rollcall--2020-07-20--Fed, Treasury using virus aid funds sparingly: oversight panel

Lending facilities set up by the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department to avoid a coronavirus-related credit crunch have distributed about $ 14 billion out of $ 500 billion Congress approved in a March aid bill .
The light activity of the 11 emergency lending facilities was the main topic of a monthly report released Monday by the Congressional Oversight Commission , which was created under the $ 2 trillion pandemic relief package to oversee the law ’ s lending programs to distressed businesses , states and municipalities .
The biggest chunk of lending thus far has been the Fed ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of corporate bonds and exchange-traded funds that invest in baskets of corporate bonds .
Another $ 1.2 billion was spent on short-term debt issued by the state of Illinois , and $ 937 million has gone to loans to companies secured by assets such as consumer and business loans .
The report also announced the commission ’ s intention to “ explore the decision ” by the Treasury Department to make a $ 700 million loan to YRC Worldwide Inc. , which was announced July 1 .
So far that ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 46 billion set aside for airlines and businesses considered “ critical to maintaining national security , ” though several airline loans are in the pipeline .
The commission was critical of the YRC loan , noting that risk of losing this money “ appears high ” and it is “ questionable ” that the loan meets the standards set by the March law .

Lending facilities set up by the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department to avoid a coronavirus-related credit crunch have distributed about $14 billion out of $500 billion Congress approved in a March aid bill.
The light activity of the 11 emergency lending facilities was the main topic of a monthly report released Monday by the Congressional Oversight Commission, which was created under the $2 trillion pandemic relief package to oversee the law’s lending programs to distressed businesses, states and municipalities.
The biggest chunk of lending thus far has been the Fed’s purchase of $11.4 billion worth of corporate bonds and exchange-traded funds that invest in baskets of corporate bonds. Another $1.2 billion was spent on short-term debt issued by the state of Illinois, and $937 million has gone to loans to companies secured by assets such as consumer and business loans.
The report also announced the commission’s intention to “explore the decision” by the Treasury Department to make a $700 million loan to YRC Worldwide Inc., which was announced July 1. So far that’s the only Treasury loan inked out of $46 billion set aside for airlines and businesses considered “critical to maintaining national security,” though several airline loans are in the pipeline.
The commission was critical of the YRC loan, noting that risk of losing this money “appears high” and it is “questionable” that the loan meets the standards set by the March law.


rollcall--2020-07-20--Watch: House holds moment of silence for Rep. John Lewis

Following the death of legendary civil rights activist and lawmaker John Lewis late last week , the House observed a @ @ @ @ @ chamber floor Monday .
Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared to hold back tears after the silence @ @ @ @ @ Reading Clerk Susan Cole briefly got choked up while reading a resolution in Lewis ’ @ @ @ @ @ leaders remember John Lewis as a humble mentor , in addition to an icon ] @ @ @ @ @ Capitol Hill as a hero of the movement that put in him the national spotlight @ @ @ @ @ As a lawmaker , he was willing to wield that clout and made his arguments @ @ @ @ @ of the civil rights era , championing federal programs that advanced his notions of economic @ @ @ @ @ him the moniker , the “ conscience of Congress.
” Read more about his life @ @

Following the death of legendary civil rights activist and lawmaker John Lewis late last week, the House observed a moment of silence on the chamber floor Monday.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared to hold back tears after the silence ended, and the House Reading Clerk Susan Cole briefly got choked up while reading a resolution in Lewis’ honor.
[ Colleagues and leaders remember John Lewis as a humble mentor, in addition to an icon ]
Lewis enjoyed near-universal respect on Capitol Hill as a hero of the movement that put in him the national spotlight at a young age. As a lawmaker, he was willing to wield that clout and made his arguments in the stark moral tones of the civil rights era, championing federal programs that advanced his notions of economic and social justice and earning him the moniker, the “conscience of Congress.” Read more about his life here.
Katherine Tully-McManus contributed to this report.


rollcall--2020-07-20--Supreme Court won’t speed House legal fight in Trump subpoenas

The Supreme Court on Monday declined a House request for a shortcut in the legal push to enforce subpoenas for President Donald Trump ’ s personal and business financial records before this session of Congress ends Jan. 3 .
The Democratic-led House wanted to quickly restart the legal fight in cases about committee subpoenas for Trump records from auditing firm Mazars USA and two banks , Capital One and Deutsche Bank .
To do so , the House asked the justices to immediately issue a judgment in cases the Supreme Court had issued opinions on July 9 .
Those opinions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the subpoenas , but instead sent the cases back to lower courts to reexamine .
The House argued that it couldn ’ t restart that lower court action until the judgment is issued Aug. 3 .
The chamber sought to advance that because the committees ’ “ window of opportunity ” to litigate and legislate “ diminishes by the day.
” “ Immediate issuance of this Court ’ s judgments would accelerate the proceedings in the lower courts so that the Committees may obtain the materials necessary to undertake any needed legislative reforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among other issues , conflicts of interest that threaten to undermine the Presidency , money-laundering and unsafe lending practices , and foreign interference in U.S. elections and any other ongoing threats to national security arising from President Trump ’ s foreign financial entanglements , ” the House wrote in an application .

The Supreme Court on Monday declined a House request for a shortcut in the legal push to enforce subpoenas for President Donald Trump’s personal and business financial records before this session of Congress ends Jan. 3.
The Democratic-led House wanted to quickly restart the legal fight in cases about committee subpoenas for Trump records from auditing firm Mazars USA and two banks, Capital One and Deutsche Bank.
To do so, the House asked the justices to immediately issue a judgment in cases the Supreme Court had issued opinions on July 9. Those opinions did not resolve the Trump-House dispute over the subpoenas, but instead sent the cases back to lower courts to reexamine.
The House argued that it couldn’t restart that lower court action until the judgment is issued Aug. 3. The chamber sought to advance that because the committees’ “window of opportunity” to litigate and legislate “diminishes by the day.”
“Immediate issuance of this Court’s judgments would accelerate the proceedings in the lower courts so that the Committees may obtain the materials necessary to undertake any needed legislative reforms as quickly as possible to address, among other issues, conflicts of interest that threaten to undermine the Presidency, money-laundering and unsafe lending practices, and foreign interference in U.S. elections and any other ongoing threats to national security arising from President Trump’s foreign financial entanglements,” the House wrote in an application.


rollcall--2020-07-20--Congressional Women’s Softball Game is canceled

The annual Congressional Women ’ s Softball Game is canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic , organizers announced Monday morning .
“ With safety as our top concern , we came to our decision after months of closely monitoring local and federal guidance about preventing the spread of the coronavirus , ” the organizers said in a news release .
“ The health of our fans , players , and volunteers is crucial to our mission.
” Typically held in June , the softball game pits female lawmakers against a team of journalists from the Washington press corps , known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The goal is to bond on the field , talk some trash and , most important , raise money for the Young Survival Coalition , a group that helps young adults affected by breast cancer .
Organizers had already announced they would postpone this year ’ s game and hoped they could reschedule in the fall .
Now they acknowledge that won ’ t happen .
“ We look forward to seeing our fans at next year ’ s game , ” said Congressional Women ’ s Softball Game president Atalie Ebersole , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game is canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers announced Monday morning.
“With safety as our top concern, we came to our decision after months of closely monitoring local and federal guidance about preventing the spread of the coronavirus,” the organizers said in a news release. “The health of our fans, players, and volunteers is crucial to our mission.”
Typically held in June, the softball game pits female lawmakers against a team of journalists from the Washington press corps, known as the “Bad News Babes.” The goal is to bond on the field, talk some trash and, most important, raise money for the Young Survival Coalition, a group that helps young adults affected by breast cancer.
Organizers had already announced they would postpone this year’s game and hoped they could reschedule in the fall. Now they acknowledge that won’t happen.
“We look forward to seeing our fans at next year’s game,” said Congressional Women’s Softball Game president Atalie Ebersole, without announcing a firm date for 2021.


rollcall--2020-07-21--From cotton to hogs, agriculture groups seek billions more in coronavirus aid

The National Pork Producers Council plans to campaign for a change in federal law that would allow the Agriculture Department to pay livestock and poultry farmers for healthy animals they euthanized because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The trade association said Monday that it wants the provisions included in the Senate version of the next economic recovery bill with a goal of getting the language into a compromise version worked out between the Senate and the House by early August .
The council 's request for aid is just one item on a wish list from the agriculture sector for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover lost renewable fuel revenue and a collapse in the demand for cotton , aid to meat processing plants to ensure production lines keep moving , and other items .
Advocates for renewable fuels , pork and cotton relief put the COVID-19 damage at about $ 17.8 billion , a sum that includes at least some estimates of continuing cost in 2021 .
Farm and agriculture-related groups say the pandemic , coming after several years of flat or low prices and two years of retaliatory tariffs from trading partners , has left them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in appropriated funds and $ 14 billion in borrowing authority for the Commodity Credit Corporation in March legislation .
The USDA has set aside $ 16 billion for direct payments to farmers and ranchers and is spending $ 3 billion on a program for food distributors to buy meat , produce and dairy that is boxed and delivered to participating food banks and nonprofits .

