Below, please find a summary of the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our last update (Thursday, June 18) – including today’s proclamation by President Trump to extend and expand COVID-19 related immigration restrictions.

Congress

On Friday, SBA and the Treasury Department announced an agreement with bipartisan leaders of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to release additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan data, including the names of companies and nonprofits receiving loans greater than $150,000 (covering approximately three-quarters of the total dollar value disbursed). See Chairman Rubio’s statement here and Ranking Member Cardin’s statement here. House Democratic leaders released a statement calling for additional transparency and noting that only 15% of loans were for amounts in excess of $150,000.

Today, House Democrats unveiled the text of their $1.5 trillion Moving Forward Act, with plans to vote on the comprehensive measure by July 4^th. In addition to a $500 billion surface transportation component (advanced by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last week), the bill would provide funding for other infrastructure priorities, including schools and child care; healthcare; housing; broadband; drinking water and wastewater; and clean energy.

And Senate Democrats continue to press for Senate action on the Heroes Act, the $3 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed by the House in May.

COVID-19-related Congressional hearings continue, with the following committee events scheduled for this week:

Senate

• A June 23 Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing entitled, “COVID-19: Lessons Learned to Prepare for the Next Pandemic”
• A June 23 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled, “The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, Coronavirus, and Addressing China’s Culpability”
• A June 24 Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing entitled, “The Impact of COVID-19 on Mineral Supply Chains”
• A June 24 Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing entitled, “The Role of the Strategic National Stockpile in Pandemic Response”

House

• A June 23 House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing entitled, “Oversight of the Trump Administration’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic,” with administration officials testifying
• A June 23 House Science, Space, and Technology Committee (Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee) hearing entitled, “R&D to Support Healthy Air Travel in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond”
• A June 23 House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (Technology Modernization Subcommittee) hearing entitled, “VA Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Expansion and Impact”
• A June 23 House Ways and Means Committee (Worker and Family Support Subcommittee) hearing entitled, “The Child Care Crisis and the Coronavirus Pandemic”
• A June 23 House Budget Committee hearing entitled, “Health and Wealth Inequality in America: How COVID-19 Makes Clear the Need for Change”
• A June 25 House Judiciary Committee (Courts, IP, and the Internet Subcommittee) hearing entitled, “Federal Courts During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Best Practices Opportunities”
• A June 25 House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled, “Capital Markets and Emergency Lending in the COVID-19 Era”
• A June 25 House Oversight and Reform Committee (Government Operations Subcommittee) hearing entitled, “Frontline Feds: Serving the Public During a Pandemic”
• A June 25 House Ways and Means Committee (Health Subcommittee) hearing entitled, “Examining the COVID-19 Nursing Home Crisis”
• A June 26 House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled, “Insuring Against a Pandemic: Challenges and Solutions for Policyholders and Insurers”

Recent Congressional Statements / Letters

• Senators Schumer And Murray Reveal That HHS Has Yet To Spend Nearly $14 Billion Congress Provided For Testing And Tracing, Call On HHS Sec. Azar And Trump Admin. To Immediately Disburse Unspent Funds, June 22, 2020
• Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Wyden Statement on New Studies Showing CARES Act Benefits, June 22, 2020
• Senate Agriculture Committee Urges Secretary Perdue to Extend WIC Flexibilities, June 22, 2020
• Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Brown Blasts the CFPB for Proposing Rule to Reshape Mortgage Access During Pandemic, June, 22, 2020
• Sen. Dems: $175 Billion Education Investment Urgently Needed to Save the 2021 School Year & U.S. Economy, June 19, 2020
• Senators Murray, Wyden Push Trump Administration to Ensure All Eligible Students and Families Receive Economic Impact Payments, June 19, 2020
• Senators Scott, Brown, Wyden, Grassley Introduced Legislation to Help Nonprofits, June 19, 2020
• Senators Rubio, Cruz, Scott Introduce Bill to Expand PPP Eligibility to Chambers of Commerce and Destination Marketing Organizations, June 18, 2020
• Representatives Schakowsky, Doggett, Rooney, DeLauro, DeFazio Introduce Bipartisan Bills To Prevent Price-Gouging, Prohibit Monopolies, And Ensure Transparency On Taxpayer Funded COVID-19 Drugs, June 22, 2020
• Representative Pappas Urges House Leadership to Make Free COVID-19 Treatment a Top Priority in Upcoming Relief Package, June 22, 2020
• Representative Gibbs, Kaptur Introduce Hospital Loan Forgiveness Act, June 22, 2020
• Representative Kilmer Helps Introduce Legislation to Make Outdoor Recreation, and Public Lands Restoration as Part of COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Efforts, June 22, 2020
• Representative DelBene: 130 Small Business and Leading Industry Groups Endorse Bipartisan Jobs Protection Bill to Expand Employee Retention Tax Credit, June 22, 2020
• House Oversight Chairs Seek Staff Briefing on Future Coronavirus Vaccines from FDA, June 19, 2020
• House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Walden, Senate Commerce Committee Chair Wicker Release Broadband Connectivity and Digital Equity Framework, June 18, 2020
• Representatives Krishnamoorthi, Katko, And Wilson Introduce The Bipartisan Coronavirus Health Care Worker Wellness Act, June 19, 2020
• Upton Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Keep Nursing Home Residents Safe During COVID-19 & Future Outbreaks, June 19, 2020
• Representatives Crawford, Kildee Lead Bipartisan Effort to Increase Access to Healthy Food During Coronavirus Pandemic, June 19, 2020
• Levin and Michigan House Democrats Introduce Bill to Ensure Clean Water Access During Public Health Emergencies, June 18, 2020

