cnbc--2020-09-02--Biden says safe school reopening amid coronavirus is a 'national emergency' that merits FEMA funds

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden discusses his plan to safely reopen schools amid the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) pandemic during a speech in Wilmington , Delaware , September 2 , 2020 .
Already , schools and universities across the country that have reopened for in-person classes are reporting clusters of coronavirus outbreaks .
One of the worst outbreaks appears to be at the University of Alabama , where more than 1,000 students have tested positive for the coronavirus since the school opened its doors in late August .
Biden 's remarks were part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his campaign on the pandemic , during a week when millions of children and teachers are starting virtual and in-person classes under difficult and potentially unsafe circumstances .
The guidance issued Tuesday effectively narrowed the definition of an `` emergency protective measure '' that would be covered by FEMA 's public assistance funds , so that schools are excluded from the coverage .
`` If I were president today , I would direct FEMA to make sure our kids K-12 get full access to disaster relief and emergency assistance under the Stafford Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitation supplies for schools qualify as 'emergency protective measures , ' which is a phrase they use to fully be eligible for federal assistance .
On top of that , I 'd be working with the leaders of Congress now , today , to pass emergency packages for schools so they have the resources they need in order to be opened safely . ''
Biden 's remarks came just a day after FEMA officials told state emergency managers that it had issued new guidance indicating that the agency would no longer reimburse states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as schools , courthouses and public housing .
`` This is an emergency , and Donald Trump and his FEMA should treat it as one , '' said Biden , speaking in Wilmington , Delaware , after a briefing with education and school safety experts .
WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Wednesday that if he were president , he would direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to use national disaster funds to help schools reopen safely during the coronavirus pandemic .
Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen schools amid the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) pandemic during a speech in Wilmington , Delaware , September 2 , 2020 .
`` This is a national emergency , and President Trump still does n't have any real plan for how to open our schools safely , '' said Biden .
`` No real plan for how to help parents feel secure for their children .
He 's offering nothing but failure and delusions from start to finish , and American families and our children are paying the price for his failures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic this week , Trump has chosen to direct his attention to the violence that erupted in Kenosha , Wisconsin , after racial justice protesters were met by armed vigilantes last week , resulting in a double homicide .
A White 17-year-old , Kyle Rittenhouse , has been charged in the killings .
Trump visited Kenosha on Tuesday , where he met with law enforcement and claimed that `` reckless , far-left politicians continue to push the destructive message that our nation and our law enforcement are oppressive or racist . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Trump 's part to lay blame for the racial unrest roiling the country during his presidency at the feet of Democrats and to position himself as the solution , rather than part of the problem .
Biden was asked by a reporter on Wednesday how he would respond to the mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color in the wake of several high-profile police shootings of unarmed Black men and women this year .
`` I 'd have law enforcement at the table .
I 'd have the community at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'How do we get through this , what do we do to deal with this ? '
I believe the vast majority of the community at large , as well as law enforcement , want to straighten things out , not inflame things , '' said Biden .
`` But this president keeps throwing gasoline on the fire every place he goes . ''
This week , Biden 's campaign announced last-minute plans for the candidate to visit Kenosha on Thursday .
Both state and city officials have asked all politicians to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running high and National Guard troops are still helping to keep the peace .
Asked what he hoped to accomplish by going to Kenosha , Biden replied , `` We 've got to put things together , bring people together .
And so , my purpose in going will be to do just that , to be a positive influence on what 's going on . ''
Outside of the twin news stories of the pandemic and the violence in Kenosha , Biden was also asked a question about whether he had concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , published in a book by New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt .
Schmidt reported that when Trump made an unannounced trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2019 , Vice President Mike Pence was told to be on standby to take over in case the president had to receive anesthesia .
To this day , neither the president nor the White House has explained the purpose of Trump 's hospital visit .
`` I 'm not going to speculate on what it means '' that traditional protocol for presidential hospital trips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But what I can say is that nothing this administration does is normal ...
So who in God 's name knows what it 's all about ?
I do n't know , and I 'm not going to speculate .
I 'll let the experts do that . ''
Trump has vehemently denied speculation that he might have suffered from a mini-stroke or a cardiovascular event while in office .

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden discusses his plan to safely reopen schools amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic during a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, September 2, 2020.
Already, schools and universities across the country that have reopened for in-person classes are reporting clusters of coronavirus outbreaks. One of the worst outbreaks appears to be at the University of Alabama, where more than 1,000 students have tested positive for the coronavirus since the school opened its doors in late August.
Biden's remarks were part of an effort to keep the focus of his campaign on the pandemic, during a week when millions of children and teachers are starting virtual and in-person classes under difficult and potentially unsafe circumstances.
The guidance issued Tuesday effectively narrowed the definition of an "emergency protective measure" that would be covered by FEMA's public assistance funds, so that schools are excluded from the coverage.
"If I were president today, I would direct FEMA to make sure our kids K-12 get full access to disaster relief and emergency assistance under the Stafford Act. I'd make sure PPE and sanitation supplies for schools qualify as 'emergency protective measures,' which is a phrase they use to fully be eligible for federal assistance. On top of that, I'd be working with the leaders of Congress now, today, to pass emergency packages for schools so they have the resources they need in order to be opened safely."
Biden's remarks came just a day after FEMA officials told state emergency managers that it had issued new guidance indicating that the agency would no longer reimburse states for the cost of PPE in places such as schools, courthouses and public housing.
"This is an emergency, and Donald Trump and his FEMA should treat it as one," said Biden, speaking in Wilmington, Delaware, after a briefing with education and school safety experts.
WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Wednesday that if he were president, he would direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to use national disaster funds to help schools reopen safely during the coronavirus pandemic.
Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden discusses his plan to safely reopen schools amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic during a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, September 2, 2020.
"This is a national emergency, and President Trump still doesn't have any real plan for how to open our schools safely," said Biden. "No real plan for how to help parents feel secure for their children. He's offering nothing but failure and delusions from start to finish, and American families and our children are paying the price for his failures."
Rather than focus on the pandemic this week, Trump has chosen to direct his attention to the violence that erupted in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after racial justice protesters were met by armed vigilantes last week, resulting in a double homicide. A White 17-year-old, Kyle Rittenhouse, has been charged in the killings.
Trump visited Kenosha on Tuesday, where he met with law enforcement and claimed that "reckless, far-left politicians continue to push the destructive message that our nation and our law enforcement are oppressive or racist." The remarks are part of a concerted effort on Trump's part to lay blame for the racial unrest roiling the country during his presidency at the feet of Democrats and to position himself as the solution, rather than part of the problem.
Biden was asked by a reporter on Wednesday how he would respond to the mistrust between law enforcement and communities of color in the wake of several high-profile police shootings of unarmed Black men and women this year.
"I'd have law enforcement at the table. I'd have the community at the table. I'd have people saying, 'How do we get through this, what do we do to deal with this?' I believe the vast majority of the community at large, as well as law enforcement, want to straighten things out, not inflame things," said Biden. "But this president keeps throwing gasoline on the fire every place he goes."
This week, Biden's campaign announced last-minute plans for the candidate to visit Kenosha on Thursday. Both state and city officials have asked all politicians to avoid the area while emotions are still running high and National Guard troops are still helping to keep the peace.
Asked what he hoped to accomplish by going to Kenosha, Biden replied, "We've got to put things together, bring people together. And so, my purpose in going will be to do just that, to be a positive influence on what's going on."
Outside of the twin news stories of the pandemic and the violence in Kenosha, Biden was also asked a question about whether he had concerns over new reporting on Trump's health, published in a book by New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt.
Schmidt reported that when Trump made an unannounced trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 2019, Vice President Mike Pence was told to be on standby to take over in case the president had to receive anesthesia. To this day, neither the president nor the White House has explained the purpose of Trump's hospital visit.
"I'm not going to speculate on what it means" that traditional protocol for presidential hospital trips wasn't followed, said Biden. "But what I can say is that nothing this administration does is normal ... So who in God's name knows what it's all about? I don't know, and I'm not going to speculate. I'll let the experts do that."
Trump has vehemently denied speculation that he might have suffered from a mini-stroke or a cardiovascular event while in office.


cnbc--2020-09-02--Biden is still ahead of Trump in the polls, but the gap is narrowing

