Book Reviews
August 26, 2024Book Reviews / non fictionSalt: A World History is a nonfiction book written by Mark Kurlansky. He has somehow made a simple ingredient – salt – into an informative exploration about how people searched for salt. This sometimes required people to literally go down into salt mines.
According to Mark Kurlansky, when modern geology reveled its prevalence, salt was one of the world’s most sought-after commodities. Salt was considered as valuable as currency. This may sound strange to people in today’s world who can simply pick up some salt from their local grocery store.
Salt: A World History is interesting because he put together a timeline (of sorts) that describes how people located salt. People would, in fact, fight over who was allowed to take salt grains that emerged on the ground. In addition, there were people who lived by the ocean who waited for the tides to wash out so they could collect salt.
Later on, people climbed down into salt mines for work. The overwhelming amount of the workers were men, who would be paid for their work. Sometimes children would be allowed to do mining alongside the men. At least one salt mine had donkeys placed down there, in order to help hall the salt out of the mine. I’m not sure the donkeys ever made it out of the mine.
There was one occasion where women were allowed to work in the salt mines alongside the men. This became a controversy. The mines were extremely hot, and it was common for the male workers to remove their shirts while mining. The women in the mine took off their dresses and continued working.
Needless to say, when it was discovered that the women weren’t fully clothed and were working that way among the men in the salt mines, a change was made. Women were no longer allowed in the mines.
On the back cover, there is a paragraph that includes the following: “A substance so valuable that it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions.” [...]
January 29, 2024Book Reviews / non fictionA Venetian Affair was written by Andrea Di Robilant. It is about two lovers from back in 1750’s. His family has a connection to one of the lovers – an ancestor named Andrea Memmo. Andrea Di Robilant’s father found a pile of very old letters that had been abandoned. Eventually, the letters were woven into a story about what happened to Andrea Memmo and Guistiniana Wynne.
Without giving away too much of the story, Guistiniana Wynne was the eldest daughter of her family. The prologue of the book describes her as “a bright and beautiful Anglo-Venetian of illegitimate birth.” She fell in love with Andrea Memmo, who was from the upper class. They used servants to secretly send notes to each other, and tried to meet together as much as possible.
Unfortunately for the two lovers, Guistiniana’s mother was adamantly opposed to their interest in each other. She brought Guistiniana along with her to plays, where her daughter and Andrea could secretly see each other. Sometimes, the lovers used hand-gestures to “talk” to each other when her mother wasn’t watching.
The lovers eventually found some secret spaces where they could be together without anyone watching over them. The content of their letters to each other sometimes were very hopeful and very emotional at other times. Guistiniana’s letters to “her Memmo” at times included some jealousy if he had been seen with other women.
Of course, there was a lot of situations where they were unable to see each other. Mrs. Wynne moved her family out of Venice and back to England (after a scandal about her was revealed). The mother tried her best to get Guistiniana married off to very rich men who were decades older than her daughter.
There’s a lot more to this story than what I have written here. The two lovers continued to send letters to each other when they could, even after Andrea was ready to marry someone else, and Guistiniana finally got married to a man that wasn’t Andrea. [...]
October 29, 2023Book Reviews / horrorIf It Bleeds is a collection of four “short” stories by Stephen King. The cover of the book has a gold background with the words STEPHEN KING at the top in large font. Below it is a blurb from The Washington Post that reads “Filled with startling, sometimes unsettling pleasures… compulsively readable”.
Below the blurb is the head of a black cat. If you stare at the cat long enough, you will see the nose of the cat, and the cat’s eyes, are actually the head of a rat. Below that somewhat disturbing image are the words If It Bleeds, the title of this book of short stories.
The first story is titled: “Mr Harrigan’s Phone”. He is a very old man who purchased a house that could be considered a mansion. In short, Mr. Harrigan asks the boy’s father if he would allow his son to come over and read to him. The old man promised to pay the boy for his time, and the father allowed it.
Over time, as the boy grew up, he considered Mr. Harrigan to be a friend. Time moves on, and the boy’s father bought him an iPhone. At first, Mr. Harrigan wanted nothing to do with this new-fangled device. He changed his mind after the boy told him he could get The Wall Street Journal on the phone. It wasn’t long before Mr. Harrigan purchased his own iPhone.
There was a day when the boy came over to read to Mr. Harrigan only to find that he had died. There was a funeral. At the last minute, the boy puts Mr. Harrigan’s phone into the inner pocket of his jacket as the man lay in the open casket. Things get really weird from there.
The second story is titled: “The Life of Chuck”. This story is done in what I would call a backwards format. It starts with evidence that there is severe climate change happening. Huge sinkholes are opening up in the streets, swallowing vehicles (and the people who were inside them). Unexpected power outages are happening.
As this is going on, a man named Chuck is in a hospital room, hooked up to machines. No one knows who he is, and wouldn’t know, despite his image appearing on TV, park benches, and skywriting. Some of Chuck’s family are in the hospital room with him, waiting.
The third story is titled: “If It Bleeds”. A woman named Holly learns about a reporter who tends to show up after car accidents, explosions, shootings, and other alarming situations. I’m finding it difficult to write about without giving away major spoilers. What I can say is that she meets some people who also have figured out that the reporter is not human.
The phrase “If It Bleeds” is part of the full phrase “If it bleeds, it leads.” It’s something that has been said on news channels and websites, who tend to focus on tragic situations that cause injury or death. The bad guy in Stephen King’s “If It Bleeds” book of stories is the reporter that Holly noticed.
The fourth, and final, story is titled: “Rat”. A writer goes out to a cabin in the woods, hoping to finish a story that he has been trying to write. He believes he needs total concentration to get it done. His wife, who doesn’t really want him to go, allows it. They share some phone calls while he is at the cabin.
His writing is going really well! It seems to be set in an old western type of book. Meanwhile, a dangerous bad storm appears and lasts for days. The writer get sick and heads for a small store for cough syrup and some food. Upon arriving back at the cabin, he starts hallucinating after allowing a rat to come in from the storm. [...]
Diablo IV
December 9, 2023In this video, my Diablo IV Rogue helped Nairne to place Tavish’s daggers in specific locations. After that, my Rogue worked on some Scosglen Quests, including gathering a giant demon horn and collecting Thorn Beast meat, and killing swarms for an elder lady in Scosglen.
Find more Diablo IV videos on my BookOfJenOriginal YouTube channel. [...]
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November 8, 2023In this video, my Rogue competed the story line quests in Scosglen. It is an interesting location, in part because the people living there have accents that reminds me of some of my Irish relatives. There are some of what I call “exclamation point” quests that can be done, but I decided to stick to the storyline. [...]
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October 28, 2023Fractured Peaks is part of the storyline in Diablo IV. My brand-new Rogue wandered around through the Fractured Peaks areas. I started this video by selecting a male Rogue and giving him a name. In this video, my Rogue, Rayan, completed the storyline quests in this zone.
One of the cool things he go to do was to speak with Prava, and then head out across the snow to find various alters of Inarius, while carrying a heavy sacred object on his back. Rayan got to meet Father Inarius himself towards the end of this video. [...]
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August 20, 2023Shortly after the 1.1.1 patch hit Diablo IV, I decided to make a brand new Rogue and actually try and get through the storyline quests. I used the random naming feature in the game to give this Rogue the name Rayan.
My goal with this video (which is approximately five hours long) was to get Rayan all the way through the Act I storyline. Looking back, I wish I would have done the storyline with my original Rogue. But, that wasn’t really possible before the 1.1.1 patch was released.
As you may have guessed, if you haven’t played through the storyline in Act I, there will be spoilers here!
Oh, and a correction. Somewhere in the video, I said that I got a steel series Inarius chair. That was incorrect. I got a SecretLab Inarius chair.
My favorite thing about this video is that it was fun to do! I desperately needed the fun back in Diablo IV.
What’s next for this Rogue? The story line in Scosglen! [...]
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August 3, 2023This is Oona, my Diablo IV Druid. In this video, I worked on leveling her up a bit more by exploring dungeons and unlocking areas of the map this character hadn’t been to yet.
Oona started at Level 17, and ended around Level 20. I found the Bear form to be really fun to play, and also learned that it was powerful. This video was recorded on July 28, 2023 (if I remember correctly). I finally got around to editing it.
There is something really delightful about going around Sanctuary as a bear and mauling enemies! [...]
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July 6, 2023This is Oona, my Diablo IV Druid. I decided to try and level her up a bit more. Unfortunately, it was slow going and she wasn’t quite strong enough to complete any dungeons. [...]
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July 3, 2023In this video, my Level 21 Barbarian helped with not one, but two exorcisms. She also killed a whole lot of Marauders and Ghouls along the way.
This was the video in which I realized that my Barbarian runs out of health and fury very quickly. I learned that pushing her through the fighting increases her fury. If/when she gets overwhelmed by the mob of monsters – she comes back at full health. This is not a perfect solution, but worked well enough for me. [...]
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June 27, 2023In this video, my Barbarian started out in Yelesna. She helped someone with an exorcism. After that, she ran around Sanctuary killing a variety of monsters – but mostly ghouls. She also helped Krystyna find her missing husband.
My Barbarian hit level 21 – and then the game crashed. [...]
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June 27, 2023In this video, I made a Druid character just to see what it was like to play one. First impression: the ability to turn into a bear is super fun!
Oona started in Nevesk (as all new characters do). After finishing up the quests there, she eventually encounter Lorath Nath. They traveled to Kyovoshad together. The bear form starts out a little slow, but is super fun anyway. Who doesn’t want to be a bear that can maul monsters?
Oona hit level nine shortly before I needed to stop playing. [...]
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June 18, 2023In this video, I decided to try out the Rogue class. A friend of mine and I decided to use ranged characters to complete a series of quests that we struggled with as Barbarians.
To my surprise, I found myself having more fun with a Rogue than I did with a Barbarian. I’m not entirely sure why the Barbarian became such a struggle for me. The Rogue moves very smoothly, and that made the game more fun.
I think I ended this video at Level 9, and was getting very close to hitting level 10. [...]
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June 16, 2023In the previous video, my Barbarian met Lorath Nath. The two of them headed for Kyovashad together, fighting demons along the way. Kyovashad is much larger than Nevesk.
She eventually visited Margrave, and did a few quests there. Some of these quests were ones I encountered in the betas and the Server Slam. [...]
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June 11, 2023This is my very first video of Diablo IV! It doesn’t play on a Mac, so I purchased the game on Xbox. To make this video, I used a device called AVerMedia. It lets me record my gameplay and use my computer monitor to see what I’m doing. (Note: I use an LG monitor).
There may be spoilers here.
If you played through the Diablo Closed Beta, the Diablo Open Beta, or the Server Slam – you’ve already traveled through Nevesk. [...]
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June 2, 2023The Diablo IV Server Slam was fun! The most exciting part for me was fighting Ashava the Pestilent with a random group of (approximately) eight or nine other players. The screenshot above shows that our group managed to kill Ashava. The reward for doing so will appear in Diablo IV after it launches.
To make this short video of clips, I went through the video clips that my Xbox recorded for me during the Server Slam. There are no spoilers in this video. [...]
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June 1, 2023The Diablo IV Server Slam started on May 12. It was an unexpected occurrence, as most of us thought that the Open Beta would be the last of the betas before Diablo IV was released. As before, I made notes about my experiences in the Server Slam on Mastodon. (There are no spoilers here.)
May 12
I have downloaded the Diablo IV Server Slam. It starts at 12pm today. Super excited to play it!
As before, I might post my thoughts about the Server Slam here. I will use #ServerSlam so you can mute this content if you are not interested in it.
#ServerSlam. Just went through a menu of options. It includes the ability to have text to speech, the ability to turn off shaky cam, the ability to have your Diablo IV character highlighted in a color of your choosing and options for color blind players.
#ServerSlam Now watching the cinematic “By Three They Come”
#ServerSlam Character creation gives players plenty of interesting options, including class, gender, hair color and style, jewelry, and tattoos.
#ServerSlam First cinematic features the character I just made.
#ServerSlam. Got right in! No queue. Now going through the first part of the game. New: the NPC speech is now on a box above their heads – not on the bottom of the screen.
#ServerSlam. The ability to sell inferior armor to a vendor is much easier now. Previous betas had the player graying out items they outgrew. It was tedious and difficult to drop.
#ServerSlam. Hit level 10. This version of Diablo IV runs a lot smoother than the previous betas.
#ServerSlam. Just got killed by the Butcher. He is a LOT faster than the Diablo III version.
#ServerSlam. There is a very long quest that starts with two NPCs. One leaves, the other stays. Interesting story line. Today I learned that I could portal back to the nearest town, refill, sell junk to a blacksmith, get the armor I’m wearing repaired – and portal back to the quest.
#ServerSlam. My Barbarian is now halfway through level 18. Picked up a quest where the player character helps a woman find her husband. Can’t find him. My hands are too stiff to play now, so I’m gonna eat and come back to this later.
#ServerSlam. Ate some food and got back into Diablo IV. Hoping to hit 20 soon.
#ServerSlam. Still cannot find the husband the NPC lady who wants my help finding him. Feels very “Mankirk’s Wife”.
#ServerSlam. Hit level 20. Highest level you can get during the ServerSlam. I wonder if my Barbarian is strong enough to fight Ashava with a bunch of other level 20 players.
May 13
#ServerSlam. Took a side quest that took place in a sewer. Interesting story line. Also did a heartbreaking quest on what amounts to a terrible asylum.
#ServerSlam continues, but I am done for now. Later today, I need to learn where to fight Ashava.
#ServerSlam continues today. Everyone who has their Diablo IV character to level 20 can participate in fighting Ashava. First battle starts about 2 hours from now.
#ServerSlam. Now waiting with a small group of players for Ashava to spawn. I expect to die.
#ServerSlam. About ten people showed up to try and kill Ashava. We all died repeatedly. Needed more people. Once Ashava appears, there is a countdown timer. Got Ashava down to two bars – and it ran away. Exciting.
#ServerSlam. Next Ashava spawn is in about three hours. Gonna take a nap now.
#ServerSlam. Back in the game. Slept through opportunities to fight Ashava (again). Currently have a different follower who wants me to help him find his brother. Seeing a pattern.
#ServerSlam. Without giving away any spoilers, my Barbarian met an injured young man in a town. Just ran through a dungeon. Turns out the information found there connects to the injured young man.
#ServerSlam. One more try to fight Ashava. Got about nine people here. I had to run through mobs of monsters to get here. Worst parade in all of Sanctuary.
#ServerSlam. Got two necromancers here, each with plenty of minions. That should help a lot. Especially since level 20 is the max for players in the server slam – and Ashava is level 25, huge, and has a lot of environmental spells.
#ServerSlam. Eight people in the Ashava fight. This group worked very well together, even rushing over to resurrect players that Ashava killed. Got Ashava down to a bubble an a half before she ran away. Proud of this group.
#ServerSlam. There are dungeons that are specific to a certain class. I completed a Barbarian dungeon that included killing vampires.
#ServerSlam. Currently eating food. Next Ashava fight is in about an hour and a half. The last Ashava fight is 9 AM tomorrow.
#ServerSlam I’m just in time for one more Ashava fight. Got about nine people here – 15 minutes before the battle starts. Some people here are in a clan, and others are in another clan.
May 14
#ServerSlam. We killed Ashava!!! I’m super excited that this group really put in the effort and worked well together. Before the fight started, three players in the same clan said they killed Ashava in the Open Beta – and the server crashed and they didn’t get the reward. And now, we all got the award.
#ServerSlam. The reward is a trinket that attaches to your horse after Diablo IV launches (and after you buy a horse.)
#ServerSlam. Next, I’m going to see if I can help the NPC to find her husband.
#ServerSlam. Found Krystyna’s husband. Unfortunately, the quest is glitched and many people online reported about that. There is no way for me to finish this quest.
#ServerSlam. Last chance to fight Ashava. Got about eight people here. I already earned the reward. Am here to help.
#ServerSlam. Pretty sure we had nine people in the fight. Killed Ashava with more than six minutes to go. Got some nice loot.
Overall, I had a really good time in the Server Slam. I am not one who desires getting involved in boss fights, but it was the only way to obtain the trinket that can go on the player’s horse (when Diablo IV launches). What I didn’t expect was that fighting Ashava the Pestilent would be so much fun!
It is my understanding that the Server Slam is nothing like what Diablo IV will be after it launches. I’m looking forward to exploring Sanctuary. [...]
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April 27, 2023The Diablo IV Open Beta does not run on a Mac (iOS) computer. Thankfully, I have an Xbox | S that enabled me to play during the Open Beta. Xbox | S only allows for clips that are – at most – three minutes long.
I decided to put together a video of some (non-spoiler) clips of my Barbarian and my Necromancer.
There is a Server Slam that will happen in May. I’m hoping to get into that one as well! [...]
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April 26, 2023I was lucky enough to get into the Diablo IV Open Beta. My initial experience with the Open Beta was frustrating because my Xbox | S thought I was trying to get into the Closed Beta (which had already ended). This was eventually worked out.
The Open Beta started on March 24, 2023. I started posting my initial thoughts about this beta into my Mastodon account. I did the same with the Diablo IV Closed Beta. One interesting difference between the two was that Xbox was now allowing players to take screenshots and clips. They were not immediately accessible after the Open Beta ended – but eventually showed up.
March 24
I’m trying to get into the Diablo IV Open Beta on Xbox. It is my understanding that the main purpose of this one – at least initially – was to stress the servers. I don’t know this from first hand experience because I can’t get into the game.
One thing consistently pops up: WARNING ! Online play is blocked. (Code 300031). It keeps giving me that error – all day long and now into the night. Frustrating!
Explanation: I was determined to find a way to fix this problem, and went hunting around online and in the Diablo IV forums to find a solution. Eventually, I found information that made things work.
I was unable to find the original source I used. PCGamesN posted a list of Diablo IV Open Beta error codes – and what each one means.
Error Code 300010 – this error code appears when you’re logging in, with users feeding back that it seems timed to Battle.Net accounts. Your best option is to reload the game and keep trying or wait for the account issue to resolve.
The solution turned out to be simple (but not immediately obvious). Turn off the Xbox | S. Pull out the plug. Put the plug back in. Turn on the Xbox | S and let it do an update. It worked for me!
March 25
New pop-up appears! “We are expecting exceptionally high player volume during Diablo IV’s Open Beta weekend. Login times may be longer during peak playtimes this weekend.”
Giving up on being able to play the Diablo IV open beta. Did everything I could think of and still can’t get in. Stuck in a “press any key” loop that pops up an error message. There does not appear to be anything resembling a queue.
March 26
Got into the Open Beta for Diablo IV early this morning. Made a second Barbarian. Today the pollen count is nine point something and I feel like the undead. So I’m playing a necromancer.
One of the nice things about Diablo IV is that some animals will walk through deep snow and leave behind a trail. The crows that do that are amusing.
Oh, no! My necromancer’s skeletons are clipping.
Today I learned that if you play a necromancer in Diablo IV, you will never run out of health.
Explanation: In the Open Beta, the necromancer can syphon health from corpses. The result was that this character class rarely – if ever – needed health potions (at least in the early game). I am not certain whether or not that ability got nerfed.
Here are a few of the screenshots I took while I was in the Open Beta. These are spoiler free.
This is a screenshot from a very interesting dungeon. There is a story that is given to the player in small bits as the dungeon is explored.
Every so often, it is possible to find a shrine that people have placed lit candles in front of. This one is located somewhere in the Anemic Falls.
My necromancer started with four skeletons (and got a fifth one later on). They are exploring the Abandoned Halls together.
Overall, I had a lot of fun in the Open Beta. At the time, I knew it was going to be hard to wait for the game to launch. This game is much larger than what players could access in the Closed Beta, and the Open Beta. There is a huge world to explore when Diablo IV launches! [...]
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April 25, 2023The above image was one of many on the Diablo IV official website, where you can buy the game. I’m not certain that I saw this specific image while in the Closed Beta. I spent hours playing it on my Xbox|S.
I decided to start adding my thoughts and (non spoiler) comments about it on my Mastodon account.
The Diablo IV Closed Beta was confidential. Blizzard posted a Developer Update on September 19, in which they wrote: “The Closed Beta will be confidential, meaning players invited will be unable to publicly talk about or share their gameplay experience.” As such, I don’t have any screenshots to share with you in this blog post.
Please note: The Diablo IV Closed Beta was exactly what it was meant to be. There were glitches. There were crashes. There were long queues. All of this helps the developers figure out what’s working, what’s broken, and how to fix it before the next Open Beta.
March 17
I’m in the Diablo IV beta. Watched the cinematic. Made a character. My Barbarian appeared as the main character in the next cinematic. Got to talk to some townspeople. Fought some wargs, polar bear, and some skeletons. And then the Early Access Open Beta crashed.
Lost my level 3 Barbarian. Made another one with a game generated name. Made it to where I could enter the Early Access Open Beta. Was put in an 87 minute queue.
Queue ended. Looked like the beta let me in. Crashed. Back in the queue. This one started at 120 minutes.
So, I guess a lot of us are here to… help test the queue function? To be fair, there was a notification that some things might not work. Or might crash.
One really good thing about D IV is there is a robust menu of accessibility options. Text to speech. Subtitles. Ability to turn off what I call “shakey-cam”. Option for people with various types of color blindness.
Currently number 83 in the queue. I’m playing on Xbox – and I suspect many of us are stuck in an endless queue.
Was hoping to hit level 20 with a Barbarian but not sure that’s possible now, considering the ever-lasting queue. Gotta hit level 20 to get the wolf puppy.
I’m hoping that I won’t have to sit through two – somewhat lengthy – cinematic again. Assuming the beta lets me back in.
Good news /sarcasm. The queue I’m stuck in has only 36 minutes left.
Ten minutes to go. Maybe I’ll get to play the beta a little more? I don’t want to sit in a third queue.
I’m in!
Got back in the Diablo 4 beta. Died a lot. After my most recent death – my Barbarian became invisible. Unfortunately, the monsters can still see her. But I can’t.
Had to log out and back in again. Nine minute queue.
Now in a fourteen minute queue. Game failed to let me in after the nine minute queue – and posted an error message.
Queue failed again. Now in a sixteen minute queue. Do they – want – players to test the game? Signs point to no.
Now queued!
Seventeen minute queue now. /headdesk
March 18
One minute queue!
I have found the Cathedral of Light. Went on walked around. Talked with some NPC’s Am now out of the Cathedral and stuck. Probably a glitch.
Had to turn off the Xbox and turn it back on again. Got a message: “You have been logged out because the game has been suspended for too long.”
Working on a dungeon with spiders and skeletons. My armor and gear is breaking, but I was able to pick up some nice gear. I keep dying. And then my character when invisible again. Turned off the Xbox. About to turn it on again.
Also! I hit level 10. Gotta hit 20 to get the wolf puppy.
There is a player named SnuSnu who is in a clan named GOP. Terrible.
Another player is named “kfsee” and their clan is KFC. This is related to the D IV crossover with KFC’s double down sandwich. Those who bought one in time got into this beta.
Another player in the GOP clan. Named BConPC. Not sure how to report that clan name.
Just saw two players with extremely offensive names. One was named “Ganggrape” and the other was named “Cootershooter”. I now have good reason to report them.
Just used the chat in game for the first time. Friend asked how I was doing in game. Told friend that I’m struggling with Xbox interfaces but the game is fun.
Currently have four gold items on my Barb.
Now at level 13. Found a book and was directed to a town that is new to me.
Found a player with an even worse name – worse than the others. Not going to post that here. Will be reporting that one.
March 19
Now level fourteen. Steep learning curve if you’re playing solo.
Found my first conduit shrine! Happy to know that Diablo IV has some of those!
Now talking with an NPC beggar who has a quest for me. Did not notice him until after I hit level 15.
I have hit a quest zone that clearly was not designed for solo player. So that is enough of Diablo IV for me right now.
Back in Diablo IV. Halfway through level fifteen. The goal is to hit level 20.
Just found my first Treasure Goblin in Diablo IV. Huge! The Goblin dropped gold and ran me through a mob while I chased it.
Now halfway through level 16. Been temporarily grouping up with other players to find monsters in what feels like pop up events. Fun!
Just got my first Legendary weapon! “Wolf’s Bite Of The Dire Whirlwind”. It is a mace. Next step for me is to put a point in Whirlwind.
Hit level seventeen. Starting to feel less stressed while fighting monsters.
Now at level 18. The skill tree in Diablo IV is massive. I think some of us will get “decision fatigue.”
Now at level 19. My goal is to hit level 20 so I can get the wolf puppy in a backpack.
So far, I have seen players named KurtRussell, MileyCyrus, and JasonMamoa. I know that one is spelled wrong – but it’s fun.
Pretty sure once you hit level 19 you stop being able to tank dungeons on your own. This is disappointing. A Barbarian can get far in a dungeon. But I end up dying to a mob filled room. Can’t finish that quest.
Just hit level 20! There appears to be an achievement for this but the game does not seem to be aware that I hit level 20.
After some investigation, it turns out that the game – appears – to know that I hit Level 20 with my Barbarian. It’s possible that the interface is a bit wonky, considering this is an Early Access Open Beta. Just in case, I took a screenshot of my Level 20 Barbarian with my phone. (I tried capturing screenshots through Xbox, but it doesn’t work).
Back in the beta. Just saw a player named Kevin run into a portal in town. No idea where he ended up.
March 20
Still in the beta. Hit level 21. Did some random quests in a town and then went out to fight wargs and such.
It turns out the Diablo IV beta will post a pop up to tell you that your Xbox controller’s batteries are about to run out. Fortunately, we have more batteries.
In case you were wondering – yes, there is a sewer quest in one of the towns.
My Barbarian is now level 22!
I found a bug to report. I’m helping! Hopefully that bug won’t make it into the main game.
Now at level 23! I’m hoping my Barbarian will be stronger now. Getting through 22 was not easy.
The only thing I don’t like about Diablo IV is how fast my equipment breaks. It gets really expensive for a blacksmith to fix it. You can buy armor from vendors, IF you have enough coins.
Things I’m attempting to do clearly cannot be done as a solo player.
Turns out one of the Blacksmiths can prepare all the stuff you’re currently wearing – if you have enough coins for that. Helpful!
Summary
Overall, I enjoyed the Diablo IV Closed Beta. It was fun to be able to play – at least one version – of Diablo IV before the game launched. The purpose of this beta was to have players try it out – and provide feedback to the developers so they could fix things that weren’t working well.
The moment the Closed Beta ended, I was hoping I’d be lucky enough to get into the Open Beta. [...]
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Diablo III
November 16, 2023Diablo III / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Diablo III Monk finished the Act I objectives. She found some portals while doing Act I Bounties. The portals are the new thing in Season 29, and are very fun to play through!
To my surprise, Season 29 is still live in Diablo III. I might make more videos of my Diablo III gameplay. [...]
September 28, 2023Diablo III / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Monk completed a set of bounties – that I forgot to do in the previous video. She also took advantage of the many portals that opened up and collected interesting and useful loot!
Objective completed in this video:
Westmarch’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act V bounty cache. (Act V)
I spent some time in this video giving armor and weapons to the Scoundrel and other Followers. My hope was to avoid having to drag excess armor and weapons into my non-seasonal stash after Season 29 ends. [...]
September 25, 2023Diablo III / Diablo VideosI’m playing Solo Self Found in Season 29 – mostly to see what it was like. My Monk started out at level 21. My recording software shut off sometime during my previous video, so I picked up from there. This video includes an entire room full of Treasure Goblins!
Objectives completed in this video:
Friends With Benefits: Fully equip one of your followers. (Chapter II)
Tristram’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act I bounty cache. (Chapter III)
Caldeum’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act II bounty cache. (Chapter III)
Let’s Get Started: Learn 5 Blacksmith Recipes (Chapter IV)
Arreat’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act III bounty cache. (Chapter III)
Heaven’s Most Wanted: Obtain an Act IV bounty cache (Chapter III)
My Monk reached level 31 near the end of this video. [...]
Diablo Immortal
January 17, 2023Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian obtained a “Strawman Sack” while the Hallow’s Wake event was live. This video is from October of 2022.
The Strawman Sack could be purchased with a temporary currency called Hallowed Stones that was connected to Hallow’s Wake. The Strawman Sack lasted for one hour and was a purely cosmetic item.
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January 3, 2023Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian continued working on the Hallow’s Wake event. She also completed an Elder Rift and spent some time killing undead in Ashwold Cemetery.
She also spent some time killing things in the Library of Zoltun Kulle. There were some interesting quests to do. My Barbarian has now completed the entire area of the Library of Zoltun Kulle.
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December 24, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian mostly worked on the Hallow’s Wake event. It was the Halloween event in Diablo Immortal. She also completed some Infernal Knowledge quests.
The event involved trick-or-treating, and gave players the chance to obtain a mask.
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December 18, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian tried (again) to re-access the Shadow Clan I started. After that, she ran through an Elder Rift. She then went to the Frozen Tundra and fought all the things, and then went back to Westmarch to follow a mysterious voice.
The mysterious voice led to the Legacy of the Horadrim series of quests. There is a dungeon to fight in. It is going to take a lot of gems to complete this, and more story is revealed as you go. It is not something that can be done in one shot!
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December 18, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian tried learning some new things. Some of the interfaces in this game are a bit confusing for me, and it has taken me a while to properly sort them out.
This video was recorded in October of 2022. It is possible some things have changed since then.
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October 3, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian started out at level 60. This pushed her into Hell I content (and temporarily prevented her from accessing bounties). Somewhere along the way, I made a Dark Clan for fans of the Shattered Soulstone podcast.
Some of this video includes my Barbarian trying to survive bounties on Hell I difficulty. It was definitely a learning curve! She also completed a little bit more of the storyline.
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September 28, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian continued to work on the Scorched Sea Event while also trying to finish some of the Return to Sanctuary event. Somewhere along the way, she hit Level 60.
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September 22, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosI decided to see how much I could accomplish with The Scorched Sea Event. So far, I’m mostly doing bounties, and having fun with that. The event ends on September 28, 2022. This video shows what my Barbarian accomplished with this event.
Usually, I enjoy trying to work towards a goal in whatever video game I’m playing. The events in Diablo Immortal are fun – but I have difficulty keeping up with them. There are small rewards along the way, so I will get something for trying.
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September 15, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosThe Hungering Moon event is one that I’ve attempted several times. So far, I’ve been unable to complete it. Completion requires doing a lot of other stuff in the game that can be turned in for one of the rewards of the Hungering Moon event.
I’m mostly having fun in Diablo Immortal. However, there are things that I find frustrating. For whatever reason, I am unable to remember how to swap out older gear for one that is newer and more powerful. Another problem I faced in this video was that I joined a group to kill Lassal – but people kept kicking out some of the eight players the event requires.
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August 29, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian traveled around the map in an effort to complete some Bounties. I find the Bounties in Diablo Immortal to be very fun!
One of the things I really like about Diablo Immortal is the Bounties. The game lets you pick which ones you want to do – and you are not penalized for choosing to skip the ones you don’t happen to like. There is a chest reward after you complete one Bounty, and more if you complete a set of three Bounties (total).
This system is very different from the Bounties in Diablo III, where you have to complete a full set before you can earn anything of value from completing them.
#Blaugust2022
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August 20, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian started out at Level 47. She attempted to join the Shadows. While waiting, she completed an Elder Rift, and then worked on some other stuff.
I find the Bounties in Diablo Immortal to be fun, so I sent my Barbarian over to the Bounty Board. There are typically plenty of players who also want to do some Bounties. I’m willing to wait for players to pick up some Bounties and then go off to finish them. This time, however, I noticed something wrong.
In the screenshot above, there are two players who chose terrible names for their characters. One named himself “Crazyjoe”, and the other named himself “LGB0FJB”. These are two extremely political (and mean) names that should not be allowed in a game that emphasizes teaming up with other players.
There is I found information on Blizzard’s website that shows you exactly how to report inappropriate language or names in Diablo Immortal. It wasn’t me who reported them. I didn’t know how yet!
The Countess is the coolest thing I’ve unlocked in the Bestiary.
After that, my Barbarian completed some Bounties in Dark Wood and Shassar Sea.
My Barbarian became a Shadow, and that opened up a lot more stuff to do!
#Blaugust2022
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August 9, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this one, my Barbarian explored the Library of Zoltun Kulle. The zone is interesting, in part because there is a construct of Zoltun Kulle who guides your character through it.
The zone ends with a battleground pulled from the real Zoltun Kulle’s memory. My Barbarian got to help Zoltun Kulle and Tal Rasha fight Baal!
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August 5, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, I was kind of at a loss about what to do next. My Barbarian started at Level 42, and ended up doing a lot of Bounties in various areas of the game.
When in doubt, do some Bounties! The Bounties in Diablo Immortal are fun. You can choose which ones you want to do by clicking them on the Bounty Board in Westmarch.
Doing Bounties is a good way to level up your character. The cool thing about Bounties in this game is that the game shows you your progress as you kill off the required amount of monsters for that specific Bounty. It also rewards you with some loot and gold when you finish one. Finish three or more, and you get more loot!
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#Blaugust2022 [...]
July 16, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Diablo Immortal Barbarian started followed the glowing footprints to the Elder Rift. After that, she went around Sanctuary looking for monsters to slay. There is a video of this adventure at the bottom of this blog post.
The Elder Rift boss was Igonicus.
I completed the Elder Rift.
In a second Elder Rift, my Barbarian fought Dread. I assume this is a reference to Dredscythe.
This time, the Elder Rift boss was Vryss. She spawns green, floating skulls. She can also raise golems, and throw huge globs of blood all over the place. Vryss is likely a necromancer.
This is a Cycle’s Turn Crest. It is something players can obtain from the Hilts Vendor. Hilts are an in-game currency that the game gives to players. I purchased this one without having to use real-world money. Find the Hilts Vendor in the Immortal Overlook.
Cycle’s Turn Chest is a Daily Purchase (Limit 1/1). A mystery reward drops into your inventory. You can buy one chest per day during the week of Cycle’s End.
Complete 3 Side Quests
Complete 8 Battle Pass Activities
I completed an Elder Rift achievement and a Bounties achievement.
I unlocked the Night Howler in the Bestiary.
Not even the din of battle can drown out the awful baying of the night howlers. The sounds of their hunger…
Daily Activity Awards (0/3)
Shassar Sea 3/11: Upgrade 1 Normal Gem to Rank 2
JenSoulstone: The Chamber of Wisdom… Very well.
This piece of a map was obtained by my Barbarian after she talked with Peth.
Kill 1,600 monsters
Bounties – Completed: 2/24
To future generations, learn from our mistakes. Fahir is no god, and today his reign of death is over! His abominations would not die, so they have been bound with their accursed creator. May he be forgotten. May our sounds seal this place forever. Let them be the last sacrifice in his name.
Blessed be you, O thousand souls, the King’s deserved sacrifice.
Through your gift of the spirit shall our god’s wonders be made manifest.
Rest eternally, knowing the Scepter shall guide our great kingdom forever.
Fahir’s Command is the item the player must obtain from the Chamber of Wisdom.
The second piece of the map comes from Zov, who waits for the player to exit the Chamber of Wisdom.
My Barbarian hit Level 35 immediately after handing Tabri the scepter piece.
Bounties – 3/24 completed
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June 22, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian started out at Level 30. She talked with Deckard Cain about souls shards, and attempted to help him destroy them. Later, she completed some bounties.
Charsi brought my Barbarian to a Level 2 Rift. She fought a gold skeleton named Xarishflar (who was a Community Manager for Blizzard).
The Rift Boss was a large red demon named Perdition. He spawned smaller enemies and spewed fire.
I completed some Westmarch Achievements:
Westmarch 10/16: Follow Charsi to the Challenge Rift
Westmarch 11/16: Earn 230 Battle Points
Westmarch 12/16: Reach Level 28
Westmarch 13/16: Complete Challenge Rift Level 1
Westmarch 14/16: Upgrade 1 Item to Rank 3
Westmarch 15/16: Meet the Hilts Trader
Deckard Cain showed my Barbarian a portrait of Zoltun Kulle. This might be the start of a quest.
After that, my Barbarian went to a tavern and broke up a bar fight. She spoke with a Captain Rhem, who agreed to take her to the Shassar Sea. (However, my Barbarian wasn’t quite done with Westmarch, so that will have to wait.)
Instead, she completed some Dark Wood Bounties.
Bloodsworn: The Countess’s thralls battle the rogues of the Dark Wood with bows, wicked shields, and sawtoothed blades…
I earned a reward for unlocking a page from the Bestiary.
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June 12, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian worked her way through many of the Westmarch achievements, and then headed into the Dark Wood.
My Barbarian started out by entering Westmarch. She was directed to go speak with the Blacksmith. While exploring Westmarch, she found several vendors whom she cannot access until she hits higher levels. My Barbarian was Level 21. One vendor wanted her to be Level 25, and another wanted a level higher than that.
She found Charsi the Blacksmith. Unfortunately, the chat was absolutely vile and visible on my screen. I took the time to completely shut off the chat. It is highly unlikely I will turn it back on.
Charsi directed my Barbarian to seek out Deckard Cain. He tells her some interesting lore.
One thing I learned while recording this video is that I really should have taken the time to prevent notifications from Discord. Something to remember for next video.
I completed some Westmarch Achievements:
Westmarch 3/16: Accept 1 Bounty from the Bounty Board
Westmarch 4/16: Socket 1 Legendary Gem
Westmarch 5/16: Complete 2 Elder Rifts Modified with Crests
Westmarch 6/16: Craft a Legendary Gem
Westmarch 6/17: Upgrade a Legendary Gem to Rank 2
Westmarch 6/18: Earn 90 Battle Points
Westmarch 9/16: Leave Westmarch for Dark Wood
Next stop – Dark Wood!
Dark Wood 1/7: Unlock the Horadric Bestiary
The first page I unlocked in the Horadric Bestiary was the Fallen Shaman. I’m looking forward to unlocking more pages.
My Barbarian hit Level 27 by the end of this video.
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June 4, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Barbarian completed some Achievements connected to Ashwold Cemetery. This included fighting Lethes and The Skeleton King.
I figured out how to record the game through my iPad. This one includes all of the in-game sounds and music. Unfortunately, it did not pick up my voice. I’m hoping to work that out for the next video.
Achievements earned in this video:
Ashwold Cemetery 3/9: Talk to the Blacksmith and Salvage 1 item
Ashwold Cemetery 4/9: Talk to the Blacksmith and Upgrade 1 item to Rank 2.
Ashwold Cemetery 6/9 – Dungeon: Complete Mad King’s Breach
Ashwold Cemetery 8/9: Earn 40 Battle Points
Ashwold Cemetery 9/9: Reach Level 18
Ashwold Cemetery – Guide Complete
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June 2, 2022Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosThe much anticipated Diablo Immortal launched on iOS and Android on June 1, 2022. Players who want to play it on PC had to wait until June 2, 2022. In this video, I go through the tutorial. Unfortunately, my video recording software did not pick up any of the in-game sounds.
The purpose of a tutorial is to help new players acclimate to how the game works. In general, this requires a player to make a character and send that character out into the world to complete (relatively) simple tasks. Those who didn’t get into the Diablo Immortal alphas would be starting from scratch when the game launched.
When I played in the Diablo Immortal Closed Alpha, the video recording software that I used to record the game on my iPad worked just fine. I thought it would work for the launch as well, but no. I ended up with a very chill tutorial video with no sound.
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June 29, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader started at Level 29. I tried out an Elder Rift for the first time.
It is possible to do an Elder Rift solo. Players can buy crests to add to the Elder Rift with currency obtained in the Elder Rift. Or, you can pay money for them. New players get a crest from a merchant as part of a quest. Naturally, I used that crest in the next Elder Rift.
The Elder Rifts are fun, with or without a crest. It appears that using a crest gives you more loot. Of course, I cannot be sure of that, having only done two Elder Rift.
Next, my Crusader did a quest that led her to the Jeweler’s shop. The helpers in there can sell the players some stuff. I didn’t have the right items to buy things yet. However, I was able to get the Apprentice Jeweler to socket some gems into my gear.
By the end of the video, my Crusader was at Level 30. She found Deckard Cain… who talked about Soulstones.
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June 29, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader picks up where she left off in the previous video. I enjoyed the quests, and the scenery, in the Dark Wood area.
Shortly after fighting some enemies, my Crusader got a notification about a Daily Reward. It turned out to be an item called Vicious Hero’s Companion of Fortitude. It was an upgrade to what my Crusader was currently using.
Eventually, my Crusader got to meet Akara, someone who seems to be very important to the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. I also learned that the camp area gives the player the ability to access their stash.
One of the interesting things in Diablo Immortal is that you can encounter other players who are working their way through the same quests that you are. It makes the game feel more populated than Diablo III does.
The most interesting thing in the camp (other than the storyline) is the Horadric Beastiary. This was the first time I encountered it. To use it, a player must kill a certain kind of monster and pick up Monster Essence. Use the Monster Essence in the Beastiary to learn more about that type of monster.
During the Closed Alpha, the Beastiary wasn’t entirely revealed to the player. Once this game is released, I intend to see how many of the beasts within in it I can unlock.
My Crusader ended the video at Level 24.
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June 28, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader started off at Level 22. She entered a Challenge Rift for the first time.
I start off by explaining how I accidentally misgendered the Blacksmith. When I record these videos, I cannot hear the sounds in the game. I figured Charsi was either a woman – if so, that would make her the first Blacksmith that was a woman. Or, perhaps the Blacksmith was nonbinary, based on the image.
The answer to my questions about Charsi’s gender was revealed not long after I started playing. She sent me on a quest in Dark Wood.
I started out looking at the Codex and claiming a reward called Westmarch. I also earned some Salvage related achievements. I will need to remember to keep looking at that. You have to click on each achievement that you earn before you can obtain the loot.
My Crusader completed a Challenge Rift Level 1. There is a leaderboard connected to the Challenge Rifts. A player can do the Challenge Rift solo, or bring in some other players to help. It took me a little while to understand how to navigate my way through the Challenge Rift. It was fun, and there was lots of loot.
Upon leaving the Challenge Rift, my Crusader followed a set of glowing footprints that led me back to Charsi. She sent me on some quests that take place in the Dark Woods area. One of the things I like about these quests is that the entire quest chain is (almost) all women. That’s not something I’ve seen very often in a video game.
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May 11, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader started off at Level 22. Part of this video is about figuring out where to find the Achievements and how to maneuver through the interface that shows Bounties, dungeons, and more. The main part of this video involves the Blacksmith.
The first thing my Crusader did was talk to Xul. He sent her to go fight Lethes, who is in a location called Lord’s Rest. Upon entering, the screen said: “You have entered a solo Story Dungeon.”
My initial impressions of Westmarch started forming while I played through this part of the game. I intend to wrote about that, but don’t want to squish it all into this post.
Charsi is the Blacksmith of Westmarch. When I record these videos, I cannot hear the sound (due to the setup I have for recording my Diablo Immortal gameplay.) As such, I accidentally misgendered the Blacksmith. If I were able to hear Charsi speak, that would not have happened.
I had the opportunity to start to figure out how to use the Blacksmith’s services. It is rather simple, once you understand how to move through the interface. I’m probably going to have to do that a lot before it will feel intuitive.
This video also includes the most useful escort quest I’ve experienced in any of Blizzard’s games. If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi. Thank you!
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May 10, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosIn this video, my Crusader started off at Level 20. She made a second attempt at completing the Mad King’s Breach dungeon (after failing it on the first try).
In this attempt, I learned that it is possible to complete this Dungeon solo, despite the game’s recommendation that you bring 9 other players with you. I also learned that King Leoric has a “tell” that makes it very clear where he is about to charge. This gives the player a chance to get out of the way.
By the end of the video, my Crusader was at Level 22.
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May 9, 2021Diablo Immortal / Diablo VideosThis is my first video of the Diablo Immortal Closed Alpha. I decided to play a Crusader that looked like the one featured on the Diablo social media accounts. In this video, my Crusader started out at Level 11.
I was mostly learning how to play the game. I play a lot of app games, so that made things easier. My biggest problem was that I kept getting stuck in the scenery, and had not yet worked out how to maneuver effectively in order to not be stuck.
This video includes The Festering Woods area and Ashwold Cemetery. It also features some quests that involve Xul and Lethes. It ends with my Crusader standing outside Mad King’s Breach. By then, she was at Level 18.
I’m not intending to record every little bit of my game play in the Diablo Immortal Closed Alpha, in order to avoid accidentally exposing people to “spoilers”. If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi. Thank you!
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Stories I Wrote On Tumblr
August 27, 2024Years ago, I worked for an indoor playground company that was owned by McDonalds. (It was in Illinois). Parents would bring their children to the indoor playground for birthday parties. There were rooms where the birthday parties would be held.
Almost no one – other than employees, realized that the indoor playground was actually owned by McDonalds. There was a small McDonalds logo on one of the doors that led to outside. You had to look really hard to notice it.
One night, a group of Girl Scouts / Brownies troops came in so they could spend some time crawling through plastic tunnels that included colorful plastic balls, some (soft) punching bags, and slides.
The Girl Scouts / Brownies were fed pizza and a drink, and then were let loose into the tunnels to play.
The leaders of the Girl Scouts / Brownies headed upstairs to a room where the adults to chill out in. This space was up a few stairs and had plastic windows that allowed them to watch their girls (and the girl’s little brothers) from there.
A bit later, a few of the Girl Scout’s leaders rounded up their girls – and the little brothers – and settled them down to sleep inside the tunnels. The tunnels had several spaces where the soft mats had been placed. The Scouts / Brownies brought their own sleeping bags and settled down to sleep.
There was only me and one manager running the place overnight.
Periodically, I would go check on the women in the “parents” room. The TV was on, and a white bronco was on the screen. I had come in to collect plastic cups, wipe off some tables, and take out the trash.
The manager – who was also a woman – asked me what was happening with the white bronco. And I became the go-between that brought pizza and soft drinks to the Girl Scouts and Brownies leaders – and reported back to the manager. From memory, I went into the parents room more than once, and ask if the leaders wanted food or drinks.
When the sun came up, the Scouts and Brownies leaders rounded up their girls (and little brothers) and herded them towards the door. The kids looked super tired, and some had to wait for their parents to come get them.
After every child was picked up by their parents, me and the manager took all the plastic balls out of the ball pits in mesh bags. Those bags went into a section on top of the play area, where they were sterilized. We had just enough time to spill the (now clean) plastic balls back into the ball pits before the morning crew arrived.
NOTE: This post is one that I originally wrote on Mastodon. It was not posted on Tumblr, but is still an interesting story from a job I used to work at. [...]
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May 27, 2024A collection of giant microbes that are no longer in the curio cabinet.
Recently, my husband’s sister brought us a curio cabinet. My husband had no use for it, and I immediately filled it with stuffed animals.
Why? Because putting them into a cabinet – with glass shelves that reflect the mirrored parts of the cabinet – will prevent them from getting covered with dust.
Later on, I noticed what I thought was a somewhat large spider inside the cabinet. It noticed me watching, and hid behind some of the stuffed animals. Specifically, the shelf that holds my “Giant Microbes” stuffed animals.
More recently, I noticed the spider – probably a wolf spider – had shown itself again.
Long story short, I caught it in a glass and took it outside.
Dumped the spider outside on the back porch. Most bugs that get “evicted” immediately run away.
This one, however, decided to stand there and stare at me, perhaps trying to show me it really didn’t want to be evicted from its cozy little “home”.
UPDATE: Recently, I removed all of the stuffed animals that were in the curio cabinet and put them on a set of plastic shelves in the bedroom. It makes me happy to see them there.
The curio cabinet is now filled with ceramics. Some of them, I made myself. Others were given to me. And some of them were intentionally purchased while Shawn and I moved from the midwest to California. [...]
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May 26, 2024Zyn checked the display that was embedded in her left wrist and cursed. She was going to be late for work, again. After diving into the autonomous vehicle assigned to her by the Company, she quickly punched in the coordinates and pushed the buttons that said “go”.
There was nothing left to do but drum her fingers against the dashboard. The auto scooted slowly along the path of lights at a pre-programed speed The Council decided was safe.
It wasn’t her fault that she was going to be late for work, again. The fault was with the long-winded Professor that couldn’t stop talking about Earth History. Several of the students had murmured the opinion that the Professor desperately needed an upgrade. The problem, though, was that the Professors were outdated technology, and no one was writing programs for them anymore. There was no other use for them except to teach the same history classes that they had been doing since they were first booted up.
Zyn had no desire to take this particular class, but had no choice. It was a requirement for all Social Media majors. The Council decided that it was necessary for students to know about the very beginnings of the craft before jumping into a career in it. Zyn felt it was little more than a waste of everybody’s time.
Occasionally, the Professor would have something interesting to say. Part of today’s lecture was about how, hundreds of years ago, it as normal for people to put images of something called a “pet” into their Social Media connections. Zyn couldn’t quite understand what a “pet” was.
The Professor said that there were different kinds, and many of them had fur. A “pet” wasn’t a human, and it wasn’t a robotic entity either. The Professor said the people often lived with a “pet” and shared their air with them. Whatever a “pet” was, it must have been something precious and expensive to be worth sharing air with. Or maybe air didn’t cost as much back then as it does today.
A sudden beeping sound woke Zyn out of her daydreams. She checked her wrist display, and frowned. It was one of those annoying automated alerts from The Council “reminding” her to be sure to send a request to the Nursery if she wished to procreate this year.
Zyn tapped “no” on the display, and set it off, rolling her eyes. Her eggs were donated and cryogenically frozen on her seventeenth birthday, just like all the other humans like her. There really was no need to rush into becoming a parent. It could wait.
The auto was gliding its way toward the doors of The Company. Zyn slipped her breather over her mouth and nose, and dashed out of the slowly opening door of the auto. Running was frowned upon, because it was wasteful, so she walked as fast as she could without being rude.
A flashing message was waiting for Zyn at her display when she arrived. This one she couldn’t tap “no” on and get rid of it because it was a reprimand for being late. The punishment was a small deduction of the credits she had earned this week, and she watched them click backwards while she quickly logged in.
She held still for two seconds so the scanner could capture her image and enhance it before it was displayed to the customer. The economy here depended entirely on tourism, and that meant that the people working had to look as lovely as possible. The image resembled Zyn, but had somewhat tanner skin, larger eyes, and shinier hair. That being done, she took her first call.
“Hi, I’m Zyn! How can I help you book your vacation to Earth’s Moon?” Zyn smiled, but was already bored. Someday, she would be done with school and wouldn’t have to work here anymore. Until then, she was stuck. What was that old Earth saying the Professor used? Oh, yes, Zyn remembered. It was “Another day, another dollar” (whatever a dollar was.) [...]
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May 26, 2024My husband and I have, over the years, been the caretakers of several cockatiels (and three parakeets.) The parakeets don’t live as long as the cockatiels do – but they burn bright while they are here.
In general, we have had up to six cockatiels at a time. Most (if not all) cockatiels are happy creatures who appear to really love the birds in their flock. (Humans count as “part of the flock” to them, it seems.)
Fast-forward, and my husband and I noticed that there was what certainly sounded like a cockatiel in one of the mobile homes where we live. The bird called out to us, for reasons of its own. It sounded happy.
Fast-forward again, and the owners of that cocktail asked us if we wanted to take her. They knew that we had other cockatiels she could be with.
If I remember correctly, the previous owners said that this bird had a mate, who died recently. This bird, named Lucy, was sad. She was desperately trying to get attention from her humans.
Of course, we brought her in. It didn’t take long for her to become part of the flock. From memory, I think we had four birds at that time (including her.)
Fast-forward to now. Lucy was younger than the rest of the flock. Two of the boys died from medical ailments that had no cure. Another cockatiel, named Pepper, lived to almost 30. He was one of my first cockatiels. For context, a typical cockatiel lives to be somewhere between 15 and 18.
And this left Lucy alone again.
To help her, we moved her cage into the main room where we are in. She now had access to look out the many windows in this room. She made “friends” with the local crows, who sometimes come here for snacks. The crows live to visit her. She has learned how to scream back at them.
Lucy likes to sit on her humans, and we let her do that for a while. She prefers to have at least one human within her line of sight, but if not, she will calm herself after we return to the room.
Recently, I got my hair cut short. The person who cut my hair shaved the back of my neck. Lucy noticed that my hair was different. She started trying to “find” where my long hair went.
And then, she made this strange burbling noise, sort of like what a cockatiel would do when interacting with a baby cockatiel. It turns out, she thought the small bits of hair that had been mostly shaved off were “pinfeathers” and she started pulling them out.
From my perspectives, the “pinfeathers” signaled “baby bird.” Cockatiels have new feathers grow in that are encased in a harder substance. Lucy often has me pick that of of her feathers with my nails (though she is not a baby bird.)
After pulling out what she saw as “pinfeathers” from the back of my neck, she stopped and looked at me. She made the burbling sound again.
In short, Lucy may have been thinking: “OH! I didn’t know you were a baby! Let me help you.” She is a gentle bird, and has been more gentle with me after she decided I was a baby. [...]
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May 26, 2024Fireworks by Jingda Chen on Unsplash
Unfortunately, the neighbors in the apartment complex nearby are shooting off fireworks right now. It started shortly before it was officially New Year’s Eve 2023.
Was hoping that the massive amount of rain we had all day – rain that was hard enough to knock the door off the outdoor housing for our water heater – would have been enough to prevent the fireworks from happening.
But no.
Somehow, the fireworks these people are firing off into the sky were protected from the rain by ne’re-do-wells who cannot celebrate a holiday without blowing things up.
I should note that fireworks are illegal where I live, which means they are not supposed to possess them or shoot them off.
Fortunately, I’ve already started drinking, which will keep me calm enough to resist the strong urge to go outside and scream at these people who appear to have an explosion fetish.
New Year’s Eve 2023 [...]
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May 25, 2024Bowl of popcorn by Keegan Evans on Pexels
My husband went to his sister’s house for the 4th of July. I can’t go because they have a multitude of little dogs – which I am allergic to.
I allowed Lucy (our cockatiel) to sit on me for a while. Birds like to sit on shoulders, for some reason.
I got hungry and decided to make some popcorn. So, I put Lucy back in her cage so I could eat without her taking an interest in the food.
She started screaming. So, I gave her one piece of popcorn by putting it into her food dish that is inside the cage.
She immediately threw it out.
And started screaming again. Presumably, she doesn’t want popcorn.
She climbed down my arm and onto my desk (which I sometimes let her do.)
First thing she did was climb onto the rim of the popcorn bowl – that she had no interest in moments before — and looked like she wanted to jump in.
She as absolutely determined to jump into the popcorn bowl. [...]
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May 25, 2024It’s raining really hard where I am (in California). When this happens, the wind and rain together pull the door off of our water heater cabinet (which is outside).
The door has been thrown against the neighbor’s porch and has developed an annoying dent across the front of it.
I’ll fight with it – again – whenever this atmospheric river stops long enough for me to go out and put the door back.
January 4, 2023 [...]
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May 25, 2024It’s not quite New Year’s Eve here.
And outside, the rain has stopped (for now).
There are children that are blowing what are probably paper horns, which make exactly the high pitched, strained sound you would expect.
They’ve been doing this for hours.
At first, I thought the sound was a crying cat, stuck out in the rain.
It’s after 10:30 PM here, and the paper horns are still very insistently being blown.
Or, maybe it’s drunk people making noises.
Either way, I’ll take this over the possibility of the potential of the people who live in the apartment complex just adjacent to the mobile home, lighting fireworks.
Fourth of July, this whole area looked like a battleground, as (possibly inebriated) adults and teens shot off fireworks – right next to the apartment building – and the smoke was thick, and cloudy and stifling.
…And I just heard what – might – have been someone testing to see if their fireworks are dry enough for them to shoot them off.
Happy New Year?
December 31, 2022 [...]
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May 25, 2024lightbulb on a yellow background by Riki Risnandar on Pexels
We used to have a “smart” lightbulb that can be used as a speaker. In the past, we used it to make sure there was a light on in the room our cockatiels were in.
One night, the neighbor who lived next door accidentally connected her TV to that lightbulb. The cockatiels were suddenly presented with loud, crashing, movie noises.
Now, we only have one cockatiel, so her cave has been moved to the main room. We live in a mobile home that has a large room that functions as both a living room and a kitchen.
The “smart” lightbulb is now used in one of the light fixtures in the kitchen.
The current neighbors come and go – sometimes staying away for a long time before returning.
For the past few days, when that “smart” bulb is on, it picks up some of the noises that come from the neighbor’s texting and/or game play on mobile.
I figure it’s a bluetooth thing.
It should be easy for the neighbor to figure out that they aren’t actually hearing sounds from their mobile device, and to go figure out how to redirect it.
Instead, Lucky the cockatiel has been treated with a whole bunch of new and interesting sounds to listen to
December 31, 2022 [...]
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May 25, 2024Close up of a crow by Dimitar Donovski on Unsplash
Earlier today, a large crow sat at the front of our mobile home and yelled. Later, another, (or maybe the same crow?) stood in the middle of the alleyway and barked at the mobile home across the way.
Then, the crow turned around and looked at me. A second crow sat up on a wire, watching.
We decided to feed them some walnuts. The first crow hesitantly bounced over to the food, picked up a big piece of walnut, and flew away.
The one on the wire came down and did the same.
Then, three more crows were hesitantly walking toward our driveway, to get more walnuts.
“Go ahead. It’s for you,” I quietly told them from inside my house and through an open window.
I am certain they will be back.
… Is this how the Raven Queen got started?
February 23, 2021 [...]
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May 24, 2024mouse by Alexas Fotos on Pexels
November 24, 2020: We have unfortunately attracted a mouse. It somehow got in our vents, and has been making noises in there at night.
The only vent it can fit through is the one in a bathroom. The vent is decorative and has wide openings. At first, the mouse seemed to think that the bathroom somehow led to “freedom,” and we would hearing it bouncing around in there.
Opening the door caused the mouse to scramble back into the vent. We have placed a small plastic garbage can over the vent so it can’t get out. (Mouse is too small to move it.)
We thought the mouse had gone away, because we weren’t hearing mouse noises anymore.
Today, it came back. My husband is out picking up a catch and release mouse trap from the hardware store. We intend to relocate the mouse in a field that is within walking distance from us that would provide the mouse with a more ideal home.
(This is the short version of the story.)
November 24, 2020: The mouse decided to tap-dance inside a vent in the floor that is somewhat near me. Annoying. So far, I can put an end to his little act by shining a flashlight on the vent.
November 24, 2020: My husband just sent me a text. The hardware store didn’t have a catch and release mousetrap. Seems he ordered it online, and had the option to pick it up at the store. But, the store doesn’t have it anymore.
He thinks we will have the mousetrap tomorrow or Friday.
We are now considering the possibility of asking a neighbor who is a friend of ours – and has cats that are good mousers – to bring one over.
This is probably not gonna work. But we are considering it.
November 24, 2020: I’ve been reading about mice and catch-and-release traps. Learned that mice are stinky.
This explains why there has been a strange smell in the house, and why and why I’ve been experiencing nausea for a while.
Also learned that one of the symptoms that indicates a uterus-haver is entering menopause is nausea from “strong smell.” Lucky me / sarcasm.
This also explains why my allergies have been really bad lately. I’m allergic to cats and dogs (due to their hair and dander.) Likely allergic to mouse as well.
November 24, 2020: There is a much longer story about why we (and our neighbors) have been having a mouse problem.
In short, there was a man who was a hoarder that lived in a very run down mobile home within the mobile home park. He eventually got evicted. From memory, there was a time where the home was required to sit there for a certain amount of time before the park owner (and/or the manager) could have the structure removed.
When that happened, the nearest mobile holes suddenly experienced a lot of mice around — and inside of – their homes.
UPDATE: The internet says that mice HATE the smell of peppermint. We just so happen to have a bottle of peppermint extract that we used in the past to put in baked goods or coffee.
I cut up an old dust rag into strips and dipped it into a measuring cup that I poured the peppermint extract into. Each strip went into a vent, with the end hanging out so I could duct-tape it to the floor.
The reaction was instant. Little mouse feet running away as the peppermint scented strip of cloth was put into each vent. I’m hoping this will encourage the mouse to leave and not come back.
The peppermint will irritate the mouse’s sinuses. Seems fair, since the mouse was irritating my sinuses (allergies).
Mouse went to the farthest vent, trying to evade the peppermint smell. At this moment, it sounds like he is coming back through – and making unhappy tapping noises. Hopefully, he is making his way toward however he got in here and will leave soon.
Oh, and we turned the heat off before doing this. It’s ok. We are in California. It doesn’t really get cold here.
An added bonus: The peppermint in all of the vents is making the house smell really nice. It overpowers the stinky mouse smell. Peppermint is also good for reducing nausea.
Meanwhile, little noise is freaking out in the vents. I’m hearing tons of frantic little tapping feet sounds. I hope it leaves soon.
November 26, 2020: My best guess is that the mouse left on its own accord after we put peppermint into the vents that the mouse insists on running around in.
He was gone for a while.
Yesterday, it came back. Using a chopstick, I pulled up the pieces of cloth that had been soaked with peppermint (of the type that one would use in backed goods or coffee.) I re-pepperminted the vents.
Mouse didn’t like it, and I could hear it going tappety- tappety-tappity around in an effort get away from the smell. Peppermint irritates mice.
Little while ago, I heard tapping noises in the vent nearest me. Shined a flashlight.
Little mouse was looking at me.
“Go back outside,” I told it.
It moved a bit toward a vent opening that might lead to outside.
But, before leaving (I hope it left) it came close to me — while still in the vent. A tiny mouse paw was stuck up between the vent opening. And then it (hopefully) left.
Not sure if the mouse was waving goodbye, or flipping me off.
November 26, 2020: Noticed today that the heat vents in the floor (that the mouse is/was running around in) bleed out animal fur and dander, and little flakey things that the mouse either brought in or ripped apart while in the vents.
It is getting everywhere and my allergies are horrible. Wearing a mask indoors again every time the heat comes on.
Have to cover my tea with a napkin to avoid … unwanted additives.
UPDATE 2: We decided to use a shop vac to remove all the debris that is inside our vents. Pull off vent cover. Use shop vac. Replace vent cover. Move to next one.
Worked really well. Removed and reduced allergens.
Took a shower. When I was done, my husband told me he thought he heard a mouse tapping around in the vents again.
I’m hoping it gets the hint that it cannot make a home in our vents.
November 26, 2020: The mouse definitely returned. The vent nearest me is broken in a way that prevents it from being closed.
I can see directly into it, especially if I use a flashlight. I have seen him dash away at least twice today (since cleaning the vents.)
Mouse appears nervous. We removed all food and whatever else was in the vent. He is running from one vent to another.
I have placed a large plastic garbage can over the vent nearest me. Don’t want the mouse to try and climb out of that vent. There is no way he can remove this really big garbage can.
I hope the most leaves and does not return. We are trying to make him as uncomfortable as possible.
UPDATE 3: We are now playing an eight hour video of cats making various noises in an effort to frighten the mouse away.
It’s been bouncing off the plastic garbage cans and tapping on the closed vents.
I was in the bathroom where the vent is covered by a plastic garbage can. Mouse stuck its tail out of a tiny space between the can and the floor, then reeled it back in when I yelled.
So… now we’re playing cat noises down the vents via my husband’s iPad.
November 27, 2020: Rotten little mouse continue to invade our home. My husband has re-pepperminted the vents the mouse runs through in the floor. This time, the peppermint is from peppermint tea mixed with some dish soap.
We thought the mouse couldn’t get out of the vents anymore. Two of them have been covered with plastic garbage cans, and one of them has been weighted down.
Today we discovered that the mouse absolutely could — and did — get out of one of the vents in the back room. Found plenty of mouse poop in one area on the floor back there.
Meanwhile, my husband and I are both getting sicker from the smell of the mouse.
The catch-and-release trap that was supposed to arrive today… didn’t. None of the stores have any that are appropriate for mice. (Too big.)
My husband is now picking up a kill trap. There is no other option. We are not risking our health for this mouse anymore.
November 27, 2020: My husband is now placing a mouse bait box in the area where the mouse has pooped (as per directions on the box.)
He watched a video on the website of the company that makes the bait box. The bait – which is poison – is already inside, so we don’t have to touch it.
The video said that the mouse will not die inside the bait box. It’s gonna go somewhere else to die. We have blocked off as many areas as possible in order to limit its options.
Hopefully, it won’t go into the vents and die there.
If so, we can call someone to deal with that.
With luck, this will solve the mouse problem.
November 28, 2020: There is an absolutely horrible smell coming from the heat vents. It seems too soon for the mouse to have died from the poison, but might be possible?
I turned off the heat because the smell was making me feel sick.
The room we blocked off in order to catch/kill the mouse is in the room our cockatiels are in. They are in a cage and she from the mouse.
The birds just woke up and are asking for food and water. Politely (for now).
My concern is that if I open up the door to that room, the mouse will somehow escape and end up dying behind the washing machine or dryer.
November 28, 2020: Bad news. A little whole ago, my husband informed me that the mouse had breached the containment zone. Our birds got loud and sounding like one of them was having a fit. He opened the door to tend to the birds and the mouse ran down the hall, into the kitchen, and behind the stove.
November 28, 2020: The mouse escaped while I was sleeping. My husband told me what happened. He closed the door of the bedroom and pushed a rolled dish towel under the gap between the door and the floor. He is now getting a snap trap. Mouse has been mostly favoring the heat vents. There are no vents in the bedroom. He can’t get in there.
November 29, 2020: The snap traps were a failure. Cheap little things that set themselves off right after being placed on the ground.
Except for one. That one, the mouse found — and moved into an old love seat he’s been living in. (We were planning on replacing it / throwing it out before the mouse problem happened.)
Today, my husband went to a different hardware store and brought a tray that electrocutes mice. It is gruesome, but we can’t have it go off and die somewhere in our vents.
The whole situation sucks and I blame the hoarder who use to live here. Several homes here have had mouse problems due to that situation.
December 1, 2020: We are now absolutely certain that the mouse is underneath the stove. I watched it come out from underneath it … multiple times … to investigate the nearby trap.
My husband put some bird kibble in the opening of the trap, and a few extra kibble leading up to it. The bait in the trap is peanut butter, which I’m certain the mouse wants.
(Mouse licked the peanut butter off a snap trap the other day and escaped unharmed. Trap wasn’t set properly.)
The lights are on in this room, and I am surprised the mouse came out to get kibble. He must have figured out that I’m not going to go after him.
He seems curious about the trap. I’m hoping he will go into it soon.
December 2, 2020: Mouse never went into the electronic kill trap to get the peanut butter last night.
Instead, he came out from under our stove to get the bird kibble leading up to it. He also tried to access the peanut butter from the back of the trap, but was unsuccessful.
And then he decided to run across the kitchen counter, and all across the top of the stove.
I gave him the “evil eye” and he stopped doing that.
Today, the store that my husband originally tried to obtain a catch-and-release trap from FINALLY called him to tell him that it arrived at their store.
We have replaced the electronic kill trap with the catch and release trap.
If all goes well, mouse will get a nice peanut butter treat tonight – if he gets into the trap. He will then get a free trip to a field somewhere NOT by our home.
December 6, 2020: After a few days with no discernible mouse activity, we think the mouse has gotten tired of us and gone back outside.
The weather here (in California) has warmed up nicely. Hopefully the mouse decided it was spring again, and went back outside.
Just to be certain, my husband (and a neighbor) removed what was left of an old loveseat that we had been meaning to throw way. The mouse decided it was his new home.
The remains of a loveseat are now sitting in our driveway, awaiting someone from Craigslist to come and take it to the dump. We will pay the person who comes to remove it.
I am overloaded with allergens now. Was worth it to (hopefully) have the mouse gone.
December 16, 2020: I’m sitting at my computer. Something made me decide to turn my head and look at the kitchen. I’m in a mobile home, so the kitchen is part of the main room.
The mouse we thought had left our home ran out from under the stove.
Apparently, he DID NOT go with the remains of the old loveseat to the dump.
My husband re-deployed the catch-and-release trap — after filling it with peanut butter.
I’m not afraid of the mouse. I’m annoyed by the mouse. Mentally and physically – (I am allergic to fuzzy creatures.)
I thought this was done. Nope.
Unwanted Mouse – the sequel, has begun.
December 16, 2020: UPDATE 4: New developments in the mouse situation! My husband and a friend of his moved the stove away from the wall. My husband cleaned the area behind the stove, where the mouse likes to hide.
Neither of them could see any way for the mouse to enter our mobile home from behind the stove. That’s a good sign.
The stove is sitting in an awkward place right now, still hooked up to the gas line (safely) but not plugged in.
The catch-and-release trap is still in place, and we loaded it with peanut butter.
A little while ago, we heard a noice that indicates that — somehow — the mouse is still inside our stove. We can’t start cleaning the inside of the stove until he’s gone.
December 16, 2020: Originally, I was considering making a blog post about all of the mouse related stuff I’ve been writing. But now, with the problem continuing, it’s too much for a blog post.
So, I’m thinking that when all of this is resolved, I’m going to take all the writing and make it into a podcast.
(NOTE: I completely forgot to make it into a podcast.)
January 12, 2021: The mouse we — thought — we had managed to get out of our home … has returned. We have set the catch-and-release trap and baited it with peanut butter.
The weather here lately has been nice and warm during the day. So warm, that the plants think it is spring and are spewing pollen.
But at night, it gets cold. Well, cold for California. So the mouse came back.
January 29, 2021: Yesterday, we heard noises in the back room that sounded like something metal hitting the floor. Long story short, the mouse that has been periodically invading our home is back.
He was hiding in an old entertainment center type piece of furniture, and had knocked a wrench that was on top of it to the ground.
My husband went after the mouse, hoping to be able to grab it and remove it from our home. Mouse decided to hide behind the entertainment center.
It has gotten MUCH bigger than it was before. It might actually be a rat. We might need a bigger trap.
We blocked off all exit points from that room so the rat would not be able to get into the rest of the house. Today, we removed everything from that room that the rat could find a home in, and did what we could to reduce his ability to find food.
The birdcage is in that room. If he climbs it, at least two of our birds will attack him.
I am, quite literally, sick of having this creature in our home.
February 4, 2021: Early this morning, I heard a noise from the bird room. I went to check if the cockatiels were ok. They were sleeping peacefully.
I turned around to go back down the hall, and the mouse (rat?) that has been invading our home ran past me. I yelled at him, and he ran behind the dryer.
I blocked off the bird room by shoving a blanket under the gap in the door, then built a wall of boxes to block access to the rest of the house.
Woke up my husband, and he moved both the washer and the dryer, and we used a broom to poke underneath both. Mouse stayed hidden.
Little while later, I went back to working on my computer, I saw the mouse on top of the dryer. He calmly used one of the boxes to get down … ran down the hallway, into the kitchen and under the stove.
Today, my husband hired an exterminator. Long story short, exterminator thinks the mouse go through a hole near the pipe that leads to the kitchen sink. There are traps in all the pales this awful mouse/rat has been seen. Kill traps this time. There appears to be no other way.
Dunno what it cost to get the exterminator to come here — but husband said it was more than he would have liked
Exterminator will return if/when the mouse (rat?) is caught.
The pollen count today is a horrible 9.4, and I am allergic to the mouse (rat). Today sucks.
February 4, 2021: UPDATE 5: Shortly after posting the previous post, a LOUD noise came from inside the cabinet under the sink. I’ve been told that a kill trap was placed there.
Heart racing, I stood up to see if the kill trap I can see next to the stove caught the mouse (rat).
Nope.
The noise under the kitchen cabinet increases. A loud clattering is heard. My best guess is that mouse (rat) ran into the kill trap and … struggled to get out? Died?
I am not yet brave enough to investigate, even though the noise has stopped.
February 4, 2021: UPDATE 6: My husband and I opened the door of the cabinet beneath the kitchen sink. There is definitely a dead rat in there — still connected to a kill trap.
Husband says the package we purchased from the exterminator includes him coming back to pick up the dead rat and replace it with whatever traps need replacing. Will do once a week for a month.
We are now hoping that it’s as the ONLY rat we have had run through our home. But, the other traps remain … just in case.
Epilogue: From memory, the exterminator came back to check the mouse/rat traps. We explained to hm that there was a dead rat in the trap beneath the kitchen sink.
The exterminator was wearing hard, plastic knee pads over his suit. He opened the cabinet door and hesitated.
“Feel free to move things around in there,” I advised.
The exterminator pushed bottles of cleaner around, and was able to access the trap. There was a large, very dead, rat in the trap. From memory, the exterminator put the rat and the trap into what looked like a cloth bag, and then knotted the bag — just in case the rat wasn’t dead yet.
After that, he walked back to check the traps he left in the bird room. There was no signs of a rat — or mouse – going anywhere near those traps.
Before leaving, the exterminator put a round, plastic, funnel-like thing around the pipe that led from the sink and under the cabinet. He explained that this was where the rat was getting into our home, and that the shape of this round, plastic, funnel-like contraption prevented the rat from getting inside.
We paid the exterminator. From memory, he returned once again to check the other traps. We haven’t had any mice or rats come inside our mobile home since then. [...]
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May 22, 2024Chocolate Chip Cookies in a stack by Lisa Fotos on Pexels
A demon from the pits of hell was just about to take a bath. He felt the need to get the “ick” off of himself. This realm has a lot of dirt, and gore, and he wanted to wash all of that off.
Suddenly, the demon found himself in a summoning circle. Rolling his eyes, and scowling, he looked up at the woman who pulled him into her living room.
“Oh, good, you’re here!” The woman seemed a bit frazzled, gathering various items into her purse, her hair disheveled. “I tried calling some of our previous babysitter, but none would respond to my texts. You’re going to have to do — I’m late for work!”
With that, the woman ran out of the door, hoping to catch a bus.
The demon looked down at a toddler who was sitting on the floor, holding a plastic block, and staring wide-eyed at him.
The demon frowned, remembering all the times that teenagers attempted to summon one of his kind. Sometimes, it simply didn’t work for them. Other times, one of them gets the incantation right, a demon appears, everyone screams. Once in a while, the summoner chooses to give the demon a beer.
Humans are strange, strange, beings.
The toddler dropped the block she was playing with and stared at the demon.
“Um, hello,” the demon said. “My name is Ragrakel. Your mother wants me to watch over you until she gets home.”
“Dog?” the toddler asked.
“No, no not ‘dog’ — Ragrakel.”
“Ragg” the toddler nodded her head and smiled.
Ragrakel stepped out of the summoning circle and sat on the floor near the toddler. Why wasn’t this one afraid of me, he wondered.
“What’s your name, child.”
“Clara.”
Clara stood up, smiled at “Ragg,” and handed him some of her blocks to play with. She picked up her teddy bear and hugged it.
Ragrakel looked at the blocks the toddler placed in front of him. He started stacking them into a cube-like shape. Clara clapped her hands, and said something in “toddler” that he didn’t understand.
And then she walked into the kitchen.
“Wait, where are you going?” Ragrakel followed the toddler who had stopped and was now pointing at a cabinet.”
“Snack.”
She must be hungry, Ragrakel thought. He opened the cabinet and started pointing at the snacks that were inside.
“Um.. is it this one? No? Ok, what about that one? Not that one either? Hmm. How about these little round discs?”
Clara jumped up and down and let out a high-pitched squeal. She walked over to the kitchen table, and pointed at a small chair that had a little table attached to it.
“Uppies.”
Ragralel gently picked up the child, placed her in this strange, small chair, and put the “table” on it. He gave her three of these little food-discs to eat.
The round, flat, food smelled — good. Much better than anything Ragrakel had smelled in Hell. Carefully, he pulled one of these strange, flat foods out of the box. He considered eating it.
When he gathered up the courage, he put this food into his mouth. It was soft, and sweet and … somewhat addicting, actually. The flavor was surprisingly delicious.
Clara watched “Ragg” eat the cookie. She smiled at him. When she finished her last cookie, she held up her hands.
“Potty.”
“Potty? What is that? Where is that?”
“Uppies.”
Confused, Ragrakel removed the “table” on this strange chair and put Clara on the floor. She ran toward whatever this “potty” was — moving very quickly.
When he arrived at this small room, which was mostly made of some kind of white clay – he almost was knocked over by the smell. What has this toddler been eating before he was summoned here?
Fortunately, Clara seems to know what she was doing, and didn’t need any additional help.
Clara left the strange, ceramic-like room, and went looking for her teddy bear. She picked him up, and yawned. Clara reaches for “Ragg’s” hand, and tried to pull him toward a rocking chair.
Ragrakel had not seen one of these in a long time. He picked up Clara (and her teddy bear) and placed them on his lap. A small blanket was hanging on one of the arms of the chair, and he covered the small girl with it.
And then he started gently rocking back and forth as Clara fell asleep. Ragrakel was finally able to relax and get some rest.
Sometime after that, a loud noise happened outside the door. Clara was still fast asleep, and “Ragg” didn’t want to wake her up. There was some muttering beyond the door.
“No, that’s not the right key. This one? Oh, that’s the mail key. Maybe the key is in my purse?” A few clicking noises started and then stopped, and Clara’s mother was back from work.
She dropped her purse on a small side table by the door of her apartment. Tried to get her hair out of her eyes, and the gave up on it. Ragrakel wondered if her work was really exhausting.
“Oh! I forgot you were there! Sorry for running out on you like that. My name’s Luna. What’s your name?”
“I am Ragrakel.”
A sleeping toddler whispered “Ragg” without waking up.
This story was inspired by a writing-prompt-s on Tumblr: You’re a demon. One day, you’re summoned into a living room, and an exhausted woman quickly rambles about needed to get to work and being unable to find a sitter before flying out the door. Now, you stand in your summoning circle, a toddler staring wide eyed at you. This story is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 26, 2023The demon king tapped his long, sharp, nails on one of the arms of his throne. He became the king of the demons eons ago, and spent a lot of time trying to keep the smaller demons from intentionally setting themselves on fire.
Somewhere outside of the throne room he could hear one of them screaming loudly after jumping into the molten fire that flowed through his realm. In the early days of his kingship, he would rush over and try to put the fire out. These small ones were his minions, after all, and he tried his best to protect them.
After decades of this same problem, happening over and over again, the demon king stopped helping the smaller demons. They were too simple-minded to remember WHY we don’t jump into the fire.
He rolled his eyes, and waited for the screaming to stop. Whichever small demon it was would simply regenerate itself in a few hours from now, forget what happened, and likely jump back into the molten river again.
Sighing, the demon king realized that he had a big problem. He was incredibly bored. There was no one here with the intellectual capacity to engage in conversation with. No one from outside wanted to visit him, and he couldn’t really blame them, what with the fire, and the screaming, and the constant regeneration of the smaller demons.
And so, he sat on his throne, tapping his long, sharp claws into one of its arms. There was nothing to do.
Suddenly, the doors of the throne room opened. One of the medium-sized demons struggled to open the doors. After pushing through them, the demon ran directly towards the demon king. Was that.. a letter.. in his hand?
“My king! I bring you this letter. Came from someone not from here,” the medium-sized demon explained. Intrigued, the demon king held out his hand, and was immediately given the letter.
“Thank you,” said the demon king. “You may go back to… whatever it was you were doing.” He waved one of his hands at the medium-sized demon, who immediately turned and ran back out of the throne room.
The demon king opened the letter, but had trouble reading it. He looked around for his glasses, and then realized they were hanging from a piece of leather that he wore around his neck. Holding up the glasses, and squinting a bit, he started reading.
“Hello, my friend! It is I, Loki, and I have an interesting proposition for you. There is a small child – a human child – who somehow got the idea that he should come to your realm and fight you. Neither I, nor my brother, could talk this child out of doing this.
As such, I sent you this letter to give you a warning that this child, who is probably around… I don’t know, maybe 10 years old, will arrive soon.
Could you just… play along with this kid? You know, pretend to be injured when he strikes you with… what looks like a sword made of some kind of foam? Fall over and cry a little bit and pretend to die? And then, send him on his way back home?
It is my understanding that you’ve been extremely bored lately, and I wanted you to have a little fun.
Let me know how it goes!”
The demon king smiled. He felt… happy? Was that the word for the emotion he was experiencing? He folded the leather up and put it in his pocket. He took off his glasses and let them hang from the leather he wore around his neck.
This was going to be fun! When was the last time he had fun? He couldn’t remember.
The doors of the throne room opened again, and in walked a human child. Loki wasn’t joking about that foam sword after all. It certainly looked as though it was made form some sort of neon green foam.
The demon king decided to play along. He stood up. “Who dares come into my throne room without permission!” He – almost – smiled, then stopped himself.
“My name is Edmund, and I am here to slay you!” the child yelled out in the squeakiest voice the demon king had ever heard.
Edmund had some sort of strange helmet on his head. It looked like plastic, with a chin strap to hold it on. He appeared to be wearing some soft clothing and oddly colored shoes. Was that a cape on his back?
“You’re Edmund? THE Edmund?”, the demon lord said, making his voice sound as though he were scared. “Oh no! Please, don’t hurt me!”
Edmund made a very serious face and started walking directly toward the demon king. When he got in close range, the boy hit the demon lord’s kneecap with his only colored foam sword.
The demon lord played along. He pretended to cry, and slumped to the floor, holding his knee. “Oh, it hurts too much! I shall not survive this wound”, said the demon king, as he lay down on the carpet in front of his throne, closed his eyes, and stuck out his tongue.
Edmund stood still for a moment. He then gently poked the demon king’s kneecap again, and waited a little while. Then, he smiled, and triumphantly marched himself out of the demon king’s realm.
A while later, the demon king opened his eyes. He brushed himself off, stood up, and started writing a letter back to Loki.
“My good friend, Loki! You have brought me so much fun today entertaining little Edmund. Allow me to tell you how things went…”
This story was inspired by a writing prompt on Tumblr titled: “A demon king is contacted by the gods “look, the hero is coming after you is 10, can you just play along and let him win?” It is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 26, 2023Earlier this year, California was covered in rainstorms – one right after another. The sky was dark and grey, and the winds were so fierce that they blew the door of our water heater straight off.
One day, there was a break in the weather. Skies were blue again. The rain had (temporarily) stopped. The weather got a little bit warmer.
Our cockatiel, Lucy, perked up that day. She was sitting on my husband’s shoulders when she decided that now was the time to start shedding her down features.
I should note that Lucy is a white cockatiel. Her toes are pink, and her eyes are black. Years ago, we had another white cockatiel, whom we named Gordo. Both white birds appear to grow more down feathers than cockatiels of other colors.
As such, Lucy systematically removed some of her down feathers and dropped them. Most ended up on Shawn’s clothing, but a good number of them got scattered on the floor.
Before anyone worries, cockatiels will shed down feathers when they think spring has started. It’s normal for birds to do this. Lucy wasn’t sick, or stressed. She was just doing what birds do in springtime.
A few days after that, the rains returned. Not as hard as the previous round this time. The skies became grey one more, and Lucy went back to being super sleepy.
Recently, Shawn was asked to watch over the animals at his sister’s house so her family could take a vacation. I couldn’t go because I’m allergic to everything. And neither of us wanted to leave Lucy home, for days, by herself.
While Shawn was gone, the weather cleared up again. Lucy continued removing the down feathers that she didn’t need anymore. It was springtime, after all.
I watched her sit on a perch in her cage and use her beak to remove the no-longer-needed fluffy down feathers. She dropped them, one by one, to the bottom of the cage.
The white feathers collected together and resembled large snowflakes. There were a lot of them! I assumed this was the end of her molting season.
But no.
She continued removing the down feathers for days on end. Every day since then, more and more – not spring – feathers were removed and dropped. I started picking them up and dumping them back into her cage.
The other day, Lucy decided to come and sit on me. I usually put a towel on my shoulder for her to sit on. Somehow, she manages to knock the towel off me without me noticing.
This time, she wanted me to try and remove the itchy parts of feathers that are attached to her neck. Ones she cannot reach. I did my best to accommodate her.
And then, I realized I was covered in cast-off down feathers.
This story I wrote on Tumblr is a true story, and is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 20, 2023This story came from a prompt on Tumblr by writing-prompt-s. The prompt said: “In a world where every human has a unique superpower, yours is largely laughed at. The ability to untangle anything has come in handy for untying shoelaces until you discover a new way of using your power that makes you formidable against your former superiors.
When I was a little kid, just starting kindergarten, the world changed. My classmates and I didn’t even notice what happened. We were too busy coloring, playing with blocks, and learning the alphabet.
The teacher, however, had a strange look on her face. We were too little to understand why. She held her finger to her lips and said “shhhh…” and the entire room went soundless.
I don’t mean that us kindergarteners were extremely well behaved and immediately got quiet after being shushed. The clock on the wall was still working – but wasn’t making a ticking sound now. Some kids tried to speak, only to find that they could not. It was scary!
Five minutes went by, and the room suddenly burst into sound. Some of us started crying – including the teacher.
At the time, no one seemed to know what the cause of the unexpected superpowers were. Governments blamed it on other countries – whom they never really trusted in the first place.
Little by little, people started spontaneously manifesting their superpower. I remember sitting on the floor in front of the TV and watching the news with my mother.
A little girl told a news reporter that she could understand what hummingbirds said.
“What do the hummingbirds say?” a news reporter asked.
“Um… well, they’re really grumpy all the time, and I don’t think I should repeat the words they use,” the girl responded.
A old man in the UK discovered that his superpower was the ability to prevent a bus from leaving the stop until he got on it. A middle-aged woman in Nigeria had the power to know when there was an area of clean water underground. A child in Mexico suddenly could understand all languages.
The really interesting thing was that only one person on the entire planet could have a specific superpower. All were unique, but some were much more useful than others.
A teenage in Canada could lift himself off the ground and fly to wherever he wanted to go. The news was calling him “Teenage Superman”. A pre-teen girl in the Netherlands had the ability to locate people’s lost dogs, and help them find their way home. A toddler in Italy started making Renaissance paintings with his crayons.
By first grade, I desperately hoped that I would be one of the lucky ones, like the people featured on the news. I wanted to have a superpower that could help people.
Unfortunately, my superpower was… not very impressive. First-graders are taught how to tie their shoes. It was really difficult for most kids, and some parents got tired and gave their kids slip-on shoes with no laces at all.
I remember trying very hard to tie my shoes – all by myself. Somehow, I accidentally tied the laces of one shoe to the laces of the other shoe. I got really frustrated and just wanted my shoes to untie themselves so I could start over. And… right before my eyes, they untangled themselves!
When I looked up from my shoes, I saw that most of the class was staring at me with confused expressions. My classmates who had already tied their shoes suddenly found them untied again. This was my fault!
I wanted to cry. My superpower was one of the useless ones. I would never be a superhero. The other kids laughed at me for having one of the most useless superpowers possible.
Fast forward, and I started finding things I could do with this seemingly benign superpower. When the bullies found me in middle-school, I used my “untangle” power to make them trip and fall, giving me the time to run away. When the mean girls harassed me, I untangled the braids in their hair – without even touching them.
By the time we reached high-school, things got weird. Classmates who were blessed with the useful superpowers acted like they were superior to the rest of us.
There was a guy who got the power to dispel tornadoes, which resulted in our school never having to do tornado drills. Years later, he became a meteorologist.
There was a girl who could read people’s minds, and who threatened to tell the world their darkest secrets. I think she ended up as a gossip columnist for some small-town newspaper.
And then, there was everybody else. The majority of my classmates had received their superpower – but most of them didn’t want to talk about it or use it. Those who stayed silent either hadn’t gotten their power yet, or they got one that they were embarrassed about.
As time when by, governments started trying to suppress some of the people who had a special power that they deemed to be dangerous. There were hearings planned that never materialized. I got the feeling that maybe there were congresspeople and senators who secretly had a superpower they never talked about.
The military, however, took this as a great time to recruit the people who had been given superpowers that involved massive amounts of strength, the ability to regenerate damaged or broken limbs, or who could fly without needing a plane. It wasn’t clear how many of that group were convinced to join the military.
As for me, I decided that my ability to untangle things wasn’t something anyone really cared about. If I was in a coffee shop and noticed someone having difficulty with their knitting, I’d wave my fingers at it and untangle the yarn for them. Simple things that nobody would notice – other than the knitter.
I started learning to code rather than go to college. It was difficult at first, but then I realized that coding was – sort of – like untangling something. I got really good at it and eventually got hired to work at a big social media company. For a while, it was fun!
Then, things changed. The guy who started the social media company sold it to another guy who didn’t seem to know much about how it worked. He quickly fired most of the coders who worked there and the entire Q&A department. He was inexplicably hostile toward the social media site he had purchased for a ton of money.
I was really good at blending into the woodwork, so to speak, which prevented me from getting fired. One day, that changed. The new boss walked over to me and asked me to follow him. I did what he asked, worried that I was about to lose my job.
The boss walked me down a hallway, and into a basement. Inside it was some of the oldest computer-ish monstrosities I’d ever seen! He opened up a bunch of cabinets, all in a row, and showed me what was inside.
What I saw was unexpected. How could a big social media company let their wires get so tangled up? I guess he finally fired the last guy who had knowledge of where the wires go to or what they make happen.
“I want this mess fixed, it is not something I understand how to do myself, and everyone I asked to try and help failed and have been fired. Can you fix this?” the boss asked.
I smiled, realizing that this was the perfect opportunity to use my superpower for something good. I started by untying the boss’s shoelaces without actually touching them.
“You can do that?” the boss asked, seeming very surprised.
“Yes, I can. My superpower started when I was six-years-old.”
“Wonderful”, said the boss. “Get started on these wires right now.”
“I want something in return.” I said. “Something meaningful.”
“Money is no object to me”, the boss responded, in a way that seemed like he was proud of that.
“Oh, I don’t want your money. I want you to become a better human. Give the people you fired at least five years worth of their salary.”
“Done!” the boss said, taking out his smartphone and tapping the screen a lot. He turned the screen towards me to prove that he had sent the appropriate amount of money to everyone who had been fired.
I nodded my head and waved my hands in front of each cabinet of tangled wires. It took longer for me to untangle them than I’d expected, but eventually the wires moved themselves to where they were supposed to be.
The boss seemed pleased. He smiled, and said I could take the rest of the day off.
As he started walking me out of the basement, a thought came to mind. “By the way,” I said, “I hope you really did send the money to the people you fired. Because if you didn’t… well, I happened to know someone whose superpower is to tangle things back up again.”
This story I wrote on Tumblr is based on a writing prompt titled: “In a world where every human has a unique superpower, yours is largely laughed at. The ability to untangle anything has come in handy for untying shoelaces until you discover a new way of using your power that makes you formidable against your former superiors” and is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 20, 2023I wrote this story based on a prompt from writing-prompt-s on Tumblr. The prompt said: “I pulled myself together and got up. The autopsy technicians could only stare in horror.”
The last thing I remembered was getting shot in the head by one of those “Hunters”. There was just enough time for me to memorize her face as she ran away. And then… nothing.
I woke up on a table in some hospital’s morgue. It takes a little while for people like me to regain full consciousness and the ability to move again. The morgue was very cold, but that’s not really a problem for my kind.
Someone was poking a metal device into the hole in my head. One of them asked their colleagues a question.
“Are we certain that this is the right corpse? I’m asking because the x-rays we viewed showed that at least half of this one’s head had a huge hole through it. But now? All I see is a hole the size of a quarter.”
Tiring of having my brain poked with a metal tool, I opened my eyes. There were three people in lab coats – all of whom slowly backed away from the metal table they had placed me on.
“… The eyes! … Maybe that was a… a nerve impulse?” one of them asked.
Humans, even educated ones, can be incredibly/hopefully stupid when scared. This was to my advantage. It takes a lot of energy to regenerate one’s self – and I was HUNGRY.
When I sat up, the three humans seemed paralyzed in fear. I was covered in blood – probably my own – thanks to the gunshot wound.
Part of this “autopsy” resulted in one of them cutting into my chest. My heart was visible. I allowed the humans to watch as my heart started beating again (a parlor trick some of us can do) as my skin and bones grew back.
Staking a vampire doesn’t always require a sharpened, wooden, post. And, it doesn’t actually kill us. We just sort of go into stasis. It’s very boring. I suppose these metal implements they used served well enough as a stake – right up until they removed it from my heart.
I don’t know what they did with my clothing, but that’s not really important right now.
Moving faster than human eyes can see, I launched myself at the nearest person in a lab coat. He didn’t even have time to make a sound before my fangs entered the artery on his throat. His co-workers screamed and ran away as I drained him dry.
Within seconds, I felt like myself again. His blood surged through me, and I could feel the adrenaline that had been mixed into it. The borrowed body heat felt wonderful, but I knew it wouldn’t last forever.
Realizing that I couldn’t walk out of the hospital looking like this, I used the nearby sink to wash the blood off of my skin, my face, and from under my nails. My hair also got a quick wash so I could remove the blood and gore that it collected after I got shot.
There was a pristine, white, lab coat covered in plastic. I bit into that with my fangs and ripped the package open. The size wasn’t perfect, but it covered most of me. I popped the collar up like I did back in the 80s, when I was still a human.
As I was buttoning up the lab coat, I realized that my legs were still somewhat visible, and that would make me stand out. I’m sure that the human I drained wouldn’t mind if I “borrowed” his pants and shoes.
The other two, the ones who ran away… forgot to close the door to the morgue. I smiled, retracted my fangs, and walked down some corridors which eventually led me outside.
The moon was shining brightly, and I was feeling strong. Time to locate the Hunter who thought she killed me.
I wrote this story on Tumblr. It is based on a writing prompt: “I pulled myself together and got up. The autopsy technicians could only stare in horror” and is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 20, 2023Here is a true story that I wrote on Tumblr. It is about the crows that live nearby.
Yesterday, my husband had the opportunity to start clearing out the shed. It isn’t a huge shed, but just big enough to stow away boxes, Christmas ornaments, and other stuff.
Then, the COVID-19 pandemic started, and he later suffered an injury to his ankle which caused him great pain. It took a long time before he could get an appointment to get that fixed. Obviously, a person experiencing pain from an injury should NOT be trying to clear out a shed.
And so, things simply sat there for a while.
I decided to help him de-clutter the shed. There were a lot of a cardboard boxes, of various sizes, that we had no more use for. Some had styrofoam, bubble wrap, or cardboard “spacers” for lack of a better word.
To make things go faster, I decided I would carry the flattened cardboard, and the fillers that were inside it, to the trash and/or recycling bins that were in the mobile home park.
After making a few trips, I noticed that a couple of crows had started flying in that direction. They circled around in the sky ahead of me, but I didn’t see anything there that they could be chasing,
There was an unintentional pattern I was following. Pick up the cardboard and other stuff. Walk to the dumpster and recycling bin. Repeat.
After doing this for a while, I noticed there was a crow nearby. At the time, I was struggling to put a very large, heavy, flattened box into one of the dumpsters.
The crow flew over me and landed on what once was a line of wires that people would hang their clothing on to dry. The wires had rusted over the years. A small structure near it had coin operated washers and dryers.
The crow landed on the post nearest the dumpsters and looked back at me. It had some kind of food in its beak, which might have been parts of a shelled peanut, or perhaps a reasonable amount (for a crow) of bread.
And it waited.
“Hello, crow,” I said. “I see you. I’m okay.”
The crow sort of nodded, and then flew off with the food in it’s beak.
We have occasionally fed the crows that appear at the end of the driveway. Sometimes, one would calmly and quietly sit on top of the neighbor’s house and wait to be fed. Other times, they arrive and scream for food.
We don’t feed them every day. Their other sources of food include restaurants that are in a plaza headed by a supermarket. The crows know exactly when to go there and wait for a human to bring out a bag of “trash”.
I guess what I’m saying is that we make sure that we aren’t their only source of food. They get a handful of cashews, or stale Cheerios. Just a little bit of food to help sustain them. Snacks.
Eventually, my husband and I decided to call it a day. We can pick up on the de-cluttering of the shed again and keep working. Little by little will do.
We went back into our mobile home and sat down and rested a bit. I started telling him about the crow that had food in its beak.
My husband thinks that the crow, who could possibly be one we fed, thought I was hungry. As my husband explained it, the crow saw me walk down to the dumpsters and recycling bins, open the lids, put things in – but not take anything out.
To paraphrase what my husband thought: “Animals that are hungry sometimes open dumpsters hoping to find food. The crow saw you looking into the dumpsters and putting things into it. You left empty-handed. So, the crow brought you some food.”
It is a magical thing to realize that the crows we fed have decided we are part of their flock. I wear a lot of black clothing, and am small for a human. This crow thought I was starving and wanted to give me food.
True story.
This is a true story I wrote on Tumblr. It is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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June 18, 2023This story comes from a writing prompt that said: Offering the dragon marriage into the royal family had been a power play on the king’s part, a way to intimidate the kingdom’s enemies. He had not anticipated the dragon actually accepting the offer.
Here is the story I wrote in response to this prompt:
Gruzedla the Brave was in the stables, tending to her horse. They had just returned from Marhagan, a town whose people had always been loyal subjects of the King of Agbratten. Gruzedla was sent on a quest to attempt to learn why the people of Marhagan had stopped tithing.
Both the knight and her horse, got covered with muck, dirt, and pollen on their way back. It was a warm day. So Gruzelda tied her horse to a post outside the barn, and then returned with several buckets of water and a scrub brush.
Bucephalus (whom Gruzedla called “Boo”) started to prance a bit upon seeing the water buckets. Gruzedla smiled, dumped one of the buckets of water over the horse, and started scrubbing.
Both knight and horse were enjoying the moment. Boo loves (almost) nothing more than a good bath in the warm sun. He also enjoys carrots.
It was then that Gruzedla heard the sounds of frantic footsteps approaching. She dropped the scrub brush and pulled out her sword, ready for battle if it was called for.
“Gru!” panted the serving woman who stopped near the knight.
“King Alfred… has asked me… to bring you to him… something about… a quest?”
Gru recognized Eplheiba, a servant girl who worked in the kitchen. She would sometimes bring carrots – that were still good, but no longer for human consumption – to Boo. Gru patiently waited for Eplheiba to catch her breath.
“I’m sorry… I was ordered to come fetch you. King Alfred wants to see you immediately, if not sooner. You must hurry to the throne room.”
“Hold on,” Gru said. “I can’t go into the throne room looking like this!” She gestured at the muck, dirt, dust, pollen and other stuff that had collected on her armor and her hair.
