Total U.S. coronavirus deaths reported each morning this week: (last Friday, 76,942), Monday 80,787, Tuesday 81,796. Wednesday 83,455

 

House Democrats HEROS Bill

Bill Text

section by section summary of bill

one pager on the legislation

State and Local Provisions

Democrats Ready Relief Vote: House Democrats proposed a $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill yesterday, combining aid to state and local governments with direct cash payments, expanded unemployment insurance, nationwide testing and contact tracing systems, and health insurance subsidies. While there’s little chance of the aid package gaining Senate approval and the president’s signature as written, passage in the Democratic-led House would give Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a marker to set down in negotiations with the Trump administration and Senate Republicans.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced plans to have the House vote on the legislation Friday, but members of the party’s liberal wing want to delay that because the bill may not go far enough to address their priorities. House Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) asked Pelosi in a letter yesterday for a meeting about “any amendments that might be needed to ensure that it truly reflects the priorities and the work of the entire caucus.” Read more from Erik Wasson and Laura Davison.

Democrats Forge Ahead With Remote Voting Plan: The House is also expected to hold a vote Friday to allow committees to debate legislation and vote remotely during national emergencies such as the current pandemic, despite the lack of a bipartisan agreement. The announcement yesterday by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) reflected party leaders’ impatience with the pace of negotiations to craft a bipartisan agreement on procedures to enable House members to vote remotely both in committee and on the floor. Read more from James Rowley.

GOP Reaction: The legislation has little chance of gaining the approval of President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans as it’s written, and is just the opening bid in negotiations. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the bill “aspirational” and Trump said last week he’s in “no rush” to get another aid package. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee ranking member Sam Graves (R-Mo.) said the bill was “dead on arrival,” adding “Bipartisan solutions are how we ensure our transportation sector workers can continue to move goods and people safely and get us back on the road to recovery.”

It may take until June before any new deal is struck. No formal negotiations have taken place since the last relief bill was passed, though Trump chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow has said he’s talking with lawmakers of both parties on priorities.

Transit Would Get $16B in House Bill: Public transportation systems would see about $16 billion in aid to respond to the pandemic in the latest coronavirus relief bill introduced by House Democrats.

Broken down, the bill (H.R. 6800) called the Heroes Act, would allocate $11.8 billion to urban areas with populations over three million, and $4 billion to transit agencies that require “significant additional assistance” and need to retain workers to keep up basic services.

Here are more transportation highlights:

• Multiple federal agencies would be required to create a national plan for aviation and communicable diseases. Airlines have recently struggled to provide passenger contact information to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who wants to be able to alert nearby passengers if a flyer is infected by the coronavirus.
• The Federal Highway Administration’s highway infrastructure programs would get $15 billion.
• Airlines couldn’t lay off employees until the aid they received under the third coronavirus aid package (Public Law 116-134) runs out.
• Amtrak passengers and employees wuld be required to wear masks.
• Domestic biofuel producers would get aid through a Renewable Fuel Reimbursement Program that offers 45 cents per gallon of gas, Ari Natter reports. The program is similar to Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit that lapsed at the end of 2011 and would be applicable for volumes produced between January and May. The bill would also provide lesser payments to biofuel producers “unable to produce” as determined by the Agriculture secretary.

The bill also includes funding for progressive priorities such as voting by mail and $25 billion for the troubled U.S. Postal Service to purchase personal protective equipment and sanitizing its facilities and delivery vehicles, Erik Wasson and Laura Davison reports.

 

Democrats Seek $3T Aid with Testing Funds: House Democrats proposed a $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill yesterday, combining aid to state and local governments with direct cash payments, expanded unemployment insurance, nationwide testing and contact tracing systems, and health insurance subsidies.

While there’s little chance of the aid package (H.R. 6800) gaining Senate approval and the president’s signature as written, passage in the Democratic-led House would give Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) a marker to set down in negotiations with the Trump administration and Senate Republicans. “Not acting is the most expensive course,” Pelosi said at the Capitol. “We face the biggest catastrophe in our nation’s history.”

Among its key provisions, the bill would create a contact tracing and disease surveillance workforce and bump billions more dollars into states’ Medicaid programs. It would give $75 billion to public health departments and workforce agencies to support expanding Covid-19 testing and create a contact tracing and surveillance system across the country. It would also increase Federal Medical Assistance Percentage payments to state Medicaid programs by 14% starting July 1 through June 30, 2021.

Other highlights include:

• $100 billion to the federal fund for health-care providers;
• Slashing interest rates to 1% for providers who took Medicare advance payments;
• Eliminating cost sharing for Covid-19 treatments for people in Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance, TRICARE and at Veterans Affairs facilities;
• Full subsidies for COBRA premiums for furloughed workers;
• Special enrollment periods for Obamacare and Medicare;
• A temporarily increase by 2.5% of Medicaid disproportionate share hospital allotments;
• Regular reporting to Congress on requests by states to the Strategic National Stockpile; and
• A requirement for drug manufacturers to report foreign drug manufacturing sites.

The bill is a follow-up to the $3 trillion Congress has already spent on four bills in response to the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has ground the world’s biggest economy to a halt.

Republicans aren’t the only hurdle for Pelosi. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced plans to have the House vote on the legislation on Friday, but members of the party’s liberal wing want to delay that because the bill may not go far enough to address their priorities.

House Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) asked Pelosi in a letter yesterday for a meeting about “any amendments that might be needed to ensure that it truly reflects the priorities and the work of the entire caucus.” Read more from Erik Wasson and Laura Davison.

 

Happening on the Hill

White House

• 11:00 am – In-House Pool Call Time
• 4:00 pm – Trump meets with Governor of Colorado and the Governor of North Dakota

Congress

• Senate to resume consideration of H.R. 6172, which would extend elements of the FISA Act
• 9:00 am – Fed Chair Jerome Powell may call for additional fiscal relief from lawmakers during a virtual event with the Peterson Institute for International Economics
• 9:30 am –  House meets in pro forma session
• 10:00am – Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hears from broadband company officials on the state of broadband during the coronavirus pandemic; G-50 Dirksen
• 2:30 pm – Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds hearing on nominations of ambassadors for Uganda, Burkina Faso, Estonia and Jordan; and Ramsey Coats Day to be asst. admin. of USAID
• 3:00 pm – Select subcommittee on the coronavirus holds first briefing on requirements to safely reopen economy; Remote hearing
• TBA – House Financial Services subcommittee set to hear from FDIC Chair Jelena McWilliams, Comptroller Joseph Otting and Fed Vice Chairman Randal Quarles on regulation in a remote hearing

 

SBA Program

If you’re looking for a real-time list of public companies who have received SBA Cares Act loans, AI Margaret rom Factsquared has been reading SEC 8-Ks as they’re filed.

https://factba.se/sba-loans

 

Reopening of the States

Coronavirus Oversight Panel to Focus on Reopening: A new House panel created to oversee coronavirus relief spending will focus its first briefing on requirements to safely reopen the American economy during the coronavirus pandemic. Among participants at the hearing today will be former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, one of the authors of a report released in late March by the conservative American Enterprise Institute, “National Coronavirus Response: A Road Map to Reopening.” Gottlieb served as head of the FDA under Trump until April of last year.

The 12-member committee is led by Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the No. 3 House Democrat. It was created on a party-line vote when lawmakers were in Washington last month to pass the most recent coronavirus aid package. There are seven Democrats and five Republicans on the panel. Republicans have warned they believe Democrats will use the committee for partisan attacks on Trump and his administration. Read more from Billy House.

Progressive Caucus Hearing on Testing, Tracing: The Congressional Progressive Caucus holds a virtual hearing at 2 p.m. on the need to scale up Covid-19 testing and contact tracing. Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) will lead the meeting, which will be livestreamed here.

Fauci Warns That Early Reopening May Kill More: Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease official, yesterday warned against reopening the economy too soon, telling the HELP Committee that communities doing so risk new coronavirus outbreaks. Fauci said at the committee hearing yesterday that he’s concerned about cities and states reopening without reaching “checkpoints” set by the White House in guidelines to help them decide when it’s safe. “I feel if that occurs, there is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you might not be able to control,” he said. “In fact, paradoxically, it will set you back.” Fauci’s call for caution would put him in conflict with Trump‘s race to reopen the country for business and ease restrictions that have crushed the economy. The checkpoints that Fauci cited call for a succession of steps toward a more gradual reopening, including a “downward trajectory” of documented cases and positive Covid-19 tests “within a 14-day period.” Laura Litvan and Justin Sink have more.

Reopening Has States Confronting Regional Divides: California is moving to open up the nation’s most populous state while its biggest cities are still facing tight restrictions — part of an approach to reopening that’s dividing urban and rural areas across the country. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) yesterday said the state would ease guidelines to allow curbside pickup at malls, the reopening of botanical gardens and even some dine-in restaurants as the coronavirus outbreak stabilizes. Some office spaces, where employees are unable to work remotely, m ay also reopen in a limited capacity.

Yet the signs of optimism came the same day the public health director of Los Angeles County — the state’s largest — told county supervisors that the area’s health orders would likely extend through July, offering a reminder that life is far from returning to normal. The San Francisco Bay area has tight limitations on business in place through the end of May, with county officials saying those would hold even after Newsom started easing curbs last week.

The divergence shows the challenge for government officials in navigating reopenings across states where more rural areas may be able to move quicker than densely populated regions that have been harder hit by the coronavirus. Governors from California to Virginia are taking steps to allow for a regionalized approach to balance keeping citizens safe and revitalizing local economies, at times leaving decisions to counties. Read more from Kurt Wagner.

 

Healthcare

Nursing Homes Against Seniors’ Groups: Nursing homes are taking on the nation’s senior citizens’ groups over whether to extend new liability protections to long-term facilities. Senate Republicans, with the backing of industry groups, want new liability shields to cover a host of health-care businesses, including hospitals, doctors’ practices, and nursing homes, as a way to encourage them to reopen their doors. The AARP, the nation’s largest nonprofit for seniors, pushed back on new liability shields in a letter to the Senate Judicia ry Committee. Read more from Alex Ruoff.

Meanwhile, health industry experts want more details about how nursing homes under lockdown to outsiders will be reopened, even as outbreaks continue to ravage the facilities. Reports that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is crafting guidelines and regulatory criteria that could let nursing homes allow visitors enter the facilities have prompted concerns about putting vulnerable residents in more danger. Read more from Tony Pugh.

