cnbc--2020-12-21--White House task force kept airport Covid screeners in place despite known risk of infection, source

White House task force kept airport Covid screeners in place despite known risk of infection, sources say

In a nearly 17-year career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection , Officer Omar E. Palmer had encountered plenty of precarious situations , from suitcases filled with weapons and drugs to disorderly passengers in John F. Kennedy Airport 's international terminal , according to his longtime friend and significant other .
`` I would often get calls , when he would get off work in the middle of the night -- about what happened , or who he met , or a particular seize that happened , '' said Yvette Williams .
`` Omar was fearless . ''
Williams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college English course , began to feel fearful and helpless from afar .
Palmer , who lived in New York with his aging mother , said long-term quarantining was n't possible , and he sent her selfies in personal protective equipment to ease her worries .
`` His favorite phrase to me was , ' I am not some delicate flower , ' '' Williams said .
`` I said , 'You 're not a delicate flower , but you 're a human being . '
'' Williams ' gut feeling was right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airport , and died in early May after a monthlong stay in intensive care .
Palmer was among hundreds of federal personnel whose responsibilities were adjusted to include evaluating the health of passengers arriving from overseas .
`` U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Omar Palmer performed many assigned tasks with professionalism and integrity , his passing was tragic and we kindly ask that you respect his family 's privacy during this difficult time , '' an agency spokesman at JFK said .
The goal of the screening program was to identify and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus into the country , in hopes that it would thwart any possible community spread .
In interviews with dozens of federal employees and task force officials over four months , CNBC learned that the program proved not only ineffective but dangerous from its earliest days .
One former official on the White House coronavirus task force estimated that that three- to four-dozen personnel were infected by the end of May .
To compare , nine travelers out of hundreds of thousands screened in the program were detected to have been infected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House chose not to dismantle it , in a bid to avoid worrying the public .
`` 'We are doing everything we possibly can to protect the homeland ' — that was the message that was being sent by continuing the screenings , '' said a former Health and Human Services official , speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations .
`` But at some point you have to adapt .
You have to say : 'This is n't working . '
'' The White House , the National Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not respond to requests for comment .
The office of the vice president , who was appointed to lead the task force in February once the system was in place , declined to comment .
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services noted the administration had little institutional knowledge to inform early policy and accused China of obscuring information about the nature of the virus .
`` Airport screening seemed to be an immediate tool to mitigate the threat of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures could be taken to slow the spread within the country , '' the spokesperson said in a statement sent after the publication of this article .
The plan , hatched by the White House task force in mid-January , began modestly enough : Travelers whose itineraries originated in China would be diverted to one of three airports , where a few dozen screeners would evaluate their symptoms .
As the virus spread west through the Middle East and Europe , the program swelled to 15 airports , flights from 31 countries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the program 's peak , agents were conducting roughly 30,000 screenings daily , according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data .
The Department of Homeland Security staffed the first line of defense : Customs and Border Protection agents , outfitted in gloves , goggles and N95 masks , would check temperatures and administer a flu-symptom questionnaire to arriving passengers , in addition to checking passports .
Anyone who registered above-grade would be sent for further evaluation in rooms staffed by nearly 500 agency analysts and outside contractors organized by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration attempted to foster confidence in the strategy , sending the country 's top health officials to the White House briefing room to field questions from reporters .
`` These prudent and targeted actions will decrease the pressure on public health officials screening incoming travelers , expedite the processing of U.S. citizens returning from China , and ensure resources are focused on the health and safety of the American people , '' Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Jan. 31 , two weeks after the program began .
But behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program was not doing what it purported to do .
`` We were n't finding anybody .
I mean , we were finding , like , zero people , '' said Joe Grogan , who was the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council until May .
`` It became pretty clear relatively quickly that it was , from a public health perspective , as far as identifying people who were Covid positive , it was a failure . ''
The numbers were indeed near zero .
According to CDC data , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-September .
Only nine positive cases of coronavirus resulted from the screens , or 0.001 % .
The nature of this virus — in particular , its widespread transmission by healthy-looking people — rendered the screeners ' search for visible symptoms useless .
`` The people who actually had a temperature , that the net actually caught , '' the former HHS official says , `` I mean , it was so minimal . ''
What 's more , the nature of the asymptomatic spread meant contagious travelers were going undetected , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at high rates , according to Grogan and three task force officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they still serve in the administration .
`` It was a pretty stark data point , '' Grogan told CNBC in an exclusive interview to discuss the program .
`` It was relayed out that -- not only are we not finding anybody , we are getting more CDC and DHS employees infected with Covid at the airports than we are finding people . ''
As the nation 's largest employer , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high incidence of Covid cases .
After the Postal Service , the Department of Homeland Security saw the highest infection rate among federal agencies , with more than 4,000 at Customs and order Protection alone .
CBP did not respond to a request for a breakdown of how many of those cases occurred at airports .
Unlike other agencies , the CDC does not provide information about agency infections on a publicly available dashboard .
When requested by CNBC , the CDC declined to provide data about infection rates among screeners .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top officials , including Director Dr. Robert Redfield and Dr. Marty Cetron , to discuss their concerns about the program .
'We were aware they were getting sick' The ineffectiveness of the program became widely understood by mid-March , leading the White House and federal agencies to weigh dismantling it and reallocating resources to other hot spots , according to six task force officials involved in the discussions .
These officials requested anonymity because they still serve in , or do business with , the administration and did not have authorization to discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the debate was not about the screeners themselves .
`` We were aware they were getting sick , but it was whether [ the testing of passengers ] was effective , '' the official said .
A second task force official said the questions of whether to end the funneling and disperse the CBP and CDC personnel to other functions was `` a running discussion for a couple of months , '' beginning in April .
A third task force official said the decision to keep it intact was made because `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the American people , `` and it did n't cost a lot , relatively speaking . ''
A fourth official said the role of these screeners was an important `` deterrent '' for otherwise-sick passengers to board a flight .
Ken Cuccinelli , who as acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security served on the task force and helped to execute its efforts , acknowledged that there were travelers the program simply missed due to asymptomatic spread .
He also suggested that responsibility for the program 's shortcomings is shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the experts on transportation logistics , but we did not make the medical decisions , '' Cuccinelli told CNBC , who said his workforce was handicapped by training limited to `` eyeballing '' passengers , and a tool set limited to taking temperatures .
`` Some of this was done — or continued — because it did catch some people . ''
Three task force officials , including Grogan , recalled a tension between the Department of Homeland Security — whose employees served an essential function at airports regardless of the pandemic — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early advocates of reshuffling its people away from the airports to serve nursing homes and other critical needs around the country .
`` If you just pulled all those CDC public health employees out and said , 'You 're on your own , ' '' Grogan said , `` [ DHS ] would n't have been comforted by that . ''
CDC declined to comment on the discussion .
A report released in November described the program as `` resource-intensive , with low yield '' and concluded that `` symptom-based screening programs are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconscionable that DHS would have withdrawn its workers at a time the country was facing significant threats .
`` The idea that we would n't do anything strikes me as unsupportable — that 's not even plausible Monday morning quarterbacking , '' he said .
The program remained largely intact until Sept. 13 , when the CDC announced its official end — eight months after its inception and six months after officials recall learning it was n't working .
And while the number of federal workers who fell ill was not an eye-popping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make you concerned with what 's going on , '' said the former HHS official .
While far greater than the rate of passengers detected , Cuccinelli told CNBC he did n't find the incidence of infection among his workforce concerning : The coronavirus transmission rate was roughly the same as the broader public , and the agency could n't be sure they did n't pick it up outside of work .
`` There 's always risk for people on the front line , '' Cuccinelli said .
`` But what we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folks is that those individuals tended to be the ones who have caught the virus have done so at rates similar to the communities in which they were working . ''
Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees lobbied lawmakers to include in the Covid stimulus bill `` automatic presumption of workplace illness '' to help workers access greater sick leave and workers ' compensation .
Until the final text of the $ 900 billion relief deal is made public , it remains unclear whether lawmakers included these protections .
They have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Customs and Border Protection had not recorded an officer death since 2015 .
In 2020 , there have been nine deaths , all due to Covid-19 .
Memorial pages set up in remembrance of Palmer and his colleague CK Yan said the two men contracted the virus while at work .
`` U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Omar Palmer performed many assigned tasks with professionalism and integrity , his passing was tragic and we kindly ask that you respect his family 's privacy during this difficult time , '' an agency spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his mother , herself a former DHS employee , and took strict precautions to protect her health , Williams said .
He limited his contact , and wore gloves and masks .
On April 1 , he planned to visit Williams ' adult daughters at their home in Brooklyn to drop off a package of N95 masks and gloves , then in short supply around the country .
Instead , he called to notify her he had be quarantining after being exposed to Covid at the airport .
By the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and two weeks later , on a ventilator and in a coma .
Palmer died May 4 .
He was 40 .
Williams visits his grave , and she wonders what government brass could have done to save him .
`` It 's irresponsible .
It 's murder , '' Williams said , holding back tears .
`` When you know better , you should do better .
There is no excuse . ''