Elpheiba, still recovering after her sprint to the stables, looked terrified. “I’m sorry, but there is no time for a bath. The King was very clear about that.”
“Understood.” Gru picked up a bucket of water that was still full, and dumped it over her head. Elpheiba made a nervous squeaking sound.
“Let’s go!”, said Gru. Elpheiba began sprinting again and Gru was able to keep the pace. The second the two women reached the door of the throne room, Elpheiba ran back to the kitchen.
Two knights guarded the door to the throne room. Each saluted Gru, the King’s favorite knight. They clicked the heels of their boots together at the same time. Each grabbed a door handle, opened the double doors, and gestured for Gruzedla to enter.
Gru walked up the long, red, carpet that led to the throne. King Alfred looked both impatient and angry. Gruzedla performed the gestures of respect by bowing her head, and clasping her hands together in front of her.
“My King! I bring you news from Marhagan. The people have been influenced by the promises of King Fezuzo of Adalantia. He appears to have offered them monthly parades, extra warm boots to wear in the cold months, and more food than what you are – very kindly – sending to the people.”
“I have been told,” Gruzedla continued, “that this promise from King Fezuzo has not yet resulted in any of those things. However, the people of Marhagan want to believe that help is on the way.”
King Alfred nodded his head, impatiently, as his favorite knight explains things. “Is that all they want? Bah!” the king said, in the most sarcastic tone Gru had ever heard him speak in.
“No, my King, that is not all. King Fezuzo made those promises with a severe stipulation. If the people wanted the parades, warm boots, and additional food – they must stop sending their coins to you. And that, my good and benevolent King, is why they have not been sending tithes.”
King Alfred pounded his fist on the arm of his throne hard enough that the sound echoed through the room. He put his face in his hands for a moment, and let out a deep, frustrated sounding sigh.
“Gruzedla the Brave,” he said in a quiet voice, as he looked into Gru’s eyes. “You are my favorite knight because you tell me the truth about things. Everyone else tells me falsehoods because they are afraid of my wrath if I don’t like what they reported.”
“I will send word to King Fezuzu to…” The King paused, then continued with, “encourage him to undo his promises to the people of Marhagan. King Fezuzo is all talk and no action. Marhagan’s people likely know this.”
“But,” King Alfred said, clapping his hands together. “I have another quest for you. It is a bit… unusual.”
Gru once again bowed her head and clasped her hands together. “I am at your service, my King.”
“Excellent! I’m sending you out to find a dragon. Not just any dragon! I’m thinking about a specific dragon who lives in a cave on the hillside not too far away.”
Gru listened carefully. “I will do my best to fight the dragon, my King.” In the back of her mind, she was trying to squelch the image of dying from excessive fire damage.
“Oh, I don’t want you to fight a dragon. I want you to make the dragon an offer.”
Gru stared back at her King, confused.
“Let me back up a bit,” the King said. “Do you remember when eldest son Tanner got married to Princess Myaza of Beckleplains?”
Gru nodded her head. “Yes, my King. I was among the knights who were protecting their carriage as it headed to the church.”
King Alfred nodded. “Tannan and Myaza have two children now, an heir and a spare, so to speak.”
“My younger son, Triton, who spent several years as part of the Royal Navy, recently retired. He and Darious – his husband-to-be are waiting on the paperwork. I completed my portion of it years ago. But, Darious is from Upper Ghyllxos, and their council insists on dotting every I and crossing every t.”
Once again, Gru nodded and patiently listened to her King.
“My youngest child – well, she’s actually an adult now. How time flies,” King Alfred said, shaking his head. “Rosalind vehemently refuses any suitor who comes calling. None of the young men were up to her standards, I suppose.”
“Tannen and his wife are doing well, and appear to be loved by her people. Triton will – eventually – also do well after the paperwork ends and the marriage begins. Rosalind, however, she’s not interested in getting married – or having children.” The King sighed in frustration.
King Alfred handed Gruzedla two pieces of parchment. One was a map to the dragon’s lair. The other was a letter that she should give to the dragon.
“I don’t mean to be impertinent, my King, but it sounds like you want me to hand a marriage proposal to a dragon on your behalf, possibly against Rosalind’s wishes?”
King Alfred nodded his head. “Of course! That’s exactly what I want. There is always a lot of paperwork, and back-and-forth with Royal marriages. This is just how things are done.”
“That said,” King Alfred said with a smirk, “I expect the dragon to decline the offer. Dragons collect treasure, and they live for a very long time. Can’t imagine dragons would abandon all that hard work collecting things to marry a Princess and get stuck in tedious politics.”
Gru, once again, bowed her head and clasped her hands. “I will do as you ask, my King.” She sprinted through the castle, received some dirty looks from the well dressed women she passed by, and headed to the stable.
Boo and Gru immediately set out to complete the King’s quest. It took less time to find the dragon’s lair than it did to find her way to Marhagan. It certainly helped that the cave opening was huge and easily spotted from far away.
After climbing up the winding, rocky path to the cave, Gru and Boo took a short break. The view from there was wonderful! She gave Boo another carrot, tied the horse’s reigns to a nearby rock structure, and headed inside the lair.
Gruzedla the Brave expected to see a lot of treasure in this cave. And she did! There were several piles of gold lying about, next to large piles of unsorted gemstones. Gru knew better than to touch any of that.
The light in the cave dimmed. Only a dragon could cast a shadow that large! Gru slowly turned around and was stunned by how huge a red dragon could be!
The dragon stood still, looking down at Gru. “Why are you here? You haven’t stolen any of my treasure, so you must want something else from me.” The voice of the dragon echoed through the cavern.
Gru watched as the dragon blew tendrils of smoke out of its nose. She opened up the letter that was for the dragon, and started explaining herself.
“I apologize for the intrusion. My name is Gruzedla the Brave, favored knight of King Alfred, of Agbratten. My king hopes that you will marry his youngest offspring, Princess Rosalind. Many suitors have asked for her hand, but the Princess turns them down.”
“Interesting…” the large red dragon commented. He slowly lowered his head until he was at eye level of the letter. “The font is too small. Read it to me.”
Gru nodded her head and began reading.
“King Alfred of Agbratten requests that you consider marrying his youngest offspring, Princess Rosalind. She is a young-adult who absolutely does not want to have children. Gruzelda the Brave has a locket around her neck that contains a portrait of Princess Rosalind.”
“If you take a liking to the Princess’s portrait, the Agbratten government will begin generating the required paperwork that is needed to be signed off by many people before the marriage can be officially approved.”
“As you may know, it is not unusual for adult children of Royalty to marry someone who is from outside their kingdom. Should your marriage to Princess Rosalind commence, you would become the Princess’s consort. Typically, this position includes attending official Royal gatherings, waving at the commoners who come to watch you and your spouse, and occasionally being written about in the tabloids of sketchy newspapers.”
“King Alfred of Agbratten would be thrilled to have you marry his daughter. She hasn’t found someone worthy of her yet. King Alfred believes that you would be seen as very impressive not only to Rosalind, but also to the people of Agbratten.”
The dragon listened intently. He appeared to be considering his options. Gru waited, assuming that the dragon would not want to marry a human, even if she was a princess.
“What does the Princess look like?” the dragon asked.
Gru reached underneath her chest plate so she could grab the portrait that hung on a leather rope around the knight’s neck. She held it up for the dragon to view.
“If you choose to marry Princess Rosalind, you will have to sign the end of this letter to make your intent official”, Gru explained.
“That parchment is way too small for me to read, much less sign,” said the dragon. “Could you sign my name for me?”
“Um.. yes? I think I’m allowed to do that.” Gru picked the feather quill and a small bottle of ink out of her pocket. “Typically, if a person who wishes to marry cannot sign their name themselves, we allow someone to write it on their behalf. What is your name?”
“My name is… something that is not understandable in your language. Too many syllables and letters that you would never be able to pronounce properly. You may call me… Fred.”
Gru wrote “Fred” at the bottom of the letter. She pressed the bottom of the small ink bottle into the paper, to make an impression of her mark.
“Done!” said Gru, putting away her quill and ink. “I should have said, things are now officially started. It can take a long time between now and when the wedding happens. You will receive more letters as the process continues.”
“One more question,” said Fred. “What does Princess Rosalind think of this marriage proposal?”
“I’m really not certain what she would think about this. Perhaps I should ask her to send you a letter, if you would like that.”
Fred nodded. Gruzedla the Brave turned and marched out of the cave.
The moment Gru returned to the Kingdom of Agbratten she placed Boo into the stable where he could eat and take a nap. She sprinted her way to the closed doors of the throne room, and was let in by two guards.
King Alfred was thrilled to see his favorite knight return. He was all smiles.
“Well? What did the dragon say about marrying Princess Rosalind?
“Things went well, my King. Fred, the red dragon of the large cave, has accepted the marriage proposal. I read the letter to him because it was very small and hard for him to see. And, if you look closely, I followed our kingdom’s custom of signing his name for him, complete with my mark next to it for clarity.”
King Alfred froze. “I… did not plan for this outcome. The dragon was supposed to turn down the offer. What am I going to do now?”
“If you would like my advice, my King, I suggest we talk with Princess Rosalind about this. Clearly, she’s not interested in any of the eligible men that have tried to court her. And, if you had not noticed, she has filled the walls of her room with paintings of dragons.”
This story I wrote on Tumblr is based on a writing prompt titled: Offering the dragon marriage into the royal family had been a power play on the king’s part, a way to intimidate the kingdom’s enemies. He had not anticipated the dragon actually accepting the offer”. [...]
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December 27, 2021Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels
No one told us that this little robot would become a hunter!
My husband and I have a Roomba. It usually does a decent job of removing dirt and debris from our floors.
But, its real love is VIOLENCE.
And for some inexplicable reason, it chooses to attack other items that can be used to clean things.
It started with the Roomba knocking over a metal folding chair, which hit an air cleaner that I use because I have allergies. Cracked chunk of plastic off of it. Little did we know that this was a sign of things to come.
Our Roomba has attacked:
Air cleaner in the living room – knocked the front panel off and broke a piece of it. The Roomba did this by knocking over a chair which slammed into the air cleaner that was on a small table. The air cleaner has a chunk of plastic missing, but still works.
Shop Vac – Roomba grabbed the power cord of a shop vac that was inside the house at the time and completely unraveled it across the room.
Broom – Roomba knocked it over and dragged it across the floor for a bit.
Smaller air cleaner – Roomba pushed the box that holds a filter for that air cleaner and out of the room it was cleaning by shoving it under gap in the door.
Cleaning products – Roomba goes over to the cabinet under the kitchen sink and opens the door. It leaves the door open, exposing all of the cleaning products within. Eventually, Roomba goes back and slams the cabinet door shut on them.
Also, it frequently opens the cabinet under the kitchen sink, where all the cleaning products are — leaving them exposed. Eventually, the Roomba comes back and slams the cabinet door on them.
There is a disturbing pattern happening here!
Things Our Roomba Has Attacked is true story I wrote and then posted on Tumblr. It is not allowed to be copied. [...]
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COVID Pandemic
February 2, 2023Photo by René DeAnda on Unsplash
This blog post is focused on the COVID-19 protections that the Biden-Harris Administration put in place during January of 2021. I am pulling some this information from a generalized health care post that can be found in the “Out of Spoons” section of Book of Jen. I also included relevant information from (then) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
January 15, 2021
January 15: President-elect Biden posted “Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden Outlines COVID-19 Vaccination Plan” From the Fact-Sheet:
Effectively and equitably vaccinating the U.S. population will happen through stronger partnership with states and communities, increased supply, more vaccination sites, and more vaccinators.
The COVID-19 pandemic is getting worse by the day – more people are hospitalized with COVID-19 than ever before, the death rate is up almost 20 percent, and we’re nearing 400,000 deaths total. At the same time, there is a new, more contagious strain spreading across the country and we are woefully behind on vaccinating the U.S. population.
President-elect Biden will confront this historic challenge with the full strength of the federal government – working closely with local communities already in the trenches. He will lead an unprecedented, whole-of-society effort that mobilizes every resource available – across the public and private sectors. It will take every American doing their part.
As we move forward to get vaccines in arms as quickly as possible, we will not leave anyone behind. Communities across the country are counting on it. The health and economic security of our nation depend on it.
Today, the president-elect outlined key highlights of his plan to efficiently and equitably vaccinate the U.S. population. This includes taking action to:
Get more people vaccinated
Encourage states to allow more people to be vaccinated including individuals 65 and older as well as frontline workers. The process of establishing priority groups was driven by science, but the implementation has been too rigid and confusing. We now see doses of vaccines sitting in freezers unused while people who want the vaccine cannot get it. President-elect Biden’s plan encourages states to open up eligibility beyond healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents and staff, to include frontline essential workers like teachers, first responders, grocery store employees, and anyone who is 65 and older. It won’t mean that everyone in this groups will get vaccinated immediately, as supply is not where it needs to be. But it will mean that as vaccines become available, they will reach more people who need them. For states with the capacity and supply to further expand, we encourage that as well. The federal government will continue to look to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) framework for an equitable, effective vaccination program.
Ensure equity throughout the vaccination process to reach those hard-to-reach, marginalized communities. We will ensure that there is equity in the vaccination process by using data to target resources to hard-hit communities, ensuring no out-of-pocket costs for vaccinations, and equitable access to vaccines in marginalized and medically-underserved communities. Partnerships with states local and community-based organizations and trusted health care providers, like community health centers, will be central to this effort.
Create more vaccination sites
Stand up new, federally-supported community vaccination centers across the country. Getting as many people as vaccinated as quickly as possible will require close coordination between the federal government and all states and territories. Knowing that not all states and jurisdictions have the resources to scale vaccinations at the pace this crisis demands, the Biden-Harris administration will leverage federal resources and emergency contracting authorities to launch new vaccination sites and to expand state and local efforts across the country. With the support of Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), these sites will mobilize thousand of clinical and non-clinical staff and contractors who will work hand-in-glove with the National Guard and state and local teams. The program will be scaled based on what is working best on the ground for state and local partners, and the communities they serve.
Fully reimburse state deployment of the National Guard to support vaccinations and provide additional FEMA assistance. Many states are planning to use their National Guard to support vaccine distribution efforts, including support critical transportation and logistics functions. To further support states, President-elect Biden’s plan fully reimburses states for the use of the National Guard and provides 100% cost match for state and local emergency costs through FEMA.
Launch mobile vaccination clinics and provider partnerships to reach underserved urban areas and rural communities. President-elect Biden will deploy mobile vaccination clinics in the most hard-to-reach communities and to support those who face challenges accessing vaccination sites, including individuals who live in underserved urban and rural areas. The federal government will partner with states and local providers, including primary care providers, to ensure that they have the resources needed to help get vaccines to the communities they serve. The federal government will launch targeted programs to engage community health centers, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, and tribal health services to ensure that we can meet the needs of all communities.
Make vaccines available in pharmacies. Millions of Americans turn to their local pharmacies every day for their medicines, flu shots, and much more. Nearly 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. President-elect Biden will quickly jumpstart efforts to increase capacity at chain and independent pharmacies across the country to get Americans vaccinated.
Launch a new partnership with Federally Qualified Health Centers nationwide. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serve more than 30 million patients each year – one in 11 people nationwide. Many are people of color and many live in rural communities. FQHC patients are often individuals struggling to make ends meet. Given the critical role that these providers play in their communities, President-elect Biden will launch new program to ensure that FQHCs can directly access vaccine supply where needed. At the same time, the administration will encourage jurisdictions to engage and work closely with health centers in their community vaccination planning. And to ensure that health centers have the resources they need to successfully launch vaccination programs, President-elect Biden has called on Congress to provide additional funds to support community health centers, and HHS will launch a new program to provide guidance, technical assistance, and other resources to prepare and engage the providers nationwide.
Launch new models to serve high-risk individuals. The administration will make programs available for high-risk congregate settings, including homeless shelters, jails, and institutions that serve individuals with intellectual and development disabilities.
Increase supply and get it out the door as quickly possible
Ensure a robust vaccine supply and spur manufacturing. To help people get vaccinated more quickly, the president-elect will maximize the manufacture of vaccine and vaccine supplies for the country, including using the Defense Production Act. This effort will prioritize supplies that could cause bottlenecks, including glass vials, stoppers, syringes, needles, and the “fill and finish” capacity to package vaccine into vials.
Be a reliable partner for states by providing actionable data on vaccine allocation timelines and delivery. To effectively plan and scale distribution, states and localities rely on both advanced understanding of they allocations and timely delivery other ordered doses. Under President-elect Biden’s plan, the federal government will provide regular projections of the allocations states and localities will receive. The federal government will build on the operational plans in place to ensure the effective distribution, storage, and transit of vaccines to states, including support for maintaining or augmenting the vaccine-specific required cold chain. The federal government will also fully leverage the Defense Production Act to fill any distribution gaps, including with respect to any needed refrigeration, transportation, or storage facilities.
Increase vaccine availability while maintaining a commitment to the two-dose schedule. President-elect Biden’s plan will release the vast majority of the vaccines when they are available, so more people can get vaccinated quickly, while still retaining a small reserve for any unforeseen shortages or delays. To continue ensuring second-dose availability on the timeline recommended by the FDA, the Biden-Harris administration will closely monitor development, production and release of vaccines, and use the DPA as needed to ensure adequate supply for second doses on the timeline recommended by the FDA.
Mobilize more personnel to get shots in arms.
Surge the public health workforce to support the vaccination effort. A diverse, community-based public health workforce is essential to an effective vaccination program. President-elect Biden will address workforce, including by expanding scope of practice laws and waiving licensing requirements as appropriate. The federal government, in partnership with sates, will provide appropriate training, including thorough use of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned The president-elect will also act swiftly to amend the current COVID-19 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration to permit certain qualified professionals, including retired medical professionals, that are not licensed under state law to administer vaccines to be able to do so without appropriate training in order to expand the number of qualified professionals able to administer the vaccine.
Mobilize a public health jobs program to support COVID-19 response. President-elect Biden has asked Congress to make an historic investment in expanding the public health workforce, funding 100,000 public health workers to nearly triple the country’s community health roles. These individuals will be hired to work in their local outreach and contact tracing in the near term, and transition into community health roles to build our long-term public health capacity that will help improve quality of care and reduce hospitalization for low-income and underserved communities.
Ensure the American people have the information and confidence they need to get vaccinated
Launch a federally led, locally focused public education campaign. The federal government will build public trust through increased transparency, communication and around progress and setbacks, and a public education campaign that addresses vaccine hesitancy and is tailored to meet the needs of local communities. The campaign will work to elevate trusted local voices and outline the historic efforts to deliver a safe and effective vaccine as part of a national strategy for beating COVID-19.
January 15: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat) posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi Statement on Biden-Harris Administration National Vaccine Strategy” From the Press Release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the announcement from the incoming Biden-Harris Administration outlining their vaccine plan:
“The Biden-Harris Administration’s plan takes a giant leap forward to take our nation from vaccine to vaccination, so that we can crush the coronavirus – and do so in an equitable, effective way. With this plan, President-elect Biden is sending a powerful message to the American people: Help Is On The Way.
“The Biden-Harris vaccine plan is a 180-degree reversal from the disastrous vaccine distribution failure of the Trump Administration. Instead of the Trump Administration’s abandoning of state and local governments, the Biden plan works hand-in-hand with our partners to immediately stop the accelerating spread the virus, including by:
Getting more people vaccinated: encouraging states to allow more people to be vaccinated including individuals 65 and older as well as frontline workers and ensuring equity throughout the vaccination process to reach those in hard-to-reach, marginalized communities.
Creating more vaccination sites: creating new federally-supported community vaccination centers, fully reimbursing state deployment of the National Guard to support vaccination, launching mobile vaccination clinics and partnerships to reach underserved and high-risk communities, and making vaccines available in pharmacies.
Increasing supply and distribution: ensuring a robust vaccine supply and spur manufacturing, providing actionable data on vaccine allocation timelines and delivery, and increasing vaccine availability while maintaining a commitment to the two-dose schedule.
Mobilizing more personnel to get shots in arms: surging the public health workforce to support the vaccination effort and mobilizing public health jobs program to support COVID-19 response, all in a culturally competent way.
Ensuring that the American people have the information and confidence to get vaccinated: launching a federally led and locally focused public education campaign.
“The Democratic House stands ready to work with the Biden-Harris Administration to immediately launch this plan. As the vaccine is being made widely available, we must work to crush the virus with the testing, tracing, treatment, mask wearing and social distancing that are essential to preventing tens of thousands of needless deaths in the coming months.”
January 15: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “As NY Ramps Up Vaccination Efforts, Schumer, Gillibrand Demand Feds Immediately Address Significant COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Failures; Senators Urge HHS To Implement Comprehensive National Vaccine Plan & Work To Combat Health Inequities” From the Press Release:
Nationally, 2.6 Million Americans Have Been Vaccinated, Missing Initial 20-Million-By-End-Of-December Goal; In NY, Phase 1B Is Underway With Broadened Eligibility Criteria
Senators Say HHS Must Prove Resources, Support And Guidance To State, Local, Tribal, And Territorial Governments In Order to Efficiently Distribute And Administer Vaccines To People Across New York.
Schumer, Gillibrand: Feds Failure In COVID Vaccine Distribution Must Be Fixed To Get All New Yorkers Vaccinated ASAP
As New York embarks on phase 1B of its COVID-19 vaccination rollout, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today called out the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan, despite having months to do so, and demanded the Department take immediate action to fix the significant failures of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process. The senators said they have been requesting HHS work and communicate with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, vaccine and PPE manufacturers, public health experts, and health care providers for months to develop a plan for COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration.
“The biggest thing we want to ensure about the coronavirus vaccine is access. The vaccine must be available to whoever needs and wants it,” said Senator Schumer. “By refusing to work with local governments to implement a national vaccine plan, HHS is failing New Yorkers who are earnestly waiting their turn for a vaccine, and they must step up to address the health inequities and distribution failures. In order to succeed in the collective goal of public health, I am demanding that HHS fix its broken distribution plan and work with municipalities to get New Yorkers vaccinated ASAP.”
“New York’s health systems have been stretched to the limits and as the virus surges across the state, federal support is necessary to effectively distribute and administer vaccines,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Trump administration’s lack of leadership has hampered our nation’s vaccine distribution and resulted in doses of vaccine expiring before reaching Americans. Even in the final days of this administration, it’s crucial that they enact a robust federal plan to allow the incoming Biden administration to quickly reach every American in need of a vaccine. The Biden Administration should not have to start from scratch to form close partnerships with state and local governments in order to deliver detailed guidance and essential resources to speed up vaccine administration.”
Schumer and Gillibrand underscored that a successful plan must include guidance and best practices on taking the vaccine from distribution to administration, provide all necessary resources to state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments and other jurisdictions, account for the significant challenges jurisdictions face in scaling up their workforces, and act to ensure vaccine distribution efforts also combat health inequities. The senators also called for HHS to launch a massive public facing campaign to promote vaccine confidence and help people understand where, when and how to get vaccinated.
In the coming weeks, the senators emphasized that HHS must engage with states to proactively identify and address challenges to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are quickly and equitably distributed and administered across the country.
Additionally, Senator Gillibrand recently called for the passage of the Health Force, Resilience Force, and Jobs to Fight COVID-19 Act to address the nation’s lagging vaccine campaign by investing billions in local public health infrastructure and recruiting, training and employing hundreds of thousands of Americans to administer and distribute vaccines, particularly in underserved communities. Community-based public health jobs and resources, like those created by the Health Force, are known to improve local vaccine education, outreach, and vaccination rates. The Health Force proposal would ensure the federal government has a proactive and coordinated approach to vaccine distribution and administration – including delivering $40 billion a year, for the first two years, to meet the COVID-19 vaccine distribution needs and address the various public health challenges caused by the pandemic.
Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, signed alongside 43 other senators appears below:
Dear Secretary Azar:
We write to you with concerns about significant challenges in COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration across the country and to outline key actions the Trump Administration should have taken – and must now take – to address these challenges. With our health system and economy in crisis, and millions of lives at stake, we cannot afford for this vaccination campaign to continue to be hindered by the lack of planning, communication, and leadership we have seen so far.
President Trump tweeted on January 3rd that “the vaccines are being delivered to the states by the Federal Government far faster than they can be administered!” That should have been an indicator of a failed vaccine roll out, not a point of pride. It is the federal government’s role to ensure states, Tribes, localities, and the public are receiving the resources and support they need, rather than requiring every jurisdiction to manage on their own without the benefit of the national resources and perspective that only the federal government can provide.
Since July, we have been calling on the Trump Administration to work with states, Tribes, and localities, vaccine and PPE manufacturers, public health experts, congregate care settings, and other health care providers to develop a comprehensive, national plan for vaccines. Since September, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Operation Warp Speed (OWS) first published their playbook and strategy for vaccine distribution, state, Tribal and local health departments have said that they need clear communication, transparent decision-making, evidence-based guidance, and financial resources to effectively implement vaccine administration plans.
Despite months to plan, the Trump Administration has failed to meet these needs or deliver promised doses to jurisdictions, and as a result of this lack of planning, only 36 percent of distributed vaccines have been administered. We hope the recently announced efforts to scale up vaccinations in pharmacies will help to turn the tide but it is clear much more is needed. States, Tribes, and localities, providers, and the public are being left without federal support or clear, complete information about what to expect in the future as nearly 300,000 Americans fall ill daily from this virus.
In order to avoid these failures, the Trump Administration should have issued and implemented a comprehensive national vaccines plan, including detailed guidance and an infusion of resources to support states. Federal responsibility does not end with the delivery of vaccines to states, as you have suggested. Vaccine administration must be a close partnership between the federal government and state, Tribal, and local governments, with the federal government stepping up to ensure that all needs are met. A vaccine allocated on a spreadsheet, or even a vaccine distributed and sitting on a shelf, is not enough to protect anyone. The metric that matters, and where we are clearly moving too slowly, is vaccines in arms. A comprehensive national plan should:
include robust guidance for states, Tribes, localities and health care providers including on personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, vaccine administration prioritization, and best practices for taking the vaccine from distribution to administration;
specify how the Federal government will support these entities with funding, supplies, information, and personnel – which thus far the Trump Administration has failed to do; and
account for the significant challenges jurisdictions face in scaling up their workforces while continuing other lifesaving public health work, which may include providing increased support for mass vaccination clinics and mobile testing units, as well as supplementing the vaccination workforce including vaccinators, logistical support, and more.
In the absence of this long-overdue national plan, it is all the more important that the Trump Administration actively engage with state planning efforts in the coming days, identify challenges across distribution and administration, and proactively address problems that arise in partnerships with jurisdictions.
In order to support the efforts outlined in a comprehensive, national plan, the Trump Administration must also quickly provide robust vaccine distribution to funding to States, Tribes, and localities. In advance of the vaccine distribution efforts commencing, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had provided just $617 million in funding for vaccine efforts – this amount was woefully inadequate.
In fact, the Trump Administration falsely stated as recently as November that States did not need funding for vaccine distribution. Ultimately, Congress provided $8.75 billion for vaccine distribution efforts in the recently enacted COVID relief bill which will meaningfully help states execute their vaccine administration plans. The bill requires a portion of this funding to be sent to states within 21 days, and President Trump’s delay in signing this legislation should not further delay the distribution of these funds.
We recognize that the CDC announced the availability of $3 billion for states for vaccination activities, but we cannot afford a repeat performance of this Administration’s decision to sit on billions of dollars in testing funds when states urgently needed them. The Trump Administration must ensure strong support reaches jurisdictions as soon as possible to support their critical work. The challenges we are seeing in vaccine distribution also underscore the need for robust and permanent investments in public health infrastructure to get us out of this cycle of crisis and response.
The Trump Administration must act to correct the lack of transparency and communication from the federal government around COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. Over the first two weeks of vaccine distribution, more than a dozen states found their actual vaccine allocations fell significantly below initial OWS allocation forecasts. For several days, OWS denied these discrepancies, before ultimately admitting officials had provided states with flawed numbers. Even now, states are given just one week of advanced notice about the number of doses they will receive and have been given no information about distribution projections after February.
Local health departments are largely excluded from planning calls with OWS and CDC, even though they often ultimately receive and administer vaccines. There is no federal plan to publicly release sufficient data on vaccinations in long-term care settings, where more than 133,350 residents have died, accounting for 37 percent of all deaths from COVID-19. The federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program, which states expected to rely on to support vaccination of these particularly vulnerable populations, has administered only 17 percent of the vaccines distributed to these facilities to date.
Jurisdictions and health care providers are not the only ones in the dark; members of the public do not know when, where, or how they will be able to be vaccinated. CDC already supports a national portal to provide information to the public on where they can receive flu vaccines and other vaccines; the public needs this and more information when it comes COVID-19 vaccines, which should be broadly publicized.
Furthermore, while some states are taking steps to educate providers and the public to improve communication and build trust, the Trump Administration has failed to meaningfully address vaccine confidence, after spending months directly undermining such confidence by casting doubt on our nation’s world-class scientists and scientific agencies. The Trump Administration should launch a long-overdue, large-scale public awareness campaign and work with leaders in communities across the country to provide science-based information to promote high vaccination rates. The federal government must play a proactive role in improving transparency and communication with public health departments and the American people.
Finally, the Trump Administration must also act to ensure vaccine distribution efforts combat rather than exacerbate health inequities that have been laid bare by the COVID 19 pandemic. A failure to plan strategically and proactively for vaccine distribution means communities of color, residents of congregate care facilities, rural communities, and other populations disproportionately at-risk will remain neglected in our pandemic response. This is especially true for the millions of health care workers of color who provide the daily care and support for residents of congregate care settings and who provide home health care. We have seen the toll this pandemic has taken on vulnerable communities, and the egregious health disparities that have resulted from this pandemic, and we must act to combat these inequities.
Since FDA granted the first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine, only 2 percent of Americans have been vaccinated. In that same time, the United States passed 20 million cumulative cases of COVID-19 and saw a new record in daily deaths from COVID-19 when over 4,085 Americans died on January 7. Of the 20 million doses promised by the end of 2020, only 4 million doses were administered before the end of the year. In light of this failed vaccine rollout admits a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths, we urge you to finally take the steps necessary to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are quickly and equitably distributed and administered across the country.
January 19, 2021
January 19: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “Continuing Their Steadfast Support For Higher Ed During The Pandemic, Schumer, Gillibrand Deliver $1.4 Billion For New York’s Colleges And Universities As Part Of COVID Relief Package; Senators Say Higher Ed Institutions Face Huge Budget Shortfalls Amid Ongoing COVID Crisis” From the Press Release:
Institutions Of Higher Education Are Eliminating Majors & Departments, Pausing Admissions, And Cutting Staff To Make Ends Met During Economic Crisis
Schumer Negotiated, Gillibrand Shepherded Into Passage, $1.4 Billion For NYS Colleges And Universities Into Recent COVID Relief Package, Supplementing Amount Already Disbursed From CARES Act
Schumer, Gillibrand: Additional Aid For Higher Ed Will Help Fight Economic Pandemic
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand today announced an additional $1.4 billion in federal funding for New York state’s private, public, and proprietary institutions of higher education, allocated to the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II by the recently Schumer-negotiated, Gillibrand backed, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). The funding is in addition to federal funding already allocated from the CARES Act in March.
“Our universities have been navigating the ongoing global pandemic, ripping huge holes in their budgets to prioritize the health and safety,” said Senator Schumer. “Today’s funding I prioritized in negotiations for the recent COVID relief package will help to mitigate some of the financial devastation our colleges and universities face as the crisis continues log beyond what anyone imagined. We need to ensure that our world-class institutions of higher education right here in New York are equipped with the assistance they need to make it through this crisis and thrive.”
“New York’s universities have been hit hard by this pandemic and they’ve been forced to make tough budget cuts in order to prioritize the health and safety of their students and staff. Federal funding is critical to ensure students maintain access to a strong education throughout this crisis,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The funding that Leader Schumer and I fought to deliver will provide an essential lifeline for these institutions to support students, provide essential technology and infrastructure for online learning, and fund increased expenses due to the pandemic. I’m proud to have secured this funding and I will continue working to deliver resources that our higher education institutions need to weather the COVID-19 crisis.”
Schumer and Gillibrand said that public and non-profit schools will be able to use their awards for financial aid grants to students, student support activities, and to cover a variety of institutional costs, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll. Proprietary schools must use their awards exclusively to provide financial aid grants to students.
The DOE specified that allocations to institutions were based on a formula that includes the relative shares of Federal Pell Grant recipients, the relative share of non-Pell Grant recipients, and the relative share of Federal Pell and non-Pell Grant recipients exclusively enrolled in distance education prior to the coronavirus emergency…
January 19: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a press release titled: “Pelosi Statement on 400,000 American Coronavirus Deaths” From the press release:
Washington D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the tragic milestone of 400,000 American lives lost to the coronavirus:
“Today, the hearts of all Americans break for the 400,000 who have died from the coronavirus – an unfathomable human toll almost beyond comprehension. As one country, we pray for all lost to this vicious virus: children, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends. It is our hope that tonight’s National Memorial and Lighting Ceremony may be a comfort to all affected.
“Tomorrow, when President-elect Biden is sworn in, the American people can have confidence that ‘help is on the way.’ The Biden-Harris emergency coronavirus relief package delivers the big, bold and urgent action that Congressional Democrats have been fighting for – including swift and equitable distribution of the vaccine to crush the virus, bigger direct payment checks, support for state and local government, extended unemployment insurance, and more aid for small businesses, renters and others who are struggling.
“As we mourn this devastating milestone, we must come together to move past the failed Trump response to crush the virus and deliver robust, real relief now.”
January 19: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a Press Release titled: “OCR Announces Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Use of Online or Web-Based Scheduling Applications for the Scheduling of COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments” From the Press Release”
Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will exercise its enforcement discretion and will not impose penalties for violations of the HIPPA Rules on covered health care providers or their business associates in connection with the good faith use of online or web-based scheduling applications (collectively, “WBSAs”) for the scheduling of individual appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. This exercise of enforcement discretion is effective immediately, but has retroactive effect to December 11, 2020.
The Notification explains that the exercise of enforcement discretion applies to covered health care providers and their business associates, including WBSA vendors (as WBSA is defined in this Notification), when the WSBA is used in good faith and only for the limited purpose of scheduling individual appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. Although OCR is exercising enforcement discretion, the Notification encourages the use of reasonable safeguards to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ protected health information (PHI), such a using only the minimum necessary PHI, encryption technology, and enabling all available privacy settings.
“OCR is using all available means to support the efficient and safe administration of COVID-19 vaccines to as many people as possible,” said March Bell, Acting OCR Director.
January 19: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: As COVID Cases Rise Again In Update New York, Schumer Reveals Significant Portion of Livingston County Still Does Not Have Sufficient Access To Broadband; Senator, In First Meeting With President-Elect Biden’s USDA Nominee, Renews Fight To Get $11 Million In USDA Grant Funding To Address The County’s Internet Access Needs” From the Press Release:
COVID-19 Has Revealed Serious Disparities In Rural Communities Throughout Update New York, Especially Exacerbating The Digital Divide; As Livingston County Communities Are Encouraged To Stay At Home Amidst A Resurgence In Cases, Broadband Access Has Never Been More Vital.
Senator Fought For Additional $7B In Recent COVID Relief Package To Fund Federal Broadband Programs & Is Pushing To Ensure Broadband Access For Rural Communities Is Among Top Priorities For Incoming Administration.
Schumer To USDA Nominee: Time To Dial Up The Funding & Close The Digital Divide In Livingston County
After a personal visit to Livingston County last August to discuss with local officials the need for more federal funding to expand broadband access, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer last week, in a virtual meeting with President-Elect Biden’s nominee for U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, urged the nominee to prioritize universal access to affordable broadband, starting with approval of Livingston’s request for $11 million from the USDA’s Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program.
The Senator explained that the $11 million grant would cover most of the expenses of a $15 million project that will initially provide broadband to 305 miles of Livingston County. Once this project is finished, there are plans for subsequent buildout phases to provide internet for the rest of Livingston County living without access.
“The current public health crisis is making it all too clear that the digital gap in communities across Upstate New York is far too wide,” said Senator Schumer. “Livingston County families, businesses, farms and communities need and deserve top-notch high-speed broadband to help them stay connected during these difficult times and to be as competitive as the economy eventually recovers. As incoming Senate Majority Leader, I promise to continue fighting tooth and nail to secure funding that brings 21st century telecommunications technology to our rural economies across Upstate.”
Livingston County and local telecom provider Empire Access, formed a public-private partnership to build out the new infrastructure to bring robust broadband to now under-served and un-served households. Empire Access, which is a 100-year-old family-owned telecom provider based in Prattsburgh, NY with customers in the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, and Northern Pennsylvania, will still own and operate the infrastructure.
Schumer has provided strong support for rural broadband access in Upstate New York in the past and throughout the COVID pandemic. Just last month, he helped to secure $7 billion in emergency benefits for broadband service to provide free or low-cost service to low-income families who have been recently laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic.
In August, Schumer met with leaders from Livingston County and Empire access in the Town of York to announce his push to secure this grant funding and the letter he sent to USDA Secretary Purdue in support of the Livingston County application. Additionally, in March of last year, Schumer prioritized additional funding for rural broadband during negotiations for the CARES Act and provided an extra $100 million for the USDA ReConnect Program, which he voted to create in the FY19 Appropriations bill.
January 20, 2021
January 20: The White House posted a press release titled: “Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden’s Day One Executive Actions Deliver Relief for Families Across American Amid Converging Crises” From the press release:
Actions Address the COVID-19 Pandemic, Provide Economic Relief, Tackle Climate Change, and Advance Racial Equity
Today, hours after taking the oath of office, President-elect Biden will take a historic number of actions to deliver immediate relief for families across America that are struggling in the face of converging crises. He will sign a combination of executive orders, memoranda, directives, and letters to take initial steps to address these crises, including by changing the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing economic relief, tackling climate change, and advance racial equity. President-elect Biden will take action – not just to reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration – but also to start moving our country forward. These actions are bold, begin the work of following through on President-elect Biden’s promises to the American people, and, importantly, fall within the constitutional role for the president.
Below are more details about how President-elect Biden’s executive actions will deliver relief for American families and address the crises we face.
CHANGING THE COURSE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC AND PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH
Launch a “100 Days Masking Challenge” and Leading by Example in the Federal Government
Today, President-elect Biden is launching his “100 Days Masking Challenge,” asking the American people to do their part – their patriotic duty – and mask up for 100 days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that masks “are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease.” President-elect Biden is also doing his part by issuing an Executive Order today requiring masks and physical distancing in all federal buildings, on all federal lands, and by federal employees and contractors. He is also asking the Department of Health and Human Services and Center for Disease Control to engage with state, local, Tribal, and territorial officials to implement masking, physical distancing, and other CDC public measures stop the spread of COVID-19.
Re-Engage with the World Health Organization (WHO) to Make Americans and the World Safer
Today, President-elect Biden will take action to cease the previous Administration’s process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization – an entity that is critical to coordinating the international response to COVID-19, advancing preparedness for future epidemics and pandemics, and improving the health of all people. The Biden-Harris Administration – with Dr. Tony Fauci as Head of Delegation – will participate in the WHO Executive Board meeting that is ongoing this week. Dr. Fauci will deliver remarks as Head of Delegation to the Executive Board on January 21. Once the United States resumes its engagement with the WHO, the Biden-Harris Administration will work with the WHO and our partners to strengthen and reform the organization, support the COVID-19 health and humanitarian response, and advance global health and health security.
Structure Our Federal Government to Coordinate a Unified National Response
The federal government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat COVID-19. President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order creating the position of COVID-19 Response Coordinator, who will report directly to the President and be responsible for coordinating all elements of the COVID-19 response across government, including managing efforts to produce, supply and distribute personal protective equipment, vaccines, and tests. In addition, this Executive Order restores the NSC Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense to focus on domestic and global biological threats, play a critical role in stopping the COVID-19 pandemic, and prevent future biological catastrophes.
PROVIDING ECONOMIC RELIEF AND SUPPORT TO WORKING FAMILIES
Extend Eviction and Foreclosure Moratoriums
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an almost unprecedented housing and affordability crisis. Today, 1 in 5 renters and 1 in 10 homeowners with a mortgage are behind on payments. President-elect Biden is asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to consider immediately extending the federal eviction moratorium until at least March 31, 202, while calling on Congress to provide much needed rental assistance and extend it further. And, he will ask the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to consider extending foreclosure moratoriums for federally guaranteed mortgages and continuing applications for forbearance for federally guaranteed mortgages until at least March 31, 2021. On Tuesday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) extended its foreclosure and eviction moratoriums until February 28, 2021. The president-elect will call on the agency to consider extending the foreclosure moratorium further and continue forbearance applications for all loans guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Extend Student Loan Pause
Currently, borrowers owe over $1.5 trillion in federal student loans. Borrowers of all ages are often faced with a tough tradeoff between making their student loan payments, investing in their long-term financial future, or paying their bills. The pandemic has only increased the economic hardship of the millions of Americans who have student debt. The president-elect is asking the Department of Education to consider immediately extending the pause on interest and principal payments for direct federal loans until at least September 30, 2021.
TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE, CREATING GOOD UNION JOBS, AND ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Rejoin the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
The president-elect will sign the instrument to rejoin the Paris Agreement. The instrument will be deposited with the United Nations today, and the United States will officially become a Party again 30 days later. The United States will be back in position to exercise global leadership in advancing the objectives of the Agreement.
Roll Back President Trump’s Environmental Actions in Order to Protect Public Health and the Environment and Restore Science
Today, President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order that takes critical first steps to address the climate crisis, create good union jobs, and advance environmental justice, while reversing the previous administration’s harmful policies.
The order jumpstarts swift, initial action to tackle the climate crisis by:
Directing all executive departments and agencies to immediately review and take appropriate action to address federal regulations and other executive actions taken during the last four years that were harmful to public health, damaging to the environment, unsupported by the best available science, or otherwise not in the national interest, including agency actions on the attached list;
Directing agencies to consider revising vehicle fuel economy and emissions standards, methane emissions standards, and appliance and building efficiency standards to ensure that such standards cut pollution, save consumers money, and create good union jobs;
Directing the Department of Interior to protect our nation’s treasures by reviewing the boundaries and conditions of the Grand Staircase-Escalante, Bears Ears, Northeast Canyons, and Seamounts Marine National Monuments and placing a temporary moratorium on all oil and natural gas leasing activities in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge;
Re-establishing the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) and directing the issuance of an interim social cost of GHG schedule to ensure that agencies account for the full costs of GHG emissions, including climate risk, environmental justice and intergenerational equity; and
Revoking, revising or replacing additional Executive Orders, Presidential Proclamations, Memoranda, and Permits signed over the past 4 years that do not serve the U.S. national interest, including revoking the Presidential permit granted to the Keystone XL pipeline.
ADVANCING RACIAL EQUITY & SUPPORTING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
The president-elect’s equity agenda is grounded in advancing racial justice and building back better for communities who have been underserved, including people of color and Americans with disabilities, LGBTQ+ Americans, religious minorities, and rural and urban communities facing persistent poverty.
Everyone across America benefits when we take deliberate steps to become a more just society. Analysis suggests that closing racial gaps in wages, housing credit, lending opportunities, and access to higher education would amount to an additional $5 trillion in gross domestic product in the American economy over the next 5 years, and create millions of new jobs. We are a nation founded on principles equality and it is in the government be intentional in ensuring that its policies reach all of us in an equitable way. By advancing such equity, the federal government can build pathways so that everyone across America has the opportunity to reach their potential.
President-elect Biden will sign executive actions today to:
Launch a Whole-of-Government Initiative to Advance Racial Equity
The president-elect will sign an Executive Order beginning the work of embedding equity across federal policymaking and rooting out systemic racism and other barriers to opportunity from federal programs and institutions. The Executive Order will define equity as the consistent and systemic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; LGBTQ+ persons; people with disabilities; religious minorities, persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise affected by persistent poverty or inequality. The president-elect will:
Establish that advancing equity for all – including people of color and others who have been historically underserved and marginalized – is the responsibility of the whole of our government;
Direct every federal agency to undertake a baseline review of the state of equity within their agency and deliver an action plan within 200 days to address unequal barriers to opportunity in agency policies and programs;
Launch a new equitable data working group to ensure that federal data reflects the diversity of America;
Tasks the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with working to more equitably allocate federal resources to empower the invest in communities of color and other underserved communities;
Improve the delivery of government benefits and services to ensure that families of all backgrounds across the country can access opportunity, for example by reducing language access barriers;
Study new methods that federal agencies can use to assess whether proposed policies advance equity;
Direct agencies to engage with communities who have been historically underrepresented, underserved, and harmed by federal policies
President-elect Biden has asked Ambassador Susan Rice, as Domestic Policy Advisor, to lead a robust interagency process to hold the federal government accountable for advancing equity for families across America.
In this Executive Order, the president-elect will also remind the Trump Administration’s 1776 Commission, which has sought to erase America’s history of racial injustice. And, he will revoke President Trump’s damaging executive order limiting the ability of federal government agencies, contractors and even some grantees from implementing important and needed diversity and inclusion training. Additional actions in the coming weeks will restore and reinvigorate the federal government’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Reverse President Trump’s Executive Order Excluding Undocumented Immigrants from the Reapportionment Count
President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order to revoke the prior Administration’s orders setting out an unlawful plan to exclude noncitizens from the census and apportionment of Congressional representatives. President-elect Biden will ensure that the Census Bureau has time to complete an accurate population count for each state. He will then present to Congress an apportionment that is fair and accurate so federal resources are efficiently and fairly distributed for the next decade.
Preserve and Fortify Protections for Dreamers
In 2012, the Obama-Biden administration adopted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to provide temporary relief from deportation on a case-by-case basis to Dreamers, young people who were brought to this country as children. Since then, more than 700,000 young people have applied for this relief and met rigorous requirements and background checks. Many are serving our country in the armed services or as essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic.
The Trump administration has tried to terminate DACA since 2017, but the U.S. Supreme Court rejected that effort and required consideration of that decision. The program continues, accepting new applications and renewing DACA for those who qualify under the 2012 requirements. But those opposed to DACA continue to challenge the program threatening its continuance.
The president-elect is committed to preserving and fortifying DACA. Today, he will sign a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, to take all appropriate actions under the law to achieve that goal. The Presidential Memorandum will also call on Congress to enact legislation providing permanent status and a path to citizenship for people who came to this country as children and have lived, worked, and contributed to our country for many years.
Reverse the Muslim Ban
The president-elect will sign an Executive Order putting an end to the Muslim Ban, a policy rooted in religious animus and xenophobia. It repeats Proclamations 9645 and 9983, which restrict entry into the United States from primarily Muslim and African countries, and instructs the State Department to restart visa processing for affected countries and to swiftly develop a proposal to restore fairness and remedy the harms caused by the bans, especially for individuals stuck in the waiver process and those who had immigrant visas denied. This is an important step in providing relief to individuals and families harmed by this Trump Administration policy that is inconsistent with American values. The Executive Action also provides for the strengthening of screening and vetting for travelers by enhancing information sharing with foreign governments and capacity building with our partners, and directs review of other Trump Administration “extreme vetting” practices.
Repeal of Trump Interior Enforcement Executive Order
President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order revoking a Trump Executive Order that directed harsh and extreme immigration enforcement. This revocation will allow the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to set civil immigration enforcement policies that best protect the American people and are in line with our values and priorities.
Stop Border Wall Construction
Bipartisan majorities in Congress refused in 2019 to fund President Trump’s plans for a massive wall along our southern border, even after he shut down the government over this issue. He then wastefully diverted billions of dollars to do that construction. By proclamation, President-Biden will today declare an immediate termination of the national emergency declaration that was used as a pretext to justify some of the funding diversions for the wall. The proclamation directs an immediate pause in wall construction projects to allow a close review of the legality of the funding and contracting methods used, and to determine the best way to redirect funds that were diverted by the prior Administration to fund wall construction.
Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians Presidential Memorandum
The president-elect will sign a Presidential Memorandum to extend until June 20, 2022 the long-standing Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) designation for Liberians who have been in the United States for many years. Liberians with DED will also have their work authorization extended. This PM also directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that Citizen Immigration Services facilities ease of application and timely adjudication for Liberians applying for residency by the Liberian Relief and Fairness Act.
Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation
All persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity of sexual orientation. The Biden-Harris Administration will prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation. To begin this work, President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order that builds on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) and ensures that the federal government interprets Title VII of the the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as prohibiting workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This Order will also direct agencies to take all lawful steps to make sure that federal anti-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ persons.
ENSURING GOVERNMENT WORKS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
Executive Branch Personnel Ethics Executive Order
President-elect Biden will sign an Executive Order to restore and maintain public trust in government, and ensure that we are a government for the people. The president-elect is ordering every appointee in the executive branch to sign an ethics pledge. The ethics pledge and related ethics rules in the Executive Order are designed to ensure that executive branch employees act in the interest of the American people and not for personal gain. And, the pledge commits federal employees to uphold the independence of the Department of Justice.
Regulatory Process Executive Order and Presidential Memorandum
Regulations are an important tool for the federal government to address the crises facing the nation. The Trump Administration unnecessarily hamstrung this critical tool by creating arbitrary obstacles to regulatory action. Today, the president-elect will issue a Presidential Memorandum withdrawing the Trump Administration’s regulatory process executives orders to remove those needless obstacles to regulating in the public’s interest. And, the president-elect will direct the Director of the OMB to develop recommendations for improving and modernizing regulatory review. These recommendations will create a process to advance regulations that promote public health and safety, economic growth, social welfare, racial justice, environmental stewardship, human dignity, equity, and the interests of future generations.
Today, the White House Chief of Staff will also issue a regulatory freeze memo that will pause any new regulations from moving forward and give the incoming Administration an opportunity to review any regulations that the Trump Administration tried to finalize in its last days. The memo directs all agencies to confer with the Director of OMB before renewing any regulatory activity. This action will allow the Biden Administration to prevent any detrimental so-called “midnight-regulations” from taking effect, while ensuring that urgent measures in the public’s interest can proceed.
As President-elect Biden works to aggressively tackle the simultaneous crises our country faces, he is focused on ensuring that the approaches he takes benefits working Americans and advance racial equity across our society. An assessment of how these day one actions further both of those fundamental goals of the Biden presidency is below.
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT’S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY
President-elect Biden’s executive actions to restore equal treatment under the law for people across America and to direct a whole-of-government approach to racial justice redirects the federal government to treat Americans fairly. These sweeping actions deliver on the president-elect’s commitments to equity and task agencies with taking immediate steps to redress injustices.
The COVID-19 crisis has claimed more than 400,000 American lives – but for Black and Brown Americans, it’s a mass casualty event. Because of structural racism, people of color are contracting COVID-19 at higher rates and dying from COVID-19 at higher rates. President-elect Biden’s orders to change the course of the virus, including establishing a coordinated national response and implementing a mask mandate on federal property, will help slow the spread of the virus in communities of color.
Extending the federal eviction moratorium and asking federal agencies to consider extending foreclosure moratoriums for federally guaranteed mortgages will provide relief to the families of color that face higher risks of eviction and housing loss.
The president-elect has also directed all executive departments and agencies to review actions taken over the last four years and revise those policies that run counter to his commitment to environmental justice, including undoing the harmful rollbacks of clean air and clean water protection that disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color.
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT’S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS SUPPORT AND PROTECT WORKERS
The president-elect’s day one executive actions will protect workers from COVID-19, including by ensuring that federal employees and contractors wear masks and follow other CDC guidelines, setting an example for employers around the country.
They will provide relief to American workers who have lost their jobs or had their hours or wages slashed through no fault of their own, by extending the pause on student debt and the eviction and foreclosure moratorium.
They will help spur the growth of American manufacturing and supply chains, competitiveness of our industries, and creation of good union jobs by directing agencies to consider revising vehicle fuel economy and emissions standards, methane emissions standards, and appliance and building efficiency standards.
And, they’ll take steps to prevent workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and revoke President Trump’s damaging executive order which limited critical diversity and inclusion training in the workplace.
January 20: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on Extending the Eviction Moratorium” From the Media Statement:
As a protective public health measure, I will extend the current order temporarily halting residential evictions until at least March 31, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health. It has also triggered a housing affordability crisis that disproportionately affects some communities.
Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace. We must act to get cases down and keep people in their homes and out of congregate settings – like shelters – where COVID-19 can take an even stronger foothold.
January 20: President Biden issued an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing”. From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7902(c) of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures. Such measures include wearing masks when around others, physical distancing, and other related precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Put simply, masks and other public health measures reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when communities make widespread use of such measures, and thus save lives.
Accordingly, to protect the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce, and to ensure the continuity of Government services and activities, on-duty or or on-site Federal contractors, and other individuals in Federal lands should all wear masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in CDC guidelines.
Sec. 2. Immediate Action Regarding Federal Employees, Contractors, Buildings, and Lands. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require compliance with CDC guidelines with respect to wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and other public health measures by: on-duty or on-site Federal employees; Federal contractors; and all persons in Federal buildings or on Federal lands.
(b) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of the office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Administrator of General Services, in coordination with the President’s Management Council and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), shall promptly issue guidance to assist heads of agencies with implementation of this section.
(c) Heads of agencies shall promptly consult, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal and territorial government officials, Federal employees, Federal employee unions, Federal contractors, and any other interested parties concerning the implementation of this section.
(d) Heads of agencies may make categorical or case-by-case exceptions in implementing subsection (a) of this section to the extent that doing so is necessary or required by law, and consistent with applicable law. If heads of agencies make such exceptions, they shall require appropriate alternative safeguards, such as additional physical distancing measures, additional testing, or reconfiguration of workspace, consistent with applicable law. Heads of agencies shall document all exceptions in writing.
(e) Heads of agencies shall review their existing authorities and, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations and resources, seek to provide masks to individuals in Federal buildings when needed.
(f) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall coordinate the implementation of this section. Heads of the agencies listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section, including any categorical exceptions established under subsection (d) of this section, within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. Heads of agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.
Sec. 3: Encouraging Masking Across America. (a) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), including through the Director of the CDC, shall engage, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal and territorial officials, as well as business, union, academic and other community leaders, regarding mask-wearing and other public health measures, with the goal of maximizing public compliance with, and addressing any obstacles to, mask-wearing and other public health best practices identified by CDC.
(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly identify and inform agencies of options to incentivize, support, and encourage widespread mask-wearing consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.
Sec. 4 Safer Federal Workforce Task Force.
(a) Establishment. There is hereby established the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force).
(b) Membership. The Task Force shall consist of the following members:
(i) the Director of OPM, who shall serve as Co-Chair;
(ii) the Administrator of General Services, who shall serve as Co-chair;
(iii) the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, who shall serves as Co-chair;
(iv) the Director of OMB;
(v) the Director of the Federal Protective Service;
(vi) the Director of the United States Secret Service;
(vii) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(viii) the Director of CDC; and
(ix) the heads of such other agencies as the Co-Chairs may individually or jointly invite to participate.
(c) Organization. A member of the Task Force may designate, to preform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a full-time officer or employee of the member’s agency. At the direction of the Co-Chairs, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees, as appropriate.
(d) Administration. The General Services Administration shall provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Co-Chairs shall convince regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work.
(e) Mission. The Task Force shall provide ongoing guidance to heads of agencies on the operation of the Federal Government, the safety of its employees, and the continuity of Government functions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such guidance shall be based on public health best practices as determined by CDC and other public health experts, and shall address, at a minimum, the following subjects as they relate to the Federal workforce:
(i) testing methodologies and protocols;
(ii) case investigation and contact tracing;
(iii) requirements of and limitations on physical distancing, including recommended occupancy and density standards;
(iv) equipment needs and requirements, including personal protective equipment;
(v) air filtration;
(vi) enhanced environmental disinfection and cleaning;
(vii) safe commuting and telework options;
(viii) enhanced technological infrastructure to support telework;
(ix) vaccine prioritization, distribution, and administration;
(x) approaches for coordinating with State, local, Tribal and territorial health officials, as well as business, union, academic, and other community leaders;
(xi) any management infrastructure needed by agencies to implement public health guidance; and
(xii) circumstances under which exemptions might appropriately be made to agency policies in accordance with CDC guidelines, such as for mission-critical purposes.
(f) Agency Corporation. The head of each agency listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall, consistent with applicable law, promptly provided the Task Force a report on COVID-19 safety protocols, safety plans, or guidance regarding the operation of the agency and the safety of its employees, and any other information that the head of the agency deems relevant to the Task Force’s work.
Sec. 5. Federal Employee Testing. The Secretary of HHS, through the Director of the CDC, shall promptly develop and submit to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a testing plan for the Federal workforce. This plan shall be based on community transmission metrics and address the populations to be tested, testing types, frequency of testing, positive case protocols, and coordination with local public health authorities for contact tracing.
Sec. 6. Research and Development. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (through the National Science and Technology Council), the Director of OMB, the Director of CDC, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall assess the availability of Federal research grants to study best practices for implementing, and innovations to better implement, effective mask-wearing and physical distancing policies, with respect to both the Federal workforce and the general public.
Sec. 7. Scope (a) For purposes of this order:
(i) “Federal employees” and “Federal contractors” mean employees (including members of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard in Federal service) and contractors (including such contractors’ employees) working for the executive branch;
(ii) “Federal buildings” means buildings, or office space within buildings, owned, rented, or leased by the executive branch of which a substantial portion of occupants are Federal employees or Federal contractors; and
(iii) “Federal lands” means lands under executive branch control.
(b) The Director of OPM and the Administrator of General Services shall seek to consult, in coordination with the heads of any other relevant agencies and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, with the Sergeants at Arms of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (or such other persons designated by the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, or the Chief Justice of the United States, respectively), to promote mask-wearing, physical distancing, and adherence to other public health measures within the legislative and judicial branches, and shall provide requested technical assistance as needed to facilitate compliance with CDC guidelines.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative purposes.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) Independent agencies are strongly encouraged to comply with the requirements of this order.
(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entitles, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 20: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on Extending the Eviction Moratorium” From the Media Statement:
As a protective public measure, I will extend the current order temporarily halting residential evictions until at least March 31, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health. It has also triggered a housing affordability crisis that disproportionately affects some communities.
Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace. We must act to get cases down and keep people in their homes and out of congregate settings – like shelters – where COVID-19 can take an even stronger foothold.
January 20: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California) posted a press release titled: “Dear Colleague on President Biden’s Day One Executive Actions.” From the press release:
“Dear Democratic Colleague,
Today, when President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took the oath of office, it was a breath of fresh air for our democracy, for America and for our future. Happily, today, Senator Chuck Schumer became Majority Leader of the Senate.
Now, our Democratic House Majority will work to deliver progress For the People – to honor Joe Biden’s promise that “Help is On the Way.” Working with the Biden-Harris Administration and the new Democratic Majority in the Senate, we will ensure that our nation will recover from the coronavirus and economic crisis. And we will Build Back Better in a way that will advance justice, equality and progress for all Americans.
We must get to work immediately – which is why I am pleased to support President Biden’s Day One Executive Actions to meet the needs of the American people, which will start by addressing the coronavirus. These Executive Actions will:
Crush the coronavirus: by launching a unified, all-of-government response to increase mask-wearing and other science-based steps to stop the virus’s spread. It also takes specific action to address the disproportionate impact on communities of color, while recognizing the importance of re-engaging with the international community.
Deliver urgent economic relief: by extending moratoriums on evictions, foreclosures and student loan payments.
Combat the climate crisis: by rejoining the historic Paris Climate Agreement and rolling back Trump’s special interest, dirty energy Executive Actions.
Honor our nation’s diverse heritage: by protecting Dreamers and TPS and DED recipients, rescinding the Muslim ban and taking bold actions to end anti-LGBTQ discrimination.
Advance racial equality: by launching a whole-of-government initiative to promote racial equity.
January 20: The White House posted: “President Biden Announces American Rescue Plan” From the post:
Emergency Legislative Package to Fund Vaccinations, Provide Immediate, Direct Relief to Families Bearing the Brunt of the COVID-19 Crisis, and Support Struggling Communities
The COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding economic crises are devastating families across the country. More than 20 million Americans have contracted COVID-19, and at least 370,000 have died. From big cities to small towns, too many Americans are barely scraping by, or not scraping by at all. And the pandemic has shined light on the persistence of racial injustice in our healthcare system and our economy. The need to act is clear in the lines at food banks, the small businesses that are closed closing, and the growing number of Americans experiencing housing insecurity. After nearly a year of the public health crisis, our nation remains in this dark winter of the pandemic and facing a deep economic crisis.
President Biden is laying out the first step of an aggressive two-step plan for rescue, from the depths of this crisis, and recovery, by investing in America, creating millions of additional good-paying jobs, combatting the climate crisis, advancing racial equity, and building back better than before.
While Congress’s bipartisan action in December was a step in the right direction, it was only a down payment. It fell far short of the resources needed to tackle the immediate crisis. We are in a race against time, and absent additional government assistance, the economic and public health crises could worsen in the months ahead; schools will not be able to safely reopen; and vaccinations will remain far too slow.
At last month’s jobs report underscored, the virus and our economy are intertwined. We cannot rescue our economy without containing the virus.
Today, President Biden is announcing the American Rescue Plan to change the course of the pandemic, build a bridge towards economic recovery, and invest in racial justice. The American Rescue Plan will address the stark, intergenerational inequities that have worsened in the wake of COVID-19. Researchers at Columbia University estimate that these proposals will cut child poverty in half.
Specifically, President Biden’s American Rescue Plan will:
Mount a national vaccination program, contain COVID-19, and safely reopen schools, including by setting up community vaccination sites nationwide, scaling up testing and tracing, eliminating supply shortage problems, investing in high-quality treatments, providing paid sick leave to contain spread of the virus, addressing health disparities, and making the necessary investments to meet the president’s goal of safely reopening a majority of K-8 schools in the first 100 days.
Deliver immediate relief to working families bearing the brunt of this crisis by sending $1,400 per-person checks to households across America, providing direct housing and nutrition assistance, expanding access to safe and reliable childcare and affordable healthcare, increasing the minimum wage, extending unemployment insurance, and giving families with kids and childless workers an emergency boost this year.
Support communities that are struggling in the wake of COVID-19 by providing support for the hardest-hit small businesses, especially small businesses owned by entrepreneurs of color, and protecting the jobs of the first responders, transit workers, and other essential workers we depend on.
In addition to addressing the public health and economic crises head on, the President’s plan will provide emergency funding to upgrade federal information technology infrastructure and address the recent breaches of federal government data systems. This is an urgent national security issue that cannot wait.
President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan is ambitious, but achievable, and will rescue the American economy and start beating the virus. Congress should act expeditiously to help working families, communities, and small businesses persevere through the pandemic.
This legislative package is needed now to address the immediate crises. In the coming weeks, President Biden will lay out his economic recovery plan to invest in America, create millions of additional good-paying jobs, combat the climate crisis, and build back better than before.
Provide emergency relief and purchase critical supplies and deploy National Guard. Persistent supply shortages – from gloves and masks to glass vials and test reagents – are inhibiting our ability to provide testing and vaccination and putting frontline workers at risk. The president’s plan will invest $30 billion into the Disaster Relief Fund to ensure sufficient supplies and protective gear, and to provide 100% federal reimbursement for critical emergency response resources to states, local governments, and Tribes, including deployment of the National Guard. The president will call for an additional $10 billion investment in expanding domestic manufacturing for pandemic supplies. These funds will support President Biden in fulfilling his commitment to fully use the Defense Production Act and to safeguard the country by producing more pandemic supplies in the U.S.
Invest in treatments for COVID-19. Months into this pandemic, we still do not have reliable and accessible treatments. The federal government urgently needs to invest to support development, manufacturing, and purchase of therapies to ensure wide availability and affordability of effective treatments, as well as invest in studies of the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 and potential therapies to address them.
Protect workers against COVID-19. Millions of Americans, many of whom are people of color, immigrants, and low-wage workers, continue to put their lives on the line to keep the country functioning through the pandemic. They should not have to lie awake at night wondering if they’ll make it home from work safely the next day, or if they’ll bring home the virus to their loved ones and communities. The president is calling on Congress to authorize the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue a COVID-19 Protection Standard that covers a broad set of workers, so that workers not typically covered by OSHA, like many public workers on the frontlines, also receive protection from unsafe working conditions and retaliation. And, President Biden is calling on Congress to provide additional funding for OSHA enforcement and grant funding, including for the Susan Harwood grant program, for organizations to help keep vulnerable workers healthy and safe from COVID-19. These steps will help keep more workers healthy, reopen more businesses safely, and beat the virus.
Restore U.S. leadership and build better preparedness. Protecting the United States from COVID-19 requires a global response, and the pandemic is a grave reminder that biological threats can pose catastrophic consequences to the United States and the world. The president’s plan will provide $11 billion including to support the international health and humanitarian response; mitigate the pandemic’s devastating impact on global health, food security, and gender-based violence; support international efforts to develop and distribute medical countermeasures for COVID-19; and build the capacity required to fight COVID-19, its variants, and emerging biological threats.
Provide schools the resources they need to reopen safely. A critical plank of President Biden’s COVID-19 plan is to safely reopen schools as soon as possible – so kids and educators can get back in class and parents can go back to work. This will require immediate, urgent action by Congress. The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, and the students and parents they serve. School closures have disproportionately impacted the learning of Black and Hispanic students, as well as students with disabilities and English language learners. While the December down payment for schools and higher education institutions was a start, it is not sufficient to address the crisis. President Biden is calling on Congress to provide $170 billion – supplemented by additional state and local relief resources – for K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. These resources will help schools serve all students, no matter where they are learning, and help achieve President Biden’s goal to open the majority of K-8 schools within the first 100 days of his Administration.
Provide $130 billion to help schools to safely reopen. Schools need flexible resources to safely reopen and operate and/or facilitate remote learning. The president’s plan will provide $130 billion to support schools in safely reopening. These funds can be used to reduce class sizes and modify spaces so students can teacher can socially distance; improve ventilation; hire more janitors and implement mitigation measures; provide personal protective equipment; ensure every school has access to a nurse; increase transportation capacity to facilitate social distancing on the bus; hire counselors to support students as they transition back to the classroom; close the digital divide that is exacerbating inequities during the pandemic; provide summer school or other support for students that will help make up lost learning time this year; create and expand community schools; and cover other costs needed to support safely reopening and support students.
These funds will also include provisions to ensure entire states adequately fund education and protect students in low-income communities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19. Districts must ensure that funds are used to not only reopen schools, but also to meet students’ academic, mental health and social, and emotional needs in response to COVID-19, (e.g. through extended learning time, tutoring, and counselors), wherever they are learning. Funding can be used to prevent cuts to state pre-k programs. A portion of funding will be for a COVID-19 Educational Equity Challenge Grant, which will support state, local and tribal governments in partnering with teachers, parents, and other stake holders to advance equity- and evidence-based policies to respond to COVID-related educational challenges and give all students the support they need to succeed. In addition, schools will be able to access FEMA Disaster Relief Fund resources to get reimbursed for certain COVID-19 related expenses and will receive support to implement regular testing protocols.
Expand the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. The president’s plan will ensure colleges have critical resources to implement public health protocols, execute distance learning plans, and provide emergency grants to students in need. This $35 billion in funding will be directed to public institutions, including community colleges, as well as, public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions. This funding will provide millions of students up to an additional $1,700 in financial assistance from their college.
Hardest Hit Education Fund. Provide $5 billion in funds for governors to use to support educational programs and the learning needs of students significantly impacted by COVID-19, whether K-12, higher education, or early childhood education programs.
Provide emergency paid leave to 106 million more Americans to reduce the spread of the virus. No American should have to choose between putting food on the table and quarantining to prevent further spread of COVID-19. And yet, nearly 1 in 4 workers and close to half of low-income workers lack access to paid sick leave, disproportionately burdening Americans of color. Lack of paid leave is threatening the financial security of working families and increasing the risk of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. Congress did the right thing last year when it created an emergency paid leave program through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. That action decreased daily infections by 400 cases per state per day in states that previously had no paid sick leave requirement. While the December down payment extended the Families First employer tax credits through March 2021, it did not renew the requirement that employers provide leave. President Biden is calling on Congress to:
Put the requirement back in place and eliminate exemptions for employers with more than 500 and less than 50 employees. He will also make it clear that healthcare workers and responders get these benefits, too. Closing these loopholes in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act will extend emergency paid lave to up to 106 million additional workers.
Provide expanded paid sick and family and medical leave. The president will provide 14 weeks of paid sick and family medical leave to help parents with additional caregiving responsibilities when a child or loved one’s school or care center is closed; for people who have or are caring for people with COVID-19 symptoms, or who are quarantining due to exposure; and for people needing to take time to get the vaccine.
Expand emergency paid leave to include federal workers. This measure will provide paid leave protections to approximately 2 million Americans who work for the federal government.
Provide a maximum paid leave benefit of $1,400 per-week for eligible workers. This will provide full wage replacement for workers earning up to $73,000 annually, more than three-quarters of all workers.
Reimburse employers with less than 500 employees for the cost of this leave. Extending the refundable tax credit will reimburse employers for 100 percent of the cost of this leave.
Reimburse state and local government for the cost of this leave.
Extend emergency paid leave measures until September 30, 2021. With so much uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, extending paid leave until the end of September will help to limit the spread of COVID-19 and provide economic security to millions of working families.
Deliver Immediate, Direct Relief to Families Bearing the Brunt of the Crisis
As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, millions Americans are hurting through no fault of their own. More than 10 million Americans are unemployed, and 4 million have been out of work for half a year or longer. The jobs crisis is particularly severe in communities of color, where 1 in 10 Black workers and 1 in 11 Latino workers are struggling to pay rent or their mortgages and put food on the table. And, last month, it only got worse: we lost 140,000 jobs in December, including 20,000 public educators, and nearly 400,000 jobs at restaurants and bars.
President Biden is calling on Congress to take urgent action to deliver immediate, direct relief to Americans bearing the brunt of this crisis. Altogether, this would devote about $1 trillion towards building a bridge to economic recovery for working families and, according to researchers at Columbia University, cut child poverty in half.
President Biden’s plan will:
Give working families a $1,400 per-person check to help pay their bills, bringing their total relief payment from this and the December down payment to $2,000. More than 1 in 3 households and half of Black and Latino households – are struggling to pay for usual household expenses like rent and groceries during the pandemic. In this crisis, working families need more than the $600 per person that Congress passed last year. President Biden is calling on Congress to increase that direct financial assistance to $2,000. An additional $1,400 per person in direct checks will help hard-hit households cover expenses, spend money at local businesses in their communities, and stimulate the economy.
President Biden’s plan will also expand eligibility to adult dependents who have been left out of previous rounds of relief and all mixed status households. And, his plan will ensure that the Treasury Department has the flexibility and resources it needs to deliver stimulus checks to the families that need them the most, including the millions of families that still haven’t received the $1,200 checks they are entitled to under the CARES Act.
Extend financial assistance for workers who have exhausted their regular unemployment compensation benefits. Extending and increasing the additional weeks provided under the emergency unemployment insurance program will ensure that approximately 5 million Americans continue to receive assistance in the months ahead.
Extend financial assistance for unemployed workers who do not typically qualify for unemployment compensation benefits. The president believes Congress should extend unemployment support for self-employed workers, like ride-share drivers and many grocery delivery workers, who do not typically qualify for regular unemployment compensation. And, he supports increasing the number of weeks the workers can receive the benefit to provide long-term financial security to the program’s approximately 8 million beneficiaries.
Fully fund state’s short-time compensation programs and additional weeks of benefits. Short-time compensation programs, also known as work-sharing, help small businesses stay afloat and economically vulnerable workers make ends meet by enabling workers to stay on the job at reduced hours, while making up the difference in pay. These programs avoid layoffs and pave the way for rapid rehiring and an accelerated recovery.
Help struggling households keep a roof over their heads. The economic fallout of COVID-19 has made it more difficult for working families, especially families of color, to cover their housing expenses. Across the country, 1 in 5 renters and 1 in 10 homeowners with a mortgage are behind on payments. Congress took an important step in the right direction by securing $25 billion in rental assistance and extending the federal eviction moratorium until January 31. However, American families already owe $25 billion in back rent, and the threat of widespread evictions will still exist at the end of January. Further, more than 10 million homeowners havef fallen behind on mortgage payments.
Failing to take additional action will lead to a wave of evictions and foreclosures in the coming months, overwhelming emergency shelter capacity and increasing the likelihood of COVID-19 infections. And Americans of color, who have on average a fraction of the wealth available to white families, face higher risks of eviction and housing loss without critical assistance.
President Biden is calling on Congress to take immediate action to forestall a coming wave of COVID-related evictions and foreclosures.
Ensure that families hit hard by the economic crisis won’t face eviction or foreclosure. The president is calling on Congress to extend the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums and continue applications for forbearance on federally-guaranteed mortgages until September 30, 2021. These measures will prevent untold economic hardship for homeowners, while limiting the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. The president is also calling on Congress to provide funds for legal assistance for households facing eviction or foreclosure.
Help renters and small landlords make ends meet by providing an additional $30 billion in rental and critical energy and water assistance for hard-hit individuals and families. While the $25 billion allocated by Congress was an important down payment on the back rent accrued during this crisis, it is insufficient to meet the scale of the need. That’s why President Biden is proposing an additional $25 billion in rental assistance to provide much-needed rental relief, especially for low- and moderate-income households who have lost jobs or are out of the labor market. The president is also proposing $5 billion to cover home energy and water costs and arrears through programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for struggling renters and small landlords, including those in disadvantaged communities that have suffered disproportionately in terms of pollution where they can’t cover their own housing expenses. This program includes a competitive set-aside of funding for states to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency projects that reduce electricity bills for families in disadvantage communities.
Deliver $5 billion in emergency assistance to help secure housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This funding will allow states and localities to help approximately 200,000 individuals and families obtain stable housing, while providing a downpayment on the president’s comprehensive approach to ending homelessness and making housing a right for all Americans. Specifically, these funds will provide flexibility for both congregate and non-congregate housing options, help jurisdictions purchase and convert hotels and motels into permanent housing, and give homeless services providers the resources they need to hire and retain staff, maintain outreach programs, and provide essential services.
Address the growing hunger crisis in America. About 1 in 7 households nationwide, including more than 1 in 5 Black and Latino households and many Asian American and Pacific Islander households, are struggling to secure the food they need. While the December down payment provided $13 billion to strengthen and expand federal nutrition programs, it will not solve the hunger crisis in America. President Biden is calling on Congress to ensure all Americans, regardless of background, will have access to healthy, affordable groceries. The president’s plan will:
Extend the 15 percent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit increase. Maintaining the increase through the summer – when childhood hunger spikes due to a lack of school meals – is a critical backstop against rising food insecurity. This is a critical backstop against rising food insecurity. This change will help keep hunger at bay for around 40 million Americans. The president is calling for this to be extended through September 2021. He is also committed to providing this boost for as long as the COVID-19 crisis continues, and will work with Congress on ways to automatically adjust the length and amount of relief depending on health and economic conditions so future legislative delay doesn’t undermine the recovery and families’ access to benefits they need.
Invest $3 billion to help women, infants and children to get the food they need.This multi-year investment in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is needed to account for increased enrollment due to growing hunger and to increase outreach to ensure that low-income families have access to high-quality nutritious food and nutrition education.
Partner with restaurants to feed American families and keep restaurant workers on the job at the same time. The FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries (FEED) Act will leverage the resources and expertise of the restaurant industry to help get food to families who need it, and help get laid-off restaurant workers across the country back on the job.
Support SNAP by temporarily cutting the state match. The president is calling for a one time emergency infusion of administrative support for state anti-hunger and nutrition programs to ensure that benefits get to the kids and families that need it most.
Provide U.S. Territories with $1 billion in additional nutrition assistance for their residents. Bolstering the Nutrition Assistance Program block grant will help thousands of working families in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands put food on the table for the duration of the pandemic.
Raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Throughout the pandemic, millions of American workers have put their lives on the line to keep their communities and country functioning, including the 40 percent of frontline workers who are people of color. As President Biden has said, let’s not jus praise them, let’s pay them. Hard working Americans deserve sufficient wages to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, without having to keep multiple jobs. But millions of working families are struggling to get by. This is why the president is calling on Congress to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, and end the tipped minimum wage and sub-minimum wage for people with disabilities so that workers across the country can live a middle-class life and provide opportunity for their families.
Call on employers to meet their obligations to frontline essential workers and provide back hazard pay. Essential workers – who are disproportionately Black, Latino, and Asian American and Pacific Islander – have risked their lives to stock shelves, harvest crops, and care for the sick during this crisis. They have kept the country running even during the darkest days of the pandemic. A number of large employers, especially in the retail and grocery sectors, have seen bumper profitability in 2020 and yet have done little or nothing at all to compensate their workers for the risks they took. The president believes these employers have a duty to do right by their frontline essential workers and acknowledge their sacrifices with generous back hazard pay for the risks they took across 2020 and up to today. He and the Vice President will call CEOs and other business leaders to take action to meet these obligations.
Expand access to high-quality, affordable child care. We are facing an acute, immediate child care crisis in America, which is exacerbating our economic crisis. Due to increased costs and lower enrollment, a recent survey, of child care providers expect that they will close in a few months without relief or are uncertain how long they can stay open. If left unaddressed, many child care providers will close – some permanently – and millions of children could go without necessary care, and millions of parents could be left to make devastating choices this winter between caring for their children and working to put food on the table. Early childcare providers are almost entirely women, among whom 40 percent are people of color, and so these closures could devastate engines of opportunity for minority- and women-owned businesses. President Biden is calling on Congress to take immediate actions to address this crisis by helping child care centers reopen and remain open safely, and by making that care affordable to families who need it.
In addition, too many families are unable to afford child care, while early educators earn wages so low that they can’t support their own families. This challenge existed before COVID-19 and the pandemic has exacerbated it. President Biden is calling on Congress to ease the financial burden of care for families, expand financial support for child care providers so that this critical sector can stay afloat during the pandemic and beyond, and make critical investments to improve wages and benefits for the essential sector. President Biden’s plan will:
Help hard-hit child care providers, including family child care homes, cover their costs and operate safely by creating a $25 billion emergency stabilization fund. This Emergency Stabilization Fund will help hard-hit child care providers that are in danger of closing and provide support to nearly half of all child care providers. It will also assist those that have had to shut down meet their financial obligations during the pandemic, so that they can reopen. It will help providers pay for rent, utilities, and payroll, as well as increased costs associated with the pandemic including personal protective equipment, ventilation supplies, smaller group sizes, and modifications to make the physical environment safer for children and workers.
Expand child care assistance to help millions of families and help parents return to work. Millions of parents are risking their lives as essential workers, whole at the same time struggling to obtain care for their children. Others have become 24/7 caregivers while simultaneously working remotely. Still more are unemployed, caring for their children full-time, and worrying about how they will make ends meet or afford child care when they do find a job. And, the limits access to child care during the pandemic has caused more women to leave the workforce. While the December down payment provides $10 billion in funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant program, the president’s proposal expands this investment with an additional $15 billion in funding, including for those who experienced a job interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and are struggling to afford child care. This additional assistance with child care costs will help the disproportionate number of women who left the labor force to take on caregiving duties reenter the workforce. And, this expanded investment will also help rebuild the supply of child care providers, and encourage states to take meaningful steps towards increasing the pay and benefits of child care workers.
Increase tax credits to help cover cost of childcare. To help address the childcare affordability crisis, President Biden is calling on Congress to expand child care tax credits on an emergency basis for one year to help working families cover the cost of childcare. Families willet back as a tax credit as much as half of their spending on child care for children under age 13, so that they can receive a total of up to $4,000 for one child or $8,000 for two or more children. The tax credit will be refundable, meaning that families who don’t owe a lot in taxes will still benefit. The full 50 percent reimbursement will be available to families making less than $125,000 a year. And, all families making between $125,000 and $400,000 will receive a partial credit so they can receive benefits at least as generous as those they can receive today.
Bolster financial security for families and essential workers in the midst of the pandemic.The lowest income families are particularly vulnerable in the midst of the pandemic, and President Biden is calling for one year expansions of key supports for families on an emergency basis. The Child Tax Credit should be made fully refundable for the year. Currently, 27 million children live in families with household incomes low enough that they didn’t qualify for the full value of the Child Tax Credit, and this measure would give these children and their families additional needed resources. The president is also calling to increase the credit to $3,000 per child ($3,600 for a child under age 6) and make 17 year-olds qualifying children for the year.
He is also calling for an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit for the year to ensure that the lowest income workers get critical support including millions of essential workers. He is proposing to raise the maximum Earned Income Tax Credit for childless adults from roughly $530 to close to $1,500, raise the income limit for the credit from about $16,000 to $21,000, and expand the age range that is eligible including by eliminating the age cap for older workers and expanding eligibility for younger workers so that they can claim the credit they deserve. Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit for childless adults would give a needed boost to the earnings of several million workers, including cashiers, home health aids, delivery people, and other people working in essential occupations. The president also is committed to making sure that Americans who see their earnings fall in 2021 due to the pandemic don’t see the Earned Income Tax Credit reduced as a result.
Lastly, the president is calling for an additional $1 billion for states to cover the additional cash assistance that Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients needed as a result of the pandemic crisis. The pandemic has led to increased TANF caseloads generated higher costs for many TANF recipients – from higher utility costs to the need for internet access for remote schooling – and longer periods of joblessness given high unemployment. These funds will provide sorely needed relief.
Preserving and expanding health coverage. Roughly two to three million people lost employer sponsored health insurance between March and September, and even families who have maintained coverage may struggle to pay premiums and afford care. Further, going into this crisis, 30 million people were without coverage, limiting their access to the health care system in the middle of a pandemic. To ensure access to health coverage, President Biden is calling on Congress to subsidize continuation health coverage (COBRA) through the end of September. He is also asking Congress to expand and increase the value of the Premium Tax Credit to lower or eliminate health insurance premiums and ensure enrollees – including those who never had coverage through their jobs – will not pay more than 8.5 percent of their income for coverage. Together, these policies would reduce premiums of the uninsured by millions more.
Expanding access to behavioral health services. The pandemic has made access to mental health and substance use disorder services more essential than ever. The president is calling on Congress to appropriate $4 billion to enable the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to expand access to these vital services.
Ensure adequate funding for veteran’s health. COVID-19 has put enormous pressure in America’s veterans and on the Veteran’s Health Administration that is charged with providing and facilitating top-notch care for them. The president is committed to ensuring America delivers on its promise to the people who have served our country. To account for increased usage as many veterans have lost access to private health insurance, higher overall costs, and other pandemic-related impacts, the president is immediately requesting an additional $20 billion to make sure that veterans’ health care needs can be met through this crisis.
Combat increased risk of gender-based violence. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated domestic violence and sexual assault, creating a “shadow pandemic” for many women and girls who are largely confined to their home with their abuser and facing economic insecurity that makes escape more difficult. President Biden is calling for at least $800 million in supplemental funding for key federal programs that protect survivors.
Provide Critical Support to Struggling Communities
COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis has devastated communities across the country. Schools remain closed, with students struggling with remote learning and parents – 1.6 million mothers this fall – leaving the workforce. Small businesses, the backbones their communities that employ nearly half of American workers, are unable to keep their doors open. And, some state and local essential workers are seeing their wages reduced or their jobs disappear. President Biden is calling on Congress to send a lifeline to small business; protect educators, public transit workers, and first responders from lay-offs; and keep critical services running at full strength. Altogether, his plan would provide approximately $440 billion in critical support to struggling communities. This is in addition to funds that President Biden is requesting for safely reopening schools throughout the country.
President Biden’s plan will:
Provide small businesses with the funding they need to reopen and rebuild. Small businesses sustain half of the private sector jobs in America, and they have struggled in the wake of COVID-19. Black- and Brown-owned small businesses, and those in hard-hit industries like restaurants, hotels, and the arts, have suffered disproportionately. Nationally, small businesses revenue is down 32 percent, and at least 400,000 firms have permanently closed. To help hard-hit firms survive the pandemic and fully recover, President Biden is calling on Congress to:
Provide grants to more than 1 million of the hardest hit small businesses. This $15 billion inflexible, equitably distributed grants will help small businesses get back on their feet, put the current disaster behind them, and build back better.
Leverage $35 billion in government funds into $175 billion in additional small business lending and investment. With a $35 billion investment in successful state, local, tribal, and non-profit small business financing programs, Congress can generate as much as $175 billion in low-interest loans and venture capital to help entrepreneurs – including those in the clean energy sector – innovate, create and maintain jobs, build wealth, and provide the essential goods and services that communities depend on.
In addition, the president wants to work with Congress to make sure that restaurants, bars, and other businesses that have suffered disproportionately have sufficient support to bridge to the recovery, including through the Community Credit Corporation at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Provide support for first responders and other essential workers. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders, frontline public health workers, and countless other essential workers have risked their lives to keep our communities safe and functioning. Educators have worked tirelessly to keep our children learning and growing, coming up with new ways to reach and engage their students, often while balancing careers for their own children. Without these front line workers, we will not be able to effectively respond to the pandemic, administer the vaccine, or safely reopen our schools. President Biden is calling on Congress to provide $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, and territorial governments to ensure that they are in a position to keep front line public workers on the job and paid, while also effectively distributing the vaccine, scaling testing, reopening schools, and maintaining other vital services.
The president is also calling on Congress to allocate $3 billion of this funding to the Economic Development Administration (EDA). Grants from EDA provide resources directly to state and local government entities, tribal institutions, institutions of higher education, and non-profits to fund initiatives that support bottom’s up economic development and enable good paying jobs. This funding – double the amount provided by the CARES Act – will support communities nationwide with a broad range of financial needs as they respond to and recover from COVID-19.
Protect the future of public transit. Safe and dependable public transit systems are critical for a robust and equitable economic recovery. The president is calling for $20 billion in relief for the hardest hit public transit agencies. This relief will keep agencies from laying off transit workers and cutting the routes that essential workers rely on every day while making these transit systems more resilient and ensuring that communities of color maintain the access to opportunity that public transportation provides.
Support Tribal governments’ response to COVID-19. COVID-19 has exacted an especially high toll in Indian Country. People living on reservations are four times more likely to have COVID-19 and American Indian and Alaska Natives are nearly twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than White Americans. While the December down payment had many beneficial provisions, it included little direct funding to help Tribal governments respond to COVID-19. President Biden is calling on Congress to give Tribes the resources they need to obtain sufficient personal protective equipment, increase access to clean water and electricity, and expand internet access so that children can learn remotely and more families can obtain basic health care through telemedicine. President Biden’s plan would invest $20 billion in Indian Country to support Tribal governments’ response to the pandemic. These resource will help reduce start and persistent inequities in COVID-19 transmission, hospitalization, and death, while improving economic conditions and opportunity.
Modernize federal information technology to protect against future cyber attacks.
In addition to the COVID-19 crisis, we also face a crisis when it comes to the nation’s cybersecurity. The recent cybersecurity breaches of federal government data systems underscore the importance and urgency of strengthening U.S. cybersecurity capabilities. President Biden is calling on Congress to launch the most ambitious effort ever to modernize and secure federal IT and networks. To remediate the SolarWinds breach and boost U.S. defenses, including of the COVID-19 vaccine process, President Biden is calling on Congress to:
Expand and improve the Technology Modernization Fund. A $9 billion investment will help the U.S. launch major new IT and cybersecurity shared services at the Cyber Security and Information Security Agency (CISA) and the General Services Administration and complete modernization projects at federal agencies. In addition, the president is calling on Congress to change the fund’s reimbursement structure in order to fund more innovative and impactful projects.
Surge cybersecurity technology and engineering expert hiring. Providing the Information Technology Oversight and Reform fund with $200 million will allow for the rapid hiring of hundreds of experts to support the federal Chief Information Security Officer and U.S. Digital Service.
Build shared, secure services to drive transformational projects. Investing $300 million in no-year funding for Technology Transformation Services in the General Services Administration will drive secure IT projects forward without the need of reimbursement from agencies.
Improving security monitoring and incident response activities. An additional $690M for CISA will bolster cybersecurity across federal civilian networks, and support the piloting of new shared security and cloud computing services.
January 20: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on Extending the Eviction Moratorium” From the Media Statement:
As a protective public health measure, I will extend the current order temporarily halting residential evictions until at least March 31, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health. It has also triggered a housing affordability crisis that disproportionately affects some communities.
Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace. We must act to get cases down and keep people in their homes and out of congregate settings – like shelters – where COVID-19 can take an even stronger foothold.
January 20: The White House posted a “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 20, 2021” From the press release:
Ms. Psaki: Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us on this historic day. It’s an honor to be here with all of you.
When the President asked me to serve in this role, we talked about the importance of bringing truth and transparency back to the briefing room, and he asked me to ensure we are communicating about the policies across the Biden-Harris administration and the work his team is doing every single day on behalf of all American people.
There will be times when we see things differently in this room – I mean, among all of us. That’s okay. That’s part of our democracy. And rebuilding trust with the American people will be central to our focus in the Press Office and in the White House every single day.
So we had a very busy and active day today, as you all know, but I wanted to take a moment to go through the 15 executive actions – or highlights of them, I should say – and some of the steps that the President asked agencies to take today. You should have all received copies of the executive orders, as well as the accompanying fact sheets, but I want to take this moment to highlight them for the American public, who are watching at home.
To combat the deadly virus, the President launched his 100 Day Masking Challenge, asking Americans to do their part and mask up for 100 days. He’s doing his part, as well, issuing a mask mandate that will require anyone visiting a federal building or federal land or using certain modes of transportation to wear a mask.
He signed an executive order reversing Trump’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. This will strengthen our own efforts to get the pandemic under control by improving global health. And tomorrow – we’re not wasting any time – Dr. Fauci will participate remotely in the meeting of the World Health Organization as the U.S. head of delegation.
President Biden also officially appointed a COVID-19 response coordinator – a position and team we had already previously announced, but made it official today – to create a unified national response to the pandemic. And he reestablished the national security team responsible for global health security and biodefense.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an almost unprecedented housing affordability crisis. He took immediate action to confront the crisis and ask the relevant agencies to extend nationwide moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures. The pandemic has also increase the hardship on millions of Americans who owe federal student loans. In response, the President has asked the Department of Education to extend the pause on student loan payments and interest.
He rejoined the Paris climate agreement, putting the United States back in a position to exercise global leadership in advancing the objectives of the ambitious agreement.
Sorry, hope you’re comfortable. There’s a few more.
And a second broad executive order will roll back harmful regulatory reversals made by the previous administration to protect public health and the environment. This order protects our nation’s treasures by reviewing the boundaries for several national monuments, places a temporary moratorium on all oil and natural gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and reestablishes the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gasses.
He also launched a whole-of-government effort to advance racial equity and root out systemic racism from federal programs and institutions.
He directed the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, to take all appropriate actions to preserve and fortify DACA, which provides temporary relief from deportation to DREAMers, young people who are brought to this country as children.
The President also put an end to the Muslim ban, a policy rooted in religious animus and xenophobia.
He signed a proclamation, effective immediately, halting further funding or the construction of the previous administration’s border wall and terminating the so-called “national emergency use” to wastefully divert billions for wall construction.
Also today, President Biden sent an immigration bill to Congress. The U.S. Citizenship Act modernizes our immigration system. It provides hardworking people who’ve enriched our communities and lived here for decades an opportunity to earn citizenship. The President’s priority reflected in the bill rare to responsibly manage the border, keep families together, grow our economy, address the root causes of migration from Central America, and ensure that America can remain a refuge for those fleeing prosecution.
With that, I’d love to take your question, Zeke. Why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thanks, Jen. First off, congratulations. And one question about your role. You touched on this a little bit at the top, but when you are up there, do you see yourself – your primary role as promoting the interests of the President, or are you there to provide us the unvarnished truth so that we can share that with the American people
MS. PSAKI: Well, let me first say, Zeke, that I come to this podium having served both in the White House and at the State Department, as the spokesperson there, and I traveled the world on trips to promote democracy, where I saw the power of the United States and, of course, the power of this podium, and the power of truth, and the importance of setting an example of engagement and transparency.
So I will just state – because you gave me the opportunity – I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and for the role all of you play.
As I noted earlier, there will be moments when we disagree, and there will certainly be days where we disagree for extensive parts of the briefing even perhaps. But we have a common goal, which is sharing accurate information with the American people.
If the President were standing here with me today, he would say he works for the American people. I work for him, so I also work for the American people. But his objective and his commitment is to bring transparency and truth back to government – to share the truth, even when it’s hard to hear. And that’s something I hope to delve on in this role as well.
Q: And again, just one substantive one since I know we’re short on time. When will President Biden begin making some foreign leader calls? Who is on that initial list? And during the transition, he didn’t speak to President Putin. Does he plan on doing that? And is he going to discuss retaliation for the SolarWinds hack on the federal government?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Let me try to get to those. And I’ll just note, since Zeke mentioned it, I know some of you have to get to another event this evening, because we’re not fully done with the day. So we will have longer briefings in the future, but we’ll try to get to as many questions as possible.
So his first call – foreign leader call will be on Friday with Prime Minister Trudeau. I expect they will certainly discuss the important relationship with Canada, as well as his decision on the Keystone Pipeline that we announced today.
He – I don’t have any plans – or any plans to read out to you, in terms of a call with President Putin. I will not for you that I would expect his early calls will be with partners and allies. He feels it’s important to rebuild those relationships and to address the challenges and threats we’re facing in the world.
On SolarWinds, we’ve spoken with this – about this previously a bit, prior to his inauguration, I should say, today. We are – of course, we reserve the right to respond at a time and in a manner of our choosing to any cyberattack. But our team is, of course, just getting onto their computers, so I don’t have anything to read out for you or to preview for you at this time.
Peter, go ahead.
MS. PSAKI: Jen, let me – I have a question for you on policy. First, a quick housekeeping question. A short time ago, President Biden said that he received a very generous letter from President Trump. Of course, he said it was private. He said, “I will not talk about it until I talk to him.” Is President Biden planning to call now former President Trump? And is this White House working in any way to put the two in touch?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think, Peter, that was a reflection of President Biden’s view. And I was with him when he was reading the letter in the Oval Office right before he signed the executive actions – was that this a letter that was private, as he said to you all. It was both generous and gracious. And it was just a reflection of him not planning release the letter unilaterally, but I wouldn’t take it as an indication of a pending call with the former President.
Q: Let me ask you on policy, if I can quickly. You talk – obvious, your role is sort of in terms of delivering the best information to the American people on behalf of this White House. The battle for truth may be as tough a fight right now as the battle against coronavirus. How do you and President Biden plan to combat disinformation that, in many ways, led to that assault we witnessed two weeks ago today on the Capitol?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think, Peter, there are a number of ways to combat misinformation. One of them is accurate information and truth and data, and sharing information even when it is hard to hear, and even when it is not meeting the expectations of people at home who are desperate for this crisis to be over.
We’ll have more to share with you in the next few days – hopefully before the weekend. But what we plan to do is not just return to these daily briefings, Monday through Friday – not Saturdays and Sundays; I’m not a monster – but on – but also to return briefings with our health officials and public health officials. We want to do those regularly, in a dependable way, with data, shared with all of you and the public so that they can also track progress we’re making on getting the pandemic under control.
Q: As it relates to the Cabinet, if I can, quickly: We know President Biden is beginning without a single member of his Cabinet confirmed. What is your understanding on how quickly those confirmations will happen? And when should we expect additional nominations and ambassadorships to be announced?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Peter, the desire to get his Cabinet in place and get his team confirmed is front and center for the President. It is an issue – a topic he discussed with members of Congress from both the Republican and Democratic Party today during the course of the day and the course of events.
I think, as we’re coming out here, Avril Haines should be on her way to confirmation, I don’t know if it’s officially votes – been – happened yet. But she’s on her way.
We have prioritized getting our national security team in place, given the crises we’re facing, given the importance of keeping the American people safe at this time. But we are eager for those to move forward quickly in the coming day, ideally tomorrow, by Friday. We’d like to move them quickly. It’s something that he is raising in his conversations, as we all are, with members of Congress and their teams.
Q: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you. Karen.
Q: Jen, has President Biden invited congressional leaders to sit down and talk about the COVID relief measure that he introduced?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he has been discussing the COVID relief measures- the entire package that has, as you know, unemployment insurance; it has relief and assistance for the American people. It also has money to reopen schools, which I know, as a mother, impacts us all.
But he has been discussing that with Democrats and Republicans since long before he was sworn in today. Today was a day where he had conversations about working together in terms of getting his team in place, on his agenda moving forward. But I expect he will be picking up the phone in the coming days and having more of those conversations.
In terms of when he will meet in person, I will say soon, and we hope to have more of an update on that for you soon as well.
Q: What role do you expect him to play in these negotiations? There were a lot of comments today about his familiarity with the Senate. How involved will he be in that process?
MS. PSAKI: He will be quite involved. There is – the issue that he wakes up every day focusing on is getting the pandemic under control. The issue he goes to bed every night focused on is getting the pandemic under control.
This package is a pivotal step to doing that, and it has assistance for the American people to make that bridge, financially. It also has essential funding for vaccine distribution.
He will be very involved. He will not be the only one. We have a whole team here of senior staff, or course. But as you noted, he is not a stranger to the Senate; he served there for 36 years. Many of these people he – many of the members on both sides of the aisle he served with over that time, and I expect he will be quite involved in the process.
Go ahead, Jen.
Q: So, on this COVID relief package: Senator Romney was already saying to reporters that he doesn’t see a need for another virus relief package, and he’s the kind of Republican vote you’re likely going to be trying to get.
So, how long are you willing to work to get Republican support before you decide to go through the budget reconciliation process instead
MS. PSAKI: Well, as you know, because you all cover it and as I’ve stated a couple times here today, we are in the middle of an urgent crisis in this country. It’s not just impacting Democrats; it’s impacting Republicans. It’s impacting red states and blue states. And this plan is intended to address the suffering of the American people. She we hope – an frankly, we expect – Republicans in Congress and Democrats, too, will support assistance that will bring relief to the people they represent.
This is a conversation. He, of course, gave a primetime address, as you all know, last week – it seems like a long time ago, but it wasn’t – to announce his specifics, and he has already had a number of conversations with Democrats and the Republicans. Those will continue. His clear preference is to move forward with a bipartisan bill. There’s no question about it. But we’re also not going to take any tools off the table for how the Senate – House and Senate can get this urgent package done.
