A bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote to congressional leadership asking for assistance for oil and gas industry workers as oil prices have plunged amid the coronavirus pandemic and international disputes. 

“We write to ask you to help address the unique challenges facing the people who work in the U.S. oil and gas sector,” said the letter, which was signed by seven Democrats and two Republicans. 

“We know from previous economic aid efforts that any COVID-19 relief package must protect all hard-working Americans. The effects of COVID-19 will be felt across the economy,” it continued. 

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The lawmakers wrote that there have been layoffs in recent weeks linked to the decreasing fuel prices. A Texas oil regulator recently told Bloomberg that tens of thousands of people in the state were being laid off as drilling rigs close down.

“As various sector-specific proposals are considered to address the impacts of COVID-19, this sector and the people who work in it must be taken into account,” the legislators wrote. 

The letter was signed by Reps. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas), Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Sylvia GarciaSylvia GarciaOvernight Energy: Iconic national parks close over coronavirus concerns | New EPA order limits telework post-pandemic | Lawmakers urge help for oil and gas workers Bipartisan lawmakers urge assistance for oil and gas workers Hispanic Democrats demand funding for multilingual coronavirus messaging MORE (D-Texas), Michael McCaulMichael Thomas McCaulHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Overnight Energy: Iconic national parks close over coronavirus concerns | New EPA order limits telework post-pandemic | Lawmakers urge help for oil and gas workers Lawmakers urge EU to sanction Putin associate for election interference MORE (R-Texas), Al GreenAlexander (Al) N. GreenOvernight Energy: Iconic national parks close over coronavirus concerns | New EPA order limits telework post-pandemic | Lawmakers urge help for oil and gas workers Bipartisan lawmakers urge assistance for oil and gas workers Lawmakers shame ex-Wells Fargo directors for failing to reboot bank MORE (D-Texas), Brian Babin (R-Texas), Kendra HornKendra Suzanne HornOvernight Energy: Iconic national parks close over coronavirus concerns | New EPA order limits telework post-pandemic | Lawmakers urge help for oil and gas workers Bipartisan lawmakers urge assistance for oil and gas workers Overnight Defense: Pentagon curtails more exercises over coronavirus | House passes Iran war powers measure | Rocket attack hits Iraqi base with US troops MORE (D-Okla.), and Marc VeaseyMarc Allison VeaseyOvernight Energy: Iconic national parks close over coronavirus concerns | New EPA order limits telework post-pandemic | Lawmakers urge help for oil and gas workers Bipartisan lawmakers urge assistance for oil and gas workers Democratic candidates gear up for a dramatic Super Tuesday MORE (D-Texas.)

It comes as Congress weighs certain relief for oil and gas companies.

The Energy Department has asked Congress for $3 billion with which to purchase oil to be stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. 

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on Tuesday announced that the first immigrant being held in an ICE detention center has tested positive for the coronavirus.

In a statement, ICE identified the patient as a 31-year-old Mexican national who is being held in Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, N.J. ICE announced that no new inmates would come to the facility “until further information is available.”

“The individual has been quarantined and is receiving care,” the release said. “Consistent with CDC guidelines, those who have come in contact with the individual have been cohorted and are being monitored for symptoms.”

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A correctional officer at Bergen County Jail tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, NorthJersey.com reported. 

The first positive case in ICE detention follows warnings from advocates, medical experts and former Department of Homeland Security officials to evacuate the centers of people vulnerable to the virus, namely the elderly and those who suffer from underlying health conditions.

Andrea Flores, deputy director of policy in the Equality Division at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said health experts have warned that detainees are “sitting ducks for the spread of the virus.” Once outbreaks in centers begin, “they will spread rapidly,” she said.

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“The suffering and death that will occur is unnecessary and preventable,” Flores said in a statement Tuesday. “ICE must take immediate and drastic steps to reduce the number of people in detention. If it doesn’t, it will be to blame for a humanitarian crisis.”

Heidi Altman, the litigation director for the National Immigrant Justice Center, told BuzzFeed News that detainees were learning of the virus through news reports and from friends and family. She added that immigrants in detention are reporting a lack of access to soap and hand sanitizer and that inmates with flu-like symptoms were entering the facilities. 

“Learning of the pandemic through the television and correspondence with family and friends on the outside, but without reliable information or training on precautionary measures from staff, leaves our clients in detention with more questions than answers as to how to protect themselves and others,” Altman said, according to the news outlet.

