freebeacon--2020-04-21--U.S. Congress, White House Agree on Nearly $500 Billion More Coronavirus Bailout

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – U.S. congressional leaders and the White House agreed on Tuesday on nearly $ 500 billion more in coronavirus relief for the U.S. economy , bringing to nearly $ 3 trillion the amount allocated to deal with the crisis .
President Donald Trump urged them to pass it quickly , leaving aid to state and local governments for another bill .
`` I welcome this bipartisan agreement and hope the Senate will quickly pass it once members have reviewed the final text , '' the Senate ’ s Republican majority leader , Mitch McConnell , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 321 billion for a small business lending program , $ 60 billion for a separate emergency disaster loan program also for small businesses , as well as $ 75 billion for hospitals and $ 25 billion for national coronavirus testing .
The Senate was expected to vote on the plan later on Tuesday , and the House of Representatives later in the week , most likely on Thursday .
Congressional leaders had said they were very close to an agreement on legislation to provide more money to help small businesses , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly exhausted .
The bill agreed on Tuesday would be the fourth major piece of legislation passed as the federal government seeks to ease the heavy economic and personal toll of a pandemic that has killed more than 42,000 Americans and left more than 22 million people out of work .
Trump said he backed the measure , and urged lawmakers to act quickly .
He said talks would begin after its approval on more relief , including funds for state and local governments reeling from steep revenue losses due to the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been requesting throughout the crisis .
`` After I sign this Bill , we will begin discussions on the next Legislative Initiative with fiscal relief to State/Local Governments , '' as well as infrastructure investments , the Republican president wrote on Twitter .
Democrats and Republicans have sparred for weeks over how best to address the pandemic , which has killed 42,000 Americans , the highest death toll for any one country .
More than 22 million Americans have lost their jobs , as businesses have closed and residents have observed stay-at-home orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially deadly respiratory illness .
McConnell ’ s statement announcing the bipartisan legislation was laced with criticism of Democrats .
The deal ended the stalemate over how to replenish the small-business loan program .
Congress set up the $ 350 billion scheme last month as part of a $ 2.3 trillion coronavirus economic relief plan , but it quickly ran out of money .
Critics of the program said too much of the money had gone to larger , better-connected businesses .
To combat that , Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the latest package would go to `` mom and pop '' and minority-owned stores .
Anticipating the deal , House leaders asked members to return to Washington for a vote on Thursday , the chamber ’ s No .
2 Democrat , Steny Hoyer , told reporters .
He expects more than half the House to attend , and the bill to pass with support from both Democrats and Republicans .
Hoyer also told members to expect to vote on a rule change allowing proxy voting when necessary .
This would mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 429 current members would have to be present for votes , reducing the threat of spreading the coronavirus .
But Hoyer said he thinks lawmakers should go further and consider using remote technologies such as FaceTime for votes , as well as committee work as needed .
Some Republicans – echoing Trump ’ s calls for the country to reopen – have balked at taking the proxy voting step .
`` I think it ’ s a terrible idea , '' Representative Jim Jordan told reporters in the Capitol .
`` What is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress has been meeting , and you meet in person and debate in person .
So , I think , it ’ s that fundamental . ''

By Susan Cornwell, Patricia Zengerle and Lisa Lambert
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. congressional leaders and the White House agreed on Tuesday on nearly $500 billion more in coronavirus relief for the U.S. economy, bringing to nearly $3 trillion the amount allocated to deal with the crisis.
President Donald Trump urged them to pass it quickly, leaving aid to state and local governments for another bill.
"I welcome this bipartisan agreement and hope the Senate will quickly pass it once members have reviewed the final text," the Senate’s Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said in a statement.
The deal provides $321 billion for a small business lending program, $60 billion for a separate emergency disaster loan program also for small businesses, as well as $75 billion for hospitals and $25 billion for national coronavirus testing.
The Senate was expected to vote on the plan later on Tuesday, and the House of Representatives later in the week, most likely on Thursday.
Congressional leaders had said they were very close to an agreement on legislation to provide more money to help small businesses, after an initial $350 billion fund was quickly exhausted.
The bill agreed on Tuesday would be the fourth major piece of legislation passed as the federal government seeks to ease the heavy economic and personal toll of a pandemic that has killed more than 42,000 Americans and left more than 22 million people out of work.
Trump said he backed the measure, and urged lawmakers to act quickly. He said talks would begin after its approval on more relief, including funds for state and local governments reeling from steep revenue losses due to the virus, and infrastructure spending that Democrats have been requesting throughout the crisis.
"After I sign this Bill, we will begin discussions on the next Legislative Initiative with fiscal relief to State/Local Governments," as well as infrastructure investments, the Republican president wrote on Twitter.
PARTISAN DIVIDE
Democrats and Republicans have sparred for weeks over how best to address the pandemic, which has killed 42,000 Americans, the highest death toll for any one country. More than 22 million Americans have lost their jobs, as businesses have closed and residents have observed stay-at-home orders intended to minimize the spread of the potentially deadly respiratory illness.
McConnell’s statement announcing the bipartisan legislation was laced with criticism of Democrats.
The deal ended the stalemate over how to replenish the small-business loan program. Congress set up the $350 billion scheme last month as part of a $2.3 trillion coronavirus economic relief plan, but it quickly ran out of money.
Critics of the program said too much of the money had gone to larger, better-connected businesses. To combat that, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said, $125 billion of small business funds in the latest package would go to "mom and pop" and minority-owned stores.
Anticipating the deal, House leaders asked members to return to Washington for a vote on Thursday, the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat, Steny Hoyer, told reporters. He expects more than half the House to attend, and the bill to pass with support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Hoyer also told members to expect to vote on a rule change allowing proxy voting when necessary. This would mean not all of the House’s 429 current members would have to be present for votes, reducing the threat of spreading the coronavirus.
But Hoyer said he thinks lawmakers should go further and consider using remote technologies such as FaceTime for votes, as well as committee work as needed.
Some Republicans - echoing Trump’s calls for the country to reopen - have balked at taking the proxy voting step.
"I think it’s a terrible idea," Representative Jim Jordan told reporters in the Capitol. "What is it, 200 plus years. ... Congress has been meeting, and you meet in person and debate in person. So, I think, it’s that fundamental."


freebeacon--2020-04-21--POLL: White Liberals Most Bothered by Joe Biden’s Whiteness

The only Democratic voters significantly bothered by Joe Biden 's race and gender are white liberals with graduate degrees , according to a Pew survey published this week .
According to the poll , a majority of Democratic voters are not concerned that their party 's presumptive nominee for president is an elderly white man .
Nearly 60 percent of respondents said Biden 's age and race do not bother them .
Among black voters , 72 percent said they were n't bothered by Biden 's race and gender , while 70 percent of Hispanic voters said the same .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher among white Democrats , nearly half of whom said they were bothered that their party 's nominee was not a minority .
A majority of liberal Democrats reported being bothered by Biden 's whiteness , as did 58 percent of Democrats with a postgraduate education .
Among Democrats with a high school education or less , 76 percent said they did n't care about Biden 's race or gender , the highest result among any of the demographics measured .
Pew even broke down the numbers by which candidate each voter supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary .
The results were not surprising .
Early Biden supporters were the least likely to care about the former vice president 's race and gender , while 73 percent of Elizabeth Warren supporters were bothered by the fact that the likely Democratic nominee was not at least going to be an elderly white woman .
Warren was one of the first Democratic primary candidates to use the term `` Latinx '' on the campaign trail .
The non-gendered alternative to `` Latino '' and `` Latina '' is most popular among white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A 2019 poll of Hispanic voters found that just 2 percent prefer the politically correct `` Latinx , '' while 68 percent said they preferred `` Latino/Latina '' or `` Hispanic . ''
Biden will be the Democratic Party 's first white male nominee since John Kerry in 2004 and the first Democratic nominee without an Ivy League degree since Walter Mondale in 1984 .

