usatoday--2020-12-22--With COVID-19 precautions, New York City destinations are open for a new kind of holiday

The holidays have come to New York City amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
While some traditions , including the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes , have been canceled , others like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree , Bryant Park Winter Village , and Saks Fifth Avenue 's window displays are still happening , just very differently this year , the Rockland/Westchester Journal News , a USA TODAY Network publication , reports .
`` Many of the things that make the holidays so special also carry the most risk , '' said New York City Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chokshi .
`` I understand that after all we 've been through , there is a need to find comfort through celebrating with family and community .
But I want to be clear , the holidays this year can not look like years past . ''
Though the city 's department of health has advised people not to travel , organizers of holiday destinations say they have taken extensive steps to ensure the health and safety of those visitors who do decide to come .
The New York Botanical Garden closed its popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members this year , in an effort to reduce crowding .
Instead , it 's offering a new outdoor light experience called Glow .
`` The capacity for the train show is severely limited , but we still wanted to offer something to the public that has supported us so much , especially during this time , '' said Vice President for Garden Experience Lauren Turchio .
Glow , which features thousands of LED lights , takes place outdoors in a portion of the Botanical Garden 's 250 acres .
Turchio said valuable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were learned when the Botanical Garden reopened in July , lessons it 's applying to the holidays .
`` We had a steady , but limited opening , for members , our community partners and health care heroes in the first week , and that helped us try out all the safety protocols , '' said Turchio .
`` Everyone adapted very well .
Since our July opening , we have had 230,000 ticketed guests . ''
The same protocols are in place for Glow : advance ticketed reservations , reduced capacity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park , which has been open since late October , reduced the number of vendors at its holiday market from 170 to about 60 to create more room in the park .
Timed reservations are also required for skating .
With many people opting to stay home , especially out-of-town tourists , the venue is expecting fewer and more local visitors .
`` We 've had several people tell us that in a normal year , they might wait until after the holidays to visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , New Yorkers are really enjoying the holiday season at Bank of America Winter Village for themselves this year , '' said Irene Vagianos , vice president of brand partnerships and events at Bryant Park .
At nearby Grand Central Terminal , the popular Holiday Fair which always drew crowds , went all virtual this year , with 60 artisans and craftspeople selling their work online .
`` The Grand Central Holiday Fair normally brings a ton of energy and people and good cheer to a tightly packed indoor area , but this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opted to bring some of that energy online , `` said MTA Spokesman Aaron Donovan .
`` We are optimistic about the online version of the fair . ''
According to Alyssa Schmid of NYC & Company , the convention and visitors bureau in New York City , about 7 million people traditionally visit New York City during a typical holiday season , from Thanksgiving to Christmas .
About 750,000 people , Schmid added , visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree per day .
Far fewer will get up close and personal this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tree is closed and visitors in groups of no more than four will be allowed 5 minutes in COVID-safe pods at socially distanced spots to snap their photos .
Access will be granted via an app and a virtual queue .
With travel restrictions in place , especially from other states , the tourism group estimates that just 22.9 million people will visit the entire city in the last nine months of 2020 .
For those who do come , Schmid said businesses and venues are taking part in the Stay Well NYC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , requiring face coverings , social distancing , and using contactless payment whenever possible .
`` Additionally , many of the activities have their own protocols in place this year , including limited and timed ticketing , '' Schmid said .
A list of the businesses participating is available at NYCgo.com .
Macy 's is using `` touchless technology '' and holiday-themed six-foot distance markers so visitors can safely interact with their iconic holiday window displays , which this season are designed as a thank you to those New Yorkers who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The safety of our colleagues and customers is our top priority , '' said Bridget Betances , the national media relations manager at Macy 's .
`` In order to avoid gathering crowds , we encourage customers to view the windows at their leisure and practice proper social distancing . ''
Saks Fifth Avenue 's windows and light show , called `` This is How We Celebrate , '' are open , as well , but the store is also live-streaming the nightly show to encourage people to watch from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bronx Zoo , capacity is also limited for its Holiday Lights show , which began on Nov. 20 .
Organizers have expanded the annual event to allow for more social distancing , among other health and safety precautions .
`` The response from the public has been positive , '' said a Bronx Zoo spokesperson .
`` It is clear that people are looking to get out and experience the holidays with some sense of normalcy . ''
Leaving home to come to the city for a holiday excursion is a personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Chokshi emphasized the importance of the city 's health and safety protocols , including discouraging unnecessary travel .
`` We know that an informed and watchful city is one of our best defenses against COVID-19 .
Mistletoe may be off limits this year , but holiday cheer is not , '' Chokshi said .
`` Mask up , maintain distance , wash your hands , stay home if you 're ill and get tested .
Please , if you do n't absolutely have to , do n't travel .
This will help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also other New Yorkers . ''
Even with all the pandemic restrictions , capacity limits and more , the Botanical Garden 's Turchio found a silver lining .
The New York Botanical Garden , she said , had been contemplating a nighttime light experience for several years .
The pandemic accelerated those plans .
`` A lot of our garden peers have had successful ones , and this year , given the conditions we thought it was the perfect time to launch it , '' she said .
`` We are happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public that has supported us so much especially during this time . ''
Follow Heather Clark and Karen Croke on Twitter : @ Heather_L_Clark and @ livinghereNY

