House Speaker Nancy Pelosi repeated a phrase throughout her update this morning on the latest federal response to the coronavirus: "Testing, testing, testing."
The speaker said testing is "so very important, to take inventory, to understand the epidemiological spread of the virus, and also to meet the needs of the people affected."
She confirmed that Democrats and Republicans are working closely to pass a bill today that would provide additional protections, and free testing, following an $8.3 billion aid package last week. "No one will say I can't afford it," she said.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act would ensure free coronavirus testing, paid emergency sick leave, expanded unemployment insurance, increased protections for health care workers on the frontline, and food security initiative for children while schools are closed.
The bill is currently being debated in the House, but the clock is ticking as lawmakers consider whether they should leave the capital out of an abundance of caution.
When asked if House Democrats would stick around if a deal was not made within the next two days, Pelosi insisted lawmakers would get it done.
"We don't need 48 hours. We need to make a decision to help families now," she said.
"If people have to stay home, we have to stay home, but we don't want people to panic," Pelosi added but held off from outlining further plans to address the virus.
"We're here to pass a bill. When we pass a bill, we'll make a judgment about what comes next," she said.
As an addendum to her update on the coronavirus response, the speaker chimed in on the Democratic primary race.
"In case you were going to ask, no, I don't think Bernie Sanders should get out of the race. I'm a grassroots person. I'm chair of the California Democratic Party. I know the enthusiasm of supporters of candidates, and they want to see it play out."
After President Trump spoke out about the Fed on Wednesday, Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) told Cheddar that he believes the U.S. is headed towards a debt crisis, if spending isn't brought under control soon.
Larry Kudlow, chief economic adviser to the president, told Cheddar's J.D. Durkin the administration remains bullish on the economy ー and he noted that the tech sector in particular was up 50 percent since President Trump's election, "even with this correction."
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Aria Finger, CEO of DoSomething.org, is a Taylor Swift fan, and it has nothing to do with her music. Finger said the pop star's GOTV push is just what is needed to increase voter turnout among young people in November.
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With less than 10 days left until recreational marijuana is legal across Canada, Alyson Martin, co-founder of Cannabis Wire, explains how rollout will go. As for the future of legalization in the U.S., she says it's inevitable. "Young people might be the path to legalization," she said.
Utah is one of four states with a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot next month. But Republican State Senate President Wayne Niederhauser said so-called Prop 2 probably goes to far and a separate, bipartisan bill to legalize medical use with some restrictions, is a more measured approach.
UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has submitted her resignation to President Trump and will leave her post at the end of 2018.
The former South Carolina Governor has long been considered a presidential contender, but in a joint meeting with the president said she would not run in 2020.
Haley was a fierce protector of Trump's foreign policy doctrine at the UN since she was confirmed to the post soon after Trump took office.
The president said he'd name a replacement in two to three weeks.
The actor and comedian spoke to Cheddar about his new projects, which focus on race, mental health, and political issues in a wide-ranging interview.
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