Senate Panel Advances Virus Relief Spending Nominee: The Senate Banking Committee advanced the nomination of Brian Miller to be the special inspector general for pandemic recovery. The job is responsible for overseeing trillions of loans and grants that the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve will issue to airlines, defense companies and other corporations seeking liquidity following the economic fallout from the coronavirus. Democrats have questioned Miller’s ability to serve in the role, in light of his current post—as a White House lawyer during Trump’s impeachment, Laura Davison reports.

Trump’s Own Experts Shrug Off His ‘We’ve Prevailed’ Claim: A day after said “we’ve prevailed” in expanding testing enough to start reopening the U.S. economy, the president’s top health experts offered a more cautionary assessment as they warned about the perils of moving too quickly. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said yesterday at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, warning that Americans “need to stay vigilant with social distancing.”

That need was underscored by the fact that all of the witnesses and many of the lawmakers appeared by remote video from their homes or offices, in some cases in modified self-quarantine after exposure to the virus. Most of the discussion was about testing that still falls short and a vaccine that’s unlikely to arrive before 2021. Read more from Laura Litvan and Anna Edney.

Vaccine Trial for Children Mulled: Children may be included in clinical trials to determine if an experimental vaccine works, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn told the Senate panel yesterday. But any potential vaccine should only be tested on children once a candidate has shown promise in healthy adult volunteers, bioethicists say. Talk of a potential decision to test the unapproved vaccine in children comes as some Republicans, such as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called for reopening schools in the fall.

There are 125 vaccine candidates in development, including one developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the National institutes of Health that went to human trials in March. But this study, known as a phase I trial, only involves healthy, adult volunteers because it’s the first time scientists have introduced the experimental vaccine into the human body. Testing in children would only occur in future larger studies to determine if the vaccine meets the FDA’s approval standards. Jeannie Baumann has more.

Fauci, Redfield, Hahn Can Be at White House: Three top U.S. health officials will rejoin White House meetings, ending a period of isolation after an adviser to Vice President Mike Pence tested positive for coronavirus last week. Redfield, Hahn, and Fauci will participate in meetings as long as they remain asymptomatic and are wearing face masks, according to a joint statement issued yesterday. Read more from Josh Wingrove.

HHS Spends $645 Million on Face Coverings: The HHS is buying over half a billion dollars’ worth of cloth face coverings to “mitigate” the transmission of the coronavirus as stay-at-home orders are lifted, according to the contracts, which were awarded May 8. Contracts were awarded to Hanes Brands for $322 million; San Mar for $217 million; Parkdale Advanced Materials for $60 million; Beverly Knits for $43 million; America Knits for $1.68 million; and American Giant for $1.27 million. Read more from Shira Stein.

Drug Trials Miss Groups Hardest Hit: Black and Hispanic populations bearing the brunt of the pandemic are also woefully underrepresented in clinical trials for drugs, a new study found. The FDA has warned the lack of diversity in the large studies drug companies need to win approval means that research may miss how medications can affect some populations differently. Research released yesterday by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development found that women, blacks, and Hispanics participate in trials at rates below their sh are of the total U.S. population, Jeannie Baumann reports.

Premium Prices May Leave Millions Without Coverage: Nearly 6 million people who lost their jobs in recent months may have to pay the full cost of health coverage and could end up uninsured. That finding, released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the San Francisco-based health-care research organization, was based on unemployment figures of more than 31 million people who have filed claims between March 1 and May 20 as employers shut down and cut back hours due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The finding highlights the difficulty that many people will face keeping coverage. Democrats have called for the administration to fully reopen enrollment in the the federal HealthCare.gov exchange to allow uninsured people to sign up for coverage, while the Trump administration is using emergency funding for hospitals to cover the uninsured. Read more from Sara Hansard.

 

Transportation

More Requests for Aid: Still, the amount the House bill offers is only half of what public transit systems around the U.S. say they need, Michelle Kaske reports. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority and mass-transit systems in New Jersey, San Francisco and Atlanta are asking the federal government for an additional $32 billion to help mass-transit providers cover lost revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.

While Congress allocated $25 billion for public transportation in the CARES Act, the ongoing effects of the coronavirus are outpacing that historic allocation, Pat Foye, the MTA’s chief executive officer, told reporters during a press conference yesterday. MTA, the largest U.S. mass-transit agency, received $3.9 billion from Federal Transit Administration last week under the third coronavirus aid law and is asking for an additional $3.9 billion.

Meanwhile, the House bill didn’t include funds for airports despite industry groups communicating their need for more money over the past couple of weeks. The most recent request came yesterday from the Airports Council International-North America, a trade association that represents nearly 300 U.S. and Canadian airports. The group is asking Congress for $13 billion to help its members handle coronavirus-related financial distress. Airports are estimated to lose $23 billion this year because of the outbreak, the group said in a statement.

American Association of Airport Executives President Todd Hauptli asked for at least $10 billion more in federal funds during last week’s Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing. He told lawmakers that airport aid under the third coronavirus aid package isn’t enough. More than 3,000 airports have already received a combined $10 billion in aid, Courtney Rozen reports.

More than two dozen senators signed a letter yesterday asking congressional leaders to include provisions for the U.S. motorcoach industry. “The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the motorcoach industry with nearly 3,000 companies shutting down and almost 100,000 employees being laid off,” they wrote.

The Associated General Contractors of America helped arrange a bipartisan letter they say was signed by 137 members of Congress asking House leadership to provide approximately $50 billion in federal funding for state departments of transportation to cover shortfalls from lost revenue amid the pandemic.