The National Pork Producers Council plans to campaign for a change in federal law that would allow the Agriculture Department to pay livestock and poultry farmers for healthy animals they euthanized because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The trade association said Monday that it wants the provisions included in the Senate version of the next economic recovery bill with a goal of getting the language into a compromise version worked out between the Senate and the House by early August.
The council's request for aid is just one item on a wish list from the agriculture sector for direct payments to farmers and ranchers to cover lost renewable fuel revenue and a collapse in the demand for cotton, aid to meat processing plants to ensure production lines keep moving, and other items. Advocates for renewable fuels, pork and cotton relief put the COVID-19 damage at about $17.8 billion, a sum that includes at least some estimates of continuing cost in 2021.
Farm and agriculture-related groups say the pandemic, coming after several years of flat or low prices and two years of retaliatory tariffs from trading partners, has left them battered.
Congress provided $9.5 billion in appropriated funds and $14 billion in borrowing authority for the Commodity Credit Corporation in March legislation. The USDA has set aside $16 billion for direct payments to farmers and ranchers and is spending $3 billion on a program for food distributors to buy meat, produce and dairy that is boxed and delivered to participating food banks and nonprofits.


rollcall--2020-07-21--New York bolsters fintech leadership role amid pandemic

New York , long the hub of the financial world and an early epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak , is looking to innovative financial technologies as one source to help its pandemic-battered economy .
The state ’ s Department of Financial Services is working on three fintech and virtual currency initiatives designed to promote collaborative efforts by regulators and financial technology firms .
The department in June put out final guidelines for BitLicense holders to allow virtual currency trading by “ self-certifying ” that a digital coin satisfies state consumer protection standards .
Just prior to those guidelines , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FastForward ” program to support innovators looking to deliver new fintech and health technology solutions in the COVID-19 era .
“ The purpose here really is to get speed to market for innovators , reduce barriers and help them help New York to build back better in terms of job creation and better products and services , ” Linda Lacewell , the state ’ s superintendent of Financial Services , said on the FintechBeat podcast produced by CQ Roll Call .
“ This is the time for government to step up , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to step up.
” These and other initiatives are drawing praise from fintech advocates .

New York, long the hub of the financial world and an early epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, is looking to innovative financial technologies as one source to help its pandemic-battered economy.
The state’s Department of Financial Services is working on three fintech and virtual currency initiatives designed to promote collaborative efforts by regulators and financial technology firms.
The department in June put out final guidelines for BitLicense holders to allow virtual currency trading by “self-certifying” that a digital coin satisfies state consumer protection standards. Just prior to those guidelines, the department launched what it calls the “FastForward” program to support innovators looking to deliver new fintech and health technology solutions in the COVID-19 era.
“The purpose here really is to get speed to market for innovators, reduce barriers and help them help New York to build back better in terms of job creation and better products and services,” Linda Lacewell, the state’s superintendent of Financial Services, said on the FintechBeat podcast produced by CQ Roll Call. “This is the time for government to step up, but it is also the time for innovators to step up.”
These and other initiatives are drawing praise from fintech advocates.


rollcall--2020-07-21--That time John Lewis showed up in a rap video

He spoke at the March on Washington in 1963 .
For decades he walked the halls of Congress .
Now that he ’ s gone , words like “ towering moral figure ” and “ venerable ” are guiding the outpouring of grief .
The last place you might have expected to see John Lewis was on the set of a rap video .
But that ’ s exactly what happened in 2008 when Atlanta rapper Jeezy filmed his promo for the single “ My President.
” The rapper , whose real name is Jay Jenkins , posted a short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram page following the death of the 80-year-old Georgia congressman .
“ Remember this day , like it was yesterday , ” wrote Jeezy .
“ I couldn ’ t believe you actually came to [ the ] middle of the hood to stand with us and support my vision .
A true Leader .
Been fighting for our rights long as I ’ ve been living .
All heroes don ’ t wear capes .
Rest easy King.
” Around the three-minute mark , Lewis can be seen jumping joyously and smiling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My President is Black .
”

He spoke at the March on Washington in 1963. For decades he walked the halls of Congress. Now that he’s gone, words like “towering moral figure” and “venerable” are guiding the outpouring of grief.
The last place you might have expected to see John Lewis was on the set of a rap video. But that’s exactly what happened in 2008 when Atlanta rapper Jeezy filmed his promo for the single “My President.”
The rapper, whose real name is Jay Jenkins, posted a short clip of Lewis’ cameo on his Instagram page following the death of the 80-year-old Georgia congressman.
“Remember this day, like it was yesterday,” wrote Jeezy. “I couldn’t believe you actually came to [the] middle of the hood to stand with us and support my vision. A true Leader. Been fighting for our rights long as I’ve been living. All heroes don’t wear capes. Rest easy King.”
Around the three-minute mark, Lewis can be seen jumping joyously and smiling, while holding a sign reading “My President is Black.”


rollcall--2020-07-21--Districts try to plan for back to school as Congress weighs additional funding

Tens of billions in additional funding for schools is poised to be a pivotal debate point as lawmakers craft another legislative package to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic , and experts say time is critical as districts race to finalize back-to-school plans .
Students are set to begin going back to school next month .
Lawmakers in both parties say they plan to funnel more money to facilitate having students in the classroom , help schools adapt to distance learning or offset additional needs to adapt to the coronavirus era .
Districts have been announcing plans as the issue has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funding for schools if they are not fully reopened this fall , although many districts plan to teach students remotely or in a hybrid model at least at the start of the academic year .
Jennifer Nuzzo , a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security , estimated that schools need about $ 50 billion to help facilitate students ’ return to the classroom .
“ Speed is tantamount for this , ” she said .
“ Many schools are already looking at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few weeks and not having funds , I believe , has limited their ability to plan and prepare for what the fall could look like .
”

Tens of billions in additional funding for schools is poised to be a pivotal debate point as lawmakers craft another legislative package to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and experts say time is critical as districts race to finalize back-to-school plans.
Students are set to begin going back to school next month. Lawmakers in both parties say they plan to funnel more money to facilitate having students in the classroom, help schools adapt to distance learning or offset additional needs to adapt to the coronavirus era.
Districts have been announcing plans as the issue has become politicized in recent weeks. President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funding for schools if they are not fully reopened this fall, although many districts plan to teach students remotely or in a hybrid model at least at the start of the academic year.


rollcall--2020-07-21--House proposes billions of dollars for technology throughout government

In recent weeks , House appropriators have approved hundreds of billions of dollars in government funding for fiscal 2021 , culminating in the Appropriations Committee ’ s July 15 approval of legislation that would provide nearly $ 51 billion for the Homeland Security Department .
With all 12 of the annual appropriations bills now approved by the committee , Congress is primed to spend heavily on a wide range of technologies .
Appropriators set aside funds for cybersecurity on the eve of this November ’ s elections , rural broadband for unconnected and hard-to-reach Americans , STEM education for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into quantum computing and artificial intelligence .
Here are some highlights : Most of the technology funding set aside for the Homeland Security Department would go to border security and cybersecurity operations .
The draft legislation , which does not yet have a bill number , invests in U.S. Customs and Border Protection ’ s surveillance technology and the resources available to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , known as CISA , which is the federal government ’ s prime coordinating agency for cybersecurity .
The bill would provide $ 531 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for use at customs points , border security technology and tools for use at ports of entry .
Of that , $ 45 million is set aside for “ innovative technology , ” according to the Appropriations Committee .

In recent weeks, House appropriators have approved hundreds of billions of dollars in government funding for fiscal 2021, culminating in the Appropriations Committee’s July 15 approval of legislation that would provide nearly $51 billion for the Homeland Security Department.
With all 12 of the annual appropriations bills now approved by the committee, Congress is primed to spend heavily on a wide range of technologies. Appropriators set aside funds for cybersecurity on the eve of this November’s elections, rural broadband for unconnected and hard-to-reach Americans, STEM education for the country’s youth, and research into quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
Here are some highlights:
Homeland Security
Most of the technology funding set aside for the Homeland Security Department would go to border security and cybersecurity operations. The draft legislation, which does not yet have a bill number, invests in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s surveillance technology and the resources available to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA, which is the federal government’s prime coordinating agency for cybersecurity.
The bill would provide $531 million for CBP to purchase non-intrusive imaging technology for use at customs points, border security technology and tools for use at ports of entry. Of that, $45 million is set aside for “innovative technology,” according to the Appropriations Committee.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Confederate statues targeted for removal in series of House bills

Three bills to identify and remove Confederate monuments on federal land , including a privately funded statue of Robert E. Lee in Maryland , will get a hearing from a House Natural Resources subcommittee on Tuesday .
Rep. Anthony G. Brown , D-Md.
, is scheduled to speak on his bill to remove the Lee statue , which sits on the Antietam National Battlefield and has been vandalized with graffiti in support of the Black Lives Matter movement twice this summer .
The battlefield is in the district of Rep. David Trone , D-Md.
, who , along with Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-sponsor of the legislation .
Also at Tuesday 's hearing of the Subcommittee on National Parks , Forests , and Public Lands , Rep. A. Donald McEachin , D-Va. , will speak about his bill to inventory Confederate monuments under the control of the departments of Defense , Interior and Veterans ’ Affairs .
Del .
Eleanor Holmes Norton , D-D.C. , will speak on behalf of her bill to remove the statue of confederate Albert Pike , which protesters toppled and set on fire in June .
Efforts in Congress to remove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintain slavery have accelerated in recent weeks , following the police killing of George Floyd and the spate of national and international protests that came after .
On Capitol Hill , the House Appropriations Committee voted 30-18 on July 10 to advance the fiscal 2021 Legislative Branch spending bill that would remove Confederate statues and two busts of people with racist histories from Capitol grounds .
A Senate push to change the names of military bases that honor Confederate figures also has bipartisan support .
And Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her predecessors who were part of the Confederacy .