Heather Clark, Heather Clark and Karen Croke, Rockland/Westchester Journal News

With COVID-19 precautions, New York City destinations are open for a new kind of holiday
Show Caption Hide Caption Rockefeller Center Tree to light up for holidays For the 88th year, the Rockefeller Center Tree has returned for the holidays. Normally, the public is able to view the tree being lit for the first time, but that won't be the case this year. Accuweather
The holidays have come to New York City amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While some traditions, including the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes, have been canceled, others like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, Bryant Park Winter Village, and Saks Fifth Avenue's window displays are still happening, just very differently this year, the Rockland/Westchester Journal News, a USA TODAY Network publication, reports.
"Many of the things that make the holidays so special also carry the most risk," said New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi. "I understand that after all we've been through, there is a need to find comfort through celebrating with family and community. But I want to be clear, the holidays this year cannot look like years past."
Though the city's department of health has advised people not to travel, organizers of holiday destinations say they have taken extensive steps to ensure the health and safety of those visitors who do decide to come.
New York Botanical Garden offers new experience: Glow
The New York Botanical Garden closed its popular holiday train show to all but its members this year, in an effort to reduce crowding. Instead, it's offering a new outdoor light experience called Glow.
"The capacity for the train show is severely limited, but we still wanted to offer something to the public that has supported us so much, especially during this time," said Vice President for Garden Experience Lauren Turchio.
Glow, which features thousands of LED lights, takes place outdoors in a portion of the Botanical Garden's 250 acres. Turchio said valuable lessons in crowd control and COVID safety were learned when the Botanical Garden reopened in July, lessons it's applying to the holidays.
"We had a steady, but limited opening, for members, our community partners and health care heroes in the first week, and that helped us try out all the safety protocols," said Turchio. "Everyone adapted very well. Since our July opening, we have had 230,000 ticketed guests."
The same protocols are in place for Glow: advance ticketed reservations, reduced capacity and large outdoor areas for visitors to stroll.
Bryant Park Winter Village
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, which has been open since late October, reduced the number of vendors at its holiday market from 170 to about 60 to create more room in the park. Timed reservations are also required for skating. With many people opting to stay home, especially out-of-town tourists, the venue is expecting fewer and more local visitors.
"We've had several people tell us that in a normal year, they might wait until after the holidays to visit Bryant Park, but without those crowds, New Yorkers are really enjoying the holiday season at Bank of America Winter Village for themselves this year," said Irene Vagianos, vice president of brand partnerships and events at Bryant Park.
Grand Central Terminal's Holiday Fair goes virtual
At nearby Grand Central Terminal, the popular Holiday Fair which always drew crowds, went all virtual this year, with 60 artisans and craftspeople selling their work online.
"The Grand Central Holiday Fair normally brings a ton of energy and people and good cheer to a tightly packed indoor area, but this year with concerns about social distancing we opted to bring some of that energy online, " said MTA Spokesman Aaron Donovan. "We are optimistic about the online version of the fair."
Fewer visitors, more precautions
According to Alyssa Schmid of NYC & Company, the convention and visitors bureau in New York City, about 7 million people traditionally visit New York City during a typical holiday season, from Thanksgiving to Christmas. About 750,000 people, Schmid added, visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree per day.
Far fewer will get up close and personal this year; the area directly around the tree is closed and visitors in groups of no more than four will be allowed 5 minutes in COVID-safe pods at socially distanced spots to snap their photos. Access will be granted via an app and a virtual queue.
With travel restrictions in place, especially from other states, the tourism group estimates that just 22.9 million people will visit the entire city in the last nine months of 2020.
For those who do come, Schmid said businesses and venues are taking part in the Stay Well NYC Pledge, which includes hand-washing and sanitizing, requiring face coverings, social distancing, and using contactless payment whenever possible.
"Additionally, many of the activities have their own protocols in place this year, including limited and timed ticketing," Schmid said. A list of the businesses participating is available at NYCgo.com.
Macy's is using "touchless technology" and holiday-themed six-foot distance markers so visitors can safely interact with their iconic holiday window displays, which this season are designed as a thank you to those New Yorkers who have been on the front lines of the pandemic.
"The safety of our colleagues and customers is our top priority," said Bridget Betances, the national media relations manager at Macy's. "In order to avoid gathering crowds, we encourage customers to view the windows at their leisure and practice proper social distancing."
Saks Fifth Avenue's windows and light show, called "This is How We Celebrate," are open, as well, but the store is also live-streaming the nightly show to encourage people to watch from home instead of crowding the sidewalk.
At the Bronx Zoo, capacity is also limited for its Holiday Lights show, which began on Nov. 20. Organizers have expanded the annual event to allow for more social distancing, among other health and safety precautions.
"The response from the public has been positive," said a Bronx Zoo spokesperson. "It is clear that people are looking to get out and experience the holidays with some sense of normalcy."
Personal safety is key
Leaving home to come to the city for a holiday excursion is a personal decision that should not be taken lightly. Chokshi emphasized the importance of the city's health and safety protocols, including discouraging unnecessary travel.
"We know that an informed and watchful city is one of our best defenses against COVID-19. Mistletoe may be off limits this year, but holiday cheer is not," Chokshi said. "Mask up, maintain distance, wash your hands, stay home if you're ill and get tested. Please, if you don't absolutely have to, don't travel. This will help protect not just your loved ones, but also other New Yorkers."
Even with all the pandemic restrictions, capacity limits and more, the Botanical Garden's Turchio found a silver lining.
The New York Botanical Garden, she said, had been contemplating a nighttime light experience for several years. The pandemic accelerated those plans. "A lot of our garden peers have had successful ones, and this year, given the conditions we thought it was the perfect time to launch it," she said.
"We are happy to be able to offer something to the public that has supported us so much especially during this time."
Follow Heather Clark and Karen Croke on Twitter: @Heather_L_Clark and @livinghereNY


usatoday--2020-12-22--Politics updates: Donald Trump expected to sign coronavirus stimulus bill

USA TODAY 's coverage continues this week of the run-up to President-elect Joe Biden 's inauguration and the effort in Congress to pass a fresh round of COVID-19 economic relief .
Jan. 6 : Congress will count and certify the electoral results in a joint session .
Jan. 20 : Inauguration of Biden who will take the oath of office .
Be sure to refresh this page often to get the latest information on the transition .
The Senate passed a $ 900 billion COVID-19 relief package Monday , sending the bill to President Donald Trump to sign Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ payments and rescue thousands of small businesses nationwide struggling to stay open in the COVID-19 pandemic after a months-long stalemate that was ended with the help of a special dinner at Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski 's house .
The measure was attached to a $ 1.4 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government through Sept. 30 , 2021 ( the end of the fiscal year ) to form a nearly 5,600 page-bill that is one of the largest pieces of legislation Congress has ever tackled .
Its passage leaves some hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitch McConnell may be possible in 2021 .
Earlier in the evening , the House passed the measure 359-53 .
Hours later , the Senate approved it by a 92-6 vote .
Trump is expected to sign it today .
Whether he 'll sign the National Defense act is another matter .
If Trump vetoes the NDAA , McConnell says the Senate would return Dec. 29 regarding a congressional override .
More than 70 cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point were accused of cheating on a math exam , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Army 's premier training ground for officers .
Fifty-eight cadets admitted cheating on the exam , which was administered remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Most of them have been enrolled in a rehabilitation program and will be on probation for the remainder of their time at the academy .
Others resigned , and some face hearings that could result in their expulsion .
Rep. Jackie Speier , D-Calif. , who leads the personnel panel of the House Armed Services Committee , said she found the scandal deeply troubling and West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scope of cheating .
`` Our West Point cadets are the cream of the crop and are expected to demonstrate unimpeachable character and integrity , '' Speier said .
`` They must be held to the same high standard during remote learning as in-person . ''
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris campaigned Monday in Georgia for two Democratic Senate candidates whose races will determine control of the chamber .
She campaigned for Jon Ossoff and the Rev .
Raphael Warnock , who are challenging Republican Sens .
David Perdue and Kelley Loeffler , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican senators and 48 members who caucus with Democrats .
If both challengers win , Harris could break Senate ties in favor of Biden ’ s priorities .
Harris recited President-elect Joe Biden ’ s priorities for expanding Medicare and Medicaid , tripling Title I funding for schools and providing assistance to first-time homebuyers .
“ Everything is at stake , ” Harris said .
Warnock had said earlier that the Democrats would better provide health care and distribute the vaccine for COVID-19 before rebuilding the country with an infrastructure program .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine distributed safely and efficiently , ” Warnock said .
“ We ’ ve got to make sure that communities of color and other marginalized communities don ’ t find themselves at the back of the line.
” A small group of protesters assembled outside the event , with several carrying signs .
“ Kamala is a socialist , ” a sign said .
Georgia has reliably supported Republicans statewide for decades , but Biden beat President Donald Trump this year .
Harris had planned two campaign events Monday , but had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 stimulus package and federal spending legislation .
“ You did what nobody thought could be done , ” Harris told Georgia voters .
“ You know , no good comes without asking for a little bit more.
” Biden campaigned in Atlanta on Dec. 15 .
Trump visited the state Dec. 5 and said he would return Jan. 4 .
Vice President Mike Pence has also campaigned in Georgia .
More than 1.4 million people have voted in the runoffs already , and voting ends Jan. 5 .

