“They’re starting to see, they think, this virus in some of these known hot spots begin to maybe top out,” Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) told POLITICO. “There are some hopeful signs in New York and other places. But we all know there’s a long way to go.”
Health experts attributed the improving models to the strong mitigation efforts that have been put in place all around the country. The encouraging news comes after Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned on „Fox News Sunday“ that the crisis could bring „our Pearl Harbor moment and our 9/11 moment” this week.
Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert and who participated in the telebriefings, called to “redouble” social-distancing measures. And the task force is also keeping an eye on areas it worries could turn into new epicenters for the virus, including the Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia areas.
Yet during a Q&A on the call with Democrats, Fauci told lawmakers that administration officials are developing a framework for getting back to „normality“ and that he expects the White House to issue more guidance about eventually reopening society in the coming days, according to Democrats on the call.
Fauci, though, didn’t suggest any kind of timeline for the U.S. transitioning back to a more normal way of life and one Democrat on the call said the doctor was just discussing the possibility of a framework, not implying it would be implemented anytime soon.
Federal guidelines are suggesting all nonessential workers stay home as much as possible through the end of April. And some states, particularly those showing high rates of infection, have gone further, shuttering all nonessential businesses and, in some cases, ordering residents to stay home in June.
Besides Pence and Fauci, other top officials on the call included Dr. Deborah Birx, Rear Adm. John Polowczyk and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The same group is expected to separately brief Senate Democrats and Republicans on Thursday. While Democrats have worked closely with Mnuchin on coronavirus legislation, the briefing from Pence represented a rare moment of bipartisanship between the House majority and an administration it is often battling.
During Wednesday’s calls, Mnuchin pitched lawmakers on the need for more immediate money for a small-business loans program and urged Congress to swiftly approve the White House’s request for $250 billion in aid for small businesses.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is hoping to move quickly on the emergency aid this week, but Democrats are demanding assurances that women and minority-owned businesses have access to the capital, as well as calling for more funding for hospitals, state and local governments, and food stamps.
Congressional Republicans have scoffed at Democrats’ demands, saying they’re trying to hold up small business funding that is needed immediately while other streams for hospitals and state and local governments still have relief funds.
But Pelosi disputed that idea on a private call with her caucus after the White House officials’ briefing. The California Democrat said local governments and hospitals are rapidly depleting the pots of money they have to fight the pandemic and need more federal relief just as much as small businesses do.
Pelosi told Democrats the White House has offered to address some of their demands administratively — including assuring that minority-owned businesses have equal access to new federal loans — but she is still determined to address their issues legislatively.
Source: politico.com
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