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden discusses his plan to safely reopen schools amid the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) pandemic during a speech in Wilmington , Delaware , September 2 , 2020 .
In recent weeks , the presidential contenders have clashed over who bears the blame for violence that has broken out at protests against police brutality and systemic racism in cities across the country .
Those results come amid redoubled efforts by the Trump and Biden campaigns to pummel each other over a series of crises that have roiled the U.S. political landscape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to weigh heavily on Americans ' minds .
As of Wednesday , the polling averages show some movement toward the president : A shift in the wake of the nominating conventions is hardly unprecedented , and most national polls indicate no dramatic bump for Trump since the start of the Republican National Convention .
But some recent surveys still indicate an uptick in approval for the incumbent , and some swing-state polls show a larger change in Trump 's favor .
Joe Biden is still beating President Donald Trump in most general election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show signs that the Democratic nominee 's lead is narrowing slightly following the parties ' national conventions .
Trump has sought to frame himself as the `` law and order '' candidate , repeatedly blaming Democrats for the unrest caused by `` radical-left anarchists '' and groups such as Antifa .
The RNC made the tumultuous protests a key feature of its programming , though the president this week declined to condemn pro-Trump demonstrators when given the opportunity .
While the Democratic National Convention did not focus on the unrest , Biden since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ripped Trump for failing to keep the peace .
`` The simple truth is Donald Trump failed to protect America .
So now , he 's trying to scare America , '' Biden said in Pittsburgh on Monday .
Biden has also continued to assail Trump 's response to the coronavirus pandemic , which has killed at least 184,600 people in the U.S. and threatens the livelihoods of millions of others .
A large majority of registered voters remain concerned about the pandemic , and nearly 60 % say Trump is at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 cases in the U.S. , according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday .
Trump has pushed state leaders to relax their social distancing restrictions , which were put in place to slow the spread of Covid-19 but have wrought havoc on the economy .
Polls on average show more Americans approve than disapprove of Trump 's job on the economy – though that gap has narrowed significantly from earlier in the year , according to RealClearPolitics .
Overall , Reuters ' online poll of 1,335 American adults , conducted Monday and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Trump – 47 % to 40 % – to be largely unchanged since before the late-August conventions .
The poll has a credibility interval of 3 to 5 percentage points .
Another poll out Wednesday from Grinnell College and Selzer & Co. gave Biden a 49 % -41 % advantage over Trump .
That poll , conducted last Wednesday through Sunday , is based on phone interviews with 827 likely voters and has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points .
But at least one other national poll released Wednesday found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USA Today/Suffolk University 's latest gave Biden a 7-point gap over Trump at 50 % -43 % , respectively .
That 's down from the pollster 's June survey , which gave the Democratic challenger a 12-point advantage over the president .
The survey of 1,000 registered voters , conducted by phone from Friday through Monday , has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points .
Biden continues to fend off Trump in the all-important battleground states – but that gap is narrowing , polls show .
RealClearPolitics gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the president in an average of state-specific polls in Wisconsin , North Carolina , Florida , Pennsylvania , Michigan and Arizona .
That gap shrunk from 3.8 points at the start of the RNC .
One poll released Wednesday also showed a significant shift toward the incumbent in Pennsylvania , a crucial swing state that Trump won in 2016 over then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton .
The latest survey from Monmouth University gives Biden a 4-point lead over Trump among all registered voters in Pennsylvania , 49 % -45 % .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points , and significantly tighter than the university 's prior poll in July , which had Biden up 13 points in the Keystone State .
The new poll of 400 Pennsylvania registered voters was conducted by phone between Friday and Monday .
Democrats are anxious to avoid a repeat of the defeat in 2016 , when Clinton won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College to Trump in a series of upsets in key swing states .
`` This is really a game of inches .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ off a little bit of Biden support here and a little bit there , '' said Patrick Murray , director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute , in a press release .
`` It may be working , despite the fact that Pennsylvania voters personally like the Democrat more , although this gap has narrowed . ''

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden discusses his plan to safely reopen schools amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic during a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, September 2, 2020.
In recent weeks, the presidential contenders have clashed over who bears the blame for violence that has broken out at protests against police brutality and systemic racism in cities across the country.
Those results come amid redoubled efforts by the Trump and Biden campaigns to pummel each other over a series of crises that have roiled the U.S. political landscape for much of the year and continue to weigh heavily on Americans' minds.
As of Wednesday, the polling averages show some movement toward the president:
A shift in the wake of the nominating conventions is hardly unprecedented, and most national polls indicate no dramatic bump for Trump since the start of the Republican National Convention. But some recent surveys still indicate an uptick in approval for the incumbent, and some swing-state polls show a larger change in Trump's favor.
Joe Biden is still beating President Donald Trump in most general election polls – but averages of recent surveys show signs that the Democratic nominee's lead is narrowing slightly following the parties' national conventions.
Trump has sought to frame himself as the "law and order" candidate, repeatedly blaming Democrats for the unrest caused by "radical-left anarchists" and groups such as Antifa. The RNC made the tumultuous protests a key feature of its programming, though the president this week declined to condemn pro-Trump demonstrators when given the opportunity.
While the Democratic National Convention did not focus on the unrest, Biden since accepting the nomination has condemned the violence and ripped Trump for failing to keep the peace. "The simple truth is Donald Trump failed to protect America. So now, he's trying to scare America," Biden said in Pittsburgh on Monday.
Biden has also continued to assail Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed at least 184,600 people in the U.S. and threatens the livelihoods of millions of others. A large majority of registered voters remain concerned about the pandemic, and nearly 60% say Trump is at least partly responsible for the high number of Covid-19 cases in the U.S., according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Wednesday.
Trump has pushed state leaders to relax their social distancing restrictions, which were put in place to slow the spread of Covid-19 but have wrought havoc on the economy.
Polls on average show more Americans approve than disapprove of Trump's job on the economy – though that gap has narrowed significantly from earlier in the year, according to RealClearPolitics.
Overall, Reuters' online poll of 1,335 American adults, conducted Monday and Tuesday, found Biden's 7-point lead over Trump – 47% to 40% – to be largely unchanged since before the late-August conventions. The poll has a credibility interval of 3 to 5 percentage points.
Another poll out Wednesday from Grinnell College and Selzer & Co. gave Biden a 49%-41% advantage over Trump. That poll, conducted last Wednesday through Sunday, is based on phone interviews with 827 likely voters and has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.
But at least one other national poll released Wednesday found Trump cutting into Biden's lead.
USA Today/Suffolk University's latest gave Biden a 7-point gap over Trump at 50%-43%, respectively. That's down from the pollster's June survey, which gave the Democratic challenger a 12-point advantage over the president. The survey of 1,000 registered voters, conducted by phone from Friday through Monday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Biden continues to fend off Trump in the all-important battleground states – but that gap is narrowing, polls show.
RealClearPolitics gives Biden an overall spread of 2.5 points over the president in an average of state-specific polls in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona. That gap shrunk from 3.8 points at the start of the RNC.
One poll released Wednesday also showed a significant shift toward the incumbent in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state that Trump won in 2016 over then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
The latest survey from Monmouth University gives Biden a 4-point lead over Trump among all registered voters in Pennsylvania, 49%-45%. That's within the survey's margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, and significantly tighter than the university's prior poll in July, which had Biden up 13 points in the Keystone State. The new poll of 400 Pennsylvania registered voters was conducted by phone between Friday and Monday.
Democrats are anxious to avoid a repeat of the defeat in 2016, when Clinton won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College to Trump in a series of upsets in key swing states.
"This is really a game of inches. The Trump campaign is looking to peel off a little bit of Biden support here and a little bit there," said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, in a press release. "It may be working, despite the fact that Pennsylvania voters personally like the Democrat more, although this gap has narrowed."


cnbc--2020-09-02--Biden raises a record-shattering $364 million in August

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden discusses his plan to safely reopen schools amid the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) pandemic during a speech in Wilmington , Delaware , September 2 , 2020 .
To put the number in perspective , in August of 2016 then-nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump raised a combined total of $ 233 million , $ 90 million for Trump and the GOP , and $ 143 million for Clinton and the DNC .
In 2008 , Republican nominee John McCain raised just $ 383 million over the course of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both excitement with Biden 's choice of Sen. Kamala Harris of California to be his running mate and the fundraising boost traditionally provided by party nominating conventions , which both Democrats and Republicans held virtually in August .
WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden raised $ 364.5 million in August for his campaign and his joint committees with the Democratic Party , a staggering amount that exceeds any single month fundraising in previous presidential general elections .
Direct comparisons are complicated , however , by the fact that campaign finance rules have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow candidates and committees to raise much more money from donors than they ever could before .
According to the Biden campaign , 95 % of all donations were from grassroots supporters and more than 1.5 million people made their first donation in August .
Approximately $ 205 million , or 57 % of the total , came from online donations , the Biden campaign said .
The Biden campaign did not announce how much it had spent in August , however , leaving it unclear how much money the campaign has left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final two months of the race .
As of Wednesday , President Donald Trump 's campaign had not yet announced its August fundraising numbers .
But Trump and his joint committees with the Republican Party have outraised Biden in every month but one since Biden became the de facto nominee in early April .
Polls show that Biden has consistently led Trump throughout the general election , although some polls have showed the race tightening in the past week .
As president , Trump enjoys an unrivaled platform through which to reach voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign has consistently spent more than the Trump campaign on digital and TV advertising this summer .
In August , Biden outspent Trump by 2-to-1 , according to an analysis by the Associated Press .
Going into the final 60 days of the presidential race , the Biden campaign has reserved more than $ 280 million worth of TV and digital ads .
A Trump campaign spokesman told the AP that it plans to spend $ 200 million this fall across a wide variety of states , including several that Trump won handily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa .
Both of those states have high-stakes Senate races this year .

