FEMA Distributed $2 Billion For Covid Funerals
The federal government spent $2 billion in covid funeral assistance awards, some of it ineligibly. In other news, President Biden is convening a global covid summit in May to discuss funding and coordination.
Roll Call:
Report: FEMA Reimbursed Ineligible COVID-19 Funeral Expenses
A multibillion-dollar funeral assistance program for COVID-19 victims reimbursed families for some ineligible expenses that included flowers, catering and transportation, according to a report released by federal investigators Monday. The Department of Homeland Security inspector general's office issued a “management alert” to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the program. It called on FEMA’s administrator to modify the agency’s operating procedures to comply with longstanding policy. "FEMA is putting millions of taxpayer dollars at an elevated risk of waste and abuse by reimbursing funeral expenses identified as ineligible by its own policies," the inspector general’s report said. (Lerman, 4/18)
Politico:
White House Global Covid-19 Summit To Be Held In May
The White House announced Monday that its Global Covid-19 Summit, which it hopes will bring new funding and coordination for global pandemic responses, will be held May 12. The summit will be co-hosted by Belize, Germany, Indonesia and Senegal — CARICOM chair, leader of the G-7, leader of the G-20 and African Union chair, respectively. (Payne, 4/18)
In other news from the Biden administration —
Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Xavier Becerra To Announce Mental Health Initiative In Las Vegas Visit
U.S. Health and Human Services Director Xavier Becerra will announce in Las Vegas on Tuesday a key mental health initiative, according to his office. Becerra will announce the initiative at the Nevada Healthcare Provider Summit hosted by Gov. Steve Sisolak. The secretary also will discuss lessons learned during the pandemic, his office said. Later in the day, Becerra will host an event in support of President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot at Martin Luther King Family Health. He will hear from Nevada leaders and clinicians about barriers to cancer prevention and treatment, and announce a new Health and Human Services’ effort to increase access to screening services. More than 9.5 million cancer screenings were missed in the United States because of the pandemic. (Hynes, 4/18)
The Hill:
Biden Has Confidence In Feinstein’s Ability To Serve, Psaki Says
President Biden still has confidence in Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) ability to serve in the wake of a report detailing concerns from some congressional colleagues about her mental fitness. “Yes. She’s a longtime friend, a proud public servant and someone he has long enjoyed serving with and working with,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters when asked if Biden has confidence in the California senator. (Samuels, 4/18)