Anne Godlasky, Bart Jansen, Nicholas Wu, Ledyard King and Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY

Politics updates: Biden blasts Trump for lack of response to cyber hack
Show Caption Hide Caption President-elect Biden blames Trump Administration for cyber attack President-elect Biden told reporters that the cyber attack on private and federal offices was a failure of the Trump Administration. Staff Video, USA TODAY
USA TODAY continues its coverage of the run-up to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration and year-end legislation taken up by Congress, including the $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package that passed Monday.
Dates to watch:
Jan. 6: Congress will count and certify the electoral results in a joint session.
Jan. 20: Inauguration of Biden who will take the oath of office.
Be sure to refresh this page often to get the latest information on the transition.
WILMINGTON, Del. — President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday offered his most detailed assessment yet for what he hopes to see in another round of economic stimulus next year, pushing back on pessimism about whether Congress will be able to repeat the kind of bipartisan agreement that resulted in the $900 billion deal brokered this week.
Biden praised the agreement, which will soon head to the White House for President Donald Trump’s signature, but he repeated a long-held assertion that the measure it only a “down payment” and that he would be asking lawmakers for billions more next year.
“Congress did its job this week,” Biden told reporters. “I can and I must ask them to do it again next year.”
Biden offered several specific policies he expects the next stimulus bill to include, such as direct payments – an idea that was supported by Trump and some Democrats but that was left out of first drafts of the latest stimulus -- spending for vaccine distribution and aid to local governments, a sticking point between Democrats and Republicans that was ultimately jettisoned from the measure approved Monday. Biden also mentioned an extended moratorium on evictions and foreclosures as well as extended unemployment benefits, which under the new legislation will expire in March.
Biden brushed aside skepticism about lawmakers’ ability to pass another stimulus next year given that the latest measure took eight months to work its way through Congress and was only after Congress dropped some of the most controversial provisions in play, including aid to state and local government and liability protection for businesses, sought by Republicans.
“I don’t think it’s a honeymoon at all. I think it’s a nightmare,” Biden said, arguing that Republicans would hear from their constituents facing economic turmoil as well as Democrats. “They’re not doing me a favor.”
Though he has not offered specifics Biden has repeatedly said the next round of stimulus would have to include a sizable investment in vaccine distribution.
"We’ll need more help to fully distribute the vaccine. We’re going to need more testing, in order to be able to open our schools,” he told reporters Tuesday. “We’ll need more funding to help firefighters and police, many of whom are being laid off as I speak. The same with nurses risking their lives on the front lines."
The $900 billion package will provide up to $600 payments to individuals, phasing out for people earning more than $87,000 per year; extend $300 weekly unemployment insurance by 11 weeks, through mid-March; extend the eviction moratorium to Jan. 31; extend a loan program for small businesses, and provide $13 million in benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
– John Fritze and Bart Jansen
WILMINGTON, Del. – President-elect Joe Biden blasted President Donald Trump’s response to the cyber hack of government agencies and U.S. businesses, saying the administration must publicly identify the culprit of the sophisticated attack and take action in response.
“This assault happened on Donald Trump’s watch, when he wasn’t watching,” Biden told reporters at The Queen theater. “It’s still his responsibility as president to defend American interests for the next four weeks. Rest assured, even if he doesn’t take it seriously, I will.”
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Biden acknowledged that much remains unknown about the attack. But he said it began in late 2019 and that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Attorney General William Barr have each suggested Russia is responsible.
“It certainly fits Russia’s long history of reckless, disruptive cyber activities,” Biden said.
Biden welcomed congressional leaders of both parties criticizing the attack and preparing to take action. But he criticized Trump for failing to prioritize cybersecurity by eliminating or downgrading cybersecurity officers and “President Trump’s irrational downplaying of the seriousness of the attack. Enough is enough.”
Biden said the Pentagon has delayed briefing members of his transition team about the hack and other issues.
“I see no evidence that it’s under control,” Biden said responding to Trump’s assertion shortly after the attack came to light.
Biden said his administration and Congress must warn adversaries that such attacks will carry costs, which he is prepared to impose, to prevent future attacks.
“Our adversaries are highly capable,” Biden said. “Cyber threats are among the greatest threats to our security in the 21st Century.”
– Bart Jansen and John Fritze
New COVID-19 relief: More stimulus checks and unemployment benefits Lawmakers struck a nearly $900 billion COVID-19 relief deal including another round of stimulus checks and jobless benefits for struggling Americans. Staff video, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – It may be a few days before President Donald Trump actually signs the COVID-19 relief bill into law.
For one thing, it hasn’t reached the White House yet.
The $900 billion rescue package is going through “enrollment,” the process by which the final bill “is printed on parchment paper, signed by appropriate House and Senate officials, and submitted to the president for signature,” according to the U.S. Senate website.
Enrollment of this new law will take some time.
The full bill - which is attached to a $1.4 trillion spending plan to fund the federal government through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year - runs nearly 5,600 pages long. It took several hours just to print out.
Trump is expected to sign the bill, eventually - just as soon as it gets to his desk.
— David Jackson
The Senate passed a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package Monday, sending the bill to President Donald Trump to sign Tuesday. It will send millions of Americans direct payments and rescue thousands of small businesses nationwide struggling to stay open in the COVID-19 pandemic after a months-long stalemate that was ended with the help of a special dinner at Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski's house.
The measure was attached to a $1.4 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government through Sept. 30, 2021 (the end of the fiscal year) to form a nearly 5,600 page-bill that is one of the largest pieces of legislation Congress has ever tackled. Its passage leaves some hoping this signals cooperation with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may be possible in 2021.
Earlier in the evening, the House passed the measure 359-53. Hours later, the Senate approved it by a 92-6 vote. Trump is expected to sign it today. Whether he'll sign the National Defense act is another matter. If Trump vetoes the NDAA, McConnell says the Senate would return Dec. 29 regarding a congressional override.
President-elect Joe Biden is poised to nominate Miguel Cardona as secretary of the Department of Education, multiple media outlets reported, choosing a major proponent of reopening schools during the coronavirus pandemic.
“In-person education is too important for our children to disrupt their education further," Cardona wrote in a letter to Connecticut school superintendents in November, "unless and until local conditions specifically dictate the need to do so."
Cardona would lead Biden's goal to reopen all public schools in the first 100 days of his administration if confirmed by the U.S. Senate. His pick would also add another Latino to Biden's increasingly diverse Cabinet.
Cardona has served as Connecticut's education chief for 16 months after working as a public school educator for two decades.
—Joey Garrison
More than 70 cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point were accused of cheating on a math exam, the worst academic scandal since the 1970s at the Army's premier training ground for officers.
Fifty-eight cadets admitted cheating on the exam, which was administered remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of them have been enrolled in a rehabilitation program and will be on probation for the remainder of their time at the academy. Others resigned, and some face hearings that could result in their expulsion.
Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., who leads the personnel panel of the House Armed Services Committee, said she found the scandal deeply troubling and West Point must provide more transparency to determine the scope of cheating.
"Our West Point cadets are the cream of the crop and are expected to demonstrate unimpeachable character and integrity," Speier said. "They must be held to the same high standard during remote learning as in-person."
–Tom Vanden Brook
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris campaigned Monday in Georgia for two Democratic Senate candidates whose races will determine control of the chamber.
She campaigned for Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock, who are challenging Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelley Loeffler, respectively. The Senate now has 50 Republican senators and 48 members who caucus with Democrats. If both challengers win, Harris could break Senate ties in favor of Biden’s priorities.
Harris recited President-elect Joe Biden’s priorities for expanding Medicare and Medicaid, tripling Title I funding for schools and providing assistance to first-time homebuyers.
“Everything is at stake,” Harris said.
Warnock had said earlier that the Democrats would better provide health care and distribute the vaccine for COVID-19 before rebuilding the country with an infrastructure program.
“We’ve got to get the vaccine distributed safely and efficiently,” Warnock said. “We’ve got to make sure that communities of color and other marginalized communities don’t find themselves at the back of the line.”
A small group of protesters assembled outside the event, with several carrying signs. “Kamala is a socialist,” a sign said.
Georgia has reliably supported Republicans statewide for decades, but Biden beat President Donald Trump this year. Harris had planned two campaign events Monday, but had to return to Washington to vote on the COVID-19 stimulus package and federal spending legislation.
“You did what nobody thought could be done,” Harris told Georgia voters. “You know, no good comes without asking for a little bit more.”
Biden campaigned in Atlanta on Dec. 15. Trump visited the state Dec. 5 and said he would return Jan. 4. Vice President Mike Pence has also campaigned in Georgia.
More than 1.4 million people have voted in the runoffs already, and voting ends Jan. 5.
– Bart Jansen


usatoday--2020-12-23--Trump's execution spree reflects death penalty system 'shaped by racial bias,' critics say

