4/20/20 White House Briefing (Highlights below)

President Trump’s Guidelines for Opening Up America Again () ()

COVID-19 Updates and Resources

()

CDC YouTube Pages (VIDEOS)

Twitter

The White House-

La Casa Blanca- ()

FEMA en ·ˇ˛ő±č˛ąĂ±´Ç±ô

CDC en ·ˇ˛ő±č˛ąĂ±´Ç±ô-

IRS News-

IRS en ·ˇ˛ő±č˛ąĂ±´Ç±ô-

White House COVID-19 Updates

4/18/20 White House Briefing ( and Highlights below)

President Trump’s Guidelines for Opening Up America Again ()

COVID-19 Updates and Resources

()

CDC YouTube page: and (NEW VIDEOS)

Twitter: ()

The Senate on Tuesday approved roughly $484 billion in new coronavirus aid for small businesses and hospitals and more funding for testing, ending a lengthy battle over the size and contents of the package.

The agreement was passed by a voice vote after days of negotiations between congressional Democrats and Treasury Secretary , with the talks lasting until approximately midnight on both Sunday and Monday.

The deal includes an additional $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including $60 billion specifically for community banks and smaller lenders, as well as $75 billion for hospitals, $25 billion for testing, and $60 billion for emergency disaster loans and grants. Lawmakers are under pressure to act quickly as the coronavirus decimates large sectors of the economy where businesses have either scaled back or closed altogether.

Forty-three percent of respondents to a Pew Research Center said they have had their wages cut or lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Senate’s passage came only hours after a senior administration official confirmed the agreement had been reached and less than two hours after text of the bill began to circulate as leadership tried to “hotline” the deal to find out if it could pass it by consent, which would allow it to avoid bringing back members amid health concerns sparked by the coronavirus.

The House is expected to pass the bill on Thursday morning, with members returning to Washington for a recorded vote. threw his support behind the deal on Tuesday, an endorsement that could help the agreement avoid landmines from libertarian-minded lawmakers and fiscal conservatives.

“I urge the Senate and House to pass the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act with additional funding for PPP, Hospitals, and Testing,” Trump tweeted.

He added that once the bill is signed, he will start discussions on the “phase four” coronavirus bill, including more help for states and local governments, infrastructure, “tax incentives” and a payroll tax cut. Both chambers are expected to be out of Washington until at least May 4.

Congress faced calls to quickly replenish the PPP funds after the initial $349 billion appropriated during last month’s $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package ran out late last week amid high levels of interest from independent contractors and businesses that have been hit hard by the coronavirus.

The agreement provides $310 billion for the program as well as an additional $10 billion for administrative costs and fees.

Senate Majority Leader (R-Ky.) and Senate Democrats initially tried to pass their own dueling proposals nearly two weeks ago, but both were blocked. McConnell was offering an additional $250 billion for the small-business aid program, while Democrats wanted to add an additional $100 billion for hospitals, $150 billion for state and local governments, and a boost in food stamp assistance.

McConnell took a victory lap on Tuesday, arguing that Democrats had dropped “a number of their unrelated demands” during the negotiations.

“Democratic leaders blocked the money and spent days trying to negotiate extraneous issues that were never on the table. I am grateful our colleagues have walked away from those demands and will finally let Congress act,” he said in a statement.

But Democrats argued that hospitals, many of which have seen a drop in revenue as they’ve sidelined elective surgeries, and states needed additional funding. They also wanted to reform the Paycheck Protection Program to earmark funding specifically for smaller lenders.

The rollout of the small-business program was beset by mishaps, including an overwhelmed Small Business Administration system, banks adding additional regulations to the applications and confusion about who was eligible for the funding, which was meant to provide loans and grants to businesses with fewer than 500 employees.

Lawmakers have fumed this week amid reports that chain restaurants were able to get tens of millions in loans under the program. Shake Shack, which received a $10 million loan, announced that it would return the funding amid the backlash.