American Gets Most of U.S. Aid: Five major airlines have received the lion’s share of federal aid under the Payroll Support Program, with American as the biggest recipient getting $5.8 billion in payroll assistance from the federal government, according to details the Treasury Department released yesterday.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has approved $25 billion in payroll assistance for 352 applicants, which included contractors, passenger and cargo carriers, in the past six weeks as the industry copes with an economy forced to shut down by the coronavirus pandemic, Saleha Mohsin and Ryan Beene report.

More Flight Cuts, Consumer Complaints: The Transportation Department will allow airlines to suspend flights to more cities, a change that could result in some locations being served by only one airline, according to a notice released yesterday. Under the change, airlines can seek exemptions for as many as five airports or 5% of the locations where they’re required to fly, whichever is greater, the department said in a notice posted on its website.

The move comes as passengers have filed thousands of complaints to U.S. regulators about carrier refund policies. The department said it received 25,000 reports of alleged violations in April and March, a more than eight-fold increase over normal rates. The complaints have caused the department to issue a second legal notice to airlines since April, warning them about their obligations to refund the cost of tickets in some circumstances as a dramatic increase in consumer complaints poured in. Read more from Ryan Beene and Alan Levin.

Drop in Airline Travelers: U.S. airlines saw their largest year-to-year passenger decrease on record in March 2020, according to a report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Airlines carried only slightly more total, domestic, and international passengers this March than in September 2001, the month of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Passenger travel was also down 51% in March as compared to the same time last year.

Airport Group Seeks Face Coverings: The Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), a trade association that represents commercial service airports in the U.S. and Canada, released a letter yesterday urging the U.S. government to require facial coverings by everyone in public areas of passenger airport terminals. The statement comes as government and the industry are considering such guidance, two people familiar with the discussions said. The TSA is already requiring all airport security screeners to wear masks in guidance released last week.

Tesla Can Reopen California Plant With New Measures, County Says:Tesla can begin preparing for a restart of its only U.S. car plant as soon as next week, a California county said, a boon for the automaker that had threatened to flaunt authorities’ orders to keep the factory shut. Health officers for Alameda County said on Twitter late Tuesday that a reopening can happen if Tesla adopts extra recommendations to battle the coronavirus in its safety plans. Tesla had sent Alameda a new plan for meeting criteria to reopen on Monday. Read more from Ed Ludlow and Dana Hull.

SpaceX Seeks $656,000 From Calif.: Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies is seeking almost $656,000 in new funding from California in the midst of the billionaire’s battle over whether Tesla should be reopening its plant in the state, Dana Hull reports. SpaceX’s request for funds to train existing workers and hire new ones will go before the state’s Employment Training Panel on May 15.

Lessons Learned from Covid-19 Repatriation: House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), and ranking member Michael McCaul (R-Texas) yesterday sent separate letters to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Government Accountability Office requesting information about the department’s efforts to bring home U.S. citizens who are stranded abroad because of Covid-19 travel restrictions. The two sent GAO Comptroller General Gene Dodaro a list of criteria for the watchdog to research as part of its report on State’s repatriation efforts.

“While large-scale repatriation efforts associated with COVID-19 are moving towards a conclusion, new challenges may emerge in the future either in connection with COVID-19 or other similar global crises. It is critical that the Department continue to prepare for such scenarios, using lessons it learned in the earliest days of this global repatriation effort…to ensure that future repatriations can be carried out swiftly and smoothly,” the lawmakers wrote.

House E&C Commends the Auto Sector: Senate Commerce Chairman Roger Wicker (Miss.) and House Energy and Commerce ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore.) wrote a letter yesterday to auto industry groups — such as the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and the National Automobile Dealers Association — commending the sector for meeting challenges posed by Covid-19. “As we now confront the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis and work to restore our economy, innovation and ingenuity across the auto sector will be critical to building a safer, more efficient, and more resilient future in transportation,” they wrote.

Lawmakers Expound on Bipartisanship: The National Marine Manufacturers Association kicks off its two-day annual American Boating Congress event, which will be a virtual event amid the coronavirus outbreak. Reps. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) — who are co-chairmen of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bloc of House Republicans and Democrats who encourage bipartisanship — will relate how the caucus has worked towards bipartisan solutions during the Covid-19 pandemic and their priorities for the next stimulus package.

They will also offer prospects for Congress to take up comprehensive infrastructure legislation in a way that will support the marine manufacturing and recreational boating sectors.

Boeing’s 2020 Goes From Bad-to-Worse: Boeing’s net sales this year shrank by 255 jets through April as airlines shelved expansion plans and canceled orders for the grounded 737 Max amid a historic collapse in air travel, Julie Johnsson reports. So far, airlines and lessors have ditched orders for 299 Max this year.

The planemaker didn’t gain any new orders last month and delivered only six planes — four of them 787 Dreamliners, according to data released yesterday. The number of sales lost this year reached 516 when including an accounting adjustment that assesses the financial health of customers and contractual details of orders. The manufacturer’s chief executive officer Dave Calhoun said he sees a risk that a major U.S. airline will fail as the Covid-19 pandemic all but erases demand for flights. “I don’t want to get too predictive on that subject but yes, most likely,” Calhoun said in an interview yesterday on NBC’s “Today” program. “Something will happen when September comes around. Traffic levels will not be back to 100%. They won’t even be back to 25. Maybe by the end of the year we approach 50. So there will defin itely be adjustments that have to be made on the part of the airlines.” Read more from Julie Johnsson.

