership

President Donald Trump ’ s nominee to be the fourth acting or confirmed Navy secretary in the last six months acknowledged a crisis in the service at a Senate hearing Thursday , as some Democratic senators suggested the Navy 's problems are largely Trump ’ s doing .
“ It saddens me to say that the Department of the Navy is in rough waters due to many factors but primarily the failure of leadership , ” U.S .
Ambassador to Norway Kenneth Braithwaite , the new Navy secretary nominee , said in an opening statement .
The hearing also covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top Pentagon policy post .
Braithwaite ’ s nomination came before the panel one month after the resignation of acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly , who had by his own admission mishandled a response to the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier commanding officer ’ s efforts to deal with an outbreak of COVID-19 on his ship .
Modly had suggested in an interview at the time that he fired the officer , Capt .
Brett Crozier , in an attempt to act before Trump might insert himself in the process .
Modly also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the opposition of Adm. Michael Gilday , the Navy ’ s top officer .
The Navy is reviewing the case now .

President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the fourth acting or confirmed Navy secretary in the last six months acknowledged a crisis in the service at a Senate hearing Thursday, as some Democratic senators suggested the Navy's problems are largely Trump’s doing.
“It saddens me to say that the Department of the Navy is in rough waters due to many factors but primarily the failure of leadership,” U.S. Ambassador to Norway Kenneth Braithwaite, the new Navy secretary nominee, said in an opening statement.
The hearing also covered nominees for Air Force chief and a top Pentagon policy post.
Braithwaite’s nomination came before the panel one month after the resignation of acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, who had by his own admission mishandled a response to the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier commanding officer’s efforts to deal with an outbreak of COVID-19 on his ship.
Modly had suggested in an interview at the time that he fired the officer, Capt. Brett Crozier, in an attempt to act before Trump might insert himself in the process. Modly also reportedly made the decision to fire Crozier over the opposition of Adm. Michael Gilday, the Navy’s top officer. The Navy is reviewing the case now.


rollcall--2020-05-08--Harris, Sanders and Markey want to give every American $2,000 per month

Two former Democratic presidential hopefuls and a Senate colleague have an aggressive new proposal to expand direct financial assistance to Americans during the coronavirus pandemic .
Sens .
Kamala Harris , Bernie Sanders and Edward J. Markey are joining in draft legislation that was reviewed ahead of official release by CQ Roll Call that would provide $ 2,000 per month to all Americans , including children and others of those claimed as dependents .
Sanders , a Vermont independent and two-time presidential candidate who caucuses with the Democrats , said in an advance statement that the economic crisis brought on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the one-time $ 1,200 checks provided to many Americans already .
“ During this unprecedented crisis , Congress has a responsibility to make sure that every working-class household in America receives a $ 2,000 emergency payment a month for each family member .
I am proud to be introducing legislation with Senator Harris to do exactly that , ” Sanders said .
“ If we can bail out large corporations , we can make sure that everyone in this country has enough income to pay for the basic necessities of life.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every single month during the pandemic and so should help from government .
The Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act will ensure families have the resources they need to make ends meet .
I am eager to continue working with Sens .
Sanders and Markey as we push to pass this bill immediately , ” added Harris , a onetime rival to Sanders for the Democratic nomination for president .

Two former Democratic presidential hopefuls and a Senate colleague have an aggressive new proposal to expand direct financial assistance to Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sens. Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and Edward J. Markey are joining in draft legislation that was reviewed ahead of official release by CQ Roll Call that would provide $2,000 per month to all Americans, including children and others of those claimed as dependents.
Sanders, a Vermont independent and two-time presidential candidate who caucuses with the Democrats, said in an advance statement that the economic crisis brought on by coronavirus-related closures will require far more than the one-time $1,200 checks provided to many Americans already.
“During this unprecedented crisis, Congress has a responsibility to make sure that every working-class household in America receives a $2,000 emergency payment a month for each family member. I am proud to be introducing legislation with Senator Harris to do exactly that,” Sanders said. “If we can bail out large corporations, we can make sure that everyone in this country has enough income to pay for the basic necessities of life.”
“Bills will continue to come in every single month during the pandemic and so should help from government. The Monthly Economic Crisis Support Act will ensure families have the resources they need to make ends meet. I am eager to continue working with Sens. Sanders and Markey as we push to pass this bill immediately,” added Harris, a onetime rival to Sanders for the Democratic nomination for president.