Sen. (R-Fla.), who chairs the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, pledged that he would subpoena uncooperative companies as part of oversight he’ll do later this year.

“This fall, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship will conduct aggressive oversight into the use of the PPP. If companies are not forthcoming, the Committee will use its subpoena power to compel cooperation,” .

Democrats also homed in on getting more money for testing. Public health experts warn that ramped up, widely available testing is crucial before social distancing restrictions, put in place to try to curb the spread of the virus, are lifted.

Democrats offered their own plan to provide $30 billion for testing and the creation of a nationwide strategy.

The deal passed by the Senate includes $25 billion to “research, develop, validate, manufacture, purchase, administer, and expand capacity” for tests.

It also requires states to come up with a plan for how to test for and mitigate the spread of the coronavirus as well as a national strategy from the administration on assisting states.

Video

Today’s White House

The President’s

The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America

30 Days to Slow the Spread ()

30 DĂ­as Para Desacelerar la PropagaciĂłn ()

For more updates, visit ()

Assistance for American Workers and Families

Economic Impact Payments: ()

Ěý

Small Business Administration (SBA)

Assistance for Small Businesses: ()

Paycheck Protection Program:

Find an eligible lender ()

Department of Treasury

COVID-19 Actions and Updates:

Department of Labor (DOL)

Paid Leave ()

Families First Coronavirus Response Act: ()

Unemployment Insurance ()

New Aimed at Reducing Workplace Exposure to the Coronavirus ()

Guidance on Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for Self-Employed Workers, Independent Contractors and Gig Workers ()

Twitter

()

Additional Spanish resources

Ěý

How to Help

Help the effort to combat the spread of COVID-19 ()

Video

Follow On Twitter

Surgeon General Jerome Adams:

Administrator Jovita Carranza:

U.S. Department of Treasury:

U.S. Department of Labor:

The President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America

30 Days to Slow the Spread ()

30 DĂ­as Para Desacelerar la PropagaciĂłn ()

For the most up-to-date information, please see the CDC’s website: ()

Small Business Administration (SBA)

Paycheck Protection Program:

Assistance for Small Businesses: ()

Treasury

COVID-19 Actions and Updates:

Treasury and Federal Reserve Board Announce New and Expanded Lending Programs to Provide up to $2.3 Trillion in Financing ()

Department of Labor (DOL)

Paid Leave () and Unemployment Insurance ()

Guidance on Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for Self-Employed Workers, Independent Contractors and Gig Workers ()

30 Days to Slow the Spread and Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions ()

U.S. Department of Labor’s

Assistance for American Workers and Families: Economic Impact Payments: ()

Assistance for Small Businesses: (PPP)

For a top-line overview of the programĚý

• PPP

If you’re a lender, more information can be foundĚý

• PPP Form
• PPP (Federally Insured Depository Institutions, Federally Insured Credit Unions, Farm Credit System Institutions)

If you’re a borrower, more information can be foundĚý

• PPP Form (Updated 4/2/20)

Treasury released additional guidance regarding the Paycheck Payroll Program.

SBA released additional guidance regarding participation of faith-based organizations in the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs.

• SBA in the PPP and EIDL programs
• Paycheck Protection Program

For additional updates, visit: and

Coronavirus (English/Spanish)

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)

U.S. Department of Labor’s

Treasury’s CARES Act website:

Assistance for American Workers and Families: Economic Impact Payments: ()

Assistance for Small Businesses:

• For a top-line overview of the programĚý
• If you’re a lender, more information can be foundĚý
• If you’re a borrower, more information can be foundĚý
• Final Borrower
• Lender Electronic Data
• Paycheck Protection Program –

White House COVID-19 Updates

• ICYMI: President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force 4/1/20 Press Briefing ( and Highlights below)
• Coronavirus (English and Spanish)
• 1600 Daily: A Million American Lives Are Worth Fighting For ()

Additional Updates

• Treasury and IRS Release FAQs to Help Small and Midsize Businesses Navigate Paid Sick and Family Leave Tax Credits ()
• IRS: Employee Retention Credit available for many businesses financially impacted by COVID-19 ()

COVID-19: Background & Additional Information

For background and the most up-to-date information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus Disease 2019 website:

Spanish Resources:

• ()

Twitter

• ()

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

• Twitter ()
• Facebook ()

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Twitter ()
• Facebook ()

What you should know:

ĚýSituation Updates:

Information for Businesses:

• SBA:
• DOL:
• DOL:
• WHO:
• CISA:
• EPA:

Information for Travel and Transportation:

• State:
• State:
• State:
• DOT:

Information for Healthcare Providers, First Responders, and Research Facilities:

• CMS:
• CMS:
• CMS:
• CMS:
• EPA:

Information for Law Enforcement:

Information for Families and Households:

• EPA:

Information for Schools, Childcare Providers, and Students:

• USDA:
• DOEd:
• EPA:

Information for Community Events and Gatherings:

• EPA:

Agency Resources and Information:

There are two new SBA loans for eligible nonprofits who are struggling as a result of Coronavirus.

The first are Economic Injury Disaster Loans, which provide up to $2 million in low interest loans to small businesses that can be repaid over as long as 30 years. These loans were funded in the first round of supplemental funding that was enacted two weeks ago and are up and running. Another $10 billion was allocated for EIDL’s in the third funding package that Congress will enact on Friday. Just for applying, you are able to receive $10,000 as a grant that does not need to be repaid, even if you are eventually turned down for the loan.

The second type of small business loan is the Paycheck Protection Program, which was created in this new round of funding to provide immediate assistance to businesses with up to 500 employees. There is $350 billion allotted for this loan program and it can be used for payroll, rent, mortgage, the things needed to keep the doors open for the next few months until coronavirus passes. If you keep your workforce intact over the next few months, the spending on these items becomes a grant that you do not need to repay. The loans can be up to $10 million in total and obtained at local financial institutions and fully guaranteed by SBA. There should be guidance out on this new program in the next week.

Lastly, if a member already has a relationship with SBA, it can get a SBA Express bridge loan to receive $25k in as little as 36 hours that can be applied to an EIDL loan.

The Chamber has just put out some helpful materials that might be helpful in explaining these loans (see links and PDF attached):

5. ĚýInfographic on the $350 billion Paycheck Protection Program 023595_comm_corona_virus_smallbiz_loan_final_revised

The House on Friday passed a historic $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, overcoming
11th-hour hurdles erected by a GOP lawmaker that sent furious lawmakers across the country
racing back to Washington to move the emergency legislation to President Trump ‘s desk.

The enormous package, approved by the Senate late Wednesday night, provides hundreds of
billions of dollars for the industries, small businesses, unemployed workers and health care
providers hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, which has devastated economies around the
world.

Trump has said he’ll sign the bill immediately. House Democratic leaders were able to move the
package by voice vote, a rarely used procedure allowing a few members to air their objections
without forcing the entire chamber to reconvene. But it didn’t happen without a good dose of
last-minute drama on the chamber floor.

To pass the bill, leaders in both parties had to unite to foil an attempted blockade by Rep.
Thomas Massie , a Kentucky Republican who had driven to Washington for the vote and
requested a recorded tally, which requires the participation of at least half of all sitting House
members.

Lawmakers in both parties thwarted Massie’s effort with a procedural gambit of their own: An
insufficient number rose in support of his roll-call request, allowing the speedier voice vote to
stand.

Still, Massie’s threat of a recorded vote sent leaders in both parties scrambling Thursday night to
bring enough lawmakers back to the Capitol to approve the massive relief package. And many
were furious that they were forced to defy the recommendations of the congressional physician
and other public health experts, who have warned against such gatherings.