The only Democratic voters significantly bothered by Joe Biden's race and gender are white liberals with graduate degrees, according to a Pew survey published this week.
According to the poll, a majority of Democratic voters are not concerned that their party's presumptive nominee for president is an elderly white man. Nearly 60 percent of respondents said Biden's age and race do not bother them. Among black voters, 72 percent said they weren't bothered by Biden's race and gender, while 70 percent of Hispanic voters said the same.
Concern over Biden's whiteness was considerably higher among white Democrats, nearly half of whom said they were bothered that their party's nominee was not a minority. A majority of liberal Democrats reported being bothered by Biden's whiteness, as did 58 percent of Democrats with a postgraduate education. Among Democrats with a high school education or less, 76 percent said they didn't care about Biden's race or gender, the highest result among any of the demographics measured.
Pew even broke down the numbers by which candidate each voter supported in the early stages of the Democratic primary. The results were not surprising. Early Biden supporters were the least likely to care about the former vice president's race and gender, while 73 percent of Elizabeth Warren supporters were bothered by the fact that the likely Democratic nominee was not at least going to be an elderly white woman.
Warren was one of the first Democratic primary candidates to use the term "Latinx" on the campaign trail. The non-gendered alternative to "Latino" and "Latina" is most popular among white liberals with graduate degrees and left-wing activists. A 2019 poll of Hispanic voters found that just 2 percent prefer the politically correct "Latinx," while 68 percent said they preferred "Latino/Latina" or "Hispanic."
Biden will be the Democratic Party's first white male nominee since John Kerry in 2004 and the first Democratic nominee without an Ivy League degree since Walter Mondale in 1984.


freebeacon--2020-04-21--Missouri Becomes First State to Sue China Over Coronavirus

Missouri became the first state to sue the Chinese government for economic losses suffered because of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` COVID-19 has done irreparable damage to countries across the globe , causing sickness , death , economic disruption , and human suffering , '' Missouri attorney general Eric Schmitt said in a statement .
Schmitt announced the suit on Tuesday .
`` In Missouri , the impact of the virus is very real—thousands have been infected and many have died , families have been separated from dying loved ones , small businesses are shuttering their doors , and those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put food on their table , '' Schmitt added .
`` The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19 , silenced whistleblowers , and did little to stop the spread of the disease .
They must be held accountable for their actions . ''
The lawsuit accuses the Chinese government of `` an appalling campaign of deceit , concealment , misfeasance , and inaction . ''
It states the government lied , suppressed information and research , and allowed millions to become infected around the globe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even as thousands began dying from the virus , China refused to cooperate with the global community and continued suppressing important research that could help mitigate its effects .
The suit seeks to compel China to reimburse the Missouri state government for its treatment efforts and lost economic activity , as well as damages caused by `` abnormally dangerous activities . ''
The attorney general filed the suit in the district court for the Eastern District of Missouri .
Missouri has more than 5,800 confirmed coronavirus cases and 177 deaths as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bill allowing Americans to sue China over the coronavirus .
Rep. Dan Crenshaw ( R. , Tex . )
and Sen. Tom Cotton ( R. , Ark . )
proposed the legislation , which would amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and allow citizens to hold China accountable in federal court .

Missouri became the first state to sue the Chinese government for economic losses suffered because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"COVID-19 has done irreparable damage to countries across the globe, causing sickness, death, economic disruption, and human suffering," Missouri attorney general Eric Schmitt said in a statement. Schmitt announced the suit on Tuesday.
"In Missouri, the impact of the virus is very real—thousands have been infected and many have died, families have been separated from dying loved ones, small businesses are shuttering their doors, and those living paycheck to paycheck are struggling to put food on their table," Schmitt added. "The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19, silenced whistleblowers, and did little to stop the spread of the disease. They must be held accountable for their actions."
The lawsuit accuses the Chinese government of "an appalling campaign of deceit, concealment, misfeasance, and inaction." It states the government lied, suppressed information and research, and allowed millions to become infected around the globe. It goes on to state that, even as thousands began dying from the virus, China refused to cooperate with the global community and continued suppressing important research that could help mitigate its effects.
The suit seeks to compel China to reimburse the Missouri state government for its treatment efforts and lost economic activity, as well as damages caused by "abnormally dangerous activities." The attorney general filed the suit in the district court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Missouri has more than 5,800 confirmed coronavirus cases and 177 deaths as of Tuesday.
Republicans in Congress have introduced a bill allowing Americans to sue China over the coronavirus. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R., Tex.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) proposed the legislation, which would amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and allow citizens to hold China accountable in federal court.


freebeacon--2020-04-21--Michigan Governor Whitmer Awards Coronavirus Contract to Dem Consulting Firm

UPDATE 6:45 p.m. : After publication of this article , Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer 's administration announced that the contract was being rescinded .
Read more here .
Michigan Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer has handed over control of the state ’ s new contact-tracing operation to one of her own campaign vendors and one of the left ’ s biggest technology firms .
The move has sparked concern that she is using the coronavirus to strengthen the Democratic Party ’ s data operation , potentially at the expense of public health .
The Whitmer administration announced Monday that it had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state to Every Action VAN , an arm of the Democratic data behemoth NGP VAN .
The liberal firm works with all of the major Democratic campaign committees and hundreds of labor unions across the country , according to its website , and will `` help organize remote phone banking and track information and contacts '' for Michigan , a state press release said .
The group is run by Stuart Trevelyan , a longtime Democratic campaign operative who worked in the Clinton White House and is currently assisting presumptive Democratic nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outreach and fundraising , according to Federal Election Commission reports .
Whitmer ’ s own gubernatorial campaign paid NGP VAN nearly $ 5,000 in 2019 , according to state campaign finance records .
Every Action is a branch of the firm that works with nonprofit organizations .
States across the country have begun contact tracing operations in the hope that wide-scale interviews will unlock crucial information and prevent additional infections .
But Whitmer appears to be the first governor to employ a group that typically focuses on politics to help with the task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baker has partnered with the health care nonprofit Partners in Health to conduct contract tracing and track diseases across the globe .
Every Action ’ s other clients include the radical anti-Israel group Jewish Voice for Peace , Planned Parenthood , and the left-wing National Women ’ s Law Center .
Whitmer ’ s office did not respond to a request for comment , and the state has not disclosed the dollar amount of the contract awarded to the firm .
Partnering with Every Action , Michigan hopes to collect information from thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand the spread of the coronavirus .
Trained volunteers are placing phone calls to those who have been in contact with coronavirus-infected individuals , inquiring about their health and advising them on appropriate precautions .
But state Republicans are raising concerns that the project will give the Democratic firm access to health and other private data of unwitting residents .
Wes Nakagiri , a local county commissioner who was trained to participate in the program , told the Washington Free Beacon that taxpayer money should not be used to assist Democratic candidates and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved with grassroots activists for a little over a decade .
I ’ ve never seen anything like this on the conservative side of the ledger , where you ’ ve got this entity working with governmental bodies , dumping huge networks of information into one database , '' Nakagiri told the Free Beacon .
`` They ’ re asking for contact information , they ’ re asking for who else lives in the house—it ’ s troubling that this information is being stored in a Democrat-aligned database . ''
A spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the data collected for the contact tracing study will be owned by Michigan and not used for political purposes .
`` NGP VAN ’ s CRM outreach software is used by a large number of nonprofits , governments , and corporations to manage their contacts with people , '' said Max Kamin-Cross .
`` Each client owns their own data ; we are not a data company .
We are proud to be helping reduce the number of coronavirus deaths . ''
The state also awarded a contract for contact tracing to Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Democratic consultant Michael Kolehouse .
Kolehouse is the owner of Kolehouse Strategies , which advertises itself as a door-knocking firm for progressive candidates and brandishes praise on its website from Michigan Democratic Party chairwoman Lavora Barnes .
Publicly available training materials indicate that Kolehouse Strategies is scheduling shift work for volunteers .
Kolehouse did not respond to a request for comment .
Elected in 2019 , Whitmer has risen to national prominence during the coronavirus crisis as her state has struggled to contain one of the worst outbreaks of the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued in late March that shuttered nonessential businesses—drew praise and led to chatter about a vice presidential nomination , a second stay-at-home order signed earlier this month has drawn intense backlash , with critics arguing that the business closures it mandates are arbitrary and that her approach has been too heavy handed .
While Whitmer 's name has been thrown around as a possibility for vice president , she told the Washington Post that she has not yet been vetted though she has been in frequent contact with Biden .
Thousands of Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protest the order .
Whitmer , who has called the order `` one of the nation ’ s most conservative , '' criticized the protesters during a Monday press conference , accusing them of blocking ambulances from reaching a nearby hospital , a claim disputed by local police and the hospital 's spokesman .
The latest order , which went into effect on April 9 , forcibly closes local stores selling `` nonessential '' items , including gardening seeds and paint , but allows for the sale of lottery tickets and marijuana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Walmart to sell nonessential goods for curbside pickup , allowing multi-state corporations to circumvent the order while local retailers fight to survive .

