Federal Prisoners Can Stay In Home Confinement Until Health Emergency Ends
As the covid pandemic endures, the Justice Department announced its decision that the U.S. Bureau of Prisons does not yet have to reincarcerate people still serving federal sentences under home confinement. Other Biden administration news relates to the supply chain, economic aid, vaccine patents and birth control coverage.
The Washington Post:
Bureau Of Prisons Can Keep Inmates In Home Confinement After Coronavirus Emergency Ends
The Justice Department ruled Tuesday that the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is not required to reimprison thousands of federal inmates who were granted home confinement to limit the spread of the coronavirus — even after the federal health emergency ends. The decision reverses a January order issued in the final days of the Trump administration and allows the federal agency to avoid recalling prisoners en masse. (Nakamura, 12/21)
Politico:
Biden Justice Department Reverses On Returning Federal Convicts On Home Detention To Prison
According to the Bureau of Prisons, about 36,000 federal inmates were released early due to the pandemic, largely based on authority Congress included in the CARES Act passed in March 2020. Most have finished serving their sentences, but about 4,500 faced the threat of being returned to prison when the pandemic emergency terminates. (Gerstein, 12/21)
In related pandemic news from the Biden administration —
Fox Business:
Biden Touts 'Significant Progress' By His Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force As Crisis Continues
President Biden will hold a "convening" Wednesday at which members of his economic team and business leaders will cite a variety of positive indicators about the economy, even as inflation roars and supply chain problems continue. Problems with the economy likely will factor into the 2022 midterm elections and Biden's own 2024 reelection campaign — if he runs — should inflation and shortages of goods and labor persist. Among those expected to attend: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; National Economic Council Director Brian Deese; Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack; port envoy John Porcari; FedEx CEO Fred Smith; Yellow Corp. CEO Darren Hawkins; and Christopher Connor, CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities. (Mark Miller, 12/22)
The Washington Post:
White House Braces For Economic Hit From Omicron As Obstacles Emerge
White House officials are carefully watching the economic impact of the latest coronavirus surge, as concerns mount both at home and abroad that surging caseloads could again lead to restrictions that hurt growth and jobs. At this point, Biden administration officials have not requested additional federal funding as the omicron variant rapidly spreads. And they are optimistic that the March 2021 stimulus package provides policymakers with the financial flexibility to mitigate the economic damage that might be caused by the new variant. Still, many economists are watching the latest surge, particularly on the East Coast, with some alarm. (Stein, 12/22)
Stat:
Oxfam Wants The SEC To Investigate Moderna For 'Misleading' Investors
Oxfam America has filed a complaint with securities regulators accusing Moderna of providing “misleading statements” and concealing material information about its dispute with the U.S. government over Covid-19 vaccine patents. Specifically, the advocacy group maintained the company wrongfully described a simmering patent dispute with the National Institutes of Health in its regulatory filings over the past year as theoretical when, in fact, the federal government was threatening litigation. Oxfam contended Moderna should have expressly acknowledged this risk, and that its failure to do so violated securities laws. (Silverman, 12/21)
The Washington Post:
Fauci Says Fox News Host Jesse Watters Should Be Fired For ‘Ambush’ And ‘Kill Shot’ Comments
Anthony S. Fauci has become accustomed to receiving a barrage of criticism and invective from conservative media personalities. But even he seemed surprised by the comments made about him by Fox News host Jesse Watters on Monday. Onstage at a conservative political conference, Watters encouraged an audience of young conservatives to “ambush” the nation’s top infectious-disease expert and to finish him off with a rhetorical “kill shot” of pointed questions. (Barr, 12/21)
In other news about ACA coverage of birth control —
Axios:
Democrats Say Insurers Are Skirting Birth Control Coverage Requirements
Senate Democrats say many insurers are falling short on ACA requirements to fully cover birth control and are calling on the Biden Administration to step up enforcement. The issue has taken on increased significance, they say, amid other threats to women's health access, such as abortion care. (Reed, 12/21)