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More than 37,000 immigrants are in ICE detention centers in private and local jails, where medical care is provided by either ICE directly or private or public contractors. ICE also reported that a guard at the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, had tested positive for the virus. 

The House Oversight and Reform Committee opened an investigation in December into the medical care of detainees, before the coronavirus had hit the U.S. 

The U.S. has documented more than 51,500 cases of COVID-19 in the country and almost 675 deaths as hospitals struggle to obtain enough medical equipment to treat the growing number of infections.

The ACLU last week sued ICE to allow migrants susceptible to the disease to be released from detention centers in Washington state, which has been hit hard by the virus.

Updated at 4:54 p.m.

Some of the country’s most iconic national parks closed Tuesday amid growing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

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The National Park Service (NPS) closed Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Great Smoky Mountains on Tuesday, marking the latest in a series of closures around the country.

“The National Park Service listened to the concerns from our local partners and, based on current health guidance, temporarily closed the parks,” Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly and Grand Teton Acting Superintendent Gopaul Noojibail said in a joint statement.

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Among the other monuments and parks that have closed in recent weeks are Yosemite National Park, the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton are closed until further notice in order to implement the latest health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NPS says.

A separate statement on the Great Smoky Mountains closure said that it would be closed until April 6 to “support regional COVID-19 prevention efforts.”

The new closures come just a week after NPS said it would waive fees at parks that were remaining open.

“Our vast public lands that are overseen by the department offer special outdoor experiences to recreate, embrace nature and implement some social distancing,” said Secretary David Bernhardt of the Interior Department, which oversees NPS, in a statement on the fee waiver.

The agency told The Hill in a statement on Tuesday that decisions about whether to change park operations are “being made on a park-by-park basis by the respective superintendent, using the most current guidance from state and local health authorities, in support of the CDC’s effort to promote social distancing to slow the spread of the coronavirus.”

It noted that 100 of the 419 units of the NPS are either closed or not allowing visitors. 

—Updated at 6:18 p.m.

 

Senate negotiators have agreed to provide a payroll tax holiday for small businesses as they hope to complete the tax-related portion of the fast-growing stimulus package Saturday afternoon.

“We’re going to try to finish up the tax stuff up today,” said National Economic Council Director Larry KudlowLawrence (Larry) Alan KudlowMORE while heading into a meeting with Senate negotiators Saturday morning. Small businesses are “going to get a payroll tax holiday.”

As a result of this and other concessions, the stimulus plan is now expected to cost $1.3 trillion to $1.4 trillion, but that number could grow further as both sides race to add major benefits, such as tens of billions of dollars in emergency aid to states and an expansion of Social Security benefits. 

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Kudlow initially estimated that the total package would cost about 10 percent of U.S. gross domestic product, which would be more than $2 trillion; however, he and White House Legislative Affairs Director Eric Ueland later revised that estimate to $1.3 trillion or $1.4 trillion.

The payroll tax compromise strikes a balance between President TrumpDonald John TrumpDemocrats grow nervous over primary delays Pence, second lady test negative for coronavirus North Korea says Trump offered country help amid coronavirus pandemic: report MORE‘s request earlier this month to zero out the payroll tax for employers and employees through the election and Democrats’ staunch opposition to the idea.

The Senate Republican stimulus plan released Thursday afternoon proposed letting employers and self-employed individuals defer payments on the employer share of Social Security taxes beyond the election, with half being due by Dec. 31, 2021, and the other half by Dec. 31, 2022.

Democrats warned earlier this month that they would block any effort to cut payroll taxes.

Sen. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenSticking points force stimulus package talks to spill into Sunday Democrats call for stimulus to boost Social Security benefits by 0 a month Stimulus deal will include payroll tax holiday for small business MORE (Ore.), the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, warned earlier this month that cutting payroll taxes would be a “huge mistake” that would “amount to hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts for big corporations.”

Limiting the benefit to small businesses would ameliorate Democrats’ criticism that the GOP plan is too tilted to big corporations.

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The Senate GOP plan also includes $208 billion in loans for distressed industries, including $50 billion for U.S. passenger airlines and $8 billion for air cargo carriers. 

The cost of the package is fast ballooning as both sides are racing to wrap up talks on the bill Saturday in time for a procedural vote scheduled for Sunday.