On Capitol Hill, the House Appropriations Committee voted 30-18 on July 10 to advance the fiscal 2021 Legislative Branch spending bill that would remove Confederate statues and two busts of people with racist histories from Capitol grounds. A Senate push to change the names of military bases that honor Confederate figures also has bipartisan support. And Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., ordered the removal in June of four portraits of her predecessors who were part of the Confederacy.
“We didn’t know about this until we were taking inventory of the statues and the curator told us that there were four paintings of speakers in the Capitol of the United States, four speakers who had served in the Confederacy,” Pelosi said.
It’s also unclear how many Confederate symbols there are on federal lands because there is no exhaustive catalog, said Ralph Jones, a spokesman for McEachin. A Congressional Research Service report published in 2017 found no such inventory exists.
National protests over police violence have drawn condemnation from President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order about federal monuments on June 26. Trump has threatened to veto the massive defense authorization bill over the Confederate provision.
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said in a Fox News interview June 26 the Trump administration was analyzing the security of monuments on federal land. “Obviously, certain monuments and memorials have a higher level of security, but we're in a process of securing, doing just that, deciding what we need,” he said.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Remembering John Lewis, the ‘conscience of Congress’: A life in photos

Congress returned to Washington on Monday and began the process of grieving Rep. John Lewis , with the opening prayer @ @ @ @ @ way to a moment of silence and tributes for the late Georgia Democrat before turning @ @ @ @ @ a busy week of legislating .
“ The Congress returns mourning the loss of a @ @ @ @ @ , warrior and prophet , John Lewis , ” House Chaplain Patrick J. Conroy said @

Congress returned to Washington on Monday and began the process of grieving Rep. John Lewis, with the opening prayer on the House floor giving way to a moment of silence and tributes for the late Georgia Democrat before turning to what promises to be a busy week of legislating.
“The Congress returns mourning the loss of a sweet man, a saint, warrior and prophet, John Lewis,” House Chaplain Patrick J. Conroy said.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Cryptodollars vs. Digital Dollars

Cryptodollars vs. Digital Dollars

Nic Carter , a partner at Castle Island Ventures , and Fennie Wang , the former associate general counsel of @ @ @ @ @ the value of stablecoins and what they mean for central bank digital currencies .
• @ @ @ @ @ Reinvestment Act — and fintech • Is fintech the future of the internet ?

Nic Carter, a partner at Castle Island Ventures, and Fennie Wang, the former associate general counsel of MakerDao, discuss and debate the value of stablecoins and what they mean for central bank digital currencies.
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-07-21--‘We need the Blue Jays’: Hurdles remain ahead of baseball’s opening day

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins told his wife that she would largely need to quarantine over the next weeks and months if the attempt to hold a truncated Major League Baseball season amid a global pandemic has any chance .
He said he was not alone .
“ It ’ s a testament to how serious a lot of our guys are taking it , and players around the league are taking it , ” Hoskins said during a Zoom roundtable Tuesday afternoon organized by Sen. Patrick J. Toomey .
“ We ’ re pretty confident if we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been doing … that we ’ ll be able to get through a season.
” Toomey , a Pennsylvania Republican , convened the event to talk through some health and safety questions with Hoskins , Pittsburgh Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington and representatives from Major League Baseball and the Players Association .
It came ahead of the scheduled beginning of an unprecedented season Thursday , when the Yankees will travel to Washington to face off against the Nationals , playing to empty stands .
In a nod to the way the coronavirus has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on opening day will be thrown out by Anthony Fauci , the government ’ s top infectious disease expert .

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins told his wife that she would largely need to quarantine over the next weeks and months if the attempt to hold a truncated Major League Baseball season amid a global pandemic has any chance.
He said he was not alone.
“It’s a testament to how serious a lot of our guys are taking it, and players around the league are taking it,” Hoskins said during a Zoom roundtable Tuesday afternoon organized by Sen. Patrick J. Toomey. “We’re pretty confident if we can continue on with what we’ve been doing … that we’ll be able to get through a season.”
Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, convened the event to talk through some health and safety questions with Hoskins, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington and representatives from MLB and the Players Association.
It came ahead of the scheduled beginning of an unprecedented season Thursday, when the Yankees will travel to Washington to face off against the Nationals, playing to empty stands. In a nod to the way the coronavirus has reshaped American life, the first pitch on opening day will be thrown out by Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Coronavirus Special Report: Negotiations begin on next COVID-19 aid package

In tonight ’ s episode , CQ Roll Call ’ s David Lerman breaks down the latest on talks between @ @ @ @ @ aid package .
Later , Mary Ellen McIntire looks at how schools are preparing for @ @ @ @ @ next aid package will affect those preparations .
• Cheney and Gaetz and Massie and @ @ @ @ @ up over loyalty • Hoyer wants Rep. Yoho reprimanded for derogatory remarks directed at Rep. @ @ @ @ @ polls tell us about the presidential race

In tonight’s episode, CQ Roll Call’s David Lerman breaks down the latest on talks between lawmakers regarding the next COVID-19 aid package. Later, Mary Ellen McIntire looks at how schools are preparing for the fall and how the next aid package will affect those preparations.
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-07-21--Cheney and Gaetz and Massie and Trump: House GOP tangled up over loyalty

Hours after the first in-person House Republican Conference meeting in months erupted in tensions between Chairwoman Liz Cheney and several rank-and-file members , Cheney and other GOP leaders sought to present a united front , even as she stood by the positions that got her crossways with colleagues .
At the Tuesday morning meeting , Cheney was sharply criticized by Florida ’ s Matt Gaetz and others for not supporting Kentucky ’ s Thomas Massie in his primary , for not backing President Donald Trump strongly enough , and for showing support for Anthony Fauci , director of the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 140,000 Americans and counting .
Cheney said she respects Massie and looks forward to working with him and winning the majority come November .
According to a person in the room , the conference meeting started to get messy during its open-mic session .
That ’ s when Massie and Gaetz lined up , with two mics set up in different parts of the room .
Cheney called on Gaetz , who said he wanted to let Massie speak first .
Cheney said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works , ” which set the stage for more tension .
Massie and Gaetz then called out Cheney for claiming their conference was united when she donated the maximum amount to Massie ’ s primary opponent , Todd McMurtry .
Massie coasted to a win over McMurtry in last month ’ s primary .
Cheney called Massie a “ special case , ” according to the source in the room .

Hours after the first in-person House Republican Conference meeting in months erupted in tensions between Chairwoman Liz Cheney and several rank-and-file members, Cheney and other GOP leaders sought to present a united front, even as she stood by the positions that got her crossways with colleagues.
At the Tuesday morning meeting, Cheney was sharply criticized by Florida’s Matt Gaetz and others for not supporting Kentucky’s Thomas Massie in his primary, for not backing President Donald Trump strongly enough, and for showing support for Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 140,000 Americans and counting.
Cheney said she respects Massie and looks forward to working with him and winning the majority come November.
According to a person in the room, the conference meeting started to get messy during its open-mic session. That’s when Massie and Gaetz lined up, with two mics set up in different parts of the room. Cheney called on Gaetz, who said he wanted to let Massie speak first. Cheney said, “That’s not how it works,” which set the stage for more tension.
Massie and Gaetz then called out Cheney for claiming their conference was united when she donated the maximum amount to Massie’s primary opponent, Todd McMurtry. Massie coasted to a win over McMurtry in last month’s primary. Cheney called Massie a “special case,” according to the source in the room.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Trump signs memo to exclude undocumented immigrants from census

President Donald Trump will try to exclude undocumented immigrants from 2020 census results through a memo he signed Tuesday .
The document would seek to have the Commerce Department , which oversees the Census Bureau , count only U.S. citizens and certain immigrants for divvying up the 435 seats in the House of Representatives .
Trump , who has made divisive immigration policy a center point of his political career , previously sought to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census but the Supreme Court last year ruled the effort violated administrative law .
Trump ’ s memo said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ create perverse incentives encouraging violations of Federal law ” for states like California , which may have more than 2 million undocumented residents .
`` My Administration will not support giving congressional representation to aliens who enter or remain in the country unlawfully , because doing so would create perverse incentives and undermine our system of government , '' Trump said in a statement .
`` Just as we do not give political power to people who are here temporarily , we should not give political power to people who should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s memo will likely face a court challenge , as groups such as the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund , American Civil Liberties Union and more than a dozen states have previously filed suit over the president ’ s conduct of the census .

