cnbc--2020-07-30--Op-ed: Censorship and higher taxes won't create more Apples, Amazons, Facebooks and Googles

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust , Commercial and Administrative Law on `` Online Platforms and Market Power '' in the Rayburn House office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington , DC on July 29 , 2020 .
As policymakers on the Right and Left increasingly proclaim the importance of out-innovating China in critical technologies , their comments during yesterday 's hearing raise an important question – which companies will they actually let play that role ?
China recently passed the United States in the number of global patent applications and is on track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the next two years , according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development .
Ten years ago , nearly all of the top technology companies and start-ups in the world were American .
Now , China has nine of the top 20 technology companies and four of the top 10 start-ups .
And this trend appears likely to continue .
Meanwhile , in China , the government is taking an opposite course .
Instead of attacking its `` national champions , '' China is showering them with government subsidies and discriminating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect .
Democrats on the Committee suggested that these companies ' success threatens the free market and even democracy itself .
Numerous Republicans raised concerns about their alleged political bias as well as their size .
The House Judiciary Committee held an antitrust hearing on Wednesday with the CEOs of four of the largest U.S. technology companies – Amazon , Apple , Facebook , and Google – to determine whether they have grown too large ( i.e.
, are `` too successful '' ) , and therefore , should be broken up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top technology companies and start-ups in the world were American .
Now , China has nine of the top 20 technology companies and four of the top 10 start-ups .
And this trend appears likely to continue .
Amazon , Apple , Facebook , and Google are not the only important U.S. technology companies , but they spend a disproportionate amount on research and development in key areas like artificial intelligence , quantum computing , and robotics .
They are also leaders on privacy and security technology , an area where China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide communication alternatives to less secure Chinese competitors .
Mere search engines and social networks they are not .
Moreover , all four companies are uniquely American .
They were built from the ground up by hard-working middle-class entrepreneurs , they revolutionized their industries , and they provide platforms to expand American influence and ideals like free speech around the world .
So rather than tear down our most innovative and most American of companies , let 's build them up – and others like them – to stay ahead of China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's stop attacking success to score political points .
Policymakers should always question potential monopolistic behavior and make sure that a diversity of opinions are allowed to thrive online , but much of Big Tech 's recent scrutiny appears populist in nature – either intended to bolster `` anti-corporate '' credentials or to admonish the political views of their CEOs and employees .
The consequences of this `` loose talk '' is real – it threatens American jobs at these companies , discourages other would-be risk-takers from setting out on new ventures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target U.S. business .
After all , if U.S. policymakers are attacking Big Tech , why should n't their counterparts in China and Europe do the same ?
Instead of needlessly hurting our most innovative companies , let 's champion their ingenuity and encourage others to replicate it .
Second , let 's use the size of these companies and the unique skill sets of their workers to the government 's advantage .
Let 's harness their cross-cutting strengths through public-private partnerships and joint R & D programs in critical technologies so the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) remains the global leader .
When policymakers consider their options for a modern U.S. industrial policy , working with and further strengthening these American champions is exactly what they should be doing .
Third , let 's tread carefully when it comes to circumscribing the activities of these and other U.S. companies abroad .
There are areas where our companies should not be permitted to engage , such as helping China improve its military capability .
But one of the best ways for America to stay ahead of its global competition is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets like China so they can spend more on innovation in the United States .
Fourth , let 's forcefully back these companies against unfair practices abroad , whether it be unacceptable pressure from China to censor their activities or opportunistic targeting from France for tax revenue .
Such pressure is very difficult for companies to combat alone , and they should n't be criticized for trying .
Rather , the U.S. government should stand by their side and help them to compete fairly in these crucial markets , not encourage them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to push back against the unfair practices of others , let 's not emulate them ourselves .
Censorship and higher taxes are not the way to create more Apples , Amazons , Facebooks , and Googles .
And using anti-trust tools for political purposes – a trick right out of the Chinese playbook – will certainly not help win the defining global competition of our time .
Clete Willems is a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld , the former Deputy Director of the National Economic Council ( 2018-2019 ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law on "Online Platforms and Market Power" in the Rayburn House office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on July 29, 2020.
As policymakers on the Right and Left increasingly proclaim the importance of out-innovating China in critical technologies, their comments during yesterday's hearing raise an important question – which companies will they actually let play that role?
China recently passed the United States in the number of global patent applications and is on track to eclipse U.S. research and development spending in the next two years, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Ten years ago, nearly all of the top technology companies and start-ups in the world were American. Now, China has nine of the top 20 technology companies and four of the top 10 start-ups. And this trend appears likely to continue.
Meanwhile, in China, the government is taking an opposite course. Instead of attacking its "national champions," China is showering them with government subsidies and discriminating against "would-be" competitors to great effect.
Democrats on the Committee suggested that these companies' success threatens the free market and even democracy itself. Numerous Republicans raised concerns about their alleged political bias as well as their size.
The House Judiciary Committee held an antitrust hearing on Wednesday with the CEOs of four of the largest U.S. technology companies – Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google – to determine whether they have grown too large (i.e., are "too successful"), and therefore, should be broken up.
Ten years ago, nearly all of the top technology companies and start-ups in the world were American. Now, China has nine of the top 20 technology companies and four of the top 10 start-ups. And this trend appears likely to continue.
Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google are not the only important U.S. technology companies, but they spend a disproportionate amount on research and development in key areas like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and robotics. They are also leaders on privacy and security technology, an area where China poses a particular threat, and they provide communication alternatives to less secure Chinese competitors. Mere search engines and social networks they are not.
Moreover, all four companies are uniquely American. They were built from the ground up by hard-working middle-class entrepreneurs, they revolutionized their industries, and they provide platforms to expand American influence and ideals like free speech around the world.
So rather than tear down our most innovative and most American of companies, let's build them up – and others like them – to stay ahead of China. How to begin?
First, let's stop attacking success to score political points. Policymakers should always question potential monopolistic behavior and make sure that a diversity of opinions are allowed to thrive online, but much of Big Tech's recent scrutiny appears populist in nature – either intended to bolster "anti-corporate" credentials or to admonish the political views of their CEOs and employees.
The consequences of this "loose talk" is real – it threatens American jobs at these companies, discourages other would-be risk-takers from setting out on new ventures, and provides cover for other countries to target U.S. business. After all, if U.S. policymakers are attacking Big Tech, why shouldn't their counterparts in China and Europe do the same? Instead of needlessly hurting our most innovative companies, let's champion their ingenuity and encourage others to replicate it.
Second, let's use the size of these companies and the unique skill sets of their workers to the government's advantage. Let's harness their cross-cutting strengths through public-private partnerships and joint R&D programs in critical technologies so the United States (and the U.S. military) remains the global leader. When policymakers consider their options for a modern U.S. industrial policy, working with and further strengthening these American champions is exactly what they should be doing.
Third, let's tread carefully when it comes to circumscribing the activities of these and other U.S. companies abroad. There are areas where our companies should not be permitted to engage, such as helping China improve its military capability. But one of the best ways for America to stay ahead of its global competition is for our companies to sell more in markets like China so they can spend more on innovation in the United States.
Fourth, let's forcefully back these companies against unfair practices abroad, whether it be unacceptable pressure from China to censor their activities or opportunistic targeting from France for tax revenue. Such pressure is very difficult for companies to combat alone, and they shouldn't be criticized for trying. Rather, the U.S. government should stand by their side and help them to compete fairly in these crucial markets, not encourage them to disengage.
Finally, as we continue to push back against the unfair practices of others, let's not emulate them ourselves. Censorship and higher taxes are not the way to create more Apples, Amazons, Facebooks, and Googles. And using anti-trust tools for political purposes – a trick right out of the Chinese playbook – will certainly not help win the defining global competition of our time.
Clete Willems is a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, the former Deputy Director of the National Economic Council (2018-2019), and proudly represents innovative U.S. tech companies.


cnbc--2020-07-30--Ghislaine Maxwell civil case records release on hold as accused Jeffrey Epstein conspirator files ap

Ghislaine Maxwell civil case records release on hold as accused Jeffrey Epstein conspirator files appeal

