huffpost--2020-05-08--Low-Income Americans Could Get Cash Aid Under New Senate Plan

“ These work requirements right now that are in TANF right now just defy common sense because people are supposed to be home and not facing the prospect of infection.
” Wyden said in an interview with HuffPost .
“ These vulnerable low-income families and individuals need cash immediately .
They need cash now so they don ’ t have to go , ‘ Gee , are we going to sit in the dark or are we going to eat ?
’ ” The legislation , co-sponsored by Sens .
Brian Schatz ( D-Hawaii ) , Sherrod Brown ( D-Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would be the first major effort to target cash assistance directly toward the most vulnerable .
Wyden said while he has yet to bring the program up with the Trump administration , he has discussed the program with Senate Finance Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) and sensed some openness .
Through the grant program , states , tribes , the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico would be eligible for a lump sum of funding that they could distribute to individuals in families at or below 200 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct cash payments ; relief for basic family needs , like rent or utility bills ; or subsidized employment that can either be done remotely , or is deemed essential and has access to personal protective equipment .
“ We must get immediate relief for these individuals and families , so they don ’ t have to choose between paying a light bill or buying groceries , ” Brown said in a statement to HuffPost .
“ One of the best ways we can do that is to ensure relief funds for low-income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief package , and remove burdensome requirements that prevent vulnerable families from getting the help they need.
” Experts are projecting the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic will likely pull more individuals into poverty in the United States than the country has seen in more than 50 years .
Researchers at Columbia University found that if the unemployment rate reaches 30 % , the annual poverty rate in the United States could increase up to 18.9 % , bringing more than 21 million Americans into poverty .
The impact would disproportionately hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands , the United States ’ existing safety net for those individuals , TANF , is not equipped to handle an increased caseload .
TANF was originally designed in the 1990s to pull families out of poverty and into work by giving states a lump sum of money to create their own basic assistance programs .
When TANF began , as part of the 1996 welfare reform push , for every 100 families in poverty , 68 received benefits .
But when the economy faltered in the 2000s , so did the program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — requiring 30 hours of “ work activity ” a week — proved too restrictive in an economic downturn .
The block grants were never adjusted for population changes or for inflation , meaning they ’ ve decreased in value every year since the program started .
In 2018 , only 22 families out of 100 in poverty were getting aid .
“ There ’ s this notion that we let these programs wither when the economy is good even though there are so many people who are still struggling to find employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major crisis and we have to start from scratch , ” Elizabeth Lower-Basch , with the anti-poverty advocacy group Center for Law and Social Policy , said .
“ There ’ s a real argument for having these programs running all the time.
” But for years , states have diverted the money to other programs , shrinking how much they spend on actual cash assistance for low-income Americans .
On average , states only spend 20 cents of every TANF dollar on basic assistance .
And across the nation , you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scholarships , “ crisis pregnancy centers , ” prekindergarten and Head Start programs , and even dating and marriage workshops .
An audit of Mississippi ’ s TANF program released Monday found the state ’ s funds went toward sponsoring college basketball tournaments and paying former NFL star Brett Favre for speeches that never happened .
“ TANF has been used to plug budget holes and that is wrong , but it is also impossible to address when the budget holes just got 10 times bigger , which is why federal aid would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gordon , Michigan ’ s Department of Health and Human Services Director .
Michigan , which only uses about 10 % of its block grant for cash assistance , temporarily lifted work requirements for the program .
Notably , Wyden ’ s proposal for an emergency basic assistance grant isn ’ t explicitly through TANF , an acknowledgement that the program might be too broken to fix — especially during a crisis .
The last time TANF saw a boost in funding was during the Great Recession , when Congress allocated $ 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program .
Poverty experts praised that effort in 2009 as a net positive .
But it was still messy and complicated ; states have varying income eligibility levels for TANF and it didn ’ t reach everyone it needed to .
“ The last time around , the 2009 recession , I think it wasn ’ t clear how states were going to use the funds until after the crisis was over , ” Wyden said .
“ There wasn ’ t much real-time accountability .
What I am advocating here ensures that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to use the funds .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
As the coronavirus pandemic threatens to pull tens of millions of Americans into poverty, Senate Democrats are scrambling to find a way to shore up one of the nation’s most broken welfare systems: a program for low-income Americans with children known as Temporary Assistance For Needy Families.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat who was behind the unemployment insurance expansion, will unveil a plan Friday, shared exclusively with HuffPost, to temporarily lift eligibility restrictions, like work requirements and time limits, on TANF, as well as propose a new separate $10 billion grant program for states to give their poorest residents cash assistance, and in-kind benefits, like help with utilities and rent.
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“These work requirements right now that are in TANF right now just defy common sense because people are supposed to be home and not facing the prospect of infection.” Wyden said in an interview with HuffPost. “These vulnerable low-income families and individuals need cash immediately. They need cash now so they don’t have to go, ‘Gee, are we going to sit in the dark or are we going to eat?’”
The legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.), would be the first major effort to target cash assistance directly toward the most vulnerable. Wyden said while he has yet to bring the program up with the Trump administration, he has discussed the program with Senate Finance Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and sensed some openness.
“We didn’t get laughed out of the room,” Wyden said. Grassley’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Through the grant program, states, tribes, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico would be eligible for a lump sum of funding that they could distribute to individuals in families at or below 200% of the federal poverty line for three purposes: direct cash payments; relief for basic family needs, like rent or utility bills; or subsidized employment that can either be done remotely, or is deemed essential and has access to personal protective equipment.
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Each state’s funding would be based on the number of individuals in families below the federal poverty line in the state divided by the number of individuals in families below the federal poverty line in all states.
“We must get immediate relief for these individuals and families, so they don’t have to choose between paying a light bill or buying groceries,” Brown said in a statement to HuffPost. “One of the best ways we can do that is to ensure relief funds for low-income families are included in the next coronavirus relief package, and remove burdensome requirements that prevent vulnerable families from getting the help they need.”
Experts are projecting the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic will likely pull more individuals into poverty in the United States than the country has seen in more than 50 years. Researchers at Columbia University found that if the unemployment rate reaches 30%, the annual poverty rate in the United States could increase up to 18.9%, bringing more than 21 million Americans into poverty. The impact would disproportionately hit children and working-age adults.
“These work requirements right now that are in TANF right now just defy common sense because people are supposed to be home and not facing the prospect of infection.” - Sen. Ron Wyden
As it stands, the United States’ existing safety net for those individuals, TANF, is not equipped to handle an increased caseload. TANF was originally designed in the 1990s to pull families out of poverty and into work by giving states a lump sum of money to create their own basic assistance programs. When TANF began, as part of the 1996 welfare reform push, for every 100 families in poverty, 68 received benefits. But when the economy faltered in the 2000s, so did the program. The program’s work requirements — requiring 30 hours of “work activity” a week — proved too restrictive in an economic downturn. The block grants were never adjusted for population changes or for inflation, meaning they’ve decreased in value every year since the program started. In 2018, only 22 families out of 100 in poverty were getting aid.
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“There’s this notion that we let these programs wither when the economy is good even though there are so many people who are still struggling to find employment, and then there’s a major crisis and we have to start from scratch,” Elizabeth Lower-Basch, with the anti-poverty advocacy group Center for Law and Social Policy, said. “There’s a real argument for having these programs running all the time.”
But for years, states have diverted the money to other programs, shrinking how much they spend on actual cash assistance for low-income Americans. On average, states only spend 20 cents of every TANF dollar on basic assistance. And across the nation, you can find TANF funding tied to private college scholarships, “crisis pregnancy centers,” prekindergarten and Head Start programs, and even dating and marriage workshops. An audit of Mississippi’s TANF program released Monday found the state’s funds went toward sponsoring college basketball tournaments and paying former NFL star Brett Favre for speeches that never happened.
Getting that money back into the hands of low-income Americans through TANF is proving near impossible for states — and now they’re running out of money to help the growing numbers of people who need cash.
“TANF has been used to plug budget holes and that is wrong, but it is also impossible to address when the budget holes just got 10 times bigger, which is why federal aid would be hugely valuable,” said Robert Gordon, Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services Director. Michigan, which only uses about 10% of its block grant for cash assistance, temporarily lifted work requirements for the program.
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Notably, Wyden’s proposal for an emergency basic assistance grant isn’t explicitly through TANF, an acknowledgement that the program might be too broken to fix — especially during a crisis. The last time TANF saw a boost in funding was during the Great Recession, when Congress allocated $5 billion toward an emergency fund through the program. Poverty experts praised that effort in 2009 as a net positive. But it was still messy and complicated; states have varying income eligibility levels for TANF and it didn’t reach everyone it needed to.
People wait in line for food assistance due to the coronavirus pandemic in Paterson, New Jersey, April 29. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) ASSOCIATED PRESS
This new grant program would require states to submit a letter of intent to HHS before getting the funding, and states have to submit quarterly reports.
“The last time around, the 2009 recession, I think it wasn’t clear how states were going to use the funds until after the crisis was over,” Wyden said. “There wasn’t much real-time accountability. What I am advocating here ensures that the states publicly explain how they are going to use the funds.”
There’s already been some bipartisan appetite for cash assistance. Wyden’s plan costs a fraction of the $293 billion from the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stability Act Congress put toward direct stimulus payments in late March. The stimulus checks weren’t targeted for the very needy, and initially proved difficult for zero-income individuals, or those without bank accounts in place, to access.
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“One of the lessons we have certainly learned over the last two months is starting new programs isn’t just a matter of putting into federal law,” Lower-Basch said.
The proposal allows states to use existing resources and infrastructure to put the grant program into place. So a state could use their existing TANF network to get aid out to people if they so choose, but they wouldn’t be restricted by TANF’s rules.
House Democrats are also looking to prioritize increasing funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, more commonly known as food stamps, as well as find ways to improve access to broadband internet and pay utilities. Democrats attempted to lift work requirements on the program in an earlier relief bill, but the provision was stripped during negotiations with the White House.
“There’s a lot of evidence that this type of response would make a great deal of difference for some of our most vulnerable families,” Luke Schaefer, a poverty and social welfare expert at University of Michigan, said. “Food continues to be a primary unmet need ... But also utilities. There’s a lot of suspension so rerages are building up. Rent is a big one ... Things like toilet paper, basic necessities, paper towels, cleaning sprays.”
“Money can help with all of those,” he said.