Recent Congressional Research Service Reports

• Business Use of Tax and Other Provisions in the CARES Act and Other COVID-19 Legislation: Evidence from Surveys, June 22, 2020
• Capital Markets, COVID-19, and Federal Government Emergency Facilities, June, 22, 2020
• COVID-19 Relief Assistance to Small Businesses: Issues and Policy Options, June 22, 2020
• COVID-19: Resources for Tracking Federal Spending, June 22, 2020
• Capital Markets Volatility and COVID-19: Background and Policy Responses, June 19, 2020

Other Stakeholder Statements / Letters

• UCFW: Explosion of COVID-19 Cases Nationwide Makes Clear America’s Food Retailers Must Reinstate Hazard Pay, June 19, 2020
• AICPA Urges Congress to Pass Remote and Mobile Worker Relief Act, June 18, 2020

White House / Agency Activity

White House

• Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak, June 22, 2020; Fact Sheet
• Remarks by President Trump During a Roundtable with Governors on the Reopening of America’s Small Businesses, June 18, 2020
• Remarks by Vice President Pence to Employees at Casadei Steel Inc. on Opening Up America Again, June 18, 2020

Department of the Treasury

• OCC Interim Final Rule Reduces Assessments in Response to COVID-19, June 22, 2020
• Paycheck Protection Program Loan Report Round 2, June 22, 2020
• SBA and Treasury Announce Enhanced Transparency Regarding the Paycheck Protection Program, June 19, 2020

Internal Revenue Service

• Relief For Taxpayers Affected By COVID-19 Who Take Distributions Or Loans From Retirement Plans, June 19, 2020

Small Business Administration

• SBA Rolls Out Dedicated Tool for Small Businesses to Connect with CDFIs, Small Asset Lenders Participating in PPP, June 19, 2020

Department of Labor

• ICYMI: U.S. Department Of Labor Acts To Help American Workers And Employers During The Coronavirus Pandemic, June 21, 2020
• U.S. Secretary Of Labor Scalia Highlights Safely Reopening Economy During Visit To Pennsylvania, June 19, 2020

Food and Drug Administration

• Guidance Document: Effects of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on Formal Meetings and User Fee Applications for Medical Devices - Questions and Answers, June 22, 2020
• Guidance Document: Effects of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on Formal Meetings and User Fee Applications for Medical Devices - Questions and Answers, June 19, 2020
• COVID-19 Update: Daily Roundup, June 22, 2020
• COVID-19 Update: Daily Roundup, June 19, 2020
• FDA Takes Additional Action to Harness Real-World Data to Inform COVID-19 Response Efforts, June 18, 2020
• COVID-19 Update: Daily Roundup, June 18, 2020

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

• Medicare Coverage of COVID-19 Testing for Nursing Home Residents and Patients, June 19, 2020
• CMS Announces Membership of Independent Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes, June 19, 2020

National Institutes of Health

• NIH Halts Clinical Trial Of Hydroxychloroquine, June 20, 2020

Customs and Border Protection

• 240 Counterfeit 3M Masks Seized by Chicago CBP, June 22, 2020

Federal Emergency Management Agency

• FEMA Cancels 2020 Integrated Public Alert & Warning System National Test Due to COVID-19 Response, June 19, 2020

Department of State

• Briefing with Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources James L. Richardson and Acting Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration Carol O’Connell On Sustaining U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Leadership in Response to COVID-19, June 19, 2020

Department of Defense

• DOD, DFC Sign Memorandum of Agreement on Defense Production Act, June 22, 2020
• DOD Announces $187 Million in Defense Production Act Title III COVID-19 Actions, June 19, 2020

Department of Education

• Secretary DeVos Launches New Student-Centered Grant Competition to Spur Short-Term Education Opportunities, Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth as America Reopens, June 19, 2020

Department of Commerce

• Op-Ed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur L. Ross: Under Donald Trump’s Leadership, the U.S. Economy Will Come Back Strong, June 18, 2020

Federal Communications Commission

• FCC Further Extends Temporary Waivers for Relay Services Rules, June 22, 2020
• FCC Chairman Urges Congress to Help Consumers Stay Connected, June 19, 2020

Securities and Exchange Commission

• SEC Extends Relief for Virtual Meetings of Fund Boards, June 19, 2020

Federal Reserve

Main Street Lending Program Frequently Asked Questions, June 20, 2020

An Update on the Economy and the Main Street Lending Program, June 19, 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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