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In a nearly 17-year career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Officer Omar E. Palmer had encountered plenty of precarious situations, from suitcases filled with weapons and drugs to disorderly passengers in John F. Kennedy Airport's international terminal, according to his longtime friend and significant other. "I would often get calls, when he would get off work in the middle of the night -- about what happened, or who he met, or a particular seize that happened," said Yvette Williams. "Omar was fearless." Williams, living in Ohio where she teaches a college English course, began to feel fearful and helpless from afar. Palmer, who lived in New York with his aging mother, said long-term quarantining wasn't possible, and he sent her selfies in personal protective equipment to ease her worries. "His favorite phrase to me was, 'I am not some delicate flower,'" Williams said. "I said, 'You're not a delicate flower, but you're a human being.'" Williams' gut feeling was right: Palmer contracted the virus at the airport, and died in early May after a monthlong stay in intensive care. Palmer was among hundreds of federal personnel whose responsibilities were adjusted to include evaluating the health of passengers arriving from overseas.
Yvette Williams and Omar Palmer Courtesy: Palmer family
The goal of the screening program was to identify and isolate sick travelers who were bringing the virus into the country, in hopes that it would thwart any possible community spread. In interviews with dozens of federal employees and task force officials over four months, CNBC learned that the program proved not only ineffective but dangerous from its earliest days. One former official on the White House coronavirus task force estimated that that three- to four-dozen personnel were infected by the end of May. To compare, nine travelers out of hundreds of thousands screened in the program were detected to have been infected by the end of September. Yet the White House chose not to dismantle it, in a bid to avoid worrying the public. "'We are doing everything we possibly can to protect the homeland' — that was the message that was being sent by continuing the screenings," said a former Health and Human Services official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. "But at some point you have to adapt. You have to say: 'This isn't working.'" The White House, the National Security Council, the Department of Transportation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not respond to requests for comment. The office of the vice president, who was appointed to lead the task force in February once the system was in place, declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services noted the administration had little institutional knowledge to inform early policy and accused China of obscuring information about the nature of the virus. "Airport screening seemed to be an immediate tool to mitigate the threat of COVID-19 entering the country undetected so that strong measures could be taken to slow the spread within the country," the spokesperson said in a statement sent after the publication of this article.
Quick spread
The plan, hatched by the White House task force in mid-January, began modestly enough: Travelers whose itineraries originated in China would be diverted to one of three airports, where a few dozen screeners would evaluate their symptoms. As the virus spread west through the Middle East and Europe, the program swelled to 15 airports, flights from 31 countries, and some 750 screeners and support personnel. At the program's peak, agents were conducting roughly 30,000 screenings daily, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. The Department of Homeland Security staffed the first line of defense: Customs and Border Protection agents, outfitted in gloves, goggles and N95 masks, would check temperatures and administer a flu-symptom questionnaire to arriving passengers, in addition to checking passports. Anyone who registered above-grade would be sent for further evaluation in rooms staffed by nearly 500 agency analysts and outside contractors organized by the CDC.
Joe Grogan CNBC
Publicly, the Trump administration attempted to foster confidence in the strategy, sending the country's top health officials to the White House briefing room to field questions from reporters. "These prudent and targeted actions will decrease the pressure on public health officials screening incoming travelers, expedite the processing of U.S. citizens returning from China, and ensure resources are focused on the health and safety of the American people," Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Jan. 31, two weeks after the program began. But behind the scenes, early data showed the program was not doing what it purported to do. "We weren't finding anybody. I mean, we were finding, like, zero people," said Joe Grogan, who was the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council until May. "It became pretty clear relatively quickly that it was, from a public health perspective, as far as identifying people who were Covid positive, it was a failure." The numbers were indeed near zero. According to CDC data, screeners evaluated 776,044 passengers from mid-January to mid-September. Only nine positive cases of coronavirus resulted from the screens, or 0.001%.
'A pretty stark data point'
The nature of this virus — in particular, its widespread transmission by healthy-looking people — rendered the screeners' search for visible symptoms useless. "The people who actually had a temperature, that the net actually caught," the former HHS official says, "I mean, it was so minimal." What's more, the nature of the asymptomatic spread meant contagious travelers were going undetected, while exposing the airport staff to the virus at high rates, according to Grogan and three task force officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they still serve in the administration. "It was a pretty stark data point," Grogan told CNBC in an exclusive interview to discuss the program. "It was relayed out that -- not only are we not finding anybody, we are getting more CDC and DHS employees infected with Covid at the airports than we are finding people." As the nation's largest employer, it's no surprise the government saw a high incidence of Covid cases. After the Postal Service, the Department of Homeland Security saw the highest infection rate among federal agencies, with more than 4,000 at Customs and order Protection alone. CBP did not respond to a request for a breakdown of how many of those cases occurred at airports. Unlike other agencies, the CDC does not provide information about agency infections on a publicly available dashboard. When requested by CNBC, the CDC declined to provide data about infection rates among screeners. The CDC also declined requests for interviews with top officials, including Director Dr. Robert Redfield and Dr. Marty Cetron, to discuss their concerns about the program.
'We were aware they were getting sick'
The ineffectiveness of the program became widely understood by mid-March, leading the White House and federal agencies to weigh dismantling it and reallocating resources to other hot spots, according to six task force officials involved in the discussions. These officials requested anonymity because they still serve in, or do business with, the administration and did not have authorization to discuss the matter. One task force official said the debate was not about the screeners themselves. "We were aware they were getting sick, but it was whether [the testing of passengers] was effective," the official said. A second task force official said the questions of whether to end the funneling and disperse the CBP and CDC personnel to other functions was "a running discussion for a couple of months," beginning in April. A third task force official said the decision to keep it intact was made because "it presents a show of force" to the American people, "and it didn't cost a lot, relatively speaking." A fourth official said the role of these screeners was an important "deterrent" for otherwise-sick passengers to board a flight. Ken Cuccinelli, who as acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security served on the task force and helped to execute its efforts, acknowledged that there were travelers the program simply missed due to asymptomatic spread. He also suggested that responsibility for the program's shortcomings is shared across the government.
Ken Cuccinelli CNBC
"We were the experts on transportation logistics, but we did not make the medical decisions," Cuccinelli told CNBC, who said his workforce was handicapped by training limited to "eyeballing" passengers, and a tool set limited to taking temperatures. "Some of this was done — or continued — because it did catch some people." Three task force officials, including Grogan, recalled a tension between the Department of Homeland Security — whose employees served an essential function at airports regardless of the pandemic — and the CDC, whose leaders were early advocates of reshuffling its people away from the airports to serve nursing homes and other critical needs around the country. "If you just pulled all those CDC public health employees out and said, 'You're on your own,'" Grogan said, "[DHS] wouldn't have been comforted by that." CDC declined to comment on the discussion. A report released in November described the program as "resource-intensive, with low yield" and concluded that "symptom-based screening programs are ineffective." Cuccinelli said it was unconscionable that DHS would have withdrawn its workers at a time the country was facing significant threats. "The idea that we wouldn't do anything strikes me as unsupportable — that's not even plausible Monday morning quarterbacking," he said. The program remained largely intact until Sept. 13, when the CDC announced its official end — eight months after its inception and six months after officials recall learning it wasn't working. And while the number of federal workers who fell ill was not an eye-popping amount, "it was enough to make you concerned with what's going on," said the former HHS official.
'Risk on the front line'
While far greater than the rate of passengers detected, Cuccinelli told CNBC he didn't find the incidence of infection among his workforce concerning: The coronavirus transmission rate was roughly the same as the broader public, and the agency couldn't be sure they didn't pick it up outside of work. "There's always risk for people on the front line," Cuccinelli said. "But what we have found, including with our own front-line folks is that those individuals tended to be the ones who have caught the virus have done so at rates similar to the communities in which they were working." Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees lobbied lawmakers to include in the Covid stimulus bill "automatic presumption of workplace illness" to help workers access greater sick leave and workers' compensation. Until the final text of the $900 billion relief deal is made public, it remains unclear whether lawmakers included these protections. They have not been major items in negotiations. Customs and Border Protection had not recorded an officer death since 2015. In 2020, there have been nine deaths, all due to Covid-19. Memorial pages set up in remembrance of Palmer and his colleague CK Yan said the two men contracted the virus while at work. "U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Omar Palmer performed many assigned tasks with professionalism and integrity, his passing was tragic and we kindly ask that you respect his family's privacy during this difficult time," an agency spokesman at JFK said. Palmer lived with his mother, herself a former DHS employee, and took strict precautions to protect her health, Williams said. He limited his contact, and wore gloves and masks. On April 1, he planned to visit Williams' adult daughters at their home in Brooklyn to drop off a package of N95 masks and gloves, then in short supply around the country. Instead, he called to notify her he had be quarantining after being exposed to Covid at the airport. By the end of the week, he was in intensive care, and two weeks later, on a ventilator and in a coma. Palmer died May 4. He was 40. Williams visits his grave, and she wonders what government brass could have done to save him. "It's irresponsible. It's murder," Williams said, holding back tears. "When you know better, you should do better. There is no excuse."
Wreath dedicated to Omar Palmer. Courtesy: Palmer family


