McConnell Vows Senate Will Work At ‘Warp Speed’ And Won’t Leave Washington Until Deal Is Passed

Politico: Senate GOP Crafting New Massive Coronavirus Package At 'Warp Speed'
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will work at "warp speed" to craft a massive new stimulus package to help Americans deal with the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis, vowing that senators "will not leave" Washington until it's done. And Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said Tuesday there is a "high level of interest" among Republicans for a Trump administration proposal to send as many as two $1,000 checks directly to individual Americans to help respond to the economic slowdown, a move that could cost an estimated $500 billion, according to GOP sources. (Bresnahan, Levine, Caygle and Sherman, 3/17)

The Hill: McConnell Wants GOP Deal On Third Coronavirus Bill Before Negotiating With Democrats 
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Republicans will work out a deal among themselves on a third coronavirus funding package before negotiating with Democrats. McConnell has established three working task forces with Senate Republicans to field ideas and work with the Treasury Department on the upcoming bill, which is expected to touch on workers, small businesses and industries affected by the pandemic. (Carney, 3/17)

NBC News: Senate Coronavirus Vote Delayed After Rand Paul Pushes Doomed Amendment
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would move at "warp speed" to pass coronavirus legislation Tuesday, but Sen. Rand Paul, his fellow Kentucky Republican, put a damper on those plans, two leadership sources told NBC News. Senators were heading toward a vote Tuesday on the package — which would include provisions for free coronavirus testing, secure paid emergency leave, enhance unemployment insurance, strengthen food security initiatives and increase federal Medicaid funding to states — but they had to slam on the brakes because of an amendment Paul proposed. (Tsirkin and Gregorian, 3/17)

The New York Times: Congress Is Knitting A Coronavirus Safety Net. It Already Has Big Holes.
Compromises in the legislation set to pass the Senate this week have ripped holes in that net, exposing millions of workers to financial risks that could push them to continue reporting to work — even on the front lines of the pandemic — and accelerate the infection rate nationwide. Democrats in Congress now say they will attempt to patch those holes by expanding a government-funded paid-leave benefit and making unemployment payments more generous for workers laid off as the economy rapidly shutters under government orders seeking to curb the virus. But that push will almost certainly have to wait for the next phase of the congressional response, an increasingly expensive fight that could meet resistance from business groups worried that the program could drive small companies out of existence by allowing critical workers to stay at home. (Tankersley and Cochrane, 3/17)

Politico: Democrats Say Mnuchin Squeezed Paid Sick Leave Program
Last-minute negotiations between Democratic leaders and the White House have downsized the scope of a paid leave program for workers affected by the coronavirus outbreak, angering some Democrats who see it as a major concession to the White House. The House on Monday night approved a slate of last-minute “technical” corrections to a sweeping aid package, paving the way for swift adoption by the Senate. But several Democrats and progressive advocates say changes pushed by the White House are actually significant revisions to the bill’s paid leave program, undermining one of their top priorities in the package. (Ferris, Cancryn and Caygle, 3/17)

Modern Healthcare: Schumer Grasps For Healthcare Win Under Pressure From NY Governor
Amid public pressure from New York's governor, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is positioning himself as a legislative champion for New York providers in the COVID-19 crisis. But he may be overstating his involvement, sources say. New York has the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. The state's Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pressuring the New York congressional delegation, including Schumer (D), to deliver resources back home. The first two aid packages Congress is considering have included little direct support to providers, and Cuomo said that funding will not meet the needs of his state's providers. (Cohrs, 3/17)

The New York Times: Congress Races To Respond While Defying Ban On Mass Gatherings
When Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin rushed to the Capitol on Tuesday to pitch Senate Republicans on a $1 trillion coronavirus relief package, the chamber had already moved into crisis mode as lawmakers confronted a growing sense of urgency to act before much of the nation shuts down. Senate Democrats abandoned their weekly policy luncheon for a teleconference, while about four dozen Republicans, joined by Mr. Mnuchin, practiced social distancing by moving their lunch from their usual room in the Capitol that seats 80 to one across the street that seats 200. Instead of 10 senators at each table, there were five. The buffet line was dispensed with; gloved servers dished out tuna, egg salad and chicken. (Edmondson and Stolberg, 3/18)

The Associated Press: Amid Virus, Congress' Leaders Resist Call For Remote Voting
Congressional leaders are resisting calls to let lawmakers vote remotely, a dispute pitting the scourge of the coronavirus against two centuries of tradition that underscores Washington’s struggle to adapt to recommendations that evolve daily about how to handle the pandemic. Advocates of the voting change cite the health perils of air travel at a time when health experts want people to avoid crowds. They argue that as infections spread, it may become all but impossible for many lawmakers to journey to the Capitol because of the growing risk of getting the virus. (Fram and Daly, 3/18)

Politico: Democrats Look To Stave Off 'Blank Check' For Airlines
Democrats are pushing to place conditions on a $50 billion airline bailout the White House presented to Congress Tuesday, hoping to leverage protections for frontline employees such as flight attendants, gate agents and more — not just CEOs. The Trump administration is planning to move forward with an airline bailout as part of a massive economic stimulus package that Congress will start weighing this week. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was on Capitol Hill Tuesday at Senate Republicans’ weekly lunch to discuss specifics. (Mintz, 3/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Challenge For Policy Makers: Rescue Economy Without Fueling Populist Backlash
As Washington rushes to aid airlines and other sectors crushed by the pandemic crisis, politicians face the challenge of saving the economy without unleashing the backlash that accompanied the last such rescue operation in 2008. Economists and policy makers say the massive bank and auto bailouts of that time were vital in preventing the Great Financial Crisis from turning into a 21st century Great Depression. (Schlesinger and Hilsenrath, 3/17)

The New York Times: M.T.A., Citing Huge Drop In Riders, Seeks $4 Billion Virus Bailout
New York City’s public transportation system, the largest in North America, is seeking a $4 billion federal bailout as the coronavirus pandemic has triggered an extraordinary free fall in ridership and left transit officials facing what is likely to be the worst economic crisis in decades. In a letter on Tuesday to New York’s Congressional delegation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — which runs the subway, buses and two commuter rails — said ridership had plunged 60 percent on the subway and 49 percent on buses on Monday compared with the same day last year. (Goldbaum, 3/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Hotels Seek $150 Billion In Aid As Travel Plummets
The U.S. hotel industry asked the Trump administration for a $150 billion bailout Tuesday, joining the growing ranks of businesses appealing to the federal government to stave off insolvency after getting hammered by the fallout of the coronavirus. In a White House meeting with Mr. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, hotel industry groups requested a massive cash infusion—$100 billion to retain workers and $50 billion to service debt—as they warned that half the hotels in the country could close this year. (Mann and Sider, 3/17)

The Associated Press: Airbnb, Hotels Seek US Government Aid As Demand Flattens
U.S. hotel companies are seeking $150 billion in direct aid for their workers for what they say is an unprecedented fall-off in demand because of the new coronavirus. CEOs of Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and other chains met Tuesday with President Donald Trump to describe the impact and seek help. (Durbin, 3/17)

Stateline: Coronavirus Pandemic Prompts Lawmakers To Push Paid Leave
Some Democratic state lawmakers, like their congressional counterparts, are redoubling their efforts to pass paid leave legislation, arguing that the spread of the novel coronavirus proves that workers must be able to stay home without losing pay when they’re sick, quarantined or caring for a family member. (Quinton, 3/18)