Key court documents in a case involving British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell will not be publicly released as scheduled Thursday , as the alleged Jeffrey Epstein sex crimes conspirator asked an appeals court to block their disclosure .
On Wednesday , Maxwell 's lawyer asked Manhattan federal Judge Loretta Preska to reconsider her decision from last week to have the civil defamation case documents released starting Thursday .
The files include hundreds of pages of depositions of Maxwell and Virginia Giuffre , who accused Epstein of sexually abusing her as a teen .
Giuffre also claims that Maxwell , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investor Epstein , recruited her for his abuse , and also directed her to have sex with a slew of rich and powerful men .
Preska on Wednesday night denied what she called an `` eleventh-hour request '' for reconsideration of her unsealing order by Maxwell , who is currently being held in a Brooklyn , New York , federal jail on recently filed criminal charges that she enabled Epstein 's abuse of several underage girls in the mid-1990s .
But the judge in a written ruling also delayed , for up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key documents in the case to give Maxwell time to file an appeal .
The release of the deposition transcripts of Maxwell and Giuffre , and any document that quotes from or discloses information in those transcripts , is delayed until at least Monday , Preska said .
But any sealed document that does not cite or mention information from those transcripts should be released Thursday , the judge ordered .
Maxwell 's lawyer promptly filed an appeal of Preska 's decision to unseal the files with the U.S. Court of Appeals for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal could delay any release of the files indefinitely .
Giuffre and Maxwell previously settled the lawsuit at the center of the case , in which Giuffre alleged she had been defamed by Maxwell .
But The Miami Herald newspaper , whose investigation of Epstein led to his arrest on federal child sex trafficking charges in July 2019 , had sued to win release of the documents .
Last year , more than 2,000 other pages of documents in the case were unsealed and released to the public at the direction of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's objection .
Preska 's ruling last week set the stage for the release of almost all of the remaining files .
Maxwell , 58 , was arrested in New Hampshire in early July on federal charges that she recruited and groomed young girls , one as young as 14 years old , to be abused by Epstein , and that in some cases she joined in with him on the abuse .
The daughter of Robert Maxwell , the media baron exposed as a massive fraudster after his mysterious death at sea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly falsely denying under oath , in her deposition in Giuffre 's civil case , knowledge of Epstein 's misdeeds .
A judge two weeks ago denied bail to Maxwell , who has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case .
The judge said that Maxwell represented a `` substantial '' flight risk given her wealth and her citizenship in France , which does not extradite its citizens .
Epstein , 66 , killed himself last August in a federal jail in Manhattan , less than two months after being arrested on child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged abuse of dozens of underage girls from 2002 through 2006 at his residences in Manhattan and in Palm Beach , Florida .
He previously served 13 months in jail in Florida after pleading guilty in 2008 to state sex crime charges , one of which involved paying for sex from an underage girl .
Before his conviction in that case , Epstein had counted among his high-profile friends President Donald Trump and Bill Clinton , as well as Britain 's Prince Andrew .

Key court documents in a case involving British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell will not be publicly released as scheduled Thursday, as the alleged Jeffrey Epstein sex crimes conspirator asked an appeals court to block their disclosure.
On Wednesday, Maxwell's lawyer asked Manhattan federal Judge Loretta Preska to reconsider her decision from last week to have the civil defamation case documents released starting Thursday.
The files include hundreds of pages of depositions of Maxwell and Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein of sexually abusing her as a teen.
Giuffre also claims that Maxwell, a former girlfriend and longtime confidant of the wealthy investor Epstein, recruited her for his abuse, and also directed her to have sex with a slew of rich and powerful men.
Preska on Wednesday night denied what she called an "eleventh-hour request" for reconsideration of her unsealing order by Maxwell, who is currently being held in a Brooklyn, New York, federal jail on recently filed criminal charges that she enabled Epstein's abuse of several underage girls in the mid-1990s.
But the judge in a written ruling also delayed, for up to several days, the release of some key documents in the case to give Maxwell time to file an appeal.
The release of the deposition transcripts of Maxwell and Giuffre, and any document that quotes from or discloses information in those transcripts, is delayed until at least Monday, Preska said.
But any sealed document that does not cite or mention information from those transcripts should be released Thursday, the judge ordered.
Maxwell's lawyer promptly filed an appeal of Preska's decision to unseal the files with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in Manhattan.
The appeal could delay any release of the files indefinitely.
Giuffre and Maxwell previously settled the lawsuit at the center of the case, in which Giuffre alleged she had been defamed by Maxwell.
But The Miami Herald newspaper, whose investigation of Epstein led to his arrest on federal child sex trafficking charges in July 2019, had sued to win release of the documents.
Last year, more than 2,000 other pages of documents in the case were unsealed and released to the public at the direction of the 2nd Circuit appeals court, over Maxwell's objection.
Preska's ruling last week set the stage for the release of almost all of the remaining files.
Maxwell, 58, was arrested in New Hampshire in early July on federal charges that she recruited and groomed young girls, one as young as 14 years old, to be abused by Epstein, and that in some cases she joined in with him on the abuse.
The daughter of Robert Maxwell, the media baron exposed as a massive fraudster after his mysterious death at sea, is also accused of perjury by allegedly falsely denying under oath, in her deposition in Giuffre's civil case, knowledge of Epstein's misdeeds.
A judge two weeks ago denied bail to Maxwell, who has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case. The judge said that Maxwell represented a "substantial" flight risk given her wealth and her citizenship in France, which does not extradite its citizens.
Epstein, 66, killed himself last August in a federal jail in Manhattan, less than two months after being arrested on child sex trafficking charges that related to his alleged abuse of dozens of underage girls from 2002 through 2006 at his residences in Manhattan and in Palm Beach, Florida.
He previously served 13 months in jail in Florida after pleading guilty in 2008 to state sex crime charges, one of which involved paying for sex from an underage girl.
Before his conviction in that case, Epstein had counted among his high-profile friends President Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, as well as Britain's Prince Andrew.


cnbc--2020-07-30--Sen. Mark Warner opposes Big Tech breakup – for now: 'Chinese companies may not be the better altern

Sen. Mark Warner opposes Big Tech breakup – for now: 'Chinese companies may not be the better alternative'

Sen. Mark Warner is n't taking a breakup of U.S. tech giants off the table , but said Thursday he 's wary of having their Chinese equivalents take their place .
`` I 'm not in the break-'em-up category – yet , '' said Warner , D-Va. , when asked on CNBC 's `` Squawk Box '' about how companies like Facebook , Apple , Google and Amazon could be regulated .
`` These are all global companies .
Frankly , to have them replaced by Alibaba or Baidu or Tencent – Chinese companies may not be the better alternative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would rather start with , keeping breakup as a reserve option , is , what can we do to add more competition ? ''
said Warner , vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a former businessman in the telecommunications industry .
Warner 's remarks came a day after four U.S. tech CEOs – Jeff Bezos of Amazon , Facebook 's Mark Zuckerberg , Sundar Pichai of Google and Apple 's Tim Cook – testified before Congress on antitrust and anti-competitive behavior .
The more than six-hour grilling before the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rep. David Cicilline , D-R.I. , touched on a wide range of topics , including a fixation from multiple Republican members on the alleged suppression of conservative speech .
The executives defended their companies throughout the hearing against accusations of political bias and unfair competitive advantage in the marketplace .
`` Some of the CEOs ' testimony was a little bit self-serving , '' Warner said on CNBC .
But rather than immediately move to break up those tech giants , Warner said regulators should press for changes including increased transparency in how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data they hoard from their users .
`` If we had data portability – if you 're tired of how you 're being treated with YouTube or Facebook , you ought to be able to easily move your data to a new platform and still have it interoperable with those of your friends who remain on Facebook . ''
`` I think we ought to have more transparency .
I think you ought to be able to know what your data is worth on an either monthly or quarterly basis , so we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these services are free , '' he said .
`` They take your data , they monetize it – there 's nothing wrong with that , but we ought to at least know as consumers how much that data is worth . ''
`` I think there are a series of pro-competition rules of the road that I would much rather use first before I immediately default to the breakup camp . ''

Sen. Mark Warner isn't taking a breakup of U.S. tech giants off the table, but said Thursday he's wary of having their Chinese equivalents take their place.
"I'm not in the break-'em-up category – yet," said Warner, D-Va., when asked on CNBC's "Squawk Box" about how companies like Facebook , Apple , Google and Amazon could be regulated.
"These are all global companies. Frankly, to have them replaced by Alibaba or Baidu or Tencent – Chinese companies may not be the better alternative," Warner said.
"What I would rather start with, keeping breakup as a reserve option, is, what can we do to add more competition?" said Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a former businessman in the telecommunications industry.
Warner's remarks came a day after four U.S. tech CEOs – Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai of Google and Apple's Tim Cook – testified before Congress on antitrust and anti-competitive behavior.
The more than six-hour grilling before the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust, led by Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., touched on a wide range of topics, including a fixation from multiple Republican members on the alleged suppression of conservative speech.
The executives defended their companies throughout the hearing against accusations of political bias and unfair competitive advantage in the marketplace.
"Some of the CEOs' testimony was a little bit self-serving," Warner said on CNBC.
But rather than immediately move to break up those tech giants, Warner said regulators should press for changes including increased transparency in how the companies handle the massive amounts of data they hoard from their users.
"If we had data portability – if you're tired of how you're being treated with YouTube or Facebook, you ought to be able to easily move your data to a new platform and still have it interoperable with those of your friends who remain on Facebook."
"I think we ought to have more transparency. I think you ought to be able to know what your data is worth on an either monthly or quarterly basis, so we get rid of this misnomer that somehow these services are free," he said.
"They take your data, they monetize it – there's nothing wrong with that, but we ought to at least know as consumers how much that data is worth."
"I think there are a series of pro-competition rules of the road that I would much rather use first before I immediately default to the breakup camp."


cnbc--2020-07-30--Trump suggests delaying election amid fraud claims, but has no power to do so