huffpost--2020-05-08--The Best Advice Moms Have Given About Getting Through Hard Times

Moms are among the first people to teach us that we are loved and worthy of love , they get us ready to go out into the world on our own , and they help give us the tools we need to get through hard times .
The world is certainly going through that right now .
In honor of Mother ’ s Day — and the difficult challenges we find ourselves facing at the moment — we asked HuffPost readers for the best advice they ’ ve received from their own mothers about getting through hard times .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share .
Actually , HuffPost Parents reader John ’ s mom put it more like , “ Everyone ’ s got a plan until they get punched in the face.
” But the point remains that things change , life is constantly shifting and no one ’ s life is stable or linear , even if it looks that way from the outside .
Need an excuse to hit the snooze button for a few minutes , or plop your kiddos in front of the TV so you can catch a few more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her mom is forever asking about her sleep , particularly when Maggie — who battled cancer — is having a hard day .
“ It ’ s hard to tackle the world and be positive and keep going when you ’ re exhausted , ” Maggie said of her mom ’ s best advice .
“ So go to bed and try again tomorrow .
It ’ s always been great advice and kept me on a positive path.
” “ She set an example for me to face life with a sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lisa said of her mother .
“ In the darkest times , we would always find something to laugh about.
” HuffPost reader Cherie ’ s mom was born in 1918 and lived through some really difficult stuff .
She was also blind .
But she did not let such obstacles get in her way .
“ She was valedictorian of her class , volunteered hours and hours for different things when I was growing up , and raised three children , ” Cherie said .
“ My mom taught me perseverance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not the stuff of Hallmark cards , but reader Stacie said she has come to appreciate this advice from her mom .
“ My brother and I always considered this harsh , but as I have lived more of life , she wasn ’ t wrong , ” Stacie said .
“ Life isn ’ t easy for most of us and we don ’ t always get an easy hand dealt to us.
” What Stacie ’ s mom ’ s advice taught her is to “ play the hell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have , have a backup plan ( or two ) and not take the happy times for granted .
With so much constantly changing , and so much uncertainty in the world right now , this hopeful reminder from HuffPost Parents ’ reader Elisa is just what we need to hear .
Another one that is perfect for our current moment .
The advice from the mom of HuffPost reader Jessie is a reminder that the only way to navigate hard times is to rely on the information you have available to you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and move forward in a thoughtful way .
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus .
The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time , but guidance concerning COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus .
Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations .

Sasiistock via Getty Images In honor of Mother's Day, HuffPost Parents readers share the best advice they received from their moms about getting through tough times.
Moms give us so much to be grateful for, not least of all their wisdom.
Moms are among the first people to teach us that we are loved and worthy of love, they get us ready to go out into the world on our own, and they help give us the tools we need to get through hard times. The world is certainly going through that right now.
In honor of Mother’s Day — and the difficult challenges we find ourselves facing at the moment — we asked HuffPost readers for the best advice they’ve received from their own mothers about getting through hard times. Here is some of what you had to share.
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“Everyone’s got a plan ... until it changes.”
Actually, HuffPost Parents reader John’s mom put it more like, “Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the face.” But the point remains that things change, life is constantly shifting and no one’s life is stable or linear, even if it looks that way from the outside.
“Fatigue makes fools of us all.”
Need an excuse to hit the snooze button for a few minutes, or plop your kiddos in front of the TV so you can catch a few more ZZZs? HuffPost Parents reader Maggie says her mom is forever asking about her sleep, particularly when Maggie — who battled cancer — is having a hard day.
“It’s hard to tackle the world and be positive and keep going when you’re exhausted,” Maggie said of her mom’s best advice. “So go to bed and try again tomorrow. It’s always been great advice and kept me on a positive path.”
“You’ve got to laugh.”
“She set an example for me to face life with a sense of humor,” HuffPost Parents reader Lisa said of her mother. “In the darkest times, we would always find something to laugh about.”
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Lisa said it’s the thing she most misses about her mom today.
“You can get through hard things.”
HuffPost reader Cherie’s mom was born in 1918 and lived through some really difficult stuff. She was also blind. But she did not let such obstacles get in her way.
“She was valedictorian of her class, volunteered hours and hours for different things when I was growing up, and raised three children,” Cherie said. “My mom taught me perseverance, kindness and generosity.”
And that focus on getting through hard times with grace is helping Cherie today.
“Life’s tough, and then you die.”
No, it’s not the stuff of Hallmark cards, but reader Stacie said she has come to appreciate this advice from her mom.
“My brother and I always considered this harsh, but as I have lived more of life, she wasn’t wrong,” Stacie said. “Life isn’t easy for most of us and we don’t always get an easy hand dealt to us.”
What Stacie’s mom’s advice taught her is to “play the hell out of the cards” you do have, have a backup plan (or two) and not take the happy times for granted.
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“Times of change are the times of greatest opportunity.”
With so much constantly changing, and so much uncertainty in the world right now, this hopeful reminder from HuffPost Parents’ reader Elisa is just what we need to hear.
“You do the best you can with the information that you have at the time.”
Another one that is perfect for our current moment. The advice from the mom of HuffPost reader Jessie is a reminder that the only way to navigate hard times is to rely on the information you have available to you, however limited it might be, and move forward in a thoughtful way.
Onwards!
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus. The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time, but guidance concerning COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


