Pending breaking news, the newsletter is taking a brief hiatus with plans to return in early September.
In the meantime, please follow us on Twitter @DukeGovRel for real time updates on the latest in federal health policy. We'll be back the week of September 7!
Absence of a deal
Does not mean a dearth of hope
But a time to seize
(COVID-19 relief bill haiku)
The Details
1. Federal health updates from Capitol Hill and the agencies
No deal in sight on COVID relief package
Progress on the next round of COVID relief and stimulus legislation has stalled, and House Democrats, the White House, and Senate Republican leadership have, for now, walked away from negotiations.
Among other disagreements, the parties remain at odds over the price tag and scope of the package, as well as the issues of liability protections, aid to state and local governments, boosts to unemployment insurance, and relief for individuals and businesses. House Democrats and Senate Republicans have both unveiled their respective proposals with few major similarities between them.
While lawmakers have been asked to remain “on call” to return to Washington, D.C. for votes in the event that an agreement is reached, many have returned home to their states and districts for the planned August recess period. The House has even extended its recess an additional week in September, raising the possibility that there may not be any votes until after Labor Day.
As congressional leadership and the White House continue to try to reach a deal, Duke Health Government Relations is engaging with Congress to support at least $26 billion in emergency research funding, including $15.5 billion in emergency funding for the National Institutes of Health as proposed in the Senate bill.
Trump signs COVID relief Executive Orders
With negotiations on additional COVID legislation at an impasse, President Trump followed through with his promise to sign Executive Orders designed to extend certain key relief provisions, including:
- Extending the expired enhanced federal unemployment benefit
- Benefit reduced from $600 weekly to $400; $300/$100 federal/state split of the cost;
- Allowing employers to defer the employee-side of payroll taxes for those making under $104,000 per year for the remainder of 2020;
- Extending CARES Act federal student loan relief allowing deferred payments and interest through the remainder of 2020;
- Allowing Administration officials to determine whether the moratorium on evictions should continue.
While the Administration defended the orders as absolutely necessary, House Democratic leadership chastised the effort as having little impact and expressed concern that the payment suspensions would drain resources from the Social Security and Medicare reserve funds. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has called on the White House to resume talks on a more expansive relief package.
It is unclear whether the Administration may consider additional orders in lieu of a legislative deal.
2. Duke experts hold COVID briefing with Energy and Commerce Democrats
On Thursday, Dr. Susanna Naggie, Vice Dean for Clinical Research in the Duke University School of Medicine, and Dr. Bart Haynes, Director of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, held a briefing for health staff of Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The briefing provided an overview of Duke's role in developing and testing innovative research treatments for COVID-19.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee oversees a majority of health policy issues in the House of Representatives, including biomedical research and development. Over the last few months, the Committee has been examining important policies and issues in the response to COVID-19. Following the briefing, staff had the opportunity to question Duke’s experts, who provided on-the-ground insight to help inform the Committee's continued work.