Weekly Update: 4/27/20

Weekly Update: 4/27/20

California

California cities are anticipating a near $7 billion collective revenue shortfall over the next two fiscal years due to the coronavirus pandemic, an estimate that could grow substantially if stay-at-home orders extend through the summer” (Politico). 

In a letter to Speaker Anthony Rendon, Assemblyman Bill Quirk argued for remote voting, stating that "failure to make accommodations for legislators who are over 65 years old, pregnant, immunocompromised, or care for children or loved ones who are at risk or otherwise vulnerable, raises serious concerns around democracy, representation, and equity,'' according to a letter obtained by POLITICO….

President and Administration

The Trump administration will impose limits on how much individual banks can lend under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) due to the program's high demand among businesses seeking relief from effects of the coronavirus pandemic….

On Sunday, 4/26, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, said that some form of social distancing will probably remain in place through the summer….

Tens of millions of pounds of American-grown produce is rotting in fields as food banks across the country scramble to meet a massive surge in demand, a two-pronged disaster that has deprived farmers of billions of dollars in revenue while millions of newly jobless Americans struggle to feed their families (Politico). 

The Trump administration is facing a lawsuit filed Friday, 4/25, over a provision in the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package that denies stimulus checks to more than 1 million U.S. citizens married to undocumented immigrants…

Education

There has been talk amongst the nation’s colleges concerning the possibility of an online fall semester….

Congressional Democrats say Education Secretary Betsy DeVos exceeded her authority under the economic rescue law when she excluded undocumented college students from an emergency aid program meant to cover expenses like food, housing and child care…

 In addition to the $12.2 billion coronavirus-related stimulus funding that went to higher education institutions, the CARES Act allocates approximately $1.05 billion in emergency aid to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs)….

More than 50 education and related national associations are supporting new legislation that calls for an additional $2 billion in emergency funding to help students without high-speed internet access continue learning from home during the coronavirus pandemic…

Congress

GOP senators say they expect to return to Washington, D.C. next week, after taking a five-week absence due to the spread of the novel coronavirus…

Lawmakers are clashing over a potential fifth coronavirus relief bill, raising early questions about how quickly Congress will be able to reach an agreement…

The CARES Act, and its similarly rushed companion bills, has fueled rising angst for lawmakers….

Rumor has it that the House is working on the FY’21 appropriations bills and that the Energy and Water bill maybe one of the first to be marked up and could be released the first week in May….

Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris (CA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) introduced a bill with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Thursday that would expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits…

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is planning to push for a provision in the next coronavirus package that would stop President Donald Trump from putting his name on any additional stimulus checks…

Weekly Update: 4/20/20

Weekly Update: 4/20/20

California

The CA Assembly is meeting today to try and exercise oversight over the Newsom administration's coronavirus spending

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Saturday, 4/18,that California had procured nearly 11,000 rooms for the homeless, more than 4,000 of which were occupied — figures that Newsom trumpeted as signs of progress in the FEMA-subsidized “Project Roomkey” quest to get the most vulnerable off the streets and into shelter….

Over the weekend, over 100 protestors in Huntington Beach and over 200 protestors in San Diego marched against California stay-at-home rules, demanding businesses, parks, and schools reopen….

On Friday, 4/17, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced that Bay Area residents must wear face coverings in public, which will apply to people riding transit, working at essential businesses, doing construction, grocery shopping, standing in line at a store or doing anything else that puts them near others.

Mayor Eric Garcetti warned yesterday in his State of the City address that the economic downturn facing Los Angeles will be more painful than the 2008 recession, requiring cuts to government programs and the furlough of thousands of city employees….

The University of California spent $588 million in unanticipated costs arising from the coronavirus pandemic in March alone….

President and Administration

President Donald Trump's new guidelines for reopening parts of the country recommend states and localities confirm a two-week downward trend in coronavirus symptoms and documented cases before starting to ease lockdowns while assuring hospitals have adequate capacity and robust testing in place….

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is exploring the early missteps inherent in launching a multi trillion-dollar law that touches every facet of American life….

DACA supporters are arguing that the Supreme Court should consider Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients’ contributions to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic when deciding whether the Trump administration decision to wind down the Obama-era program is legal….

The Education Department says just $6 million of $6.28 billion in emergency aid aimed at college students has reached campuses so far, and officials are trading accusations with college leaders over the slow pace of a rollout that's left students waiting for help. The department is placing blame on colleges, accusing college leaders of “dragging their feet” in submitting applications for money allocated in the $2 trillion economic rescue package…

Daniel Domenech, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, said school leaders appreciate the deference to state and local leadership in the guidelines Trump announced on Thursday, 4/16….

