Allies and aides to Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE say they’re beginning to wonder if the former vice president has a path to winning the Democratic presidential nomination. 

One day before the New Hampshire primary, where some pollsters have predicted that Biden could come in fifth place, the Biden World allies are expressing disappointment in his standing in the Granite State.

Some have also begun to call into question his chances of winning the Nevada caucuses later this month and even his hopes for victory in his so-called firewall state of South Carolina. 

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Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE’s surge in the polls after his success in Iowa and former New York City Mayor Michael BloombergMichael BloombergEngel scrambles to fend off primary challenge from left It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process Liberals embrace super PACs they once shunned MORE’s rising campaign have added to the gloom surrounding Biden.

“It feels like a funeral,” said one ally who is in regular contact with the campaign. 

Biden has downplayed expectations for New Hampshire, but the ally said the former vice president’s remarks at the top of Friday’s debate that he’d “take a hit” in New Hampshire only made matters worse by further depressing support.

Biden “needs a spark, and I don’t see it happening for him [Tuesday night],” one longtime aide added.

Publicly, Biden aides are setting low expectations for New Hampshire but sounding a more positive note for their campaign.

“We believe that regardless of what happens tomorrow night, we’re going to continue on with our plans to compete hard in Nevada, South Carolina, Super Tuesday and beyond,” deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said at a Bloomberg News reporter roundtable in Manchester.

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During the roundtable, Bedingfield disputed reports that Biden’s fundraising would suffer because of his poor standing in the early states. 

“Despite speculation that Biden does not have the money to keep up the fight,” she said, “we have the resources that we need to compete, execute on our plan. We feel confident that we have what we need.”

Democratic strategists aren’t convinced that Biden’s strategy is a solid one.

“Without money, it’s hard to see him advancing very far into the process,” said Democratic strategist Jim Manley. 

More broadly, Manley said Biden doesn’t seem to be the right match for the electorate. 

“I never was convinced that he was the right person to run this time around, and I think what we’ve seen over the past couple of weeks, that has proven that to be the case,” he said.

“His claim to the centrist path was never as clear as they may have thought,” Manley added. “And now we have both Mayor Pete and Mayor Bloomberg making the case that they’re the best person to occupy that lane.”

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Manley said there’s no guarantee that Biden can stop the bleeding in South Carolina.

“I’m not convinced S.C. is going to be his firewall,” he said. “I think voters are going to take a second look at the entire field.”

In an interview with “CBS This Morning” on Monday, Biden said his prospects would brighten when the campaign moved on to the more diverse states of Nevada and South Carolina. 

“Nothing’s going to happen until we get down to a place and around the country where there’s much more diversity,” he said.

“And, you know, you’re always behind the eight ball when you’re running in New Hampshire and you have two people from the neighboring states,” he said, referring to Sens. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.).

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Asked by host Tony Dokoupil why voters in other states should support him if voters in New Hampshire and Iowa refused, Biden replied: “Because the other voters out there represent a significant portion of the American people and they look like America. That’s the reason why.” 

The longtime Biden aide echoed that the race isn’t over until it’s clearer where black voters will end up.

“If Biden can show that the black support is unshakable then [Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE] and [Buttigieg] won’t be viable,” the aide said, adding that Biden has “just got to hold on and see what happens in the last two [early states].”

Biden has underscored confidence in his campaign by pointing to his leading national polls. But a Quinnipiac University poll out on Monday showed that Sanders has overtaken the former vice president. 

The survey showed the Vermont senator receiving the support of 25 percent of Democrats, surging ahead of Biden by 8 points. 

Bloomberg — who has not competed in any of the early contests — also soared to third place, showing an erosion of support for Biden.

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Buttigieg came in fifth place in the national poll, behind Warren, but received a bounce of 4 points since the last survey before the Iowa caucuses. 

One Democratic strategist who is not affiliated with any of the presidential campaigns said both Bloomberg and Buttigieg are a threat to Biden as he treads water in the early contests. 