Negotiators on Friday tentatively agreed to slightly decrease the size of rebates sent to middle-income adults earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 from $1,200 to around $1,000, bringing the total cost of that item to $250 billion instead of $300 billion, according to two persons familiar with the talks.

To secure that centerpiece of Trump’s stimulus proposal, Republicans will agree to a massive increase in unemployment benefits, which would roughly match the amount being spent on rebates, although as of Friday evening, negotiators were still waiting on a budgetary projection from the Congressional Budget Office.

Democrats are also asking for a major infusion of cash to help states that have been hit especially hard by the pandemic, such as New York, and hospitals.

The governors of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania wrote a letter to Trump and congressional leaders Friday requesting direct cash assistance of $100 billion “for our region alone.”

U.S. hospitals, meanwhile, are lobbying congressional negotiators for a $100 billion stabilization fund to prepare for what could be a massive influx of patients over the next few weeks.

In White Plains, N.Y., an epicenter of coronavirus infections, at least one hospital is already at full capacity, according to a doctor who works there. 

Researchers at Columbia University estimate that even if infection rates are cut in half, as many as 650,000 people may become infected in the United States over the next two months, The New York Times reported Friday. 

Jordain Carney contributed.

Updated: 11:55 a.m.

Loss of science

No sign of a chief scientific adviser.

What has happened to José Manuel Barroso’s “Professor Science”? In September 2009, the European Commission president announced that he would appoint a chief scientific adviser to provide input at all stages of EU policymaking. This, he said grandly, would reflect “the central importance I attach to research and innovation”.

But nearly 16 months later, not only is there no adviser, but the job has not even been advertised. An official said – not very reassuringly – that there was “no evidence” that the post would not be created. “People are exploring the market” in search of the right candidates, the official said, adding: “We would not launch a call before we are sure that someone decent will answer.” Perhaps Europe’s brain drain is even worse than we thought. 

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Senators are floating a quick exit from Washington, D.C., after they pass a massive coronavirus stimulus bill that is being finalized Tuesday. 

The expectation among senators is that once the chamber passes the legislation, likely on Wednesday, they will not be in session for at least three weeks. 

Sen. Roy BluntRoy Dean BluntSenate eyes quick exit after vote on coronavirus stimulus package Coronavirus anxiety spreads across Capitol Hill McConnell takes reins of third coronavirus bill MORE (R-Mo.), a member of GOP leadership, stressed that the decision is up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellWhite House, Senate reach deal on trillion stimulus package Overnight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Trump hopes to reopen economy by Easter | GOP senators expect stimulus vote Wednesday | House Dems eye two more stimulus bills | Trump says he gets along ‘very well’ with Fauci New bill would withhold pay from Senate until coronavirus stimulus package passes MORE (R-Ky.) but said it was his expectation that the chamber would recess after this week.

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“My guess is we probably don’t come in next week and then don’t come in the two weeks we’re scheduled” to be on recess, Blunt said, adding that they would “use those three weeks to get ready for whatever is phase four.” 

Blunt said some senators could stay in town to work on additional coronavirus legislation but that “likely we’re not in an active daily session.” 

A source familiar with briefings being given to Democratic senators and top staffers added that “once the Senate is done, they plan to be gone for a while.”

The Senate is currently scheduled to be in session through next Friday, April 3.

After that, the Senate is scheduled for a two-week recess. The chamber was supposed to be out of session last week but changed its plans to remain in Washington to pass a second coronavirus response bill and start crafting a third. 

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The House left last week without a fixed return date. House leadership is debating clearing the massive stimulus package, which is expected to have a top-line price tag of at least $2 trillion, by unanimous consent, though it’s unclear if all 435 members will sign off. 

Blunt added that the Senate would likely stay around to see what the House does on the legislation. House Democrats unveiled their own bill Monday, though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has remained in close consultation with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Senate negotiations.  

Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, predicted that the chamber’s schedule would likely be determined “on a week-by-week basis.”

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“If we could get this wrapped up, I suppose there’s a possibility that we could roll into the Easter recess. But I think it will probably be the leader’s decision on a week-by-week basis depending on what we need to do to respond to what’s going on,” Thune said. 

Asked if there were other things the Senate needed to clear off its schedule before leaving Washington, he added that it was an “ongoing response to the crisis. Right now, that’s really what’s driving everything around here.” 

