The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on an emergency aid package related to the growing coronavirus outbreak, with a focus on relief for employees and protections for children in school. The package, as it stands, includes paid sick leave, aid for nutrition, and unemployment assistance, but some Republicans have indicated they don't support the bill.
After passing an $8.3 billion aid package, Democrats this week proposed a plan late Wednesday night to expand financial safety nets, as Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass. 5th District) described it. The plan would also make coronavirus testing free and more widely available in an attempt to stall the spread of the illness by covering those who can't afford to seek out healthcare.
Some GOP leaders have indicated they do not support a paid leave portion of the plan and changes to Medicaid to help cover the costs of the uninsured. Also, the proposal currently does not include the White House's own economic relief plans, but it will likely continue to evolve after Republicans made their objections known.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy reportedly told his fellow Republicans that the party will oppose the bill as it currently stands, though he also said the legislature should stay in session until a deal is finalized. Congress is scheduled to begin a weeklong recess.
For Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's part, he called the Democratic plan an "ideological wish list."
"If the Republicans are serious about their oath of office and protecting the American people, they will join with us," Rep. Clark told Cheddar on Thursday morning. "I am very discouraged at the rhetoric from some of the leaders on the Republican side of the aisle calling this package partisan."
With the virus confirmed in 44 states as of Thursday according to CDC Director Robert Redfield, Clark argued Congress needs to act quickly to protect citizens and provide relief as the U.S. grapples with the accelerating outbreak and moves from a strategy of containment to one of mitigation.
"We don't get to choose the President's actions, but we can choose in the House our response," she said. "Today, we are taking the next necessary step of making sure that Americans can make the choice to stay home and be safe and protect their families without throwing their economic lives into peril, and that's what we're putting together today with this package."
President Donald Trump says he will allow Nvidia to sell its H200 computer chip used in the development of artificial intelligence to “approved customers” in China. Trump said Monday on his social media site that he had informed China’s leader Xi Jinping and “President Xi responded positively!” There had been concerns about allowing advanced computer chips into China as it could help them to compete against the U.S. in building out AI capabilities. But there has also been a desire to develop the AI ecosystem with American companies such as chipmaker Nvidia.
House Republicans in key battleground districts are working to contain the political fallout expected when thousands of their constituents face higher bills for health insurance coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act. For a critical sliver of the GOP majority, the impending expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits after Dec. 31 could be a major political liability as they potentially face midterm headwinds in a 2026 election critical to President Donald Trump’s agenda. For Democrats, the party’s strategy for capturing the House majority revolves around pinning higher bills for groceries, health insurance and utilities on Republicans.
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
The two-sentence footnote raised serious concerns about accuracy and credibility.
Real estate software company RealPage has agreed to stop sharing nonpublic information between landlords as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice.
A legislative package to end the government shutdown appears on track. A handful of Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to advance the bill after what's become a deepening disruption of federal programs and services. But hurdles remain. Senators are hopeful they can pass the package as soon as Monday and send it to the House. What’s in and out of the bipartisan deal has drawn criticism and leaves few senators fully satisfied. The legislation includes funding for SNAP food aid and other programs while ensuring backpay for furloughed federal workers. But it fails to fund expiring health care subsidies Democrats have been fighting for, pushing that debate off for a vote next month.
