Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
National Guard's Pandemic Aid To States Extended But At Higher Cost
Politico: Trump Extends National Guard Virus Mission Through 2020 But Cuts Federal Funds By Quarter
President Donald Trump has extended the federal deployment of nearly 25,000 National Guard members detailed to coronavirus relief efforts until the end of 2020, but ordered states to start picking up 25 percent of the tab — millions per month at a time states are struggling financially. Though many states are reporting record cases and hospitalizations amid a resurgence of the virus, the memorandum released Monday night says the decrease in financial support comes "as the United States transitions to a period of increased economic activity and recovery in those areas of the Nation where the threat posed by COVID-19 has been sufficiently mitigated." (Miranda Ollstein, 8/3)
The Hill: Trump Authorizes Reduced Funding For National Guard Coronavirus Response Through 2020
The White House issued a memo to the secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security that the federal funding will extend through the end of 2020. The move comes as governors in both parties were pleading with the administration to extend the National Guard assistance, warning that a lapse in funding could jeopardize the pandemic response. The memo indicates that the federal government will no longer cover 100 percent for states' use of National Guard forces for the COVID-19 response once the existing authorization expires on Aug. 21. (Samuels, 8/3)
In other White House news —
Politico: As Trump Downplays Covid-19 Testing, White House Begins Requiring It - POLITICO
As President Donald Trump continues to downplay the need for increased Covid-19 testing across the country, White House officials were told on Monday they will now be subjected to random testing for the virus. According to an email sent to executive branch employees, which POLITICO obtained, the new policy will require “random mandatory Covid-19 testing” for officials working inside the White House complex. Limited exceptions are available to aides who have spent the last 30 days working remotely or are on previously approved leave. (Orr, 8/3)
The Hill: White House Sued Over Lack Of Sign Language Interpreters At Coronavirus Briefings
A major organization representing deaf Americans and a group of deaf individuals are suing the White House over the lack of a sign language interpreter at the administration's COVID-19 briefings. CNN first reported the lawsuit, which was filed in district court in Washington, D.C., and accuses the Trump administration of a First Amendment violation. Plaintiffs argue that the captions carried on video of the events lack details that would be conveyed by a sign language interpreter. (Bowden, 8/3)