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden discusses his plan to safely reopen schools amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic during a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, September 2, 2020.
To put the number in perspective, in August of 2016 then-nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump raised a combined total of $233 million, $90 million for Trump and the GOP, and $143 million for Clinton and the DNC. In 2008, Republican nominee John McCain raised just $383 million over the course of his entire campaign.
The huge figure reflects both excitement with Biden's choice of Sen. Kamala Harris of California to be his running mate and the fundraising boost traditionally provided by party nominating conventions, which both Democrats and Republicans held virtually in August.
WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden raised $364.5 million in August for his campaign and his joint committees with the Democratic Party, a staggering amount that exceeds any single month fundraising in previous presidential general elections.
Direct comparisons are complicated, however, by the fact that campaign finance rules have shifted over the past 15 years to allow candidates and committees to raise much more money from donors than they ever could before.
According to the Biden campaign, 95% of all donations were from grassroots supporters and more than 1.5 million people made their first donation in August. Approximately $205 million, or 57% of the total, came from online donations, the Biden campaign said.
Biden announced the figure in a tweet Wednesday.
BIDEN TWEET
The Biden campaign did not announce how much it had spent in August, however, leaving it unclear how much money the campaign has left in cash on hand going into the final two months of the race.
As of Wednesday, President Donald Trump's campaign had not yet announced its August fundraising numbers.
But Trump and his joint committees with the Republican Party have outraised Biden in every month but one since Biden became the de facto nominee in early April.
Polls show that Biden has consistently led Trump throughout the general election, although some polls have showed the race tightening in the past week.
As president, Trump enjoys an unrivaled platform through which to reach voters over the airwaves. Yet the Biden campaign has consistently spent more than the Trump campaign on digital and TV advertising this summer. In August, Biden outspent Trump by 2-to-1, according to an analysis by the Associated Press.
Going into the final 60 days of the presidential race, the Biden campaign has reserved more than $280 million worth of TV and digital ads. A Trump campaign spokesman told the AP that it plans to spend $200 million this fall across a wide variety of states, including several that Trump won handily in 2016, such as Montana and Iowa. Both of those states have high-stakes Senate races this year.


cnbc--2020-09-02--Koch network drops cash into Kansas Senate race as polls tighten in Republican stronghold

The activist network backed by libertarian billionaire Charles Koch is dropping big bucks into the Kansas Senate race as polls show the contest beginning to tighten .
Americans for Prosperity Action , a super PAC that 's part of the larger Koch network , is backing Republican physician and congressman Roger Marshall in a state that 's historically been a GOP stronghold .
Marshall emerged victorious from a recent primary , after Republican Sen. Pat Roberts decided to retire .
Roberts has served four terms in the Senate .
He was reelected in a closely fought race in 2014 with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time Marshall , who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for one term , is going up against Barbara Bollier , a fellow physician and a member of the Kansas state legislature .
A recent public poll by Survey USA suggests the race is essentially a dead heat , with Marshall receiving approval from 46 % of the surveys overall vote and Bollier picking up 44 % of support from those who participated in the poll .
The Cook Political Report labels the race as `` lean Republican . ''
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump by 7 points nationally , according to a Real Clear Politics polling average .
Trump easily defeated then Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Kansas during the 2016 presidential election .
The Koch network getting involved in the Kansas race comes as Republican leaders prepare for the possibility that they may lose their majority in the Senate .
At least seven Republican-held Senate seats are up for grabs .
The Cook Political Report has marked races in Colorado , Georgia , Iowa , Maine , Montana and North Carolina as toss-ups .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Democrat Mark Kelly has been deemed `` lean Democrat . ''
Of those toss-up races , four of them are seeing activity from the Koch-linked super PAC .
The committee plans to launch a new $ 5 million digital ad campaign targeting swing voters in support of Marshall and the other Senate candidates it 's backing .
The ad campaign will start this week and go into November .
The network plans to unleash its grassroots army , both through door knocking and phone banking , to help Marshall overtake his Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of Americans for Prosperity ( AFP ) .
Its first digital ad in support of Marshall is set to run next week , and the PAC is also planning to send out direct mail .
AFP , Phillips noted , has had a strong presence in Kansas since 2004 with offices across the state .
What 's more , Charles Koch has a home in Kansas , and his company , Koch Industries , is located in Wichita .
`` It 's a fluid year .
And in a fluid year with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the crises that our nation is facing , we do n't want to take any chances , '' Phillips said to CNBC .
He pointed to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic as a hurdle for most voters .
Phillips noted that it moved to back Marshall because it believes his proposals match up with the policies the network supports , such as tax reform , business deregulation and being against `` Medicare for All . ''
In the most recent contest for the same Senate seat , in 2014 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponent through a now defunct super PAC , Freedom Partners Action Fund .
According to data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics , Greg Orman , who was running as an independent , saw over $ 3 million spent against him by the PAC .
It was one of the top independent expenditures by the Koch-linked group that cycle .
The race , according to The Wichita Eagle , was close throughout part of election night but Roberts ended up pulling off a victory .

The activist network backed by libertarian billionaire Charles Koch is dropping big bucks into the Kansas Senate race as polls show the contest beginning to tighten.
Americans for Prosperity Action, a super PAC that's part of the larger Koch network, is backing Republican physician and congressman Roger Marshall in a state that's historically been a GOP stronghold.
Marshall emerged victorious from a recent primary, after Republican Sen. Pat Roberts decided to retire. Roberts has served four terms in the Senate. He was reelected in a closely fought race in 2014 with help from the Koch network.
This time Marshall, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for one term, is going up against Barbara Bollier, a fellow physician and a member of the Kansas state legislature.
A recent public poll by Survey USA suggests the race is essentially a dead heat, with Marshall receiving approval from 46% of the surveys overall vote and Bollier picking up 44% of support from those who participated in the poll.
The Cook Political Report labels the race as "lean Republican." Meanwhile, Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by 7 points nationally, according to a Real Clear Politics polling average. Trump easily defeated then Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Kansas during the 2016 presidential election.
The Koch network getting involved in the Kansas race comes as Republican leaders prepare for the possibility that they may lose their majority in the Senate. At least seven Republican-held Senate seats are up for grabs. The Cook Political Report has marked races in Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Montana and North Carolina as toss-ups. The Arizona race between Republican Martha McSally and Democrat Mark Kelly has been deemed "lean Democrat."
Of those toss-up races, four of them are seeing activity from the Koch-linked super PAC. The committee plans to launch a new $5 million digital ad campaign targeting swing voters in support of Marshall and the other Senate candidates it's backing. The ad campaign will start this week and go into November.
The network plans to unleash its grassroots army, both through door knocking and phone banking, to help Marshall overtake his Democratic opponent, according to Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity (AFP). Its first digital ad in support of Marshall is set to run next week, and the PAC is also planning to send out direct mail.
AFP, Phillips noted, has had a strong presence in Kansas since 2004 with offices across the state. What's more, Charles Koch has a home in Kansas, and his company, Koch Industries, is located in Wichita.
"It's a fluid year. And in a fluid year with swing voters profoundly impacted right now by all the crises that our nation is facing, we don't want to take any chances," Phillips said to CNBC. He pointed to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic as a hurdle for most voters. Phillips noted that it moved to back Marshall because it believes his proposals match up with the policies the network supports, such as tax reform, business deregulation and being against "Medicare for All."
In the most recent contest for the same Senate seat, in 2014, the network spent millions attacking Roberts' opponent through a now defunct super PAC, Freedom Partners Action Fund. According to data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Greg Orman, who was running as an independent, saw over $3 million spent against him by the PAC.
It was one of the top independent expenditures by the Koch-linked group that cycle.
The race, according to The Wichita Eagle, was close throughout part of election night but Roberts ended up pulling off a victory.


cnbc--2020-09-02--Budget deficit to hit record $3.3 trillion due to virus, recession

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin testifies before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis , during a hybrid hearing , @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , on Capitol Hill in Washington .
The federal budget deficit is projected to @ @ @ @ @ trillion due to COVID-19 costs and the recession , the Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ triple the 2019 shortfall .
The deficit projection was attributed to the coronavirus disruption of @ @ @ @ @ of legislation enacted by Congress in response to the pandemic .