So, we are only – less than a day has he been President of the United States, but he’s going to continue to work with members of both parties to get it done.
Francesca, go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. I have a – I do have a question about reopening schools, but I just want to pick up where she left off on that, and note that Republicans – including Lindsey Graham who is expected to be the Senate Budget Committee ranking member – have already said that the price tag on the President’s proposal is too high for them. So, is there any wiggle room on that number? And has he already begun negotiations with Mitch McConnell?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, the package wasn’t designed with the number 1.9 trillion as a starting point; it was designed with the components that were necessary to give people the relief they needed.
So, what’s challenging is: What are you going to cut? Are you going to cut funding for vaccinations? Are you going to cut funding for unemployment insurance? Are you going to cut funding for reopening schools?
But it was laid out as his proposal based on recommendations from economists, recommendations from health experts. And as you’ve also seen, there have been also an outpouring of support from everyone from Bernie Sanders to the Chamber of Commerce for the package and the components in it. But this is a discussion. It’s a conversation. And he is no stranger to the process of bill making.
So we’re at the beginning of the process. And as we continue, there’ll be conversations with members of both parties of what will be in a final package, and rarely does it look exactly like the initial package that is proposed.
Q: With regards to reopening schools, what level of vaccination in teachers or students or level of testing does the administration think would be appropriate in order to meet the target date that the President has said?
MS. PSAKI: This is a great question. And as I noted at the beginning, as a mom myself, I want to know all the details as well. We’re going to have more to share from our health experts in the coming days, and I will venture to get them in here to give you all a briefing on the specifics. But we really want to lean into them on their expertise on that front.
Go ahead. I’ll come right to you, right next. Go ahead.
Q: So, President Biden promised to end all new oil and gas leasing on federal lands when he was a candidate. The order you just mentioned, that he signed today, was much narrower than that; it’s a temporary moratorium and it only applies to ANWR. And there is some debate about whether he has the legal flexibility to even follow through with his full promise. Does the administration still have that commitment today to (inaudible)?
MS. PSAKI: We do. And the leases will be reviewed by our team. We have only been in office for less than a day now, and I will just – since you gave me the opportunity, just also confirm for all of you: All of our executive actions that we released today were reviewed in advance of the OLC. We went through that process in advance of releasing them. That took a great deal of work from our policy teams, but that was a vital part of the process for us as well.
Q: And could you talk a little bit about the – kind of, the preparations for getting the White House ready and safe for the new president? It’s been reported that you did $500,000 worth of deep cleaning. Could you talk about the measures that you took to ensure that the President is safe?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the – I would refer you to the General Services Administration who oversees any steps like that. What I can speak to, if it’s of interest, of the steps we’re all taking to make sure that we are safe, that he is safe, you are all safe. Those include daily testing when we’re in the White House. It includes wearing N95 masks. I wore it out, of course, here today and I will continue to do that. It includes stringent rules about social distancing and abiding by that in the building. That keeps us safe, but we’re also – the President has asked us to also be models to the American people, and that’s vitally important to us as well.
So there are a number of new COVID steps, precautions that we’ve put in place as of today.
Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Thank you so much, Jen. Thank you for doing this on a daily basis again.
So climate change being one of the priorities, how does President Biden plan to work with Brazil? During the campaign, Biden criticized Brazil on deforestation and then the Brazilian President criticized Biden back, and he was the last one to congratulate President Biden on his election. What is the expectation for their relationship? And does he plan to speak with the Brazilian President?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t have anything to predict for you or advance for you in terms of a call or conversation. What I can convey on climate change, of course, and addressing the climate crisis – it’s one of the four crises that he’s identified will impact his administration; is impacting not just the American people, but the global community – is that rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement is a vital step towards doing that. The United States was one of the only countries in the world, as you all know that was – has not been – has not had a seat at the table the last few years.
A little technical step there is: We have submitted that to the U.S. Secretary General, and it will take approximately 30 days for that to take place. But I use that as an example because that’s one step, but we also know that we need to be models here at home as we are addressing an issue like this. The United States continues to be one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, and we need to put in place policies and take steps here to address that as well.
But I’m sure we’ll have more to discuss on Brazil in the coming months.
Go ahead, right there.
Q: What are the next steps when it comes to Iran? And does the President have any plans to rejoin the nuclear deal?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President has made clear that he believes that through follow-on diplomacy, the United States should seek to lengthen and strengthen nuclear constraints on Iran and address other issues of concern. Iran must resume compliance with significant nuclear constraints under the deal for that to proceed.
I will say, as I noted a bit earlier, we would expect that some of his earlier conversations with foreign counterparts or foreign leaders will be with partners and allies, and that we would certainly anticipate that this would be part of the discussion.
Q: And then, could you just give us some color about what it was like for him going into the Oval Office? He’s been waiting for this for so long. What was his reaction?
MS. PSAKI: Well, you know, I spend little time with him earlier, and he had an incredible sense of calm. And he – and a sense of some joy, of course. He spend the day with his family and his grandchildren and his children, and that always has an impact, I think.
But, you know, he also said he felt like he was coming home. Remember, he spent eight years here as the Vice President, playing an important role as a partner to President Obama. And, you know, that was the emotion that overtook him today.
He’s also eager to get to work. He was asking questions about policy and COVID and what’s next. And so, you know, that also reflects his desire to roll up his sleeves and get going.
Let’s see. I’m sorry, I told you I was going to ask you – I just skipped over you. Go ahead.
Q: That’s all right. I’ll take it now. So, if President Biden wants a theme of his presidency to be “unifying the country,” does he think that Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer should drop a potentially divisive Senate impeachment trial?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he spoke today, as you all saw, about unity in his inaugural address and the importance of unity and bringing the country together, and the resolve of the American people in helping to get through this moment.
You know, we are confident though that, just like the American people can, the Senate can also multi-task, and they can do their constitutional duty while continuing to conduct the business of the American people.
And his view is that the way to bring the country together is to address the problems we’re facing. And so that means getting this COVID relief package though, having Democrats and Republicans take a serious look at that and have conversations with each other about how to move it forward. And he’s going to leave the mechanics, the timing, and the specifics of how Congress moves forward on impeachment to them.
Q: And a quick-follow up: On President Trump’s Inauguration Day, he filed the paperwork to run for reelection — same day. Does President Biden have any plans to do that today, late, or on the coming days?
MS. PSAKI: I will say, having talked to him today, his focus is not on politics; it is on getting to work and solving the problems of the American people. So – and as he noted on the campaign, he will wait until sometime into his first term to speak more about his political plans moving forward.
Go ahead.
Q: Yeah. Thank you, Jen. The President pledged today to repair alliances. He has planned his first foreign trip yet?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’re only seven hours in her. Your ready for the foreign trip.
Q: I’m looking ahead. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: I’m ready, too. I don’t have any details on a foreign trip to lay out for you at this point in time. Hopefully we will at some point in time.
Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Hi, congratulations on your new position. Owen Jensen with EWTN, Global Catholic Network. Two big concerns for pro-life Americans: the Hyde Amendment, which of course keeps taxpayer dollars, as you know, from paying for abortions – Medicaid abortions – and the Mexico City Policy, which, under previous administration, they expanded to keep tax dollars from overseas paying for abortions. So what are President – what is President Biden planning on doing on those two items right now?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we’ll have more to say on the Mexico City Policy in the coming days. But I will just take the opportunity to remind all of you that he is a devout Catholic and somebody who attends church regularly. He started his day attending church with his family this morning. But I don’t have anything more for you on that.
Go ahead.
Q: Yeah, as President-elect, he talked about the possibilities of using the Defense Production Act to ramp up production of vaccines.
MS. PSAKI: Well, stay tuned. We’ll do this again tomorrow, and there may be more specifics to share on plans on COVID tomorrow. I expect there will be, including more details on the Defense Production Act. He absolutely remains committed to invoking the Defense Act in order to get the supply and the materials needed to get the vaccine out to Americans across the country and remains committed to his goal of getting 100 million shots in the arms of Americans in the first 100 days.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you very much. The President talked movingly about unity today. And I’ve heard from people who say, “Well, that’s just talk.” They want to know what action they’re going to see to show that kind of unity. Can you – I mean Peter mentioned impeachment, right? Can you tell us what kind of action we can expect to see that will assure people that he wants to reach out to people who voted for him and people who did not?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, first, I think anybody who has covered President Biden for some time or worked for him or spent time with him knows that he is somebody who always sees the optimistic side of working with people who may disagree with him, people across the aisle. And that has long been his commitment and desire through his many decades in public service. So his own history tells you how committed he is.
But, you know, part of it is his words, which he shared today with the American people on a quite large stage – also, his actions. He has reached out to not just Democratic members of Congress, but also to Republicans; not just to Democratic governors, but also to Republicans; not just Democratic mayors, but also to Republicans.
And he said today, in his speech – the biggest platform most Presidents have through the course of their presidency – that he will govern for all Americans. And, you know, that, of course, has to be backed up by actions, as you conveyed. But he’s going to venture to do that in – in every policy he pursues, every engagement he has, because he feels if we can come together, we’ll be a stronger country.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, will we see a death penalty moratorium under this administration?
MS. PSAKI: The President, as you know, has stated his opposition to the death penalty in the past. He remains – that remains his view. I don’t have anything more for you in terms of future actions or mechanisms, though. I can – I’ll circle back if there’s more I can share with you.
Q: On a lighter note, will he keep Donald Trump’s Air Force One color scheme change?
MS PSAKI: This is such a good question. I have not had the opportunity to dig into that today, given the number of executive actions, orders, the inauguration – a few things happening. I will venture to get you an answer on that, and maybe we can talk about it in here tomorrow.
Q: Jen, just one quick one before we let you go. Just following up on Peter’s question: Does President – President Biden believe that President Trump needs to be held accountable for the Capitol insurrection a couple of weeks ago? And does that accountability require that President Trump be barred from holding future federal office?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Zeke, you know, he has spoken very firmly and fiercely, publicly, about his views of the horrific events – on the horrific events on January 6th. And he has also, of course, spoken with members of Congress about that, as you all know. But he is going to leave it to members of Congress to carry out their constitutional duty and determine what the path forward is – and what the mechanisms are going to be, what the process will be, and what the timeline will be.
And, certainly, he ran against Donald Trump because he did not think he was fit to serve in office, long before the events of January 6th. He is here today because he decided to run against him. But we’re focusing on moving forward. We’re focusing on addressing the – the issues facing the American public. And, as you know, that means we’re focused on our COVID package.
Go ahead.
Q: If I can follow up on that a little bit, Jen. Is the President being updated, first of all, on the progress of the FBI investigation? And we know the FBI is leading the investigation into the assault on the Capitol. Does President Biden have confidence in FBI Director Wray?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Peter, as you noted, there’s an ongoing investigation, which we certainly support. I’m not sure that he has received an update today on anything about the investigation, but we certainly support those ongoing. And we will, I’m sure, be receiving updates in the days ahead.
Go ahead.
Q: Does he have confidence in the FBI Director?
MS. PSAKI: I – I think – I have not spoken with him specifically FBI Director Wray in recent days, Peter, but I’ll circle back with you if there’s more to convey.
Q: Jen –
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead, Karen.
Q: The President did not mention the word “Trump” in his Inaugural Address today.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hm.
Q: What was the intention behind not making any direct reference to his predecessor in that speech?
MS PSAKI: Well, I think the intention was to make the speech not about any individual elected official, any current President, former President, but make it about the American people and the moment we’re facing in history right now – the struggles that millions of Americans are facing who don’t have jobs, the fear people have about the health of their grandparents and their cousins and their brothers – and to make it more about the strength of the American people when they come together and not about any individual.
But as you saw in his speech, it was forward looking; it was not meant to look back on the past.
Q: Jen, one more.
MS PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: How does President Biden plan to recover the United States’ image around the world, and what is his priority globally?
MS. PSAKI: Well, his priority is, first, rebuilding our partnerships and alliances around the world and regaining America’s seat at the global table. And you can see that as evidenced in his rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, rejoining the World Health Organization; his plans to engage with partners an allies and work together to address many of the threats and issues we’re facing around the world.
But I think that is what you will see as his focus in the weeks ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, Zeke.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, everyone. Let’s do this again tomorrow.
January 20: The White House posted “Letter to His Excellency António Guterres” From the letter:
His Excellency
Mr António Guterres
Secretary-General
United Nations
New York
Excellency:
This letter constitutes a retraction by the Government of the United States of the letter dated July 6, 2020, notifying you that the Government of the United States intended to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), effective July 6, 2021. The United States intends to remain a member of the World Health Organization.
The WHO plays a crucial role in the world’s fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic as well as countless other threats to global health and health security. The United States will continue to be a full participant and a global leader in confronting such threats and advancing global health and health security.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 20: The White House posted “Executive Order on Revocation of Certain Executive Order Concerning Federal Regulation” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered that:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to use available tools to confront the urgent challenges facing the Nation, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, economic recovery, racial justice, and climate change. To tackle these challenges effectively executive departments and agencies (agencies) must be equipped with the flexibility to use robust regulatory action to address national priorities. This order revokes harmful policies and directives that threaten to frustrate the Federal Government’s ability to confront these problems, and empowers agencies to use appropriate regulatory tools to achieve these goals.
Sec. 2. Revocation of Orders. Executive Order 13771 of January 30, 2017 (Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs), Executive Order 13888 of February 24, 2017 (Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda), Executive Order 13875 of June 14, 2019 (Evaluating and Improving the Utility of Federal Advisory Committees), Executive Order 13891 of October 9, 2019 (Promoting the Rule of Law Through Transparency and Fairness in Civil Administrative Enforcement and Adjudication), and Executive Order 13893 of October 10, 2019 (Increasing Government Accountability for Administrative Actions by Reinvigorating Administrative PAYGO) are hereby revoked.
Sec. 3. Implementation. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the heads of agencies shall promptly take steps to rescind any orders, rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies, or portions thereof, implementing or enforcing the Executive Orders identified in section 2 of this order, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, including the Administrative Procedure Act, 5. U.S.C. 551 et seq. If in any case such recession cannot be finalized immediately, the Director and the heads of agencies shall promptly take steps to provide all available exemptions authorized by any such orders, rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law. In addition, any personnel positions, committees, task forces, or other entities established pursuant to the Executive Orders identified in section 2 of this order, including the regulatory reform officer positions and regulatory reform task forces established by section 2 and 3 of Executive Order 13777, shall be abolished, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented in a manner consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 20: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH CDC Director and ATSDR Administrator” From the Media Release:
Today, Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, officially begins her post as the 19th director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the ninth administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). U.S. President Joe Biden selected Dr. Walensky to lead the agency in December. Dr. Walensky comes to CDC from Massachusetts General Hospital, where she served as Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases from 2017-2020; and Harvard Medical School, where she served as Professor of Medicine from 2021-2020. Additional biographical information is available on the CDC website.
Statement from Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
It is truly a privilege to join the world’s premier public health agency. For 75 years, CDC has carried out a mission to protect America’s safety, health, and security at home and abroad.
I am proud to join this agency, and I recognize the seriousness of the moment. The toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on America is truly heartbreaking – for the loss of our loved ones and our beloved ways of life. At Massachusetts General Hospital, I saw firsthand the many difficulties this pandemic brings to our frontline workers and first responders, hospitals, and public health systems, communities, and loved ones.
Better, healthier days lie ahead. But to get there, COVID-19 testing, surveillance, and vaccination must accelerate rapidly. We must also confront the longstanding public health challenges of social and racial injustice and inequity that have demanded action for far too long. And we must make up for potentially lost ground in areas like suicide, substance use disorder and overdose, chronic diseases, and global health initiatives.
America and the world are counting on CDC’s science and leadership. Just as it has since the beginning of the pandemic, CDC will continue to focus on what is known – and what more can be learned – about the virus to guide America. As part of that promise, CDC’s Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat will begin leading a comprehensive review of all existing guidance related to COVID-19. Wherever needed, this guideance will be updated so that people can make decisions and take action based on the best available evidence.
I am so proud to join CDC. Our 24/7 mission is truly more critical than ever.
January 20: The White House posted “Executive Order on Protecting The Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7902(c) of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by relying on the best available data and science-based public health measures. Such measures include wearing masks when around others, physical distancing, and other related precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Put simply, masks and other public health measures reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when communities make widespread use of such measures, and thus save lives.
Accordingly, to protect the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with the Federal workforce,, and to ensure the continuity of Government services and activities, on-duty or on-site, Federal employees, on-site Federal contractors, and other individuals in Federal buildings and on Federal lands should all wear masks, maintain physical distance, and adhere to other public health measures, as provided in CDC guidelines.
Sec. 2. Immediate Action Regarding Federal Employees, Contractors, Buildings, and Lands. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall immediately take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require compliance with CDC guidelines with respect to wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and other public health measures by: on-duty or on-site Federal employees; on-site Federal contractors; and all persons in Federal buildings or on Federal lands.
(b) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Administrator of General Services, in coordination with the President’s Management Council and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), shall promptly issue guidance to assist heads of agencies with implementation of this section.
(c) Heads of agencies shall promptly consult, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal, and territorial government officials, Federal employees, Federal employee unions, Federal contractors, and any other interested parties concerning the implementation of this section.
(d) Heads of agencies may make categorial or case-by-case exceptions in implementing subsection (a) of this section to the extent that doing so is necessary or required bylaw, and consistent with applicable law. If heads of agencies make such exceptions, they shall require appropriate alternative safeguards, such as additional physical distancing measures, additional testing, or reconfiguration of the workspace, consistent with applicable law. Heads of agencies shall document all exceptions in writing.
(e) Heads of agencies shall review their existing authorities and, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations and resources, seek to provide masks to individuals in Federal buildings when needed.
(f) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall coordinate the implementation of this section. Heads of agencies listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section, including any categorical exceptions established under subsection (d) of this section, within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. Heads of agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.
Sec. 3. Encouraging Masking Across America. (a) The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), including through the Director of CDC, shall engage, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal and territorial officials, as well as business, union, academic, and other community leaders, regarding mask-wearing and other public health measures, with the goal of maximizing public compliance with, and addressing the goal of maximizing public compliance with, and addressing any obstacles to, mask-wearing and other public health best practices identified by CDC.
(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly identify and inform agencies of options to incentivize, support, and encourage widespread mask-wearing consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.
Sec. 4. Safer Federal Workforce Task Force.
(a) Establishment. There is hereby established the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force).
(b) Membership. The Task Force shall consist of the following members:
(i) the Director of OPM, who shall serve as Co-Chair;
(ii) the Administrator of General Services, who shall serve as Co-Chair;
(iii) the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, who shall serve as Co-Chair;
(iv) The Director of OMB;
(v) the Director of the Federal Protective Service;
(vi) the Director of the United States Secret Service;
(vii) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(viii) the Director of CDC; and
(ix) the heads of other such agencies as the Co-Chairs may individually or jointly invite to participate.
(c) Organization. A member of the Task Force may designate, to preform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a full-time officer or employee of the member’s agency. At the direction of the Co-Chairs, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees, as appropriate.
(d) Administration. The General Services Administration shall provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Co-Chairs shall convene regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work.
(e) Mission. The Task Force shall provide ongoing guidance to heads of agencies on the operation of the Federal Government, the safety of its employees, and the continuity of Government functions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such guidance shall be based on public health best practices as determined by CDC and other public health experts, and shall address, at a minimum, the following subjects as they relate to the Federal workforce:
(i) testing methodologies and protocols;
(ii) case investigation and contact tracing;
(iii) requirements and limitations on physical distancing, including recommended occupancy and density standards;
(iv) equipment needs and requirements, including personal protective equipment;
(v) air filration;
(vi) enhanced environmental disinfection and cleaning;
(vii) safe commuting and telework options;
(viii) enhanced technological infrastructure to support telework;
(ix) vaccine prioritization, distribution, and administration;
(x) approaches for coordinating with State, local, Tribal and territorial health officials, as well as business, union, academic, and other community leaders;
(xi) any management infrastructure needed by agencies to implement public health guidance; and
(xii) circumstances under which exemptions might appropriately be made to agency policies in accordance with CDC guidelines, such as for mission-critical purposes.
(f) Agency Corporation. The head of each agency listed in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) shall, consistent with applicable law, promptly provide the Task Force a report on COVID-19 safety protocols, safety plans, or guidance regarding the operation of the agency and the safety of its employees, and any other information that the head of the agency deems relevant to the Task Force’s work.
Sec. 5 Federal Employee Testing. The Secretary of HHS, through the Director of CDC, shall promptly develop and submit to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a testing plan for the federal workforce. This plan shall be based on community transmission metrics and address the populations to be tested, testing types, frequency of testing, positive case protocols, and coordination with local public health authorities for contact tracing.
Sec. 6. Research and Development. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (through the National Science and Technology Council), the Director of OMB, the Director of CDC, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall assess the availability of Federal research grants to study best practices for implementing, and innovations to better implement, effective mask-wearing and physical distancing policies, with respect to both the Federal workforce and the general public.
Sec. 7. Scope. (a) For purposes of this order:
(i) “Federal employees” and “Federal contractors” mean employees (including members of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard in Federal service) and contractors (including such contractors’ employees) working for the executive branch;
(ii) “Federal buildings” means buildings, or office space within buildings, owned, rented, or leased by the executive branch of which a substantial portion of occupants are Federal employees or Federal contractors.
(iii) “Federal lands” means lands under executive branch control.
(b) The Director of OPM and the Administrator of General Services shall seek to consult, in coordination with the heads of any other relevant agencies and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, with the Sergeants at Arms of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (or such other persons designated by the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, or the Chief Justice of the United States, respectively), to promote mask-wearing, physical distancing, and adherence to other public health measures within the legislative and judicial branches, and shall provide requested technical assistance as needed to facilitate compliance with CDC guidelines.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) Independent agencies are strongly encouraged to comply with the requirements of this order.
(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party of the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 20: The White House posted “Executive Order on Organizing and Mobilizing the United States Government to Provide a Unified and Effective Response to Combat COVID-19 and to Provide United States Leadership on Global Health and Security” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To that end, this order creates the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President and takes other steps to organize the White House and activities of the Federal Government to combat COVID-19 and prepare for future biological and pandemic threats.
Sec. 2. Organizing the White House to Combat COVID-19. (a) In order to effectively, fully, and immediately respond to COVID-19, there is established within the Executive Office of the President the position of Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) and that position of Deputy Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall report directly to the President; advise and assist the President and executive departments and agencies (agencies) in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic; coordinate all elements of the COVID-19 response; and perform such duties as the President may otherwise direct. These duties shall include:
(i) coordinating a Government-wide effort to reduce disparities in the response, care, and treatment of COVID-19, including racial and ethnic disparities;
(ii) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to produce, supply, and distribute personal protective equipment, vaccines, tests, and other supplies for the Nation’s vaccines, tests, and other supplies for the Nation’s COVID-19 response, including through the use of the Defense Production Act, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.);
(iii) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to expand COVID-19 testing and the use of testing as an effective public health response;
(iv) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to support the timely, safe, and effective delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the United States population;
(v) coordinating the Federal Government’s efforts to support the safe reopening and operation of schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs, and to help ensure the continuity of educational and other services for young children and elementary and secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
(vi) coordinating, as appropriate, with State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities.
(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall have the authority to convene principals from relevant agencies, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP) on matters involving the domestic COVID-19 response, and in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) on matters involving the global COVID-19 response. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall also coordinate any corresponding deputies and interagency processes.
(c) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator may act through designees in performing these or any other duties.
Sec. 3. United States Leadership on Global Health and Security and the Global COVID-19 Response.
(a) Preparing to Respond to Biological Threats and Pandemics. To identify, monitor, prepare for, and, if necessary, respond to emerging biological and pandemic threats:
(i) the APNSA shall convene the National Security Council (NSC) Principals Committee as necessary to coordinate the Federal Government’s efforts to address such threats and to advise the President on the global response to and recovery from COVID-19, including matters regarding: the intersection of the COVID-19 response and other national security equities; global health security; engaging with and strengthening the World Health Organization; public health, access to healthcare, and the secondary impacts of COVID-19; and emerging biological risks and threats, whether naturally occurring, deliberate, or accidental.
(ii) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA shall, in coordination with relevant agencies, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, and the APDP, complete a review of and recommend actions to the President concerning emerging domestic and global biological risks and national biopreparedness policies. The review and recommended actions shall incorporate lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and, among other things, address: the readiness of the pandemic supply chain, healthcare workforce, and hospitals; the development of a framework of pandemic readiness with specific triggers for when agencies should take action in response to large-scale biological events; pandemic border readiness; the development and distribution of medical countermeasures; epidemic forecasting and modeling; public health data modernization, bio-related intelligence; bioeconomic investments; biotechnology risks; the development of a framework for coordinating with and distributing responsibilities as between the Federal Government and State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities; and State, local, Tribal and territorial preparedness for biological events.
(b) NSC Directorate on Global Health Security and Biodefense. There shall be an NSC Directorate on Global Health Security and Biodefense, which shall be headed by a Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense. The Senior Director shall be responsible for monitoring current and emerging biological threats, and shall report concurrently to the APNSA and to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on matters relating to COVID-19. The Senior Director shall oversee the Global Health Security Agenda Interagency Review Council, which was established pursuant to Executive Order 13747 of November 4, 2016 (Advancing the Global Health Security Agenda To Achieve a World Safe and Secure From Infectious Disease Threats), and is hereby reconvened as descried in that order.
(c) Responsibility for National Biodefense Preparedness. Notwithstanding any statements in the National Security Presidential Memorandum-14 of September 18, 2018 (Support for National Biodefense), the APNSA shall be responsible for coordinating the Nation’s biodefense preparedness efforts, and, as stated in sections 1 and 2 of this order, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall be responsible for coordinating the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sec. 4. Prompt Resolution of Issues Related to the United States COVID-19 Response. The heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable, bring any procedural, departmental, legal, or funding obstacle to the COVID-19 response to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall, in coordination with the relevant agencies, the APDP, and the APNSA, as appropriate, immediately bring to the President’s attention any issues that require Presidential guidance or decision-making.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR
Jan 20: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Letter to His Excellency António Guterres” From the statement:
His Excellency
Mr. António Guterres
Secretary-General
United Nations
New York
Excellency:
This letter constitutes a retraction by the Government of the United States of the letter dated July 6, 2020, notifying you that the Government of the United States intended to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), effective July 6, 2021. The United States intends to remain a member of the World Health Organization.
The WHO plays a crucial role in the world’s fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic as well as countless other threats to global health and health security. The United States will continue to be a full participant and a global leader in confronting such threats and advancing global health and health security.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR
January 20: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Pausing Federal Student Loan Payments” From the Statement:
At the request of President Biden, the Acting Secretary of Education will extend the pause on federal student loan payments and collections and keep the interest rate at 0%. Too many Americans are struggling to pay for basic necessities and to provide for their families. They should not be forced to choose between paying their student loans and putting food on the table.
January 20: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Paris Climate Agreement”. From the Statement:
ACCEPTANCE ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, having seen and considered the Paris Agreement done at Paris on December 12, 2015, do hereby accept the said Agreement and every article and clause thereof on behalf of the United States of America.
Done at Washington this 20th day of January, 2021
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21, 2021
January 21: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Transcript of Pelosi Weekly Press Conference Today” From the Press Release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi held her weekly press conference today in the Capitol Visitor Center. Below are the Speaker’s remarks:
SPEAKER PELOSI: Good morning, everyone.
What a difference a day makes. Wasn’t that just the most beautiful inauguration, with the theme ‘America United’? It was so perfect in my view not only for the, shall we say, peaceful transfer of power, but the manner in which it happened: ‘America United’.
You know, I’ve said again and again that the arts will bring us together. When we laugh together, we cry together, we’re inspired together, we find our common ground more easily. And that was certainly given proof yesterday when Amanda Gorman made her, recited her beautiful – presented her beautiful poem about unity and about coming together, optimism.
And it was, of course, the complete theme of the inauguration, but also of the Vice President – excuse me, the now President, and he was President when he made his beautiful inaugural address about unity. It was when the day began, the inauguration began.
At the end of the day, I loved what was on TV at the end of one of the celebrations. You know, the President always loves to quote the Irish poets, Seamus Heaney being one of his favorites. So, as the end of the day, to see Lin Manuel Miranda reciting Seamus Heaney’s poem, and then at the end of the poem Joe Biden and coming together saying, ‘The longed for tidal wave of justice can rise up and hope and history can rhyme.’
It’s about trust. It’s about hope. It’s about optimism. That’s what the inauguration was about.
When the President said, ‘Today is America’s day, today is democracy’s day,’ that was really true. That inauguration was a breath of fresh air for our country. The inauguration of Joe Biden as President, Kamala Harris as Vice President of the United States, with all of the newness that that presented – first woman, first African American woman, first Asian American woman, the best. Not just about democracy, but about quality of leadership. So exciting.
So now with the Biden Harris Administration in place, a Democratic Majority that occurred later in the day, yesterday, when Chuck Schumer became the Majority Leader of the Senate, with the swearing in of three new Members. We’re very proud of Senator Padilla of California, just overwhelmed with joy about the two Senators from Georgia, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Three new Senators, a new Democratic Majority, now we can recover from the pandemic and get to work to Build Back Better.
Today, our nation marks the passing of the 400,000 people – that was , 400,000 people died. But today marks one year since our first knowledge of this pandemic. And what did we learn this morning? We learned this morning that the Trump Administration had no real plan for the production and distribution of the vaccine. Just another in a series of their terrible, ineffective approach to it from the start, in denial, delay, distortion, calling it a hoax, and now e vids that they don’t – they didn’t even have a plan.
As we go forward, though, we see immediately that Joe Biden has – President Biden has put forth a plan to crush the coronavirus. You know what it is. Yesterday, he talked about it in his Exclusive Actions when he talked about wearing masks, distancing, science based approaches.
Today, he’ll sign further orders, my understanding is, to use the Defense Production Act to speed up PPP – PPE delivery and to expand testing, treatment, and public health workforce that we need and launch a vaccination campaign. All of its is to more safely open up schools and businesses, improve health equity, something that the Republicans would just erase from any bill, addressing the disparity in treatment and testing and therefore the disparity in incidence of COVID 19 in communities of color.
As we salute these actions, we are getting ready for a COVID relief package. We’ll be working on that as we go.
As you probably have seen, Mr. Hoyer announced that as we work in these issues we won’t be back in session until the beginning of February, another week. February 1st, is it, or 2nd? And – but we’ll be doing our, we’ll be doing our committee work all next week so we are completely ready to go to the Floor when we come back.
And then, again, the COVID proposals from the Administration build on many of the initiatives that were in our package all along. It’s what the people need, what the country needs to crush the virus, put money in the pockets of the American people and honor our heroes.
We’re largely talking about Executive Actions, but I just mentioned that one bill, the COVID package. We also were pleased to see the President come forward – the Administration come forward with an immigration proposal. We are pleased that in the House, Linda Sanchez will be taking the lead, Senator Menendez in the Senate. It has the basic principles that we’ve talked about all along, and we’ll see what the timetable is on that.
Today, we are in session to vote on the Austin wavier. It is a wavier so that General Lloyd Austin can serve as Secretary of Defense. As I have said, General Austin is a highly qualified and well respected leader. With over 40 years of decorated service, he brings a great understanding of the challenges facing our nation’s defense and the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their families. Once the waiver is approved, I feel confident that the Senate will confirm the General as Secretary of Defense.
Civilian control of the military is not an issue for us, it is a value. It is a principle. And we are so pleased that, unlike the Trump Administration, the Biden Administration not only allow but encourage the General to come and present his views, which is happening right now, in the Armed Services Committee.
So, again, a very happy time. We are – I’m very proud of our Members. Right before I came here, I was in a session that was made available for Members and staff about the trauma of what happened on January 6th, talked about physical trauma, psychological trauma, vicarious trauma and the rest.
When the press came, saw may office and the rest, and asked about things that were stolen, glass that was broken, just violation of the property there, I really said, I don’t – that’s important, I respect the Speaker’s Office and the accoutrement of history that is there, but I’m more concerned about the damage that they did to our staff, to our colleagues in the Congress, to the custodial staff in the Capitol of the United States. That is damage. That is damage that must be addressed.
The resilience that we want to convey, we tried to do that night by coming right back, opening up the session of Congress, proceeding with the business at hand, the counting of the Electoral College votes to ascertain that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were President and Vice President of the United States.
But that was on aspect of resilience. So many Members felt their lives threatened. The uncertainty of it all contributed to the trauma. This is something that everyone in the country should take a measure of how they reacted to this. But let us all pray for the resilience that our country is famous for and that our people need to have as we go forward.
And one other part of that is that we will be, in another few days, when I’ll be talking with the managers as to when the Senate will be ready for the trial of the then-President of the United States for his role in instigating an insurrection on the House, on the Capitol of the United States, on our democracy, to undermine the will of the people.
It’s very clear he has been on this path for a while, but that – just that day he roused the troops, he urged them on to ‘fight like hell,’ he sent them on their way to the Capitol, he called upon lawlessness, he showed a path to the Capitol, and the lawlessness took place, a direct connection in one day over and above all of the other statements he had made before.
So, in any event, we – if somebody is asking – I’m not going to be telling you when it is going, but we had to wait for the Senate to be in session. They’ve now informed us they’re ready to receive. The question is – other questions about how a trial will proceed. But we are ready.
***
With that, I’m pleased to take any questions. What have you got, Chad?
Q: Madam Speaker, good morning. You were talking about security here at the Capitol, and I know you’re very concerned about that. Do you have any evidence or were you briefed in any capacity about these allegations of reconnaissance tours that some have talked about? And if there’s not proof to that – again some of your Members on your side have said that. Some of the Republican Members who were alleged to have given these have denied that they’d given them.
SPEAKER PELOSI: As with all of those things, as you indicate, you have to have evidence of what happened. There is no question that there were Members in this body who gave aid and comfort to those with the idea that they were embracing a lie, a like perpetrated by the President of the United States that the election did not have legitimacy. These people believed it. They believed the President. The President of the United States, his words have weight. They weigh a ton, in fact. So, that’s one thing.
In terms of what you suggest, everything has to be based on evidence, and that remains to be seen. In that regard, I’ve very pleased that we will have an after action review that will review many aspects of what happened. If people did aid and abet, there will be more than just comments from their colleagues here. There will be prosecution if they aided and abetted an insurrection in which people died. But again, Chad, as you rightfully ask, that is something that you have to collect the evidence for you as you proceed, A.
B, I’m very excited because you asked about security here, that General Russel Honoré has agreed to take a big view of the security here. We will have an after action review. There will be a commission, all of that. But immediately, actually before the weekend, he agreed to take a look at the security infrastructure, the interagency relationships, the fact that he is so familiar with the capital regional security aspects of it. We feel and we believe that we are in very good hands with his taking the look that he has and inviting experts in the field to give their views as well. So that’s where we are.
Yes, ma’am.
Q: Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Two things. If you can put any finer point on the timing for the Articles of Impeachment?
SPEAKER PELOSI: No.
Q: Okay.
SPEAKER PELOSI: It will be soon. As I said, you’ll be the first to know.
Q: Thank you. And also, you mentioned Leader Schumer becoming the Senate Majority Leader.
SPEAKER PELOSI: Yes. It’s very exciting.
Q: You have worked a long time with both Leader Schumer and Leader McConnell. What is your advice for Leader Schumer now that he is the Majority as he confronts Leader McConnell, who let us know yesterday he still sees, you know, that even though Democrats have a sweep of government now with the House, the Senate and White House, Leader McConnell still sees, you know, an important role for Republicans as – you know, in the Congress.
SPEAKER PELOSI: So, you’re asking me what advice I would give to Leader Schumer?
Q: Yes, ma’am.
SPEAKER PELOSI: You know him. I wouldn’t think of giving him any advice on how to deal with the Senate, not at all, nor does he give me advice on how to run the House.
Q: And in dealing with Leader McConnell?
SPEAKER PELOSI: No. Again, that’s a dynamic that is very different from the House. I would say though, for both of us, we have a responsibility to find bipartisanship where we can, to find our common ground where we can. We have that as not only a goal, but a responsibility. When we can’t, we must stand our ground. That’s Thomas Jefferson, standing the ground with that.
But it is – if we’re talking about what the country needs, the country needs to crush the virus. It hasn’t happened yet. The country needs to end the economic crisis that we’re in. We need to do more to that. And one way to do both is to help our heroes, our health care workers, our police and fire, our first responders, our sanitation, transportation, food workers, our teachers, our teachers, our teachers. They are on the front line, risking their lives to save lives in some cases and on the verge of losing their job. So, it’s about a case that we make for what the country needs that hopefully we can have a bipartisan agreement.
Yes?
Q: Thank you. You mentioned unity, the message of unity that came out yesterday.
SPEAKER PELOSI: Yeah.
Q: Are you at all concerned about moving forward that an impeachment trial could undercut that message and alienate Republican supporters of the President?
SPEAKER PELOSI: No. No, I’m not worried about that. The fact is, the President of the United States committed an act of insurrection. I don’t think it’s very unifying to say, ‘Oh, let’s just forget it and move on.’ That’s not how you unify. Joe Biden said it beautifully: If you’re going to unite, you must remember. And we must – we must bring this.
And look, that’s our responsibility, to uphold the integrity of the Congress of the United States. That’s our responsibility, to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and that is what we will do.
And just because he’s now gone, thank God, that we – you don’t say to a President, “Do whatever you want in the last months of your Administration, you’re going to get a get out of jail card free,’ because people think we should make nice and forget that people died here on January 6th, that the attempt to undermine our election or to undermine our democracy, to dishonor our Constitution. No, I don’t see that at all. I think that would be harmful to unity.
Q: Madam Speaker, a year ago, in the context of the last impeachment trial, you said that you cannot have a trial without documents and witnesses.
SPEAKER PELOSI: That’s right.
Q: I’m wondering what kind of trial you’d like to see your impeachment managers put forward. And is that part of your what you’re waiting for, some kind of guidance from the Senate about how they’ll conduct themselves before you send that article over?
SPEAKER PELOSI: Well, let me just say this. We’re talking about two different things. We’re talking about a phone call that the President had as one part of it, that people could say, ‘I need evidence.’ This year, the whole world bore witness to the President’s indictment, to the execution of his call to action, and the violence that was used.
So I, believe it or not, don’t take part in the deliberations of delivering – of making the – preparing for the trial. That’s up to the managers. But I did see a big difference between something that we all witnessed versus what information you might need to substantiate an Article of Impeachment based on, large part, on a call the President made and described as ‘perfect.’ It was perfectly unconstitutional. This is different.
But, again, it’s up to them to decide how we go forward, when we go forward. It will be soon. I don’t think it will be long, But we must do it.
STAFF: Last question.
Q: Speaker Pelosi. Just a quick question. Whats the status of H.R. 1 right now?
SPEAKER PELOSI: H.R. 1 is – the status of H.R. 1 is that it is in an exalted position.
We – it is a priority for us. The Senate has S. , I think is what theirs is, S. .
This is very important, and I thank you for asking about it, because this is really central to the integrity of our government, to reduce the role of big, dark, special interest money in politics, to give more leverage to small donors and grassroots activists, to implement what John Lewis put forth in ending voter suppression. That is what January 6th was about as well, voter suppression, and the list goes on.
We have pulled out H.R. 4, which was part of H.R. 1, the Voting Rights Act, but that’s very much a part of the spirit of that. The reason why we are doing them separately is needs to have – and we have provided it with hearings all over the country. Marcia Fudge, now soon to be Madam Secretary, Terri Sewell, John Lewis, bless his heart, when he was here – all were part of establishing that record for H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Act, for now.
So, we’re optimistic we are going to pass both of them, and it will give confidence to the American people that their voice is as important as anyone’s, that big money, which suffocates the airways, is no longer going to be the order of the day.
And I thank John Sarbanes for his tremendous leadership over a long period of time. John Larson was doing it earlier, and now John Sarbanes, both of them. And what’s important about it is that it gives people the hope that, yes, we can have clean air and clean water and address the climate crisis because big, dark money will not dominate the policy; yes, we can have gun violence prevention because big, dark, special interest, gun lobbyist money will not dominate the process.
We in the Democratic Party have advanced these. They have been stopped, as you know, on the other side. But we hope now that the more the public knows the better we will be in terms of policy.
And I’d just – I’ll conclude by saying something you’ve heard me say again and again: ‘Public sentiment is everything. With it, you can accomplish almost everything, without it, practically nothing.” Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln.
And now that we have the bully pulpit and the President can explain to the public more clearly, because a President has a bigger audience, that the public will know what is at stake, how they can weigh in. And it won’t be a question of the press saying, ‘Oh, they’re bickering, or this or that.’ Now, we’re not. We’re not bickering. We have a very major difference of opinion as to what – how we honor the Constitution. We hope that we can find common ground on it because its very important.
And, again, I’ll further close, wasn’t it beautiful when President Biden quoted what Lincoln, President Lincoln, said when he signed the Emancipation Proclamation on New Year’s Day ? It was in his soul, it was in his being. And Biden, of course, said what he is setting out to do is, again, in his soul and in his being.
Thank you all very much. What a difference a day makes. Thank you.
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Science-based public health measures are critical to preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by travelers within the United States and those who enter the country from abroad. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),the Surgeon General, and the National Institutes of Health have concluded that mask-wearing, physical distancing, appropriate ventilation, and timely testing can mitigate the risk of travelers spreading COVID-19. Accordingly, to save lives and allow all Americans, including the millions of people employed in the transportation industry, to travel and work safely, it is the policy of my Administration to implement these public health measures consistent with with CDC guidelines on public modes of transportation and at ports of entry to the United States.
Sec. 2. Immediate Action to Require Mask-Wearing on Certain Domestic Modes of Transportation.
(a) Mask Requirement. The Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)), the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard), and the heads of any other executive departments and agencies (agencies) that have relevant regulatory authority (heads of agencies) shall immediately take action, to the extent appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to require masks to be worn in compliance with CDC guidelines in or on:
(i) airports;
(ii) commercial aircraft;
(iii) trains;
(iv) public maritime vessels, including ferries;
(v) intercity bus services; and
(vi) all forms of public transportation as defined in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code.
(b) Consultation. In implementing this section, the heads of agencies shall consult, as appropriate, with interested parties, including State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials’ industry and union representatives from the transportation sector; and consumer representatives.
(c) Exceptions. The heads of agencies may make categorical or case-by-case exceptions to policies developed under this section, consistent with applicable law, to the extent that doing so is necessary or required by law. If the heads of agencies do make exceptions, they shall document all exceptions in writing.
(d) Preemption. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the heads of agencies shall ensure that any action taken to implement this section does not preempt State, local, Tribal, and territorial laws or rules imposing public health measures that are more protective of public health than those required by the heads of agencies.
(e) Coordination. The Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) shall coordinate the implementation of this section. The heads of agencies shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section, including any categorical exceptions established under subsection (c) of this section, within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. The heads of agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID-19 Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.
Sec. 3. Action to Implement Additional Public Health Measures for Domestic Travel.
(a) Recommendations. The Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administer of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA and the Commandant of the Coast Guard), in consultation with the Director of CDC, shall promptly provide to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator recommendations concerning how their respective agencies may impose additional public health measures for domestic travel.
(b) Consultation. In implementing this section, the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall engage with interested parties, including State, local Tribal, and territorial officials; industry and union representatives from the transportation sector; and consumer representatives.
Sec. 4. Support for State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Authorities. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation and the heads of any other relevant agencies, shall promptly identify and inform agencies of options to incentivize, support, and encourage widespread mask-wearing and physical distancing on public modes of transportation, consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.
Sec. 5. International Travel.
(a) Policy. It is the policy of my Administration that, to the extent feasible, travelers seeking to enter the United States from a foreign country shall be:
(i) required to produce proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test prior to entry; and
(ii) required to comply with other applicable CDC guidelines concerning international travel, including recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after entry into the United States.
(b) Air Travel.
(i) The Secretary of HHS, including through the Director of CDC, and in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), shall, within 14 days of the date of this order, assess the CDC order of January 12, 2021, regarding the requirement of a negative COVID-19 test result for airline passengers traveling into the United States, in light of subsection (a) of this section. Based on such assessment, the Secretary of HHS and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take any further appropriate regulatory action, to the extent feasible and consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law. Such assessment and regulatory action shall include consideration of:
(A) the timing and types of COVID-19 tests that should satisfy the negative test requirement, including consideration of additional testing immediately prior to departure;
(B) the proof of test results that travelers should be required to provide;
(C) the feasibility of implementing alternative and sufficiently protective public health measures, such as testing, self-quarantine, and self-isolation on arrival, for travelers entering the United States from countries where COVID-19 tests are inaccessible, particularly where such inaccessibility of tests would affect the ability of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to return to the United States; and
(D) Measures to prevent fraud.
(ii) The Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administrator of the FAA) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), shall promptly provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a plan for how the Secretary and other Federal Government actors could implement the policy stated in subsection (a) of this section with respect to CDC-recommended periods of self-quarantine or self-isolation after a flight to the United States from a foreign country, as he deems appropriate and consistent with applicable law. The plan shall identify agencies’ tools and mechanisms to assist travelers in complying with such policy.
(iii) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS (including through the Administrator of the FAA), and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall seek to consult with foreign governments, the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association, and any other relevant stakeholders to establish guidelines for public health measures associated with safe international travel including on aircraft and at ports of entry. Any such guidelines should address quarantine, testing, COVID-19 vaccination, follow-up testing and symptom-monitoring, air filtration requirements, environmental decontamination standards, and contact tracing.
(c) Land Travel. The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of CDC, shall immediately commence diplomatic outreach to the governments of Canada and Mexico regarding public health protocols for land ports of entry. Based on this diplomatic engagement, within 14 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of HHS (including through the Director of CDC), the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President a plan to implement appropriate public health measures at land ports of entry. The plan should implement CDC guidelines, consistent with applicable law, and take into account the operational considerations relevant to the different populations who enter the United States by land.
(d) Sea Travel. The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Commandant of the Coast Guard and in consolation with the Secretary of HHS and the Director of CDC, shall, within 14 days of the date of this order, submit to the President a plan to implement appropriate public health measures at sea ports. The plan should implement CDC guidelines, consistent with applicable law, and take into account operational considerations.
(e) International Certificates of Vaccination or Prophylaxis. Consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (including through the Administrator of the TSA), in coordination with any relevant international organizations, shall assess the feasibility of linking COVID-19 vaccination to International Certificates of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) and producing electronic versions of ICVPs.
(f) Coordination. The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shall coordinate the implementation of this section. The Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall update the COVID-19 Response Coordinator on their progress in implementing this section within 7 days of the date of this order and regularly thereafter. The heads of all agencies are encouraged to bring to the attention of the COVID Response Coordinator any questions regarding the scope or implementation of this section.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary administrative, or legislative proposals
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted “Executive Order on Improving and Expanding Access to Care and Treatments for COVID-19” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is nearby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to improve the capacity of the Nation’s healthcare systems to address coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to accelerate the development of novel therapies to treat COVID-19, and to improve all Americans’ access to quality and affordable healthcare.
Sec. 2. Accelerating the Development of Novel Therapies. To enhance the Nation’s ability to quickly develop the most promising COVID-19 interventions, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in consultation with the Director of the National Institutes of Health shall:
(a) develop a plan for supporting a range of studies including large-scale randomized trials, for identifying optimal clinical management strategies, and for supporting the most promising treatment for COVID-19 and future high-consequence public health threats, that can be easily manufactured, distributed, and administered, both domestically and internationally.
(b) develop a plan, in consultation with non-governmental partners, as appropriate, to support research:
(i) in rural hospitals and other rural locations; and
(ii) that studies the emerging evidence concerning the long-term impact of COVID-19 on patient health; and
(c) consider steps to ensure that clinical trials include populations that have been historically underrepresented in such trials.
Sec. 3. Improving the Capacity of the Nation’s Healthcare Systems to Address COVID-19. To bolster the capacity of the Nation’s healthcare systems to support healthcare workers and patients:
(a) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, (agencies), in coordination with the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), shall promptly, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, provide targeted surge assistance to critical care and long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities for individuals with disabilities, and residential treatment centers, in their efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.
(b)The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall review the needs of Federal facilities providing care to COVID-19 patients and develop recommendations for further actions such facilities can take to support active military personnel, veterans, and Tribal nations during this crisis.
(c) The Secretary of HHS shall promptly:
(i) issue recommendations on how States and healthcare providers can increase the capacity of their healthcare workforces to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
(ii) through the Administration of the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, take appropriate actions, as consistent with applicable law, to expand access to programs and services designed to meet the long-term health needs of patients recovering from COVID-19, including through technical assistance and support to community health centers.
Sec. 4. Improving Access to Quality and Affordable Healthcare
(a) To facilitate the equitable and effective distribution of therapeutics and bolster clinical care capacity where needed to support patient care, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall establish targets for the production, allocation, and distribution of COVID-19 treatments. To meet those targets, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall consider prioritizing, including through grants for research and development, investments in therapeutics that can be readily administered and scaled.
(b) To facilitate the utilization of exerting COVID-19 treatments, the Secretary of HHS shall identify barriers to maximizing the effective and equitable use of existing COVID-19 treatment and shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, provide support to State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities aimed at overcoming those barriers.
(c) To address the affordability of treatments and clinical care, the Secretary of HHS shall, promptly and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:
(i) evaluate the COVID-19 Uninsured Program, operated by the Health Resources and Services Administration within HHS, and take any available steps to promote access to treatments and clinical care for those without adequate coverage, to support safety-net providers in delivering such treatments and clinical care, and to make Program easy to use for patients and providers, with information about the Program widely disseminated; and
(ii) evaluate Medicare, Medicaid, group health plans, and health insurance issuers, and take any available steps to promote insurance coverage for safe and effective COVID-19 treatments and clinical care.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a Press Release titled: “Dr. Anthony Fauci Remarks at the World Health Organization Executive Board Meeting” From the Press Release:
“Director-General Dr. Tedros, distinguished representatives, friends, and colleagues:
It is an honor for me to be here, representing the United States of America, on behalf of the newly inaugurated Biden-Harris administration, and as the Chief Medical Adviser to President Biden.
I am also here to represent the scientists, public health officials and frontline healthcare workers, and community health workers who have worked so heroically this past year to fight COVID-19, developing medical countermeasures at truly phenomenal speed, adapting policy responses as we learn more about the virus, and courageously treating the millions of people who have been stricken by this historic scourge.
One year ago, to the day, the United States confirmed its first case of SARS-COV-1, in the State of Washington. Today, my country and around the world, we have surpassed 90 million cases, a devastating number that continues to grow.
I join my fellow representatives in thanking the World Health Organization for its role in leading the global public health response to this pandemic. Under trying circumstances, this organization has rallied the scientific and research and development community to accelerate vaccines, therapies and diagnostics; conducted regular, steamed press briefings that authoritatively track global developments; provided millions of vital supplies from lab reagents to protective gear to health care workers in dozens of countries; and relentlessly worked with nations in their fight against COVID-19.
I also know first-hand the work of WHO with whom I have engaged in a collaborative manner touching all aspects of global health over the past 4 decades.
As such, I am honored to announce that the United States will remain a member of the World Health Organization. Yesterday, President Biden signed letters retracting the previous Administration’s announcement to withdraw from the organization, and those letters have been transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to you Dr. Tedros, my dear friend.
In addition to retracting of notification of withdrawal and retaining membership in the WHO, the United States will cease the drawdown of U.S. staff seconded to the WHO and will resume regular engagement of U.S. government personnel with the WHO both directly and through our WHO Collaborating Centers.
The United States also intends to fulfill its financial obligations to the organization. The United States sees technical collaboration at all levels as a fundamental part of our relationship with WHO, one that we value deeply and will look to strengthen going forward.
As a WHO member state, the United States will work constructively with partners to strengthen and importantly reform the WHO, to help lead the collective effort to strengthen the international COVID-19 response and address its secondary impacts on people, communities, and health systems around the world.
The Biden Administration also intends to be fully engaged in advancing global health, supporting global health security and the Global Health Security Agenda, and building a healthier future for all people.
I am also pleased to announce today that the United States plans to work multilaterally to respond and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden will issue a directive later today which will include the intent of the U.S. to join COVAX and support the ACT-Accelerator to advance multilateral efforts for COVID-19 vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic distribution, equitable access, and research and development.
The United States will also work with the WHO and Member States to counter the erosion of major gains in global health that we have achieved through decades of research, collaboration and investments in health and health security, including in HIV/AIDS, food security, malaria, and epidemic preparedness.
And it will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally. To that end, President Biden will be revoking the Mexico City Policy in the coming days, as part of his broader commitment to protect women’s health and advance gender equality at home and around the world.
We realize that responding to COVID-19 and rebuilding global health and advancing health security around the world will not be easy. And in this regard:
We are committed to transparency, including those events surrounding the early days of the pandemic. It is imperative that we learn and build upon important lessons about how future pandemic events can be averted. The international investigation should be robust and clear, and we look forward to evaluating it;
We will also work with the WHO and partner countries to strengthen and reform the WHO, improve mechanisms for responding to health emergencies across the United Nations, and strengthen the International Health Regulations;
We will commit to building global health security capacity, expanding pandemic preparedness, and supporting efforts to strengthen health systems around the world and to advance the Sustainable Development Goals;
We will work with partners to develop new international financing mechanisms for health security;
We will seek an improved, shared system for early warning and rapid response to emerging biological threats;
We will support robust and ethically sound collaborative science, research and research capacity building, as well as the rapid sharing of research results, pathogen samples and data essential to research progress;
We will look to strengthen pandemic supply chain networks;
And we will work with partners around the world to build a system that leaves us better prepared for this pandemic and for the next one.
And finally, given that a considerable amount of effort will be required by all of us moving forward, the United States stands ready to work in partnership and solidarity to support the international COVID-19 response, mitigate its impact on the world, strengthen our institutions, advance epidemic preparedness for the future, and improve the health and wellbeing of all people throughout the world”
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats” From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic through effective approaches guided by the best available science and data, including by building back a better public health infrastructure. This stronger public health infrastructure must help the Nation effectively prevent, detect, and respond to future biological threats, both domestically and internationally.
Consistent with this policy, the heads of all executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall facilitate the gathering, sharing, and publication of COVID-19-related data, in coordination with the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), to the extent permitted by law, and with appropriate protections for confidentiality, privacy, law enforcement, and national security. These efforts shall assist Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities in developing and implementing policies to facilitate informed community decision-making, to further public understanding of the pandemic and the response, and to deter the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
Sec. 2. Enhancing Data Collection and Collaboration Capabilities for High-Consequence PublicHealth Threats, Such as the COVID-19 Pandemic. (a) The Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Secretary of Education, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Office Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall each promptly designate a senior official serve as their agency’s lead to work on COVID-19- and pandemic-related data issues. This official, in consultation with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall take steps to make data relevant to high-consequence public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, publicly available and accessible.
(b) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator shall, as necessary, convene appropriate representatives from relevant agencies to coordinate the agencies’ collection, provision, and analysis of data, including key equity indicators, regarding the COVID-19 response, as their sharing of such data with State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities.
(c) The Director of OMB, in consultation with the Director of OSTP, the United States Chief Technology Officer, and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall promptly review the Federal Government’s existing approaches to open data, and shall issue supplemental guidance, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, concerning how to identify COVID-19 related data; how to make data open the public in human- and machine-readable formats as rapidly as possible; and any other topic the Director of OMB concludes would appropriately advance the policy of this order. Any guidance shall include appropriate protections for the information described in section 5 of this order.
(d) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the Director of OMB, shall promptly:
(i) review the ability of agencies to hire personnel expeditiously into roles related to information technology and the collection, provision, analysis, or other use of data to address high-consequence public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and
(ii) take action, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to support agencies in such efforts.
Sec. 3. Public Health Data Systems. The Secretary of HHS, in consultation with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator and the heads of relevant agencies, shall promptly:
(a) review the effectiveness, interoperability, and connectivity of public health data systems supporting detection of and response to high-consequence public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) review the collection of morbidity data by State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments during high-consequence public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and
(c) issue a report summarizing the findings of the reviews detailed in subsections (a) and (b) of this section and any recommendations for addressing areas for improvement identified in the reviews.
Sec. 4. Advancing Innovation in Public Health Data and Analytics. The Director of OSTP, in coordination with the National Science and Technology Council, as appropriate, shall develop a plan for advancing innovation in public health data and analytics in the United States.
Sec. 5. Privileged Information. Nothing in this order shall compel or authorize the disclosure of privileged information, law-enforcement information, national-security information, personal information, or information the disclosure of which is prohibited by law.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted a Memorandum titled: “Memorandum to Extend Federal Support to Governors’ Use of the National Guard to Respond to COVID-19 and to Increase Reimbursement and Other Assistance Provided to States”. From the Memorandum:
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBJECT: Memorandum to Extend Federal Support to Governor’s Use of the National Guard to Respond to COVID-19 and to Increase Reimbursement and Other Assistance Provided to States
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42. U.S.C. 5121-5207 (the “Stafford Act”), and section 502 of title 32, United States Code, I hereby order as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Consistent with the nationwide emergency declaration concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on March 13, 2020, it is the policy of my Administration to combat and respond to COVID-19with the full capacity and capability of the Federal Government to protect and support our families, schools, and businesses, and to assist State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to do the same, to the extent authorized by law.
Sec. 2 Support of Operations or Missions to Prevent and Respond to the Spread of COVID-19. (a) The Secretary of Defense shall, to the maximum extent feasible and consistent with the mission requirements (including geographic proximity), request pursuant to 32 U.S.C. 502(f) that all State and territorial governors order National Guard forces to perform duty to fulfill mission assignments, on a fully reimbursable basis, that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issues to the Department of Defense for the purpose of supporting State, local, Tribal, and territorial emergency assistance efforts under the Stafford Act.
(b) FEMA shall fund 100 percent of the cost of activities associated with all mission assignments for the use of the National Guard under 32 U.S.C. 502(f) to respond to COVID-19, as associated by sections 403 (42 U.S.C. 5170b), 502 (42 U.S.C. 5192), and 503 (42 U.S.C. 5193) of the Stafford Act.
(c) This section supersedes prior Presidential Memoranda requesting the use of the National Guard to respond to the COVID-19 emergency to the extent they are inconsistent with this memorandum.
Sec. 3. Assistance for Category B Emergency Protective Measures. (a) In accordance with sections 403 (42 U.S.C. 5170b) and 502 (42 U.S.C. 5192) of the Stafford Act, FEMA shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, make available under Category B of the Public Assistance program such assistance as may be required by States (including territories and the District of Columbia), local governments, and Tribal governments to provider the safe opening and operation of eligible schools, child-care facilities, healthcare facilities, non-congregate shelters, domestic violence shelters, transit systems, and other eligible applicants. Such assistance may include funding for the provision of personal protective equipment and disinfecting services and supplies.
(b) FEMA shall make assistance under this section available at a 100 percent Federal cost share until September 30, 2021.
Sec. 4. Advanced Reimbursement. To make reimbursements for approved work under the Stafford Act to respond to COVID-19 available more quickly, FEMA shall expedite reimbursement for eligible emergency work projects and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, provide an advance of the Federal share on a percentage of the expected reimbursement from FEMA-approved projects.
Sec. 5. One-Hundred Percent Cost Share Termination. The 100 percent Federal cost share for use of National Guard forces authorized by section 2(b) of this memorandum shall extend to, and shall be available for, orders of any length authorizing duty through September 30, 2021.
Sec. 6. General Provisions (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency; or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The Secretary of Defense is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on a Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain” From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.), sections 319 and 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d and 264), sections 306 and 307 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5149 and 5150), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The Federal Government must act urgently and effectively to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To that end, this order directs immediate actions to secure supplies necessary for responding to the pandemic, so that those supplies are available, and remain available, to the Federal Government and State, local, Tribal and territorial authorities, as well as to American’s health care workers, health systems, and patients. These supplies are vital to the Nation’s ability to reopen its schools and economies soon and safely as possible.
Sec. 2. Immediate Inventory of Response Supplies and Indentification of Emergency Needs. (a) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of appropriate executive departments and agencies (agencies), in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall:
(i) immediately review the availability of critical materials, treatments, and supplies needed to combat COVID-19 (pandemic response supplies), including personal protective equipment (PPE) and the resources necessary to effectively produce and distribute tests and vaccines at scale; and
(ii) assess, including by reviewing prior such assessments, whether United States industry can be reasonably expected to provide such supplies in a timely manner.
(b) Where a review and assessment described in section 2(a)(i) of this order identifies shortfalls in the provision of pandemic response supplies, the head of the relevant agency shall:
(i) promptly revise its operational assumptions and planning factors being used to determine the scope and prioritization, acquisition, and distribution of such supplies; and
(ii) take appropriate action using all available legal authorities, including the Defense Production Act, to fill those shortfalls as soon as practicable by acquiring additional stockpiles, improving distribution systems, building market capacity, or expanding the industrial base.
(c) Upon completing the review and assessment described in section 2(a)(i) of this order, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a report on the status and inventory of the Strategic National Stockpile.
(d) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of any other agencies relevant to inventorying pandemic response supplies shall, as soon as practicable, provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a report consisting of:
(i) an assessment of the need for, and an inventory of current supplies of, key pandemic response supplies;
(ii) an analysis of their agency’s capacity to produce, provide, and distribute pandemic response supplies;
(iii) an assessment of their agency’s procurement of pandemic response supplies on the availability of such supplies on the open market;
(iv) an account of all existing or ongoing agency actions, contracts, and investment agreements regarding pandemic response supplies;
(v) a list of any gaps between the needs identified in section 2(a)(i) of this order and supply chain delivery, and recommendations on how to close such gaps; and
(vi) a compilation and summary of their agency’s existing distribution and prioritization plans for pandemic response supplies, which shall include any assumptions or planning factors used to determine such needs and any recommendations for changes to such assumptions or factors.
(3) The COVID-19 Response Coordinator, in coordination with the heads of appropriate agencies, shall review the report described in section 2(d) of this order and submit recommendations to the President that address:
(i) whether additional use of the Defense Production Act, by the President or agencies exercising delegated authority under the Act, would be helpful; and
(ii) the extent to which liability risk, regulatory requirements, or other factors impede the development, production and procurement of pandemic response supplies, and any actions that can be taken, consistent with law, to remove those impediments.
(f) The heads of agencies responsible for completing the requirements of this section, as appropriate and in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall consult with State, local, Tribal and territorial authorities, as well as with other entitles critical to assessing the availability of and need for pandemic response supplies.
Sec. 3. Pricing. To take steps to address the pricing of pandemic response supplies:
(a) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall promptly recommend to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, whether any changes should be made to the authorities delegated the Secretary by Executive Order 13910 of March 23, 2020 (Preventing Hoarding of Health and Medical Resources To Respond to the Spread of COVID-19), with respect to scarce materials or materials the supply of which would be threatened by accumulation for the purpose of holding or price gouging.
(b) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall promptly review and provide to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, recommendations for how to address the pricing of pandemic response supplies, including whether and how to direct the use of reasonable pricing clauses in Federal contracts and investment agreements, or other related vehicles and whether to use General Services Administration Schedules to facilitate State, local, Tribal and territorial government buyers and compacts in purchasing pandemic response supplies using Federal supply schedules.
Sec. 4. Pandemic Supply Chain Resilience Strategy. Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, and the heads of any agencies or entities selected by APNSA and COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall provide to the President a strategy to design, build, and sustain a long-term capability in the United States to manufacture supplies for future pandemics and biological threats. This strategy shall include:
(a) mechanisms to respond to emergency supply needs of State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities, which should include standards and processes to prioritize requests and delivery and to ensure equitable distribution based on public health criteria:
(b) an analysis of the role of foreign supply chains in America’s pandemic supply chain, America’s role in the international public health supply chain, and options for straightening and better coordinating global supply chain systems in future pandemics;
(c) mechanisms to address points of failure in the supply chains and to ensure necessary redundancies;
(d) the roles of the Strategic National Stockpile and other Federal and military stockpiles in providing pandemic supplies on an ongoing or emergency basis, including their roles in allocating supplies across States, localities, tribes, and territories, sustaining supplies during a pandemic, and in contingency planning to ensure adequate preparedness for future pandemics and public health emergencies;
(e) approaches to assess and maximize the value and efficacy of public/private partnerships and the value of Federal investments in latent manufacturing capacity; and
(f) an approach to develop a multi-year implementation plan for domestic production of pandemic supplies.
Sec. 5. Access to Strategic National Stockpile. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consult with Tribal authorities and take steps, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to facilitate access to the Strategic National Stockpile for federally recognized Tribal governments, Indian Health Service healthcare providers, Tribal health authorities, and Urban Indian Organizations.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of Schools and Early Childhood Education Providers” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, to ensure that students receive a high-quality education during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to support the safe reopening and continued operation of schools, child care providers, Head Start programs and institutions of higher education, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Every student in America deserves a high-quality education in a safe environment, This promise, which was already out of reach for too many, has been further threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. School and higher education administrators, educators, faculty, child care providers, custodians and other staff, and families have gone above and beyond to support children’s and students’ learning and meet their needs during this crisis. Students and teachers alike have found new ways to teach and learn. Many child care providers continue to provide care and learning opportunities to children in homes and centers across the country. However, leadership and support from the Federal Government is needed. Two principles should guide the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with respect to schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and higher education institutions. First, the health and safety of children, students, educators, families, and communities is paramount. Second, every student in the United States should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, during and beyond the pandemic.
Accordingly, it is the policy of my Administration to provide support to help create the conditions for safe, in-person learning as quickly as possible; ensure high-quality instruction and the delivery of essential services often received by students and young children at school, institutions of higher education, child care providers, and Head Start programs; mitigate learning loss caused by the pandemic; and address educational disparities and inequities that the pandemic has created and exacerbated.
Sec. 2. Agency Roles and Responsibilities. The following assignments of responsibility shall be exercised in furtherance of the policy described in section 1 of this order:
(a) The Secretary of Education shall, consistent with applicable law:
(i) provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, evidence-based guidance to assist States and elementary and secondary schools in deciding whether and now to reopen, and how to remain open, for in-person learning; and in safely conducting in-person learning, including by implementing mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing:
(ii) provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, evidence-based guidance to institutions of higher education on safely reopening for in-person learning, which shall take into account considerations such as the institution’s setting, resources, and the population it serves.
(iii) provide advice to State, local, Tribal, and territorial educational authorities, institutions of higher education, local education agencies, and elementary and secondary schools regarding distance and online learning, blended learning, and in-person learning; and the promotion of mental health, social-emotional well-being, and communication with parents and families;
(iv) develop a Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse to enable schools and institutions of higher education so that they can ensure high-quality learning during the pandemic;
(vi) direct the Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to deliver a report as soon as practicable on the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on students in elementary, secondary, and higher education, including those attending historically black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions;
(vii) coordinate with the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences to facilitate, consistent with applicable law, the collection of data necessary to fully understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students and educators, including data on the status of in-person learning. These data shall be disaggregated by student demographics, including race, ethnicity, disability, English-language-learner status, and free or reduced lunch status or other appropriate indicators of family income; and
(viii) consult with those who have been struggling for months with the enormous challenges the COVID-19 pandemic poses for education, including students; educators; unions; families; State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials; and members of civil rights and disability rights organizations, in carrying out the directives in this order.
(b) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, consistent with applicable law:
(i) facilitate the collection of data needed to inform the safe reopening and continued operation of elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs, and ensure that such data are readily available to State, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders and the public, consistent with privacy interests, and that such data are disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and other factors as appropriate;
(ii) ensure, in coordination with the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) and other relevant agencies, that COVID-19 related supplies the Secretary administers, including testing materials, are equitably allocated to elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs to support in-person care and learning.
(iii) to the maximum extent possible, support the development and operation of contact tracing programs at State, local, Tribal, and territorial level, by providing guidance and technical support to ensure that contact tracing is available to facilitate the reopening and safe operation of elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and institutions of higher education.
(iv) provide guidance needed for child care providers and Head Start programs for safely reopening and operating, including procedures for mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing, as well as guidance related to meeting the needs of children, families, and staff who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including trauma-informed care, behavioral and mental health support, and family support, as appropriate; and
(v) provide technical assistance to States, localities, Tribes, and territories to support the accelerated distribution of Federal COVID-19 relief funds to child care providers, and identify strategies to help child care providers safely remain open during the pandemic and beyond while the sector experiences widespread financial disruption due to increased costs and less revenue.
(c) The Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit a report to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator identifying strategies to address the impact of COVID-19 on educational outcomes, especially along racial and socioeconomic lines, and shall share those strategies with State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials. In developing these strategies, the Secretaries shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consult with such officials, as well as with education experts; educators; unions; civil rights advocates; Tribal education experts; public health experts; child development experts; early educators, including child care providers; Head Start staff; school technology practitioners; families; students; community advocates; and others.
(d) The Federal Communications Commission is encouraged, consistent with applicable law, to increase connectivity for students lacking reliable home broadband, so that they can continue to learn if their schools are operating remotely.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR
January 21: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order Protecting Worker Health And Safety” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Ensuring the health and safety of workers is a national priority and a moral imperative. Healthcare workers and other essential workers, many of whom are people of color and immigrants, have put their lives on the line during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is the policy of my Administration to protect the health and safety of workers from COVID-19.
The Federal Government must take swift action to reduce the risk that workers may contract COVID-19 in the workplace. That will require issuing science-based guidance to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure, including with respect to mask-wearing; partnering with State and local governments to better protect public employees; enforcing worker health and safety requirements; and pushing for additional resources to help employers protect employees.
Sec. 2. Protecting Workers from COVID-19 Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, in furtherance of the policy described in section 1 of this order and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(a) issue, within 2 weeks of the date of this order and in conjunction or consultation with the heads of any other appropriate executive departments and agencies (agencies), revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19, including with respect to masks in the workplace, are necessary, and if such standards are determined to be necessary, issue them by March 15, 2021;
(c) review the enforcement efforts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) related to COVID-19 and identify any short-, medium-, and long-term changes that could be made to better protect workers and ensure equity in enforcement;
(d) launch a national program to focus on OSHA enforcement efforts related to COVID-19 on violations that put the largest number of workers at serious risk or are contrary to anti-retaliation principles; and
(e) coordinate with the Department of Labor’s Office of Public Affairs and Office of Public Engagement and all regional OSHA offices to conduct, consistent with applicable law, a multilingual outreach campaign to inform workers and their representatives of their rights under applicable law. This campaign shall include engagement with labor unions, community organizations, and industries, and place a special emphasis on communities hit hardest by the pandemic.
Sec. 3. Protecting Other Categories of Workers from COVID-19. (a) The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(i) coordinate with States that have occupational safety and health plans approved under section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act) (29 U.S.C. 667) to seek to ensure that workers covered by such plans are adequately protected from COVID-19, consistent with any revised guidance or emergency temporary standards issued by OSHA; and
(iii) in States that do not have such plans, consult with State and local government entities with responsibility for public employee safety and health with public employee unions to bolster protection from COVID-19 for public sector workers.
(b) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall, consistent, with applicable law, explore mechanisms, to protect workers not protected under the Act so that they remain healthy and safe on the job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(c) The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, shall consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 applicable to coal and metal or non-metal mines are necessary, and if such standards are determined to be necessary and consistent with applicable law, issues them as soon as practicable.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United State, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted a Memorandum titled: “National Security Memorandum on United States Global Leadership to Strengthen the International COVID-19 Response and to Advance Global Health Security and Biological Preparedness” From the Memorandum:
NATIONAL SECURITY MEMORANDUM – 1
SUBJECT: United States Global Leadership to Strengthen the International COVID-19 Response and to Advance Global Health Security and Biological Preparedness
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a grave reminder that biological threats, whether naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate, can have significant and potentially existential consequences for humanity. This memorandum reaffirms Executive Order 134747 of November 4, 2016, which made clear that these threats pose global challenges that require global solutions. United States international engagement to combat COVID-19 and advance global health security and biopreparedness is thus an urgent priority – to save lives, promote economic recovery, and develop resilience against future biological catastrophes. My Administration will treat epidemic and pandemic preparedness, health security, and global health as top national security priorities, and will work with other nations to combat COVID-19 and seek to create a world that is safe and secure from biological threats.
Section 1. Strengthening and Reforming the World Health Organization. On January 20, 2021, the United States reversed its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) by submitting a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General informing him of the President’s decision that the United States will remain a member of the organization. Accordingly, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) shall, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies), and the Coordination of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), provide to the President within 30 days of the date of this memorandum recommendations on how the United States can: (1) exercise leadership at the WHO and work with partners to lead and reinvigorate the international COVID-19 response; (2) participate in international efforts to advance global health, health security, and the prevention of future biological catastrophes; and (3) otherwise strengthen and reform the WHO.
Sec. 2. United States Leadership in the Global Response to COVID-19
(a) COVID-19 Global Vaccination, Research and Development. In order to support global vaccination and research and development for treatment, tests, and vaccines:
(i)The Secretary of State and the Secretary of HHS shall inform the WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, of the United States’ intent to support the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and join the multilateral vaccine distribution facility, known as the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility. The Secretaries shall also promptly deliver to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a framework for donating surplus vaccines, once there is sufficient supply in the United States, to countries in need, including through the COVAX Facility.
(ii) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly deliver to the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a plan for engaging with and strengthening multilateral initiatives focused on the global COVID-19 response, including the organizations identified in section 2(a)(i) and other initiatives focused on equitable development and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, tests, and personal protective equipment, such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
(b) Health, Diplomatic, and Humanitarian Response to COVID-19. In order to enable the United States to play an active role in the international COVID-19 public health and humanitarian response, including with respect to the pandemic’s secondary effects:
(i) The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly develop and submit to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a Government-wide plan to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic, which shall identify principal strategic objectives, corresponding lines of effort, and lead agencies.
(ii) The Secretary of State shall, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, promptly review and, as necessary, adjust the United States’ current and planned future deployments of of public health, health security, and health diplomacy personnel overseas focused on the COVID-19 response, taking into account best practices for such deployments from partner nations’ COVID-19 response strategies.
(iii) conduct, in coordination with the heads of relevant agencies, a review of existing United States health security policies and strategies and develop recommendations for how the Federal Government may update them, including by, as appropriate: developing stronger global institutions focused on harmonizing crisis response for emerging biological events and public health emergencies; taking steps to strengthen the global pandemic supply chain and address any barriers to the timely delivery of supplies in response to a pandemic; working with partner countries and international organizations to strengthen and implement the International Health Regulations; reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID-19 global response and disproportionate impacts on marginalized and indigenous communities, women and girls, and other groups; reviewing and developing priorities for multilateral fora aimed at reducing the risk of deliberate or accidental biological events; combating antimicrobial resistance; and fighting climate change as a driver of health threats; and
(iv) develop, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of USAID, the Director of the CDC, and the heads of other relevant agencies, protocols for coordinating and deploying a global response to emerging high-consequence infectious disease threats. These protocols should outline the respective roles for relevant agencies in facilitating and supporting such response operations, including by establishing standard operating procedures for how USAID and the CDC coordinate their response efforts.
(b) The APNSA, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and the heads of relevant agencies, shall promptly develop a plan for establishing an interagency National Center for Epidemic Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics and modernizing global early warning and trigger systems for scaling action to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from emerging biological threats.
(c) The Secretary of State and the Representative of the United States to the United Nations shall provide to the President, through the APNSA, recommendations regarding steps the United States should take to encourage or support the establishment of a new position in the office of the United Nations Secretary-General of a facilitator for high-consequence biological threats, particularly for events involving significant collaboration and equities across the United Nations.
(d) To assist in the Federal Government’s efforts to provide warning of pandemics, protect our biotechnology infrastructure from cyber attacks and intellectual property theft, identify and monitor biological threats from states and non-state actors, provide validation of foreign data and response efforts, and assess strategic challenges and opportunities from emerging biotechnologies, the Director of National Intelligence shall:
(i) Review the collection and reporting capabilities in the United States Intelligence Community (IC) related to pandemics and the full range of high-consequence biological threats and develop a plan for how the IC may strengthen and prioritize such capabilities, including through organizational changes or the creation of National Intelligence Manager and National Intelligence Officer positions focused on biological threats, global public health, and biotechnology;
(ii) Develop and submit to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a National Intelligence Estimate on (A) the impact of COVID-19 on national and economic security; and (B) current, emerging, reemerging, potential and future biological risks to national and economic security; and
(iii) In coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, the Director of the CDC, the Administrator of USAID, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the heads of other relevant agencies, promptly develop and submit to the APNSA an analysis of the security implications of biological threats that can be incorporated into modeling, simulation, course of action analysis, and other analyses.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any part against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted a Readout titled: “Readout of Vice President Harris’s Call with World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus” From the Readout:
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone today with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to discuss the decision by the United States to reverse its withdrawal from the WHO in one of the first acts following inauguration, fulfill its financial obligations, and work as a constructive partner to strengthen and reform the WHO. The Vice President emphasized that she and President Biden believe the WHO is vital to controlling COVID-19 and building back better our global health and pandemic preparedness.
The Vice President and the Director-General also discussed the resumption of the United States’ role in the global public health and humanitarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vice President Harris also stressed the Biden-Harris Administration’s strong support for efforts to strengthen the global COVID-19 response, mitigate its secondary impacts, including on women and girls, and advance global health security to prevent the next outbreak from becoming an epidemic or pandemic. In addition, the Vice President emphasized the importance of making America safer through global cooperation.
The Director-General thanked the Vice President for the call and congratulated her and President Biden on they inauguration. Both the Director-General and the Vice President reiterated that they look forward to meeting in person.
January 21: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery.” From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to address the disproportionate and severe impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on communities of color and other underserved populations, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated severe and pervasive health and social inequities in America. For instance, people of color experience systemic and structural racism in many facets of our society and are more likely to become sick and die from COVID-19. The lack of complete data, disaggregated by race and ethnicity, on COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates, as well as underlying health and social vulnerabilities, has further hampered efforts to ensure an equitable pandemic response. Other communities, often obscured in the data, area also disproportionately affected by COVID-19, including sexual and gender minority groups, those living with disabilities, and those living at the margins of our economy. Observed inequities in rural and Tribal communities, territories, and other geographically isolated communities require a place-based approach to data collection and the response. Despite increased State and local efforts to address these inequities, COVID-19’s disparate impact on communities of color and other underserved populations remains unrelenting.
Addressing this devastating toll is both a moral imperative and pragmatic policy. It is impossible to change the course of the pandemic without tackling it in the hardest-hit communities. In order to identify and eliminate health and social inequities resulting in disproportionately higher rates of exposure, illness, and death, I am directing a Government-wide effort to address health equity. The Federal Government must take swift action to prevent and remedy differences in COVID-19 care and outcomes within communities of color and other underserved populations.
Sec. 2. COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. There is established within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force (Task Force).
(a) Membership. The Task Force shall consist of the Secretary of the HHS; an individual designated by the Secretary of HHS to Chair the Task Force (COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Chair); the heads of such other executive departments, agencies, or offices (agencies) as the Chair may invite; and up to 20 members from sectors outside of the Federal Government appointed by the President.
(i) Federal members may designate, to preform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is part of the member’s agency and a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government.
(ii) Nonfederal members shall include individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to groups suffering disproportionate rates of illness and death in the United States; individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to equity in public health, health care, education, housing, and community-based services; and any other individuals with expertise the President deems relevant. Appointments will be made without regard to political affiliation and shall reflect a diverse set of perspectives.
(iii) Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation for their work on the Task Force, but members will be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
(iv) At the direction of the Chair, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees under this section, as appropriate.
(b) Mission and Work.
(i) Consistent with applicable law and as soon as practicable, the Task Force shall provide specific recommendations to the President, through the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), for mitigating the health inequities caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and for preventing such inequities in the future. The recommendations shall include:
(A) recommendations for how agencies and State, local, Tribal and territorial officials can best allocate COVID-19 resources, in light of disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in certain communities and disparities in COVID-19 outcomes by race, ethnicity, and other factors, to the extent permitted by law.
(B) recommendations for agencies with responsibility for disbursing COVID-19 relief funding regarding how to disburse funds in a manner that advances equity; and
(C) recommendations for agencies regarding effective, culturally aligned communication, messaging, and outreach to communities of color and other underserved populations.
(ii) The Task Force shall submit a final report to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator addressing any ongoing health inequities faced by COVID-19 survivors that may merit a public health response, describing the factors that contributed to disparities in COVID-19 outcomes, and recommending actions to combat such disparities in future pandemic responses.
(c) Data Collection. To address the data shortfalls identified in section 1 of this order, and consistent with applicable law, the Task Force shall:
(i) collaborate with the heads of relevant agencies, consistent with the Executive Order entitled “Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats,” to develop recommendations for expediting data collection for communities of color and other underserved populations and identifying data sources, proxies, or indices that would enable development of short-term targets for pandemic-related actions for such communities and populations;
(ii) develop, in collaboration with the heads of relevant agencies, a set of longer-term recommendations to address these data shortfalls and other foundational data challenges, including those relating to data intersectionality, that must be tackled in order to better prepare and respond to future pandemics; and
(iii) submit the recommendations described in this subsection to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
(d) External Engagement. Consistent with the objectives set out in this order and with applicable law, the Task Force may seek the views of health professionals; policy experts; State, local, Tribal and territorial health officials; faith-based leaders; businesses; health providers; community organizations; those with lived experience with homelessness, incarceration, discrimination, and other relevant issues; and other stakeholders.
(e) Administration. Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, (5. U.S.C. App.) may apply to the Task Force, any functions of the President under the Act, except for those in section 6 of the Act, shall be performed by the Secretary of HHS in accordance with the guidelines that have been issued by the Administrator of General Services. HHS shall provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Chair shall convene regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work. The Chair shall designate an Executive Director of the Task Force, who shall coordinate the work of the Task Force and head off any staff assigned to the Task Force.
(f) Termination. Unless extended by the President, the Task Force shall terminate within 30 days of accomplishing the objectives set forth in this order, including the delivery of the report and recommendations specified in this section, or 2 years from the date of this order, whichever comes first.
Sec. 3. Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response. To address the inequities identified in section 1 of this order, it is hereby directed that:
(a) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Education, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of all other agencies with authorities or responsibilities relating to the pandemic response and recovery shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:
(i) consult with the Task Force to strengthen equity data collection, reporting, and use related to COVID-19;
(ii) assess pandemic response plans and policies to determine whether personal protective equipment, tests, vaccines, therapeutics, and other resources have been or will be allocated equitably, including by considering:
(A) the disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in certain communities; and
(B) any barriers that have restricted access to preventive measures, treatment, and other health services for high-risk populations;
(iii) based on the assessments described in subsection (a)(ii) of this section, modify pandemic response plans and policies to advance equity, with consideration to:
(A) the effect of proposed policy changes on the distribution of resources to, and access to health care by, communities of color and other underserved populations;
(B) the effect of proposed policy changes on agencies’ ability to collect, analyze, and report data necessary to monitor and evaluate the impact of pandemic response plans and policies on communities of color and other underserved populations; and
(C) policy priorities expressed by communities that have suffered disproportionate rates of illness and death as a result of the pandemic;
(iv) strengthen enforcement of anti-discrimination requirements pertaining to the availability of, and access to, COVID-19 care and treatment; and
(v) partner with States, localities, Tribes, and territories to explore mechanisms to provide greater assistance to individuals and families experiencing disproportionate economic or health effects from COVID-19 such as by expanding access to food, housing, child care, or income support.
(b) The Secretary of HHS shall:
(i) provide recommendations to State, local, Tribal and territorial leaders on how to facilitate the placement of contact tracers and other workers in communities that have been hit hardest hit by the pandemic, recruit such workers from those communities, and connect such workers to existing health workforce training programs and other career advancement programs; and
(II) conduct an outreach campaign to promote vaccine trust and uptake among communities of color and other underserved populations with higher levels of vaccine mistrust due to discriminatory medical treatment and research, and engage with leaders within those communities.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Supporting the Reopening and Continuing Operation of School and Early Childhood Educational Providers” From the executive order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, to ensure that students receive a high-quality education during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to support the safe reopening and continued operation of schools, child care providers, Head State programs, and institutions of higher education, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Every student in America deserves a high-quality education in a safe environment. This promise, which was already out of reach for too many, has been further threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. School and higher education administrators, educators, faculty, child care providers, custodians and other staff, and families have gone above and beyond to support children’s and students’ learning and meet their needs during this crisis. Students and teachers alike have found new ways to teach and learn. Many child care providers continue to provide care and learning opportunities to children in homes and centers across the country.
However, leadership and support from the Federal Government is needed. Two principles should guide the Federal Government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with respect to schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and higher education institutions. First, the health and safety of children, students, educators, families, and communities is paramount. Second, every student in the United States should have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, during and beyond the pandemic.
Accordingly, it is the policy of my Administration to provide support to help create the conditions for safe, in-person learning as quickly as possible; ensure high-quality instruction and the delivery of essential services often received by students and young children at school, institutions of higher education, child care providers, and Head Start programs; mitigate learning loss caused by the pandemic; and address educational disparities and inequities that the pandemic has created and exacerbated.
Sec. 2. Agency Roles and Responsibilities. The following assignments of responsibility shall be exercised in furtherance of the policy described in section 1 of this order:
(a) The Secretary of Education shall, consistent with applicable law:
(i) provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, evidence-based guidance to assist States and elementary and secondary schools in deciding whether and how to reopen, and how to remain open, for in-person learning; and in safely conducting in-person learning, including by implementing mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing;
(ii) provide, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, evidence-based guidance to institutions of higher education and safely reopening for in-person learning, which shall take into account considerations such as the institution’s setting, resources, and the population it serves;
(iii) provide advice to State, local, Tribal, and territorial educational authorities, institutions of higher education, local education agencies, and elementary and secondary schools regarding distance and online learning, blended learning, and in-person learning; and the promotion of mental health, social-emotional well-being, and communication with parents and families;
(iv) develop a Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse to enable schools and institutions of higher education to share lessons learned and best practices for operating safely during the pandemic;
(v) provide technical assistance to schools and institutions of higher education that they can ensure high-quality learning during the pandemic;
(vi) direct the Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to deliver a report as soon as practicable on the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on students, in elementary, secondary, and higher education, including those attending historically black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions;
(vii) coordinate with the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences to facilitate, consistent with applicable law, the collection of data necessary with applicable law, the collection of data necessary to fully understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on students and educators, including data on the status of in-person learning. These data shall be disaggregated by student demographics, including race, ethnicity, disability, English-language-learner status, and free or reduced lunch status or other appropriate indicators of family income; and
(viii) consult with those who have been struggling for months with the enormous challenges the COVID-19 pandemic poses for education, including students; educators; unions; families; State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials; and members of civil rights and disability rights organizations, in carrying out the directives in this order.
(b) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, consistent with applicable law:
(i) facilitate the collection of data needed to inform the safe reopening and continued operation of elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs, and ensure that such data are readily available to State, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders and the public, consistent with privacy interests, and that such data are disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and other factors as appropriate;
(ii) ensure, in coordination with the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) and other relevant agencies, that COVID-19-related supplies the Secretary administers, including testing materials, are equitably allocated to elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, and Head Start programs to support in-person care and learning;
(iii) to the maximum extent possible, support the development and operation of contact tracing programs at the State, local, Tribal, and territorial level, by providing guidance and technical support to ensure that contact tracing is available to facilitate the reopening and safe operation of elementary and secondary schools, child care providers, Head Start programs, and institutions of higher education;
(iv) provide guidance needed for child care providers and Head Start programs for safely reopening and operating, including procedure for mitigation measures such as cleaning, masking, proper ventilation, and testing, as well as guidance related to meeting the needs of children, families, and staff who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including trauma-informed care, behavioral and mental health support, and family support, as appropriate; and
(v) provide technical assistance to States, localities, Tribes, and territories to support the accelerated distribution of Federal COVID-19 relief funds to child care providers, and identify strategies to help fund child care providers safely remain open during the pandemic and beyond while the sector experiences widespread financial disruption due to increased costs and less revenue.
(c) The Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit a report to the Assistant to the President For Domestic Policy and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator identifying strategies to address the impact of COVID-19 on educational outcomes, especially along racial and socioeconomic lines, and shall share those strategies with State, local, Tribal and territorial officials. In developing these strategies, the Secretaries shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consult with such officials, as well as with education experts; educators; unions, civil rights advocates; Tribal education experts; public health experts; child development experts; early educators, including child care provider; Head Start staff; school technology practitioners; foundations; families; students; community advocates; and others.
(d) The Federal Communications Commission is encouraged, consistent with applicable law, to increase connectivity options for students lacking reliable home broadband, so that they can continue to learn if their schools are operating remotely.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implement consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Protecting Worker Health and Safety” From the Executive Order:
By the authorities vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is nearby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Ensuring the health and safety of workers is a national priority and a moral imperative. Healthcare workers and other essential workers, many of whom are people of color and immigrants, have put their lives on the line during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is the policy of my Administration to protect the health and safety of its workers from COVID-19.
The Federal Government must take swift action to reduce the risk that workers may contract COVID-19 in the workplace. That will require issuing science-based guidance to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure, including with respect to mask-wearing; partnering with State and local governments to better protect public employees; enforcing worker health and safety requirements; and pushing for additional resources to help employers protect employees.
Sec. 2. Protecting Workers from COVID-19 Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, in furtherance of the policy described in section 1 of this order and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(a) issue, within 2 weeks of the date of this order and in conjunction or consolation with the heads of any other appropriate executive departments and agencies (agencies), revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19, including with respect to masks in the workplace, are necessary, and if such standards are determined to be necessary, issue them by March 15, 2021:
(c) review the enforcement efforts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) related to COVID-19 and identify any short-, medium-, and long-term changes that could be made better to protect workers and ensure equity in enforcement;
(d) launch a national program to focus OSHA enforcement efforts related to COVID-19 on violations that put the largest number of workers at serious risk or are contrary to anti-retaliation principles; and
(e) coordinate with the Department of Labor’s Office of Public Affairs and Office of Public Engagement and all regional OSHA offices to conduct, consistent with applicable law, a multilingual outreach campaign to inform workers and their representatives of their rights under applicable law. This campaign shall include engagement with labor unions community organizations, and industries, and place a special emphasis on communities hit hardest by the pandemic.
Sec. 3 Protecting Other Categories of Workers from COVID-19 (a) The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health and consistent with applicable law, shall:
(i) coordinate with States that have occupational safety and health plans approved under section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Act) (29 U.S.C. 667) to seek to ensure that workers covered by such plans are adequately protected from COVID-19, consistent with any revised guidance or emergency temporary standards issued by OSHA; and
(ii) in States that do not have such plans, consult with State and local government entities with responsibility for public employee safety and health and with public employee unions to bolster protection from COVID-19 for public sector workers.
(b) The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the heads of any other appropriate agencies, shall, consistent with applicable law, explore mechanisms to protect workers not protected under the Act so that they remain healthy and safe on the job during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(c) The Secretary of Labor, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health, shall consider whether any emergency temporary standards on COVID-19 applicable to coal and metal or non-metal mines are necessary, and if such standards are determined to be necessary and consistent with applicable law, issue them as soon as practicable.
Sec. 4 General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implement consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR
January 21: The White House posted a Statement titled: “United States Global Leadership to Strengthen the International COVID-19 Response and to Advance Global Health Security and Biological Preparedness” From the Statement:
NATIONAL SECURITY MEMORANDUM – 1
SUBJECT: United States Global Leadership to Strengthen the International COVID-19 Response and to Advance Global Health Security and Biological Preparedness
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a grave reminder that biological threats, weather naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate, can have significant and potentially existential consequences for humanity.
This memorandum reaffirms Executive Order 13747 of November 4, 2016, which made clear that these threats pose global challenges that require global solutions. United States international engagement to combat COVID-19 and advance global health security and bio preparedness is thus an urgent priority – to save lives, promote economic recovery, and develop resilience against future biological catastrophes.
My Administration will treat epidemic and pandemic preparedness, health security, and global health as top national security priorities, and will work with other nations to combat COVID-19 and seek to create a world that is safe and secure from biological threats.
Section 1. Strengthening and Reforming the World Health Organization. On January 20, 2021, the United States reversed its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) by submitting a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General informing him of the President’s decision that the United States will remain a member of the organization.
Accordingly, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies), and the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), provide to the President within 30 days of the date of this memorandum recommendations on how the United States can: (1) exercise leadership at the WHO and work with partners to lead and reinvigorate the international COVID-19 response; (2) participate in international efforts to advance global health, health security, and the prevention of future biological catastrophes; and (3) otherwise strengthen and reform the WHO.
Sec. 2. United States Leadership in the Global Response to COVID-19.
(a) COVID-19 Global Vaccination, Research, and Development. In order to support global vaccination and research and development for treatments, tests, and vaccines:
(i) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of HHS shall inform the WHO and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, of the United States’ intent to support the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and join the multilateral vaccine distribution facility, known as the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility. The Secretaries shall also promptly deliver to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a framework for donating surplus vaccines, once there is a sufficient supply in the United States, to countries in need, including through the COVAX Facility.
(ii) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of HHS, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly deliver to the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator a plan for engaging with and strengthening multilateral initiatives focused on the global COVID-19 response, including the organizations identified in section 2(a)(i) and other initiatives focused on equitable development and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, tests, and personal protective equipment, such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
(b) Health, Diplomatic, and Humanitarian Response to COVID-19. In order to enable the United States to play an active role in the international COVID-19 public health and humanitarian response, including with respect to the pandemic’s secondary effects:
(i) The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of the United States Agency of HHS, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the heads of other relevant agencies, shall promptly develop and submit to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a Government-wide plan to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic, which shall identify principal strategic objectives, corresponding lines of effort, and lead agencies.
(ii) The Secretary of State shall, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, promptly review and, as necessary, adjust the United States’ current and planned future deployments of public health, health security, and health diplomacy personnel overseas focused on the COVID-19 response, taking into account best practices for such deployments from partner nations’ COVID-19 response strategies.
(iii) Within 14 days of the date of this memorandum or as soon as possible thereafter, the Security of State shall develop, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS, the Representative of the United States to the United Nations, the Administrator of USAID, and the Director of the CDC, a diplomatic outreach plan for enhancing the United States; response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on engaging partner nations, the United Nations (including the United Nations Security Council), and other multilateral stakeholders on:
(A) the financing and capacity for strengthening the global COVID-19 response;
(B) the provision of assistance, including in humanitarian settings and to mitigate secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic such as food insecurity and gender-based violence; and
(C) the provision of support, including with the United Nations and other relevant multilateral fora, for the capacity of the most vulnerable communities to prevent, detect, respond to, mitigate, and recover from impacts of COVID-19.
(c) COVID-19 Sanctions Relief. The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of HHS and the Administrator of USAID, shall promptly review existing United States and multilateral financial and economic sanctions to evaluate whether they are unduly hindering responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide recommendations to the President, through the APSNA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, for any changes in approach.
Sec. 3 Review of Funding for COVID-19 Response and Global Health Security and Biodefense. In order to ensure that global health security considerations are central to United States foreign policy, global health policy, and national security, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall, in coordination with the heads of relevant agencies and the APSNA:
(a) review the funding allocated for the COVID-19 response, including the secondary impacts of the pandemic, as well as for global health security, global health, pandemic preparedness, and biodefense; and
(b) provide the President with an assessment of whether that funding, as well as funding for subsequent budgetary years, is sufficient to support operations and administrative needs related to the COVID-19 response, as well as future global health security, global health, pandemic preparedness, and biodefense needs.
Sec. 4. Financing for Global Health Security. In order to develop a health security financing mechanism, make strategic use of multilateral and bilateral channels and institutions, and assist developing countries in preparing for, preventing, detecting, and responding to COVID-19 and other infectious disease threats:
(a) The APNSA, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of USAID, the Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation, and the heads of other agencies providing foreign assistance and development financing, shall promptly provide to the President recommendations for creating an enduring international catalytic financing multilateral approaches to global health security.
(b) The Secretary of the Treasury shall promptly provide to the President, through APNSA, a strategy on how the United States can promote in international financial institutions, including the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, financing, relief, and other policies that are aligned with and support the goals of combating COVID-19 and strengthening global health security.
Sec. 5. Advancing Global Health Security and Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness.
(a) The APNSA shall:
(i) coordinate the Federal Government’s efforts to prepare for, prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from biological events, and to advance the global health security, international pandemic preparedness, and global health resilience;
(ii) coordinate the development of priorities for, and elevate United States leadership and assistance in support of, the Global Health Security Agenda;
(iii) conduct, in coordination with the heads of relevant agencies, a review of existing United States health security policies and strategies and develop recommendations for how the Federal Government may update them, including by, as appropriate: developing stronger global institutions focused on harmonizing crisis response for emerging biological events and public health emergencies; taking steps to strengthen the global pandemic supply chain and address any barriers to the timely delivery of supplies in response to a pandemic; working with partner countries and international organizations to strengthen and implement the Internationals Health Regulations; reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the COVID-19 global response and disproportionate impacts on marginalized and indigenous communities, women and girls, and other groups; reviewing and developing priorities for multilateral fora aimed at reducing the risk of deliberate or accidental biological events; combating antimicrobial resistance; and fighting climate change as a driver of health threats; and
(iv) develop, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of HHS, the Administrator of USAID, the Director of the CDC, and the heads of other relevant agencies, protocols for coordinating and deploying a global response to emerging high-consequence infectious disease threats. These protocols should outline the respective roles for relevant agencies in facilitating and supporting such response operations, including by establishing standard operating procedures for how USAID and the CDC coordinate their response efforts.
(b) The APNSA, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and the heads of relevant agencies, shall promptly develop a plan for establishing an interagency National Center for Epidemic Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics and modernizing global early warning and trigger systems for scaling action to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from emerging biological threats.
(c) The Secretary of State and the Representative of the United States to the United Nations shall provide to the President, through the APNSA, recommendations regrind steps the United States should take to encourage or support the establishment of a new position in the office of the United Nations Secretary-General of a facilitator for high-consequence biological threats, particularly for events involving significant collaboration and equities across the United Nations.