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McConnell hasn’t provided any public guidance on what the Senate’s schedule looks like after it passes the stimulus package. He’s only warned that senators will not leave Washington until they pass the bill. 

He was asked during a press conference last week about the Senate’s schedule after the stimulus bill passes but declined to comment. 

The question of whether senators would remain in the Capitol gained extra urgency this week after Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulOvernight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Trump hopes to reopen economy by Easter | GOP senators expect stimulus vote Wednesday | House Dems eye two more stimulus bills | Trump says he gets along ‘very well’ with Fauci 15 things to know for today about coronavirus Senate eyes quick exit after vote on coronavirus stimulus package MORE (R-Ky.) became the first known senator to test positive for the virus. 

Concerns about the spread of the coronavirus within the Senate are particularly acute because many senators are above 60 and considered an at-risk group. Even as McConnell has encouraged senators to practice social distancing, several have been seen in tight scrums with their colleagues or standing shoulder to shoulder on the floor. 

“I believe that our first obligation is to finish our work for the American people. After that, I think it would be wise to accelerate the break that was scheduled for April,” Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsSenate eyes quick exit after vote on coronavirus stimulus package The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Airbnb – Trump, Dems close in on deal Overnight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Trump signals easing coronavirus restrictions | Tensions boil over as Senate fails to advance stimulus bill | Pelosi previews .5T House stimulus package MORE (R-Maine) said this week. 

Mike Lillis contributed.

Welcome to Tuesday’s Overnight Health Care.

Congress and the White House seem to be on the verge of reaching a deal on a multi-trillion dollar stimulus package to try to blunt the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic, with a vote expected on Wednesday. In the White House, President TrumpDonald John TrumpWhite House, Senate reach deal on trillion stimulus package Biden hits Trump’s remarks about reopening economy within weeks: ‘He should stop talking’ New York Times editorial board calls for national lockdown over coronavirus MORE says he is intent on “opening up” the economy by Easter. 

 

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We’ll start with the president…

Trump says he hopes to have economy reopen by Easter

President Trump on Tuesday said he hopes to have the country “opened up” by Easter — Sunday, April 12 — his most concrete goal to date for easing restrictions meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. 

Trump in a Fox News virtual town hall doubled down on his push to reopen businesses in a matter of weeks in order to reinvigorate an economy stunned by the growing pandemic.

“You can destroy a country this way, by closing it down, where it literally goes from being the most prosperous,” Trump said.

Trump over the last two days has repeatedly argued it could be worse to let the economy slide onto a deep recession or depression than to keep strict guidelines in place to control the spread of the coronavirus.

Why that’s problematic: Public health experts say the timing is much too short. His decision to set a specific date came after days of discussion among advisers, but the truncated time frame breaks with public health experts and some lawmakers who have said containing the virus should take precedence.

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Read more here.

 

 

To reinforce the questions with Trump’s plan…  

 

Fauci says Trump’s Easter goal for lifting coronavirus restrictions should be ‘flexible’

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday said President Trump’s stated timeline of lifting restrictions on parts of the country by Easter Sunday should be “flexible.”

Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a prominent member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, added it is important for public health officials to gauge how widespread coronavirus is in parts of the country that haven’t reported significant numbers of cases.

“That’s really very flexible,” Fauci told reporters at the White House when asked about the president’s timeline, which he floated earlier Tuesday during a Fox News virtual town hall on the coronavirus pandemic.

“You can look at a date but you’ve got to be very flexible and on a literally day-by-day and week-by-week basis. You need to evaluate the feasibility of what you’re trying to do.”

Read more here.

 

And lawmakers are debating Trump’s proposal…

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Trump triggers congressional debate over reopening economy

President Trump’s push to relax social-distancing restrictions and reopen businesses by Easter has ignited a fierce debate on Capitol Hill — and among people around the country — over whether aggressive efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic have been too draconian or not severe enough.

The fight is mostly playing out along party lines, with pro-business Republicans desperate for American life to get back to normal. They argue the economic toll from the “Great Shutdown of 2020” will be far worse than the lives lost from the deadly virus.

Democrats, for the most part, have made the case that more stringent and aggressive public-health measures are needed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has already infected more than 53,000 people in the U.S. and killed at least 675, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Read more here.