BGOV Market Profile on Unmanned Systems: The federal government obligated $8.4 billion in fiscal 2019 on autonomous and robotic unmanned systems such as ground, sea/underwater, and aerial vehicles, as well as counter-unmanned aerial systems efforts, according to a market analysis performed by Bloomberg Government. Robert Levinson examines the drone transportation federal contracting market, detailing spending trends, leading vendors, expiring orders, and upcoming solicitations.

Miami Dade Union Files Discrimination Complaint: Miami-Dade bus drivers and train operators are accusing their employer of racial discrimination for failing to distribute enough protective equipment to its predominantly black workforce.  Transport Workers Union Local 291, the union representing the employees, filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission yesterday. The complaint accuses Miami-Dade County of providing “inferior” protective equipment to the predominantly black transit employee group than other public employee workforces that have a lower percentage of black workers. The Miami-Dade union also asked a judge in April to order the county to provide masks and hand sanitizer. The group represents about 2,800 employees.

 

Economy

New Normal 2.0 for U.S. Economy Looks Awful: The U.S. economy post-Covid-19 will look a lot like the one that struggled to recover from the 2008-09 financial crisis –- only in some ways worse. Growth will be disappointingly tepid after an initial rebound and, for a time at least, inflation lower and unemployment higher than they were back then. Government debt -– and the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet -– will be much bigger, while interest rates stay low.

“Our economy will have lost something of value,” said Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz. “We will be scarred, and the recovery will be slow.”

The New Normal 2.0 will be a just-in-case economy of diminished demand and paltry productivity as consumers and companies emerge from this crisis gingerly and build buffers against the next. Read more from Rich Miller.

Powell to Address Dire Outlook: Jerome Powell and his Federal Reserve colleagues are staring down the possibility of mass bankruptcies and long-lasting unemployment unless there’s a more concerted government effort to shield the U.S. economy from the impact of the coronavirus. That’s the context in which the Fed chair will speak at 9 a.m. during a virtual event with the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, though he may be loath to give clear hints on future monetary policy, with the central bank’s nex t rate decision still a month out.

Some investors are looking for insights into how hard Powell’s resolve is against cutting the Fed’s benchmark interest rate beneath zero, something he has warned against doing in the past. Trump on Monday called such a policy a “GIFT” for the economy. Read more from Matthew Boesler.

 

Campaign Trail

Biden Running Mate Hunt Sees Abrams, Harris Diverge: The hunt for Joe Biden’s running mate is intensifying as some candidates make their interest in the job clear. Stacey Abrams and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) have both taken steps to ensure their names are included in any public lists, but while Abrams has been actively campaigning, Harris has taken a subtler approach.

Biden, campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon and strategist Anita Dunn are talking to elected officials and party elders about the decision, according to two people familiar with the outreach. The four members of the vice presidential advisory committee, which includes former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, are doing the same. Biden has said he doesn’t expect to have his list whittled down to the final few until July. Read more from Jennifer Epstein and Tyler Pager.

DNC Panel Votes to Allow Remote Voting: A key panel of the Democratic National Committee voted yesterday to permit delegates to cast their votes remotely for the party’s presidential nominee, taking a first step to making the party’s quadrennial convention at least partially a virtual event in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more from Emma Kinery.

Trump Embraces Snapchat in Battle for Youth Vote: The day the Senate acquitted Trump of impeachment charges, his re-election campaign staff posted a video on Snapchat, where they knew young voters would see it. “Liberals tonight:” it starts. A woman falls to her knees and screams a guttural “NO!!” as newscasters announce Trump’s 2016 presidential win. Then, a spoof cover of Time Magazine shows signs for TRUMP 2028, TRUMP 2032, and so on until a final flourish: “TRUMP 4EVA.”

The clip is one of Trump’s most popular Snapchat posts, according to the campaign. It pushes the right social-media buttons, coming across more like an internet meme than a traditional political message. Sarah Frier has more.

GOP State Senator Wins Wisconsin Special Election: Republican state Sen. Tom Tiffany won the special election for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, beating Democrat Tricia Zunker, The Associated Press projects. The 7th district is a sprawling area of northwestern Wisconsin that has turned strongly Republican in the past decade. Former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) was re-elected in 2018 with 60% of the vote and Trump won the district with 57% in 2016, Emily Wilkins reports.

 

Other stories

Republicans Feel Their Way on Virus Liability: Congressional Republicans have made liability protection for employers a nonnegotiable demand in any new coronavirus stimulus, but Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), an ally of Trump, says regulators have a role to play in the workplace. The government must “tell the employers what they need to do to protect the workers and hold them accountable if they don’t,” Graham, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said at a hearing of his panel yesterday.

Witnesses told the senators that federal guidelines that have been blocked by the Trump administration will be crucial to getting employees back to work and preventing their bosses from being sued. Read more from Ben Brody.

GOP Judicial Nominations Race Clock: An agenda disrupted by the coronavirus and squeezed by the election calendar pose new obstacles for Republicans in their drive to confirm dozens of judges to federal courts. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) motto is “leave no vacancy behind,” but the list of nominees idling outside the floor or awaiting action by the Senate Judiciary Committee or yet to sit for a confirmation hearing is getting longer. The last confirmation was nearly three months ago.