“But it’s basically irrelevant at this point which is the bigger threat because the campaign is imploding,” the strategist said. 

Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) reported Thursday that she has raised about $6 million dollars since the Iowa caucuses, remarking that the Democratic primary race is far from over.

“Right now, it’s wide open,” she told The Associated Press Thursday. “There’s a lot of froth. It’s going to be a long process.”

The number falls well short of progressive rival Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE’s (I-Vt.) $25 million haul in January, but is comparable to some of the other candidates’ fundraising efforts.

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Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.) said that she has raised more than $6 million since last Friday’s debate in New Hampshire, while former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE reported raising $4 million in the four days following the Iowa caucuses.

In Iowa, Warren finished third behind Sanders and Buttigieg, and in New Hampshire she finished fourth, trailing Sanders, Buttigieg and Klobuchar.

According to her campaign, Warren still has staffers in roughly 30 states, suggesting that the Massachusetts senator has no intention of leaving the race soon.

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Nevada and South Carolina are the remaining “early state” contests remaining until Super Tuesday on March 3. Nevada is up next, with the next debate being held next week in Las Vegas.

After months of intimate town hall meetings and carefully cultivated relationship-building in Iowa and New Hampshire, the race for the Democratic presidential nomination has gone national as the clock ticks toward Super Tuesday.

Candidates are sprinting across the country, headlining mega-rallies in states that will allocate delegates in the first weeks of March and sitting for interviews on national cable and network news shows that air in the media markets where they cannot be present.

Former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE held eight events in Nevada, where caucuses will be held this week, before jetting to Denver for a fundraiser on Monday. Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) held eight of her events across Nevada from Saturday to Tuesday, and her campaign said she would hold rallies in Seattle and Denver next week.

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Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) spent Presidents Day weekend hopscotching from Durham and Charlotte, N.C., to Dallas, where 5,000 people turned out to an indoor soccer arena. He rallied supporters in Las Vegas and a thousand people in Carson City, Nev., three of whom were arrested for protesting topless. And he rallied more than ten thousand people each in Denver, Richmond, Calif., and Tacoma, Wash.

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE spent his weekend in Sacramento, Las Vegas, Sparks and Elko, Nev., and Salt Lake City, with stops in between on Fox News Sunday and CNN’s State of the Union. The campaign has rallies planned for North Carolina and Virginia in the coming weeks, and it said it would have staff on the ground in all 14 states voting on Super Tuesday — and an army of 25,000 volunteers in those states.

The frenetic pace is a marked departure from early state bus tours, one that requires careful management of any campaign’s scarcest resource: The candidate’s own time. Instead of driving an hour from one town to the next across the frozen Iowa tundra, the high-paced Super Tuesday sprint requires time-consuming flights and mind-numbing logistical planning.

“You can’t be in all those states,” said Amanda Renteria, a Democratic strategist who served as Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE’s national political director during the 2016 campaign. “It requires a lot more strategic thinking around where you need to go.”

The complex geography and demography of the states voting on March 3 makes this year’s path to Super Tuesday all the more challenging. 

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Candidates will compete in states like Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina and Virginia, where African American voters make up a huge portion of the Democratic electorate; California, Utah and Texas, where Hispanic voters hold significant sway; deep-red states like Oklahoma and Tennessee, and deep-blue states like Vermont and Massachusetts.

The smart campaign will spend its limited resources earning as much media as possible, said Dan Sena, a former executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee who advised Sen. Michael BennetMichael Farrand BennetSome realistic solutions for income inequality Democratic senators kneel during moment of silence for George Floyd 21 senators urge Pentagon against military use to curb nationwide protests MORE’s (D-Colo.) presidential campaign. 

“If you can keep your candidate on national cable news during the day, that’s something they’re going to think heavily about,” Sena said. “Where can you get the earned media that you need to try and hit multiple markets?”

Renteria said the campaigns that have been able to build national networks of organizers and volunteers will have an advantage, both in turning out their voters and in understanding the seismic shifts in the electorate that might make a late stop in a certain state worth it.