President Donald Trump will try to exclude undocumented immigrants from 2020 census results through a memo he signed Tuesday.
The document would seek to have the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, count only U.S. citizens and certain immigrants for divvying up the 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Trump, who has made divisive immigration policy a center point of his political career, previously sought to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census but the Supreme Court last year ruled the effort violated administrative law.
Trump’s memo said that including undocumented immigrants in apportionment would “create perverse incentives encouraging violations of Federal law” for states like California, which may have more than 2 million undocumented residents.
"My Administration will not support giving congressional representation to aliens who enter or remain in the country unlawfully, because doing so would create perverse incentives and undermine our system of government," Trump said in a statement. "Just as we do not give political power to people who are here temporarily, we should not give political power to people who should not be here at all."
Tuesday’s memo will likely face a court challenge, as groups such as the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, American Civil Liberties Union and more than a dozen states have previously filed suit over the president’s conduct of the census.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Financially strapped trucking firm tripled lobbying days before winning coronavirus relief loan

The trucking company that received a $ 700 million coronavirus relief loan spent $ 210,000 on lobbyists in the days before it reached an agreement with Treasury on that loan , according to lobbying reports filed with the Senate this week .
The money YRC Worldwide spent on lobbying during the second quarter of 2020 alone was more than three times what it spent on lobbying in 2019 and more than the $ 140,000 the company spent in 2018 and 2019 combined .
Now , a bipartisan congressional panel is criticizing the loan the company received as part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying “ it is far from clear ” that YRC Worldwide is eligible for a lending mechanism originally designed for companies critical to national security , such as Boeing .
In a report released Monday , the Congressional Oversight Commission tasked with overseeing how the federal dollars allocated by the coronavirus stimulus law are spent also questioned the level of risk the government accepted when offering the Overland , Kan. , based firm a loan .
“ Given the company ’ s long-term non-investment grade rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that an equity stake in YRC will provide much , if any , compensation or protection to taxpayers , ” the panel said in the report .

The trucking company that received a $700 million coronavirus relief loan spent $210,000 on lobbyists in the days before it reached an agreement with Treasury on that loan, according to lobbying reports filed with the Senate this week.
The money YRC Worldwide spent on lobbying during the second quarter of 2020 alone was more than three times what it spent on lobbying in 2019 and more than the $140,000 the company spent in 2018 and 2019 combined.
Now, a bipartisan congressional panel is criticizing the loan the company received as part of the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus law, saying “it is far from clear” that YRC Worldwide is eligible for a lending mechanism originally designed for companies critical to national security, such as Boeing.
In a report released Monday, the Congressional Oversight Commission tasked with overseeing how the federal dollars allocated by the coronavirus stimulus law are spent also questioned the level of risk the government accepted when offering the Overland, Kan., based firm a loan.
Non-investment grade
“Given the company’s long-term non-investment grade rating and previous close calls with bankruptcy over the years, it is not clear that an equity stake in YRC will provide much, if any, compensation or protection to taxpayers,” the panel said in the report.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Lawmakers ask about potential COVID-19 vaccine cost, efficacy

Several major drugmakers confirmed to Congress Tuesday their contracts with the U.S. government include no guarantees that a vaccine underwritten @ @ @ @ @ will be affordably priced .
The comments from the executives at a hearing Tuesday offer @ @ @ @ @ between the U.S. government and the pharmaceutical industry .
Operation Warp Speed — the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ trials and manufacture enough doses for millions of people — has allocated nearly $ 10 @ @ @ @ @ task of making a vaccine that can stanch the suffering caused by COVID-19 .
At @ @ @ @ @ died of COVID-19 , according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center .
Five executives @ @ @ @ @ and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee that they will price vaccines with the urgent need @ @ @ @ @ mind .

Several major drugmakers confirmed to Congress Tuesday their contracts with the U.S. government include no guarantees that a vaccine underwritten with billions in public dollars will be affordably priced.
The comments from the executives at a hearing Tuesday offer a window into the agreements between the U.S. government and the pharmaceutical industry.
Operation Warp Speed — the U.S. effort to conduct large clinical trials and manufacture enough doses for millions of people — has allocated nearly $10 billion total to the enormous task of making a vaccine that can stanch the suffering caused by COVID-19.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Pandemic lobbying tops K Street agenda, but spending dips

The coronavirus pandemic triggered a whirl of K Street activity during the first half of the year , but nine of the top 10 biggest spenders reported a decrease in their lobbying tabs during the second quarter , indicating a turbulent business environment in the months ahead .
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America posted declines in their federal lobbying spending in the second quarter when compared with both this year ’ s first quarter and the second quarter of 2019 , according to new reports filed with Congress this week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as it has the rest of the nation ’ s businesses , thrusting most lobbyists into an all-virtual workspace and creating volatility as the November elections draw closer .
Facebook , the tech sector ’ s biggest spender on federal lobbying campaigns , disclosed shelling out less during the second quarter than the first quarter of the year , down to $ 4.8 million from $ 5.3 million .
Among the 10 biggest lobbying players this year , only Amazon reported an increase , from $ 4.3 million to $ 4.4 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some of the top lobbying firms , including Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck , reported an increase in the lobbying revenue they earned from clients during the second quarter , as companies and groups sought help navigating the unprecedented pandemic politics and the upended Washington policy agenda .

The coronavirus pandemic triggered a whirl of K Street activity during the first half of the year, but nine of the top 10 biggest spenders reported a decrease in their lobbying tabs during the second quarter, indicating a turbulent business environment in the months ahead.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America posted declines in their federal lobbying spending in the second quarter when compared with both this year’s first quarter and the second quarter of 2019, according to new reports filed with Congress this week.
The pandemic has disrupted the K Street economy, as it has the rest of the nation’s businesses, thrusting most lobbyists into an all-virtual workspace and creating volatility as the November elections draw closer.
Facebook, the tech sector’s biggest spender on federal lobbying campaigns, disclosed shelling out less during the second quarter than the first quarter of the year, down to $4.8 million from $5.3 million. Among the 10 biggest lobbying players this year, only Amazon reported an increase, from $4.3 million to $4.4 million, between the first and second quarters.
Some of the top lobbying firms, including Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, reported an increase in the lobbying revenue they earned from clients during the second quarter, as companies and groups sought help navigating the unprecedented pandemic politics and the upended Washington policy agenda.


rollcall--2020-07-21--Hoyer wants Rep. Yoho reprimanded for derogatory remarks directed at Rep. Ocasio-Cortez

Note : This report contains derogatory and profane terms .
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer is calling for Florida @ @ @ @ @ formally reprimanded on the chamber floor for derogatory words he allegedly said about New York @ @ @ @ @ left the Capitol steps Monday .
During the back-and-forth centered on Ocasio-Cortez 's previous comments @ @ @ @ @ crime , Yoho called the freshman lawmaker “ disgusting ” and after they walked in @ @ @ @ @ “ f -- -- -- - b -- -- , ” The Hill reported Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday if he would apologize to Ocasio-Cortez , said , “ There ’ s nothing @ @ @ @ @ denied calling Ocasio-Cortez the derogatory term but declined to comment further on what transpired .
@ @ @ @ @ should be “ sanctioned ” and that the Florida lawmaker should apologize for his comments @ @ @ @ @ despicable ” and “ unacceptable . ''

Note: This report contains derogatory and profane terms.
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer is calling for Florida Republican Ted Yoho to be formally reprimanded on the chamber floor for derogatory words he allegedly said about New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as he left the Capitol steps Monday.
During the back-and-forth centered on Ocasio-Cortez's previous comments about the root cause of crime, Yoho called the freshman lawmaker “disgusting” and after they walked in separate directions, Yoho said “f------- b----,” The Hill reported Tuesday.
Yoho, when asked Tuesday if he would apologize to Ocasio-Cortez, said, “There’s nothing to apologize for.” He denied calling Ocasio-Cortez the derogatory term but declined to comment further on what transpired.
Hoyer told reporters that Yoho should be “sanctioned” and that the Florida lawmaker should apologize for his comments, which he called “despicable” and “unacceptable."


rollcall--2020-07-21--COVID-19 aid negotiations ramp up

COVID-19 aid negotiations ramp up

Republican leaders are expected to unveil a COVID-19 aid proposal this week , targeting small-business loans , money for schools @ @ @ @ @ for employers and another round of tax rebate checks .
But while Republicans want their @ @ @ @ @ 1 trillion , Democrats want that much alone for state and local governments , highlighting @ @ @ @ @ parties .
CQ Roll Call ’ s David Lerman and Jennifer Shutt discuss what we @ @ @ @ @ Democrats and Republicans begin .
• Districts try to plan for back to school as @ @ @ @ @ Payroll tax cut on menu in coronavirus aid talks , McCarthy says • From cotton @ @ @ @ @ seek billions more in coronavirus aid

David Lerman, Jennifer Shutt, and Evan Campbell

Republican leaders are expected to unveil a COVID-19 aid proposal this week, targeting small-business loans, money for schools and hospitals, liability protection for employers and another round of tax rebate checks. But while Republicans want their bill to be roughly $1 trillion, Democrats want that much alone for state and local governments, highlighting a disconnect between the two parties.
CQ Roll Call’s David Lerman and Jennifer Shutt discuss what we can expect as negotiations between Democrats and Republicans begin.
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-07-21--Senate chooses minimal new restrictions on weapons for cops

The Senate voted Tuesday to further restrict the kind of excess Defense Department weapons that can be legally sent to @ @ @ @ @ of setting numerous additional conditions on such transfers .
The decisions came on a pair @ @ @ @ @ defense authorization bill , which the Senate may pass later this week .
The votes @ @ @ @ @ governing the Pentagon ’ s Section 1033 program , which allows sales or donations of @ @ @ @ @ federal , state or local law enforcement organizations .
A new debate over this often @ @ @ @ @ by scenes this summer of police departments equipped with military gear responding to street protests @ @ @ @ @ 60 votes needed to adopt the amendments under a rule agreed to by both parties @ @ @ @ @ — nine short of the threshold for approval — on an amendment by Hawaii Democrat @ @ @ @ @ attached numerous strings to transfers of excess military gear to police .