 

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Doctors, nurses and hospitals issue open letter urging public to stay home

The leading organizations of doctors, nurses and hospitals in the United States issued an open letter on Tuesday urging the public to stay home to fight the spread of coronavirus. 

“Staying at home in this urgent moment is our best defense to turn the tide against COVID-19,” states the joint letter from the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association. “Physicians, nurses and health care workers are staying at work for you. Please stay at home for us.”

Experts say that people staying at home and avoiding contact with others is crucial to slowing the spread of the disease and preventing hospitals from becoming overwhelmed with a spike in patients. 

Read more here.

 

More from the White House…

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Trump faces mounting pressure to unleash Defense Production Act

President Trump is resisting growing pressure to use his authority under a defense law to increase production of urgently needed supplies to fight the coronavirus.

Governors in some of the hardest-hit states, as well as hospitals, doctors and lawmakers on Capitol Hill, are urging Trump to immediately use his powers under the 1950 Defense Production Act (DPA) to direct industries to ramp up the manufacturing of crucial items like masks for health care workers and ventilators for patients.

But Trump has rejected those calls, arguing that such steps would lead to the government intervening too much in the private sector. Instead, he said he is relying on voluntary commitments from companies.

Read more here.

 

Trump says he gets along ‘very well’ with Fauci

Trump shot down any reports of a rift between him and one of his top health officials, Anthony Fauci, after Fauci was absent from the White House briefing on Monday and a Fox News town hall Tuesday. 

Fauci “has other things to do,” Trump said. “We get along very well. I think it’s been very good.” Fauci has been a regular presence at White House briefings on the coronavirus outbreak but his absence from Monday evening’s press briefing sparked speculation. 

At times, Fauci’s public remarks have cut against Trump’s own, though he has been careful to avoid any direct criticism of the president and Trump has praised him for his knowledge.

Fauci was present for Tuesday’s White House press briefing.

Read more here.

 

More from the administration

Trump officials advise people leaving New York to self-quarantine for 14 days

Trump: Cuomo ‘supposed to be buying his own ventilators’

Trump seeks to coordinate coronavirus response efforts with South Korea

Gallup: Trump job approval rating matches all-time high

Trump adviser on opening economy: Target zones where virus is less prevalent

White House press secretary to return to work after negative virus test

State Department says it has repatriated 9,000 Americans amid coronavirus pandemic

 

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Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are close to a deal on a stimulus package…

 

GOP senators expect stimulus vote to be Wednesday

Republican senators say they don’t expect a vote on a $2 trillion stimulus package until Wednesday as negotiators continue to refine language in the sprawling bill.

One senior Republican senator said “legislative drafting is going to go late into the night.”

A second lawmaker said the emerging consensus within the Senate GOP conference is that while a miracle might happen and a vote is possible tonight, it’s more likely that it occurs Wednesday.

Read more here.

 

SNAP, airlines among final hurdles to deal

Disagreements over food stamps and assistance for airlines are among the final hurdles to a congressional deal on a massive stimulus package aimed at combating the coronavirus and bolstering the economy.

Negotiators had said they were close to an agreement, but GOP senators and White House officials emerged from a closed-door meeting saying they were still working to draft and agree on the text of the bill, which is expected to be hundreds of pages long.

Among the stickier provisions is a Democratic push to increase funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps low-income individuals buy food.

Details on the negotiations here. 

More on the package: White House pushing to include health price transparency in coronavirus package

  

Once they pass the bill, the Senate may not be in session for a while…

 

Senate eyes quick exit after vote on coronavirus stimulus package

Senators are floating a quick exit from Washington, D.C., after they pass a massive coronavirus stimulus bill that is being finalized Tuesday. 

The expectation among senators is that once the chamber passes the legislation, likely on Wednesday, they will not be in session for at least three weeks. 

The question of whether senators would remain in the Capitol gained extra urgency this week after Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulOvernight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Trump hopes to reopen economy by Easter | GOP senators expect stimulus vote Wednesday | House Dems eye two more stimulus bills | Trump says he gets along ‘very well’ with Fauci 15 things to know for today about coronavirus Senate eyes quick exit after vote on coronavirus stimulus package MORE (R-Ky.) became the first known senator to test positive for the virus. 

