E3: Coronavirus US live: Trump urges Congress to get Americans 'back to work'
- Trump’s staff cuts have undermined containment efforts
- US medical staff beg for masks on social media
- Can Trump be trusted not to abuse emergency powers?
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Over in Virginia, Liberty University, the private evangelical Christian university run by Jerry Falwell Jr., is reopening its doors. Via the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
LYNCHBURG — As the coronavirus threatens to spread across the Lynchburg region, Liberty University officials are preparing to welcome back up to 5,000 students from spring break this week.
Defying a national trend of campus closures, President Jerry Falwell Jr. has invited students to return to residence halls and has directed faculty members to continue to report to campus even as most classes move online.
Donald Trump is signaling a sense of urgency that Congress make a deal on a stimulus package. That’s been the topic of Trump’s twitter over the past few hours.
This is not about the ridiculous Green New Deal. It is about putting our great workers and companies BACK TO WORK!
Congress must approve the deal, without all of the nonsense, today. The longer it takes, the harder it will be to start up our economy. Our workers will be hurt!
Our people want to return to work. They will practice Social Distancing and all else, and Seniors will be watched over protectively & lovingly. We can do two things together. THE CURE CANNOT BE WORSE (by far) THAN THE PROBLEM! Congress MUST ACT NOW. We will come back strong!
On Monday, US deaths surpassed 100 in a single day for the first time. Fatalities passed the grim threshold as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed 46,000 and a World Health Organization official told The Washington Post that “we are now seeing a very large acceleration” in US coronavirus infections.
Across the country lawmakers have been grappling with how to effectively contain and fight the Coronavirus pandemic. Much of that has fallen on governors, many of whom have issued stay at home orders.
But some lawmakers have argued for caution in doing that. Here’s Oklahoma senator James Lankford when asked if Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt, another Republican, should issue a “stay at home order.”
Talked with Senator James Lankford this morning and asked him if he thinks Oklahoma should be under a stay-at-home order.
(@koconews) pic.twitter.com/D7HIxuO6BZ
The big news out of the business world this morning is that the Ford Motor Company, GE Healthcare and the 3M company are teaming up to make medical equipment in response to the Coronavirus epidemic.
CNN Business reports: “Healthcare workers around the country have expressed concern about difficulties in attaining enough critical supplies, such as masks, gloves and ventilators, to deal with the influx of patients suffering from the highly contagious virus.”
DEARBORN, Mich., March 24, 2020 – Ford Motor Company, joining forces with firms including 3M and GE Healthcare, is lending its manufacturing and engineering expertise to quickly expand production of urgently needed medical equipment and supplies for healthcare workers, first responders and patients fighting coronavirus.
In addition, Ford plans to assemble more than 100,000 face shields per week and leverage its in-house 3D printing capability to produce components for use in personal protective equipment.
Outside of Washington, the ripple effects of the Coronavirus pandemic are still being felt. Japan agreed with the president of the International Olympic Committee to delay the summer Olympics.
Here’s The Wall Street Journal:
TOKYO—Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he agreed with the International Olympic Committee’s president that the Summer Olympics previously scheduled to start in Tokyo on July 24, 2020, would be delayed by around one year.
Mr. Abe spoke by phone Tuesday with IOC President Thomas Bach.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat on Capitol Hill, just finished an interview with CNBC’s Jim Cramer and her tone was overall optimistic.
When Cramer asked “can we get something done today?” Pelosi responded “I think there is real optimism that we could get something done in the next few hours.”
Late Monday night top Republican and Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill appeared to be close to a deal on an almost $2tn economic stimulus package meant to mitigate some of the economic fallout of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The holdup thus far had been over a $500 billion fund meant to help struggling industries. Democrats argued that the fund lacked sufficient oversight and nicknamed it a “slush fund.”
Republicans had a deal until Nancy Pelosi rode into town from her extended vacation. The Democrats want the Virus to win? They are asking for things that have nothing to do with our great workers or companies. They want Open Borders & Green New Deal. Republicans shouldn’t agree!
Congress must approve the deal, without all of the nonsense, today. The longer it takes, the harder it will be to start up our economy. Our workers will be hurt!
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