Democrats See Pandemic As Once-In-Lifetime Chance To Build Public Support For Big Government
“The American people need their government,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said recently. “They need their government to act strongly, boldly and wisely.” Meanwhile, lawmakers are barreling toward a stalemate over the next relief legislation, with Democrats wanting to protect workers and Republicans pushing for corporate liability protections. But whatever else makes it into the package, small cities and counties say it needs to include help for them.
The Associated Press:
Democrats Make Case For Role Of Government In Virus Response
When he stood before Congress in 1996 and declared “the era of big government is over,” President Bill Clinton gave voice to a doctrine that permeated Democratic politics for more than two decades. Government, while necessary, shouldn’t be celebrated if the party wanted to win elections. The coronavirus is changing that. (Barrow and Fram, 5/7)
The Wall Street Journal:
Deficit Fears Put Senate Republicans And Trump On Coronavirus Collision Course
Senate Republicans are citing renewed budget-deficit fears as they pump the brakes on more coronavirus-aid spending, putting them at odds with President Trump’s push for tax cuts and an infrastructure package on top of roughly $3 trillion of funds approved so far. Many GOP lawmakers, facing pressure from conservative groups, say any new infrastructure spending is a nonstarter. They are also lukewarm on Mr. Trump’s call to slash payroll taxes, paid by workers and employers. (Hughes and Wise, 5/6)
Stateline:
Next Stimulus Needs To Help Us, Small Cities And Counties Say
The $2 trillion stimulus bill Congress approved at the end of March included $111 billion for states, $22.5 billion for major counties and $5 billion for big cities.Many cities and counties didn’t get a dime. That’s because only cities and counties with populations larger than 500,000 were eligible for direct infusions of cash. That criteria excluded about 95% of the nation’s more than 3,000 counties, according to Teryn Zmuda, chief economist for the National Association of Counties. (Bergal, 5/7)
Modern Healthcare:
Provider Liability Protections Could Get Caught In Partisan Fight
Major healthcare provider lobbies have asked Congress to protect healthcare facilities, physicians and other clinicians from liability for care provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, as states have a patchwork of different policies. Republicans are calling for wide-ranging immunity for healthcare providers and other businesses in the next legislative package, but Democrats have so far opposed the idea. (Cohrs, 5/6)
The Wall Street Journal:
Lawmakers Press Airlines To Protect Workers, Travelers
Lawmakers who bailed out U.S. airlines want to make sure the government gets what it paid for. In letters and at a subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, some members of Congress questioned whether airlines are complying with rules around retaining workers in exchange for federal aid and how carriers are protecting passengers amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Sider, 5/6)
Elsewhere on Capitol Hill —
The New York Times:
Democrats Press Judicial Nominee, A McConnell Protegé, On Health Care Views
Judge Justin Walker, President Trump’s pick for an influential appeals court, faced brutal questioning from Senate Democrats on Wednesday over his views on health care policy, as the 37-year-old nominee sought to dispel criticism that he was too inexperienced and ideologically driven for the post. The nomination of Judge Walker, a Louisville, Ky., native and protégé of Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, has drawn fire from Democrats and liberal activists who suggest that Mr. McConnell maneuvered inappropriately to position his favored candidate for the powerful post. (Hulse, 5/6)
ABC News:
Democrats Decry Hearing For Trump Appeals Court Nominee Amid Pandemic
Senate Democrats on Wednesday decried holding a confirmation hearing for a federal appeals court nominee close to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell amid the coronavirus pandemic - the Judiciary Committee's first hearing since lawmakers returned to Washington this week. “I thought if the Senate Judiciary Committee is coming back for business, there's certainly a lot of things we can bring up related to this COVID-19 crisis,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, pointing to the effect the virus is having on prisons, immigration, and spiraling fraud, particularly against seniors. (Turner, 5/6)
ProPublica:
On The Same Day Sen. Richard Burr Dumped Stock, So Did His Brother-in-Law. Then The Market Crashed.
Sen. Richard Burr was not the only member of his family to sell off a significant portion of his stock holdings in February, ahead of the market crash spurred by coronavirus fears. On the same day Burr sold, his brother-in-law also dumped tens of thousands of dollars worth of shares. The market fell by more than 30% in the subsequent month. Burr’s brother-in-law, Gerald Fauth, who has a post on the National Mediation Board, sold between $97,000 and $280,000 worth of shares in six companies — including several that have been hit particularly hard in the market swoon and economic downturn. (Faturechi and Willis, 5/6)
The Wall Street Journal:
Some Senate Republicans Break With Leaders On Coronavirus Testing At Capitol
Senior Republican lawmakers are pushing for routine coronavirus testing for members, their staffers and others who work at the U.S. Capitol complex, breaking with the decision by congressional leaders to decline such tests until they become more widely available to the public. Sen. Roy Blunt (R., Mo.), chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, said on Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) should revisit their decision, citing the risks posed by lawmakers traveling back and forth from Washington. (Wise, 5/6)
The Hill:
Bipartisan Caucus Set To Hold 'Virtual Congress' On Thursday
The bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus is slated to hold a “virtual Congress” on Thursday, providing lawmakers with the chance to remotely debate the next major coronavirus relief package amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The House has largely been out of session — with the exception of being called back to vote on COVID-19 related stimulus bills — since mid-March, when the outbreak began to escalate. Reps. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J), the co-chairs on the group of centrist House lawmakers, said they are aiming to provide a way for members to have a voice in the legislative process without imposing a safety risk to members and staff. (Brufke, 5/6)