rollcall--2020-05-08--USDA moves forward with food buys to aid farmers, food banks

The Agriculture Department on Friday awarded $ 1.2 billion in contracts for a new commodity purchase program designed to aid produce , dairy and meat industries grappling with COVID-19 bottlenecks in the U.S. food supply chain .
The awards account for 40 percent of a $ 3 billion food purchase plan that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced April 17 to move surplus food out of the market and to food banks , community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofit groups that have seen demand escalate as the U.S. unemployment rate climbed from 3.5 percent in February to 14.7 percent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Food Box program , the contract winners will take orders from nonprofit groups for fresh fruits and vegetables , dairy products and precooked meat products , pack those custom orders in boxes with portions for families and deliver them to the organizations that placed the orders .
The contracts cover deliveries from May 15 to June 30 .
The Agricultural Marketing Service said the program will spend $ 461 million to make fresh fruit and vegetable boxes , $ 317 million for dairy boxes , $ 258 million for meat boxes and $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce , dairy or meat products .

The Agriculture Department on Friday awarded $1.2 billion in contracts for a new commodity purchase program designed to aid produce, dairy and meat industries grappling with COVID-19 bottlenecks in the U.S. food supply chain.
The awards account for 40 percent of a $3 billion food purchase plan that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced April 17 to move surplus food out of the market and to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofit groups that have seen demand escalate as the U.S. unemployment rate climbed from 3.5 percent in February to 14.7 percent in April.
Under the Farmers to Families Food Box program, the contract winners will take orders from nonprofit groups for fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and precooked meat products, pack those custom orders in boxes with portions for families and deliver them to the organizations that placed the orders. The contracts cover deliveries from May 15 to June 30.
[USDA unveils $19 billion aid plan for farmers, food industry]
The Agricultural Marketing Service said the program will spend $461 million to make fresh fruit and vegetable boxes, $317 million for dairy boxes, $258 million for meat boxes and $175 million for combination boxes of fresh produce, dairy or meat products.


rollcall--2020-05-08--Coronavirus Special Report: The fate of the US Postal Service

Tonight , we look at the devastating toll COVID-19 is having on the U.S .
Postal Service .
We speak @ @ @ @ @ of the National Association of Letter Carriers , about the pandemic ’ s impact on @ @ @ @ @ fate of the agency .
• These senators are grounded in D.C. as coronavirus disrupts @

Tonight, we look at the devastating toll COVID-19 is having on the U.S. Postal Service. We speak to Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, about the pandemic’s impact on workers, mail and the fate of the agency.
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-05-08--As fishermen stay in port, Trump pushes fish farming

President Donald Trump ’ s executive order to accelerate the permitting process for farming fish in federal waters offshore has drawn support from large seafood companies and alarm from environmental groups that argued the White House is trying to boost a nascent industry during a public health emergency .
In the order issued Thursday , the president directed the administration to analyze the U.S. plan for aquaculture — the synthetic breeding , growing and harvesting of fish , shellfish and plants on land or in water , often within nets in the ocean — to strengthen the domestic aquaculture industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal task force on seafood imports and exports .
[ Fishing fleets say NOAA observers are too risky amid pandemic ] “ We will create new opportunities for American products in the global marketplace , including through continued support of our commercial fisheries and promotion of domestic aquaculture , ” Trump said in a statement that accompanied the order .
Trump issued it the same day as the Commerce Department announced it was distributing $ 300 million to the fishing industry , an element of the $ 2.3 trillion coronavirus relief legislation @ @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump’s executive order to accelerate the permitting process for farming fish in federal waters offshore has drawn support from large seafood companies and alarm from environmental groups that argued the White House is trying to boost a nascent industry during a public health emergency.
In the order issued Thursday, the president directed the administration to analyze the U.S. plan for aquaculture — the synthetic breeding, growing and harvesting of fish, shellfish and plants on land or in water, often within nets in the ocean — to strengthen the domestic aquaculture industry by speeding environmental impact statements and creating a federal task force on seafood imports and exports.
[Fishing fleets say NOAA observers are too risky amid pandemic]
“We will create new opportunities for American products in the global marketplace, including through continued support of our commercial fisheries and promotion of domestic aquaculture,” Trump said in a statement that accompanied the order.
Trump issued it the same day as the Commerce Department announced it was distributing $300 million to the fishing industry, an element of the $2.3 trillion coronavirus relief legislation signed into law March 27.


