Government

Posted this morning by Sen. Amy Klobuchar: I have news that many Americans are facing right now: my husband John has the coronavirus. We just got the test results at 7 a.m. this morning. While I cannot see him and he is of course cut off from all visitors, our daughter Abigail and I are constantly calling and texting and …

NBC News reports: Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, who tested positive last week for the disease caused by the coronavirus, said Sunday night that he has been hospitalized since Friday because of “severe shortness of breath.” McAdams said in a statement that he experienced worsening symptoms Friday evening and he called the hotline for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. …

The Washington Post reports: Senate Democrats blocked a massive coronavirus stimulus bill from moving forward late Sunday as partisan disputes raged over the legislation that’s aimed at arresting the economy’s precipitous decline. Lawmakers had hoped to pass the enormous $1.8 trillion bill by Monday but Sunday night they were scrambling to revive talks, with the stock market poised for another …

Hemant Mehta reports at The Friendly Atheist: Because church/state separation apparently goes out the window whenever there’s a crisis to exploit, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves spent the morning leading the state in Christian prayer from his office. I guess there’s nothing else he needed to be doing. Between three Bible readings, two prayers, and a bizarre statement telling God “Thank …

NY1 reports: The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles will be closing all their offices due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement was made Saturday and stated expiration dates for driver licenses, non-driver IDs, and registrations set to expire on or post-March 1, 2020, would be extended, while road tests would be suspended. Additionally, in-office reservations, road tests, …

The Daily Beast reports: Half of all coronavirus cases in New York state are in patients under 50 years old, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said as he pleaded with young people to stop socializing and to increase their social distancing. Of the state’s 10,356 cases, 54 percent were in people aged 18 to 49, Cuomo said on Saturday. “You’re not superman …

The Associated Press reports: Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced Friday that he is postponing the March 31 Republican primary runoff in the state’s 2nd Congressional District because of the coronavirus. The new date is June 23. Mississippi joins a number of other states that have postponed elections amid the global pandemic. “We face an unprecedented health crisis. Conducting an election …

The Chicago Tribune reports: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker plans to issue a “shelter-in-place” order for the entire state starting Saturday, essentially commanding residents to stay in their homes as the officials take drastic measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus, sources told the Tribune. Pritzker is expected to announce the directive at a 3 p.m. Friday news conference along …

CNBC reports: California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued a statewide order for all residents to ‘stay at home’ amid a coronavirus outbreak. “We need to bend the curve in the state of California,” Newsom said, as he announced a statewide order for Californians to stay home. “There’s a social contract here, people I think recognize the need to do …

The Los Angeles Times reports: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday asked Congress for $1 billion in federal funds to support the state’s medical response to the novel coronavirus, which he expects will infect more than half of all Californians. The state projects that 25.5 million people in California will be infected with the coronavirus over an eight-week period, Newsom said …

Here’s the official warning I reported was coming: The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for …

Politico reports: The State Department is set to announce a Level 4 travel advisory applying to all international travel, its most severe warning, three individuals with knowledge of the pending announcement said. The advisory, which appears to be unprecedented, would instruct all Americans abroad to either return to the United States or prepare to shelter in place, given the global …

NBC News reports: Minnesota has classified grocery store workers as emergency personnel, allowing them to access free child care provided by the state. As people continue to practice social distancing and restaurants and bars remain closed, grocery store workers have essentially become first responders to the crisis, making sure everybody stays fed. For this reason, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz added …

Fox News reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told spring breakers in the state on Thursday that “The party’s over” amid the coronavirus outbreak. DeSantis made the comment on “Fox & Friends” after images of students on spring break crowding Florida beaches surfaced this week, despite officials’ encouragement of social distancing. “The message I think for spring breakers is that the …

ABC News reports: Members of the coronavirus task force will hold a press briefing about the virus in Washington D.C. The conference is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Thursday in the White House. President Donald Trump on Wednesday invoked rarely used emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against the coronavirus pandemic. Trump also signed an aid package — …

The Guardian reports: Australia and New Zealand’s borders will be shut to anyone who is not a citizen or resident, in an escalation of both countries’ efforts to tackle the coronavirus. “At no time in New Zealand’s history has a power like this been used, and I recognise how extraordinary it is,” New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern said on …

Axios reports: All Georgia state Senate members and employees have been “asked to self-quarantine” for 14 days after a senator tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the legislature confirmed in a statement late Wednesday. Sen. Brandon Beach said he was tested Saturday after seeking medical attention for a cough and mild fever, per AJC.com. He turned up to vote Monday …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, says he has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the second member of Congress to confirm similar results within hours. “Today I learned that I tested positive,” McAdams said in a statement Wednesday evening. “I am still working for Utahns and pursuing efforts to get Utahns the resources they need as I …

The Miami Herald reports: Miami Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart became the first member of Congress to test positive for the novel coronavirus, his office said Wednesday. Diaz-Balart entered self-quarantine on Friday, March 13 and stayed in Washington because his wife Tia has a pre-existing medical condition. On Saturday evening, Diaz-Balart devleoped symptoms, including a fever and headache, according to his …

NBC News reports: The Senate voted to approve a second coronavirus aid bill Wednesday, paving the way for lawmakers to turn their attention to a third proposal that could include direct payments to Americans. The legislation, dubbed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, passed in a 90-8 vote, and President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law. The …