Weekly Update: 3/23/20

Weekly Update: 3/23/20

Coronavirus

California: 

President Donald Trump agreed last night, 3/22, to unlock more federal funding for food stamps, mental health care and unemployment insurance by declaring a major disaster for California at the request of Gov. Gavin Newsom...

Gov. Newsom confirmed on Saturday, 3/21, that he'd enlisted some captains of tech to provide masks and manufacture ventilators, part of what Newsom called an outpouring of offers to help — from the private sector to colleges offering space (Politico). 

Local governments were nervously eyeing a weekend influx of confined Californians escaping to beaches and parks...

Newsom's office released some guidance about how to comply with the new orders, including more info about what businesses count as essential and an explanation that the statewide order does not override stricter local rules….

Newsom said Saturday, 3/21: “If you need to go outside to get some exercise, do that, but don’t do that in a group setting. If you see a busy street, don’t run down that street. Again, use common sense. You want to take a walk with your dog, take a walk with your dog — just don’t do it with five or six neighbors.” (LA Times)

Newsom wrote in a letter to the state Senate and Assembly budget committee chairs that $30 million is being spent to secure Seton Medical Center in the San Francisco area and St. Vincent Medical Center in the Los Angeles area for three months…

Officials confirmed the first coronavirus case in California’s prison system last night, involving an inmate and said at least five employees have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19….

“President Trump suggested that he might lift restrictions intended to prevent the spread of coronavirus if the economic pain from the measures becomes too great, tweeting at midnight that ‘we cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself’…

President Trump announced Friday, 3/21, that the U.S. and Mexico have agreed to temporarily close the border to nonessential travel to curb the spread of the coronavirus...

Senator Schumer (D-NY) said today, 3/23, that congressional leaders and Secretary Mnuchin would reach a deal on a massive coronavirus stimulus package sometime today, after Democrats late last night and again around noon today blocked the stimulus package from moving forward in the Senate….

Speaker Pelosi said that House Democrats would forge ahead with previous plans to introduce their own stimulus legislation, although the next COVID-19 package is most likely to come from the Senate since they are in DC….

Sen. Rand Paul is under quarantine and will miss votes after testing positive for the new coronavirus but is “feeling fine,” the Kentucky Republican’s office announced yesterday, 3/22, on Twitter….

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced today, 3/23, that her husband has tested positive for coronavirus and is being treated at the hospital….

A growing number of lawmakers are pleading for Congress to start working — and voting — from home as millions of Americans are ordered to shelter in place to halt the spread of the coronavirus...

The U.S. Census Bureau is delaying the deadline for counting everyone in the U.S. by two weeks because of the spreading novel coronavirus, officials said Friday, 3/20….

House Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) are pushing congressional negotiators to cancel student debt to help borrowers adversely affected by the coronavirus, or COVID-19….

The Federal Reserve today, 3/23, announced new emergency measures to support the economy and ensure that credit flows to households and businesses as the country faces the prospect of a deep downturn from the coronavirus pandemic…. 

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy Devos announced the Department has released new information clarifying that federal law should not be used to prevent schools from offering distance learning opportunities to all students, including students with disabilities….

The Education Testing Service unveiled today a GRE and a TOEFEL that can be taken at home. These at-home solutions are identical in content, format, on-screen experience, scoring and pricing(Inside Higher Ed). 

Colleges and universities have their hands full dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, as they transition to online classes, close campuses and worrying about the health and housing of their students. But many are worried they may soon have to implement a controversial rule by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos that will change how institutions handle allegations of sexual assault and harassment, including a requirement the accused be able to cross-examine their accusers in a live hearing….

The child care industry called on Congress to include $50 billion in relief in its stimulus package to keep the sector afloat after the coronavirus pandemic has impacted daily attendance at facilities...

The Summer Olympics in Tokyo this summer were thrown into further question on Sunday as Canada and Australia announced that it would not send its athletes to the games if they are not postponed for a full year….

Anheuser-Busch, which has been making beer for 165 years, is now going to produce bottles of hand sanitizer at its Van Nuys and Baldwinsville, N.Y. facilities in addition to suds, in response to shortages spurred by the novel coronavirus pandemic….

Congress

California Democratic Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) is in critical condition after being hospitalized for pneumonia, his office announced Saturday, 3/21….