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the news media before departing on Marine One for travel to Midland , Texas from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington , July 29 , 2020 .
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that perhaps the United States would need to `` delay the election '' on November 3 , claiming that mail-in voting would make this fall 's election `` the most inaccurate and fraudulent in history . ''
Trump has no power to unilaterally delay elections , which were set for the day after the first Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed by Congress .
Since then , it has never changed , said presidential historian Michael Beschloss .
But Trump is trailing in the polls by double digits to Democrat Joe Biden , and election experts have long worried that the president would actively try to interfere with the election in order to prevent a potential loss .
As states grapple with how to help citizens vote safely during the coronavirus pandemic , many have turned to mail-in voting as a potential solution that allows people to cast their ballots without waiting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Republicans , led by Trump , have strongly objected to expanding access to mail-in ballots , claiming without evidence that voting by mail invites voter fraud .
Trump 's presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee are spending tens of millions of dollars this year on lawsuits to challenge state efforts to expand access to mail-in ballots .
This is a developing story .
Please check back for updates .

watch now
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suggested on Thursday that the United States would need to "delay the election," claiming that mail-in voting would make the results "the most inaccurate and fraudulent election in history." TRUMP TWEET Trump has no power to unilaterally delay elections, which were set for the day after the first Monday in November through a mid-19th century law passed by Congress. Since then, it has never changed, said presidential historian Michael Beschloss. BESCHLOSS tweet But Trump is trailing in the polls by double digits to Democrat Joe Biden, and election experts have long worried that the president would actively try to interfere with the Nov. 3 balloting in order to prevent a potential loss. Trump, however, has personally denied thinking about changing the date of the election. "I never even thought of changing the date of the election, why would I do that? November 3rd. It's a good number," Trump said on April 27 at the White House. "I look forward to that election." Asked at the time about concerns Biden raised that Trump might try to delay the election, Trump replied, "That was just made-up propaganda....I'm not thinking about it at all." As states grapple with how to help citizens vote safely during the coronavirus pandemic, many have turned to mail-in voting as a way for people to safely cast ballots without waiting in long lines at crowded polling places and risk spreading Covid-19.
watch now
But Republicans, led by Trump, have strongly objected to expanding access to mail-in ballots, claiming without evidence that voting by mail invites voter fraud. Trump's presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee are spending tens of millions of dollars this year on lawsuits to challenge state efforts to expand access to mail-in ballots. Trump and several of his top aides all vote by mail. But the president has recently claimed that absentee mail-in ballots like the one he uses are totally different from other types of mail-in ballots, such as the ones that states could let voters apply for if they feared contracting coronavirus at a polling place. Experts, however, say there is no functional difference between the two kinds of mail-in ballots. Thursday is believed to be the first time Trump has publicly suggested delaying the November election, raising questions about the timing of his incendiary tweet. Moments before Trump tweeted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that during the second quarter of this year, gross domestic product had fallen by a historic 32.9% annualized. The stunning figure, which is exponentially larger than any previous quarterly economic loss, was made worse by the news that new weekly unemployment claims also rose last week. It was the 19th straight week in which initial claims totaled at least 1 million — indicating that the recovery Trump has long promised is not happening. Instead, a new wave of coronavirus outbreaks has exploded in states that reopened early this spring, including Florida, Arizona and Texas. In the wake of these surges, commerce in parts of these states has ground to a halt, driven as much by individual fear of infection as by statewide closure mandates.
People are tested for COVID-19 at a drive through testing site sponsored by the city at Camping World Stadium on July 8, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. Paul Hennessy | NurPhoto | Getty Images
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about Trump's tweet, and whether it was meant as a distraction from the bad economic numbers. Shortly after his bombshell tweet about delayed elections, Trump was back once again to tweeting about the protests in Portland, Oregon, drug prices, and a pizza shop. On Capitol Hill, both Democrats and some Republicans pushed back against Trump for sowing doubts about the timing of the election. "I'm a fan of voting by mail. Secondly, of course we are going to have an election on time. It's unthinkable that that would not be the case," said Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, a frequent Trump critic. Another Republican, Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger tweeted, "Reminder: Election dates are set by Congress. And I will oppose any attempts to delay the 2020 Election." Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel defended the tweet, and suggested Trump knew he could not unilaterally delay an election. "Well the president obviously understands that is done by Congress, constitutionally," she told Fox Business News. But West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who was once considered to be in the running for a post in Trump's Cabinet, dismissed the idea that there was any legitimate purpose behind Trump's tweet. "There is no reason [to discuss delaying an election], unless you're buying into a conspiracy theory, unless you're trying to set a scenario up, in case the election doesn't go the way the president wants it to go, or thinks it should go in his favor, setting it up for 'something is awry,'" Mancin said on CNN. "Well let me tell you, there's an awful lot of Republican secretaries of states, a lot of Republican senators and congresspeople who have been doing mail-in ballots for a long, long time and feel very secure in doing it. West Virginia is just starting it. We have a secretary of state who's a Republican, and believes it can be done and safely and secure. So this is not a justification for why we should not have an election or delay an election. I'm not in favor of that at all," said Manchin.


cnbc--2020-07-30--Why Andrew Yang's push for a universal basic income is making a comeback