UPDATE 6:45 p.m.: After publication of this article, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration announced that the contract was being rescinded. Read more here.
_
Michigan Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer has handed over control of the state’s new contact-tracing operation to one of her own campaign vendors and one of the left’s biggest technology firms. The move has sparked concern that she is using the coronavirus to strengthen the Democratic Party’s data operation, potentially at the expense of public health.
The Whitmer administration announced Monday that it had awarded a contract for contact tracing in the state to Every Action VAN, an arm of the Democratic data behemoth NGP VAN. The liberal firm works with all of the major Democratic campaign committees and hundreds of labor unions across the country, according to its website, and will "help organize remote phone banking and track information and contacts" for Michigan, a state press release said.
The group is run by Stuart Trevelyan, a longtime Democratic campaign operative who worked in the Clinton White House and is currently assisting presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s campaign with voter outreach and fundraising, according to Federal Election Commission reports. Whitmer’s own gubernatorial campaign paid NGP VAN nearly $5,000 in 2019, according to state campaign finance records. Every Action is a branch of the firm that works with nonprofit organizations.
States across the country have begun contact tracing operations in the hope that wide-scale interviews will unlock crucial information and prevent additional infections. But Whitmer appears to be the first governor to employ a group that typically focuses on politics to help with the task. In Massachusetts, Republican governor Charlie Baker has partnered with the health care nonprofit Partners in Health to conduct contract tracing and track diseases across the globe.
Every Action’s other clients include the radical anti-Israel group Jewish Voice for Peace, Planned Parenthood, and the left-wing National Women’s Law Center. Whitmer’s office did not respond to a request for comment, and the state has not disclosed the dollar amount of the contract awarded to the firm.
Partnering with Every Action, Michigan hopes to collect information from thousands of individuals across the state to better understand the spread of the coronavirus. Trained volunteers are placing phone calls to those who have been in contact with coronavirus-infected individuals, inquiring about their health and advising them on appropriate precautions.
But state Republicans are raising concerns that the project will give the Democratic firm access to health and other private data of unwitting residents.
Wes Nakagiri, a local county commissioner who was trained to participate in the program, told the Washington Free Beacon that taxpayer money should not be used to assist Democratic candidates and campaigns.
"I’ve been involved with grassroots activists for a little over a decade. I’ve never seen anything like this on the conservative side of the ledger, where you’ve got this entity working with governmental bodies, dumping huge networks of information into one database," Nakagiri told the Free Beacon. "They’re asking for contact information, they’re asking for who else lives in the house—it’s troubling that this information is being stored in a Democrat-aligned database."
A spokesman for NGP VAN told the Free Beacon that the data collected for the contact tracing study will be owned by Michigan and not used for political purposes.
"NGP VAN’s CRM outreach software is used by a large number of nonprofits, governments, and corporations to manage their contacts with people," said Max Kamin-Cross. "Each client owns their own data; we are not a data company. We are proud to be helping reduce the number of coronavirus deaths."
The state also awarded a contract for contact tracing to Great Lakes Community Engagement, a group operated by the Democratic consultant Michael Kolehouse. Kolehouse is the owner of Kolehouse Strategies, which advertises itself as a door-knocking firm for progressive candidates and brandishes praise on its website from Michigan Democratic Party chairwoman Lavora Barnes.
Publicly available training materials indicate that Kolehouse Strategies is scheduling shift work for volunteers. Kolehouse did not respond to a request for comment.
Elected in 2019, Whitmer has risen to national prominence during the coronavirus crisis as her state has struggled to contain one of the worst outbreaks of the disease.
Though her initial response—a stay-at-home order issued in late March that shuttered nonessential businesses—drew praise and led to chatter about a vice presidential nomination, a second stay-at-home order signed earlier this month has drawn intense backlash, with critics arguing that the business closures it mandates are arbitrary and that her approach has been too heavy handed. While Whitmer's name has been thrown around as a possibility for vice president, she told the Washington Post that she has not yet been vetted though she has been in frequent contact with Biden.
Thousands of Michigan residents flooded the statehouse in Lansing Thursday to protest the order. Whitmer, who has called the order "one of the nation’s most conservative," criticized the protesters during a Monday press conference, accusing them of blocking ambulances from reaching a nearby hospital, a claim disputed by local police and the hospital's spokesman.
The latest order, which went into effect on April 9, forcibly closes local stores selling "nonessential" items, including gardening seeds and paint, but allows for the sale of lottery tickets and marijuana. It also permits big-box stores such as Walmart to sell nonessential goods for curbside pickup, allowing multi-state corporations to circumvent the order while local retailers fight to survive.


freebeacon--2020-04-21--Chris Cuomo Fakes Emerging From Basement After Virus Recovery

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo staged a public emergence from quarantine in his home Monday , despite the fact that he had been caught leaving quarantine before .
`` We had a huge day today in Casa Cuomo , '' he said during Cuomo Prime Time .
`` Here it is , the official reentry from the basement , cleared by CDC , '' Cuomo said .
`` A little sweaty , just worked out .
It happens .
This is what I ’ ve been dreaming of literally for weeks . ''
Cuomo had left his basement prior to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On April 12 , he visited his property that is under development in East Hampton .
A local cyclist named David , 65 , confronted Cuomo about social distancing , as his brother , New York governor Andrew Cuomo ( D. ) , had been providing daily coronavirus briefings on the importance of social distancing and quarantining patients .
The Tuesday following the incident , David told the New York Post about his encounter .
He was riding in East Hampton when he noticed Cuomo with his wife , another woman , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said when Cuomo ’ s wife approached him , he asked her why her husband wasn ’ t practicing social distancing , at which point the television host berated him .
`` He said , ‘ Who the hell are you ?
I can do what I want , ' '' David recounted .
`` He just ranted , screaming , ‘ I ’ ll find out who you are ! '
'' `` He said , ‘ This is not the end of this .
You ’ ll deal with this later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s not a threat , I don ’ t know what is , '' David told the Post .
David reported the incident to the police but did not press charges .
The day after the incident , Cuomo called David names during an appearance on SiriusXM radio and explained that he gets upset when confronted on the street .
`` I don ’ t want some jackass , loser , fat-tire biker being able to pull over and get in my space and talk bulls—t to me , I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Cuomo said .
`` I want to be able to tell you to go to hell , to shut your mouth . ''
The verbal spat harks back to Cuomo 's outburst at a group of strangers last August after one of them called him `` Fredo , '' a reference to The Godfather films .
`` No , punk-ass b—es from the right call me ‘ Fredo . '
My name is Chris Cuomo .
I 'm an anchor on CNN , '' Cuomo said .
`` Are any of you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insult to your people .
It 's an insult to your f—in ' people .
It 's like the N-word for us .
Is that a cool f—ing thing ? ''
In late March Cuomo announced he contracted the coronavirus , but he continued with his show despite claiming to have a fever of `` 103 plus . ''
He claimed he hallucinated and saw his late father , former New York governor Mario Cuomo , but he said his greatest worry was spreading the virus to his family .
On April 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cristina , was also diagnosed with coronavirus .

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo staged a public emergence from quarantine in his home Monday, despite the fact that he had been caught leaving quarantine before.
"We had a huge day today in Casa Cuomo," he said during Cuomo Prime Time.
"Here it is, the official reentry from the basement, cleared by CDC," Cuomo said. "A little sweaty, just worked out. It happens. This is what I’ve been dreaming of literally for weeks."
Cuomo had left his basement prior to his "reentry" video, however. On April 12, he visited his property that is under development in East Hampton. A local cyclist named David, 65, confronted Cuomo about social distancing, as his brother, New York governor Andrew Cuomo (D.), had been providing daily coronavirus briefings on the importance of social distancing and quarantining patients.
The Tuesday following the incident, David told the New York Post about his encounter. He was riding in East Hampton when he noticed Cuomo with his wife, another woman, and three children at the property.
David said when Cuomo’s wife approached him, he asked her why her husband wasn’t practicing social distancing, at which point the television host berated him.
"He said, ‘Who the hell are you? I can do what I want,'" David recounted. "He just ranted, screaming, ‘I’ll find out who you are!'"
"He said, ‘This is not the end of this. You’ll deal with this later. We will meet again.’ If that’s not a threat, I don’t know what is," David told the Post.
David reported the incident to the police but did not press charges.
The day after the incident, Cuomo called David names during an appearance on SiriusXM radio and explained that he gets upset when confronted on the street.
"I don’t want some jackass, loser, fat-tire biker being able to pull over and get in my space and talk bulls—t to me, I don’t want to hear it," Cuomo said. "I want to be able to tell you to go to hell, to shut your mouth."
The verbal spat harks back to Cuomo's outburst at a group of strangers last August after one of them called him "Fredo," a reference to The Godfather films.
"No, punk-ass b—es from the right call me ‘Fredo.' My name is Chris Cuomo. I'm an anchor on CNN," Cuomo said. "Are any of you Italian? … It's a f—ing insult to your people. It's an insult to your f—in' people. It's like the N-word for us. Is that a cool f—ing thing?"
In late March Cuomo announced he contracted the coronavirus, but he continued with his show despite claiming to have a fever of "103 plus." He claimed he hallucinated and saw his late father, former New York governor Mario Cuomo, but he said his greatest worry was spreading the virus to his family. On April 15, he announced that his wife, Cristina, was also diagnosed with coronavirus.


freebeacon--2020-04-21--Andrew Cuomo: GOP’s Larry Hogan Is a Better Governor Than I Am