(d) To assist in the Federal Government’s efforts to provide warning of pandemics, protect our biotechnology infrastructure from cyber attacks and intellectual property theft, identify and monitor biological threats from states and non-state actors, provide validation of foreign data and response efforts, and assess strategic challenges and opportunities from emerging biotechnologies, the Director of National Intelligence shall:
(i) Review the collection and reporting capabilities in the United States Intelligence Community (IC) related to pandemics and the full range of high-consequence biological threats and develop a plan for how the IC may strengthen and prioritize such capabilities, including through organizational changes or the creation of National Intelligence Manager and National Intelligence Officer positions focused on biological threats, global public health, and biotechnology;
(ii) Develop and submit to the President, through the APNSA and the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, a National Intelligence Estimate on (A) the impact of COVID-19 on national and economic security; and (B) current, emerging, reemerging potential, and future biological risks to national and economic security; and
(iii) In coordination with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of HHS, the Director of the CDC, the Administrator of USAID, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the heads of other relevant agencies, promptly develop and submit to the APNSA an analysis of the security implications of biological threats that can be incorporated into modeling, simulation, course of action analysis, and other analyses.
Sec. 6. General Provisions (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Establishing the COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board and Ensuring a Sustainable Public Health Workforce for COVID-19 and Other Biological Threats” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to control coronaviruses disease 2019 (COVID-19) by using a Government-wide, unified approach that includes: establishing a national COVID-19 testing and public health workforce strategy; working to expand the supply of tests; working to bring test manufacturing to the United States, where possible; working to enhance laboratory testing capacity; working to expand the public health workforce; supporting screening testing for schools and priority populations; and ensuring a clarity of messaging about the use of tests and insurance coverage.
Sec. 2. COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board.
(a) Establishment and Membership. There is established a COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board (Testing Board), chaired by the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator) or his designee. The Testing Board shall include representatives from executive departments and agencies (agencies) that are designated by the President. The heads of agencies so designated shall designate officials from their respective agencies to represent them on the Testing Board.
(b) Mission and Functions. To support the implementation and oversight of the policy laid out in section 1 of this order, the Testing Board shall:
(i) coordinate Federal Government efforts to promote COVID-19 diagnostic, screening, and surveillance testing;
(ii) make recommendations to the President with respect for prioritizing the Federal Government’s assistance to State, local, Tribal, and territorial authorities, in order to expand testing and reduce disparities in access to testing;
(iii) identify barriers to access and use of testing in, and coordinate Federal Government efforts to increase testing for:
(A) priority populations, including healthcare workers and other essential workers;
(B) communities with major shortages in testing availability and use;
(C) at-risk settings, including long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, immigration custodial settings, detention facilities, schools, child care settings, and food processing and manufacturing facilities; and
(D) high-risk groups, including people experiencing homelessness, migrants, and seasonal workers;
(iv) identify methods to expand State, local, Tribal, and territorial capacity to conduct testing, contact tracing, and isolation and quarantine, in order for schools, businesses, and travel to be conducted safely;
(v) provide guidance on how to enhance the clarity, consistency, and transparency of Federal Government communication with the public about the goals and purposes of testing;
(vi) identify options for Federal Government to maximize testing capacity of commercial labs and academic labs; and
(vii) propose short-and long-term reforms for the Federal Government to: increase State, local, Tribal and territorial capacity to conduct testing; expand genomic sequencing; and improve the effectiveness and speed of the Federal Government’s response to future pandemics and other biological emergencies.
(d) The Chair of the Testing Board shall coordinate with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the heads of other relevant agencies or their designees, as necessary, to ensure that the Testing Board’s work is coordinated with the Public Health Emergency Countermeasures Enterprise within HHS.
Sec. 3 Actions to Address the Cost of COVID-19 Testing.
(a) The Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of HHS, and the Secretary of Labor, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall promptly, and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:
(i) facilitate the provision of COVID-19 testing free of charge to those who lack comprehensive health insurance; and
(ii) clarify group health plans’ and health insurance issuers’ obligations to provide coverage for COVID-19 testing.
(b) The Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Education, and the Security of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, shall promptly, and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
(i) provide support for surveillance tests for settings such as schools; and
(ii) expand equitable access to COVID-19 testing.
Sec. 4. Establishing a Public Health Workforce Program.
(a) The Secretary of HHS and the Secretary of Labor shall promptly consult with State, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders to understand the challenges they face in pandemic response efforts, including challenges recruiting and training sufficient personnel to ensure adequate testing in schools and high-risk settings.
(b) The Secretary of HHS shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, as soon as practicable:
(i) provide technical support to State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health agencies with respect to testing and contact-tracing efforts; and
(ii) assist such authorities in the training of public health workers. This may include technical assistance non-Federal public health workforces in connection with testing, contract tracing, and mass vaccinations, as well as other urgent public health workforce needs, such as combating opioid use.
(c) The Secretary of HHS shall submit to the President, through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APAP), and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), a plan detailing:
(i) how the Secretary of HHS would deploy personnel in response to future high-consequence public health threats; and
(ii) five-year targets and budget requirements for achieving a sustainable public health workforce, as well as options for expanding HHS capacity, such as by expanding the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and Epidemic Intelligence Service, so that the Department can better respond to future pandemics and other biological threats.
(d) The Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service, in coordination with the COVID-19 Response Coordinator, the ADAP, and the APNSA, shall submit a plan to the President for establishing a national contact tracing and COVID-19 public health workforce program, to be known as the U.S. Public Health Job Corps, which shall be modeled on or developed as a component of the FEMA Corps program. Such plans shall include means by which the U.S. Public Health Job Corps to immediately assign personnel from any of the agencies involved in the creation of the plan, including existing AmeriCorps members, to join or aid the U.S. Public Health Job Corps. The U.S. Public Health Job Corps will:
(i) conduct and train individuals in contact tracing related to the COVID-19 pandemic;
(ii) assist in outreach for vaccination efforts, including by administering vaccination clinics;
(iii) assist with training programs for State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to provide testing, including in schools; and
(iv) provide other necessary services to Americans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sec. 5 General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 21: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 21, 2021” From the Press Briefing:
MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us today. Many familiar faces from yesterday back again. We are pleased to have Dr. Fauci here with visas part of the President’s commitment to have public health experts lead our communication with the American people about the pandemic.
Just to give you a bit of a run of show here: Dr. Fauci will speak at the top about the state of the pandemic, the status of vaccines. He’ll take some of your questions. I will play the role of the bad cop when it’s time for him to go and get to the work of the American people. And then I will do a topper, and I’ll answer a bunch of your questions as well.
So, there’s lots to come after this. With that, I will turn it over to Dr. Fauci.
DR. FAUCI: Thank you very much. And I’m going to just spend a couple of minutes just summarizing the status of where we are and then maybe addressing some of the things I know are on people’s minds.
So, first of all, obviously, we are still in a very serious situation. I mean, to have over 400,000 deaths is something that, you know, is, unfortunately, historic in the very – in the very bad sense. When you look at the number of new infections that we have, it’s still at a very, very high rate. Hospitalizations are up. There are certain areas of the country, as I think you’re all familiar with, which are really stressed from the standpoint of beds, from the standpoint of the stress on the healthcare system.
However, when you look more recently at the seven-day average of cases – remember, we were going between 300,000 and 400,000, and 200,00 and 300,000. Right now, it looks like it might actually be plateauing in the sense of turning around.
Now, there’s good news in that, but you have to be careful that we may not be seeing perhaps an artifact – an artifact of the slowing down following the holidays. So when we see that, we think it’s real.
But one of the things – and it’s interesting – I’m, sort of, getting a deja vu standing up here, because I said something like this almost a little bit less than a year ago, when we were talking about the acceleration of cases in the late winter / early spring of 2020, when we were having New York City metropolitan area being the epicenter of what was going on – that there are always lags, so please be aware of that; that when you have cases, and then a couple of weeks later, you’ll see it represented in hospitalizations, intensive care, and then a couple of weeks later, in deaths.
So you have almost paradoxical curves, where you see something plateauing and may be coming down at the same time as hospitalizations and deaths might actually be going up.
So this is something that I just put on your radar screen. It is not an unusual thing to see that sort of thing.
The other point I want to make is one that we’re getting asked a lot regarding questions, and that is: What is it about these mutants that you’re hearing about – the mutants in the UK, which we know are about 20-plus states; the mutants that we’re seeing in South Africa and in Brazil
First of all, we need to understand that RNA viruses, like coronaviruses, mutate all the time. Most of the mutations don’t have any physiological relevance with regard to the function of the virus itself. However, every once in a while, you get mutations, either singly or clustered in combinations, which do have an impact.
So what have we learned this far? And I want to emphasize “thus far” because we’re paying very, very careful attention to this, and we take it very seriously. At least from the experience that our colleagues in the UK have had, the one that is in the UK appears to have a greater degree of transmissibility – about twice as much as what we call the “wild type” original virus. The one that is in South Africa is a bit different, and I’ll get to that in a second.
So, it does look like it increases the transmissibility. They say, correctly, on a one-to-one basis, it doesn’t seem to make the virus more virulent or have a greater chance of making you seriously ill or killing you. However, we shouldn’t be lulled into complacency about that, because if you have a virus that is more transmissible, you’re going to get more cases. When you get more cases, you’re going to get more hospitalization. And when you get more hospitalizations, you’re ultimately going to get more deaths. So even though the virus, on a one-to-one basis, isn’t more serious, the phenomenon of a more transmissible virus is something that you take seriously.
The next thing is: Does it change enough to interfere with the efficacy of a whole group of monoclonal antibodies that many of you are aware of? The monoclonal antibodies that are being used for treatment, in some cases, and prevention. Since monoclonal antibodies bind to a very specific part of the virus, when there’s a mutation there, it has much greater chance of obliterating the efficacy of a monoclonal antibody. And we’re seeing it in the much more concerning mutations that are in South Africa – and in some respects, Brazil, which is similar to South Africa – that it is having an effect on the monoclonal antibodies.
The real question that people are quite clearly interested in is: What is the impact of the vaccine? And so far, literally, we have this new phenomenon that a preprint journals – where – where people get data, and they put it into a preprint server where it hasn’t been peer reviewed, but you have to pay attention to it because it gives you good information quickly. Ultimately, it gets confirmed.
And we’re seeing them coming out over the last few days, and what they’re saying is that what we likely will be seeing is a diminution – more South Africa than UK – UK – is that diminution in what would be the efficacy of the vaccine-induced antibodies.
Now, that does not mean that the vaccines will not be effective, and let me explain why. There’s a thing called a “cushion effect.” So, if you have a vaccine, like Moderna and the Pfizer vaccine, that can suppress the virus at dilution, let’s say, of 1 to 1,000, and the mutant influences it by bringing it down to maybe 1 to 800, or something like that, you’re still well above the line of not being effective. So there’s that “cushion” that even though it’s diminished somewhat, it still is effective. That’s what we’re seeing both certainly in the UK, which is very minimal effect. We’re following very carefully the one in South Africa, which is a little bit more concerning but nonetheless, not something that we don’t think we can handle.
What is the message? Because someone can say, “Now, wait a minute – if you have the possibility that the vaccines are diminishing in their impact, why are we vaccinating people?” No. It is all the more reason why we should be vaccinating as many people as you possibly can. Because as long as the virus is out there replicating – viruses don’t mutate unless they replicate. And if you can suppress that by a very good vaccine campaign, then you could actually avoid this deleterious effect that you might get from the mutations.
Bottom line: We’re paying very close attention to it. There are alternative plans if we every have to modify the vaccine. That is not something that is a very onerous thing. We can do that given the platforms we have. But right now, from the reports we have – literally as of today – it appears that the vaccines will still be effective against them, with the caveat in mind you want to pay close attention to it.
So, Jen, why don’t I just stop there and then maybe just answer some questions on anything else that I said?
So, yeah.
Q: How helpful would it have been if Amazon got involved with the federal response to COVID-19 before Biden took office? And do you know about any plans or discussions ahead of yesterday?
DR. FAUCI: No, I don’t think I could answer that question. I’d be waving my hands about that. Sorry.
But, you know, one of the things in this administration is: If you don’t know that answer, don’t guess; just say you don’t know that answer.
(Laughter.)
Yeah.
Q: Dr. Fauci –
DR. FAUCI: Yes.
Q: Dr. Fauci, a couple of questions, if I might. I’d like to follow up with you on what you said about this strain in South Africa. Has that strain made its way to the United States? And what, if any concerns do you have? How much do we understand about it?
DR. FAUCI: Great question. Thus far, it does not appear at all that the South African strain is in the United States. However, we must be honest and say that the level of comprehensive sequence surveillance thus far is not at the level that we would have liked. So we’re going to be looking very, very carefully for it. But given the information we have today, it doesn’t appear that the South African strain is here.
Q: Okay. And if I could just ask you about the effort to distribute the vaccines, because, of course, that’s what most people want to know: when are they going to get a vaccine. Is the Biden administration starting from scratch with the vaccine distribution effort, or are you picking up where the Trump administration left off?
DR. FAUCI: No, I mean, we certainly are not starting from scratch because there is activity going on in the distribution.
But if you look at the plan that the President has put forth about the things that he’s going to do – namely, get community vaccine centers up, get pharmacy more involved; where appropriate, get the Defense Production Act involved, not only perhaps with getting more vaccine, but even the things you need to get a good vaccine program – for example, needles and syringes that might be more useful in that. So it’s taking what’s gone on, but amplifying it in a big way.
Q: President Biden said that what was left was “abysmal,” essentially. Is there anything actionable that you are taking from the previous administration to move it forward?
DR. FAUCI: Well –
Q: And is that delaying your efforts to get the vaccine? I mean, that’s the question that –
DR. FAUCI: No, I mean, we’re coming in with fresh ideas, but also some ideas that were not bad ideas with the – the previous administration. You can’t say it was absolutely not usable at all. So we are continuing, but you’re going to see a real ramping-up of it.
Q: One more final question. You had said that most people will be vaccinated by the middle of 2021. Is that still your expectation?
DR. FAUCI: Yes, it is. I mean, I believe that the goal that was set by the President of getting 100 million people vaccinated in the first hundred days is quite a reasonable goal.
And when you get to the point – and one of the things that I think is something we need to pay attention to – and I, quite frankly, have been spending considerable amount of my own time – is outreaching particularly to minority communities to make sure that you get them to be vaccinated and you explain why it’s so important for themselves, their family, and their community.
If we get 70 to 85 percent of the country vaccinated – let’s say by the time we get to the fall, we will be approaching a degree of normality. It’s not going to be perfectly normal, but one that I think a lot of pressure off the American public.
Q: Dr. Fauci, you’re one of the few holdovers from the previous administration to this current one. What has been your experience with the new team? And, in your view, what would have been different, in terms of trajectory of this outbreak from the start, had a team like this benign placemat the beginning?
DR. FAUCI: Well, I can tell you my impression of what’s going on right now – the team. I’m – I don’t know if I can extrapolate other things. But one of the things that was very clear as recently as about 15 minutes ago, when I was with the President, is that one of the things that we’re going to do is to be completely transparent, open, and honest. If things go wrong, not point fingers, but correct htm. And to make everything we do be based on science and evidence.
I mean, that was literally a conversation I had 15 minutes ago with the President, and he has said that multiple times.
Q: Is there anything that you, looking back on your comments of the last 10 or 12 months, would like to now, with that sort of license, to amend or clarify?
DR. FAUCI: No. I mean, I always said everything on the ba – –that’s why I got in trouble sometimes. (Laughter.)
Q: You mentioned pharmacies. The new CDC director said today that the goal of getting vaccinations into pharmacies by the end of next month isn’t realistic, as had been previously suggested. When will most Americans be able to get a vaccination in their neighborhood pharmacy?
DR. FAUCI: Well, I’m – I didn’t hear that comment. Are you talking about Dr. Welensky’s comment? I didn’t hear that comment, so I don’t really want to comment on the comment. But what she may be saying is that for many people in this country who don’t have access to a pharmacy, they may not be able to utilize getting things in the pharmacy.
I – I’m not sure; I want to be careful because I’m not sure that’s what she said.
We just had a conversation about how we’re going to get vaccines to people who are in pharmacy-desert areas, where they don’t have easy access to a pharmacy. And that’s something we’re working on and taking very seriously.
Q: But just to be clear: If you are in an area where you do have access to a CVS or a Walgreens –
DR. FAUCI: Right.
Q: – when will you be able to get access to this vaccine –
DR. FAUCI: You know –
Q: – like you would a flu vaccine?
DR. FAUCI: You know, in the spirit of not guessing, I really – I’m not sure when that will be, but we can get back to you on that.
Q: And just on the broader timeline: You mentioned the fall. We just heard the President say, you know, the brutal truth us that is going to be several more months. Just to be clear, you’re saying by the fall, the majority of Americans –
DR. FAUCI: No.
Q: – you think will be vaccinated?
DR. FAUCI: No, I didn’t say that. I said if we get the majority of Americans – 70 to 85 percent – vaccinated by then, we could have a degree of herd immunity that would get us back to normal.
The concern I have, and something we’re working on, is getting people who have vaccine hesitancy, who don’t want to get vaccinated – because many people are skeptical about that. So we really need to do a lot of good outreach for that.
I mean, I don’t know what the best case – the best case scenario, if it were for me, is that we’d get 85 percent of the people vaccinated by the end of the summer. If we do, then by the time we ge to the fall, I think we can approach a degree of normality.
DR. FAUCI: No, no. What it is is that you can do in vitro in a test tube setting, binding an affinity to the receptors, which you have in your nose, in your lung, in your GI tract. The receptor for the virus is called an “ACE2″ receptor.” And the facility or affinity with which a virus binds to that means that it very likely will have a better efficiency of infection and replicate more in the nasopharynx. So that’s how you make that determination in the test tube.
Then when you look epidemiologically, and you’ll see a spike – going up in the sense of number of cases – and they sort of match each other. A virus that has the ability to easily bind to replicate with your receptors is one that likely will spread easier.
Q: So it doesn’t mean that you’d have more viral load. You –
DR. FAUCI: Well, you could. Yes. In fact, it would mean – because if it binds more easily, it could replicate in the nasopharynx more easily, and it is likely that you would have a higher viral load.
Q: So does it make masks less effective in that case?
DR. FAUCI: No, it makes it the reason why you absolutely should be wearing a mask. It doesn’t necessarily make it less effective. If you properly wear a mask, then you’ll be okay.
Q: And then, on the UK strain, do you have any data on how widespread that strain is in the United States?
DR. FAUCI: Well, I think it’s in at least 20 states that people have mentioned. Exactly – the real question that’s going to be asked: Is it going to become the dominant strain, or will the strains we already have prevented from flourishing and being the more dominant strain? But it is here, for sure.
Yeah.
Q: Just a follow-up on vaccines. Some state and local authorities are saying that they would be able to distribute more vaccines if they had more. Is the Biden administration now trying to increase production by Moderna and Pfizer in the next six weeks?
DR. FAUCI: Yeah, as well as to utilize what we hope will be another player in the field: J&J, Janssen, as well as other of the companies. But also, as the – as the President has said in his plan, to do whatever he can to expand the availability of vaccines, whatever that is. I mean, he said in his plan, to do whatever he can to expand the availability of vaccines, whatever that is. I mean, he said that he’s going to just use every possibility, including the Defense Production Act.
Q: And can you explain the discrepancy between what some states are saying about needing more vaccines and the CDC saying that a lot of vaccine is still remaining on people’s – or on their shelves?
DR. FAUCI: Yeah, you know, I think that that is something that we need to really take a close look at because that is sort of an inconsistent discrepancy, and one of things we want to do is to find out why that’s the case. And if it is the case – particularly the thing that would be most disturbing: if there’s vaccine laying around, and people are not using it when others would need it.
But I don’t know the answer to that question, but we need to look into it.
Q: Dr. Fauci, you’ve joked couple times today already about the difference that you feel in being kind the spokesperson for this issue in this administration versus the previous one. Can you – can you talk a little bit about how free, how much different – do you feel less constrained?
What is the – you know, I mean, you – for so many times, you stood up behind the podium with Donald Trump standing behind you. That was a different – that was a different feeling, I’m sure, than it is today. Can you talk a little bit about how you feel kind of released from what you had been doing for the last year?
DR. FAUCI: Yeah, but you said I was joking about it. I was very serious – (laughs) – about it. I wasn’t joking.
No, actually I mean – I mean, obviously, I don’t want to be going back, you know, over history, but it was very clear that there were things that were said – be it regarding things like hydroxychloroquine and other things like that – that really was uncomfortable because they were not based on scientific fact.
I can tell you I take no pleasure at all in being a situation of contradicting the President, so it was really something that you didn’t feel that you could actually say something and there wouldn’t be any repercussions about it.
The idea that you can get up here and talk about what you know, what the evidence, what the science is, and know that’s it – let the science speak – it is somewhat of a liberating feeling.
Q: I mean, you were basically banished for a few months there for a while. (Laughter.) Do you feel like you’re back now?
DR. FAUCI: I think so. (Laughter.)
Okay.
MS. PSAKI: Well, that’s Mike Shear, if you don’t want to take questions from him in the future. (Laughter.)
Thank you, Dr. Fauci, so much for joining us, We really appreciate it, and we’ll have him back again.
DR. FAUCI: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Well, thank you everyone. As I promised, we’ll have a full briefing from here.
So, as you know, just a few moments ago, the President also released a national COVID-19 strategy and signed 10 executive orders and other directives to move quickly to contain the crisis.
Underpinning everything the President signed today and everything we do every day will be equity. Some highlights of those actions include an executive order to fill supply shortfalls for vaccinations, testing, and PPE. The President directed agencies exercise all appropriate authorities, including Defense Production Act; to accelerate manufacturing and delivering of supplies, such as N95 masks, gowns, gloves, PCR swabs, test reagents, and necessary equipment and material for the vaccine.
The President also signed:
a presidential memorandum to increase federal reimbursement to states and tribes for the cost of National Guard personnel, emergency supplies, and the personnel and equipment to create vaccination centers
an executive order that established a COVID-19 pandemic testing board to bring the full force of the federal government’s expertise to expanding testing supply and increasing access to testing
an executive order to bolster access to COVID-19 treatments and clinical care, establishing a comprehensive and coordinated preclinical drug discovery and development program to allow therapeutics to be evaluated and developed in response to pandemic threats.
Sorry, I had to clear buy throat; there’s a lot here.
He also issued:
an executive order directing the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to provide guidance on safe reopening and operating for schools, childcare providers, and institutions of higher education.
an executive order on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to immediately release clear guidance for employers to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure.
and an executive order establishing a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force – something we had previously announced, but making it official today – to provide specific recommendations to the President for allocating resources and funding communities with inequities in COVID-19 outcomes by race, ethnicity, geography, disability, and other considerations.
These steps, of course, build in the action we announced yesterday. I had an additional update. Some of you may have seen this come out through last – late last night. But I wanted to share with you that, as a result of one of the executive orders President Biden signed yesterday, the Acting Homeland Security Secretary issued a memorandum to review and reset immigration enforcement policies.
For 100 days, beginning tomorrow, the Department of Homeland Security will pause removals for certain individuals. This pause will allow the administration to review and reset enforcement policies and ensure that resources are dedicated the most pressing challenges, and the we have a fair and effective enforcement system rooted in responsibly managing the border and protecting our national security and public safety.
I had one other item I just wanted to flag for you about something the First Lady is up to. Let me see if I can find that, or I will circle back to it a little bit later.
With that, I’m happy to take your questions. Zeke, why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thanks, Jen. There was some reporting earlier today about the President’s commitment to extending New START. Can you talk about what the President’s directive on that front has been?
Additionally, did he – can you confirm that the President requested reports from the new DNI for an assessment on potential foreign interference in the 2020 election, and then also the SolarWinds hack?
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. I can confirm that the United States intends to seek a five-year extension of New START, as the treaty permits. The President has long been clear that the New START Treaty is in the national security interests of the United States. And this extension makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is adversarial, as it is at this time.
New START is the only remaining treaty constraining Russian nuclear forces and is an anchor of strategic stability between our two countries.
And to the other part of your question: Even as we war with Russia to advance U.S. interests, so too we work to hold Russia to account for its reckless and adversarial actions. And to this end, the President is also issuing a tasking to the intelligence community for its full assessment of the SolarWinds cyber breach, Russian interference in the 2020 election, its use of chemical weapons against opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and the alleged bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
So that’s hopefully answered all of it. That was a mouthful.
Q: And just changing gears for a quick second to COVID and the negotiations on Capital Hill: How long is the President willing to pursue bipartisanship? Democrats are already talking about a reconciliation process. Is there a – given the critical need for some sort of aid here that the President is talking about, is there a deadline which he’s going to -he’s giving Republicans – you know, is it February 1st, is it Presidents weekend – by which he’ll say, “No, we’re not going to do this by reconciliation instead”?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m not going to set any deadlines on our first full day in office, but I will say hopefully I’ll have more for all of you on this tomorrow.
We are going to be increasing our engagements; it’s already been ongoing, even before the President was inaugurated yesterday. But hopefully, we’ll have more to share with you tomorrow on meetings, engagements, discussions that will be going on with leaders on Capitol Hill and many members over the course of the next several days.
As I conveyed to all of you yesterday, his preference and priority is a bipartisan package and working with members of both parties to come to agreement on that, because he believes that the crisis facing the American people – as we say, the jobs numbers this morning, the unemploy- unemployment insurance claims, I should say – we put out a statement by our NEC director, in case you didn’t see that; as we’ve seen in the reports from Dr. Fauci just a few minutes ago, this crisis is dire, and it requires immediate action, and we hope and expect members of both parties to work together to do that.
We’re also not going to take options off the table. So, we’ll proceed with those discussions over the next couple of days.
Go ahead, Kristen.
Q: Hi Jen. If I could just follow up on that. There was some reporting that there was going to be a meeting this weekend with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. Can you give us any indication – is that going to happen with President Biden or with his economic team? Is that your expectation?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think the reporting was around a meeting with NEC Director Brian Deese. I spoke with him earlier today; he is definitely going to be engaging with a range of members and a range of different groups of members from Capitol Hill in the coming days. I think we were still working to confirm specific meetings before I came out here, and I hope to have more for all of you on that by tomorrow.
Q: Okay. And more broadly speaking, Jen, President Biden has proposed this 1.9-trillion-dollar package. You already have some Republicans who say, “We just passed a stimulus plan.” They’re not going to get on board with this – Mitt Romney among them, who says, “We just passed a program with over $900 billion.” And some people say the price tag is just way too bog. So how does President Biden expect to get this passed with bipartisan support? And how does that fit into his broader message of bipartisanship, proposing something like this that’s that big?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think it fits perfectly into his message of bipartisanship. He wants to work with Democrats and Republicans address the crisis that the American people are facing, whether they live in red states or blue states or Democratic – Democrats or Republicans.
The package was designed based on recommendations from health experts, from economists. It’s been applauded by everyone from Senator Bernie Sanders to the Chamber of Commerce. And there are specific pieces in there that are meant to serve as a bridge for the American people, including a large percentage of it that’s for unemployment insurance; funding for vaccine distribution – something that is pivotal, as we’ve already been discussing here today; for reopening of schools.
So part of the discussion we’ll be having with members is, “What do you want to cut?” And this is a plan that he feels addresses the crisis at the moment.
Q: And one quick follow-up on that. The work of the Senate is being held up by this dispute over the filibuster. Where does President Biden come down on that? Does he think that there should not be a filibuster so that the Senate can move forward with its work?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President-elect spoke just yesterday, as you all saw, about the spirit of working together and bipartisanship to confront the four crises facing us.
You’ve already seen him work with Republicans and Democrats and work toward a bipartisan approach to passing packages that will address the crises we’re facing. And that certainly is his priority and his preference. So that’s what he’ll continue to work on on day two of the administration.
Go ahead, Mike Shear.
Q: Okay. See? You can call on me. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: I just gave you a hard time. Go ahead.
Q: That’s fine. So I want to push you a little bit more on that question. Like if there’s this call for unity that the President made in his speech yesterday, but there has so far been almost no fig leaf even to the Republican Party. You don’t have a Republican Cabinet member, like President Obama and, I Think, President Clinton had. You – you know, the executive orders, much of which the Republican Party likes and agrees with. You’ve put forth an immigration bill that has a path to citizenship but doesn’t do much of a nod toward the border security. And you’ve got a 1.9-trillion dollar COVID relief bill that has, as folks have said, already drawn all sorts of criticism. Where is the – where is the actual action behind this idea of bipartisanship?
And when are we going to see one of those, you know, sort of, substantial outreaches that says, “This is something that, you know, Republicans want to do, too”?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I guess what I would send back to you – there’s a lot in there, so let me do my best here.
But, Mike, is unemployment insurance only an issue that Democrats in the country want? Do only Democrats want their kids to go back to schools? Do only Democrats want vaccines to be distributed across the country? That’s – we feel that package – he feels that package is designed for bipartisan support.
I will also say that we have also had some positive developments on our conformations and our nominees. Last night, as you all saw, his – the President’s nominee, now confirmed, leader – first female leader of the intelligence community was confirmed with a vote of 85 to 10, 84 to 10 – you can check me on that – but an overwhelming vote. We’ve seen progress today on the nomination and hopeful confirmation of Lloyd Austin.
So there is movement, supported by both sides of the aisle and members of both parties.
I think if you talk to Democrats – or Republicans on the Hill, which I know many of you do, they will sa they’re not looking for something symbolic. They are looking for engagement. They’re looking to have a conversation. They’re looking to have a dialogue. And that’s exactly what he’s going to do.
Go ahead, Mary.
Q: On that, has the President reached out to congressional leaders to sit down and discuss his relief package? Will he be? How much personal involvement is he going to have in the process?
MS. PSAKI: I expect he will be rolling up is sleeves and will be quite involved in this process, Mary. And he was – yesterday was quite a busy day for him. As you all know, his schedule was minute by minute, and his family was here. But he was involved even before yesterday, having conversations with members of both parties – picking up the phone and having those conversations. He saw, of course, members of both parties. He invited leaders from both parties to join him at church. Obviously, that wasn’t really a discussion about specifics of the bill, bit they did – he did have an opportunity to talk about his agenda and working for forward – working together on his agenda moving forward.
But I think you will see him quite involved in the days ahead, but you will also see the Vice President quite involved. You will also see policy leaders, like Brian Deese and others in the administration, quite involved in having conversations with both Democrats and Republicans.
Q: But no plans right now to sit down with them?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we will have more to share with you soon in terms of engagement of many of our senior officials with members of both parties.
Q: And on the Defense Production Act, just to be clear, has the administration actually invoked the Defense Production Act? And, if so, can you spell out what changes we may see because of this? Which companies are being asked to make what?
MS. PSAKI: Well, let me give you a very specific example that helped really make it clear for me. One area is to acquire a more lo – – low dead volume syringes. And what that does is, these specialized syringes allow pharmacists and vaccinators to extract an extra does of the Pfizer vial – so making more doses available, of course.
It also prioritizes the Defense Production Act raw materials that are used to produce the vaccine, so reducing bottlenecks. And it enables manufacturers – us to empower and invoke, I guess, an action for manufacturers to make sure we have the materials we need to get the vaccines out the door and in the arms of Americans.
In terms of – obviously, he signed it this afternoon. I’ll have to just circle back with you on what it – it it’s officially invoked at this moment, or if to takes some time. And we can circle back with you after the briefing.
Go ahead, Jen.
Q: On stimulus, is the White House drafting a legislative bill?
MS. PSAKI: You mean in terms of the – what he announced last week – last Thursday? Well, he announced what his specific ideas will be and what his vision is, but right now we’re having discussions with members of both parties, as we have for the last week about what that will look like.
Q: Okay, so, no bill draft coming out of the White House is what I’m saying.
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m happy to talk to our legislative team about that. I think what was important to the President was to outline what his vision would be. This is how the process should actually work. Right? The President outlines, “Here’s my vision. Here’s what I think should be in a package. Let’s have discussions. Let’s have engagements with both parties, and let’s see what comes out of the sausage-making at the other side.”
Go ahead, Anita. I’ll come back to you. I’m sorry, (inaudible). Go ahead.
Q: Just following up on what Kristen asked, I don’t think I heard an answer about whether the President supports keeping the filibuster – where he sits on that. Has he has he talked to Senator Schumer about that? I mean, he served there a long time. What are his thoughts on that?
MS. PSAKI: I think what I was conveying to Kristen is that the President has been clear: He wants to work with members of both parties and find bipartisan paths forward. And I don’t have any more conversations to read out for you at this point in time.
Q: Okay, but that doesn’t specifically answer that, unless I’m not understanding your answer.
MS. PSAKI: I don’t think I have more – more to add to my answer.
Q: Okay. And then just on the impeachment trial, I know that there was some talk about, sort of, the Senate doing both – both things at the same time, two things at one. There’s some reporting this afternoon that Republicans are pushing to have the impeachment trial start in February. Where do you stand, still, now on that? Are you still looking for that – both pats to happen at the same time? Would it be preferable to do that first or are you okay with later, as some Republicans are talking about?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Anita, I think we – we have been pretty consistent that we believe the timing and the mechanisms for the Congress and the Senate moving forward in holding the former President accountable – we’ll leave that to them. And what our biggest priority and focus is, is ensuring that it doesn’t delay the Senate, Congress moving forward in consideration and discussion around the COVID-relief package that the President proposed last week.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. As the print pooler, I have a question for myself, and then a question for someone who cannot be here –
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: – because of the social distancing policies.
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: My question is this, and it’s about unity again. I’ve heard from conservatives who are afraid that the President is going to try to pull back religious conscience exemptions for groups like Little Sisters of the Poor.
The President pledged he would so that in July when the Little Sisters won the – a case in the Supreme Court. The Health and Human Services nominees, Xavier Becerra, pursued that line of going after the exemptions as Attorney General of California. What’s the President going to do on that?
MS. PSAKI: I haven’t discussed that particular issue with him. I’m happy to circle back with you, but I don’t – there’s not a change in his position form what he said earlier this summer.
Did you have another question?
Q: Yes. I have a question from Adam Longo of WUSA 9. He says, “We saw the President warmly greet Mayor Bowser during the parade yesterday. She is pushing for the D.C. Statehood Measure to be on the President’s desk within 100 days. Will the administration get behind this bill, and does the President support it?”
MS. PSAKI: I hate to disappoint you, but I will have to circle back with your on that well. There is quite a bit going on. I have not discussed D.C. statehood with him in the last 36 hours.
Q: I will look forward to hearing about it. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Okay, that sounds great.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Yeah. Thanks, Jen. I wanted to circle back on something COVID-related. I know the President has obviously made a priority of getting – resuming in-person learning in the first 100 days. I wondered: Is the administration planning to issue any kind of uniform guidance for states on – you know, whether it’s reopening schools, reopening businesses, indoor dining, stuff like that? Or are you planning to just kind of leave it to states to do, sort of, a patchwork based on their own situations?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as Dr. Fauci conveyed, our objective is to ensure that health and medical experts are leading the effort in delivering guidance – determining guidance and also communicating it with the public whenever possible. And any guidance would come, of course, as you know, from the CDC. We – and we will – we will, of course, defer to that.
But part of our priority and our focus here is on providing more engagement with states, more clear guidance from the federal level in terms of how we’re planning to operate, what data we’re seeing, how the – how vaccines are being distributed, what we see as challenges. And that communication has been lacking, as we understand it from our conversations has been lacking, as we understand it from our conversations in the past few months. So that is what we will focus on improving in the months ahead.
Q: So how would you – specifically, are you planning to do, you know, daily or weekly calls with sites? Or how – how are you planning to up the communication there?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we have a – an entire COVID team, as you know, who are now – most of them are official. And part of their role will be engaging with governors – Democrats and Republicans – mayors, local elected officials to gain a better understanding of what’s happening on the ground. That will be how they’re going to be intaking a great deal of information – obviously, healthcare providers and experts on the ground as well.
We will also do engagement from the level of the President and the Vice President as well, because they also want to have that conversation with states and local officials on what they’re experiencing, what they see the challenges as, and how they can be addressed.
And, you know, that’s something – I think, in President Biden’s heart, he is a local elected official still, and he gets into the weeds of what they’re experiencing. And I – and he will be involved in that himself.
Go ahead, in the way back.
Q: Thanks, Jen. There’s a lot of really big things that the administration wants to do: infrastructure, the stimulus, tax reform. Can you sort of lay out the cadence for us over the upcoming year? How do you envision those three major things playing out? What’s the order? When do you think those will be taken up? When will they happen?
MS. PSAKI: Well, what I can lay out for you on our first full day here is what our initial priorities are. And they revolve around addressing the four crises that the President has stated that the country is facing, including getting the pandemic under control, getting people back to work, addressing our climate crisis, and addressing racial equity. And so –
Q: Do you –
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: No, I – I was going to ask you: Do you thin tax reform happens in 2021?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t really have any predictions for you on that. I – I think, at this point in time and for the foreseeable future, addressing the pandemic, getting the pandemic under control, and that linkage to getting people back to work will be his top priority.
Q: And on the Keystone XL – the decision came yesterday from the President – what would you say to those who have lost their job or will lose their job as a result of that decision? What will be the message from the President and the White House be?
MS. PSAKI: The message of the President and the White House would be that he is committed. His record will show – shows the American people that he’s committed to clean-energy jobs – to jobs that are not only good, high-paying jobs, union jobs, but once that are also good for our environment. He thinks it’s possible to do both.
He led an effort when he was Vice President to put millions of people to work with those – both of those priorities in mind, and he will continue to do that as President. But he had opposed the Keystone pipeline back in 2013, when it was – when there was a consideration of the permit, or – sorry, I don’t think it was 2013; I think ti was a little bit after that. And he has been consistent in his view, and he was delivering on a promise he made to the American public during the campaign.
Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Thank you. I wanted to ask you about India-U.S. relationship. What is President Biden’s vision of India -U.S. relationship – the relationship between the world’s oldest and world’s largest democracy?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, I would say that President Biden, who of course has visited India many times, respects and values the long, bipartisan, successful relationship between leaders in India and the United States. He looks forward to a continuation of that.
Obviously, he selected – and yesterday, she was sworn in – the first Indian American to serve as President or Vice President, certainly a historic moment formal of us in this country, but a further, you know, cementing of the importance of our relationship.
So, go ahead, George.
Q: Yeah, thanks. Two questions, if I could – one on the – on the Hatch Act: Will this administration take that seriously? And do you think it’s ever appropriate for this White House to have a political event or a political meeting?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as you know, there are some political events that are acceptable, but we certainly take the Hatch Act seriously, and we’ll abide by that. And you will not see a rally on the South Lawn of the White House with Pres- – under President Biden.
Q: The second one – this – this may sound trivial, but Presidents and candidates have some events where – they’re fun for the candidate. They – the big crowd on the acceptance speech at the convention, the big crowd at the Inauguration, big rallies. Because of COVID, this President has – has been denied all those. Has he ever been at all wistful about sort of missing the fun parts of being a candidate and the Inauguration?
MS. PSAKI: Not – not in front of me, George. I will say that, even yesterday or over the last couple of days, you know, he tried to find a moment of joy with his family and with his grandchildren, who bring him great – a great deal of joy, and a recognition of, of course, the great responsibility he has on his shoulders, but a moment in history that he was playing a very important part of.
So I would say he’s been in public office, as you all know, for decades, and he’s had many joyful moments. But this moment, serving as President, coming in at a crisis where thousands of people are dying from a pandemic every day, millions of people are out of work, is not really a time for daily joy as the leader of the free world. And he’s focused on doing his job to get the work done for the American people.
Go ahead.
Q: Why weren’t President Biden and all members of the Biden family masked at all times on federal lands last night, if he signed an executive order that mandates masks on federal lands at all times?
MS. PSAKI: At the Inaugural —
Q: At the Lincoln Memorial. Yes.
MS. PSAKI: I think, Steve, he was celebrating an evening of a historic day in our country. And certainly he signed the mask mandate because it’s a way to send a message to the American public about the importance of wearing masks, how it can save tens of thousands of lives.
We take a number of COVID precautions, as you know here, in terms of testing, social distancing, mask wearing, ourselves, as we do every single day. But I don’t know that I have more for you on it than that.
Q: But as Joe Biden often talks about, it is not just important the “example of power” but the “power of our example.” Was that a good example for people who are watching who might not pay attention normally?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Steve, I think the power of his example is also the message he sends by signing 25 executive orders, including almost half of them related to COVID; the requirements that we’re all under every single day here to ensure we’re sending that message to the public.
Yesterday was a historic moment in our history. He was inaugurated as President of the United States. He was surrounded by his family. We take a number of precautions, but I don’t think – I think we have big – bigger issues to worry about at this moment in time.
Go ahead, Anita.
Q: Jen?
Q: You mentioned —
MS. PSAKI: Oh, sorry, Jeff. Let me go to Jeff, Anita, because I already went to you, if that’s okay.
Q: Jeff, go ahead.
Q: Thanks very much. A follow-up on the New START: Do you have an indication from Russia that they will object to the extension of five years? And has the United States already altered Moscow about its desire?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we have not — obviously, as you know, a number of our nominees have talked about our intention during their confirmation hearings over the past couple of days, of extending New START. I don’t have any calls to read out for you, but I can check and see if any notifications or discussions have happened this afternoon.
Q: And to follow up on something from yesterday, which I think you referred to: President Biden had said that President Trump left him a very “generous” note, and he didn’t want to talk about it until he spoke to President Trump. Are President Biden and President – former President Trump going to have a call?
MS. PSAKI: There’s no call planned. What he was conveying is that he didn’t want to release a private note without having an agreement from the former President. But I wouldn’t say he’s seeking it through a phone call; he just was even trying to be respectful in that moment of a private letter that was sent.
Q: With regard to the former President, has President Biden spoken to Speaker Pelosi at all about the timing of when she plans to bring the impeachment articles to the Senate and how he would like to see this trial proceed?
MS. PSAKI: President Biden has been pretty clear about what the focus of his conversations are and what his intention is with his engagements with leaders from both sides if the aisle and in both houses of Congress, including with Speaker Pelosi – someone he’s known for quite some time – and that his intention and focus on getting the COVID package through. So he will leave it to her and to now-Leader Schumer to determine what the path forward and the timeline will be holding the former President accountable.
Anita, go back to you.
Q: Yeah, you earlier mentioned four priorities of the President. I was surprised to not her immigration, per se, in the because, yesterday, many of the executive orders were about immigration. And there were two major agency releases last night about immigration; the bill is being introduced today. Do you not see that as sort of the second big push after the COVID bill? Where do you see that?
And I guess I would say, why is ti – I was going to ask you, why is it going to be – you know, why is it such a priority after the COVID bill? But you didn’t even list it, so I wanted to kind of clarify that and get your thoughts on it.
MS. PSAKI: Well, I wouldn’t – I wouldn’t read into that, other than immigration we consider as part of “racial equity” and part of – which is a broad issue, but that’s how the President has spoken about that crisis over the past several months. And clearly, it is an enormous priority to him because he – we moved forward in announcing the specifics of an immigration bill – an immigration package he is eager to move forward on with Congress on his first day in office.
But, as you know, there has been a lot of history on efforts to do comprehensive immigration reform – to do any form of immigration reform. And what we’re hopeful is that this will be a moment of reset and a moment to restart discussions on Capitol Hill. There are already a number of co-sponsors on Capitol Hill. There are already a number of co-sponsors who have been announced to have those discussions. There are experts on immigration who have worked on this issue from both sides of the aisle.
Historically, it is an issue there – that there is bipartisan support – support from the business community, support from a range of outside groups with different political tilts – and we’re hopeful that that will help propel it forward.
Q: Senator Menendez said today on a call – he called it a “Herculean,” you know, effort to get this through. As you know, it hasn’t gone through, as you just mentioned before. I mean, there are Republicans grumbling today that there’s not more in that bill that they want to see. So is that bill – what do you think the prospect of that bill getting through is?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t know that I can predict that the first day. I mean, it’s only been out for 24 hours. Bu what was important to the President in the outline of this bill is that it is addressing a couple of areas that he doesn’t feel have been effectively done in the past. The last four years, the immigration policy has been based around funding for a wall; that has not worked even to keep the country safer, even to keep bad actors out.
And so his approach is multi-pronged. It is to do smart security – security that will help address ports of entry more effectively and efficiently, and putting that oversight in the hands of the Department of Homeland Security. It will also address root causes of migration, and that hasn’t been in past bills. As you probably well know, Anita, it was not in the bill in 2013, but its something that he has been an advocate for in his time in public office.
And it’s also a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants who are living in the country. There are components here in the bill that address a lot of the issues that have not been addressed in the past. And certainly the components of it make – that talk about smart security, are the kind of border security that we think is essential and more effective than what we’ve seen over the past couple of years.
Go ahead. Oh, can I go to Zeke first and then to you, Kristen? Go ahead.
Q: I just wanted to follow up on a question I asked the President an hour or so about the “100 million vaccines in the first 100 days” target. That’s roughly off the per diem basis of where vaccinations are right now. Can you just elaborate a little bit why the President isn’t setting the bar a little bit higher, maybe require another nudge? Just to explain to the American people when they see the statistics – like, you know, one tracker had 1.6 million yesterday – why isn’t the President shooting just a little bit higher, given the magnitude of the crisis here?
JEN PSAKI: Well, none of us are mathematicians, myself included, so I asked our team to do a little math on this. So, the Trump administration was given 36 million doses when they are in office for 38 days. They administered a total of about 17 million shots. That’s about less than 500,000 shots a day. What we’re proposing is to double that to about 1 million shots per day. And we have outlined this goal and objective in coordination and consultation with our health and medical experts.
So it is ambitious. It’s something that we feel is bold and was called that certainly at the time, and we’re working overtime to help achieve it – try to achieve it.
Q: But is the President trying to – obviously he would try to exceed that if possible. Is it possible we may see you know, in a couple of weeks or a month that the President would up that goal?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Zeke, there are a lot of factors that go into determining how many shots can get into the arms of Americans. We feel confident we can achieve this goal. Obviously, there are other vaccines that are being considered at this point in time by the FDA. There is funding that will be needed for distribution. There are a number of steps that will help expedite, at some point in time. But, right now, our focus is on what many health and medical experts have consistently called a “bold” goal.
I will note also that some of the reporting this morning which Kristen asked about earlier, was that the Trump administration left us with no plan. It’s hard for them to both be exactly true at the same time. And our team has been putting together a plan – our own plan, as Dr. Fauci talked about – for some time, to achieve this goal.
But he also mentioned that there are a number of challenges. It’s not just about lining people up – as you all know, but for people watching – in a football stadium, and giving them shots. We have to overcome vaccine hesitancy. We have to get to health communities where there aren’t – they don’t have access to health centers. That was outlined. A number of steps to address that were outlined in the President’s plan today.
But, you know, we – this is a bold goal, we’re going to work every day to achieve it, and we’ll build form there. There’s a lot more of the administration to go from there and more work on COVID to be done.
Go ahead, Kristen.
Q: Jen, President Biden is reversing a number of former President Trump’s policies, and we’re seeing some of former President Trump’s staffers be placed on leave or be reassigned. Is there an attempt to purge Trump officials?
MS. PSAKI: Well, there’s a new administration, so obviously there are a number of new officials in place. I know there was some reporting, for example – and I don’t know if this is who you were referencing, so you tell me if not – of the head of the NLRB. That’s an individual who was not carrying out the – you know, anyone would tell you, not just from our administration – the objectives of the NLRB. And so they were – they’re no longer in their position. And we’ll – we’ll take – make those decisions as needed.
Q: So there’s not an effort writ large that you’re assessing – reassessing individuals in the administration?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Kristen, as you know, when a new administration comes in, there’s a massive changeover in political appointees and nominees and people who will serve in a variety of rolls.
There are some people – Christopher Wray, as an example; I’ll just bring him back up – who will continue to serve in his role. But we have great value for career officials, for the officials who have been the heart and soul of agencies across government since long before the Trump administration, but who have served through the Trump administration as well.
Q: On COVID, a question: Did the transition officials know before yesterday that Amazon wanted to get involved in such a meaningful way?
MS. PSAKI: We – not that I’m aware of. I’m happy to check. I mean, when the reporting came out, I asked the question, and I think – internally – and, you know, what was conveyed to me – and I don’t think we discussed this yesterday – was that we’ve had a lot of outreach – some privately, some publicly – from a range of business and private sector entities. And we certainly welcome that, and we’ll be considering all of those offers in what makes the most sense in our plans and proposals.
Q: So, because there are some Trump officials saying they were never offered help from Amazon, and so they’re essentially saying they think this was a political call for Amazon to wait while lives were hanging in the balance. But you’re saying that is not the case.
MS PSAKI: I’m not aware of the timeline of when Amazon reached out. That sounds like a question for Amazon to me.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, what did you think about all of the pardons that Trump handed out on his way out the door> And do you know if the DOJ or anyone is reviewing any of those?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as you know, we nominated an attorney general just a couple of weeks ago: Merrick Garland. We’re eager to get him confirmed in the coming weeks, hopefully soon.
We – our view of pardons, Jennifer, is that it’s not the way – it’s not a model for how a Biden Justice Department would work. It’s not a model, I should say, for how President Biden would use his own power. He would use his own power far more judiciously.
But we are looking forward, and most important for us and for him, is that the Justice Department, as we look ahead, is independent, makes decisions of they own accord, including their review of any investigations or judicial steps that have been taken.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
Q: Can I do a follow- up?
Q: Jen, one follow-up?
MS. PSAKI: Thank you. Okay I think we’re about to conclude it here. But because its my second day, lets take two more questions. Go ahead, in the back.
Q: About the pardon attorneys –
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
Q: Is the President going to listen to the pardon attorney? President Bush told President Obama that he should use the pardon power early on, but we know that the pardon power has been in disrepute in the last week because of President Trump’s pardons. What – is President Biden going to try to use the power quickly? Or – I mean, you said “judiciously.” But what’s his take going to be?
MS. PSAKI: Well, “judiciously” – and I’m not saying you’re conveying this, but for clarity – is not meant to convey speed; it’s just meant to convey how he approaches it. As you know, he has a long history on judicial issues, having served as the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee many years ago.
But on day two, I don’t have any prediction for you in terms of how he would use pardon – pardon attorneys or the role, but he has a great respect for and value for independence, as you know, and for the role of the judiciary and the independence of that role.
Okay, last actual question. I’m sorry, Zeke.
Q: I appreciate it, and I’m going to bounce off Jeff her on conversations that may or may hot have happened. Can you tell us: Has President Biden spoken to the Fed Chair, Jay Powell? If he hasn’t, does he have any plans on speaking to him at any point in the near future? And generally speaking, how does the President view the stewardship of the Fed chair during this economic crisis?
MS PSAKI: I don’t have any calls to read out for you or to predict for you with the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. He clearly has a great deal of respect and value for the Federal Reserve and the role they’ve played historically, given he nominated the former chair to serve as the first female Treasury Secretary. But I don’t have anything more for you. I can venture to get more for you from our economic team.
Thank you, everyone. I’ll see you again tomorrow.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
January 21: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report titled: “Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7. Lineage – United States, December 29, 2020 – January 12, 2021” The report was posted online as an MMWR Early Release. It has also been corrected.
What is already known about this topic?
A more highly transmissible variant of SARS-CoV-2, B.1.1.7, has been detected in 12 U.S. states.
What is added by this report?
Modeling data indicate that B.1.1.7. has the potential to increase the U.S. pandemic trajectory in the coming months. CDC’s system for genomic surveillance and the effort to expand sequencing will increase the availability of timely U.S. genomic surveillance data.
What are the implications for public health practice?
The increased transmissibility of the B.1.1.7. variant warrants universal and increased compliance with mitigation strategies, including distancing and masking. Higher vaccination coverage might need to be achieved to protect the public. Genomic sequence analysis through the National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance program will enable a targeted approach to identifying variants of concern in the United States.
On December 14, 2020, the United Kingdom reported a SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern (VOC), lineage B.1.1.7, also referred to as VOC 202112/01 or 201/501Y.V1 The B.1.1.7 variant is estimated to have emerged in September 2020 and has quickly become the dominant circulating SARS-CoV-2 variant in England. B.1.1.7. has been detected in over 30 countries, including the United States.
As of January 13, 2021, approximately 76 cases of B.1.1.7 have been detected in 12 states, Multiple lines of evidence indicate that B.1.1.7 is more efficiently transmitted than are other SARS-CoV-2 variants. The modeled trajectory of this variant in the U.S. exhibits rapid growth in early 2021, becoming the predominant variant in March.
Increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission might threaten strained health care resources, require extended and more rigorous implementation of public health strategies, and increase the percentage of population immunity required for pandemic control. Taking measures to reduce transmission now can lessen the potential impact of B.1.1.7 and allow critical time to increase vaccination coverage.
Collectively, enhanced genomic surveillance combined with continued compliance with effective public health measures, including vaccination, physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and isolation and quarantine, will be essential to limited the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Strategic testing of persons without symptoms but at higher risk of infection, such as those exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or who have frequent unavoidable contact with the public, provides another opportunity to limit ongoing spread.
Global genomic surveillance and rapid open-source sharing of viral genome sequences have facilitated near real-time detection, comparison, and tracking of evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants that can be inform public health efforts to control the pandemic. Whereas some mutations in the viral genome emerge and then recede, others might confer a selective advantage to the variant, including enhanced transmissibility, so that such a variant can rapidly dominate other circulating variants. Early in the pandemic, variants of SARS-CoV-2 containing the D614G mutation in the spike protein that increases the receptor binding avidity ability became dominant in many geographic regions.
In late fall 2020, multiple countries reported detecting SARS-CoV 2 variants that spread more efficiently. In addition to the B.1.1.7 variant, notable variants include the B.1.351 lineage first detected in South Africa and the recently identified B.1.1.28 subclass (renamed “P1”) detected in four travelers from Brazil during routine screening at the Haneda (Tokyo) airport.
These variants carry a constellation of genetic mutations, including the S protein receptor-binding domain, which is essential for binding to the host cell angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor to facilitate virus entry.
Evidence that other mutations found in these variants might confer not only increased transmissibility but might also affect the performance of some diagnostic real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays and reduce susceptibility to neutralizing antibodies. A recent case report documented the first case of SARS-CoV-2 variant that contained the E484 mutation, which has been shown to reduce neutralization by convalescent sera and monoclonal antibodies.
This report focuses on the emergence of the B.1.1.7 variant in the United States. As of January 12, 2021, neither the B.1.1.7 nor the P.1 variants have been detected in the United States. For information about emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, CDC maintains a webpage dedicated to providing information on emerging SARS-CoV 2 variants.
B.1.1.7 lineage (201.501Y.V1)
The B.1.1.7 variant carries a mutation in the S protein (N501Y) that affects the confirmation of receptor-binding domain. This variant has 13 other B.1.1.7 lineage-defining mutations, several of which are the S protein, including a hypothesized to increase transmissibility. The deletion at positions 69 and 70 causes S-gene target failure (SGTF) in at least one RT-PCR-based diagnostic assay (i.e., with the ThermoFishers TaqPath COVID-19 assay, the B.1.1.7 variant and other variants with the del69-70 produce a negative result for S-gene target and a positive result for the other two targets); SGTF has served as a proxy in the United Kingdom for identifying B.1.1.7 cases.
Multiple lines of evidence indicate that B.1.1.7 is more efficiently transmitted compared with other SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in the United Kingdom. U.K. regions with a higher proportion of B.1.1.7 sequences had faster epidemic growth than did other areas, diagnosis with SGTF increased faster than did non-SGTF diagnoses in the same areas, and a higher proportion of contacts were infected by index patients with B.1.1.7 inflection than by index patients infected with other variants.
Variant B.1.1.7 has the potential to increase the U.S. pandemic trajectory in the coming months. To illustrate this effect, a simple, two-variant compartmental model was developed. The current U.S. prevalence of B.1.1.7 among all circulating viruses in unknown but is thought to be <0.5% among all infections, SARS-CoV-2 immunity from previous infection of 10%-30%, a time-varying reproductive number (Rt) of 1.1 (mitigated but increasing transmission) or 0.9 (decreasing transmission) for current variants, and a reported incident of 60 cases per 100,000 persons per day on January 1, 2021.
These assumptions do not precisely represent any single U.S. location, but rather, indicate a generalization of conditions common across the country. The change in Rt over time resulting from acquired immunity and increasing prevalence of B.1.1.7, was modeled, with the B.1.1.7 Rt assumed be a constant 1.5 times the Rt of current variants, based on initial estimates from the United Kingdom.
Next, the potential impact of vaccination was modeled assuming that 1 million vaccine doses were administered per day beginning January 1, 2021, and that 95% immunity was achieved 14 days after receipt was assumed, although the effectiveness and duration of protection against infection remains uncertain, because these were not the primary endpoint of clinical trials for initial vaccines.
In this model, B.1.1.7 prevalence is initially low, yet because it is more transmissible than are current variants, it exhibits rapid growth in early 2021, becoming the predominant variant in March. Whether transmission of current variants is increasing (initial Rt = 1.1) or slowly decreasing (initial Rt = 0.9) in January, B.1.1.7 drives a substantial change in the transmission trajectory and a new phase of exponential growth. With vaccination that protects against infection, the early epidemic trajectories do not change and B.1.1.7 spread still occurs.
However, after B.1.1.7 becomes the dominant variant, its transmission was substantially reduced. The effect of vaccination on reducing transmission the near term was greatest in the scenario in which transmission was already decreasing (initial Rt = 0.9). Early efforts that can limit the spread of the B.1.1.7 variant, such as universal and increased compliance with public health mitigation strategies, will allow more time for ongoing vaccinations to achieve higher population-level immunity.
Discussion
Currently, there is no known difference in clinical outcomes associated with the described SARS-CoV-2 variants; however, a higher rate of transmission will lead to more cases, increasing the number of persons overall who need clinical care, exacerbating the burden on an already strained health care system, and resulting in more deaths.
Continued genomic surveillance to identify B.1.1.7 cases, as well as the emergence of other variants of concern in the United States, is important for the COVID-19 public health response. Whereas the SGTF results can help identify potential B.1.1.7 cases that can be confirmed by sequencing, identifying priority variants that do not exhibit SGTF relies exclusively on sequence-based surveillance.
The experience in the United Kingdom and the B.1.1.7 models presented in the report illustrate the impact a more contagious variant can have on the number of cased in a population. The increased transmissibility of this variant requires an even more rigorous combined implementation of vaccination and mitigation measures (e.g., distancing, masking, and hand hygiene) to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
These measures will be more effective if they are instituted sooner rather than later to slow the initial spread of the B.1.1.7 variant. Efforts to prepare the health care system for further surges in cases are warranted. Increased transmissibility also means that higher than anticipated vaccination coverage must be attained to achieve the same level of disease control to protect the public compared with less transmissible variants….
…The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, the magnitude of the increase in transmissibility in the United States compared with that observed in the United Kingdom remains unclear. Second, the prevalence of B.1.1.7 in the United States is also unknown this time, but detection of variants and estimation of prevalence will improve with enhanced U.S. surveillance efforts. Finally, local mitigation measures are also highly variable, leading to variation in Rt. The specific outcomes presented here are based on simulations and assumed no change in mitigations beyond January 1.
The increased transmissibility of the B.1.1.7 variant warrants rigorous implementation of public health strategies to reduce transmission and lessen the potential impact of B.1.1.7, buying critical time to increase vaccination coverage. CDC’s modeling data show that universal use of an increase compliance with mitigation measures and vaccination are crucial to reduce the number of new cases and deaths substantially in the coming months.
Further, strategic testing of persons without symptoms of COVID-19, but who are at increased risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2, provides another opportunity to limit outgoing spread. Collectively, enhanced genomic surveillance combined with increased compliance with public health mitigation strategies, including vaccination, physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and isolation and quarantine, will be essential to limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and protecting public health.
January 22, 2021
January 22: The White House posted Talking Points titled: “Talking Points: January 22 Executive Orders – Economic Relief” From the Talking Points:
As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the U.S. economy into crisis, millions of Americans are unemployment, falling behind on rent payment, or struggling with food security.
And, because of pervasive system racism and inequality, the burdens of the economic crisis are hitting communities of color and underserved families the hardest.
Today, President Biden is taking new executive actions to deliver economic relief for American families and businesses amid the COVID-19 crisis while addressing the racial inequities it has exacerbated.
The President is also issuing an Executive Order that will launch an all-of-government effort to provide equitable emergency economic relief to working families, communities, and small businesses across the nation. The all-of-government effort will:
Address the growing hunger crisis facing 29 million Americans – and as many as 12 million children – by asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider expanding and extending federal nutrition assistance programs.
Ensure equitable and effective delivery of direct payments – by asking the Treasury Department to change its delivery structure and focus on getting relief to the 8 million Americans who still have not received the financial assistance to which they are entitled.
Help approximately 2 million veterans maintain their financial footing by asking the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to consider pausing federal collections on overpayments and debts.
Help ensure that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and keeping themselves and their families safe from COVID-19 by asking the U.S. Department of Labor to clarify that workers who refuse unsafe working conditions can still receive unemployment insurance.
Enable effective and equitable distribution of government assistance by establishing an interagency benefit coordination structure.
While the President will continues working with Congress to take bold action that will help working families through the remainder of the crisis, he is taking these emergency measures and important steps to give millions of Americans real relief during the pandemic.
The all-of-government executive order, combined with the President’s historic relief package and forthcoming jobs package will help Americans persevere through the pandemic and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report titled: “Evaluation of Abbott BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test for SARS-CoV-2 Infection at Two Community-Based Testing Sites – Pima County, Arizona, November 3-17, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
The BinaxNOW rapid antigen test received Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration for testing specimens from specimens from symptomatic persons; performance among asymptomatic persons is not well characterized.
What is added by this report?
Sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test, compared with polymerase chain reaction testing was lower when used to test specimens from asymptomatic (35.8%) than from symptomatic (64.2%) persons, but specificity was high. Sensitivity was higher for culture-positive specimens (92.6% and 78.6% for those from symptomatic and asymptomatic persons, respectively); however, some antigen test-negative specimens had cultural virus.
What are the implications for public health practice?
The high specificity and rapid BinaxNOW antigen test turnaround time facilitate earlier isolation of infectious persons. Antigen tests can be an important tool in an overall community testing strategy to reduce transmission.
Rapid antigen tests, such as the Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card (BinaxNOW), offer results more rapidly (approximately 15-30 minutes) and at a lower cost than do highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). Rapid antigen tests have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for use in symptomatic persons, but data are lacking on test performance in asymptomatic persons to inform expanded screening to testing to rapidly identify and isolate infected persons.
To evaluate the performance of the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test, it was used along with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing to evaluate 3,419 paired specimens collected from persons aged ≥10 years at two community testing sites in Pima County, Arizona, during November 3-17, 2020. Viral culture was performed on 274 of 303 residual real-time RT-PCR specimens with positive results by either test (29 were not available for culture).
Compared with real-time RT-PCR testing, the BinaxNOW antigen test had a sensitivity of 64.2% for specimens form symptomatic persons and 35.8% for specimens from asymptomatic persons, with near 100% specificity in specimens from both groups. Virus was cultured from 96 of 274 (35.0%) specimens, including 85 (57.8%) of 147 with concordant antigen and real-time RT-PCR positive results, 11 (8.9%) of 147 with concordant antigen and real-time RT-PCR positive results, 11 (8.9%) of 124 with false-negative antigen test results, and none of three with false-positive antigen test results.
Among specimens positive for viral culture, sensitivity was 92.6% for symptomatic and 78.6% for asymptomatic individuals. When the preset probability for receiving positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 is elevated (e.g., in symptomatic persons or in persons with a known COVID-19 exposure), a negative antigen test result should be confirmed by NAAT.
Despite a lower sensitivity to detect infection, rapid antigen tests can be an important tool for screening because of their quick turnaround time, lower costs and resources needs, high specificity, and high positive predictive value (PPV) in setting of high preset probability. The faster turnaround time of the antigen test can help limit transmission by more rapidly identifying infectious persons for isolation, particularly when used as a component of serial testing strategies.
Paired upper respiratory swabs were collected at the same timepoints from persons aged ≥10 years receiving testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), at two Pima County Health Department community testing sites during November 3-17 (site A) and November 8-16 (site B). The sites offered SARS-CoV-2 testing to anyone in the community who wanted testing.
A questionnaire capturing demographic information and current and past-14-day symptoms was administered to all participants. At both sites, a health care professional first collected a bilateral anterior nasal swab, using a swab provided in the BinaxNOW kit, immediately followed by a bilateral nasopharyngeal (NP)swab for real-time RT-PCR testing. Anterior nasal swabs were immediately tested on-site using the BinaxNOW antigen test according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
NP swabs were stored in phosphate buffered saline at 39°F (4°C) and analyzed within 24-48 hours by real time RT-PCR using either the CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2 (2,582 swabs) or the Fosun COVID-19 RT-PCR Detection Kit (837 swabs). Viral culture was attempted on 274 of 303 residual real-time RT-PCR specimens if either the real RT-PCR or BinaxNOW antigen test were compared to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and PPV.
Statistical analyses were performed using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute). Cycle threshold (Ct) values from real-time RT-PCR were compared using a Mann-Whitney U Test; 95% confidence intervals (CIs)were calculated using the exact binomial method. The investigation protocol was reviewed by CDC and determined to be nonresearch and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.
Paired upper respiratory swabs were collected from 3,419 persons, including 1,458 (42.6%) from site A and 1,961 (57.4%) from site B. Participants ranged in age from 10 to 95 years (median = 41 years) with 236 (6.9%) aged 10 – 17 years, 1,885 (55.1%) aged 18-49 years (21.7%) aged 50-64 years, and 555 (16.2%) aged ≥65 years. Approximately one third (31.4%) of participants identified as Hispanic or Latino, and three quarters (75.1%) identified as White.
As the time of testing, 827 (24.2%) participants reported at least one COVID-19 -compatible sign or symptom, and 2,592 (75.8%) were asymptomatic. Among asymptomatic participants, 113 (13.7%) received a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result, and 176 (21.3%) received a positive real-time RT-PCR test result. Among asymptomatic participants, 48 (1.9%) received a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result, and 123 (4.7%) received a positive real-time RT-PRC test result.
Testing among symptomatic participants indicated the following for the BinaxNOW antigen test (with real-time RT-PCR as the standard): sensitivity, 64.2%; specificity, 100%; PPV, 100%, and NPV, 91.2% among asymptomatic persons, sensitivity was 35.8%; specificity, 99.8%; PPV, 91.7%; and NPV, 96.9%. For participants who were within 7 days of symptom onset, the BinaxNOW antigen test sensitivity was 71.1% (95% CL = 63.0%-78.4%), specificity was 100% (95% CI = 99.3% – 100%), PPV was 100% (95% Cl = 96.4% – 100%), and NPV was 92.7% (95% CI = 90.2% – 94.7%).
Using real time RT-PCR as the standard, four false-positive BinaxNOW antigen test results occurred, all among specimens from asymptomatic participants. Among 299 real-time RT-PCR positive results, 142 (47.5%) were false-negative. BinaxNOW antigen test results (63 in specimens from symptomatic persons and 79 in specimens from asymptomatic persons).
Virus was recovered from 96 (35.0%) of 274 analyzed specimens that were positive by either test, including 85 (57.8%) of 147 with concordant positive results and 11 (8.9%) of 124 with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results. Virus was not recovered from any of the three available specimens with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results.
Among the 224 specimens undergoing viral culture that were analyzed with the CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2, median Ct values were significantly higher for specimens with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results, indicating lower viral RNA levels than in those with concordant positive results (33.9 versus 22.0 in specimens from asymptomatic persons and 33.9 versus 22.5 in specimens from asymptomatic persons )
Median Ct values for SARS-CoV-2 culture-positive specimens (22.1) were significantly lower than were those for culture-negative specimens (32.8) (p<0.001), indicating higher levels of viral RNA in cuticle positive specimens. Among specimens with positive viral culture, the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test compared with real-time RT-PCR in specimens from asymptomatic participants was 92.6% (95% CI = 83.7% – 97.6%) and in those from asymptomatic participants was 78.6% (95% CI = 59.1 – 91.7).
Discussion
In this evaluation, using real time RT-PCR as the standard, the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test was lower among specimens from asymptomatic persons (35.8%) than among specimens from symptomatic persons (64.2%). Specificity (99.8% – 100%) was high in specimens from both asymptomatic and symptomatic groups.
The prevalence of having SARS-CoV-2 real-time RT-PCR positive test results in this population was moderate (8.7% overall; 4.7% for asymptomatic participants); administering the test in a lower prevalence setting will likely result in a lower PPV.
Among 11 participants with antigen-negative, real-time RT-PCR-positive specimens with positive viral culture, five were symptomatic with antigen-negative, real-time RT-PRC-positive specimens with positive viral culture, five were symptomatic and six asymptomatic. Some antigen-negative, real time RT-PCT-positive specimens possibly could represent noninfectious viral particles, but some might also represent infectious virus not detected by the antigen test.
In a clinical context, real-time RT-PCR provides the most sensitive assay to detect infection. Viral culture, although more biologically relevant than real-time RT-PCR, is still an artificial system and is subject to limitations. Numerous biological (e.g., individual antibody status and specific sequence of the virus) and environmental (e.g., storage conditions and number of freeze-thaw cycles) variables can affect the sensitivity and outcome of viral culture.
Despite the limitations of interpreting culture-negative specimens, a positive viral culture is strong evidence for the presence of infectious virus. The performance of the BinaxNOW antigen test compared with the real-time RT-PCR was better for those specimens with positive viral culture than for all specimens, with a sensitivity of 92.6% for specimens from symptomatic persons and 78.6% for those from asymptomatic persons.
The results of the current evaluation differ from those of an evaluation of the BinaxNOW antigen test in a community screening setting in San Francisco, which found a BinaxNOW antigen test overall sensitivity of 89.0% among specimens from all 3,302 participants, regardless of the Ct value of the real time RT-PCR-positive specimens.
The findings in this investigation are subject to at least five limitations. First, anterior nasal swabs were use for BinaxNOW antigen testing, but NP swabs were used for real-time RT-PCR testing, which might have contributed to increased detection for the real-time RT-PCR assay.
Second, participants might have inadvertently reported common nonspecific symptoms as COVID-19-compative symptoms.
Third, this investigation evaluated the BinaxNOW antigen test, and results presented here cannot be generalized to other FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests.
Fourth, the BinaxNOW antigen test characteristics might be different depending on whether an individual had previously tested positive.
Finally, many factors might limit the ability to culture virus from a specimen, and the inability to detect cultural virus should not be interpreted to mean that a person is not infectious.
Public health departments are implementing various strategies to reduce or prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including expanded screening testing for asymptomatic persons. Because estimates suggest that over 50% of transmission occurs from persons who are presymptomatic or asymptomatic, expanded screening testing, potentially in serial fashion for reducing transmission in specific venues (e.g., institutions of higher education, schools, and congregate housing settings), is essential to interrupting transmission).
Rapid antigen tests can be an important tool for screening because of their quick turnaround time, lower requirement for resources, high specificity, and high PPV in settings of high pretest probability (e.g., providing testing to symptomatic persons, to person’s with a known COVID-19 exposure, or where community transmission is high). Importantly, the faster time from testing to results reporting can speed isolation of infectious persons and will be particularly important in communities with high levels of transmission.
Although the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test to detect infection was lower compared with real-time RT-PCR, it was relatively high among specimens with positive virus culture, which might reflect better performance for detecting infection in a person with infectious virus present.
Community testing strategies focused on preventing transmission using antigen testing should consider serial testing (e.g., kindergarten through grade 12 schools, institutions of higher education, or congregate housing settings), which might improve test sensitivity in detecting infection.
When the preset probability for receiving positive SARS-CoV-2 test results is elevated (e.g., for symptomatic persons or for persons with a known COVID-19 exposure) a negative antigen test result should be confirmed by NAAT. Asymptomatic persons who receive a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result in a setting with a high risk for adverse consequences resulting from false-positive results (e.g., in long-term care facilities) should also receive confirmatory testing by NAAT.
Despite their reduced sensitivity to detect infection compared with real-time RT-PCR, antigen tests might be particularly useful when real time RT-PCR tests are not readily available or have prolonged turnaround times. Persons who know their positive test result within 15-30 minutes can isolate sooner, and contact tracing can be initiated sooner and be more effective than if a test result is returned days later.
Serial antigen testing can improve detection, but consideration should be given to the logistical and personnel resources needed. All persons receiving negative test results (NAAT or antigen) should be counseled that wearing a mask, avoiding close contact with persons outside of their household, and washing hands frequently remain critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
January 22: The White House posted a Fact Sheet titled: “Fact Sheet: President Biden’s New Executive Actions Deliver Economic Relief for American Families and Businesses Amid the COVID-19 Crises” From the Fact Sheet:
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the United States economy into an economic crisis. Across the country, more than 10 million Americans are unemployed, 14 million renters are behind on payments, and 29 million adults – and at least 8 million children – are struggling with food insecurity. Because of pervasive systemic racism and inequality in our economy, the burdens of this economic crisis are hitting communities of color and other underserved families hardest. One in ten Black workers and one in eleven Latino workers are unemployed. Navigating through the current crisis and emerging stronger requires immediate action to provide equitable economic relief to working families everywhere.
Last week, President Biden unveiled a historic legislative package designed to change the course of the pandemic, get students back to school, give families and businesses a bridge to an economic recovery, and invest in advancing racial equity. His plan came on the heels of December’s bipartisan deal to provide a down payment on long-term economic relief for working families. Congress should finish the job by expeditiously passing the American Rescue Plan into law. But the American people cannot afford to wait for Congress to act – they need help and they need it now.
Today, the President is issuing an Executive Order that will launch an all-of-government effort to provide equitable emergency economic relief to working families, communities, and small businesses across the nation. The actions taken as part of this effort will provide relief to millions of American workers who have lost their jobs and had their hours or wages slashed through no fault of their own. They will help working families feed their children and keep a roof over their head. They will help ensure that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and keeping themselves and their families safe from COVID-19 by clarifying that workers who refuse unsafe working conditions can still receive unemployment insurance. And, they will help more unemployed workers pay for training and college so they can find better jobs and succeed in an increasingly competitive job market.
That all-of-government effort will:
Address the growing hunger crisis facing 29 million Americans – and as many as 12 million children – by asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider expanding and extending federal nutrition assistance programs.
Ensure equitable and effective delivery of direct payments – by asking the Treasury Department to consider changing its delivery structure and focus on getting relief to 8 million Americans who still have not received the financial assistance to which they are entitled.
Help approximately 2 million veterans maintain their financial footing by asking the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to consider pausing federal collections on overpayments and debts.
Help ensure that unemployed Americans no longer have to choose between paying their bills and keeping themselves and their families safe from COVID-19 by asking the U.S. Department of Labor to consider clarifying that workers who refuse unsafe working conditions can still receive unemployment insurance.
Enable effective and equitable distribution of government assistance by establishing an interagency benefit coordination structure.
While additional congressional action is urgently needed to help working families through the remainder of the crisis, these emergency measures are important steps to give millions of Americans real relief during the pandemic. This executive order, combined with the President’s historic relief package and forthcoming jobs package will help Americans persevere through the pandemic and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery. The President is also recommending immediate action to improve the wages, benefits and bargaining rights of federal workers and contractors.
COVID ECONOMIC RELIEF EXECUTIVE ORDER
Address the Growing Hunger Crisis Facing 29 Million Adults – And As Many As 12 Million Children. Across the country 1 in 7 households and more than 1 in 5 Black and Latino households, report that their household is struggling to secure the food they need. In December, Congress bolstered food assistance programs and provided new funding for food banks and school and child care meals. But these measures along will not solve the growing hunger crisis in America. As part of his American Rescue Plan proposal, President Biden is calling on Congress to provide additional support to ensure that all Americans, regardless of background, have access to healthy, affordable groceries by extending the 15% Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit increase, investing $3 billion to help women, infants and children get the food they need, and other key steps. The President is also asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to consider taking the following steps to provide nutrition assistance to working families, including to:
Increase access to nutritious food for millions of children missing meals due to school closures. Established under Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) connects low-income families with kids with food dollars equivalent to the value of the school meals missed due to COVID-related school closures. To date, the program has only allowed P-EBT benefit amounts up to $5.70 per child per school day and many households have had trouble claiming benefits. To address these concerns and expand needed relief, the President is asking USDA to consider issuing new guidance increasing P-EBT benefits by approximately 15% to accurately reflect the costs of missing meals and make it easier for households to claim benefits. For instance, this action could provide a family with three children more than $100 of additional support every two months.
Allow larger emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program allotments for the lowest-income households. Congress authorized emergency increases to SNAP benefits to help address food insecurity during the pandemic. So far, those benefit increases have not been made available to all of the lowest income households. USDA will consider issuing new guidance that would allow states to increase SNAP emergency allotments for those who need it most. This would be the first step to ensuring that an additional 12 million people get enhanced SNAP benefits to keep nutritious food on the table.
Update food assistance benefits to reflect the true cost of a basic healthy diet. More than 40 million Americans count on SNAP to help put food on the table. Currently, however, USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, the basis for determining SNAP benefits, is out of date with the economic realities most struggling households face with trying to buy and prepare healthy food. As a result, the benefits fall short of what a health, adequate diet costs for many households. Therefore, as directed by the 2018 Farm Bill, the President will ask USDA to consider beginning the process of revising the Thrifty Food Plan to better reflect the modern cost of a healthy basic diet.
Ensure Equitable and Effective Delivery of Direct Payments. As the President fights to get Americans the full $2,000 in direct payments they deserve, his administration is also working to ensure that all those who are eligible receive their full payments. Many Americans faced challenges receiving the first round of direct payments and as many as eight million eligible households did not receive the payments issued in March. In December, Congress passed legislation that would provide Americans with $600 in stimulus. The President’s American Rescue Plan proposes an additional $1,400 per-person payments to ensure that households get the support they need to help pay bills, put food on the table, and support small businesses and their communities. While Treasury and career staff at the IRS have worked tirelessly to deliver two rounds of payments in the midst of a pandemic, the work is far from over. To ensure equitable and effective delivery of direct payments and focus on getting relief to eligible individuals who have not received the financial assistance to which they are entitled, the President is asking the Department of Treasury to consider taking a series of actions to expand and improve delivery of Economic Impact Payments including establishing online tools for claiming their payments, working to make sure that this who have not yet accessed their funs get the relief they deserve, and analyzing unserved households to inform additional outreach efforts.
Guarantee that No American Has to Choose Between Paying Their Bills and Keeping Themselves and Their Families Safe from COVID-19. In 2019, 43% of American households reported having at least one member with pre-existing conditions, many of whom may have a heightened risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID. President Biden believes that workers should have the right to safe work environments and that no one should have to choose between their livelihoods and their own or their families’ health. As one of many measures to help keep workers and their families’ safe throughout the pandemic, the President is asking the Department of Labor to consider clarifying that workers have a federally guaranteed right to refuse employment that will jeopardize their health and if they do so, they will still qualify for unemployment insurance.
Help Families, Workers and Small Businesses Access Relief Resources Quickly, Easily and Equitably through Coordinated Benefit Delivery Teams. During the pandemic government programs have provided much needed support to help tens of millions of Americans pay rent, mortgages, and other bills, get the food they need, and access healthcare. However, critical support does not always reach the people who need it: families struggle to navigate complicated eligibility rules while over 20% of Earned Income Tax Credits go unclaimed; many small businesses in communities of color cannot easily access loans; and according to one survey less than 40% of service workers who were laid off or furloughed at the hight of pandemic closures actually received timely unemployment benefits due to system failures as applications surged. At the same time, an estimated 47% of children live in households that have trouble covering usual expenses such as food, housing, and medical care. The stakes are too high and too many families are in need for people not to get the relief that they are entitled to. The Biden-Harris Administration is establishing a network of benefit delivery teams and a coordination structure across federal and state administered programs to reduce the time and burden to access urgent support that provides greater stability and builds towards an equitable recovery.
PROTECTING AND EMPOWERING FEDERAL WORKERS AND CONTRACTORS
The federal government should only award contracts to employers who give their workers the pay and benefits they have earned; President Biden is today directing this administration to start the work that would allow him to issue an Executive Order within the first 100 days that requires federal contractor to pay a $15 minimum wage and provide emergency paid leave to workers.
He is also taking critical steps to protect and empower federal employees, who dedicate their careers to serving the American people. They keep us healthy, safe, and informed, and their work transcends partisan politics. They are health care workers who care for veterans, the elderly, and the disabled. They are expert scientists, medical doctors, and technicians who maintain world-class standards, prevent and combat the spread of infectious diseases, and save countless lives. They deliver our mail, run our national parks, keep our federal buildings up and running, help protect us against climate change and environmental poisoning, and ensure that the law is applies faithfully and fairly. They are talented, hard-working, and inspiring Americans, worthy of the utmost dignity and respect. But, over the last four years, they’ve been undermined and demoralized. The President will sign an executive order taking steps to protect and empower federal employees who are so essential to this country. It:
Restores collective bargaining power and worker protections by revoking Trump Executive Orders 13936, 13837, and 13839. It goes further to direct agencies to bargain over permissible, non-mandatory subjects of bargaining when contracts are up for negotiation so that workers have a greater voice in their working conditions.
Eliminates Schedule F, which undermines the foundations of the civil service. Its existence threatens the critical protections of career employees and provides a pathway to burrow political appointees into the civil service.
Promotes a $15 minimum wage. The Executive Order directs the Office of Personnel Management to develop recommendations to pay more federal employees at least $15 per hour.
These steps will help ensure the federal government is a model employer and restore protections to career civil servants who are so essential to this country.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Week Report (MMWR) titled: “Vaccination Coverage with Selected Vaccines and Exemption Rates Among Children in Kindergarten – United States, 2019-20 School Year”. From the report:
SUMMARY
What is already known about this topic?
State immunization programs conduct annual kindergarten vaccination assessments to monitor school-entry vaccination coverage with all state-required vaccines.
What is added by this report?
For the 2019-20 school year, national coverage was approximately 95% for diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and acellular pertussis; measles, mumps, and rubella; and varicella vaccines. The national exemption rate remained low at 2.5%.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to reduce vaccination coverage in the 2020-21 school year. Increased follow-up of under undervaccinated students needed from schools and immunization programs to maintain the high vaccination coverage necessary to protect students in preparation for schools returning to in-person learning.
State and local school vaccination requirements serve to protect students against vaccine-preventable diseases. This report summarizes data collected by state and local immunization programs on vaccination coverage among children in kindergarten (kindergarteners) in 48 states, exemptions for kindergarteners in 49 states, and provisional enrollment and grace period status for kindergarteners in 28 states for the 2019-20 school year, which was more than halfway completed when most schools moved to virtual learning in the spring because of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Nationally, vaccination coverage was 94.9% for the state-required number of doses for diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP); 95.2% for 2 doses of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR); and 94.8% for the state-required number of varicella vaccine doses. Although 2.5% of kindergarteners had an exemption from at least one vaccine, another 2.3% were not up to date for MMR and did not have a vaccine exemption. Schools and immunization programs can work together to ensure that under vaccinated students are caught up on vaccinations in preparations for returning to in-person learning. This follow up is especially important in the current school year, in which under vaccination is likely higher because of disruptions in vaccination during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
To meet state and local school entry requirements, parents and guardians submit children’s vaccination records or exemption forms to schools, or schools obtain records from state immunization information systems. Federally funded immunization programs work with departments of education, school nurses, and other school personnel to assess vaccination and exemption status of children, typically those aged 4-6 years, enrolled in public or private kindergartens and report unweighted counts, aggregated by school type, to CDC via a web-based questionnaire in the Secure Access Management System. CDC uses these data to produce state- and national-level estimates of vaccination coverage.
During the 2019-20 school year, 48 states reported coverage for all state-required vaccines among public school kindergarteners and 47 states reported on private coverage for all state-required vaccines among public school kindergarteners. Forty-nine states reported exemption data among public school kindergarteners, and vaccination coverage for the state-required number of doses of DTaP, MMR, and varicella vaccine. Hepatitis B and poliovirus vaccination coverage data, which are not included in this report, are available at SchoolVaxView. Twenty-eight states reported data on kindergarteners who, at the time of assessment, were attending school under a grace period (attendance without proof of complete vaccination scheduled). Coverage and exemptions from U.S. territories and associated states are presented; however, national estimates, medians, and summary measures include only U.S. states.
Vaccination coverage and exemption estimates were adjusted according to survey type and response rates. National estimates measure coverage and exemptions among all kindergarteners, and medians measure the midpoint of state-level coverage regardless of population size. Reported estimates for the 2019-20 school year are based 3,675,882 kindergarteners surveyed for vaccination coverage, 3,914,961 for exemptions, and 2,995,220 for grace period and provisional enrollment among the 4,025,574 children reported as enrolled in kindergarten by immunization programs for 49 states. Potentially achievable coverage with MMR, defined as the sum of the percentage of children who are up to date with 2 doses MMR and those with no documented vaccination exemption but who are not up to date, was calculated for each state. Nonexempt students include those provisionally enrolled, in a grace period, or otherwise without documentation of vaccination. SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute Inc.) was used for all analyses.
Vaccination assessments varied by immunization program because of differences in states’ required vaccines and number of doses, vaccines assessed, methods of data collection, and data reported. The majority of states reported kindergarteners as up to date for a given vaccine if they had received all doses of that vaccine required for school entry. Seven states reported kindergarteners as up-to-date for any given vaccine only if they had received all doses all vaccines required for school entry.
Nationally, 2-dose MMR coverage was 95.2% (range = >86.6% to >99.1% ). Coverage of >95% was reported by 20 states and coverage of <90% by three states. DTaP coverage was 94.9% (range = 84.0% to >99.1% ), with 20 states reporting coverage of >95%, and three states reporting <90% coverage. Coverage with 2 doses (or 1 dose, as required) of varicella vaccine was 94.8% (range = >86.6% to >99.1% ), with 21 states reporting coverage >95%, and four states reporting >90% coverage.
The percentage of kindergarteners with an exemption from one or more required vaccines (not limited to MMR, DTaP, and varicella vaccines) remained unchanged from the 2018-19 school year at 2.5% (range = 0.1% to 7.6% ). Nationally, 0.3% of kindergarteners had a medical exemption, and 2.2% had a nonmusical exemption. Only 95.2% of kindergarteners were up to date with MMR; 2.5% had an exemption from at least one vaccine, and another 2.3% were not up to date with MMR and did not have a vaccine exemption.
The percentage of kindergarteners attending school within a grace period or provisionally enrolled among the 28 states reporting these data 1.6% (range = <0.1% to 6.1% ). Of the 28 states with MMR coverage <95%, 24 states could potentially achieve >95% MMR coverage if all nonexempt kindergarteners, may of whom where within a grace period or provisionally enrolled, we vaccinated. Among the 30 states reporting a decrease in the percentage of kindergarteners who were not up to date for MMR and did not have an exemption in 2019-2020 compared with 2018-2019, an increase of MMR coverage in 2019-2020 was also reported by 26 states. In three states with MMR coverage >95% in 2018-2019 (Illinois, North Carolina, and South Carolina), coverage increased to >95% in 2019-2020.
Discussion
The purpose of vaccination assessment is to identify populations at risk and aid in taking programatic steps to increase vaccination coverage. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to late, truncated, or incomplete assessment of kindergarten vaccination status in the 2019-20 school year compared with the 2018-19 school year in some states, most student vaccinations would have already occurred before the start of the 2019-20 school year and would not have been affected by the pandemic. National coverage among kindergarteners remained approximately 95% for MMR, DTaP, and varicella vaccines. However, coverage and exemption rates varied by state.
Measles outbreaks that affected school-aged vaccination requirements for preventing disease spread and school outbreaks of >15 cases during the 2018-19 school year, six reported increases in MMR coverage during 2019-2020. Increases in some states were likely attributable to changes in state laws eliminating nonmusical vaccination exemptions, and vaccination campaigns in response to the outbreaks could also have contributed to the increases in MMR coverage.
The overall percentage of children with an exemption remained at approximately 2.5%; children with exemption represent a small proportion of kindergarteners nationally and in most states. In 25 states, the number of nonexempt undervaccinated kindergarteners equaled or exceeded the number of those with exemptions. In many states, nonexempt under vaccinated students are attending school in a grace period or are provisionally enrolled. Follow-up with undervaccinated students can increase vaccination coverage in this group.
Twenty-six states successfully increased MMR coverage by reducing the number of nonexempt students who are not up to date, with three states (Illinois, North Carolina, and South Carolina) reaching coverage >95%. Some states have implemented policies and activities focused on improving coverage. In Colorado, MMR coverage increased from 87.4% in 2018-2019 to 91.1% in 2019-2020. This was accomplished by prioritizing high MMR coverage.
In addition to providing technical assistance, media toolkits, strategies, and local kindergarten MMR data and targets, the state health department furnished lists of elementary schools with low coverage to local public health agencies, which implemented community-specific strategies. These included digital media campaigns aimed at parents, vaccination reminder/recall, efforts to improve school compliance, outbreak tabletop exercises with schools, and incentives to families (Diana Herrero, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, personal communication, November 13, 2020). Almost all states could achieve >95% MMR coverage if non exempt undervaccinated children were vaccinated according to local and state vaccination policies.
The findings in this report are subject to at least six limitations. First, comparability is limited because of variation in states’ requirements, data collection methods, exemptions allowed, and definitions of grace period and provisional enrollment. Second representatives might be negatively affected because of data collection methods that missed some schools or students or occurred at different times. Third, results might be underestimated or overestimated because of incomplete documentation. Fourth, national coverage estimates include only 48 of 50 states but use lower bound estimates for seven states; exemption estimates include 49 states but use lower bound estimates for three states; and grace period of provisionally enrollment estimates include only 28 states for the 2019-20 school year. Fifth, estimates of potentially achievable MMR coverage are approximations are underestimated for states that do not report vaccine-specific exemptions. Finally, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were closed, and state and local health department staff members were deployed to response activities, limiting the quantity and quality of student vaccination data collected and reported to CDC.
Based on measurements from other data sources, CDC expects that the COVID-19 pandemic has already reduced appointment availability at providers’ offices, parents delaying preventive health care visits, and other barriers to vaccination, and that those disruptions will reduce kindergarten vaccination coverage in the 2020-21 school year. In addition, schools in many states began the 2020-21 school year remotely and might not have enforced the usual vaccination policies.
Providers, schools and immunization programs will need to increase follow-up with undervaccinated students and find ways to overcome pandemic-related barriers to maintain the high level of vaccination coverage necessary to continue protecting school-aged children, their family members, and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases during virtual learning and as schools return to in-person instruction. Jurisdictions should provide resources as appropriate, such as guidance to parents about the importance of maintaining preventative care during the pandemic, lists of immunization providers in the area for children who are unable to be vaccinated by their usual health care provider, or special vaccination clinics at schools or health departments.
January 22: The White House posted a Statement from President Biden and Vice President Harris on the 48th Anniversary of Roe V. Wade. From the Statement:
Today marks the 48th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade.
In the past four years, reproductive health, including the right to choose, has been under relentless and extreme attack. We are deeply committed to making sure everyone has access to care – including reproductive health care – regardless of income, race, zip code, health insurance status, or immigration status.
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to codifying Roe v. Wade and appointing judges that respect foundational precedents like Roe. We are also committed to ensuring that we work to eliminate maternal and infant health disparities, increase access to contraception, and support families economically so that all parents can raise their families with dignity. This commitment extends to our critical work on health care outcomes around the world.
As the Biden-Harris Administration begins in this critical moment, now is the time to rededicate ourselves to ensuring that all individual have access to the health care they need.
January 22: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Economic Director Brian Deese” From the Press Briefing:
MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon, everyone. Happy Friday. Today, we are joined by National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, who will highlight some key aspects of the executive orders the President is issuing today related to the economy and underline their impact on American families and workers.
Brian is kind enough to take a few questions; I didn’t have to twist his arm too much. But he does have to go to a briefing with the President, so I’ll be the bad cop and come up when he has to cut it off.
Go ahead, Brian.
MR. DEESE: Thanks, Jen. So I want to just take a couple minutes to talk to you about the executive actions that the President will take today.
But just to start with a little bit of context: Our economy is at a very precarious moment. We are 10 million jobs short still of where the economy was when this pandemic started. Last month, the economy lost jobs for the first time since last spring. Retail sales fell last month. And just yesterday, we saw another 900,000 Americans file for unemployment insurance. That’s a weekly rate that is higher than any week during the Great Recession.
It’s a moment that requires decisive action to beat this pandemic and support the economic recovery that American families need. That’s why, a week ago, President Biden laid out a comprehensive American Rescue Plan – a plan that is focus on changing the course of the pandemic, getting students back in school, and giving families and businesses a bridge to the economic recovery, while also addressing the stark inequities in our economy that this crisis has exposed.
We have been engaging closely with members of Congress, with governors, mayors, business and labor organizations in the week since, and we’ll continue to do so and hope that Congress will move quickly to consider this important proposal without delay.
At the same time, the American people are hurting, and they can’t afford to wait. They need help right now. And that’s the motivation behind the actions that the President will take today.
I want to be very clear these actions are not a substitute for comprehensive legislative relief, but they will provide a critical lifeline to millions of families.
So just to get into the specifics: The President will sign two executive orders today. The first directs agencies to consider a number of actions that will provide emergency relief for working families affected by the COVID-19 crisis, within existing authorities, and helping to correct some of the errors or omissions of the prior administration in providing families with relief.
I just want to touch on a couple of elements that are in that executive order to give you a sense of what we’re talking about.
On the issue of food insecurity, which is a growing crisis in American – of hunger – nearly 30 million Americans last week said they didn’t have enough food to put on the table. So the President will ask the Department of Agriculture to consider taking immediate steps to provide nutrition assistance to hard-hit families, first by increasing pandemic EBT benefits by about 15 percent. This is the program that is aimed at supporting families who traditionally rely on the school lunch program to provide meals to millions of kids through their schools.
So in the pandemic -the Pandemic EBT program provides direct assistance to families to cover those costs. But the way it is being implemented today doesn’t get to the fill costs necessary. So, with these changes, an eligible family with three children would get about an additional 100 bucks over two months to help pay for food.
Second, increasing the SNAP benefits – emergency SNAP benefits for as many as 12 million low-income Americans. This is the core program targeted at preventing hunger in America. And these changes – again, for a family of four – would mean about a 15 to 20 percent benefit increase.
And third, revising the Thrifty Food Plan – which is really the basis for determining SNAP benefits – is out of date and needs to be updated to better reflect the cost of a healthy diet.
Another element of this executive order is to promote worker safety. And here, President Biden will ask the Department of Labor to consider clarifying that workers have a federally guaranteed right to refuse employment that would jeopardize their health. And if they do so, they will still qualify for unemployment benefits.
This is a common-senes step to make sure that workers have a right to safe work environments and that we don’t put workers, in the middle of a pandemic, in a position where they have to choose between their own livelihoods and the health of they and their families.
The second executive order that the President will sign is focused on the jobs of federal workers and on federal contractors. He will direct his administration to initiate a process, starting today, that would allow him within 100 days to issue an executive order requiring federal contractors to pay at least a $15.00 minimum wage and provide emergency paid leave to workers.
This was something the President talked about on the campaign that, when we’re using taxpayer dollars, federal contractors should provide the benefits and pay that workers deserve.
The order will also protect and empower federal employees, who’ve dedicated their careers to serving the American people, many in very difficult circumstances during this pandemic.
And the steps will include restoring collective bargaining power and worker protections for federal workers; eliminating Schedule – so-called Schedule F – which has threatened the protections of career employees and also provided a potential pathway to burrow political appointees into civil service; and also promoting a $15.00 minimum wage by directing the OPM, the Office of Public Management, to develop recommendations to pay more federal workers at least $15.00 an hour.
Finally, just one final note: In addition to the executive orders that we’ll be issuing today, we will be focusing on another key priority of the President and the Vice President, which is equitable relief to small businesses.
In previous rounds of relief, too much of the support that has been dedicated to small businesses has left out the smallest businesses, mom-and-pop businesses that don’t have existing connections with a financial institution. And in particular, black-, Latino-, Asian-, and Native American-owned businesses were shot out completely. And a lot of that is because the outreach and communication from the federal government was either unclear or just nonexistent. And so, too many of those companies have been denied relief, and many of them had to shut their doors for good.
The President is completely focused on changing that. And he has – he has directed us to take immediate steps to make sure that we’re listening to these communities, we’re taking their advice on how to improve the distribution of relief.
So, just this morning, I met, along with representatives of the Small Business Administration, with dozens of groups representing black- and brown-owned businesses and other underserved communities, as well as lenders, to hear their ideas on how we can improve communications and act on them.
We discussed the President’s idea of having navigators who are dedicated to helping small-businesses owners find the right relief programs, fill out paperwork, get the money into their bank accounts – the kind of support that many of these businesses don’t have because of embedded relationships that more well-connected businesses do.
There are some groups out there in the country who are doing this really successfully. We’re determined to learn from them and to scale those efforts nationwide.
And in this vein, I look forward – I will be joining Vice President Harris later today. She will be meeting with small-business owners to discuss both the American Rescue Plan and the need for more effective small-business relief delivered without delay.
So that’s – that is – that is today, and that is our focus through a set of executive orders. And I’m happy to take a couple of questions, of which you all have many. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Do you want me to (inaudible)?
MR. DEESE: Sure, sure. This is the good cop/bad cop for you. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Kristen, go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Hi, Brian.
MR. DEESE: Hi.
Q: Good to see you. Thank you for taking questions today. I want to ask you about the call on Sunday with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. What can you tell us about the call? Will President Biden be on the call? And what is your message to moderate Republicans, like Mitt Romney, who say the economy can’t have another stimulus after you just passed a $900 billion relief package last month?
MR. DEESE: Yeah, thanks, Kristen. So, the President has made clear to his team that we should be reading out to members of Congress from both parties to make the case for the rescue plan and to engage with them, understand their concerns.
So that’s what we’re doing, both myself and senior members of the team. We have been doing that over the course of time. We’ll continue to do that, including the call on Sunday that I’ll be doing with a group of senators, and we’ll continue that engagement going forward.
