Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lawmakers Point Fingers About Political Posturing As Impasse Over Small Business Funds Jams Congressional Efforts
The New York Times: Stalemate Over Small-Business Aid Deepens As Officials Warn Of Funding Lapse
A stalemate over an emergency infusion of cash to help small businesses battered by the coronavirus pandemic intensified on Monday after Democratic leaders doubled down on demands for additional money for state and local governments, hospitals, food assistance and rapid testing. With Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, insisting on adding to the Trump administration’s request to inject $250 billion into the loan program, it is unclear whether lawmakers can reach a consensus this week even as officials warn that the program could run out of funds as early as Friday. (Cochrane, 4/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Negotiations Over New Coronavirus Aid Stall
Both parties want to add $250 billion to a popular fund for small-business loans, which the administration estimates will run out of money on Friday. Democratic leaders and President Trump have sounded hopeful about reaching a deal this week, but had little progress to report on Monday. Meanwhile, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) said Monday that the House wouldn’t reconvene until May 4, several weeks after the original planned date of return, due to the coronavirus. Lawmakers could return sooner, should they be needed to assemble a quorum to pass legislation related to the government’s response to the pandemic, Mr. Hoyer’s office said. (Peterson and Duehren, 4/13)
Los Angeles Times: California Small Business Is Stymied On Coronavirus Relief
Restaurants. Shoe stores. Dog groomers. Dry cleaners. An estimated 30 million small businesses serve customers throughout the U.S. — or did, before the coronavirus pandemic forced many to close their doors. Now they are desperate for cash and struggling with a balky rescue program. In an attempt to prevent economic implosion in the face of massive unemployment, Congress has authorized $350 billion in loans to small businesses. That includes the Paycheck Protection Program of forgivable loans to small businesses that agree not to lay off workers for eight weeks. (Mitchell, 4/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Small-Business Funding Dispute Challenges Community Lenders
Entrepreneurs in the mountain communities surrounding Asheville, N.C., can’t always get the money they need from a bank. That’s where Matthew Raker and his team come in. Mr. Raker is the executive director of Mountain BizWorks, a nonprofit loan fund focused on lending to small businesses that typically have trouble securing loans through traditional financial institutions. Many of the 350 small businesses he works with are led by women, minorities or people from rural areas. (Omeokwe, 4/14)
The Associated Press: Relief Money Is Coming - For Some. Here's What To Know.
Americans are beginning to see the first economic impact payments hit their bank accounts. The IRS tweeted Saturday that it had begun depositing the funds into taxpayers’ bank accounts and would be working to get them out as fast as possible. The one-time payments were approved by Congress as part of an emergency relief package intended to combat the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. (Skidmore Sell, 4/13)
The Hill: More Than 180 Groups Urge Congress To Pass $500 Billion In Unrestricted Aid To State, Local Governments
More than 180 organizations across the country urged Congress to pass $500 billion in unrestricted aid to state, territory and local governments in a letter sent Monday. The Economic Policy Institute, among other organizations, sent the letter to leadership in the House and Senate. The letter says the first three coronavirus stimulus bills “included vital resources” but fell “far short of what is needed to hold state, local, territorial, and tribal budgets harmless against the enormity of the crisis.” (Coleman, 4/13)
Politico: Rural Hospitals Shut Out Of Stimulus Loans Face Financial Crisis
Government-owned hospitals were shut out of the coronavirus rescue package’s loan program, putting some of the most financially vulnerable rural health care systems in danger of running out of money just as the virus hits the heartland. Dozens of Republican and Democratic lawmakers are now pleading with the Trump administration to make an exception for rural health providers or for a legislative fix. Without one, they’re warning the industry could tumble into further financial turmoil. (Roubein, 4/14)
The Hill: Warren Wants Paid Sick Leave, 'Premium Pay' For Essential Workers In Next Coronavirus Bill
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is pushing for universal paid sick leave and "premium pay" for essential workers as part of Congress's fourth coronavirus aid bill. Warren and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Monday unveiled an "Essential Workers Bill of Rights," which outlined nearly a dozen of their policy priorities as lawmakers begin to consider next legislative steps as the number of coronavirus cases within the United States continues to grow. (Carney, 4/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Politicians Push Insurers To Resolve Mounting Disputes Over Covid-19 Losses
Insurers are starting to take heat in Washington, D.C., over denials of claims for business income losses tied to government-ordered shutdowns. In a letter Monday viewed by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) asked insurance chief executives to justify refusals to pay out on “business interruption” and related coverages in policies held by small and midsize businesses. (Scism, 4/13)
The Hill: House Delays Expected Return Until May Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
The House is not expected to convene until at least May 4, delaying a return originally planned for next week as stay-at-home orders remain in place across the nation. Lawmakers had grown increasingly skeptical that the House could convene by the originally planned date of April 20, given that federal health guidelines for social distancing are still in place until at least the end of the month. (Marcos, 4/13)
The Hill: Senate Committee To Investigate Origin Of, Response To Coronavirus Pandemic
The chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said Monday that his panel plans to investigate the coronavirus epidemic's origins as well as the responses from the U.S. government and World Health Organization (WHO). Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) told Politico on Monday that the investigation would cover all aspects of the coronavirus pandemic, including criticism of the WHO and unfounded allegations of the virus's supposed origin in a Chinese lab. (Bowden, 4/13)
Modern Healthcare: Senate Dems Want COVID-19 Hotspots To Get Rest Of $100 Billion Fund
The Senate's Democratic healthcare leaders asked HHS Secretary Alex Azar on Tuesday to make sure the remaining funds from Congress' $100 billion provider relief fund are targeted to places hardest hit by COVID-19. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senate health committee ranking member Patty Murray of Washington, and Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden of Oregon asked Azar to account for the "significant geographic variation in the severity and duration of the COVID-19" in the second round of funds disbursed from the provider relief fund created in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. (Cohrs, 4/14)
Kaiser Health News Fact Check: Sanders: In Coronavirus Relief Effort, Congress Fell Short On Paid Sick Leave
The pressure is building for Congress to pass a fourth coronavirus relief bill, beyond the roughly $2.2 trillion already approved to keep people and businesses viable during an unprecedented viral attack. And Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is making his case for what a supplemental rescue package should include ― guaranteed paid sick leave. “It has been estimated that only 12% of workers in businesses that are likely to stay open during this crisis are receiving paid sick leave benefits as a result of the second coronavirus relief package,” Sanders argued in an op-ed published April 8 in The Guardian, just hours before he suspended his presidential campaign. (Luthra, 4/13)
ABC News: Postal Service Says It's Going Broke Due To Pandemic, Trump Flatly Opposes Emergency Aid
The already-ailing United States Postal Service is being financially crippled by the coronavirus pandemic, its top official says, but the Trump administration has shown no signs it will ask for emergency financial aid as it has for big businesses. In a digital briefing before the House Oversight Committee last week, Postmaster General Megan Brennan told lawmakers that the agency would "run out of cash" by the end of the fiscal year in September without help from Congress and the administration, in part due to extreme losses being suffered as a result of COVID-19. (Pecorin, 4/13)
