Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
If Trump Takes Executive Action, Orders Would Focus On Evictions, Payroll Taxes, Jobless Money
The Washington Post: Trump Threatens Executive Actions As Coronavirus Relief Deal Remains Elusive On Capitol Hill
President Trump on Wednesday threatened to take executive action to extend an eviction moratorium, suspend collection of the payroll tax and boost unemployment benefits unless a coronavirus relief deal can be reached quickly with Democrats on Capitol Hill. And in a sign the White House could be preparing to act, the Trump administration has asked federal agencies to identify all of the money they have not yet spent from the $2 trillion Cares Act, which passed in March, according to two people briefed on the effort. White House officials are trying to determine whether this money could be redirected and used for other purposes, such as temporary unemployment benefits or the eviction moratorium. (Werner, Demirjian and Stein, 8/5)
Stateline: As COVID-19 Tanks The Economy, Eviction Moratoriums Expire
It’s the beginning of the month, rent is due, the $600 in federal unemployment relief has lapsed and Congress seems far from agreeing on another coronavirus aid package. Meanwhile, the federal moratorium on evictions has ended, and similar mandates in many cities and states have expired or soon will. This week, as pressure mounts on localities and protesters draw attention to a #CancelRent movement, President Donald Trump announced that he is considering a federal ban on evictions, which he said are “a big deal.” (Wiltz, 8/6)
In related news —
AP: Many More Likely Sought Jobless Aid Amid Resurgence Of Virus
With the nation still gripped by an alarming resurgence of coronavirus cases, the U.S. government will provide its latest snapshot Thursday of the layoffs that have remained elevated at a weekly pace above 1 million since the pandemic erupted in March. The rate of applications for unemployment benefits has stalled at roughly twice the record high that had existed before the virus sent the economy spiraling into a recession. With many states and localities having re-imposed lockdowns in response to the spreading virus, businesses face renewed struggles that have forced some to impose further job cuts or to shut down. (Wiseman, 8/6)
Los Angeles Times: California Legislative Leaders Seek To Delay Lifting Eviction Ban
California’s legislative leaders are asking the state’s Judicial Council for more time before renter evictions resume during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying they are facing “an impossible decision” between rushing legislation and leaving millions of tenants unprotected. Most evictions in the state were suspended in April after California courts stopped processing nearly all cases. Gov. Gavin Newsom gave the court system the power to stop evictions in an emergency order in late March, intended to allow “maximum flexibility” in responding to the pandemic. At the time, the Legislature was on an extended break to reduce the spread of coronavirus in the state Capitol. (Gutierrez, 8/5)