Warren’s campaign, she said, had built such a network, while someone like Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.), whose campaign only took national flight in the last few weeks, might struggle to catch up.

“At this point, you have to go where you’re seeing your momentum,” Renteria said. “You’ve got to compete where you’re best at.”

Campaigns must also consider how to spend their scant resources, money that goes out the door almost as fast as it comes in. Television advertising rates have jumped in markets like Las Vegas and Columbia, S.C., which holds its primary the week after Nevada’s caucuses. Advertising in mega-markets like Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston can cost more than a candidate has to spend. 

But some candidates will invest more in smaller markets like Laredo, Texas, a relatively inexpensive market on the border with Mexico that is home to tens of thousands of Latino voters, or San Diego, a market with millions of viewers at a lower cost than its northern neighbor Los Angeles.

Adding to the potent mix is the candidate for whom budgets are no concern. Former New York City Mayor Michael BloombergMichael BloombergEngel scrambles to fend off primary challenge from left It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process Liberals embrace super PACs they once shunned MORE has already spent more than $124 million on television spots in the 14 Super Tuesday states alone, far more than all of his rivals combined.

Polls released Tuesday show Bloomberg surging to a tie with Sanders in Virginia and Oklahoma, and polls over the weekend showed him rising in Texas, a Super Tuesday state, and in Georgia and Florida, two states that vote later in March.

Bloomberg, who is skipping the four pre-Super Tuesday early contests, has held recent rallies in Chattanooga and Nashville, Tenn., Oklahoma City, Okla., Winston-Salem, N.C., and Richmond, Va.

None of the rest of the Democrats who remain in the contest can compete with Bloomberg’s billions. Instead, as they compete to hit the 15 percent viability threshold in the 167 congressional districts up for grabs, they will use their time and money to carve out as large a niche as possible.

“You’re playing Risk,” Sena said. “Your goal is to try to find a level of support somewhere and defend it.” 

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Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) has surpassed former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE in the latest Fox News national poll, holding a 13-point lead days out from Super Tuesday.

Sanders garners support from 31 percent of Democratic primary voters in the poll released Thursday, an 8-point jump from the same poll conducted in January.

Biden follows in the survey at 18 percent support — an 8-point drop since last month — while former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg comes in third at 16 percent.

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Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE (D) and Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) rounded out the top tier at 12 percent and 10 percent, respectively — the first Fox News poll to find five candidates polling in double digits.

When focusing on Democratic voters in the 14 states that will hold voting Tuesday, Sanders leads at 30 percent, followed by Bloomberg at 18 percent, Biden at 17 percent, Warren at 11 percent and Buttigieg and Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.) at 8 percent each.

The percentage of Democratic primary voters in the poll who say they think Biden or Warren can take on President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE has plummeted since late last year, with Biden falling 21 points from December to 56 percent and Warren declining 22 points to 37 percent.

Bloomberg and Sanders each ticked up on the question of whether they could win in November, with 65 percent now saying they think Sanders could take on Trump compared to 57 percent for Bloomberg. Buttigieg followed at 37 percent.

Sanders is entering Super Tuesday with early wins in New Hampshire and Nevada as well as a close second-place finish in Iowa. In South Carolina, the final state to hold voting before Super Tuesday, Biden is ahead in polls. That primary will take place on Saturday.

The Fox News survey of 1,000 registered voters and 507 Democratic primary voters was conducted Feb. 23-26 via landlines and cellphones and has an overall margin of error of 3 percentage points and 4 percentage points for primary voters.

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China’s Commerce Ministry announced Thursday that officials in Washington and Beijing have agreed to hold talks in the near future regarding their nations’ ongoing trade war.

Ministry spokesman Gao Feng confirmed the plans in a briefing, according to multiple reports, but did not provide a firm timeline, saying only the meeting would occur “in the coming days.” 

