American Airlines Warning About Layoffs Signals Congress About Need For Relief
Efforts between the Democrats and Republicans to find a compromise on a new relief bill collapsed before the summer recess. In other news, New York joins other states in filing a lawsuit to block postal service changes.
The New York Times:
Airline Job Cuts Could Pressure Congress And Trump On Stimulus
American Airlines warned employees on Tuesday that it would cut up to 19,000 workers on Oct. 1, saying that there was little sign that the pandemic-induced reluctance to travel was diminishing. While weak demand is spurring these announcements, the airlines are also seeking to put pressure on Congress and the Trump administration to strike a deal on another coronavirus stimulus package. Passenger airlines received $25 billion to help pay workers under a March legislative package, with American alone receiving $5.8 billion. (Chokshi and Casselman, 8/25)
The crisis over mail-in voting continues —
The Wall Street Journal:
New York Attorney General Sues To Stop Changes At Postal Service
The New York attorney general filed a lawsuit Tuesday to block the Trump administration from disrupting the operations of the U.S. Postal Service, joining other Democratic-led states and lawmakers in pressuring the federal agency to maintain services ahead of the November election. The suit, which names President Trump, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and the Postal Service as defendants, follows changes made by Mr. DeJoy at the struggling agency that postal-union representatives and customers have said substantially slowed mail delivery around the country. (Paul, 8/25)
In other legislative news —
AP:
MARCUS Alert Bill Progresses Out Of House Committee
A bill that could reshape how law enforcement responds when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis reported out of the House Public Safety Committee on Tuesday by a vote of 13-9. House Bill 5043, introduced by Del. Jeff Bourne, D-Richmond, would create teams of mental health service providers, peer recovery specialists and law enforcement to help individuals in a crisis situation. Formally dubbed the mental health awareness response and community understanding services, or MARCUS, alert system, the proposal is in response to ongoing demands of protesters in Richmond. (Ringle, 8/25)
Politico:
Beleaguered Texas Republicans' Latest Threat: Coronavirus
Texas was already one of the nation’s most-watched battlefields this year. Then came the pandemic. Republicans and Democrats are brawling over a dozen House seats in the state's most expansive political landscape in recent memory — swing districts that also happen to encompass some of the worst-hit coronavirus hot spots in Texas. (Ferris and Zanona, 8/24)
