Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
White House Acknowledges Jobless Aid Will Be $100 Less A Week Than Pledged
The Washington Post: White House Clarifies Limits Of Jobless Aid Plan As Talks With Congress Dim
President Trump’s senior aides acknowledged on Tuesday that they are providing less financial assistance for the unemployed than the president initially advertised amid mounting blowback from state officials of both parties. On Saturday, Trump approved an executive action that he claimed would provide an additional $400 per week in expanded unemployment benefits for Americans who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. By Tuesday, senior White House officials were saying publicly that the maneuver only guarantees an extra $300 per week for unemployed Americans — with states not required to add anything to their existing state benefit programs to qualify for the federal benefit. (Stein, Romm and Werner, 8/11)
The Hill: Democrats Shy From Leading Court Fight Over Trump Orders
President Trump and Democratic leaders both predict there will be lawsuits over this weekend’s executive orders sidestepping Congress on issues like payroll taxes and unemployment benefits, but congressional Democrats are unlikely to lead that charge. Democratic lawmakers aren’t rushing to court and will likely let state officials or private parties spearhead the legal challenges that could take months or even a year to resolve. (Bolton, 8/11)
Modern Healthcare: Trump's Payroll Tax Exec Order Deals Modest Blow To Safety Net
President Donald Trump's executive order that will defer employee payroll taxes until the end of the year will deliver only a modest blow to the already unstable Social Security program, financial experts said. Trump said deferring the 6.2% employee portion of the payroll tax would give workers who make less than $104,000 a year a temporary financial boost. The executive order only applies to the Social Security program and not the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust fund that pays for beneficiaries' hospital stays, experts said. (Kacik, 8/11)
The Hill: McConnell: Time To Restart Coronavirus Talks
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is calling for the Trump administration and congressional Democrats to restart negotiations on a fifth coronavirus deal after talks collapsed late last week. McConnell, during an interview with Fox News, said it was "time for everybody to get back to the table," though the GOP leader gave no indication that he would reach out to Democratic leaders himself. (Carney, 8/11)
CNN: With Congress Stalled, A Second Round Of Payments Won't Be Coming Anytime Soon
Don't expect a another stimulus check anytime soon. (Lobosco, 8/11)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
NBC News: GOP House Candidate Criticized For Selling 'COVID-19 Made In China' Mask
Nicholas Freitas, a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates who is running for Congress, is facing backlash after his campaign sold masks on his web site with "COVID-19 made in China" on them. The red mask was one in a three pack that the campaign sold for $15 on Freitas’ website. (Samuel, 8/11)
The Hill: Watchdog Calls For Probe Into Gohmert 'Disregarding Public Health Guidance' On COVID-19
A left-leaning anti-corruption watchdog called Tuesday for a probe into whether Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), who recently tested positive for COVID-19, was in violation of House rules for not complying with public health guidelines during the pandemic. In a letter sent to Omar Ashmawy, the chief counsel and staff director at the Office of Congressional Ethics, Accountable.US President Kyle Herrig argued that Gohmert’s actions, including his decision not to wear a mask in the Capitol, “put his staff, colleagues, and other House staff at risk.” (Brufke, 8/11)
The Hill: Massie Plans To Donate Plasma After Testing Positive For COVID-19 Antibodies
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said he is planning to donate plasma after recently testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies. The Kentucky Republican, speaking late last week on Glenn Beck's radio show, said he was tested for both the coronavirus and antibodies in late July and that the antibodies test came back positive, the Courier-Journal reported Tuesday. (Brufke, 8/11)
NBC News: Rep. Raul Ruiz, Congressman And Doctor, Takes Coronavirus Testing To Farmworkers
In the nation’s patchwork response to the pandemic, Democratic congressman and physician Raul Ruiz is helping fill a gap by taking coronavirus testing directly to farmworkers in the Coachella Valley of California. Wearing a yellow or blue plastic hospital gown, face shield, gloves and a mask, Ruiz has joined other medical professionals with Volunteers in Medicine and gone to schools, churches and trailer parks to administer COVID-19 tests to the workers. They often are anxious and fearful, but also eager for more information about the virus, Ruiz told NBC News. (Gamboa, 8/11)