huffpost--2020-05-08--Unemployment Rate Reaches A Record 14.7% Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7 % in April , the highest rate since the Great Depression , as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record .
The figures are stark evidence of the damage the coronavirus has done to a now-shattered economy .
The losses reflect what has become a severe recession caused by sudden business shutdowns in nearly every industry .
Nearly all the job growth achieved during the 11-year recovery from the Great Recession has now been lost in one month .
The collapse of the job market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently as February , the unemployment rate was a five-decade low of 3.5 % , and employers had added jobs for a record 113 months .
In March , the unemployment rate was just 4.4 % The government ’ s report Friday noted that many people who lost jobs in April but didn ’ t look for another one weren ’ t even counted in the unemployment rate .
The impact of those losses was reflected in the drop in the proportion of working-age Americans who have jobs : Just 51.3 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the millions of newly unemployed , 5.1 million others had their hours reduced in April .
That trend , too , means less income and less spending , perpetuating the economic downturn .
A measure of what ’ s called underemployment — which counts the unemployed plus full-time workers who were reduced to part-time work — reached 22.8 % , a record high .
Though some businesses are beginning to reopen in certain states , factories , hotels , restaurants , resorts , sporting venues , movie theaters and many small businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have laid off tens of millions , lives have been upended across the country .
One of the newly unemployed , Sara Barnard , 24 , of St. Louis , has lost three jobs : A floor manager at a pub and restaurant , a bartender at a small downtown tavern and the occasional stand-up comedian .
Her main job was at McGurk ’ s , an Irish pub and restaurant near downtown that closed days before St. Patrick ’ s Day .
She had worked there continually since high school .
McGurk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barnard said , but it was costing more to keep the place open than the money that was coming in .
Around that time , the bar where she worked closed , and comedy jobs ended when social distancing requirements forced clubs to close .
Job losses and pay cuts are ranging across the world .
Unemployment in the 19-country eurozone is expected to surpass 10 % in coming months as more people are laid off .
That figure is expected to remain lower than the U.S. unemployment rate .
But it doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are furloughed or whose hours are cut but who receive most of their wages from government assistance .
In France , about half the private-sector workforce is on a government paid-leave program whereby they receive up to 84 % of their net salary .
In Germany , 3 million workers are supported in a similar system , with the government paying up to 60 % of their net pay .
The job loss reported Friday was a smaller figure because the two are measured differently : The government calculates job losses by surveying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a net figure that also counts the hiring that some companies , like Amazon and many grocery stores , have done .
By contrast , total jobless claims are a measure of just the layoff side of the equation .
For the United States , a key question is where the job market goes from here .
Applications for unemployment aid , while high , have declined for five straight weeks , a sign that the worst of the layoffs has passed .
Still , few economists expect a rapid turnaround .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment rate will still be 9.5 % by the end of next year .
A paper by economists at the San Francisco Federal Reserve estimates that under an optimistic scenario that assumes shutdowns are lifted quickly , the unemployment rate could fall back to about 4 % by mid-2021 .
Raj Chetty , a Harvard economist , is tracking real-time data on the economy , including consumer spending , small business hiring and job postings .
Chetty noted the economy ’ s health will hinge on when the viral outbreak has subsided enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to restaurants , bars , movie theaters and shops .
The data suggests that many small businesses are holding on in hopes that spending and the economy will rebound soon , he said .
Small business payrolls have fallen sharply but have leveled off in recent weeks .
And job postings haven ’ t dropped nearly as much as total jobs have .
But it ’ s unclear how much longer those trends will persist .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record. The figures are stark evidence of the damage the coronavirus has done to a now-shattered economy.
The losses reflect what has become a severe recession caused by sudden business shutdowns in nearly every industry. Nearly all the job growth achieved during the 11-year recovery from the Great Recession has now been lost in one month.
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The collapse of the job market has occurred with stunning speed. As recently as February, the unemployment rate was a five-decade low of 3.5%, and employers had added jobs for a record 113 months. In March, the unemployment rate was just 4.4%
The government’s report Friday noted that many people who lost jobs in April but didn’t look for another one weren’t even counted in the unemployment rate. The impact of those losses was reflected in the drop in the proportion of working-age Americans who have jobs: Just 51.3%, the lowest on record.
In addition to the millions of newly unemployed, 5.1 million others had their hours reduced in April. That trend, too, means less income and less spending, perpetuating the economic downturn. A measure of what’s called underemployment — which counts the unemployed plus full-time workers who were reduced to part-time work — reached 22.8%, a record high.
Though some businesses are beginning to reopen in certain states, factories, hotels, restaurants, resorts, sporting venues, movie theaters and many small businesses are still largely shuttered. As companies have laid off tens of millions, lives have been upended across the country.
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One of the newly unemployed, Sara Barnard, 24, of St. Louis, has lost three jobs: A floor manager at a pub and restaurant, a bartender at a small downtown tavern and the occasional stand-up comedian. Her main job was at McGurk’s, an Irish pub and restaurant near downtown that closed days before St. Patrick’s Day. She had worked there continually since high school.
McGurk’s tried selling food curbside, Barnard said, but it was costing more to keep the place open than the money that was coming in. Around that time, the bar where she worked closed, and comedy jobs ended when social distancing requirements forced clubs to close.
McGurk’s is a St. Louis landmark, and Barnard expects it to rebound quickly once it reopens. She just doesn’t know when.
Job losses and pay cuts are ranging across the world. Unemployment in the 19-country eurozone is expected to surpass 10% in coming months as more people are laid off. That figure is expected to remain lower than the U.S. unemployment rate. But it doesn’t count many people who either are furloughed or whose hours are cut but who receive most of their wages from government assistance.
In France, about half the private-sector workforce is on a government paid-leave program whereby they receive up to 84% of their net salary. In Germany, 3 million workers are supported in a similar system, with the government paying up to 60% of their net pay.
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In the five weeks covered by the U.S. jobs report for April, 26.5 million people applied for unemployment benefits.
The job loss reported Friday was a smaller figure because the two are measured differently: The government calculates job losses by surveying businesses and households. It’s a net figure that also counts the hiring that some companies, like Amazon and many grocery stores, have done. By contrast, total jobless claims are a measure of just the layoff side of the equation.
For the United States, a key question is where the job market goes from here. Applications for unemployment aid, while high, have declined for five straight weeks, a sign that the worst of the layoffs has passed. Still, few economists expect a rapid turnaround.
The Congressional Budget Office has forecast that the unemployment rate will still be 9.5% by the end of next year. A paper by economists at the San Francisco Federal Reserve estimates that under an optimistic scenario that assumes shutdowns are lifted quickly, the unemployment rate could fall back to about 4% by mid-2021.
But if shutdowns recur and hiring revives more slowly, the jobless rate could remain in double-digits until the end of 2021, the San Francisco Fed economists predict.
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Raj Chetty, a Harvard economist, is tracking real-time data on the economy, including consumer spending, small business hiring and job postings. Chetty noted the economy’s health will hinge on when the viral outbreak has subsided enough that most Americans will feel comfortable returning to restaurants, bars, movie theaters and shops.
The data suggests that many small businesses are holding on in hopes that spending and the economy will rebound soon, he said. Small business payrolls have fallen sharply but have leveled off in recent weeks. And job postings haven’t dropped nearly as much as total jobs have. But it’s unclear how much longer those trends will persist.


huffpost--2020-05-08--Governors Cut Off New Unemployment Benefits Before Some People Even Got Checks

As a contract worker , McFetridge , 38 , would not normally have been eligible for unemployment , but the Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Stability ( CARES ) Act broadened eligibility to include independent contractors .
Many states have struggled to update their systems , however , and it wasn ’ t until last Friday that McFetridge was finally able to file a claim .
That same day , Hutchinson announced that more businesses could reopen ― including massage therapy .
And state Secretary of Commerce Michael Preston said anyone claiming unemployment who refused to return to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , she returned to the small , windowless room where she gives 60- and 90-minute massages .
She still filed her unemployment claim and expects to receive benefits for the month of work she missed , but from now on she ’ ll be back at her job , changing her shirt between clients and wiping down equipment as much as she can .
The U.S. Labor Department has said that if someone ’ s employer wants them back , they can ’ t keep their benefits .
There are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimant has been diagnosed with the coronavirus or they have to watch their children because of school closures .
But the department has specifically said workers can ’ t refuse employment just because they don ’ t want to contract COVID-19 , the highly contagious and mysterious illness caused by the coronavirus .
“ Workers could argue that the conditions are no longer safe and try to refuse work in the first place instead of going in , ” she said .
Arkansas is probably not one of the friendlier states to workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking employers to report any former employees who refuse to come back .
It is also one of about 20 states that hasn ’ t yet managed to provide the special pandemic unemployment assistance that Congress promised to workers like McFetridge at the end of March .
Congress expanded the jobless benefits and added an unprecedented $ 600 per week in order to encourage people to stay home , since social distancing is essentially the only effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19 , for which there is no vaccine yet and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complained that the benefits will stop people from taking jobs .
“ I mean , you ’ ve got a million Americans infected .
Deaths averaging almost 2,000 per day .
It ’ s very important that folks stay home until it ’ s safe to go back to work , ” Wyden told HuffPost .
“ I believe the law is clear that benefits should continue until the economic crisis has passed and that people should get these benefits as Congress intended.
” The extra $ 600 is set to expire at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy is unlikely to be back on track by then , and the pandemic may still be raging .
Lawmakers are now debating whether to pass another law addressing the economic fallout , and unemployment policy is already one of the biggest disagreements .
Wyden and other Democrats want the benefits phased out only if economic conditions improve ; the Republicans who were vocal in opposing the extra $ 600 say they will insist on changes .
McFetridge knows most of her regular clients have been staying home , but she has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know whether that person has been social distancing .
She said she wishes Arkansas hadn ’ t followed the lead of states like Georgia in reopening nonessential businesses , especially since the outcome in those states could demonstrate whether reopening is safe .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
In March, Congress boosted unemployment insurance so that people could stay home and not catch the coronavirus currently killing a thousand Americans a day.
But now, as governors lift restrictions on commerce even amid the mounting death toll, some people are losing eligibility for the benefits ― before receiving a single dime.
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Tracy McFetridge is a massage therapist in Springdale, Arkansas, who stopped working in March after Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) ordered a halt to certain business activities.
As a contract worker, McFetridge, 38, would not normally have been eligible for unemployment, but the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stability (CARES) Act broadened eligibility to include independent contractors. Many states have struggled to update their systems, however, and it wasn’t until last Friday that McFetridge was finally able to file a claim.
That same day, Hutchinson announced that more businesses could reopen ― including massage therapy. And state Secretary of Commerce Michael Preston said anyone claiming unemployment who refused to return to their job could get in trouble.
“That’s a fraudulent claim for us, and we will be tracking that,” Preston said at a news conference with the governor.
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The menacing tone shocked McFetridge.
“At that point, I knew they wanted people off unemployment,” she said.
So this week, she returned to the small, windowless room where she gives 60- and 90-minute massages. She still filed her unemployment claim and expects to receive benefits for the month of work she missed, but from now on she’ll be back at her job, changing her shirt between clients and wiping down equipment as much as she can.
“Going back to work and coming back in contact with everybody else’s bubble kind of makes me nervous,” she said.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) is allowing more businesses to reopen. Bill Clark via Getty Images
The unemployment policy battle is a microcosm of the larger debate between public health experts who want people to stay home and President Donald Trump, who wants the nation’s economy to reopen.
The U.S. Labor Department has said that if someone’s employer wants them back, they can’t keep their benefits. There are a few exceptions, such as if a claimant has been diagnosed with the coronavirus or they have to watch their children because of school closures. But the department has specifically said workers can’t refuse employment just because they don’t want to contract COVID-19, the highly contagious and mysterious illness caused by the coronavirus.
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Nevertheless, there may be some wiggle room on what counts as “suitable work” under the law, said Michele Evermore, a senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project.
“Workers could argue that the conditions are no longer safe and try to refuse work in the first place instead of going in,” she said.
Workers can also quit for health and safety reasons if their employer isn’t following guidelines from public health experts and in some states still receive benefits, Evermore said.
Arkansas is probably not one of the friendlier states to workers. It’s one of several asking employers to report any former employees who refuse to come back. It is also one of about 20 states that hasn’t yet managed to provide the special pandemic unemployment assistance that Congress promised to workers like McFetridge at the end of March.
Congress expanded the jobless benefits and added an unprecedented $600 per week in order to encourage people to stay home, since social distancing is essentially the only effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19, for which there is no vaccine yet and no cure. But Republicans have simply complained that the benefits will stop people from taking jobs.
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“Going back to work and coming back in contact with everybody else’s bubble kind of makes me nervous.” - Tracy McFetridge, a massage therapist in Arkansas
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), one of the Senate Democrats who crafted the expanded unemployment benefits, said Republicans are undermining the foundation of the government’s response to the pandemic.
“I mean, you’ve got a million Americans infected. Deaths averaging almost 2,000 per day. It’s very important that folks stay home until it’s safe to go back to work,” Wyden told HuffPost. “I believe the law is clear that benefits should continue until the economic crisis has passed and that people should get these benefits as Congress intended.”
The extra $600 is set to expire at the end of July, but the economy is unlikely to be back on track by then, and the pandemic may still be raging. Lawmakers are now debating whether to pass another law addressing the economic fallout, and unemployment policy is already one of the biggest disagreements.
Wyden and other Democrats want the benefits phased out only if economic conditions improve; the Republicans who were vocal in opposing the extra $600 say they will insist on changes.
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“You can’t pay people more than they’re making. It just hurts our small businesses,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) told HuffPost this week.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), meanwhile, said, “We’re not extending it without fewer dollars.”
When Arkansas said barbers, cosmetologists, tattoo artists and massage therapists could return to work this week, the state listed some “required precautions,” including “appropriate social distancing,” even though massage typically involves physical touch.
McFetridge knows most of her regular clients have been staying home, but she has a new client this weekend and doesn’t know whether that person has been social distancing. She said she wishes Arkansas hadn’t followed the lead of states like Georgia in reopening nonessential businesses, especially since the outcome in those states could demonstrate whether reopening is safe.