Congress

Congress this week is expected to approve a package to refresh the Paycheck Protection Program while sending $75 billion to hospitals and setting aside $25 billion for testing. Republicans have resisted Democrats’ efforts to send money to states and localities”….

“The National Restaurant Association is sending a letter to top Republican and Democratic lawmakers this morning calling for Congress to create a dedicated recovery fund for the restaurant industry….

Weekly Update: 4/13/20

Weekly Update: 3/13/20

CA

“If the country’s most popular coronavirus model proves accurate, California will reach the peak of its outbreak this Wednesday, on what would have been tax day if the pandemic hadn’t uprooted nearly all of the United States’ social and financial structures” (SF Chronicle). 

California's insurance commissioner is ordering insurance companies to give consumers and businesses a break on premiums they paid in March and April and to do the same in May if stay-at-home orders continue….

Some California school districts and teacher unions are still negotiating over distance learning more than a week after Governor Gavin Newsom pushed for a statewide labor and management agreement intended to resolve conflicts and accelerate at-home learning….

Governor Gavin Newsom is warning that is budget proposed in January, before the epidemic worsened, is no longer realistic. He cautioned, "The January budget is no longer operable … The world has radically changed since the January budget was proposed."

President and Administration

The Trump administration has decided to hold off on stricter work requirements for adults without children during the national emergency….

All 50 states are under a major disaster declaration for the first time in U.S. history, after President Trump approved Wyoming’s declaration on Saturday, 4/11…

Parts of the U.S. may be ready in May to ease emergency measures taken against the coronavirus pandemic but there’s no universal “light switch” to flip on, Dr. Anthony Fauci , Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, explained, warning that there’s also the possibility of a COVID-19 rebound in the fall which could be a factor in November’s elections….

Last evening President Trump retweeted a message calling for NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci to be fired. This marks the latest sign of apparent tension between the two men amid the coronavirus pandemic….

A trio of public health and medical professionals making the rounds on the Sunday morning news shows, 4/12, called for President Donald Trump not to defund the World Health Organization as the administration weighs punitive measures on the public health organization….

There are 70 coronavirus vaccines in development globally, with three candidates already in human trials….

The Federal Reserve on Thursday, 4/9, took additional actions to provide up to $2.3 trillion in loans to support the economy….

The Supreme Court is adapting to the threat of the coronavirus by taking the unprecedented step of holding arguments via telephone in some cases originally set to be argued this term….

Congress

On Friday Senate Minority Leader Schumer called for opening negotiations after his conversation with Secretary Mnuchin. "There's no reason why we can't come to a bipartisan agreement by early next week," Schumer said….

On Friday 4/10, Senators Chris Murphy (D-CN) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) introduced legislation that would require President Trump to appoint a global health coordinate and create an inter-agency council charged with preparing for pandemics….

Congress has created a one-time coronavirus rebate payment system in order to help people financially struggling due to unemployment and social distancing restrictions….

Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), a member of GOP leadership, said that the Senate is “unlikely” to stick to its plans for a late-April return…

House Democrats are laying the groundwork for quick action on FY’21 appropriation bills….

2020 Candidates

Bernie Sanders is suspending his 2020 presidential campaign, ceding the Democratic nomination to Joe Biden after a string of losses last month crippled his campaign….

Weekly Update: 4/6/20

Weekly Update: 4/6/20

California

The California Legislature will delay their return to the Capitol until May, citing guidance from Gov. Gavin Newsom and health officials who have urged continued vigilance (Politico).

:Newsom has already said this year will see a keep-the-lights-on budget in and he affirmed this week that a widely watched push to insure older undocumented immigrants is likely off for the year, in noting that reeling local governments have implored the state to “not impose upon them any mandate or dictate on high unless we are prepared to backfill”.... 

Hundreds of San Diego city employees are staying home today under what’s effectively a mayor-ordered unpaid furlough (Politico).

This Thursday, 4/9, Rep. Swalwell will be joined by Colleen Chawla, Director of the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, for a Facebook Live Q&A on the coronavirus….

President and Administration

The Trump Administration is compiling list of requests from government agencies totaling roughly $600 billion that includes additional state aid and financial assistance for mortgage markets and the travel industries….

“The IRS faces a major test of its resources this month, with the agency expected to start distributing stimulus payments to individuals and families under the third coronavirus-response package….

A prestigious scientific panel told the White House last week that research shows coronavirus can be spread not just by sneezes or coughs, but also just by talking, or possibly even just breathing….

The small business lending program got off to a rocky start on Friday, 4/4, as banks scrambled to figure out how to process a rush of eager applicants based on guidelines the Trump administration published just hours earlier….

Trump held a conference call with top officials from several professional sports leagues Saturday as organizations race to reschedule games and tournaments over the outbreak….

The Trump administration's fiscal 2021 budget request would result in $5.4 trillion larger deficits over the next decade than the White House originally estimated, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis released Monday, 3/30….