Concerns about the spread of the coronavirus within the Senate are particularly acute because many senators are above 60 and considered an at-risk group. Even as Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellWhite House, Senate reach deal on trillion stimulus package Overnight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Trump hopes to reopen economy by Easter | GOP senators expect stimulus vote Wednesday | House Dems eye two more stimulus bills | Trump says he gets along ‘very well’ with Fauci New bill would withhold pay from Senate until coronavirus stimulus package passes MORE (R-Ky.) has encouraged senators to practice social distancing, several have been seen in tight scrums with their colleagues or standing shoulder to shoulder on the floor. 

Read more here.

 

Meanwhile over in the House…

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Democratic leaders eye at least two more coronavirus relief bills

Even as lawmakers in both chambers are racing this week to enact a massive coronavirus relief package — the third in as many weeks — House Democratic leaders are telling members to expect at least two more stimulus measures in the weeks and months ahead.

On a marathon conference call with the House Democratic Caucus Tuesday afternoon, House Majority Leader Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerOvernight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Trump hopes to reopen economy by Easter | GOP senators expect stimulus vote Wednesday | House Dems eye two more stimulus bills | Trump says he gets along ‘very well’ with Fauci On The Money: Trump hopes to reopen economy by Easter | GOP senators expect stimulus vote on Wednesday | Democratic leaders forecast at least two more relief bills Democratic leaders forecast at least two more coronavirus relief bills MORE (D-Md.) told lawmakers there will likely be a fourth and fifth phase of pandemic relief, according to a source on the call.

Read more here.

 

More from Congress

Democratic senator asks Pompeo to stop saying ‘Wuhan virus’

Romney says he tested negative for coronavirus, will remain in quarantine

Senators pen op-ed calling for remote voting amid coronavirus pandemic

NBA owner Mark Cuban to Senate: ‘Do your f—ing job’

Schumer: Government will pay four months of full salary for furloughed workers in stimulus proposal

$500 billion corporate relief program will include inspector general, oversight board

House GOP whip team seeks to get Republicans behind Senate coronavirus bill

House Democrats’ coronavirus bill would ban lobbying by corporations receiving aid

Pelosi warns against ‘poison pills’ as Senate negotiators near a stimulus deal

Pelosi: House ‘not prepared’ to vote remotely on coronavirus relief bill

 

Trump officials advise people leaving New York to self-quarantine for 14 days

The Trump administration is advising that individuals leaving New York self-quarantine for 14 days to avoid spreading the coronavirus to other parts of the country. 

Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, made the recommendation during a press conference as cases in New York continue to increase rapidly. Vice President Pence echoed the guidance later in the briefing.

“Everybody who was in New York should be self-quarantining for the next 14 days to ensure that the virus doesn’t spread to others, no matter where they have gone, whether it’s Florida, North Carolina, or out to…Long Island,” Birx said.

New York is the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., with more than 25,000 cases. They are doubling every three days. 

Read more here.

 

Birx’s remarks follow an order from Florida’s governor…

 

Florida governor orders anyone who has traveled to NYC area in past three weeks to self-isolate

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantisRonald Dion DeSantisOvernight Health Care — Presented by PCMA — Trump hopes to reopen economy by Easter | GOP senators expect stimulus vote Wednesday | House Dems eye two more stimulus bills | Trump says he gets along ‘very well’ with Fauci 15 things to know for today about coronavirus Trump officials advise people leaving New York to self-quarantine for 14 days MORE (R) ordered anyone in the state who has traveled to the greater New York City area over the past three weeks to self-isolate on Tuesday as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise. 

Many New York City-area inhabitants own winter or retirement homes in Florida and travel to and from those areas on a regular basis.  

“Anybody traveling from the New York City area to the state of Florida, or has traveled in the last three weeks is going to need to self-isolate, and they’re going to need to report the contacts that they’ve had, any close contacts in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said in a televised briefing.

The elderly and those with underlying health conditions are particularly susceptible to the disease. People over the age of 60 make up 23 percent of Florida’s population.

Read more here.

 

On the campaign trail

Biden: I don’t want to be in a political fight with Trump over coronavirus

Biden says he has not been tested for coronavirus: I’ve had ‘no symptoms’

Biden says Democratic convention should not be canceled amid pandemic

Sanders plans to participate in April DNC debate

 

More on the outbreak

Liberty University welcomes back students despite coronavirus

Iconic national parks close over coronavirus concerns

Facebook reports large usage spike in areas hit hardest by coronavirus pandemic

Ohio governor urges public to call authorities on businesses violating pandemic rules

Mississippi governor vows to stop abortions during coronavirus outbreak

Death of child from coronavirus reported in California

Kentucky mayor calls on ‘dips—s and sensible people’ to take coronavirus seriously

 

Italy’s suffering offers potential terrifying coronavirus preview for US

A tsunami of coronavirus victims that is overwhelming health systems in Italy offers a frightening preview of what could lie ahead for the United States as case counts grow and hospitals run out of space and equipment to treat those with severe symptoms.

