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.