huffpost--2020-05-08--I Study Human Touch. I'm Questioning What Our Future Will Be Like After COVID-19.

Every morning when I start work , my cat , Stormy , muscles her way onto my lap , displacing my laptop .
I take her out of my lap and place her next to me on the couch as she protests loudly .
Sometimes she stays put , but usually she crawls back , my laptop relocated off to one side on a pillow , arms stretched over at weird , un-ergonomic angles .
She insists on laying on me , consent be damned .
I will always remember the last person I touched before we began quarantine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown , and we were hanging out for the second time that week .
Both times , he greeted me with a long , warm hug .
Social distancing was something other people in faraway countries were doing .
We thought we were okay , as both of us lived alone and were in decent health .
He put his arms on the top of the couch , and I nestled my neck under his left armpit , throwing my arm over his chest and putting my head on his heart .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and stroked my upper arm .
My breathing slowed as I relaxed into his embrace .
It felt good to be held , albeit strange to be held by this person .
It felt even better to replace the physical imprint of the last person who had held me on that couch .
My female ancestors would have seen living alone as a decadent luxury .
For generation after generation , they lived in small spaces filled with human bodies .
Their arms encircled their siblings , their children , their nieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandchildren .
Family was ever-present and privacy was a foreign concept .
During the cold Austrian winters , they crammed into single beds to keep from freezing to death .
Some days , when I ’ m feeling particularly lonely , I imagine myself lying on a rug in front of a fire , surrounded by short , squat women who embrace me , stroke my forehead and tell me I ’ m not alone .
My AC system breaks and the same workman comes three times .
As we are settling up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ H66 N12 O12 S2 , the chemical name for oxytocin ( the bonding hormone that mammals produce via touch , aka my favorite legal intoxicant ) , and asks me what it says .
He reaches out his hand to point to it at the same time I ’ m raising my arm to give him a better look at it , and his fingers graze the back of my hand .
I ’ m startled by the contact and jump back .
When a friend calls me , sobbing and saying she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platitudes instead of driving across town to wrap my arms around her ?
Will I be able to keep this up for the next few months or even years , or will I find myself in situations where two lonely people do a quick mental contact trace , trying to balance the danger of infection against the human instinct to draw each other close ?

