David Sherfinski

House passes coronavirus relief package

The House passed the $484 billion emergency coronavirus-relief package Thursday evening, after a deal was caught between partisan goalposts for over a week.

April 23, 2020

Treasury Department warns large public companies likely won’t qualify for next round of loans

The Treasury Department on Thursday released new guidance on eligibility for an emergency small-business lending program that warns large public companies with ready access to capital likely won't be able to justify applying for the money.

April 23, 2020

Jobless claims total 4.4 million last week

Jobless claims totaled 4.4 million last week, the U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday, meaning that approximately 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment over the last five weeks as the coronavirus wreaks havoc on the U.S. economy.

April 23, 2020

Scott Gottlieb: Wouldn’t be surprised if Brian Kemp revises reopening plan in Georgia

Former U.S. Food and Drugs Commissioner Scott Gottlieb on Thursday said he wouldn't be surprised if Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp revises his plans for some businesses in the state to reopen this week after pushback from President Trump.

April 23, 2020

Doug Collins of Georgia: Opening businesses during stay-at-home order creates a problem

Rep. Doug Collins, Georgia Republican, on Thursday said the situation in his state where some businesses are being allowed to open this week even as a stay-at-home order is in place until the end of the month "creates a problem."

April 23, 2020

Lamar Alexander: I don’t know if we’ll have a GOP convention in Charlotte

Sen. Lamar Alexander, Tennessee Republican, said the prospect of the Republican National Convention being held as scheduled in late August is wholly dependent on how the U.S. deals with the coronavirus pandemic.

April 23, 2020

Mitch McConnell, Republicans reject ‘blank check’ for governors

Republican lawmakers objected Wednesday to giving governors a "blank check" that could end up in chronically underfunded union pension plans, as Washington tees up another massive coronavirus stimulus package with an eye toward bailing out hard-hit state budgets.

April 22, 2020

Henry McMaster, S.C. gov., says K-12 schools will be closed for the rest of the academic year

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Wednesday said K-12 schools in the state will be closed for the rest of the academic year, as some retail shops are now allowed to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

April 22, 2020

Larry Kudlow: Trump administration eyeing business liability reform as states start to reopen

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Wednesday the administration is looking closely at trying to safeguard businesses from liability as some states start to allow shops to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

April 22, 2020

Steven Mnuchin: We’re looking forward to most, if not all, of economy opening by late summer

Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin on Wednesday set a late-summer target date for when most, "if not all," of the U.S. economy will open back up amid the coronavirus pandemic.

April 22, 2020

Mitch McConnell: GOP held the line on ‘blank check’ for state and local governments

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday said that after nearly two weeks of delay, Democrats failed to attach a "blank check" for state and local governments in the latest round of coronavirus relief legislation.

April 22, 2020

Nancy Pelosi: McConnell delayed relief package, Dems said no to extension of small business money

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday said Republicans delayed the latest round of coronavirus relief legislation, while confirming Democrats were the ones who said no to a "clean" extension of funding for a small business lending program.

April 22, 2020

First coronavirus-related deaths in U.S. happened weeks earlier than believed

Two individuals who died in February tested positive for the new coronavirus, California health officials announced Tuesday, pushing the time frame for the first known virus-related deaths in the U.S. back several weeks.

April 22, 2020

Stephen Hahn, FDA head: Second coronavirus wave ‘certainly a possibility’

Food and Drug Commissioner Stephen Hahn on Wednesday said a second, more debilitating wave of the new coronavirus this winter is certainly a possibility, sharing the concern of Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

April 22, 2020

James McGovern releases resolution on proxy voting, remote voting in committee

House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern on Wednesday released text of a resolution that would allow for "proxy" voting in the House and virtual committee proceedings during the coronavirus pandemic.

April 22, 2020

Coronavirus reopenings expose ‘red state-blue state divide’

Republican governors in the Sun Belt are aggressively pushing to reopen from the coronavirus shutdown, expressing optimism they can manage the threat, while coastal Democrats are far more pessimistic -- creating the ultimate red state-blue state divide.

April 21, 2020

Chuck Schumer predicts Senate passage of coronavirus relief package on Tuesday

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said the administration and congressional leaders have struck a deal on a $450 billion coronavirus relief package and that he thinks the Senate will pass it on Tuesday.

April 21, 2020

Larry Hogan: Things ‘went off the rails’ at WH presser after ‘great conversation’ with task force

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday said he was left a bit puzzled after President Trump lobbed criticisms at him a day earlier, saying he was heeding Mr. Trump's call for states to take on coronavirus testing by procuring 500,000 tests from South Korea.

April 21, 2020

John Kennedy: We’re choosing between ‘cancer and a heart attack’ on coronavirus restrictions

Sen John Kennedy on Tuesday said the looming decision for states on whether to roll back stay-at-home orders and reopen businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic is like choosing between two potentially fatal health maladies.

April 21, 2020

Stephen Moore: Coming ‘red state-blue state’ divide on reopenings after coronavirus restrictions

White House economic adviser Stephen Moore on Tuesday said the rush of "red" states to reopen parts of their economy in the coming weeks is going to put pressure on more Democratic-leaning states to do the same.

April 21, 2020