For months , lawmakers have been paying attention to and pushing for some form of a universal basic income as the coronavirus pandemic roiled the economy and forced millions of Americans out of a job .
It 's the main pillar that former presidential candidate Andrew Yang took up in his campaign , centered around the premise that a UBI could alleviate or resolve many American issues .
The gravity with which a UBI is now regarded is a complete reversal of the reaction Yang first got when unveiling his platform .
Pundits and Democratic strategists did n't take his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a UBI does not seem so far-fetched .
Just as the pandemic was taking full shape in the United States , progressives who 've long criticized Yang 's UBI stance urged in March for direct payments to workers around the country .
Among them was Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont , who in August of last year found fault with instituting a UBI .
Shortly after Sanders and other lawmakers spoke up , President Donald Trump signed into law a coronavirus stimulus package that offered a $ 1,200 payment to struggling Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the virus .
And now Congress is in discussions about the next round of stimulus relief , with the potential for another $ 1,200 direct payment .
As the conversation around UBI continues , CNBC spoke with Yang on the U.S. response to the pandemic , engaging the White House and how Americans can make a difference in the coming months .
For many Americans , the $ 1,200 payment is not enough to cover all their expenses .
Still , a whopping 74 % of respondents in a CNBC/Change Research poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments to help Americans cope with the economic disaster brought on by the pandemic .
`` If you think about it in 2020 , 74 % might as well be 98 % , '' Yang said in an interview Tuesday with CNBC ahead of a Verizon event centered around achieving social change .
`` It 's virtually unanimous . ''
Since ending his presidential bid , Yang launched Humanity Forward , a nonprofit that bolsters UBI , offering endorsements to candidates in support of it up and down the ballot .
UBI is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Yang said , as health officials warn that the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus is growing throughout the country .
`` We believe that people need economic relief right now .
So we were proud to have distributed $ 7 million in direct economic aid to folks who are struggling in increments of between $ 250 and $ 1,000 , '' Yang told CNBC .
`` That $ 7 million is unfortunately just a sliver of the need , '' he said .
`` We have a waiting list of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid , but we 're certainly proud to take what we have and put it into people 's hands . ''
Humanity Forward urges people to donate to its Covid-19 relief fund online , 100 % of which goes to low-income people who are struggling to support themselves , according to the site .
But instituting a UBI at this point would not negate the damage already wreaked by the coronavirus .
Over a period of weeks in March , the coronavirus spread rapidly from state to state in the country , forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joblessness .
The effects have continued for months , and dozens of states are experiencing spikes in the number of confirmed cases after apparently reopening their businesses prematurely .
Nearly 33 million people said they were collecting unemployment benefits as of June 20 , according to statistics from the Labor Department .
As the coronavirus gained steam , the Trump administration downplayed it , in a move that ran counter to the message from health officials .
Earlier this month , the White House also made an effort to block funding for testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump previously suggested at a campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , that testing would be slowed down .
Later , the White House said he was joking .
Yang did not mince words when he addressed the U.S. response to the pandemic : `` It 's been tragic and heartbreaking to see us fail our people on so many levels .
And even if you just fast forward to today , like we 're not even doing the things that we should be doing in terms of helping families manage this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failing on multiple levels . ''
The Trump administration has received blowback for its handling of the pandemic , with the president receiving the most dismal marks from voters .
A Quinnipiac University poll from earlier this month showed that only 35 % of voters approved of his response , compared with 62 % who indicated disapproval .
This rating is the lowest he 's received since March , according to a press release from Quinnipiac University .
`` Thirty percent or more of Americans could n't afford housing costs last month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other measures , '' Yang said , referring to a figure from online rental platform Apartment List .
`` So we need to think much bigger about how we can make this economy work for so many Americans .
And to me , that starts with putting economic relief directly into their hands . ''
Yang is adamant that Humanity Forward lend a hand wherever possible to make economic relief a reality for Americans .
So far , that looks like supporting candidates who believe in and advance the vision of UBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House if former Vice President Joe Biden wins in November , Yang said .
`` The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the rate of change in our economy where we 've seen 10 years worth of change in 10 weeks .
And so if I have an opportunity to help address some of these problems in a new administration , I would strongly consider it , '' Yang said .
Yang endorsed Biden for president in March , and since then he 's stumped for the 2020 presumptive Democratic nominee and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign trail .
`` I continue to make it clear that I think four more years of a Trump presidency would be an utter disaster and that Joe needs to win and become our next president , '' Yang told CNBC .
But should the Trump administration approach Yang about providing input on how the U.S. should be addressing the crisis , `` I 'd be happy to advise , '' he said , while adding that he believes `` this administration only has another few months in office . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a request for comment from CNBC asking whether that would be welcome or has ever been under consideration .
Yang did not answer whether he is weighing a bid for New York mayor , as many outlets have been reporting .
He also declined to say whether he 's thought about a presidential bid for 2024 , saying instead that he 's focused on helping Biden succeed this year and putting his effort into alleviating the tensions brought on by the virus .
Perhaps those most suited to make a difference right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNBC , speaking ahead of his keynote address at an event called Citizen Verizon Assembly for advancing social change .
Large corporations especially have the resources right now to strengthen communities in need of assistance , he said .
Many businesses have begun investing in organizations that are pushing for social change or investing in their own initiatives .
Yang encouraged companies to understand the difference between just `` adopting messaging around social change versus when they make real commitments and investments . ''
Financial investment into employees and communities ultimately `` helps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
At the same , it 's understandably tough for businesses to make these investments as they navigate the effects of the pandemic , Yang added .
`` We 've put many businesses in an impossible situation where we want them to do the right thing by their workers , but they 're subject to economic pressures and reporting deadlines where if they show a downturn in revenue and profitability , then their stock is going to get punished if they 're a public company , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger effort to change the way the economy works for Americans .
The backbone of the U.S. economy has n't evolved to meet the needs of Americans , Yang said .
`` We 've been pretending that our economy is still like it was in the 1970s or '80s , where you had one job and you stayed at that job for decades , '' he said .
That job came with health insurance and benefits , things that are not as guaranteed today .
Most jobs created today , he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that do n't have security or benefits to them .
In this way , he said , businesses can offer solutions to help and change the scope of the American workforce .
And consumers will respond to their willingness to advance social change .
`` If a company were just to say , 'Hey , I 'm not in the business of doing good .
I just want to operate my business just as if nothing has changed , ' I think that many consumers will probably be less excited about spending their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang speaks to media outside the Knight Concert Hall of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County June 26, 2019 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images
For months, lawmakers have been paying attention to and pushing for some form of a universal basic income as the coronavirus pandemic roiled the economy and forced millions of Americans out of a job. It's the main pillar that former presidential candidate Andrew Yang took up in his campaign, centered around the premise that a UBI could alleviate or resolve many American issues. The gravity with which a UBI is now regarded is a complete reversal of the reaction Yang first got when unveiling his platform. Pundits and Democratic strategists didn't take his campaign seriously, but suddenly the push for a UBI does not seem so far-fetched. Just as the pandemic was taking full shape in the United States, progressives who've long criticized Yang's UBI stance urged in March for direct payments to workers around the country. Among them was Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who in August of last year found fault with instituting a UBI. Shortly after Sanders and other lawmakers spoke up, President Donald Trump signed into law a coronavirus stimulus package that offered a $1,200 payment to struggling Americans to offset any economic damage brought on by the virus. And now Congress is in discussions about the next round of stimulus relief, with the potential for another $1,200 direct payment. As the conversation around UBI continues, CNBC spoke with Yang on the U.S. response to the pandemic, engaging the White House and how Americans can make a difference in the coming months.
The UBI push
For many Americans, the $1,200 payment is not enough to cover all their expenses. Still, a whopping 74% of respondents in a CNBC/Change Research poll from May said they supported federal relief payments to help Americans cope with the economic disaster brought on by the pandemic. "If you think about it in 2020, 74% might as well be 98%," Yang said in an interview Tuesday with CNBC ahead of a Verizon event centered around achieving social change. "It's virtually unanimous."
watch now
Since ending his presidential bid, Yang launched Humanity Forward, a nonprofit that bolsters UBI, offering endorsements to candidates in support of it up and down the ballot. UBI is especially critical in these next coming months, Yang said, as health officials warn that the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus is growing throughout the country. "We believe that people need economic relief right now. So we were proud to have distributed $7 million in direct economic aid to folks who are struggling in increments of between $250 and $1,000," Yang told CNBC. "That $7 million is unfortunately just a sliver of the need," he said. "We have a waiting list of over 100,000 people who have requested additional aid, but we're certainly proud to take what we have and put it into people's hands." Humanity Forward urges people to donate to its Covid-19 relief fund online, 100% of which goes to low-income people who are struggling to support themselves, according to the site.
The coronavirus response
But instituting a UBI at this point would not negate the damage already wreaked by the coronavirus. Over a period of weeks in March, the coronavirus spread rapidly from state to state in the country, forcing businesses to shutter and plunging people into joblessness. The effects have continued for months, and dozens of states are experiencing spikes in the number of confirmed cases after apparently reopening their businesses prematurely. Nearly 33 million people said they were collecting unemployment benefits as of June 20, according to statistics from the Labor Department.
watch now
As the coronavirus gained steam, the Trump administration downplayed it, in a move that ran counter to the message from health officials. Earlier this month, the White House also made an effort to block funding for testing in the upcoming stimulus relief bill. Trump previously suggested at a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that testing would be slowed down. Later, the White House said he was joking. Yang did not mince words when he addressed the U.S. response to the pandemic: "It's been tragic and heartbreaking to see us fail our people on so many levels. And even if you just fast forward to today, like we're not even doing the things that we should be doing in terms of helping families manage this time and this crisis. We've been failing on multiple levels." The Trump administration has received blowback for its handling of the pandemic, with the president receiving the most dismal marks from voters. A Quinnipiac University poll from earlier this month showed that only 35% of voters approved of his response, compared with 62% who indicated disapproval. This rating is the lowest he's received since March, according to a press release from Quinnipiac University. "Thirty percent or more of Americans couldn't afford housing costs last month, and that's with extended unemployment benefits and other measures," Yang said, referring to a figure from online rental platform Apartment List. "So we need to think much bigger about how we can make this economy work for so many Americans. And to me, that starts with putting economic relief directly into their hands."
2020 politics
Yang is adamant that Humanity Forward lend a hand wherever possible to make economic relief a reality for Americans. So far, that looks like supporting candidates who believe in and advance the vision of UBI. But that support may extend to the White House if former Vice President Joe Biden wins in November, Yang said. "The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the rate of change in our economy where we've seen 10 years worth of change in 10 weeks. And so if I have an opportunity to help address some of these problems in a new administration, I would strongly consider it," Yang said. Yang endorsed Biden for president in March, and since then he's stumped for the 2020 presumptive Democratic nominee and has functioned as one of his surrogates on the campaign trail. "I continue to make it clear that I think four more years of a Trump presidency would be an utter disaster and that Joe needs to win and become our next president," Yang told CNBC. But should the Trump administration approach Yang about providing input on how the U.S. should be addressing the crisis, "I'd be happy to advise," he said, while adding that he believes "this administration only has another few months in office." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC asking whether that would be welcome or has ever been under consideration. Yang did not answer whether he is weighing a bid for New York mayor, as many outlets have been reporting. He also declined to say whether he's thought about a presidential bid for 2024, saying instead that he's focused on helping Biden succeed this year and putting his effort into alleviating the tensions brought on by the virus.
Moving forward


cnbc--2020-07-30--Supreme Court says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after minimally invasive non-surgical pr

Supreme Court says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after minimally invasive non-surgical procedure

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at The Library of Congress on February 14 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
( Photo by Shannon Finney/Getty Images ) The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had been hospitalized after a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure .
`` Justice Ginsburg underwent a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure today at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City to revise a bile duct stent that was originally placed at Sloan Kettering in August 2019 , ' the statement from the Supreme Court said .
`` According to her doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the procedure , performed using endoscopy and medical imaging guidance , was done to minimize the risk of future infection .
The Justice is resting comfortably and expects to be released from the hospital by the end of the week . ''
Ginsburg said on July 17 that she was being treated for liver cancer but remains able to work `` full steam . ''
The 87-year-old justice said she began a course of chemotherapy in May to treat a recurrence of cancer after a February scan revealed lesions on her liver .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The chemotherapy course , however , is yielding positive results .
Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear , I am providing this information , '' Ginsburg said in a statement .
Ginsburg has wrestled with a slew of health problems , including multiple cancer scares in recent years .
A liberal , Ginsburg is the court 's eldest justice .
The court has a 5-4 majority of Republican-appointed justices , and a vacancy could allow President Donald Trump to nominate a conservative replacement .