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In the early 1980s, a porn film called “Cafe Flesh” was released. It was weird and artsy, with great lighting, funky costumes and sharp dialogue. The producers had ended up making it as a porno because that was the only way they could get funding for it.
The premise was simple: after World War 3 destroys most of civilization, people are so heartbroken that touching another person makes them physically ill. Only 10% of the population can still have sex, and the other 90% goes to clubs like Cafe Flesh to watch them. The patrons’ longing and envy are palpable as they recall their memories of engaging in carnal pleasures.
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Bet the producers had no idea that their avant-garde fuck film would become a documentary in the year 2020.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, city officials in Austin, Texas, has left parks open so folks can exercise, and I walk daily by the river. Sometimes I see couples walking hand in hand. I’m sure the look on my face echoes the looks of Cafe Flesh patrons committed to celluloid 40 years ago. Will I spend the next few months or even years envying those who can still hold hands?
***
The story of human touch is the story of humanity.
For the past seven years, I’ve been researching this small aspect of our shared existence as it meanders through biology, neurology, culture, religion, gender, economics, child development, sexuality, health, anthropology, communication and sociology. I’ve written a book that teaches single people how to get their touch needs met, been running a hands-on nurturing human touch business, and speaking about solving loneliness with human touch.
2020 was shaping up to be an excellent year: I was pitching a TEDx talk on the future of human touch and planning another book. I also had been chatting with two different organizations about providing hands-on work for their clients.
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COVID-19 was a plot twist I never saw coming. Billions of mundane physical interactions became potentially deadly ― and off-limits ― within weeks. As humanity struggles to cope with uncertainty, fear and trauma, one of the best tools for comfort and connection has disappeared for the single and physically isolated when we need it most.
In addition to our overarching narrative, each of us has our own personal touch story. Part of mine has been full of frustration and loneliness after ending a relationship three years ago. Before physical distancing, I was getting my touch needs met through a patchwork of humans and relationships. What follows are a few chapters from my life as I adjust to not having the pleasure and healing of human touch.
***
My friend Barbara is a bona fide hermit. She lives in a decrepit yurt at the top of a steep hill in Northern California. While someone else also lives on the property, they rarely interact. She can go days without talking to or seeing another person.
When I see Barbara, I load her up with hugs and cuddles, though it takes her time to reacclimate herself to touch. The last time I visited, she was struggling: It was the anniversary of her daughter’s death, and one of her dearest friends had recently committed suicide.
At bedtime, we crawl under a pile of blankets, spooning in the dark. I feel her 95-pound, 72-year-old body behind mine, her left arm around my waist. I drift off to sleep with the sound of the rain and our synchronized breath as my soundtrack.
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When we talked on the phone last week, she told me, again, how the memories of our hugs sustain her when she’s feeling lonely. I thought I understood before, but now I grok it.
***
Every morning when I start work, my cat, Stormy, muscles her way onto my lap, displacing my laptop. I take her out of my lap and place her next to me on the couch as she protests loudly. Sometimes she stays put, but usually she crawls back, my laptop relocated off to one side on a pillow, arms stretched over at weird, un-ergonomic angles. She insists on laying on me, consent be damned.
Stormy is a sweetheart, loving and co-dependent. She’s the most doglike cat I’ve ever owned. But if I were to ask her to give me a hug, she’d look at me with her slightly crossed eyes when I said her name, and go back to licking her paw.
***
I will always remember the last person I touched before we began quarantine. Our city had not yet gone into lockdown, and we were hanging out for the second time that week. Both times, he greeted me with a long, warm hug. Social distancing was something other people in faraway countries were doing. We thought we were okay, as both of us lived alone and were in decent health.
The night before, I pondered propositioning him. My body craved sex and the skin-to-skin contact I hadn’t had in 2+ years of celibacy. My heart was a bit more reticent after a recent romantic disappointment. Rounding out the “Very Bad Idea” column was my disillusionment with hookup sex, and this man’s lack of attraction toward me. Cuddling seemed like an excellent compromise. When he arrived, I proposed that we snuggle, and he accepted.
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He put his arms on the top of the couch, and I nestled my neck under his left armpit, throwing my arm over his chest and putting my head on his heart. He pulled his left arm around my shoulders, and stroked my upper arm. My breathing slowed as I relaxed into his embrace. It felt good to be held, albeit strange to be held by this person. It felt even better to replace the physical imprint of the last person who had held me on that couch.
I got nervous, drank too much and began nodding off. He disentangled himself from me and said goodbye. I crawled into bed after he left and woke up in the early evening with a hangover.
If I had a do-over, I would have foregone the booze so I could create a vivid memory ― chatting and cuddling long into the evening. I wish I could recall what he smelled like and if his hands were rough or smooth. And I wonder, if we get a break from lockdown between waves of infection, will I seek out a pandemic fuck buddy? Or will I ask a friend to be my pandemic cuddle buddy? Both options feel risky.
***
A friend asks what we might have done had we known that lockdown was imminent. I would have gone to visit my mother. I’m fortunate that she’s in good health and had been physically isolated for the month of February due to minor foot surgery, but I miss her and have no idea when I’ll be able to see or touch her again.
My mother hasn’t seen her granddaughter in almost two months. She is missing the touch of the munchkin throwing her rapidly-growing body into Nana’s arms. My mother and I are also physically close, and when we’re together we play word games on a tablet, me leaning into her side on the couch. Her body and mine were once one, and that bond has lasted.
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I’m hopeful that my mother will remain healthy, and I won’t have to give a eulogy over video. I can only imagine going through her death on the other side of the country, grieving as my shocked body is tossed about in an ocean of pain, never reaching the safe harbor of another person’s embrace.
***
My female ancestors would have seen living alone as a decadent luxury. For generation after generation, they lived in small spaces filled with human bodies. Their arms encircled their siblings, their children, their nieces and nephews, and finally, their grandchildren. Family was ever-present and privacy was a foreign concept. During the cold Austrian winters, they crammed into single beds to keep from freezing to death. Some days, when I’m feeling particularly lonely, I imagine myself lying on a rug in front of a fire, surrounded by short, squat women who embrace me, stroke my forehead and tell me I’m not alone.
***
I have been sleeping surprisingly well the past couple of weeks, easing into slumber while counting my privileged sheep: home, job, health, spiritual foundation, friends and family. Thursday around 5 a.m. I wake up screaming, startled out of sleep by a bad dream I can’t remember. I gently stroke my neck, coaxing my nervous system back to calmness until I doze off again.
My social media feed is filled with “I need a hug!” posts from frightened folks. One friend who has been sick for a month is unable to sleep in the same bed as her husband of 22 years. Another friend tells me about his friend who lives alone and is feeling traumatized and touch-deprived, and struggles with eating or sleeping.
I could use a hug, as well. Hell, I could use several of them.
I meet up with friends for masked, physically distanced walks. We stopped doing elbow bumps weeks back, as that violates the 6’ rule. It feels like a hiccup in our relationships.
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***
My AC system breaks and the same workman comes three times. As we are settling up, he spots my bracelet with C43 H66 N12 O12 S2, the chemical name for oxytocin (the bonding hormone that mammals produce via touch, aka my favorite legal intoxicant), and asks me what it says. He reaches out his hand to point to it at the same time I’m raising my arm to give him a better look at it, and his fingers graze the back of my hand. I’m startled by the contact and jump back.
***
I spend a lot of time thinking about this chapter in my story of touch. I wonder what toll my solitary confinement will have on my body and psyche. Will I develop eczema, hives, psoriasis or rosacea as my skin registers its displeasure? Will my ears inch up toward my shoulders as my stress levels increase?
When a friend calls me, sobbing and saying she needs a hug, will I mouth platitudes instead of driving across town to wrap my arms around her? Will I be able to keep this up for the next few months or even years, or will I find myself in situations where two lonely people do a quick mental contact trace, trying to balance the danger of infection against the human instinct to draw each other close?
Will I be too scared to touch another person again, knowing that it might mean illness or death? Will I write the sequel to ”Cafe Flesh” every day, looking longingly at those who were (un)lucky enough to shelter in place with others?
***
COVID-19 has turned human touch into a villain, but it’s not a one-dimensional character with a predictable story arc. After years of research, I know that it’s always had ― and has ― the power to harm or heal. And I know that when we want it but don’t have it, its absence can make us feel more isolated and less human.
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In the meantime, we can practice self-soothing touch on ourselves, move and feed our bodies in gentle, loving ways, and make it a priority to connect to other hearts, minds and spirits. It’s obviously not an adequate substitute for physical contact, but hey, it’s something ― and the alternative is grim.
People have recommended that we use The Great Pause to rethink how we live. I know, personally and professionally, that our current paradigm of equating touch with sex isn’t working for plenty of people, single and partnered alike.
We would be happier and healthier if we recognized human touch as an integral part of wellness and re-evaluated who, when, how and why we touch. If we are able to make this shift, perhaps fewer of us will suffer alone the next time a pandemic hits.
We have always needed human touch to survive. During the coming months or years, our survival depends on avoiding it, but what will we do when we can again touch friends, family, clients and coworkers? That story has yet to be written.
Epiphany Jordan is on a mission to redesign human touch for better health and relationships. She is the founder of the Austin, Texas-based Karuna Sessions and the author of Somebody Hold Me: The Single Person’s Guide to Nurturing Human Touch. You can visit her online at www.nurturinghumantouch.com.
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huffpost--2020-05-08--A Pandemic Loan Program Propped Up This Company With Totally Unrelated Financial Problems