In terms of the – in terms of the message, it’s pretty clear we’re at a precarious moment for the virus and the economy. Without decisive action, we risk falling into a very serious economic hole, even more serious than the crisis we find ourselves in. And economists across the board – including today, President Trump’s former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers – arguing strenuously that now is the time for that type of decisive action for the economy; and that we can’t wait to provide the resources to make sure that we can open up schools, we can get vaccine shots in people’s arms, and we can provide that bridging relief to families and small businesses.
There’s a lot of support. I met with a group of mayors yesterday – a bipartisan group of mayors from across the country. You hear from mayors, you hear from governors just crying out that in order to take on these crises, the public health and the pandemic and the economic crisis at the same time, now is the moment for that kind of decisive action. That’s the case we’ll be making.
Q: And just to be clear, Brian, will President Biden be on the call? And if not, why not, if this is so urgent?
MR. DEESE: So, like I said, we’re doing all outreach. The President has directed the team to do outreach to members of Congress, to business and labor organizations, to mayors and governors, and we’re in the process of doing that. I’ll be having that conversation on Sunday. You can expect that other members of the administration will be engaging with members of Congress across time as well.
Q: And just very quickly, Brian, if I could: What would a February impeachment trial – how would a February impeachment trial impact getting the COVID relief package passed?
MR. DEESE: Look, I think that we have faced – we are facing right now a period of multiple crises. And what we’re going to need is to be able to act on multiple fronts. And so that’s – certainly we understand, and as Jen has spoken to, we understand that the Senate has a constitutional obligation in this context, but we also have this pressing economic and pandemic priorities as well.
So we’re going to – that’s why we’re engaging. That’s why we’re focused on making the case. And certainly with the expiration that Congress will – will heed that call and move forward.
MS. PSAKI: I promise to do a whole briefing after this, so just – we’ll do econ questions for Brian.
Go ahead, Mary.
Q: Thank you very much. If you are able to pass this nearly $2 trillion plan, do you envision this being the last round of stimulus, or do you think you may need to do more?
MR. DEESE: What I can tell you is, if we don’t act now, we will be in a much worse place, and we will find ourselves needing to do much more to dig out of a much deeper hole.
So what I can tell you is the single most important thing, economically, right now is to take decisive action along the lines of what we’ve laid out in this rescue plan.
And you hear, again, from economists across the board – whether it’s the Federal Reserve, the International Monetary Fund, and economic experts across the political spectrum as well – when you’re at a moment that is as precarious as the one we find ourselves in, the risk of doing too little, the risk of undershooting far outweighs the risk of doing too much. And that’s the economic logic, the economic case behind this package.
I think you also heard the President clearly explain that his economic approach is one where rescue and recovery need to come together. And he’ll be speaking more about his recovery plans in the coming weeks that are about building back better, an urgent priority to start creating the kinds of good jobs that we know we’re going to need coming out if this crisis.
Q: And after the recession, it took nearly a decade to get the country back to full employment under the Obama administration. If you’re able to pass this rescue package, how long do you think it will take for every American who wants a job to be able to have one?
MR. DEESE: Well, I would just point to, you know, just one example of an independent analysis that was done of the American Rescue Plan by Moody’s. And what they said – what they found was that if we passed the American Rescue Plan now, we could see seven and a half million jobs created just this year, and we could see a full return to full employment a full year ahead of what is projected if we don’t. So those are the stakes involved.
And without this kind of decisive action, we’re going to have a much deeper economic hole, and that’s why we are so focused on making the case for a decisive action now.
MS. PSAKI: Justin.
Q: Thanks, Jen and Brian. I wanted to follow on Welker’s question a little bit. The President has talked about seeking “unity” on this bill, but also being “clear-eyed” when there’s policy differences. So I’m wondering if after this call, which is sort of the bipartisan coalition that you’d need to get this bill passed, if you expect to know whether the White House will pursue legislation – bipartisan legislation, or sort of head towards legislation through reconciliation.
And I’m also wondering if you could talk about what sort of red lines will be – the point at which you say “Okay, if you’re not willing to negotiate this in the bill, we’re going to just start working with Democrats as Speaker Pelosi and others have encouraged you to do.
MR. DEESE: Yeah. Well, I guess, I’d say two things to that. The first is, if you look at the elements of the American Rescue Plan, it was designed with a bottom-up focus on what the experts are saying is the actual need. What’s the actual need to get schools open? What’s the actual need to have a national vaccination distribution plan to underwrite the strategy that you heard Dr. Fauci and the President talk about yesterday? And what’s the need to support families and businesses during this transition?
And the second thing – the second thing is that, as a result of that, I think we’re seeing a lot of support, as I said, of bipartisan mayors, bipartisan governors, business organizations, Chamber of Commerce, business roundtable, economists across the board, saying this is a – this is a – an appropriate response to the unprecedented economic circumstance.
So that’s the – that’s the approach that we are taking, and that’s the – that’s the perspective that we are bringing here.
And I think that we are heartened to see that kind of support, and that’s the conversation that we’re going to have with members of Congress, be they Republicans or Democrats, including, you know, looking at where we are, where we’ve come over the last year, and the lessons we’ve learned that, without decisive action, we know the consequences. And so now is a moment not to undershoot or to wait and see; now is a moment to act.
Q: Right. I guess my question is: I think a lesson that a lot of – President Obama and others have talked about from the ACA fight was continuing to court Republican support beyond the point of it being productive. And so I’m wondering, for you guys, what is the decision point going to be where you – you know, you might have Republican mayors, but it doesn’t look like you have Republican senators right now. At what point do you say this is no longer worth, kind of, pushing forward?
MR. DEESE: We’re – we are – we’re making the case. We are engaging, we’re having conversations, we’re listening, and we are also focused on the urgency and the need to act. And so, you know, what I can tell you is that’s where the President’s focus is, that’s where the Vice President’s focus is. That’ll be – continue to be our focus is we want to – we want to act, and that’s going to be what guides us here.
MS. PSAKI: This is going to be the last one. But Brian will come back.
Q: Thank you for doing this, Brian. Back to the point of the objections of some of these Republican senators who have already spoken out – they say they just passed a $900 billion or so at the end of year, and most of it isn’t even out yet. How do you know, if that money hasn’t gotten into the system yet, that you will need to release more at this point? Why move ahead with a trillion-dollar plan if the $900 million that’s already been approved hasn’t even gotten out the door?
MR. DEESE: Sure. Well, first of all, you know, we waited for six months or more before Congress acted. And so, really, a lot of what that $900 billion was doing was filling a hole in the second half of 2020 that desperately needed to be filled. And so – so, it’s – this is not – this is not an issue of Congress acting too much; it’s an issue of not acting enough.
And the second is, if you look at the components of that $900 billion – again, we could go line by line, but these resources that are either already out the door or already – or are addressing economic challenges or public health challenges that were in the rearview mirror.
So as we find ourselves today looking forward, we need a very set – a very decisive set of actions if we are actually going to get schools open, if we’re actually going to get a vaccination program up and running. And I think that the case that we will make is that, today, we’re not where we need to be. And if we go line by line in the American Rescue Plan, these provisions are – have been designed based on an assessment of need, and we think that, looking forward, we’re quite confident that this is – this is the prudent assessment of needs.
Q: And I want to clarify two quick things. How many federal employees or federal contractors are making minimum wage right now? Do you guys know?
MR. DEESE: So I don’t – I don’t have an – I don’t have an estimate of that right now.
Q: And then, last night, you said that there are roughly 8 million people who haven’t received their stimulus checks.
MR. DEESE: Yes.
Q: How do you find them?
MR. DEESE: So, is a great question. This is principally an issue associated with people who are non-filers, so they’re not filing income taxes, in most cases because they don’t make enough money to need to file federal income taxes. And so, as a result, the way that the IRS and the Treasury Department in the previous administration has focused on getting those checks out has been to work through the tax system.
But those are people who are legally entitled to those checks, and so we have a number of strategies that we’re going to pursue. And that, today, we’ll start with the President’s executive order to direct the Department of the Treasury to consider a whole range of efforts, including creating an online portal that would allow people to easily identify if they’re eligible, to work through counterpart organizations to actually affirmatively do outreach to communities to actually do outreach to communities where we know there are significant numbers of these – of these families and these individuals to let people know that they may be available. Some of this is education outreach as well.
And I would just – you know, it’s a little connected to what I was saying about small business as well. What the President is directing all of us to do is to really focus on the affirmative steps that we can take and an affirmative strategy to say it’s not enough to just say, “Well, if folks don’t know or of they don’t have a network, then they’re left out in the cold.”
We’re going to – we’re going to work both directly in what the federal government can do and with partner organizations to try and make sure that every American who’s entitled to a benefit is actually receiving it.
Q: But if there’s someone out there right now who hears you saying this, and realizes, “I’m eligible and I haven’t gotten it,” right now, today, is there a way for them to raise their hand and say, “Send me my check”?
MR. DEESE: Well, starting today, we’re going to start a process to make that a lot easier – a lot easier for families, including being able to go online and do that. But that’s – that’s work that’s going to start today.
MS. PSAKI: I totally skipped the AP, so would you mind taking one more?
M
Q: Just one small –
MS. PSAKI: I didn’t mean to.
Thank you. I just have one small question on the mechanics of the EO targeting the food insecure. Does the USDA have the money to distribute these plus-ups that you’re taking about? Or is there going to need to be an appropriations from Congress?
MR. DEESE: So these are mandatory appropriated programs, so there’s no need for additional congressional action. It’s a change in regulation on the eligibility for benefits. So these are – these are the changes the can be made under existing statute and under existing budgetary authority without any additional action from Congress.
Q: The money is there though to –
MR. DEESE: Yeah. It’s a mandatory program, so it operates based on – the benefits are paid out based on who is eligible.
MS. PSAKI: Great. Thank you, Brian. He’ll be back.
MR. DEESE: Great. Thank you all.
MS. PSAKI: All right, everyone. Happy Friday. I have a couple of things just at the top – some things you’ve been asking about, so hopefully they address some of the questions you may have.
First, we applaud the Senate’s strong bipartisan confirmation of Lloyd Austin, who has been breaking barriers all of his life, as the first black secretary of Defense in our nation’s history.
Secretary Austin’s confirmation is a major benefit to our national security, and he’s going to hit the ground running, leading the Pentagon. He will be sworn in today, but he will be – he will be sworn in more officially by the – not “more officially,” I should say, but he will be sworn in more ceremoniously … officially, by the – not “more officially,” I should say – but he will be sworn in more ceremoniously on Monday by the Vice President.
Similarly, the President is very happy to see that Janet Yellen – the first woman who would ever lead the U.S. Treasury Department – was unanimously voted out of committee this morning. This should be only the beginning.
We’re facing unprecedented challenges and threats to our national security during these emergencies, and our country urgently needs our Secretary of Homeland Security in place. Alejandro Mayorkas is one of the most knowledgeable homeland security experts in the country. He has earned bipartisan praise, and he’s been previously confirmed by the Senate three times. This is a confirmation that we are going to continue to press on in all of our engagements and conversations with the Senate.
I also have some news to share on the President’s response to domestic violent extremism. The January 6th assault on the Capitol and the tragic deaths and destruction that occurred underscored what we have long known: The rise of domestic violent extremism is a serious and growing national security threat.
The Biden administration will confront this threat with the necessary resources and resolve. We are committed to developing policies and strategies based on facts, on objective and rigorous analysis, and on a respect for constitutionally protected free speech and political activities.
Our initial work on DVE will broadly fall into three areas. The first is a tasking from President Biden sent to the ODNI today requesting a comprehensive threat assessment, coordinate with the FBI and DHS, on domestic violent extremism. This assessment will draw on the analysis from across the government and as appropriate, nongovernmental organizations.
The key point here is that we want fact-based analysis upon which we can shape policy. So this is really the first step in the process, and we’ll rely on our appropriate law enforcement and intelligence officials to provide that analysis.
The second will be the building of an NSC capability to focus on countering domestic violent extremism. As a part of this, the NSC will undertake a policy review effort to determine how the government can share information better about this threat, support efforts to prevent radicalization, disrupt violent extremist networks, and more.
There’s important work already underway across the interagency in countering DVE, and we need to understand better its current extent and where there may be gaps to address, so we can determine the best path forward.
The third will be coordinating relevant parts of the federal government to enhance and accelerate efforts to address DVE. This considered, an NSC-convened process will focus on addressing evolving threats, radicalization, the role of social media, opportunities to improve information sharing, operational responses, and more.
Just a couple more items. As you all know, right now, the President and Vice President are having lunch. This is something they look forward to doing every week. They’ll be discussing their agenda, particularly getting relief to working families and containing the COVID crisis, and I’m sure they’ll talk about the last 48 Horus as well.
Later today, the President will speak with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. We had confirmed that earlier this week. He’ll also speak with President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador. We’ll have readouts of both those calls when they happen.
Yesterday evening, the First Lady held a virtual event to honor and show gratitude for the hard work of educators across the country, especially during this difficult time of COVID-19. She was accompanies by the presidents of both the American Federation of teachers and National Education Association. Over 11,000 educators attended the virtual meeting.
Today, she will tour the Whitman-Walker Clinic in Washington D.C., to highlight and promote support services for cancer patients and caregivers. And while I know that was in our guidance, we want to use this platform here to also share with you information about both the Vice President and the First Lady moving forward.
One more item, as well. Earlier this morning – or late this morning, I should say – the President called General Daniel Hokanson, who his head of the National Guard over the last several years. He talked about his own personal commitment and connection to the National Guard, given his son had served previously. And he offered assistance – any assistance needed of both the government, but also on a personal level, and asked him to reach out if here was anything that he ever needed.
I will stop there. Just a few updates. So, (inaudible), why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Yeah, thank you. I know this has been asked you several times, but now that there is an impeachment trial imminent, does President Biden have an opinion on whether former President Trump should be convicted?
And then, secondly, with how this is going, you’re not getting a little bit of momentum on confirmations. Do you have all that you need to get going on coronavirus, on the economy, and so forth? Is this just going to slow everything down? And does it also take away from the ability to unify?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, remarkably, at this moment in history, we have some recent precedent of the Senate conducting an impeachment trial while also doing the business of the American people. And when the trial was being conducted last January, there were also hearings that were happening nearly on a daily basis, and we expect that type of work to continue.
I’ll also note, purely on an operational level, the House can also proceed and continue to do the work on the American rescue plan, move that forward, and we certainly expect and hope that they will do that.
But what the President’s view is: What cannot be delayed through this process is his proposal to get relief to the American people at this time of crisis. So he’s confident – he remains confident, after serving decades in the Senate, that the Senate members of both parties can walk and chew gum last the same time and can move forward with the business of the American people.
Q: Does he believe that former President Trump should be convicted?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he’s no longer in the Senate, and he believes that it’s up to the Senate and Congress to determine how they will hold the former President accountable, and what the mechanics and timeline of that process will be.
Q: I’d like to ask on – just on –
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: – on DVE, if you don’t mind. Are the tools and methods available to federal law enforcement, are they what we need right now? Are we still stuck in sort of a post-9/11 mindeset? And does there need to be really broad, radical rethinking about how we, sort of, approach things in the federal law enforcement?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the reason that the President wanted to do this review and the national security team wanted to do this review is because it’s a priorate to ensure we are assessing what is happening in government and how we can do it better. So, clearly, more needs to be done. That’s why the President is tasking the national security team to do exactly this review on his first – his second full day in office. So it’s sending an indication of that.
Let me give you just a little bit more information. Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall has asked Joshua Geltzer to pioneer a scoping effort in the first 100 days, in coordination with the Senior Director for Counterterrorism, Claire Linkins. Seltzer previously served as the Senior Director for Counterterrorism on the National Security Council from 2015 through 2017. And Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Russ Travers will also bring his extensive experience. So those are some of the people who will be involved in overseeing this review and an assessment of what steps are going to be following.
Go ahead, Kristen.
Q: Thanks, Jen. One on impeachment, and then, if I could, on COVID. On impeachment, did House Speaker Nancy Pelosi consult with President Biden before sending the article of impeachment over to the Senate?
MS PSAKI: I don’t have any calls between them to read out for you, Kristen. Obviously, they’re in regular touch. I can say, from a previous question you asked… obviously they’re in regular touch. I can say due to – from a previous question you asked Brian, that he’s been in touch with members of both parties about his agenda, even since he was inaugurated. So obviously a range of topics come up in those discussions, but I don’t have anything more to read out for you.
Q: And just on the timing: Leader McConnell has said that he’s going to push for a February timeline. I know that you don’t want to comment specifically on the timeline of this, but how would a February trial impact the effort to get COVID relief passed?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President’s expectation – he believes in the Senate and their ability to multitask and get the work and business of the American people done at the same time while they are proceeding with an impeachment trial, on whatever timeline it begins and ends on, Kristen. So he’s –
Q: Is that fast enough for him? Is mid-February fast enough for President –
MS. PSAKI: He’s going to leave the timeline up to them. But what is important – and again, there’s precedent for this – is that they are continuing to move forward with getting the relief to the American people because that certainly can’t wait and be delayed until March, April, or May. We can’t afford that.
Q: If I could follow up with you on what you said about COVID yesterday, you said your goal is a million shots per day, which would double, you said, what the Trump administration was doing. According to the CDC, we have reached a million shots a day last week. So, given that – given the urgent need for vaccinations, why not aim higher?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first of all, we’re not packing up our bags and leaving at 100 days. We felt it was important. And we set that goal before any American had received a single shot. So, the incoming Biden administration felt it was important to set what was described as a “bold and ambitious” goal at the time. And many doubted we could even get there. So we want to set our own markers, and markers for the American public, so that they know we’re meeting our goal. If we surpass that, that’s great. We’re going to continue working after day 100 as well.
But there are a number of factors here Dr. Fauci also talked about. It’s not just having the access to the vaccine. Right? It is about addressing vaccine hesitancy. It’s about ensuring we have the materials needed. It’s about – and you all have done reporting, of course, on different issues going on in states, from New York and others, where there are concerns about supply, where there’s confusing about the process, and we need to address that. So there are a number of operational challenges that are happening at the same time.
Okay, let’s go to Ed.
Q: Yeah. Following up on the vaccine: Stakeholders we’ve talked to, state leaders, medical experts, have said one of the questions they’re trying to figure out is how much vaccine is already in the National Stockpile right now. Do you have any sense of that yet?
MS. PSAKI: Our team, as you know, has been on the ground for about 48 hours, but certainly what they want to determine is not just the operational issues I referenced, but also what we’re looking at in terms of supply. We are, as you may know – well, we are going to be starting briefings next week – I should say a couple times a week – with some of our health experts. So I expect they’ll be able to provide some update of what they’ve reviewed and what they have access to at that point in time.
Q: Two other quick ones on the previous occupant. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff is calling on President Biden not to extend the courtesy to President Trump of getting access to intelligence briefings. Has a decision been made on that?
MS. PSAKI: Not that I’m aware of, but I’ll follow up with our national security team and see. We would certainly leave the decision to them – to the intelligence community.
Q: Can you clear up the confusion here about these – who exactly dismissed the chief White House usher?
MS. PSAKI: Well, it happened –
Q: Is it the Biden administration or was it the previous occupant?
MS. PSAKI: It is – it is a very important question. I’m so happy you asked it. It is – it happened before we walked in the door, Ed. So I don’t have any more information that what we’ve provided.
Go ahead.
Q: Not to belabor this point, but you’ve said that Congress can walk and chew gum at the same time, which is true, but there are also so many hours in the day. Has the President expressed any concern that a Senate trial will slow down additional confirmations or movement on a COVID relief bill?
MS. PSAKI: Only that it cannot. There are only so many hours in the day; you’re right. But, again, if there’s a Senate trial happening in the Senate – of course it would happen in the Senate – the House can move forward on a package. And certainly there is the capacity and ability to have discussions, have hearings, take steps to move forward on the President’s COVID relief package. And we don’t think it can be delayed or it can wait, so they’re going to have to find a path forward, and he’s confident they can do that.
Q: And President Biden has made pretty clear that he believes former President Trump is unfit to serve. Does he think he should be barred from holding federal office going forward?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’ll leave it to Congress. He ran against him because he thought he was unfit to serve, and he’s no longer here because President Biden beat him. But we’ll leave the steps – the accountability steps to Congress to determine.
Q: And can I ask just two –
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: – COVID questions? Any update as to whether the President may sit down with congressional leaders to discuss and try and hammer out this package?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, I will say, without giving you specifics necessarily but – which I know you’re looking for, so I shouldn’t have just walked myself into that rabbit hole, but –
Q: (inaudible)
MS. PSAKI: Right. (Laughs.)
But the President has already done a number of calls with Democrats and Republicans; that will continue. He’s very eager to be closely involved, roll up his sleeves, and be making calls himself. I don’t – soon – but I don’t have an update on any meeting.
I will though add, just for context, I know that the reporting – thanks for your reporting, I suppose – about the meeting this weekend kind of got out there, and obviously Brian confirmed it. There are a lot of meetings happening at one time with a lot of different officials. So I don’t – I wouldn’t see that as like this is the negotiating tool. That is one of many engagements and one of many discussions that the President, the Vice President, senior members of the White House team are having and are ongoing.
Q: And as outlined right now, is he confident that you have enough Democrats on board with this plan to pass this?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he announced the plan about a week ago. Right? And we are – his view is that this is how democracy should work, which is the President of the United States announces what his vision is and what his plan – his proposed plan is to address the crises the American people are facing. Then there are ongoing discussions with Congress. They like some pieces; they don’t like other pieces. You have all seen, Democrats like many pieces; Republicans even like some of the pieces, too. And we’ve – he’s had those encouraging conversations.
But the final package may not look exactly like the package the he proposed. That’s ok. That’s how the process – the legislative process should work.
Go ahead, Justin.
Q: Thanks. Welcome back.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you.
Q: I had a question on COVID, but I wanted to start with just some housekeeping from questions you had earlier in the week that you said –
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: – you might circle back on.
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: So I was wondering if –
MS. PSAKI: The plane?
Q: Sure. We can start there. (Laughter.)
MS. PSAKI: Oh, I didn’t – I was – okay. (Laughter.)
On the plane: We are certainly aware of the White House military unit’s proposal that has been submitted to them about reconsidering the color scheme of Air Force One. I can confirm for you here the President has not spent a moment thinking about the color scheme of Air Force One or anything in the house or any article of anything. So – and no one is going to submit a decision memo to him on that particular topic. But certainly we’re aware of the proposals, and as there are any updates, we’re happy to provide them to you.
Q: Maybe a little more substantively, I was wondering, you had mentioned syringes yesterday, but not if you were – or not specific companies that might have had DPA contracts, either started or come in. And then also, D.C. statehood was an issue that was raised in a previous briefing.
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, on the first, I don’t have specific companies for you. I can circle back with our COVID team to see if we have more specifics. Obviously, those conversations are happening as we speak.
There was a question yesterday about whether the Defense Production Act had been invoked. It has been invoked. So those processes are now rapidly ongoing. The President has supported D.C. statehood in the past; that certainly remains his position. But I don’t have anything for you on the timeline or next steps there.
Q: And then, sorry –
MS. PSAKI: Oh, go ahead.
Q: Just the COVID one quickly. A, kind of, trademark of the last administration’s efforts were that there would be a big announcement of, like, Jared Kushner’s testing website, and then no timeline put on it, and it never really materialized. So I was interested when the Chief of Staff last night said that there would be a central clearinghouse for vaccine information. And I was wondering if you could provide a, sort of, expectation or a timeline on when Americans could expect if there’s a .gov email address – or .gov website or a phone number that they could go to to find out their specific vaccination information.
MS. PSAKI: Well, I know all members of my family are also asking the same question, as I’m sure yours are. It is something we’re eager to do and also provide more information to the American public about when they can call their pharmacy and schedule an appointment, just to make it much easier. The lack of information and the lack – the disinformation at times about how people can get the vaccine, when they can get the vaccine, and who’s eligible has created a great deal of confusion, as you all know.
I don’t have anything on the timeline, but I will remind you that the person who saved Healthcare.gov and the person who helped him are working on the COVID team. So we’re in very good hands. And they’re certainly committed to getting more information out in a more accessible way.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Two questions. The first is having to do with the operations of the West Wing. There was curiosity about this in the early days of the Trump administration, so I’ll ask you. Who has Oval Office walk-in privileges in this White House? Do you have Oval Office walk-in privileges, as you speak for the President? And how is that access to the President controlled here?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t know that I’m going to give you a list of everybody, but I will convey that, you know, since the first conversation I had with then President-Elect Biden, he conveyed to me that it was important that we have regular conversations, and we’re able to have a discussion about how he sees things and questions that are coming up to ensure that we are providing you all with information not just about our policies, which is, of course, pivotal, but his – also his thinking on issues.
So, I talked to him this morning, and certainly I expect and anticipate I’ll have regular conversations with him, and there are a number of other people who have those conversations with him on a daily basis as well. That’s part of his style and part of governing, is to make sure people who are engaging with the outside world have an understanding of his thinking.
Q: One more question for you. Is Dr. Deborah Birx still a member of this President’s COVID response team?
MS. PSAKI: I will have to circle back on that one. That’s an excellent question, and I don’t have any information on it in front of me.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you, ma’am. I’ve got a question about the Senate and then also a foreign policy question, if you’ll let me.
MS. PSAKI: Great. I love foreign policy questions.
Q: (Laughs.) Thank you. Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer have been going back and forth over discussions when it comes to a power-sharing situation. Obviously, the sticking point has been the filibuster. Are you concerned that those negotiations could potentially delay the President’s legislative agenda, his nominees? And then also, does the President still oppose overturning the legislative filibuster, like he did in that interview with The New York Times?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, his – the President’s position hasn’t changed, but I will say he’s conveyed in conversations with both now Leader Schumer and Senator McConnell that they need to have their conversations, of course, but he is eager to move his rescue plan forward. He is eager to get relief to the American public. He wants to work with both of them to do exactly that, and he wants it to be a bipartisan bill. So that is his objective.
Q: So his position hasn’t changed? He opposes overturning a legislative filibuster?
MS. PSAKI: He has spoken to this many times. His position has not changed.
Q: And then, the previous administration, on their way out the door, declared that China’s human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims were, quote, “crimes against humanity” and, quote, “a genocide.” Does the President agree with that determination, and will he keep it?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I know that our Secretary of State is just about to get confirmed, or so Senator McConnell tells us. And I’m sure he will be reviewing – I know he will be reviewing a number of the decisions and assessments that have made. Obviously, the President has spoken before to the – to the horrific treatment of Uyghurs, but I don’t have anything more for you on that. I can check with our national security team and see if we have a more up-to-date statement.
Go ahead.
Q: Hi. Just a couple of quick follow-ups. The USDA aid for families that depend on schools to feed their children – that is $100 for three children every two months. Is that too little too late? What more are you thinking of doing?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, I will say that the executive actions – and this is something when we were discussing this with the President earlier today – are just part of his effort to bring relief to the American people. He – his priority was overturning a number of detrimental steps that the Trump administration had taken and to take steps that he can through executive authority, through the review of the legal team to do – to bring that relief.
But he has also opposed this large package, as many of you have pointed out to all of us, to bring additional relief. And he wants to work with Congress to build on the executive actions to take a bipartisan approach to making sure we are – that kids have food to eat, that people who don’t have jobs have the relief they need, that we can get the vaccine out, that schools can reopen. Those are all priorities of his. But the – his big focus is on doing that in a bipartisan way with Congress.
Q: And there was this – there was this other detail mentioned about the $15.00 minimum wage – and I know Brian spoke about federal contractors – but the issue has obviously faced a lot of opposition in Congress over the years. Is President Biden planning to speak to Senator Schumer to bring the bill – the legislation that the House passed on $15.00 – to the Senate? I mean, how does this broadly help workers around the country?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, this is just one part of his step to provide relief to the American people. There are many federal contractors, of course, serving the government, and he felt it was something that was not just right to do, but something necessary to do. But he has proposed a significant relief package – or package that will provide assistance to many, many Americans, and he will continue to advocate for the $15.00 minimum wage moving forward. There’s no question about it.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you very much, Jen. And I’d like to focus on vaccinations. There’s arguably something that the federal government can do in this front. In New York, there is a looming train wreck that’s actually happening today. Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio say that they’re going to be running out of their batches of first doses of the vaccine today. They don’t expect to get more until Tuesday, so there’s going to be a three-day gap. Is the federal government and is President Biden going to do anything to prevent that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’ve asked the CDC to look into exactly this issue and see what can be done. I don’t have any update beyond that, but certainly, we don’t want any states to run out of access to vaccine. We are hopeful that, in the weeks ahead, as we get our sea legs here and our team starts to operationalize engagement with governors, engagement with local officials, to provide them a greater understanding of supply, of what we are going to have access to, in a farther – in a timeframe that’s further in advance, that we can avoid situations like this in the future. But we’ve asked the CDC to look into what’s happening.
Q: Can I just follow up on that? There’s arguably a way that the federal government can just basically flip a switch and help alleviate some of this problem. New York City says it has 65,000 doses that are reserved for a second shot. Is the federal government considering allowing those to be used for the first shots so that there is not this three-day gap of first-shot vaccinations?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as you know, in the past, we have – we have advocated for releasing additional access from the reserves, but we have really deferred to health and medical experts, so that’s why we have asked the CDC to look into what the options are.
Q: Okay. So you’ve asked the CDC to look into this so there isn’t a gap?
MS. PSAKI: Well, to look into – to have the conversation with officials in New York and to look into what is possible. But I don’t want to get ahead of them. We want to lean into health and medical experts to make the decisions.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. One of the executive orders that was signed yesterday requires that international travelers quarantine or self-isolate. Is the administration going to do anything to enforce that rule, or is it mostly an honor system?
And then, on coronavirus, one more: Has the President considered establishing any sort of national memorial to memorialize those people who have died from coronavirus?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Both are excellent questions, and the first one I should have information on, but I’ll have to follow up with you on both of them. I’m not aware of a discussion about the second piece, so that’s an interesting idea, and I will bring it back to people and see if there’s more to say.
Q: One more then. On the immigration bill: Has the President got a sense of any feedback on the immigration bill that was sent to the Hill yesterday? And is there an overall timeline for when he’d like to see that move?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we already have co-sponsors of the immigration bill, as you may have seen, which is obviously a good sign. There are a number of experts, as you know – because I’m guessing you have covered this issue for some time if you’re asking with a level of detail – who have worked in immigration reform, had bipartisan discussions in the past.
And we are hopeful that this proposal – that this bill that he sent forward – we sent forward yesterday will be an opportunity for a reset to really restart those discussions. But we expect that will be the first step here and that we’re hopeful that the components of this proposed bill – which are different from what has been proposed in the past because it includes smarter security, it includes a path to citizenship, but it also includes funding to address the root cause – will help be the basis of those discussions. And we would like to see them move forward quickly.
Okay, why don’t you go ahead, over there?
Q: You mentioned the issue of vaccine hesitancy. Does the President believe that all Americans should get the vaccine? And then for those who might be reluctant to get it, how do you convince them that it’s safe?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he does. The more people who are vaccinated, the safer we are. Health and medical experts have also conveyed that. That’s who I’m quoting.
In terms of addressing vaccine hesitancy, it’s a big challenge. You heard Dr. Fauci talk about this yesterday, and it will be easier for the first tranche of Americans to get the – to convince them to get the vaccine. They’re just looking for information on where to go and how to sign up and how to get grandma to come with them.
It is really the next layer of people who are concerned, as you alluded to, about the safety and the efficacy. And, unfortunately, there is a large percent – a larger than-should-be percentage in minority communities, communities of color, and so we’ve been quite thoughtful – or we want t one quite thoughtful about how we do outreach and engagement. Obviously, it’s making it accessible, so ensuring we have these community centers and health centers that can provide the vaccine, bit also who’s communicating on behalf of the government or on behalf of the safety of the vaccine.
The President certainly will be doing that; the Vice President will be doing that. I know a lot of celebrities have offered. That’s okay. But what’s been interesting in the data – or great; we welcome that. But what’s interesting in the data is that local doctors and local officials – you know, people from the community – are people who are most often trusted and so we’re really trying to empower and be able to fund local communities to be able to be the spokespeople to build that trust.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you, Jen. On the – you mentioned that the COVID-package – the talks may evolve, it may change the package, and there are already some things that you feel like there’s bipartisan support for. Is there any consideration that’s taken place or that may take place in separating some of these pieces out and passing the things, first and foremost, that may generate bipartisan support, given the urgency that you’ve talked – talked about?
MS. PSAKI: Well, you know, I will say, as Brian said, that our objective here – the way that the package was designed was to address the core issues of the crisis. So I think the tricky piece of that question is: Do you delay vaccine funding to distribute the vaccine? Do you delay funding for unemployment insurance? Do you delay finding to reopen schools? Nobody wants to be having a conversation about why schools aren’t reopened in May or June – Democrats, Republicans, no members of Congress. So, there are key components in here that we – that he – that – in the package that was designed to address the current crises.
So, right now, we’re having a discussion about the big package. But, as you noted, there are viewpoints – points of view – no surprise – about many components of it. We certainly understand that, and we welcome the discussion and engagement with members of both parties.
Q: And is there any timeline on the fact-finding period for the domestic violence extremism orders that you — the letters that you’ve sent? Is there a period when that – you’re expecting to get maybe some action (inaudible)?
MS. PSAKI: When we’re getting the report back? I don’t believe we have outlined that yet. Let me – we can follow up with you if there’s a specific timeline that we’re putting out publicly at this point.
Go ahead.
Q: Chairman Yellen, in committee yesterday, said that President Biden wouldn’t be signing any free trade deals because the focus was on the domestic economy and infrastructure. Where does that leave the potential for a UK-U.S. trade deal? Which – is it months away or next year or year after?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I can’t give you any timeline. I will say that what is important to the President and also our national security adviser Jake Sullivan is that we do – everything we do must help advance working families and the American middle class. And that certainly includes any trade agreements, and that is part of their objective and how they would approach it.
But, as you noted, at this point in time, we’re working to get the pandemic under control, provide economic relief to the American public. We, of course, can do multiple things at the same time, but those are our primary priorities at this point.
Q: Can I ask for a follow-up? Can I ask what happened to the Churchill bust and what should be read about its removal from the Oval Office?
MS. PSAKI: Oh, such an important question. It’s the plane of today. I will follow up on that. I don’t have – it is – it is something that may certainly be exiting in the complex. Of course, I’m familiar with the bust. But we will circle back with you if there’s more to update you on that.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks. Two follow-ups to what they were just asking you. On domestic unrest: First of all, does the President have any comment on the ongoing violence in Oregon and Washington State that we’ve seen in recent days?
MS. PSAKI: Well, certainly, we have had our team on the ground – our national security team – even before 12:01, early in the morning, on Inauguration Day because we wanted to be able to monitor events happening across the country and any unrest that was resulting from – from the last couple of weeks.
I haven’t spoken with him specifically about those events, but it is something our national security team – Liz Sherwood-Randall, our Homeland Security Advisor – is closing monitoring, of course. And – but, if we have an additional update, I’m happy to provide it to you.
Q: Thank you. Two more. He’s speaking with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hm.
Q: Any word on who else is next? And has there been any discussion about when and under what conditions he, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, would fly oversees to meet with world leaders?
MS. PSAKI: So, despite his desire – my desire, if that matters – to do a foreign trip, I think it will be a bit of time. I don’t have an update for you on when that will take place at this point.
But I would expect he’ll have, of course, additional foreign leader calls next week. As has been the case with our allies and partners, including many of the Europeans. But I don’t have a specific day-by-day calendar for you at this point.
Q: And this is his first weekend in the White House. Does he still plan to go to mass every weekend? And has he picked a parish here in the Washington area or a place where he has plans to go?
MS. PSAKI: Well, his faith is certainly quite important to him, as you know from covering him, and I wold expect that he attends church – continues to attend church very regularly. He has not selected a church yet. But if and when that happens, we’ll certainly keep you updated.
Let’s see, I haven’t taken the – go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: So, Japan is planning to host a Tokyo Summer Olympic game in six months, but they have not made a final decision if they go (inaudible) or be cancelled because of the pandemic. So does the White House expect to be (inaudible), or is President Biden confident to be a safe Olympic game in Tokyo? And does he feel safe to (inaudible) Tokyo in this summer?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as a big Olympics fan, I’m certainly looking forward to it, but I have not talked to the President or our national security team about plans for the summer or the games. So we’ll have to take that question too, and circle back with you.
But did you have another one? Maybe I can get another one.
Q: Yeah. How about the — President Biden’s Indo-Pacific policy? I’m talking about Japan and North Korea. I understand (inaudible) does talk with his Japanese counterpart. But what is U.S. Policy on Japan?
MS. PSAKI: Well, U.S. policy and Japan, as it relates to North Korea?
Q: Both.
MS. PSAKI: Both. Okay. Well, our – the President’s view is, of course, that it is without question that North Korea’s nuclear ballistic missile and other proliferation-related activities constitute a serious threat to the international peace and security of the world, and undermine the global nonproliferation regime. And we obviously have – still have a vital interest in deterring North Korea – as does Japan, of course.
We will adopt a new strategy to keep the American people and our allies safe. That approach will begin with a thorough policy review of the state of play in North Korea, in close consultation with South Korea, Japan, and other allies on ongoing pressure options and the potential for any future diplomacy.
So I will say we will – as we have historically, the United States will work closely with partners in the region to determine a path forward and work together on deterrence.
Q: How about the the TPP? Is President Biden considering to rejoin the TPP – Trans-Pacific Partnership?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, I think, you know, President Biden knows TPP wasn’t perfect and believes we need to make it stronger and better. But, at this point, you know, our focus and his focus as it relates to the economy, is on doing everything we can to advance working families and the American middle class. And so that will be his focus in the coming months.
Go ahead, Justin.
Q: Just a quick one on – on Inauguration Day, China sanctioned a number of outgoing Trump administration officials. I know the NSC has put a statement kind of denouncing that, saying that it was a political act. But there’s been a call from some Republicans on Capitol Hill to either retaliate with sanctions against Chinese officials or to expel the ambassador here in Washington. I’m wondering if you’re contemplating either of those actions?
MS. PSAKI: For those who didn’t have the statement, well, I’ll just – because it was a – there’s been a lot going on this week, I think we can all agree. The Biden-Harris administration has noted China’s sanctioning of more than two dozen former Trump administration officials, imposing these sanctions on Inauguration Day as they did – a seemingly – an attempt to play partisan divides. Americans of both parities should criticize this unproductive and cynical move. And President Biden looks forward to working with leaders in both parties to position America to outcompete China.
I don’t have any additional update, though on the considerations.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, ma’am. This morning, the White House put out a statement on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. As a candidate herself, the Vice President proposed an abortion rights law akin to the Voting Rights Act. Is that something she still supports? Is that something that the President is exploring?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any update from the Vice President’s policy. Obviously, her policies are of the Biden-Harris administration, and the statement today speaks to those policies.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Can we have a week ahead?
MS. PSAKI: Oh, we have ventured to get you a week ahead. And I promise that we will do it in the future, but we don’t have any really detailed specifics to share with you at this point in time, other than the President will not be leaving the DMV, I can assure you, next week, and he will continue to sign additional executive actions and engage with members of Congress. We will have a more detailed schedule, but we’re still ironing out all the specifics.
Thank you everyone. Let’s do this again on Monday.
January 22: The Secretary of Health and Human Services sent a letter to Governors. From the letter:
Dear Governor:
Thank you for your continued partnership as we further coordinate the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) response. This unprecedented time has shown the resilience and adaptability of states, and the importance of our shared planning and preparation.
We are writing to you today to share more details regarding the public health emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, as declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. ary of Health and Human Services (HHS) under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. §247d). The current public health emergency was renewed effective January 21, 2021, and will be in effect for 90 days. To assure you of our commitment to the ongoing response, we have determined that the PHE will likely remain in place for the entirety of 2021, and when a decision is made to terminate the declaration or let it expire, HHS will provide states with 60 days’ notice prior to termination.
Predictability and stability are important given the foundation and flexibilities offered to sates that are tied to the designation of the PHE. Among other things, the PHE determination provides for the ability to streamline and increase the accessibility of healthcare, such as the practice of telemedicine. It allows under section 1135 of the Social Security Act, in conjunction with a Presidential Declaration under the National Emergencies Act or Stafford Act, the Secretary to waive or modify certain Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Privacy Rule requirements. The goal is to ensure to the maximum extend feasible that, in an emergency area during an emergency period, sufficient health care items and services are available to meet the needs of individuals receiving Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP and that providers that furnish such items and services can be reimbursed for them and exempt from sanctions, absent fraud or abuse.
Additionally, the available temporary 6.2 percentage point increase in the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) included Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Pub. L. 116-127) expires at the end of the quarter in which the PHE ends. With the extension and additional advance notice, we seek to provide you with increased budgetary stability and predictability during this challenging time.
In light of the PHE extension, you can expect the continued use of other emergency authorities, including Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act declarations and emergency use authorizations (EUA) for diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. The Department will consider the use of any available flexibility to aid states in their response to this PHE.
We stand ready to support you as we continue to improve the nations’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the HHS Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs with questions for further assistance.
Sincerely,
Norris W. Cochran IV – S
Norris Cochran
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Evaluation of Abbott BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test for SARS-CoV-2 Infection at Two Community-Based Testing Sites – Pima County, Arizona, November 3-17, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
The BinaxNOW rapid antigen test received Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration for testing specimens from symptomatic persons; performance among asymptomatic persons is not well characterized.
What is added by this report?
Sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test, compared with polymerase chain reaction testing, was lower when used to test specimens from asymptomatic (35.8%) than from symptomatic (64.2%) persons, but specificity was high. Sensitivity was higher for culture-positive specimens (92.6% and 78.6% for those from symptomatic and asymptomatic persons, respectively); however, some antigen test-negative specimens had culturable virus.
What are the implications for public health practice?
The high specificity and rapid BinaxNOW antigen test turnaround time facilitate earlier isolation of infectious persons. Antigen tests can be an important tool in an overall community testing strategy to reduce transmission.
Rapid antigen tests, such as Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card (BinaxNOW), offer results more rapidly (approximately 15-30 minutes) and at a lower cost than do highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). Rapid antigen tests have received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for use in symptomatic persons, but data are lacking on test performance in asymptomatic persons to inform expanded screening to rapidly identify and isolate infected persons.
To evaluate the performance of BinaxNOW rapid antigen test, it was used along with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing to analyze 3,419 paired specimens collected from persons aged ≥10 years at two community testing sites in Pima County, Arizona, during November 3-17, 2020. Viral culture was performed on 274 of 303 residual real-time RT-PCR specimens with positive results by either test (29 were not available for culture).
Compared with real-time RT-PCR testing, the BinaxNOW antigen test had a sensitivity of 64.2% for specimens from symptomatic persons and 35.8% for specimens from asymptomatic persons, with near 100% specificity in specimens in both groups. Virus was cultured from 96 of the 274 (35.0%) specimens, including 85 (57.8%) of 147 with concordant antigen and real-time RT-PCR positive results, 11 (8.9%) of 124 with false-negative antigen test results, and none of three with false-positive antigen test results. Among specimens positive for viral culture, sensitivity was 92.6% for symptomatic and 78.6% for asymptomatic individuals.
When the present probability for receiving positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 is elevated (e.g., in symptomatic persons or in persons with a known COVID-19 exposure), a negative antigen test result should be confirmed by NAAT. Despite a lower sensitivity to detect infection, rapid antigen tests can be an important tool for screening because of their quick turnaround time, lower costs and resource needs, high specificity, and high positive predictive value (PPV) in settings of high pretest probability. The faster turnaround time of the antigen test can help limit transmission by more rapidly identifying infectious persons for isolation, particularly when used as a component of serial testing strategies.
Paired upper respiratory swabs were collected at the same timepoints from persons aged ≥10 years receiving testing for SARS-CoV-, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), at two Pima County Health Department community testing sites during November 3-17 (site A) and November 8-16 (site B). The sites offered SARS-CoV-2 testing to anyone in the community who wanted testing. A questionnaire capturing demographic information and current and past-14 day symptoms was administered to all participants.
At both sites, a health care professional first collected a bilateral anterior nasal swab, using swab provided in the BinaxNOW kit, immediately followed by a bilateral nasopharyngeal (NP) swab for real-time RT-PCR testing. Anterior nasal swabs were immediately tested on-site using the BinaxNOW antigen test according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
NP swabs were stored in phosphate buffered saline at 39° F (4°C) and analyzed within 24-48 hours by real-time RT-PCR using either the CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel of SARS-CoV-2 (2,582 swabs) or the Foson COVID-19 RT-PCR Detection Kit (837 swabs).
Viral culture was attempted on 274 of the 303 residual real-time RT-PCR specimens if either the real-time RT-PCR of BinaxNOW antigen test result was positive (the remaining 29 were not available for viral culture). Results from real-time RT-PCR and the BinaxNOW antigen test were compared to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and PPV. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute). Cycle threshold (Ct) values from real-time RT-PCR were compared using a Mann-Whitney U Test; 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the exact binomial method. The investigation protocol was reviewed by CDC and determined to be non research and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.
Paired upper respiratory swabs were collected from 3,419 persons, including 1,458 (42.6%) from site A and 1,961 (57.4%) from site B. Participants ranged in age from 10 to 95 years (median = 41 years) with 236 (6.9%) aged 10-17 years, 1,885 (55.1%) aged 18-49 years, 743 (21.7%) aged 50 years, and 555 (16.2%) aged ≥65 years. Approximately one third (31.4%) of participants identified as Hispanic or Latino, and three quarters (75.1%) identified as White.
At the time of testing, 827 (24.2%) participants reported at least one COVID-19-compatible sign or symptom, and 2,592 (75.8%) were asymptomatic. Among symptomatic participants, 113 (13.7%) received a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result, and 176 (21.3%) received a positive real-time RT-PCR test result. Among asymptomatic participants, 48 (1.9%) received a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result, and 123 (4.7%) received a positive real-time RT-PCR test result.
Testing among symptomatic participants indicated the following for the BinaxNOW antigen test (with real-time RT-PCR as the standard): sensitivity, 64.2%; specificity, 100%; PPV, 100%; and NPV 91.2%; among symptomatic persons, sensitivity was 35.8%; specificity, 99.8%; PPV, 91.7%; and NPV, 96.9%. For participants who were within 7 days of symptom onset, the BinaxNOW antigen test sensitivity was 71.1% (95% CI = 63.0% – 78.4%), specificity was 100% (95% CI = 99.3% – 100%), PPV was 100% (95% CI = 96.4-100%), and NPV was 92.7% (95% CI = 90.2% – 94.7%). Using real-time RT-PCR as the standard, four false-positive BinaxNOW antigen test results occurred, all among specimens from asymptomatic participants. Among 299 real-time RT-PCR positive results, 142 (47.5%) were false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results (63 in specimens from symptomatic persons and 79 in specimens from asymptomatic persons).
Virus was recovered from 96 (35.0%) of 274 analyzed specimens that were positive by either test, including 85 (57.8%) of 147 with concordant positive results and 11 (8.9%) of 124 with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results. Virus was not recovered from any of the three available specimens with false-positive BinaxNOW antigen test results.
Among the 224 specimens undergoing viral culture that were analyzed with the CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2, median Ct values were significantly higher for specimens with false-negative BinaxNOW antigen test results, indicating lower viral RNA levels than in those with concordant positive results (33.9 versus 22.0 in specimens from symptomatic persons and 33.9 versus 22.5 in specimens from asymptomatic persons ).
Median Ct values for SARS-CoV-2 culture-positive specimens (22.1) were significantly lower than were those for culture-negative specimens (32.8) (p<0.001), indicating higher levels of viral RNA in culture-positive specimens. Among specimens with positive viral culture, the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test compared with real-time RT-PCR in specimens from symptomatic participants was 92.6% (95% CI = 83.7% – 97.6%) and in those from asymptomatic participants was 78.6% (95% CI = 59.1% – 91.7%).
Discussion
In this evaluation, using real-time RT-PCR as the standard, the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test was lower among specimens from asymptomatic persons (35.8%) than among specimens from symptomatic persons (64.2%). Specificity (99.8% – 100%) was high in specimens from both asymptomatic and symptomatic groups. The prevalence of having SARS-CoV-2 real-time RT-PCR positive test results in this population was moderate (8.7% overall; 4.7% for asymptomatic participants); administering the test in a lower prevalence setting will likely result in a lower PPV.
Among 11 participants with antigen-negative, real-time RT-PCR positive specimens with positive viral culture, five were symptomatic and six were asymptomatic. Some antigen-negative, real-time RT-PCR-positive viral culture, five were symptomatic and six asymptomatic. Some antigen-negative, real-time RT-PCR-positive specimens possibly could represent noninfectious viral particles, but some might also represent infectious virus not detected by the antigen test.
In a clinical context, real-time RT-PCR provides the most sensitive assay to detect infection. Viral culture, although more biologically relevant than real-time RT-PCR, is still an artificial system and is subject to limitations. Numerous biological (e.g., individual antibody status and specific sequence of the virus) and environmental (e.g., storage conditions and number of freeze-thaw cycles) variables can affect the sensitivity and outcome of viral culture.
Despite the limitations of interpreting culture-negative specimens, a positive viral culture is strong evidence for the presence of infectious virus. The performance of the BinaxNOW antigen test compared with real-time RT-PCR was better for those specimens with positive viral culture than for all specimens, with a sensitivity of 92.6% for specimens from symptomatic persons and 78.6% for those from asymptomatic persons.
The results of the current evaluation differ from those of an evaluation of the BinaxNOW antigen test in a community screening setting in San Francisco, which found a BinaxNOW antigen test overall sensitivity of 89.0% among specimens from all 3,302 participants, regardless of the Ct value of the real-time RT-PCR positive specimens.
The findings in this investigation are subject to at least five limitations. First, anterior nasal swabs were used for BinaxNOW antigen testing, but NP swabs were used for real-time RT-PCR testing, which might have contributed to increased detection for the real-time RT-PCR assay. Second, participants might have inadvertently reported common nonspecific symptoms as COVID-19-compatible symptoms. Third, this investigation evaluated the BinaxNOW antigen test, and results presented here cannot be generalized to other FDA-authorized SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests. Fourth, the BinaxNOW antigen test characteristics might be different depending on whether an individual had previously tested positive. Finally, many factors might limit the ability to culture virus from a specimen, and the inability to detect culturable virus should not be interpreted to mean that a person is not infectious.
Public health departments are implementing various strategies to reduce or prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including expanded screening testing for asymptomatic persons. Because estimates suggest that over 50% of transmission occurs from persons who are presymptomatic or asymptomatic expanded screening testing, potentially in serial fashion for reducing transmission in specific venues (e.g. institutes of higher education, schools, and congregate housing settings), is essential to interrupting transmission.
Rapid antigen tests can be an important tool for screening because of their quick turnaround time, lower requirement for resources, high specificity, and high PPV in settings of high pretest probability (e.g., providing testing to symptomatic persons, to persons with a known COVID-19 exposure, or where community transmission is high). Importantly, the faster time from testing to results reporting can speed isolation of infectious persons and will be particularly important in communities with high levels of transmission.
Although the sensitivity of the BinaxNOW antigen test to detect infection was lower compared with real-time RT-PCR, it was relatively high among specimens with positive viral culture, which might reflect better performance for detecting infection in a person with positive viral culture, which might reflect better performance for detecting infection in a person with infectious virus present. Community testing strategies focused on preventing transmission using antigen testing should consider serial testing (e.g., in kindergarten through grade 12 schools, institutions of higher education, or congregate housing settings), which might improve test sensitivity in detecting infection.
When the present probability for receiving positive SARS-CoV-2 test results is elevated (e.g. for symptomatic persons or for persons with a known COVID-19 exposure) a negative antigen test result should be confirmed by NAAT. Asymptomatic persons who receive a positive BinaxNOW antigen test result in a setting with a high risk for adverse consequences resulting from false-positive results (e.g. in long-term care facilities) should also receive confirmatory testing by NAAT.
Despite their reduced sensitivity to detect infection compared with real-time RT-PCR, antigen tests might be particularly useful when real-time RT-PCR tests are not readily available or have prolonged turnaround times. Persons who know their positive test result within 15-30 minutes can isolate sooner, and contact tracing can be intimated sooner and be more effective than if a result is returned days later. Serial antigen testing can improve detection, but consideration should be given to the logistical and personnel resources needed. All persons receiving negative test results (NAAT or antigen) should be counseled that wearing a mask, avoiding close contact with persons outside their household, and washing hands frequently remain critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
January 22: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Economic Relief Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Background. The pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to an economic crisis markedly the closure of small businesses, job loss, food and housing insecurity, and increased challenges for working families balancing jobs and caregiving responsibilities. The current economic crisis has affected Americans throughout the Nation, but it is particularly dire in communities of color. The problems are exacerbated because State and local governments are being forced to consider steep cuts to critical programs to address revenue shortfalls the pandemic has caused. In addition, many individuals, families, and small businesses have had difficulties navigating relief programs with varying eligibility requirements, and some are not receiving the intended assistance. The economic crisis resulting from the pandemic must be met by the full resources of the Federal Government.
Sec. 2. Providing Relief to Individuals, Families, and Small Businesses; and to State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments. (a) All executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall promptly identify actions they can take within existing authorities to address the current economic crisis resulting from the pandemic. Agencies should specifically consider actions that facilitate better use of data and other means to improve access to, reduce unnecessary barrier to, and improve coordination among programs funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government.
(b) Agencies should take the actions identified in subsection (a) of this section, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, and in doing so should prioritize actions that provide the greatest relief to individuals, families, and small businesses; and to State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments.
(c) Independent agencies, as enumerated in 44 U.S.C. 3502(5), are strongly encouraged to comply with this section.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing Efforts From Health Departments – United States, June 25-July 24, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Resources have been allocated to supplement the U.S. case investigation and contract tracing workforce as a public health tool to interrupt the spread of COVID-19.
What is added by this report?
Analysis of case investigation and contract tracing metric data reported by 56 U.S. health departments found wide variation in capacity and ability to conduct timely and effective contact tracing. Investigator caseload was inversely related to timely interviewing of patients and number of contacts identified per case.
What are the implications of for public health practice?
Enhanced staffing capacity and ability and improved community engagement could lead to more timely contact tracing interviews and identification of more contacts.
Case investigation and contact tracing are core public health tools used to interrupt transmission of pathogens, including SARS-CoV 2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); timeliness is critical to effectiveness. In May 2020, CDC funded 64 state, local, and territorial health departments to support COVID-19 response activities. As part of the monitoring process, case investigation and contact tracing metrics for June 25-July 24, 2020, were submitted by the CDC by 62 health departments.
Descriptive analyses of case investigation and contact tracing load, timeliness, and yield (i.e., the number of contacts elicited divided by the number of patients prioritized for the interview) were performed. A median of 57% of patients were interviewed within 24 hours of report of the case to a health department (interquartile range = 27%-82%); a median of 1.15 contacts were identified per patient prioritized for interview (IQR = 0.62 -1.76), and a median of 55% of contacts were notified within 24 hours of identification by a patient (IQR = 32%-79%).
With higher caseloads, the percentage of patients interviewed within 24 hours of case report was lower (Spearman coefficient = – 0.68), and the number of contacts identified per patients interviewed within 24 hours of case report was lower (Spearman coefficient = -0.68), and the number of contacts identified per patient prioritized for interview also decreased among health departments, largely driven by investigators’ caseloads. Incomplete identification of contacts affects the ability to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Enhanced staffing capacity and ability and improved community engagement could lead to more timely interviews and identification of more contacts.
During July 31-August 14, 2020, baseline data on four metrics for June 25-July 24, 2020, (the evolution period) were submitted by 62 of 64 (97%) health departments funded through the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases Cooperative Agreement (ELC) to the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) platform. These metrics, developed by the CDC COVID-19 Contact Tracing Innovations Support Team, were vetted by public health partners, including a number of ELC-funded health departments, and include the following:
1) Average caseload per investigator (the total number of probable and confirmed COVID-19 patents assigned for interview during the evaluation period divided by the total number of contact tracers,) and staffing model (separate, mostly separate, or the same health department staffing for case investigation and contact tracing);
2) case investigation timeliness (the percentage of persons with probable and confirmed COVID-19 prioritized for interview successfully reached within 24 hours by a health department staff member or representative);
3) contact tracing timeliness (the percentage of contacts notified by potential exposure to COVID-19 within 24 hours of elicitation of contact information by a patient;)
and 4) contact tracing yield, calculated as the number of contacts elicited divided by the number of patients prioritized for interview.
Because guidance for prioritization of patient interviews was not provided, health departments developed their own criteria, examples of which included interviewing patients when they became known to the health department or prioritizing patient interviews based on whether the patients were symptomatic, had underlying medical conditions, lived in congregate settings, or worked in health care occupations. Descriptive analyses of the four metrics were performed using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute). This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted with applicable federal law and policy.
Among the 62 funded health departments (6.5%) All U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands) reported no cases, and two (3.2%) submitted partial data and were excluded. Data from the remaining 56 (90%) health departments were analyzed. Because completeness of reporting by health departments varied by metric, denominators varied. Health departments with incomplete data for a metric were excluded for that specific metric.
Among reporting health departments, the median caseload per investigator during the evaluation period was 31, ranging from one to 195, among 54 (96%) health departments with complete data for this metric. Among patients prioritized for interview by these 54 health departments, a median of 57% were interviewed within 24 hours of report to the health department. Among 53 health departments that provided information on the average number of contacts assigned for follow-up per contact tracer, the median was 29, ranging from 0.5 to 200; a median of 55% of contacts were notified within 24 hours of elicitation by a patient. Among 48 health departments that reported information on contact notification 27 (56%) reported that at least one half of contacts were notified within 24 hours of elicitation. However, 12 health departments reported that fewer than one third (<32%) of contacts were reached within 24 hours.
Caseload and timeliness of case investigation were inversely correlated among 48 health departments with complete data for these metrics. (Spearman coronation coefficient = -0.68). Health departments with smaller average caseloads per investigator completed a larger proportion of patient interviews within 24 hours of report. Among four health departments that interviewed >90% of patients within 24 hours, investigators’ average caseloads were fewer than 30 patients each, whereas among four health departments with average caseloads >130 patients per investigator, <30% of interviews were completed within 24 hours.
When restricted to patients prioritized for interview (9,013), among 53 health departments that submitted complete data, 42 (79%) reported fewer than two contacts elicited per patient (median= 1.15). The number of contacts elicited per patient prioritized for interview was smaller in health department with larger caseloads (Spearman correlation coefficient = -0.60). These trends persisted in jurisdictions that allocated different staff members, mostly different staff members, or the same staff members to be case investigators and contact tracers (Spearman correlation coefficients = -0.89. -0.60., and 0.32, respectively).
Discussion
Health departments’ capacity and ability to conduct timely and effective case investigation and contract tracing varied widely across the United States. The ideal workforce size to adequately conduct case investigation and contact tracing per jurisdiction likely depends on several factors; however, the inverse relationship between staff member workload and completeness and timeliness of case investigation and contact tracing suggests that increases in staffing capacity might help reduce delays in interviewing patients and identify more contacts. Most state health departments are hiring more staff members to perform contact tracing.
Health departments might choose to prioritize case investigation and contact tracing based on whether persons are likely to be at higher risk for severe disease, live or work in congregate settings, or are part of a known cluster. Surges in cases might exceed the workforce capacity of jurisdictions to maintain high coverage of case investigation and contact tracing. Continued efforts to ensure notification of patients of their infection and contacts of their exposure are needed. CDC recommends use of prioritization measures to reach populations at risk as well as use of innovative technologies to support this public health imperative.
Approximately one half of health departments were able to achieve a median interval of ≤24 hours from first notification of the patient to interviews; likewise, approximately one half also were able to to achieve a median interval ≤24 from patient interview to contact notification, although these two groups did not always comprise the same health departments.
These findings are comparable with those in recent reports that described median intervals of 1 day from patient report to interview 1 and 3 days from case investigation to contact notification in two U.S. counties. The evaluation period in this report, June 25-July 24, 2020, corresponded to a time of increased COVID-19 incidence; the capacity of health departments in jurisdictions with large numbers of cases to conduct timely patient follow-up and contact notification could be overwhelmed.
The median number of contacts elicited per patient prioritized for interview was 1.15. The number of contacts elicited per patient would have been higher if limited to the number of patients who completed an interview rather than those who were prioritized for an interview; however, the number of patients who completed an interview was not collected at this time, and the calculation was not possible.
A recent assessment of two North Carolina counties reported an average of 3.0 and 4.6 contacts named per interviewed patient during a similar time frame. A contact tracing team in central Pennsylvania identified 953 contacts elicited among 536 confirmed patients (1.8 contacts per patient) during March 24-May 28; the lower number of contacts per patient might be related to the widespread stay-at-home orders that were in effect during that time.
One contributor to low numbers of contacts elicited might be reluctance to engage in contact tracing efforts or to name persons other than household contacts. The number of contacts elicited might vary by caseload, owing to worker fatigue or inexperience; with higher caseloads, contact tracers might are less likely to persist with questioning to identify additional contacts.
The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, these data are self-reported by health departments and were likely generated from new data systems designed to monitor case investigation and contact tracing. New systems could be prone to errors and might not reflect complete performance within the jurisdiction.
Second, data validity might be affected by health departments’ varying interpretations of metrics. These data include that obtained during health departments’ first reporting period on these metrics, which will continue to be refined.
Third, these data precluded calculation of the average number of contacts elicited per patient who completed an interview, and therefore do not align with other studies’ methods of calculating contacts elicited; the actual number is likely higher, warranting cautious interpretation.
Finally, an important component of contact tracing is laboratory test timeliness, which is not included in these data. During the COVID-19 pandemic, delays from the time of a laboratory specimen collection to report to the health department can have substantial impact on total time to reach a contact; the absence of these data in an assessment of contact tracing timeliness is an especially important limitation of this report.
Delays in interviewing COVID-19 patients decrease the likelihood of quickly identifying and quarantining contacts. Low ascertainment of contacts affects the nation’s potential to interrupt the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through rapid notification, quarantining, and testing. Caseloads within jurisdictions influence how quickly health departments can reach patients, which might influence the completeness of data used to reach contacts. Increasing staffing capacity might improve the timeliness of case interviews. Strengthening awareness regarding state and local health department contact tracing efforts might improve perception or willingness to provide more complete lists of contacts.
January 22: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden on the American Rescue Plan and Signing of Executive Orders” From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, folks. Vice President Harris and I just received a briefing from our economic team, and we remain in a once-in-a-century public health crisis that’s led to the most unequal job and economic crisis in modern history. And the crisis is only deepening. It’s not getting better; it’s deepening.
Yesterday, we learned that 900,000 more Americans filed for unemployment – 900,000. They join the millions of Americans who, through no fault of their own, have lost the dignity and respect that comes with a job and a paycheck. So many of them never thought they’d ever be out of work in the first place. And just like my dad did when he was – he used to lie awake at night when I was a kid, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep because he worried about whether or not he’s about to lose his healthcare, or whether we were going to be – or have the money to pay the mortgage because of the economic circumstance he was in.
And now, a lot of these folks are facing eviction, or waiting hours in their cars – literally hours in their cars, waiting to be able to feed their children as they drive up to a food bank. It’s the United States of American and they’re waiting to feed their kids.
Folks who are able to still keep their job, many have seen their paychecks reduced, and they’ve – and they’re barely hanging on, and wondering what’s next. Sometimes the anxiety about what’s going to happen next is more consequential than what actually happened.
But this is happening today, in America, and this cannot be who we are as a country. These are not the values of our nation. We cannot, will not let people go hungry. We cannot let people be evicted because of nothing they did themselves. They cannot watch people lose their jobs. And we have to act. We have to act now.
It’s not just to meet the moral obligation to treat our fellow Americans with the dignity and respect they deserve; this is an economic imperative. A growing economic consensus that we must act decisively and boldly to grow the economy for all Americans, not just for tomorrow, but in the future.
There’s a growing chorus of top economic – top economists that agree that in this moment of crisis, with this – with the interest rates as low as they are – historic lows – it is smart fiscal investment, including deficit spending. And they’re more urgent than ever.
You know, and that return on these investments and jobs and racial equity is going to prevent long-term economic damage and benefits that are going to far surpass the cost. If we don’t act, the rest of the world is not standing still, in terms of the competitive advantage and the competitive possibilities, relevant to us.
That our debt situation will be more stable and not less stable, according to these economists. And that such investment in our people is going to strengthen our economic competitiveness as a nation and help us outcompete our competitors in the global economy, because we’re going to grow the economy with these investments.
While the COVID-19 package that passed in December was a first step, as I said at the time, it’s just a down payment. We need more action, and we need to move fast.
Last week, I laid our a two-step plan of rescue and recovery to get through the crisis and to a better and stronger and more secure America. The first step of our American Rescue Plan is a plan to tackle the pandemic and get direct financial relief to Americans who need it the most.
You know, in just a few days – it’s just been a few days since I outlined this plan – it’s received bipartisan support from a majority of American mayors and governors. Business and labor organizations have together welcomed as an urgent action that’s needed. Even Wall Street firms have underscored its importance.
In fact, in a – an analysis by Moody’s estimates that if we passed our America Rescue Plan, the economy would create 7.5 million jobs just in this year alone. That would be on the way to the more than 18 million – I think it was 18,600,000 jobs that they believe would be created over the four-year period, with our Build Back Better Recovery Plan.
And with our America Rescue Plan, our economy would return to full employment a full year faster than without the plan.
Even President Trump’s – President Trump’s now – not some liberal organization – Presidents Trump’s top former economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, said, quote, he “absolutely is in favor” of this rescue plan. This almost doesn’t have a partisan piece to it.
We’re seeing the support because this plan takes a step that we so urgently need. More than just a step, a number of steps.
It funds big parts of the COVID-19 National Strategy that I released yesterday – we released yesterday. Our national strategy puts on – us on a war footing to aggressively speed up our COVID-19 response, especially on vaccines and testing and reopening our schools.
I found it fascinating – yesterday the press asked the question: Is, you know, 100 million enough? A week before, they were saying, “Biden, are you crazy? You can’t do 100 million in a hundred days.” Well, we’re going to, God willing, not only do 100 million, we’re going to do more than that. But this is – we have to do this. We have to move.
The American Rescue Plan also includes economic relief for most Americans who are in need. We’re going to finish the job of getting a total of $2,000 in direct payments to folks. Six hundred dollars, which was already passed, is simply not enough if you still have to choose between paying your rent and putting food on the table.
We’ll extend unemployment insurance benefits for millions of workers, beyond the deadline that is now set. It means that 16 million Americans who are currently relying on unemployment benefits while they look for work can count on these checks continuing to be there in the middle of this crisis.
The American Rescue Plan also addresses the growing housing crisis in America. Approximately 14 million Americans – 14 million – have fallen behind on rent, and many risk eviction. If we fail to act, there’ll be a wave of evictions and foreclosures in the coming months as this pandemic rages on, because there’s nothing we can do to change the trajectory of the pandemic in the next several months.
So, look, this would overwhelm emergency shelters and increase COVID-19 infections as people have nowhere to go and are socially – can’t socially distance.
The American Rescue Plan asks Congress to provide rental assistance for millions of hard-hit families and tenants. This will also be a bridge to economic recovery for countless mom-and-pop landlords who can’t afford not to have the rent.
But they can’t wait. So, on Inauguration Day, I directed my administration to extend nationwide restrictions on evictions and foreclosures. These crisis are straining the budgets of states and cities and in tribal communities that are forced consider layoffs and service reductions among essential workers.
Police officers, firefighters, first responders, nurses are all at risk of losing their jobs. Over the last year, more than 600,000 educators have lost their jobs in the cities and towns.
The American Rescue Plan will provide emergency funding to keep these essential workers on the job and maintain essential services.
Look, it will also help small businesses that are the engines of our economic growth. When you say “small business,” most people think the major corporate entities are the ones that hire everybody. These small businesses are the glue that hold – and they’re important – but these small businesses hold the community – are the glue that hold these communities together. They are hurting badly, and they account for nearly half of the entire U.S. workforce. Nearly half.
Our rescue plan will provide flexible grants to help the hardest-hit small businesses survive the pandemic and low-cost capital to help entrepreneurs of all backgrounds create and maintain jobs, plus provide essential goods and services that communities so desperately depend on.
Look, our recover plan also calls for an increase in the minimum wage at 15 – at least $15.00 an hours. No one in America should work 40 hours a week making below the poverty line. Fifteen dollars gets people above the poverty line. We have so many millions of people working 40 hours a week – working – and some with two jobs, and they’re still below the poverty line.
Our plan includes access to affordable childcare that’s going to enable parents, particularly women, to get back to work – millions who are not working now because they don’t have that care.
All told, the American Rescue Plan would lift 12 million Americans out of poverty and cut child poverty in half. That’s 5 million children lifted out of poverty.
Our plan would reduce poverty in the black community by one third and reduce poverty in the Hispanic community by almost 40 percent.
I look forward to working with members of Congress of both parties to move quickly to get this American Rescue Plan to the American people. And then we can move with equal urgency and bipartisanship to the second step of our economic plan, the Build Back Better – the recovery plan.
It’s a plan that will make historic investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, innovation, research and development, and clean energy, and so much more that’s going to create millions more jobs – good-paying jobs, not minimum wage jobs.
But while we work with members of both parties in the Congress, there are steps that we can and must take right now, For example, on Inauguration Day, I directed my administration to pause student loan repayments for interest for – the interest payments for Americans with federal student loans until at least September, so they’re not going to have to pay until September. They still pay the bill, as it stands now, but they will not accrue interest, and they don’t have to pay – begin to pay until September. And we may have to look beyond that, I might add.
Today, I’m signing an executive order that directs the whole-of-government – a whole-of-government effort to help millions of Americans who are badly hurting. It requires all federal agencies to do what they can do to provide relief to families, small businesses, and communities. And in the days ahead, I expect agencies to act.
Let me touch on two ways these actions can help change Americans lives. We need to tackle the growing hunger crisis in America. One in seven households in American – one in seven – more than one in five black and Latino households in America report they do not have enough food to eat. That includes 30 million adults and as many as 12 million children. And again, they’re in a spec- – in this situation through no fault of their own. It’s unconscionable.
The American Rescue Plan provides additional emergency food and nutrition assistance for tens of millions of children and families to address this crisis. But families literally can’t wait another day. As a result of the executive order I’m going to shortly sign, the Department of Agriculture will consider taking immediate steps to make it easier for the hardest-hit families to enroll and claim more generous benefits in the critical food and nutrition assistance area.
This is going to help tens of millions of families, especially those who can’t provide meals for their kids, who are learning remotely at home, are not receiving the regular meal plans that they’d have at school for breakfast or lunch. It’s going to also – and we also need to protect the health and safety of the American worker.
Right now, approximately 40 percent of households in American have at least one member with a preexisting condition. Just imagine: You’re out of work though no fault of your own. You like for unemployment while you’re looking for a job. You find one, and you get an offer. But then you find out there’s a high risk of you getting infected with COVID-19 because of your condition. You and your loved one – and you and your loved ones have ever even greater risk of death and serious illness because of the preexisting conditions, so you turn it down.
Right now, if you did that, you could be denied unemployment insurance because you’re offered a job and you didn’t take it. It’s wrong. No one should have to choose between their livelihoods and their own health or the health of their loved ones in the middle of a deadly pandemic.
Because of the executive order I’m about to sign, I expect the Department of Labor to guarantee the right to refuse unemployment – the employment that will jeopardize your health, and if you do so, you’ll still be able to qualify for the insurance. That’s a judgement the Labor Department will make.
Look, there are just two consequential ways that the action I’m taking today will help people in need. Another – another way to help approximately 2 million veterans maintain their financial footing: by pausing federal collections on overpayments and debts.
Another makes sure that federal contractors are receiving taxpayer dollars, provide their workers with the pay and benefits they deserve. These are places where federal tax dollars are administered – are being made available build things from ships to staircases. And we let out – the federal government lets the contract – and we’re going to make sure that they buy American and are made in America.
And here’s another: Right now, there are up to 8 million people that are eligible for direct payments from the CARES Act and the relief bill passed in December. They are entitled to those payments, but there’s not an easy way for those folks to assess – access them. So we’re making it a priority today to fix that problem and get them the relief they’re entitled to.
Look, I’m going to close and summarize this way: A lot of America is hurting. The virus is surging. We’re 400,000 dead, expected to reach over 600,000. Families are going hungry. People are at risk of being evicted. Job losses are mounting again. We need to act. No matter how you look at it, we need to act.
If – if we act now, our economy will be stronger in both the short and long run. That’s what economists – left, right, and center – are telling us, both liberal and conservative. We’ll be better and stronger across the board. If we act now, we’ll be better able to compete with the world. If we act now, we’ll be better able to meet our moral obligations to one another as Americans.
I don’t believe the people of this country just want to stand by and watch their friend and their neighbors, coworkers, fellow Americans go hungry, lose their homes, or lose their sense of dignity and hope and respect. I don’t believe that – especially in the middle of a pandemic that’s so weakened and wrecked so much havoc and caused so much pain on America. That’s not who we are.
The bottom line is this: We’re in a national emergency, and we need to act like we’re in a national emergency. So we’ve got to move with everything we’ve got, and we’ve got to do it together. I don’t believe Democrats or Republicans are going hungry and losing jobs; I believe Americans are going hungry and losing their jobs.
And we have the tools to fix it. We have the tools to get through this. We have the tools to get this virus under control and our economy back on track. And we have the tools to help people. So let’s use the tools, all of them. Use them now.
So I’m going to sign this executive order, but let me conclude again by saying: Folks, this is one of the cases where business, labor, Wall Street, Main Street, liberal, conservative, economists know we have to act now, but to allow us to be in the competitive position worldwide and be the leader of the world economy in the next year, and two, and three, and going forward.
So, thank you. I’m going to sign this executive order.
The first one is the economic relief related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(The executive order is signed.)
The second one is protection – protecting the federal workforce.
(The executive order is signed.)
Thank you very much.
Q: Mr. President, do you support Mitch McConnell’s timeline for a February impeachment trial?
THE PRESIDENT: I haven’t heard the detail of it, but I do think that having some time to get our administration up and running we – they – I want to thank the Senate for passing our Secretary of Defense. It looks like our Secretary of Treasury; it looks like our Secretary of State is in place. So, the more time we have get up and running and meet these crises, the better.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “COVID-19 Trends Among Persons Aged 0-24 Years – United States, March 1 – December 12, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Studies have consistently shown that children, adolescents, and young adults are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infections. Children and adolescents have had lower incidence and fewer severe COVID-19 outcomes than adults.
What is added by this report?
COVID-19 cases in children, adolescents, and young adults have increased since summer 2020, with weekly incidence higher in each successively increasing age group. Trends among children and adolescents aged 0-17 years paralleled those among adults.
What are the implications for public health practice?
To enable safer in-person learning, schools and communities should fully implement and strictly adhere to multiple mitigation strategies, especially universal and proper mask wearing, to reduce both school and community COVID-19 incidence to help protect students, teachers, and staff members from COVID-19.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case and electronic laboratory data reported to CDC were analyzed to describe demographic characteristics, underlying health conditions, and clinical outcomes, as well as trends in laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 incidence and testing volume among U.S. children, adolescents, and young adults (persons aged 0-24 years).
This analysis provides a critical update and expansion of previously published data, to include trends after fall school reopening, and adds preschool-aged children (0-4years) college-aged young adults (18-24 years). Among children, adolescents, and young adults, weekly incidence (cases per 100,000 persons) increased with age and was highest during the final week of the review period (the week of December 6) among all age groups.
Time trends in weekly reported incidence for children and adolescents aged 0-17 years tracked consistently with trends observed among adults since June, with both incidence and positive test results tending to increase since September after summer declines. Reported incidence and positive test results among children aged 0-10 years were consistently lower than those in older age groups.
To reduce community transmission, which will support schools operating more safely for in-person learning, communities and schools should fully implement and strictly adhere to recommended mitigation strategies, especially universal and proper masking, to reduce COVID-19 incidence.
Children, adolescents, and young adults were stratified into five age groups: 0-4, 5-10, 11-13, 14-17, and 18-24 years to align with educational groupings (i.e., pre-elementary, middle, and high schools, and institutions of higher education), and trends in these groups were compared with those in adults aged ≥25 years.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases, defined as positive real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were identified from individual-level case reports submitted by state and territorial health departments during March 1-December 12, 2020. COVID-19 case data for all confirmed cases were analyzed to examine demographic characteristics, underlying health conditions, and outcomes. Trends in COVID-19 incidence were analyzed using a daily 7-dat moving average, aggregated by week, and expressed as cases per 100,000 persons.
Trends in laboratory testing volume and percentage of positive test results were assessed using COVID-19 electronic laboratory reporting data. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test results for May 31-December 12, 2020 were obtained by electronic laboratory reporting data submitted to CDC by health departments from 44 states, the District of Columbia, two territories, and one freely associated state; when information was unavailable in state-submitted data, records submitted directly by public health, commercial, and reference laboratories were used. Data represent test results, not numbers of persons receiving tests; test result date was used for analyses.
The weekly percentage of positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test results was calculated as the number of positive test results divided by the sum of positive and negative test results. Because some data elements are incomplete for more than 47% of the cases, percentages were calculated only from among those with available information. This project was deemed nonresearch public health practice by the CDC and conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy. Analyses were conducted using R software (version 4.0.2; The R Foundation).
During March 1-December 12, 2020, a total of 2,871,828 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in children, adolescents, and young adults aged 0-24 years were reported in the United States. Among these cases, the majority (57.4%) occurred among young adults aged 18-24 years; children and adolescents aged 14-17 years accounted for 16.3% of cases, those 11-13 years for 7.9%, those 5-10 years for 10.9%, and those 0-4 years for 7.4%. Overall, 51.8% of cases occurred in females. Among the 1,504,165 (52.4%) children, adolescents and young adults with COVID-19 with complete information on race/ethnicity, 50.2% were non-Hispanic White, 27.4% were Hispanic/Latino (Hispanic), and 11.7% were non-Hispanic Black. The proportion of cases among Hispanic persons decrease with increasing age from 34.4% among those aged 0-4 years to 24.6% among those aged 18-24 years.
Among persons aged 0-24 years, weekly incidence was higher in each successively increasing age group; weekly incidence among adults aged 25-64 years and ≥65 years exceeded that among children and adolescents aged 0-13 years throughout the review period. Weekly incidence was highest during the final week of the review period (the week of December 6) in all age groups: 99.9 per 100,000 (0-4 years), 131.4 (5-10 years), 180.6 (11-13 years), 255.6 (14-17 years), and 379.3 (18-24 years). Trends in weekly incidence for all age groups aged 0-17 years paralleled those observed among adults since June. The trend in incidence among young adults aged 18-24 years had a distinct and more prominent peak during the week of September 6.
Weekly SARS-CoV-2 laboratory testing among children, adolescents, and young adults increased 423.3% from 435,434 tests during the week beginning December 5. At their peak during the week of November 15, tests conducted among adults aged 18-24 years represented 15.3%. As observed in trends in incidence, weekly percentage of positive test results among children and adolescents paralleled those of adults, declining between July and September, and then increasing through December.
Percentage of positive test results among young adults aged 18-24 years peaked earlier in June and increased slightly in late August; this was not observed among other age groups. In contrast to incidence, percentage of positive test results among children and adolescents aged 11-17 years exceeded that among younger children for all weeks and that of all age groups since the week beginning September 6; test volumes over time were lowest among children and adolescents aged 11-13 years, suggesting incidence among these age groups might be underestimated.
Among cases reviewed, data were available for 41.9%, 8.9% and 49.1% of cases for hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and deaths, respectively. Among children, adolescents and young adults with available data for these outcomes, 30,229 (2.5%) were hospitalized, 1,973 (0.8%) required ICU admission, and 654 (<0.1%) died, compared with 16.6%, 8.6% and 5.0% among adults aged ≥25 years, respectively.
Among children, adolescents and young adults, the largest percentage of hospitalizations (4.6%) and ICU admissions (1.8%) occurred among children aged 0-4 years. Among 379,247 (13.2%) children, adolescents, and young adults with COVID-19 and available data on underlying conditions, at least one underlying condition, or underlying health condition that was reported for 114,934 (30.3%), compared with 836,774 (60.4%) among adults aged ≥25 years.
Discussion
Reported weekly incidence of COVID-19 and percentage of positive test results among children, adolescents, and young adults increased during the review period, with spikes in early summer, followed by a decline and then steeply increased in October through December.
In general, trends in incidence and percentage of positive test results among preschool-aged children (0-4 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (5-17 years) paralleled those among adults throughout the summer and fall, including the months that some schools were reopening or open for in-person education.
In addition, incidence among children, adolescents, and young adults increased with age; among children aged 0-10 years, incidence and percentage of positive test results were consistently lower than they were among older age groups. Case data do not indicate that increases in incidence or percentage of positive test results among adults were preceded by increases among preschool- and school-aged children and adolescents.
In contrast, incidence among young adults (aged 18-24 years) was higher than that in other age groups throughout the summer and fall, with peaks in mid-July and early September that preceded increases among other age groups, suggesting that young adults might contribute more to community transmission than do younger children.
Findings from national case and laboratory surveillance data complement available evidence regarding risk for transmission in school settings. As of December 7, nearly two thirds (62.0%) of U.S. kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) school districts offered either full or partial (hybrid with virtual) in-person learning.
Despite this level of in-person learning, reports to CDC of outbreaks within K-12 schools have been limited, and as of the week beginning December 6, aggregate COVID-19 incidence among the general population in counties where K-12 schools offer in-person education (401.2 per 100,000) was similar to that in counties offering only virtual/online education (418.2 per 100,000).
Several school districts with routine surveillance of in-school cases report lower incidence among students than in the surrounding communities and a recent study found no increase in COVID-19 hospitalization rates associated with in-person education. In contrast to the evidence regarding K-12 school reopenings, previous studies provide evidence for increased community incidence in counties where institutions of higher education reopened for in-person instruction and presented case surveillance data showed unique trends.
Success in preventing introduction and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools depends upon both adherence to mitigation strategies in schools and controlling transmission in communities. In settings with low community incidence, where testing and effective mitigation strategies were in place, studies of in-school transmission have provided preliminary evidence of success in controlling secondary transmission in child care centers and schools.
Schools provide a structured environment that can support adherence to critical mitigation measures to help prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19. When community transmission is high, cases in schools should be expected, and as with any group setting, schools can contribute to COVID-19 transmission, especially when mitigation measures, such as universal and proper masking, are not implemented or followed.
The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, COVID-19 incidence is likely underestimated among children and adolescents because testing volume among these age groups was lower than that for adults, the rate of positive test results was generally higher among children and adolescents (particularly those aged 11-17 years) than that among adults, and testing frequently prioritized persons with symptoms; asymptomatic infection in children and adolescents occurs frequently.
Second, data on race/ethnicity, symptom status, underlying conditions, and outcomes are incomplete, and completeness varied by jurisdiction; therefore, results for these variable might be subject to reporting biases and should be interpreted with caution. Future reporting would be enhanced by prioritizing completeness of these indicators for all case surveillance efforts.
Third, the reporting of laboratory data differs by jurisdiction and might underrepresent the actual volume of laboratory tests performed; as well, reporting of laboratory and case data are not uniform.
Finally, the presented analysis explores case surveillance data for children, adolescents and young adults; trends in cases among teachers and school staff members are not available because cases are not routinely reported nationally by occupations other than health care workers.
Lower incidence among younger children and deviance from available studies suggest that the risk for COVID-19 introduction and transmission among children associated with reopening child care centers and elementary schools might be lower than that for reopening high schools and institutions of higher education.
However, for schools to operate safely to accommodate in-person learning, communities should fully implement and strictly adhere to multiple mitigation strategies, especially universal and proper masking, to reduce COVID-19 incidence within the community as well as within schools to protect students, teachers, and staff members.
CDC recommends that K-12 schools be the last settings to close after all other mitigation measures have been employed and the first to reopen when they can do so safely. CDC offers tools to help child care programs, schools, colleges and universities, parents and caregivers plan, prepare, and respond to COVID-19, thereby helping to protect students, teachers, and staff members and slowing community spread of COVID-19.
January 22: The White House posted a Readout titled: “Readout of Senior Administration Economic Officials’ Meeting with Small Business Leaders and Advocates” From the Readout:
Today, Acting Small Business Administrator Tami Perriello, Director of the National Economic Council Brian Reese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council Bhrat Ramamurti, and other senior Biden-Harris Administration officials from the SBA and Department of Treasury held a virtual meeting with more than 100 representatives from small business advocates, minority and women small business leaders, lenders, and other economic organizations.
The senior administration officials underscored President Biden and Vice President Harris’s commitment to providing small businesses with the support they need throughout the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, especially ensuring minority- and women-owned businesses have fair and equitable access to small business relief programs. They discussed how the Biden-Harris Administration will focus on identifying Navigators to ensure small business in communities of color and underserved communities can better access the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other emergency assistance programs.
Acting Administrator Perriello also asked community navigators to share success about how the community navigator approach has helped underserved businesses. The American Business Immigration Coalition and the Resurrection Project shared their perspective on implementing a community navigator model in Illinois, and the City of Columbus provided insights on its community navigator efforts.
The senior administration thanked participants for joining and said they look forward to continued dialogue about the best ways to support small businesses throughout the ongoing economic crisis.
January 22: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “COVID-19 Science Update released: January 22, 2021 Edition 73” From the information:
Social, Behavioral, and Communication Science
Vaccine Acceptance
Wide uptake of COVID-19 vaccines will be critical to ending the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Here we present findings from 2 surveys on factors associated with intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
PEER-REVIEWED
A. Attitudes toward a potential SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Fisher et. al. Annals of Internal Medicine (December 15, 2020).
Key findings:
Of 991 participants, 57.6% intended and 10.8% did not intend to be vaccinated; 31.6% were not sure.
Intent to vaccinate was higher among men (64.0%) than women (51.6%) and among non-Hispanic Asian (77.5%) and non-Hispanic White (63.5%) persons than among non-Hispanic Black (39.3%) and Hispanic (44.5%) persons.
Factors independently associated with no intent to vaccinate included lower education, identifying as Black or Hispanic, not having received last year’s influence vaccine, and rural setting.
Reasons provide for not intending to vaccinate (n=83) were lack of trust (32.5%), not feeling comfortable with vaccines (21.7%) and concerns about side effects or safety (16.9%).
Methods: Cross-sectional survey of AmeriSpeak Panel members (representative sample covering ~97% of adults in the US household population), fielded from April 16-20. 2020. Limitations: Participants were surveyed before phase 3 vaccine effectiveness and safety trial data were available; low response rate (16.1%).
B. Predictors of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19: Results of a nationwide survey. Ruiz et. al. Vaccine (January 9, 2021).
Key Findings
Of 804 participants, 62.2% were likely and 14.8% unlikely to be vaccinated; 23.0% were unsure.
Intent to vaccinate was higher among men (17.9%) than women (53.8%), White (67.2%) than among Black (59.8%), or Asian (56.5%) persons, and among non-Hispanic (63.7%) than Hispanic (47.3%) persons.
Predictors of intent to vaccinate were vaccine knowledge, not believing vaccine conspiracies, perceiving COVID-19 as a threat, past year influenza vaccine, ≥5 pre-existing conditions, male sex, household income ≥$120,000, Democratic Party identity, and preferring COVID-19 information sources other than social media.
Methods: Nationwide online survey of US English-speaking adults from an internet survey panel of 2.5 million residents on June 15 and 16, 2020. Limitations: Participants were surveyed before phase 3 vaccine effectiveness and safety trial data were available. Might have missed Spanish speakers and people without internet access.
Implication for both studies (Fisher et. al. & Ruiz et. al.): Increased vaccine hesitancy was more frequent among non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic persons in both studies. Credible information about vaccine safety and effectiveness might improve update. Later surveys suggest that COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among vulnerable populations might have increased with news reports on effective vaccines. Reducing vaccine hesitancy will require a multifaceted approach, including trustworthy information, effective communication, and trusted messengers, potentially including community leaders, clinicians, and social media influencers.
January 25, 2021
January 25: The White House posted a Presidential Actions titled: “A Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Non-Immigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease” From the Presidential Action:
The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The national emergency caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States continues to pose a grave threat to our health and security.
As of January 20, 2021, the United States had experienced more than 24 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 400,000 COVID-19 deaths. It is the policy of my Administration to implement science-based public health measures across all areas of the Federal Government, to prevent further spread of the disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the Department of Health and Human Services, working in close coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, has determined that the Republic of South Africa is experiencing widespread, ongoing person-to-person transmissions of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, including a variant strain of the virus known as B.1.351.
The World Health Organization has reported that the Republic of South Africa has over 1,400,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Another variant, known as B.1.1.7, is widely circulating and circulating and has been traced to the United Kingdom. Furthermore, a third variant strain, is known as B.1.1.28.1 and may impact the potential for re-infection, has been identified in Brazil.
Based on developments with respect to the variants and the continued spread of the disease, CDC has reexamined its policies on international travel and, after reviewing the public health situations within Schengen Area, the United Kingdom (excluding overseas territories outside of Europe), the Republic of Ireland, the Federative Republic of Brazil, and the Republic of South Africa, has concluded that continued and further measures are required to protect the public health from travelers entering the United States from those jurisdictions.
In my Executive Order of January 21, 2021, entitled “Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel,” I directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services, including through the Director of the CDC, and in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation (including through the Administer of the Transportation Security Administration), to further examine certain current public health precautions for international travel and take additional appropriate regulatory action, to the extent feasible and consistent with CDC guidelines and applicable law.
While that review continues, and given the determination of CDC, working in close coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, described above, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict and suspend the entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of noncitizens of the United States (“noncitizens”) who were physically present within the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom (excluding overseas territories outside of Europe), the Republic of Ireland, the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Republic of South Africa during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.
NOW, THEREFORE, I JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States, by authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, hereby find that the unrestricted entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would, except as provided for in section 2 of this proclamation, be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to restrictions, limitations, and exceptions. I therefore hereby proclaim the following:
Section 1. Suspension and Limitation on Entry. (a) The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of noncitizens who were physically present within the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom (excluding oversees territories outside of Europe), the Republic of Ireland, and the Federative Republic of Brazil during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation.
(b) The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants of noncitizens who were physically present within the Republic of South Africa during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation.
Sec. 2 Scope of Suspension and Limitation on Entry.
(a) Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to:
(i) any lawful permanent resident of the United States;
(ii) any noncitizen national of the United States;
(iii) any noncitizen who is the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident;
(iv) any noncitizen who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21;
(v) any noncitizen who is the sibling of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that both are unmarried and under the age of 21;
(vi) any noncitizen who is the child, foster child, or ward of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident or who is a protective adoptee seeking to enter the United States pursuant to the IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications
(vii) any noncitizen traveling at the invitation of the United States Government for a purpose related to containment or mitigation of the virus;
(viii) any noncitizen traveling as a nonimmigrant pursuant to a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or not or any noncitizen otherwise traveling to the United States as air or sea crew;
(ix) any noncitizen
(A) seeking entry into or transiting the United States pursuant to one of the following visas: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3 (as a foreign government official or immediate family member of an official), E-1 (as an employee of TECRO or TECO or the employee’s immediate family members), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6 (or seeking to enter as a nonimmigrant in one of those NATO categories); or
(B) whose travel falls within the scope of section 11 of the United Nations Headquarters Agreement;
(x) any noncitizen who is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and any noncitizen who is a spouse or child of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces
(xi) any noncitizen whose entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, on their respective designees, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General or his designee; or
(xii) any noncitizen whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees.
(b) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to affect any individuals eligibility for asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the regulation issued pursuant to the legislation implementing the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, consistent with the laws and regulations of the United States.
Sec. 3 Implementation and Enforcement. (a) The Secretary of State shall implement this proclamation as it applies to visas pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall implement this proclamation as is applied to the entry of noncitizens pursuant to such procedures as the Security of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may establish.
(b) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that any noncitizen subject to this proclamation does not board an aircraft traveling to the United States, to the extent permitted by law.
(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security may establish standards and procedures to ensure the application of this proclamation at and between all United States ports of entry.
(d) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that any noncitizen subject to this proclamation does not board an aircraft traveling to the United States, to the extent permitted by law.
(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security may establish standards and procedures to ensure the application of this proclamation at and between all United States ports of entry.
(d) Where a noncitizen circumvents the application of this proclamation through fraud, willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or illegal entry, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider prioritizing such noncitizen for removal.
Sec 4. Termination. This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as circumstances warrant and no more than 30 days after the date of this proclamation and by the final day of each calendar month thereafter, recommend whether the President should continue, modify, or terminate this proclamation.
Sec. 5 Amendment. Section 5 of Proclamation 9984 of January 31 2020 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures To Address This Risk), and section 5 of Proclamation 9992 of February 29, 2020, (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus), are each amended to read as follows:
“Sec. 5 Termination. This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as circumstances warrant and no more than 30 days after the date of the Proclamation of January 25, 2021, entitled “Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease 2019,” and by the final day of each month thereafter, recommend whether the President should continue, modify, or terminate this proclamation.”
Sec. 6 Effective Dates. (a) The suspension and limitation on entry set fourth in section 1 (a) of proclamation is effective at 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 26, 2021. The suspension and limitation on entry set forth in section 1(a) of this proclamation does not apply to persons abroad a flight scheduled to arrive in the United States that departed prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 26, 2021.
(b) The suspension and limitation on entry set forth in section 1(b) of this proclamation is effective standard time on January 30, 2021. The suspension and limitation on entry set forth in section 1(b) of this proclamation does not apply to persons aboard a flight scheduled to arrive in the United States that departed prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time on January 30, 2021.
Sec. 7. Severability. It is the policy of the United States to enforce this proclamation to the maximum extent possible to advance the national security, public safety, and foreign policy interests of the United States. Accordingly:
(a) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person of circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby;
(b) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack of procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements to confirm with existing law and with any applicable court orders.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in the proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) The proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforcement at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies or entities, its offers employees or agents, or any other person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 25: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 25, 2021” From the Press Briefing:
MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon. Happy Monday to everyone. A couple of announcements at the top: First, as a part of this administration’s accessibility and inclusion efforts, starting today, we will have an ASL- an American Sign Language – interpreter for our daily press briefings. Today’s interpreter, Heather, is joining us virtually. The President is committed to building an America that is more committed to building an America that is more inclusive, including Americans with disabilities and their families.
Next, I wanted to share a few updates from the COVID response team. First, today, the President will sign a presidential proclamation to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through travel, especially as we see faster-spreading variants emerging across the world. This proclamation is part of the Biden administration’s whole-of-government, decisive, and science-driven response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of particular note, on advice of our administration’s medical and COVID team, President Biden has decided to maintain restrictions previously in place for the European Schengen area, the United Kingdom, Republican – Republic of Ireland, and Brazil. With the pandemic worsening and more contagiant variant – contagious variants spreading, this isn’t the time to be lifting restrictions on international travel. And in light of the contagious variant B1532, South Africa has been added to the restricted list.
Additionally, beginning tomorrow, international travelers to the United States must provide proof of a negative test within three days of travel to airlines prior to departure. The President is taking these steps on the advice of his COVID-19 and medical team.
And we’re already working as a real partner to the states to address their needs to vaccinate the public. This weekend, West Virginia asked the Biden administration for assistance at an understaffed vaccine distribution center. At the President’s direction, FEMA was deployed help support the vaccination site.
This comes as part of the President’s order last week that directs FEMA to stand up vaccination centers and support states’ vaccination efforts. We look forward to continuing to be partner of the states moving forward.
Last, on the COVID -last update on COVID, I wanted to briefly preview the first of our public health briefings, which will begin this Wednesday and will be done regularly for the foreseeable future. These will be science-led briefings, featuring our public health officials and members of our COVID-19 response team. These briefings will typically happen three times a week to provide the American people with key updates on the virus and our government’s response.
They’re a reflection of our commitment to being transparent and hones with the public about the pandemic and the work of our whole-of-government team is doing every day, and you will be able to participate within those, of course, as well.
Finally – I think – finally, this morning President Biden issued an executive order setting the policy that all Americans who are qualified to serve in the armed forces of the United States should be able to serve. Today’s action revokes the Presidential Memorandum of March 2013, 2018, and also confirms the revocation of the Presidential Memorandum of August 25th of 2017.
Today’s action fulfills another campaign promise. With this EO, no one will be separated or discharged from the military or denied reenlistment on the basis of gender identity. And for those transgender service members who were discharged or separated because of their gender identity, their cases will be reexamined.
President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service and that America’s strength is found in its diversity. America is stronger at home and around the world when it is inclusive.
Last thing – sorry, I said it was the last, but a lot – a lot going on here. This afternoon, the President will sign an executive order that takes an important step to support American manufacturing, With this “Buy American” executive order, the President is already making good on his commitment to building a future that is made in America by all of America’s workers.
Through the Buy American executive order, the President will put to work the early $600 billion in taxpayer dollars that goes toward federal contracting in support of American manufacturers and good-paying jobs for America’s workers. The EO directs agencies to close loopholes in how “Made in America” products are measured so we can close loopholes and ensure – increase the amount of a product that must be made in the U.S. for it to qualify under Buy American law.
He will also appoint a senior White House official to oversee this policy to ensure it’s actually enforced and that all agencies are seeking small- and medium-sized American businesses to make the products they need.
The EO will also tighten and make public the waiver process so that American workers and manufacturers can see how federal dollars are spent where they’re going.
So I will stop there. And, Jonathan, why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thank you, Jen. We know you have to leave at two o’clock, so we’ll just get started right now. Two topics for you, please, one foreign and one domestic.
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: Overseas first: Over the weekend, there were dozens of significant protests in Russian cities over the arrest of Alexei Navalny, which were put down harshly by police there. What sort of U.S. response is being considered? What sort of actions or sanctions could occur? And when does the President plan to speak to President Putin?
MS. PSAKI: First, I’d like to point all of you to a statement that was released this weekend by the State Department, strongly condemning the use of harsh tactics against protestors and journalists in cities throughout Russia. These continued efforts to suppress Russian’s rights to peacefully protest and assemble and ex- and their freedom of expression and the arrest of opposition figure Alexei Navalny and the crackdown on protests that followed are troubling indications of further restrictions on Russian civil society.