2020 Elections

Bernie Sanders has won the Democrats Abroad Primary, netting a handful of delegates. Sanders won 58 percent of the vote, which included 40,000 Americans living abroad, which will also award Sanders nine delegates to the national convention over the summer (Politico).

North Carolina election officials are postponing the May 12 Republican primary runoff in retiring GOP Rep. Mark Meadows’ district until June 23, citing concerns about the new coronavirus….

Weekly Update: 3/16/20

Weekly Update: 3/16/20

 Coronavirus

President Donald Trump released guidelines today instructing Americans to avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people for the next 15 days to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, saying the outbreak could last into July or August….

The White House aims to deploy at least $800 billion in aid in the coming weeks to prop up the U.S. economy, as retailers, restaurants, sporting events and other businesses shut down and Americans slow their spending while staying home to guard against the coronavirus pandemic….

A House-passed $8.3 billion House coronavirus package negotiated between Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is now close to being finalized for Senate action later this after canceling its recess….

Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities…. 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released tips for social distancing, quarantine, and isolation during an infectious disease outbreak including typical reactions to stressful situations and practical ways to cope and relax….

In a hearing on Thursday, 3/12, Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) showed federal health officials what it costs to get tested for coronavirus if you don't have insurance, and showed CDC Director Robert Redfield that he has the authority to make those tests free….

While a commercial coronavirus vaccine is likely more than a year away, the first human trial, which started today, 3/16, in the Seattle area, is advancing at an unheard of pace for medical research…

Sen. Mitt Romney(R-UT) today, 3/16, proposed sending out a $1,000 check to every American adult to help deal with the increasingly painful economic fallout of the coronavirus….

President and Administration

U.S. Census Bureau officials said on Sunday, 3/15, that they were taking new steps to make sure that college students displaced from their dorms or off-campus housing because of the coronavirus would be counted as living at school, an important consideration for federal benefits for the regions around campuses….

The Supreme Court is postponing its next round of oral arguments, scheduled to begin today, 3/16, due to concerns over the coronavirus….

On Tuesday, 3/10, the Department of Labor issued a final rule under the authority of the National Apprenticeship Act (NAA) establishing a process for the DOL's Office of Apprenticeship (OA) Administrator (Administrator), or any person designated by the Administrator, to recognize qualified third-party entities, known as Standards Recognition Entities (SREs), which will, in turn, evaluate and recognize Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs).

Education

The Department of Education issued new resources that will assist education leaders in protecting student privacy and ensuring students with disabilities continue to receive services required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the event of school closures due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak…. 

The College Board announced today, 3/16, that it was canceling the SAT scheduled for May 2 and was exploring options to have students take AP exams at home "depending on the situation in May." The organization said that it is working to "provide future additional SAT testing opportunities for students as soon as feasible in place of canceled administrations."

Congress

The Senate canceled its planned recess for this week as Congress aims to pass a coronavirus response plan….

House Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA)today, 3/16, introduced a companion bill to legislation sponsored in the Senate by Sen….

2020 Candidates 

Former Vice President Joe Biden announced Sunday, 3/15, that he supports making public colleges and universities free for some students, shifting his higher education policy as he seeks to court progressives and young voters….

Weekly Update: 3/9/20

Weekly Update: 3/9/20

Coronavirus

President Trump on Friday, 3/5, signed a bill providing $8.3 billion in emergency funding to combat the coronavirus outbreak…. 

The Department of Education launched a COVID-19 (Coronavirus) information and resources web page for schools and school personnel… 

School closures stemming from the coronavirus have begun escalating in the United States, with the 24,000-student Northshore district in Washington state announcing Thursday, 3/5, that it will close and shift to online learning for up to 14 days….

President and Administration

President Trump on Thursday, 3/5, said his administration will begin withholding funding from self-described sanctuary cities after a federal court ruled on 2/26 that the Department of Justice (DOJ) could withhold funding from cities and states that refuse to cooperate with the Trump administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants….

Today, 3/9, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) introduced two new rules that are aimed at giving patients more secure access to and control over their health data… 

Education

The Secretary of Education announced six priorities for discretionary grant programs that the Secretary may use in fiscal year (FY) 2020….  

The Department of Education’s latest “Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA)” shows the number of students receiving special education services is on the rise…. 

The Department of Education announced opportunities for individuals to participate in the Department’s peer review process for reviewing applications for competitive grant funding….