GOP leaders declined to allow Massie to speak on the floor prior to the vote, prompting him to
accuse his own party brass of being “afraid of the truth.”

“The fix is in,” he tweeted from the floor. “If this bill is so great for America, why not allow a
vote on it?”

The highly unusual proceedings created some light-hearted moments on the floor, despite the
underlying tensions. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the last to speak before the vote, took the
extraordinary step of using the podium to call lawmakers from their offices to the chamber,
where some went to the third-floor galleries overlooking the chamber to avoid overcrowding on
the floor.

“The sooner you come, the shorter my remarks will be,” she said to laughter.

The House had a remarkably low turnout within the 432-member chamber, reflecting the rising
apprehensions of lawmakers to board planes and gather in crowds as the cases of the highly
contagious virus have jumped in recent days above 85,000 in the United States alone.
Still, those that did make the trek wasted no time lashing at Massie, with some accusing the
five-term Kentuckian of jeopardizing their well-being for forcing them back to Washington.

“It’s an act of vanity and selfishness that goes beyond comprehension,” Rep. Dan Kildee
(D-Mich.) said Friday.

Trump joined the chorus of critics shortly after the floor debate began, calling for Kentucky
voters to “throw Massie out of the Republican Party!”

Massie, for his part, has defended his attempted blockade, saying the Senate’s legislation defied
the constitutional requirement that federal spending bills originate in the House.

“The senate did some voodoo just like with Obamacare,” he tweeted Thursday. “It’s the House’s
job to reject the process.”

Publicity stunt or not, Massie’s effort didn’t work. The willingness of both sides to accept the
voice vote reflected the heavy pressure facing Congress to move quickly and aggressively to
counter the devastating effects — both health-related and economic — of the deadly outbreak,
which has killed more than 1,300 Americans, tanked markets, shuttered business and sparked
massive layoffs across the country.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims hit almost 3.3 million last week
alone — a massive spike over the roughly 200,000 applications filed just a few weeks ago.
Heightening the pressure on the House to move quickly, the Senate passed the massive relief bill
without a single vote of dissent.

Among the major provisions, the $2 trillion package provides cash payments up to $1,200 for
individual Americans; offers $367 billion in low-cost loans to affected small businesses; expands
unemployment insurance by $250 billion, while extending existing benefits by 13 weeks; and
furnishes $500 billion to backstop loans for the hardest-hit industries, including airline and hotel
companies.

“Today we’ve all acknowledged our nation faces an economic and health emergency of historic
proportions due to the coronavirus pandemic — the worst pandemic in over 100 years,” Pelosi
said.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) delivered a similarly urgent message.
“We didn’t invite it. We didn’t ask for it. We didn’t choose it,” he said. “But we will fight it
together — until we win, together.”

For leaders of both parties, selling the package was no simple task.
Many liberals have hammered the bill as a corporate giveaway, citing the absence of provisions
to expand paid leave and strengthen worker-safety protections, particularly for the medical
workers on the front lines of diagnosing and treating the coronavirus.

Democrats had also pressed to include more funding for pensions, food stamps and medical care
for those who contract the virus. All of those provisions, Pelosi told her caucus on a Thursday
call, will be a part of the next, fourth round of coronavirus relief in the weeks ahead.
Conservatives, meanwhile, have grumbled about the sheer size of the spending package — none
of it paid for — and provisions they deem extraneous to the immediate crisis, like $25 million for
the Kennedy Center in Washington.

In the end, however, the urgency of the moment was enough to Trump all of the objections,
sending the package to the president’s desk.

When the next phase of relief might arrive is anyone’s guess.

The Senate left Washington after Wednesday’s vote, and is not expected to return before April
20. And the House is also expected to take an extended recess following Friday’s vote.
Pelosi has warned, however, that both chambers should be prepared to return at any time, as
dictated by conditions on the ground.

“Everybody has to be on call for what we need when we need it,” she said Thursday. “We don’t
know what that might be. But whatever it is, we’ll be ready.”

Last night, the Senate unanimously approved the CARES Act, 96-0, after five days of grueling
negotiations. An updated version of the text is attached in the email accompanying this update,
along with several fact sheets on specific components of the bill that we have not previously
shared.

The legislative text needed to be updated as it was missing an agreed upon provision that would
require the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve to publish weekly the names of the
companies and others financed through the $500 billion loan program established in the
legislation.

The bill now moves to the House where Majority Leader Hoyer indicated the CARES Act will
be taken up at 9am on Friday. The House leadership hopes to pass the bill via voice vote. The
President has indicated that he will sign the bill.

C-3 summary_V1.2

200325StimulusSmallBizEXPLAINER-FINAL

HELP CORONAVIRUS Section by Section 3-25-20 – 1pm FINAL

COVID 3 — UI and Tax Title Summary

After five days of intense negotiations, a bipartisan agreement has been reached on a $2 trillion,
bipartisan stimulus bill, a revised version of the CARES Act introduced a few days ago by
Majority Leader McConnell.

The final text is still under review, but the Senate will be back in session at 12pm with a final
vote on the bill likely later today. The bipartisan agreement has both the support of the
Administration and House Speaker Pelosi, who indicated yesterday she plans to bring the Senate
passed bill to the House floor by Unanimous Consent or voice vote to ensure that House
Members do not need to return to DC to vote on this measure.

Minority Leader Schumer circulated a Dear Colleague letter early this morning highlighting
changes Democrats negotiated to the original version of the bill. McConnell and Schumer also
sent out a statement early this morning on the Senate floor announcing a bipartisan agreement
had been reached. Both letters are attached for reference.

Key components of this compromise bill include the following:
â—Ź Direct stimulus of $1200 per adult and $500 per child for individuals up to $75,000 and
$150,000 per couple;
â—Ź $500 billion in loans and loan guarantees for impacted businesses with stronger oversight
of loans provided to large employers;
â—Ź Expanded Unemployment Insurance now providing four months (up from three months)
of federal pandemic UI at up to $600 per week above the compensation level claimants
would receive at the state level;
â—Ź $130 billion for hospitals, health care systems, and community health centers (increased
from $75 billion);
â—Ź $150 billion for a state and local coronavirus stabilization relief fund;
â—Ź $30 billion for Education, (an increase of $10 billion);
â—Ź $366 billion for forgivable small-business loans, with $17 billion set aside for businesses
in low-income areas and investment companies that provide venture capital to small
businesses;
â—Ź $10 billion for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans emergency grants of up to $10,000
to provide immediate relief for small business operating costs;
â—Ź $30 billion for a Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to state, local, tribal,
and territorial governments, as well as private nonprofits providing critical and essential
services.

House leadership officials have indicated this will not be the last round of pandemic related
funding, they expect to have two more rounds of funding in the coming weeks or months, which
will both address ongoing needs and economic recovery efforts.

In the email attachments you will find more detailed text on the House Democrats’ $2.5 trillion
stimulus proposal that was unveiled this afternoon. The Labor-H sections impacting education
and labor provisions remain unchanged. A section by section summary of the bill is also
attached.

The House bill would provide a direct payment up to $2,000/month for most adults and
$1000/month for each of their children for as long as the crisis and potential recession may last.
It also includes stronger paid and sick leave provisions for workers regardless of the size of the
employer for which they work, in contrast to the Senate bill which only applies to employers
with less than 500 employees with DOL discretion to eliminate such requirements for businesses
with less than 50 workers.

Like the Senate bill, it would create a Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation fund of
an additional $600 per week on top of a worker’s state UI allocation, for any worker affected by
the outbreak who is eligible for unemployment compensation benefits.