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at The Library of Congress on February 14, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shannon Finney/Getty Images)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had been hospitalized after a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure.
"Justice Ginsburg underwent a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure today at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City to revise a bile duct stent that was originally placed at Sloan Kettering in August 2019,' the statement from the Supreme Court said. "According to her doctors, stent revisions are common occurrences and the procedure, performed using endoscopy and medical imaging guidance, was done to minimize the risk of future infection. The Justice is resting comfortably and expects to be released from the hospital by the end of the week."
Ginsburg said on July 17 that she was being treated for liver cancer but remains able to work "full steam."
The 87-year-old justice said she began a course of chemotherapy in May to treat a recurrence of cancer after a February scan revealed lesions on her liver.
"Immunotherapy first essayed proved unsuccessful. The chemotherapy course, however, is yielding positive results. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, I am providing this information," Ginsburg said in a statement.
Ginsburg has wrestled with a slew of health problems, including multiple cancer scares in recent years.
A liberal, Ginsburg is the court's eldest justice. The court has a 5-4 majority of Republican-appointed justices, and a vacancy could allow President Donald Trump to nominate a conservative replacement.
—Tucker Higgins contributed to this report.


cnbc--2020-07-31--Congress fails to agree on the next coronavirus stimulus deal as $600-a-week unemployment benefits e

Congress fails to agree on the next coronavirus stimulus deal as $600-a-week unemployment benefits expire

A coronavirus relief agreement in Congress appeared in doubt early Friday after new economic data showed a U.S. economy buckling under the pandemic 's weight .
On Thursday , Sen. Ron Johnson , R-Wisc.
, tried to unanimously pass an extension of the weekly enhanced federal unemployment insurance that would slash the benefit from $ 600 to $ 200 per week .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , rejected it .
The current $ 600 weekly federal unemployment benefit expires today .
Schumer then attempted to unanimously approve the $ 3 trillion rescue package House Democrats passed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving Congress no closer to breaking an impasse over how best to boost a health-care system and economy ravaged by the pandemic .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. held late-night talks with Schumer , Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows , NBC News reported .
The talks apparently were unsuccessful .
Late Thursday , Meadows tweeted : `` Tonight , once again , the White House offered a temporary extension of needed unemployment assistance—which expires tomorrow .
And again , Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration officials left a meeting Wednesday saying they had not come close to bridging a gulf in their priorities for an aid package .
Congress is struggling to find common ground on coronavirus relief as statistics show an economy still experiencing damage from an outbreak spreading throughout the country .
Initial jobless claims climbed to 1.43 million last week , rising for the second straight week .
U.S. GDP also fell by a record 32.9 % in the second quarter during the peak of pandemic-related shutdowns — an expected but still devastating plunge @

Negotiators on the next coronavirus relief bill appeared as far as ever from an agreement Friday and rushed to lay blame as a key financial lifeline expires.
Underscoring the gulf between Democrats and Repbulicans as they try to boost an economy and health-care system buckling under the weight of the pandemic, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows offered derision during dueling news conferences Friday morning. The pair met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday night but appeared to make little progress toward cracking the impasse.
Schumer said the lack of a Republican consensus on pandemic aid has hindered progress toward a deal. Multiple GOP senators have said a large share of the caucus does not support the legislation Republicans released this week.
The current $600 per week enhanced federal unemployment benefit lapses at the end of the day, though states stopped paying it out last week. After last-ditch efforts to pass an extension failed Thursday, the Senate left for the weekend, guaranteeing the money buoying roughly 30 million people during an economic crisis will at least temporarily dry up.
While the House was scheduled to leave for all of August, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told members their recess would not start until the chamber passes a coronavirus relief bill. He said he would give representatives 24 hours' notice before a vote.
On Friday, Meadows told reporters the Trump administration officials made "no less than four different offers" to Democrats to temporarily extend the unemployment insurance. Pelosi acknowledged she rejected at least one proposal, a one-week extension of the $600 benefit, saying Congress usually uses such a stopgap plan if it is near an agreement.
"No, let's sit down and get this done. Let's recognize people need $600," the speaker said. Pelosi later added, "We don't have shared values. That's just the way it is."
Meadows accused Democrats of holding out to get a better deal "at the expense of those that are hurting."
"We're going in the wrong direction. They're going in the wrong direction because of partisan politics. It is very disappointing," he said.
Even so, both Pelosi and Meadows said they would continue talks to try to strike an agreement. They were set to talk Friday and meet at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, an aide familiar with the plans said.


cnbc--2020-07-31--Coronavirus relief talks sputter as $600 weekly unemployment benefit expires and Washington plays bl

Coronavirus relief talks sputter as $600 weekly unemployment benefit expires and Washington plays blame game

Negotiators on the next coronavirus relief bill appeared as far as ever from an agreement Friday and rushed to lay blame as a key financial lifeline expires .
Underscoring the gulf between Democrats and Repbulicans as they try to boost an economy and health-care system buckling under the weight of the pandemic , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows offered derision during dueling news conferences Friday morning .
The pair met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday night but appeared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Schumer said the lack of a Republican consensus on pandemic aid has hindered progress toward a deal .
Multiple GOP senators have said a large share of the caucus does not support the legislation Republicans released this week .
The current $ 600 per week enhanced federal unemployment benefit lapses at the end of the day , though states stopped paying it out last week .
After last-ditch efforts to pass an extension failed Thursday , the Senate left for the weekend , guaranteeing the money buoying roughly 30 million people during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry up .
While the House was scheduled to leave for all of August , Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md.
, told members their recess would not start until the chamber passes a coronavirus relief bill .
He said he would give representatives 24 hours ' notice before a vote .
On Friday , Meadows told reporters the Trump administration officials made `` no less than four different offers '' to Democrats to temporarily extend the unemployment insurance .
Pelosi acknowledged she rejected at least one proposal , a one-week extension of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually uses such a stopgap plan if it is near an agreement .
`` No , let 's sit down and get this done .
Let 's recognize people need $ 600 , '' the speaker said .
Pelosi later added , `` We do n't have shared values .
That 's just the way it is . ''
Meadows accused Democrats of holding out to get a better deal `` at the expense of those that are hurting . ''
`` We 're going in the wrong direction .
They 're going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics .
It is very disappointing , '' he said .
Even so , both Pelosi and Meadows said they would continue talks to try to strike an agreement .
They were set to talk Friday and meet at 9 a.m .
ET on Saturday , an aide familiar with the plans said .


cnbc--2020-07-31--House report accuses Trump administration of 'waste, fraud or abuse' in U.S. ventilator contract

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi , a Democrat from Illinois , questions witnesses during a House Intelligence Committee impeachment inquiry hearing in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , on Tuesday , Nov. 19 , 2019 .
The U.S. House Oversight Committee accused the Trump administration of `` incompetent negotiating '' for ventilators at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic , saying it `` squandered '' more than $ 500 million in taxpayer funds for the essential equipment .
`` The waste of taxpayer funds caused by the Trump Administration 's incompetent procurement efforts for ventilators could be as much as $ 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a report released Friday by Chairman Raja Krishnamoorthi , D-Ill .
The committee said the Trump administration mismanaged an existing contract with Philips Respironics , agreeing to pay $ 15,000 apiece for Trilogy EV300 ventilators this year after Philips repeatedly failed to deliver 10,000 Trilogy Evo Universal ventilators ordered in 2014 for $ 3,280 apiece , the report said .
The committee said there was no evidence that the Trump administration tried to negotiate a lower price for the ventilators .
The original contract called for the 10,000 Trilogy Evo ventilators to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than June 2019 , according to the report .
`` The Trump Administration mismanaged Philips ' repeated failures to meet contractual requirements .
It gave Philips three additional extensions , the last of which allowed for final delivery of the ventilators to be delayed until June 2021 , '' the report said .
`` Had the Trump Administration held Philips to the terms of the Obama-era contract , the country would have had 10,000 ventilators that it needed when the coronavirus crisis struck . ''
Led by U.S. trade advisor Peter Navarro , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract with Philips , agreeing to pay almost five times the original price for the equipment , the investigation found .
The new contract called for 43,000 Trilogy EV300 ventilators at $ 15,000 , which is also higher than a third model , the Trilogy Evo , that sells at a market list price of $ 11,167 .
The Trilogy Evo Universal and Trilogy Evo appear to be two separate ventilator products .
But the committee concluded , `` Aside from price , there is no discernible difference in either appearance or functionality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trilogy Evo , and the Trilogy EV300 , '' the report said .
`` The Trump Administration 's efforts constitute over half-a-billion dollars of waste , fraud , or abuse .
Philips should return the excess so that it may aid the nation 's response to the coronavirus pandemic , '' the report said .
Frans van Houten , CEO of Netherlands-based parent company Royal Philips , said in a statement Friday that it has `` been transparent about our production ramp up plans , pricing and allocation policies .
We have cooperated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subcommittee . ''
Philips Respironics is a subsidiary that sells sleep , breathing and respiratory care equipment .
Van Houten said the company does n't `` recognize the conclusions in the subcommittee 's report , and we believe that not all the information that we provided has been reflected in the report . ''
Democrats on the committee said they conducted the investigation to determine why the country went without adequate numbers of ventilators during the `` initial critical months '' of the coronavirus pandemic .
The findings were based on documents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report said .
A spokesperson for the White House did n't immediately return a request for comment .