So, I’ll just reiterate our call from here on Russian authorities to release all those detained for exercising their universal rights and for the immediate and unconditional release of Alexei Nalvany. We also urge Russia to fully cooperate with the international community’s investigation into the poisoning of Alexei Nalvany and credibly explain the use of a chemical weapon on its soil.
And last week, we announced that the President issued a tasking to the intelligence community for its full assessment of a range of activities, including of course the SolarWinds cyber breach, Russian interference in the 2020 election, its use of chemical weapons against Alexei Nalvany, and the alleged bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. That is ongoing. That review is a 100-day review, so we’ll have an update on that when it concludes.
Actually, let me – I apologize, I may have missatated that. It’s not – I don’t have a timeline for the timeline of the review; it’s something that’s ongoing. There’s – it’s a priority, of course.
Q: And has a call been scheduled with President Putin?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any calls to predict for you at this point. But obviously, the President is picking up the phone, engaging with a range of foreign leaders – Europeans and others. There’s more planned in the next couple of days, and we’ll have readouts as those occur.
Q: Okay. And one on here at home: The President has repeatedly stressed the urgency of the COVID relief package, the need to get something done now. With that in mind, you know, considering the reaction of Republican lawmakers to outreach that was done over the weekend, should there be a more narrow focused on the virus and vaccine that could be done sooner?
And while we know that these White House officials have talked to the Hill, can you please speak to the President’s personal involvement? Who has he spoken to?
MS. PSAKI: The President has been personally engaging and engaging with Democrats and Republicans. We’re not going to read out all those calls for you because they are private conversations, and we feel that’s the most effective way to get this package moving forward. As you know, there was a call that occurred yesterday that we did a brief readout on from that call – part of our ongoing engagement to talk with Democrats and Republicans.
And I’ll convey this is how, in the President’s view – and we talked about this, this morning – this process should work. He puts his policy forward, his vision forward, and then Democrats and Republicans can engage and give their input and feedback on what they think is going to work and how to move this package forward. So, in our view, this is working exactly as it should work.
And – but, in terms of the – is there concern – Democrats themselves – Senator Sanders has – an independent, of course – and Speaker Pelosi have suggested that reconciliation should be considered now, that time is wasting; there isn’t time for this sort of back – legislative back-and-forth.
MS.PSAKI: Well, the President himself has conveyed the urgency of moving this package forward, and that’s certainly something he has also conveyed privately to Democrats and Republicans.
And it’s not just him; there’s urgency to the American people for this package to move forward because we are going to hit a cliff – an unemployment cliff – unemployment insurance cliff, I should say – in March, where millions of people won’t be able to have access to unemployment insurance. We’re going to hit a point where we won’t have enough funding for vaccine distribution. Nobody wants to have the conversation – no member of Congress – in May and June when there – we don’t have the funding to put back – to reopen schools, I should say.
So, there’s an urgency he has conveyed. I will say, as it relates to reconciliation, just to take a step back. Everybody watching is not as in the weeds on the Senate process as all of you. So let me just take a moment to explain.
Reconciliation is a mean – a means of getting a bill passed. There are a number of means of getting bills passed. That does not mean, regardless of how the bill is passed, that Democrats and Republicans cannot both vote for it.
So, the President obviously wants to make this bipartisan. Hence, he’s engaging with members of both parties, and he remains committed to that moving forward.
Go ahead, Kaitlan.
Q: Just real quick. You were talking about the cliff in March. Does he think it will get passed by March?
MS. PSAKI: Well, there’s an urgency to moving it forward, and he certainly believes it needs to be – there needs to be progress in the next couple of weeks.
Q: So he thinks by March it could get passed?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t want to give a deadline on it, Kaitlan, but I think we are all mindful and looking at that timeline in March as to when we will hit the unemployment cliff. And it’s – it’s vital to get things done quickly and rapidly, as quickly as possible.
Q: So you said, last week, he wants it to be bipartisan. Of course, we’ve already seen the Republicans pushing back on the price tag, the $15 minimum wage, and who is qualifying for these stimulus checks. So is he willing to come down on any of that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m not going to negotiate from here, not that you’re expecting me necessarily to do that. But again, the President feels this is working as it should. He proposed his package. He’s getting feedback. We’re having conversations. We don’t expect the final bill to look exactly the same as the first bill he proposed.
I will remind you, though, that the – bipartisan package that passed in December had the same thresholds for the checks – $150,000, about approximately that amount for families; about $75,000 for individuals – in terms of who would have access to that – those checks.
And each component of this package is vital to get us through this period of time. So that’s how the President looks at the package: that each of them are essential – not just vaccine distribution money, but funding to ensure that people can make sure they are putting food on the table, that their kids are eating, that they can get – that they have the bridge needed to get to the other side of the pandemic.
Q: Okay. And then just quickly: Yesterday, the CDC Director said she could not say how much vaccine there was left to go out. I know it’s complicated what’s being shipped and distributed and actually injected, but is there at least a ballpark amount that officials are aware of, of how much vaccine there is?
MS. PSAKI: Well, our team is working right now. We’ve been her for five days to evaluate the supply so that we can release the maximum amount while also ensuring that everyone can get the second dose on the FDA-recommended schedule.
So the confusion around this issue – which we acknowledge there is some confusion – is – speaks to a larger problem, which is what we’re inheriting from the prior administration, which is much worse than we could have imagined.
So we are assessing now what we have access to and ensuring that we have more of a rapid engagement with states so that they have more of a heads-up on what to expect in the weeks ahead.
Q: But just to button this up: Gus Perna still works there, right? And he’s in charge of the logistics. So could he say how much vaccine there is, since they’re in charge of where it’s going?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, there is a new CDC Director in charge (inaudible) spoke to this. And I think what we’re trying to do now is fully assess what we have access to, what the status of the vaccine supply looks like, and ensure that we’re communicating that accurately and effectively with the public.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Acknowledging the confusion around the lack of clarity about the vaccine availability, give us a sense of just how stunning that revelation is. I mean, what was President Biden’s reaction to learning that?
MS PSAKI: Well, I will say, having sat in a lot of meetings with President Biden about COVID and his efforts to get the pandemic under control, he asked a lot of detailed questions about the status of supply, the status of distribution, the status of states when there’s reporting from all of you on states not having the information they need. Those are specific issues he raised.
We’re eyes wide open, all of us, including the President, with the knowledge that we were not walking into a circumstance where there was going to be a concrete assessment or plan presented to us when we walked in, and there wasn’t. That’s why he put forward his 200-page vaccine distribution plan last week, and that’s why he hired an experienced and talented team to get to the bottom of exactly what we’re looking at so that we can have that assessment moving forward.
Q: When does the administration expect to have a better sense of the available inventory?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as I noted at the top, we’re going to be doing regular briefings – three times a week. We’ll start those on Wednesday. I don’t know what assessment they’ll have by Wednesday, but what our objective is is to be providing clear and accurate information to the public.
Q: And what’s the White House’s message to Democrats, to President Biden’s supporters who take him at his word and say, as it relates to COVID relief, “We are in a national emergency and we should act like it,” and they want action now. They don’t want any sort of delay, and they don’t want to experience the opportunity costs that might come from a delay in waiting for Republicans to get onboard.
MS. PSAKI: You mean with the COVID package?
Q: With the package. Yeah.
MS. PSAKI: Well, he – he agrees. He doesn’t want there to be delay either. And I would note that 70 percent of the public agree with what you said, according to the Ipsos poll this weekend, that the components of this package – the funding for vaccine distribution, but also funding to ensure people can apply for unemployment insurance, put food on the table, money to reopen schools – the public supports that. And we anticipate that the public will be conveying to the leaders who are elected to represent them exactly that.
Go ahead.
Q: Can I just ask you to clarify the travel requirement, or the testing requirement?
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hm.
Q: That applies to all people boarding planes into the U.S., including U.S. citizens? Anyone getting on a plane needs to test negative?
MS. PSAKI: From overseas?
Q: From overseas into the U.S.
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
Q: Regardless of citizenship.
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
Q: Okay, great. I also want to ask a couple of things that the Trump administration did in the final stages that I’m wondering whether you folks are going to intervene. One is that they issued a license to an Israeli billionaire named Dan Gertler to allow him to access the U.S. financial system. That license is in place through the end of January 2022. Will the Biden administration intervene at all? Or does that stand?
Another one is that he begin the delisting – or issued an executive order that triggered the delisting of several Chinese companies, in particular three telecoms that sought a review of that. Do you plan on tweaking or rescinding that order – in other words, stopping the delisting process for these three Chinese telecoms?
MS. PSAKI: On the first question: Fortunately, we’re about to have a Treasury Secretary confirmed, and I’d send you to them to speak to any reviews they may overtake in those sanction – undertake, I should say – in that sanctions review.
And then, on the Chinese, I know there was some reporting, perhaps from your outlet, of course, this morning on that particular issue. As you – as we’ve noted in here previously, we – there are a number of reviews, complex reviews – interagency reviews, I should say, that we’re going to undertake as it relates to a range of regulatory actions and a range of relationships with companies as it relates to Chinese investment and other issues as well.
Those complex reviews are just starting. And as I – as I noted, they will need to go through the interagency, so the State Department, the Treasury Department, a number of others, who will review how we move forward. We’re starting from an approach of patience as it relates to our relationship with China. So that means we’re going to have consultations with our allies, we’re going to have consultations with Democrats and Republicans, and we’re going to allow the interagency process to work its way through to review and assess how we should move forward with our relationship.
Q: It is possible that those reviews could lead to a change in this delisting process down the road?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t want to get ahead of any review, but certainly we’re taking an overarching look at all of our – all of it. And as we have more to report, we’ll report back to you.
Q: Finally, can I just ask broadly what the President believes President Trump’s legacy is with regards to China, in particular around the tariffs he imposed? Does President Biden like those tariffs? They remain in place on quite a large sum of Chinese goods.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: Is that under review at all, or are those appropriate at this time?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as is the case with other areas of our relationship with China, he will take a multilateral approach to engaging with China, and that includes evaluating the tariffs currently in place. And he wants to ensure that we take any steps in coordination with our allies and partners, and with Democrats and Republicans in Congress, as well.
So nothing to report at this point in time, but we’re committed to – the President is committed to stopping China’s economic abuses on many fronts, and the most effective way to do that is through working in concert with our allies and partners to do exactly that.
Go ahead.
Q: I wanted to follow up a little bit on some of the China issues. I know that there was an executive order requiring the sale of TikTok’s U.S. business, and I wondered if there were plans to revoke it or enforce it, or what is the current thinking on that matter?
MS. PSAKI: It’s a great question. I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with our national security team about it. I’m happy to take it and see if we can get you more – something more specific.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you so much. Two questions for you. The first is, sort of, stepping back for a minute at what the administration’s goals are. Unity is something that President Biden spoke about quite a bit on the campaign trail. He talked about it during the transition. Could you talk a little bit more specifically about what unity will mean to this administration, whether there are any kind of benchmarks that you are – you’ve identified to show that unity has been achieved?
And I just – sort of, to contrast with the, you know, the coronavirus task force – of course, you’ve got very detailed, you know, benchmarks about what that – what you want to achieve, sort of, moment by moment. But with unity, are you talking about bipartisanship? Are you talking about something that’s widely popular in the United States? Can you, sort of, go through what Biden is thinking about when he says that he wants to achieve unity?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, the President came in to lead the country, obviously at a time of great division where there was a great need for healing, in his view. And he spoke about that in his Inaugural Address just last week.
So, “unity,” to him, of course, approaching our work on legislative issues through a bipartisan lens, working with Democrats and Republicans, trying to find a path forward on how we can work together to address the problems the American people are facing. That’s part of it. But it also means projecting that he is going to govern for all people and address all the issues that the American people are facing.
So, for example, that means talking about how the COVID pandemic impacts not just Democrats, but Republicans; not just blue states, but red states; ensuring that he is reaching out to Democratic and Republican governors, Democratic and Republican mayors; and conveying, in every opportunity he has, that this is a problem that we’re all facing together.
So I think it’s a little bit different than how you can mark, of course, achieving 100 million shots in the arms of Americans in the first 100 days. But unity is about the country feeling that they’re in it together, and I think we’ll know that when we see it. But he’s going to be working on that and committed to that every opportunity he has to speak to the public.
Q: I have another question. The Trump administration – or the Obama administration initially had wanted to put Harriet Tubman on the 20-dollar bill. The Trump administration dragged their feet on that. I wanted to see if the Biden administration has a, sort of, view of the timeline on whether or not she should be on the paper currency.
MS. PSAKI: I was here when we – when we announced that, and it was very exciting. It hasn’t moved forward yet, which would have been surprised to learn at the time.
The Treasury Department is taking steps to resume efforts to put Harriet Tubman on the front of the new 20-dollar notes. It’s important that our notes – our money, if people don’t know what a note is – reflect the history and diversity of our country, and Harriet Tubman’s image gracing the new 20-dollar note would certainly reflect that. So we’re exploring ways to speed up that effort, but any specifics would of course come from the Department of Treasury.
Go ahead.
Q: Another one on China. China’s Xi Jinping spoke earlier today. I’m wondering if there’s any official White House reaction to his comments. He talked about unity, as well, and also talked about cooperation on coronavirus and other issues. Is that likely – is that the kind of statement today likely to change or affect the stance that the U.S. – that the Biden administration has toward China on trade and technology?
MS. PSAKI: No. I think our approach to China remains what it has been since – for the last months, if not longer. We’re in a serious competition with China. Strategy competition with China is a defining feature of the 21st century. China is engaged in conduct that hurts American workers, blunts our technological edge, and threatens our alliances and our influence in international organizations.
What we’ve seen over the last few years is that China is growing more authoritarian at home and more assertive abroad. And Beijing is now challenging our security, prosperity, and values in significant way that require a new U.S. approach.
And this is one of the reasons, as we were talking about a little bit earlier, that we want to approach this with some strategic patience, and we want to conduct reviews internally, through our intreragency – even thoughI stumbled over that; I needed a little more coffee before I came out here, I guess. We wanted to engage more with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to discuss the path forward. And most importantly, we want to discuss this with our allies.
So, no, the comments don’t change anything. We believe that this moment requires a strategic and a new approach forward.
Go ahead. Hopefully, if I answer your question – I’m sorry, we’ll go to you next.
Q: I was going to pile on a little more on China while we’re on this topic. But I wondered – Huawei has been on the entity list for, like, two years now. Just before the Trump administration left office, they initiated a new policy to basically revoke and issue intents to deny licenses for even more innocuous items that U.S. companies were selling to Huawei. Does the Biden administration plan to keep Huawei on the entity list and continue to enforce this much more stringent blanket ban on U.S. goods sales to China – to Huawei?
MS. PSAKI: Well, technology, as I just noted, is, of course, at the center of the U.S.-China competition. China has been willing to do whatever it takes to gain a technological advantage – stealing intellectual property, engaging in industrial espionage, and forcing technology transfer.
Our view – the President’s view is we need to play a better defense, which must include holding China accountable for its unfair and illegal practices and making sure that American technologies aren’t facilitating China’s military buildup.
So he’s firmly committed to making sure that Chinese companies cannot misappropriate and misuse American data. And we need a comprehensive strategy, as I’ve said, and a more systematic approach that actually addresses the full range of these issues.
So there is, again, an ongoing review of a range of these issues. We want to look at them carefully, and we’ll be committed to approaching them through the lens of ensuring we’re protecting U.S. data and America’s technological edge. I don’t have more for you on it. As we do, we’re happy to share that with all of you.
Go ahead.
Q: President Biden – now-President Biden condemned protests and violence on the far left and the far right before he was President. Why haven’t we heard anything directly from him about the riots in Portland and the Pacific Northwest since he was inaugurated?
MS. PSAKI: Well, he’s taking questions later this afternoon, so perhaps he will. I will say from here that President Biden condemns violence and any violence in the strongest possible terms. Peaceful protests are a cornerstone of our democracy, but smashing windows is not protesting, and neither is looting. And actions like these are totally unacceptable, and anyone who committed a crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. Our team is, of course, monitoring it very closely.
Q: And as he pushes for federal help to businesses affected by COVID, should we expect to see any kind of federal assistance for these businesses up there that are affected by COVID and riots?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, I think you know his – because we’ve had this conversation in here already a few times since I joined the team – that his focus is on getting the American people through this period of time and pushing forward on a relief package that will get them the assistance they need as it relates to the pandemic and the impact of the pandemic.
So I don’t have anything more for you on that.
Q: And just one more about the announcement you made off the top about the travel restrictions. When President Trump was imposing travel restrictions in March, specifically on China, then-candidate Biden called it “xenophobic” and “fearmongering.” So now-President Biden is putting travel restrictions on people coming in from other countries. What would do we use to describe that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t think that’s quite a fair articulation. The President has been clear that he felt the Muslim ban was xenophobic. He overturned the Muslim ban. He also, though, has supported – and himself, even before he was inaugurated – steps, travel restrictions in order to keep the American people safe to ensure that we are getting the pandemic under control. That’s been part of his policy.
But he was critical of the former president for having a policy that was not more comprehensive than travel restrictions. And he conveyed at the time, and more recently, the importance of having a multifaceted approach – mask wearing, vaccine distribution funding in order to get 100 million shots in the Arms of Americans in the first hundred days, not just travel restrictions.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Yes. Two questions: one domestic and one foreign, please. The first is that Bill Pascrell, a congressman from New Jersey, just about an hour ago suggested firing the entire Postal Board of Governors, and he sent a letter to the President to that effect. Is there any plans to make changes, given what happned at the Post Office over the last couple of years, to try and remove the Postmaster General?
MS. PSAKI: It’s an interesting question. We all love the mailman and mailwoman. I don’t have anything for you on it. I’m happy to check with our team on it and see if we have any specifics. I’m not aware of anything, but we’ll circle back with you.
Q: And on a foreign policy question: It’s my understanding that the previous administration did not release the War Powers Act resolution before they left office. Is there any plans for – I know there’s a new Secretary of Defense as of –
MS. PSAKI: As of a few – well, I guess, Friday but –
Q: Technically Friday –
MS. PSAKI: Technically Friday.
Q: – but ceremonially today.
MS. PSAKI: Yes, exactly.
Q: Is there any plan to either release the Trump administration letter on the troop levels in various countries overseas, or to update that more quickly than might be required by the statute?
MS. PSAKI: It’s an excellent question. I would send you to the Department of Defense and my old friend, John Kirby, who I’m sure would be happy to answer your question.
Go ahead in the back – with the excellent mask on. I can’t even tell what’s on it.
Q: (Laughs.) Flamingos.
MS. PSAKI: Flamingos? All right, we’re getting creative with masks. I like it.
Q: After one year.
So just back to Russia: Given the many unsolved deaths over the years of President Putin’s opponents – or near-deaths, in the case of Navalny – would President Biden be holding President Putin personally accountable for the continued health of Navalny while he’s in prison?
And just one other thing, which is different but related: What’s the position of this administration on Paul Whelan? Because his family and, some of his supporters said, basically, the previous administration just, you know, forgot about it. What’s going on with Paul Whelan, and what’s your position? Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Well, let me take the second question and talk to our national security team and get you something more comprehensive. And certainly we don’t plan to follow the same pattern of the last administration.
But on the first question, I would say this is the reason why the President tasked his national security team, his intelligence team, with assessing a range of issues as it relates to our relationship with Russia, including the SolarWinds breach, including the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, which we have been quite outspoken about – from our National Security Advisor to the State Department, and we’ll continue to be.
We want to see the review conclude, but as always been the case, the President reserves the right to respond in the time and manner of his choosing, and I’m not going to take options off the table from here.
Go ahead.
Q: Hi, I’m the print pooler today, so if possible, can I ask a question also on behalf of one of my colleagues who couldn’t be here –
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Go ahead.
Q: – due to social distancing? Okay.
So I’ll start with my question. New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio announced today that the city is delaying the opening of large COVID-19 vaccination sites at Yankee Stadium, at Citi Field. Governor Cuomo has said the state has the capacity to vaccinate up to 100,000 folks a day, if there was supply.
As the administration is, you know, analyzing and reconfiguring its distribution plan, how heavily is infrastructure being weighed? In other words, does New York get first dibs because it has the capacity to do this right away?
And then the second question would be on – kind of, on the same COVID note. There are seniors who don’t have access to websites, don’t have folks vouching for them. Is there anything the administration is doing to ensure that seniors who don’t have, you know, anybody to assist them with scheduling appointments, that they don’t fall through the cracks?
And then I have a second question from another reporter.
MS. PSAKI: Sure. So, on the first question, this is a really important one. Infrastructure is pivotal. It’s not just about the science. Scientists, medical experts, they’ve – what they’ve done over the last year in moving this vaccine forward has been a Herculean effort, but now it is about ensuring that there are more vaccinators and there are more places to actually distribute the vaccine.
And clearly, cases – scenarios where there are large facilities, wether they’re football fields or others, to do that can be quite efficient. There are other places around the country where we are seeing developments along those fronts, and we’re certainly encouraging that.
But this is a multifaceted challenge. It’s not just about having supply, which is pivotal, of course. It’s also about having more people who can physically put the shots into the arms of Americans, and its about ensuring we have places that can be done.
I don’t have anything for you on prioritization. That’s something, of course, that our team is working through, and we want to ensure that we are working closely with governors across the country to effectively do that.
Tell me your second question again. And I know you have one after this, but –
Q: Well, the second part of that question was just: Will there be any federal assistance to support states in reaching out to seniors who may not have access to, you know, Internet or even a phone to schedule these appointments? That’s been a complaint that’s emerged a lot.
MS. PSAKI: Yeah, it’s a really important question because what we’ve discovered is that the farther you get into vaccinating Americans, the harder it becomes. There – for a couple of reasons. One is vaccine hesitancy, which Dr. Fauci talked about as an issue that was of great concern to him and some other health and medical experts, and its more predominant in communities of color.
But, as you noted, there is also an issue with communicating with a range of people in public – some in rural communities, for different reasons, but also seniors and others who don’t – who aren’t picking up their phone and looking at information on Instagram every day and not receiving information in the same way that young adults would be.
So part of our effort is to use an across-the-board public communications campaign, an effort to meet people where they are. And certainly thinking about how to reach seniors – doing it in a way where it is being done locally by trusted authorities and trusted figures locally, we found to be a key – a key, effective approach to that. But we will continue to be working on that, and it’s definitely one of the challenges that we’re facing.
Q: Okay, great.
This question is from Ross Palombo from ABC in South Florida. He asks: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has blasted part of the President’s COVID plan, specifically saying, quote, “FEMA camps are not necessary in Florida.” Has or will the President be reaching out to DeSantis? What is his reaction to comments like these?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is a pretty even-keeled guy. So I would say that he doesn’t have much of a reaction, other than he wants to ensure that the vaccines distributed to people across the country, including, of course, the millions of people living in Florida.
And I will note – because we’re data first here, fact first here – they’ve only distributed about 50 percent of the vaccines that they have been given in Florida. So clearly, they have a good deal of the vaccine. That supply will need to continue to increase as they are able to effectively reach people across the state.
But part of the challenge, as we were just talking about, is not having the supply – that’s pivotal – but also having vaccinators and having vaccine distribution places, and doing it in a way that’s reaching people where they are and meeting local communities. And the President is going to be focused on that in a bipartisan manner, regardless of what any elected official may have to say.
Go ahead, all the way in the back. All the way in the back.
Q: Hi.
MS. PSAKI: And then I’ll come to you. Sorry, go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. In an executive order that the President signed last week, he also suspended a Trump administrative – administration executive order that was particularly aimed at keeping foreign countries, specifically China, from interfering in the U.S. power grid. But he suspended that for 90 days in that executive order last week. Given what you said about China today, why did he do that, especially to something so critical to our national security as the power grid?
MS. PSAKI: I’ll have to – I think the President’s view on our relationship with China I tried to do my best to convey to all of you. I’ll have to check on that specific piece, and we’ll – we’ll circle back with you directly.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. The administration said that the “Remain in Mexico” policy from the prior administration would not be enforced anymore, but there are thousands of people who are stuck now as a result of that policy, and the administration has not said what you will do with them and how to process these migrants. What is the answer to that?
MS. PSAKI: In terms of migrants at the border? Well, in —
Q: Yeah, who are stuck as a result of the Remain in Mexico. You know, there are many thousands of people.
MS. PSAKI: Well I think there’s a couple of steps that we — we’re working to convey, and convey more effectively to people directly living in many of the countries who are – who have large populations who are coming to the border.
One is that this is not the right time to come. We have proposed a number of policies that we are working to implement, including a pause on deportations, as you know, for people who are in the United States. That is something the Department of Homeland Security would be working to implement. We’ve also proposed an immigration bill, something the President put forward on day one. And we’ve also proposed funding to help address the circumstances and the challenging conditions that are on the ground in a number of these countries.
Q: If I may, I’m talking about those people who are in limbo at the moment – not discouraging new people from coming and not applying it to new people, but those people who were specifically turned away by the Trump administration.
MS. PSAKI: I’d send you to the Department of Homeland Security on that for a more specific assessment.
Q: Okay. And for the second question, I just wanted to press you a little harder. You said earlier that the President had been speaking with members of the Senate-
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hm.
Q: – but you wouldn’t say who they were and anything about those conversations because they were private. I mean, they were, presumably, discussing the people’s business. Is that a matter — you know, why should those be private? Why not be more revealing of who the President is speaking with that is in the government?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the – what I said is that the President is speaking with Democrats and Republicans, as are a number of senior officials from the current White House. And we’ll continue to do that.
And what I meant about those conversations – getting their feedback about what they think about bills and legislation, how they feel about the COVID package that the President put forward, where they have concerns, where they have agreements – that some of those conversations are private. They can speak publicly about their conversations, of course, as many of them have done. But what I was confirming is that he personally is involved and will continue to be involved in moving this package forward.
Q: I guess I’m asking: Why not release the names of the people who the President is speaking with to negotiate on this bill? I mean, I know you want to have more transparency in this administration; you’ve talked about it a lot already. Why not make that a part of the transparency effort?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, he’s speaking with members of both parties. A number of them would like to have those conversations private as well. A number of them have also spoken publicly about conversations they’ve had with the administration. So – and that perfectly – is perfectly fine by us.
Go ahead.
Q: Can I ask a — going back to COVID: Do you know when Americans will be able to be widely vaccinated?
MS. PSAKI: Well, of course, we defer to our health and medical experts, as you know. And Dr. Fauci spoke to this briefly last week, and I expect it’s something that our health and medical experts, who will be doing a briefing later this week, will be able to speak to more specifically.
We obviously have set our bold goal of 100 million vaccine — or 100 million shots in the arms of Americans in the first 100 days. We will build from there, and we are looking forward to build from there.
But I don’t have an assessment – a new assessment for you on when a broad popular – a group of the population.
Q: But anyone can get it if they want it, is essentially what I’m asking. The previous administration said it would be sort of mid-year. They said that regularly.
MS. PSAKI: You know, our – the CDC and other health and medical experts have – from our team – have given assessments leaning towards the summer and fall, but I don’t have a new assessment for you from here. But I encourage you to ask them that, and that’s why we’re putting them out to answer questions to all of you.
Jonathan, go ahead.
Q: The Trump administration, in its final weeks, rushed through a number of federal executions. Has the President directed a moratorium on capital punishment? And does he plan to?
MS. PSAKI: The President’s position on the death penalty – I think you’re probably familiar with, others may not be: He’s opposed to the death penalty. I don’t have anything to preview for you in terms of what steps he may take.
Go ahead, Kaitlan.
Q: You said that these coronavirus briefings are going to start. President Trump did not attend a lot of the corona – – or some of the coronavirus briefings at the end. He did not attend a lot of coronavirus task force briefings. Is President Biden going to attend those task force meetings within the group that’s working on this?
MS. PSAKI: He will be briefed regularly – I suspect, far more regularly than the past President was briefed – on COVID and the developments and progress the team is making. I wouldn’t expect he attends every task force meeting – no – but he expects and requests regular briefings from the team, and I expect he’ll get them.
Okay, go ahead.
Q: If the whole point of impeaching somebody is basically to get rid of them, and Trump is already gone, would President Biden support the Senate censuring him just so that lawmakers can move on with the people’s business?
MS. PSAKI: I really appreciate your creative way of asking that question, which has come up a few times in here. The President is – was in the Senate for 36 years, as you all know. He is no longer in the Senate, and he will leave it up to members of the Senate, Democrats and Republicans, to determine how they will hold the former President accountable.
Q: On quickly –
Q: All right, thank you, Jen. Last one. Go ahead.
MS. PSAKI: Oh, last one. Go ahead. Go ahead.
Q: Yeah, I’m sorry, I just wanted to ask really briefly, on Afghanistan, if you guys foresee further troop reductions there and what kind of numbers would we be talking about.
MS. PSAKI: It’s an excellent question. We’re on day five, so I don’t have any thing new for you on, specifically, Afghanistan troop production, but I’m hoping to get Jake Sullivan out to the briefing room soon to answer a lot of your questions on a range of issues.
Q: Jen?
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, everyone.
Q: Thanks, Jen.
Q: Jen, you haven’t taken my question.
MS. PSAKI: All right, one more. I’m sorry about that. We don’t – we don’t want to leave you hanging.
Q: Sorry.
MS. PSAKI: You’ve been very patient in the back.
Q: I represent the foreign press group.
MS. PSAKI: Of course.
Q: I have two foreign policy issue: one on China and one on the UK.
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: On China, we just – you mentioned about competition. And President Biden’s Asia czar, Kurt Campbell, says he hopes for a “stable competition.” Is that what the White House is looking for? And you just mentioned about this comprehensive strategy. When can we expect that?
MS. PSAKI: I appreciate all of those questions. I have no – I don’t have any preview for you on when we will have more specifics on our strategy. I’ve tried to convey overarching – the President’s overarching approach.
But again, this is a relationship that we are going to be convey- – communicating with and working with partners and allies on. Those are – there are a number of calls that will happen over the coming weeks with key partners and allies – I’m sure this will be a topic of discussion – as well as Democrats and Republicans on the Hill, and we’re going to approach it with patience.
Q: And on the UK, we know, over the weekend, President Biden had a phone call with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Mr. Johnson said they talked about the free trade deal. However, from the White House readout, we don’t see that. Does the President support the free trade deal with the UK?
MS. PSAKI: I haven’t talked to him or Jake Sullivan about that. I’ll venture to do that and see if I can get more for you on it.
Thanks, everyone.
January 25: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $300K IN FEMA FUNDING FOR NEW YORK FIREFIGHTER RESPONDING TO COVID-19” From the Press Release:
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that $306,624.52 in federal funding will be administered to twelve counties across New York to support COVID-19 emergency response preparedness measures. This funding was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) second round of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant – COVID-19 Supplemental Program (AFG-S 2) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. This funding was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will be used to purchase essential PPE and equipment for firefighters responding to the COVID-19 outbreak across New York.
“From the peak of the pandemic to normal times, our brave firefighters are always on the front lines, risking their lives to protect their communities,” said Senator Schumer. “These courageous first responders deserve all the federal support possible to help them to do their jobs. I will always fight to bring more federal resources to support our heroic firefights, and I’m proud to deliver this funding so New York’s fire departments have the critical PPE and essential support they need as they keep New Yorkers safe during the pandemic.”
“New York’s firefighters and first responders continue working around the clock to keep our communities safe during this public health crisis,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The ongoing pandemic has left local and state governments with limited resources – this critical federal funding will ensure our firefighters are protected on the frontlines and fire stations can maintain clean facilities in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines I will continue to push for emergency funding to keep our fire departments and firefighters safe as they enter the line of duty.”…
January 25: The White House posted Remarks titled” “Remarks by President Biden at the Signing of Executive Order on Strengthening American Manufacturing”. From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, folks. I’m going to make some brief remarks, sign an executive order, and then take your questions, if that’s okay with you all.
Last week, we immediately got to work to contain the pandemic and deliver economic relief to millions of Americans who need it the most. And today we’re getting to work to rebuild the backbone of America: manufacturing, unions, and the middle class.
It’s based on a simple premise: that we’ll reward work, not wealth, in this country. And the key plank of ensuring the future will be “Made in America.” I’ve long said that I don’t accept the defeatist view that the forces of automation and globalizations can’t keep – can keep union jobs from growing here in America. We can create more of them, not fewer of them.
I don’t buy for one second the – that the vitality of the American manufacturing is a thing of the past. American manufacturing was the arsenal of democracy in World War Two, and it must be part of the engine of American prosperity now. That means we are going to use taxpayers’ money to rebuild America. We’ll buy American products and support American jobs, union jobs.
For example, the federal government every year spends approximately $600 billion in government procurement to keep the country going safe and secure. And there’s a law that’s been on the books for almost a century now: to make sure that money was spent – taxpayers’ dollars for procurement is spent to support American jobs and American businesses.
But the previous administration didn’t take it seriously enough. Federal agencies waived the Buy American requirement without much pushback at all. Big corporations and special interests have long fought for loopholes to redirect American taxpayers’ dollars to foreign companies where the products are being made. The result: tens of billions of American taxpayers’ dollars supporting foreign jobs and foreign industries.
In 1918 – excuse me, in 2018 alone, the Department spent $3 billion – the Defense Department – on foreign construction contracts, leaving American steel and iron out in the cold. It spent nearly 300 million in foreign engines and on vehicles instead of buying American vehicles and engines from American companies, putting Americans to work.
Under the previous administration, the federal government contract awarded directly to foreign companies when up 30 percent. That is going to change on our watch.
Today I’m taking the first steps in my larger Build Back Better Recovery Plan that invests in American workers, unions, and businesses up and down the supply chain. And I know that previous presidents entered office by promising to buy American and instituting the Buy American policy, but here’s why this is different and not the same:
I’ll be signing an executive order in just a moment, tightening the existing Buy American policies, and go further. We’re setting clear directives and clear explanations. We’re going to get to the core issue with a centralized, coordinated effort.
Look, today I’m creating a director of Made in America at the White House Office of Management and Budget who will oversee our all-of-government Made in America initiative. That starts with stopping federal agencies from waiving Buy American requirements with impunity, as has been going on. If an agency wants to issue a waiver to say “We’re not going to buy an American products as part of this project; we’re going to buy a foreign product,” they have to come to the White House and explain it to us.
We’re going to require that waivers be publicly posted; that is, if someone is seeking a waiver to build this particular vehicle or facility and is going to buy the following foreign parts, that waiver – the request for it – is going to be posted. Then we’ll work with small American manufactures and businesses to give them a shot to raise their hand and say, “Yeah, I can do that here in my shop, in my town.”
It’s about – and you’ve heard me say before, I used to have a friend who was a great athlete, who’d say, “You got to know how to know.” These small businesses don’t even know they can compete for making the product that is attempting to be waived and being able to be bought abroad.And
And I’m directing the Office of Management and Budget to review waivers to make sure they are only used in very limited circumstances. For example, when there’s an overwhelming national security, humanitarian, or emergency need here in America. This hasn’t happened before. It will happen now.
Here’s what else we’re going to be doing. Under the Build Back Recovery Plan, we’ll invest hundreds of billions of dollars in buying American products and materials to modernize our infrastructure, and our competitive strength will increase in a competitive world. That means millions of good-paying jobs, using American-made steel and technology, to rebuild our roads, our bridges, our ports, and to make them climate resilient, as well as making them able to move faster and cheaper and cleaner to transport American-made goods across the country and around the world, making us more competitive.
It also means replenishing our stockpiles to enhance our national security. As this pandemic has made clear, we can never again be in a position where we have to rely on a foreign country that doesn’t share our interest in order to protect our people during a national emergency. We need to make our own protective equipment, essential products and supplies. And we’ll work with our allies to make sure they have resilient supply chains as well.
We’ll also make historic investments in research and development – hundreds of billions of dollars – to sharpen America’s innovative edge in markets where global leadership is up for grabs – markets like battery technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, clean energy. The federal government also owns and enormous fleet of vehicles, which we’re going to replace with clean, electric vehicles made right here in the American by American workers, creating millions of jobs – a million autoworker jobs in clean energy – and vehicles that are net-zero emissions. And together, this will be the largest mobilization of public investment in procurement, infrastructure, and R&D since World War Two.
And with the executive order I’ll be signing today, we’ll increase Buy American requirements for these kinds of projects and improve the way we measure domestic content requirements. For example, right now, if you manufacture a vehicle for the federal government, you need to show that at least 50 percent of the components were made in America.
Because of loopholes that have been expanded over time, you can count the least valuable possible parts as part of that 50 percent to say “Made in America,” while the most valuable parts – the engines, the steel, the glass, the manufac- – are manufactured abroad. So basically – but basically we’re batting zero for two. The content threshold of 50 percent aren’t high enough. And the way we measure the content doesn’t account for U.S. jobs and economic activity. We’re going to change that as well.
The executive action I’m signing today will not only require that companies make more of their components in America, but that the value of those components is contributing to our economy, measured by things like a number of American jobs created and/or supported.
At the same time, we’ll be committed to working with our trading partners to modernize international trade rules, including those relating to government procurement, to make sure we can use – we can all use our taxpayer dollars to spur investment that promotes growth and resilient supply chains.
And here’s what else the action does. When we buy America, we’ll buy from all of America. That includes communities that have been historically left out of government procurement – black, brown, Native American small businesses and entrepreneurs in every region of the country.
We will use a national network of manufacturers – called a Manufacturing Extension Partnership – that’s in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, to help government agency connect with new domestic suppliers across the country. This is a critical piece of building our economy back better and including everyone in the deal this time, especially small businesses that are badly hurting in this economy.
The executive action I am taking also reiterates my strong support for the Jones Act and American vessels, you know, and our ports, especially those important for America’s clean energy future and the development of offshore renewable energy.
I’ll close with this: The reason we need to do this is America can’t sit on the sidelines in the race for the future. Our competitors aren’t waiting. To ensure the future is made in America, we need to win not just in the jobs of today, but the jobs and industries of tomorrow. And we know that the middle class built this country, and we also know unions built the middle class. So let’s invest in them once again. I know we’re ready, despite all of the – all we’re facing. I have never been more optimistic about the future of America than I am today.
Given even just half a chance, the American people, the American worker, has never, ever, let the country down. Imagine if we give them a full chance. That’s what we’re going to do.
I’ll stop here and sign the executive order, and then come back and take some of your questions.
(The executive order is signed).
There you go. Now I’d be happy to take your questions.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President. Jonathan Lemire with the Associated Press. Two topics, if I may. You have made reopening schools a central part of your first 100 Days agenda, and you’ve long portrayed yourself as an ally to the teachers and unions. Right now, the Chicago Teachers Union has refused. They defied an order to return to in-person classing – for in-person classrooms because of a lack of vaccinations. Do you believe, sir, that teachers should return to schools now?
THE PRESIDENT: I believe we should make school classrooms safe and secure for the students, for the teachers, and the for the help that’s in those schools maintaining the facilities. We need testing for people coming in and out of the class. We need testing for teachers, as well as students. And we need the capacity – the capacity to know that, in fact, the cic- – or the circumstances in the school is safe and secure for everyone.
For example, there is no reason why the clear guidance will be that every school should be thoroughly sanitized, from the lavatories to the hallways. And so this is about making – and none of the school districts that I’m aware of – there may be some, of public school districts – have insisted that all of those pieces be in place.
And, I might add, its the same kind thing I hope we can do with small businesses, making sure they have the capacity to test their workers when they come in; to make sure they have plastic dividers between their booths in their – in their restaurants, et. cetera; to make sure they can sanitize.
So it’s not so much about the idea that the teachers aren’t going to work. The teachers I know, they want to work. They just want to work in a safe environment as safe as we can rationally make it. And we can do that, and we should be able to open up every – every school, kindergarten though eight grade, if, in fact, we administer these tests.
And it’ll have the added advantage, I might add, of putting millions of people back to work – with all those mothers and fathers that are home taking care of their children, rather than go to work. Even when they can work, they’re not able to do it unless they have the luxury of working distance-wise, like so many of us do. They’re not able to do it. And so this is about generating economic growth overall as well.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Great. Alex from Reuters.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President. I’m Alex Alper from Reuters. I wanted to ask a question about Navalny – if you are considering imposing sanctions on any of the individuals involved in his attempted poisoning on any of the individuals involved in his attempted poisoning and/or his arrest when he returned from Germany. And if not, is that related to your concerns about it potentially derailing a New START extension? Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: I find that we can both operate in the mutual self-interest of our countries as a New START agreement, and make it clear to Russia that we are – we are very concerned about their behavior, whether it’s Navalany, whether its the SolarWinds, or whether its the reports of bounties on the heads of Americans in Afghanistan.
I have asked the agencies in question to do a thorough – a thorough read for me on every one of those issues, the update me on precisely where they are. And I will not hesitate to raise those issues with the Russians.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Jeff from NBC.
Q: President Biden, Vice President Harris, a question about your COVID relief deal. On Friday, you said the nation is “in a national emergency we should act like it.” Given that – given the scale and severity of the need, how long are you willing to get sufficient Republican support before you would green light Democrat attempts to use reconciliation, for instance, to pass that bill?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, the decision on reconciliation will be made by the leaders of the House and the Senate. But here’s the deal: I have been doing legislative negotiations for a large part of my life. I know how the system works. And what I’m not – I can’t guarantee anything at all, but I can say that what I’m going to be doing – and we’ve already begun – is making it clear to the leadership in the House and the Senate, as well as the – the group of 16, the group – the bipartisan group, as well as Republican individuals who have an interest in the issues that are in the package and saying, “Here’s what I’m doing, and here’s why I want to do it, here’s why I think we need to do it, and what kind of support can or can’t you give to that?” And then we go on to the way in which we deal with legislation all the time.
You know we – we didn’t have any votes for the recovery package when Barack and I came into office. We were short three votes. We didn’t know we had the votes until the day of the — the day of the – of the – bringing it up.
And – but here’s the deal: You know, it’s interesting – and I know you ask a lot of these questions. You know the answers, but you have to – to help educate the public as well; I’m not suggesting you don’t know what I’m about to say. No one wants to give up on their position until there’s no other alternative. They either have to make a decision that they don’t do what – they don’t support what is being proposed, or they insist on what they have, or they let it all go away, fall down. I think we’re fall from that point right now.
The decision to use reconciliation will depend upon how these negotiations go. And let me make clear about negotiations: I’ve always believed part of negotiation – on the part of a President and/or a chairman of a committee trying to get a major piece of legislation passed – is about consultation.
It’s not enough for me to just come up to you and say, “I like this. I expect you to support it.” I want to explain to you why I think it’s so important in this package that we have to provide for money for additional vaccines, why I think it’s so important why we provide money to extend unemployment benefits, why I think it’s so important that we provide money to provide for the ability of people not to be thrown out of their apartments during this pandemic because they can’t afford their rent, and to make the case to you why I think and what I think the priorities within this piece, – that we think the priorities are – I apologize – were within this legislation.
And I don’t expect we’ll know whether we have an agreement or to what extent the entire package will be able to pass or not pass until we get right down to the very end of this process, which will be probably in a couple of weeks. But the point is, this is just the process beginning.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Annie, the Washington Post.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President, Annie Linskey with the Washington Post.
THE PRESIDENT: Hi, Annie.
Q: I wanted to ask you a little bit about one of the, sort of, major themes of your campaign, and how you sort of intend to measure and enact it – and that is the idea of unity. If you could talk a little bit about what you see unity as being? There are some people who are defining it as bipartisan. Others are saying it is what most of the people in the country, defined by some poll, might believe, or any sort of number of other – or perhaps it’s 50 plus 1, or 50 plus 2, or 75 percent.
So, given that it is such a key part of your message and your promise, can you talk and reflect a little bit more about what is unity when you see it as you define it?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, Annie, I think it makes up several of the issues – the points you made. One is: Unity requires you to take away – eliminate the vitriol, make anything that you disagree with about the other person’s personality or their lack of integrity or they’re not decent legislators and the like – so we have to get rid of that. And I think that’s already beginning to change, but God knows where things go, number one.
Unity also is: trying to reflect what the majority of the American people – Democrat, Republican, and independent – think is within the fulcrum of what needs to be done to make their lives and the lives of Americans better.
For example, if you look at the data – and I’m not claiming the polling data to be exact, but if you look at the data, you have – I think it’s – I hope I’m saying this correct – you may correct me if I get the number wrong, I think it’s 57, 58 percent of the American people – including Republicans, Democrats, and independents – think that we have to do something about the COVID-vaccine; we have to do something about making sure that people who are hurting badly, can’t eat, don’t have food, are in a position where they’re about to be shown out of their apartments, et cetera, being able to have an opportunity to get a job – that they all think we should be acting, we should be doing more.
Unity is also trying to get, at a minimum – if you pass a piece of legislation that breaks down on party lines but it gets passed, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t unity; it just means it wasn’t bipartisan. I’d prefer these things to be bipartisan, because I’m trying to generate some consensus and take sort of the – how can I say it? – the vitriol out of all of this. Because I’m confident – I’m confident, from my discussions, there are a number of Republicans who know we have to do something about the food insecurity for people in this pandemic. I’m confident they know we have to do something about figuring out how to get children back in school.
There’s just – there’s easy ways to deal with this. One, if you’re anti-union, you can say It’s all because of the teachers. If you want to make a case though that it’s complicated, you say, “Well, what do we have to do to make it safe to get in those schools?” And we’re going to have arguments.
For example, you know I proposed that we – because it was bipartisan, I thought it would increase the prospects of passage – the additional $1,400 in direct cash payment to folks. Well, there’s legitimate reason for people to say, “Do you have the lines drawn the exact right way? Should it go to anybody making over X-number of dollars or why?” I’m open to negotiate those things. That’s all.
I picked it because I thought it was rational, reasonable, and it had overwhelming bipartisan support in the House when it passed. But this is all a bit of a moving target in terms of the precision with which this goes. You’re asking about unity: 51 votes, bipartisan, et cetera.
The other piece of this that it the one thing that gives me hope that we’re not only going to, sort of, stay away from ad hominem attacks on one another, is that there is an overwhelming consensus among the major economists at home and in the world that the way to avoid a deeper, deeper, deeper recession, moving in the direction of losing our competitive capacity, is to spend money now to – from – from across the board, every major institution has said, “If we don’t invest now, we’re going to lose so much altitude, in terms of employment base and our economic growth, it’s going to be harder to reestablish it.”
We can afford to do it now. As a matter of fact, the – I think the response has been, “We can’t afford not to invest now. We can’t afford to fail to invest now.”
And I think there’s a growing realization of that on the part of all but some very, very hard-edged partisans, maybe on both sides, but I think there is a growing consensus. Whether we get it all done exactly the way I want it remains to be seen, but I’m confident that we can work our way through.
We have to work our way through because, as I’ve said 100 times, there is no ability in a democracy for it to function without the ability to reach consensus. Other – – otherwise it just becomes executive fiat or battleground issues that are – gets us virtually nowhere.
I don’t want to hold the – my colleague may know, the Vice President – but, you know, I think there were very few debates on the Senate floor the whole last year –
THE VICE PRESIDENT: That’s correct.
THE PRESIDENT: – on almost any issue.
Well, that benefits no one. It doesn’t inform anybody. It doesn’t allow the public to make judgements about who they think is right or wrong.
So I am – I am optimistic that it may take some time, but over the year, the way – if we treat each other with respect – and we’re going to argue like hell. I’m confident of that. Believe me, I know that. I’ve been there. But I think we can do it in a way that we can get t things done for the American people.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Great. Last question. Josh from Bloomberg.
Q: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Josh, they don’t trust you with the mic, huh? I don’t know, man.
Q: No, that’s fine. I wouldn’t either. (Laughter.) Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate you taking the questions.
You mentioned just now that you might know in a couple of weeks. Can I ask whether it’s more important for you to get something passed in a short timeframe like that or would you be willing to wait longer than to get more partisan support?
And I might also ask that – one of the pillars is the vaccine funding – when do you think any American who wants to get the shot will be able to get the shot?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I’ll try to answer the three parts to your question as I heard them.
One, time is of the essence. Time is of the essence. And I must tell you, I’m reluctant to cherry pick and take out one or two items here, and then have to go through it again to – because these all are kind of – they go, sort of, hand in glove, each of these issues. Number one.
Number two, we are optimistic that we will have enough vaccine and in very short order. We, as you know, came in office without knowledge of how much vaccines held – being held in abeyance or available. Now that we’re here – we’ve been around a week or so – we now have that. And we’ve gotten commitments from some of the producers that they will, in fact, produce more vaccine in a relatively short period of time and then continue that down the road.
So I’m quite confident that we will be in a position, within the next three weeks or so, to be vaccinating people at the range of a million a day or in excess of that. That is my – I promised that we would get at least 100 million vaccinations – that’s not people, because sometimes you need more than one shot of the vaccination. But 100,000 – 100 million shots in people’s arms of the vaccine.
I think with the grace of God, and the goodwill of the neighbor, and the creek not rising, as the old saying goes, I think we may be able to get that to 150 thou- 1.5 million a day, rather than 1 million a day. But we have to meet that goal of a million a day.
And everything points that we’re going to have : A, the – enough vaccine; B, enough syringes and all the paraphernalia needed to store, keep, inject, move into your arm the vaccine, which is not an easy task of those who have – those facilities, like the nursing homes and hospitals – they have people do it, but they don’t have the capacity to do everyone. And so I think we’re going to have – we’re leaning hard on – into areas where we can produce more vaccinators. We feel confident that we can do that.
And thirdly, it’s really important that we have the fora, the place, the facility, the circumstance where people can show up, stand in line, and get their vaccine without having to stand in line for eight hours – being able to pick up the phone, call the pharmacy, and get your name on the list, et cetera.
All those mechanical things are really – they sound simple, but they’re all consequential when we’re trying to get out a minimum of 100 million vaccinations in 100 days and move in the direction where we are well behind that in the next 100 days so we can get to the point where we reach herd immunity in a country of over 300 million people. Did that answer your question?
Q: Well, my question was at what date – or, roughly, when do you think anyone who wants one would be able to get it? Summer? Is it (inaudible)?
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, I – no, I think it’ll be this spring. I think we’ll be able to do that this spring. And – but it’s going to be a logistical challenge that exceeds anything we’ve ever tried in this country, but I think we can do that.
I feel confident that, by summer, we’re going to be well on our way to heading toward herd immunity and increasing access for people who aren’t on the first – aren’t on the list, all the way going down to children and how we deal with that.
But I feel good about where we’re going, and I think we can get it done.
WHITE HOUSE AIDE: Thank you, guys.
Q: One more. One more on vaccines. Mr. President, one more on vaccines.
THE PRESIDENT: Now, wait, wait, wait. I know he always asked me tough questions, and he always has an edge to them, but I like him anyway. So go ahead and answer – ask the question.
Q: Thank you, Mr. President. So you just said that you think within three weeks or so we’ll be at the point where there are a million vaccines per day but it seems like –
THE PRESIDENT: No, I think we’ll get there before that. I said “I hope…” I misspoke. I hope we’ll be able to increase as we go on until we get to the million-five a day. That’s my ex- – my hope.
Q: And then my – the follow-up to that would be : Now that you’re President and you’re saying “There is nothing we can do to change the trajectory of the pandemic in the next several months,” what happened to two months ago when you were talking declaratively about “I’m going to shut down the virus?”
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I’m going to shut down the virus, but not – I never said I’d do it in two months. I said it took a long time to get here; it’s going to take a long time to beat it. And so we have millions of people out there who are – who have the virus.
We’re just, for the first day, I think – correct me if I’m wrong; I’ve been doing other things this morning, speaking with foreign leaders. But one of the things – I think this is one of the first days that the number has actually come down – the numbers of deaths – and the number on a daily basis, and the number of hospitalizations, et. cetera.
It’s going to take time. It’s going to take a heck of a lot of time. And we still have – as Dr. Fauci constantly points out, it’s one thing when we have mass – how can I say it politely? – mass disregard of the warnings about not wearing masks and wearing masks, and social distancing and failure to social distance, and people getting together on holidays in ways that weren’t recommended, et. cetera.
We see – the first thing that happens when we see the number of infections go up. Then you see the hospitalizations go up. Then you see the deaths go up. And so we’re in this for a while. I mean, we’re – what are we now? At about 410,000 deaths. And there’s going to be more. The prediction, as I said from the very beginning to getting here as – after being sworn in, was – the predictions were: We’re going to see somewhere between a total of 600,000 and 660,000 deaths before we begin to turn the corner in a major way.
So – and again, remember: the vaccine – most of the people taking the vaccine – a vast, significant number – required two shots, and they’re an average of three weeks apart. And it takes time for you to be sure that you’re – you get to that 95 percent assurance rate.
And so it’s beginning to move. But I’m confident we will beat this. We will beat this. But we’re still going to be talking about this in the summer. We’re still going to be dealing with the issue in the – in the early fall.
And last point I’ll make – and I know you’re tired of hearing me saying it, particularly – you may be tired of me saying it. (Laughs.) And that is if we wear masks between now and the end of April, the experts tell us we can save 50,000 lives – 50,000 people who would otherwise die.
Thank you very much.
January 26, 2021
January 26: The White House posted Remarks titled: “REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AFTER RECEIVING THE SECOND DOSE OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE” From the Remarks:
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, so I’ve had the vaccine, and it was really painless – relatively painless. But I want to thank everyone here at NIH for all you do.
As you said – so, growing up, my mother – our mother – would go – we always knew that Mommy was going to this place called “Bethesda.” I didn’t – “Mommy is going to Bethesda.” Now, we were living in California; my mother would go to Bethesda. And, of course, what she was doing is she was coming here to NIH,
She was in the biochemical endocrinology study section. She was a peer-reviewer. And my mother had two goals in her life; to raise her two daughters and end breast cancer. In fact, a little -known fact: My first job was cleaning pipettes in my mother’s lap. She would take us there with her after school and on weekends.
And I grew up then around science in a way that was taught to me by someone who was profoundly passionate about a gift – which is the gift that scientists give to us – in that their whole reason for being is to see what can be unburdened by what has been. Their whole reason for being is to pursue what is possible for the sake of improving human life and condition. It is such a noble pursuit.
And the importance of NIH is that this is about an essential function of government, which is to provide for the public health. The work that happens here has one goal: to improve public health. And the importance of the pursuit of the work that happens at NIH is not about profit; it’s about the people.
And so I want to everyone who works here: I know who you are. (Laughs.) I know what you do. I know that you work around the clock with those experiments that have to be checked on every few hours, and they don’t care about what time is on the clock. I know the work that you do reviewing grants – because, of course, some of the most significant scientific research have been publicly funded. That’s what my mother did; she reviewed grants.
And so I have the luxury of being here at this moment, on the fifth day of our administration, coming full circle. Because, you see, NIH was such a huge part of my youth as this place that my mother went all the time and was very excited to work.
So, I want to thank everyone for all you’re doing. So now, to the vaccine.
NIH – these scientists, these medical professionals, doing the work of pursuing what is in the interest of the public health, have been a big part of the vaccine that I just took. They – through the research, through the dedication – created something that will save your life and the life of your family and the community.
And so I want to urge everyone to take the vaccine when it is your turn. It is really pretty painless, and it will save your life. So thanks to all who are doing this great and important work. Let’s make sure everyone gets a vaccine.
On behalf of President Biden and myself, I thank you for everything you do every day. And the bottom line is that we’re going to get 100 million vaccination in 100 days. And then we’re going to continue to do what is necessary to improve the health and wellbeing of our country. So thank you all, very much.
Thank you, Dr. Fauci. Thank you again.
January 26: Senator Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “SCHUMER REVEALS: 1,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN MADISON COUNTY STILL DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT – OR ANY – ACCESS TO BROADBAND; SENATOR, IN FIRST MEETING WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN’S USDA NOMINEE, RENEWS FIGHT TO GET $15 MILLION IN USDA GRANT FUNDING TO ADDRESS THE COUNTRY’S INTERNET ACCESS NEEDS” From the Press Release:
COVID-19 Has Revealed Serious Disparities In Rural Communities Throughout Upstate New York, Especially Exacerbating The Digital Divide; As Madison County Communities Are Encouraged To Stay At Home Amidst A Resurgence In Cases, Broadband Access Has Never Been More Vital
Senator Fought For Additional $7B In Recent COVID Relief Package To Fund Federal Broadband Programs $7B In Recent COVID Relief Package To Fund Federal Broadband Programs & Is Pushing To Ensure Broadband Access For Rural Communities Is Among Top Priorities For Incoming Administration
Schumer To USDA Nominee: Time To Dial Up The Funding & Close The Digital Divide In Madison County
After a personal visit to Madison County last July, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer earlier this month, in a virtual meeting with President-Elect Biden’s nominee for U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, urged to prioritize universal access to affordable broadband, starting with approval of Madison’s request for $15 million from USDA’s Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program. The senator explained that the $15 million grant will provide broadband for nearly 1,000 households in the country, which is vital to the economic strength and recovery of the region, as well as continued educational needs of students in Madison County during the ongoing pandemic.
“The current public health crisis is making it all too clear that the digital gap in communities across Upstate New York is far too wide,” said Senator Schumer. “Madison County families, businesses, farms, and communities need and deserve top-notch high-speed broadband to help them stay connected during these difficult times and to be competitive as the economy eventually recovers. As incoming Senate Majority Leader I promise to continue fighting tooth and nail to secure funding that brings 21st century telecommunications technology to our rural economies across Upstate.”
Schumer has provided strong support for rural broadband access in Upstate New York in the past and throughout the COVID pandemic. Just last month, he helped to secure $7 billion in emergency benefits for broadband service to provide free or low-cost service to low-income families who have been recently laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic. Additionally, in March of last year, Schumer prioritized additional funding for rural broadband during negotiations for the CARES Act and provided an extra $100 million for the USDA Re-Connect Program, which he voted to create in the FY19 Appropriations bill.
January 26: Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) posted an article titled: “How Quickly We Need To Ramp Up Vaccinations To Get To Herd Immunity”. It was written by Drew Altman. From the article:
The country needs to ramp up vaccinations rapidly if we are to reach herd immunity by, say, July 4th our Independence Day, Labor Day, or even by the beginning of next year.
Some basic math and assumptions paint the picture:
+ We need to average 2.4 million doses a day starting now to reach the point where 70% of the population is vaccinated by July 4th (assuming two doses needed per person). There are many estimates out there of what’s needed for herd immunity, and that’s probably the bare minimum. It’s also harder than it sounds, because kids aren’t being vaccinated right now, so we need to reach the vast majority of adults, which means overcoming hesitancy where it exists.
+ It’s 1.9 million doses to reach it by Labor Day.
+ And 1.2 million doses pre day if we achieve the goal by January 1, 2022.
Some believe vaccination could be delayed somewhat for people who have been infected, reducing the target numbers that need to be reached immediately.
Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 1.6 million vaccinations were given across the U.S. and yesterday the Biden administration revised its goal to 1.5 million shots per day for the first 100 days. If the administration uses that time to begin to put measures in place such as mobile vaccination clinics, mass vaccination sites, more pharmacy-based vaccination and other steps described in the Biden strategy to replace the current broken vaccination non-system with one that works, it seems reasonable to expect a ramp up in the numbers of shots in arms after that. Increasing to two to three million vaccinations per day by late Spring or early Summer seems doable.
The most important goal to be achieved not a single number in a hundred days or two hundred days, but a steady increase in vaccinations toward the level the county needs to ultimately reach.
The experienced team appointed by the president should add to confidence the job will get done, but they will inevitably need to adapt on the fly as new problems emerge, including potentially new vaccine variants.
Yes but: the limiting factor may be the supply of vaccine. That too seems somewhat hopeful with J+J/Janssen and then others from AstraZeneca and Novavax expected to come on line. And the J&J vaccine is expected to be a single dose, rather than two, so it would mean fewer overall doses are needed. Still, the biggest mystery remains what the supply of vaccine is expected to be and when new approved vaccines will be ready, even if everything breaks favorably.
January 26: The White House posted a Press Release titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice, January 26, 2021” From the Press Release:
MS. PSAKI: Good afternoon. As part of our administration’s efforts to increase transparency and introduce all of you to the policy experts who are leading the President’s initiatives, we’re joined today by Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice, who will be talking about the racial equity executive order that the President will be signing this afternoon.
She’s kindly offered to stick around and take some questions. I will, as usual, play the role of bad cop when it’s time for her to go.
So, with that, I’ll turn it over to Susan.
AMBASSADOR RICE: Good afternoon, everyone. It’s good to be back. Jen, thanks.
The President has committed the whole of our government to advancing racial justice and equity for all Americans. I’m leading this effort out of the Domestic Policy Council. I have assembled a first-rate team to drive this agenda forward. We will hold the federal government accountable for advancing equity for families across America.
I have the support of every White House office and every agency in this work, because as President Biden has made clear, advancing equity is everybody’s job.
Tackling these challenges, though, is personal for me. I’m the descendant of immigrants from Jamaica and enslaved Americans. My grandparents and my parents are beneficiaries of the American Dream – and so am I. My family’s story is a remarkable one of the march towards greater equality and opportunity.
But for too many American families, systematic racism and inequality in our economy, laws, and institutions still put the American Dream out of reach.
Today, the average black family has just one tenth the wealth of the average white family, while the gap between the white and black – between white and black in homeownership is now larger than it was in 1960.
These longstanding inequities are compounded by the converging crises we face as a nation. Americans of color are being infected by and dying from COVID-19 at higher rates.
One in ten black Americans and one in eleven Latino workers are currently unemployed. By some estimates, 40 percent of black-owned businesses have been forced to close for good during the COVID crisis.
Black and Latino families with children are twice as likely to be experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic as white families. And black and Latino Americans are 2.8 times more likely to die of COVID-19.
And for Native communities across the country, the overlapping economic and health crisis have devastated tribal economies and healthcare systems.
These are desperate times for so many Americans, and all Americans need urgent federal action to meet this moment.
Today, President Biden will deliver a national address on his plans to advance racial justice and equity, starting with an equitable and inclusive recovery. President Biden will renew the federal government’s commitment to making the American Dream real for families across the nation by taking ambitious steps to redress inequality in our economy and expand opportunity for communities that have been left behind, including communities of color.
His economic plans make historic investments in underserved communities and put equity at the heart of our recovery. His ambitious agenda builds on a legacy of Americans forging opportunity out of crisis.
These aren’t feel-good policies. The evidence is clear: Investing in equity is good for economic growth, and it creates jobs for all Americans. Economists have estimated that the U.S. economy has lost a staggering $16 trillion over the last 20 years because of discrimination against families of color. If we closed racial gaps in income and opportunity, these same economists have estimated we could add $5 trillion to the U.S. economy over the next five years and add over 6 million jobs for all Americans.
So building a more equitable economy is essential if Americans are going to compete and thrive in the 21st century.
We have hit the ground running to embed equity throughout the administration. On day one, the President signed an executive order directing an unprecedented whole-of-government initiative to embed racial equity across federal policies, programs, and institutions. That starts with a review of policies and institutions to redress systemic racism where it exists and to advance equity where we aren’t doing enough.
Every agency will place equity at the core of their public engagement, their policy design, and program delivery to ensure that governmental resources are reaching Americans of color and all marginalized communities – rural, urban, disabled, LGBTQ+, religious minorities, and so many others.
The President has put equity at the center of his response to the COVID-19 and economic crisis. His executive orders signed last week deliver rent relief, student debt reprieve, and emergency food assistance to families across the country, helping all Americans, including black and brown families, who we know are being hit hardest by this crisis.
And he took steps to make our broken immigration system more humane and secure. He restored the integrity of the census so that our constitutionally mandated accounting of every person in the United States is fair and inclusive.
And even before taking office, President Biden released his American Rescue Plan that will make historic investments in advancing equity. Independent economists estimate that his plan will cut child poverty in half – cut child poverty in half for all Americans – and reduce overall poverty in America by 30 percent.
Black families this year will face a poverty rate of 20 percent if Congress does not act on the American Rescue Plan. But if enacted, the poverty rate would fall by over one third, and it’s fall by 40 percent for Latino families and by one fifth for American – for Asian American and Pacific Islander families.
The American Rescue Plan also provides critical relief to Native American communities and tribes. These investments will lift over 8 million black, Latino, and Asian Americans out of poverty and provide relief across sectors where families of color are most disproportionately impacted by this crisis: in food and financial security, healthcare access, and education and childcare.
Today, President Biden is continuing his commitment to embedding equity at the center of his agenda by signing an additional package of executive actions. The President will sign a memorandum directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development to mitigate racial bias in housing and affirmatively advance our nation’s fair housing laws.
He will also sign an executive order directing the Department of Justice not to renew any contracts with private prisons. Private prisons profiteer off of federal prisoners and are proven to be – or found to be by the Department of Justice Inspector General to be less safe for correctional officers and for prisoners. President Biden is committed to reducing mass incarceration while making our communities safer. That starts with ending the federal government’s reliance on private prisons.
The President will also sign an executive order reinvigorating the commitment of all federal agencies to engage in regular, robust, and meaningful consultation with tribal governments.
And the President will sign a memorandum directing all federal agencies to take steps to combat xenophobia and acts of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have been targeted by political leaders in our nation’s response to COVID-19.
Again, these are a continuation of our initial steps to advance racial justice and equity throughout early executive action.
Beyond this, the President is committed to working with Congress to address equity in our economy, our criminal justice systems, our healthcare systems, and in our schools.
As I’ve said many times in my personal capacity, and I say again, I believe we all rise or fall together. Advancing equity is a critical part of healing and restoring unity in our nation. The President will have more to say about all of this later this afternoon.
And I’m happy to take a few of your questions.
MS. PSAKI: Peter.
Q: Ambassador Rice, thank you. You speak about communities of color, right now, that are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Of course, they’re also less inclined to have faith in the federal government response to the vaccination process. So what specifically – and I’ll follow up with others – but what specifically is being done right now for communities of color to convince them it’s okay to get this vaccine?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Well, Peter, I will leave much of this to my colleague, Jeff Zeints, who’s leading our COVID response. But I think two important points: One, we have established within our COVID task force an effort on equity – and that includes, obviously, racial equity – that will focus on health disparities but also on the reality that there are Americans who – and particularly Americans of color – who, for very valid historical reasons, are skeptical and reluctant.
And a large part of what our colleagues on the COVID task force are doing – this is the second part – is reaching out directly, through targeted campaigns, to get to those very communities where the skepticism is highest.
And that’s vitally important because as we – as communities of color are suffering disproportionately and may have less access to information about the vaccine and the ability to easily go online, in some instances, and get an appointment, we have to take those additional steps to ensure that they are aware of its availability, they can get appointments, and that they understand that the vaccine is safe.
Q: Let me ask you – I have a couple of things: One is news of the day, but the other one – there’s a lot of day-one promises right now.
AMBASSADOR RICE: Jen – Jen does the news of the day.
Q: Okay, fine. Let me ask you on –
MS. PSAKI: Yeah, we’ll do a whole thing after this.
Q: – on February 20th of last year, President Biden said, “My first day of office, I’m going to send a bill to the Congress repealing the liability protection for gun manufacturers, closing the background check loopholes and waiting period.” So what happened to that day-one promise?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Well, I think you’ve seen that we have rolled out an unprecedented number of early executive actions. And as you’ve heard Jen say and many of my colleagues say: This is just the beginning. We have 1,454 more days left in President Biden’s first term, and so give us a little something to do over the next few days.
MS. PSAKI: Cecilia.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Thank you, Ambassador. A housekeeping question if I may, and then a follow-up. Can you speak specifically to what this does, as it relates to immigration and immigrants? Does this cover particularly the prison and private prisons housing immigrants – undocumented immigrants, tens of thousands of whom are facing deportation in privately run prisons right now?
AMBASSADOR RICE: This order today applies to the Department of Justice-run prisons. It is not, in this instance, applicable to those run by other agencies.
Q: So not ICE, not anything like that. Okay.
And then – and then, going back to January 6th and what we saw just a few weeks ago at the Capitol, when we saw people roaming that building, carrying Confederate flags, wearing anti-Semitic shirts – we saw lawmakers in that group; we saw firefighters in that group; we saw military veterans in that group – what are you doing to address this issue of white nationalism? And how concerned are you about the threat from some of these groups leading into this impeachment trial in two weeks?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Well, I think that we have seen – and it’s been plain for all Americans on their television sets – just how serious a problem we face from nationalists and white supremacists who have demonstrated a willingness to resort to violence in some instances.
And that is why the President has ordered the intelligence community to compile a comprehensive assessment of the nature of this threat and challenge, and its origins and roots, and thus provide policymakers with inputs that will be very important to address this challenge.
The National Security Council has set up a capacity within the NSC to focus on domestic violent extremism and to ensure that we are, within the White House and within the interagency, coordinating efforts to craft and implement policies that will address this. So we’re taking it quite seriously.
Q: And why doesn’t this address the ICE private detentions?
AMBASSADOR RICE: It addresses the Department of Justice prisons in the first instance. It’s not – it’s silent on what may or may not transpire with ICE facilities. There was a Department of Justice Inspector General report in 2016 that underscored that private prisons funded by DOJ were less safe, less secure, and arguably less humane.
This was – the Obama-Biden administration that took steps to end renewing of contracts for private prisons, the Trump administration reversed that, and we’re reestablishing it.
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead. And I know we met this morning, but tells us your name again.
Q: Mario Parker, Bloomberg News.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you.
Q: Thank you, Ambassador Rice. Two questions. The first: What will the administration do to address the relationship between communities of color and police, particularly as part of the mass incarceration component?
And then the second question: Republican legislators have signaled that they’re going to look to roll back some of the voting procedures from the last election. We know that that’s centered in some of those swing states in largely black and brown communities. What’s the administration going to do about that as well?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Well, with respect to prisons, policing, the entire basket of very important criminal justice reform issues: This is something that we are committed to addressing and we will have more to say on criminal justice in the coming weeks, including on matters related to policing. So please stay tuned for that.
With respect to roll back the access to the ballot: This is something that I expect that the President will address in his remarks today. It’s a matter of real concern because we ought to be in the business of encouraging and enabling all Americans who are eligible to vote to be able to vote.
And that’s why, you know, we will continue to work with Congress on its various efforts to advance democratic reforms. There’s legislation on the Hill that would move us in that direction, including restoring and revitalizing the Voting Rights Act.
MS. PSAKI: Jonathan, you’ll have to be the last one. But Susan will come back, I’m sure.
AMBASSADOR RICE: You’re going to let me come back?
MS. PSAKI: We’ll welcome you back. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Thank you, Ambassador. These measures here are executive actions, which of course could be overturned and reversed by a future President. Can you talk about what steps could be taken to codify these, to make them permanent, whether it’s private prisons or other measures, so they could not be undone by a future President?
AMBASSADOR RICE: Okay, well, Jonathan, as you know, to codify something and make it lasting in law requires that Congress – both houses of Congress pass it and that the President sign it. And for this, as well as many other things, there will be areas where legislative actions are the best and most durable approach. There’ll be some instances where, in advance of legislation or efforts to achieve legislation, it’s wise to take executive action.
So I don’t think we should assume that by doing something by executive action, where it may also be appropriate to seek legislation, that we wouldn’t do it. We have a very full legislative agenda. The President’s first policy is enacting the American Rescue Plan, as well as getting our nominees confirmed. And we’ll be focused in the next few weeks on that.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, Ambassador Rice.
AMBASSADOR RICE: Thank you, Jen. Thank you, everybody.
Q: Thank you, Ambassador Rice.
MS. PSAKI: Okay, Just a couple more things at the top, and then I’d be happy to take your questions.
The President and his team have been working around the clock over the past six days to make meaningful progress on vaccinating as many people as possible. As we’ve talked about in this room before, increasing the vaccine supply and building increased cooperation between federal government and state and local leaders on the ground is key to getting that done.
The President will speak later today on those efforts and provide an update on his team’s work to bolster the vaccine supply available so that we can, in turn, get more shots into American’s arms as quickly as possible.
And I’ll also add, as many of you have reported, there are some calls this afternoon with governors to brief them on these plans and give them an update on how we will continue to work together even more efficiently.
A couple of other things. Earlier today, the first female Vice President swore in the first female Secretary of the Treasury – what’s that for history? Dr. Janet Yellen. Today, of course, is pretty historic day.
And this afternoon, the Vice President will make her first visit to a federal agency, the National Institutes of Health, where she will – she and the secol – Second Gentleman, excuse me, will receive their second dose of the Moderna vaccine. The Vice President will thank Director Collins, Dr. Fauci, and the staff of the NIH for their work to develop the vaccine and efforts to keep Americans safe.
She will also make the case that Congress needs to immediately pass the American Rescue Plan, which includes $20 billion to invest in local community vaccine distribution centers in the hardest-hit areas. Her remarks on the vaccination at NIH will be live-streamed on the White House YouTube channel, so you can all turn in – tune in for all of that.
Okay, Jonathan, kick us off.
Q: Thank you, Jen. First, on the response to the pandemic – two matters there. First, could you give us or provide a little more detail as to how much more of the vaccine is going to be distributed and how quickly to these states? We’ve heard governors sound the alarm that they are desperately low on what they need. And then, can you talk about – has CDC considered, with White House support, a measure for testing for all passengers on U.S. domestic flights?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Jonathan, on – the first part of our effort is certainly to ensure we are more effectively and efficiently working with governors and local officials who have expressed some frustration in recent weeks about the lack of information and the lack of a federal plan.
We’ve only been here six days, but we wanted to take steps as quickly as possible to address that. And part of that will be what the President updates us all on this afternoon. And I would be very short-lived press secretary if I got ahead of the President. And we’re having so much fun in there, so you don’t want that to happen.
On the second question on testing: We’re constantly evaluating – of course, our medical and health experts – steps that need to be taken to keep the American people safe. We announced some travel restrictions, as you know, yesterday. I don’t have any additional restrictions to preview or announce for all of you.
I will remind you that tomorrow is the first day of our briefings that will be happening approximately three times a week – that you can all tune in and learn more from our health experts on our plans.
Q: And on another matter – on impeachment: The President yesterday, in an interview, said that he did not believe that former President Trump would be convicted and therefore removed from office, but he said he felt like it had to go – the trial had to go on anyway. Could you please explain what he meant by that?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, let’s put this in the context of last night. So last night, the House impeachment managers delivered the articles of impeachment to the Senate with a dramatic walk over, as we – you all carried on television. And, you know, the President was referencing a fact that he referenced in his statement of just a couple of weeks ago, when the White House passed the impeach- the articles of impeachment themselves, which is that now it, of course, will move on to the Senate.
As he also said at the time he hopes – and I’ll quote him here – “the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of the nation.” He still continues to feel that way.
So, last night, they delivered the articles. The next step, as you all have reported and people watching at home know, is for the Senate to proceed with their trial. He’s going to allow them to move forward at the pace and manner that the leaders in the Senate determine. And I can promise you that we will leave vote counting to leaders in the Senate from now on.
Q: Last follow-up, and then I’ll hand it off. On this, though, why is the President so reluctant to express his personal opinion as to what happens here? We understand he’s not in the Senate anymore –
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: – but he is the leader of the Democratic Party. Why won’t he say what he believes should happen?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President believes that the Senate has the constitutional duty to proceed as they see fit on holding the former President accountable. He spent 36 years in the Senate; he’s no longer there. As the President of the United States, he feels his role is to deliver on what he promised for the American people. So that’s what he’s trying to do every day.
Go ahead, Peter.
Q: Just a little housekeeping as it relates to what’s going on in the Senate right now. When is the last time that President Biden spoke to Leader McConnell?
MS. PSAKI: He has spoken with Leader McConnell. As he said, he’s spoken with him a couple of times. But I’m not going to –
Q: Since – since inauguration?
MS. PSAKI: I’m not going to read out specific calls to all of you on the pace or number of their phone calls.
Q: I guess the question is: This is someone who has always said – the President – that his strong suit is the ability to work with both sides of the aisle, and he criticized the previous administration for not brining lawmakers here on COVID relief to sit down in the Oval Office. So why not say to Democrats and Republicans, “Come to the White House right now. Let’s hash this out, and lets get it done”?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I know that would make for excellent television and quite a dramatic moment here at the White House. But he is in close touch, as our team is – members of our senior team – as you know, Brian Deese, a number of senior officials here at the White House – speaking with different caucuses in Congress – Republicans, Democrats, people from different wings of different parties – about our plans and our commitment to getting the COVID package passed. But our view is that a lot of those conversations should happen one-on-one, should happen in small groups, and that’s the most productive way to move this bill forward.
Q: Let me ask you, if I can: There seemed to be a little bit of disagreement in terms of the way both Dr. Fauci and President Biden viewed herd immunity and when we get out of this pandemic right now. We heard the President yesterday say, “I feel confident that by summer we’re going to be well on our way towards herd immunity.” Dr. Fauci said that he thought this would likely occur – where we were closer to being back to normal – by this fall. Just so it’s clear for Americans what the administration is promising or telling them, when should we expect that takes place?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is certainly pushing his team every day to deliver results as quickly as possible. So as part of his comments yesterday, he also talked about his desire to ensure there’s greater availability in the spring, and certainly his hope that every American will – that more Americans will have access as quickly as possible.
But he also has said many times it will take months and months for a broad swath of the population to be vaccinated. And, as always, he’s guided, as we all are, by scientists and medical experts and certainly Dr. Fauci’s guidelines of when we can expect a broad swath of the population to be vaccinated.
Q: And for specificity on the vaccine stockpile, yesterday you didn’t have a specific number; CDC director Rochelle Walensky didn’t as well. What is the stockpile right now? Where do we stand at this moment?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is going to have more of an update later this afternoon, as I – as I previewed earlier.
Q: Do you know the answer, I guess? Do we now – do we have our hands around that, though?
MS. PSAKI: Well, certainly, There is – we monitor updates on a daily basis through the Tiberius and multiple systems that have available information on vaccine numbers that are distributed to states – what states have received, what they have distributed. And we have been connecting all the dots to ensure we have our best understanding of where the holdups are.
And we, of course, have that assessment, but we’re continuing to dig in every day on where the – what the issues are: Why aren’t – why isn’t the vaccine getting out to states? What is the holdup with vaccinators? Why aren’t there more vaccine sites that are getting the supply they need?
But later this afternoon, he’ll have more of an update on our additional vaccine supply that we’ll make available to the states.
Go ahead, Peter. Its a “Peter row” over here.
Q: “Pete and Pete.” Or Pete and “re-Pete,” I guess.
MS. PSAKI: So, the jokes could go on. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. Yeah, let’s do that.
So there are some reports that FEMA is now planning to reroute up to $10 billion in money that could be used to combat COVID-19 right now to preemptively combat climate change by building sea walls and elevating flood-prone homes. And I’m curious if there has been any thought given to waiting until COVID is behind us to do that.
MS. PSAKI: Peter, I had not actually seen that report before we came out here. As you know, and I’ll just repeat, the President’s first priority is getting the pandemic under control and doing everything needed, putting all of the necessary resources behind that. But I’m happy to circle back with our team on that specific question.
Q: And another question. The President says that he hopes that the Senate leadership can continue – can do a Senate impeachment trial while working on the people’s business. What if they can’t?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as President, you always have to be hopeful, of course. That’s your role as a leader: to push and push leaders, push Democrats and Republicans to make more progress.
But, you know, I think what the President will continue to do privately in his conversations with members of Congress – Democrats and Republicans – and publicly is make the case for the cost of inaction. And I think he doesn’t feel that there – the Democrats and Republicans in Congress have the space and the time to wait; that there’s an urgency that the American people are going to continue to push members who are representing them on. And so I don’t think he feels there’s an alternative, other than to – them to move forward with urgency.
Q: And then just one more. The riots in Portland and the violence in Portland recently – there was some discussion earlier about the January 6th rioters being reviewed by the DNI as domestic violent extremists. Are the rioters in Portland also being viewed through the same lens, or is that something different, as the White House sees it?
MS. PSAKI: I think we – you and I talked about this yesterday and conveyed that all violence happening around the country will be reviewed as part of the tasking that was done by that national security team. But I don’t have anything to preview on it.
Cecilia, go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. On COVID relief, we’ve heard Republicans come out in opposition in broad brushstrokes at this point. But in terms of the conversations that Brian Deese is having, or the President for that matter, or anyone on your team, has any Republican come forward to give you an alternative? What is happening with these negotiations? What are they telling you that they want? To go? To stay? What’s the non- – without you negotiating from here, but what alternatives are they giving you?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Cecilia, you have the benefit of having covered Congress for quite some time, and you know none of them are quiet about what they like and don’t like, and they often say it publicly.
So, the President and members of our team are hearing many of the same, you know, expressions of support and sometimes expressions of questions about whether packages need – the package needs to be the same size, whether it’s targeted, whether it should be targeted in this way. Those are the same questions that they are hearing privately.
And – but what they all – what the President is also hearing privately and what members of our team are also hearing privately is that they expect him to be focused on this package, and they will be as well, and they hear and understand the urgency.
And as you know from covering this quite – for quite some time yourself, oftentimes things come together right before there’s a vote, right? The President kind of alluded to this yesterday, but we feel democracy is working how it should: He laid out his big package, his big vision of what it should look like, and people are giving their feedback, and he’s happy to have those discussions and fully expects it’s not going to look exactly the same on the other end.
Q: And on the stockpile assessment, I want to flip the answer that you’ve been giving, saying that “it’s five days or six days; give us some time to catch up with this.” I understand that.
On the inverse, it’s been six days. Why don’t we know exactly what is in this stockpile? How – what have been the hurdles, the biggest hurdles in getting that answer?
Slaoui – you probably heard this – yesterday defended the program, Operation Warp Speed, saying that this is – the results were “exceptional.” So why has it taken so long –
MS. PSAKI: I’m not –
Q: – six days in?
MS. PSAKI: (Laughs.) Six days in. Well, six days in, the President is also giving an update on steps we’re going to take to provide more vaccine supply to states across the country in response to their concern there has not been a federal plan in place and that they haven’t received the coordination, cooperation, and information they desired. So, in my view, that’s a pretty rapid response to states’ concerns.
We do have an assessment – as I referenced, Tiberius, which is quite a name for this website, I will say. It sounds like a magical creature a little bit, to me. But it provides vaccine supply that’s gone to states and what’s been used. It doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Oftentimes it isn’t.
But our concerns and our focus is not just on the supply; that’s part of the issue. It’s also about ensuring that states have the number of vaccinators they need, so that means people who are literally taking the shots and qualified to put them in the arms of Americans. And some states and some communities don’t have people who are able to do that and vaccine centers and places where people can go and receive the vaccine.
So there’s multiple steps in this process, and our focus is on ensuring not just the supply is at the rate it needs to be and that states have more advance notice – this is one of the things governors will tell you and have told us, that it is very difficult for them when they find out a day before or a couple of days before that they’re going to run out of supply or when a next supply shipment is coming. They want more time. That’s something we’re also working on.
So, those are all pieces that are part of this herculean operation task that our team has undertaken.
Go ahead, Mario.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Senator Schumer, last night, said that he wants President Biden to consider declaring climate change a national emergency, to give him power similar to what his predecessor, President Trump, did with the wall. Is that something the President is considering?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President has long said it is one of the four crises that he believes are central to the presidency and central to his time as the Commander-in-Chief and the President of the United States: addressing the threat of climate.
So he has not only taken actions – executive orders – taken actions that fall under the purview of the President, but also he has pushed to find ways to work with Congress on taking additional steps moving forward too.
There will be more we have to share on our efforts on climate in the days ahead, but I don’t think Leader Schumer has any doubt about the President’s commitment to this, and certainly the fact that he has called it a crisis. It is – he said it is central to the issues he wants to take on, and his presidency speaks to his commitment to the issue.
Go ahead.
Q: So two more questions to bring it back to just COVID response for a second. So, first, one of the questions that’s come up is, how much money is needed, exactly, to respond to the emergency that we’re in? Is it $1.9 trillion? Is it some other figure?
Do you have an assessment just of how much money is left from Congress’s last allocation towards these issues? How much is left to spend?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as Brian Deese – the NSC Director Brian Deese said last week, the problem with focusing on the $900 billion package as the answer to our current problem now is that it was catching up for what had not been done for the prior six months. So what we’re really focused on now is what is needed for immediately, now, of course, but also in the months ahead.
And as I was alluding to a little bit earlier, the way the President thinks about this is what the cost of inaction is. So, if you look ahead, it’s critical – and I talked about this a little bit yesterday – that we don’t get anywhere near the March cliff, which would mean the end of eviction and foreclosure moratoriums; the end of $300 additional UI assistance; the end of PPP loan applications for small businesses. And, as you all know from covering what’s happening in the country, you know, people need security, and what we’re trying to do now is provide that.
So this package was designed not with a number in mind – we we weren’t trying to get a shock-value sticker value. The President relied on the advice of economists, of health experts, and others who recommended: This is the size and the components that are needed now, not just to distribute the vaccine, but to provide certainty and a bridge to the American people to get to the other side.
So –
Q: But do you have a number right now for how much is – for vaccine distribution alone, how much you have to spend as compared to what you’ve asked for?
MS. PSAKI: I’m happy to check with our team on that, but I will say that what we’re looking ahead to is where are we in a couple of weeks and where are we in two months? And no one wants to be having a conversation in May about why our schools aren’t open and why millions of people have been kicked off of unemployment insurance. So part of our role here is to look ahead, and that’s what – exactly what we’re trying to do with this package.
Q: Okay. And to one other issue: The – President Trump signed an executive order restricting exports of vaccines that are manufactured within the United States. That order is still in effect. First of all, what is your assessment of exactly whether drug manufacturers are able to send these vaccines overseas? Can they do that under current law? And, two, will you take any action to reverse that executive order?
MS. PSAKI: That’s a great question, and we’ve talked about, obviously joining – rejoining the World Health Organization. And ensuring we are a partner to the global community on this effort only makes us safer and the American people safer. But I’d have to check on a specific export question for you.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, the National COVID strategy of the administration, released just a couple of days ago, says that, quote, “The United States will accelerate the pace of vaccinations by encouraging states and localities to move through priority groups more quickly.” What is “more quickly?” How should interpret that? And, you know, will you provide more detailed guidance to state and public health officials on how they should be going through these priority groups?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the answer is yes. And part of our effort, as I mentioned, there was a call with governors this afternoon to provide an update on vaccine supply and steps we’re taking, from the federal government, to ensure they have not just the information they need but also the access to supply they need.
And in terms of the pace, the guidelines will, of course, be publicized by the CDC. They have their first briefing tomorrow. We’ll see if they have an update on that. But really, what they’re trying to – what we’re all trying to endeavor to do is ensure that we have not just more supply, but more vaccinators – as I noted, more people in communities who can vaccinate – more centers and locations that can provide these vaccinations.
So all of those components will lead to expediting. We’re not asking stats to do this on their own. In fact, we’re asking – we are trying to reset and be partners here in a more effective way than we’ve seen over the last 10 months.
Q: And health officials seem to be recommending now double masking. Is that something that the White House would like to see?
MS. PSAKI: I’ve seen some of those reports. I haven’t see that come officially from the CDC. But again, I’d encourage you to ask them that question tomorrow, and I’d refer to them for any new guidance on that front.
Go ahead.
Q: Hi. Regarding the Defense Production Act, what is the timeline for ramping up production of supplies, specifically the specialized syringes? And has the administration been in talks with any specific companies or manufacturers?
MS. PSAKI: It’s already been invoked and underway, so those discussions and efforts to ramp up production are already underway. They start as of 24 – less than 24 hours after the President signed that executive order and made that announcement last week. I don’t have any specific companies, I don’t think, to kind of preview or read out for you, but I’m sure we can follow up and see if there’s more specific to provide on the specific companies.
Q: And is the Department of Defense considering plans to deploy military – National Guard to help with the vaccinations, be those vaccinators in communities that are underserved?
MS. PSAKI: Well, certainly, the government – across the government, everyone is going to play a role in COVID, and addressing COVID and getting the pandemic under control. But in terms of their specific plans, I would send you to the Department of Defense.
Q: Can I ask one more on behalf of the radio pool?
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: The administration – this is for a reporter who can’t be in the room: What are the administration’s plans for Guantanamo and restarting military trials for detainees? One case was announced last week.
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything new on that. I’m happy to follow up on that for you as well.
Go ahead.
Q: I just wanted to circle back to Peter’s question. So Dr. Fauci, on Fox today, went back to quoting that “100 million doses in 100 days” number. So did the President misspeak when he said the new goal was 150 million shots in a hundred days, yesterday? Or was he operating under some new update he got?
MS. PSAKI: The President didn’t actually say, “The new goal is…” The President said, “I hope we can do even more than that.” And that is certainly, of course, his hope. He is continuing to push our team to get as many Americans vaccinated as quickly as possible. That’s why we set the bold goal of 100 million shots in the arms of Americans in a hundred days, to begin with.
I would just remind everyone that this has literally never been done before. And what he has asked the team to do, and what the team is focused on doing, is also planning for contingencies. I mean, we’re at war with the virus. So, in a wartime theme here, there are a lot of things you plan for, including trucks breaking down; freezers breaking, you know, needing to plan for that; you know, not having vaccinators in a location to be able to put the syringes in people’s arms.
Q: So the 100 million number, though, would be a more accurate number to be citing?
MS. PSAKI: That’s the number we set, based on the recommendations of health and medical experts; it continues to be our goal. But does he want to do – beat that goal? Of course, he does. Of course, he does.
But, again, it is a goal that was set with contingencies we need to plan for in mind and he’s going to continue to push the team to meat that goal and go beyond it.
Q: And I had one other question –
MS. PSAKI: Go Ahead.
Q: – that I wanted to ask the Ambassador, but I didn’t get a chance to, which is: In terms of the racial equity goals, does the White House support overturning the Small Business Administration language that prohibits people with records from accessing PPP relief? It’s something that on the Hill has the support of Portman and Cardin.
MS. PSAKI: I know I had talked a little bit with our econ – economic team about this issue earlier, but I’ll have to circle back with you on it. It’s a good question. We’ll bring Ambassador Rice back, but we’ll circle back with you on this today.
Yamiche, go ahead in the back.
Q: Hi, I have a couple of questions. The first is: David Kessler said that most Americans would not be vaccinated until the third or fourth quarter of this year. He said that last week. President Biden spoke and said that he – we could possibly have herd immunity as early as this summer. That’s the difference in a couple of months. I’m wondering if you could reconcile the difference there and talk a little bit about when herd immunity and most Americans will be able to vaccinated.
MS. PSAKI: Well, it’s sort of similar to what Peter asked a little bit earlier. But, you know, what the President – but the President is, of course, pushing his team to deliver results. And his goal is to ensure there I a greater availability in the spring and that it continues to improve in the summer.
Everybody won’t be – won’t be eligible this spring, as you all know, even with – even as CDC – the CDC continues to provide updated guidance. But he would certainly defer to medical health and medical experts, and obviously the guidance of Dr. Fauci, on when we may be at the pace of reaching herd immunity. But, you know, we will continue to update, as more progress is made, what the goals look like.
Q: And following up on that, in terms of data collection, it’s my understanding that something like 50 percent of the vaccinations are coming in without racial data. Is that accurate, or is there something else there? I’m wondering how you’ll measure success in vaccination people of color in vulnerable communities if you don’t have the data on who’s getting vaccinated.
And will we see – be seeing, kind of, mobile outlooks, mobile, kind of – mobile – just mobile outreach to those communities, in terms of vaccines? When might we see that?
MS. PSAKI: Yes, absolutely. That will be part of it. But also part of it will be working with pharmacies and working with health centers in communities so that communities across the country – rural communities, communities of color – have easier access to know where they can go and get a vaccine.
But this is going to be hard, and we are not trying to sugarcoat that. And it will be very challenging. This is why everybody who comes and speaks about COVID talks about our – the challenge of vaccine hesitancy and how we’re going to overcome that. And it won’t just be about having centers; it will also be about overcoming a lot of these contingencies I’ve mentioned that we have to plan for – about more effectively communicating with people, about the safety of the vaccine, and really being thoughtful about who we’re using to communicate.
So it is – it is going to take a multi-faceted approach, and we are open-eyed about the challenge.
Q: On the data part of that question: Is it accurate that there’s very little racial data, or at least less than 50 percent of racial data coming in on vaccinations?
MS. PSAKI: I would – I would defer – I would refer you to the CDC. And I know they’ll have their first briefing tomorrow, and that sounds like a great question to ask them.
Q: And I know Ambassador Susan Rice, she didn’t take all the questions, so maybe I’ll ask you the same –
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: – the question that I was going to ask her, which is: We’ve seen that, after January 6th, there is obviously this issue of white supremacy and racism coursing through our country. What’s the biggest challenge when you think of equity in this country? And how do you measure success for something like that, especially when we think of all of the different ways that our country is dealing with it?
I know this – these EOs are about housing and about criminal justice, but can you talk a little bit about how you’re going to measure success and what the federal government’s role is on something so big as inequality and racism?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think what Ambassador Rice was conveying to all of you, and obviously what the President will sign later this afternoon, is an executive order that makes racial equity and and addressing racial equity a priority across the government. And what the Pres- – how the President talks about this is that far too often, when you think of racial – issues that are in the racial equity bucket, shall we say, are only related to a couple of categories, and that’s just not accurate.
We need to address racial equity in terms of health disparity. We need to address it in terms of access to lending and to loans. We need to address it in terms of biases and discrimination as it relates to housing.
And so what this executive order will do – it will make it a priority and infuse expertise and personnel to ensure we are addressing issues that impact communities of color across the country every day, and not just every few months when it’s an issue that comes up and prompts questioning.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you, Jen. And thank you for making sure that everybody gets the opportunity to ask questions. I really appreciate that. I’ve got one on housekeeping, real quick, and then I’ve got a domestic and a foreign policy question.
So you got some beautiful screens behind you. Your predecessors have rejected multiple requests to bring back the Skype seat to the daily briefings for the benefit of reporters who are trying to stay safe during the pandemic while working remotely. Would you consider bringing back the Skype seat?
MS. PSAKI: We would. I will say – people don’t usually realize this, but there’s normally about 60 people in this room; I think that’s the right number. That’s certainly something we would be happy to have in this room, and I think all of you would too because your asking questions on behalf of your colleagues.
But we also – we rely on the advice of our health and medical experts on what’s safe – not just for us, but for all of you. And having everybody sit seat-by-seat wouldn’t be safe. I know that’s not what you’re asking, but we’d certainly be open to taking questions via Skype.
I took some questions on Twitter the other day. We’re going to try and take some questions from the American people that they ask on YouTube. And so we’ll continue to look for ways to not just bring back the daily briefing, but to take questions from more reporters and people.
Q: Okay. During the campaign – this is the foreign policy question. During the campaign, Mr. Biden had said that he would give benefits to the Palestinians, but he didn’t specify anything that he would ask – any concessions. So the question is: Is it the belief of this administration that the Palestinians don’t have to make concessions to get funding for a consulate?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think I’ve talked about this particular issue enough in my old days at the State Department to know I’m going to defer to our national security team and the State Department and Jake Sullivan on any more specifics. Obviously, the President’s view continues to be that of a two-state solution is the only path forward and that – you know, that continues to be the position of his White House and administration.
Q: And finally -finally, this is on behalf of a colleague who was not able to be here today due to social distancing: Does the President believe he can attain unity with the 74 million Trump voters while urging his allies in the Senate to hold an impeachment trial after his predecessor has already left office?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President’s belief is that he was elected by 81 million Americans, in part because they believed that he was somebody who could help bring the country together, unify the country around addressing the crisis that we face. And when he talks every day, nearly, about getting the pandemic under control, putting people back to work, he’s not just speaking to people who voted for him; he’s speaking to all of the American people who voted for him; he’s speaking to all of the American people, including the 74 million who didn’t vote for him.
And certainly addressing the pandemic, making – ensuring that people don’t worry about the health and safety of their grandparents, of their sisters and brothers, getting kids back to school – that’s not a partisan position; that’s a position – that’s a leadership position and one he’s taking because he wants to make sure he’s delivering for all American people.
Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Thank you, Jen. I’m Marek Wałkuski from Polish Radio. The President spoke with Chancellor Merkel yesterday.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: But the readout from the phone call doesn’t mention Nord Stream 2 – the pipeline from Russia to Germany. Have they discussed this particular project? And what’s President Biden’s position on Nord Stream 2? Is he determined to use the tools he has, like sanctions, to stop the project?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don’t have any more for you on the particular read out. But I can convey that we continue to believe – the President continues to believe that Nord Stream 2 is a bad deal for Europe. We’re aware that the previous administration imposed new restrictions on activities related to the pipeline under the National Defense Authorization Act, and we will be reviewing those measures.
And so he looks forward to continuing to consult with our European partners on this issue. And if there’s more to share on this conversation with Chancellor Merkel on it, we will certainly circle back with you more directly.
Let me just get to everybody. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. This is just following on from Yamiche’s question earlier. We heard the President, yesterday, say that anyone who wanted to get a shot would be able to get one in the spring and that we would be well on our way to herd immunity by summer. I’m wondering how we can make those projections – and we don’t know what the National Stockpile is – when the CDC director says that supply won’t increase until March and when we’re still having these enormous distribution problems in the different states?
MS. PSAKI: Well, let me first start by saying, as I started the briefing conveying, the President will have more to say on our vaccine supply and also – and also assistance and cooperation that we will be doing with the states later this afternoon. So we’ll have an update on that.
And as I also noted, we do have a sense. There is Tiberius – my favorite word of the day – a website that has available information on not just the vaccine that is available in states, but what has been distributed.
So what I was conveying, and I think what a number of our medical and health experts have been conveying, is that we’ve been here for now six days – I’ll at a certain point stop saying that. But less than a week is not that long period of time. We are addressing every day where the holes are, where the gaps are, what the holdups are. It’s not just supply; it is beyond that. It’s also having the number of vaccinators we need, the number of vaccine distribution sites we need. Those are all issues, if you talk to any governor, that they will say are challenges to getting the vaccine in the arms of the American people.
And what the President’s goal is, is ensuring that there is greater availability in the spring. He will push his team. He pushes his team on COVID and updates on it, even when it’s a meeting about other issues. This is his focus every single day. And – but the fact is, every American is not going to be eligible this spring. We’re going to continue to increase supply; that’s part of it. And he has said many, many times, it’s going to take months and months for a broad swath of the population to be vaccination.