Self-employed workers, individuals whose job contracts were canceled due to the virus, and new
entrants to the job market would also be eligible for unemployment insurance.

For DOL programs, the bill provides an additional $1.4 billion:

• WIOA – $960 million
  • • Adult – $2212 million
    • Youth +$227 million
    • DW +261 million
    • NEG +100 million
• Employment Service +$150 million
• SCSEP +$120 million
• Strengthening Community College Grants +$150 million
• VETS +$15 million

It also includes a new title for expanded UI:

• Federally funded $600 weekly additional UI payment, including for Gig workers andĚýthose about to start work;
• Expanded work sharing to reduce the number of laid off employees;
• 13 weeks of EB;
• $300 per week for recent grads or new entrants to the workforce;
• Nonprofit or governmental groups who are “reimbursable employers:” would have 50%Ěýof their share of UI payments to laid off workers provided by the federal government.

Department of Education- $39.8 billion increase:

• $30 billion for a State Fiscal Stabilization Fund for grants to States to support statewideĚýand local funding for elementary and secondary schools and public postsecondaryĚýinstitutions
• $8 billion for Institutional Aid for impacted institutions ofĚýhigher education (IHE)

In addition, there is a new Education Relief program included which would:

• Require the Secretary of Education to waive the match requirement for IHE’s under the campus-based aid programs, including theĚýSupplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) and the Federal-Work StudyĚý(FWS) program;
• Allow SEOG funding to be utilized for emergency grants to students;
• IHE’s could continue to make FWS payments to affected work-study students for up toĚýone academic year to students who cannot fulfill their FWS job due to coronavirus;
• Provide significantly more flexibility with student loans:
  • • Require ED to make payments on behalf of FFEL, Perkins and direct loansĚýborrowers for each month during the national emergency;
    • Every borrower would receive at least $10,000 in benefits.

To read the entire update, please click the links below.

Special Edition Washington Update-3-23-20

House Draft Bill 032320 a.m.

FY 20 – House supp 3 summary – introduced version – updated 3-23-20

Yesterday, the Senate approved the House passed HR 6201, which was the second dollop of COVID-19 related funding relief in the last two weeks and followed an initial $8 billion package addressing immediate health security needs and offering SBA loans for impacted small businesses and nonprofits.

The newly passed second round of funding contains an array of emergency related assistance including:
â—Ź $1 billion for Unemployment Insurance operations in light of the strong upsurge in UI claimants;
â—Ź Continuation of school lunch programming and enhanced Meals on Wheels funding for seniors;
â—Ź Flexibility in SNAP benefits and work requirements;
â—Ź Enhanced paid leave and sick leave;
â—Ź Full payment for COVID-19 testing of the uninsured.

However, even before the passage of HR 6201, Majority Leader McConnell had already begun making plans for a third, $1 trillion plus supplemental (Supp 3) to address the economic security needs of industries impacted by this crisis. McConnell formed working groups of key Republican Senators to develop policy proposals and worked with the Administration’s point person, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to introduce S.3548, the “CARES Act”, this evening.

The core components of the CARES act focus on:
â—Ź $500 billion in direct stimulus to taxpayers;
â—‹ $1200 to each adult earning less than $75k or couple making under $150k and an additional $500 per child;
â—Ź $300 billion in federally guaranteed loans to employers with under 500 employees, which would be forgivable and for core expenses such as employee retention, as well as expanded eligibility of lenders able to offer small business interruption loans;
â—Ź Provide the Secretary of Education with the power to grant “national emergency educational waivers”, statutory and regulatory waivers from ESSA, HEA, and CTE…if the Secretary deems that such a waiver is necessary and appropriate;
● Revival of the Treasury Department’s ability to use its exchange rate stabilization fund to guarantee money market mutual funds, a TARP authority last granted in 2008;
â—Ź $208 billion in loans to distressed industries, including $50 billion for passenger airlines and $8 billion for cargo airlines;
â—Ź Expands funding for procurement of medical supplies and equipment;
â—Ź Extends the tax filing deadline to July 15th;
â—Ź Increases charitable deductions, allowing for an above the line $300 deduction of cash contributions;
â—Ź Adjusts the limitations on deductions for charitable contributions by individuals who itemize, as well as corporations. For individuals, the 50% of adjusted gross income limitation is suspended for 2020;
â—Ź Waives the 10% early withdrawal penalty for distributions up to $100,000 from qualified retirement accounts for coronavirus-related purposes.