WASHINGTON – Many have come to believe that Brandon Bernard should have lived .
The jurors who sentenced him to death two decades ago think so .
So does a former federal prosecutor who helped send him to death row .
Bernard was executed Dec. 10 .
Barring court intervention , the Trump administration will have executed a total of 13 prisoners by January , outnumbering any presidency since Franklin D. Roosevelt ’ sand outnumbering all states combined .
Nearly half of the prisoners who were executed and are scheduled for execution , including Bernard , are Black .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longstanding inequalities in a criminal justice system that continues to disproportionately treat Black prisoners as the worst of the worst criminals , death penalty experts and advocates say .
As the nation reckons with the issue of race and criminal justice following the deaths of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor and others at the hands of police , the Trump administration executed Black prisoners who alleged that their death sentences were made possible by racial bias and prosecutorial wrongdoing – issues that their attorneys said were never meaningfully explored before they received the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentences that are so clearly shaped by racial bias really ignores , and in some ways , offends the growing recognition on the part of the people in this country that the legal system has not been fair to people of minority race , '' said Robert Owen , who represented Bernard .
That the Trump administration moved forward with the executions of Black men —including during the post-election lame-duck period before President-elect Joe Biden takes office — showed `` a complete disregard '' of societal changes following Floyd ’ s death , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal Capital Habeas Project .
`` We come from a history , which I think is getting more attention than it has in the past .
Our criminal justice system treats Black and white people differently .
You can ’ t look at the death penalty outside of that context , '' Friedman said .
Recent studies have found that in deciding who gets executed , Black lives are treated as if they matter less than white ones .
Defendants convicted of killing white victims were 17 times more likely to get executed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a study published last summer by the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review .
`` It 's clear that no society that claims to be committed to the rule of law could have a system where whether or not someone lives or dies is shaped by either the race of the victim or race of the defendant , '' said Sam Spital , director of litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund .
`` We know that death penalty in America is shaped by those two things .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Death Penalty Information Center , which looked at executions in cases involving interracial murders since 1976 , found that 295 Black defendants were executed for killing white victims , while only 21 white defendants were executed for killing Black victims .
`` What the jury is supposed to be determining is the worst of the worst : Worst of the worst crime , worst of the worst person , '' Ngozi Ndulue , senior director of research and special projects for the center .
`` We ’ re seeing jurors and prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the worst of the worst .
The crime becomes worst of the worst when the crime involved a white victim . ''
The federal system currently has the same number of Black and white prisoners on death row .
By January , the Trump administration will have executed the same number of Black and white prisoners : six each , and one Native American .
But racial disparities can be found by looking at nationwide numbers .
Black and white prisoners each make up a little over 40 % of federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Death Penalty Information Center .
Advocates say that 's hugely disproportionate in a country that 's only 13 % Black and 76 % white .
In Texas , which leads the country in the number of executions , state numbers show the majority of prisoners on death row ( 44 % ) are Black , even though the group is only 13 % of the state ’ s population .
In contrast , only 27 % of death row prisoners are white , in a state that ’ s nearly 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state that ’ s about 8 % Black and 74 % white , Black prisoners make up about 42 % of death row inmates .
White prisoners make up nearly 47 % of the state ’ s death row inmates .
`` How do we get these incredibly lopsided numbers ?
The answers would be very much worth pursuing , and a real examination of that has never happened … I would hope that this killing spree ( by the Trump administration ) might make people take another look , '' Friedman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executed in the past weeks brought up the issue of racial bias .
Bernard , who was convicted in a gang killing of two youth ministers in Texas in 1999 , alleged that prosecutors failed to disclose evidence from a police sergeant , who told prosecutors before trial that Bernard was at the very bottom of the gang 's hierarchy .
His attorneys said this contradicts with prosecutors ' assertion that Bernard , who did not shoot the victims , was just as culpable as the other suspects .
The Justice Department argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was lawful .
Despite Bernard 's non-leadership status in the gang , he played a substantial role in the ministers ' murders , the department said , noting that Bernard helped set the victims ' car on fire while they were trapped in the trunk .
One of the victims was already dead after being shot by the group 's ringleader , while the other was unconscious .
Still , several of the jurors who convicted Bernard have since said that although they believe he is guilty of the crimes , he should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angela Moore , a former federal prosecutor in Texas who defended the death sentence on appeal , said last month that she no longer believed Bernard should be executed .
Bernard , who was only 18 at the time of the crimes , was seen less for his youth and more for his race , Moore wrote in an op-ed published in the Indianapolis Star .
`` The jury found him to be a continuing threat to society and I think that was largely because , at the time of his trial , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belief on the part of the white majority in this country that young Black men of that era posed a unique threat of violence and dangerousness , '' Owen , Bernard 's attorney , said .
Still , the Supreme Court denied Bernard 's petition to halt his execution .
In her dissent , Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor said `` perverse and illogical '' rules required Bernard to promptly raise the issue of prosecutorial misconduct – even though he could not have known it existed .
`` Bernard has never had the opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in court .
Now he never will , '' Sotomayor wrote .
Another recently executed inmate , Orlando Hall , alleged that one of the prosecutors in his case had a history of striking Black jurors based on their race , a constitutional violation .
But his lawyers did not learn of that history until years later .
Hall was convicted in the kidnap , rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in 1994 .
During his trial , prosecutors struck a Black juror because of her views on the death penalty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar views , according to Hall 's petition to the Supreme Court .
The same Black juror was struck also because she had relatives in prison , but other white jurors with incarcerated family members were seated .
The Justice Department disputed in court records that prosecutors at Hall 's trial discriminated against Black jurors and said Hall relied on evidence of improper jury selection in other cases .
Hall was convicted by an all-white jury .
The Supreme Court denied his petition to halt his execution in November .
The Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in January – an unusual flurry of executions by an administration just days before the next one takes over .
Lisa Montgomery , who is white and the only woman on federal death row , will be executed on Jan. 12 for strangling a pregnant woman , cutting open her body and kidnapping her child .
Cory Johnson and Dustin Higgs , both Black , will be executed on Jan. 14 and 15 , respectively .
Johnson was convicted of killing seven people he believed to be rivals in the drug trade .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ three women .
Attorney General William Barr has defended the Justice Department 's resumption of executions after a nearly two-decade hiatus .
`` The Justice Department upholds the rule of law – and we owe it to the victims and their families to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system , '' Barr said last year after the first of several executions were scheduled .
Biden has promised to eliminate the federal death penalty and to give incentives for states to do the same .