But he would, if he were standing here today – one, he’d be a lot taller than me, but he would say there are – he will defer to health and medical experts to get their assessments on when we can reach the point of herd immunity.
Peter, go ahead.
Q: There is a report now that the Chief Financial Officer of Florida has sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee that Florida would like to host the Olympics if Japan, next year, is uncomfortable because of the pandemic. Is a Florida Olympics in 2021 something you can see the White House supporting?
MS. PSAKI: Wow. Well, that’s a lot of steps that need to take place, and I don’t know the entire process of the Olympics, but I would certainly think – send you to the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee first, on what their assessment of that offer is, and certainly, of course, what their assessment is of Japan’s preparedness for the Olympics.
Go ahead, right here.
Q: Jen, on contingencies: If these COVID vaccines need to be tweaked or changed because of these emerging variants, how is that going complicate your rollout effort?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Dr. Fauci spoke to this a little bit last week, and I expect this will be one of the lines of questioning with our health and medical experts when they have their first briefing tomorrow. And they have spoken to both assessments that have been made about the efficacy of the vaccine, even with the new variants, and how they are evaluating, you know, what the efficacy will be moving forward. This is something that they will continue to look at through a medical and health lens.
So I don’t think I’m going to have a new update or assessment for you from here, but it’s something they’re looking closely at, and the President will continue to encourage them to be as honest and straightforward with the American people as possible.
Q: Just one unrelated question. One of President Trump’s last acts was to grant protective status to Venezuelans who are in the United States.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: I believe that still stands. Can you give us an update on your position on that?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Let me see. Let’s see.
While the overriding goal of the United States is to support a peaceful democratic transition in Venezuela through free and fair elections, he has long been clear – the President, that is – that his administration’s approach to Venezuela will focus on addressing the humanitarian situation, providing support to the Venezuelan people, and reinvigorating multilateral diplomacy to press for a democratic outcome and pursue individuals involved in corruption, human rights abuses, and pursue individuals involved with that.
I don’t have anything more for you on the status of temporary protected status. That was a mouthful. I will – of course, our national security team is doing a review of all of the positions put in place by the Trump administration and will provide an update when we have one.
Go ahead.
Q: One more question. Ambassador Rice outlined all of these disparities when it comes to Americans of color being infected and dying from COVID at higher rates. Do you – does the White House fault the policies of the previous administration for creating those disparities that we’re seeing?
MS. PSAKI: Well, health disparities in communities of color existed long before the Trump administration took office, and I think that’s a statement of fact. But what did not happen was actions put in place to ensure greater accessibility to communicate – – communities of color for healthcare, greater communications on public campaign about how communities of color could gain access to healthcare and treatments. And certainly the actions taken by the prior administration to, for all intents of purposes, destroy the Affordable Care Act didn’t help any American and certainly didn’t help communities of color.
So, the vaccine, as you all know, has only – we did not have the scientific and medical breakthrough until late last year. And now it’s incumbent upon this administration, the Biden-Harris administration, to ensure that we are taking secs – steps to increase access, but also to communicate more effectively with communities of color about the vaccine and the efficacy of it. And that certainly is a primary focus. That’s one of the reasons why Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith is leading a COVID task force and is a pivotal part of the COVID team.
And I will say, from being on the transition, she wasn’t a person who was, aside from reputation, but she wasn’t a person known by the President – then President-elect Biden previously, but he was so impressed with her as a member of the COVID Advisory Task Force that he felt, personally, it was important to have her as a pivotal member of the team to address exactly this issue.
Okay, go ahead. Last – last one, says Jonathan.
Q: Thank you very much. If I can ask a follow-up, I’d appreciate it. The Trump administration granted waivers to Arkansas and other states to require work for some Medicaid recipients. That was challenged in the court. The court struck it down. The Trump administration pushed it to the Supreme Court. It’s ending there. Does the Biden administration support these waiver, oppose them? Are they going to argue for it, against it? What’s the position of the administration?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I would certainly send you to our Department of Justice, my Department of Justice colleagues, to speak to anything related to a legal case. I will say that President Biden does not believe, as a principle, it should be difficult to – for people to gain access to healthcare. And he’s not – he’s not been supportive in the past, and is not today, of putting additional restrictions in place. And he’s spoken about that publicly, too.
Q: And then, if I could follow up. Yesterday, former President Trump endorsed Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Governor of Arkansas in 2022. Where does President Biden stand on that particular race, and how high is this on his list of priorities?
MS. PSAKI: Wow. How high is the Arkansas Republican gubernatorial primary on the President’s list of priorities? Not high. I can confirm for you I’m not running for Governor of Connecticut in the future. So I’m here to confirm that for you as well. I don’t expect he will get involved in this race, but also politics is not front and center for his mind, in general, at this point in time. He’s focused on getting the pandemic under control.
Okay.
Q: Jen, who leads the governors’ call today, just for clarity?
MS. PSAKI: What did you say?
Q: Who is leading the governors’ call today?
MS. PSAKI: Who is making – leading the governors’ call?
Q: Who is leading it? The President won’t be on it, so who is leading it?
MS. PSAKI: Jeff Zeints will be one of the – one of the health officials, or one of the, I should say, policy officials who is on the call today. There may be others, but he’s one of the primary leaders of the call.
Q: And bipartisan governors, obviously, participating?
MS. PSAKI: I believe so, yes. Exactly.
Okay, last one. I’m breaking Jonathan’s rule, but –
Q: Hey, Jen. We just saw that President Biden has spoken to President Putin. Can you give us an update on the nature of their call? What came up?
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. Well, I beli- – the call – I can confirm for you the call was scheduled. The call has happened, I believe, since I have come out here. So, we will of course, be putting a readout of the call out. But since you gave me the opportunity, I will just convey to you that he called him – called President Putin this afternoon with the intention of discussing our willingness to extend New START for five years, and also to reaffirm our strong support for Ukraine sovereignty in the face of Russians’ ongoing – Russia’s ongoing aggression, and also to raise matters of concern, including the SolarWinds hack, reports of Russia placing bounties on United States soldiers in Afghanistan, interference in the 2020 Election, the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, and treatment of peaceful protesters by Russian security forces.
His intention was also to make clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of our national interests in response to malign actions by Russia. But we’ll have a readout for you, I assume, sometime early this afternoon.
Thanks, everyone.
January 26: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden at Signing of an Executive Order on Racial Equity” From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, folks. I thank the Vice President for being with me today as well. In my campaign for President, I made it very clear that the moment had arrived as a nation where we face deep racial inequities in America and system- – systemic racism that has plagued our nation for far, far too long.
I said it over the course of the past year that the blinders had been taken come off the nation of the American people. What ma – – what many Americans didn’t see, or had simply refused to see, couldn’t be ignored any longer.
Those 8 minutes and 46 seconds that took George Floyd’s life opened the eyes of millions of Americans and millions of people around – all over the world. It was the knew on the neck of justice, and it wouldn’t be forgotten. It stirred the conscience of tens of millions of Americans, and, in my view, it marked a tuning point in this country’s attitude toward racial justice.
When his six-years-old – six-year-old daughter, Gianna, who I met with when I met with the family – I landed down to say hi to her, and she said – looked at me, and she said, “Daddy changed the world.” That’s what Gianna said – his daughter. “Daddy changed the world.” And I believe she is right, not because this kind of injustice stopped – it clearly hasn’t – but because the ground has shifted, because it’s changed minds and mindsets, because it laid the groundwork for progress.
COVID-19 has further ripped a path of destruction through every community in American, but no one has been spared, but the devastation in communities of color has been nothing short of stunning. Just look at the numbers: 40 percent of frontline workers – are Americans of color and many are still living on the edge. One in ten black Americans is out of work today. One in eleven Latino Americans is out of work today. One in seven households in America – about one in four black, one in five Latino households in America – report that they don’t have enough food to eat in the United States of America.
Black and Latino Americans are dying of COVID-19 at rates nearly three times that of white Americans. And it’s not white Americans’ fault, but it’s just a fact. And the Americans now know it, especially younger Americans.
One of the reasons I’m so optimistic about this nation is that today’s generation of young Americans is the most progressive, thoughtful, inclusive generation that America has ever seen. And they are pulling us toward justice in so many ways, forcing us to confront the huge gap in economi- -excuse me, economic inequity between those at the top and everyone else, forcing us to confront the existential crisis of climate; and, yes, forcing us to confront systemic racism and white supremacy.
It’s been just weeks since all of American witnessed a group of thugs, insurrectionists, political extremists, and white supremacists violently attack the Capitol of our democracy. And so now – now is the time to act. It’s time to act because that’s what the faith and morality calls us to do.
Across nearly every faith, the same principles hold: We’re all God’s children; we should treat each other as we would like to be treated ourselves. And this is the time to act – and this time to act is because it’s what the core values of this nation call us to do. And I believe the vast majority of Americans – Democrats, Republicans, and independents – share these values and want us to act as well.
We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation, to state the obvious, that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives. And it’s time to act now, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because if we do, we’ll all be better off for it.
For too long, we’ve allowed a narrow, cramped view of the promise of this nation to fester. You know, we’ve – we’ve bought the view that America is a zero-sum game in many cases: “If you succeed, I fail.” “If you get ahead, I fall behind.” “If you get the job, I lose mine.” Maybe worst of all, “If I hold you down, I lift myself up.”
We’ve lost sight of what President Kennedy told us when he said “A rising tide lifts all boats.” And when we lift each other up, we’re all lifted up. You know, and the corollary is true as well: When any one of us is held down, we’re all held back. More and more economic studies in recent years have proven this, but I don’t think you need economic studies to see the truth.
Just imagine if instead of consigning millions of American children to under-resourced schools, we gave each and every three- and four-year-old child a chance to learn, to go to school – not daycare, school – and grow and thrive in school and throughout. When they’ve done that – the places it’s been done, it shows they have an exponentially greater chance of going all the way through 12 years of school and doing it well.
But, you know, does anyone – does anyone in this whole nation think we’re not all better off it that were to happen?
Just imaging if instead of denying millions of Americans the ability to own a home and build generational wealth – who made it possible for them to buy a home, their first home – and begin to build equity to provide for their families and send their children off to school, does anyone doubt that the whole nation would be better off?
Just imagine: Instead of denying millions of young entrepreneurs the ability to access capital, we made it possible to take their dream to market, create jobs, reinvest in their own communities. Does anyone doubt this whole nation wouldn’t be better off?
Just imagine if more incredibly creative and innovative – how much more creative and innovative we’d be if this held – held the historic black colleges and universities to the same opportunities – and minority-serving institutions – that had the same funding and resources of public universities to compete for jobs and industries of the future. You know, just ask the first HBCU graduate elected as Vice President if that’s not true.
But to do this, I believe this nation and this government need to change their whole approach to the issue of racial equal – equity. Yes, we need criminal justice reform, but that isn’t nearly enough. We need to open the promise of America to every American. And that means we need to make the issue of racial equity not just an issue for any one department of government; it has to be the business of the whole of government.
January 26: The White House posted a Fact Sheet titled: “FACT SHEET: President Biden to Take Action to Advance Racial Equity and Support Underserved Communities” From the FACT SHEET:
Administration to Purchase Additional 200 Million Doses to Be Delivered This Summer
This afternoon, President Biden will outline his vision and new elements of his agenda for advancing racial equality for Americans who have been underserved and left behind. Equal opportunity is the fundamental promise of America. But systemic racism and discrimination in our economy, laws, and institutions have put the promise of America out of reach for too many families of color.
President Biden will renew the federal government’s commitment to making the American Dream real for families across the nation by taking bold and ambitious steps to root out inequality by taking bold and ambitious steps to root out inequity from our economy and expand opportunities for communities of color and other underserved Americans.
President Biden will sign four executive actions this afternoon to advance racial equity and take the first steps to root out systemic racism in housing and criminal justice. He will direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to take steps necessary to redress racially discriminatory federal housing policies that have contributed to wealth inequality for generations. The President will sign an Executive Order to end the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) use of private prisons. He will recommend the federal government to respect Tribal sovereignty and strengthen Nation-to-Nation relationship between the United States and Tribal Nations. And, President Biden will take action to combat xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
These orders build on actions the President took during his first week in office to advance equity, which historians have described as one of the most robust efforts to advance racial justice in the first weeks of any new administration. On his first day in office, President Biden signed an unprecedented Executive Order establishing a whole-of-government initiative to address racial equity and support underserved communities, and to redress systemic racism in federal policies, laws, and programs.
He took immediate action to roll back harmful policies, such as President Trump’s 1776 Commission and ban on diversity and inclusion training for federal employees and contractors. In the days ahead, President Biden will reinvigorate the federal government’s role as a model employer by expanding and building on the efforts of the Obama-Biden Administration, to require agencies to take affirmative steps to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as by requiring accessibility.
President Biden committed to embedding racial equity across his Administration’s response to COVID-19 and the economic crisis. In his first week in office, he signed executive actions to provide relief to American families that will aid families of color that are being disproportionately impacted by this economic crisis.
He directed the Department of Agriculture to address the growing crisis of hunger facing more than one in five Black and Latino households by increasing access to nutritious food for millions of children missing meals due to school closures, issuing new guidance to help an additional 12 million Americans access nutrition assistance, and beginning to process to increase program benefits to better reflect today’s grocery costs.
The President extended the pause on federal student loan payments and collections, protecting borrowers burdened by educational debt, who are disproportionately Americans of color. He extended the federal government’s foreclosure and eviction moratoriums until February 28, 2021, helping families who are more likely to be rent burdened to stay safely housed.
President Biden directed the Department of Treasury to take steps to make the delivery of stimulus benefits more equitable to help the 8 million households, many of whom are families of color, who never received the first stimulus checks they were entitled to. And, the President began a process of requiring federal contractors to pay a $15 minimum wage and provide emergency paid leave to workers bringing financial relief to low wage workers.
These actions are just the start. The President is committed to working with Congress to pass bold legislation that advances racial equity, including increasing funding for small businesses, investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions, and tripling funding for Title I schools, which serve a majority of low-income students. As the President has said, he is focused on ensuring that small businesses owned by people of color and others who have been historically disadvantaged – many of whom were shut out of previous relief packages – receive support.
And President Biden’s American Rescue Plan will provide immediate, direct relief to communities and families bearing the brunt of the crisis – including communities and families of color. Economists estimate that the investments in the American Rescue Plan will lift over eight million Black, Latino, and Asian Americans out of poverty and will provide relief across sectors where families of color are most disproportionately impacted in this crisis: in food and financial security, healthcare access, and education and childcare.
The President’s rescue plan will expand protections for frontline workers, 40 percent of whom are people of color. It will increase and extend Unemployment Insurance benefits, supporting the one in ten Black workers and one in eleven Latino workers who are unemployed. And, the plan will provide critical relief to Native American communities and Tribes.
Today, President Biden will sign additional executive actions to:
Advance Fair Housing. President Biden will sign a Presidential Memorandum “Redressing Our Nation’s and the Federal Government’s History of Discriminatory Housing Practices and Policies.” This memorandum recognizes the central role the federal government has played in implementing housing policies across the United States, from redlining to mortgage discrimination to destructive federal highway construction, that have had racially discriminatory impacts. The Fair Housing Act requires the federal government to advance fair housing and combat housing discrimination, including disparate impact discrimination that appears neutral but has an unjustified discriminatory effect in practice.
This Presidential Memorandum directs HUD to examine the effects of the previous Administration’s regulatory actions that undermined fair housing policies and laws. And, it directs HUD to take steps necessary based on that analysis to fully implement the Fair Housing Act’s requirements.
Reform our Incarceration System to End the Use of Private Prisons. More than two million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, and a disproportionate number of these individuals are people of color. Mass incarceration imposes significant costs on our society and communities, while private prisons profiteer off of federal prisoners in less safe conditions for prisoners and correctional officers alike.
President Biden is committed to reducing mass incarceration while making our communities safer. That starts with ending the DOJ’s reliance on private prisons. The Order directs the Attorney General not to renew Department of Justice contracts with privately operated criminal detention facilities.
Reaffirm the Federal Government’s Commitment to Tribal Sovereignty and Consultation. The Biden Administration is committed to re-establishing federal respect for Tribal sovereignty, strengthening the Nation-to-Nation relationship between the federal government and American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, empowering self-determination, and advancing racial justice for Native communities. This Executive Order reinvigorates the commitment of all federal agencies to engage in regular, robust, and meaningful consultation with Tribal governments.
Combat Xenophobia Against Asian American and Pacific Islanders. While bullying and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) is a long-standing and unacceptable problem in our country, rates of harassment and violence against AAPIs have risen dramatically in the past year.
President Biden will sign a Presidential Memorandum acknowledging the harm that these actions have caused, and establishing that the policy of his Administration is to condemn and denounce anti-Asian bias and discrimination.
his Memorandum directs the Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, to consider issuing guidance describing best practices to advance cultural competency, language access, and sensitivity towards AAPIs in the federal government’s COVID-19 response. It also directs the Department of Justice to partner with AAPI communities to prevent hate crimes and harassment against AAPIs.
January 26: The White House posted a Presidential Action titled: “Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States” From the Presidential Action:
Advancing inclusion and belonging for people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities is critical to guaranteeing the safety and security of the American people.During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric has put Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) persons, families, communities, and businesses at risk.
The Federal Government must recognize that it has played a role in furthering these xenophobic sentiments through the actions of political leaders, including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin. Such statements have stoked unfounded fears and perpetuated stigma about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and have contributed to increasing rates of bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against AAPI persons. These actions defied the best practices and guidelines of public health officials and have caused significant harm to AAPI families and communities that must be addressed.
Despite these increasing acts of intolerance, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made our Nation more secure during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout our Nation’s history. An estimated 2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have served on the front lines of this crisis as healthcare providers, as first responders, and in other essential roles. The Federal Government should combat racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and should work to ensure that all members of AAPI communities – no matter their background, the language they speak, or their religious beliefs – are treated with dignity and equity.
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of American it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Condemning Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Federal Government has a responsibility to prevent racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against everyone in America, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. My Administration condemns and denounces acts of racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against AAPI communities.
Sec. 2. Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. (a)The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, in coordination with the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, consider issuing guidance describing best practices for advancing cultural competency, language access, and sensitivity towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the context of the Federal Government’s COVID-19 response. In developing any such guidance, the Secretary should consider best practices set forth by public health organizations and experts for mitigating racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.
(b) Executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall take all appropriate steps to ensure that official actions, documents, and statements, including those that pertain to the COVID-19 pandemic, do not exhibit or contribute to racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Agencies may consult with public health experts, AAPI community leaders, or AAPI community-serving organizations, or may refer to any best practices issued pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, to ensure an understanding of the needs and challenges faced by AAPI communities.
(c) The Attorney General shall explore opportunities to support, consistent with applicable law, the efforts of State and local agencies, as well as AAPI communities and community-based organizations, to prevent discrimination, bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against AAPI individuals and to expand collection of data and public reporting regarding hate incidents against such individuals.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) Independent agencies are strongly encouraged to comply with the provisions of this memorandum.
(d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employers, or agents or any other person.
(e) The Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 26: The White House posted a Memorandum titled: “Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships” From the Memorandum:
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships
American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Nations are sovereign governments recognized under the Constitution of the United States, treaties, statutes, Executive Orders, and court decisions. It is a priority of my Administration to make respect for Tribal sovereignty and self-governance, commitment to fulfilling Federal trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations, and regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal Nations cornerstones of Federal Indian policy.
To this end, Executive Order 13175 of November 6, 2000 (Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments), charges all executive departments with engaging with regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal officials in the development of Federal policies that have Tribal implications. Tribal consultation under this order strengthens Nation-to-Nation relationship between the United States and Tribal Nations. The Presidential Memorandum of November 5, 2009 (Tribal Consultation) requires each agency to prepare and periodically update a detailed plan of action to implement the policies and directives of Executive Order 13175. This memorandum reaffirms the policy announced in that memorandum.
Section 1. Consultation. My Administration is committed to honoring Tribal sovereignty and including Tribal voices in policy deliberation that affects Tribal communities. The Federal Government has much to learn from Tribal Nations and strong communication is fundamental to a constructive relationship. Accordingly, I hereby direct as follows:
(a) The head of each agency shall submit to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, a detailed plan of actions the agency will take to implement the policies of Executive Order 13175, The plan shall be developed after consultation by the agency with Tribal Nations and Tribal officials as defined in Executive Order 13175.
(b) Each agency’s plan and subsequent reports shall designate an appropriate agency official to coordinate implementation of the plan and preparation of progress reports required by this memorandum. These officials shall submit reports to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP) and the Director of OMB, who will review agency plans and subsequent reports for consistency with the policies and directives of Executive Order 13175.
(c) The head of each agency shall submit to the Director of OMB, within 270 days of the date of this memorandum, and annually thereafter, a progress report on the status of each action included in the agency’s plan, together with any proposed updates to its plan.
(d) The Director of OMB, incoordination with the APDP, shall submit to the President, within one year from the date of this memorandum, a report on the implementation of Executive Order 13175 across the executive branch based on the review of agency plans and progress reports. Recommendations for improving the plans and making the Tribal consultation progress more effective, if any, should be included in the report.
Sec. 2. Definitions. The terms “Tribal officials,” “policies that have Tribal implications,” and “agency” as used in this memorandum are defined in Executive Order 13175.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Sec. 4. Publication. The Director of OMB is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 26: The White House posted a Fact Sheet titled: “Fact Sheet: President Biden Announces New Steps to Boost Vaccine Supply and Increase Transparency for States, Tribes, and Territories”. From the Fact Sheet:
Administration to Purchase Additional 200 Million Doses to Be Delivered This Summer
Just over a year since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the United States, the nation has hit another grim milestone in the pandemic, reaching 25 million infections and counting. The pace in which this virus has spread throughout the U.S. is staggering and with new variants emerging, the spread is not slowing any time soon. That’s why it is critical that we vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.
President Biden has a comprehensive National Action Strategy to put the pandemic behind us and he and the COVID-19 response team are aggressively implementing it. Today, the President is announcing bold steps that will help meet the goal of administering 100 million shots in 100 days and ramp up the vaccine supply as fast as possible. As a result of these actions, the federal government will have enough vaccine supply for the entire U.S. population by the end of the summer.
The President is taking the following actions today:
An Increase in Weekly Vaccine Supply to States, Tribes and Territories: The Biden-Harris Administration will increase overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes and territories from 8.6 million doses to a minimum of 10 million doses. This increase of 1.4 million doses per week will allow millions more Americans to get vaccinated sooner than previously anticipated. The Administration is committing to maintaining this as the minimum supply level for the next three weeks.
Increased transparency for States, Tribes, and Territories to Help Their Vaccination Efforts: The Biden-Harris Administration is taking action to provide states, Tribes and territories with a reliable three-week supply look-ahead. The Department of Health and Human Services will provide allocation estimates for the upcoming three weeks as opposed to the one week look-ahead that they previously received. This increased transparency will give state and local leaders greater certainty around supply so that they can plan their vaccination efforts and administer vaccines effectively and efficiently.
Purchase 200 Million Additional Doses to Be Delivered This Summer, Double the Nation’s Vaccine Supply: President Biden directed his COVID-19 Response Coordinator to work with HHS to increase our total vaccine supply for the American people. The Biden-Harris Administration is working to purchase an additional 100 million doses of each of the two Food and Drug Administration-authorized vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna. This increases the total vaccine orderer the U.S. by 50%, from 400 million to 600 million with these additional doses expected to deliver this summer. With these additional doses, the U.S. will have enough vaccine to fully vaccinate 300 million Americans by the end of this summer.
January 26: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden at Signing of an Executive Order on Racial Equity” From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, folks. I thank the Vice President for being with me today as well. In my campaign for President, I made it very clear that the moment had arrived as a nation where we face deep racial inequities in America and system- – systemic racism that has plagued our nation for far, far too long.
I said it over the course of the past year that the blinders had been taken come off the nation of the American people. What ma- – what many Americans didn’t see, or had simply refused to see, couldn’t be ignored any longer.
Those 8 minutes and 46 seconds that took George Floyd’s life opened up the eyes of millions of Americans and millions of people around – all over the world. It was the knee on the neck of justice, and it wouldn’t be forgotten. It was the knee on the neck of justice, and it wouldn’t be forgotten. It stirred the conscience of tens of millions of Americans, and, in my view, it marked a turning point in this country’s attitude toward racial justice.
When his six-years-old – six-year-old daughter, Gianna, who I met with when I met the family – I landed down to say hi to her, and she said – looked at me, and she said, “Daddy changed the world.” That’s what Gianna said – his daughter. “Daddy changed the world.” And I believe she is right, not because the ground has shifted, because it’s changed minds and mindsets, because it laid the groundwork for progress.
COVID-19 has further ripped a path of destruction through every community in America, but no one has been spared, but the devastation in communities of color has been nothing short of stunning. Just look at the numbers: 40 percent of frontline workers – nurses, first responders, grocery store workers – are Americans of color, and many are still living on the edge. One in ten black Americans is out of work today. One in eleven Latino Americans is out of work today. One in seven households in America – about one in four black, one in five Latino households in American – report that they don’t have enough food to eat in the United States of America.
Black and Latino Americans are dying of COVID-19 at rates nearly three times that of white Americans. And it’s not white Americans’ fault, but it’s just a fact. And the Americans now know it, especially younger Americans.
One of the reasons I’m so optimistic about this nation is that today’s generation of young Americans is the most progressive, thoughtful, inclusive generation that America has ever seen. And they are pulling us toward justice in so many ways, forcing us to confront the huge gap in economi- – excuse me, economic inequity between those at the top and everyone else, forcing us to confront the existential crisis of climate; and yes, forcing us to confront systemic racism and white supremacy.
It’s just been weeks since all of America witnessed a group of thugs, insurrectionists, political extremists, and white supremacists violently attack the Capitol of our democracy. And so now – now is the time to act. It’s time to act because that’s what the faith and morality calls us to do.
Across nearly every faith, the same principles hold: We’re all God’s children; we should treat each other as we would like to be treated ourselves. And this is time to act – and this time is because it’s what the core values of this nation call us to do. And I believe the vast majority of Americans – Democrats, Republicans, and independents – share these values and want us to act as well.
We have never fully lived up to the founding principles of this nation, to state the obvious, that all people are created equal and have a right to be treated equally throughout their lives. And its time to act now, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because if we do, we’ll all be better off for it.
For too long, we’ve allowed a narrow, cramped view of the promise of this nation to fester. You know we’ve – we’ve bought the new that America is a zero-sum game in many cases: “If you succeed, I fail.” “If you get ahead, I fall behind.” “If you get the job, I lose mine.” Maybe worst of all is, “If I hold you down, I lift myself up.”
We’ve lost sight of what President Kennedy told us when he said, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” And when we lift each other up, we’re all lifted up. You know, and the corollary is true as well: When any one of us is held down, we’re all held back. More and more economic studies in recent years have proven this, but I don’t think you need economic studies to see the truth.
Just imaging if instead of consigning millions of American children to under-resourced schools, we gave each and every three- and four-year-old child a chance to learn, to go to school – not daycare, school – and grow and thrive in school and throughout. When they’ve done that – the places it’s been done, it shows they have an exponentially greater chance of going all the way though 12 years of school and doing it well.
But, you know, does anyone – does anyone in this whole nation think we’re not all better off if that were to happen?
Just imagine instead of denying millions of Americans the ability to own a home and build generational wealth – who made it possible for them to buy a home, their first home – and begin to build equity to provide for their families and send their children off to school, does anyone doubt that the whole nation will be better off?
Just imagine: Instead of denying millions of young entrepreneurs the ability to access capital, we made it possible to take their dream to market, create jobs, reinvest in their own communities. Does anyone doubt this whole nation wouldn’t be better off?
Just imagine if more incredibly creative and innovative – how much more creative and innovative we’d be if this nation held – held the historic black colleges and universities to the same opportunities – and minority-serving institutions – that had the same funding and resources of public universities to compete for jobs and industries of the future. You know, just ask the first HBCU graduate elected as Vice President if that’s not true.
But to do this, I believe this nation and this government need to change their whole approach to the issue of racial equal – – equity. Yes, we need criminal justice reform, but that isn’t nearly enough. We need to open the promise of America to every Americans. And that means we need to make the issue of racial equity not just an issue for any one department of government; it has to be the business of the whole of government.
That’s why I issued, among the first days, my whole-of-government executive order that will, for the first time, advance equity for all throughout our federal policies and institutions. It focuses on the whole range of communities who have been long underserved and overlooked: people of color; Americans with disabilities; LGBTQ Americans; religious minorities; rural, urban, suburban communities facing persistent poverty.
And I’ve asked Ambassador Susan Rice to lead the administration’s charge through the White House and Domestic Policy Council because I know she’ll se it through. Every White House, every White House component, and every agency will be involved in this work because advancing equity has to be everyone’s job.
Today, I’ll be shortly signing an additional package of executive actions to continue this vital work, Housing, for example: Housing is a right in America, and homeownership is an essential tool to wealth creation and to be passed down to generations.
Today, I’m directing the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs – and Urban Development to redress historical racism in federal housing policies. Today, I’m directing the federal agency to reinvigorate the consultation process with Indian tribes. Respect the tribal sovereignty – respect for tribal sovereignty will be a cornerstone of our engaging with Native American communities.
This builds on the work we did last week to expand tribes’ access to the Strategic National Stockpile for the first time, to ensure they receive help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, to fight this pandemic.
Today, I’m directing federal agencies to combat resurgence of xenophobia, particularly against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, that we’ve seen skyrocket during this pandemic. This is unacceptable and it’s un-American. I’ve asked the Department of Justice to strengthen its partnership with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community to prevent those hate crimes.
I’ve also asked the Department of Health and Human Services to put out best practices for combatting xenophobia in our national response to COVID.
Look, in the weeks ahead, I’ll be reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and accessibility, building on the work we started in the Obama-Biden administration. That’s why I reminded the previous administration’s harmful ban on diversity and sensitivity training, and abolished the offensive, counter-factual 1776 Commission. Unity and healing must begin with understanding and truth, not ignorance and lies.
Today, I’m also issuing an executive order that will ultimately end the Justice Department’s use of the private prison indus- private prisons, an industry that houses pretrial detrainees – detainees and federal prisoners.
The executive order directs the Attorney General to decline to renew contracts with privately operated criminal facilities – a step we started to take at the end of the Obama administration and was reversed under the previous administration.
This is the first step to stop corporations from profiteering off of incarcerating – incarceration that is less humane and less safe, as the studies show. And it is just the beginning of my administration’s plan to address systemic problems in our criminal justice system.
Here’s another thing that we need to do: We need to restore and expand the Voting Rights Act – named after our dear friend, John Lewis – and continue to fight back against laws that many states are engaged in to suppress the right to vote, while expanding access to the ballot box for all eligible voters.
Because here’s the deal, and I’ll close with this: I ran for President because I believe we’re in a battle for the soul of the nation. And the simple truth is, our soul will be troubled as long as systemic racism is allowed to persist. We can’t eliminate it if – it’s not going to be overnight. We can’t eliminate everything.
But it’s corrosive, it’s destructive, and it’s costly. It costs every American, not just those who have felt the sting of injustice. We aren’t just less of a – we are not just a nation of morally deprived because of systemic racism; we’re also less prosperous, we’re less successful, we’re less secure.
So, we must change, and I know it’s going to take time. But I know we can do it. And I firmly believe the nation is ready to change, but government has to change as well. We need to make equity and justice part of what we do every day – today, tomorrow, and every day.
Now I’m going to sign these executive actions to continue the work to make real the promise of America for every Americans. Again, I’m not promising we can end it tomorrow, but I promise you: We’re going to continue to make progress to eliminate systemic racism, and every branch of the White House and the federal government is going to be part of that effort.
Thank you.
This first executive order is a memorandum for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to redress our nation’s and the federal government’s history of discriminatory housing practices and policies.
(The executive order is signed.)
The next executive order is reforming the incarceration system by eliminating the use of privately operated criminal detention facilities.
(The executive order is signed.)
The third executive order is a memorandum for the heads of executive departments and agencies on tribal consultation, and strengthening nation-to-nation relationships.
(The executive order is signed.)
The last executive order is condemning and combatting racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
(The executive order is signed.)
I think the country is ready, and I know this administration is ready. Thank you.
Q: Mr. President, what did you talk to Vladimir Putin about?
THE PRESIDENT: You. (Laughter.) He sent his best.
January 26: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden on the Fight to Contain the COVID-19 Pandemic.” From the Remarks:
4:50 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you for taking the time to be here. Good afternoon. I’m accompanies by Jeff Zeints, who is heading up our whole COVID team. And today, what I’d like to do is upgrade – update you on where we are. Tomorrow, we’re going to begin the briefings that are going to occur on a regular basis with Mr. Zeints and his team. So we’re brining back the pros to talk about COVID in an unvarnished way. Any questions you have, that’s how we’ll handle them because we’re letting science speak.
And so, I – I’d like to update you on the aggressive steps we’ve ever undertaken as a nation. I’ve said that before, but I must say it again because we’re going to do – we’re going to do everything we can to get it done. But a lot of things can go wrong along the way.
And so, I’ve – as I’ve said in the past, we want to give credit to everyone involved in this vaccine effort and the prior administration and the science community and the medical sphere – (technical equipment falls to the floor) – for getting the program – I didn’t do it, I promise – (laughter) – for getting the program off the ground. And that credit is absolutely due.
But it’s also no secret that we have recently discovered, in the final days of the transition – and it wasn’t until the final days we got the kind of cooperation we needed – that once we arrived, the vaccine program is worse shape than we anticipated or expected. A lot of you who follow this – and nobody is – I mean this sincerely, the press is the smartest group of people in town; you hone this stuff down, clearly – I think you found the same thing.
Even before I took office, I announced a new vaccine – a vaccination strategy for our whole country. And that’s why I directed my COVID team to go to work immediately, and how we could step up the vaccination efforts and the vaccinations.
I’m pleased to announce the first progress in that work today on day seven of my presidency. First, after review of the current vaccine supply manufacturing plants, I can announce that we will increase the overall weekly vaccination distribution to states, tribes, and territories from 8.6 million doses to a minimum of 10 million doses, starting next week. That’s an increase of 1.4 million doses per week.
And you all know – if I may not, parenthetically – you all know that the vaccines are distributed to states based on population. They’re based on population. And so the smaller the state, the less vaccine; the bigger the state, the more they get. And so this is going to allow millions of more Americans to get vaccinated sooner than previously anticipated. We got a long way to go, though.
The second thing: We’re increasing the transparency with states, cities, and tribes, and local partners when it comes to the vaccine supply. This is something we’ve heard over and over again from both Democrats and Republicans, state and local leaders; that they need a plan in order to what – they didn’t know what they had to plan on. They need to know what the order is going to be.
Jeff had a meeting with the governors on Zoom and – and others. And I think we’re getting this coordinated in a way that there’s increased cooperation and confidence.
But until now, we’ve had to guess how much vaccine to expect for the next week. And that’s what the governors had to do: “How much am I getting next week?” This is unacceptable. They – you know, the lives are at stake here.
From this week forward, God willing, we’ll ensure that states, tribes, and territories will now always have a reliable three-week forecast on what the supply they’re going to get. So they’ll know, three weeks ahead of time, what’s going to be there in the third week.
This is going to help make sure governors, mayors, and local leaders have greater certainty around supply so they can carry out their plans to vaccinate as many people as possible.
So, we will both increase the supply in the short term by more than 15 percent and give our states and local partners more certainty about when the deliveries will arrive. These two steps are going to help increase our prospects of hitting – or exceeding, God willing, the ambitious goal of 100 million shots in 100 days.
But I also want to be clear: 100 million shots in 100 days is not the endpoint; it’s just the start. We’re not stopping there. The end goal is to beat COVID-19. And the way we do that is to get more people vaccinated, which means we have to be ready, after we hit the ground – after we hit the goal of 100 million shots in 100 days.
Now, that means fewer than 100 million people getting totally vaccinated; it means 100 shots, it means somewhere between 60 – maybe less, maybe more – million people will have the – because it requires two shots in many cases – not always.
So today, I’m directing COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zeints, here, to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to increase our total supply of vaccine for the American people. And we believe that we’ll soon be able to confirm the purchase of an additional 100 billion doses for each of the two FDA-authorized vaccines: Pfizer and Moderna. That’s 100 million more doses of Pfizer and 100 million more doses of Moderna – 200 million more doses than the federal government had previously secured. Not in hand yet, but ordered.
We expect these additional 200 million doses to be delivered this summer. And some of it will come as early – begin to come in early summer, but by the mid – – by the mid-summer, that this vaccine will be there. And the order – and that increases the total vaccine order in the United States by 50 percent – from 400 million ordered to 600 million.
This is enough vaccine to fully vaccinate 300 Americans by the end of the summer, beginning of the fall. But if we want to make – look, that’s – I want to repeat: It’ll be enough to vaccinate 300 Americans to beat this pandemic – 300 million Americans. And this is aggregate plan the doesn’t leave any thing on the table or anything to chance, as we’ve seen happen in the past year.
I’ve said before: This is a wartime effort. When I say – when I say that, people ask, “Wartime?” I say, “Yeah, more than 400,000 Americans have already died.” I think it’s four hundred eleven or twelve have died in all of – Americans who died in World War Two. This is a wartime undertaking; it’s not hyperbole.
And as such, I directed the team to be ready to exercise all the authorities I have under the Defense Production Act, and expedite these vaccines. And we’re using the Defense Production Act to launch a full-scale, wartime effort to address the supply shortages we inherited from the previous administration.
We’re going to be working across the government, with private industry, to ramp up production of vaccine and protective equipment – the syringes, the needles, the gloves, the swabs, and the masks – everything that’s needed to protect, test, vaccinate, and take care of our people. Well, we’ve already identified supplies, and we’re working with them to move our plan forward.
The biggest problem – I hope you’re all asking me by the end of the summer that, “You have too much vaccine left over. You have too much equipment leftover.” That’s not my worry. I hope that becomes the problem, rather than we somehow find interruptions in supply or access.
These aggressive steps to increase vaccine supply come on top of the steps we took last week to get more people vaccinated for free, to create more places for them to get vaccinated, and to mobilize more medical teams to get hots in people’s arms.
We’ve directed FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to stand up the first federally supported community vaccination centers, and that work is underway. We’re working to make vaccines available to thousands of local pharmacies, beginning in early February; it’s a couple of weeks off. And we – that will enormously expand our reach.
Last week, I also signed a declaration to immediately begin reimbursing states 100 percent for their uses of the National Guard to help the COVID relief effort, both getting people – getting the sites set up and even using some of their personnel to administer some of the vaccines. And I think it’s something Democrats and Republicans and governors alike have called for.
We’re also expanding testing, which will help schools and businesses reopen safely and protect the most vulnerable.
And we formalized the Health Equity Task Force to ensure that equity is at the core of everything we do in urban and rural communities alike, to make sure those people most significantly damaged have – have access. Access. We have to change. We have to move in a direction for those communities that are hard to get to.
But the brutal truth is: It’s going to take months before we can get the majority of Americans vaccinated. Months. In the next few months, masks – not vaccines – are the best defense against COVID-19. Experts say that wearing masks from now just until April would save 500,000 lives who otherwise will pass away if we don’t wear these masks. That’s why I’m asking the American people to mask up for the first 100 days. I’ve issued executive orders requiring masks on federal property and interstate travel – trains and planes and busses.
One congressman pointed out – I could – well, he used a very, anyway, colorful term to say wearing a mask – “I tell him to his my ear; I’m not going to war a mask.” Well, guess what? Not very American. The fact is, you want to be patriotic; you’re going to protect people. And the new COVID-19 variants are – we are instituting new measures to deal with these individuals flying into the United States from other countries.
You’ve all hold – if you could hold a second – you’ve all heard about the strain – the British strain, the Brazilian strain, the South African strain. And they are – they seem to be more transmittable more easily. So, in addition to wearing masks, everyone flying to the United Staes from another country, we need to test before they arrive in America.
I’m going to close with this: I now have a national – we now have a national strategy to beat COVID-19. It’s comprehensive. It’s based on science, not politics. It’s based on truth, not denial. And it is detailed. It’s going to require Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan to provide funding to administer the vaccines, to ramp up testing, to help schools and businesses reopen, and to deliver immediate economic relief to Americans who are badly in need of it through no fault of their own.
And our plan will take time. Progress from our plan will take time to measure, as people getting infected today don’t show up in case counts for weeks, and those who perish from those – from the disease die weeks after that exposure. You know, despite the best our best intentions, we’re going to face setbacks, which I will always explain to you and acknowledge.
And let me be clear: Things are going to continue to get worse before they get better. The death toll, experts tell us, is likely to top 500,000 by the end of next month – February – and cases will continue to mount. We didn’t get into this mess overnight, and it’s going to take months for us to turn things around. But let me be equally clear: We’re going to get through this. We will defeat this pandemic.
And to a nation waiting for action, let me be clearest on this point: Help is on the way. We can do this if we come together, if we listen to the scientists. And as I said: Tomorrow, I say to the press, the entire team will be back in the business of – my COVID team – of answering all your detailed questions.
So, thank you very much for your patience. Keep the faith. We’re going to get this done. And I always level with you about the state of affairs.
Thank you.
January 27, 2021
January 27: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology”. From the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to establish an advisory council on science, technology, and innovation, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy: As directed in the Presidential Memorandum of January 27, 2021 (Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking), it is the policy of my Administration to make evidence-based decisions guided by the best available science and data. Officials and employees across my Administration shall seek from scientists, engineers, and other experts the best available scientific and technological information and advice.
Sec. 2. Establishment. (a) There is hereby established the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
(b) The PCAST shall be composed of not more than 26 members. The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (the “Science Advisor”) shall be a member of PCAST. The Science Advisor, if also serving as the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, may designate the U.S. Chief Technology Officer as a member. The remaining member shall be distinguished individuals and representatives from sectors outside of the Federal government appointed by the President. These non-Federal members shall have diverse perspectives and expertise in science, technology, and innovation.
(c) The Science Advisor shall serve as a Co-Chair of the PCAST. The President shall also designate at least one, but not more than two, of the non-Federal members to serve as a Co-Chair, or Co-Chairs, of the PCAST with the Science Advisor. The Science Advisor may designate up to three Vice Chairs of the PCAST from among the non-Federal members of PCAST, to support the Co-Chairs in the leadership and organization of the PCAST.
Sec. 3. Functions. (a) The PCAST shall advise the President on matters involving policy affecting science, technology, and innovation, as well as on matters needed to inform public policy relating to the economy, worker empowerment, education, energy, the environment, public health and homeland security, racial equity and other topics.
(b) The PCAST shall meet regularly and shall:
(i) respond to requests from the President or the Science Advisor for information, analysis, evaluation, or advice;
(ii)solicit information and ideas from a broad range of stakeholders, including the research community; the private sector; universities; national laboratories; State, local and Tribal governments; foundations; and nonprofit organizations;
(iii) serve as the advisory committee identified in section 101(b) of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-194), as amended by (15 U.S.C. 5511 (b)), in which capacity the PCAST shall be known as the President’s Innovation and Technology Advisory Committee; and
(iv) serve as the advisory panel identified in section 4 of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (Public Law 108-153), as amended (15 U.S.C. 7503), in which capacity the PCAST shall be known as the National Advisory Panel.
(c) The PCAST shall provide advice from the non-Federal sector to the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) in response to requests from the NSTC.
Sec. 4. Administration. (a) The heads of executive departments and agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the PCAST with information concerning scientific and technological matters when requested for the purpose of carrying out the PCAST’s functions.
(b) In consultation with the Science Advisor, the PCAST is authorized to create standing subcommittees and ad hoc groups, including technical advisory groups, to assist the PCAST and provide preliminary information directly to the PCAST.
(c) In order to allow the PCAST to provide advice and analysis regarding classified maters, the Science Advisor may request that members of the PCAST, its standing subcommittees, or ad hoc groups, who do not hold a current clearance for access to classified information, receive security clearance and access determinations pursuant to Executive Order 12968 of August 2, 1994 (Access to Classified Information) as amended, or any successor order.
(d) The Department of Energy shall provide such funding and administrative technical support as the PCAST may require, to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations.
(e) Members of the PCAST shall serve without any compensation for their work on the PCAST, but may receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons intermittently in the government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).
(f) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), may apply to the PCAST, any functions of the President under that Act, except that of reporting to Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary of Energy, in accordance with the guidelines and procedures established by the Administrator of General Services.
Sec. 5. Termination. The PCAST shall terminate 2 years from the date of this order unless extended by the President.
Sec. 6. Revocation. Executive Order 13895 of October 22, 2019, (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology), is hereby revoked.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 27: Senator Charles Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “FOLLOWING THEIR PUSH TO ADVANCE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION EFFORTS, SENATORS SCHUMER & GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $466.8 MILLION IN FEMA FEDERAL FUINDS FOR NEW YORK’S COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION & ADMINISTRATION” From the Press Release:
NYS Set To Receive Critical Federal Funds to Aid Vaccine Distribution Efforts
Federal Funds Support Costs Of Vaccine Transportation, Essential Medical Supplies & Staff, PPE, Disinfection Services for Vaccine Distribution Sites & More
Senators say Funding Ensures New Yorkers Are Receiving Their COVID-19 Vaccines In A Safe & Effective Way To Keep Up Critical Fight Against The Virus
Following Senator Schumer’s call last week with Mr. Jeffrey Zeints, President Biden’s pick to be the White House coronavirus coordinator, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kristen Gillibrand today announced $466,800,000 in federal funding for New York’s vaccine distribution and administration. These federal funds are critical to the safe and effective distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and were allocated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Specifically, this funding covers the costs of supplies required for storing, handling, distributing, transporting, and administering COVID-19 vaccines.
This includes emergency medical care, containers for medical waste, and supplies necessary for proper storage of the vaccines including liquid nitrogen, dry ice and portable storage units. Additionally, the funding supports vaccine transportation such as refrigerated trucks and transport security, medical and support staff, onsite infection control measures, PPE for staff and face masks for patients, temperature scanners, physical barriers and disinfection services for vaccine distribution facilities. Finally, the funding will be used for facility costs, including leasing space for storage and administration of vaccines.
“In order to get these wonderful vaccines injected into the arms of millions of New Yorkers, we must also inject hundreds of millions of dollars into New York State and New York City’s budgets – so they can get this job done ASAP to keep people safe and to reenergize our economy,” said Senator Schumer. “New York continues to face unprecedented health and economic crises and is working to combat the virus with COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. Federal support of the state’s vaccine distribution system is critical to delivering vaccines to New Yorkers as quickly as safely as possible. This infusion of almost half-a-billion in federal funds supports the transportation of COVID-19 vaccines to distribution sites across the state and will ensure that distribution sites are safe and equipped with the proper medical supplies, medical staff, cleaning services, and more. I will continue to fight for federal funds like these so that we can effectively beat back the virus with the safe and equitable distribution of vaccines.”
“While we celebrate the authorization of life-saving COVID-19 vaccines that put us one step closer to eradicating this virus, we have to face reality – federal aid is critical to helping New York State ensure vaccinations are distributed efficiently and equitably to those who need it the most,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am proud to deliver nearly half-a-billion dollars in federal finding to do exactly that – get vaccines in the arms of New Yorkers. These federal dollars will hire New York guard against our nation’s lagging vaccine distribution by providing resources for staff, supplies, PPE, and distribution centers. Only then can we move forward and begin to recover from the current health and economic crisis.”
U.S. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand have been instrumental in securing federal funds for New York to fight the coronavirus and support its vaccine distribution efforts. In December, the senators delivered $1.3 billion through the COVID relief deal for vaccination distribution, testing, tracing and more. The senators previously announced $14 million in federal funding for COVID-19 vaccine preparedness and response to help New York’s public health agencies and nonprofits implement vaccine programs.
And most recently, Schumer and Gillibrand penned a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the department’s failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan under the former administration. Senator Schumer has also spoken with Mr. Jeffrey Zeints, President Biden’s pick to be the White House coronavirus coordinator, and communicated that New York needs three things: predictability, communication, and vaccines in order to have an effective and efficient vaccine distribution system.
January 27: The White House posted a Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking” From the Memorandum:
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
It is the policy of my Administration to make evidence-based decisions guided by the best available science and data. Scientific and technological information, data, and evidence are central to the development and iterative improvement of sound policies, and to the delivery of equitable programs, across every area of government.
Scientific findings should never be distorted or influenced by political considerations. When scientific or technological information is considered in policy decisions, it should be subjected to well-established scientific processes, including peer review where feasible and appropriate protections for privacy.
Improper political interference in the work of Federal scientists or other scientists who support the work of the Federal Government and in the communication of scientific facts undermines the welfare of the Nation, contributes to systemic inequities and injustices, and violates the trust that the public places in government to best serve its collective interests.
This memorandum reaffirms and builds on the President Memorandum of March 9, 2009 (Scientific Integrity), and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Memorandum or December 17, 2010 (Scientific Integrity).
By the authority vested in me as the President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I direct as follows:
Section 1. Role of the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The Director of the Offices of Science and Technology Policy (Director) shall ensure the highest level of integrity in all aspects of executive branch involvement with scientific and technological processes. This responsibility shall include ensuring that executive departments and agencies (agencies) establish and enforce scientific-integrity policies that ban improper political interference in the conduct of scientific research and in the collection of scientific or technological data, and that prevent the suppression or distortion of scientific or technological findings, data, information, conclusions, or technical results.
In implementing this memorandum, the Director shall, as appropriate, convene and confer with the heads of agencies and with personnel within the offices of the Executive Office of the President, including the Office of Management and Budget.
Sec. 2. Task Force on Scientific Integrity. (a) The Director shall convene an interagency task force (the “Task Force”) of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) to conduct a thorough review of the effectiveness of agency scientific-integrity policies developed since the issuance of the Presidential Memorandum of March 9, 2009.
(b) The Task Force shall complete its review within 120 days of the date of the appointment of its members, and shall take the following actions when completing its review.
(i) The Task Force shall ensure its review considers whether existing Federal scientific-integrity policies prevent improper political interference in the conduct of scientific research and the collection of scientific or technological data; prevent the suppression or distortion of scientific or technological findings, data, information, conclusions or technical results; support scientists and researchers of all genders, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds; and advance the equitable delivery of the Federal Government’s programs.
(ii) The Task Force’s review shall include an analysis of any instances in which existing scientific-integrity policies have not been followed or enforced, including whether such deviations from existing policies have resulted in improper political interference in the conduct of scientific research and the collection of scientific or technical data; led to the suppression or distortion of scientific or technological findings, data, information, conclusions, or technical results; disproportionately harmed Federal scientists and researchers from groups that are historically underrepresented in science, technology, and related fields; or impeded the equitable delivery of the Federal Government’s programs.
The scope of this review shall include the work of scientific and technological advisory committees, boards, and similar bodies. The existing policies examined by this review shall include those issued pursuant to the Presidential Memorandum of March 9, 2009, and the Director’s Memorandum of December 17, 2019; any other scientific-integrity policies published on agency websites; and commonly accepted scientific-integrity practices.
(iii) The Task Force shall identify effective practices regarding engagement of Federal scientists, as well as contractors working on scientific matters for agencies, with news media and on social media; effective policies that protect scientific independence during clearance and review, and that avoid improper political interference in research or data collection; effective approaches for handling any disagreements about scientific methods and conclusions; effective reporting practices that promote transparency in the implementation of agency scientific-integrity policies and in handling of any allegations of misconduct; effective practices for educating and informing employees and contractors of their rights and responsibilities to agency scientific-integrity policies; promising opportunities to address gaps in current scientific-integrity policies related to emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine-learning, and evolving scientific practices, such as citizen science and community-engaged research’ effective approaches to minimizing conflicts of interest in Federal Government science; and policies that support the professional development of Federal scientists in accordance with, and building on, section IV of the Director’s Memorandum of December 17, 2010.
(iv) To inform the review, the Task Force shall gather input from stakeholders and public regarding scientific-integrity practices. The Task Force shall consider obtaining such input through various means, which may include holding a virtual stakeholder summit hosted by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), issuing a public request for information, and conducting a virtual listening tour or open forums.
(v) Upon the conclusion of its review, the Director shall publish a report on the OSTP website synthesizing the Task Force’s findings. The report shall include a description of agencies’ strengths and weaknesses regarding scientific-integrity policies, as well as a description of best practices and lessons learned.
(c) Within 120 days of the publication of the Task Force’s initial 120-day review of existing scientific-integrity policies, the Task Force shall develop a framework to inform and support the regular assessment and iterative improvement of agency scientific-integrity policies and practices, to support the Director and OSTP in ensuring the agencies adhere to the principles of scientific integrity.
This framework shall include assessment criteria that OSTP and agencies can use to inform, review, and improve the design and implementation of agency scientific-integrity policies. The Director shall publish this framework on the OSTP website.
Sec. 3. Agency Scientific-Integrity Policies. (a) Heads of agencies shall ensure that all agency activities associated with scientific and technological processes are conducted in accordance with the 6 principles set forth in section 1 of the Presidential Memorandum on March 9, 2009, and the 4 foundations of scientific integrity in government set forth in part I of the Director’s Memorandum of December 17, 2010.
(b) Heads of agencies shall ensure that their agency scientific-integrity policies reflect the findings in the Task Force report produced under section (2)(b)(v) of this memorandum, and apply to all agency employees, regardless of the nature of their appointment, as well as contractors who perform scientific activities for agencies. Heads of agencies shall coordinate with the Director in the development, updating, and implementation of any agency-specific policies or procedures deemed necessary to ensure the integrity of scientific decision-making. The following time frames shall apply when completing the activities described in this subsection:
(i) The head of each agency with an existing scientific-integrity policy shall submit an updated policy to the Director within 180 days of the publication of the Task Force’s report.
(ii) The head of each agency without an existing scientific-integrity policy shall submit a draft agency scientific-integrity policy to the Director within 180 days of the publication of the Task Force’s report.
(iii) The Director shall expeditiously review scientific-integrity policies submitted by the agencies to ensure that the policies submitted by the agencies to ensure that the policies respond to the Task Force’s analysis, adhere to the policy directives in this memorandum, and uphold the highest standards of scientific practice.
(iv) The Director shall notify agencies of any deficiencies in the scientific-integrity policies and collaborate with agencies to expeditiously correct those deficiencies.
(c) In implementing this section, heads of agencies shall:
(i) Provide the Director with any information the Director deems necessary to conduct the Director’s duties under this memorandum;
(ii) Publish the agency’s scientific-integrity policy on the agency’s website, and disseminate information about the policy through the agency’s social media channels;
(iii) Develop and publish procedures, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, for implementing the agency’s scientific-integrity policy, including establishing and publishing an administrative process for reporting, investigating, and appealing allegations of deviations from the agency’s policy, and for resolving any disputes or disagreements about scientific methods and conclusions;
(iv) Review and, as needed, update within 60 days of the date of this memorandum any website content, and within 300 days of the date of this memorandum any agency reports, data, or other agency materials issued or published since January 20, 2017, that are inconsistent with the principles set forth in this memorandum and that remain in use by the agency or its stakeholders;
(v) Educate agency employees, as well as contractors who perform scientific activities for the agency, on their rights and responsibilities related to scientific integrity, including by conducting routine training on the agency’s scientific-integrity policy for all employees, and by ensuring any new employees are made aware of their responsibilities under the agency’s scientific-integrity policy shortly after they are hired; and
(vi) Publish, consistent with any requirements related to national security and privacy, as well as any other applicable law, annual report on the agency’s website that includes the number of administrative investigations and appeals involving alleged deviations from the agency’s scientific-integrity policies, as described in section (3)(c)(iii) of this memorandum, for the year covered by the report, and the number of investigations and appeals pending from years prior to the year covered by the report if any.
Sec. 4. Publication of Scientific-Integrity Policies and Ongoing Biennial Reporting. (a) The Director shall publish on the OSTP and NTSC reports on scientific integrity, and links to the scientific-integrity policies on agency websites, to ensure such information and policies can be easily accessed by the public.
(b) The Director shall publish on the OSTP website, and disseminate via social media, a biennial report on the status and implementation of this memorandum across the executive branch. This report shall include a review of the impact on scientific integrity of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices related to the Federal scientific and engineering practices related to the Federal scientific and engineering workforce and scientific Federal advisory committees.
Sec. 5. Evidence-Based Policymaking. (a) Heads of agencies shall ensure that the scientific-integrity policies of their agencies consider, supplement, and support their plans for forming evidence-based policies, including the evidence-building plans required by 5 U.S.C. 312(a) and the annual evaluation plans required by 5 U.S.C. 312(b).
(b) Within 120 days of the date of this memorandum, after consultation with the Director, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall issue guidance to improve agencies’ evidence-building plans and annual evaluation plans. Specifically, the Director of OMB shall consider whether, consistent with, and building upon, Executive Order 13707 of September 15, 2015 (Using Behavioral Science Insights to Better Serve the American People), agencies’ evidence-building plans and annual evaluation plans shall include a broad set of plans and annual evaluation plans shall include a broad set of methodological approaches for the evidence-based and iterative development and the equitable delivery of policies, programs, and agency operations.
Relevant approaches might include use of pilot projects, randomized control trials, quantitative-survey research and statistical analysis, qualitative research, ethnography, research based on data linkages in which records from two or more datasets that refer to the same entity are joined, well-established processes for community engagement and inclusion in research, and other approaches that may be informed by the social and behavioral sciences and data science.
(c) The statutory positions required to be designated by agencies by the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-435), which include the Evaluation Officer, the Chief Data Officer, and a senior statistical official, shall incorporate scientific-integrity principles consistent with this memorandum into agencies’ data governance and evaluation approaches.
Similarly, the Chief Data Officers Council shall incorporate scientific-integrity principles consistent with this memorandum into its efforts to establish government-wide best practices for the use, protection, dissemination, and generation of data, and both the Chief Data Officers Council and the Evaluation Officers Council and the Evaluation Officer Council shall identify ways in which agencies can improve upon the production of evidence for use in policymaking.
(d) Consistent with the provisions of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, heads of agencies shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, expand open and secure access to Federal data routinely collected in the course of administering Federal, State, local, Tribal, or territorial government programs or fulfilling Federal, State, local, Tribal or territorial government mandates, such as tax data, vital records, other statistical data, and Social Security Administration earnings and employment reports, to ensure governmental and non-governmental researchers can use Federal data to assess and evaluate the effectiveness and equitable delivery of policies and to suggest improvements.
In implementing this provision, heads of agencies shall:
(i) Make these data available by default in a machine-readable format and in a manner that protects privacy and confidential or classified information, and any other information protected from disclosure by law;
(ii) Publish an agency data plan that provides a consistent framework for data stewardship, use , and access. If publishing such a plan is not feasible, then the head of the agency shall publish guidelines outlining how the data were collected, metadata on data use, any limitations on data use, and ways for researchers to provide feedback on data shared;
(iii) Follow the mandates of the Information Quality Act (section 515 of Public Law 106-554) in assessing and making available to researchers information on the quality of the data being provided; and
(iv) Where possible, provide such data disaggregated by gender, race, ethnicity, age, income, and other demographic factors that support researchers in understanding the effects of policies and programs on equity and justice.
(e) The Director of OMB shall review whether guidance to agencies on implementation of the Information Quality Act needs to be updated and reissued.
(f) Heads of agencies shall review and expeditiously update any agency policies, processes, and practices issued or published since January 20, 2017, that prevent the best available science and data from informing the agency’s evidence-based and iterative development and equitable delivery of policies and programs.
Sec. 6. Agency Chief Science Officers and Scientific Integrity Officials. (a) Within 120 days of the date of this memorandum, the heads of agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, designate a senior agency employee for the role of chief science officer, science advisor, or chief scientist (“Chief Science Officer”), who shall:
(i) Serve as the principal advisor to the head of the agency on scientific issues and ensure that the agency’s research programs are scientifically and technologically well-founded and conducted with integrity; and
(ii) Oversee the implementation and iterative improvement of policies and processes affecting the integrity of research funded, conducted, or overseen by the agency, as well as policies affecting the Federal and non-Federal scientists who support the research activities of the agency, including scientific-integrity policies consistent with the provisions of this memorandum.
(b) Because science, facts, and evidence are vital to addressing policy and programmatic issues across the Federal Government, the heads of all agencies (not only those that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research) shall designate expeditiously a senior career employee as the agency’s lead scientific-integrity official (“Scientific Integrity Official”) to oversee implementation and iterative improvement of scientific-integrity policies and processes consistent with the provisions of this memorandum, including implementation of the administrative and dispute resolution processes described in section (3)(c)(iii) of this memorandum. For agencies with a Chief Science Officer, the Scientific Integrity Officer shall report to the Chief Science Officer on all matters involving scientific-integrity policies.
(c) To the extent necessary to fully implement the provisions of this memorandum, heads of agencies may designate additional scientific-integrity points of contact with different offices and components, who shall coordinate with the agency’s Scientific Integrity Official in implementing the agency’s scientific-integrity policies and processes.
(d) Heads of agencies should ensure those designated to serve in the roles described in this section, along with their respective staffs, are selected based on their scientific and technological knowledge, skills, experience, and integrity, including experience conducting and overseeing scientific research and utilizing scientific and technological information and data in agency decision-making, prioritizing experience with evidence-based, equitable, inclusive, and participatory practices and structures for the conduct of scientific research and the communication of scientific results.
(e) The Director or a designee of the Director shall regularly convene Chief Science Officers and Scientific Integrity Officials to encourage the discussion and expansion of effective scientific-integrity policies and practices among agencies.
Sec. 7. Scientific Advisor Committees. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, heads of agencies shall review their current and future needs for independent scientific and technological advice from Federal advisory committees, commissions, and boards. The review should include an evaluation of those advisory bodies established by law, and should consider both current and anticipated needs.
(b) This review shall assess which Federal scientific and technological advisory committees should be rechartered or recreated to ensure that relevant and highly qualified external experts, with proper safeguards against conflicts of interest, can contribute to critical Federal regulations and other agency actions and decision-making. The review shall also identify any agency policies, processes, or practices that may currently prevent or inhibit relevant and highly qualified external experts from serving on such committees.
(c) In conducting this review, heads of agencies shall take steps to review the membership of scientific and technological advisory committees and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, ensure that members of future nominees reflect the diversity of America in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and other characteristics; represent a variety of backgrounds, areas of expertise, and experiences; provide well-rounded and expert advice to agencies; and are selected based on their scientific and technological knowledge, skills, experience, and integrity, including prioritization of experience with evidence-based, equitable, inclusive, and participatory practices and structures for the conduct of scientific research and the communication of scientific results.
(d) Upon completion of their 90-day review, heads of agencies shall provide a summary report to the Director and the Director of OMB with recommendations on which Federal scientific and technology advisory committees should be rechartered or recreated in accordance with subsection (b) of this section; which scientific and technological advisory committees should be prioritized for membership appointments to ensure they provide well-rounded and expert advice reflecting diverse perspectives, in accordance with subsection (c) of this section; and which agency policies, processes, or practices, if any, should be updated to encourage relevant and highly qualified external experts to serve on such committees.
Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 27: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, January 27, 2021”
NOTE: This one was long, so I chose to include the portion that Press Secretary Jen Psaki led. (The climate-related portion will be posted in the Biden-Harris category).
…MS. PSAKI: …I know we have a short period of time here, but I just wanted to provide an update on a question that you all have been asking about, which is some of the outreach our teams are doing as it relates to the COVID package. That is a top priority for President Biden.
As we have talked about almost every day in here – probably every day – our team continues to build support for the American Rescue Plan as more and more voices across the country recognize the urgent need to get American families the help they need.
We’ve obviously seen a broad coalition of support emerge, from the Chamber of Commerce, to Senator Sanders and organized labor, to hundreds of mayors and local public health officials. The President and Vice President are engaged directly with members and have had a number of productive conversations. That will continue through the course of the week and will only pick up in the days ahead.
Senior White House officials are also engaging with not just congressional leaders, but also state and local officials, key constituency groups, and others to gather feedback on the proposal and move the package forward.
So let me give you a couple of examples from just yesterday:
Chief of Staff Ron Klain engaged directly throughout the day, as did Senior Advisor Anita Dunn, which they will both continue to do moving forward. Counselor to the President Steve Ricchetti and Office of Legislative Affairs Director Louisa Terrell are quarterbacking the team’s broader legislative outreach and have had dozens of conversations with individual members to understand their priorities and receive their feedback.
In addition to ongoing conversations with leadership on both sides of the aisle, already this week, members of the National Economic Council and Domestic Policy Council and staff from Treasury have met with the relevant committees, including Senate Banking Committee, Senate Finance Committee, House Ways and Means, House Financial Services, House Education and Labor, and the bicameral Small Business Committee.
NEC Director Brian Deese is doing one-on-one briefings with members of Congress and meetings with caucuses, including yesterday’s meeting, which I believe has been reported, with the Problem Solvers Caucus to discuss the proposal.
Hill engagement will continue, with Jeff Zients and Brian Deese meeting with the New Dem Coalition, along with several other briefings that are scheduled.
Also, our outreach isn’t limited to Congress, which is vitally important. This isn’t just about speaking to the country, and building support, and educating and engaging with leaders across the country.
So, yesterday, Jeff Zeints and his team spoke with bipartisan governors – as you all know, they talked about the COVID package – by the National Governors Association – organized by them. And administration officials briefed tribal leaders and a number of mayors yesterday as well. And the Office of Public Engagement, led by Cedric Richmond, briefed civil rights groups yesterday, including the NAACP, the National Action Network, Justice Action Network, Urban League, Coalition of Black Civic Participation, and Black Women’s Roundtable. Today they have meetings with labor leaders, advocates for young people, as well as organizations dedicated to building wealth in the black community.
On Friday, OP will also – the Office of Public Engagement, I should say; I hate acronyms – will convince 100 presidents of historically black colleges and universities also to discuss this proposal.
And the only other thing I wanted to mention before we get to your questions is that, as you all know, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was just confirmed. The President will be meeting with his economic team on Friday, including Secretary Yellen, for a briefing on the impact of delay and moving forward with the additional economic relief.
And now, with that, let’s get to your questions. Alex, it’s your first day in the White House Briefing Room.
Q: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: And Alex’s first day. Two Alex’s first days.
Q: It’s good to be here.
MS. PSAKI: There’s an imitation afterwards that the press corps will conduct.
Q: Hazing? I’m ready for it.
MS. PSAKI: Yes, go ahead.
Q: Yeah, I’ll make it quick because I know you have a pretty hard out in a few minutes.
MS. PSAKI: I think you all have a hard out too. But, yes.
Q: Absolutely.
I wanted to ask about one of your favorite topics: impeachment. Nearly every Republican senator last night voted to throw out the impeachment trial against President Trump. Does President Biden have a reaction to that? Does he trust Congress to hold President Trump accountable for the insurrection against the Capitol? And does he see censure against President Trump as a viable alternative to convictions, since it looks unlikely at this point?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President certainly respects the role that Congress has – senators, of course, – the Senate – as they’re overseeing the trial moving forward, in determining the pace and the path forward for holding the former President accountable. That continues to be his belief.
In all of his conversations that he’s been having with members about the recovery plan, he has – they have said that they expect from him that his focus will be on COVID relief. That’s how he will use the bully pulpit. That’s how he will speak to the American people. And they are eager to work with him on that. So that’s where his focus remains. And what steps they take to hold the former President accountable, he’ll leave it to them.
Q: Why the resistance on weighing in on the issue?
MS. PSAKI: We’ve weighed in many times. The President has been asked about the issue. We put out a statement when the House put out a vote – voted on impeachment, I should say.
But his focus is on doing – delivering on what the American people elected him to do, which is to get relief to the American people, to get the pandemic under control, to ensure working families can put food on the table. And that’s where he feels his efforts should be to remain.
Okay, go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Does the White House have a comment on this social media profile that has emerged of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene? And is there a response to whether any disciplinary action should be taken against her, given everything that’s come out?
MS. PSAKI: We don’t. And I’m not going to speak further about her, I think, in this briefing room.
Q: Okay. And –
MS. PSAKI: Oh, go ahead.
Q: One more, if you don’t mind. Just kind of – a little of a housekeeping.
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: The last administration had suggested that – on the origins of the COVID-19 virus – that it may have organized in a lab in China. It was never definitive. Do you have an update on that – on the origin or where we are on an investigation?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, obviously, the misinformation, of course, that has – we’ve seen also come out of some sources in China is of great concern to us. It’s imperative that we get to the bottom of the early days of the pandemic in China, and we’ve been supportive of an international investigation that we feel should be robust and clear.
We – our view is that we must prepare and draw on information collected and analyzed by the community, which is something that is ongoing, and to work – and also to continue to work with our allies to evaluate the report’s credibility on the investigation once it’s done.
In addition, as you all know, the Secretary of State was just – Tony Blinken was just sworn in yesterday, and one of his priorities is, of course, ensuring that our staffing on the ground in Beijing – which is something that fell back in the last administration – is returned to what was prior, which means we want to have science experts, policy experts on the ground in the roles that they should be serving in to ensure that, you know, we’re also there representing, you know, our interest from the United States, on the ground in China.
Go ahead, Peter.
Q: A couple of quick ones that I still don’t think I fully understand. I know the executive order that was signed, but has this White House invoked the DPA? And how soon until we’ll see companies compelled to produce supplies or vaccine or whatever else that impacts Americans?
MS. PSAKI: We – it was involved the day it was signed – within 24 hours of it being signed.
Q: But you said that jumpstarted the process. So I guess that meant it was invoked?
MS. PSAKI: Yes. And I confined that when it was – the next day – the following day in the briefing room, which I realize everybody can’t be here every day because of COVID.
But it was invoked, and it means that our work is ongoing with companies to ensure that we are expediting the manufacturing of materials to ensure that we can get 100 million shots in the arms of Americans. And I know there’s been some confusion about this and what exactly it is, what does the DPA mean.
There are a few examples that our team has cited, including, on vaccine supply; low dead space syringes, which means it allows for the ability to get an extra dose into the Pfizer vial, which is important to getting more doses out there; help – additional N95 – the production of additional N95 masks; isolation gowns; gloves; pipette tips; and high absorbency foam swabs. So we’re really talking about very specific materials that can be used by vaccinators to get these shots into the arms of Americans.
Q: Thanks for clarifying. There was some confusion on the earlier call, which is why I repeated it here.
Let me ask one other question. Yesterday, you deflected this to the USOC, but my question is a little bit different today. We’re now hearing from the organizers of this year’s Summer Games in Japan, and the head of Japan’s Olympics Committee is seeking public reassurances from President Biden himself – given that the U.S., of course, is the largest contingent of athletes – that the Games should be able to go on. As the world’s – as the world is dealing with the pandemic right now, based on where we are now with the vaccine, does President Biden believe the Games in Japan can safely go on?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President – and I’m not sure if this readout had gone out yet – but he had spoken with the Prime Minister of Japan earlier this morning, and a readout was going out as we were coming to the briefing. I’m not sure if they spoke about the Olympics. I’m happy to check with our national security team on that, to follow up with, but I don’t have any more assessment of the Olympics at this point in time.
Q: Whether he has – so it hasn’t been discussed whether he has a position on whether it would safely be able to go yet?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything more, the than – I haven’t had much on it, but I don’t have anything more than I’ve had on other days on it.
Q: Japan is asking, so we asked. So we’ll follow up with (inaudible).
MS. PSAKI: Understood. And they just had a call this morning, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to him specifically about it.
Go ahead, Jen.
Q: Thank you Jen.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Two vaccine questions. First of all, this came up on the COVID call earlier, but how seriously is the White House considering using the Defense Production Act to compel other pharmaceutical companies to produce the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to do supply?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I didn’t hear the entirety of the call because we were doing som preparation for the event this afternoon. But from listening to our team talk about it, there are obviously manufacturing facilities that have the capacity and the ability to get these vaccine doses out. And we don’t want to get our – get behind the pace of – and start from scratch, I should say, and ensuring that they’re ready to do that.
I don’t think our concern at this point is whether or not we’re going to have the vaccine doses. Obviously, the President announced yesterday the intention to purchase doches additional doses, the – our confidence in the manufacturers to have those doses available.
The concerns we have are one, contingency planning and all of the different things that can happen, because this is a herculean task that has never been done before, but also ensuring we have vaccinators, we have vaccine sites, et cetera, available.
So I have not heard from our team plans to seek other manufacturers at this point in time. And I’m happy to follow up with them and see if there’s anything additional.
Q: And then, on the 200 million doses, the President said he’s ordering them.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: What is the status of that order? Have Pfizer and Moderna agreed to produce 100 million doses each? And how quickly do they say they can do it?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we expect to get the doses by mid to late summer. The majority of doses by mid to late summer, some earlier than that. So we are confident that we’ll be able to get those from the manufacturers. Yes.
Go ahead, Karen.
Q: Jen, a couple of questions on schools. Does the administration plan to develop metrics or standards for what a safe reopening of schools will look like.
MS. PSAKI: We do. And our CDC director – and I’m not sure, again, if she was asked about this important question – I know as a fellow mother – but we will have specifics that we’ll defer to on the CDC on, on the safe reopening of schools. As you know, the President talked about – has talked about his commitment and his goal of reopening most K-8 schools within 100 days. There are obviously a number of steps that will need to be taken in order for that to be possible. But he has directed the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, to provide guidance on safe reopening for schools, childcare providers, and institutions of higher education.
But as our COVID team has outlines, that’s going to require testing materials, support for contract tracing, vaccinations for teachers and ensuring they’re equitably provided. But our CDC director and team will be looking into putting together some specific guidelines so there can be clarity on that front, which I know a lot of districts are looking for.
Q: And to follow on that: Those things you mentioned all cost a lot of money, and a big part of the COVID relief package is a lot of money to go to school reopening.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: If Congress doesn’t approve the money you want, and schools don’t have what they need to pay for things to open safely, would the President support teachers staying at home and support virtual learning continuing through this entire school year?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think the President recognizes, as we all do, the value of having children in schools and doing that in a safe way, which is one of the reasons he set this ambitious goal of reopening most K-8 schools within 100 days.
But one of the reasons that this – the funding for safe reopening, for getting schools the equipment, the testing, the ventilation, in some cases, that they need is because nobody wants to be having a conversation in May or June about why schools are not reopened.
So this gets back to the argument that our team has been making, and all of these calls and engagements and meeting that I outlined, about the importance and vital nature of each component of the package. So we won’t get into a hypothetical. We’re confident that Congress will move forward with a package.
Let me just go – oh, we got to wrap up soon. Okay, I’m sorry. We’ll do more questions tomorrow, but we had to such great guests.
Jen, go ahead.
Q: Thanks. I just have two quick questions. One is jut on the climate actions today. They leave out the Treasury’s Financial Stability Oversight Council, which experts say could play an influential role in addressing climate risks. Does the administration have plans to take action on climate finance? And should FSOC direct agencies and regulators to address climate change?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m going to use a reference that my friend and colleague, Ambassador Susan Rice, used yesterday, which is: There are 1,453 days left in this administration, and addressing climate and the crisis of climate is an issue that the President has conveyed to members of his Cabinet and members of his senior team as an absolute priority.
So, Secretary Yellen has been in her role for one day, but certainly I’d send you to them for any more specifics. But this is the beginning, not the end, of our work on climate.
Nadia.
Q: And just another question –
MS. PSAKI: Oh, go ahead.
Q: Is the White House concerned about the stock market activity we’re seeing around GameStop and now with some other stocks as well, including the subsidiary – or whatever – the company that was Blockbuster? And have there been any conversations with the SEC about how to proceed?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m also happy to repeat that we have the first female Treasury Secretary and a team that’s surrounding her. And, often, questions about market we’ll send to them. But our team is, of course – our economic team, including Secretary Yellen and others, are monitoring the situation. It’s a good reminder, though, that the stock market isn’t the only measure of health of our econom- – of our economy. It doesn’t reflect how working and middle-class families are doing.
As you all know from covering this, we’re in the midst of a K-shaped recovery. America’s workers are struggling to make ends meet, which is why the President has introduced this urgent package to get immediate relief families.
All right, I’m going to go Nadia, and then we’ll be totally done because everybody has to go.
Ok, go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Good to see you on a different podium. I have two questions: one about COVID and one about China.
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
Q: Regarding COVID, the President promised to increase supply to states by 10 million doses, yet statistics shows that 47 percent of Americans are hesitant to take the vaccine, despite what that the President and Vice President took it publicly. What is the administration doing to convince Americans to take it to reach herd immunity by, say, 70 percent in the fall?
MS. PSAKI: You’re absolutely right, Nadia, that this is one of the biggest challenges we face. And for anyone who tuned into the briefing that our health team led this morning, it was one of the first issues that CDC Director Dr. Walensky raised.
And one of those things we’re doing is prioritizing – providing correct information about it. And the vaccines – and one – so I’ll take the opportunity: The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are safe and effective. That’s one of the things she said today. They were tested in large clinical trials to make sure they meet safety standards. About 30 percent of U.S. participants in those trials were Hispanic, African American, Asian, or Native American; about half were older adults.
And so we want to provide clear data, as I just did, but also we want to meet people where they are, communicate directly with communities of color, people who have concerns, and use medical and health professionals to do exactly that.
Okay, you had a China question, and then you really have to go, but go ahead.
Q: And, second, many welcomed your rejoining of the WHO, yet some want to push for a transparent investigation into the relationship between China and WHO. And also, yesterday, in her hearing in the Senate, Governor Raimondo declined to blacklist Huawei technology in the U.S. Is this some kind of caving into China, or is it a nuanced way to deal with China?
MS. PSAKI: So, I think you’re – the second reference, I think, was to Huawei, right? And then-
Q: Right.
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
So let me just convey clearly our position on this. Let us be clear: Telecommunications equipment made by untrusted vendors, including Huawei, is a threat to the security of the U.S. and our allies. We’ll ensure that the American telecommunications network does not use equipment from untrusted vendors, and we’ll work allies to secure their telecommunications networks and make investments to expand the production of telecommunications equipment by trusted U.S. and allied companies.
Again, we’ll take many more questions tomorrow. Thank you all. Have a great day.
January 28, 2021
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “COVID-19 vaccination intent, perceptions, and reasons for not vaccinating among groups prioritized for early vaccination, United States, September 2020” From the information:
Summary
As of January 8, 2021, there have been more than 21 million cases and more than 300,000 deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States. High vaccination coverage against COVID-19 will be crucial in controlling and ending the pandemic. Federal; agencies partnered with public and private sectors to establish Operation Warp Speed to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, with two COVID-19 vaccines being authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for use under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in December 2020.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has issued interim recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine allocation, with initial limited supply of vaccines for healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities (phase 1a); frontline essential workers and persons aged ≥75 years (phase 1b); and persons 65-74 years, persons aged 16-64 years at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions, and other workers in essential and critical infrastructure sectors not included in phases 1a and 1b.
These groups have a high risk of being exposed to the virus and getting sick with COVID-19, have an increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness or perform work duties across critical infrastructure sectors and maintain the services and functions that U.S. residents depend on daily. Assessing intent to get vaccinated among all adults, especially among priority groups, is important for developing targeted messages and strategies to increase the public’s confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.
During September 3 to October 1, 2020, before the first COVID-19 vaccine was authorized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a internet panel survey among a representative sample of U.S. adults (n=3,541) to examine baseline perceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine and intentions to get vaccinated among groups recommended to receive initial allocations of the vaccine and the general public.
Among participants who responded that they were very likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19, 53.3% said they would get the vaccine within a week if the vaccine were available today at no cost, compared with 6.8% who were somewhat likely to get vaccinated. Among those who were somewhat likely to get vaccinated, 37.2% of respondents said they would wait longer than six months to get the vaccine, compared to 2.8% who were very likely to get vaccinated.
Among the 38.1% of participants who responded they were not likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the main reasons reported were:
Concerns about the side effects and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine (23.4%), concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine is being developed too fast (21.7%), and waiting to see if the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and indicating they may get it later (17.9%).
Prevalence of non-intent to get vaccinated varied by demographic factors:
Non-intent to get vaccinated varied by age group, sex race/ethnicity, education level, household income level, region, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA status), urbanicity, and health insurance status. Younger adults, females, non-Hispanic Black populations, those with lower education or no health insurance, and adults in households with lower income levels and in rural areas were least likely to express intent to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Non-intent to get vaccinated was lowest among adults ≥75 years compared with adults in other priority subgroups (frontline workers, other essential workers, and adults with underlying medical conditions).
Methods
From September 3 to October 1, 2020, CDC conducted a probability-based Internet panel survey (KnowledgePanel) to assess perceptions about and intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.
The panel used an address-based sampling methodology covering nearly all households in the United States, regardless of their phone or internet status. To reach a 70% cooperation rate, 5,160 out of more than 600,000 panelists in the KnowledgePanel were sent an email invitation, including a survey link, and up to seven email reminders to complete the survey were sent to non-respondents.
Beginning on September 19, 2020, an additional incentive of $5 was provided to non-responders to reach target completion rates. A total of 3,595 panelists completed the survey for a completion rate of 69.7%. After data clearing, the final sample consisted of 3,541 respondents.
Data were weighted to ensure representativeness of the U.S. population using demographic benchmarks from the 2020 Current Population Survey (for age, sex, race/ethnicity, Census region, residence in a Metropolitan Statistical Area, level of education, and household income) and the 2018 American Community Survey (for language proficiency among Hispanic respondents). All analyses were conducted in SUDAAN Callable SAS (Cary, NC) using weighted data.
The survey included questions about COVID-19 vaccination intentions, perceptions, and reasons for not receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Intent was assessed by the following question: “If a vaccine against COVID-19 were available today at no cost, how likely would you be to get it?” Response options were absolutely certain, very likely, somewhat likely, and not likely.
Intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccination was defined as reporting being “absolutely certain” or “very likely” to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (hereafter referred to as “very likely”; non-intent was defined as reporting being “not likely”. Vaccination intentions and related perceptions were stratified by mutually exclusive groups recommended for the vaccine, hereafter referred to as “priority groups”. Groups were defined as Tier 1a, 1b, or 1c, corresponding to adults in phase 1a, 1b, or 1c, respectively.
Subgroups were defined as specific groups within each Tier: healthcare personnel (Tier 1a); frontline essential workers, and persons aged ≥75 years (Tier 1b); and persons aged 65-74 years, persons aged 16-64 years at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions, and other workers in essential and critical infrastructure sectors not included in phases 1a and 1b (Tier 1c).
The survey did not collect information on long-term care residents. Analyses were conducted to provide estimates among all adults, priority groups and subgroups, and adults who were aged 18-64 years with no underlying medical conditions and were not essential workers (hereafter referred to as “adults 18-64 years”). Responses to questions on intent, perceptions, and reasons for not getting vaccinated were examined by sociodemographic characteristics and stratified by priority groups and subgroups, race/ethnicity, and urbanicity. Expected timing of vaccination was assessed among those who intend to be vaccinated.
Results
Overall, of 3,541 adults, 39.4% responded that they were very likely, 22.5% somewhat likely, and 38,1% not likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Intend to get vaccinated
Tier 1b had the highest percentage of respondents reporting they would be very likely to get vaccinated. (43.4%).
Among priority subgroups, adults ≥75 years had the highest percentage of respondents reporting they would be very likely to get vaccinated (51.8%).
Among adults who said they were very likely to get the vaccine, more than one-half of adults would get it within a week if available to them (59.3%).
Do not intend to get vaccinated
Tier 1a and 1c had higher percentages of respondents who reported they would be not likely to get vaccinated (38.2% and 38.8%, respectively) compared to persons in Tier 1b (34.3%).
Among priority subgroups, non-intent to get vaccinated was highest among non-frontline essential workers (41.5%), followed by persons with underlying medical conditions (40.1%) and frontline essential workers (38.5%), and lowest among adults ≥75 years (26.3%).
Variations in non-intent by priority groups and socioeconomic characteristics
Non-intent to get vaccinated differed by priority groups and select socioeconomic characteristics these examples demonstrate:
Non-intent was highest among adults aged 50 to 64 years (42.0%), females (42.1%), non-Hispanic Black adults (56.1%) those with a high school diploma or less (47.0%), those with lower household income levels (44.0-45.1% for incomes ≤$49,999), and those who do not have health insurance (48.7%).
The prevalence of non-intent varied within groups. For example, among different racial/ethnic groups, non-intent ranged from 32.1% among adults of non-Hispanic other races to 56.1% among non-Hispanic Black adults. Non-intent was also 47.0% among adults with a high school diploma or less compared to 23.8% among adults with more than a college degree. Furthermore, non-intent was 44.0% among adults with an annual household income of ≤$35,000 compared to 33.5% among adults with an annual household income of ≥$75,000.
Non-intent was also highest among those living in the South (41.1%), non-metro areas (46.2%), or rural areas (47.1%).
Adults who rarely or never wear a mask and those who are not likely to get the flu vaccine in the 2020-21 influenza season were also not likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine (78.4% and 67.0%, respectively).
Reasons for not intending to get vaccinated
Among all adults, the main reason for respondents reporting they were not likely to get vaccinated were concerns about the side effects and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine (23.4%), concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine is being developed too fast (21.7%), and waiting to see if the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and indicating they may get it later (17.9%).
The most commonly reported main reasons for not getting vaccinated were the same for each priority group: concerns about the side effects and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, concern that the vaccine is being developed too fast, waiting to see if the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and indicating they may get it later.
Among priority subgroups, concern that the vaccine is being developed too fast was highest among adults ≥75 years (28.4%).
Concern about the side effects and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine was highest among adults in Tier 1a (32.6%), Hispanic adults (31.5%), and adults who are non-Hispanic other race category (29.0%).
Concerned about COVID-19 illness vs. vaccine
When asked if respondents were more concerned about COVID-19 illness or side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine, more adults said they were concerned about COVID-19 illness (38.3%) than side effects from the vaccine (14.3%); however, 36.7% said they were equally concerned about both.
Trust vs. do not trust manufacturing or approval process
Approximately one quarter of adults (23.4%) did not trust the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing process; about one third (34.6%) did not trust the approval process.
The sources in which respondents reported having the highest level of trust to provide accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccine were primary care providers (73.0%), nurses (67.1%), CDC (60.8%), and pharmacists (60.0%).
The sources with the lowest level of trust among all adults were news sources (17.3%), religious leaders (15.9%) and social media (4.1%).
Limitations
These findings are subject to at least four limitations. First, this survey was fielded in September 2020, prior to the release of information about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy based on clinical trials, and intentions to get vaccinated likely have changed since then.
Second, although panel recruitment methodology and data weighting were designed to produce nationally representative results, the cooperation rate was 70% and respondents may not be fully representative of the general U.S. adult population.
Third, high-risk medical condition and essential worker status were self-reported, so there may be potential for misclassification.
Fourth, some estimates may not be reliable because relative standard error was >30% or sample size <30, which were suppressed in the tables.
Discussion
In this survey, conducted in September 2020, almost 40% of the population said they did not intend to get a COVID-19 vaccination, citing concerns about safety, side effects, and the speed of the vaccine development process. While adults aged ≥75 years expressed the highest likelihood of getting vaccinated, healthcare personnel, frontline workers, and other essential workers, and persons with underlying medical conditions reported being less likely to get vaccinated than adults ≥75 years. Better understanding and addressing the safety concerns of these groups is critical for controlling COVID-19 through vaccination programs.
Since this survey was conducted, COVID-19 cases have risen in all 50 states, causing significant morbidity and mortality as well as a burden on the healthcare system that treats severely ill patients.
Recent polls suggest that non-intent to get vaccinated in December, with only 15% of adults reporting that they would not get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available. While non-intent has declined among adults, its impact on vaccination coverage, particularly among high risk groups, is unclear.
With the initial allocation of vaccines to priority groups, it is important to develop strategies to address concerns among these groups in order to increase acceptance and vaccination uptake. High vaccine uptake to achieve herd immunity is an important part of preventing the spread of COVID-19. Continuing to promote vaccine acceptance and uptake is critical in this effort.
Conclusion
The results of this survey can inform strategies to educate healthcare personnel, essential workers, and the public about the vaccine development process, the safety protocols in place, and the known effectiveness and safety of the vaccines. Healthcare providers were identified in this survey as the most trusted source of information about vaccines. Providers can use CDC-recommended strategies to talk to patients about vaccine safety and address concerns.
Getting vaccinated is more important than ever to reduce morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19, preserve limited healthcare resources, reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic groups, and protect the public’s health.
As the vaccines continue to be rolled out, having high vaccination coverage across all populations, in addition to a multipronged approach to mitigation of COVID-19, may prevent the spread of COVID-19 and contribute to the end of the pandemic.
January 28: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a Press Release titled: “Pelosi Statement on President Biden Executive Actions Strengthening Health Care” From the Press Release:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the Executive Actions announced by President Biden today to strengthen Americans’ access to quality, affordable health care:
“The coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis have demonstrated with heartbreaking clarity that access to health care is a matter of life-or-death. President Biden’s Executive Actions are a lifeline for millions of American families and a clear sign that our nation now has the leadership in the White House to turn these crises around.
“These Executive Actions represent a 180-degree reversal from the assault on heath care waged by Donald Trump and Republicans in the courts and Congress in the middle of the pandemic. In stark contrast, President Biden is restoring and expanding access to health care in a way that promotes equity and justice for working families, those who have lost jobs, seniors, women in need of reproductive health care at home and abroad, and more. In particular, opening a special enrollment period will enable potentially millions of Americans who have lost their health insurance through no fault of their own to access care.
“The Democratic Congress applauds these lifesaving actions, and we will continue our work to protect and improve affordable, quality health care – during this pandemic, and in the months and years to come.”
January 28: The White House posted an Executive Order titled: “Executive Order on Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act” from the Executive Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. In the 10 years since its enactment, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has reduced the number of uninsured Americans by more than 20 million, extended critical consumer protections to more than 100 million people, and strengthened and improved the Nation’s healthcare system. At the same time, millions of people who are potentially eligible for coverage under the ACA or other laws remain uninsured, and obtaining insurance benefits is more difficult than necessary. For these reasons, it is the policy of my Administration to protect and strengthen Medicaid and the ACA and to make high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every American.
Sec. 2. Special Enrollment Period. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered a historic public health and economic crisis. In January of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency. In March of 2020, the President declared a national emergency. Although almost a year has passed, the emergency continues – over 5 million Americans have contracted the disease in January 2021, and thousand are dying every week.
Over 30 million Americans remain uninsured, preventing many from obtaining necessary health services and treatment. Black, Latino, and Native American persons are more likely to be uninsured, and communities of color have been especially hard hit by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn.
In light of the exceptional circumstances caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consider establishing a Special Enrollment Period for uninsured and under-insured Americans to seek coverage through the Federal Facilitated Marketplace, pursuant to existing authorities, including sections 18031 and 18041 of title 42, United States Code, and section 155.420(d)(9) of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, and consistent with applicable law.
Sec. 3. Immediate Review of Agency Actions. (a) The Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the heads of all other executive departments and agencies with authorities and responsibilities related to Medicaid and the ACA (collectively, heads of agencies) shall, as soon as practicable, review all existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, and any other similar agency actions (collectively, agency actions) to determine whether such agency actions are inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order. As part of this review, the heads of agencies shall examine the following:
(i) policies or practices that may undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions, including complications related to COVID-19, under the ACA;
(ii) demonstrations and waivers, as well as demonstration and waiver policies, that may reduce coverage under or otherwise undermine Medicaid or the ACA;
(iii) policies and practices that may undermine the Health Insurance Marketplace or the individual; small group, or large group markets for health insurance in the Untied States;
(iv) policies or practices that may present unnecessary barriers to individuals and families attempting to access Medicaid or ACA coverage, including for mid-year enrollment; and
(v) policies or practices that may reduce the affordability of coverage or financial assistance for coverage including for dependents.
(b) Heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consider whether to suspend, revise, or rescind – and, as applicable, publish for notice and comment proposed rules suspending, revising or rescinding – those agency actions identified as inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.
(c) Heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable and as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, consider whether to take any additional agency actions to more fully enforce the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.
Sec. 4. Revocation of Certain Presidential Actions and Review of Associated Agency Actions. (a) Executive Order 13765 of January 20, 2017 (Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal), and Executive order 13813 of October 12, 2017 (Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States), are revoked.
(b) As part of the review required under section 3 of this order, heads of agencies shall identify existing agencies actions related to or arising from Executive Orders 13765 and 13813. Heads of agencies shall, as soon as practicable, consider whether to suspend, revise, or rescind — and, as applicable, publish for notice and comment proposed rules suspending, revising, or rescinding – any such agency actions, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the policy set forth in section 1 of this order.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
January 28: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)posted a Release titled: “HHS Amends PREP Act Declaration to Increase Workforce Authorized to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines” From the Release:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today issued a fifth amendment to the Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to add additional categories of qualified persons authorized to prescribe, dispense, and administer COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“To response to the nationwide public health emergency caused by COVID-19, the Biden Administration is broadening use of the PREP Act to expand the vaccination workforce quickly with additional qualified healthcare professionals,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran. “As vaccines supply is made more widely available over the coming months, having additional vaccinators at the ready will help providers and state health departments meet the demand for vaccine and protect their communities more quickly.”
Among other things, the amendment:
Authorizes any healthcare provider who is licensed or certified in a state to prescribe, dispense, and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any other state or U.S. territory.
Authorizes any physician registered nurse, or practical nurse whose license or certification expired within the past five years to prescribe, dispense and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any state or U.S. territory so long as the license or certification was active and in good standing prior to the date it went inactive.
Requires any healthcare professional described above to complete Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccine Training and, for healthcare providers who are not currently practicing or whose license or certification is expired, requires an on-site observation period by a currently practicing healthcare professional
Under the PREP Act and the Declaration, a qualified person is covered person. Subject to certain limitations, a covered person is immune from suit and liability under federal and state law with respect to all claims for loss resulting from the administration or use of a covered countermeasure if a declaration under the PREP Act has been issued with respect to such countermeasure.
Further Background
Why is HHS expanding the size of COVID-19 vaccinators across state lines?
Working with state and territorial health departments, the Acting Secretary identified an urgent need to expand the pool of COVID-19 vaccinators to help increase access to COVID-19 vaccinations. This wil help states and U.S. territorials meet the demand for vaccines and protect their communities as quickly as possible.
Where can I find a list of healthcare providers in my state who are authorized to administer a COVID-19 vaccine?
Contact your state health department for a list of providers authorized under state law to prescribe, dispense, or administer COVID-19 vaccine. If the state does not maintain a list, each state licensing and certification agency (state licensing board) would have this information. The intent of this PREP Act amendment is to expand the available providers beyond this licensed in each state.
Does this action preempt state and local restrictions on which providers are authorized to administer a COVID-19 vaccine?
If a person is authorized under the Declaration to administer covered countermeasures, including a COVID-19 vaccine, any state law that prohibits or effectively prohibits such a person from doing so is preempted.
How will this Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) payments for the administration of COVID-19 vaccine across states lines?
Information from the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services on the implications of this Amendment for Medicaid and CHIP payments will be forthcoming.
What happens if a person is injured by someone who is made immune under the Declaration?
As is typically the case under the PREP Act, persons with serious physical injury or death arising from the administration or use of a covered countermeasure may be eligible for compensation from the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program. This is fund managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Moreover, the PREP Act and Declaration do not provide immunity to persons who engage in willful misconduct.
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Release titled: “South Carolina detects first US cases associated with variant first detected in South Africa” From the Release:
CDC is aware that the first US documented cases of the B 1.351 variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was first detected in South Africa, have been identified in South Carolina.
CDC is early in its efforts to understand this variant and will continue to provide updates as we learn more. At this time, we have no evidence that infections by this variant cause more severe disease. Like the UK and Brazilian variants, preliminary data suggests this variant may spread more easily and quickly than other variants.
CDC will continue communicating with international, state, and local partners to monitor the presence and impact of variants in the United States and around the world. Monitoring variants is why CDC has expanded National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance (NS3). We continue working with national reference laboratories, state health departments and researchers from around the country to gather sequence data and increase the use of genomic sequencing data in response to this pandemic.
CDC recommends that people avoid travel at this time. However, for those who must travel, additional measures have been put in place to increase safety; especially as COVID-19 variants have spread around the world. As of January 26, all air passengers flying in the United States must provide a negative test result or documentation of recovery to the airline before they board a flight to the US. This is one aspect of the comprehensive, science-driven response to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through travel and in the United States.
CDC’s recommendations for slowing the spread – wearing masks, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, avoiding crowds, ventilating indoor spaces, and washing hands often – will also prevent the spread of this variant.
January 28: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted a Release titled: “HHS Announces Marketplace Special Enrollment Period for COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” From the Release:
In accordance with the Executive Order issued today by President Biden, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for individuals and families for Marketplace coverage in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which has left millions of Americans facing uncertainty and exceptional circumstances while millions of American have experienced new health problems during the pandemic.
This SEP will allow individuals and families in states with Marketplaces served by the HealthCare.gov platform to enroll 2021 health insurance coverages. Beginning February 15, 2021 and through May 15, 2021, these Marketplaces will operationalize functionality to make this SEP available to all Marketplace-eligible consumers who are submitting a new application or updating an existing application. State-based Marketplaces (SBMs) operating their own platform have the opportunity to take similar action within their states.
“The Department is committed that we will deploy every resource during the Public Health Emergency. This Special Enrollment Period will ensure that more individuals and families have access to quality, affordable health coverage during this unprecedented time,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran.
The SEP will be offered to consumers applying for new coverage or updating an existing application through HealthCare.gov, the Marketplace call center, or through direct enrollment channels. Coverage is prospective, with coverage beginning the first day of the month following the date of plan selection.
To promote the SEP and ensure that a broad and diverse range of consumers are aware of this option, CMS will utilize a variety of tools including a paid advertising campaign and direct outreach to consumers, in cooperation with community and stakeholder organizations in English, Spanish, and other languages. Some consumers may already be eligible for other existing SEPs, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – they can visit HealthCare.gov now to find out if they can enroll in the meantime. Starting February 15, consumers seeking to take advantage of the new SEP can find out if they are eligible by listing HealthCare.gov. Consumers can find local help at Localhelp.healthcare.gov or by calling the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325.