The U.S. House Oversight Committee accused the Trump administration of "incompetent negotiating" for ventilators at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, saying it "squandered" more than $500 million in taxpayer funds for the essential equipment.
"The waste of taxpayer funds caused by the Trump Administration's incompetent procurement efforts for ventilators could be as much as $500 million or more," according to a report released Friday by Chairman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.
The committee said the Trump administration mismanaged an existing contract with Philips Respironics, agreeing to pay $15,000 apiece for Trilogy EV300 ventilators this year after Philips repeatedly failed to deliver 10,000 Trilogy Evo Universal ventilators ordered in 2014 for $3,280 apiece, the report said.
The committee said there was no evidence that the Trump administration tried to negotiate a lower price for the ventilators.
The original contract called for the 10,000 Trilogy Evo ventilators to be delivered to the U.S. government no later than June 2019, according to the report.
"The Trump Administration mismanaged Philips' repeated failures to meet contractual requirements. It gave Philips three additional extensions, the last of which allowed for final delivery of the ventilators to be delayed until June 2021," the report said. "Had the Trump Administration held Philips to the terms of the Obama-era contract, the country would have had 10,000 ventilators that it needed when the coronavirus crisis struck."
Led by U.S. trade advisor Peter Navarro, White House officials instead negotiated a new contract with Philips, agreeing to pay almost five times the original price for the equipment, the investigation found. The new contract called for 43,000 Trilogy EV300 ventilators at $15,000, which is also higher than a third model, the Trilogy Evo, that sells at a market list price of $11,167.
The Trilogy Evo Universal and Trilogy Evo appear to be two separate ventilator products. But the committee concluded, "Aside from price, there is no discernible difference in either appearance or functionality between the Trilogy Evo Universal, the Trilogy Evo, and the Trilogy EV300," the report said.
"The Trump Administration's efforts constitute over half-a-billion dollars of waste, fraud, or abuse. Philips should return the excess so that it may aid the nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic," the report said.
Frans van Houten, CEO of Netherlands-based parent company Royal Philips, said in a statement Friday that it has "been transparent about our production ramp up plans, pricing and allocation policies. We have cooperated and delivered the requested information to the subcommittee."
Philips Respironics is a subsidiary that sells sleep, breathing and respiratory care equipment.
Van Houten said the company doesn't "recognize the conclusions in the subcommittee's report, and we believe that not all the information that we provided has been reflected in the report."
Democrats on the committee said they conducted the investigation to determine why the country went without adequate numbers of ventilators during the "initial critical months" of the coronavirus pandemic.
The findings were based on documents and information collected from Philips Respironics, the report said.
A spokesperson for the White House didn't immediately return a request for comment.


cnbc--2020-07-31--Koch network restarts door-to-door canvasing for candidates despite coronavirus pandemic

So far in the 2020 election cycle , AFP Action has spent nearly $ 4 million backing the five GOP lawmakers , according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics .
AFP Action plans to unleash a seven-figure digital ad buy in August that will include supportive spots for all five Senate candidates , according to people with direct knowledge of the matter .
Another Koch-linked outside group , Concerned Veterans for America Action , will launch separate digital ads next week backing Daines and Tillis .
The overall buy will be spread across various social media platforms , connected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
They declined to be named as the decisions have yet to be made public .
Four of the five Senate races have been deemed toss-ups by the Cook Political Report , and in some cases , these Republicans incumbents are down in the polls .
Their five states combined have had more than 768,000 reported cases of Covid-19 , with most coming from the state of Texas .
There are more than 4 million confirmed cases nationwide and at least 152,000 deaths , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ super PAC tied to the larger Koch network , is reactivating its in-person door knocking with just under 100 days until the general election after shifting to a virtual campaign earlier in the year .
The activist organization backed by libertarian billionaire Charles Koch is getting back to its ground game for its preferred candidates , while the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep across parts of the country .
Tim Phillips , president of Americans for Prosperity , told CNBC in an interview that starting in late May he traveled to some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could return to conducting in-person engagement with voters .
Since then , he said , they 've been `` doubling down our on the ground effort '' with a focus on swing state voters .
Phillips said his teams have been following all of the state guidelines .
When they go knock on doors , the volunteers practice social distancing , he said .
In some states , though highly encouraged , people are not required by the state to wear a mask while walking outside and , Phillips noted , they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking with voters outside their homes .
They do encourage volunteers to wear masks while they are traveling together in a car .
When they are in their offices , the activists follow the strict state guidelines for the number of people allowed simultaneously in a workspace and urge their representatives to wear masks while confined to that area .
Phillips pointed to field offices in North Carolina as an example , where they are only allowing 10 people indoors at a time .
They often shift groups of 10 people through each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow state rules .
Once they determined voters were willing to engage with them again , AFP went back to work in late June and has since started framing the election on who is best to help bring back a sense of normalcy in the wake of the pandemic .
`` More than any single issue , these swing voters are raising one question .
And that question is : 'how do I get back to my normal life for me and the people I love ? '
'' Phillips said .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explain how their Senate candidates could help them get back to what they once had .
The renewed efforts have led to AFP Action connect to nearly 6 million registered voters in targeted races across the country .
It 's knocked on at least 100,000 doors in those races .
Through his own recent door-knocking experience , Phillips says swing state voters do n't appear to be settled on one candidate over the other and he defined the races as `` fluid , '' particularly as people struggle to overcome health and financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senses that more people are paying attention to politics than he 's ever seen in his over three decades of experience , which could lead to a record turnout .
`` They are profoundly impacted and so they 're paying more attention to the news and to politics than they normally do by a wide margin , '' he said .
`` I do believe that the swing voters are fluid where they are headed and I do think they are withholding judgment right now , '' he added .
That does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on broadcast television over the next few months .
Phillips told CNBC that it has no plans to air TV ads this cycle and are instead solely going to be airing digital spots .
That too is a change as the group spent just over $ 2 million during the 2018 congressional midterm election on TV ads .

So far in the 2020 election cycle, AFP Action has spent nearly $4 million backing the five GOP lawmakers, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
AFP Action plans to unleash a seven-figure digital ad buy in August that will include supportive spots for all five Senate candidates, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. Another Koch-linked outside group, Concerned Veterans for America Action, will launch separate digital ads next week backing Daines and Tillis. The overall buy will be spread across various social media platforms, connected TV and streaming services, these people added. They declined to be named as the decisions have yet to be made public.
Four of the five Senate races have been deemed toss-ups by the Cook Political Report, and in some cases, these Republicans incumbents are down in the polls. Their five states combined have had more than 768,000 reported cases of Covid-19 , with most coming from the state of Texas. There are more than 4 million confirmed cases nationwide and at least 152,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Americans for Prosperity Action, a super PAC tied to the larger Koch network, is reactivating its in-person door knocking with just under 100 days until the general election after shifting to a virtual campaign earlier in the year.
The activist organization backed by libertarian billionaire Charles Koch is getting back to its ground game for its preferred candidates, while the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep across parts of the country.
Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity, told CNBC in an interview that starting in late May he traveled to some of these states to see if the team could return to conducting in-person engagement with voters. Since then, he said, they've been "doubling down our on the ground effort" with a focus on swing state voters.
Phillips said his teams have been following all of the state guidelines. When they go knock on doors, the volunteers practice social distancing, he said. In some states, though highly encouraged, people are not required by the state to wear a mask while walking outside and, Phillips noted, they do not always wear masks when they are speaking with voters outside their homes. They do encourage volunteers to wear masks while they are traveling together in a car.
When they are in their offices, the activists follow the strict state guidelines for the number of people allowed simultaneously in a workspace and urge their representatives to wear masks while confined to that area. Phillips pointed to field offices in North Carolina as an example, where they are only allowing 10 people indoors at a time. They often shift groups of 10 people through each office at different times in order to follow state rules.
Once they determined voters were willing to engage with them again, AFP went back to work in late June and has since started framing the election on who is best to help bring back a sense of normalcy in the wake of the pandemic.
"More than any single issue, these swing voters are raising one question. And that question is: 'how do I get back to my normal life for me and the people I love?'" Phillips said. Their job, he said, is to explain how their Senate candidates could help them get back to what they once had.
The renewed efforts have led to AFP Action connect to nearly 6 million registered voters in targeted races across the country. It's knocked on at least 100,000 doors in those races.
Through his own recent door-knocking experience, Phillips says swing state voters don't appear to be settled on one candidate over the other and he defined the races as "fluid," particularly as people struggle to overcome health and financial hurdles due to Covid-19. He also senses that more people are paying attention to politics than he's ever seen in his over three decades of experience, which could lead to a record turnout.
"They are profoundly impacted and so they're paying more attention to the news and to politics than they normally do by a wide margin," he said.
"I do believe that the swing voters are fluid where they are headed and I do think they are withholding judgment right now," he added.
That does not mean voters should expect AFP Action spots on broadcast television over the next few months. Phillips told CNBC that it has no plans to air TV ads this cycle and are instead solely going to be airing digital spots.
That too is a change as the group spent just over $2 million during the 2018 congressional midterm election on TV ads.


cnbc--2020-07-31--Unsealed documents show Epstein, Maxwell correspondence in 2015