Trump's execution spree reflects death penalty system 'shaped by racial bias,' critics say
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump continues federal executions amid transition The Trump administration is pressing forward with its unprecedented series of post-election federal executions this week, reigniting a debate on social media over death penalty laws in the United States. (Dec. 11) AP
WASHINGTON – Many have come to believe that Brandon Bernard should have lived. The jurors who sentenced him to death two decades ago think so. So does a former federal prosecutor who helped send him to death row.
Bernard was executed Dec. 10. Barring court intervention, the Trump administration will have executed a total of 13 prisoners by January, outnumbering any presidency since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s and outnumbering all states combined. Nearly half of the prisoners who were executed and are scheduled for execution, including Bernard, are Black.
The Trump administration’s execution spree highlights longstanding inequalities in a criminal justice system that continues to disproportionately treat Black prisoners as the worst of the worst criminals, death penalty experts and advocates say. As the nation reckons with the issue of race and criminal justice following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others at the hands of police, the Trump administration executed Black prisoners who alleged that their death sentences were made possible by racial bias and prosecutorial wrongdoing – issues that their attorneys said were never meaningfully explored before they received the ultimate punishment.
"Carrying out death sentences that are so clearly shaped by racial bias really ignores, and in some ways, offends the growing recognition on the part of the people in this country that the legal system has not been fair to people of minority race," said Robert Owen, who represented Bernard.
That the Trump administration moved forward with the executions of Black men –including during the post-election lame-duck period before President-elect Joe Biden takes office – showed "a complete disregard" of societal changes following Floyd’s death, said Ruth Friedman, director of the Federal Capital Habeas Project.
"We come from a history, which I think is getting more attention than it has in the past. Our criminal justice system treats Black and white people differently. You can’t look at the death penalty outside of that context," Friedman said.
Death penalty disparities
Recent studies have found that in deciding who gets executed, Black lives are treated as if they matter less than white ones.
Defendants convicted of killing white victims were 17 times more likely to be executed than those convicted of killing Black victims, according to a study published last summer by the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review.
"It's clear that no society that claims to be committed to the rule of law could have a system where whether or not someone lives or dies is shaped by either the race of the victim or race of the defendant," said Sam Spital, director of litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "We know that death penalty in America is shaped by those two things."
Another study published last fall by the Death Penalty Information Center, which looked at executions in cases involving interracial murders since 1976, found that 295 Black defendants were executed for killing white victims, while only 21 white defendants were executed for killing Black victims.
"What the jury is supposed to be determining is the worst of the worst: Worst of the worst crime, worst of the worst person," Ngozi Ndulue, senior director of research and special projects for the center. "We’re seeing jurors and prosecutors that are making value judgment about who’s the worst of the worst. The crime becomes worst of the worst when the crime involved a white victim."
The federal system currently has the same number of Black and white prisoners on death row. By January, the Trump administration will have executed the same number of Black and white prisoners: six each, and one Native American.
But racial disparities can be found by looking at nationwide numbers. Black and white prisoners each make up a little over 40% of federal and state death row inmates, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Advocates say that's hugely disproportionate in a country that's only 13% Black and 76% white.
In Texas, which leads the country in the number of executions, state numbers show the majority of prisoners on death row (44%) are Black, even though the group is only 13% of the state’s population. In contrast, only 27% of death row prisoners are white, in a state that’s nearly 80% white.
In Oklahoma, a state that’s about 8% Black and 74% white, Black prisoners make up about 42% of death row inmates. White prisoners make up nearly 47% of the state’s death row inmates.
"How do we get these incredibly lopsided numbers? The answers would be very much worth pursuing, and a real examination of that has never happened. … I would hope that this killing spree (by the Trump administration) might make people take another look," Friedman said.
Issues of racial bias in recent executions
At least two prisoners who were executed in the past weeks brought up the issue of racial bias.
Bernard, who was convicted in a gang killing of two youth ministers in Texas in 1999, alleged that prosecutors failed to disclose evidence from a police sergeant, who told prosecutors before trial that Bernard was at the very bottom of the gang's hierarchy. His attorneys said this contradicts with prosecutors' assertion that Bernard, who did not shoot the victims, was just as culpable as the other suspects.
The Justice Department argued in court papers that the death sentence was lawful. Despite Bernard's non-leadership status in the gang, he played a substantial role in the ministers' murders, the department said, noting that Bernard helped set the victims' car on fire while they were trapped in the trunk. One of the victims was already dead after being shot by the group's ringleader, while the other was unconscious.
Still, several of the jurors who convicted Bernard have since said that although they believe he is guilty of the crimes, he should not have been sentenced to death.
Angela Moore, a former federal prosecutor in Texas who defended the death sentence on appeal, said last month that she no longer believed Bernard should be executed. Bernard, who was only 18 at the time of the crimes, was seen less for his youth and more for his race, Moore wrote in an op-ed published in the Indianapolis Star.
"The jury found him to be a continuing threat to society and I think that was largely because, at the time of his trial, there was a very widespread but false belief on the part of the white majority in this country that young Black men of that era posed a unique threat of violence and dangerousness," Owen, Bernard's attorney, said.
Still, the Supreme Court denied Bernard's petition to halt his execution. In her dissent, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor said "perverse and illogical" rules required Bernard to promptly raise the issue of prosecutorial misconduct – even though he could not have known it existed.
"Bernard has never had the opportunity to test the merits of those claims in court. Now he never will," Sotomayor wrote.
Another recently executed inmate, Orlando Hall, alleged that one of the prosecutors in his case had a history of striking Black jurors based on their race, a constitutional violation. But his lawyers did not learn of that history until years later. Hall was convicted in the kidnap, rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in 1994.
During his trial, prosecutors struck a Black juror because of her views on the death penalty, but seated a white juror who expressed similar views, according to Hall's petition to the Supreme Court. The same Black juror was struck also because she had relatives in prison, but other white jurors with incarcerated family members were seated.
The Justice Department disputed in court records that prosecutors at Hall's trial discriminated against Black jurors and said Hall relied on evidence of improper jury selection in other cases.
Hall was convicted by an all-white jury. The Supreme Court denied his petition to halt his execution in November.
The Justice Department is set to execute three more people in January – an unusual flurry of executions by an administration just days before the next one takes over.
Lisa Montgomery, who is white and the only woman on federal death row, will be executed on Jan. 12 for strangling a pregnant woman, cutting open her body and kidnapping her child.
Cory Johnson and Dustin Higgs, both Black, will be executed on Jan. 14 and 15, respectively. Johnson was convicted of killing seven people he believed to be rivals in the drug trade. Higgs was convicted of kidnapping and killing three women.
Attorney General William Barr has defended the Justice Department's resumption of executions after a nearly two-decade hiatus.
"The Justice Department upholds the rule of law – and we owe it to the victims and their families to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system," Barr said last year after the first of several executions were scheduled.
Biden has promised to eliminate the federal death penalty and to give incentives for states to do the same.


usatoday--2020-12-23--Trump's Mar-a-Lago trip, possible vaccine deal, holiday traffic: 5 things to know Wednesday