cnbc--2020-12-21--Joe Biden receives Covid vaccine on live television, encourages Americans to get inoculated

US President-elect Joe Biden receives a Covid-19 vaccination from Tabe Masa , Nurse Practitioner and Head of Employee Health Services , at the Christiana Care campus in Newark , Delaware on December 21 , 2020 .
Jill Biden , the incoming first lady , received a dose of the vaccine earlier in the day .
Vice President-elect Sen. Kamala Harris of California and her husband , Doug Emhoff , will be vaccinated next week .
`` There 's nothing to worry about .
I am looking forward to the second shot , '' Biden said from a hospital in Delaware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine on live television Monday afternoon in a demonstration intended to encourage Americans to receive shots of their own when they can .
Biden 's vaccination , administered by Tabe Masa , the head of employee health services at ChristianaCare Hospital , comes as officials race to inoculate Americans around the country in the hopes of getting the rapidly spreading virus under control .
Covid-19 , which has killed more than 300,000 in the U.S. , upended the nation in 2020 , freezing large parts of the economy and transforming the traditional process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden , more than his rival , President Donald Trump , was careful to avoid spreading the virus during the course of his bid , largely eschewing big events and suspending door-to-door campaign activities .
After receiving the vaccine , Biden credited the Trump administration for its work , saying it `` deserves some credit getting this off the ground with Operation Warp Speed . ''
The former vice president also encouraged Americans to cancel nonessential travel plans and to wear masks .
`` We owe these folks an awful lot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this together , the front line workers , the ones who actually did the clinical work .
It 's just amazing , '' Biden said .
Biden received the first dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer , the first to be approved by U.S. regulators .
A second vaccine , made by Moderna , began being shipped around the country over the weekend .
Both require two doses to be administered several weeks apart .
Public health officials have said they are aiming to vaccinate as many as 20 million people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have cautioned that it could be months before most people can receive shots .
Biden , among the first Americans to receive a vaccine , acknowledged that long time frame .
`` Now Moderna is going to be on the road as well , but it 's going to take time , '' Biden said .
`` It 's going to take time , and in the meantime — I do n't want to sound a sour note here — but I hope people listen to all the experts . ''
Other senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent days , including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and Vice President Mike Pence .
Trump , who was hospitalized with coronavirus in October , has yet to receive a vaccine .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams explained on Sunday that Trump had not received the vaccine because he had recently been treated with monoclonal antibodies .
`` That is actually one scenario where we tell people , 'Maybe you should hold off on getting the vaccine , talk to your health provider to find out the right time , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @

US President-elect Joe Biden receives a Covid-19 vaccination from Taba Masa, Nurse Practitioner and Head of Employee Health Services, at the Christiana Care campus in Newark, Delaware on December 21, 2020.
Jill Biden, the incoming first lady, received a dose of the vaccine earlier in the day. Vice President-elect Sen. Kamala Harris of California and her husband, Doug Emhoff, will be vaccinated next week.
"There's nothing to worry about. I am looking forward to the second shot," Biden said from a hospital in Delaware.
President-elect Joe Biden received a Covid-19 vaccine on live television Monday afternoon in a demonstration intended to encourage Americans to receive shots of their own when they can.
Biden's vaccination, administered by Tabe Masa, the head of employee health services at ChristianaCare Hospital, comes as officials race to inoculate Americans around the country in the hopes of getting the rapidly spreading virus under control.
Covid-19, which has killed more than 300,000 in the U.S., upended the nation in 2020, freezing large parts of the economy and transforming the traditional process by which candidates campaign for the presidency.
Biden, more than his rival, President Donald Trump, was careful to avoid spreading the virus during the course of his bid, largely eschewing big events and suspending door-to-door campaign activities.
After receiving the vaccine, Biden credited the Trump administration for its work, saying it "deserves some credit getting this off the ground with Operation Warp Speed."
The former vice president also encouraged Americans to cancel nonessential travel plans and to wear masks.
"We owe these folks an awful lot, the scientists and the people who put this together, the front line workers, the ones who actually did the clinical work. It's just amazing," Biden said.
Biden received the first dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer, the first to be approved by U.S. regulators. A second vaccine, made by Moderna, began being shipped around the country over the weekend. Both require two doses to be administered several weeks apart.
Public health officials have said they are aiming to vaccinate as many as 20 million people in the remaining weeks of 2020, but have cautioned that it could be months before most people can receive shots.
Biden, among the first Americans to receive a vaccine, acknowledged that long time frame.
"Now Moderna is going to be on the road as well, but it's going to take time," Biden said. "It's going to take time, and in the meantime — I don't want to sound a sour note here — but I hope people listen to all the experts."
Other senior public officials have also been publicly vaccinated in recent days, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Vice President Mike Pence.
Trump, who was hospitalized with coronavirus in October, has yet to receive a vaccine.
Surgeon General Jerome Adams explained on Sunday that Trump had not received the vaccine because he had recently been treated with monoclonal antibodies.
"That is actually one scenario where we tell people, 'Maybe you should hold off on getting the vaccine, talk to your health provider to find out the right time,'" Adams said on CBS News.


cnbc--2020-12-21--House panel subpoenas HHS, CDC chiefs as investigation into Covid response intensifies

President Donald Trump delivers remarks beside HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield during a tour of the Center for Disease Control following a COVID-19 coronavirus briefing in Atlanta , Georgia , U.S. , March 6 , 2020 .
U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Dr. Robert Redfield , have been subpoenaed by a House panel investigating the Trump administration 's response to the Covid pandemic .
Rep. James Clyburn , D-S.C. , chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subpoenas Monday , ordering the two officials to produce documents by Dec. 30 that Clyburn said show political interference that hindered the nation 's response to the pandemic .
`` The subpoenas were necessary because the Select Subcommittee 's investigation has revealed that efforts to interfere with scientific work at CDC were far more extensive and dangerous than previously known , '' Clyburn said in a statement .
The subcommittee also released new emails that show political appointees at HHS attempting to alter the CDC 's prestigious Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointees at HHS , including then-scientific advisor Paul Alexander and longtime Trump ally Michael Caputo , planning to publicly rebuke at least two published MMWRs .
The subpoenas and new evidence come after the subcommittee released a slew of emails last week that offered a striking glimpse into the scope and degree to which political appointees attempted to shape policy work within HHS and the CDC .
Still , the new steps taken Monday by the subcommittee represent a ratcheting up of the intensity of the probe , which began this summer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccination shots , the Subcommittee is focused on cheap shots to create headlines and mislead the American people , '' an HHS spokesperson said in an email to CNBC , adding that HHS has handed `` over 14,000 pages of documents over the last five weeks '' to the panel .
In one set of emails released by the subcommittee , political appointees discussed a draft of an MMWR rebuttal , which was never published , claiming that the MMWR , which was about the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine , `` presents factual information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent the news from giving the proper coverage of a true 'miracle cure . '
'' Early in the pandemic , hydroxychloroquine was hailed by President Donald Trump and others as a highly effective treatment for Covid-19 .
The Food and Drug Administration authorized its emergency use to treat Covid , but later walked back the authorization , acknowledging there was evidence the drug could actually exacerbate some health conditions in Covid patients .
Charlotte Kent , editor-in-chief of the CDC 's MMWRs , said in an interview with the subcommittee that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine confidence in CDC and in the quality of science that is in MMWR . ''
The HHS spokesperson said Kent 's `` testimony shows there was no political interference in the MMWR process . ''
In another example of alleged political interference , HHS officials in July received a draft summary of an MMWR on a Covid outbreak at a Georgia summer camp .
The report detailed how the virus spread rapidly at the camp , but Alexander said it was out of step with messaging from the White House .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be put out the way it is written at a time when CDC and its leader Dr. Redfield is trying to showcase the school re-open guidance and the push is to help schools re-open safely , '' Alexander wrote in an email .
`` It just sends the wrong message as written and actually reads as if to send a message of NOT to re-open . ''
In response , CDC officials agreed to edit one line of the report to remove mention of schools .
But Alexander drafted a rebuttal to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unpublished draft with Caputo on July 27 .
`` Hi Michael , as requested , here is the piece to rebut that poor CDC MMWR , '' he wrote .
`` I am not sure where it can be published but this has very re-assuring information and even for the White House . ''
Other emails released by the subcommittee show Caputo threatening CDC personnel for arranging interviews between CDC officials and the media .
`` If you disobey my directions , you will be held accountable , '' Caputo wrote to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the names of the responsible communications personnel .
One CDC official described Caputo 's behavior as `` a pattern of hostile and threatening behavior directed at … communication staff at CDC , '' according to the subcommittee .