New York governor Andrew Cuomo ( D. ) said Tuesday that his Maryland counterpart Larry Hogan ( R. ) proved to be a `` better governor '' than he is , pointing to Hogan 's acquisition of 500,000 coronavirus tests from South Korea for his state .
Cuomo said during his Tuesday briefing on the pandemic that his daughters hammered him after they saw on the news that Hogan managed to get tests shipped to Maryland from Korea .
`` One of my other daughters who is a little more pointed in life , a little more literal , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that , dad ? '
'' Cuomo said .
`` So I was really just feeling de minimis as a governor .
Larry Hogan is a better governor . ''
`` We 're sitting there watching the news , '' he said .
`` Gov .
Hogan says , ‘ I got [ 500,000 ] test kits from South Korea . '
My daughter turns to me and looks at me and says , ‘ Wow , that was really smart . '
'' `` God bless Larry Hogan , he really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creative , '' Cuomo said .
Cuomo has criticized the administration for how it has called on states to take the lead in obtaining tests and other medical equipment to deal with the pandemic .
He said during Tuesday 's briefing that governors should not be responsible for taking action like Hogan did and that the federal government should step in to help the states with foreign purchases .
Trump has countered Cuomo 's criticism , taking credit Monday for effectively managing the supply of ventilators .
The president drew attention to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York 's need of the life-saving machines .
After Cuomo demanded 40,000 ventilators in March , the state began giving away some of its 12,000-machine supply in April citing the lack of demand .
Hogan 's wife , Yumi Hogan , immigrated from South Korea and speaks Korean fluently .
She negotiated directly to obtain the test kits , the New York Times reported .
Gov .
Hogan was intent on obtaining the tests even though it appeared the FDA may hold up the shipment , which arrived in Maryland via Korean Air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because my team was saying that the FDA approval was going to hold it up , '' Hogan said .
`` I did n't care and was going to get the tests anyway . ''
`` Luckily we had a very strong relationship with Korea , '' Hogan said .
`` But it should not have been this difficult . ''

New York governor Andrew Cuomo (D.) said Tuesday that his Maryland counterpart Larry Hogan (R.) proved to be a "better governor" than he is, pointing to Hogan's acquisition of 500,000 coronavirus tests from South Korea for his state.
Cuomo said during his Tuesday briefing on the pandemic that his daughters hammered him after they saw on the news that Hogan managed to get tests shipped to Maryland from Korea.
"One of my other daughters who is a little more pointed in life, a little more literal, said, 'Why didn't you think of that, dad?'" Cuomo said. "So I was really just feeling de minimis as a governor. Larry Hogan is a better governor."
"We're sitting there watching the news," he said. "Gov. Hogan says, 'I got [500,000] test kits from South Korea.' My daughter turns to me and looks at me and says, 'Wow, that was really smart.'"
"God bless Larry Hogan, he really thought outside the box and was very creative," Cuomo said.
Cuomo has criticized the administration for how it has called on states to take the lead in obtaining tests and other medical equipment to deal with the pandemic. He said during Tuesday's briefing that governors should not be responsible for taking action like Hogan did and that the federal government should step in to help the states with foreign purchases.
Trump has countered Cuomo's criticism, taking credit Monday for effectively managing the supply of ventilators. The president drew attention to the fact that Cuomo had vastly overestimated New York's need of the life-saving machines. After Cuomo demanded 40,000 ventilators in March, the state began giving away some of its 12,000-machine supply in April citing the lack of demand.
Hogan's wife, Yumi Hogan, immigrated from South Korea and speaks Korean fluently. She negotiated directly to obtain the test kits, the New York Times reported. Gov. Hogan was intent on obtaining the tests even though it appeared the FDA may hold up the shipment, which arrived in Maryland via Korean Air on Saturday.
"I was frosted because my team was saying that the FDA approval was going to hold it up," Hogan said. "I didn't care and was going to get the tests anyway."
"Luckily we had a very strong relationship with Korea," Hogan said. "But it should not have been this difficult."


freebeacon--2020-04-21--New Bill Would Require Warning Labels on Apps Made by China, Russia

Congress is considering new legislation that would require warning labels on smartphone applications made in countries the United States deems a national security threat , including China , Russia , and Iran .
The legislation spearheaded by Rep. Jim Banks ( R. , Ind . )
, a member of the House Armed Services Committee , would require app store operators to inform Americans before they download an application that could surreptitiously collect their data and send it to an enemy state .
`` This bill will help inform us as to what exactly we 're agreeing to when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the app store , '' Banks told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` If an app is being used by a foreign government to take advantage of us , we need to be informed . ''
Data harvesting threatens anyone who uses a smartphone .
Applications routinely siphon off data and send it to servers hosted in foreign countries .
Any app produced by a hostile regime could pose a significant risk to American users .
Banks 's bill calls out `` China , Russia , Venezuela , Syria , Sudan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other country that is designated as a source of dangerous software by an expert or has provided support for international terrorism , '' according to information provided by the lawmaker 's office .
Any American who downloads an application produced in one of these countries would be presented with a warning message .
The user would then have to acknowledge the possibility his or her data may be abused before downloading the app in question .
This warning label would be separate from any other agreements the user must navigate prior to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill .
The Federal Trade Commission would be in charge of enforcing the new requirements .
As more Americans turn to their phones for entertainment , especially during the coronavirus pandemic , it has become increasingly simple for hostile foreign nations to exploit the access given when a person downloads an application .
Many of the simplest apps can surreptitiously record data from users and track their movements and purchasing history .
Reams of information about American users of the popular TikTok video app are hosted on servers in China , where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Army blocked soldiers from using TikTok in January due to the national security threat the app poses .
Banks 's bill would impose fines of up to $ 50,000 on app developers and software marketplace operators that do not enforce the new warning labels .
Criminal punishments , including prison , could also be handed down for anyone who egregiously violates the statute .
Other countries can be added to the at-risk list as Congress sees fit .
`` Some phone apps are fun and useful , others are counterintelligence threats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they hit the download button , '' Banks said in a statement announcing the new legislation .
`` Parents and consumers have a right to a warning that by downloading some apps like Russia 's FaceApp or China 's TikTok , their data may be used against the United States by an adversarial or enemy regime . ''

Congress is considering new legislation that would require warning labels on smartphone applications made in countries the United States deems a national security threat, including China, Russia, and Iran.
The legislation spearheaded by Rep. Jim Banks (R., Ind.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, would require app store operators to inform Americans before they download an application that could surreptitiously collect their data and send it to an enemy state.
"This bill will help inform us as to what exactly we're agreeing to when we hit the download button on some apps on the app store," Banks told the Washington Free Beacon. "If an app is being used by a foreign government to take advantage of us, we need to be informed."
Data harvesting threatens anyone who uses a smartphone. Applications routinely siphon off data and send it to servers hosted in foreign countries. Any app produced by a hostile regime could pose a significant risk to American users.
Banks's bill calls out "China, Russia, Venezuela, Syria, Sudan, Iran, and North Korea, and any other country that is designated as a source of dangerous software by an expert or has provided support for international terrorism," according to information provided by the lawmaker's office.
Any American who downloads an application produced in one of these countries would be presented with a warning message. The user would then have to acknowledge the possibility his or her data may be abused before downloading the app in question.
This warning label would be separate from any other agreements the user must navigate prior to downloading the application, according to the bill. The Federal Trade Commission would be in charge of enforcing the new requirements.
As more Americans turn to their phones for entertainment, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, it has become increasingly simple for hostile foreign nations to exploit the access given when a person downloads an application. Many of the simplest apps can surreptitiously record data from users and track their movements and purchasing history.
Reams of information about American users of the popular TikTok video app are hosted on servers in China, where the communist government can access it. The U.S. Army blocked soldiers from using TikTok in January due to the national security threat the app poses.
Banks's bill would impose fines of up to $50,000 on app developers and software marketplace operators that do not enforce the new warning labels. Criminal punishments, including prison, could also be handed down for anyone who egregiously violates the statute.
Other countries can be added to the at-risk list as Congress sees fit.
"Some phone apps are fun and useful, others are counterintelligence threats. Americans should know which is which before they hit the download button," Banks said in a statement announcing the new legislation. "Parents and consumers have a right to a warning that by downloading some apps like Russia's FaceApp or China's TikTok, their data may be used against the United States by an adversarial or enemy regime."


freebeacon--2020-04-21--GOP Rep Blasts House for Adjourning With No Discussion of Small Business Funding

Rep. Brian Mast ( R. , Fla. ) ripped Democratic leadership for adjourning the House of Representatives almost immediately Tuesday without allowing Republican lawmakers to speak about the need for more small business relief .
`` Some of my colleagues asked to speak here , asked to be recognized , asked to talk a little bit about what 's going on here , express some of the urgency that we get to work here in the House of Representatives , '' Mast said in a Facebook video recorded on the House floor .
`` No willingness to speak about when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No willingness to speak about the urgency that 's needed for Americans today .
No willingness to speak about any debate whatsoever related to COVID-19 , '' he added .
`` We had some very important parliamentary inquiries about why the House stands adjourned .
They failed to recognize us here . ''
Despite funding for small business loans drying up last week , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) insisted that `` businesses will have the money in a timely fashion . ''
The timeline for the funding is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus bill continue .
Senate Democrats voted to block emergency funding that would have saved the Paycheck Protection Program before it ran out of funds .
It was originally allocated $ 350 billion as a cornerstone of the $ 2 trillion relief bill signed in March .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R. , Ky. ) also criticized Democratic leadership for being obstructionist .
`` Senate Democrats just blocked urgent money for a popular , bipartisan job-saving program which they themselves literally coauthored with us two weeks ago , '' McConnell wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encountering resistance from the more extreme wing of the Democratic Party .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) said she would oppose the next coronavirus stimulus bill because it did not go far enough .