Trump expected to head to Mar-a-Lago for last presidential Christmas President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in Palm Beach , Florida , Wednesday , according his official schedule .
He is expected to spend his last Christmas as president at Mar-a-Lago , the Federal Aviation Administration 's air space restrictions released this week notes .
How Trump will spend the holiday and how many family members will join him is not known .
The church where the first couple traditionally attends Christmas Eve services , Bethesda-by-the-Sea , is holding virtual services on YouTube .
The president will host his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Mar-a-Lago , according to the Palm Beach Post .
Trump had originally planned to stay through Jan. 3 .
But the FAA alert posted suggests he is expected to leave Palm Beach by 6:45 p.m. on Jan. 1 .
• 'We do n't want you to be our neighbor and break our laws ' : Neighbors say Trump forfeited right to live on estate once presidency ends • ' $ 2,000 or $ 4,000 for a couple ' : Trump demands bigger stimulus checks in COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress Prefer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things podcast below : Reports : Deal for another 70M-plus Pfizer vaccine doses is near The U.S. government and Pfizer could announce as soon as Wednesday an agreement for the pharmaceutical giant to provide another 70 million or more coronavirus vaccine doses in the second quarter of next year , according to multiple reports .
The sides have been at odds over access to manufacturing supplies but appear to have struck a deal that would involve the government invoking the Defense Production Act to make the components needed for the vaccine more readily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration and initial shipments went to states last week .
It has now been joined by a vaccine from Moderna , which comes under the umbrella of the government 's own effort , known as Operation Warp Speed .
Another deal with Pfizer would move the nation closer to the goal of vaccinating all Americans .
• USA TODAY panel says the US has nailed the science behind the vaccine .
Next up : logistics and trust .
• New poll : Americans ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the start of shots • Two COVID-19 vaccines are authorized in the US : This is what we know about them Moving on : William Barr to serve final day as attorney general Attorney General William Barr , long regarded as Trump 's most consequential advocate , will spend his last day in office Wednesday .
Barr announced his resignation last week after clashes with the president over the unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud .
In continuing to distance himself from Trump , Barr said Monday that he saw no reason to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the election fraud allegations .
He also broke with Trump by publicly blaming Russia for a massive cyberattack that affected more than a half-dozen government agencies and an untold number of private companies , even as the president sought to downplay the breach and then pointed the finger at China .
When Barr departs , Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen will serve as acting attorney general .
• Grievances : Trump rails against Barr , Kemp , other Republicans over election loss Less holiday traffic on the road this year , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC asked Americans to avoid traveling over the holidays , and as holiday drivers hit the road Wednesday , it looks like many Americans may have been heeding their advice .
AAA says it expects about 34 million fewer U.S. residents to travel over the Christmas and New Year 's holidays than last year – a drop of nearly 30 % .
But there are many still determined to see family and friends : AAA predicts the vast majority of holiday travelers – about 81 million in total – will travel by car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place , AAA suggests that you check ahead of time , call your hotel or rental car company to confirm they are still open to residents from other states and ask about the safety precautions being taken .
And although road traffic will be down considerably , major metropolitan areas could still see bottlenecks , so plan for extra time or alternate routes .
Safe travels !
• Get tested twice if you travel for holidays , according to CDC • Masks are a must .
Middle seats will likely be full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan on flying and have n't been on a plane this year • Know before you go : COVID travel restrictions by state 'The Midnight Sky ' navigates a rocky route before Clooney sticks the landing There are worse people to be stuck in the Arctic Circle with , at the end of the world , in a galactically ambitious film , than George Clooney .
Brandishing a bushy beard and plenty of gravitas , Clooney stars in – and directs – `` The Midnight Sky , '' streaming Wednesday on Netflix , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a meditation on mortality and exploration of human connection .
`` The Midnight Sky '' follows scientist Augustine Lofthouse ( Clooney ) as he tries to warn a returning crew of astronauts ( including Felicity Jones ) that much of mankind has been wiped out by deadly radiation while also trying to keep an 8-year-old girl ( Caoilinn Springall ) safe .
• George Clooney talks 'The Midnight Sky , ' : Joe Biden , Santa Claus and how kids have changed him • 'It was no longer fantasy in the same way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resonates differently during a pandemic • Netflix in December 2020 : What 's new and what 's expiring

Trump's Mar-a-Lago trip, possible vaccine deal, holiday traffic: 5 things to know Wednesday
Trump expected to head to Mar-a-Lago for last presidential Christmas
President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in Palm Beach, Florida, Wednesday, according his official schedule. He is expected to spend his last Christmas as president at Mar-a-Lago, the Federal Aviation Administration's air space restrictions released this week notes. How Trump will spend the holiday and how many family members will join him is not known. The church where the first couple traditionally attends Christmas Eve services, Bethesda-by-the-Sea, is holding virtual services on YouTube. The president will host his annual red-carpet New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, according to the Palm Beach Post. Trump had originally planned to stay through Jan. 3. But the FAA alert posted suggests he is expected to leave Palm Beach by 6:45 p.m. on Jan. 1.
Neighbors say Trump can't live at Mar-a-Lago Reports of a demand letter sent by Palm Beach residents attempting to bar President Donald Trump from living at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Buzz60
Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 things podcast below:
Reports: Deal for another 70M-plus Pfizer vaccine doses is near
The U.S. government and Pfizer could announce as soon as Wednesday an agreement for the pharmaceutical giant to provide another 70 million or more coronavirus vaccine doses in the second quarter of next year, according to multiple reports. The sides have been at odds over access to manufacturing supplies but appear to have struck a deal that would involve the government invoking the Defense Production Act to make the components needed for the vaccine more readily available. Pfizer's vaccine was the first to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration and initial shipments went to states last week. It has now been joined by a vaccine from Moderna, which comes under the umbrella of the government's own effort, known as Operation Warp Speed. Another deal with Pfizer would move the nation closer to the goal of vaccinating all Americans.
Dr. Fauci gets COVID-19 vaccine, encourages others to get vaccinated Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, received his first dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. USA TODAY
Moving on: William Barr to serve final day as attorney general
Attorney General William Barr, long regarded as Trump's most consequential advocate, will spend his last day in office Wednesday. Barr announced his resignation last week after clashes with the president over the unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud. In continuing to distance himself from Trump, Barr said Monday that he saw no reason to appoint special counsels to investigate Hunter Biden or the election fraud allegations. He also broke with Trump by publicly blaming Russia for a massive cyberattack that affected more than a half-dozen government agencies and an untold number of private companies, even as the president sought to downplay the breach and then pointed the finger at China. When Barr departs, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen will serve as acting attorney general.
2020 election: Barr sees 'no basis' to investigate alleged voter fraud Outgoing Attorney General William Barr says that he won't appoint a special counsel to look into President Trump's claims of election fraud. Staff Video, USA TODAY
Less holiday traffic on the road this year, but be careful
Earlier this month, the CDC asked Americans to avoid traveling over the holidays, and as holiday drivers hit the road Wednesday, it looks like many Americans may have been heeding their advice. AAA says it expects about 34 million fewer U.S. residents to travel over the Christmas and New Year's holidays than last year – a drop of nearly 30%. But there are many still determined to see family and friends: AAA predicts the vast majority of holiday travelers – about 81 million in total – will travel by car. Since there are many travel restrictions in place, AAA suggests that you check ahead of time, call your hotel or rental car company to confirm they are still open to residents from other states and ask about the safety precautions being taken. And although road traffic will be down considerably, major metropolitan areas could still see bottlenecks, so plan for extra time or alternate routes. Safe travels!
'The Midnight Sky' navigates a rocky route before Clooney sticks the landing
There are worse people to be stuck in the Arctic Circle with, at the end of the world, in a galactically ambitious film, than George Clooney. Brandishing a bushy beard and plenty of gravitas, Clooney stars in – and directs – "The Midnight Sky," streaming Wednesday on Netflix, an apocalyptic film that works well as a meditation on mortality and exploration of human connection. "The Midnight Sky" follows scientist Augustine Lofthouse (Clooney) as he tries to warn a returning crew of astronauts (including Felicity Jones) that much of mankind has been wiped out by deadly radiation while also trying to keep an 8-year-old girl (Caoilinn Springall) safe.
George Clooney on 'Midnight Sky,' 'ER,' what his kids want from Santa George Clooney chats with USA TODAY about his new film “The Midnight Sky” and what his children are asking Santa Claus for this Christmas. Entertain This!, USA TODAY
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-12-23--Donald Trump demands bigger stimulus checks in $900 billion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congre

