Testing and troubleshooting are key to ‘Virtual Congress’ task force effort

Testing and troubleshooting are key to ‘Virtual Congress’ task force effort-rollcall: Two meetings of the bipartisan Virtual Congress Task Force yielded a go-ahead order for House committees to use videoconference technology for low-stakes roundtables as a way to troubleshoot concerns with the platforms — but there are still extensive issues to sort out.

‘HHS has been kicked in the teeth’

‘HHS has been kicked in the teeth’-politico: The coronavirus outbreak burning its way through the United States has taken a different kind of toll on staff at the center of the nation’s response. Officials at the Health and Human Services department headquarters have worked around the clock since mid-January to first prepare for the possible Covid-19 outbreak and then manage the pandemic it became.

House reverses, but Senate to return despite COVID threat

House reverses, but Senate to return despite COVID threat-thehill: House Democrats on Tuesday reversed course on plans to bring the chamber back into session next week as Senate Republicans vowed to return despite a growing number of coronavirus cases in Washington, D.C. The contrasting approaches of the two chambers over whether it’s safe for Congress to be in session served as a microcosm of the broader partisan fight over how and when to reopen the nation’s economy.

Both chambers of Congress to return May 4, despite pandemic recommendations

Both chambers of Congress to return May 4, despite pandemic recommendations-rollcall: Both chambers of Congress will return to the Capitol for regular legislative session on May 4, which is 11 days before the current stay-at-home order in Washington, D.C., expires.

Trump rejects reports of Azar firing, says health secretary ‘doing an excellent job’

Trump rejects reports of Azar firing, says health secretary ‘doing an excellent job’-politico: Trump on Sunday dismissed news reports that White House officials are weighing a plan to replace Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, insisting that his health secretary is “doing an excellent job.”

A feud over face masks and pandemic relief: Congress returns

A feud over face masks and pandemic relief: Congress returns-politico: For the first time in nearly a month, House members returned to a largely deserted Capitol Hill. Congress — like the entire country — seemed changed forever. Or maybe not.

5 things to know about the latest coronavirus relief bill

5 things to know about the latest coronavirus relief bill-thehill: The Senate this week passed another supplemental coronavirus relief bill to replenish funding for a small business loan program and bolster the country’s medical response to the pandemic. The primary purpose of the $484 billion bill, which is expected to pass the House on Thursday, is to replenish the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), an initiative that offers loans to businesses that can be forgiven if the money is used to keep employees in payrolls.

Coronavirus aid package passes Senate

Coronavirus aid package passes Senate-rollcall: The Senate passed a $483.4 billion economic relief measure Tuesday that would replenish a popular small-business loan program and provide funding for hospitals facing financial shortfalls due to COVID-19. Top Democrats and the Trump administration reached agreement on the legislation earlier in the day after weeks of sometimes testy negotiations.

Coronavirus relief package stalls just short of a deal

Coronavirus relief package stalls just short of a deal-politico: The Senate broke on Monday afternoon with no deal to replenish an empty relief fund for small businesses, though the Senate scheduled a Tuesday session in case negotiators complete a deal in the next 24 hours.

Coronavirus aid talks bleed into Monday as deal momentum slows

Coronavirus aid talks bleed into Monday as deal momentum slows-rollcall: Negotiations were sputtering late Sunday on a package of nearly $500 billion in aid to small businesses and health care providers while expanding COVID-19 testing capacity, with some haggling left to be done over the measure's finer points.

Second round of emergency medical provider funds delayed

Second round of emergency medical provider funds delayed-rollcall: A second wave of emergency funds that Congress directed to medical providers appears to be delayed, after Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told the House Appropriations Committee the distributions could take another week and a half to calculate.

Here's where things stand 200 days before Election Day

Here's where things stand 200 days before Election Day-thehill: Democrats are growing more confident about their changes of retaking power in Washington with 200 days to go before Election Day. It’s an election that both sides now see as turning on the coronavirus pandemic, and the American public’s views on how Trump steers the country through the worst public health crisis in modern memory.