Rep. Brian Mast (R., Fla.) ripped Democratic leadership for adjourning the House of Representatives almost immediately Tuesday without allowing Republican lawmakers to speak about the need for more small business relief.
"Some of my colleagues asked to speak here, asked to be recognized, asked to talk a little bit about what's going on here, express some of the urgency that we get to work here in the House of Representatives," Mast said in a Facebook video recorded on the House floor.
"No willingness to speak about when we will come back into session. No willingness to speak about the urgency that's needed for Americans today. No willingness to speak about any debate whatsoever related to COVID-19," he added. "We had some very important parliamentary inquiries about why the House stands adjourned. They failed to recognize us here."
Despite funding for small business loans drying up last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) insisted that "businesses will have the money in a timely fashion." The timeline for the funding is unclear as negotiations over the next coronavirus stimulus bill continue.
Senate Democrats voted to block emergency funding that would have saved the Paycheck Protection Program before it ran out of funds. It was originally allocated $350 billion as a cornerstone of the $2 trillion relief bill signed in March.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) also criticized Democratic leadership for being obstructionist.
"Senate Democrats just blocked urgent money for a popular, bipartisan job-saving program which they themselves literally coauthored with us two weeks ago," McConnell wrote on Twitter.
Senate Democrats just blocked urgent money for a popular, bipartisan job-saving program which they themselves literally coauthored with us two weeks ago. I complimented both sides and asked to increase the dollar amount without changing anything else. But they blocked it. https://t.co/kihn5p6rLa — Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) April 9, 2020
Further coronavirus funding is encountering resistance from the more extreme wing of the Democratic Party. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) said she would oppose the next coronavirus stimulus bill because it did not go far enough.


freebeacon--2020-04-21--A Top Republican Senator Is Pushing One of the Biggest Jobs Programs in History

Following calls by economists to temporarily `` pause '' the melting down economy , Sen. Josh Hawley ( R. , Mo . )
in recent weeks debuted a plan to restore millions of jobs on the government dime and is now pushing for his proposal to guide coronavirus relief going forward .
Tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs to the coronavirus pandemic and concurrent shutdown .
The specter of an unprecedented economic depression now looms over each week 's unemployment figures .
Fearing the effects of the economy contracting by up to a third , Congress has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the newly out of work .
But that spending is primarily focused on short-term relief and may be drawing even more people out of the workforce , potentially lengthening and deepening the recession .
Hawley 's plan would go further , aiming to restore and then preserve employer-employee connections until the crisis has passed .
`` The plan is really simple , '' Hawley told the Washington Free Beacon in an interview .
`` It 's to try to rehire every person who has lost their job because of this health emergency and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the health emergency .
And it 's to try to protect every job in this country for the duration of this crisis . ''
Although straightforward , the plan would amount to one of the biggest bailouts ever devised—a similar plan is projected to cost Denmark 13 percent of its GDP over three months .
Hawley 's support for it , then , marks yet another case where the novel coronavirus has pushed a Republican leader to think outside the box economically , marking a change that is likely to last after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Americans have filed for unemployment in the past four weeks , and the unemployment rate is now likely hovering around 18 percent—higher than at any other point in the postwar era .
The enormous wave of joblessness poses two problems for lawmakers .
In the short run , they need to make sure that out-of-work Americans still have money to pay rent and buy groceries ; in the long run , they need to figure out how to get them back to work as quickly as possible following the easing of social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act , Congress 's $ 2 trillion coronavirus bailout passed earlier this month , is targeted at the short-run problem , including both a boost to unemployment insurance and universal flat payments to Americans making under $ 75,000 a year .
Another component of the act , the Paycheck Protection Program , gives employers forgivable loans for keeping their payrolls afloat .
The PPP was tremendously popular—so popular , in fact , that it depleted its $ 350 billion funding in less than two weeks and is now the subject of a heated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refill it .
Hawley supports expanding the PPP 's funding but told the Free Beacon that even in its best form , the program is inadequate for the current economic challenge .
`` It is not designed to address the scale of the economic crisis that workers in this country are facing , '' Hawley said .
`` We just did n't know at the time the PPP was adopted the severity , economically , of this crisis and what it would lead to , particularly not so quickly . ''
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more ambitious plan—one modeled on the approach taken by the governments of Denmark and the United Kingdom .
Instead of using a variety of programs to replace people 's wages with government cash , it would , in essence , convert the employment system itself into a temporary transfer system .
Under the plan , the federal government would use payroll tax rebates to cover 80 percent of employer payroll costs , up to the national median wage .
It would also give firms an additional credit for each worker they rehired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chains and holding crisis profiteers accountable .
In effect , the program would aim to freeze employment in its pre-recession configuration , allowing it to be thawed when social distancing restrictions have been loosened .
`` My view is , why would we send people to the unemployment line ? ''
Hawley asked .
`` Workers have n't done anything wrong here , families have n't done anything wrong .
They should n't bear the brunt of this health epidemic and the steps that we 're taking as a nation to deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short-term , the plan would produce outcomes similar to the aid programs already in place , meaning money in the pockets of laid-off employees .
The difference is in the long-run—while expanded unemployment insurance may be actively drawing people out of the workforce , the goal of Hawley 's proposal would be to get them back in as quickly as possible .
One of the main subjects of debate among economists at present is how quickly the economy will be able to recover following a loosening of social distancing restrictions .
In principle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decline in aggregate demand , i.e.
, Americans ' desire to consume .
That should mean an easy recovery .
In practice , though , it 's not that simple—as the crisis drags on , it can get harder for people to go back to work .
Skanda Amarnath , research director at the labor policy group Employ America , explained to the Free Beacon that the economic dislocation associated with mass layoffs will slow the process of restoring employment .
`` Recruiting and training a new worker as opposed to someone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` That 's generally true across the wage spectrum , whether you 're working at something that 's considered ‘ low-skilled ' is still something that requires some level of training , some level of experience . ''
At the same time , Amarnath explained , as unemployment rises , uncertainty rises among those still working too , and everyone cuts back on their consumption—in turn driving the economy deeper into recession .
Giving individuals temporary transfers or expanded unemployment insurance , although useful , provides neither the benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job itself to return to when the period of contraction is over .
In essence , Amarnath said , `` having a job is a safety blanket itself . ''
Amarnath said that the cost of paying 80 percent of below-median wages was likely the biggest barrier to Hawley 's plan getting off the ground .
But , he argued , the payment would be well worth it because it would be paid for in getting things back to `` normal '' more quickly .
`` If we can preserve our economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is capable of generating all of the output it used to generate and it will be totally worth it , '' Amarnath said .
`` If we just sever all of these relationships and just try to start from scratch , it may not be as bad in the end , but there 's a lot more uncertainty associated with that . ''

