Reuters: U.S.

Friday, March 20, 2020

The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump triggers emergency powers to fight coronavirus outbreak | Tax filing deadline moved to July | Senate GOP unveils third coronavirus aid bill | What's in the package | How the outbreak is exposing years of planning failures | Anxiety grows on Capitol Hill | House GOP leaders self-quarantine | Burr denies wrongdoing, calls for probe into stock sale | Progressives ponder Sanders's future

The Hill 12:30 Report
 
NEWS THIS MORNING

Breaking -- Trump triggers war powers for medical supplies:

 

President Trump said he will trigger the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of medical supplies. https://bit.ly/2U5IwW7

 
HAPPENING NOW -- THE DAILY WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE PRESS BRIEFING:

Here's the livestream: https://bit.ly/2Umsmql

 
ALSO FROM THE BRIEFING -- TRUMP WENT OFF ON A REPORTER:

NBC's Peter Alexander asked President Trump: "What do you say to millions of Americans who are scared right now?"
 

Trump's response: "I say that you're a terrible reporter, that's what I say. I think it's a very nasty question and I think it's a very bad signal that you're putting out to the American people." https://bit.ly/2QyU5mA

 

July is the new April:

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced this morning that the tax return filing deadline has been moved from April 15 to July 15. https://bit.ly/39cUH8d

 

Mnuchin tweeted: "At @realDonaldTrump's direction, we are moving Tax Day from April 15 to July 15. All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties." https://bit.ly/2J2aQlZ

 

He also added: "I encourage all taxpayers who may have tax refunds to file now to get your money." https://bit.ly/33wrbZM

 

It's finally Friday! I'm Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what's coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com -- and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

 

Did someone forward this to you? Want your own copy? Sign up here to receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox daily: http://bit.ly/2kjMNnn

 
IN CONGRESS

Phase three of coronavirus aid:

Senate Republicans have reached a deal among themselves for emergency aid during the coronavirus outbreak. https://bit.ly/3abtvI4

 

To pass the bill: It would need 60 votes. I.e.: Republicans now need to get Democrats on board.

 
WHAT'S IN THE BILL:

Cash moneeey: $1,200 for individuals making up to $75,000 a year -- doubled for filers. It also includes $500 for a child.

 

$208 billion in loans: The bill includes loans for industries affected by the virus. Republicans dismissed the idea of assistance that would not need to be paid back, so the aid is in loans.

 

^ In the $208 billion: It includes $50 billion for airlines, $8 billion for cargo air carriers and $150 billion for "other eligible entities." 

 

Small businesses: "The package also includes $300 billion for small businesses. Under the loan structure, the loans would be forgiven if the businesses maintain their payroll. They could also use the loan to cover things like paid sick leave and mortgage payments." 

 
HOW CORONAVIRUS ANXIETY HAS SPREAD ACROSS CAPITOL HILL:

"Members of Congress and their office staff had viewed it as all but inevitable that a lawmaker would eventually contract the virus, given the frequent travel, events and glad-handing that defines congressional life. But the announcement by two House members Wednesday that they tested positive sparked a new wave of anxiety among their colleagues, many of whom had been in close quarters with them just last week, and a sense that more cases are on the horizon." https://bit.ly/2UmyK0N

 
INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE GOP LEADERSHIP SELF-QUARANTINING:

https://bit.ly/2vFOl3m

 

Getting traction -- Burr wants an investigation:

After reports that Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.)  sold off millions of dollars in stocks before the coronavirus outbreak, Burr is requesting a Senate Ethics Committee investigation into his stock trading history. https://bit.ly/2wgmS8R

 

Burr said in a statement: "I relied solely on public news reports to guide my decision regarding the sale of stocks on February 13. Understanding the assumption many could make in hindsight however, I spoke this morning with the chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and asked him to open a complete review of the matter with full transparency."