Trump has selected nominees for just over half of the 78 current or future federal district court and two appellate vacancies, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of federal courts data. The Judiciary Committee will on Thursday consider sending several more trial court nominations to the floor for consideration. There are 10 of them awaiting action. But most of the president’s pending picks have yet to have a hearing. Read more from Madison Alder.

Inhofe Asks for Support to Reverse Ligado Approval: Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Armed Services Committee, asked colleagues to urge the Federal Communications Commission to withdraw its April 20 approval of a mobile network by Ligado that critics say will interfere with GPS devices, Todd Shields reports.

Trump Tax Returns Remain Elusive: Democrats may be far as ever from seeing Trump’s tax returns after a U.S. Supreme Court argument suggested a legal fight over House subpoenas could extend for months. Read more from Greg Stohr.

Flynn Judge Holds Off on Ruling to Dismiss Case: The judge overseeing the prosecution of former national security adviser Michael Flynn won’t immediately grant a U.S request to dismiss the case, saying he’s willing to hear from outsiders who want to weigh in on what should happen next. Read more from Erik Larson.

Pompeo Heads to Israel: Secretary of State Michael Pompeo lands in Israel today to talk about Iran, economic relations with China and Israel’s plan to annex land the Palestinians claim for a state. Ivan Levingston has more on Pompeo’s agenda.

Hong Kong Leader Pushes Pro-China Agenda: Through months of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests last year, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam often became emotional when confronted with accusations that she sold out the former British colony to China. Now, almost a year later, Lam is again pushing ahead with politically divisive policies, Iain Marlow and Natalie Lung report.

Yesterday’s Legislative Action

 