President Donald Trump delivers remarks beside HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield during a tour of the Center for Disease Control following a COVID-19 coronavirus briefing in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., March 6, 2020.
U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar and the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield, have been subpoenaed by a House panel investigating the Trump administration's response to the Covid pandemic.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, said the panel issued the subpoenas Monday, ordering the two officials to produce documents by Dec. 30 that Clyburn said show political interference that hindered the nation's response to the pandemic.
"The subpoenas were necessary because the Select Subcommittee's investigation has revealed that efforts to interfere with scientific work at CDC were far more extensive and dangerous than previously known," Clyburn said in a statement.
The subcommittee also released new emails that show political appointees at HHS attempting to alter the CDC's prestigious Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports, or MMWRs. The emails also show appointees at HHS, including then-scientific advisor Paul Alexander and longtime Trump ally Michael Caputo, planning to publicly rebuke at least two published MMWRs.
The subpoenas and new evidence come after the subcommittee released a slew of emails last week that offered a striking glimpse into the scope and degree to which political appointees attempted to shape policy work within HHS and the CDC. Still, the new steps taken Monday by the subcommittee represent a ratcheting up of the intensity of the probe, which began this summer.
"While the Administration is focused on vaccination shots, the Subcommittee is focused on cheap shots to create headlines and mislead the American people," an HHS spokesperson said in an email to CNBC, adding that HHS has handed "over 14,000 pages of documents over the last five weeks" to the panel.
In one set of emails released by the subcommittee, political appointees discussed a draft of an MMWR rebuttal, which was never published, claiming that the MMWR, which was about the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, "presents factual information with an agenda" and could "prevent the news from giving the proper coverage of a true 'miracle cure.'"
Early in the pandemic, hydroxychloroquine was hailed by President Donald Trump and others as a highly effective treatment for Covid-19. The Food and Drug Administration authorized its emergency use to treat Covid, but later walked back the authorization, acknowledging there was evidence the drug could actually exacerbate some health conditions in Covid patients.
Charlotte Kent, editor-in-chief of the CDC's MMWRs, said in an interview with the subcommittee that a public rebuttal of the MMWR "could undermine confidence in CDC and in the quality of science that is in MMWR."
The HHS spokesperson said Kent's "testimony shows there was no political interference in the MMWR process."
In another example of alleged political interference, HHS officials in July received a draft summary of an MMWR on a Covid outbreak at a Georgia summer camp. The report detailed how the virus spread rapidly at the camp, but Alexander said it was out of step with messaging from the White House.
"I find it incredible this piece would be put out the way it is written at a time when CDC and its leader Dr. Redfield is trying to showcase the school re-open guidance and the push is to help schools re-open safely," Alexander wrote in an email. "It just sends the wrong message as written and actually reads as if to send a message of NOT to re-open."
In response, CDC officials agreed to edit one line of the report to remove mention of schools. But Alexander drafted a rebuttal to that report, as well, sharing the unpublished draft with Caputo on July 27.
"Hi Michael, as requested, here is the piece to rebut that poor CDC MMWR," he wrote. "I am not sure where it can be published but this has very re-assuring information and even for the White House."
Other emails released by the subcommittee show Caputo threatening CDC personnel for arranging interviews between CDC officials and the media.
"If you disobey my directions, you will be held accountable," Caputo wrote to a CDC official who appeared hesitant to reveal the names of the responsible communications personnel.
One CDC official described Caputo's behavior as "a pattern of hostile and threatening behavior directed at … communication staff at CDC," according to the subcommittee.


cnbc--2020-12-22--Attorney General Barr breaks with Trump, says SolarWinds hack ‘certainly appears to be the Russians’

WASHINGTON — Outgoing Attorney General William Barr said Monday that the massive SolarWinds hack of U.S. government agencies `` certainly appears to be '' the work of Russia , contradicting President Donald Trump .
By singling out Russia as the likely perpetrator of the cyberattack , Barr sided with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the rest of the national security establishment but contradicted the president .
Barr made the remarks during an impromptu press conference , just two days before he is scheduled to leave his job .
After several days of silence about the sweeping breach of government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriousness of the attack in a pair of tweets over the weekend .
He suggested without any evidence that China , and not Russia , might be to blame .
`` The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality , '' Trump wrote .
`` I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control .
Russia , Russia , Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is , for mostly financial reasons , petrified of discussing the possibility that it may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump also suggested without evidence that the hack could have impacted voting software in November 's presidential election .
This was the latest in a series of increasingly far-fetched conspiracy theories the president has floated in his refusal to accept that he lost the Nov. 3 election .
Pompeo 's first public comments about the attack came during a Friday night radio interview on `` The Mark Levin Show . ''
`` This was a very significant effort , and I think it 's the case that now we can say pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engaged in this activity , '' said Pompeo .
Several news outlets have also reported that White House officials prepared a public statement late last week on the cyberattacks , which placed responsibility for the hack squarely on Russia .
But at the last minute , they were prohibited from releasing it .
More than a week after the initial breach was reported , both U.S. government agencies and private-sector companies targeted in the attack are still working to develop a full picture of the extent of the breach and the potential damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems .
The initial investigation suggests the breach was carried out via malicious code hidden in a software update from the widely used IT management company SolarWinds .
Russia has denied any involvement in the attack .
The three lead agencies responsible for investigating the attack and protecting the nation from cyberthreats — the FBI , the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , or CISA , and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence — announced last week that they had formed a joint command to respond to what they called `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the United States .
Trump 's refusal to acknowledge either the full extent of the attack or its likely perpetrators fits his pattern over the past four years of downplaying Russia 's malicious actions around the world .
As part of that pattern , Trump has ignored and dismissed U.S. intelligence assessments of Russia 's culpability in several major operations , most notably the 2016 cyberattacks and disinformation campaign that damaged Trump 's then opponent , Hillary Clinton .