Following calls by economists to temporarily "pause" the melting down economy, Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) in recent weeks debuted a plan to restore millions of jobs on the government dime and is now pushing for his proposal to guide coronavirus relief going forward.
Tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs to the coronavirus pandemic and concurrent shutdown. The specter of an unprecedented economic depression now looms over each week's unemployment figures.
Fearing the effects of the economy contracting by up to a third, Congress has appropriated millions of dollars in aid to the newly out of work. But that spending is primarily focused on short-term relief and may be drawing even more people out of the workforce, potentially lengthening and deepening the recession. Hawley's plan would go further, aiming to restore and then preserve employer-employee connections until the crisis has passed.
"The plan is really simple," Hawley told the Washington Free Beacon in an interview. "It's to try to rehire every person who has lost their job because of this health emergency and because of the government shutdown to deal with the health emergency. And it's to try to protect every job in this country for the duration of this crisis."
Although straightforward, the plan would amount to one of the biggest bailouts ever devised—a similar plan is projected to cost Denmark 13 percent of its GDP over three months. Hawley's support for it, then, marks yet another case where the novel coronavirus has pushed a Republican leader to think outside the box economically, marking a change that is likely to last after the crisis is over.
Over 20 million Americans have filed for unemployment in the past four weeks, and the unemployment rate is now likely hovering around 18 percent—higher than at any other point in the postwar era. The enormous wave of joblessness poses two problems for lawmakers. In the short run, they need to make sure that out-of-work Americans still have money to pay rent and buy groceries; in the long run, they need to figure out how to get them back to work as quickly as possible following the easing of social distancing restrictions.
Much of the CARES Act, Congress's $2 trillion coronavirus bailout passed earlier this month, is targeted at the short-run problem, including both a boost to unemployment insurance and universal flat payments to Americans making under $75,000 a year. Another component of the act, the Paycheck Protection Program, gives employers forgivable loans for keeping their payrolls afloat. The PPP was tremendously popular—so popular, in fact, that it depleted its $350 billion funding in less than two weeks and is now the subject of a heated dispute, with Democrats resisting efforts to refill it.
Hawley supports expanding the PPP's funding but told the Free Beacon that even in its best form, the program is inadequate for the current economic challenge.
"It is not designed to address the scale of the economic crisis that workers in this country are facing," Hawley said. "We just didn't know at the time the PPP was adopted the severity, economically, of this crisis and what it would lead to, particularly not so quickly."
That's why the Missouri senator is pushing for a more ambitious plan—one modeled on the approach taken by the governments of Denmark and the United Kingdom. Instead of using a variety of programs to replace people's wages with government cash, it would, in essence, convert the employment system itself into a temporary transfer system.
Under the plan, the federal government would use payroll tax rebates to cover 80 percent of employer payroll costs, up to the national median wage. It would also give firms an additional credit for each worker they rehired and include some provisions about repatriating supply chains and holding crisis profiteers accountable. In effect, the program would aim to freeze employment in its pre-recession configuration, allowing it to be thawed when social distancing restrictions have been loosened.
"My view is, why would we send people to the unemployment line?" Hawley asked. "Workers haven't done anything wrong here, families haven't done anything wrong. They shouldn't bear the brunt of this health epidemic and the steps that we're taking as a nation to deal with the health epidemic."
In the short-term, the plan would produce outcomes similar to the aid programs already in place, meaning money in the pockets of laid-off employees. The difference is in the long-run—while expanded unemployment insurance may be actively drawing people out of the workforce, the goal of Hawley's proposal would be to get them back in as quickly as possible.
One of the main subjects of debate among economists at present is how quickly the economy will be able to recover following a loosening of social distancing restrictions. In principle, there has not been a lasting decline in aggregate demand, i.e., Americans' desire to consume. That should mean an easy recovery.
In practice, though, it's not that simple—as the crisis drags on, it can get harder for people to go back to work. Skanda Amarnath, research director at the labor policy group Employ America, explained to the Free Beacon that the economic dislocation associated with mass layoffs will slow the process of restoring employment.
"Recruiting and training a new worker as opposed to someone who's already there takes additional effort," he said. "That's generally true across the wage spectrum, whether you're working at something that's considered 'low-skilled' is still something that requires some level of training, some level of experience."
At the same time, Amarnath explained, as unemployment rises, uncertainty rises among those still working too, and everyone cuts back on their consumption—in turn driving the economy deeper into recession. Giving individuals temporary transfers or expanded unemployment insurance, although useful, provides neither the benefits that come with a job nor that job itself to return to when the period of contraction is over. In essence, Amarnath said, "having a job is a safety blanket itself."
Amarnath said that the cost of paying 80 percent of below-median wages was likely the biggest barrier to Hawley's plan getting off the ground. But, he argued, the payment would be well worth it because it would be paid for in getting things back to "normal" more quickly.
"If we can preserve our economy, we can go back to an economy that is capable of generating all of the output it used to generate and it will be totally worth it," Amarnath said. "If we just sever all of these relationships and just try to start from scratch, it may not be as bad in the end, but there's a lot more uncertainty associated with that."


freebeacon--2020-04-21--CBS Anchor Tells Stacey Abrams She’s ‘Extremely Qualified’ to Be Vice President

CBS This Morning anchor and Barack Obama donor Gayle King gushed over Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams on Tuesday morning , saying the former state legislator and failed gubernatorial candidate is `` extremely qualified '' to be vice president of the United States .
Abrams is openly lobbying to serve as Joe Biden 's running mate come November , despite never being elected to any office beyond the state legislature .
As she touted her voting rights work and `` competence and skills and willingness to serve , '' King cut in to praise her as ready to be a heartbeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a great nuts and bolts answer because everybody knows you 're extremely qualified , '' King said .
`` I 'm looking for something about Stacey Abrams the person .
Why is she a good choice and have you had any talks at all with the Biden team ? ''
Abrams said she had communicated with the Biden team on improving voting infrastructure .
She added that she would continue to focus on election reform , whether she is tapped as his running mate or not .
King has not let her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly championing her friends within Democratic and liberal circles , such as Sen. Cory Booker ( D. , N.J. ) , Barack and Michelle Obama , and Oprah Winfrey .
She is so close with Booker that she joked in 2012 that `` no boinking '' had occurred when the two hung out for an evening .
She also donated $ 35,800 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2011 before she joined CBS News that same year .
She admitted in a Washington Post profile last year that she would not betray one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For instance , she said she knew Booker would run for president before he officially announced it , but she did n't break the story .
King vacationed in 2017 with the Obamas , but she has claimed that her recreational trips were `` not political '' and thus not unethical .
Abrams has never held a position higher than House minority leader in the Georgia legislature , but she frequently expresses eagerness to run on the 2020 presidential ticket .
She became a national Democratic star after her narrow loss in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which she has blamed on disputed claims of voter suppression .
She told Elle magazine in an article published April 15 that her credentials for vice president included `` 25 years in independent study of foreign policy . ''
Outside of her political career , Abrams is a noted romance novelist , publishing several books under the pen name `` Selena Montgomery . ''
CBS is currently adapting one of her novels , Never Tell , into a TV drama .
Biden has pledged to choose a woman as his running mate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gretchen Whitmer ( D. ) and Sens .
Amy Klobuchar ( D. , Minn. ) , Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) , and Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
, among others .

CBS This Morning anchor and Barack Obama donor Gayle King gushed over Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams on Tuesday morning, saying the former state legislator and failed gubernatorial candidate is "extremely qualified" to be vice president of the United States.
Abrams is openly lobbying to serve as Joe Biden's running mate come November, despite never being elected to any office beyond the state legislature. As she touted her voting rights work and "competence and skills and willingness to serve," King cut in to praise her as ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
"That's a great nuts and bolts answer because everybody knows you're extremely qualified," King said. "I'm looking for something about Stacey Abrams the person. Why is she a good choice and have you had any talks at all with the Biden team?"
Abrams said she had communicated with the Biden team on improving voting infrastructure. She added that she would continue to focus on election reform, whether she is tapped as his running mate or not.
King has not let her role as a journalist stop her from publicly championing her friends within Democratic and liberal circles, such as Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.), Barack and Michelle Obama, and Oprah Winfrey. She is so close with Booker that she joked in 2012 that "no boinking" had occurred when the two hung out for an evening. She also donated $35,800 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2011 before she joined CBS News that same year.
She admitted in a Washington Post profile last year that she would not betray one of her friendships to get a scoop. For instance, she said she knew Booker would run for president before he officially announced it, but she didn't break the story. King vacationed in 2017 with the Obamas, but she has claimed that her recreational trips were "not political" and thus not unethical.
Abrams has never held a position higher than House minority leader in the Georgia legislature, but she frequently expresses eagerness to run on the 2020 presidential ticket. She became a national Democratic star after her narrow loss in the 2018 Georgia governor's race, which she has blamed on disputed claims of voter suppression.
She told Elle magazine in an article published April 15 that her credentials for vice president included "25 years in independent study of foreign policy."
Outside of her political career, Abrams is a noted romance novelist, publishing several books under the pen name "Selena Montgomery." CBS is currently adapting one of her novels, Never Tell, into a TV drama.
Biden has pledged to choose a woman as his running mate. He's also reportedly considering Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer (D.) and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.), Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), and Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), among others.


freebeacon--2020-04-21--Chinese Propagandist Invokes Tiananmen Square to Attack Trump

The editor of a state-controlled Chinese newspaper invoked the Tiananmen Square massacre , in which the Chinese government massacred thousands of pro-democracy protesters , to criticize President Donald Trump .
`` He is the ‘ Tank Man ' of the US .
He tries to block the arrogance , anti-scientific temperament of some Americans , which is , however , supported and promoted by the US President , '' Hu Xijin , editor in chief of the Global Times , wrote on Twitter .
Hu 's comment referred to a photo of a medical worker standing in the way of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescinding of lockdown orders .
Protests against lockdown orders have sprung up in some states across the country .
The Global Times is a daily newspaper in China that operates as the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party and is known for its aggressive nationalistic stances .
Hu has promoted conspiracy theories blaming the United States for instigating the Hong Kong democracy protests and consistently misrepresented the objectives of the Hong Kong protesters to discredit them .
Hu 's use of the phrase `` Tank Man '' is a reference to a historic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a column of tanks leaving Tiananmen Square one day after Chinese forces violently suppressed pro-democracy protests .
The Tiananmen Square Massacre , which occurred on June 4 , 1989 , involved Chinese army and police forces firing on hundreds of thousands of protesters who had gathered to call for liberty in the communist dictatorship .
As many as one million protesters gathered in the square .
It is estimated that thousands of protesters were killed and thousands more were arrested .
The massacre drew international criticism , including from the Soviet Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions on China in the aftermath .
The `` Tank Man '' photo became an international symbol of resistance against totalitarian regimes , and the Chinese government has aggressively censored information about the event within its borders .