1. H.R.6799— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide a payroll credit for certain fixed expenses of employers subject to closure by reason of COVID-19.Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (4)Committees: House – Ways and Means; Small Business Latest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (All Actions)Tracker: 
2. H.R.6800— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Lowey, Nita M. [D-NY-17] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (11)Committees: House – Appropriations; Budget; Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the… (All Actions)Tracker: 
3. H.R.6801— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide reimbursements for the emergency operational costs of school food authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (20)Committees: House – Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (All Actions)Tracker: 
4. H.R.6802— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently allow a tax deduction at the time an investment in qualified property is made, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Arrington, Jodey C. [R-TX-19] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (6)Committees: House – Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)Tracker: 
5. H.R.6803— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Small Business Act to exempt certain ambulatory surgery and outpatient health centers from affiliation rules, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Balderson, Troy [R-OH-12] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Small BusinessLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Small Business. (All Actions)Tracker: 
6. H.R.6804— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To repeal the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.Sponsor: Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Judiciary; Intelligence (Permanent Select)Latest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the… (All Actions)Tracker: 
7. H.R.6805— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To ensure that additional unemployment benefits do not result in an individual receiving unemployment compensation that is more than the amount of wages the individual was earning prior to becoming unemployed.Sponsor: Rep. Budd, Ted [R-NC-13] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)Tracker: 
8. H.R.6806— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To suspend certain requirements under the public housing and housing choice voucher programs during the COVID-19 emergency, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
9. H.R.6807— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To expand vote by mail and early voting, and to improve the safety, accessibility, and efficiency of in-person voting during elections for Federal office.Sponsor: Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (54)Committees: House – House AdministrationLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on House Administration. (All Actions)Tracker: 
10. H.R.6808— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide for the establishment of a Health Force and a Resilience Force to respond to public health emergencies and meet public health needs.Sponsor: Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (17)Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Transportation and Infrastructure; BudgetLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the… (All Actions)Tracker: 
11. H.R.6809— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To prohibit health care providers that receive funding through the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund from reducing employment or compensation for certain nurses employed by the provider.Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Energy and CommerceLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (All Actions)Tracker: 
12. H.R.6810— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To establish a Health Care Protection Program Fund to provide grants to employers to ensure continuity of coverage under a group health plan through the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide for premium assistance for COBRA benefits, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Rodney [R-IL-13] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (5)Committees: House – Education and Labor; Energy and Commerce; Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the… (All Actions)Tracker: 
13. H.R.6811— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to increase the age of eligibility for children to receive benefits under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: House – Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (All Actions)Tracker: 
14. H.R.6812— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To extend limitation periods for labor and employment laws, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Education and Labor; Judiciary; Veterans’ Affairs; Oversight and Reform; House AdministrationLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Veterans’ Affairs, Oversight and Reform, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of… (All Actions)Tracker: 
15. H.R.6813— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act to improve the prevention of elder abuse and exploitation of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.Sponsor: Rep. Deutch, Theodore E. [D-FL-22] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: House – JudiciaryLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)Tracker: 
16. H.R.6814— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to promulgate regulations to provide support to institutions of higher education for the provision of certain equipment and services to students of those institutions, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (6)Committees: House – Education and Labor; Energy and CommerceLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee… (All Actions)Tracker: 
17. H.R.6815— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the CARES Act to provide for notice of the eviction moratorium under such Act to be provided to tenants of dwelling units subject to such moratorium, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Finkenauer, Abby [D-IA-1] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
18. H.R.6816— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the CARES Act to provide additional time for employers to maximize their loan forgiveness under the paycheck protection program, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Gonzalez, Anthony [R-OH-16] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (4)Committees: House – Small BusinessLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Small Business. (All Actions)Tracker: 
19. H.R.6817— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To establish a payroll loan facility for small financial institutions affected by COVID-19, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
20. H.R.6818— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the CARES Act to provide for the prioritization of applications from certain small businesses seeking Payroll Protection Program loans through the Small Business Administration.Sponsor: Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Small BusinessLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Small Business. (All Actions)Tracker: 
21. H.R.6819— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To fund grants for the immediate deployment of temporary wireless broadband service on Tribal lands and Hawaiian Home Lands, to provide emergency special temporary authority to use electromagnetic spectrum for the provision of wireless broadband service on Tribal lands and Hawaiian Home Lands, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Haaland, Debra A. [D-NM-1] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (15)Committees: House – Energy and CommerceLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (All Actions)Tracker: 
22. H.R.6820— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide emergency rental assistance under the Emergency Solutions Grants program of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in response to the public health emergency resulting from the coronavirus, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Heck, Denny [D-WA-10] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (136)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
23. H.R.6821— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To clarify for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that receipt of coronavirus assistance does not affect the tax treatment of ordinary business expenses.Sponsor: Rep. Holding, George [R-NC-2] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (4)Committees: House – Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)Tracker: 
24. H.R.6822— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to establish a national public health service program to respond to public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (23)Committees: House – Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (All Actions)Tracker: 
25. H.R.6823— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To expand the housing choice voucher program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide temporary housing during the COVID-19 health crisis, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
26. H.R.6824— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the carryover of the remaining 2020 balance in health flexible spending arrangements.Sponsor: Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)Tracker: 
27. H.R.6825— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To increase the amount of loan forgiveness available to teachers.Sponsor: Rep. Luria, Elaine G. [D-VA-2] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (All Actions)Tracker: 
28. H.R.6826— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to continue to update and make publicly available EJScreen or an equivalent tool, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. McEachin, A. Donald [D-VA-4] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Natural ResourcesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee… (All Actions)Tracker: 
29. H.R.6827— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Coronavirus Economic Stabilization Act of 2020 to place certain requirements on corporations receiving Federal aid related to COVID-19.Sponsor: Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
30. H.R.6828— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a fund to provide financial assistance for funeral expenses related to a deceased individual who died of COVID-19, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (13)Committees: House – Transportation and InfrastructureLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (All Actions)Tracker: 
31. H.R.6829— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To authorize funding for a bilateral cooperative program with Israel for the development of health technologies with a focus on combating COVID-19.Sponsor: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: House – Energy and CommerceLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (All Actions)Tracker: 
32. H.R.6830— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 to establish minimum issuance amounts under the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program, and for other purposes,.Sponsor: Rep. Phillips, Dean [D-MN-3] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
33. H.R.6831— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the CARES Act to authorize the Congressional Oversight Commission to submit discretionary reports to Congress, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Phillips, Dean [D-MN-3] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
34. H.R.6832— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the CARES Act to authorize appropriations to carry out the duties of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Phillips, Dean [D-MN-3] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Financial Services; Small BusinessLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Small Business, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee… (All Actions)Tracker: 
35. H.R.6833— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide Peace Corps Volunteers and trainees whose service was terminated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic with health insurance, an expedited redeployment process, and domestic service opportunities, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Phillips, Dean [D-MN-3] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (11)Committees: House – Foreign Affairs; Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee… (All Actions)Tracker: 
36. H.R.6834— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program to facilitate the partnership of certain dairy distributors and certain dairy organizations, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (13)Committees: House – AgricultureLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. (All Actions)Tracker: 
37. H.R.6835— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To require residential mortgage servicers receiving certain emergency relief under the CARES Act to provide reports on loan-level data, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-45] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Financial ServicesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