WASHINGTON — Outgoing Attorney General William Barr said Monday that the massive SolarWinds hack of U.S. government agencies "certainly appears to be" the work of Russia, contradicting President Donald Trump.
By singling out Russia as the likely perpetrator of the cyberattack, Barr sided with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the rest of the national security establishment but contradicted the president.
Barr made the remarks during an impromptu press conference, just two days before he is scheduled to leave his job.
After several days of silence about the sweeping breach of government and private-sector networks, Trump downplayed the seriousness of the attack in a pair of tweets over the weekend. He suggested without any evidence that China, and not Russia, might be to blame.
"The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality," Trump wrote. "I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control. Russia, Russia, Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is, for mostly financial reasons, petrified of discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!)."
Trump also suggested without evidence that the hack could have impacted voting software in November's presidential election. This was the latest in a series of increasingly far-fetched conspiracy theories the president has floated in his refusal to accept that he lost the Nov. 3 election.
Pompeo's first public comments about the attack came during a Friday night radio interview on "The Mark Levin Show."
"This was a very significant effort, and I think it's the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity," said Pompeo.
Several news outlets have also reported that White House officials prepared a public statement late last week on the cyberattacks, which placed responsibility for the hack squarely on Russia. But at the last minute, they were prohibited from releasing it.
More than a week after the initial breach was reported, both U.S. government agencies and private-sector companies targeted in the attack are still working to develop a full picture of the extent of the breach and the potential damage to U.S. cyber infrastructure and critical information systems.
The initial investigation suggests the breach was carried out via malicious code hidden in a software update from the widely used IT management company SolarWinds. Russia has denied any involvement in the attack.
The three lead agencies responsible for investigating the attack and protecting the nation from cyberthreats — the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence — announced last week that they had formed a joint command to respond to what they called "a significant and ongoing cybersecurity campaign" against the United States.
Trump's refusal to acknowledge either the full extent of the attack or its likely perpetrators fits his pattern over the past four years of downplaying Russia's malicious actions around the world.
As part of that pattern, Trump has ignored and dismissed U.S. intelligence assessments of Russia's culpability in several major operations, most notably the 2016 cyberattacks and disinformation campaign that damaged Trump's then opponent, Hillary Clinton.


cnbc--2020-12-21--Covid relief bill includes about $8 billion for vaccine distribution

Boxes containing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are prepared to be shipped at the McKesson distribution center in Olive Branch , Mississippi , U.S. December 20 , 2020 .
The $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package agreed to by lawmakers allocates $ 8 billion to $ 9 billion to fund vaccine distribution , at least $ 2 billion more than was provided for in earlier proposals for the bill .
The funding appears to exceed the $ 6 billion target set by the Trump administration and may meet the demand made by national organizations representing local public health officials , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion was required to carry out the massive vaccination campaign .
Adequate funding for vaccine distribution was a key priority for President-elect Joe Biden , who has pledged to oversee the administration of 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines in his first 100 days in office .
Biden warned earlier this month that without proper funding for distribution , that effort could `` slow and stall . ''
The text of the stimulus package was not released as of Monday morning , although Democrats and Republicans have issued summaries of the legislation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ details of the funding .
According to the summary circulated by Republican whip Rep. Steve Scalise , R-La.
, the bill provides $ 8 billion for vaccine distribution .
The Democratic summary says the bill will provide for `` nearly $ 9 billion . ''
The summaries also indicate that Congress will allocate $ 20 billion to $ 22 billion to states to assist with testing and other pandemic mitigation programs .
According to both parties , the bill will provide $ 20 billion to procure vaccines .
The GOP summary says those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge for anyone who needs it . ''
The legislation , which is expected to be passed Monday , comes as the nation is scrambling to administer millions of doses of vaccines to stymie the damage being inflicted by Covid-19 .
On Monday , the first doses of the second vaccine to be approved by U.S. regulators , made by Moderna , are set to begin being administered .
Initial doses of a vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech were administered one week ago .
Health officials have said they are working to provide vaccinations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the first week of January .
The developments come as the U.S. enters a devastating winter , with nearly 3,000 Americans dying from the disease on a daily basis .
More than 300,000 in the U.S. have died from it already this year , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
The congressional deal came after months of delays from lawmakers over the size and scope of the relief package .
Its central provisions will provide economic relief to households and small businesses , including direct payments of $ 600 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of federal unemployment benefits and an injection of $ 284 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program .
Democrats , who have pushed for more spending to combat the crisis , have said that the $ 900 billion deal is just the beginning and that they will push for more legislation once Biden takes office .
Subscribe to CNBC Pro for the TV livestream , deep insights and analysis on how to invest during the next presidential term .

Boxes containing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are prepared to be shipped at the McKesson distribution center in Olive Branch, Mississippi, U.S. December 20, 2020.
The $900 billion coronavirus relief package agreed to by lawmakers allocates $8 billion to $9 billion to fund vaccine distribution, at least $2 billion more than was provided for in earlier proposals for the bill.
The funding appears to exceed the $6 billion target set by the Trump administration and may meet the demand made by national organizations representing local public health officials, who have said that at least $8.4 billion was required to carry out the massive vaccination campaign.
Adequate funding for vaccine distribution was a key priority for President-elect Joe Biden, who has pledged to oversee the administration of 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines in his first 100 days in office. Biden warned earlier this month that without proper funding for distribution, that effort could "slow and stall."
The text of the stimulus package was not released as of Monday morning, although Democrats and Republicans have issued summaries of the legislation. The two versions vary slightly in the details of the funding.
According to the summary circulated by Republican whip Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the bill provides $8 billion for vaccine distribution. The Democratic summary says the bill will provide for "nearly $9 billion."
The summaries also indicate that Congress will allocate $20 billion to $22 billion to states to assist with testing and other pandemic mitigation programs. According to both parties, the bill will provide $20 billion to procure vaccines. The GOP summary says those vaccines will be "available at no charge for anyone who needs it."
The legislation, which is expected to be passed Monday, comes as the nation is scrambling to administer millions of doses of vaccines to stymie the damage being inflicted by Covid-19.
On Monday, the first doses of the second vaccine to be approved by U.S. regulators, made by Moderna , are set to begin being administered. Initial doses of a vaccine made by Pfizer -BioNTech were administered one week ago.
Health officials have said they are working to provide vaccinations to as many as 20 million Americans by the first week of January.
The developments come as the U.S. enters a devastating winter, with nearly 3,000 Americans dying from the disease on a daily basis. More than 300,000 in the U.S. have died from it already this year, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The congressional deal came after months of delays from lawmakers over the size and scope of the relief package.
Its central provisions will provide economic relief to households and small businesses, including direct payments of $600 to most Americans, an extra 11 weeks of federal unemployment benefits and an injection of $284 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program.
Democrats, who have pushed for more spending to combat the crisis, have said that the $900 billion deal is just the beginning and that they will push for more legislation once Biden takes office.
Subscribe to CNBC Pro for the TV livestream, deep insights and analysis on how to invest during the next presidential term.


cnbc--2020-12-21--Trump signs two-day funding bill as Congress rushes to finalize spending, Covid relief deal

U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House upon his return to Washington from Camp David , November 29 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump signed a two-day government funding bill into law Friday night as Congress tries to buy time to strike a spending and coronavirus relief deal .
The president inked the legislation to keep the government running about an hour-and-a-half before a midnight deadline to pass spending legislation .
The stopgap measure would fund federal operations through Sunday until 12:01 a.m .
ET Monday morning while congressional leaders try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief package .
Even after lawmakers avoided a shutdown , Congress again finds itself on a tight deadline .
The House will meet again on Sunday at noon ET and will not vote earlier than 1 p.m .
The Senate will return at 11 a.m .
ET Saturday and will likely address nominations .
Senators including independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri had warned they could delay approval of a spending bill as they lobby for leadership to include a $ 1,200 direct payment in a pandemic aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the warning .
Before the Senate unanimously passed the spending bill , Sanders said he would `` object to any attempt '' by the chamber to pass a full-year spending plan without also approving a pandemic relief package that includes `` substantial direct payments . ''
Hawley earlier tweeted that he would not block the legislation after top Republicans assured him a final relief deal would include `` direct assistance to working people . ''
Lawmakers are expected to include $ 600 payments , down from the $ 1,200 checks approved as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @

U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House upon his return to Washington from Camp David, November 29, 2020.
President Donald Trump signed a two-day government funding bill into law Friday night as Congress tries to buy time to strike a spending and coronavirus relief deal.
The president inked the legislation to keep the government running about an hour-and-a-half before a midnight deadline to pass spending legislation. The stopgap measure would fund federal operations through Sunday until 12:01 a.m. ET Monday morning while congressional leaders try to finalize a full-year funding and coronavirus relief package.
Even after lawmakers avoided a shutdown, Congress again finds itself on a tight deadline. The House will meet again on Sunday at noon ET and will not vote earlier than 1 p.m. The Senate will return at 11 a.m. ET Saturday and will likely address nominations.
Senators including independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri had warned they could delay approval of a spending bill as they lobby for leadership to include a $1,200 direct payment in a pandemic aid package. Neither lawmaker followed through on the warning.
Before the Senate unanimously passed the spending bill, Sanders said he would "object to any attempt" by the chamber to pass a full-year spending plan without also approving a pandemic relief package that includes "substantial direct payments."
Hawley earlier tweeted that he would not block the legislation after top Republicans assured him a final relief deal would include "direct assistance to working people." Lawmakers are expected to include $600 payments, down from the $1,200 checks approved as part of the CARES Act in March.