Ur-Energy is one of those companies .
For much of the last decade , the mining company has lost money on its Wyoming operations , which supply uranium to America ’ s nuclear power plants .
Ur-Energy ’ s financial woes are not directly related to the rapid spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , according to its financial filings .
Nevertheless , the SBA gave a $ 893,300 loan to two Ur-Energy subsidiaries to cover employees ’ salaries and benefits — including its top executives , each of whom makes hundreds of thousands of dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t wait long , either , as the Ur-Energy subsidiaries got their money in April , during the first round of loans made under the Paycheck Protection Program , designed to help companies hit hard by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Casper Star-Tribune was the first to report the story .
A second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans , which the SBA is issuing now , requires companies to certify that their loan request is necessary , without specifying if it is related to COVID-19 .
Guidance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely that a public company with substantial market value and access to capital markets ” could say that a PPP loan is necessary .
During a shareholder meeting yesterday in Littleton , Colorado , Klenda acknowledged that the loan program had become “ controversial ” because large , well-funded companies had taken money .
He defended the company ’ s loan , saying , “ We are exactly the right type of company to take advantage of this .
The legitimate need is there.
” He said the loan will allow the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klenda did not say that the coronavirus had adversely impacted Ur-Energy .
In fact , in an April 20 press release , the company said that the pandemic “ has caused no interruption of our production operations.
” In that same release , Klenda said the company ’ s 30 employees remain “ healthy and fully employed.
” Businesses can use the money to cover up to eight weeks of payroll costs and benefits as well as mortgages , rents and utilities — and don ’ t have to pay it back providing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as specified under the requirements , which are evolving .
The law allows big employers such as national restaurant and hospitality chains that closed in response to the coronavirus to apply for the loans .
( Public Integrity received a Paycheck Protection Program loan . )
Who got loans from the SBA ?
So far , the public only has an incomplete list , in part because the SBA continues to weigh Freedom of Information Act requests from media outlets and public-interest groups that demand names and data about who received money .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents Public Integrity requested April 22 .
“ There doesn ’ t appear to be any mechanism whatsoever to ensure that these loans were available only to companies that were actually affected by the coronavirus and the associated economic shutdown , ” said Matthew Gardner , a senior fellow with the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy , a think tank in Washington , D.C .
The U.S. uranium mining industry ’ s fortunes are mostly tied to the country ’ s 58 nuclear power plants , which together provide 20 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ utilities import at least 90 percent of their uranium from state-owned companies outside the U.S. , including Kazakhstan and Russia , which can price it cheaper than Ur-Energy .
Outside the U.S. , the pandemic has buffeted the uranium industry .
State-owned mining companies from Canada to Kazakhstan to Namibia have temporarily shut down operations to protect workers .
But COVID-19 has had a limited impact on the U.S. markets , where mines already were not producing , said Joniel Cha , a senior specialist at S & P Global Platts ’ nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit Ur-Energy now that global producers have temporarily shut down .
Klenda , the CEO , said in the April 21 interview that Ur-Energy can ramp up faster and at lower cost than its foreign competitors when utilities need to restock .
Mining companies accounted for barely over 1 percent of the SBA ’ s first round of funding , according to a report by the agency .
Energy Fuels has 95 employees in the U.S. and technically could qualify for an SBA loan but did not apply , said Curtis Moore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marketing and corporate development .
Whether the SBA loan will help Ur-Energy sustain its dwindling employee roster is unclear .
Since 2013 , the company has laid off 60 of its 90 U.S. employees because of a weak domestic uranium market and other issues .
The company ’ s financial reports show that more than a decade of investment in mining and exploration in Wyoming and Colorado has produced mostly financial losses .
Ur-Energy has not paid U.S. taxes for at least the past three years because of accumulated losses in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Opencast Uranium Mine, Wyoming, USA Digital Vision. via Getty Images
This story is from the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C.
The federal loan program created for small businesses waylaid by the coronavirus has endured heavy criticism for steering money to some large corporations.
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But there’s another flaw: The U.S. Small Business Administration also issued loans to companies with longstanding financial problems unrelated to the virus.
Ur-Energy is one of those companies. For much of the last decade, the mining company has lost money on its Wyoming operations, which supply uranium to America’s nuclear power plants. Ur-Energy’s financial woes are not directly related to the rapid spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to its financial filings.
Nevertheless, the SBA gave a $893,300 loan to two Ur-Energy subsidiaries to cover employees’ salaries and benefits — including its top executives, each of whom makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. The SBA didn’t wait long, either, as the Ur-Energy subsidiaries got their money in April, during the first round of loans made under the Paycheck Protection Program, designed to help companies hit hard by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Casper Star-Tribune was the first to report the story.
Critics say that phase of the program, during which $349 billion was authorized, lacked safeguards to ensure the nation’s neediest companies received loans before large, publicly traded companies that have access to private funding or other companies whose finances aren’t directly affected by the coronavirus.
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A second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans, which the SBA is issuing now, requires companies to certify that their loan request is necessary, without specifying if it is related to COVID-19. Guidance from the agency says, “It is unlikely that a public company with substantial market value and access to capital markets” could say that a PPP loan is necessary.
Ur-Energy Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Klenda and the SBA did not respond to requests for comment from the Center for Public Integrity.
During a shareholder meeting yesterday in Littleton, Colorado, Klenda acknowledged that the loan program had become “controversial” because large, well-funded companies had taken money. He defended the company’s loan, saying, “We are exactly the right type of company to take advantage of this. The legitimate need is there.”
He said the loan will allow the company to retain a highly technical workforce. Klenda did not say that the coronavirus had adversely impacted Ur-Energy. In fact, in an April 20 press release, the company said that the pandemic “has caused no interruption of our production operations.” In that same release, Klenda said the company’s 30 employees remain “healthy and fully employed.”
In a recent YouTube interview, Klenda said the publicly traded company had outside investors lined up to help it ramp up production at its Wyoming mines. Ur-Energy is incorporated in Ontario, Canada; its U.S. corporate headquarters is in Littleton, Colorado.
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President Donald Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program into law on March 27 as part of the more than $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The program’s purpose: to provide loans to small businesses with fewer than 500 employees that were struggling to survive after the economy mostly shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Businesses can use the money to cover up to eight weeks of payroll costs and benefits as well as mortgages, rents and utilities — and don’t have to pay it back providing they can show they used the money as specified under the requirements, which are evolving. The law allows big employers such as national restaurant and hospitality chains that closed in response to the coronavirus to apply for the loans. (Public Integrity received a Paycheck Protection Program loan.)
Who got loans from the SBA? So far, the public only has an incomplete list, in part because the SBA continues to weigh Freedom of Information Act requests from media outlets and public-interest groups that demand names and data about who received money. The SBA has yet to provide the documents Public Integrity requested April 22.
What is known: Publicly held companies from high-end whiskey producers and technology companies to real estate investment firms and an owner of country clubs last month filed mandatory disclosures with the Securities and Exchange Commission acknowledging their loans and revealing information about loan amounts.
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“There doesn’t appear to be any mechanism whatsoever to ensure that these loans were available only to companies that were actually affected by the coronavirus and the associated economic shutdown,” said Matthew Gardner, a senior fellow with the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a think tank in Washington, D.C.
“It’s hard to see how Ur-Energy had any real meaningful impact from the coronavirus,” Gardner said. “Certainly not on the scale of the restaurants or retail industry that have been completely hammered by the shutdown.”
Already not producing
The U.S. uranium mining industry’s fortunes are mostly tied to the country’s 58 nuclear power plants, which together provide 20 percent of the country’s electricity. Electric utilities import at least 90 percent of their uranium from state-owned companies outside the U.S., including Kazakhstan and Russia, which can price it cheaper than Ur-Energy.
Long before the COVID-19 crisis, Ur-Energy and its competitor, Canadian-based Energy Fuels Inc., lobbied for U.S. federal aid, asking Trump to impose quotas on imported uranium to protect domestic mining companies and national security interests.
Trump, last summer, declined to impose quotas. But in its fiscal 2021 budget, released in February, the Trump administration asked for $150 million a year over a decade to establish a uranium reserve by purchasing the radioactive element from domestic producers. Ur-Energy expects to benefit from the plan providing it is approved by Congress.
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Outside the U.S., the pandemic has buffeted the uranium industry. State-owned mining companies from Canada to Kazakhstan to Namibia have temporarily shut down operations to protect workers. But COVID-19 has had a limited impact on the U.S. markets, where mines already were not producing, said Joniel Cha, a senior specialist at S&P Global Platts’ nuclear team.
The coronavirus hasn’t likely been a factor in power companies’ uranium purchases, said electric utility financial analyst Paul Patterson. Power companies generally have a long lead time to purchase uranium for refueling nuclear power plants based on long-term planning and are not buying on a monthly basis, said Patterson, of New York-based Glenrock Associates.
The coronavirus could even indirectly benefit Ur-Energy now that global producers have temporarily shut down. Klenda, the CEO, said in the April 21 interview that Ur-Energy can ramp up faster and at lower cost than its foreign competitors when utilities need to restock.
Mining companies accounted for barely over 1 percent of the SBA’s first round of funding, according to a report by the agency. Energy Fuels has 95 employees in the U.S. and technically could qualify for an SBA loan but did not apply, said Curtis Moore, the company’s vice president of marketing and corporate development.
Another Wyoming uranium company, Strata Energy, received $500,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program. The company suspended work at its mines in Wyoming because of COVID-19, according to a quarterly report by its parent company, Australia’s Peninsula Energy. Peninsula said it had taken several cost-saving measures, including reducing salaries of top corporate executives and payroll costs at its Wyoming uranium mine.
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Ur-Energy, in its latest SEC filings, did not report changes in compensation for its top executives, including Klenda, whose 2019 salary and stock awards totaled nearly $600,000.
The SBA began processing a second round of loans — $310 billion in total — on April 27. Companies like Ur-Energy might not be approved for loans this time around.
Whether the SBA loan will help Ur-Energy sustain its dwindling employee roster is unclear. Since 2013, the company has laid off 60 of its 90 U.S. employees because of a weak domestic uranium market and other issues. The company’s financial reports show that more than a decade of investment in mining and exploration in Wyoming and Colorado has produced mostly financial losses. Ur-Energy has not paid U.S. taxes for at least the past three years because of accumulated losses in the U.S., according to its SEC reports.


huffpost--2020-04-09--Record 16.6 Million Americans Have Sought Jobless Aid Since Virus

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — With a startling 6.6 million people seeking jobless benefits last week , the United States has reached a grim landmark : Roughly one in 10 workers have lost their jobs in just the past three weeks .
The figures collectively constitute the largest and fastest string of job losses in records dating to 1948 .
They paint a picture of a job market that is quickly unraveling as businesses have shut down across the country because of the coronavirus outbreak .
More than 20 million American may lose jobs this month .
The viral outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the economy ’ s output in the current quarter .
Forty-eight states have closed non-essential businesses .
Restaurants , hotels , department stores and small businesses have laid off millions as they struggle to pay bills at a time when their revenue has vanished .
All told , in the past three weeks , 16.6 million Americans have filed for unemployment aid .
The surge of jobless claims has overwhelmed state unemployment offices around the country .
And still more job cuts are expected .
The unemployment rate could hit 15 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early May .
The U.S. government is set to report another shocking level of unemployment claims Thursday even after nearly 10 million people applied for benefits in the previous two weeks because of business shutdowns from the coronavirus .
The number will likely keep increasing , in part because many states are still clearing out backlogs of applications for unemployment aid .
And with more companies running through their cash cushions as the virus-related shutdowns persist , they are resorting to layoffs to save money .
Up to 50 million jobs are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — about one-third of all the jobs in the United States .
That figure is based on a calculation of positions that are deemed non-essential by state and federal governments and that can not be done from home .
It ’ s unlikely all those workers will be laid off or file a jobless claim .
But it suggests the extraordinary magnitude of unemployment that could result from the pandemic .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — With a startling 6.6 million people seeking jobless benefits last week, the United States has reached a grim landmark: Roughly one in 10 workers have lost their jobs in just the past three weeks.
The figures collectively constitute the largest and fastest string of job losses in records dating to 1948. They paint a picture of a job market that is quickly unraveling as businesses have shut down across the country because of the coronavirus outbreak. More than 20 million American may lose jobs this month.
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The viral outbreak is believed to have erased nearly one-third of the economy’s output in the current quarter. Forty-eight states have closed non-essential businesses. Restaurants, hotels, department stores and small businesses have laid off millions as they struggle to pay bills at a time when their revenue has vanished.
All told, in the past three weeks, 16.6 million Americans have filed for unemployment aid. The surge of jobless claims has overwhelmed state unemployment offices around the country. And still more job cuts are expected. The unemployment rate could hit 15% when the April employment report is released in early May.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below:
The U.S. government is set to report another shocking level of unemployment claims Thursday even after nearly 10 million people applied for benefits in the previous two weeks because of business shutdowns from the coronavirus.
The number will likely keep increasing, in part because many states are still clearing out backlogs of applications for unemployment aid. And with more companies running through their cash cushions as the virus-related shutdowns persist, they are resorting to layoffs to save money.
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huffpost--2020-04-09--As Universities Warned Students Of Virus, Liberty Kept Its Students In The Dark

