Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senate, White House Reach Agreement On $2T Stimulus Bill With Oversight Requirements Democrats Demanded
The New York Times: Congress And White House Strike Deal For $2 Trillion Stimulus Package
Senators and Trump administration officials reached an agreement early Wednesday on a sweeping, roughly $2 trillion stimulus measure to send direct payments and jobless benefits to individuals as well as money to states and businesses devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation, which is expected to be enacted within days, is the biggest fiscal stimulus package in modern American history, aimed at delivering critical financial support to businesses forced to shut their doors and relief to American families and hospitals. (Cochrane and Fandos, 3/25)
The Associated Press: Trump, Congress Agree On $2 Trillion Virus Rescue Bill
The unprecedented economic rescue package would give direct payments to most Americans, expand unemployment benefits and provide a $367 billion program for small businesses to keep making payroll while workers are forced to stay home. One of the last issues to close concerned $500 billion for guaranteed, subsidized loans to larger industries, including a fight over how generous to be with the airlines. Hospitals would get significant help as well. (Taylor, Mascaro and Lemire, 3/24)
Reuters: U.S. Congress, Negotiators Reach Deal On $2-Trillion Coronavirus Aid Package
The Senate will vote on the $2-trillion package later in the day and the House of Representatives is expected to follow suit soon after. “This is a wartime level of investment into our nation,” Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a speech announcing the pact after days of negotiations between Republican and Democratic lawmakers, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other top aides to President Donald Trump. (Cowan and Morgan, 3/24)
The Washington Post: Senate, White House Reach $2 Trillion Stimulus Deal To Blunt Coronavirus Fallout
As lawmakers neared a deal, the White House made a significant concession to Democrats’ demands, agreeing to allow enhanced scrutiny over the massive loan program that is a centerpiece of the Senate’s $2 trillion coronavirus economic package. This pertains to the $500 billion loan and loan guarantee program that the Treasury Department would be tasked with administering for companies, states and cities. Of that amount, $425 billion is supposed to go to businesses, cities and states. An additional $50 billion would go to passenger airlines, as well as $8 billion for cargo airlines, and $17 billion for firms that are deemed important to national security. (Werner, DeBonis, Kane and Stein, 3/25)
Los Angeles Times: Deal Reached On $2-Trillion Coronavirus Stimulus Bill — Largest By Far In U.S. History
House members have not returned from their scheduled recess, and remote voting is not allowed under House rules. Pelosi indicated Tuesday that the fastest way for the House to approve the Senate bill would be by unanimous consent, a tactic generally reserved for small, noncontroversial legislation. It requires the consent of all current 430 House members, meaning a single representative could object, as long as he or she is on the floor to do so. If that happens, Pelosi said she would probably need to call back the entire chamber for an in-person vote, a more time-consuming process that would also raise health risks and logistical challenges for members. It could also lead to potential changes to the legislation that would have to be reconciled with the Senate. (Wire, 3/24)
Politico: Negotiators Strike Deal On Massive Coronavirus Rescue Package
But Democratic and Republican leaders in the House don’t yet know whether it would be possible to muscle through a sweeping $2 trillion bill without a single objection from any of the chamber’s 435 lawmakers. In fact, the House GOP's whip team held a conference call Tuesday evening where they acknowledged that there's a strong possibility that a member will object to a unanimous consent agreement, according to a whip team source. But passing the rescue package by voice vote is another viable option and being discussed with the GOP conference, the source added. (Desiderio, Zanona and Ferris, 3/24)
The Wall Street Journal: White House Reaches Deal With Lawmakers On $2 Trillion Coronavirus Stimulus Bill
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he had spoken to President Trump about the agreement and that Mr. Trump would “absolutely” sign it as it is written today. “He’s very pleased with this legislation, and the impact that this is going to have,” Mr. Mnuchin said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said the bill had been “improved substantially” since Democrats joined the negotiations. “To all Americans I say: Help is on the way, big help and quick help,” Mr. Schumer said. (Jamerson and Duehren, 3/25)
The Hill: White House Pushing To Include Health Price Transparency In Coronavirus Package
The White House is pushing to include regulations requiring hospitals and insurers to disclose health care prices in a massive coronavirus stimulus package. The Trump administration is trying to codify regulations it issued in November that would require hospitals to post their prices online, while mandating insurers allow patients to compare costs and different providers. The administration views those regulations as key steps to increase health care price transparency and help consumers shop and drive prices down. (Sullivan, 3/24)
The Wall Street Journal: Global Stocks Surge As U.S. Clinches Stimulus Deal
U.S. futures rose, stock markets in Asia-Pacific and Europe gained and the dollar weakened as lawmakers in Washington and the Trump administration reached an agreement on an estimated $2 trillion stimulus package to limit the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average rose, suggesting U.S. shares are likely to gain when the market opens in New York. The WSJ Dollar Index declined about 0.5%, with currencies including the Australian dollar, New Zealand dollar and British pound strengthening against the greenback. (Yoon, 3/25)
The Hill: Democratic Leaders Forecast At Least Two More Coronavirus Relief Bills
Even as lawmakers in both chambers are racing this week to enact a massive coronavirus relief package — the third in as many weeks — House Democratic leaders are telling members to expect at least two more stimulus measures in the weeks and months ahead. On a marathon conference call with the House Democratic Caucus Tuesday afternoon, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told lawmakers there will likely be a fourth and fifth phase of pandemic relief, according to a source on the call. (Lillis and Wong, 3/24)
The Hill: Senate Eyes Quick Exit After Vote On Coronavirus Stimulus Package
Senators are floating a quick exit from Washington, D.C., after they pass a massive coronavirus stimulus bill that is being finalized Tuesday. The expectation among senators is that once the chamber passes the legislation, likely on Wednesday, they will not be in session for at least three weeks. (Carney, 3/24)
The Hill: Trump Triggers Congressional Debate With Comments On Reopening Economy
President Trump’s push to relax social-distancing restrictions and reopen businesses by Easter has ignited a fierce debate on Capitol Hill — and among people around the country — over whether aggressive efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic have been too draconian or not severe enough. The fight is mostly playing out along party lines, with pro-business Republicans desperate for American life to get back to normal. They argue the economic toll from the "Great Shutdown of 2020" will be far worse than the lives lost from the deadly virus. (Wong, 3/24)
Politico: The House Works From Home
As the outbreak threatens to overwhelm the nation, more than 400 House members are working to combat a mammoth crisis almost entirely from their living rooms — sometimes enduring the same daily indignities, like botched conference calls, that millions of other Americans are experiencing while working from home. “A lot of us are doing very different jobs than we did two weeks ago,” Slotkin added in an interview. (Ferris, 3/24)