cnbc--2020-12-22--Congress passes long-awaited Covid relief bill and government funding plan

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) walks back to her office after opening the House floor following an agreement of a coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) aid package the night before on Capitol Hill , Washington , D.C. , December 21 , 2020 .
The bill would send needed help to Americans for the first time since the spring — though it will come too late for families that have struggled to eat and stay in their homes , or small businesses that have already had to close their doors for good .
The package includes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business loans , another $ 600 direct payment and funds to streamline critical distribution of Covid-19 vaccines , among a bevy of other provisions .
At the same time , Congress passed a seven-day stopgap spending bill to keep the government open during the time it takes for the full-year legislation to get to President Donald Trump 's desk .
Trump signed the temporary spending bill , keeping the government funded through Dec. 28 .
The House approved the package in a 359-53 vote .
The Senate then passed it by a 92-6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted against the bill were Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee , Ted Cruz of Texas , Rand Paul of Kentucky , Rick Scott of Florida , Mike Lee of Utah and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin .
Both chambers easily approved the more than $ 2 trillion legislation in votes that dragged late into the night .
Congressional leaders attached $ 900 billion in pandemic aid to a $ 1.4 trillion measure to fund the government through Sept. 30 .
Congress passed a mammoth coronavirus relief and government spending package late Monday as it moves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against a once-in-a-century health and economic crisis .
Trump is expected to sign it into law in the coming days , weeks before he will leave office .
Ahead of the votes , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC that Americans who qualify for direct payments could see the money in their bank accounts early next week .
As Congress rushed to approve one of the biggest rescue plans in American history , lawmakers had only a few hours to digest the more than 5,000-page legislation .
They aimed to beat two key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs that would cause 12 million people to lose benefits the day after Christmas , and the lapse of a federal eviction moratorium that could leave tens of millions of people vulnerable to losing their homes at the end of the month .
Lawmakers , particularly Democrats , likely will not wait long to seek more aid .
On Monday , Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , called it `` a good bill '' but said it `` can not be the end of the story . ''
Among the key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 300 per week federal unemployment supplement through mid-March and extends programs making freelancers and gig workers eligible for benefits .
It sends payments of $ 600 to individuals who earn up to $ 75,000 and couples filing jointly who make up to $ 150,000 .
The bill adds another $ 600 for every child .
The measure puts $ 284 billion into Paycheck Protection Program small business loans .
It directs more than $ 8 billion into vaccine distribution , along with $ 20 billion to ensure Americans receive shots for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least $ 20 billion more into Covid-19 testing and contact tracing .
The bill extends the federal eviction moratorium through Jan. 31 and fund $ 25 billion in rental assistance .
It directs $ 13 billion to food aid to increase the maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit by 15 % .
The bill also puts $ 82 billion into education and $ 45 billion into transportation .
The package includes $ 15 billion in payroll support for U.S. air carriers that are reeling from the pandemic .
The additional funding requires airlines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they furloughed this fall and keep employees on payroll through the end of March .
The new round of aid comes on top of the $ 25 billion carriers received under the CARES Act last March .
Earlier Monday , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , called the bill a `` historic rescue package '' and said Americans have `` waited long enough '' for additional aid .
The bill 's passage follows months of failure by lawmakers to send more help during a public health crisis that has killed more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that sent millions into poverty .
After lawmakers approved the more than $ 2 trillion CARES Act in March , Democrats passed a more than $ 3 trillion aid bill in the House in May .
Republicans for several months questioned the need for more federal assistance .
Then by July , McConnell started to back a roughly $ 500 billion plan .
Democrats later passed another more than $ 2 trillion package in October , while the party blocked $ 500 billion proposals in the Senate .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the parties over just how dire the crisis was and how large of a role the federal government should take in it .
A last-ditch push by Pelosi and Mnuchin to reach a deal before the Nov. 3 election failed .
Then , a bipartisan Senate and House group 's efforts negotiations toward an agreement in recent weeks helped to restart discussions among congressional leaders .
While most of Congress has cheered the latest bill as at least an initial step to buoy the country during the crises , economists and Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief .
President-elect Joe Biden and his allies in Congress have stressed they will immediately push for more aid after he takes office on Jan. 20 — including new aid for state and local governments .
`` We advance this bill today as a first step .
... We are ready for the next step , '' Pelosi wrote to House Democrats on Monday .
— Update : This story was updated to reflect the bill passed the Senate in a 92-6 vote .
The wrong vote tally was initially announced on the @ @ @

watch now
Congress passed a mammoth coronavirus relief and government spending package late Monday as it moves to inject long-delayed aid into the fight against a once-in-a-century health and economic crisis. Both chambers easily approved the more than $2 trillion legislation in votes that dragged late into the night. Congressional leaders attached $900 billion in pandemic aid to a $1.4 trillion measure to fund the government through Sept. 30. The House approved the package in a 359-53 vote. The Senate then passed it by a 92-6 margin. The six GOP senators who voted against the bill were Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
Dusty Johnson, (R-SD), with the Problem Solvers Caucus and other members speak at a news conference on the forthcoming passage of the bipartisan emergency COVID-19 relief bill in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 21, 2020. Ken Cedeno | Reuters
At the same time, Congress passed a seven-day stopgap spending bill to keep the government open during the time it takes for the full-year legislation to get to President Donald Trump's desk. Trump signed the temporary spending bill, keeping the government funded through Dec. 28. The bill would send needed help to Americans for the first time since the spring — though it will come too late for families that have struggled to eat and stay in their homes, or small businesses that have already had to close their doors for good. The package includes a boost to jobless benefits, more small business loans, another $600 direct payment and funds to streamline critical distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, among a bevy of other provisions.
watch now
Trump is expected to sign it into law in the coming days, weeks before he will leave office. Ahead of the votes, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC that Americans who qualify for direct payments could see the money in their bank accounts early next week. As Congress rushed to approve one of the biggest rescue plans in American history, lawmakers had only a few hours to digest the more than 5,000-page legislation. They aimed to beat two key deadlines: the expiration of pandemic-era unemployment programs that would cause 12 million people to lose benefits the day after Christmas, and the lapse of a federal eviction moratorium that could leave tens of millions of people vulnerable to losing their homes at the end of the month.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks at a press conference on Capitol Hill on December 20, 2020 in Washington, DC. Republicans and Democrats in the Senate finally came to an agreement on the coronavirus relief bill and a vote is expected on Monday. Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images
Lawmakers, particularly Democrats, likely will not wait long to seek more aid. On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called it "a good bill" but said it "cannot be the end of the story." Among the key provisions in the legislation, it adds a $300 per week federal unemployment supplement through mid-March and extends programs making freelancers and gig workers eligible for benefits. It sends payments of $600 to individuals who earn up to $75,000 and couples filing jointly who make up to $150,000. The bill adds another $600 for every child. The measure puts $284 billion into Paycheck Protection Program small business loans. It directs more than $8 billion into vaccine distribution, along with $20 billion to ensure Americans receive shots for free. The bill also puts at least $20 billion more into Covid-19 testing and contact tracing. The bill extends the federal eviction moratorium through Jan. 31 and fund $25 billion in rental assistance. It directs $13 billion to food aid to increase the maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit by 15%. The bill also puts $82 billion into education and $45 billion into transportation. The package includes $15 billion in payroll support for U.S. air carriers that are reeling from the pandemic. The additional funding requires airlines to call back more than 32,000 workers they furloughed this fall and keep employees on payroll through the end of March. The new round of aid comes on top of the $25 billion carriers received under the CARES Act last March.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, wears a protective mask while walking to his office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, Dec. 21, 2020. Oliver Contreras | Bloomberg | Getty Images


cnbc--2020-12-23--Trump calls Covid relief bill unsuitable and demands Congress add bigger stimulus payments