WASHINGTON — In an unexpected video posted to Twitter on Tuesday night , President Donald Trump denounced a sweeping COVID-19 relief package he was expected to sign , calling it a `` disgrace '' and urging congressional leaders to make several changes to the bill including increasing direct payments for Americans .
`` It 's called the COVID relief bill , but it has almost nothing to do with COVID , '' he said in a video posted just moments after he issued a raft of pardons for several allies .
`` I ’ m asking Congress to amend this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 to $ 2,000 or $ 4,000 for a couple . ''
The president stopped short of saying he would veto the bipartisan legislation but was expected to sign the measure alongside a $ 1.4 trillion spending bill to fund the government .
Trump called on Congress to remove `` wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation , '' appearing to conflate the relief bill with the government spending measure .
The roughly $ 900 billion measure was attached to a $ 1.4 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government through Sept. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fiscal year ) to form a nearly 5,600 page-bill that is one of the largest pieces of legislation Congress has ever tackled .
The measure also includes bipartisan provisions like the end of surprise medical billing and legislation creating Smithsonian museums for women and Latinos .
In implying a threat to veto the bill , which Congress passed Monday night , Trump also referenced his efforts to somehow stay in office despite President-elect Joe Biden 's win in November .
`` I am also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and to send me a suitable bill , or else the next administration will have to deliver a Covid relief package , ” Trump said .
“ And maybe that administration will be me , and we will get it done.
” Trump is set to leave office on Jan. 20 .
Shortly after his video remarks dismissing the relief package , Trump tweeted out another video cataloging his complaints about the election , a list of unverified and false claims alleging voter fraud .
If Trump vetoes the bill , Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate .
The measure sailed through the House 359-53 and in the Senate by 92-6 .
Any attempt to veto the measure could delay Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin 's plans to send out the first wave of direct payments next week .
Trump claimed the bill allowed family members of undocumented immigrants to receive more in direct payments than it allows other Americans to receive .
The package does not allow for the $ 600 payments to be made to undocumented immigrants ; rather , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a joint return with an undocumented spouse to receive payments in addition to dependent children .
The latest round of stimulus – the fifth passed by Congress since the pandemic began nearly a year ago – was the result of intense negotiations in recent days as lawmakers and their staffs worked around the clock on a compromise that drew criticism from the far right for being too costly and from the far left who said it did n't go far enough to help Americans .
The measure comes at a crucial time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about to expire and federal unemployment benefits are about to run out .
In addition , the bill provides money for COVID testing and newly available vaccines that are designed not only to save lives but eventually lead to an easing of social distancing measures and capacity limits that have squeezed businesses , notably restaurants .
In a rare moment , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi encouraged Trump 's demands in a tweet : `` Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks .
At last , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent .
Let 's do it ! ''
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , tweeted , `` We spent months trying to secure $ 2000 checks but Republicans blocked it .
Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we 're glad to pass more aid Americans need . ''
`` Maybe Trump can finally make himself useful and get Republicans not to block it again , '' he concluded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP House Speakers Paul Ryan and John Boehner noted that the bill passed with `` way more votes than necessary to override a veto , so there 's not really too much drama here , '' he tweeted .
`` But , man , you 're not so happy if you 're an R who voted for the bill he 's now dumping on . ''

Courtney Subramanian, David Jackson and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY

Donald Trump demands bigger stimulus checks in $900 billion COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: President Trump denounces new relief bill, demands changes President Trump denounced the new COVID-19 relief package he's expected to sign and urged congressional leaders to make several changes to the bill. Staff video, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — In an unexpected video posted to Twitter on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump denounced a sweeping COVID-19 relief package he was expected to sign, calling it a "disgrace" and urging congressional leaders to make several changes to the bill including increasing direct payments for Americans.
"It's called the COVID relief bill, but it has almost nothing to do with COVID," he said in a video posted just moments after he issued a raft of pardons for several allies. "I’m asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple."
The president stopped short of saying he would veto the bipartisan legislation but was expected to sign the measure alongside a $1.4 trillion spending bill to fund the government. Trump called on Congress to remove "wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation," appearing to conflate the relief bill with the government spending measure.
The roughly $900 billion measure was attached to a $1.4 trillion spending bill to fund the federal government through Sept. 30, 2021 (the end of the fiscal year) to form a nearly 5,600 page-bill that is one of the largest pieces of legislation Congress has ever tackled. The measure also includes bipartisan provisions like the end of surprise medical billing and legislation creating Smithsonian museums for women and Latinos.
In implying a threat to veto the bill, which Congress passed Monday night, Trump also referenced his efforts to somehow stay in office despite President-elect Joe Biden's win in November.
"I am also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation, and to send me a suitable bill, or else the next administration will have to deliver a Covid relief package,” Trump said. “And maybe that administration will be me, and we will get it done.”
Trump is set to leave office on Jan. 20.
Shortly after his video remarks dismissing the relief package, Trump tweeted out another video cataloging his complaints about the election, a list of unverified and false claims alleging voter fraud.
If Trump vetoes the bill, Congress could override it with a two-thirds majority vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The measure sailed through the House 359-53 and in the Senate by 92-6.
Any attempt to veto the measure could delay Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin's plans to send out the first wave of direct payments next week.
Trump claimed the bill allowed family members of undocumented immigrants to receive more in direct payments than it allows other Americans to receive. The package does not allow for the $600 payments to be made to undocumented immigrants; rather, it allows for citizens and residents who filed a joint return with an undocumented spouse to receive payments in addition to dependent children.
The latest round of stimulus – the fifth passed by Congress since the pandemic began nearly a year ago – was the result of intense negotiations in recent days as lawmakers and their staffs worked around the clock on a compromise that drew criticism from the far right for being too costly and from the far left who said it didn't go far enough to help Americans.
The measure comes at a crucial time for the economy as an eviction moratorium is about to expire and federal unemployment benefits are about to run out. In addition, the bill provides money for COVID testing and newly available vaccines that are designed not only to save lives but eventually lead to an easing of social distancing measures and capacity limits that have squeezed businesses, notably restaurants.
In a rare moment, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi encouraged Trump's demands in a tweet: "Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 - Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let's do it!"
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tweeted, "We spent months trying to secure $2000 checks but Republicans blocked it. Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we're glad to pass more aid Americans need."
"Maybe Trump can finally make himself useful and get Republicans not to block it again," he concluded.
We spent months trying to secure $2000 checks but Republicans blocked it
Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open and we're glad to pass more aid Americans need
Maybe Trump can finally make himself useful and get Republicans not to block it again — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 23, 2020
Brendan Buck, a former spokesman for GOP House Speakers Paul Ryan and John Boehner noted that the bill passed with "way more votes than necessary to override a veto, so there's not really too much drama here," he tweeted. "But, man, you're not so happy if you're an R who voted for the bill he's now dumping on."
Contributing: Ledyard King, Nicholas Wu, and Savannah Behrmann


usatoday--2020-12-23--Help for movie theaters, farms, mass transit: What's in the COVID-19 rescue bill you might not know