The Senate voted Tuesday to further restrict the kind of excess Defense Department weapons that can be legally sent to police forces but stopped short of setting numerous additional conditions on such transfers.
The decisions came on a pair of dueling amendments to the defense authorization bill, which the Senate may pass later this week.
The votes concerned changes to the law governing the Pentagon’s Section 1033 program, which allows sales or donations of certain excess military gear to federal, state or local law enforcement organizations.
A new debate over this often controversial law has been prompted by scenes this summer of police departments equipped with military gear responding to street protests for racial justice.
With 60 votes needed to adopt the amendments under a rule agreed to by both parties, the Senate voted 51-49 — nine short of the threshold for approval — on an amendment by Hawaii Democrat Brian Schatz that would have attached numerous strings to transfers of excess military gear to police.


rollcall--2020-07-22--Rock, meet hard place: Senate appropriators’ dilemma

As House lawmakers start debating most if not all of the dozen spending bills for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 over the next two weeks , they are leaving their Senate counterparts in the dust .
The Democrat-led House Appropriations Committee has marked up all 12 bills , with floor action getting underway later this week .
The GOP-controlled Senate Appropriations Committee has not marked up any of its bills , and it appears unlikely to do so before the November elections .
The ostensible holdup is the lack of an agreement between Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard C. Shelby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ J. Leahy , D-Vt. , on what amendments will be offered in committee .
But election-year politics appears to be the real underlying culprit , according to budget experts .
They say Democrats want to use amendments to score political points to try to reclaim control of the Senate , and Republicans see no point in taking those shots if there is no expectation the bills will be passed before the elections .
The Constitution gives Congress the sole power to tax and spend federal dollars .
That makes passing appropriations legislation one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yet it ’ s possible Senate appropriators could end the year without marking up any bills , which has never happened since at least 1985 , which is as far back as the chamber ’ s online records go .

As House lawmakers start debating most if not all of the dozen spending bills for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 over the next two weeks, they are leaving their Senate counterparts in the dust.
The Democrat-led House Appropriations Committee has marked up all 12 bills, with floor action getting underway later this week. The GOP-controlled Senate Appropriations Committee has not marked up any of its bills, and it appears unlikely to do so before the November elections.
The ostensible holdup is the lack of an agreement between Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., and ranking member Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., on what amendments will be offered in committee.
But election-year politics appears to be the real underlying culprit, according to budget experts. They say Democrats want to use amendments to score political points to try to reclaim control of the Senate, and Republicans see no point in taking those shots if there is no expectation the bills will be passed before the elections.
The Constitution gives Congress the sole power to tax and spend federal dollars. That makes passing appropriations legislation one of the most important duties of lawmakers. Yet it’s possible Senate appropriators could end the year without marking up any bills, which has never happened since at least 1985, which is as far back as the chamber’s online records go.


rollcall--2020-07-22--Health and business concerns clash in debate over COVID-19 liability

While Congress jostles over whether businesses should get extra protections from lawsuits related to COVID-19 in the next pandemic relief bill , legal action across the country highlights the stakes for states struggling to reopen their economies .
McDonald ’ s employees in Chicago and California filed lawsuits in state court that claim the fast-food franchises weren ’ t doing enough to keep them safe as “ essential ” workers , with one plaintiff telling the media that the Oakland location was “ risking our lives to sell the company ’ s burgers and fries.
” And Chiyomi Brent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says she took the retail giant to court in California after her complaints internally and with state regulators did not prompt a change in workplace conditions , such as not cleaning the “ freezer suits ” that are reused by up to 10 different employees a day .
“ Without the ability to file a lawsuit , Amazon would be able to get away with this action , and more Americans will needlessly get sick or , even worse , die , ” Brent said Monday on a conference call set up by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuits .
“ It is my hope that workers in every industry will be safer because of my lawsuit .
”

While Congress jostles over whether businesses should get extra protections from lawsuits related to COVID-19 in the next pandemic relief bill, legal action across the country highlights the stakes for states struggling to reopen their economies.
McDonald’s employees in Chicago and California filed lawsuits in state court that claim the fast-food franchises weren’t doing enough to keep them safe as “essential” workers, with one plaintiff telling the media that the Oakland location was “risking our lives to sell the company’s burgers and fries.”
And Chiyomi Brent, who fulfills grocery orders at Amazon, says she took the retail giant to court in California after her complaints internally and with state regulators did not prompt a change in workplace conditions, such as not cleaning the “freezer suits” that are reused by up to 10 different employees a day.
“Without the ability to file a lawsuit, Amazon would be able to get away with this action, and more Americans will needlessly get sick or, even worse, die,” Brent said Monday on a conference call set up by opponents of giving businesses immunity from such lawsuits. “It is my hope that workers in every industry will be safer because of my lawsuit.”


rollcall--2020-07-22--Experts call for more federal testing oversight as cases surge

Health and industry experts are calling for more federal coordination to mitigate a recurrence of testing complications that risk reversing the gains labs have made since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic .
Cases are surging in a number of states , while some hospitals in hard-hit areas are reaching capacity .
The United States is conducting between 700,000 and 800,000 tests per day , but delays for results are reaching nearly two weeks for some , and labs are beginning to restrict how many samples they ’ ll accept .
The worsening situation is a harbinger of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when the seasonal flu is expected to further strain demands on hospitals and labs .
“ I don ’ t know if it ’ s ever going to be enough , but if we can bend the curve back down on incidence , we have a fighting chance going into the fall to be able to maintain a reasonable level of testing and expectation , ” Scott Becker , CEOAssociation of Public Health Laboratories told CQ Roll Call .
“ But if demand continues to exceed the capacity and capability of labs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re in for a world of hurt as we head into the flu season .
”

Health and industry experts are calling for more federal coordination to mitigate a recurrence of testing complications that risk reversing the gains labs have made since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Cases are surging in a number of states, while some hospitals in hard-hit areas are reaching capacity. The United States is conducting between 700,000 and 800,000 tests per day, but delays for results are reaching nearly two weeks for some, and labs are beginning to restrict how many samples they’ll accept.
The worsening situation is a harbinger of what the U.S. will likely face this fall, when the seasonal flu is expected to further strain demands on hospitals and labs.
“I don’t know if it’s ever going to be enough, but if we can bend the curve back down on incidence, we have a fighting chance going into the fall to be able to maintain a reasonable level of testing and expectation,” Scott Becker, CEOAssociation of Public Health Laboratories told CQ Roll Call. “But if demand continues to exceed the capacity and capability of labs across the country, then we’re in for a world of hurt as we head into the flu season.”


rollcall--2020-07-22--House to vote on public lands bill passed by Senate

The House is expected to pass bipartisan public lands legislation Wednesday , delivering a victory for at-risk Republican senators up for election and sending hundreds of millions of dollars to a federal conservation fund .
President Donald Trump was swayed to support the legislation , which he plans to sign into law , after Sens .
Steve Daines , R-Mont.
, and Cory Gardner , R-Colo. , showed him pictures of national parks in their home states .
The Senate passed the bill on June 17 , 73-20 , with opposition from oil-state and Gulf Coast Republicans , including Sens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richard Shelby , R-Ala. , and another critic of federal land powers in their state , Sen. Mike Lee , R-Utah .
Both Daines and Gardner , facing challenges respectively from Democratic Gov .
Steve Bullock and former Colorado Gov .
John Hickenlooper , are running on the legislation in their campaigns .
Gardner ’ s campaign website touts him as “ a champion for Colorado ’ s public lands throughout his time in the Senate , ” adding that “ he led the fight to permanently reauthorize ” the federal Land and @ @ @ @

The House is expected to pass bipartisan public lands legislation Wednesday, delivering a victory for at-risk Republican senators up for election and sending hundreds of millions of dollars to a federal conservation fund.
President Donald Trump was swayed to support the legislation, which he plans to sign into law, after Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Cory Gardner, R-Colo., showed him pictures of national parks in their home states.
The Senate passed the bill on June 17, 73-20, with opposition from oil-state and Gulf Coast Republicans, including Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and another critic of federal land powers in their state, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.
Both Daines and Gardner, facing challenges respectively from Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, are running on the legislation in their campaigns.
Gardner’s campaign website touts him as “a champion for Colorado’s public lands throughout his time in the Senate,” adding that “he led the fight to permanently reauthorize” the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.


rollcall--2020-07-22--House sends bipartisan public lands bill to Trump for signature

The House easily passed legislation Wednesday to establish permanent funding for a broadly popular land conservation program , the Land and Water Conservation Fund , leaping past objections from oil-state members and pleasing environmental groups , the Interior Secretary and at-risk Republican senators .
Passage marks a boon for Sens .
Steve Daines , R-Mont.
, and Cory Gardner , R-Colo. , both locked in competitive reelection campaigns in their home states , who have pointed to the bill as a bipartisan measure with benefits for their constituents .
President Donald Trump , whom the pair of GOP senators nudged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House meeting by showing him pictures of beautiful national park landscapes , is expected to sign the bill .
The final tally was 310-107 , with more than 80 Republicans joining nearly every Democrat to vote “ aye.
” The bill would permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund , a federal pool of money raised largely from fees and royalties on offshore oil and gas drilling , with $ 900 million annually .
It would also allocate $ 9.5 billion over five years for the Interior Department to clear some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Park Service sites .