Trump halts funding to World Health Organization

Trump halts funding to World Health Organization-rollcall: Trump said Tuesday he was placing a hold on U.S. funding to the World Health Organization pending a review of the group's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump said the group failed to gather, funnel and distribute information about the initial outbreak of the virus which has shut down much of the world. He criticized the group for opposing his travel restrictions on China, which Trump has repeatedly praised himself for doing in January.

Sanders endorses Biden for president

Sanders endorses Biden for president-thehill: Ex-Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) endorsed former rival Joe Biden during a virtual event Monday.

Here’s how some committees are working during the coronavirus shutdown

Here’s how some committees are working during the coronavirus shutdown-rollcall: House committees are staying busy making information requests, reviewing documents and eyeing less-formal proceedings to get around rules requiring in-person hearings during the long recess caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Verma-Azar feud extends into coronavirus era

Verma-Azar feud extends into coronavirus era-politico: Even in the midst of coronavirus, the Trump administration's top health officials are competing for attention. Medicare administrator Seema Verma announced on Tuesday night that hospitals could tap $30 billion in “no-strings-attached” coronavirus grants — a move that won her plaudits from health care providers but also one that her rival, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, had planned to make, according to three people close to the situation. Azar, however, was away from Washington because of the death of his father, and two of his advocates in the agency insist Verma should have waited for his return the next day.

Bernie Sanders suspends his presidential campaign

Bernie Sanders suspends his presidential campaign-politico: Bernie Sanders is suspending his 2020 presidential campaign, ceding the Democratic nomination to Joe Biden after a string of losses last month crippled his campaign. He announced his decision during an all-staff conference call Wednesday morning. The Vermont senator told his aides that this was not just a presidential campaign, but a movement, and to be proud of what they’ve accomplished.

Voting advocates say Wisconsin election should be a warning

Voting advocates say Wisconsin election should be a warning-rollcall: The long lines, closed polling sites and last-minute political wrangling that characterized Tuesday’s elections in Wisconsin could be a preview of what’s to come across the country in November if state and congressional officials don’t start to prepare now, according to voting rights advocates.

‘We cannot have a colorblind policy’: Lack of racial data obstructs coronavirus fight

‘We cannot have a colorblind policy’: Lack of racial data obstructs coronavirus fight-politico: Early data shows the coronavirus is hitting black and brown Americans especially hard. But spotty government data collection and publication could prevent resources from flowing to the communities most ravaged by the pandemic.

Government plans to pay hospitals for COVID-19 care for uninsured

Government plans to pay hospitals for COVID-19 care for uninsured-rollcall: The Trump administration said Friday evening that officials plan to reimburse hospitals and health care providers for uncompensated care given to COVID-19 patients who do not have health insurance.

State requests for more assistance ‘probably the biggest leverage’ for a phase four stimulus, Pelosi says

State requests for more assistance ‘probably the biggest leverage’ for a phase four stimulus, Pelosi says-rollcall: As Democrats continue to push for a fourth coronavirus response bill that Republicans aren’t yet convinced is needed, Speaker Nancy Pelosi thinks she has some leverage with states requesting more federal assistance.

Fauci gets security detail after receiving threats

Fauci gets security detail after receiving threats-politico: The government's top infectious disease doctor, Anthony Fauci, is now receiving security protection after becoming the face of the nation's coronavirus response — and a target of some supporters of President Donald Trump. Health department leaders moved to give Fauci an armed security detail by last weekend after the 79-year-old immunologist received unspecified threats and uninvited attention, although the process took several days, said two individuals with knowledge of the decision.

Poll: Trump's coronavirus bounce fizzles

Poll: Trump's coronavirus bounce fizzles-politico: More voters say the Trump administration isn’t doing enough to combat the coronavirus outbreak, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll. The survey, conducted immediately before President Donald Trump announced a 30-day extension of his physical and social distancing guidelines “to slow the spread” of Covid-19, shows 47 percent of voters feel the administration isn’t doing enough in response to the outbreak, greater than the 40 percent who feel the administration is doing the right amount.