 

Back story from ProPublica: https://bit.ly/3adBS68

 

By the way...: "According to financial disclosures, Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) also sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in stocks within days of the Senate holding a classified briefing on Jan. 24 with administration officials on the coronavirus outbreak." More on that: https://bit.ly/2U5NVwr

 
THE SITUATION NOW

Stocks opened with solid gains today: Stocks ticked higher as financial markets stabilize. The numbers: https://bit.ly/33ztsmK

 

'N.Y. Has Over 40 Percent of U.S. Coronavirus Cases': https://nyti.ms/2J4DHGw

 

What San Francisco looks like during the shelter-in-place order: Here are photos: https://bit.ly/2Un6f3h

 
INTERESTING READ

How the coronavirus has exposed years of failure:

Via The Hill's Reid Wilson, "the coronavirus spreading across the United States has exposed a deep and pervasive failure to plan for what experts and former government officials have warned of for years, the prospect of a global pandemic that threatens to overwhelm health systems and kill millions."

 

What we've seen so far: "Instead, two months after the first American tested positive and as the number of confirmed cases inside the country soars past 10,000, a decentralized governmental response has been scattered and uneven, a mix of action and inaction, urgency and passivity."

 

Why our response will not look like China's response: "The federalist nature of American democracy means the response to any disaster will vary based on the competency of state and local officials. It will not look like China, for better and for worse."

 

How this could play out: https://bit.ly/2xeL1MQ

 

Op-ed: https://bit.ly/33xTrLz

 
LIGHTER TIDBITS

I laughed out loud at a few of these: Via NBC's Today, here are "the 19 funniest parents on social media this week": https://on.today.com/2xQDVOY  

 

Amazing: A Bruins fan wandered into the live shot of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's press conference. My favorite caption: "Ah, it's just the mayah. Wheyah do we pay the pahking ticket?" Watch: https://bit.ly/2vBsiuy

 

If you're home with kids: Bestselling children's author Mo Willems is hosting drawing sessions on YouTube. Details: https://bit.ly/2WuspmJ

 

Another way to keep kids entertained: Here's a list of 11 storytelling apps for kids: https://bit.ly/3adhMZK

 

Good background TV content: Via The Daily Beast, here's a list of animal livestreams to keep everyone entertained. The list: https://bit.ly/2xYsAg5

 

Social distanced dance party: Residents in the Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C., had a dance party yesterday. Watch: https://bit.ly/398tH9M

 
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

What's next for Bernie?:

Via The Hill's Jonathan Easley, "progressives are debating what should come next for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose once-promising second presidential bid has been all but snuffed out by former Vice President Joe Biden." https://bit.ly/2UntkTj

 

What Sanders is up to now: "Sanders is publicly giving the appearance of winding down his campaign after a string of blowout losses that has pushed Biden to a near-insurmountable lead in delegates. The Vermont senator has pulled his digital campaign ads and scaled back his fundraising efforts. The coronavirus pandemic, meanwhile, has effectively pulled the candidates off the campaign trail completely."

 

Some progressives think it's time to drop out: "Some progressives say the time has come for Sanders to throw in the towel so the nation can focus on addressing the health crisis and so Democrats can move on to the business of defeating President Trump in November." 

 
NOTABLE TWEETS

Rest in peace:

 

Back story: https://bit.ly/2vDlVqL

 

Good day, Sean.:

 
ON TAP

The Senate is in. The House is out. President Trump and Vice President Pence are in Washington, D.C.

 

9 a.m. EDT: Vice President Pence held a Coronavirus Task Force meeting in the Situation Room.

 

1:05 p.m. EST: Vice President Pence participates in a conference call with the National Association of Manufacturers.

 

1:30 p.m. EDT: President Trump has lunch with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

 

3:45 p.m. EDT: President Trump has a phone call with small business owners.

 

4 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence leads a call with pastors.

 
WHAT TO WATCH

11:45 a.m. EDT: The White House Coronavirus Task Force holds a daily press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/2Umsmql

 
NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...

Today is National Ravioli Day. Just what we need!

 

And because we should have small things to celebrate every day, tomorrow is National Crunchy Taco Day and Sunday is World Water Day. Oh, and get excited for International Waffle Day on Wednesday!

 

And to lighten the mood a bit, here are a bunch of penguins walking down the stairs: https://bit.ly/3a8ubOi

 
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