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin testifies before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, during a hybrid hearing, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
The federal budget deficit is projected to hit a record $3.3 trillion as huge government expenditures to fight the coronavirus and to prop up the economy have added more than $2 trillion to the federal ledger, the Congressional Budget Office said.
The spike in the deficit means that federal debt will exceed annual gross domestic product next year — a milestone that would put the U.S. where it was in the aftermath of World War II, when accumulated debt exceeded the size of the economy.
The $3.3 trillion figure released Wednesday is more than triple the 2019 shortfall and more than double the levels experienced after the market meltdown and Great Recession of 2008-09. Government spending, fueled by four coronavirus response measures, would register at $6.6 trillion, $2 trillion-plus more than 2019.
The recession has caused a drop in tax revenues have fallen, but the changes are not as dramatic as seen on the spending side, with individual income tax collections running 11% behind last year. Corporate tax collections are down 34%.
The economy shut down in the spring so people could be in isolation, in a failed national attempt to defeat the pandemic. That shutdown led lawmakers and President Donald Trump to pump money into business subsidies, larger unemployment benefits, $1,200 direct payments and other stimulus steps that have helped the economy in the short term.
Most economists are untroubled by such huge borrowing when the economy is in peril, and the debt was barely a concern when a cornerstone $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed almost unanimously in March.
But now that lawmakers and the White House are quarreling over the size and scope of a fifth virus relief bill, Republicans are growing skittish at the enormous costs of battling the pandemic. The Democratic-controlled House passed a $3.5 trillion measure in May, though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says she is willing to cut that figure to $2.2 trillion.
Caseloads remain unacceptably elevated, however, as the virus exacts a painful, lingering toll on the economy and sentiment remains high for a fifth virus rescue package that would include money to reopen schools, patch state budgets and continue enhanced jobless benefits that have kept families afloat.
Among Republicans, there seems to be less ardor for a deal — at least at what they see as unfavorable terms. GOP leaders had been pressing for a package in the $1 trillion range, but party talks during August have focused on a smaller package.
The enormous deficit is bringing the federal debt, as measured by the size of the economy, near levels not experienced since the end of World War II, when explosive borrowing to finance the war effort caused a historic spike. But those levels quickly receded during the postwar boom — something that won't happen now, since federal spending is now dominated by retirement programs like Medicare and Social Security, whose costs increase automatically with inflation and the ongoing retirement of the Baby Boom generation.
Deficit scolds have long warned that rising levels of debt will serve as a drag on the economy in the coming years. If interest rates rise too high, servicing the debt will put significant strain on the budget. The Federal Reserve has stepped in to keep credit markets stable and interest rates low for years as debt levels have risen.
"At a certain point, Washington's insatiable borrowing needs will crowd out other investments and harm growth," said Brian Riedl, a senior fellow at the conservative Manhatten Institute. "Washington should help end the pandemic and rescue the economy, yet must also address these unsustainable long-term deficits."
By year's end, the publicly held national debt will total 98% of the U.S. gross domestic product, the total output of goods and services. That compares with 79% of GDP at the end of 2019 and 35% back in 2007.
The CBO projected that the debt would exceed 100% of GDP in 2021 and set a new record high of 107% in 2021.
CBO, the nonpartisan economic and research arm of Congress, predicts that deficit will total $13 trillion over the coming decade.
CORRECTION: This article's headline has been updated to show that the U.S. budget deficit is projected to hit a record $3.3 trillion.


cnbc--2020-09-02--Pompeo defends decision to speak at RNC while on diplomatic trip

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news conference at the State Department in Washington , DC , September 2 , 2020 .
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday defended his decision to address the Republican National Convention , a move that upended decades of precedent and ethics guidelines aimed at separating America 's national security and foreign policy decision-makers from partisan politics .
`` I did this in my personal capacity , '' Pompeo said during a press briefing .
`` All I can say in my role as secretary of State is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was lawful .
And I personally felt it was important that the world hear the message of what this administration has accomplished . ''
Pompeo 's virtual remarks were recorded in Jerusalem while he was on official State Department travel and aired on the second night of the RNC on Aug. 25 .
They are under investigation by the House Foreign Affairs Committees ' subpanel on oversight .
The subcommittee 's chairman , Rep. Joaquin Castro , D-Texas , called the speech `` highly unusual and likely unprecedented '' and suggested , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC 's request for comment on the legality issue .

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news conference at the State Department in Washington, DC, September 2, 2020.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday defended his decision to address the Republican National Convention, a move that upended decades of precedent and ethics guidelines aimed at separating America's national security and foreign policy decision-makers from partisan politics.
"I did this in my personal capacity," Pompeo said during a press briefing. "All I can say in my role as secretary of State is, the State Department reviewed this, it was lawful. And I personally felt it was important that the world hear the message of what this administration has accomplished."
Pompeo's virtual remarks were recorded in Jerusalem while he was on official State Department travel and aired on the second night of the RNC on Aug. 25. They are under investigation by the House Foreign Affairs Committees' subpanel on oversight.
The subcommittee's chairman, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, called the speech "highly unusual and likely unprecedented" and suggested, "it may also be illegal."
The State Department did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the legality issue.


cnbc--2020-09-02--Joe Biden to visit Kenosha on Thursday

Joe Biden to visit Kenosha on Thursday

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about safety in America during a campaign appearance in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , August 31 , 2020 .
Joe Biden will travel to Kenosha , Wisconsin , on Thursday — his first visit to the crucial swing state this year and two days after President Donald Trump appeared there .
The Democratic presidential nominee 's campaign said Biden will hold a community meeting `` to bring together Americans to heal and address the challenges we face . ''
Biden 's wife , Jill , will also travel to Kenosha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will make a `` local stop '' after the community meeting , the campaign said .
The trip comes as the city remains in the national spotlight because of the shooting last month of Jacob Blake , a 29-year-old Black man , by a White police officer in the city .
Blake was shot seven times in the back during the Aug. 23 arrest that is now the subject of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice .
Trump traveled to Kenosha on Tuesday despite the protests of local officials and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who said that the president 's visit would only serve to further inflame tensions .
Two people were shot to death and one seriously wounded at one of the Kenosha protests following the Blake shooting .
Kyle Rittenhouse , 17 , has been charged in the shootings at the demonstration .
Trump surveyed damage at the sites of the recent demonstrations and held a roundtable event in which he praised law enforcement , condemned looting and repeated his attacks on what he called `` Democrat cities . ''
Trump said he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they wanted to have a lawyer present .
Biden 's campaign did not say whether the Democratic nominee will meet with the family .
Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , have spoken with the family by telephone , the family 's attorney Ben Crump said over the weekend .
Biden , who has denounced looting and rioting , has accused Trump of seeking to use protests against police brutality to divide the country and increase animosity .
Biden sounded those themes on Monday during an address in Pittsburgh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a new nationwide ad that the campaign said would roll out in key swing states including Wisconsin .
`` Rioting is not protesting .
Looting is not protesting .
Setting fires is not protesting .
None of this is protesting , it 's lawlessness , plain and simple , '' the former vice president said in the speech .
`` And those who do it should be prosecuted .
Violence will not bring change .
It will only bring destruction .
It 's wrong in every way . ''
Trump narrowly beat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , but Biden has been leading him in recent polls in the state .
Clinton infamously did not visit Wisconsin in 2016 .
Biden is also ahead of Trump in national surveys , though his margin in some state and national surveys has declined somewhat in recent days .
A CNBC/Change Research poll from August found Biden leading Trump narrowly in Wisconsin , 49-46 , with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points .

