Democrats Have Leverage Going Into Phase 4 Stimulus Negotiations–But Will They Play Hardball?

Politico: 5 Increasingly Hardball Versions Of The Next Stimulus
The news out of Washington this week made it sound like Democrats are playing hardball on economic relief, blocking a Republican bill that didn’t include their top priorities. But the Democrats aren’t really playing hardball. They have the power to demand just about anything they want, and they’re demanding things that President Donald Trump wants, too. Just two weeks after the largest economic relief bill in U.S. history failed to arrest the economic collapse, Trump needs another rescue package far more than Democrats do. (Grunwald, 4/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Congressional Impasse Stymies Additional Coronavirus Aid
A partisan impasse over fresh coronavirus relief spending stretched through the holiday weekend, as funds for a small-business loan program dwindled and state leaders called for additional federal aid. Republican lawmakers want to add $250 billion to the $350 billion small-business support plan approved in late March. While Democrats say they, too, support more money for the fund, they also want to expand access to the loans. In addition, they want to include $100 billion for hospitals and $150 billion for state and local governments along with the small-business aid. (Duehren and Peterson, 4/12)

The Wall Street Journal: Lawmakers Seek New Ways To Cover Workers’ Paychecks During Coronavirus
U.S. lawmakers are drawing up proposals for the federal government to guarantee private companies’ paychecks during the coronavirus pandemic to arrest soaring job losses, aiming to fill holes in last month’s aid package. The plans from Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) differ in the level of government aid that they would provide and the degree to which they have been fully developed. But both would put the U.S. on a track similar to those that have been taken in countries such as France and Denmark—and could spark a rethinking of some cornerstone elements of the $2.2 trillion economic rescue enacted two weeks ago. (Hughes and Morath, 4/12)

The Associated Press: Millions Of Taxpaying Immigrants Won't Get Stimulus Checks
The $2.2 trillion package that Congress approved to offer financial help during the coronavirus pandemic has one major exclusion: millions of immigrants who do not have legal status in the U.S. but work here and pay taxes. That includes Carmen Contreras Lopez, a 48-year-old housekeeper who, though she earns low wages, files a tax return each year. Since the virus took hold, she has lost most of her clients and is getting by with help from her oldest son. But she won’t see a penny of the money promised to most Americans in response to the pandemic. (Galvan, Marcelo and Torrens, 4/12)

The Washington Post: Langley Park's Undocumented Immigrants Face Coronavirus Without Help
He arrived home as usual, with dusty jeans and a handful of junk mail. “Hola bambinos,” Marco said as he opened the door to the cluttered one-bedroom apartment in Langley Park, Md., he shares with his wife and two kids. “Papi!” shouted his 9-year-old, Nataly, looking up from her Barbie kitchen play set. But instead of embracing the small girl with big eyes and a dark braid, Marco backed away. (Miller, 4/12)

Politico: ‘Let’s Hope To Heck That It Works’: Pandemic Pressure Mounts On Congress
As President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial closed two months ago, 2020 was shaping up to be perhaps the lamest year in Congress in decades. Some judges would be confirmed, lawmakers would punt on the toughest issues and all eyes would turn to the presidential election. Instead, the coronavirus pandemic will define the 116th Congress even more than earth-shaking events that just months ago seemed to embody the wild days of government under President Donald Trump. The third presidential impeachment trial, a battle over Trump’s unprecedented use of executive power to build his border wall and the longest government shutdown in U.S. history now all seem quaint. (Everett, 4/12)

The Hill: Pressure For Quick Action On Next Relief Bill Strains GOP Unity 
The pressure on Congress to act swiftly on another round of coronavirus relief is creating tension among Republicans. While some GOP lawmakers are seeking to hold back, at least for now, on charging forward with another massive economic package, others such as Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are calling for a rapid infusion of federal aid costing trillions of dollars. (Bolton, 4/12)

Modern Healthcare: Providers Begin Receiving First Round Of CARES Act Grants
Providers on Friday began receiving $30 billion from the first round of grant funding from Congress' third stimulus package. The funds, from the $100 billion provider relief fund in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, were distributed based on providers' share of 2019 Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements. The grants do not have to be repaid, but administration officials said Thursday that grant recipients have to agree not to balance bill patients for out-of-network COVID-19 treatment. (Cohrs, 4/10)

The Hill: Coronavirus Mortgage Relief Poses Risk To Housing Industry 
A sixth-month pause on certain mortgage payments mandated by the coronavirus economic rescue bill is causing confusion and risking financial peril across the housing industry. The $2.2-trillion coronavirus response and stimulus bill signed by President Trump in March gave any homeowner with a mortgage backstopped by the federal government the ability to receive forbearance or delay payments for up to 180 days. (Lane, 4/12)

PBS NewsHour: Turning To Social Media For Help In The Wake Of COVID-19
More than 16 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits in the last three weeks as the COVID-19 pandemic grinds the economy to a near halt. Even as many wait for the first direct payments from the U.S. government as part of the recovery bill, people in dire financial straits have been turning to social media to ask for help. (Weber, 4/11)