U.S. President Donald Trump participates in a medal ceremony in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington , December 3 , 2020 .
President Donald Trump , in a stunning Tuesday night tweet , called the $ 900 billion Covid relief bill passed by Congress an unsuitable `` disgrace '' and urged lawmakers to make a number of changes to the measure , including bigger direct payments to individuals and families .
Trump also suggested that his administration might be the `` next administration , '' despite his loss to President-elect Joe Biden .
The relief legislation passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part by a senior Trump administration official , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
Trump himself had been absent from the talks since before the election .
Lawmakers went home for the holidays after passing the bill .
The president 's tweet , which included a video of him discussing what he considers the bill 's many flaws , including funding headed overseas , came less than 24 hours after the Senate passed the measure .
The foreign aid provisions are part of a $ 1.4 trillion measure to keep the government funded , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill .
Trump did not threaten a veto in the video , and he had been expected to sign the legislation into law , along with the bill to keep the government open .
The legislation passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof majorities .
`` I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $ 600 to $ 2,000 , or $ 4,000 for a couple , '' Trump said in the video .
In another jarring twist , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , one of Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call for $ 2,000 payments .
`` Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent .
Let 's do it ! ''
she tweeted .
House Democrats , who hold a majority in the chamber , will seek to see if they can pass a measure for $ 2,000 direct payments by unanimous consent Thursday , Christmas Eve , according to a senior Democratic aide .
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer did not specify the day , but said in a tweet that the vote would happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a pro forma session , and it will only take one lawmaker to prevent its passage .
It 's not clear whether the larger direct payment would pass muster in the Senate , however .
Several Senate Republicans have resisted higher stimulus payments .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , urged Trump to sign the current measure but said Democrats would be willing to vote for bigger stimulus checks .
`` Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we 're glad to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schumer tweeted .
The government will shut down Monday if Trump does n't sign the legislation .
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did n't immediately respond to a request for comment .
The package includes increased jobless benefits , more small business loans , a direct payment of $ 600 to individuals , and funds to help distribute Covid-19 vaccines , among other things .

President Donald Trump, in a stunning nighttime tweet, called the $900 billion Covid relief bill passed by Congress an unsuitable "disgrace" and urged lawmakers to make changes to the measure, including bigger direct payments to individuals and families.
Trump also suggested that his administration might be the "next administration," despite his loss to President-elect Joe Biden.
The massive 5,593 page relief measure, passed by Congress on Monday, was negotiated in part by a senior Trump administration official, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Trump himself had been absent from the talks since before the election. Lawmakers went home for the holidays after passing the bill.
The president's Tuesday night tweet, which included a video of him discussing what he considers the bill's many flaws, including funding headed overseas, came less than 24 hours after the Senate passed the measure. The foreign aid provisions are part of a $1.4 trillion measure to keep the government funded, which was paired with the Covid relief bill.
Trump did not threaten a veto in the video, and he had been expected to sign the legislation into law, along with the bill to keep the government open. The legislation passed both houses of Congress with veto-proof majorities.
"I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple," Trump said in the video.
In another jarring twist, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, one of Trump's arch enemies, agreed with his call for $2,000 payments. "Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let's do it!" she tweeted.
House Democrats, who hold a majority in the chamber, will seek to see if they can pass a measure for $2,000 direct payments by unanimous consent Thursday, Christmas Eve, according to a senior Democratic aide. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer did not specify the day, but said in a tweet that the vote would happen this week.
The House will be in a pro forma session, and it will only take one lawmaker to prevent its passage.


cnbc--2020-12-23--Trump pardons 15, including people convicted in Mueller probe

President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued pardons to 15 people , including two men convicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation , and four former Blackwater USA guards who were convicted in the killings of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians in Baghdad in 2007 .
Others who received pardons included two former Republican congressmen who admitted committing financial-related crimes .
Trump also commuted all or some of the criminal sentences of five other people , as the president faces his last month in office .
One of those people , south Florida health-care facility owner Philip Esformes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years in prison for what prosecutors said was `` the largest health care fraud ever charged by the Department of Justice . ''
Esformes , 52 , will now be freed from prison because of Trump 's action .
Trump , who has been harshly critical of Muller 's investigation into his 2016 campaign and its contacts with Russians , pardoned his former campaign foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos , who had been convicted of making false statements during that probe .
`` Today 's pardon helps correct the wrong that Mueller 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump 's press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement about Papadopoulous .
The president also pardoned Alex van der Zwaan , a lawyer and Dutch national who pleaded guilty of lying to the FBI during the Mueller probe .
Van der Zwaan was the first person convicted in the investigation , and was sentenced in 2018 to 30 days in jail .
The four former Blackwater security contractors who received pardons , Nicholas Slatten , Paul Slough , Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard , opened fire in and around Nisur Square @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to evidence in their cases .
Fourteen civilians were killed , including two women and two boys , age 11 and 9 , according to the Justice Deparment .
At least 17 more victims were injured .
Slatten , who was convicted of murder , fired `` without provocation , '' according to the Justice Department .
He has been serving a sentence of life in prison .
The other three men were convicted of manslaughter and other charges , and were re-sentenced last year to 15 years in prison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement , McEnany said that `` the pardon of these four veterans is broadly supported by the public , including Pete Hegseth , '' a Fox News contributor , and a number of GOP congressmen .
`` Further , prosecutors recently disclosed — more than 10 years after the incident — that the lead Iraqi investigator , who prosecutors relied heavily on to verify that there were no insurgent victims and to collect evidence , may have had ties to insurgent groups himself , '' McEnany said in her statement .
Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of California and New York 's Chris Collins .

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued pardons to 15 people, including two men convicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, and four former Blackwater USA guards who were convicted in the killings of 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians in Baghdad in 2007. Others who received pardons included two former Republican congressmen who admitted committing financial-related crimes. Trump also commuted all or some of the criminal sentences of five other people, as the president faces his last month in office. One of those people, south Florida health-care facility owner Philip Esformes, was sentenced in September 2019 to 20 years in prison for what prosecutors said was "the largest health care fraud ever charged by the Department of Justice." Esformes, 52, will now be freed from prison because of Trump's action. Trump, who has been harshly critical of Muller's investigation into his 2016 campaign and its contacts with Russians, pardoned his former campaign foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, who had been convicted of making false statements during that probe.
George Papadopoulos, a former member of the foreign policy panel to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, poses for a photo before a TV interview in New York, New York, U.S., March 26, 2019. Carlo Allegri | Reuters
"Today's pardon helps correct the wrong that Mueller's team inflicted on so many people," Trump's press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement about Papadopoulous. The president also pardoned Alex van der Zwaan, a lawyer and Dutch national who pleaded guilty of lying to the FBI during the Mueller probe. Van der Zwaan was the first person convicted in the investigation, and was sentenced in 2018 to 30 days in jail.
Alex van der Zwaan leaves the U.S. District Court after his sentencing in Washington, April 3, 2018. Leah Millis | Reuters
The four former Blackwater security contractors who received pardons, Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard, opened fire in and around Nisur Square in Baghdad on Sept. 16, 2007, according to evidence in their cases. Fourteen civilians were killed, including two women and two boys, age 11 and 9, according to the Justice Deparment. At least 17 more victims were injured. Slatten, who was convicted of murder, fired "without provocation," according to the Justice Department. He has been serving a sentence of life in prison. The other three men were convicted of manslaughter and other charges, and were re-sentenced last year to 15 years in prison, half of their original sentences. In a statement, McEnany said that "the pardon of these four veterans is broadly supported by the public, including Pete Hegseth," a Fox News contributor, and a number of GOP congressmen. "Further, prosecutors recently disclosed — more than 10 years after the incident — that the lead Iraqi investigator, who prosecutors relied heavily on to verify that there were no insurgent victims and to collect evidence, may have had ties to insurgent groups himself," McEnany said in her statement. Others granted pardons include former congressmen Duncan Hunter of California and New York's Chris Collins.


cnbc--2020-12-23--Joe Biden says he will push for more stimulus checks in next Covid relief bill

President-elect Joe Biden will push for a third round of stimulus checks in the next Covid-19 relief bill , he said Tuesday .
The former vice president said at an event in Wilmington , Delaware , that his plan will call for direct payments to Americans , but declined to specify how large they would be , calling that a matter for negotiation .
`` I think you 're seeing that there is a clear understanding that these issues go beyond any ideology , '' Biden said .
`` People are desperately hurting , and the Republicans are hurting as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his former rival for the Democratic nomination , Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , as well as Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo.
, for pushing for direct payments in the latest Covid-19 relief package , which was passed by Congress on Monday night .
The $ 900 billion legislation provided for $ 600 payments to most Americans , which are expected to arrive as soon as next week .
That plan was modeled on the CARES Act , which was passed in March and provided for $ 1,200 checks .
Biden 's comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question from a reporter following remarks he delivered ahead of the upcoming holidays that touched on the coronavirus and the recently uncovered massive hack on U.S. businesses and government agencies .
In his approximately 10-minute speech , Biden warned about the growing toll inflicted by Covid-19 .
`` One thing I promise you about my leadership during this crisis , I 'm going to tell it to you straight , '' Biden said .
`` And here 's the simple truth .
Our darkest days in this battle against Covid are ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