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about safety in America during a campaign appearance in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 31, 2020.
Joe Biden will travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Thursday — his first visit to the crucial swing state this year and two days after President Donald Trump appeared there.
The Democratic presidential nominee's campaign said Biden will hold a community meeting "to bring together Americans to heal and address the challenges we face."
Biden's wife, Jill, will also travel to Kenosha, the campaign said. The two will make a "local stop" after the community meeting, the campaign said.
The trip comes as the city remains in the national spotlight because of the shooting last month of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, by a White police officer in the city.
Blake was shot seven times in the back during the Aug. 23 arrest that is now the subject of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Trump traveled to Kenosha on Tuesday despite the protests of local officials and the state's Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who said that the president's visit would only serve to further inflame tensions.
Two people were shot to death and one seriously wounded at one of the Kenosha protests following the Blake shooting. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, has been charged in the shootings at the demonstration.
Trump surveyed damage at the sites of the recent demonstrations and held a roundtable event in which he praised law enforcement, condemned looting and repeated his attacks on what he called "Democrat cities."
Trump said he did not meet with Blake's family because they wanted to have a lawyer present. Biden's campaign did not say whether the Democratic nominee will meet with the family.
Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., have spoken with the family by telephone, the family's attorney Ben Crump said over the weekend.
Biden, who has denounced looting and rioting, has accused Trump of seeking to use protests against police brutality to divide the country and increase animosity.
Biden sounded those themes on Monday during an address in Pittsburgh. Parts of his visit were turned into a new nationwide ad that the campaign said would roll out in key swing states including Wisconsin.
"Rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. Setting fires is not protesting. None of this is protesting, it's lawlessness, plain and simple," the former vice president said in the speech. "And those who do it should be prosecuted. Violence will not bring change. It will only bring destruction. It's wrong in every way."
Trump narrowly beat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin in 2016, but Biden has been leading him in recent polls in the state. Clinton infamously did not visit Wisconsin in 2016.
Biden is also ahead of Trump in national surveys, though his margin in some state and national surveys has declined somewhat in recent days.
A CNBC/Change Research poll from August found Biden leading Trump narrowly in Wisconsin, 49-46, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.


cnbc--2020-09-02--Biden campaign blasts Trump over withheld Homeland Security report on Russians denigrating the Democ

Biden campaign blasts Trump over withheld Homeland Security report on Russians denigrating the Democrat's mental health

Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf speaks during a press conference on the actions taken by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security agents in Portland during continued protests at the US Customs and Border Patrol headquarters on July 21 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
Joe Biden 's presidential campaign on Wednesday accused President Donald Trump of blocking the release of a Department of Homeland Security bulletin that warns Russia is seeking to promote `` allegations about the poor mental health '' of the former vice president .
`` Trump does not want to expose the degree to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are propagating this message for his benefit , '' said Andrew Bates , a spokesman for the Democrat Biden 's campaign .
`` He is blocking the intelligence community from sharing with federal and state law enforcement a crucial finding : that Russia is disseminating false and scurrilous attacks on the health of Joe Biden — one that aligns with Trump 's own constantly-backfiring attacks , '' Bates said .
Trump , a Republican , has repeatedly suggested that Biden is not mentally competent to become president .
ABC News reported Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publication of an intelligence bulletin to law enforcement agencies titled `` Russia Likely to Denigrate Health of US Candidates to Influence 2020 Election . ''
Just one hour after that bulletin was submitted for legal and public affairs review within DHS , which had planned to send out that alert within two days , DHS Chief of Staff John Gountanis sent an email saying , `` Please hold on sending this one out until you have a chance to speak to '' Chad Wolf , the acting Secretary of Homeland Security , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bulletin said that analysts had determined with `` high confidence '' that `` Russian malign influence actors are likely to continue denigrating presidential candidates through allegations of poor mental or physical health to influence the outcome of the 2020 election , '' according to ABC News .
While the bulletin does include references to efforts by both Iran and China to criticize Trump , its focus is on how Russia is seeking to cast doubt on Biden 's mental competency , the report said .
NBC News later reported that DHS confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stating that the Russians are seeking to raise questions about the presidential candidates ' health , as ABC News reported .
A DHS spokesman told NBC that the bulletin does not meet the quality standards of the agency .
`` While DHS generally does not comment on leaked documents , this particular draft product lacked the necessary context and evidence for broader dissemination outside of the Department of Homeland Security 's Office of Intelligence and Analysis , '' the spokesman said .
`` After briefing the Acting Secretary and he asked questions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delay the product for further review . ''
Wolf , in an interview Wednesday with Fox News , was asked about the issue .
`` The report that you referenced was at the end of the day a very poorly written report .
I had questions about it when I talked to career officials in I & A , the office that produced the report , '' Wolf said .
`` They also had questions about they 're hard at work on rewriting that record , putting it in better context .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Wolf said .
I 'm going to continue to do my job , make sure the information coming out of the department is first rate.
`` Tim Murtaugh , spokesman for Trump 's presidential campaign , in a statement responding to the Biden campaign said , `` The Intelligence Community has determined that both China and Iran are trying to stop President Trump 's re-election .
And it was the Democrats – Hillary Clinton and the [ Democratic National Committee ] – who actively solicited the assistance of foreign nationals in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 , using a fake dossier compiled by a foreign former intelligence agent using Russian disinformation . ''
`` President Trump will beat Joe Biden fair and square and we do n't need or want any foreign interference , '' Murtaugh said .
Bates , the Biden campaign 's spokesman , said the withholding of the report `` is especially notable and deeply concerning '' because news of it came days after disclosure that the Trump `` administration is also seeking to keep the American people in the dark about election interference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same subject . ''
Last Friday , the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told the House and Senate Select Committees on Intelligence that it will no longer give in-person briefings about election security and foreign election interference .
While those committees still will get access to written finished intelligence reports , their members will not be able to question ODNI officials about the report in person .
Bates said Wednesday , `` Not only did Trump ask for Russian interference and use it in 2016 , but his administration stifled a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 . ''
`` This is yet another reason why voters can not believe a single thing Donald Trump or his campaign say , '' Bates said .

Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf speaks during a press conference on the actions taken by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security agents in Portland during continued protests at the US Customs and Border Patrol headquarters on July 21, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Joe Biden's presidential campaign on Wednesday accused President Donald Trump of blocking the release of a Department of Homeland Security bulletin that warns Russia is seeking to promote "allegations about the poor mental health" of the former vice president.
"Trump does not want to expose the degree to which his political partners in the Kremlin are propagating this message for his benefit," said Andrew Bates, a spokesman for the Democrat Biden's campaign.
"He is blocking the intelligence community from sharing with federal and state law enforcement a crucial finding: that Russia is disseminating false and scurrilous attacks on the health of Joe Biden — one that aligns with Trump's own constantly-backfiring attacks," Bates said.
Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly suggested that Biden is not mentally competent to become president.
ABC News reported Wednesday that DHS in early July withheld the scheduled publication of an intelligence bulletin to law enforcement agencies titled "Russia Likely to Denigrate Health of US Candidates to Influence 2020 Election."
Just one hour after that bulletin was submitted for legal and public affairs review within DHS, which had planned to send out that alert within two days, DHS Chief of Staff John Gountanis sent an email saying, "Please hold on sending this one out until you have a chance to speak to" Chad Wolf, the acting Secretary of Homeland Security, according to ABC News.
The draft of the bulletin said that analysts had determined with "high confidence" that "Russian malign influence actors are likely to continue denigrating presidential candidates through allegations of poor mental or physical health to influence the outcome of the 2020 election," according to ABC News.
While the bulletin does include references to efforts by both Iran and China to criticize Trump, its focus is on how Russia is seeking to cast doubt on Biden's mental competency, the report said.
NBC News later reported that DHS confirmed the agency is withholding an intelligence report stating that the Russians are seeking to raise questions about the presidential candidates' health, as ABC News reported.
A DHS spokesman told NBC that the bulletin does not meet the quality standards of the agency.
"While DHS generally does not comment on leaked documents, this particular draft product lacked the necessary context and evidence for broader dissemination outside of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis," the spokesman said.
"After briefing the Acting Secretary and he asked questions, I&A career leadership decided to delay the product for further review."
Wolf, in an interview Wednesday with Fox News, was asked about the issue.
"The report that you referenced was at the end of the day a very poorly written report. I had questions about it when I talked to career officials in I&A, the office that produced the report," Wolf said.
"They also had questions about they're hard at work on rewriting that record, putting it in better context. I hope to see that record out soon," Wolf said. I'm going to continue to do my job, make sure the information coming out of the department is first rate. "
Tim Murtaugh, spokesman for Trump's presidential campaign, in a statement responding to the Biden campaign said, "The Intelligence Community has determined that both China and Iran are trying to stop President Trump's re-election. And it was the Democrats – Hillary Clinton and the [Democratic National Committee] – who actively solicited the assistance of foreign nationals in their unsuccessful effort to beat President Trump in 2016, using a fake dossier compiled by a foreign former intelligence agent using Russian disinformation."
"President Trump will beat Joe Biden fair and square and we don't need or want any foreign interference," Murtaugh said.
Bates, the Biden campaign's spokesman, said the withholding of the report "is especially notable and deeply concerning" because news of it came days after disclosure that the Trump "administration is also seeking to keep the American people in the dark about election interference by cutting off congressional briefings on that same subject."
Last Friday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told the House and Senate Select Committees on Intelligence that it will no longer give in-person briefings about election security and foreign election interference.
While those committees still will get access to written finished intelligence reports, their members will not be able to question ODNI officials about the report in person.
Bates said Wednesday, "Not only did Trump ask for Russian interference and use it in 2016, but his administration stifled a public warning about another form of it in 2020."
"This is yet another reason why voters cannot believe a single thing Donald Trump or his campaign say," Bates said.


