In Washington: House committees continue drafting the next COVID-19 relief package, which must pass before March 14, to prevent many Americans from losing their increased unemployment benefits. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says...more
In Washington: Welcome back and to the new 117th Congress. The House of Representatives met Sunday to swear in new members of Congress and elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to be the Speaker of the House for the fourth time...more
In Washington: The House and Senate both passed the $900 billion coronavirus stimulus bill on Monday with overwhelming bipartisan majorities: 359-53 in the House and 92-6 in the Senate. ...more
In Washington: The “four corners”— House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)—are reportedly...more
In Washington: President-elect Joe Biden picked California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be his health secretary. Becerra was a defender of the Affordable Care Act. Separately, Biden picked a Harvard infectious...more
In Washington: While we have seen some hopeful progress this week on coronavirus relief, some cracks are beginning to show. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) took to the Senate floor Thursday, signaling an...more
In Washington: Congressional interest in a coronavirus relief legislation has been revived after months of the stalled negotiations. Tuesday, a bipartisan group of senators held a press conference to introduce a broad...more
In Washington: On Sunday, White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx warned Americans to “assume that you’re infected” with COVID-19 if you traveled or gathered for Thanksgiving and advised being...more
Stimulus, Vaccines, and Corona. OH MY! First, The Stimulus. The status of additional stimulus remains where it has been as we have been tracking it for months, ever since the House passed the HEROES Act: nowhere. While the...more
In Washington: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said on Tuesday that he would quarantine after exposure to COVID-19. Grassley added that he was "feeling well" and asymptomatic but that "it’s important we all follow public health...more
In Washington: On Monday, Moderna announced that its coronavirus is 94.5% effective against COVID-19 in its phase three testing. The results make Moderna the second company to report preliminary data on a successful...more
In Washington: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) continued talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin again on Thursday as they continued negotiations on a fourth COVID-19 stimulus bill. Pelosi on Thursday said both...more
In Washington - Trump health administration officials testified Wednesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on the nation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci of the NIH,...more
In Washington - On Friday, the CDC reversed its guidance advising that it was unnecessary to test people without symptoms of COVID-19. The change came after it was revealed that CDC scientists did not write it. The...more
In Washington - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised guidance for coronavirus testing is confusing and alarming many. The CDC now says people who have been in close contact with a person infected...more
In Washington - Senate Republicans plan to introduce their “skinny” version of coronavirus relief legislation as early as Tuesday. The 169-page draft bill provides US$300 in weekly unemployment insurance benefits through...more
In Washington - There’s still been no movement on the Phase Four coronavirus stimulus bill. White House Council of Economic Advisers Tyler Goodspeed appeared on Fox Business touting President Trump’s executive actions in...more
In Washington - Negotiations on the next COVID-19 relief bill continued behind closed doors Wednesday in meetings between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, House Speaker Nancy...more
In Washington - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced the “Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools Act” (HEALS Act). The Republican proposal includes several provisions designed to...more
In Washington: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Monday told reporters that when the Senate returns next week Republicans will start discussions on the next coronavirus stimulus package with their Democratic...more