Audrey Strauss , Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York speaks at a news conference announcing charges against Ghislaine Maxwell for her role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of minor girls by Jeffrey Epstein in New York City , New York , U.S. , July 2 , 2020 .
A trove of court documents unsealed Thursday night appear to show that the late , accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was in contact with his now-charged confidant , Ghislaine Maxwell , in 2015 .
Attorneys for Maxwell , who was arrested July 2 , have argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Epstein for more than a decade , and is the target of overzealous prosecutors .
In one email between Epstein and Maxwell in 2015 , Epstein appears to be composing a draft statement for Maxwell to release publicly .
The date in January 2015 is a few weeks after one of Epstein 's alleged victims , Virginia Roberts Giuffre , first shared her story with a British newspaper .
In another typo-filled email a few days later , dated Jan. 25 , 2015 , `` jeffrey E. '' writes : `` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urge you to start acting like it .
go outside , head high , not as an esacping convict .
go to parties .
deal with it . ''
The emails refer to `` Gmax '' either in the recipient section or the email address .
That 's the name the FBI and federal prosecutors say Maxwell used when trying to set up a cell phone this past year in another person 's name .
Prosecutors have contended this was one of the ways Maxwell sought to avoid detection and possible arrest .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ under seal for years , but Judge Loretta Preska last week ruled that a batch of documents from the case , including a deposition of Maxwell and correspondence between Maxwell and Epstein , could be released .
The documents are from a defamation case filed against Maxwell in 2015 by Giuffre , who has alleged that Epstein sexually abused her and that Maxwell and Epstein directed her to have sex with other men between 2000 and 2002 .
The case , which Giuffre brought after Maxwell accused her of lying when she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her , was settled privately .
The unsealed documents released Thursday also contain allegations that Jane Doe 3 — whose allegations match those of Giuffre — was `` forced '' to have sexual relations with Prince Andrew on Epstein 's private island in what was described as `` an orgy '' with numerous other under-aged girls .
It does not specify the year .
The woman was allegedly instructed by Epstein to `` give the Prince whatever he demanded '' and `` report back to him on the details of the sexual abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered by a federal judge to be struck from court records in 2015 after being lodged as part of a lawsuit involving Epstein — but the judge did not rule on the veracity of the claims .
NBC News has reached out to Andrew 's representatives for further comment .
Some of Andrew 's supporters have long maintained that the royal had done nothing wrong , and pointed out that just because allegations are included in court papers it does not mean they are true .
Requests for comment from Maxwell 's attorneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrew has denied allegations he had sex with Giuffre , who says she was trafficked by Epstein when she was 17 .
The prince said that he had no recollection of ever meeting her or having any sort of sexual contact with her at any point .
A representative for Giuffre said Thursday night that she has no comment and is unable to comment because it is an ongoing legal case .
Maxwell , 58 , was arrested at a remote New Hampshire mansion .
She had not been seen in public since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested on sex trafficking charges last year .
She was charged in a six-count indictment that alleges she recruited and groomed underage girls , some as young as 14 , who were sexually abused by Epstein in the mid-1990s .
Prosecutors also said that in some cases she `` participated in the sexual abuse of minor victims . ''
The charges against Maxwell cover a time period before Giuffre met Maxwell and Epstein .
Maxwell pleaded not guilty at her arraignment and has previously denied all allegations of any improper sexual contact .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer while awaiting trial .
Following his death , federal prosecutors vowed to continue the investigation and prosecute his enablers .
Maxwell had petitioned a judge for home confinement in a luxury Manhattan hotel , pending trial , according to court filings , but that request was denied .
Prosecutors have described Maxwell as an extreme flight risk , saying she has access to millions of dollars , extensive international contacts and citizenship in France , which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States .
The documents released Thursday were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled on .
Additional documents could be released as early as Monday .
Maxwell has appealed the release of documents that quote from or disclose information from her own deposition or that of a `` John Doe 1 '' in the case to the Court of Appeals .
If that court does not rule by Monday , those documents will also be unsealed and released then .
The disclosures Thursday night followed a day of high stakes legal drama as Maxwell 's attorneys tried multiple last-minute interventions to prevent the release of documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Maxwell 's attorneys sought to submit materials under seal that had been ordered to be made public by a judge last week — and when that did not work , requested an emergency conference with the judge , which was also denied Thursday evening .
In Preska 's order for the release of the documents to go on as planned , the judge wrote : `` The Court is troubled — but not surprised — that Ms. Maxwell has yet again sought to muddy the waters as the clock ticks closer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's attorneys pleaded with a federal appeals court to keep the documents sealed , saying in part that Maxwell said things in her deposition — including `` regarding her consensual adult sexual activity '' — only because she was promised confidentiality .
They wrote that in light of her federal prosecution , any revelations from the unsealed documents `` will forever let the cat out of the bag . ''
One Marine dead , 8 missing after training 'mishap ' off California coast Hurricane Isaias bringing heavy winds , rain to Bahamas as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ optimistic ' coronavirus vaccine could prove effective by 'late fall or early winter '

Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York speaks at a news conference announcing charges against Ghislaine Maxwell for her role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of minor girls by Jeffrey Epstein in New York City, New York, U.S., July 2, 2020.
A trove of court documents unsealed Thursday night appear to show that the late, accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was in contact with his now-charged confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell, in 2015.
Attorneys for Maxwell, who was arrested July 2, have argued that she hadn't had any contact with Epstein for more than a decade, and is the target of overzealous prosecutors.
In one email between Epstein and Maxwell in 2015, Epstein appears to be composing a draft statement for Maxwell to release publicly. The date in January 2015 is a few weeks after one of Epstein's alleged victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, first shared her story with a British newspaper.
In another typo-filled email a few days later, dated Jan. 25, 2015, "jeffrey E." writes: "You have done nothing wrong and i woudl urge you to start acting like it. go outside, head high, not as an esacping convict. go to parties. deal with it."
The emails refer to "Gmax" either in the recipient section or the email address.
That's the name the FBI and federal prosecutors say Maxwell used when trying to set up a cell phone this past year in another person's name. Prosecutors have contended this was one of the ways Maxwell sought to avoid detection and possible arrest.
The documents released Thursday night have been under seal for years, but Judge Loretta Preska last week ruled that a batch of documents from the case, including a deposition of Maxwell and correspondence between Maxwell and Epstein, could be released.
The documents are from a defamation case filed against Maxwell in 2015 by Giuffre, who has alleged that Epstein sexually abused her and that Maxwell and Epstein directed her to have sex with other men between 2000 and 2002. The case, which Giuffre brought after Maxwell accused her of lying when she said Maxwell and Epstein had exploited and abused her, was settled privately.
The unsealed documents released Thursday also contain allegations that Jane Doe 3 — whose allegations match those of Giuffre — was "forced" to have sexual relations with Prince Andrew on Epstein's private island in what was described as "an orgy" with numerous other under-aged girls. It does not specify the year. The woman was allegedly instructed by Epstein to "give the Prince whatever he demanded" and "report back to him on the details of the sexual abuse."
Similar allegations against Andrew were ordered by a federal judge to be struck from court records in 2015 after being lodged as part of a lawsuit involving Epstein — but the judge did not rule on the veracity of the claims.
NBC News has reached out to Andrew's representatives for further comment.
Some of Andrew's supporters have long maintained that the royal had done nothing wrong, and pointed out that just because allegations are included in court papers it does not mean they are true.
Requests for comment from Maxwell's attorneys were not immediately returned Thursday night.
Andrew has denied allegations he had sex with Giuffre, who says she was trafficked by Epstein when she was 17. The prince said that he had no recollection of ever meeting her or having any sort of sexual contact with her at any point.
A representative for Giuffre said Thursday night that she has no comment and is unable to comment because it is an ongoing legal case.
Maxwell, 58, was arrested at a remote New Hampshire mansion. She had not been seen in public since Epstein, her longtime associate, was arrested on sex trafficking charges last year.
She was charged in a six-count indictment that alleges she recruited and groomed underage girls, some as young as 14, who were sexually abused by Epstein in the mid-1990s. Prosecutors also said that in some cases she "participated in the sexual abuse of minor victims."
The charges against Maxwell cover a time period before Giuffre met Maxwell and Epstein.
Maxwell pleaded not guilty at her arraignment and has previously denied all allegations of any improper sexual contact.
Epstein died by suicide in jail last summer while awaiting trial. Following his death, federal prosecutors vowed to continue the investigation and prosecute his enablers.
Maxwell had petitioned a judge for home confinement in a luxury Manhattan hotel, pending trial, according to court filings, but that request was denied.
Prosecutors have described Maxwell as an extreme flight risk, saying she has access to millions of dollars, extensive international contacts and citizenship in France, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
The documents released Thursday were just part of the group the judge ruled on. Additional documents could be released as early as Monday.
Maxwell has appealed the release of documents that quote from or disclose information from her own deposition or that of a "John Doe 1" in the case to the Court of Appeals. If that court does not rule by Monday, those documents will also be unsealed and released then.
The disclosures Thursday night followed a day of high stakes legal drama as Maxwell's attorneys tried multiple last-minute interventions to prevent the release of documents that had remained under seal for years.
Maxwell's attorneys sought to submit materials under seal that had been ordered to be made public by a judge last week — and when that did not work, requested an emergency conference with the judge, which was also denied Thursday evening.
In Preska's order for the release of the documents to go on as planned, the judge wrote: "The Court is troubled — but not surprised — that Ms. Maxwell has yet again sought to muddy the waters as the clock ticks closer to midnight."
Thursday afternoon, Maxwell's attorneys pleaded with a federal appeals court to keep the documents sealed, saying in part that Maxwell said things in her deposition — including "regarding her consensual adult sexual activity" — only because she was promised confidentiality.
They wrote that in light of her federal prosecution, any revelations from the unsealed documents "will forever let the cat out of the bag."
Read more from NBC News:
One Marine dead, 8 missing after training 'mishap' off California coast
Hurricane Isaias bringing heavy winds, rain to Bahamas as it takes aim at Florida
Fauci 'cautiously optimistic' coronavirus vaccine could prove effective by 'late fall or early winter'


cnbc--2020-07-31--The $600 unemployment boost has ended. What's next?