The roughly $ 900 billion stimulus package Congress passed Monday to combat the spiraling COVID-19 pandemic is n't just about direct payments to millions of Americans , another round of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans to small businesses , or money to help distribute the coronavirus vaccines .
The bill , which heads to President Donald Trump for his signature , attempts to address the far-reaching fallout of a virus that has killed more than 320,000 Americans , infected millions more and forced scores of businesses to shut down and lay off workers .
Trump denounced the bill Tuesday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill that have n't gotten a lot of attention : 1 ) Helping live stage venues keep the lights on Some $ 15 billion is included in the measure for performing arts centers , independent movie theaters and other cultural institutions that have been hit particularly hard by the imposition of social distancing measures designed to limit the spread of the virus .
Only those that have already closed or are at risk of shutting down would be eligible for the federal grants , said Sen. John Cornyn , R-TX , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stages Act which became part of the relief package .
More : # SaveOurStages : How the new COVID-19 relief package will help entertainment venues '' Texas ’ historic and world-class entertainment venues were some of the first businesses to close , and many remain shuttered nine months later , '' he said .
Many Americans who lost their jobs because of the pandemic have also had trouble coming up with the rent .
So the Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act that Congress passed in March not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also prevented landlords from tossing out their COVID-strapped tenants until Dec. 31 .
The relief package adopted Monday adds another $ 25 billion to the pot of aid available to families .
And it extends that moratorium on evictions until Jan. 31 .
Democrats who had pushed for more help were willing to accept just a one-month extension under the assumption that the federal government will be more active to prevent evictions when Joe Biden is inaugurated as president Jan. 20 .
The bill includes $ 1.3 billion to expand broadband on reservations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an infrastructure program many lawmakers have long sought to address to close the digital divide .
So what does a faster and more reliable internet have to do with fighting a deadly virus .
Telehealth for one .
With the pandemic making access to already sparse medical resources even more limited , doctors could increase their connection to patients .
How a pasta dinner and Zoom chats rescued the COVID-19 relief bill and led to a $ 900 billion deal Another benefit would be distance learning .
With many communities limiting – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students have become more reliant on the internet for their instruction .
Few industries have felt the pain of pandemic 's stay-at-home response as much as airlines , passenger trains and transit agencies .
The bill Congress passed includes money for all three sectors : $ 2 billion for airports , $ 1 billion for Amtrak , and $ 14 billion for bus and rail systems serving cities and suburbs .
The money for airports also includes relief for businesses operating that serve passengers .
The measure also provides $ 15 billion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as $ 1 billion in grants to employees of contractors working for the airlines .
“ This legislation is a lifeline for businesses and workers who have been hanging on by a thread , '' U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow .
More than four million travel jobs have been lost this year , and this package includes long-needed provisions to help employers keep their lights on . ''
5 ) Confronting the stress of the pandemic While the virus itself has yet to infect more than 90 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic upheaval and social isolation has left many Americans emotionally drained , mentally exhausted and deeply depressed .
A Centers for Disease Control study released in August found that 40 % percent of American adults said they had struggled with mental health or substance abuse in June .
More : COVID-19 has devastated Americans ' mental health .
Here 's a simple way all of us can help .
The relief bill provides $ 4.25 billion to increase mental health and substance abuse services , including $ 50 million for suicide prevention programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve meals and restaurants have to limit their capacity , farmers suffer as well .
The bill includes nearly $ 12 billion to help make up for losses America 's crop growers , poultry and dairy farmers , cattle ranchers and food processors have had to swallow – and to make sure they survive to feed the country when the nation is fully open for business again .
The money would help offset losses farmers have shouldered from lost crops and livestock because they were unable to process them due to a lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forgiving a loan to the U.S .
Postal Service Tucked inside the relief package is a provision that forgives a federal $ 10 billion loan to the U.S .
Postal Service that was included in the CARES Act passed earlier this year .
While the loan was not needed at the time the terms were finalized in July , the bill passed Monday exempting the agency from having to repay any amount that was borrowed .
The postal service continues to face rising costs and decreasing consumer demand for first-class mail deliveries .

Help for movie theaters, farms, mass transit: What's in the COVID-19 rescue bill you might not know about
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 relief deal: Extra $300 in jobless aid Congress is rushing to pass a proposed COVID-19 relief bill. Here's what is in the package and what it means for you. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Rescuing concert halls and movie theaters. Expanding rural broadband capacity. Preventing suicide.
The roughly $900 billion stimulus package Congress passed Monday to combat the spiraling COVID-19 pandemic isn't just about direct payments to millions of Americans, another round of forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans to small businesses, or money to help distribute the coronavirus vaccines.
The bill, which heads to President Donald Trump for his signature, attempts to address the far-reaching fallout of a virus that has killed more than 320,000 Americans, infected millions more and forced scores of businesses to shut down and lay off workers. Trump denounced the bill Tuesday night.
Here are several provisions in the bill that haven't gotten a lot of attention:
1) Helping live stage venues keep the lights on
Some $15 billion is included in the measure for performing arts centers, independent movie theaters and other cultural institutions that have been hit particularly hard by the imposition of social distancing measures designed to limit the spread of the virus.
Only those that have already closed or are at risk of shutting down would be eligible for the federal grants, said Sen. John Cornyn, R-TX, who was a chief sponsor of the Save Our Stages Act which became part of the relief package.
More: #SaveOurStages: How the new COVID-19 relief package will help entertainment venues
"Texas’ historic and world-class entertainment venues were some of the first businesses to close, and many remain shuttered nine months later," he said.
2) Keeping renters in their homes
Many Americans who lost their jobs because of the pandemic have also had trouble coming up with the rent. So the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that Congress passed in March not only provided assistance to those families but also prevented landlords from tossing out their COVID-strapped tenants until Dec. 31.
The relief package adopted Monday adds another $25 billion to the pot of aid available to families. And it extends that moratorium on evictions until Jan. 31.
Democrats who had pushed for more help were willing to accept just a one-month extension under the assumption that the federal government will be more active to prevent evictions when Joe Biden is inaugurated as president Jan. 20.
3) Expanding the internet in hard-to-reach areas
The bill includes $1.3 billion to expand broadband on reservations and other rural pockets of the country, an infrastructure program many lawmakers have long sought to address to close the digital divide.
So what does a faster and more reliable internet have to do with fighting a deadly virus. Telehealth for one. With the pandemic making access to already sparse medical resources even more limited, doctors could increase their connection to patients.
How a pasta dinner and Zoom chats rescued the COVID-19 relief bill and led to a $900 billion deal
Another benefit would be distance learning. With many communities limiting – or even eliminating – in-person classes, students have become more reliant on the internet for their instruction.
4) Protecting transportation systems from crashing
Few industries have felt the pain of pandemic's stay-at-home response as much as airlines, passenger trains and transit agencies.
The bill Congress passed includes money for all three sectors: $2 billion for airports, $1 billion for Amtrak, and $14 billion for bus and rail systems serving cities and suburbs. The money for airports also includes relief for businesses operating that serve passengers.
The measure also provides $15 billion in grants to employees of passenger air carriers as well as $1 billion in grants to employees of contractors working for the airlines.
“This legislation is a lifeline for businesses and workers who have been hanging on by a thread," U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. More than four million travel jobs have been lost this year, and this package includes long-needed provisions to help employers keep their lights on."
5) Confronting the stress of the pandemic
While the virus itself has yet to infect more than 90% of the nation, its wake of economic upheaval and social isolation has left many Americans emotionally drained, mentally exhausted and deeply depressed.
A Centers for Disease Control study released in August found that 40% percent of American adults said they had struggled with mental health or substance abuse in June.
More: COVID-19 has devastated Americans' mental health. Here's a simple way all of us can help.
The relief bill provides $4.25 billion to increase mental health and substance abuse services, including $50 million for suicide prevention programs.
6) Lending a hand to hard-hit agriculture
When schools aren't open to serve meals and restaurants have to limit their capacity, farmers suffer as well.
The bill includes nearly $12 billion to help make up for losses America's crop growers, poultry and dairy farmers, cattle ranchers and food processors have had to swallow – and to make sure they survive to feed the country when the nation is fully open for business again.
The money would help offset losses farmers have shouldered from lost crops and livestock because they were unable to process them due to a lack of workers or demand.
7) Forgiving a loan to the U.S. Postal Service
Tucked inside the relief package is a provision that forgives a federal $10 billion loan to the U.S. Postal Service that was included in the CARES Act passed earlier this year.
While the loan was not needed at the time the terms were finalized in July, the bill passed Monday exempting the agency from having to repay any amount that was borrowed.
The postal service continues to face rising costs and decreasing consumer demand for first-class mail deliveries.