More Than 7,700 Coronavirus Cases In The US And At Least 188 Deaths

Americans evacuated from Wuhan, photo credit: npr

President Trump today invoked the Defense Production Act, which gives the administration the authority to ramp up domestic manufacturing of personal protective equipment and other items needed to fight the coronavirus.

In Congress, the Senate passed the House's amended coronavirus aid package, but GOP senators are already racing to craft the next stimulus package with $1 trillion.

Here's what you need to know today:

From the White House and Capitol Hill: 

President Trump announced Wednesday that he will invoke the Defense Production Act, which would allow the administration to force the American industry to manufacture medical supplies that are in short supply in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. 

Hospitals, health workers, and state and local officials have said they are quickly running out of personal protective equipment, such as masks, gowns, and gloves, that is crucial to keeping doctors and nurses on the front lines of the pandemic safe. 

The Senate passed the House’s $104 billion coronavirus aid package in a 90-8 vote on Wednesday, sending it to Trump, who is expected to sign it. The original House bill passed in the middle of the night on Saturday but needed dozens of changes before the White House and Senate Republicans would sign off on it.

Meanwhile, Republican senators are scrambling to put together a $1 trillion fiscal stimulus package before a wave of bankruptcies and layoffs sends the economy into a tailspin. While they would like to pass the bill this week, the massive size and complexity of the legislation could mean the vote will be next week.

One item that could be included in the "phase three" legislation: language to stop people from receiving surprise medical bills. A last-minute push from Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) seeks to force the long-stalled issue by including language that is favored by insurers rather than doctors and hospitals. 

The White House is temporarily stopping top officials engaged in the response to the coronavirus pandemic from giving testimony in hearings on Capitol Hill.  

The White House is launching a public awareness campaign to educate the public about the coronavirus. The effort will see the administration team up with NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS, ABC-Walt Disney Television and iHeartMedia. First lady Melania Trump is among those who will appear in public service announcements. 

The Treasury Department and IRS on Wednesday released guidance on deferring tax payments due to the coronavirus, providing further details for taxpayers and tax preparers. But the agencies are still facing criticism for not delaying the filing deadline. 

Trump ordered the Department of Housing and Urban Development to suspend evictions and foreclosures through April to help Americans coping with the coronavirus outbreak. 

From the health agencies: 

Eighty percent of deaths associated with the coronavirus in the United States were in adults aged 65 and older, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

On the flip side, the same data shows younger people are getting sick at the same rate as those who are older. While younger people are much more likely to survive, they’re still at risk for medical problems. 

From the states: 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a proclamation Wednesday that would allow local elections to be postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more from Tal Axelrod here.

Alabama is postponing its GOP Senate runoff scheduled for later this month to July 14 amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. 

The Trump administration has agreed to dispatch a U.S. Navy hospital ship to New York Harbor amid the coronavirus outbreak, multiple officials said Wednesday. 

From overseas: 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said that the coronavirus posed the greatest threat to the nation since the end of World War II in a video statement Wednesday. 

Italy's death toll from the coronavirus outbreak saw its biggest increase overnight Tuesday, with health officials reporting a whopping 475 deaths in 24 hours. 

Source: TheHill.com