Lawmakers expect stimulus deal soon, but final vote may not come until Monday
With the clock ticking toward a government shutdown, some congressional lawmakers are optimistic about a Covid relief deal coming together soon.
Senate Republican Whip John Thune, R-S.D., said on Saturday that a final vote on the relief plan could happen on Sunday but will more likely occur on Monday.
"I'm still somewhat hopeful we could wrap this up if the House moves quickly," Thune said.
A final outstanding issue involves the battle over the Federal Reserve's lending powers. Senator Patrick J. Toomey, R-Pa, is drafting language to block the incoming Biden administration from reviving emergency lending programs, a move that Democrats have condemned.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Saturday that once arguments over the Fed's lending programs are resolved, the deal could come together quickly and "everything will fall into place."
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was briefing Republican Senators on Saturday at 1 p.m. to provide status updates on negotiations and potentially address the Fed lending issues.
— Emma Newburger
U.K. to impose restrictions ahead of Christmas following new virus strain, prime minister says
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced fresh restrictions ahead of the Christmas holiday, saying gatherings can't go ahead and non-essential shops must close in London and much of southern England.
Johnson said that the capital and other areas in southern England currently under Tier 3, the highest level of coronavirus restrictions, will move to an even stricter new Tier 4 that requires non-essential shops, hairdressers and indoor leisure venues to close after the end of business hours Saturday.
A planned five-day easing of socializing restrictions that would allow up to three households to meet in "Christmas bubbles" will be canceled for Tier 4 areas. The new restrictions come after the U.K. identified a new coronavirus strain that "can spread more quickly" than prior strains of the virus, according to England's top medical officer.
"These further restrictions are a bitter blow for Londoners who were hoping to spend time with loved ones safely this Christmas, and for businesses who have already suffered so much this year," London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement following the announcement. Khan called on the government to increase mass testing and provide financial support to businesses and people who are self-employed.
— Noah Higgins-Dunn, The Associated Press
U.S. has allocated 7.9 million vaccines doses for distribution, new shipments arrive Monday
The U.S. has allocated a total 7.9 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for distribution across the U.S. with a new round of shipments arriving Monday and continuing through the week, according to U.S. Army General Gustave Perna, who oversees logistics for Operation Warp Speed.
On Friday Moderna's vaccine received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, and the one from BioNTech and Pfizer got it last week.
Perna said the country is on track to allocate 20 million doses by the end of the year.
The doses will go out to more than 3,700 locations across 64 jurisdictions that have ordered vaccines and five federal entities, Perna said. The Moderna and BioNTech-Pfizer vaccines both require two doses per person that must be weeks apart.
Moderna has handed off its vaccine from its manufacturing sites to McKesson, Perna said.
"At McKesson distribution centers, boxes are being packed and loaded today," he said. "Trucks will begin rolling out tomorrow from FedEx and UPS, delivering vaccines and kits to the American people."
The group has already started shipping kits containing needles and syringes for disseminating the vaccine. Going forward, Perna said, those kits will be paired with the vaccines for delivery.
—Jordan Novet
McConnell urges Congress to pass relief, warns delays cost jobs
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks at a news conference with other Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on December 15, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Tom Brenner-Pool/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, urged Congress to pass a coronavirus stimulus compromise and said that each day lawmakers delay an agreement costs American jobs and lives.
"There's a gravitational pull here in Congress, where, unless we're careful, any major negotiation can easily slide into an unending catalogue of disagreements," McConnell said on the Senate floor. "Let's guard against that."
Congressional lawmakers are still hammering out final policy disagreements. A short-term spending bill is funding the government through Sunday as leaders maintain they are close to making a deal. However, Congress may not pass a relief plan until next week.
"The American people cannot feed their families or pay their bills with Congress' good faith discussions. They need us to act," McConnell said. "We need to conclude our talks, draft legislation and land this plane."
— Emma Newburger
U.S. Army general apologizes for cuts to vaccine allotments for states
U.S. Army Gen. Gustave Perna, who oversees logistics for President Donald Trump's vaccine program Operation Warp Speed, has apologized for the confusion this week after some state officials reported their allocations of Pfizer vaccines were cut, and it wasn't made clear who was at fault.
"I want to take personal responsibility for the miscommunication," Perna told reporters during a press conference. "I am responsible, and I take responsibility for the miscommunication."