President-elect Joe Biden will push for a third round of stimulus checks in the next Covid-19 relief bill, he said Tuesday.
The former vice president said at an event in Wilmington, Delaware, that his plan will call for direct payments to Americans, but declined to specify how large they would be, calling that a matter for negotiation.
"I think you're seeing that there is a clear understanding that these issues go beyond any ideology," Biden said. "People are desperately hurting, and the Republicans are hurting as badly as Democrats."
Biden praised his former rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., as well as Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., for pushing for direct payments in the latest Covid-19 relief package, which was passed by Congress on Monday night.
The $900 billion legislation provided for $600 payments to most Americans, which are expected to arrive as soon as next week. That plan was modeled on the CARES Act, which was passed in March and provided for $1,200 checks.
Biden's comments about direct payments came in response to a question from a reporter following remarks he delivered ahead of the upcoming holidays that touched on the coronavirus and the recently uncovered massive hack on U.S. businesses and government agencies.
In his approximately 10-minute speech, Biden warned about the growing toll inflicted by Covid-19.
"One thing I promise you about my leadership during this crisis, I'm going to tell it to you straight," Biden said. "And here's the simple truth. Our darkest days in this battle against Covid are ahead of us, not behind us."


cnbc--2020-12-23--Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani blasts investigators as federal probe heats up

Rudolph Giuliani , attorney for President Donald Trump , conducts a news conference at the Republican National Committee on lawsuits regarding the outcome of the 2020 presidential election on Thursday , November 19 , 2020 .
Sources told NBC that the SDNY 's investigation of Giuliani is `` very active . ''
Strauss , who is overseeing the probe of Giuliani , has been serving as acting U.S. attorney for the SDNY since last summer , when her predecessor , Geoffrey Berman , was forced out .
It came on the same day that judges in U.S. District Court in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York , effective Jan. 16 .
Giuliani 's Twitter rant against the Department of Justice came a day after NBC News reported that federal prosecutors in New York are requesting approval from top DOJ officials to seek a search warrant from a judge for Giuliani 's electronic communications .
President Donald Trump ' s personal lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , on Tuesday lashed out against federal prosecutors investigating him , suggesting they are acting as `` secret police '' and serving the political interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm proud to be number one on Biden Vindictive government list , '' Giuliani wrote in a tweet .
`` Sounds like the DOJ anti-Trumpers ca n't wait for Biden to make DOJ the GOVERNMENT Secret Police like they were under Obama , '' he added .
`` They want to seize my emails .
No reason .
No wrongdoing .
Attorney-Client privilege.
? ''
A representative for Biden did n't immediately respond to a request for comment .
It is not known exactly why SDNY prosecutors are investigating Giuliani , who currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reverse Biden 's Electoral College victory .
A former New York City mayor , Giuliani previously was the U.S. attorney for the SDNY , and also had served as a top DOJ official .
Last year , The Wall Street Journal reported that SDNY prosecutors had reviewed Giuliani 's bank records in connection with a probe of his dealings in Ukraine .
Two of Giuliani 's former associates , Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman , who were involved in his dealings in Ukraine , in October 2019 were arrested on campaign finance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani , as Trump 's lawyer , since at least last year has tried to dig up damaging information about Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden in connection with Hunter Biden 's business activities in Ukraine .
Giuliani 's efforts were widely seen as an effort to harm Biden 's then-candidacy for president in early 2019 .
But those efforts spectacularly backfired in the summer of 2019 , when Trump personally pressured Ukraine 's president to announce an investigation of the Bidens .
At the time , Trump was withholding congressionally appropriated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been locked in a dispute over territory with its neighbor Russia .
Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for his actions .
The Senate later acquitted him after a trial early this year .
Trump and his company are under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney 's office , which is a state entity .
The DA 's office has a warrant empowering it to obtain Trump 's tax records and other financial documents from his longtime accounting firm .
The president has asked the U.S. Supreme Court , for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The high court ruled earlier this year that Trump did not have an unqualified right as president to avoid having his financial records subpoenaed by a state prosecutor 's office .

Rudolph Giuliani, attorney for President Donald Trump, conducts a news conference at the Republican National Committee on lawsuits regarding the outcome of the 2020 presidential election on Thursday, November 19, 2020.
President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, on Tuesday lashed out against federal prosecutors investigating him, suggesting they are acting as "secret police" and serving the political interests of President-elect Joe Biden.
Giuliani's Twitter rant against the Department of Justice came a day after NBC News reported that federal prosecutors in New York are requesting approval from top DOJ officials to seek a search warrant from a judge for Giuliani's electronic communications.
It came on the same day that judges in U.S. District Court in Manhattan formally appointed Audrey Strauss as the top federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, effective Jan. 16.
Strauss, who is overseeing the probe of Giuliani, has been serving as acting U.S. attorney for the SDNY since last summer, when her predecessor, Geoffrey Berman, was forced out.
Sources told NBC that the SDNY's investigation of Giuliani is "very active."


cnbc--2020-12-22--California Gov. Gavin Newsom picks top state official Alex Padilla to replace Kamala Harris in Senat

California Gov. Gavin Newsom picks top state official Alex Padilla to replace Kamala Harris in Senate

In this Nov. 2 , 2018 , file photo , California Secretary of State Alex Padilla speaks in San Francisco .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Tuesday , Dec. 22 , 2020 , as the state 's next U.S. senator to fill the seat being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris .
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla will replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate , Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday .
Padilla , a son of Mexican immigrants , will be the first Latino senator for California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state 's population .
`` Through his tenacity , integrity , smarts and grit , California is gaining a tested fighter in their corner who will be a fierce ally in D.C. , lifting up our state 's values and making sure we secure the critical resources to emerge stronger from this pandemic .
He will be a Senator for all Californians , '' Newsom said in a statement .
Padilla , 47 , has served as California 's top elections official since 2015 .
Previously , he was in the California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Council .
`` I am honored and humbled by the trust placed in me by Governor Newsom , and I intend to work each and every day to honor that trust and deliver for all Californians , '' Padilla said in a statement .
The governor and senator-designate have long been political allies and Padilla 's appointment did not come as a surprise .
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein was among many prominent voices lobbying for Padilla .
Many also advocated for Newsom to fill the seat with a Black woman .
Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Asian to serve in the Senate .
When Harris officially resigns from the Senate , there will be no Black women serving in the chamber .
Cory Booker , D-N.J. , and Tim Scott , R-S.C. , will then be the only Black U.S. senators .
Padilla will finish Harris ' term through 2022 , when he will be up for reelection if he chooses to run .

In this Nov. 2, 2018, file photo, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla speaks in San Francisco. California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, as the state's next U.S. senator to fill the seat being vacated by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla will replace Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday.
Padilla, a son of Mexican immigrants, will be the first Latino senator for California, where Latinos represent nearly 40% of the state's population.
"Through his tenacity, integrity, smarts and grit, California is gaining a tested fighter in their corner who will be a fierce ally in D.C., lifting up our state's values and making sure we secure the critical resources to emerge stronger from this pandemic. He will be a Senator for all Californians," Newsom said in a statement.
Padilla, 47, has served as California's top elections official since 2015. Previously, he was in the California state Senate and on the Los Angeles City Council.
"I am honored and humbled by the trust placed in me by Governor Newsom, and I intend to work each and every day to honor that trust and deliver for all Californians," Padilla said in a statement.
The governor and senator-designate have long been political allies and Padilla's appointment did not come as a surprise. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein was among many prominent voices lobbying for Padilla.
Many also advocated for Newsom to fill the seat with a Black woman. Harris was the second Black woman and first South Asian to serve in the Senate.
When Harris officially resigns from the Senate, there will be no Black women serving in the chamber. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Tim Scott, R-S.C., will then be the only Black U.S. senators.
Padilla will finish Harris' term through 2022, when he will be up for reelection if he chooses to run.