Trump’s Directives Were Supposed to Offer Relief. Most May Not.

New York Times logoBecause Congress controls federal spending, at least some of the measures will almost certainly be challenged in court. Or they may become moot if Congress reaches a deal.

President Trump, in announcing his executive measures on Saturday, said he was bypassing Congress to deliver emergency pandemic aid to needy Americans. But his directives are rife with so much complexity and legal murkiness that they’re unlikely, in most cases, to bring fast relief — if any.

Because Congress controls federal spending, at least some of Mr. Trump’s actions will almost certainly be challenged in court. They could also quickly become moot if congressional leaders reach an agreement and pass their own relief package. Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California on Sunday dismissed Mr. Trump’s actions as unconstitutional and said a compromise deal was still needed. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he would be open to further talks with Democratic leaders: “Anytime they have a new proposal, I’m willing to listen.” Continue reading.

Members left Trump administration coronavirus briefing frustrated

The administration has been unable to answer questions on how the uninsured would be covered for testing and treatment

Trump administration health officials Thursday briefed House members on how they plan to ramp up testing to keep up with the rapidly spreading COVID-19 outbreak, but lawmakers are frustrated with the pace of testing availability and were emerging from frequent briefings with more questions than answers.

The administration has been unable to answer questions about how the uninsured would be covered for the testing and treatment they might need, according to House members who attended Thursday’s briefing with Health and Human Services officials.

Federal officials have been briefing members on a near-daily basis, and as the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States continues to grow, “the level of concern at each successive hearing I’ve been to has grown,” said Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif. Continue reading.