The editor of a state-controlled Chinese newspaper invoked the Tiananmen Square massacre, in which the Chinese government massacred thousands of pro-democracy protesters, to criticize President Donald Trump.
"He is the 'Tank Man' of the US. He tries to block the arrogance, anti-scientific temperament of some Americans, which is, however, supported and promoted by the US President," Hu Xijin, editor in chief of the Global Times, wrote on Twitter.
He is the 'Tank Man" of the US. He tries to block the arrogance, anti-scientific temperament of some Americans, which is, however, supported and promoted by the US President. pic.twitter.com/Yyxzm1gso6 — Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) April 21, 2020
Hu's comment referred to a photo of a medical worker standing in the way of cars driven by protesters calling for the rescinding of lockdown orders. Protests against lockdown orders have sprung up in some states across the country.
The Global Times is a daily newspaper in China that operates as the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party and is known for its aggressive nationalistic stances. Hu has promoted conspiracy theories blaming the United States for instigating the Hong Kong democracy protests and consistently misrepresented the objectives of the Hong Kong protesters to discredit them.
Hu's use of the phrase "Tank Man" is a reference to a historic photo of a man standing in front of a column of tanks leaving Tiananmen Square one day after Chinese forces violently suppressed pro-democracy protests. The Tiananmen Square Massacre, which occurred on June 4, 1989, involved Chinese army and police forces firing on hundreds of thousands of protesters who had gathered to call for liberty in the communist dictatorship.
As many as one million protesters gathered in the square. It is estimated that thousands of protesters were killed and thousands more were arrested. The massacre drew international criticism, including from the Soviet Union, and the United States imposed economic sanctions on China in the aftermath.
The "Tank Man" photo became an international symbol of resistance against totalitarian regimes, and the Chinese government has aggressively censored information about the event within its borders.


freebeacon--2020-04-21--U.S. Monitors Reports of Kim Jong Un’s Illness Amid Doubts From South Korea, China

SEOUL ( Reuters ) – South Korean and Chinese officials on Tuesday cast doubt on reports North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was ill after media outlets said he had undergone a cardiovascular procedure and was in `` grave danger , '' while U.S. officials closely monitored the situation .
Daily NK , a Seoul-based speciality website , reported late on Monday , citing one unnamed source in North Korea , that Kim was recovering after undergoing the procedure on April 12 .
The North Korean leader is believed to be about 36 .
`` We ’ re monitoring these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump ’ s national security adviser , Robert O ’ Brien , told Fox News in an interview on Tuesday .
Asked about how political succession would work in North Korea , O ’ Brien , according to footage aired by CNN , said : `` The basic assumption would be maybe it would be someone in the family .
But , again , it ’ s too early to talk about that because we just don ’ t know what condition Chairman Kim is in and we ’ ll have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In recent years Kim has launched a diplomatic offensive to promote both himself as a world leader and his reclusive , nuclear-armed state , holding three meetings with Trump , four with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and five with China ’ s President Xi Jinping .
Trump has described Kim as a friend but the unprecedented engagement by a U.S. president with a North Korean leader has failed to slow Kim ’ s nuclear weapons program , which now threatens the United States .
Kim is the unquestioned leader of North Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arsenal .
He has no clear successor and any instability in the country could be a major international risk .
Two South Korean government officials rejected an earlier CNN report citing an unnamed U.S. official saying Washington was `` monitoring intelligence '' that Kim was in grave danger after surgery , but they did not elaborate on whether Kim had undergone surgery .
The presidential Blue House said there were no unusual signs coming from North Korea .
Bloomberg News separately quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying the White House was told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse after the surgery .
The state KCNA news agency gave no indication of the whereabouts of Kim in routine dispatches on Tuesday , but said he had sent birthday gifts to prominent citizens .
An official at the Chinese Communist Party ’ s International Liaison Department , which deals with North Korea , told Reuters the source did not believe Kim was critically ill. China is North Korea ’ s only major ally .
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing was aware of reports about the health of Kim , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source , without commenting on whether it has any information about the situation .
South Korean shares exposed to North Korea tumbled and the Korean won KRW= fell on the reports .
The won traded down more than 1 % against the dollar even as South Korean government sources said Kim was not gravely ill. U.S. stock futures were trading lower Tuesday morning , but it was unclear how much of that weakness was due to the historic collapse in U.S. oil prices amid weak global demand .
Daily NK said Kim had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just hours before the cardiovascular procedure , as his health had deteriorated since August due to heavy smoking , obesity and overwork .
It said he was now receiving treatment at a villa in the Mount Myohyang resort north of the capital Pyongyang .
`` My understanding is that he had been struggling ( with cardiovascular problems ) since last August but it worsened after repeated visits to Mount Paektu , '' a source was quoted as saying , referring to the country ’ s sacred mountain .
Accompanied by senior North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rides on a stallion on the snowy slopes of the mountain in October and December .
An authoritative U.S. source familiar with internal U.S. government reporting on North Korea questioned the CNN report that Kim was in `` grave danger '' .
`` Any credible direct reporting having to do with Kim would be highly compartmented intelligence and unlikely to leak to the media , '' a Korea specialist working for the U.S. government said on condition of anonymity .
Japan ’ s top government spokesman , Yoshihide Suga , declined to comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health .
`` We are regularly gathering and analysing information about North Korea with great concern , '' he said .
`` We will keep gathering and analysing information regarding North Korea by collaborating with other countries such as the U.S. '' Kim ’ s potential health issues could fuel uncertainty over the future of the reclusive state ’ s dynastic rule and stalled denuclearisation talks with the United States , issues in which Kim wields absolute authority .
With no details known about his young children , analysts say his sister and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successor is old enough to take over .
Speculation about Kim ’ s health first arose following his absence from the anniversary of the birthday of its founding father and Kim ’ s grandfather , Kim Il Sung , on April 15 .
On April 12 , North Korean state media reported that Kim Jong Un had visited an airbase and observed drills by fighter jets and attack aircraft .
Two days later North Korea launched multiple short-range anti-ship cruise missiles into the sea and Sukhoi jets fired air-to-surface missiles as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the celebrations for Kim ’ s grandfather , Seoul officials said , but there was no North Korea state media report on his attendance or the tests .
Reporting from inside North Korea is notoriously difficult , especially on matters concerning the country ’ s leadership , given tight controls on information .
There have been false and conflicting reports in the past on matters related to its leaders .
Kim is a third-generation hereditary leader who rules North Korea with an iron fist , holding the titles of head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military since late 2011 .
He was the first North Korean leader to cross the border into South Korea to meet Moon in 2018 .
Both Koreas are technically still at war , as the Korean War of 1950-1953 ended in an armistice , not a peace treaty .
Kim has sought to have international sanctions against his country eased , but has refused to dismantle his nuclear weapons programme , a steadfast demand by the United States .
Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Mark Hosenball in Washington ; Additional reporting by Josh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lisa Lambert , Susan Heavey , Steve Holland and David Brunnstrom in Washington ; Writing by Raju Gopalakrishnan ; Editing by Jack Kim , Michael Perry and Paul Simao