The House easily passed legislation Wednesday to establish permanent funding for a broadly popular land conservation program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, leaping past objections from oil-state members and pleasing environmental groups, the Interior Secretary and at-risk Republican senators.
Passage marks a boon for Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Cory Gardner, R-Colo., both locked in competitive reelection campaigns in their home states, who have pointed to the bill as a bipartisan measure with benefits for their constituents.
President Donald Trump, whom the pair of GOP senators nudged to support the bill at a White House meeting by showing him pictures of beautiful national park landscapes, is expected to sign the bill.
The final tally was 310-107, with more than 80 Republicans joining nearly every Democrat to vote “aye.”
The bill would permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a federal pool of money raised largely from fees and royalties on offshore oil and gas drilling, with $900 million annually. It would also allocate $9.5 billion over five years for the Interior Department to clear some of its backlog of maintenance, including at National Park Service sites.


rollcall--2020-07-22--House passes bill to repeal Trump’s travel ban

The House passed a measure Wednesday that would repeal the Trump administration ’ s ban restricting travel from targeted nations and prohibit future presidents from implementing bans based on race or religion .
The measure passed 233-183 , mainly along party lines .
The legislation would lift restrictions President Donald Trump has put on numerous countries over the years , including travel limits initially placed on a group of predominantly Muslim nations .
The measure also would expand the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination based on religion .
The bill is not expected to advance in the Republican-led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost three and a half years to the day after President Trump issued his first Muslim Ban , the House of Representatives voted to put us on the right side of history by repealing it completely , ” the bill ’ s sponsor , Rep. Judy Chu , D-Calif. , said in a statement .
“ This ban never had anything to do with national security ; it was always driven by prejudice.
” Prior to the vote , Democrats criticized the travel ban as “ dangerous ” and said it went against @ @ @ @

The House passed a measure Wednesday that would repeal the Trump administration’s ban restricting travel from targeted nations and prohibit future presidents from implementing bans based on race or religion.
The measure passed 233-183, mainly along party lines. The legislation would lift restrictions President Donald Trump has put on numerous countries over the years, including travel limits initially placed on a group of predominantly Muslim nations.
The measure also would expand the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination based on religion. The bill is not expected to advance in the Republican-led Senate, however.
“Today, almost three and a half years to the day after President Trump issued his first Muslim Ban, the House of Representatives voted to put us on the right side of history by repealing it completely,” the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., said in a statement. “This ban never had anything to do with national security; it was always driven by prejudice.”
Prior to the vote, Democrats criticized the travel ban as “dangerous” and said it went against fundamental U.S. values.


rollcall--2020-07-22--House passes bill to remove Confederate, racist statues and busts

A measure seeking to remove the bust of former Chief Justice Roger B. Taney — who wrote the majority opinion in the Supreme Court ’ s Dred Scott decision that said Black people were not U.S. citizens — along with racist and Confederate statues in the Capitol passed the House 305-113 Wednesday .
It is a legislative response to nationwide calls for statues that honor the country ’ s discriminatory past to be relocated from prominent locations .
The bill , introduced by House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland , would direct the Architect of the Capitol to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marylander : Thurgood Marshall , the first Black Supreme Court justice .
It would also remove all statues of people who voluntarily served in the Confederacy .
The Joint Committee on the Library of Congress , which has oversight of statues and art in the Capitol , would move to place Marshall ’ s bust in the Old Supreme Court Chamber within two years .
North Carolina Democratic Rep. G.K. Butterfield , a former state judge whose great-grandmother was a slave , said the 1857 decision authored by Taney “ was arguably the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States has ever , ever handed down.
” Charles Aycock of North Carolina , John C. Calhoun of South Carolina and James Paul Clarke of Arkansas , although not members of the Confederacy , were white supremacists , and their statues are specifically named in the bill for removal from the National Statuary Hall Collection .
The bust of John C. Breckinridge , a Kentucky senator and vice president in the Buchanan administration who was expelled in 1861 for joining the Confederacy , would also be removed .

A measure seeking to remove the bust of former Chief Justice Roger B. Taney — who wrote the majority opinion in the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision that said Black people were not U.S. citizens — along with racist and Confederate statues in the Capitol passed the House 305-113 Wednesday.
It is a legislative response to nationwide calls for statues that honor the country’s discriminatory past to be relocated from prominent locations.
The bill, introduced by House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, would direct the Architect of the Capitol to replace Taney’s bust with another Marylander: Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court justice. It would also remove all statues of people who voluntarily served in the Confederacy. The Joint Committee on the Library of Congress, which has oversight of statues and art in the Capitol, would move to place Marshall’s bust in the Old Supreme Court Chamber within two years.
North Carolina Democratic Rep. G.K. Butterfield, a former state judge whose great-grandmother was a slave, said the 1857 decision authored by Taney “was arguably the worst opinion that the Supreme Court of the United States has ever, ever handed down.”
Charles Aycock of North Carolina, John C. Calhoun of South Carolina and James Paul Clarke of Arkansas, although not members of the Confederacy, were white supremacists, and their statues are specifically named in the bill for removal from the National Statuary Hall Collection. The bust of John C. Breckinridge, a Kentucky senator and vice president in the Buchanan administration who was expelled in 1861 for joining the Confederacy, would also be removed.


rollcall--2020-07-22--Coronavirus Special Report: Employees and businesses clash over liability protections

In tonight 's episode , CQ Roll Call 's Todd Ruger examines the rift between employees , who are exposed @ @ @ @ @ front lines , and the businesses that employ them , and how Senate Majority Leader @ @ @ @ @ liability protections in the next COVID-19 bill might benefit these businesses .
Then , Kate @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic has dominated K Street , the center of Washington 's lobbying industry .
@ @ @ @ @ at what hurdles remain ahead of the Major League Baseball season .
• Health and @ @ @ @ @ over COVID-19 liability • ‘ We need the Blue Jays ’ : Hurdles remain ahead @ @ @ @ @ day

In tonight's episode, CQ Roll Call's Todd Ruger examines the rift between employees, who are exposed to the coronavirus on the front lines, and the businesses that employ them, and how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's push for liability protections in the next COVID-19 bill might benefit these businesses. Then, Kate Ackley breaks down how the coronavirus pandemic has dominated K Street, the center of Washington's lobbying industry. Finally, Niels Lesniewski looks at what hurdles remain ahead of the Major League Baseball season.
Show Notes:


rollcall--2020-07-22--Trump immigrant memo may cast ‘long shadow’ over census

Activists and civil rights groups have spent more than a year quelling immigrant communities ’ fears around the census — only to have President Donald Trump issue a memorandum to exclude undocumented immigrants from census results .
That has caused simmering concerns about the politicization of the census process to boil over for civil rights groups and congressional Democrats .
House Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney said she plans to hold an emergency hearing on the memorandum next week .
“ Taking this step right in the middle of the ongoing Census is particularly egregious and sinister because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count , deter people from filling out their forms , and corrupt the democratic processes on which our nation is founded , ” the New York Democrat said in a statement .
Tuesday ’ s memorandum has already attracted legal scrutiny .
On Wednesday , a Maryland federal judge ruled that litigants challenging Trump ’ s order last year to collect citizenship information could add the memo to their suit .
Census results don ’ t just determine how many of the 435 House seats each state gets .
They guide more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and guide thousands of decisions made by businesses and state and local governments .

Activists and civil rights groups have spent more than a year quelling immigrant communities’ fears around the census — only to have President Donald Trump issue a memorandum to exclude undocumented immigrants from census results.
That has caused simmering concerns about the politicization of the census process to boil over for civil rights groups and congressional Democrats. House Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney said she plans to hold an emergency hearing on the memorandum next week.
“Taking this step right in the middle of the ongoing Census is particularly egregious and sinister because it appears purposefully designed to depress the count, deter people from filling out their forms, and corrupt the democratic processes on which our nation is founded,” the New York Democrat said in a statement.
Tuesday’s memorandum has already attracted legal scrutiny. On Wednesday, a Maryland federal judge ruled that litigants challenging Trump’s order last year to collect citizenship information could add the memo to their suit.
Census results don’t just determine how many of the 435 House seats each state gets. They guide more than $1.5 trillion in federal spending annually and guide thousands of decisions made by businesses and state and local governments.


rollcall--2020-07-22--EPA takes first step on aircraft emissions limits

The EPA took a first step toward setting an emissions standard for commercial aircraft on Wednesday , pleasing the industry and disappointing environmental advocates who sought tougher rules .
In announcing the rule , EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the agency was trying to match the 2016 rule set by the International Civil Aviation Organization , a U.N. office , to address global emissions from aircraft .
A leading industry lobby and trade group , Airlines for America , said it was pleased with the rule , which environmental groups criticized as feeble , pointing to the agency ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not curb plane emissions .
The Trump administration offered the rule at a pivotal time for the industry , which has been burning through cash due to the coronavirus pandemic , as it faces technical challenges in flying in a hotter world , is bracing for rising sea levels due to human-caused climate change and generates a massive portion of greenhouse gases in the U.S. transportation sector and worldwide .
Aviation generates about 3 percent of global greenhouse emissions — meaning if it were a country , it would rank among the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on par with nations like Germany , Italy and Japan .