Liberty University , a private evangelical school in Lynchburg , Virginia , has received an onslaught of criticism since late March after its president , Jerry Falwell Jr. , invited students back to campus , even as COVID-19 ravaged the country .
However , new reporting from HuffPost found that even in the weeks leading up to the controversy ― when other universities were keeping students abreast of the virus and encouraging caution ― Liberty gave little to no information to students , flouting CDC recommendations .
One student told HuffPost that Liberty ’ s lack of communication affected his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He went on spring break to Florida in mid-March with friends but said he might have reconsidered the trip had his university treated the issue with any gravity .
But it appears Liberty University barely communicated with faculty and students about the coronavirus until nearly two weeks into March .
A faculty member said they received an email about study abroad cancellations on March 11 .
The next day , students received an email that the university ’ s typically large convocation would be livestreamed as a precaution .
By contrast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia had already sent out more than a dozen updates about the virus to faculty , students and parents .
During the convocation , Falwell Jr. invited students to return to campus after spring break .
University emails about spring break also mentioned nothing about the virus .
They only contained the usual reminders about cleaning out dorms and fridges .
When one Liberty parent helped move his daughter out at the end of spring break ― after it was made clear students had the option of staying home ― he asked a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received any guidance from the university on enhanced sanitation procedures .
The custodian said they hadn ’ t , according to the parent .
“ There was absolutely nothing about precautions to take during a global pandemic , even though these students were about to scatter to their homes across the country and go to spring break destinations like the beaches of Florida , ” the parent , who wanted to remain anonymous because his daughter is still a student , wrote in an email to HuffPost .
This parent had also previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of information sharing .
Employees directed them to a university webpage with information about the coronavirus — created in January .
However , the website was never disseminated to the larger community until much later , leaving people unaware of its existence , according to three Liberty community members .
For months , the webpage advised students to continue business as usual , noting that the virus was low-risk to Americans .
On March 13 , it was updated to say students could return to campus after spring break , though university-sponsored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to archived versions of the page .
Falwell Jr. has since gone on Fox News to speculate that the virus was a gift from China and North Korea designed to undermine President Donald Trump , and he has continually lashed out at his critics .
He has backtracked and flip-flopped on a number of issues , including whether or not faculty should come to campus , despite classes going online .
He also called a Liberty parent a “ dummy ” on Twitter .
In an opinion piece for Newsweek , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Christian mission by housing students who may have nowhere else to go , while taking steps to limit the spread .
“ Misinformation tends to cloud things in a crisis .
A lot of well-intentioned but misinformed observers have criticized our plans , though all along we have effectively adjusted to the requirements from Commonwealth of Virginia officials , which were changing by the day at the start of the crisis , ” Falwell wrote .
As of March 29 , more than 1,000 students are living on campus , although previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , putting the school at odds with the larger Lynchburg community and the state of Virginia .
The New York Times reported in late March that nearly a dozen students were already sick with symptoms similar to that of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
Liberty has since called the story “ false and misleading ” and is now saying there are no confirmed cases among residential students — though an online student has tested positive , according to the Liberty Champion , the campus ’ s student newspaper .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of precautions to encourage social distancing , limiting dining services to takeout only and regularly sanitizing frequently visited areas .
But Best , who remains on campus , said precluding college students on the same premises from seeing each other can have its challenges .
“ There ’ s probably honestly 5 % of people that are breaking social distancing , but even that is a problem that probably could be prevented with better communication and enforcement , ” said Best , who is studying finance and accounting .
“ He is completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and lives of thousands of people .
As a Christian , I am commanded to forgive him .
In time , I will .
However , I am not commanded to trust him , ” the parent wrote over email .
“ I believe that it is high time that the LU Board of Trustees remove Jerry Falwell Jr. and find a new president .
”

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first released guidance advising colleges and universities on how to handle the coronavirus outbreak on March 3. You wouldn’t know that if you were a student or faculty member at Liberty University, though.
Liberty University, a private evangelical school in Lynchburg, Virginia, has received an onslaught of criticism since late March after its president, Jerry Falwell Jr., invited students back to campus, even as COVID-19 ravaged the country. However, new reporting from HuffPost found that even in the weeks leading up to the controversy ― when other universities were keeping students abreast of the virus and encouraging caution ― Liberty gave little to no information to students, flouting CDC recommendations.
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One student told HuffPost that Liberty’s lack of communication affected his understanding of the disease and its risks. He went on spring break to Florida in mid-March with friends but said he might have reconsidered the trip had his university treated the issue with any gravity.
“It’s easy to forget when you’re outside of a college how much of a bubble college really is,” senior Calum Best told HuffPost. “I generally view myself as a person probably above average information intake … even I wasn’t aware of the importance of social distancing.”
On March 3, the CDC directed college administrators to ensure their campuses perform routine environmental cleaning, communicate hand-washing strategies and create an information-sharing plan with faculty and staff.
But it appears Liberty University barely communicated with faculty and students about the coronavirus until nearly two weeks into March. A faculty member said they received an email about study abroad cancellations on March 11. The next day, students received an email that the university’s typically large convocation would be livestreamed as a precaution. By contrast, at that time, the University of Virginia had already sent out more than a dozen updates about the virus to faculty, students and parents.
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During the convocation, Falwell Jr. invited students to return to campus after spring break. University emails about spring break also mentioned nothing about the virus. They only contained the usual reminders about cleaning out dorms and fridges. When one Liberty parent helped move his daughter out at the end of spring break ― after it was made clear students had the option of staying home ― he asked a custodian in the dorm if they had received any guidance from the university on enhanced sanitation procedures. The custodian said they hadn’t, according to the parent.
“There was absolutely nothing about precautions to take during a global pandemic, even though these students were about to scatter to their homes across the country and go to spring break destinations like the beaches of Florida,” the parent, who wanted to remain anonymous because his daughter is still a student, wrote in an email to HuffPost.
Michelle Gougler, right, helps her daughter Morgan Gougler, a student at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, move out of her dorm on March 31. AMANDA ANDRADE-RHOADES via Getty Images
This parent had also previously reached out to the university about the lack of information sharing. Employees directed them to a university webpage with information about the coronavirus — created in January. However, the website was never disseminated to the larger community until much later, leaving people unaware of its existence, according to three Liberty community members.
For months, the webpage advised students to continue business as usual, noting that the virus was low-risk to Americans. On March 13, it was updated to say students could return to campus after spring break, though university-sponsored study abroad trips had been canceled, according to archived versions of the page.
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A faculty member recalled getting generic emails from restaurants and businesses about staying safe, but hearing only radio silence from their university. The university did not respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.
Falwell Jr. has since gone on Fox News to speculate that the virus was a gift from China and North Korea designed to undermine President Donald Trump, and he has continually lashed out at his critics. He has backtracked and flip-flopped on a number of issues, including whether or not faculty should come to campus, despite classes going online. He also called a Liberty parent a “dummy” on Twitter.
In an opinion piece for Newsweek, he said the university was helping to fulfill its Christian mission by housing students who may have nowhere else to go, while taking steps to limit the spread.
“Misinformation tends to cloud things in a crisis. A lot of well-intentioned but misinformed observers have criticized our plans, though all along we have effectively adjusted to the requirements from Commonwealth of Virginia officials, which were changing by the day at the start of the crisis,” Falwell wrote.
As of March 29, more than 1,000 students are living on campus, although previously reported numbers were as high as 1,900, putting the school at odds with the larger Lynchburg community and the state of Virginia. The New York Times reported in late March that nearly a dozen students were already sick with symptoms similar to that of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Liberty has since called the story “false and misleading” and is now saying there are no confirmed cases among residential students — though an online student has tested positive, according to the Liberty Champion, the campus’s student newspaper.
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The university has now taken a number of precautions to encourage social distancing, limiting dining services to takeout only and regularly sanitizing frequently visited areas. But Best, who remains on campus, said precluding college students on the same premises from seeing each other can have its challenges.
“There’s probably honestly 5% of people that are breaking social distancing, but even that is a problem that probably could be prevented with better communication and enforcement,” said Best, who is studying finance and accounting.
The Liberty parent ― a self-identified conservative, Christian and university champion ― said the entire fiasco makes it clear that Falwell is unfit to lead.
“He is completely untrustworthy to make decisions that impact the health and lives of thousands of people. As a Christian, I am commanded to forgive him. In time, I will. However, I am not commanded to trust him,” the parent wrote over email. “I believe that it is high time that the LU Board of Trustees remove Jerry Falwell Jr. and find a new president.”


