Your guide to the latest Hill developments, news narratives, and media headlines provided by the Hogan Lovells Government Relations and Public Affairs team.

In Washington:

• One of President Trump’s personal valets provided by the U.S Navy has tested positive for coronavirus. The valet works close to President Trump and the first family. The President and Vice President have undergone additional testing for the virus and reported negative.
• Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) should accept COVID-19 testing kits offered by the Administration citing the risks posed by lawmakers traveling back and forth from Washington.
• Citing COVID-19 related job losses Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Charles Grassley (R-IA), and Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a letter to President Trump asking him to suspend all new guest-worker visas for 60 days, suspend all non-immigrant guest-worker visas for 60 days, and continue to suspend new non-immigrant guest-worker visas for a year or until unemployment bounces back to “normal levels.” Among the visas, they want suspended are H-2Bs, H-1Bs, and the Optional Practical Training program, which extends foreign student visas after graduation. Additionally, they also requested the suspension of EB-5 visas, which allow immigrants to become a green-card holder by investing in a business in the U.S.
• Despite voicing reservations about the panel, House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced his picks for the House select committee on the coronavirus. Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) will lead the Republican contingent as its ranking member. He will be flanked by Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), and Mark Green (R-TN). Republican leaders opposed the creation of the Clyburn select committee, claiming it will be an effort by Democrats to dig up evidence for “Impeachment 2.0” over President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.
• The Trump administration shelved a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team, titled “Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework” which was obtained by the Associated Press from a federal official who was unauthorized to release it. The document outlines step-by-step advice written to help faith leaders, business owners, educators, and state and local officials as they begin to reopen.
• Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ed Markey (D-MA) sent a letter to Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Subcommittee on Security, requesting an investigation into Carnival’s response to the pandemic. Reports indicate that Carnival continued sailing as the disease spread, even after recognizing the risks to passengers and crew.
• Research shows that COVID-19 had increased food insecurity across America, but now 1 in 5 children don’t have enough to eat during the coronavirus pandemic. The findings come as Democrats and Republicans are at odds over proposals to increase food stamp benefits in stimulus bills.

In the News:

• Relations between the U.S. and China have deteriorated due to COVID-19 leaving the two nations with fewer shared interests and a growing list of conflicts. The Trump administration has started a campaign that includes investigations, prosecutions, and export restrictions.
• A coalition of online retailers backed by Amazon began a campaign opposing President Trump’s demand that the United States Postal Service increase its package delivery rates to avoid bankruptcy amid the coronavirus crisis, its top lobbyist said. The coalition wants to persuade Republican lawmakers to support a multibillion-dollar rescue package proposed by Democrats that would help the Postal Service survive.
• The U.S. Labor Department reports that U.S. jobless claims hit 3.17 million last week, bringing the total to 33.5 million over the past seven weeks. Though the numbers remain stark, it was the lowest total since the second week of March when the coronavirus was designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
• Oil prices jumped on Thursday due to continued production cuts and the resurgence of some demand as the economy begins to reopen in some states. The U.S benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 9.3 percent to trade at $26.23 per barrel. This week the WTI gained nearly 33 percent, putting it on track for its best week in history.
• Neiman Marcus filed for bankruptcy on Thursday with a deal to hand its business over to its creditors. The department store chain had been struggling with competition from online rivals and dwindling cash before the outbreak.
• More U.S. dairy farmers are sending their cows to be turned into hamburgers due to the increased retail demand for cheap beef. The number of milking cows sent to slaughter has risen 2.3 percent in the past four weeks, according to INTL FCStone.
• Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was released from the hospital after an overnight stay for gallstone treatment.
• Kohl’s Corp. is planning to reopen 25 percent of its department stores in 10 states on Monday, mainly in the South and West, with social distancing and other safety measures in place.