rollcall--2020-05-08--Oversight panel to miss deadline set by coronavirus aid package

Four members of a still-leaderless panel appointed by congressional leaders to oversee $ 500 billion in federally backed loans to distressed industries said they ’ d miss their first reporting deadline under the March coronavirus relief package .
The law creating the commission requires monthly reports beginning 30 days after the first use of the Treasury and Federal Reserve loan authorities under the $ 2 trillion measure .
“ Although we will not issue a report today , we are working to fulfill our responsibilities , even in the absence of a staff , a budget , and a chairperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the four panel members said in a joint statement Friday .
Since the Fed announced its new Treasury-backed lending programs April 9 , one of the oversight panel ’ s members , Rep. French Hill , R-Ark.
, wrote in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette this week that the deadline could be as early as this weekend .
However , since there have been no reports yet that any of the new lending facilities have made a loan , it could be argued that a report won ’ t be due until 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill said in an interview with CQ Roll Call .

Four members of a still-leaderless panel appointed by congressional leaders to oversee $500 billion in federally backed loans to distressed industries said they’d miss their first reporting deadline under the March coronavirus relief package.
The law creating the commission requires monthly reports beginning 30 days after the first use of the Treasury and Federal Reserve loan authorities under the $2 trillion measure.
“Although we will not issue a report today, we are working to fulfill our responsibilities, even in the absence of a staff, a budget, and a chairperson, and intend to publish one soon,” the four panel members said in a joint statement Friday.
Since the Fed announced its new Treasury-backed lending programs April 9, one of the oversight panel’s members, Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., wrote in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette this week that the deadline could be as early as this weekend. However, since there have been no reports yet that any of the new lending facilities have made a loan, it could be argued that a report won’t be due until 30 days after the first loan occurs, Hill said in an interview with CQ Roll Call.


rollcall--2020-05-08--Senate Democrats want $9 billion to fight COVID-19 overseas

Senate Democrats are pushing a bill to authorize $ 9 billion in new emergency and regular appropriations funds to support international efforts to combat the coronavirus .
The legislation , unveiled on Friday , is sponsored by Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Bob Menendez of New Jersey and is co-sponsored by eight of his Democratic colleagues on the committee .
A major focus of the policy bill is to force the Trump administration to cooperate with multilateral organizations in searching for and sharing an eventual vaccine .
Thus far , the Trump administration has been mostly at odds with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to respond to the public health and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic , which has infected nearly 3.9 million people worldwide and killed 270,000 according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus dashboard .
For example , in April , President Donald Trump announced he was pausing funding to the World Health Organization over criticisms of its initial handing of the coronavirus and China ’ s role in the U.N. agency .
The United States thus far is not participating in initiatives by the European Union and WHO to raise funds for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperatively manufactured and shared .

Senate Democrats are pushing a bill to authorize $9 billion in new emergency and regular appropriations funds to support international efforts to combat the coronavirus.
The legislation, unveiled on Friday, is sponsored by Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Bob Menendez of New Jersey and is co-sponsored by eight of his Democratic colleagues on the committee. A major focus of the policy bill is to force the Trump administration to cooperate with multilateral organizations in searching for and sharing an eventual vaccine.
Thus far, the Trump administration has been mostly at odds with the efforts of international institutions to coordinate global efforts to respond to the public health and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected nearly 3.9 million people worldwide and killed 270,000 according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus dashboard.
For example, in April, President Donald Trump announced he was pausing funding to the World Health Organization over criticisms of its initial handing of the coronavirus and China’s role in the U.N. agency. The United States thus far is not participating in initiatives by the European Union and WHO to raise funds for a vaccine development drive that would be cooperatively manufactured and shared.
[Trump’s World Health Organization funding cutoff: It’s complicated]