huffpost--2020-03-11--Trump To Address Nation On Coronavirus Pandemic

The swiftly mounting effort to contain the outbreak and financial fallout intensified on a grueling day as the number of confirmed cases of the infection topped 1,000 in the U.S. and the World Health Organization declared that the global crisis is now a pandemic .
Communities nationwide canceled public events in the hopes of halting the spread of the infection .
“ I can say we will see more cases , and things will get worse than they are right now , ” Fauci told the House Oversight and Reform Committee .
Facing questions from lawmakers , Fauci explained , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the seasonal flu.
” The hearing was abruptly paused as he and other high-level officials rushed back to the White House for meetings .
“ As you know , we have another part of the world , Europe , that is in very tough shape , having a hard time right now with the virus , ” Trump said during a meeting with bankers to discuss how the financial services industry can help consumers and small businesses affected by the outbreak .
Yet there was confusion at the White House , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the enormous gravity of the situation .
Vice President Mike Pence met with hospital and health industry leaders in the Roosevelt Room — but reporters who had gathered to observe it were ultimately not invited in .
“ We think it is appropriate for the government to pick up those costs .
This is a little bit like a hurricane , and we need to cover these outside of normal expenses , ” Mnuchin said .
He and Pelosi spoke again early Wednesday to discuss proposals for the package .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the financial markets reel .
They nosedived at the start of the week , climbed back up and then fell again Wednesday .
But lawmakers from both political parties roundly panned Trump ’ s call for a payroll tax holiday or industry aid as they focus on stopping the virus spread and helping households .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe illness may take three to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , where the virus first exploded , more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed , and more than 58,000 have so far recovered .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is quickly unveiling a coronavirus aid package while President Donald Trump is considering a national disaster declaration and new travel advisories as Washington raced Wednesday to confront the outbreak that’s moving dramatically across the country and disrupting the daily lives of Americans.
After days of trying to downplay the threat, Trump announced he would be delivering a prime-time Oval Office address to the nation Wednesday at 9 p.m. on the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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The swiftly mounting effort to contain the outbreak and financial fallout intensified on a grueling day as the number of confirmed cases of the infection topped 1,000 in the U.S. and the World Health Organization declared that the global crisis is now a pandemic. Communities nationwide canceled public events in the hopes of halting the spread of the infection.
Testifying on Capitol Hill, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned that the outbreak in the U.S. is going to get worse.
“I can say we will see more cases, and things will get worse than they are right now,” Fauci told the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Facing questions from lawmakers, Fauci explained, “It is 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu.” The hearing was abruptly paused as he and other high-level officials rushed back to the White House for meetings.
After days of mixed signals and partisan differences, Washington considered action.
“I am fully prepared to use the full power of the Federal Government to deal with our current challenge of the CoronaVirus!” Trump tweeted before a meeting with bankers in which he assured that “we are going to get the problem solved.”
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“Now we’re hitting a patch and we’re going to have to do something with respect to getting rid of this virus as quickly as possible and as safely as possible,” he said.
Among other measures, officials were considering placing a “Level 3 Health Travel Notice” on the entire European Union. Such a notice would recommend that Americans avoid nonessential travel to the region and quarantine themselves for 14 days after returning home.
“As you know, we have another part of the world, Europe, that is in very tough shape, having a hard time right now with the virus,” Trump said during a meeting with bankers to discuss how the financial services industry can help consumers and small businesses affected by the outbreak.
“We’ll be making various decisions. You’ll be hearing about them at approximately 8 o’clock tonight,” he said.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin noted that Trump’s executive authorities are “quite significant ... so there will be various proposals we’ll be rolling out quickly on that front, and we’re also working with Congress on a bipartisan basis to be able to immediately help small and medium-sized businesses as well.”
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Yet there was confusion at the White House, even as officials began to come to grips with the enormous gravity of the situation. Vice President Mike Pence met with hospital and health industry leaders in the Roosevelt Room — but reporters who had gathered to observe it were ultimately not invited in.
“The Trump Administration continues its aggressive whole-of-government approach while also leading a whole-of-America strategy to bring public health officials, academia, non-profits, and the private sector together to protect the American people,” the White House said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi planned to unveil the economic assistance package, with voting possible as soon as Thursday, on sick pay and other measures to financially help those self-quarantining or missing work as officials encourage people to limit social interactions to slow the rise of infections.
After lawmakers from both parties rebuffed Trump’s proposed payroll tax break, bipartisan support appeared to be forming for the House’s package, which would focus on more immediate issues — sick pay, unemployment benefits, free tests and other resources for American suddenly hit by the crisis.
“Right now we’re trying to deal with the direct impact of the virus on individual citizens,” House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., said Wednesday as Democrats met behind closed doors. “So paid family leave, making sure the tests are free to everybody, boosting unemployment insurance and so forth. That’s immediate. That’s tomorrow.”
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Mnuchin, whom Trump tapped to negotiate with the Democratic leader, agreed with the need for fast action.
“We urge Congress to pass legislation quickly,” Mnuchin testified on Capitol Hill.
Mnuchin told lawmakers there will be a “large number” of workers who will need to self-quarantine or stay home with family members — comparing the costs to a natural disaster that would require federal aid.
“We think it is appropriate for the government to pick up those costs. This is a little bit like a hurricane, and we need to cover these outside of normal expenses,” Mnuchin said. He and Pelosi spoke again early Wednesday to discuss proposals for the package.
To that end, the administration floated several strategies, including the rare idea of declaring national disaster that could potentially unlock funding streams, according to a person unauthorized to discuss the planning and granted anonymity.
Rick Pollack, president of the American Hospital Association, said he had urged the administration to do just that during a meeting with top administration officials at the White House, arguing it was necessary to provide the nation with adequate care.
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The White House was also considering other measures, delaying the April 15 federal tax deadline for some taxpayers in a bid to soften the impact virus outbreak on the U.S. economy.
The administration was also expected to announce an executive order insisting on American-made medical supplies and pharmaceuticals in response to the virus, according to a person familiar with the plan who wasn’t authorized to discuss it and spoke on condition of anonymity.
And they rolled out new recommendations for the counties most impacted by the virus in Washington state and California.
The GOP leader in the House, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, signaled potential Republican support for the funding package being assembled in Congress.
“We need to do something,” McCarthy said. “I think the things that will be put forth will not be as controversial, and I think they could become very bipartisan.”
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The president was promoting an economic stimulus package as the financial markets reel. They nosedived at the start of the week, climbed back up and then fell again Wednesday. But lawmakers from both political parties roundly panned Trump’s call for a payroll tax holiday or industry aid as they focus on stopping the virus spread and helping households.
Pelosi’s goal is to pass a more narrowly drawn measure as soon as Thursday, before lawmakers leave town for a previously scheduled weeklong recess, and revisit potential stimulus measures later on, those familiar with the thinking said. They were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We don’t think they should just throw money out of an airplane and hope some of it lands on the people who are affected,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who proposed additional measures including cash infusions for small businesses and student loan forbearance. “It’s aimed at people, not at big corporations.”
With Trump’s GOP allies in Congress split over his tax plans, support may be slim, leaving Democrats to push ahead with their initial response. Mnuchin appeared to concur with that approach.
“We want to get done what we can do this week, and we will come back,” Mnuchin said on the Hill.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
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The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed, and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.
In Washington, tourists still arrived for springtime visits with crowds at the U.S. Capitol, but lawmakers were instructed by the House’s attending physician to step up their social-distancing practices — avoiding “shaking hands, giving/receiving hugs, taking selfies, etc.”
One lawmaker, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., announced his office staff would be primarily working remotely, halting all person-to-person contact and suspending its staff-led tour of the Capitol. He said in a posting to constituents that he hoped his plan could serve as a “template” for others.
Several lawmakers, including Trump confidants, have placed themselves in quarantine after being exposed to someone who had the virus.
Trump on Tuesday pitched his economic stimulus ideas privately to wary Senate Republicans, but details were slight and the president’s GOP allies have been cool to additional spending at this stage.
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Some Republicans endorsed Trump’s suggestion that help be provided to the beleaguered cruise ship, airlines or other industries.
Key Democrats displayed little appetite to prop up corporations harmed by the outbreak.
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Associated Press writers Lauran Neergaard, Marty Crutsinger, Laurie Kellman, Jill Colvin and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report.
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