cnbc--2020-09-02--Pelosi says Democrats, White House have 'serious differences' over coronavirus aid after call with M

Pelosi says Democrats, White House have 'serious differences' over coronavirus aid after call with Mnuchin

The impasse risks dealing further damage to millions of Americans scrambling to cover rent and food costs as economic restrictions designed to limit Covid-19 's spread remain in place .
Failure to pass more fiscal stimulus could also jeopardize the employment gains the U.S. has made in the last three months after record job losses early on in the outbreak .
Pelosi indicated the sides stand far apart on the price tag for a fifth package designed to alleviate economic and health-care crises fueled by the pandemic .
Democrats first proposed more than $ 3 trillion in spending but later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trillion bill .
The Trump administration has not gone higher than roughly $ 1.3 trillion .
`` Sadly , this phone call made clear that Democrats and the White House continue to have serious differences understanding the gravity of the situation that America 's working families are facing , '' the California Democrat said in a statement Tuesday after the 36-minute conversation .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she spoke to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday , but the pair failed to bridge a chasm between their proposals for more coronavirus relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy earlier this year have lapsed .
A $ 600 per week enhanced unemployment benefit and a moratorium on evictions from federally backed housing expired in late July , while the window to apply for Paycheck Protection Program small business loans closed in August .
President Donald Trump has deployed his limited powers to offer aid during the stalemate .
His administration said Tuesday that it would use Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authority to halt evictions through the end of the year for individuals who make $ 99,000 or less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less .
The expiration of eviction moratoriums around the country has led to fears of a housing crisis .
He previously signed executive orders to extend extra jobless benefits of at least $ 300 per week for some Americans for several weeks , continue federal student loan assistance until the end of the year and suspend the employee portion of the payroll tax .
But his ability to provide relief does not go nearly as far as that of Congress , which controls federal spending .
On Tuesday morning , White House chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sides have made `` real progress '' on pandemic relief .
He noted that deciding on how much aid to send to state and local governments posed the biggest `` stumbling block '' for negotiators .
Democrats want more than $ 900 billion in new relief , while the White House has offered $ 150 billion in additional funds .
Mnuchin testified before Congress about coronavirus relief on Tuesday .
At one point , Rep. Maxine Waters , D-Calif. , asked the Treasury secretary to call Pelosi to restart talks after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` I will call her right after the hearing . ''
During his testimony , Mnuchin acknowledged the need for another bill to address Covid-19 .
He said he wants to `` move forward on a bipartisan basis on points we can agree upon '' — areas including unemployment insurance , small business loans and school funding .
While he blamed Democrats for what he called a refusal to compromise , Mnuchin said he is `` willing to sit down at the negotiating table with the speaker with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Senate will return to Washington next week and will likely put forward a narrow coronavirus aid proposal .
While it has little chance of becoming law , the GOP-held chamber aims to put more pressure on Democrats .
Congress has more to do than consider coronavirus aid when it comes back .
Lawmakers also need to pass a plan to fund the government and prevent a shutdown before Sept. 30 .
If both issues drag on long enough , Congress could potentially try to address them in one bill .

The impasse risks dealing further damage to millions of Americans scrambling to cover rent and food costs as economic restrictions designed to limit Covid-19's spread remain in place. Failure to pass more fiscal stimulus could also jeopardize the employment gains the U.S. has made in the last three months after record job losses early on in the outbreak.
Pelosi indicated the sides stand far apart on the price tag for a fifth package designed to alleviate economic and health-care crises fueled by the pandemic. Democrats first proposed more than $3 trillion in spending but later said they would accept a $2.2 trillion bill. The Trump administration has not gone higher than roughly $1.3 trillion.
"Sadly, this phone call made clear that Democrats and the White House continue to have serious differences understanding the gravity of the situation that America's working families are facing," the California Democrat said in a statement Tuesday after the 36-minute conversation.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she spoke to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday, but the pair failed to bridge a chasm between their proposals for more coronavirus relief.
Multiple financial lifelines passed to buoy the economy earlier this year have lapsed. A $600 per week enhanced unemployment benefit and a moratorium on evictions from federally backed housing expired in late July, while the window to apply for Paycheck Protection Program small business loans closed in August.
President Donald Trump has deployed his limited powers to offer aid during the stalemate. His administration said Tuesday that it would use Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authority to halt evictions through the end of the year for individuals who make $99,000 or less and couples who make $198,000 or less. The expiration of eviction moratoriums around the country has led to fears of a housing crisis.
He previously signed executive orders to extend extra jobless benefits of at least $300 per week for some Americans for several weeks, continue federal student loan assistance until the end of the year and suspend the employee portion of the payroll tax. But his ability to provide relief does not go nearly as far as that of Congress, which controls federal spending.
On Tuesday morning, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told CNBC that the sides have made "real progress" on pandemic relief. He noted that deciding on how much aid to send to state and local governments posed the biggest "stumbling block" for negotiators. Democrats want more than $900 billion in new relief, while the White House has offered $150 billion in additional funds.
Mnuchin testified before Congress about coronavirus relief on Tuesday. At one point, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., asked the Treasury secretary to call Pelosi to restart talks after he finished at the Capitol.
"Done," he said. "I will call her right after the hearing."
During his testimony, Mnuchin acknowledged the need for another bill to address Covid-19. He said he wants to "move forward on a bipartisan basis on points we can agree upon" — areas including unemployment insurance, small business loans and school funding.
While he blamed Democrats for what he called a refusal to compromise, Mnuchin said he is "willing to sit down at the negotiating table with the speaker with no conditions whatsoever any time."
The Senate will return to Washington next week and will likely put forward a narrow coronavirus aid proposal. While it has little chance of becoming law, the GOP-held chamber aims to put more pressure on Democrats.
Congress has more to do than consider coronavirus aid when it comes back. Lawmakers also need to pass a plan to fund the government and prevent a shutdown before Sept. 30.
If both issues drag on long enough, Congress could potentially try to address them in one bill.
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cnbc--2020-09-02--Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Trump's 'Buy American' executive order for essential medicines doesn't go far

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Trump's 'Buy American' executive order for essential medicines doesn't go far enough

Wearing a face mask to reduce the chance of transmission of the novel coronavirus , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a vote May 18 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
The coronavirus pandemic has put the spotlight on the United States ' reliance on foreign countries for key pharmaceutical products .
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month that directs the Food and Drug Administration to create a list of essential medicines and calls on the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs to buy critical pharmaceuticals from domestic suppliers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other nations across the globe that could one day deny us products in a time of need , '' Trump said on Aug , 6 , in a speech at a Whirlpool factory in Clyde , Ohio .
But Democratic Sens .
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota are calling on Trump to go further to address the issue .
`` We have introduced legislation , the U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act that requires comprehensive action to revamp domestic manufacturing of critical drugs and their key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation 's supply chain , '' the senators wrote in a letter sent to the president on Wednesday .
`` We hope you will work together with Congress in a bipartisan way to pass this legislation and eliminate this public health and national security gap . ''
The senators want his support for their legislation , which first introduced in July .
The bill would increase funding for agencies to buy domestically produced drugs , promote drug development in the U.S. and require drug makers to annually report to the FDA information about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaningful actions , your Executive Order will not help address this legitimate national security and public health problem , '' they wrote .
The letter comes as the administration and democrats are sparring over the next round of virus relief aid .
The president 's executive orders to defer payroll taxes and extend unemployment insurance are limited , since the taxes are still owed , and unemployment payments are administered by the states .
Senators Warren and Smith call the EO on pharmaceuticals `` vague and inadequate . ''
The U.S. imports more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ingredients , the raw chemicals used to make drugs , according to the FDA , with the EU , India , China the largest suppliers .
Production globally has shifted over the decades to countries that have more beneficial tax incentives , less-restrictive environmental laws , and/or cheaper costs of labor .
The president and lawmakers are in agreement that the overreliance on foreign components poses serious risk to public health and national security .
The president 's executive order also calls on the Environmental Protection Agency to streamline regulations , including accelerating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wary of the administration 's push to deregulate , Warren and Smith question the move `` In developing this Executive Order , did the Administration consider the potential harms to the health and well being of the American people that could stem from waiving or expediting existing environmental regulations , '' they said .
The White House responded with a statement from Peter Navarro , the director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing saying the president is taking action while Democrats in Congress `` fiddle . ''
He added , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work in a bipartisan effort to turn this potent EO immediately into law , but sending snarky CYA letters that try to paper over the Democrats ' failure on this issue in the middle of an election cycle does not seem in good faith . ''
The administration 's efforts to boost domestic drug production have been chaotic at times .
A $ 765 million government loan to Kodak to manufacture drug ingredients is on hold while the Securities and Exchange Commission investigates the company 's disclosure of the deal , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren has also called on the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to investigate .
`` The fiasco surrounding the decision to offer , then revoke , the Kodak loan also raises larger questions about corruption , nepotism , and mismanagement in the Trump Administration 's response to COVID-19 , '' she wrote in an Aug. 20 letter to the committee 's acting chairman , Michael Horowitz .