With negotiations between Democrats and Republicans at an impasse , millions relying on that aid are in the dark as to what comes next .
Meanwhile , the economic recovery appears to have stalled or reversed , coronavirus infections are surging , eviction protections have expired for many and plans to reopen schools remain in flux , potentially requiring many parents to forgo work for child-care duties .
`` It 's not clear we 're on a very clear trajectory out of this economic downturn , '' said Beth Akers , a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President George W. Bush 's Council of Economic Advisors .
`` So I 'm very concerned for when we take away the $ 600 from unemployed people . ''
Americans are guaranteed to lose the weekly subsidy , at least temporarily , after Friday .
The Senate adjourned for the weekend without an agreement to extend or replace it after July 31 .
Given the scale of the problem , with roughly 30 million Americans collecting unemployment benefits , it 's likely lawmakers will pass some sort of additional aid , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senators propose $ 1,000 stimulus checks America faces an unprecedented eviction crisis Unemployment aid will fall by 93 % for some `` It 's more a question of how much it will be and how long it will take , '' said Till von Wachter , an economics professor at the University of California , Los Angeles and director of the California Policy Lab .
Absent a federal supplement , the average American would get about $ 321 a week from state unemployment programs — less than half of prior earnings .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are already more likely to be living paycheck to paycheck and represent a disproportionate share of the unemployed — particularly hard .
`` You ca n't make a living as a low-income worker making 50 % of your prior earnings , '' von Wachter said .
The $ 600-a-week supplement to unemployment benefits has been a hot-button issue since a federal coronavirus relief law , the CARES Act , enacted the payments in late March .
The tension comes from some recipients being able to collect more from unemployment benefits than they earned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the $ 600 weekly enhancement , believing it to be a disincentive to return to work and therefore a drag on the economic recovery .
Democrats want to extend the payments , saying they pump money into the economy and help American families pay their bills .
The House passed legislation in May to extend them through early 2021 .
Senate Republicans unveiled a proposal this week to reduce aid to $ 200 from $ 600 a week through September .
In October , they 'd shift to a system where federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a person 's lost wages , which would be in place through year-end .
It 's likely lawmakers will meet somewhere in the middle , economists said .
`` I think that 's where people have put their stakes in the ground right now , '' von Wachter said .
Many families would likely still see financial hardship with a payment of $ 200 .
That would give Californians up to $ 650 a week in total benefits , for example .
But $ 650 is less than the threshold for being considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , von Wachter said .
`` It 's hard when you 're already living your life on bare bones , '' Artavia Milliam , a recipient of unemployment benefits in New York , said during a House Ways and Means Committee press conference on Friday .
`` We just want to survive until we get through the crisis . ''
The $ 600 supplement reduced food insecurity by 30 % and led to a 42 % reduction in eating less due to financial constraints , according to a paper published Thursday by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Pennsylvania .
And prospects of finding a new job are dim .
There are about 14 million more unemployed people than job openings right now , according to the Economic Policy Institute .
`` I 'm not losing sleep over people getting an extra $ 600 a week right now because I think there are a lot more people looking for jobs in the economy right now than there are jobs available , '' Akers said .
A wage-replacement approach like the one suggested by Republicans is the ideal approach , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timetable , according to labor experts .
At the onset of the pandemic , lawmakers broached the idea of capping a subsidy , at 100 % of lost wages .
But antiquated state technology made that an impossibility in short order .
The $ 600 was a compromise : when combined with typical state-paid benefits , the federal subsidy aimed at fully replacing lost wages for the average jobless person ( about $ 976 a week in the first quarter ) .
It 's unlikely all states would be able to administer such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , economists said .
One compromise may be a flat amount ( $ 200 to $ 600 ) that transitions to a system replacing perhaps 70 % -100 % of prior wages over a longer time period like early next year , von Wachter said .
Lawmakers can offer states a financial incentive to update their technology .
That could take the form of offering extended federal funding to pay benefits for the self-employed , freelancers and others being covered by the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program , he said .
Another option might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time as a state 's unemployment rate improves , Akers said .
Some Senate Democrats have proposed such an approach .
While some people `` on the margin '' may be choosing not to return to work because of the $ 600 checks , there 's also been evidence that payments have n't had a big impact on the labor market , Akers said .
`` Evidence suggests that employers did not experience greater difficulty finding applicants for their [ job ] vacancies after the CARES Act , despite the large increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper published Thursday by economists at the University of Pennsylvania , the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Glassdoor Inc. Economists at Yale University also did n't find evidence that generous benefits offered a disincentive to work `` either at the onset of the expansion or as firms looked to return to business over time , '' according to a paper published this month .

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) arrives as Senate Republicans hold their weekly policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 16, 2020. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
The $600 boost in weekly unemployment checks ended Friday. With negotiations between Democrats and Republicans at an impasse, millions relying on that aid are in the dark as to what comes next. Meanwhile, the economic recovery appears to have stalled or reversed, coronavirus infections are surging, eviction protections have expired for many and plans to reopen schools remain in flux, potentially requiring many parents to forgo work for child-care duties. "It's not clear we're on a very clear trajectory out of this economic downturn," said Beth Akers, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and a former staff economist on President George W. Bush's Council of Economic Advisors. "So I'm very concerned for when we take away the $600 from unemployed people."
watch now
'Can't make a living'
Americans lost the weekly subsidy, at least temporarily, after Friday. Federal relief legislation enacted in March — the CARES Act — set a July 31 end date. Congress has yet to agree on an extension or replacement policy. Given the scale of the problem, with roughly 30 million Americans collecting unemployment benefits, it's likely lawmakers will pass some sort of additional aid, according to experts. More from Personal Finance
Republican senators propose $1,000 stimulus checks
America faces an unprecedented eviction crisis
Unemployment aid will fall by 93% for some "It's more a question of how much it will be and how long it will take," said Till von Wachter, an economics professor at the University of California, Los Angeles and director of the California Policy Lab. A White House official suggested an agreement isn't forthcoming. "I'm not optimistic that there will be a solution in the very near term," Mark Meadows, President Trump's chief of staff, said during a television interview on Sunday, on CBS's "Face The Nation." Absent a federal supplement, the average American will get about $321 a week from state unemployment programs — less than half of prior earnings.
It's hard when you're already living your life on bare bones. Artavia Milliam unemployed worker in New York
That situation will hit low-wage workers — who are already more likely to be living paycheck to paycheck and represent a disproportionate share of the unemployed — particularly hard. "You can't make a living as a low-income worker making 50% of your prior earnings," von Wachter said.
Between $200 and $600
The $600-a-week supplement to unemployment benefits has been a hot-button issue since a federal coronavirus relief law, the CARES Act, enacted the payments in late March. The tension comes from some recipients being able to collect more from unemployment benefits than they earned from their jobs. Republicans have unified against the $600 weekly enhancement, believing it to be a disincentive to return to work and therefore a drag on the economic recovery. Democrats want to extend the payments, saying they pump money into the economy and help American families pay their bills. The House passed legislation in May to extend them through early 2021.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
Senate Republicans unveiled a proposal last week to reduce aid to $200 from $600 a week through September. In October, they'd shift to a system where federal and state benefits replace 70% of a person's lost wages, which would be in place through year-end. It's likely lawmakers will meet somewhere in the middle, economists said. "I think that's where people have put their stakes in the ground right now," von Wachter said.
Many families would likely still see financial hardship with a payment of $200. That would give Californians up to $650 a week in total benefits, for example. But $650 is less than the threshold for being considered "very low income" in this country, von Wachter said. "It's hard when you're already living your life on bare bones," Artavia Milliam, a recipient of unemployment benefits in New York, said during a House Ways and Means Committee press conference on Friday. "We just want to survive until we get through the crisis."
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards schoen
The $600 supplement reduced food insecurity by 30% and led to a 42% reduction in eating less due to financial constraints, according to a paper published Thursday by academics at Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania. And prospects of finding a new job are dim. There are about 14 million more unemployed people than job openings right now, according to the Economic Policy Institute. "I'm not losing sleep over people getting an extra $600 a week right now because I think there are a lot more people looking for jobs in the economy right now than there are jobs available," Akers said.
Wage replacement
A wage-replacement approach like the one suggested by Republicans is the ideal approach, but is also unlikely to materialize within their timetable, according to labor experts. At the onset of the pandemic, lawmakers broached the idea of capping a subsidy, at 100% of lost wages. But antiquated state technology made that an impossibility in short order.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-CA., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY., speak to reporters following a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on July 30. Congressional leadership and White House officials are continuing negotiations on a new relief package for Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic recession it has caused. Samuel Corum | Getty Images
The $600 was a compromise: when combined with typical state-paid benefits, the federal subsidy aimed at fully replacing lost wages for the average jobless person (about $976 a week in the first quarter). It's unlikely all states would be able to administer such a policy within the next few months, economists said. One compromise may be a flat amount ($200 to $600) that transitions to a system replacing perhaps 70%-100% of prior wages over a longer time period like early next year, von Wachter said. Lawmakers can offer states a financial incentive to update their technology. That could take the form of offering extended federal funding to pay benefits for the self-employed, freelancers and others being covered by the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, he said.