Perna said states asked for planning numbers, but the estimates he gave were higher than the actual number of doses available for release. As a result, he had to lower the allocation numbers.
"It was a planning error, and I am responsible," Perna said. "We're learning from it, we're trying to get better, because at the end of the day it's about facilitating the most available vaccine doses that are releasable out to the American people."
Reporters asked Perna to provide additional details on what caused the error, but the general said he "doesn't know how to explain it any clearer."
The federal government is still on track to allocated roughly 20 million doses to every jurisdiction by the end of the year, Perna said. Distribution of those doses will push into the first week of January, he said.
— Noah Higgins-Dunn
Senate vote on stimulus still days away, Sen. Coons says
U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) and other Democratic leaders stand on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during a news conference after their boycott of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., October 22, 2020.
Ken Cedeno | Reuters
Sen. Chris Coons, D-DE, said he believes the Senate will vote to pass the $900 billion Covid-19 recovery package on Monday or Tuesday.
"It is still days away," Coons said on MSNBC. "We frankly should be closing this deal and delivering billions of dollars of assistance to Americans who are facing eviction, hunger, joblessness and homelessness."
Congress on Friday passed a two-day spending bill to avoid a government shutdown after hitting a snag in negotiations. Lawmakers are tying Covid relief and government funding together.
Lawmakers in both chambers have emphasized that they're close to making a deal in the next few days, but Congress faces another deadline of 12:01 a.m. ET Monday to avoid a government shutdown.
— Emma Newburger
U.K. identifies new coronavirus strain that can spread more quickly, alerts the WHO
England's top medical officer announced that the U.K. has identified a new variant of the coronavirus that "can spread more quickly" than prior strains of the virus.
The nation has alerted the World Health Organization and will continue to analyze data on the new strain, said Professor Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer. However, there's no evidence yet that the contagious new variant causes a higher death rate or affects the vaccines and treatments, though "work is underway to confirm this," Whitty said in a statement.
"Given this latest development it is now more vital than ever that the public continue to take action in their area to reduce transmission," Whitty said.
— Noah Higgins-Dunn
How Moderna's vaccine compares with Pfizer's
Moderna's coronavirus vaccine has now joined Pfizer's drug as the only two Covid-19 vaccines in the U.S. granted emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Both vaccines use messenger RNA, or so called mRNA, technology that teaches the cells to make the virus' spike protein to trigger an immune response. Both vaccines have proven to be highly efficacious; Moderna's drug was 94% effective in preventing Covid while Pfizer's was 95% effective.
Both vaccines will also call for a second trip to the clinic since they each require two doses. However, Moderna's second dose should be given 28 days after the first, while Pfizer's takes 21 days. How old you are will matter: The FDA authorized Pfizer's vaccine for people 16 years old and older, while Moderna's drug was cleared for people 18 and older.
The vaccines come with differing logistical challenges as well. While Pfizer's drug requires a storage temperature of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit, Moderna's doses can be stored for up to six months at minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit.
— Noah Higgins-Dunn
Where the stimulus talks stand in Congress
Unable to reach a combined Covid relief deal and government funding plan during the week, Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed a two-day funding bill on Friday to avert an immediate government shutdown and give lawmakers more time to iron out their differences.
The House will not meet again and vote until 1 p.m. Sunday at the earliest. Lawmakers have until 12:01 a.m. ET Monday morning to reach a deal, otherwise the government will shut down.
Twelve million Americans are currently set to lose expanded jobless benefits the day after Christmas if a relief deal is not passed. Billions of dollars are also needed to distribute vaccines and shore up the nation's health-care system.
The developing $900 billion Covid relief plan would include the following:
- $300 in supplemental federal unemployment benefits
- At least $300 billion of assistance for small businesses
- $600 stimulus checks for most adults and $600 per child for at least two kids
The deal is also expected to include funding for vaccines, testing, schools, hospitals and transportation, though specific dollar figures haven't been released. It's also unclear what will happen to the federal eviction moratorium, rental assistance, and the student loan payment moratorium.
The $900 billion deal is not expected to include assistance for state and local governments or liability protections for businesses. Those issues have been major sources of contention between Republicans and Democrats, preventing a deal for months.
— Spencer Kimball
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Covid live updates: U.S. Army general apologizes for vaccine cuts; Senate stimulus vote may be days away - CNBC
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