The strain is so great in Italy that the nation’s doctors have begun rationing care, making heart-wrenching decisions about who gets treatment and who is left to die. Obituary pages in local newspapers are running dozens of pages. Piles of coffins are stacked in parking lots.

The Hill’s Reid Wilson looks at what is happening in Italy and what it could mean for the U.S.

 

Tokyo Olympics postponed for one year

Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach agreed on Tuesday to postpone this summer’s Olympics by one year due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced on Tuesday.

The Tokyo Games are now scheduled for the summer of 2021, marking the first time the Olympics have been postponed during peacetime.

Read more here.

 

More from outside the US

UK officials call for 250,000 volunteers to support nation’s health system

India’s prime minister orders country to lock down amid coronavirus

 

And in some non-coronavirus health care news…

 

Chances for drug pricing, surprise billing action fade until November

Surprise billing and drug pricing dominated much of the health care discussion for months, but now amid coronavirus, their prospects are fading. 

Why? The coronavirus response package is going to renew a range of expiring health care programs, such as community health center funding, until Nov. 30, sources say. 

Those programs were previously scheduled to expire on May 22, and lawmakers in both parties had been hoping to attach drug pricing and surprise billing legislation when those programs were renewed in May. 

But without the May deadline to force action, it becomes much harder for lawmakers to come together to pass drug pricing or surprise billing legislation. 

The Nov. 30 deadline could still force action then, but it is hard to predict the political dynamic after the election. 

Read more here.

 

What we’re reading

To End The Coronavirus Crisis We Need Widespread Testing, Experts Say (NPR)

Social distancing, politicized: Trump allies are urging an end to isolation, worrying public health experts (Stat News)

States Say Some Doctors Stockpile Trial Coronavirus Drugs, for Themselves (New York Times)

 

State by state

Death of juvenile in California from coronavirus believed to be first in US of someone that age (CNN)

Coronavirus updates in Texas: Quarantine ending for cruise ship evacuees at Lackland Air Force Base (Texas Tribune)

President TrumpDonald John TrumpWhite House, Senate reach deal on trillion stimulus package Biden hits Trump’s remarks about reopening economy within weeks: ‘He should stop talking’ New York Times editorial board calls for national lockdown over coronavirus MORE in an early morning tweet on Wednesday said that he is “producing tremendously” to help New York City and New York state amid the coronavirus outbreak. 

Trump said that he is “working very hard” to help the city and state and “dealing with” Mayor Bill de BlasioBill de BlasioNew York to release 300 nonviolent Rikers inmates amid pandemic NYPD says over 200 members have tested positive for coronavirus Trump: Market for masks, ventilators ‘crazy’ MORE (D) and Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).

“I am working very hard to help New York City & State,” he tweeted. “Dealing with both Mayor & Governor and producing tremendously for them, including four new medical centers and four new hospitals.”

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“Fake News that I won’t help them because I don’t like Cuomo (I do). Just sent 4000 ventilators!” he added.

Cuomo on Tuesday pleaded for the federal government to send 30,000 ventilators to the state, warning that its hospitals will be overwhelmed by the growing number of cases. The governor had said the state had obtained 7,000 ventilators, including 400 from the federal government.

The president responded to the governor’s appeal during a Fox News interview later Tuesday, saying Cuomo is “supposed to be buying his own ventilators.” 

“We’re going to help, but if you think about Governor Cuomo, we’re building him four hospitals, we’re building him four medical centers. We’re working very, very hard for the people of New York,” he said.

New York has been hit hard by the virus, with more than 25,600 people across the state infected and more than 200 deaths reported. New York City itself has counted almost 15,600 cases and 192 deaths.

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Gareth Southgate’s England squad are currently experiencing an injury crisis but should be at full strength once football comes back

The delay of Euro 2020 until 2021 could help England, according to former captain Paul Ince, and he is expecting manager Gareth Southgate to build the team around Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish next year.

