Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Today’s federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic included announcements from various federal agencies, as well as continued interest in additional Congressional efforts. Below is a synopsis of recent actions.
Congress
-
Today, House Democratic leaders held a press conference on their infrastructure priorities for a “phase four” response package
-
Speaker Pelosi discussed an infrastructure component covering transportation (roads, bridges, rail, transit), community health centers, clean water, broadband, mobility, education and housing
-
Previously-identified “phase four” priorities include additional funding to support state and local governments, the healthcare sector, and families and individuals
-
In a Tuesday tweet, President Trump urged Congress to pass a “very big and bold” $2 trillion infrastructure bill
-
To date, Congressional Republican leaders have indicated a desire to see how the aid provided in the first three packages plays out before developing new measures
-
As previously reported, neither chamber is expected to return to Washington until at least April 20 – although remote work continues
-
Today, 14 House Committee Chairs sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget requesting an immediate extension of public comment periods, hearings and meetings due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic
-
Also today, the Senate Finance Committee released a Q&A document on Medicare accelerated payments to providers
White House / Agency Activity
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Department of Labor
Food and Drug Administration
Export-Import Bank
Federal Communications Commission
Department of Education
Federal Reserve
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