The Trump administration on Tuesday, 3/31, rolled back an Obama-era law that pushes automakers to produce more fuel efficient vehicles, severely limiting a rule designed to decrease pollution from transportation in the face of climate change….

Education

Secretary Devos said in the daily White House Coronavirus Task Force press briefing on 3/27 that they are working with Congress on solutions to help students and teachers during this crisis…. 

On Wednesday, 4/1, Secretary DeVos proposed new rules to govern distance learning for higher education students….

The Education Department rolled out additional guidance to help colleges and universities navigate potential changes in federal student aid eligibility amid the coronavirus….

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced today new flexibilities for career and technical education (CTE) leaders who are required to submit their local CTE plan for FY 2020-2023 under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education Act for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) by April 15, 2020….

Congress

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said in a letter to fellow House lawmakers on Saturday, 4/4, that she wants to bring a fourth coronavirus relief package to the floor by the end of this month….

An effort to repeal the limit on State and Local Taxes (SALT) is gaining steam as Congress considers Phase 4 Stimulus. The Speaker (who is proposing retroactive rollback), as well as others from states experiencing significant COVID-19 impact are behind the effort.

In a letter to congressional leaders, senators expressed ‘disappointment with the lack of funding dedicated for distance learning’ in the recently signed $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package, H.R. 748, as battle lines over a potential Phase 4 stimulus take shape….

Elections

With no campaign events to headline and the public’s attention consumed by the pandemic, Joe Biden is struggling to stay relevant and acknowledging frustration at being on the sidelines of a national crisis….

Weekly Update: 3/30/20

Weekly Update: 3/30/20

Coronavirus

California officials are warning that the number of coronavirus cases will spike in the coming weeks….

Patients who have tested negative for COVID-19 will begin transferring to the Navy hospital ship Mercy, which docked at the Port of Los Angeles on Friday, 3/27….

Governor Newsom has requested from the federal government more hospital beds, ventilators, and testing as the state braces for a surge of new patients. Newsom noted he received more than 150 broken ventilators from the feds and enlisted Bloom Energy to fix them.

President Trump on Friday, 3/27, signed the “Phase 3” $2 trillion emergency spending bill into law, promising to deliver a tidal wave of cash to individual Americans, businesses and health care facilities all reeling from the coronavirus pandemic….

President Trump, on Sunday, 3/29, announced that the White House will keep its guidelines for social distancing in place through April 30 to try to blunt the spread of the coronavirus….

Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the disease experts of the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force, said that COVID-19 could infect millions of people in the United States and account for more than 100,000 deaths….

The U.S. now has more confirmed coronavirus cases than any other nation, and the number is growing more rapidly than anywhere else. The number of confirmed cases has grown by almost 20,000 per day in the last three days alone….

On Sunday, 3/29, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, which are malaria drugs championed by President Donald Trump for coronavirus treatment….

House Minority Leader Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said that a fourth stimulus bill may not be necessary to help the economy impacted by the coronavirus pandemic….

Govtrack.us offers a “COVID-19 in Congress” resource that includes information on current legislative actions, affected legislators of the coronavirus, and office closures….

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory on Saturday, 3/28, for the New York tri-state area. The advisory was posted after Trump said he was considering a short-term quarantine of “hot spots” in part of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The Seattle area is seeing evidence that strict containment strategies are beginning to slow of the coronavirus’s spread….

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New Yorkers who violate orders from police to disperse public gatherings will be fined up to $500 amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is calling for an immediate nationwide stat-at-home order to contain the coronavirus, saying the main mistake that leaders can make in a pandemic is “going to slow.”

The U.S economy saw the American Consumer Confidence’s sharpest drop since the Great Recession in 2008. This comes as another warning sign of how hard the coronavirus crisis may impact the economy

The U.S Department of Education has released a frequently-asked-questions document related to implementing performance accountability provisions under title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act as State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies seek to provide continuity of operations for individuals with disabilities in the COVID-19 environment….

Some medical schools are graduating students early in order to get them to work sooner to combat the COVID-19 pandemic….

A strike by Instacart workers may happen as grocery delivery workers are worried about their safety in response to the coronavirus outbreak and the surge in demand for online groceries….

President and Administration

A federal judge on Friday, 3/27, upheld the Trump administration’s decision to repeal a rule that established standards for hydraulic fracking on federal land….

Education

Mark Rocha, the chancellor of the City College of San Francisco, resigned Thursday 3/26…..

Inside Higher Ed has published a report that informs the shift of why students are going to college, the perception of proficiency in career-readiness competencies, how to measure the skill gap, vital experiences for college graduates, and what public colleges, community colleges, and private colleges should focus on for the mindfulness efforts.