Wearing a face mask to reduce the chance of transmission of the novel coronavirus, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a vote May 18, 2020 in Washington, DC.
The coronavirus pandemic has put the spotlight on the United States' reliance on foreign countries for key pharmaceutical products.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month that directs the Food and Drug Administration to create a list of essential medicines and calls on the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs to buy critical pharmaceuticals from domestic suppliers.
"We cannot rely on China and other nations across the globe that could one day deny us products in a time of need," Trump said on Aug, 6, in a speech at a Whirlpool factory in Clyde, Ohio.
But Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota are calling on Trump to go further to address the issue.
"We have introduced legislation, the U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act that requires comprehensive action to revamp domestic manufacturing of critical drugs and their key starting materials and address vulnerabilities in our nation's supply chain," the senators wrote in a letter sent to the president on Wednesday.
"We hope you will work together with Congress in a bipartisan way to pass this legislation and eliminate this public health and national security gap."
The senators want his support for their legislation, which first introduced in July. The bill would increase funding for agencies to buy domestically produced drugs, promote drug development in the U.S. and require drug makers to annually report to the FDA information about their supply chains.
"Absent these meaningful actions, your Executive Order will not help address this legitimate national security and public health problem," they wrote.
The letter comes as the administration and democrats are sparring over the next round of virus relief aid. The president's executive orders to defer payroll taxes and extend unemployment insurance are limited, since the taxes are still owed, and unemployment payments are administered by the states.
Senators Warren and Smith call the EO on pharmaceuticals "vague and inadequate."
The U.S. imports more than 70 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients, the raw chemicals used to make drugs, according to the FDA, with the EU, India, China the largest suppliers. Production globally has shifted over the decades to countries that have more beneficial tax incentives, less-restrictive environmental laws, and/or cheaper costs of labor.
The president and lawmakers are in agreement that the overreliance on foreign components poses serious risk to public health and national security.
The president's executive order also calls on the Environmental Protection Agency to streamline regulations, including accelerating siting and permitting approvals for domestic manufacturing.
Wary of the administration's push to deregulate, Warren and Smith question the move "In developing this Executive Order, did the Administration consider the potential harms to the health and well being of the American people that could stem from waiving or expediting existing environmental regulations," they said.
The White House responded with a statement from Peter Navarro, the director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing saying the president is taking action while Democrats in Congress "fiddle." He added, "We'd be more than happy to work in a bipartisan effort to turn this potent EO immediately into law, but sending snarky CYA letters that try to paper over the Democrats' failure on this issue in the middle of an election cycle does not seem in good faith."
The administration's efforts to boost domestic drug production have been chaotic at times. A $765 million government loan to Kodak to manufacture drug ingredients is on hold while the Securities and Exchange Commission investigates the company's disclosure of the deal, which was announced at the end of July.
Warren has also called on the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to investigate. "The fiasco surrounding the decision to offer, then revoke, the Kodak loan also raises larger questions about corruption, nepotism, and mismanagement in the Trump Administration's response to COVID-19," she wrote in an Aug. 20 letter to the committee's acting chairman, Michael Horowitz.


cnbc--2020-09-02--Markey fends off Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary that divided Democrats

Sen. Ed Markey on Tuesday held off a primary challenge from Rep. Joe Kennedy III in a race that divided progressive and establishment Democrats .
Kennedy told supporters Tuesday night that he called Markey to congratulate him `` and to pledge my support to him and his campaign in the months ahead . ''
`` The senator is a good man , '' he added .
Speaking in supporters later , Markey said he had spoken with Kennedy `` and I extended my respect and congratulations for a campaign that has been fierce at times but always fueled by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great commonwealth . ''
With about 75 percent of the vote counted , Markey held an 8-point lead over his challenger .
The primary battle became increasingly nasty in its closing weeks , with Kennedy hammering Markey over decades-old votes on busing and the 1994 crime bill .
Markey , meanwhile , took some swipes at Kennedy 's family , playing off President John F. Kennedy 's famous line `` Ask not what your country can do for you .
Ask what you can do for your country . ''
In a campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all due respect , it 's time to start asking what your country can do for you . ''
Kennedy had tried to paint himself as more progressive on racial issues than Markey .
`` I am a 39-year-old white man of tremendous privilege .
My own work on racial justice is wholly incomplete .
But this fight is in my blood , '' he said in a speech last month .
From a distance , the race appeared to be similar to others around the country where longtime Democratic politicians were ousted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challengers .
But different dynamics were in play in the Markey-Kennedy fight .
Kennedy was n't considered more liberal than Markey , and he hails from the state 's most powerful political dynasty — his grandfather was Sen. Robert Kennedy , and JFK was his great-uncle .
Kennedy 's run was endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md.
, several other well-known Democrats and some key labor unions .
Kennedy addressed his family legacy in his concession speech , saying `` To my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was invoked far more often than I anticipated in this race , to my mom , my dad , my twin brother , and the rest of a rowdy bunch of crazy cousins , you all are my heroes , you are my role models , you are my example of what public service should be and can be when it is done with courage and grit .
Thank you for teaching me everything I know . ''
Markey , 74 , a longtime House member who was elected to the Senate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of the co-sponsors of the Green New Deal .
That earned him the endorsement of progressive star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. , and he 's also been backed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass .
And Markey was supported by Justice Democrats , the group that helped propel Ocasio-Cortez to a stunning primary victory in 2018 and has helped put together a string of other primary victories this year .
In another closely watched race Tuesday night , Rep. Richard Neal , the head of the powerful House Ways and Means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Alex Morse , the mayor of Holyoke .
With about 90 percent of the vote counted , Neal led his challenger by 18 points .
Neal , 71 , found himself being challenged by Morse , 31 , and the Justice Democrats , who painted the incumbent as an obstacle to their agenda — including `` Medicare for All '' and the Green New Deal .
Morse hammered Neal for not being aggressive enough in his bid to get President Donald Trump 's tax returns from the Treasury Department , something the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do .
`` The chairman has a lot of power .
But he dropped the ball .
He did n't use that power to hold this president accountable , '' Morse told The Washington Post .
In a debate , Neal insisted that he 's `` delivered '' for his constituents .
Neal was backed by Pelosi , who said that `` I know what he has done '' in office and that `` it would be a tremendous loss to the district to lose the chairman of the Ways and Means @ @ @

Sen. Ed Markey on Tuesday held off a primary challenge from Rep. Joe Kennedy III in a race that divided progressive and establishment Democrats.
Kennedy told supporters Tuesday night that he called Markey to congratulate him "and to pledge my support to him and his campaign in the months ahead."
"The senator is a good man," he added.
Speaking in supporters later, Markey said he had spoken with Kennedy "and I extended my respect and congratulations for a campaign that has been fierce at times but always fueled by a shared commitment to the people of this great commonwealth."
With about 75 percent of the vote counted, Markey held an 8-point lead over his challenger.
The primary battle became increasingly nasty in its closing weeks, with Kennedy hammering Markey over decades-old votes on busing and the 1994 crime bill. Markey, meanwhile, took some swipes at Kennedy's family, playing off President John F. Kennedy's famous line "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country."
In a campaign video, Markey said, "With all due respect, it's time to start asking what your country can do for you."
Kennedy had tried to paint himself as more progressive on racial issues than Markey.
"I am a 39-year-old white man of tremendous privilege. My own work on racial justice is wholly incomplete. But this fight is in my blood," he said in a speech last month.
From a distance, the race appeared to be similar to others around the country where longtime Democratic politicians were ousted in primaries by younger, more progressive challengers. But different dynamics were in play in the Markey-Kennedy fight.
Kennedy wasn't considered more liberal than Markey, and he hails from the state's most powerful political dynasty — his grandfather was Sen. Robert Kennedy, and JFK was his great-uncle. Kennedy's run was endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., several other well-known Democrats and some key labor unions.
Kennedy addressed his family legacy in his concession speech, saying "To my family, the Kennedy family, whose name was invoked far more often than I anticipated in this race, to my mom, my dad, my twin brother, and the rest of a rowdy bunch of crazy cousins, you all are my heroes, you are my role models, you are my example of what public service should be and can be when it is done with courage and grit. Thank you for teaching me everything I know."
Markey, 74, a longtime House member who was elected to the Senate in 2013, has a progressive record and is one of the co-sponsors of the Green New Deal. That earned him the endorsement of progressive star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and he's also been backed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
And Markey was supported by Justice Democrats, the group that helped propel Ocasio-Cortez to a stunning primary victory in 2018 and has helped put together a string of other primary victories this year.
In another closely watched race Tuesday night, Rep. Richard Neal, the head of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, fended off a primary challenge from Alex Morse, the mayor of Holyoke.
With about 90 percent of the vote counted, Neal led his challenger by 18 points.
Neal, 71, found himself being challenged by Morse, 31, and the Justice Democrats, who painted the incumbent as an obstacle to their agenda — including "Medicare for All" and the Green New Deal.
Morse hammered Neal for not being aggressive enough in his bid to get President Donald Trump's tax returns from the Treasury Department, something the Ways and Means chair is technically empowered to do.
"The chairman has a lot of power. But he dropped the ball. He didn't use that power to hold this president accountable," Morse told The Washington Post.
In a debate, Neal insisted that he's "delivered" for his constituents.
Neal was backed by Pelosi, who said that "I know what he has done" in office and that "it would be a tremendous loss to the district to lose the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee."