The meeting will give the two countries an opportunity to evaluate the first phase of a trade deal, which took effect in February. Both sides paused additional tariffs on each other’s goods and China agreed to increase purchases of U.S. farm and manufactured goods.

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The agreement called for additional talks to be held after six months, but those negotiations were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The deal was hailed as a breakthrough after a bitter trade dispute between the world’s two biggest economies, though relations between Washington and Beijing have soured in recent months over a string of issues, including a new security law in Hong Kong, disputes over 5G, accusations over the coronavirus and more. 

President TrumpDonald John TrumpThe Memo: Obama enters battle, enraging Trump Harris pledges to fight for country’s ideals in accepting VP nomination Pelosi paints Trump and McConnell as twin impediments to progress MORE told reporters Tuesday that he had postponed a scheduled review of the trade deal over frustration with Beijing’s handling of the pandemic, which originated in Wuhan, China. 

“I postponed talks with China. You know why? I don’t want to deal with them now. I don’t want to deal with them now. With what they did to this country and to the world? I don’t want to talk to China right now,” he said. “They should have stopped it.”

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Stephen Bannon pleaded not guilty at an initial court appearance Thursday following conspiracy charges related to an alleged scheme to launder money from a fundraising organization aimed at building a privately funded wall along the southern border.

A federal magistrate judge agreed to release him on a $5 million bond with certain travel restrictions.

The former top White House adviser is accused of assisting in a scheme to funnel money from the nonprofit We Build The Wall to cover his own personal expenses and to pay an undisclosed salary to the campaign’s founder, Brian Kolfage.

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We Build The Wall has raised more than $25 million in its crowdfunding campaign and has begun construction on private land.

Bannon can choose to change his plea as his case proceeds.

Thursday’s court appearance was made during a hearing conducted over videoconference due to coronavirus safety measures.

Prosecutors said during the hearing that Bannon had been arrested around 7:15 a.m. Thursday on a yacht off the coast of Connecticut.

An initial pretrial hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 31.

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Welcome to Thursday’s Overnight Health Care. 

Lawmakers are investigating how postal service delays impact prescription medication delivery. Another senator tested positive for COVID-19, and Dr. Fauci underwent surgery for a vocal cord polyp and his doctors have advised him to limit his talking for a while.

We’ll start with the postal service: 

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VA problems raise worries about prescriptions during mail slowdown

Concern is growing among Democrats and advocacy groups that slowdowns in the mail could leave millions of people without access to needed medications. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which fills about 80 percent of its prescriptions by mail, has already reported problems, and has been forced to use alternative methods of shipping prescriptions in certain areas of the country.

While only about 5 percent of all prescription drugs are delivered in the mail, pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers are increasingly using the mail to fill prescriptions for the most expensive drugs. The coronavirus pandemic has increased those numbers, as people opt for a safer option than visiting pharmacies in person.

The backstory: The postal delays stem from changes instituted by Postmaster General Louis DeJoyLouis DeJoySorting out the Postal Service disaster Senators open investigation into prescription delays through postal service DC delegate highlights effects of Postal Service quagmire on community MORE, a longtime supporter and fundraiser for President TrumpDonald John TrumpFive takeaways from the Democratic National Convention What we’ll remember from the 2020 Biden convention Chris Wallace labels Biden’s acceptance speech ‘enormously effective’ MORE, who took over the role in June. 

Where it’s a problem:  With veterans. According to the group Disabled American Veterans, medications from the VA have been delayed by an average of 25 percent over the past year.

In an email to the organization reviewed by The Hill, VA officials said they detected “hot spots” with delivery delays in Detroit as well as parts of New York and New Jersey, and “proactively converted from USPS to United Parcel Service (UPS) 2nd day air for those areas until service levels could be returned.”

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Where it isn’t: Major commercial pharmacies and pharmacy groups said they are either monitoring the issue, or have not been impacted — yet. 

Read more here 

But Democrats want answers, and multiple lawmakers in the House and Senate have launched investigations into whether medications are being delayed. 