The EPA took a first step toward setting an emissions standard for commercial aircraft on Wednesday, pleasing the industry and disappointing environmental advocates who sought tougher rules.
In announcing the rule, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the agency was trying to match the 2016 rule set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. office, to address global emissions from aircraft.
A leading industry lobby and trade group, Airlines for America, said it was pleased with the rule, which environmental groups criticized as feeble, pointing to the agency’s own admission that the proposal would likely not curb plane emissions.
The Trump administration offered the rule at a pivotal time for the industry, which has been burning through cash due to the coronavirus pandemic, as it faces technical challenges in flying in a hotter world, is bracing for rising sea levels due to human-caused climate change and generates a massive portion of greenhouse gases in the U.S. transportation sector and worldwide.
Major emitter
Aviation generates about 3 percent of global greenhouse emissions — meaning if it were a country, it would rank among the top 10 nations with the biggest carbon footprints, on par with nations like Germany, Italy and Japan.


rollcall--2020-07-22--Senate Republicans, White House near agreement on coronavirus relief package

Senate Republicans and the Trump administration expect to unveil their COVID-19 relief plan Thursday after reaching agreement on key pieces late Wednesday .
That package will no longer be one bill but a series of bills addressing the ongoing health care and economic crisis , according to Sen. Roy Blunt , R-Mo .
`` I think what the leader has decided he wants to do is to have a handful of bills now instead of just one bill , ” he said .
`` The goal is tomorrow to get all of those bills out there . ''
He didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually be packaged together for floor consideration .
“ I ’ m not sure how this moves toward conclusion , whether the Senate will be voting on it individually or this becomes a negotiating position , ” Blunt said .
Blunt , who oversees annual health care and education appropriations , met with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows , Appropriations Chairman Richard C. Shelby , R-Ala. , and Health , Education , Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn. , to iron out details late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ fundamental agreement ” on the appropriations portion , though there ’ s still a “ few little things that our staff is working on .
”

Jennifer Shutt, Bridget Bowman, and Mary Ellen McIntire

Senate Republicans and the Trump administration expect to unveil their COVID-19 relief plan Thursday after reaching agreement on key pieces late Wednesday.
That package will no longer be one bill but a series of bills addressing the ongoing health care and economic crisis, according to Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. "I think what the leader has decided he wants to do is to have a handful of bills now instead of just one bill,” he said. "The goal is tomorrow to get all of those bills out there."
He didn’t know whether the bills would eventually be packaged together for floor consideration. “I’m not sure how this moves toward conclusion, whether the Senate will be voting on it individually or this becomes a negotiating position,” Blunt said.
Blunt, who oversees annual health care and education appropriations, met with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Appropriations Chairman Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., to iron out details late Wednesday.
Shelby said the group reached a “fundamental agreement” on the appropriations portion, though there’s still a “few little things that our staff is working on.”


rollcall--2020-07-22--FEMA chief: Meeting domestic PPE demand ‘months away’

The United States is still months away from meeting demand for COVID-19 personal protective equipment , according to the top federal official in charge of emergency response during a House hearing on Wednesday .
Peter Gaynor , the administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency , acknowledged before the House Homeland Security Committee that meeting the demand would continue to be a challenge .
“ We have a ways to go in making sure we have enough PPE .
This is not as simple as turning on a light switch and magically making more , ” said Gaynor .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until we start making enough in the U.S. to supply the demand and , as cases grow in the Sun Belt , demand goes up . ''
The U.S. traditionally relies on foreign manufacturers to supply personal protective equipment , or PPE , such as masks .
While domestic production has gone up in recent months , it still remains an issue during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ We are in competition , still , for PPE around the globe .
The place we are in today is much better than where we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not going to buy our way out of this , ” Gaynor told Chairman Bennie Thompson , D-Miss .

The United States is still months away from meeting demand for COVID-19 personal protective equipment, according to the top federal official in charge of emergency response during a House hearing on Wednesday.
Peter Gaynor, the administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, acknowledged before the House Homeland Security Committee that meeting the demand would continue to be a challenge.
“We have a ways to go in making sure we have enough PPE. This is not as simple as turning on a light switch and magically making more,” said Gaynor. "We still have many months to go until we start making enough in the U.S. to supply the demand and, as cases grow in the Sun Belt, demand goes up."
The U.S. traditionally relies on foreign manufacturers to supply personal protective equipment, or PPE, such as masks. While domestic production has gone up in recent months, it still remains an issue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are in competition, still, for PPE around the globe. The place we are in today is much better than where we were 60 days ago, although we’re not going to buy our way out of this,” Gaynor told Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.


rollcall--2020-07-22--Post office concerns highlighted at Senate hearing on elections amid COVID-19

“ The post office is a very difficult situation for us right now.
” That ’ s how Rick Stream @ @ @ @ @ from St. Louis County in Missouri , responded to a question Wednesday at a Senate @ @ @ @ @ about concerns over mail-in and absentee ballots not getting to election officials on time as @ @ @ @ @ faces funding and logistical challenges .
Stream said that within his jurisdiction , the percentage @ @ @ @ @ about 10 percent seen in normal circumstances to 45 percent in the most recent election @ @ @ @ @ figure to increase with legal mail-in voting in November .
“ To be honest with @ @ @ @ @ have had problems with the post office since I ’ ve been in this office @ @ @ @ @ ” Stream said in response to a query from Rules Chairman Roy Blunt , R-Mo @ @ @ @ @ to be received by 7 p.m. on election night in order to be counted , @ @ @ @ @ use a complicated system requiring validation from notaries in many cases .

“The post office is a very difficult situation for us right now.”
That’s how Rick Stream, a Republican elections official from St. Louis County in Missouri, responded to a question Wednesday at a Senate Rules and Administration Committee hearing about concerns over mail-in and absentee ballots not getting to election officials on time as the U.S. Postal Service faces funding and logistical challenges.
Stream said that within his jurisdiction, the percentage of absentee voters jumped from about 10 percent seen in normal circumstances to 45 percent in the most recent election, and he expected that figure to increase with legal mail-in voting in November.
“To be honest with you, senator, we have had problems with the post office since I’ve been in this office, for three-and-a-half years,” Stream said in response to a query from Rules Chairman Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
Missouri law requires ballots to be received by 7 p.m. on election night in order to be counted, and the state continues to use a complicated system requiring validation from notaries in many cases.


rollcall--2020-07-22--NAACP sues to stop coronavirus spending rule for schools

The NAACP filed a lawsuit Wednesday to stop the Education Department ’ s rule about how to distribute $ 13.5 billion in coronavirus-related relief for K-12 schools , arguing that it will send hundreds of millions of dollars to private schools against the will of Congress .
The lawsuit — filed in federal court in Washington on behalf of several public school districts , their students and their parents — argues in part that the Education Department does not have the authority to issue the rule last month that effectively changes a COVID-19 relief law .
“ The Rule harms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress ; it can not stand , ” the lawsuit states .
The NAACP lawsuit focuses on how Congress appropriated funds for local public school districts to address the fallout of the pandemic .
The law requires the school districts that get money to set aside a relatively small portion for private schools that have students from lower-income families , the group states .
But the Education Department ’ s rule instead would require school districts to apportion the relief money based on the total number of students attending private schools — or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the money can be spent “ that were never intended nor authorized by Congress , ” the lawsuit states .

The NAACP filed a lawsuit Wednesday to stop the Education Department’s rule about how to distribute $13.5 billion in coronavirus-related relief for K-12 schools, arguing that it will send hundreds of millions of dollars to private schools against the will of Congress.
The lawsuit — filed in federal court in Washington on behalf of several public school districts, their students and their parents — argues in part that the Education Department does not have the authority to issue the rule last month that effectively changes a COVID-19 relief law.
“The Rule harms American children and subverts the will of Congress; it cannot stand,” the lawsuit states.
The NAACP lawsuit focuses on how Congress appropriated funds for local public school districts to address the fallout of the pandemic. The law requires the school districts that get money to set aside a relatively small portion for private schools that have students from lower-income families, the group states.
But the Education Department’s rule instead would require school districts to apportion the relief money based on the total number of students attending private schools — or else face “severe limitations” on how the money can be spent “that were never intended nor authorized by Congress,” the lawsuit states.


rollcall--2020-07-23--Running for office is a full-time job. How one candidate is still getting paid

For candidates in hotly contested congressional races like Dana Balter , running for office is a full-time job .
And the New York Democrat is taking advantage of a provision that still allows her to get paid .
Balter has taken $ 3,645 in salary from her campaign so far , according to her quarterly fundraising report filed last week .
Thanks to a Federal Election Commission provision that allows candidates to pay themselves using their campaign funds , Balter plans to take a $ 35,000 salary this year .
And she doesn ’ t think voters will have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a person who ’ s in a position to be able to not work and not have salary for a year and a half , which is the length of the campaign , ” she said in a Wednesday phone interview .
“ And I think that ’ s true of most people in the country.
” “ It is , I think , incredibly important for everyday people who don ’ t have millions of dollars in the bank and can ’ t afford to stop working for a year and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run for office , ” Balter said .
Erin Chlopak , director of campaign finance strategy at the Campaign Legal Center , said that was the goal of the provision , which was adopted in 2002 .

