Covid Aid Package Shrinking As Senators Seek A Deal
Down from a proposed $15.6 billion, senators are now considering $10 billion in funding to keep federal government covid response efforts afloat. With a two-week congressional break approaching, the White House presses lawmakers on the importance of approving the money before leaving town.
The Hill:
Senators Shrinking Size Of COVID Deal Amid Disagreements
A group of senators negotiating a potential deal for new coronavirus relief is preparing to scale back the overall size of the package amid a disagreement over how to pay for it, sources told The Hill. The bipartisan group has been negotiating for days over how to revive the $15.6 billion in coronavirus aid that got stripped out of a government funding bill earlier this month, with senators indicating earlier Wednesday that they agreed on the size of a potential deal. (Carney, 3/30)
The Hill:
Senators Trade Offers In Scramble For Coronavirus Deal
Senators are swapping offers as they scramble to try to get a deal on coronavirus relief before they leave for a two-week break in a matter of days. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) met Wednesday with Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Richard Burr (N.C.) and Roy Blunt (Mo.), who are negotiating for Republicans. He then met for a second time with members of the group and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the chairwoman of the Senate Health Committee, on Wednesday night. (Carney, 3/31)
Politico:
The Next Phase Of Covid Depends On The Senate
Here’s a scary thought: America’s ability to face the pandemic’s next phase may depend on a handful of senators. The talks between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) entered their most urgent stage yet on Wednesday, as the two spearhead an effort to allocate $15.6 billion to fight the pandemic. The Democratic leader and Republican centrist convened a larger group on Wednesday afternoon to see if there is a real chance at a bipartisan bill before the April 9 congressional recess; the meeting broke without a deal but a vow to keep talking. (Everett and Levine, 3/30)
Also —
CNBC:
Biden Warns U.S. Won't Have Enough Covid Vaccine Shots Without Aid From Congress
President Joe Biden warned Wednesday that the U.S. will not have enough Covid vaccine shots this fall to ensure free and easy access for all Americans if Congress fails to pass the $22.5 billion in additional funding the administration has requested. Biden said the U.S. has enough supply to ensure people eligible for fourth shots have access to them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week recommended an additional Pfizer or Moderna dose for people ages 50 and older, as well as certain younger individuals who have compromised immune systems. Biden, 79, received his fourth dose on live television after his remarks. (Kimball, 3/30)
Vanity Fair:
Surgeon General: Without More Covid Prevention Funding, U.S. At Risk Of “Backsliding”
Congressional Republicans are blocking additional investments into Covid-19 prevention demanding a “real accounting” of how previous dollars were spent. Already the government has run out money to buy enough booster shots, and is slowing distributions of antibody treatments. (Lutz, 3/29)
KHN:
Pandemic Funding Is Running Out For Community Health Workers
As a community health worker, 46-year-old Christina Scott is a professional red-tape cutter, hand-holder, shoulder to cry on, and personal safety net, all wrapped into one. She works in an office in the shadow of the steel mill that employed her grandfather in this shrinking city in the Greater St. Louis area. Gone with many of the steel jobs is some of the area’s stability — almost a fifth of Granite City’s residents live in poverty, far higher than the national average. (Weber, 3/31)