Senators open investigation into prescription delays through Postal Service

Sens. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenThe nine biggest Democratic National Convention moments that got everyone talking Biden vows to lead America out of ‘season of darkness’ 2020 Democrats do convention Zoom call MORE (D-Mass.) and Bob CaseyRobert (Bob) Patrick CaseyOvernight Health Care: VA problems raise worries about prescriptions during mail slowdown | School reopenings with COVID-19 offer preview of chaotic fall | Fauci undergoes surgery for vocal cord polyp Poll: Trump and Biden matchup within margin of error in Pennsylvania Senators open investigation into prescription delays through Postal Service MORE (D-Pa.) on Thursday announced an investigation into delays in mail-order drug prescriptions, which they attributed to “sabotage” of the United States Postal Service by the Trump administration.

“Millions of Americans with diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, asthma, and other chronic conditions, illnesses or health care needs rely on the USPS for delivery of their prescription drugs and are at grave risks if President Trump’s efforts to degrade the mail service results in delays and disruptions,” they wrote.

The senators wrote to the five major pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers to request information on the number of mail-in prescriptions they have filled each month of 2020.

In the House: The Energy and Commerce Committee this week launched an investigation into how the Postal Service’s organizational and operational changes are impacting the delivery of prescription drugs.

And last week, bipartisan members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee wrote to VA Secretary Robert WilkieRobert Leon WilkieOvernight Health Care: VA problems raise worries about prescriptions during mail slowdown | School reopenings with COVID-19 offer preview of chaotic fall | Fauci undergoes surgery for vocal cord polyp It’s time for VA to consider a new motto Overnight Defense: DOD reportedly eyeing Confederate flag ban | House military spending bill blocks wall funding MORE and DeJoy asking for information about how the VA delivers medications and urging them rectify the delayed deliveries.

Read more on the Senate investigation here

School reopenings with COVID-19 offer preview of chaotic fall

Thousands of students and teachers across the country are quarantining just days into the new school year, highlighting the challenges of resuming in-person instruction during a pandemic.

While many schools aren’t scheduled to reopen until later this month or September, those that have are offering a preview of the chaos that awaits districts this fall, particularly in hot spots in the South and Midwest where the virus is spreading uncontrollably.

In Georgia’s Cherokee County School District, where students are not required to wear masks, nearly 2,200 students — mostly high schoolers — are quarantining after coming into contact with one of 116 students or 25 teachers and staff members with COVID-19. Another 53 teachers and staff members are also quarantining.

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Those numbers are expected to increase with more test results. In the meantime, three of the district’s six high schools have moved classes online, at least until September.

Why it matters: Experts have warned for weeks that it will be extremely difficult to safely reopen schools in hot spots, but some districts are still charging ahead — some willingly, others after some prodding from state and national leaders. The situation in Georgia is just one example of what could happen in the fall when more schools open, despite the country not having COVID under control.

Read more here. 

Fauci undergoes surgery for vocal cord polyp

Anthony FauciAnthony FauciOvernight Health Care: VA problems raise worries about prescriptions during mail slowdown | School reopenings with COVID-19 offer preview of chaotic fall | Fauci undergoes surgery for vocal cord polyp Russia says it will test coronavirus vaccine on 40,000 people Fauci undergoes surgery for vocal cord polyp MORE, the country’s leading infectious diseases expert, underwent surgery to have a polyp removed from his vocal cord on Thursday morning.

Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and has been helping to lead the federal government’s response to the ongoing pandemic, confirmed the news to CNN.

Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, said on Twitter that Fauci texted him shortly after the surgery to let him “know he was doing ok.”

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Fauci told the Washington Post by text message that doctors have told him to rest, avoid speaking “for a few days,” and then limit the time he spends on interviews and other speaking arrangements for a week or two after that.