38. H.R.6836— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the CARES Act to provide for payments to the Indian Health Service, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – AppropriationsLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations. (All Actions)Tracker: 
39. H.R.6837— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to modify the accelerated and advance payment programs under parts A and B of the Medicare program during the COVID-19 emergency.Sponsor: Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and CommerceLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee… (All Actions)Tracker: 
40. H.R.6838— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide emergency funding for caseworkers and child protective services.Sponsor: Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: House – Appropriations; BudgetLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (All Actions)Tracker: 
41. H.R.6839— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report describing the response of certain entities to the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to the development, regulatory evaluation, and deployment of diagnostic tests.Sponsor: Rep. Spanberger, Abigail Davis [D-VA-7] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Energy and CommerceLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. (All Actions)Tracker: 
42. H.R.6840— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide for the coverage of non-congregate shelter under the Public Assistance program of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for the emergency declared on March 13, 2020 relating to COVID-19, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (23)Committees: House – Transportation and InfrastructureLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (All Actions)Tracker: 
43. H.R.6841— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide an exclusion from gross income for certain workers, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)Tracker: 
44. H.R.6842— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend title 23, United States Code, to modify the apportionment formula for the congestion mitigation and air quality improvement program, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Transportation and InfrastructureLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (All Actions)Tracker: 
45. H.R.6843— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide reimbursements for the child care operational emergency costs of certain institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Trone, David J. [D-MD-6] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Education and LaborLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. (All Actions)Tracker: 
46. H.R.6844— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To provide expanded unemployment protection for employees and a limitation on liability for employers with respect to exposure to COVID-19.Sponsor: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – Judiciary; Education and Labor; Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Labor, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of… (All Actions)Tracker: 
47. H.R.6845— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from charging veterans copayments for preventive services relating to COVID-19.Sponsor: Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: House – Veterans’ AffairsLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. (All Actions)Tracker: 
48. H.R.6846— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To .amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide for the participation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (9)Committees: House – AgricultureLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. (All Actions)Tracker: 
49. H.R.6847— 116th Congress (2019-2020)To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require States to conduct elections for Federal office held in 2020 solely through the use of mail-in absentee ballots, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: House – House AdministrationLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on House Administration. (All Actions)Tracker: 
50. H.J.Res.89— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Withdrawing approval of the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization.Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: House – Ways and MeansLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (All Actions)Tracker: 
51. H.Res.964— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Establishing a whistleblower hotline for purposes of reporting waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement of taxpayer funds to the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.Sponsor: Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (12)Committees: House – RulesLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Rules. (All Actions)Tracker: 
52. S.249— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] (Introduced 01/29/2019) Cosponsors: (22)Committees: Senate – Foreign RelationsLatest Action: House – 05/12/2020 Held at the desk. (All Actions)Tracker: 
53. S.3560— 116th Congress (2019-2020)Small Business and Consumer Emergency Credit ActSponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (Introduced 03/22/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: Senate – Banking, Housing, and Urban AffairsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Hearings held. (All Actions)Tracker: 
54. S.3685— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to provide emergency rental assistance under the Emergency Solutions Grants program of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in response to the public health emergency resulting from the coronavirus, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (29)Committees: Senate – Banking, Housing, and Urban AffairsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. (All Actions)Tracker: 
55. S.3686— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to provide for parental notification and intervention in the case of an unemancipated minor seeking an abortion.Sponsor: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (11)Committees: Senate – JudiciaryLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)Tracker: 
56. S.3687— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to take certain actions in response to Saudi Arabia’s aggression towards the United States petroleum industry.Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: Senate – Foreign RelationsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (All Actions)Tracker: 
57. S.3688— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to amend the Federal Power Act to authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Secretary of Energy to offer assistance in securing the assets of the owners and operators of energy infrastructure against threats and increasing the security of the electric grid, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: Senate – Energy and Natural ResourcesLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (All Actions)Tracker: 
58. S.3689— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to provide for additional safeguards with respect to imposing Federal mandates, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (All Actions)Tracker: 
59. S.3690— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to provide for E-Rate support for Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and connected devices during emergency periods relating to COVID-19, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (44)Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and TransportationLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (All Actions)Tracker: 
60. S.3691— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to prohibit the provision of United States Government assistance to any Lebanese government that is influenced or controlled by Hezbollah.Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: Senate – Foreign RelationsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (All Actions)Tracker: 
61. S.3692— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to improve the ability of the Department of Defense to effectively prevent, track, and respond to military-connected child abuse.Sponsor: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: Senate – Armed ServicesLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (All Actions)Tracker: 
62. S.3693— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to foster efficient markets and increase competition and transparency among packers that purchase livestock from producers.Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (6)Committees: Senate – Agriculture, Nutrition, and ForestryLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (All Actions)Tracker: 
63. S.3694— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently allow a tax deduction at the time an investment is made in property used to extract critical minerals and metals from the United States, to modify the prohibition on the acquisition of certain sensitive materials from non-allied foreign nations, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: Senate – FinanceLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (All Actions)Tracker: 
64. S.3695— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to institute a moratorium on disconnections of telephone and internet services.Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and TransportationLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (All Actions)Tracker: 
65. S.3696— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to disregard additional unemployment compensation for purposes of premium tax credit and cost-sharing subsidies, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (5)Committees: Senate – FinanceLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (All Actions)Tracker: 
66. S.3697— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to modify the Restaurant Meals Program under the supplemental nutrition assistance program in response to COVID-19, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: Senate – Agriculture, Nutrition, and ForestryLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (All Actions)Tracker: 
67. S.3698— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to expand compassionate release authority and elderly home confinement access for offenders with heightened coronavirus risk.Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (4)Committees: Senate – JudiciaryLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)Tracker: 
68. S.3699— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to establish the America Forward Commission to create a strategy to re-open the economy, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (4)Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (All Actions)Tracker: 
69. S.3700— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to provide Peace Corps Volunteers and Trainees whose service was terminated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic with health insurance, an expedited redeployment process, and domestic service opportunities, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: Senate – Foreign RelationsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (All Actions)Tracker: 
70. S.3701— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to promulgate regulations to provide support to institutions of higher education for the provision of certain equipment and services to students of those institutions, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (3)Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (All Actions)Tracker: 
71. S.3702— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to appropriate additional amounts to provide loans under the paycheck protection program to community development financial institutions and minority depository institutions, and for other purposes.Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (1)Committees: Senate – Small Business and EntrepreneurshipLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (All Actions)Tracker: 
72. S.3703— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A bill to amend the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act to improve the prevention of elder abuse and exploitation of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.Sponsor: Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (2)Committees: Senate – JudiciaryLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (All Actions)Tracker: 
73. S.Res.570— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A resolution opposing and condemning the potential prosecution of United States and Israeli nationals by the International Criminal Court.Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (0)Committees: Senate – Foreign RelationsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (All Actions)Tracker: 
74. S.Res.571— 116th Congress (2019-2020)A resolution congratulating the students, parents, teachers, and leaders of charter schools across the United States for making ongoing contributions to education and supporting the ideals and goals of the 21st annual National Charter Schools Week, to be held May 10 through May 16, 2020.Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] (Introduced 05/12/2020) Cosponsors: (27)Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsLatest Action: Senate – 05/12/2020 Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (All Actions)Tracker: