Today's federal government activities in response to COVID-19 include:

Congress

Today, President Trump signed into law H.R. 7010, the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act of 2020 to modify the CARES Act’s signature small business lending program. As noted in our Thursday update, further program modifications are possible.

Meanwhile, in remarks regarding today’s better-than-expected jobs report, President Trump highlighted the administration’s plans to push for a payroll tax credit, incentives for restaurants and the entertainment industry, and additional stimulus money in the weeks ahead.

COVID-19-related Congressional hearings scheduled for next week include:

Senate

• A June 9 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to examine COVID-19 fraud, focusing on law enforcement's response to those exploiting the pandemic

• A June 9 Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine wildfire management in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

• A June 9 Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to examine the federal government's procurement and distribution strategies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

• A June 9 Senate Finance Committee hearing to examine unemployment insurance during COVID-19, focusing on The CARES Act

• A June 10 Senate HELP Committee hearing to examine COVID-19, focusing on going back to school safely

• A June 10 Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee hearing to examine implementation of Title I of the CARES Act

House

• A June 9 House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Pollution and Pandemics: COVID-19s Disproportionate Impact on Environmental Justice Communities”

• A June 9 House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing entitled, “On the Front Lines: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Transportation Workers”

• A June 10 House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing entitled, “No Worker Left Behind: Supporting Essential Workers”

• A June 10 House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled, “The Rent Is Still Due: America's Renters, COVID-19 and an Unprecedented Eviction Crisis”

• A June 10 House Small Business Committee hearing entitled, “The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program: A View from Main Street”

• A June 11 House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled, “Inclusive Banking During a Pandemic: Using FedAccounts and Digital Tools to Improve Delivery of Stimulus Payments”

• A June 11 House Administration Committee hearing entitled, “The Impact of COVID-19 on Voting Rights and Election Administration: Ensuring Safe and Fair Elections”

• A June 11 House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Indian Health Service Covid-19 Response”

• A June 11 House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing entitled, “Assessing VA's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: 90 Days Later”

Recent Congressional Statements / Letters

• Senate Majority Leader McConnell: “Our Economic Comeback is Just Beginning,” June 5, 2020

• Senate Small Business Committee Chair Rubio Statement on Unemployment Numbers and Success of Paycheck Protection Program, June 5, 2020

• Senate Small Business Committee Ranking Member Cardin Floor Remarks on Status of COVID-19 Small Business Relief Programs, June 4, 2020

• Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Stabenow, Senators Raise Questions about the Trump Administration’s Food Box Program, June 5, 2020

• Senate Finance Ranking Member Wyden Statement on CBO Analysis of Supercharged Unemployment Benefits, June 4, 2020

• Senator HELP Committee Ranking Member Murray Urges Careful Preparation Before Colleges Reopen and Stresses Need to Address Inequities for Students Hit Hardest by the COVID-19 Crisis, June 4, 2020

• Senators Wicker, Stabenow Lead Bipartisan Push for Community Health Center Funding to Help American Families, June 5, 2020

• Senators Thune, Smith Introduce Bill to Allow Emergency Haying and Grazing on CRP Acres During COVID-19 Pandemic, June 5, 2020

• Senator Durbin Asks DOJ For Update On Price Gouging Activity During COVID-19 Pandemic, June 5, 2020

• House Majority Leader Hoyer: Collection of Demographic Data for COVID-19 Cases is Long Overdue, June 5, 2020

• House Ways and Means Committee Democrats: The Benefits of Extending Enhanced Unemployment Compensation, June 5, 2020

• House Ways and Means Ranking Member Brady: Return To Work Bonus Crucial For Economic Recovery, June 5, 2020

• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairs DeFazio, Napolitano Slam Trump Administration’s Actions to Undermine Bedrock Environmental Laws Under Guise of ‘Economic Emergency’, June 4, 2020

• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Graves Commends President’s Executive Order to Cut Infrastructure Project Delays, June 4, 2020

• House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans: CDC Announces $140 Million for Flu Preparedness, June 5, 2020

• House Financial Services Committee Chair Waters Blasts Acting Comptroller Brooks’ Letter Pressuring State and Local Governments to End Measures to Combat COVID-19, June 4, 2020

• Representatives Nadler, Cicilline, Neguse and Members of the House Judiciary Committee Seek Answers from Trump Administration on its Apparent Exploitation of the COVID-19 Pandemic to Push a Reckless Deregulatory Agenda, June 5, 2020

• Representatives Kuster, Jeffries Introduce Legislation to Ensure U.S. is Prepared to Produce, Administer COVID-19 Vaccine Once Available, June 4, 2020

Other Stakeholder Statements / Letters

• Nearly 100 Groups Mobilize to Push Congress for Clean Energy Jobs Fund in Infrastructure Bill, June 5, 2020

White House / Agency Activity
White House

• Trouncing Expectations by 10 Million Jobs, the Labor Market’s Comeback Has Begun, June 5, 2020

Department of Labor

• Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Scalia on the May Jobs Report, June 5, 2020

Food and Drug Administration

• Enforcement Policy for Non-Invasive Remote Monitoring Devices Used to Support Patient Monitoring During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (Revised): Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff, June 5, 2020

Department of Health and Human Services

• Second Amendment to Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19 (to be published June 8), June 5, 2020

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

• Nursing Home COVID-19 Data and Inspections Results Available on Nursing Home Compare, June 4, 2020

Department of Housing and Urban Development

• Federal Housing Administration Announces Guidance for Insuring Single Family Home Mortgages in Forbearance, June 4, 2020

• CARES Act Moratorium on Evictions and its Effect on the HOPWA Program FAQs, June 4, 2020

• HOPWA IDIS Set-Up and Draw Instructions for CARES Act Grants, June 4, 2020

Department of State

• International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Temporary Suspension, Modification, or Exception to Regulations During SARS-COV2 Public Health Emergency; Request for Comment (to be published June 10), June 5, 2020

Department of Homeland Security

• CBP Continues to Seize Large Number of Counterfeit and Unapproved COVID-19 Products, June 5, 2020

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

• USPTO launches COVID-19 Response Resource Center, June 3, 2020

Federal Trade Commission

• FTC Sends Second Round of Warning Letters to Multi-Level Marketers Regarding Coronavirus Related Health and Earnings Claims, June 5, 2020

State / Local Activity
Given the plethora of state and local actions, we recommend MultiState’s COVID-19 Policy Tracker as a comprehensive tool to monitor the response.

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