Read more here

Sen. Bill CassidyWilliam (Bill) Morgan CassidyOvernight Health Care: VA problems raise worries about prescriptions during mail slowdown | School reopenings with COVID-19 offer preview of chaotic fall | Fauci undergoes surgery for vocal cord polyp Second senator tests positive for coronavirus Davis: The Hall of Shame for GOP senators who remain silent on Donald Trump MORE tests positive for coronavirus

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said on Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the second senator known to do so.

“I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same,” he said in a statement.

Cassidy got a coronavirus test on Thursday after being informed on Wednesday night that he had been exposed to an individual with COVID-19. His office said he was following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines including quarantining for 14 days and notifying individuals he has been in contact with.

Cassidy is just the second senator to test positive, but roughly a dozen House members have also tested positive. The lower chamber implemented new voting procedures to try to prevent members from crowding on the floor and proxy voting to give more members flexibility with traveling to Washington. 

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Read more here.

COVID-19 fatality rates fall as treatments improve

The percentage of those infected with the coronavirus who die of COVID-19 is falling in most states, a sign that the battle against the virus is entering a new phase.

Across the nation, that percentage — known as the case fatality rate — has been on the decline for weeks, and in some states for months. It is a hopeful indicator, but one that health experts caution is layered with uncertainty.

In Arizona, about 5 percent of those who tested positive for the coronavirus by the end of May died. The case fatality rate now is about half that figure. In California, the rate stood at 4 percent in late May, and is now 1.6 percent. In April, 7.5 percent of those who tested positive in Minnesota died, a rate that has fallen to 2.7 percent, according to The Hill’s analysis of state data.

Health experts pointed to several reasons for the decline: Doctors are learning about better methods of treating those who are ill. Those who contract the virus are now more likely to be younger, rather than older people who are most at risk of dying. And more widespread testing is identifying cases among those who show few or no symptoms.

Read more here. 

Also at thehill.com:  

Russia says it will test coronavirus vaccine on 40,000 people 

Jobless claims again rise to over 1 million 

VIRTUAL EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: COVID-19: THE WAY FORWARD — WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26TH AT 1PM EDT

As election day approaches, the COVID-19 pandemic remains an ever-present threat.  On the sidelines of the 2020 Republican Convention, The Hill will host a discussion with policymakers and hospital and medical school leaders about lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of research and innovation in battling healthcare crises, and the value of a resilient and responsive health care ecosystem. Rep. Michael BurgessMichael Clifton BurgessOvernight Health Care: VA problems raise worries about prescriptions during mail slowdown | School reopenings with COVID-19 offer preview of chaotic fall | Fauci undergoes surgery for vocal cord polyp Technical difficulties mar several remote House hearings The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Moniz says U.S. needs energy jobs coalition and Manchin says Congress is pushing Wall Street solutions that don’t work for Main Street; Burr to step aside MORE, M.D. (R-Texas) joins The Hill’s Steve Clemons.

RSVP for event reminders.

What we’re reading

Bolstered testing and daily briefings: inside Biden’s COVID-19 plan (STAT)

Meatpacking companies dismissed years of warnings but now say nobody could have prepared for COVID-19 (ProPublica)

COVID plans put to test as firefighters crowd camps for peak wildfire season (Kaiser Health News)

Trump admin limits FDA review of some coronavirus tests (Politico)

State by state

Texas positivity rate, Abbott’s key metric in fight against COVID, proven to be unreliable (Houston Chronicle) 

Covid cases are linked to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, but the full impact may never be known (Washington Post) 

Op-eds in The Hill

Health care price transparency would bring relief from pandemic worries

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Maine’s congressional delegation is concerned President TrumpDonald John TrumpThe Memo: Obama enters battle, enraging Trump Harris pledges to fight for country’s ideals in accepting VP nomination Pelosi paints Trump and McConnell as twin impediments to progress MORE won’t deliver promised aid to lobstermen amid a looming deadline to start such a program.

President Trump made his promise shortly after a June visit to the state, where lobstermen have hit hard times after the Chinese market evaporated due to Trump’s trade war with Beijing.

