Republicans flat-out reject Trump’s suggestion to delay election

Republicans flat-out reject Trump’s suggestion to delayelection-politico:  Trump on Thursday faced resounding, near-universal opposition from Republicans to his suggestion that the November election should be delayed due to unsubstantiated claims of mail-in voter fraud.

Democrats reject ‘skinny’ virus plan while GOP struggles for unity

Democrats reject ‘skinny’ virus plan while GOP struggles for unity-rollcall: Congressional leaders and the Trump administration remained at a standstill on COVID-19 aid negotiations Wednesday despite the U.S. hitting a grim milestone with 150,000 deaths and millions out of work.

‘It’s a mess’: Republican senators deride key proposals in GOP virus package

‘It’s a mess’: Republican senators deride key proposals in GOP virus package-politico:  Senate Republicans complained on Tuesday about key provisions in the GOP-authored coronavirus relief bill one day after its unveiling, as Democrats panned the proposal as a non-starter.

Senate's Covid-19 package tees up fight over Medicaid funding, hospital bailout

Senate's Covid-19 package tees up fight over Medicaid funding, hospital bailout-politico:  Senate Republicans’ coronavirus relief package, released Monday evening, sets up new battles over health care funding as the coronavirus continues to overwhelm the country.

Republicans look to virus relief to avert economic and electoral disaster

Republicans look to virus relief to avert economic and electoral disaster-rollcall: This month, key virus relief programs that have kept millions out of poverty and propped up the U.S. economy expire. Yet, Republicans and Democrats remain miles apart on whether they should continue or, if not, what should replace them.

Trump’s end run around CDC brings threat of fewer drugs for hospitals

Trump’s end run around CDC brings threat of fewer drugs for hospitals-politico:  A Trump administration change in the way hospitals report coronavirus data is bringing confusion and more work to medical centers and states as cases explode across the country. And hospitals that don’t get it right every day could end up receiving fewer critical drugs like remdesivir.

Health and business concerns clash in debate over COVID-19 liability

Health and business concerns clash in debate over COVID-19 liability-rollcall: While Congress jostles over whether businesses should get extra protections from lawsuits related to COVID-19 in the next pandemic relief bill, legal action across the country highlights the stakes for states struggling to reopen their economies.

Trump and Republicans divided on key pieces of coronavirus relief

Trump and Republicans divided on key pieces of coronavirus relief: politico:  The White House still faces a big selling job to skeptical Senate Republicans on its long-sought payroll tax cut, just days before lawmakers hope to unveil their new coronavirus relief proposal.

Battle over Covid aid consumes Congress' final sprint to recess

Battle over Covid aid consumes Congress' final sprint to recess-politico:  The House and Senate return Monday to face a critical three-week stretch ahead of the August recess, with both chambers under immense pressure to deliver another trillion dollar-plus relief package amid an alarming rise in coronavirus cases.

Hospitals’ recovery plans clash with new Covid infections

Hospitals’ recovery plans clash with new Covid infections-politico:  Cash-strapped hospitals are sending emails and buying ads to entice patients back from Covid-19 lockdowns with a plaintive reminder: It’s time to fix that hernia.

Inspector general: Medicare chief broke rules on her publicity contracts

Inspector general: Medicare chief broke rules on her publicity contracts-politics:  A top Trump administration health official violated federal contracting rules by steering millions of taxpayer dollars in contracts that ultimately benefited GOP-aligned communications consultants, according to an inspector general report set to be released today.

MJ Hegar wins runoff take on Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn

MJ Hegar wins runoff take on Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn-thehill:  Air Force veteran MJ Hegar won the Democratic Senate primary runoff in Texas on Tuesday, advancing to face Republican incumbent John Cornyn in November.  Hegar’s victory was the second win of the night for a preferred candidate of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon easily won the Democratic nomination to take on GOP Sen. Susan Collins.

Former CDC chiefs rebuke Trump for ‘undermining’ agency’s guidelines

Former CDC chiefs rebuke Trump for ‘undermining’ agency’s guidelines-politico:  Four former heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday implicitly rebuked Trump, arguing the “extraordinary” efforts by him and other administration officials to diminish the public health agency’s guidance were contributing to a resurgence of coronavirus cases across the United States.

Pandemic upends Trump’s plans to shrink health care safety net

Pandemic upends Trump’s plans to shrink health care safetynet-politico:  Trump has moved forcefully to push unprecedented limits on government health assistance for the poor, trying to follow through on conservatives’ long-held goals for reshaping the health care safety net.  That ambition has slammed into a brick wall amid the coronavirus — with the help of Republican states wary of cutting back health coverage for their poorest residents during a pandemic.

Republicans discussing coronavirus aid package contours

Republicans discussing coronavirus aid package contours-thehill:  The Trump administration would support another round of tax rebate checks and help for restaurants, hotels and airlines as part of the next coronavirus aid package, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday.

Pandemic mars Trump's GOP convention plans

Pandemic mars Trump's GOP convention plans-thehill:  Trump’s plans for a full-scale GOP convention in Jacksonville, Fla., next month are looking increasingly bleak amid rising numbers of coronavirus cases.

Congress wary on future aid as well-connected businesses rake in millions

Congress wary on future aid as well-connected businessesrake in millions-politico:  The revelation that well-heeled businesses and nonprofits benefited from emergency small business loans is making it more likely that Congress will impose new limits on aid in its next rescue plan for employers and workers.

New data shows lawmakers secured millions in small business aid

New data shows lawmakers secured millions in small businessaid-politico: At least nine lawmakers and three congressional caucuses have ties to organizations that took millions of dollars in aid from a small business loans program that was designed to help companies avert layoffs during the pandemic, according to newly released data from the Small Business Administration.

Senate outlook slides for GOP

Senate outlook slides for GOP-thehill:  Democrats are within striking distance of retaking the Senate majority in November, while Republicans are facing an increasingly difficult electoral map as Trump’s sagging poll numbers threaten to drag down vulnerable GOP incumbents.

How California went from model student to pandemic problem child

How California went from model student to pandemic problemchild-politico:  California was long the nation's shining star on the coronavirus, heralded by national media and White House advisers as an example of how other states could beat the disease. The state was so confident in April that it sent hundreds of ventilators to the East Coast.

Hickenlooper rolls to victory in Colorado Senate primary

Hickenlooper rolls to victory in Colorado Senate primary-politico: Former Gov. John Hickenlooper won Tuesday's Democratic Senate primary in Colorado and will face Sen. Cory Gardner, one of the most vulnerable Republican senators on the ballot this fall.