McConnell chose not to work with his Democratic counterparts until the introduction of the CARES Act and is now seeking to begin negotiations with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Schumer has urged a “four corners” approach to negotiating this bill and has developed his own proposal, seeking $750 billion, divided between $400 billion for “emergency surge” spending and $350 billion for social safety net programs.

Schumer’s emergency surge provisions:
â—Ź Massive new investment in public health and health care equipment;
â—Ź Immediate aid to states and localities through existing programs, such as CDBG;
â—Ź Expanded SBA lending to small business;
â—Ź Broad based education funding–from K-12 to assist distance learning, to loan repayment and loan forgiveness for higher education;
â—Ź Increased CCDBG;
â—Ź Expanded OAA social service funding;
â—Ź Emergency housing and transportation related assistance.

Safety net investments:
â—Ź Enhanced UI– including for Gig economy workers;
â—Ź Expansion of Medicaid;
â—Ź Increased SNAP benefits;
â—Ź Broader paid and sick leave– as proposed by Senator Murray in an amendment that was struck down in the Supp 2 package.

Schumer has indicated that Democratic support on a consensus bill requires a more balanced approach that assists workers, as well as employers.
Next Steps

McConnell and Schumer will begin negotiations on the specs of a potentially bipartisan bill. McConnell has asked Senators to stay in town, as negotiations are likely to continue through this weekend. McConnell hopes to find a bipartisan compromise, but if consensus is not achieved, he will need the support of nine Democrats, as 60 votes are required to move legislation through the Senate floor and two Republican members are currently unable to vote due to being self-quarantined.

McConnell’s strategy is to send the Senate bill to the House for an up or down vote, limiting the House’s input on this $1 trillion bill– as House members are currently in recess and becoming increasingly leery of returning to DC, particularly after two House members were diagnosed with Coronavirus.

However, Speaker Pelosi has been working on specs for her own Supp 3 bill, requesting Committee Chairs to put forward ideas to her on what should be included in this package. While the bill will not likely be released until next week, its core components are expected to include:
â—Ź Additional Unemployment Insurance assistance;
â—Ź Expanded Medicaid;
â—Ź Additional social safety net assistance for vulnerable populations, such as food and housing;
â—Ź Loans for small businesses;
â—Ź Assistance to impacted industries.

The exact timetable for enactment of supp 3 is unclear at this point, but both parties in both chambers recognize the need for expediency to address the crisis created by Coronavirus.

Moving Forward

Along with the current bills already underway, a fourth tranche of funding is also expected to address a $54 billion supplemental request from the Administration to address shortfalls in a number of Departments, with a specific focus on HHS and Homeland Security. Speaker Pelosi has indicated that she would rather address this request from the Administration in the Supp 3 bill, but is at odds with McConnell, who prefers it to be taken up separately in a fourth package.

Along with the Administration’s supplemental appropriations request, this fourth tranche could include the extension of key social service programming including TANF and Community Health Centers, as well as the potential for a jobs related package focused on infrastructure.
Impact on FY 21 appropriations process

The extraordinary effort to address the Coronavirus has caused the Appropriations Committee leadership and staff to focus nonstop on emergency funding measures, leaving consideration of the FY 21 regular appropriations process left for another day, with the need for a Continuing Resolution to keep the government open past September 30th a virtual certainty.

Special Edition Washington Update