Coronavirus: The Hill and the Headlines, December 18 2020

In Washington:

• With only hours to spare, House and Senate lawmakers were forced to pass a last-minute short-term extension of government funding (H.J. Res. 107) to stave off a government shutdown while congressional leaders try to resolve the remaining sticking points on a $900 billion coronavirus relief package. The House passed the bill by a 320 to 60 vote margin, with all nay votes coming from Republicans. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said that even if a deal is reached, the House will not vote next until Sunday at 1 p.m. at the earliest.  The Senate passed the two-day extension shortly after the House.  Congress will have until Sunday night to pass the coronavirus relief package and $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill that will fund agencies through September 2021.

• It was unclear if the Senate could pass the stopgap as any one Senator could cause the vote to fail. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-K) had gauged the chamber as he tries to expedite passing the measure through unanimous consent. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) briefly said he wouldn’t back a short continuing resolution unless he gets proof, in text, that a deal includes direct assistance to Americans. 

• Earlier Friday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that he is feeling “more optimistic” than the day before about congressional leaders reaching a deal on a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill soon. McConnell again vowed to keep the Senate in session until a deal is reached.

• So what’s the hold up on a coronavirus deal? There are several complexities to work out, but as of Friday, the one sticking point seems to be a Republican push to curb a critical Federal Reserve program. Some Republicans fear Democrats are only fighting for it, is to be able to send states and cities more funds through a “backdoor” method. President-elect Joe Biden and other Democrats are arguing that the program is crucial to stabilize the beleaguered economy.

• GOP Sen. Ron Johnson (W.I.) on Friday blocked an effort to pass a second round of stimulus checks, arguing coronavirus relief needs to be more targeted and objecting to the national debt increase to fund the checks. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) tried to get the Senate’s unanimous consent to pass his bill that would provide $1,200 for individuals who make up to $75,000. Hawley said he and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) would return to the floor later Friday to try for a second time to pass their bill.

• Republicans are throwing cold water on Democratic-voiced expectations that the pending coronavirus relief deal is a “down payment” on a future, larger deal. Democratic senators have justified their support for a smaller agreement on a “down payment” rationale. And President-elect Biden on Wednesday said the emerging agreement is “an important down payment” toward a deal early next year. But Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) said, “I don’t see it that way.” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) added, “We’ll have to wait and kind of see what circumstances are like.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said, “we don’t know what next year holds.” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said it’s “unbelievable” to think of it as a down payment. “I think our targeted bill is more than adequate,” he added. 

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for Moderna’s vaccine for emergency use Friday evening. The second such vaccine to be cleared in the United States. The vaccine is easier to store and handle than Pfizer’s, speeding access to more parts of the U.S. 

• Vice President Pence on Friday received the coronavirus vaccine on live television, making him the first nationally-elected official to do so. Later that afternoon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Leader McConnell (R-KY) also got vaccinated by the top Capitol doctor and urged all members to do so. The vaccinations come just as incoming House Armed Services Committee’s top Republican, Rep. Mike Rogers, announced Thursday that he’s tested positive for Covid-19. And the top Republican on the House Defense Appropriations panel, Rep. Ken Calvert, and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) reported they have COVID. Rogers and Wilson were both at the White House Congressional Ball Christmas party.

• The Biden transition announced Thursday that Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), incoming White House senior advisor to Biden, tested positive for the virus. Richmond reportedly has not had close contact with the President-elect.

• According to the Washington Post, White House aides intervened Thursday to prevent President Trump from issuing a last-minute statement demanding direct payments as big as $2,000 for individuals to be added to the stimulus package being negotiated. Congressional leadership is currently preparing a stimulus package that would provide checks of $600 per person.

In the news:

• CVS and Walgreens began COVID-19 vaccinations of residents and staff at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities on Friday. More than 100,000 residents and staff of long-term care facilities have died of COVID-19. The effort is a partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Walgreens expects to eventually vaccinate nearly 3 million residents and staff at 35,000 long-term care facilities in 12 states through the program. CVS intends to vaccinate up to 4 million residents and staff at 40,000 long-term care facilities in 12 states.

• About 2.1 million U.S. workers have tapped into their 401(k)s and retirement plans for funds amid the nearly year-long COVID-19 pandemic, according to top financial planning companies including Fidelity and Vanguard, the New York Times reports. The estimated number of Americans making those withdrawals accounts for about 5 percent of those top financial administrators’ client base. Still, the number of withdrawals and the average amount taken is higher than a typical year.

• California reported 3% intensive care unit bed availability on Thursday. Hospitals in Southern California are facing the brunt of it as ICU capacity dropped to 0%, state data showed.

• Johnson & Johnson said Thursday it had completed enrollment for its phase 3 clinical trial for its vaccine with 45,000 participants. The company said it hopes to release interim data by the end of January.

• Two healthcare workers in Alaska who experienced adverse reactions just 10 minutes after receiving the vaccine were released from a hospital in Juneau on Thursday, according to the Anchorage Daily News. One worker experienced anaphylaxis and was hospitalized for two nights, while the second had a mild reaction and was released after about an hour. This is the third vaccine recipient in the U.S. to have severe reactions to the vaccine, and all three have been in Alaska.

Authored by Ivan Zapien