A June 24 order from Trump gave the Department of Agriculture 60 days to set up a program similar to those established for Midwestern farmers as the Chinese markets for corn, soybeans and pork also tanked.

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“This 60-day period is now drawing to a close, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has yet to take any further action. We urge you to keep the President’s promise and immediately assist the thousands of Mainers whose livelihoods depend on this critical industry,” Maine’s senators and two House members wrote in a letter to the USDA noting the Monday deadline for action.

Maine lobster exports to China dropped 50 percent between 2018 and 2019, when the country placed a retaliatory tariff on the shellfish that now hovers around 35 percent.

The delegation has been asking for assistance for the industry for more than a year, but those calls went unanswered until June.

Since then, lawmakers have complained of radio silence from the USDA and expressed doubt the relief would come to fruition.

“Neither I nor my staff have received an update on USDA’s plans to provide direct relief to the lobster industry,” Sen. Angus KingAngus KingMaine delegation fears Trump won’t deliver on trade aid for lobster industry Independent Al Gross wins Alaska Democratic Senate primary Schumer pledges ‘bold and dramatic change’ if Democrats win back Senate MORE (I-Maine) wrote to Agriculture Secretary Sonny PerdueGeorge (Sonny) Ervin PerdueUSPS changes blamed for deliveries of thousands of dead chicks: ‘We’ve never had a problem like this before’ Maine delegation fears Trump won’t deliver on trade aid for lobster industry Trump’s pitch to Maine lobstermen falls flat MORE last month, asking the agency to reach out to both the Maine delegation and industry leaders.

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Rep. Chellie PingreeRochelle (Chellie) PingreeTrump’s pitch to Maine lobstermen falls flat Trump directs aid to Maine lobster industry crushed by tariffs Democrats spend big to put Senate in play MORE (D-Maine) told The Hill earlier this month that Trump’s promise of aid to offset tariffs has coming too late.

“These are issues that have been problematic for quite a while,” she said in reference to Trump’s June visit. “I’m sure in his mind appealing to the lobstermen was, you know, showing concern for working people and an important industry in our state, but I don’t think it’s a positive thing to do if you’re just making empty promises, particularly for an industry that has a lot of reasons to be worried.”

The USDA did not respond to request for comment.

Creating such an aid program could be a heavy lift. It’s unclear who would be eligible: lobstermen, the co-ops they sell to, or the wholesalers that find markets for lobster across the globe.

But Maine’s lawmakers see the relief as essential as the damage from the trade war has been compounded by the economic impacts of the coronavirus.

“With no end to these tariffs in sight and the new burden of the COVID-19 pandemic also weighing heavily on the industry, it is imperative that Maine’s lobster producers receive immediate support from the department,” the delegation wrote.

At least 26 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally held last week, CNN reported.

The cases, spread over three states, are linked to those who attended the annual 10-day gathering, which began Aug. 7 and ran until Sunday. It drew more than 365,000 vehicles, according to South Dakota’s Department of Transportation.

According to CNN, there are 15 linked COVID-19 cases in Minnesota and at least seven cases in Nebraska. Minnesota Department of Health Infectious Disease director announced on Friday that one of the cases in her state has resulted in a hospitalization. 

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Those who attended Sturgis are being advised by state health officials to quarantine for 14 days and to get tested and self-isolate if they experience coronavirus symptoms. 

The new cases follow multiple announcements this week suggesting cases of coronavirus linked to the motorcycle rally are growing. 

On Tuesday, the South Dakota Health Department warned that a bar patron who tested positive for COVID-19 may have transmitted the virus to other customers at the One-Eyed Jack’s Saloon on Aug. 11.

And on Thursday, state officials warned that a person who worked at a tattoo shop in Sturgis had tested positive for the virus and could have exposed people to the virus last week. 

Sturgis only has 7,000 year-round residents, and many had criticized plans for the rally before it was held. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe chose to turn away tourists to prevent the spread of the coronavirus throughout the reservation.