On Monday 2/24, the Department’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced upgrades to StudentAid.gov, which now features new tools, providing students with detailed information about the grants and loans they have received and guiding them to a personalized recommendation for a loan repayment plan….

Congress

This week Congressional appropriations subcommittee begin their annual member days, which provided members and the public an opportunity to submit comments on appropriations priorities for the record….

Congressional leadership offices said there has been no change in the congressional schedule at this point, although numerous lawmakers are contacting party leaders with questions, concerns and suggestions for responding to the growing crisis….

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called for a host of measures to help the economy: paid sick leave, enhanced unemployment insurance, expanding SNAP and WIC, increase medical response systems, reimbursement for coronavirus health costs, protections for frontline workers and widespread testing….

2020 Candidates 

Although 102 national delegates are still to be awarded, on Super Tuesday Joe Biden won 10 states, including Texas, while Bernie Sanders won California. Since Tuesday, Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bloomberg have dropped out of the race, leaving Biden, Sanders and Tulsi Gabbard still in the running….

Weekly Update: 3/2/20

Weekly Update: 3/2/20

President and Administration

The Administration has released a chart outlining the plan to transfer $136 million from HHS programs to address the coronavirus crisis… 

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday, 2/26, that the Trump administration can withhold millions of dollars from law enforcement agencies in states and cities that do not cooperate with U.S. immigration authorities… 

On Friday, 2/28, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in San Francisco by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the Sierra Club… 

The Supreme Court today, 3/2, said it will take up a Republican challenge to Obamacare, in a move that boosts Democrats who want to highlight the lawsuit’s threat to health care coverage during campaign season…

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow, 3/3, in a case about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that could leave Congress with a big mess to clean up with the agency that was a key response to the 2008 financial crisis… 

Education

On Wednesday, 2/26, Secretary DeVos announced a new Title IX enforcement initiative, led by the Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), to combat the troubling rise of sexual assault in K-12 public schools… 

School districts are at the head of a cresting wave of litigation against JUUL and other e-cigarette manufacturers, seeking to recover the costs of prevention programs, counseling, and treatment for addicted students… 

Congress

On Friday, 2/28, the House, by a vote of 213-195, passed H.R. 2239, the “Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019,” legislation introduced by Rep. Pallone which would ban all characterizing e-cigarette flavors, allow FDA to collect user fees from all classes of tobacco products and increase the total amount of user fees collected by $100 million… 

On Tuesday, 3/3, the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “Reducing Child Poverty.”

On Wednesday, 3/4, the House Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Housing and Urban Development Department budget.

On Wednesday, 3/4, the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Education Department budget.

2020 Candidates

Tomorrow, 3/3, 14 states, including California, will vote on Super Tuesday on a Democratic presidential race that has largely been reset: Former Vice President Joe Biden is seeking to capitalize on his victory in the South Carolina primary over the weekend, while former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar both dropped out of the race, both endorsing Biden.

Weekly Update: 2/24/20

Weekly Update: 2/24/20

President and Administration

Today, 2/24, President Trump was offered a warm welcome during his first trip to India and announced that the U.S. and India would sign a defense deal for New Delhi to purchase more than $3 billion in American helicopters and other military equipment.

The Ad Council, which was behind the Smokey Bear and “Just Say No” campaigns for the U.S. government, is set to launch a national advertising promotion for postsecondary education and training alternatives to the four-year college degree….

Education

On Monday, 2/10, Secretary DeVos and senior officials from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice met with families from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting at the White House and launched the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse at SchoolSafety.gov….

Eight universities in California are embarking on an experiment to help students pay for college through public service….

Congress

On Wednesday, 2/13, the House approved a resolution to eliminate a deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.  The resolution would ban discrimination on the basis of sex and guarantee equality for women under the Constitution….

The House will vote this week on H.R.2339 - Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019, a bill aimed at reducing youth vaping rates by banning the sale of flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes….

In January, House Democrats presented the “Moving Forward Framework, a proposal to invest $760 billion over five years in the nation’s roads, bridges, transit systems, railways, airports, ports, inland waterways, wastewater and drinking water systems, brownfields, and broadband….

The President included an infrastructure proposal in his budget, released 2/4, and provides $1 trillion in direct Federal investment…. 

On Thursday, 2/27, the House Committee on Small Business Contracting and Infrastructure Subcommittee will hold a hearing entitled “Moving America’s Infrastructure Forward.”