Biden-Hosted Summit Aims To Shore Up Faltering World Pandemic Resolve
The U.S. is co-hosting the second global covid summit amid underperforming efforts to vaccinate more people. But the White House's impasses with Congress over additional funding limits America's future contributions to international efforts.
AP:
Biden Marks 1M US COVID Deaths, To Co-Host 2nd Global Summit
President Joe Biden will appeal for a renewed international commitment to attacking COVID-19 as he convenes the second global COVID-19 summit at a time when faltering resolve at home jeopardizes that global response. Eight months after he used the first such summit to announce an ambitious pledge to donate 1.2 billion vaccine doses to the world, the urgency of the U.S. and other nations to respond has waned. (Miller and Cheng, 5/12)
Bloomberg:
Untapped Global Vaccine Stash Raises Risks Of New Covid Variants
Shots that were once rare are now piling up and even expiring, a problem on the agenda of a second global Covid-19 summit the US is co-hosting on Thursday. President Joe Biden kicked off the first summit eight months ago by announcing the US would donate another 500 million doses to the international vaccination campaign, nearly doubling its total pledge. But now, vaccine makers are idling production or face shutdowns as demand for shots wanes, even with the world still far from a target of inoculating 70% of humanity. Republicans in Congress have so far blocked additional funding for the US and international vaccination campaigns. (Wingrove, Paton and Sguazzin, 5/11)
Health care groups say 'pandemic' designation should continue —
Modern Healthcare:
AHA, AMA Ask HHS For COVID-19 Emergency Extension
Leading healthcare organizations want the federal government to maintain its pandemic posture for at least a few more months, they wrote in a letter delivered to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra Tuesday. The American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and fourteen other healthcare organizations urge Becerra to extend the department's COVID-19 public health emergency until the global outbreak has subsided. The public health emergency designation allowed federal agencies to relax numerous policies for healthcare providers and state governments, including permitting continuous Medicaid enrollment and additional Medicare reimbursement for treating COVID-19 patients in hospitals. (Goldman, 5/11)
And federal covid aid appears stuck —
Axios:
Biden Administration And GOP Clash Over Vaccine Strategy
Congressional Republicans' concerns about wasting COVID vaccines are colliding with the Biden administration's commitment to making the shots as widely accessible as possible, adding another wrinkle to the stalled COVID funding negotiations. Some Republicans are growing skeptical of the currently available vaccines' ability to contain the Omicron variant, and don't want to allocate money for more doses without a firmer plan in place for the fall. (Owens, 5/12)
Roll Call:
Democrats Mull COVID-19 Aid Options As House Preps New Bill
Third time’s a charm. Or so Democrats hope as they attempt to negotiate a third COVID-19 funding deal after their previous two bipartisan agreements — one for $15.6 billion in domestic and international aid, and a second for $10 billion in only domestic funds — stalled out. The House is taking the lead on the latest iteration. But it’s not yet clear whether they’ll hold out for a bipartisan, bicameral agreement or attempt to move a Democrat-led version that would provide more funding, closer to President Joe Biden’s original $22.5 billion request. (McPherson, 5/11)
The Washington Post:
GOP Opposition Leaves Covid Aid In Peril As White House Warns Of Surge
A bipartisan push in Congress to adopt another round of coronavirus aid is in fresh political peril, as Republicans continue to block Democrats from swiftly approving as much as the Biden administration believes is necessary to prepare for an expected new surge. Five days after federal health officials warned a new wave could infect 100 million people, lawmakers still find themselves struggling to overcome familiar partisan divides. There appears to be no immediate pathway in the Senate for a long-stalled agreement to spend $10 billion to boost the availability of tests, therapeutics and vaccines nationwide. (Romm, 5/11)