For candidates in hotly contested congressional races like Dana Balter, running for office is a full-time job. And the New York Democrat is taking advantage of a provision that still allows her to get paid.
Balter has taken $3,645 in salary from her campaign so far, according to her quarterly fundraising report filed last week. Thanks to a Federal Election Commission provision that allows candidates to pay themselves using their campaign funds, Balter plans to take a $35,000 salary this year. And she doesn’t think voters will have a problem with that.
“I am not a person who’s in a position to be able to not work and not have salary for a year and a half, which is the length of the campaign,” she said in a Wednesday phone interview. “And I think that’s true of most people in the country.”
“It is, I think, incredibly important for everyday people who don’t have millions of dollars in the bank and can’t afford to stop working for a year and a half or more to be able to run for office,” Balter said.
Erin Chlopak, director of campaign finance strategy at the Campaign Legal Center, said that was the goal of the provision, which was adopted in 2002.


rollcall--2020-07-23--Experts: Daily life may remain disrupted after vaccine launch

Public health experts , even optimistic ones , say it may take months after a COVID-19 vaccine is developed before public and economic activity begins to resemble pre-pandemic days .
“ I think people have construed the development of a vaccine as almost like a reset button that will take us back to life prior to the pandemic , ” said Yonatan Grad , a professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health .
“ I am worried we ’ re not going to be able to just press a button and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It will take a lot of time , and it may not happen to quite the extent that we might imagine.
” Enormous hopes are hinging on the vaccine race that could blunt the coronavirus ’ impact .
At least 142,401 U.S. residents have died of COVID-19 , according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center .
Millions of people have lost their jobs .
But stopping transmission is more complicated than approving a vaccine .
“ The media will describe this as a magic bullet , but there ’ s a difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Offit , chief of infectious diseases at the Children ’ s Hospital of Philadelphia .

Public health experts, even optimistic ones, say it may take months after a COVID-19 vaccine is developed before public and economic activity begins to resemble pre-pandemic days.
“I think people have construed the development of a vaccine as almost like a reset button that will take us back to life prior to the pandemic,” said Yonatan Grad, a professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “I am worried we’re not going to be able to just press a button and go from pandemic to no pandemic. It will take a lot of time, and it may not happen to quite the extent that we might imagine.”
Enormous hopes are hinging on the vaccine race that could blunt the coronavirus’ impact. At least 142,401 U.S. residents have died of COVID-19, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Millions of people have lost their jobs.
But stopping transmission is more complicated than approving a vaccine.
“The media will describe this as a magic bullet, but there’s a difference between vaccine and vaccination,” said Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.


rollcall--2020-07-23--Capitol Ink | Wild pitch

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CQ Roll Call is a part of FiscalNote, the leading technology innovator at the intersection of global business and government. Copyright 2023 CQ Roll Call. All rights reserved.


rollcall--2020-07-23--Mother pushes Congress for change after son’s ‘preventable’ death in military accident

It took nearly two hours to transport Army Spc .
Nicholas Panipinto to an off-base trauma center after the combat @ @ @ @ @ and rolled over during a road test at South Korea ’ s Camp Humphreys , @ @ @ @ @ largest overseas base .
The emergency response was plagued by a series of vehicle and @ @ @ @ @ that delayed lifesaving treatment after the Nov. 6 accident .
The 20-year-old ultimately died .
@ @ @ @ @ , ” said Panipinto ’ s mother , Kimberly Weaver .
“ How do you @ @ @ @ @ servicemembers and their families and no hospital ?
No way to get people to one @ @ @ @ @ the House passed its version of the fiscal 2021 defense authorization bill , approving hundreds @ @ @ @ @ no debate .
Among them is an amendment sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan , R-Fla. @ @ @ @ @ of the missteps that led to Panipinto ’ s death .
The issues , says @ @ @ @ @

It took nearly two hours to transport Army Spc. Nicholas Panipinto to an off-base trauma center after the combat vehicle he was driving flipped and rolled over during a road test at South Korea’s Camp Humphreys, the U.S. military’s largest overseas base.
The emergency response was plagued by a series of vehicle and equipment problems and other mishaps that delayed lifesaving treatment after the Nov. 6 accident. The 20-year-old ultimately died.
“I was just irate,” said Panipinto’s mother, Kimberly Weaver. “How do you have a base with 42,000 servicemembers and their families and no hospital? No way to get people to one?”
This week, the House passed its version of the fiscal 2021 defense authorization bill, approving hundreds of amendments with little to no debate. Among them is an amendment sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., aimed at addressing some of the missteps that led to Panipinto’s death.
The issues, says Weaver, were plentiful.


rollcall--2020-07-23--Lowey’s would-be successors use spending bills to make their cases

House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey ’ s farewell speech to panel colleagues had a message for those vying to succeed her as the committee ’ s top Democrat — there are Republicans , there are Democrats and then there are appropriators .
The decades-old adage places the committee above politics and has long been a source of pride for its members , even if it hasn ’ t always been true .
“ My parting request to you is this : Do not succumb to the pervasive partisanship that permeates what can feel like all aspects of our professional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lowey , a New York Democrat , said during the panel ’ s final fiscal 2021 markup , the last of her congressional career dating back to 1989 .
“ Defend our constitutional prerogatives against executive overreach regardless of who occupies the White House or the speaker ’ s office.
” The race to become the Appropriations Committee ’ s next top Democrat includes Reps. Rosa DeLauro , Marcy Kaptur and Debbie Wasserman Schultz , though it ’ s possible there may be late entrants to the campaign .
Much has changed since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirement announcement last year .

House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey’s farewell speech to panel colleagues had a message for those vying to succeed her as the committee’s top Democrat — there are Republicans, there are Democrats and then there are appropriators.
The decades-old adage places the committee above politics and has long been a source of pride for its members, even if it hasn’t always been true.
“My parting request to you is this: Do not succumb to the pervasive partisanship that permeates what can feel like all aspects of our professional and sometimes our personal lives,” Lowey, a New York Democrat, said during the panel’s final fiscal 2021 markup, the last of her congressional career dating back to 1989. “Defend our constitutional prerogatives against executive overreach regardless of who occupies the White House or the speaker’s office.”
The race to become the Appropriations Committee’s next top Democrat includes Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Marcy Kaptur and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, though it’s possible there may be late entrants to the campaign.
Much has changed since the candidates declared following Lowey’s retirement announcement last year.


rollcall--2020-07-23--A COVID-19 vaccine won’t mean an immediate return to normal

“ I am worried we ’ re not going to be able to just press a button and go from @ @ @ @ @ It will take a lot of time , and it may not happen to quite @ @ @ @ @ imagine.
” Yonatan Grad , a professor of immunology and infectious diseases , is trying @ @ @ @ @ quickly normalcy may return after the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine .
According to Dr. @ @ @ @ @ of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases , “ herd immunity ” will @ @ @ @ @ least 70 percent of the population has been exposed to the virus through a vaccine @ @ @ @ @ Roll Call health care reporter Emily Kopp breaks down why it may take longer than @ @ @ @ @ once a vaccine is approved .
[ As Arizona COVID-19 cases surge , this mom @ @ @ @ @ with disabilities ]

“I am worried we’re not going to be able to just press a button and go from pandemic to no pandemic. It will take a lot of time, and it may not happen to quite the extent that we might imagine.”
Yonatan Grad, a professor of immunology and infectious diseases, is trying to temper expectations of how quickly normalcy may return after the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.
According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, “herd immunity” will only be achieved after at least 70 percent of the population has been exposed to the virus through a vaccine or prior infection.
CQ Roll Call health care reporter Emily Kopp breaks down why it may take longer than expected to return to normal once a vaccine is approved.
[ As Arizona COVID-19 cases surge, this mom calls for empathy toward kids with disabilities ]


rollcall--2020-07-23--Jamaal Bowman: ‘The police literally beat the crap out of me’

When Jamaal Bowman says he wants to end police brutality and overhaul law enforcement procedures in America , it ’ s not just an abstract policy position .
The 44-year-old New York Democrat has a long history with police officers treating him roughly .
He was just 11 years old the first time it happened .
“ The police literally beat the crap out of me , ” he says .
“ Just because I was playing with my friends , loud and boisterous , and didn ’ t acquiesce to what they were asking us to do , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little back talk when they told us to settle down and keep it down .
The next thing you know , I was thrown against the wall , thrown to the floor , night stick to the back , face scraped across the floor , and handcuffed.
” Bowman says he was taken to the precinct , only to be released to his mother , without any charges .
Accepting the incident as just the way things worked , his mother sought no recourse .
“ We just kept it moving , ” @ @ @

When Jamaal Bowman says he wants to end police brutality and overhaul law enforcement procedures in America, it’s not just an abstract policy position.
The 44-year-old New York Democrat has a long history with police officers treating him roughly.
He was just 11 years old the first time it happened. “The police literally beat the crap out of me,” he says.
“Just because I was playing with my friends, loud and boisterous, and didn’t acquiesce to what they were asking us to do,” he recalls. “I gave a little back talk when they told us to settle down and keep it down. The next thing you know, I was thrown against the wall, thrown to the floor, night stick to the back, face scraped across the floor, and handcuffed.”
Bowman says he was taken to the precinct, only to be released to his mother, without any charges. Accepting the incident as just the way things worked, his mother sought no recourse. “We just kept it moving,” he says.