cnbc--2020-09-02--Biden transition team won't take full access to federal office space due to the coronavirus

Former Vice President Joe Biden 's team is now eligible for something every presidential campaign gets at this time of an election year — federal office space and government resources .
The only problem is they will largely be unable to use it , due to the coronavirus .
Sept. 1 marks the beginning of a new phase of the presidential transition effort that is quietly taking place behind a backdrop of bitter political warfare between Biden and President Donald Trump .
The Democrat 's team is now eligible for office space at the Commerce Department in Washington and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , the Biden team also receives funding and the right to process security clearances for transition officials .
They also become ex-officio members of the two executive branch transition committees — one at the White House and one with Cabinet agencies .
It 's all part of a larger , legally mandated presidential transition effort designed to ensure that no matter who wins in November , the incoming government will have plenty of time and resources to be effective on Inauguration Day in January .
The Trump administration is also involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there will be a large amount of staff turnover ahead of a potential second term for the president .
But the virus is getting in the way of the carefully laid plans .
`` Like many organizations around the country , the Biden transition team will continue to do our work remotely .
While we have access to GSA space , the number of staff needed inside the office will be limited , '' a Biden transition spokesman told CNBC .
`` A portion of our work is dedicated to ensuring continuity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the handling of sensitive information which may require socially distant interaction .
Our team is following the direction of public health experts and medical professionals to develop a plan to keep our staff and their families safe . ''
The overall transition effort is supported by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service 's Center for Presidential Transition , which works with teams representing both candidates to develop plans to understand and staff up an enormously complicated federal government .
Despite the bitter intensity of the presidential campaign , the non-partisan officials say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` So far , so good , '' said David Marchick , director for the Center for Presidential Transition .
`` The three major players — the Trump White House , the career officials in the agencies and the Biden team — are all taking their transition work very seriously .
This will be the most important transition since 1932 given the United States simultaneously face economic , health and social justice crises . ''
Marchick said he does not underestimate the scale of the challenge ahead for transition officials on both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first or second term is a huge undertaking in a normal election year .
This year , the degree of difficulty is many times greater . ''

Former Vice President Joe Biden's team is now eligible for something every presidential campaign gets at this time of an election year — federal office space and government resources.
The only problem is they will largely be unable to use it, due to the coronavirus.
Sept. 1 marks the beginning of a new phase of the presidential transition effort that is quietly taking place behind a backdrop of bitter political warfare between Biden and President Donald Trump. The Democrat's team is now eligible for office space at the Commerce Department in Washington and a government supported IT network.
As of Tuesday, the Biden team also receives funding and the right to process security clearances for transition officials. They also become ex-officio members of the two executive branch transition committees — one at the White House and one with Cabinet agencies.
It's all part of a larger, legally mandated presidential transition effort designed to ensure that no matter who wins in November, the incoming government will have plenty of time and resources to be effective on Inauguration Day in January. The Trump administration is also involved in the transition effort, given the expectation that there will be a large amount of staff turnover ahead of a potential second term for the president.
But the virus is getting in the way of the carefully laid plans.
"Like many organizations around the country, the Biden transition team will continue to do our work remotely. While we have access to GSA space, the number of staff needed inside the office will be limited," a Biden transition spokesman told CNBC. "A portion of our work is dedicated to ensuring continuity of government across all federal agencies, including the handling of sensitive information which may require socially distant interaction. Our team is following the direction of public health experts and medical professionals to develop a plan to keep our staff and their families safe."
A Trump transition official declined to comment.
The overall transition effort is supported by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service's Center for Presidential Transition, which works with teams representing both candidates to develop plans to understand and staff up an enormously complicated federal government.
Despite the bitter intensity of the presidential campaign, the non-partisan officials say things behind the scenes are going smoothly.
"So far, so good," said David Marchick, director for the Center for Presidential Transition. "The three major players — the Trump White House, the career officials in the agencies and the Biden team — are all taking their transition work very seriously. This will be the most important transition since 1932 given the United States simultaneously face economic, health and social justice crises."
Marchick said he does not underestimate the scale of the challenge ahead for transition officials on both sides. "A transition to a first or second term is a huge undertaking in a normal election year. This year, the degree of difficulty is many times greater."
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cnbc--2020-09-03--Budget deficit to hit record $3.3 trillion due to virus, recession

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin testifies before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis , during a hybrid hearing , Tuesday , Sept. 1 , 2020 , on Capitol Hill in Washington .
The federal budget deficit is projected to hit a record $ 3.3 trillion as huge government expenditures to fight the coronavirus and to prop up the economy have added more than $ 2 trillion to the federal ledger , the Congressional Budget Office said .
The spike in the deficit means that federal debt will exceed annual gross domestic product next year — a milestone that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the aftermath of World War II , when accumulated debt exceeded the size of the economy .
The $ 3.3 trillion figure released Wednesday is more than triple the 2019 shortfall and more than double the levels experienced after the market meltdown and Great Recession of 2008-09 .
Government spending , fueled by four coronavirus response measures , would register at $ 6.6 trillion , $ 2 trillion-plus more than 2019 .
The recession has caused a drop in tax revenues have fallen , but the changes are not as dramatic as seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income tax collections running 11 % behind last year .
Corporate tax collections are down 34 % .
The economy shut down in the spring so people could be in isolation , in a failed national attempt to defeat the pandemic .
That shutdown led lawmakers and President Donald Trump to pump money into business subsidies , larger unemployment benefits , $ 1,200 direct payments and other stimulus steps that have helped the economy in the short term .
Most economists are untroubled by such huge borrowing when the economy is in peril @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern when a cornerstone $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief bill passed almost unanimously in March .
But now that lawmakers and the White House are quarreling over the size and scope of a fifth virus relief bill , Republicans are growing skittish at the enormous costs of battling the pandemic .
The Democratic-controlled House passed a $ 3.5 trillion measure in May , though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , says she is willing to cut that figure to $ 2.2 trillion .
Caseloads remain unacceptably elevated , however , as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the economy and sentiment remains high for a fifth virus rescue package that would include money to reopen schools , patch state budgets and continue enhanced jobless benefits that have kept families afloat .
Among Republicans , there seems to be less ardor for a deal — at least at what they see as unfavorable terms .
GOP leaders had been pressing for a package in the $ 1 trillion range , but party talks during August have focused on a smaller package .
The enormous deficit is bringing the federal debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy , near levels not experienced since the end of World War II , when explosive borrowing to finance the war effort caused a historic spike .
But those levels quickly receded during the postwar boom — something that wo n't happen now , since federal spending is now dominated by retirement programs like Medicare and Social Security , whose costs increase automatically with inflation and the ongoing retirement of the Baby Boom generation .
Deficit scolds have long warned that rising levels of debt will serve as a drag on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest rates rise too high , servicing the debt will put significant strain on the budget .
The Federal Reserve has stepped in to keep credit markets stable and interest rates low for years as debt levels have risen .
`` At a certain point , Washington 's insatiable borrowing needs will crowd out other investments and harm growth , '' said Brian Riedl , a senior fellow at the conservative Manhatten Institute .
`` Washington should help end the pandemic and rescue the economy , yet must also address these unsustainable long-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the publicly held national debt will total 98 % of the U.S. gross domestic product , the total output of goods and services .
That compares with 79 % of GDP at the end of 2019 and 35 % back in 2007 .
The CBO projected that the debt would exceed 100 % of GDP in 2021 and set a new record high of 107 % in 2021 .
CBO , the nonpartisan economic and research arm of Congress , predicts that deficit will total $ 13 trillion over the coming decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been updated to show that the U.S. budget deficit is projected to hit a record $ 3.3 trillion .