By Hyonhee Shin
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean and Chinese officials on Tuesday cast doubt on reports North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was ill after media outlets said he had undergone a cardiovascular procedure and was in "grave danger," while U.S. officials closely monitored the situation.
Daily NK, a Seoul-based speciality website, reported late on Monday, citing one unnamed source in North Korea, that Kim was recovering after undergoing the procedure on April 12. The North Korean leader is believed to be about 36.
"We’re monitoring these reports very closely," U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, told Fox News in an interview on Tuesday.
Asked about how political succession would work in North Korea, O’Brien, according to footage aired by CNN, said: "The basic assumption would be maybe it would be someone in the family. But, again, it’s too early to talk about that because we just don’t know what condition Chairman Kim is in and we’ll have to see how it plays out."
In recent years Kim has launched a diplomatic offensive to promote both himself as a world leader and his reclusive, nuclear-armed state, holding three meetings with Trump, four with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and five with China’s President Xi Jinping.
Trump has described Kim as a friend but the unprecedented engagement by a U.S. president with a North Korean leader has failed to slow Kim’s nuclear weapons program, which now threatens the United States.
Kim is the unquestioned leader of North Korea and the sole commander of its nuclear arsenal. He has no clear successor and any instability in the country could be a major international risk.
Two South Korean government officials rejected an earlier CNN report citing an unnamed U.S. official saying Washington was "monitoring intelligence" that Kim was in grave danger after surgery, but they did not elaborate on whether Kim had undergone surgery. The presidential Blue House said there were no unusual signs coming from North Korea.
Bloomberg News separately quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying the White House was told that Kim took a turn for the worse after the surgery.
The state KCNA news agency gave no indication of the whereabouts of Kim in routine dispatches on Tuesday, but said he had sent birthday gifts to prominent citizens.
An official at the Chinese Communist Party’s International Liaison Department, which deals with North Korea, told Reuters the source did not believe Kim was critically ill. China is North Korea’s only major ally.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing was aware of reports about the health of Kim, but said it does not know their source, without commenting on whether it has any information about the situation.
South Korean shares exposed to North Korea tumbled and the Korean won KRW= fell on the reports. The won traded down more than 1% against the dollar even as South Korean government sources said Kim was not gravely ill.
U.S. stock futures were trading lower Tuesday morning, but it was unclear how much of that weakness was due to the historic collapse in U.S. oil prices amid weak global demand.
Daily NK said Kim had been admitted to hospital on April 12, just hours before the cardiovascular procedure, as his health had deteriorated since August due to heavy smoking, obesity and overwork.
It said he was now receiving treatment at a villa in the Mount Myohyang resort north of the capital Pyongyang.
"My understanding is that he had been struggling (with cardiovascular problems) since last August but it worsened after repeated visits to Mount Paektu," a source was quoted as saying, referring to the country’s sacred mountain.
Accompanied by senior North Korean figures, Kim took two well-publicised rides on a stallion on the snowy slopes of the mountain in October and December.
KIM’S HEALTH KEY TO STABILITY
An authoritative U.S. source familiar with internal U.S. government reporting on North Korea questioned the CNN report that Kim was in "grave danger".
"Any credible direct reporting having to do with Kim would be highly compartmented intelligence and unlikely to leak to the media," a Korea specialist working for the U.S. government said on condition of anonymity.
Japan’s top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, declined to comment on the reports of Kim’s health.
"We are regularly gathering and analysing information about North Korea with great concern," he said. "We will keep gathering and analysing information regarding North Korea by collaborating with other countries such as the U.S."
Kim’s potential health issues could fuel uncertainty over the future of the reclusive state’s dynastic rule and stalled denuclearisation talks with the United States, issues in which Kim wields absolute authority.
With no details known about his young children, analysts say his sister and loyalists could form a regency until a successor is old enough to take over.
Speculation about Kim’s health first arose following his absence from the anniversary of the birthday of its founding father and Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung, on April 15.
On April 12, North Korean state media reported that Kim Jong Un had visited an airbase and observed drills by fighter jets and attack aircraft.
Two days later North Korea launched multiple short-range anti-ship cruise missiles into the sea and Sukhoi jets fired air-to-surface missiles as part of military exercises.
The missile launches were part of the celebrations for Kim’s grandfather, Seoul officials said, but there was no North Korea state media report on his attendance or the tests.
Reporting from inside North Korea is notoriously difficult, especially on matters concerning the country’s leadership, given tight controls on information. There have been false and conflicting reports in the past on matters related to its leaders.
Kim is a third-generation hereditary leader who rules North Korea with an iron fist, holding the titles of head of state and commander in chief of the military since late 2011.
He was the first North Korean leader to cross the border into South Korea to meet Moon in 2018. Both Koreas are technically still at war, as the Korean War of 1950-1953 ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
Kim has sought to have international sanctions against his country eased, but has refused to dismantle his nuclear weapons programme, a steadfast demand by the United States.
Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Additional reporting by Josh Smith and Sangmi Cha in Seoul and Lisa Lambert, Susan Heavey, Steve Holland and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Raju Gopalakrishnan; Editing by Jack Kim, Michael Perry and Paul Simao


freebeacon--2020-04-21--Trump Says He Will Suspend All Immigration Over Coronavirus

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – President Donald Trump said on Monday he will suspend all immigration into the United States temporarily through an executive order in response to the coronavirus outbreak and to protect American jobs .
The move , which the Republican president announced on Twitter , effectively achieves a long-term Trump policy goal to curb immigration , making use of the health and economic crisis that has swept the country as a result of the pandemic to do so .
The decision drew swift condemnation from some Democrats , who accused the president of creating a distraction from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faulty response to the coronavirus .
Trump said he was taking the action to protect the U.S. workforce .
Millions of Americans are suffering unemployment after companies shed employees amid nationwide lockdowns to stop the contagion .
`` In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy , as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens , I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States , '' Trump said in a tweet .
The White House declined to offer further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , its timing , or its legal basis .
`` As our country battles the pandemic , as workers put their lives on the line , the President attacks immigrants & blames others for his own failures '' , former Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar said in a tweet .
Immigration is largely halted into the United States anyway thanks to border restrictions and flight bans put in place as the virus spread across the globe .
But the issue remains an effective rallying cry for Trump ’ s supporters .
Trump won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a promise to curb immigration by building a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico .
He and his advisers have spent the first three years of his tenure cracking down on both legal and illegal entries into the country .
Crowds regularly chant `` Build the Wall ! ''
at Trump ’ s political rallies , which are now idled because of the virus .
Trump has lamented the economic fallout of the outbreak ; his stewardship of the U.S. economy was set to be his key argument for re-election in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus topped 42,000 on Monday , according to a Reuters tally .
The U.S. economy has come to a near standstill because of the pandemic ; more than 22 million people applied for unemployment benefits in the last month .
`` You cut off immigration , you crater our nation ’ s already weakened economy , '' former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro said in a tweet .
`` What a dumb move . ''
The United States has the world ’ s largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases , with more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
But the president has made a point of saying the peak had passed and has been encouraging U.S. states to reopen their economies .
`` It makes sense to protect opportunities for our workforce while this pandemic plays out , '' said Thomas Homan , Trump ’ s former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
`` It ’ s really not about immigration .
It ’ s about the pandemic and keeping our country safer while protecting opportunities for unemployed Americans . ''
The United States in mid-March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrant and non-immigrant , in most countries worldwide due to the coronavirus outbreak in a move that has potentially impacted hundreds of thousands of people .
U.S. missions have continued to provide emergency visa services as resources allowed and a senior State Department official in late March said U.S. was ready work with people who were already identified as being eligible for various types of visas , including one for medical professionals .
The administration recently announced an easing of rules to allow in more agricultural workers on temporary H2A visas to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru , Humeyra Pamuk in Washington , and Mica Rosenberg ; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore

By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Monday he will suspend all immigration into the United States temporarily through an executive order in response to the coronavirus outbreak and to protect American jobs.
The move, which the Republican president announced on Twitter, effectively achieves a long-term Trump policy goal to curb immigration, making use of the health and economic crisis that has swept the country as a result of the pandemic to do so.
The decision drew swift condemnation from some Democrats, who accused the president of creating a distraction from what they view as a slow and faulty response to the coronavirus.
Trump said he was taking the action to protect the U.S. workforce. Millions of Americans are suffering unemployment after companies shed employees amid nationwide lockdowns to stop the contagion.
"In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States," Trump said in a tweet.
The White House declined to offer further details about the reasoning behind the decision, its timing, or its legal basis.
"As our country battles the pandemic, as workers put their lives on the line, the President attacks immigrants & blames others for his own failures", former Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar said in a tweet.
Immigration is largely halted into the United States anyway thanks to border restrictions and flight bans put in place as the virus spread across the globe.
But the issue remains an effective rallying cry for Trump’s supporters.
Trump won the White House in 2016 in part on a promise to curb immigration by building a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico. He and his advisers have spent the first three years of his tenure cracking down on both legal and illegal entries into the country. Crowds regularly chant "Build the Wall!" at Trump’s political rallies, which are now idled because of the virus.
Trump has lamented the economic fallout of the outbreak; his stewardship of the U.S. economy was set to be his key argument for re-election in November.
The U.S. death toll from the virus topped 42,000 on Monday, according to a Reuters tally.
The U.S. economy has come to a near standstill because of the pandemic; more than 22 million people applied for unemployment benefits in the last month.
"You cut off immigration, you crater our nation’s already weakened economy," former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro said in a tweet. "What a dumb move."
The United States has the world’s largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 780,000 infections, up 27,000 on Monday.
But the president has made a point of saying the peak had passed and has been encouraging U.S. states to reopen their economies.
"It makes sense to protect opportunities for our workforce while this pandemic plays out," said Thomas Homan, Trump’s former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "It’s really not about immigration. It’s about the pandemic and keeping our country safer while protecting opportunities for unemployed Americans."
The United States in mid-March suspended all routine visa services, both immigrant and non-immigrant, in most countries worldwide due to the coronavirus outbreak in a move that has potentially impacted hundreds of thousands of people.
U.S. missions have continued to provide emergency visa services as resources allowed and a senior State Department official in late March said U.S. was ready work with people who were already identified as being eligible for various types of visas, including one for medical professionals.
The administration recently announced an easing of rules to allow in more agricultural workers on temporary H2A visas to help farmers with their crops.
Additional reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru, Humeyra Pamuk in Washington, and Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore