Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Companies That Were Relatively Flush With Cash Were Granted Small-Business Loans
Reuters: Exclusive: U.S. Companies Got Emergency Government Loans Despite Having Months Of Cash
When American companies recently applied for U.S. government loans meant to help small businesses survive the coronavirus crisis, they had to certify they needed the cash to cover basic needs like salaries and rent. The money, up to $10 million, was meant to tide them over for eight weeks. (Franklin and Delevigne, 5/7)
Politico: 'It’s Going To Be A Big, Gigantic, Gargantuan Fight'
Lobbyists who hustled to get their clients’ priorities into the $2.1 trillion coronavirus relief package in March are angling for a piece of the action on the next —and possibly last — multitrillion-dollar bill. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and other powerful trade groups are working to persuade lawmakers to make it harder for workers and customers sickened by the virus to sue businesses in an effort that’s already divided lawmakers. (Meyer, 5/8)
ABC News: For Some Americans, Stimulus Checks Are A Chance To Give Back
For Tony Lupa, a retired machinist from Trumansburg, New York, a $1,200 stimulus check represented an opportunity -- not for himself, but to give back. "I'm on a fixed income, I wasn't affected financially by what's going on, and I thought, well, I just want to show my appreciation to the nurses and also try to help out," Lupa said. He came up with an idea. He'd buy gift certificates from three local businesses to help keep them afloat during the shutdown and give those gift certificates to a group of health care workers from Cayuga Medical Center who traveled to New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City to provide extra help as coronavirus cases escalated. "And that way, I would help out two ways, instead of one," Tony said. (Kolinovsky, 5/8)
Reuters: Trump Considering More Coronavirus Economic Relief Measures
President Donald Trump said on Thursday his administration was considering further economic measures, possibly via executive orders, to provide help against the economic fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic. In remarks to reporters at the White House, Trump appeared to confirm the possibility of further postponement of the deadline for filing 2019 federal income tax returns, already extended by three months to July 15. (5/7)
Reuters: The Great Potato Giveaway: U.S. Farmers Hand Out Spuds To Avoid Food Waste
When Tina Yates pulled her truck up to a mall in western Washington state on Thursday, workers waved her past hundreds of cars waiting to pick up free russet potatoes. (Ryder and Walljasper, 5/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Businesses Struggle To Lure Workers Away From Unemployment
Businesses looking for a quick return to normal are running into a big hitch: Workers on unemployment benefits are reluctant to give them up. That’s complicating plans to reopen states and get the U.S. economy back on track. For some workers, unemployment benefits are now paying more than their old jobs did. For others, safety concerns or a lack of child care, as most schools and day-care centers remain closed, are making them hesitant to go back. (Maher, 5/8)
Reuters: 'The Government Is Failing Us': Laid-Off Americans Struggle In Coronavirus Crisis
While U.S. government guidelines say jobless workers who qualify for assistance should get payments within three weeks of applying, many — like Alejandra — are waiting twice that long. Increasingly desperate, some are lining up at food banks or bargaining with landlords to postpone bills. Most fill their days seeking answers from overwhelmed state bureaucracies. Alejandra has not heard anything from the state — though she has gotten a fundraising email from Republican Senator Rick Scott, who set up the current unemployment system during his tenure as governor. (Sullivan and Brooks, 5/7)