Sancho has produced an incredible 14 goals and 15 assists in 21 Bundesliga starts this season, as well as earning 11 England caps to this point.

Grealish is still to make his debut for the Three Lions but he has proven to be one of the Premier League’s most dangerous attackers this season, leading to a mooted summer transfer to Manchester United.

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Ince believes that Grealish will capture the imagination in an England shirt and that he is more exciting than either Chelsea’s Mason Mount or Leicester City’s James Maddison both of whom have already earned senior call-ups.

“I like Grealish; I really like him. When he kicks a ball, he gets people off their feet. You always think he will do something special,” Paddy Power Ambassador Ince told Goal. “I really like him from that point of view.

“Maddison, yes, he is good too. Mason Mount could be exciting. He is getting good game time at Chelsea. If I had to pick one though it would be Grealish because I think he gives you a little bit more. He runs with the ball and travels with the ball.

“Grealish is the one who excites me and who I think can be a fan hero. He can be that man. He could be the one. I don’t want to draw parallels with [Paul] Gascoigne but I think the way he plays could have that impact on the imagination. It is something to look forward to. England have a lot of potentially great players. It is a bright three or four years.”

Ince went onto say that Sancho and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford may be the main men up front when the European Championship comes around.

“I think you have to look at Sancho. I have watched him a lot this year at Dortmund. This kid is going to be a great player. I can see it already,” he continued.

“You have to look to build the England team around him. Rashford is great. Maybe with Rashford and Sancho up top then I could be excited.”

Although the decision to postpone the tournament was beyond football due to the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak, Ince thinks the side-effects could benefit England by 2021.

He said: “You are always concerned trying to rush players back – Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford. There’s Jordan Pickford’s mistakes in goal.

“Maybe it could end up being ideal for England after getting there. Their star player can be in better shape. Regardless, it is the way it is. To play it next year is the right thing to do and I think it just allows people not to make rash decisions about rushing people back to be fit for the Euros.

“We can take our time so come next season they are ready to go. It is a shame not to have it but it is the right decision to delay it.”

Sancho’s decision to leave Manchester City for Dortmund for £8 million in 2017 appears to have helped him become one of the most sought-after players ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

The youngster now has Manchester United and Chelsea among the clubs interested in signing him. After making a move abroad to Inter during the 1990s, Ince thinks that the opportunities for English players to go abroad are becoming ever easier with more players now taking that leap.

“It is different now and it is good to see players going to different countries and learning their trade,” he concluded. “Looking at the Italian league, there’s a resurgence. When I went there it was the best league in the world. Best players, managers and money.

“Then the Premier League came up and it kind of fell flat on its face. Now, I see a resurgence from Serie A. Players want to play there and crowds go up. It is easier for our players to move abroad because it is so cosmopolitan.

“When I went to Inter there were no English players, it was mostly Italian players, I had to learn the language and get involved in the culture. Players go to clubs and they can speak English. We got lazy for a period because we didn’t want to learn a new language.

“Now it isn’t a scary thing because people speak English. It is great for our young players who go out there and do it. Like Sancho, they learn a different football, way of life and then they become a man. It can help you on the international stage as well.

“You can deal with things better from playing abroad in different games under different types of managers.”

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Mortgage plans could take the pressure off consumers

Proposal seeks to increase consumer protection and financial stability.

The European Commission is to take its first steps to regulate mortgages, with a proposal for a directive aimed at increasing consumer protection and financial stability.

Michel Barnier, the European commissioner for the internal market, wants to improve the way that mortgages are sold, to avoid any repetition of the problems in the property market that were partly responsible for the financial crisis.

Barnier has made clear his belief that regulation of the industry is essential to damp down property bubbles and prevent consumers taking on unsustainable mortgages under pressure from sellers.

Integration

The proposal, to be published tomorrow (1 April), will look at the type of information that potential mortgage customers have a right to expect, as well as at the assessment of potential customers’ creditworthiness, so that they are not sold mortgages that they can never repay. It will also propose ways that the mortgage sector can gradually become more integrated across the EU to benefit from the single market.

The proposal will be published alongside a staff working paper on lessons that can be learnt from the financial crisis, looking at what went well in some member states, and at the best way to avoid foreclosures.

The Commission is worried that people are increasingly finding it difficult to meet mortgage repayments, with household debt rising across the EU.