January 28: The White House posted Remarks titled: “Remarks by President Biden at Signing of Executive Orders Strengthening Americans’ Access to Quality, Affordable Healthcare” From the Remarks:
THE PRESIDENT: Since we are socially distanced, I think I can take my mask off to make this very brief announcement. I know that you’ve been briefed by the healthcare team about what this is about. And there is an easy and quick way for us to describe this.
It’s been a busy week, and I’ve signed executive orders tackling COVID-19, the economic and climate crisis, as well as advancing racial equity.
But today, I’m about to sign two executive orders that are – basically, the best way to describe them to undo the damage that Trump has done. There’s nothing new that we’re doing here, other than restoring the Affordable Care Act and restoring the Medicaid to the way it was before Trump became President, which by fiat he changed – made more inaccessible, more expensive, and more difficult for people to qualify for either of those two items: The Affordable Care Act or Medicaid.
And the second – the second order I’m going to be signing also changes what the President has done – the President – the President – what the former President has done. And it – a memorandum reversed the – my predecessor’s attack on women’s health – (coughs) – excuse me – health access. And as we continue to battle COVID-19, it’s even more critical that Americans have meaningful access to healthcare.
And so that’s what I’m about to do. And again, I’m not initiating any new law, any new aspect of the law. This is going back to what the situation was prior to the President’s executive orders.
And the first one I’m going to be signing here is to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. And of all times that we need to reinstate access to, affordability of, and the extent of access to Medicaid is now, in the middle of this COVID crisis.
(The executive order is signed.)
And the second order I’m signing relates to protecting women’s health at home and abroad, and it reinstates the changes that were made to Title 10 and other things, making it harder for women to have access to affordable healthcare as it relates to their reproductive rights.
(The executive order is signed.)
I’m sorry you had to stand in the cold before you all came in. Thank you all very much.
Q: Mr. President, is healthcare working as is, or when are you going to put out healthcare legislation?
THE PRESIDENT: We got a lot to do. And the first thing I got to do is get this COVID package passed.
Q: Do you think that COVID relief has to require you to break it up in chunks, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: No one requires me to do anything.
Thank you.
January 28: The White House posted a FACT SHEET titled: “FACT SHEET: President Biden to Sign Executive Orders Strengthening Americans’ Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care” From the FACT SHEET:
The Biden-Harris Administration will open a Special Enrollment Period for Americans to sign up for health coverage and roll back attacks on the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and access to reproductive health care.
After four years of attempts to strip health care from millions of Americans, President Biden will sign two executive actions that will begin to restore and strengthen American’s access to quality, affordable health care. The Biden-Harris administration will re-open enrollment to the Health Insurance Marketplace, take additions steps to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and protect women’s health. These actions demonstrate a strong commitment by the Biden-Harris Administration to protect and build on the Affordable Care Act, meet the health care needs created by the pandemic, reduce health care costs, protect access to reproductive health care, and make our health care system easier to navigate and more equitable.
For President Biden, this is personal. He believes that every American has a right to the peace of mind the comes with knowing they have access to affordable, quality health care. Because of the Affordable Care Act, over 100 million people no longer have to worry that an insurance company will deny coverage or charge higher premiums just because they have a pre-existing condition. Roughly 20 million additional Americans obtained the security that comes with health insurance, and young people transitioning from school to a job can stay covered by their parents’ plan until age 26.
As we continue to battle COVID-19, it is even more critical that Americans have meaningful access to affordable care. The actions the President is taking today complement the commitment he made in the American Rescue Plan to make health insurance coverage more affordable for millions of Americans. Reliable and affordable access to health insurance doesn’t just benefit families’ health; it is a critical source of economic security and peace of mind for all.
Today’s actions include:
Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
This Executive Order takes critical steps to reverse attacks on and strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, so they can continue to provide access to life-saving care for millions of Americans. Based on this Executive Order, it is expected that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will open HealthCare.gov for a “Special Enrollment Period,” from February 15, 2021 – May 15, 2021. This Special Enrollment Period will give Americans that need health care coverage during the global pandemic the opportunity to sign up.
The President will also direct federal agencies to reconsider rules and other policies that limit American’s access to health care, and consider actions that will protect and strengthen that access:
Agencies are directed to re-examine:
Policies that undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions, including complications related to COVID-19;
Demonstrations and waivers under Medicaid and the ACA that may reduce coverage or undermine the programs, including work requirements;
Policies that undermine the Health Insurance Marketplace or other markets for health insurance;
Policies that make it more difficult to enroll in Medicaid and the ACA; and
Policies that reduce affordability of coverage or financial assistance, including for dependents.
As part of their reviews, agencies will consider whether to take additional actions to strengthen and protect access to health care.
Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad. Across the country and around the world, people – particularly women, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and those with low incomes – have been denied access to reproductive health care.
President Biden is also issuing a Presidential Memorandum to protect and expand access to comprehensive reproductive health care. The memorandum reflects the policy of the Biden-Harris Administration to support women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States, as well as globally.
Like memoranda issued by President Clinton and President Obama before him, it immediately rescinds the global gag rule, also referred to as the Mexico City Policy, which bars international non-profits that provide abortion counseling or referrals from receiving U.S. funding.
In recognition of the additional work necessary to protect access to reproductive health care, President Biden’s memorandum also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to take immediate action to consider whether to rescind regulations under its Title X family planning program.
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Allergic Reactions Including Anaphylaxis After Receipt of the First Dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine – United States, December 21, 2020 – January 10, 2021” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rarely after vaccination.
What is added to this report?
During December 21, 2020 – January 10, 2021, monitoring by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System detected 10 cases of anaphylaxis after administration of a reported 4,041,396 first does of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (2.5 cases per million doses administered.) In nine cases, onset occurred within 15 minutes of vaccination. No anaphylaxis-related deaths were reported.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Locations administering COVID-19 vaccines should adhere to CDC guidance, including screening recipients for contraindications and precautions, having necessary supplies and staff members available to manage anaphylaxis, implementing recommended postvaccination observation periods, and immediately treating suspected anaphylaxis with intramuscular epinephrine injection.
As of January 20, 2021, a total of 24,135,690 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 400,306 associated deaths had been reported in the United States. On December 18, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine administered as 2 doses, 1 month apart to prevent COVID-19.
On December 19, 2020, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued an interim recommendation for use of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. As of January 10, 2021, a reported 4,041,396 first doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the United States, and reports of 1,266 (0.03%) adverse events after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine were submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
Among these, 108 case reports were identified for further review as possible cases of severe allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs rarely after vaccination, with onset typically within minutes to hours. Among these case reports, 10 cases were determined to be anaphylaxis (a rate of 2.5 anaphylaxis cases per million Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses administered), including nine in persons with a documented history of allergies or allergic reactions, five of whom had a previous history of anaphylaxis.
The median interval from vaccine receipt to symptom onset was 7.5 minutes (range = 1-45 minutes). Among eight persons with follow-up information available all had recovered or been discharged home.
Among the remaining case reports that were determined not to be anaphylaxis, 47 were assessed to be nonanaphylaxis allergic reactions, and 47 were considered nonallergic adverse events. For four case reports, investigators have been unable to obtain sufficient information to assess the likelihood of anaphylaxis.
This report summarizes the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of case reports of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and non anaphylaxis allergic reactions, after receipt of the first dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during December 21, 2020-January 10, 2021, in the United States. CDC has issues updated interim clinical considerations for use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the United States and interim considerations for preparing for the potential management of anaphylaxis.
Using methods previously described, CDC and FDA identified reports of suspected anaphylaxis in VAERS, the national passive surveillance (i.e., spontaneous reporting) system for monitoring adverse events after immunization. CDC physicians screened VAERS reports describing suspected severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis and applied Brighton Collaboration case definition for anaphylaxis.
After initial screening, reports with sufficient evidence to suggest anaphylaxis were followed up by collecting information from medical providers, and, in some cases, vaccine recipients. Physician reviewers classified all initially identified case reports as anaphylaxis or not anaphylaxis and used clinical judgement to further categorize reports that were considered not anaphylaxis as non anaphylaxis allergic reaction cases with symptom onset occurring later than the day after vaccination (e.g., outside the 0-1 day risk window) were also excluded because of the difficulty in clearly attributing allergic reactions with onset later than this to vaccination.
During December 21, 2020 – January 10, 2021, the administration of 4,041,396 first doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (2,465,411 to females , 1,450,996 males , and 125,019 to persons whose sex was not recorded ) was reported to CDC. During the same period, reports of 1,266 (0.03%) adverse events after receipt of the first dose of Moderna COVID-10 vaccine had been submitted to VAERS.
Among these, 108 case reports were identified for symptoms; 10 of these reports, all describing events in females, met the Brighton Collaboration case definition criteria for anaphylaxis, corresponding to an initial estimated rate of 2.5 anaphylaxis cases per million first Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses administered.
The median age of persons with anaphylaxis was 47 years (range = 31-63 years). The median interval from vaccine receipt to symptom onset was 7.5 minutes (range = 1-45 minutes); nine patients had onset within 15 minutes, and one had onset after 30 minutes. In all 10 reports, patients received epinephrine as part of initial emergency treatment; the route of administration was confirmed in the VAERS report.
Six patients were hospitalized (including five in intensive care, four of whom required endotracheal intubation), and four were treated in an emergency department; eight patients with follow-up information available are known to have been discharged home or had recovered at the time of report to VAERS. No deaths from anaphylaxis were reported after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Nine out of 10 anaphylaxis case reports included a patient history of allergies or allergic reactions, including to drugs (six), contrast media (two), and foods (one); five patients had experienced an episode of anaphylaxis in the past, none of which was associated with receipt of a vaccine. No geographical clustering of anaphylaxis cases was observed, and the cases occurred after receipt of doses from multiple vaccine lots. At the time of this publication, despite follow-up efforts, investigator have been unable to obtain sufficient information to assess the likelihood of anaphylaxis in four of the initial 108 suspected cases reported.
Among the 43 cases of nonanaphylaxis allergic reaction after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccination with symptom onset within the 0-1 day risk window, 26 (60%) were classified as nonserious. Commonly reported symptoms included pruritus, rash, itchy sensations in the mouth and throat, sensations of throat closure, and respiratory symptoms.
The media patient age was 43 years (range = 22-96 years), and 39 (91%) of the reported reactions occurred in women. The median interval from vaccine receipt to symptom onset was 15 minutes (range = <1 minute-24 hours); in 30 (73%) cases, onset occurred within 30 minutes, in 11 cases, onset occurred after 30 minutes, and for two cases, time of onset was missing. For 26 (60%) case reports, a past history of allergic reactions, mostly to food and drugs, was documented.
Discussion
Early safety monitoring of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine detected 10 cases of anaphylaxis after reported administration of 4,041,396 first doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (2.5 cases per million Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses administered) as well as cases of less severe nonanaphylaxis allergic reactions, based on U.S. data for December 21, 2020 – January 10, 2021.
Anaphylaxis is potentially life-threatening and requires immediate treatment. Based on this early monitoring, anaphylaxis after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine appears to be a rare event; however, limited data of anaphylaxis risk with that associated with non-COVID-19 vaccines are constrained at this time by the limited data available this early in the COVID-19 vaccination program.
A previous analysis of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, also an mRNA vaccine, estimated an initial rate of 11.1 cases per million doses administered after receipt of the first dose of the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. CDC and FDA will continue to enhanced monitoring for anaphylaxis among recipients COVID-19 vaccines and will review case reports to VARES.
In nine of 10 cases of anaphylaxis after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, patients had symptoms onset within 30 minutes of vaccination, and nine anaphylaxis patients also had a history of allergic reactions, including some with previous anaphylaxis events; up to 30% of persons in the general population may have some type of allergy or history of allergic reactions.
All 10 anaphylaxis cases reported after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine occurred in women. Whereas a previous review of anaphylaxis reports to VAERS found that 80% of cases reported in adults involved females, the current finding could be affected by the observation that more woman than men had received a first dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during the analytic period (61% of doses administered versus 36%, respectively).
In a previous analysis of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, two thirds of first doses were administered in women. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics of anaphylaxis case reports after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are similar to those reported after of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
The clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of anaphylaxis case reports after receipt of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are similar to those reported after receipt of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-10 vaccine. For both vaccines, symptom onset after vaccination occurred quickly, usually within minutes. A strong female predominance of anaphylaxis case reports exists for both vaccines. Finally, many persons experiencing anaphylaxis after receiving either vaccine had a history of allergies or allergic reactions, with several having experienced an anaphylaxis episode in the past. Similar patient characteristics in case reports of nonanaphylaxis allergic reactions were observed among two vaccines.
The findings in this report are subject to at least two limitations. First, analyses of passive surveillance data include reporting biases, both underreporting because of lack of awareness or compliance with reporting requirements and reporting guidance, as well as stimulated reporting related to increased awareness from media or other public information sources.
Second, incomplete information in reports and potential data lags because of processing times might result in an undercount of cases, and lags in reporting for vaccine doses administered might underestimate denominator data. However, reporting efficiency to VAERS for clinically severe adverse condition such as anaphylaxis occurs relatively quietly, and VAERS is likely sensitive at capturing anaphylaxis cases occurring after COVID-19 vaccination.
Mortality from COVID-19 in populations at increased risk for severe illness is substantial, and treatment options are limited. Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 with highly effective vaccines represents a critical tool in efforts to control the pandemic and save lives.
CDC and FDA will continue to monitor for adverse events, including anaphylaxis, after administration of COVID-19 vaccines and will regularly assess the benefits and risks of vaccination in the context of the evolving epidemiology of the pandemic. Continued monitoring in VAERS and additional monitoring in population-based surveillance systems, such as the CDC’s Vaccine Safety Datalink will help to further characterize the risk for anaphylaxis after administration of COVID-19 vaccines.
CDC guidance on use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and management of anaphylaxis is available. Persons with an immediate allergic reaction to the first does of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should not receive additional doses of either of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
In addition to screening for contraindications and precautions before administering COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine locations should have the necessary supplies and trained staff members available to manage anaphylaxis, implement postvaccination observation periods, immediately treat persons experiencing anaphylaxis signs and symptoms with intramuscular injection of epinephrine, and transport patients to facilities where they can receive advanced medical care.
In addition all patients should be instructed to seek immediate medical care if they develop signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction after their observation period ends and they have left the vaccination location. Health care providers can play an important role in vaccine safety monitoring by vigilant in recognizing and reporting adverse events after immunization to VAERS.
January 28: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer posted a Press Release titled: “SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND DELIVER OVER $36.5 MILLION FOR UPSTATE NY AIRPORTS DEVASTATED BY PANDEMIC AS PART OF LAST MONTH’S COVID RELIEF PACKAGE” From the Press Release:
Schumer and Gillibrand Have Fought Tirelessly To Keep Airports Open and Operating Amid COVID Blow; Airports Serve Important Functions In Many Upstate New York Communities, Especially For Rural Regions
Senators Say Relief Funding Will Help Keep Airports Afloat Through Second Wave
Schumer, Gillibrand: COVID Package Will Help Airports Take-Off As Pandemic Battle Continues
After days of doggedly negotiating on behalf of Upstate New York, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand revealed that last month’s bipartisan COVID relief package includes $36,559,697 for specific airports across Upstate New York. The senator said that as the crisis extends beyond what was initially estimated, impacting the air travel industry for months on end, the federal funding allocated for airports in the COVID package will help airports stay afloat through the second wave.
“Air travel is vital to the connectivity and success of the Upstate economy, which is why, as New York battles a second wave of the pandemic, I fought tooth and nail in negotiations to get airports the funding they need to keep services running,” said Senator Schumer. “Airports serve important functions in many communities, especially in the more rural areas, connecting people to the rest of the world and allowing for economic opportunities to land. In the new congress, I will continue to fight for federal funding to keep our airports open and operational and to make sure Upstate New York has the help it needs to revive and thrive.”
“As New Yorkers continue battling the COVID-19 crisis, we cannot leave airports behind,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Airports, travel, and tourism will be a critical part of our economic recovery and these federal dollars will help airports across Upstate New York continue providing high-quality and safe transit when travel takes off.”
Jason Terreri Executive Director of Syracuse Hancock International Airport said, “The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority deeply appreciates the continued efforts of Senator Schumer and his team to secure nearly $4.8 million dollars in grant funds for Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) through the most recent recovery package. These funds are critical to maintaining the safety and efficiency of the airport during this unprecedented time. It will allow the airport to continue operating seamlessly and ensure that SYR Airport is in the best position possible to recover from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“This finding is integral to airports everywhere, especially BGM. This funding will allow BGM to keep running a safe and secure airport for our community. It is a step towards recovery and restoring confidence in air travel. We are grateful for the efforts of Senator Schumer in looking out for our Airport,” said Mark Heefner Commissioner of Aviation Greater Binghamton Airport.
Adam Bello, Monroe County NY County Executive said, “Like so many airports throughout the country, the Greater Rochester International Airport has experienced a decrease in air travel throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The $4.7 million in federal aid secured by Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand will help our airport continue to adapt and improve our health and safety measures as we slowly emerge from the pandemic, we have taken numerous steps to ensure the public health and safety of travelers and passengers, including those efforts and provide the best experience for residents and visitors of Monroe County.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the airline industry and airports across the country. We thank Senator Schumer and Senator Gilibrand for fighting to secure over $2.3 million for New York Stewart International Airport in the latest federal COVID relief package and look forward to working with them in the future as we all look to recover from this pandemic and bolster the regional economy,” said Rick Cotton, Executive Director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
“The Westchester County Airport has felt the brunt of devastating financial impacts of this pandemic since Covid-19 was first confirmed in our community. The airport is a major economic driver for our region and this federal funding will go a long way in serving our hard working airport employees while also providing a boost to residents and businesses who rely on its operation for their bottom lines. We thank Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for securing over $4 million for Westchester County Airport in the latest federal COVID relief package,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
“We are so grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, who fought hard for this funding, it will be a lifeline for our aviation operations,” said Kim Minkel, NFTA Executive Director. “With our passenger traffic down approximately 85 percent due to COVID coupled by the U.S. and Canadian border closure, this money will ensure that we can continue to provide aviation services to those traveling to and from Western New York and that our airports will be well positioned to play a critical role in the communities post-pandemic economic recovery.”
Funding will be allocated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Department of Transportation (DOT)…
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Implementation and Evolution of Mitigation Measures, Testing, and Contact Tracing in the National Football League, August 9-November 21, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
COVID-19 contact tracing is important to prevent transmission, but risk characterization is difficult.
What is added by this report?
The National Football League observed SARS-CoV-2 transmission after <15 minutes of cumulative interaction, leading to a revised definition of a high-risk contact that evaluated mask use and ventilation in addition to duration and proximity of interaction. Intensive mitigation protocols effectively reduced close interactions.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Assessment of the context of each interaction, including mask use, indoor versus outdoor setting, and ventilation, in addition to duration and proximity, can improve identification of high-risk contacts during contact tracing. Postexposure quarantine based on redefined high-risk criteria, combined with testing and environment-specific intensive protocols, can protect communities before and after case identification.
The National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) began the 2020 football season in July, implementing extensive mitigation and surveillance measures in facilities and during travel and gameplay. Mitigation protocols were evaluated and modified based on data from routine transcription-polymerase chain reaction devices; and detailed interviews.
Midseason, transmission was observed in persons who had cumulative interactions of <15 minutes’ duration, leading to a revised definition of high-risk contacts that required consideration of mask use, setting and room ventilation in addition to proximity and duration of interaction.
The NFL also developed an intensive protocol that imposed stricter infection prevention precautions when a case was identified at an NFL club. The intensive protocol effectively prevented the occurrence of high-risk interactions, with no high risk contacts identified for 71% of traced cases at clubs under the intensive protocol. The incorporation of the nature and location of the interaction, including mask use, indoor versus outdoor setting, and ventilation, in addition to proximity and duration, likely improved identification of exposed persons at higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Quarantine of these persons, along with testing and intensive protocols, can reduce spread of infection.
The NFL consists of 32 member clubs based in 24 states. The NFL-NFLPA implemented a standard COVID-19 mitigation protocol in July that included mandatory masking; physical distancing; frequent handwashing; facility disinfection; restricted facility access; and regular, frequent testing of players and staff members.
Contact tracing was performed by trained staff members and supported by KINEXON wearable proximity devices that were required to be worn by players and personnel when in club environments. Device recordings captured consecutive and cumulative minutes/seconds of interactions among persons within 1.8 meters (6 feet) of one another.
When testing identified a new COVID-19 case, trained staff members conducted interviews to identify contacts including and beyond device-identified persons (e.g. non club activities, social interactions, and times when the device was not worn.) RT-PCR tests, with results available in 24 hours, were initially conducted 6 days per week for players and most staff members.
Analysis were preformed to actively evaluate the efficacy of the NFL-NFLPA protocols in limiting high-risk interactions and preventing COVID-19, including comprehensive review of RT-PCR results, device-recorded interactions, and contact tracing interviews. This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law, CDC, and NFL-NFLPA policy.
Over the course of the monitoring period (August 9 – November 21), 623,000 RT-PCR tests were performed among approximately 11,400 players and staff members; 329 (approximately 2.9%) laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were identified.
After intake screening, in August and early September, fewer than 10 COVID-19 cases were identified per week for the following 7 weeks during which time the standard protocol was in effect, which emphasized physical distancing, masking, limited numbers of persons in specific areas, and other important behavioral and facility-related parameters.
However, during September 27 – October 10, a total of 41 cases were identified among players and staff members, 21 of which were believed to have resulted from within-club transmission at a single club, requiring closure of that club’s facilities. Subsequent contact tracing identified multiple instances of transmission that likely occurred during <15 minutes of cumulative interaction within 1.8 meters (6 feet).
Among the 21 persons with suspected within-club transmission , 12 had no device-recorded interactions of ≥15 consecutive minutes with a person confirmed with COVID-19, including eight who had no interactions >5 consecutive minutes and seven who had no interactions >15 cumulative minutes per day (with no other known exposures to a person with COVID-19).
Interviews revealed that, among the brief interactions that did occur, some were doing unmasked meetings in small rooms or while eating. Persons who contracted COVID-19 within this single-club transmission group received negative test results for several days after exposure (i.e., after club activities ceased) before receiving a positive result.
After this cluster of cases, several league-wide changes were implemented. The first involved the clubs moving on to an intensive protocol for 7 days when a positive test was received; the intensive protocol mandated further restrictions for the entire club to mitigate spread. The intensive protocol was implemented for any club if any players or staff members with facility access contracted COVID-19, or if the team played a game against an opposing player who received a next-day positive result from his game-day test.
During October 1-November 21, among the 32 clubs, 23 spent 431 days under intensive protocol. During this time, the median number of within-facility interactions of ≥15 consecutive minutes at <1.8 meters (<6 feet) per club per day decreased by 60%, from 60 to 24, and interactions of ≥2 consecutive minutes decreased by 28%, from 1,691 to 1,222.
The second change involved increasing testing frequency from 6 to 7 days per week. A third league-wide change was expansion of contact tracing and transmission risk assessment focusing on high-risk contact identification, which comprised of our main components.
These were, in addition to consideration of duration of exposure and specific distance between persons, assessment of face mask use (e.g., medical mask versus cloth face covering, proper mask use for both infected person and contact, and any mask removal to eat or drink) and setting ventilation (e.g., outdoor, indoor large volume, indoor small volume, and during transportation).
Expanded contact tracing covered all club-related contacts of persons with confirmed COVID-19 within the preceding 48 hours, including those outside the facility, with interviews regarding the full context of exposure and medical expert evaluation of the risk level for each interaction. Designation of a high-risk contact generally required concern by medical experts about the interaction involving two or more components; mask use and outdoor settings were considered protective.
For example, short car rides with partial mask use were considered high-risk, whereas prolonged interaction (>15 minutes) in well-ventilated settings (e.g., outdoors) with proper mask use were not. Contact tracing interviews and adjudication of high-risk contact status were typically completed within 18 hours of a positive test result.
All contacts of COVID-19 patients, regardless of duration of interaction, were instructed to remain out of club facilities until high-risk status determination was complete. Persons could also be designated high-risk contacts if a household member received a positive test result; self-reporting of cases among household members was required.
The mandatory minimum quarantine for high-risk contacts was 5 days post exposure, shorter than recommended in CDC guidance; this was deemed acceptable because of daily RT-PCR testing with <24-hour turnaround was available. Upon release from quarantine, high-risk contacts continued daily testing and symptom monitoring, enabling rapid identification and isolation of persons who received positive test results after quarantine.
During October 15 – November 21, a total of 189 NFL players and staff members were identified as high-risk contacts of 215 persons with confirmed COVID-19 and were subsequently quarantined. Among these, 20 (11%) persons from 12 clubs received positive test results (mean and median interval from exposure to positive RT-PCR sample collection = 5 days ).
Seven of these 20 contacts received positive test results after release from 5-day quarantine; however, they continued to test daily and adhere to strict mitigation measures, and no within-club secondary transmission was identified among these persons. Among those exposed outside of the home, all reported partial or no mask use, and the majority of exposures were external to the NFL environment (e.g., sharing a vehicle and eating at a restaurant). Among 107 traced cases among clubs already in the intensive protocol at the time of positive test result, 76 persons (71%) had no high-risk contacts identified.
Discussion
Real-time evaluation of surveillance data and response to suspected COVID-19 transmission events within NFL clubs led to important changes in NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols. Compulsory 7-day intensive protocol implementation for clubs with any exposure COVID-19, mandatory 5-day quarantine of high-risk contacts, and daily RT-PCR testing effectively reduced exposure and facilitated earlier case identification. Daily testing allowed early, albeit not immediate, identification of infection, necessitating quarantine after exposure; high frequency testing also facilitated real-time program evaluation.
To date, the ability to define a close contact has been limited. An investigation from a Vermont corrections facility confirmed that cumulative brief interactions exceeding 15 minutes in total could lead to transmission.
However, among 21 NFL cases for which contact tracing indicating likely within-club transmission, seven infected persons has no interactions exceeding 15 cumulative minutes per day within 1.8 meters (6 feet) of a person with COVID-19, as confirmed by wearable proximity devices. This finding led to a revised high-risk contact definition that include ascertainment of mask use and setting, in addition to duration of exposure and proximity.
An intensive protocol designed for this environment and deployed to facilities with known exposure was an effective mitigation measure. Some NFL clubs chose to retain intensive protocol restrictions beyond mandatory periods; implementation and completion of an intensive protocol can serve an important motivator and reminder of the need for diligence.
The quarantine of exposed persons and ability of the full employee population to move into a more restrictive protocol during periods of increased risk is an intervention that could be extended to settings such as long-term care facilities, schools, and high-density environments.
The intensive protocol was likely critical in preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 because seven of 20 quarantined high-risk contacts did not receive a positive test result until completing their 5-day quarantine. In scenarios without daily testing, duration of both quarantine and intensive protocol implementation might require extension.
Intensive protocol restrictions can be tailored to each environment to include, at minimum, more extensive masking and outdoor venue use and further restrictions in access, room volume, in-person meetings, and mealtime interactions.
The increase in cases identified in NFL clubs in October and November mirrored the increased incidence in the United States during that time. These infections were primarily related to community exposures, based on contact tracing interviews and exemplified by the high proportion of persons who contracted COVID-19 after household exposure.
Although the intensive protocol and high-risk contact designations were primarily intended to prevent work-related exposure, employees were regularly educated about risks from household and community exposure. Implementation of the intensive protocol decreased within-facility exposures despite increasing community transmission of COVID-19 across the country during this time.
The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, wearable device metrics rely on adherence; individual-level compliance is unknown. Second, determination of high-risk contact status is interview-based and subject to recall and reporting bias; household exposures are based on self-report. Finally, source and date of transmission cannot be confirmed.
COVID-19 mitigation measures must be continually optimized based on available data. In the NFL, COVID-19 transmission was identified in persons with <15 minutes of consecutive or cumulative interaction and was reduced through implementation of an intensive protocol focused on environmental change, increased personal protection, avoidance of high-risk interactions such as vehicle sharing, eating in the same room or common areas, and expansion of the components of contact tracing to incorporate high-risk contact designations.
Although the protocols implemented by the NFL were resource-intensive, strategies such as accounting for specific protocols implemented by the NFL were resource-intensive, strategies such as accounting for specific characteristics of the close contact, in addition to time and duration, and creation of an intensive protocol are applicable to other settings, including essential workplaces, long-term care facilities, and schools.
January 29, 2021
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “COVID-19 Cases and Transmission in 17 K-12 Schools – Wood County, Wisconsin, August 31 – November 29, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
COVID-19 outbreaks related to kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) classroom setting have been rarely reported; however, in-school transmission risk has not been well described.
What is added by this report?
Among 17 rural Wisconsin schools, reported student mask-wearing was high, and the COVID-19 incidence among students and staff members was lower than in the county overall (3,453 versus 5,466 per 100,000). Among 191 cases identified in students and staff members, only seven (3.7%) cases, all among students, were linked to in-school spread.
What are the implications for public health practice?
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted in-person learning in the United States, with approximately one half of all students receiving online-only instructor since March 2020. Discontinuation of in-person schooling can result in many hardships and disproportionately affects families of lower socioeconomic status. Current evidence suggests that transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools might not significantly contribute to COVID-19 spread nationwide.
During August 31-November 29, 2020, COVID-19 cases, spread, compliance with mask use were investigated among 4,876 students and 654 staff members who participated in in-person learning in 17 K-12 schools in rural Wisconsin.
School-attributable COVID-19 case rates were compared with rates in the surrounding community. School administration and public health officials provided information on COVID-19 cases within schools.
During the study period, widespread community transmission was observed, with 7%-40% of COVID-19 tests having positive results. Masking was required for all students and staff members at all schools, and rate of reported student mask-wearing was high (>92%). COVID-19 case rates among students and staff members were lower (191 cases among 5,530 persons, or 3,453 cases per cases per 100,000) than were those in the county overall (5,466 per 100,000).
Among the 191 cases identified in students and staff members, one in 20 cases among students was linked to in-school transmission; no infections among staff members were found to have been acquired at school. These findings suggest that, with proper mitigation strategies, K-12 schools might be capable of opening for in-person learning with minimal in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
Among 18 selected schools in Wood County, Wisconsin, 17 agreed to participate in this study of COVID-19 in schools and compliance of mask use. One school opted not to participate based on teacher preference. Surveillance was initiated by a small group of physician and medical student researchers.
Participating schools were from three public school districts, one private school district, and one independent private school. Eight schools with elementary (grades K-6) with 1,539 students attending in-person, and nine were secondary (grades 7-12) with 3,347 students attending in-person. An estimated 12.4% of Wood County’s children were attending virtually.
A number of infection mitigation measures were employed at the schools. The Legacy Foundation of Central Wisconsin provided funding for the districts to purchase 2-3-layer cloth face coverings for all students, and all students received three to five masks as a result of this grant. Students were asked to wear masks when within 6 feet of another person outdoors and at all times indoors.
A classroom cohort included students from one grade level who avoided mixing with other students and ranged in size from 11 to 20 students. All classes and lunch periods were held indoors. Schools generally attempted to seat students near the same person within their cohort, if possible.
Staff member were instructed to wear masks, maintain a distance of 6 feet from all persons, if possible. Staff members were instructed to wear masks, maintain a distance of 6 feet from all persons, if possible, and limit time in shared indoor spaces. If a student was excluded from in-person school because of COVID-19 symptoms, that student’s siblings were also excluded from in-person school. No systematic COVID-19 screening was conducted in the schools or the community.
A free online survey using Google Forms was distributed to all eligible classroom teachers (305) by the school administration or the research team. Information regarding the total number of students expected to attend school in-person, number of students actually attending in-person, and number of students donning or wearing masks when expected to do so was obtained from these surveys. Teachers were instructed to complete the survey once per week during a single class and were instructed to complete the survey based on what they were observing at that time on survey day. Information on masking compliance among staff members was not collected.
Information was obtained from the Wood County public health COVID-19 dashboard on weekly cases and percentage of COVID-19 test results in the community. A COVID-19 case was defined as a positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) rest result. COVID-19 cases in schools were reported by public health or school administration officials using deidentified data.
When a school was alerted to a positive case in a student or staff member, school officials identified persons who had had close contact with the patient through interviews with the patient, parents, and school staff members. Close contact was defined as being within 6 feet for longer than 15 cumulative minutes during a 24-hour period. Patients’ close contacts were required to quarantine in their homes, and if they experienced symptoms during the quarantine period, they were further investigated to determine whether in-school spread might have occurred.
Descriptive statistics were used to calculate school and district average masking compliance as well as percentage of students absent based on the weekly surveys. The protocol was reviewed by the Aspirus Wausau Hospital Institutional Review Board and determined to be exempt from human subjects review because it met the requirements under 45 CFR 46. 104 (d)(2) and underwent a limited review as required under 46.111 (a)(7).
A total of 4,876 students and 654 staff members contributed data to the study. Wood County in central Wisconsin has a population of approximately 73,000, with just under 100 persons per square mile. According to a 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, 92.0% of the population in Wood County identified as non-Hispanic White, median income was $54,913, and 10.7% of persons met poverty thresholds.
During the 13-week study period (August 31-November 29), a total of 3,393 COVID cases were reported in Wood County (cumulative incidence = 5,466 per 100,000 persons), including 191 cases within the participating schools (cumulative incidence = 3,454 per 100,000), including 191 cases within the participating schools (cumulative incidence – 3,454 per 100,000). Cases occurred in 133 students and 58 staff members.
Among these 191 cases, seven (3.7%) were attributed to in-school SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and all occurred within secondary school cohorts. Three of these seven cases occurred in one class in one elementary school, and the other four occurred at separate schools. No in-school transmission between separate classroom cohorts was reported. Weekly COVID-19 incidence ranged from 34 – 1,189 per 100,000 persons in the community, and from 72 to 699 cases per 100,000 among students and staff members in the schools. COVID-19 incidence unschools conducting in-person instruction was 37% lower than that in the surrounding community. During the study period, 7% – 40% of RT-PCR tests from Wood County had positive results.
A total of 2,846 teacher survey responses were collected weekly (response rate = 54%), including 37,575 weekly student masking observations. Observed student masking compliance ranged from 92.1% to 97.4% and did not vary by student age. During the study period, masking noncompliance increased slightly from 2.6% to 7.9%
Discussion
This study, involving students and staff members in 17 K-12 schools in five rural Wisconsin districts under district and statewide mask mandates, found high teacher-reported student masking compliance. Among 5,530 students and staff members, 191 COVID-19 cases were reported. Only seven (3.7%) of these cases were associated with in-school transmission, all in students. Despite widespread community transmission, COVID-19 incidence in schools conducting in-person instruction was 37% lower than that in the surrounding community.
Children might be more likely to be asymptomatic carries of COVID-19 than are adults. In the present study, the absence of identified child-to-staff member transition during the 13-week study period suggests in-school spread was uncommon.
This apparent lack of transmission is consistent with recent research, which found an asymptomatic attack rate of only 0.7% within households and a lower rate of transmission from children than from adults. However, this study was unable to rule out asymptomatic transmission within the school setting because surveillance testing was not conducted.
Student masking compliance was reported to exceed 92% throughout the course of the study. Older children were reported to be equally compliant with masking as younger children. High levels of compliance, small cohort sizes (maximum of 20 students), and limited contact between cohorts likely helped mitigate in-school SARS-CoV-2 transmission and could be responsible for the low levels of transmission detected in schools.
Investigation of 191 school-related COVID-19 cases in students and staff members suggested that most transmission occurred outside of required school activities. This finding is consistent with recently reported data suggesting limited transmission within schools.
Some school districts throughout the country have set thresholds for reopening based on percentage of positive test results in the community (e.g., Virginia: 10%, California: 8%). The percentage of positive COVID-19 test results ranged from 7% to 40% in the community, and confirmed COVID-19 cases within schools were few.
These findings suggest that attending school where recommended mitigation strategies are implements might not place children in a higher risk environment than exists in the community. Having children in a monitored school setting might increase adherence to mask compliance, and cohosting can help minimize exposures for children and adults. In-person schooling for children has numerous health and societal benefits, especially for children and parents of lower socioeconomic status.
The findings in this report are subject to at least seven limitations. First, mask use was assessed using a survey that was not validated, dependent on voluntary teacher response and subject to recall and social desirability biases. The actual mask-wearing rate might have been different because only approximately one half of teachers participated in the study. Teachers with lower masking compliance in their cohort might have been less likely to complete the survey, which limits the reliability of this measure.
Second, lack of data about masking compliance among staff members might also lead to a reported masking compliance that differed from actual masking compliance among persons in the study.
Third, it was not possible to determine the specific roles that mask-wearing and other disease mitigation strategies played in the low rate of disease spread, and information on school ventilation systems was not obtained.
Fourth, because schools did not perform infection screening of staff members and students, the prevalence of asymptomatic spread could not be determined. However, recent serological survey data from a school setting found asymptomatic spread to be minimal.
Fifth, sources of infection among identified cases were detected through contact tracing, which is less accurate than is genomic sequencing.
Sixth, rural schools might differ in important ways from those in more densely populated areas. For example, the capacity to achieve physical distancing in schools might differ if classroom size and outdoor space in rural schools is different from that in suburban or urban schools. However, all the classes and lunch periods in this study were held indoors, as would be consistent with most urban settings.
Finally, the ethnic makeup of this rural population was predominantly non-Hispanic White, and the results of this study might not be generalizable to other rural or nonrural school populations.
In a setting of widespread community SARS-CoV-2 transmission, few instances of in-school transmission were identified among students and staff members, with limited spread among children within their cohorts and no documented transmission to or from staff members.
Only seven of 191 cases (3.7%) were linked to in-school transmission, and all seven were among children. Mask-wearing among students was reported by teachers as high, which likely contributed to low levels of observed disease transmission in these 17 K-12 schools. Although asymptomatic transmission is possible, this study demonstrated that, with precautions in place, in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2 appeared to be uncommon in this rural Wisconsin community, despite a 40% positive SARS-CoV-2 test rate in the surrounding community.
January 29: The White House posted a Press Briefing titled: “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 29, 2021” From the Press Briefing:
MS. PSAKI: Early morning briefing. We’ll see how this goes; you guys can give feedback on the time of day.
Okay, I have several announcements for your today. To begin, I know many of you and the American people are interested in the news coming from Johnson & Johnson’s trial data. The President is encouraged by positive data on a new potential vaccine. He also knows that this is just new data, and now is the time for the FDA to do its job of evaluating the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. In the meantime, he continues to urge all Americans to mask up and follow public health guidelines until it’s their turn to get vaccinated.
Now, I know there may be a lot of questions you have of us about the trial data or Johnson & Johnson. I’m here to tell you that I’m not going to get ahead of the experts, who you will all get to hear from in the next our in our public health briefing from the COVID-response team. They will discuss this more with you and what everything means then.
At Wednesday’s briefing, I also shared some of the engagement and outreach the White House is doing to move forward the American Rescue Plan, from the President and the Vice President on down. That work has continued and accelerated.
Yesterday, senior staff spoke again to governors about the challenges they are facing and the importance of relief. Today, National Economic Council Deputy Director David Kamin will meet with the Council of State Governments. The Office of Public Engagement will also brief black civic groups, anti-hunger and nutrition advocates, and key progressive groups and invite their feedback. These conversations are, of course, building support and moving the President’s bill forward.
According – but we also saw evidence this week that the American people overwhelmingly want their elected leaders to work with the President to confront this pandemic and put people back to work. According to a Monmouth poll released Wednesday, 71 percent of the American people want Republicans in Congress to work with President Biden. That number is up 10 points from right after the election, meaning the trend of support for working in a bipartisan manner with the President is only growing.
Finally, the President is committed to getting relief to working families. Hence, he is also meeting this morning with his economic – members of his economic team with Vice – the Vice President and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen for a briefing on the cost of inaction and the impact of a delay in moving forward with a relief package. Millions of Americans don’t have enough food to eat, and millions more have lost their jobs, but interest rates are at historic lows, and that means it’s the the right time to make smart investments.
Moody’s – a Wall Street firm – has said that we could end up with 4 million fewer jobs this year if we don’t act on the President’s plan. That’s 4 million Americans who would – who could get back to work. And I’m sure they will discuss all of that at their briefing later this morning.
Last thing: We are venturing to provide a “Week Ahead” to all of you – or return to providing a “Week Ahead” to all of you. So, a quick preview:
Next Monday, the President will meet with the Secretary of State at the State Department.
On Tuesday, the President will deliver remarks and sign an executive order advancing his priority to modernize our immigration system.
And Friday is, of course, Jobs Day, and the President will deliver remarks about the economy.
We’ll have hopefully more of the next couple of days, but we wanted to provide as many details as we could.
With that, Zeke, why don’t you kick us off?
Q: Thank you, Jen. One foreign policy, just to get going: With violence surging in Afghanistan, is the President still committed to wind down operations there and bringing troops home this year?
MS. PSAKI: The President – I have not spoken with our national security team about this in particular, but his commitment remains.
Q: And then, at the top, you mentioned that Americans should follow public health guidance. One of the challenges is it has been, over the course of the last 10 months – is that public health guidance, from state to state, varies. Some states have mask mandates, others have indoor dining open, and others have schools open; other don’t. Should – what guidance should the American people follow: their governor’s guidance or should they follow the President’s?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, what we’re venturing to do is to provide more concrete guidance from the federal government, from the CDC, from health and medical experts on the important steps all of the American people can take to keep themselves safe. That includes the importance of mask wearing, of course, and how vital that is to keeping us safe.
It also includes the importance of hand washing, of restricting travel. These are all guidelines that have come in recent days and weeks, I should say, from the President of the United States and from our medical and health experts.
But in addition, as we discussed yesterday, there are guidelines, including the safe – for the safe reopening of schools that he signed an executive order on, directing both the Department of Education and HHS – and the CDC, I should say, – I’m sorry – to produce those guidelines to give more specific advice and markers to states and local school districts on what they should follow.
So it will ultimately be up to the states, to governors, to local school districts, and others to make determinations. But we do want to provide more clear guidance from the federal government, based on the expertise of health and medical experts, on what people should follow and what will help keep the American people safe.
Q: I just want a quick follow-up on that one. The CDC study that was discussed here a couple of days ago – one of its recommendations, as part of reopening schools immediately, was to close indoor dining, restaurants, and bars. Is that a part of the federal guidance that we should be expecting to see from the CDC and the Department of Education soon?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the good news is that you get to hear from our Director of the CDC – I believe, in about 45 minutes – and ask our medical and health experts, and you can certainly ask them if there’s going to be any updated guidance.
Go ahead.
Q: Dr. Fauci says the U.S. may not be able to meet that goal of reopening most K-8 schools in 100 days because of the trajectory of the pandemic. Given that, is the President going to adjust his goal of trying to get all these schools reopened in 100 days?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as we talked about a little bit yesterday, the President wants to not only reopen schools, he wants the schools to stay open. And – but he does rely on the guidance of his health and medical experts, and obviously he’s not going to do anything that is not safe and doesn’t keep teachers, students, and our school districts safe.
But a key part of this is the guidelines, as we mentioned the executive order he signed to ensure that school districts are getting the information they need and clarity they need on what steps they should take to keep their students safe and teachers safe, of course.
But it is also funding, and we’ve talked about this quite a bit in here. And the American Rescue Plan is pivotal for a number or reasons, including ensuring that Americans have food on the table; including that we can get shots into the arms of people across the country; but also that school districts, especially public schools, have the funding they need to take steps on everything from ventilation to PPE, to testing. And the longer that’s delayed, the harder it’s going to be to meet that goal.
Q: Got it. And has President Biden spoken to former President Trump since taking office? And if so, can you give us any update on what President Trump said in his letter to President Biden?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any update. I don’t have any calls to report on. There are no calls to report on, I should say, and I don’t have any update on the letter. As I sad when we talked about this a week and a half ago – it seems longer than that, I’m going to acknowledge – the President of course thought the letter was gracious and generous, but he plans to keep it private.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, I understand you don’t want to get too much into the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, given the data that’s out there, but this likely won’t be the only vaccine that is less effective than the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines. And so I wonder: What is the President’s message to those Americans who would be less – who would be more reluctant to get one of those less effective vaccines? And are you concerned about the impact that that would have, given how many doses have already been bought on the frontend?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, when the President announced his plan, earlier this week, to ensure we had enough vaccination – vaccines to give every American two shots by the end of summer with the purchase of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, he was doing that without the need for additional vaccines approved. Obviously, if additional vaccines – Johnson & Johnson or any others – go through the FDA approval process, that’s a positive step. Right? No doubt about that.
But he purchased these – the large orders for vaccines that we’ll have by the end of summer – to get into the arms of Americans to ensure that we would be able to do that even without any of those steps, moving forward.
Q: And so he would encourage Americans to get any vaccine that is approved by the FDA for emergency use authorization?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again – we’re not going to get ahead of the FDA – I’m not suggesting you’re asking that – but we’ll rely on our health and medical experts to advise if there are additional vaccines – “if and when,” I’ll be optimistic – that they are approved by the FDA and how that will impact our vaccination – vaccine distribution plan.
Q: And secondly, on the coronavirus relief bill, in his first month in office, President Obama traveled to a number of key states to drum up support for the Recovery Act. Does President Biden have and plans to do something similar to drum up support for his $1.8 trillion coronavirus relief bill?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Vice President Biden – then-Vice President Biden also traveled to a number of states to drum up support for the American Recover Act at the time – and obviously we weren’t dealing with a pandemic, so the circumstances were quite different. But he fully recognizes, as do we, the importance of speaking directly to the American people about the components of this package, whether it’s the importance of funding to get schools open or get vaccines in the arms of Americans, or just ensure that people know they can put food on the table.
And so we’re having to take a number of creative steps to do that. Whether that’s direct television or local media or from the President, the Vice President, and others, we’re doing that; whether it’s engaging with governors and local elected officials to ensure that we’re answering all the questions they have and that they can convey to the public. So we’re taking a number of creative steps, a little outside of the box. Certainly, his preference would be to get on a plane and fly around the country, but that’s not the step we’re planning currently.
Q: But as a candidate, President Biden did travel a fair amount, especially in the final weeks of the campaign. He’s now received both doses of the vaccine, and a number of safety precautions are in place and could be in place for his travel. So why wouldn’t you be traveling? Or is that something you –
MS. PSAKI: Well, it’s also about keeping the public safe. And, you know, we’re not going to do an event – a rally with 20,000 people; that wouldn’t be a recommendation made by our health and medical experts.
Q: Right, but there wouldn’t be any plans to travel without a crowd and to go out into the country for this bill?
MS. PSAKI: We may travel, certainly, but I have nothing to preview for you at this point in time. What I’m conveying is that it is vital for the President and the Vice President and every member of our team to be speaking directly to the American people. And so we’re looking for creative ways to do that.
Q: And could I ask you a foreign –
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
Q: – policy question? After Alexei Nalalny was poisoned last summer, then-candidate Biden said there was “no doubt” that the Kremlin was reponsible for his poisoning and he vowed to, quote “hold the Putin regime accountable.” This week you told us the President conveyed his concerns to President Putin, but he hasn’t yet taken any action to hold Russia accountable.
So I wonder, does President Biden hold President Putin directly responsible for the poisoning of Alexei Navalny? And if so, why hasn’t he yet taken sanctions action to punish Russia for it actions?
MS. PSAKI: Well first, the President spoke with President Putin this week, as you know, and he did not hold back his concerns about a number of the actions of the Kremlin and of the Russian government.
But there is a review underway that we have spoken about a bit in here by our national security team, and we’ll let that review carry forward. That includes the SolarWinds breach, it includes the poisoning of Alexei Nalavny, it includes the – I’m kind of losing my train of thought here – but it includes a number of steps – a number of concerning actions they’ve taken. We want that review to carry forward and to be completed. And the President always reserves the right to respond in the manner of his choosing and at the time of his choosing.
Q: Does he hold President Putin responsible for the attempted assassination of Alexei Navalny?
MS. PSAKI: We’re going to let the review carry forward, and then I’m sure we’ll have more to say about it at that point in time.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. The New York Attorney General released a report yesterday saying that the state had undercounted the number of COVID deaths by as much as 50 percent in nursing homes. Would President Biden support a federal investigation into what happened in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s role?
MS. PSAKI: I’ve seen those reports. I would say, any investigation, I would point into the Department of Justice. They’re –
Q: But does the White House think that it should be looked into further?
MS. PSAKI: Again, any investigation would be led by the Department of Justice. We’re in a new age; they’re independent, and they will determine what paths they take moving forward.
Q: Okay. On immigration, I know you said yesterday that it was never 100 percent that today was going to be an immigration day, that it was just a – an early draft and things change, but can you help us understand what exactly changed and why it’s taking a little bit longer for these executive orders and actions on immigration to execute?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. You know, one, it’s, of course, been widely reported that the President is planning to announce his task force – or now plans to announce his launch of a task force on reunifying families and children, something that is – he’s personally committed to, his wife, Dr. Biden, is personally committed to and invested in. And he will plan to do – to make that announcement next Tuesday.
The task force will be led by Secretary of Homeland Security, once he’s confirmed, Ale Mayorkas. And we had planned to sign that executive order today, or at the end of this week, I should say. Early plans sometimes do change, and that was a draft plan, which those changed many times, I can assure you from sitting through may scheduling meetings.
But we had planned to do it this week because we hoped Ale Mayor’s would be confirmed by the end of this week. But because of the filibuster of his nomination, we expect him to be confirmed on Monday evening, and therefore the President will sign it on Tuesday, and then Secretary Mayorkas will be overseeing that moving forward.
Q: Okay, and one more question – a foreign one. Can you give us just a little bit more of a timeline in terms of how much longer you think it will take for the White House to engage with Iran on its nuclear program? Because you had one of Iran’s top diplomats saying yesterday that it belives the window is closing.
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m not going to give a timeline on it. Obviously it requires Iran complying with the requirements of – of the nuclear deal. We’ve said previously, but I will reiterate here, that the President also sees it as an opportunity to build on the plan from here – there. And I apologize, I just want to make sure I give you the exact language. He believes that through follow-on diplomacy, the U.S. should seek to lengthen and strengthen these nuclear constraints and address other issues of concern, including Iran’s ballistic missiles program and its regional activity.
But, again, Iran must resume compliance with a significant – with the significant nuclear constraints under the deal.
Now, he’s also talked about – and, thematically, we’ve talked about – how working with our partners, and allies, including the Europeans, members of the P5+1, is pivotal to any engagement moving forward, of course including on what the future of the Iran nuclear deal is.
Q: Okay. Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Just a follow-up on Iran. Would the President consider meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rounani, and, maybe, following President Obama’s example for a starter, have a telephone conversation with him?
MS. PSAKI: I think we’re getting a little bit ahead of where we are in the process. Again, the firs step here is to Iran – is for Iran to comply with the significant nuclear constructions under the deal, but I am certain we will continue to discuss this issue in here and at the State Department and other parts of government.
Go ahead.
Q: In the wake of –
MS. PSAKI: Steve Holland!
Q: Oh, hi.
MS. PSAKI: I couldn’t – didn’t even recognize you with your mask for a second.
Q: Just to follow up on Jeremy’s question –
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
Q: – did President Biden specifically call on President Putin to release Alexei Navalny?
MS. PSAKI: Yes, as we have – as we have publicly, as our team has repeatedly called for, through the course of the last several weeks. In terms of the specifics of the conversation, I don’t have any more details for you on that.
Q: Okay, so we don’t know what Putin said, or did he make any promises?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything to read out on President Putin’s comments, no.
Q: And in the wake of the GameStop trading incident, is there a public role the White House can play in educating people about the dangers of this type of trading?
MS. PSAKI: Well, Steve, I know the SEC issued a new statement earlier this morning, or just before I came out here, and I’d certainly point you to that, and others to that. And we, of course, respect the role of regulatory agencies. They are closely monitoring the situation, but it’s under their purview at this point in time. And I guess part of our education can be conveying to people that the SEC is the regulatory body that would oversee this and can speak to it further.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Two on Capitol security. So the acting chief of police up there on Capitol Hill has recommended permanent fencing around the Capitol. I was wondering if the Biden White House or President Biden himself has any thoughts on this, if permanent fencing is the right answer or does it project the wrong picture to the American Public.
MS. PSAKI: I’m nor sure we’re going to have any comment on that specifically, but I’m happy to talk to our national security – homeland security team if we have anything further to add.
Q: Sure. And a quick follow-up. Speaker Pelosi said, I believe it was yesterday, that she feels that threats are coming from inside the House with other members being allowed to carry guns. Of course, you have conspiracy theorists among the ranks of the GOP now. Do you, and does the White House, agree with that assessment that there is security threats coming from inside the House? Has Biden spoken to Pelosi? And is he worried about the safety – the physical safety of both members of Congress.
MS. PSAKI: Well, he speaks with Speaker Pelosi on a regular basis and certainly has reiterated her – his support for her and members of the caucus. And he has spoken publicly about his concerns about the rhetoric, of course, around the events of January 6th, but some of the rhetoric that has continues and the role of social media platforms.
So, he is in close touch with her about events on the Capitol, about the safety of members, but I don’t think that I have anything more for you to read out beyond that.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you, Jen. Two quick foreign and one domestic, if that’s okay. Can you confirm officially that Robert Malley has been appointed Special Envoy for Iran? Is that –
MS. PSAKI: I can. I believe it was announced this morning. Yes? Or I guess I can confirm it here for you.
Q: That would be great. And then the – as you know, settlements have been a major obstacle to getting the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. Would President Biden consider it – does he believes settlements are – should be halted in the West Bank so that the Palestinians will come back?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any new comments from President Biden on this or the current circumstance. He’s obviously spoken to this particular issue in the past and conveyed that he doesn’t believe security assistance should be tied. But I don’t have anything mroe for you on the path forward toward a two-state solution.
Q: And just following up on the Capitol Hill fence: You know there a fence outside here, a temporary one, around the White House. It’s been up since last summer. President Trump took a lot of criticism for it. Would President Biden consider bringing that fence down so people can take photos in front of the White House again?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we’d all like that, including members of my family and people in Washington. But I will talk to our security team and see if there’s any further – anything further to convey to all of you.
Go ahead.
Q: As you guys are thinking about the task force to reunite the parents and the separated children, what are you sort of learning about the scope of that challenge? It’s something that groups have tried to do in the past and failed. How many people do you think would need to be tasked to that to make it actually effective?
MS. PSAKI: Those are excellent questions, and I expect that when we announce – when the President signs the executive order next week; when we put the task force together; when Ali Mayorkas is confirmed as the Secretary of Homeland Security – maybe we’ll have him come to this briefing room, or I’m officially inviting him here today to come to this briefing room.
But, you know, there’s no question that we recognize this is going to be incredibly challenging, that there will be a lot of work to be done, that is why this will be a priority. It’s not only a priority for Secretary Mayorkas. But I will leave it to him and to others at the Department of Homeland Security to outline and preview for you the path forward.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. I know that President Biden and the First Lady are acutely aware of the sacrifices that military families make. That being said, we had an incident in the – with the garage with the National Guard that was kind of embarrassing. And now I’m hearing from spouses of Guards member that they had a COVID outbreak and were not tested or vaccinated before they arrived in D.C. And I’m wondering if there’s any concern by the President about how these Guardsmen are being treated; whether he can do anything specifically to safeguard their health before they arrived, while they’re still here. Can he get vaccinating – vaccinations to – and testing to governors, specifically for the purpose of providing some health safeguards to these soldiers?
MS. PSAKI: Well, as your noted at the beginning of your question but I would just reiterate, the role of the National Guard – and I’ve spoken to the President about this directly – and the incredible sacrifices they make is something that is personal to him, given his family connection to the National Guard. He had called the head of the National Guard just last week when the reports cam out about the treatment of the National Guard and the fact that they had been – many had ben sleeping in garages and, of course, conveyed his dismay of the photos he had seen and their treatment, and also offered his personal – personally, any help that he could provide, whether – even if it was boosting morale. And certainly that line of communication remains open should there be something that the can do from his end.
In terms of specific prioritization of the vaccine, I would point you to the Department of Defense and leaders over there to speak to that more specifically.
Q: Okay. One follow-up to that. Do you – on the question of Nancy Pelosi – Speaker Pelosi’s concern about the “enemy within,” has the President been briefed on such a threat? And does he agree that the National Guard should be here until mid-March, during the impeachment trial?
MS. PSAKI: I’ll speak to Liz Sherwood-Randall and our Department of Homeland Security – our Homeland Security colleagues here to see if there’s more specifics we have from our end. But I would point you to the Department of Defense and the National Guard team otherwise.
Q: We have one question, because I’m the print pooler –
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Go ahead.
Q: – from another reporter from WUSA. The reporter asks: I’ve learned that the IRS employees nationwide are having telework suspended. They’re all being called back into the office, this despite an OMB directive issued Tuesday ordering federal agencies to only allow 25 percent capacity in federal buildings. If IRS employee have been doing telework successfully, why is now the time to bring them all back into the office? Is that safe?
MS. PSAKI: I would point you to the Department of Treasury, where the IRS is located, for any further comment on that.
Go ahead. Oh, sorry, I’ll come to you next too.
Q: Just – Jen, just on the Defense Production Act: You’ve been asked a few times in your briefings about any specific instances of the Defense Production Act being used. Yesterday, the Chief of Staff, Ron Klein, suggested that it was being used as it relates to the production of N95 masks.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: Is there anything specific you can tell us on that or any other companies or product where the Defense Production Act is being used now?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’re not going to get into specific companies. Obviously there are procurement processes here, but also – that take place at federal agencies, but also we’re still early in the process. It was invoked just last week, but I can give you more specific detail in terms of how we plan to use it on the vaccine supply. I think one of the – also, the products that Ron Klein spoke about was low dead space syringes, which allow – are the key to getting the sixth dose out of the Pfizer vial – pivotal on getting more vaccines out into the public; N95 masks, isolation gowns, nitrile gloves – again, safety and keeping people safe from infection; pipette tips and high-absorbency foam swabs for testing; and then lipid nanoparticles, which are key to the MRNA vaccine; and bioreactor bags, which is what the vaccine is mass produced in.
So, as you can tell, a lot of this is materials that will help ensure that the vaccine can be used by vaccinators and transported, in some cases, to vaccine locations. So, there are several components of it and very specific materials that we’re focused on.
Q: And the – at the National Security Agency, Michael Ellis, a Trump political appointee, was installed as the General Counsel, which is a career position, as you know. Is there – are you guys considering reviewing that decision or attempting to remove Micheal Ellis from his position as General Counsel of the NSA?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything new for you on that, other than – I don’t have any personnel announcements. Certainly, we’re reviewing personnel across government, including political appointees, most of whom have left. But I don’t have anything new on any decisions there.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you.
MS PSAKI: Oh, wait. I promised – I’m sorry, I promised you. Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. FEMA has requested active-duty troops be used at vaccination centers when they get stood up across the country. Does the White House support that request?
MS. PSAKI: I did as our team about this. You or someone else may have asked about this the other day, and I think I have something on it here. One moment. Thanks for your patience. Lots to say about COVID, no doubt about it.
So, let me see. Let me – let me talk to our team about it. You know, I know I’ve seen that request from FEMA. Obviously, part of our objective is ensuring that we have vaccinators on the ground – I know that’s not what you’re asking about – but also have the ability to move materials and move vaccines. So we are tapping into any resource we can, but it’s more predominantly focused on, kind of, a health and medical core and that – the ability to get those people into communities. But I will – I will check with our team and get you something more specific.
Q: And just one on double masking. There’s been some increased discussion about that publicly. We’ve seen pictures of the President double masking and those around him. Is that a personal preference or has he been advised by medical – his medical advisors to do that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, you’re going to talk to the medical advisors in just the next 15, 30 minutes – whatever the time is – and you can ask them more specifically. There hasn’t been specific CDC guidance. As you have probably seen, Dr. Fauci spoke to this, I believe, the la- in the last couple days and said it was common sense or made sense – I can’t remember exactly how he phrased it. But there hasn’t been additional medical guidance given.
I’ve been around the President where he’s been wearing one mask. I think, obviously, he abides by the health and medical advice. Sometimes – not to get too detailed – but it looks like two masks sometimes because we put the N95 one on, and it’s a little bit more comfortable to have this one on top of it. But I would encourage you to ask the health and medical team during the call that’s coming up.
Go ahead.
Q: Jen, did the White House have advanced notice of the Johnson & Johnson results? And did that affect the White House’s decision to go ahead and purchase 200 million doses from Pfizer and Moderna?
MS. PSAKI: No, the decision was made to purchase Pfizer and Moderna doses to ensure that we had enough doses to give two shots to Americans by the end of summer. And we did our planning without the need for an additional vaccine to go through approval.
Now, remember: Even though we saw the news this morning, it hasn’t gone through FDA approval yet. We don’t have a timeline of when that will happen; we leave that to the FDA.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. A couple questions on the economy, starting with China. Former President Trump signed a phase one trade deal with Beijing. Does President Biden consider that deal to still be in effect, and does he expect China to meet its commitments under that deal?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the national security team, the newly confirmed Secretary of State, President Biden are all reviewing all aspects of our national security approach, including certainly our relationship with China. You know, we are focused on approaching that relationship from a position of strength, and that means coordinating and communicating with our allies and partners about how we’re going to work with China. It means strengthening our ec- economy at home. And that me – it means, you know determining the best path forward to address a range of issues – not just economic, but strategic and also security.
So, again, everything’s under review, but I don’t have anything for you on the – more on the China relationship.
Q: Sorry, to clarify: So is it still in effect as the past administration left it off?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, everything that the past administration has put in place is under review, as it relates to our national security approach. So I would not assume things are moving forward. We are just reviewing what the path forward looks like and doing that, again, from a position of strength, which means coordinating with our allies, members of Congress, and making a determination before we engage further.
Go ahead.
Q: Sorry, Jen, can you confirm the Politico story about the President warning his family members to avoid any conflict of interest with his presidency and their business ties?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I’m not going to get into private conversations between the President and his family members- we all have lots of conversations with different family members, I’m sure – the President is committed to ensuring we have the most ethnically vigorous administration in history, and that includes restrictions on what – how his image can be used, and that is something that he’s conveyed publicly and privately as well.
So let me just reiterate the policy for all of you, which is, I think, maybe your next question, or I’ll just reiterate it proactively: It’s the White House’s policy that the President’s name should not be used in connection with any commercial activities to suggest or in any way – in any way they could reasonably be understood to imply his endorsement or support. He’s issued the farthest-reaching executive order with respect to the ethical commitments required of his appointees ever and he is very proud of it. And, you know, that’s something that he is committed to conveying to anyone it applies to.
Let me just get to a few more in the back. Go ahead, all the way in the back.
Q: Okay. Thank you very much. Does President Biden endorse the characterization of genocide concerning the Chinese treatment of the Uyghur minority?
MS. PSAKI: Yes, Pres – -Secretary Blinken – I almost called him President Blinken; I’m giving him a bit of a promotion. You never know. He spoke about that during his confirmation hearing, so I would certainly point you to those comments.
Q: I’m talking about President Biden. Does he –
MS. PSAKI: He was speaking on behalf of the U.S. government.
Q: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Did you have a question, right there? Go ahead.
Q: Yeah, the Governor of Puerto Rico said last week he was in touch with the White House about releasing remaining disaster relief funds held up by the previous administration. Do you have an update about that?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t, but I will venture to talk to our team about the – what the status of relief funds is for Puerto Rico.
Q: And just one other question. Is the WHite House tracking the confirmed cases of the South African strain that have been found in South Carolina? Have you been in touch with local officials there?
MS. PSAKI: Certainly our health and medical team have been, And again, they’ll speak to it at the briefing that’s coming up at 11:00 a.m. I encourage you to join that.
But as we see reports, our team has been monitoring variants as there have been developments around the world, and the potential for them to travel here. It reiterates – or reemphasizes, I should say, the importance of getting vaccines into the arms of Americans, something that our health team has said will make people safer. And it also reiterates the need for getting the American Rescue Plan passed so that we can ensure we can expedite that effort.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Jen. Just two quick questions. Just one following up on the Politico question: To that degree is the White House going to make a commitment one way or the other that members of Biden family is not going to serve in the administration?
MS. PSAKI: We’ve made that commitment, so that continues to be the commitment.
Q: Sorry, so that nothing for Valerie Biden or anybody else?
MS. PSAKI: Nope. Reports that there was an office in the West Wing are – were not accurate.
Q: Gotcha. And then one on Marjorie Taylor Greene. I know you said earlier that you would not like to be commenting on her, but it’s been a major story. Does the White House have any concerns about a QAnon supporter, someone with a history of racist – now we’re seeing anti-Semitic – comments, harassing school-shooting survivor families, serving on House committees?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think the reason I conveyed that is because we don’t want to elevate conspiracy theories further in the briefing room. So I’m going to speak to – I’m going to leave it at that. And I’ll – we’ll leave –
Q: Sure. But (inaudible) –
MS. PSAKI: We’ll leave dec- – we’ll leave decisions about committees to members of Congress. And we’ve certainly seen Speaker Pelosi speak to that.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. Twenty-four Republican members of – Republican senators sent a letter to President Biden yesterday requesting a meeting after some of the executive orders and actions targeting the domestic energy sector. Is that a meeting that President Biden will take?
MS. PSAKI: Well, President Biden is committed to – and this is – you can see this through his actions – working and engaging with Democrats and Republicans to address the crises we’re facing, including climate, which is one of the crises that he’s identified. I don’t – we don’t have any plans for a meeting of that kind that I can read out for you at this point in time. Sounds liek a lot of people to be in a meeting during COVID too.
But he is certainly engaged on an individual basis with leaders in the Senate, members of – Democratic and Republican senators, and they can certainly raise any concerns they have through that means.
Q: And one more question. Apologies if you answered this in response to Steve’s question, but I just want to be clear here: Is – do you anticipate President Biden to address the GameStop controversy when he meets with his economic team a little bit later this morning?
MS. PSAKI: No. Do we – do I anticipate him addressing it publicly, you mean?
Q: No, just talking about it with his economic team.
MS. PSAKI: Well, the focus of the meeting is about the recovery plan, about the status of the economic recovery, about obviously the data that we saw yesterday. I’m sure they’ll cover a range of topics during that meeting, but that’s not the focus.
Q: It’s just a big story. Okay.
MS. PSAKI: I know it’s a big story, but it doesn’t – you know, obviously, the – our focus and our big story is getting the American people back to work.
Go ahead.
Q: I know a lot – hundreds of White House staffers now have been vaccinated for –
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: – the coronavirus. Any specific updates in terms of who (inaudible) that – who is being covered by that? And then, more broadly, because of that, does that give the White House, sort of, you know – is that a model for the rest of the country? Schools, for instance – should every teacher be vaccinated in the next 90 days so that the President can meet his commitments to opening up schools?
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Well, on the first we – I think we announced couple of weeks ago that about three dozen members of the senior White House staff, including members of the Cabinet, national security officials received their first dose, which means, right around now, a number of people will be receiving their second dose.
We are also – as you noted, had released a couple of days ago that the objective and the plan of the White House medical unit was to vaccinate hundreds of additional staffers to create a COVID-safe environment here.
As you know, there has been – the President has – and our team, I should say – has spoken about the prioritization of course, of teachers and educators and childcare providers. We’d certainly defer to CDC on what that should look like. And they may speak to that on this 11:00 call as well, but I’m not going to get ahead of their outlines or prioritization or specifics.
Q: And just one more on GameStop, not to be labor the point, but –
MS. PSAKI: I love the effort. You guys are trying so hard on this (Laughter.)
Q: What is the broader message to the American public and people about the world that, you know, in large cases, individual investors acting collectively against large financial institutions are shut down pretty much overnight, while the big banks and financial institutions responsible for the 2009 housing crisis got a – got a “get out of jail free” card?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the message is that the U.S. government is starting to work how it should. The SEC is a regulatory agency that oversees and monitors developments along these lines. It is currently in their purview. They’ve put out several statements this week. We will certainly defer to them on that. And I point you to them for further questions.
Go ahead, in the back.
Q: Thank you. Jen, can we expect to see the President in this briefing room anytime soon?
MS. PSAKI: Are you eager to see him? Is that what you’re saying?
You know, the President took questions earlier this week when he did an event, and we certainly are going to look for opportunities to continue to do that. The location of where the questions will take place, I don’t think I have anything further. But we’ll look for additional opportunities to – for him to take additional questions from all of you.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Jen. What does President Biden make of reports that Senate Democrats, including Bernie Sanders, who will chair the Budget Committee – he’s chairing the Budget Committee – are planning to expand the use of the budget reconciliation process for legislation that’s not revenue, and does not directly impact federal revenue, like the $15.00 minimum wage? Is that something that President Biden is okay with?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is going to leave it to Congress to determine their parliamentary process for moving legislation forward, as should be the case.
You know, I think it’s obviously been broadly reported that there is consideration on the American Rescue Plan of what the path forward will look like and how to expedite moving that forward. And there’s an urgency, and we certainly feel that.
But our view is that this bill should be bipartisan; 74 percent of the public support it. And we want Republican – to work with Republicans on fighting COVID and putting the American people back to work.
But as we work on this bill, if, you know, we are going to – our priority is on getting it through and not on the focus on what the parliamentary process is.
Q: And just a follow up: What is his message to progressives who are arguing that the $1.9 trillion relief package should be the floor and not the ceiling? And would President Biden consider pushing a relief bill that is more than $2 million? What about the idea of reoccurring stimulus checks that some progressives are advocating for?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we’ve seen those reports, and obviously he’s had conversations, as our team has, with members of the Progressive Caucus and other progressive members of Congress.
And as I’ve said in here many times before – I mean, part of this process is that the President laid out his vision; he is getting feedback. Some – a lot of the focus in here has been members who have said it’s too big, but som are saying it’s too small. And as a part of the discussion, we have those engagements and determine how to improve the bill and what opportunities there are to do exactly that.
So he welcomes their engagement, he welcomes their ideas, but he’s put forward his plan. And his main bottom line is that we’re not going to break it apart, and the three components of it are pivotal in moving it forward.
But the size and scope of the package – this is the legislative process. This is democracy at work now.
Q: But certainly he has an opinion, and that’s very influential in the process. So would we think it’s realistic to go above $2 trillion?
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, I think the best place to look for what’s realistic is to members of Congress and their whip counts, and I’m sure that the leadership can give you an assessment of that.
Go ahead.
Q: Is there any chance that the Summit for Democracy, which was mentioned during the campaign, could happen before summer?
MS. PSAKI: Before summer?
Q: Yeah.
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any – I know it was a campaign promise and something that was mentioned during the campaign, but I don’t have any more details on plans at this point in time.
Go ahead.
Q: Yesterday we saw Vice President Harris do local media interviews in the states of West Virginia and Arizona. You know, obviously there’s been a lot of focus on your efforts to get Republican on board. Are you concerned that budget reconciliation, even – you know, may not be realistic, or that you may lose some Democrats? Is that why Vice President Harris was making those calls, to shore up Democratic support?
MS. PSAKI: Vice President Harris was making those calls because we want to make the case to the American people across the country. And obviously she’s not traveling to those states and holding big events or even events with, you know, not big crowds, but some crowd. And so this was a way to do exactly that.
Q: Why those states specifically?
MS. PSAKI: I think she’ll do a number of additi – of more regional calls and regional interviews, as will other members of the team, and including on national networks, of course, and that will continue in the days ahead.
Go ahead.
Q: One more on your favorite topic: reconciliation. I know it’s wonky, but –
MS. PSAKI: That’s okay. That’s what we’re here for. Policy is back. (Laughter.)
Q: The President, as you said multiple times, is reaching out to Republicans in an effort to get a bipartisan bill. At the same time, Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi seem to be aggressively moving towards reconciliation. Do you think – does the President think that the Democratic leader’s push for reconciliation at this time is hurting his chances to get Republicans on board?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President’s focus is on the end goal of delivering relief to the American people, not the parliamentary procedures, as we’ve said. And we can imagine that the one in seven families who are hungry, or the thousands who have lost a loved one to COVID care much about the procedure either.
So I would – I would flip it the other way to you. I think a fair question you might ask our GOP or Republican colleagues is why they oppose proposals that have the support of 71 percent – 74 percent, sorry – of the American public. And even if this bill moves forward through the reconciliation process – again, a parliamentary procedure – it doesn’t mean that they can’t vote for it.
And the President’s objective and focus is to continue to have those conversations and pursue a path forward where he can gain bipartisan support. But again, the public – 74 percent of the public is with him in that endeavor – and their constituents.
Go ahead. Steve.
Q: The President spoke with NATO Secretary General the other day.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
Q: Is the President satisfied with the level of defense spending by NATO allies?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we did –
Q: Did this come up in their conversation?
MS. PSAKI: I know we put out a readout of that and a fun video, if I may note, of his conversation with the U.N. Secretary General. You know, he had spoken about the importance of NATO allies and partners, you know, making their – playing – playing the role and contributing their fair share when he was Vice President. That remains his commitment. But I don’t have any more detail of the call than what has already been read out.
Q: Thank you, Jen.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you, guys. Have a great day.
Oh, let me do one more thing. So it’s important to me, but also to the President, that everybody know everybody on the press team. So I’m just going to embarrass TJ, who you guys all know, and Karine, who are two deputies in the press office – Principal Deputy Karine, Deputy TJ – who you all should know, the public should know. They’re going to be pivotal faces, and they play an important role.
So, thank you, everyone. Have a great Friday.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Media Statement titled: “Media Statement from CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, on Extending the Eviction Moratorium” From the Media Release:
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed an extension to the order determining the evictions of tenants for failure to make rent or housing payments could be detrimental to public health control measures to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This extension will carry this order that was scheduled to expire January 31, 2021, through March 31, 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to our nation’s health. Despite extensive mitigation efforts, COVID-19 continues to spread in America at a concerning pace. The pandemic has also exacerbated underlying issues of housing insecurity for many Americans. Keeping people in their homes and out of congregate settings – like shelters – is a key step in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. This Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden’s Day One Executive Actions Deliver Relief for Families Across America Amid Converging Crises | The White House provides additional information on actions being taken as part of the Federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CDC remains committed and will continue to explore and use all of the tools at our disposal to protect the health and well-being of Americans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Associated with High School Wrestling Tournaments – Florida, December 2020 – January 2021” From the Report:
On December 7, 2020, local public health officials in Florida county A were notified of a person with an antigen-positive SARS-CoV-2 test result who had attended two high school wrestling tournaments held in the county on December 4 and 5. The tournaments included 10 participating high schools from three counties.
The host school (school A in county A) participated in tournaments on both days; five high school teams from two counties participated on the first day only; four additional high school teams from the three counties participated the second day. A total of 130 wrestlers, coaches, and referees attended the tournaments.
During December 8-9, 13 wrestlers from school A received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test results including nine who were symptomatic, two who were asymptomatic, and two for whom symptom status at time of specimen collection was unknown.
Local public health officials in the three counties initiated an investigation and tested specimens from an additional 40 attendees from nine of the 10 participating schools. A total of 54 (41.5%) of the 130 tournament attendees received testing, and 38 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified; the minimum attack rate was 30.2% (38 of 126), and 70.4% (38 of 54) of tests had a positive result.
Among contacts of the 38 COVID-19 patients, 446 were determined by investigators to meet CDC definition of a close contact, including 62 who were household contacts and 384 who were in-school contacts (classmates, teachers, noncompeting wrestling team members, and other school athletic team members.)
Among these 443 contacts, five had received a diagnosis of COVID-19 during June -November and were excluded from attack rate calculations. Among 95 (21.3%) contacts who received SARS-CoV-2 testing, 41 (43.2%) received a positive test result (minimum attack rate = 9.3% ) 21 (51.2%) persons with positive test results were symptomatic, eight (19.5%) were asymptomatic, and symptom status for 12 (29.3%) was unknown at the time of specimen collection.
Among contacts, attack rates were highest among household members (30.0%) and wrestling team members who did not attend the tournament (20.3%), as were percentages of positive test results (60.0% among household members and 54.2% among team members). Among all contacts, the odds of receiving a positive test result were highest among household contacts (odds ratio = 2.7; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-6.0). Local health authorities reported the death of one adult contact aged >50 years.
An estimated 1,700 in-person school days were lost as a consequence of isolation and quarantine of patients and contacts during this COVID-19 outbreak. The number of in-person school days lost would likely have been higher had the outbreak not occurred toward the end of fall 2020 semester. In addition, this outbreak resulted in the suspension of all winter indoor and outdoor high school athletics in county A, affecting approximately 1,500 students.
The American Academy of Pediatrics interim guidance for return to sports specifically recommends against mask wearing during wrestling because of the choking hazard that face coverings could pose.
In October, local public health and school officials in county A established COVID-19 mitigation guidelines specific to wrestling for practices, matches, and tournaments, including mask wearing and physical distancing (at least 6 feet) when not actively wrestling, symptom screening, and disinfection of space and equipment. However, it is not feasible to maintain physical distancing and universal mask wearing during practice and competition for high-contact sports such as wrestling.
At the time of the tournament, the 14-day cumulative incidence in county A, home to seven of the 10 participating high school teams, was 363 per 100,000 persons; 7.7% of tests for SARS-CoV-2 had positive results. The incidence in county A placed the community in the highest category for transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
CDC guidance provides community transmission level thresholds for school decision-makers that should be applied to school athletics and related social gatherings. High-contact school athletic activities for which mask wearing and physical distancing are not possible should be postponed during periods with substantial or high levels of SARS-CoV-2 community transmission.
Outbreaks among athletes participating in high contact sports can impact in-person learning for all students and increase risk for secondary in-school and community transmission with potentially severe outcomes including death.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Impact of COVID-19 on Cervical Cancer Screening Rates Among Women aged 21-65 years in a Large Integrated Health care System – Southern California, January 1-September 30, 2019, and January 1 – September 30, 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Cancer screening rates, including cervical cancer screening rates, have declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is added by this report?
During California’s stay-at-home order, cervical cancer screening rates among approximately 1.5 million women in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) network decreased approximately 80% compared with baseline. The decrease was similar across all racial/ethnic groups of KPSC and returned to near normal after reopening.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Sustained disruptions could lead to increased risk for cervical cancers and precancers. During a pandemic, bringing populations at higher risk back to screening first, such as those with abnormal results or increased risk for precancers and cancers, is important.
On March 19, 2020, the governor of California issued a statewide stay-at-home order to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2029 (COVID-19). The order reduced accessibility to and patient attendance at outpatient medical visits, including preventative services such as cervical cancer screening.
In-person clinic visits increased when California reopened essential businesses on June 12, 2020. Electronic medical records of approximately 1.5 million women served by Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC), were examined to asses cervical cancer screening rates before, during, and after the stay-at-home order.
KPSC policy is to screen women aged 21-29 years every 3 years with cervical cytology alone (Papanicolaou test); those aged 30-65 years were screened every 5 years with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and cytology (cotesting) through July 15, 2020, and after July 15, 2020, with HPV testing alone, consistent with the latest recommendations from U.S. Preventative Services Task Force.
Compared with the 2019 baseline, cervical cancer screening rates decreased substantially during the stay-at-home order. Among women 21-29 years, cervical cytology screening rates per 100 person-months declined 78%. Among women aged 30-65 years, HPV test screening rates per 100 person-months decreased 82%.
After the stay-at-home order was lifted, screening rates returned near baseline, which might have been aided by aspects of KPSC’s integrated, organized screening program (e.g., reminder systems and tracking persons lost to follow-up). As the pandemic continues, groups at higher risk for developing cervical cancers and precancers should be evaluated first. Ensuring women receive preventative services, including cancer screening and appropriate follow-up in a safe and timely manner, remains important.
The study examined cervical cancer screening rates in women before the stay-at-home order (January 1-March 18, 2020), during the stay-at-home order (March 19-June 2020), and after the stay-at-home order was lifted (June 12-September 30, 2020), and after the stay-at-home order was lifted during January 1-September 30, 2019.
Electronic medical records of women aged 21-65 years who were enrolled KPSC members for ≥1 day during this period were examined. Women with no cervix (e.g., total hysterectomy) or with a history of precancerous (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2-3) or cervical cancer were excluded using relevant diagnosis and procedure codes.
Age-specific cervical cancer screening tests per 100 person-months (cervical cancer screening rates) were calculated. Analyses were conducted using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute) and R (version 4.0.3; The R Foundation) software. This activity was reviewed and approved by the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was waived.
The cohort included 1,455,244 women enrolled as KPSC members during January 1 – September 30, 2019, and 1,492,442 women during January 1 – September 30, 2020. KPSC membership enrollment was stable, with similar age group and race/ethnicity distributions in both periods.
Among women aged 21-29 years, screening rates in 2020 were 8% lower before the stay-at-home order, 78% lower during the stay-at-home order, and 29% lower after the stay-at-home order was lifted compared with rates during 2019. Among women 30-65 years, screening rates in 2020 were 3% lower before the stay-at-home order, 82% lower during the stay-at-home order, and 24% lower after the stay-at-home order was lifted compared with rates during 2019.
For both age groups, cervical cancer screening rates reached a nadir in April 2020. The decreases in screening rates in 2020 compared with those in 2019 were similar across all racial and ethnic groups in KPSC.
Discussion
KPSC patient data provided an opportunity to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening because of the availability of a large volume of data from a diverse population and capacity of detailed monitoring and reporting.
Cervical cancer screening rates at KPSC were substantially lower during the COVID-19 pandemic than during the comparable period in the preceding year. Screening rates declined in both routinely screened age groups during the stay-at-home order compared with rates in 2019, with similar declines across all racial and ethnic groups.
Rates are compatible with findings of decreased cancer screening rates with findings of decreased cancer screening rates during 2020 in other parts of the Unite States. For example, the electronic health record vendor Epic Systems Corporation reviewed 2.7 million patient records from 39 organizations spanning 23 states and found 67% decline in mean weekly cervical cancer screening volume during spring 2020, an estimated 400,000 delayed or missing screenings compared with equivalent weeks during spring 2017-2019.
One model of screening in the United Kingdom showed that a 6-month screening disruption could lead to an increased risk for cervical cancer. Such findings raise questions about how to prioritize screening of women who are overdue for screening or build screening capacity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed extraordinary challenges for providers and patients to maintain cancer screening. During the stay-at-home order, California cancelled elective surgeries, including some gynecologic procedures. At KPSC, although outpatient clinics never closed, and screening visits could be scheduled, in-person visits were made largely for medical issues.
While providing care, clinic staff members and provider faced challenges implementing COVID-19 protocols (e.g., COVID-19 prescreening, maintenance of physical distancing, use of personal protective equipment, and disinfecting surfaces and equipment.
Patients experienced new barriers to access (e.g., new work and childcare schedules) and fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection from community exposure. KPSC offered Telehealth appointments as an option during the stay-at-home order to maximize patient and staff member safety, resulting in a sharply increased number of Telehealth visits.
Patient reluctance to come for in-person visits decreased after reopening, as providers became accustomed to new protocols and patients increased their activity outside the home. These factors likely accounted for the increase in screening rates after reopening.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a critical need for effective cancer screening methods for patients who cannot or prefer not to have in-person appointments. For colorectal cancer screening, KPSC has been using self-sampling fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits available by mail or pharmacy and has continued mailing these to patients’ homes during the pandemic without interruptions.This approach might serve as a model for future cervical cancer screening through self-collected samples for HPV testing.
The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved self-sampling for HPV tests, but the evidence base for self-sampling demonstrates good accuracy and high acceptability among women. Self-collected HPV testing improves screening participation among women who are underscreened.
Adoption of self-sampling for HPV testing improves screening participation among women who are underscreened. Adoption of self-sampling for HPV testing might help maximize patient safety and overcome the barrier of fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection from clinic visits. However, women who have abnormal screening results, follow up care at a clinic could remain a challenge.
The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, it is possible that some tests considered screening tests were actually for surveillance of women with a history of cervical precancers or abnormal screening results, although women with a known history of cervical precancers and cancer were excluded. However, this potential misclassification is likely to be similar for 2019 and 2020, and thus unlikely to affect the comparisons.
Second, the KPSC findings might not be generalizable to other health care settings, given differences in regional and clinic policies and individual patient health insurance status and access. KPSC is an integrated health system with an organized cervical cancer screening program through which women receive invitations to obtain screening at appropriate intervals; these continued during the stay-at-home order.
Although the decreases in cervical cancer screening rates in 2020 compared with those in 2019 at KPSC were similar across all racial ethnic groups, this might not be the case in other settings.
Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates are disproportionately higher in Hispanic women and non-Hispanic Black women than in non-Hispanic White women because of existing disparities. A larger decrease and a slower return in screening rates might be experienced in other health care settings, such as safety-net clinics with persons who are medically underserved, where the level of access and health systems interventions (e.g., patient reminder systems, telemedicine) vary significantly across groups and individual persons.
Finally, the screening history of women who returned after reopening was unknown. It is unclear whether women who came for screening after the stay-at-home order was lifted in June 2020 were those who missed screening during the stay-at-home order or those who were due for screening after the reopening. Such information is needed to determine whether women who are due for cervical cancer screening are screened.
The COVID-19 pandemic ongoing; California implemented limited and regional stay-at-home orders during November 21, 2020 – January 25, 2021, affecting all California counties with widespread community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
During the pandemic and postpandemic periods, evidence-based approaches to education, health promotion, and information dissemination could be used to convey the importance of screening for cervical cancers and precancers. Continued monitoring of women in different clinical settings is needed to address delays on interruptions to cancer screening.
Health systems might triage women for return screening appointments based on risk level and screening history, including enhanced efforts to reach those who are past due for screening or who need follow-up.
Focusing public health interventions on bringing higher risk populations back to screening first, such as those with abnormal results or increased risk of precancers and cancers is suggested per guidance from the American Cancer Society, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. As the pandemic continues, public health interventions to address decreases in cancer screening tests will be critical to avoid increased incidence of advanced cancers because of delayed detection.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Trends in Outbreak-Associated Cases of COVID-19 – Wisconsin, March-November 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
COVID-19 incidence grew sharply in Wisconsin during September-November 2020; however, the underlying cause of this rapid growth is unknown.
What is added by this report?
An examination of COVID-19 outbreaks in Wisconsin showed that cases linked to outbreaks on college and university campuses increased sharply in August 2020 and were followed by outbreaks in other high-risk congregate settings. Overall, outbreaks at long-term care facilities (26.8%), correctional facilities (14.9%), and colleges or universities (15.0%) accounted for the largest numbers of outbreak-associated cases in Wisconsin.
What are the implications for public health practice?
COVID-19 surveillance and mitigation planning should be prioritized for highly affected settings such as long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, and colleges and universities, which could represent early indicators of broader community transmission.
During September 3-November 16, 2020, daily confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDHS) increased at a rate of 24% per week, from a 7-day average of 674 (August 28-September 3) to 6,426 (November 10-16). The growth rate during this interval was the highest to date in Wisconsin and among the highest in the United States during that time.
To characterize potential sources of this increase, the investigation examined reported outbreaks in Wisconsin that occurred during March 4- November 16, 2020, with respect to their setting and number of associated COVID-19 cases.
Outbreaks were defined as the occurrence of two or more confirmed COVID-19 cases among persons who worked or lived together among persons who attended the same facility or event, did not share a household, and were identified within 14 days of each other, (by symptom onset date or sample collection date).
During March 4-November 16, local and tribal health departments in Wisconsin reported suspected COVID-19 outbreaks to WDHS using established reporting criteria 5,747 reported outbreaks meeting the outbreak definition were included in the analysis.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 that were linked to these outbreaks were analyzed by symptom onset date (or sample collection date) and the reported setting of the associated outbreaks during three periods: before and during Wisconsin’s Safer At Home order (March 4-May12), summer and return-to-school (May 13-September 2), and the exponential growth phase (September 3-November 16). This activity was reviewed by the CDC and was conducted in manner consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.
A total of 57,991 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were linked to 5,767 outbreaks during March 4-November 16, accounting for 18.3% of 316,758 confirmed cases in Wisconsin during this period. Overall, outbreaks and long-term care facilities (26.8%), correctional facilities (14.9%), and colleges or universities (15.0%) accounted for the largest numbers of outbreak-associated cases in Wisconsin.
Before and during Wisconsin’s Safer At Home order, 4,552 outbreak-associated cases in Wisconsin were linked to 507 reported outbreaks. Outbreaks in manufacturing or food processing facilities (2,146 cases; 47.1%) and long term care facilities (1,324 cases; 29.1%) accounted for the majority of outbreak-associated cases during this period.
During May 13-September 2, a total of 13,506 cases were linked to 2,444 outbreaks. Long-term care facilities (2,850 cases; 21.1%) and manufacturing or food processing facilities (2,673 cases; 19.8%) accounted for an increasing proportion of outbreak-associated cases during this period.
However, a variety of other settings including restaurants and bars (1,633 cases; 12.1%) and other workplaces (1,320 cases; 9.8%) accounted for an increasing proportion of outbreak-related cases until mid-August, when a sharp increase in college- and university-associated outbreaks were observed (1,739 cases; 12.9%).
Beginning on September 3, COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin increased exponentially overall and within outbreak settings. During this phase of increasing community transmission, 39,933 cases were associated with 3,861 reported outbreaks, which accounted for 16.7% of 239,629 confirmed cases in Wisconsin.
Among outbreak-associated cases, 11,386 (28.5%) were associated with long-term care facilities, 7,387 (18.5%) with correctional facilities, 7,178 (18.0%) with colleges or universities, and 5,703 (14.3%) with schools or child care facilities . During this period of exponential growth, the number of cases associated with schools or child care facilities. During this period of exponential growth, the number of cases associated with long-term care and correctional facilities increased by an average of 24% and 23% per week, respectively.
Discussion
The majority of outbreak-associated COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin occurred in long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, and colleges and universities; however, various settings were affected COVID-19 outbreaks over the course of March-November 2020.
During Wisconsin’s Safer At Home order, outbreaks were concentrated in manufacturing and food processing facilities, which continued to operate as essential businesses under the statewide order. This aligned with national data showing a high incidence of COVID-19 outbreaks at meat processing facilities across the United States during this time, including among beef and port processing facilities in Wisconsin.
During early summer (June-July), outbreaks continued to occur in long-term care facilities and manufacturing and food processing facilities; restaurants and bars, other workplaces, events, and other public establishments were increasingly reported as outbreak settings, which might have corresponded to fewer restrictions on social gatherings and decreased risk perception among some groups during this period.
In late August, a rapid increase in cases associated with outbreaks at colleges and universities in Wisconsin occurred, correlated with return to campus for many of these institutions. The pattern was consistent with national trends for COVID-19 among young adults aged 18-22 years and corresponded with outbreaks observed at colleges and universities in other states during this time.
In Wisconsin, the college and university surge occurred at the beginning of a period of increasing community transmission, which was characterized exponential growth in COVID-19 incidence across the state and a surge of outbreaks in high-risk congregate settings such as long-term care facilities and correctional facilities.
The extent to which COVID-19 outbreaks on college and university campuses led to increased community transmission and subsequent outbreaks in other high-risk congregate settings could not be directly assessed by this investigation.
Nonetheless, the temporal correlation observed builds on prior evidence of increase incidence of COVID-19 among U.S. counties where in-person university instruction occurred in August 2020, suggesting that outbreaks on college and university campuses could represent early indicators of community transmission and should be prioritized for surveillance and mitigation planning.
The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, an absence of reported outbreaks in some settings should not be interpreted as an absence of COVID-19 cases in settings, because local and tribal health departments in Wisconsin directed limited resources to investigate outbreaks in high-risk congregate settings. Therefore, lower-risk settings might be underrepresented.
Second, local and tribal health departments could not verify epidemiological linkages for all cases in outbreaks, and some outbreak-associated cases could have occurred in other settings not represented in this analysis.
Finally, use of these surveillance data along cannot determine whether outbreaks in one setting are directly responsible for increases in community transmission or outbreaks in other settings; more detailed epidemiologic or genomic data are needed to explore whether such temporal correlations are causally related.
Examining trends in COVID-19 outbreaks over time provides an important indicator of COVID-19 incidence across sectors in response to changing behaviors and policies. State, local, and tribal health departments should continue to collect and report such information, particularly among highly affected sectors such as long-term care facilities and correctional facilities.
Further, given the importance of college and university outbreaks as potential early indicators of outbreaks in other settings, colleges and universities should work with public health officials to strengthen surveillance and mitigation strategies to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) titled: “Response to a COVID-19 Outbreak on a University Campus – Indiana, August 2020” From the Report:
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Although various implement strategies for SARS-CoV-2 testing on college and university campuses have been described, little has been published regarding successful responses to COVID-19 outbreaks on campuses.
What is added by this report?
In response to a COVID-19 outbreak on a university campus in August 2020, rapid implementation of multiple measures, including aggressive testing, tracing, and isolation; enhanced data systems; and communication focused on adherence to mitigation strategies, resulted in a rapid decrease in new cases and allowed in-person learning to resume.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Enhanced testing, timely contact tracing, provision of adequate isolation and quarantine space, increased screening of asymptomatic persons, and communication promoting adherence to mitigation strategies can help control COVID-19 outbreaks on college and university campuses while minimizing disruptions to in-person instruction.
Institutions of higher education adopted different approaches for the fall semester 2020 in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Approximately 45% of colleges and universities implemented online instruction, more than one fourth (27%) provided in-person instruction, and 21% used a hybrid model.
Although CDC has published CDC has published COVID-19 guidance to COVID-19 outbreaks on college and university campuses. In August 2020, an Indiana university with approximately 12,000 students (including 8,000 undergraduate students, 85% of whom lived on campus) implemented various public health measures to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Despite these measures, the university experience an outbreak involving 371 cases during the first few weeks of the fall semester. The majority of cases occurred among undergraduate students living off campus, and several large off-campus gatherings were identified as common sources of exposure.
Rather than sending students home, the university switched from in-person to online instruction for undergraduate students and instituted a series of campus restrictions for 2 weeks, during which testing, contact tracing, and isolation and quarantine programs were substantially enhanced, along with educational efforts highlighting the need for strict adherence to the mitigation measures.
After two weeks, the university implemented a phased return to in-person instruction (with 85% of classes offered in person) and resumption of student life activities. This report describes the outbreak and the data-driven, targeted interventions and rapid escalation of testing, tracing, and isolation measures that enabled the medium-sized university to resume in-person instruction and campus activities. These strategies might prove useful to other colleges and universities responding to campus outbreaks.
Preparations for Fall Semester
In May 2020, a medium-sized Indiana university announced plans to reopen for in-person instruction for the fall semester. In preparation, the university implemented various public health measures, including rearranging physical infrastructure in high-traffic areas, reducing population density in classrooms and common spaces, enhancing cleaning and disinfection protocols, and requiring masks on campus, including outdoors, when physical distancing of 6 feet could not be maintained.
Residence halls maintained usual occupancy levels, although students requesting accommodation for medical reasons were offered individual rooms. The university established an on-campus testing site, identified isolation and quarantine space, hired contact tracers, implemented a daily health check platform (a required online assessment of COVID-19 symptoms and exposures), and developed COVID-19 related data systems.
Classes began on August 10. The university required preentry SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for all students 7-10 days before their arrival on campus. Of the 11,836 students tested, 33 (0.28%) received positive test results and were not allowed on campus until they cleared to discontinue isolation 10 days after symptom onset test date.
Despite these measures, the university experienced outbreak (defined as an excess of cases compared with the baseline dates of August 3-15) soon after the semester started. To describe the campus outbreak and the university’s response to continue the semester in person, university leaders and a local public health official reviewed university data on daily health checks, testing, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine.
Symptom and testing data, which are combined with university administrative data (e.g., faculty, staff members, or student designation; residence hall; class schedules; and seating charts), were analyzed to estimate symptom prevalence among various subgroups to identify emerging transmission patterns and assist in identifying close contacts. This activity was determined be public health surveillance as defined in 45 CFR 46.102.
Campus Outbreak and Response
During August 3-15, a total of 56 persons received positive SARS-CoV-2 test results (an average of 4.3 per day, representing 11.7% of all tests performed); 90% of cases were identified through testing of symptomatic persons, with the remainder identified through screening tests of student athletes.
During August 16-22, the university experienced an outbreak, with 371 confirmed cases (an average of 26.5 cases per say, representing 15.3% of all tests performed), 355 (96%) of which were in undergraduate students and 13 (3%) in graduate students; 62% of affected undergraduate students lived off campus. One faculty member and two staff members received positive test results.
Contact tracing identified several large, off-campus parties where campus masking and physical distancing guidelines were not followed as common sources of exposure for approximately two thirds of cases among undergraduate students.
On August 19, the university implemented a switch to online institution for all undergraduate classes for a minimum of 2 weeks; graduate and professional classes continued in person. Several temporary campus restrictions were instituted as well, including restricting undergraduate students who lived off campus from the campus (except to access campus health services) and requiring on-campus students to minimize nonessential activities and to remain on campus at all times for at least 2 weeks.
Residence halls were restricted to persons who lived or worked in them, student organizations were required to meet remotely, and indoor recreational facilities were temporarily closed. Students were required to eat outside, maintaining 6 feet of distance from others, or in their residence hall rooms, and gatherings were limited to ≤10 persons (both on campus and off campus, although this was difficult to enforce off campus), with mandatory masking and physical distancing. In addition, masks were mandated at all times in all spaces, except in a person’s assigned residence hall room or private office.
During the 2-week period of online instruction, the university focused on facilitating access to testing; expanding contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine operations; and implementing screening tests for asymptomatic persons, as well as enhancing the data systems to support these measures.
Before the outbreak, modifications to the daily health check platform could be made only by the software provider on a set schedule, limiting the ability of the university to respond to changing circumstances. Improvements to this platform facilitated data retrieval, allowing a more detailed view of symptom prevalence and the ability to automate test orders when necessary.
To reduce barriers to testing, the university increased the test site hours and capacity. Orders for diagnostic testing were automated in response to the presence of primary COVID-19 symptoms (temperature > 100.4° F , new onset of shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or new loss of sense of taste or smell).
Persistent secondary COVID-19 symptoms (minor symptoms such as headache or rhinorrhea, lasting ≥2 days) or reported close contact with a person with COVID-19 also automatically generated test orders, eliminating the need for clinicians to triage and authorize testing. Rapid antigen tests were used as the front-line diagnostic test because they facilitated rapid isolation and quarantine. Persons with negative antigen test results who were symptomatic or determined to be close contacts received a follow-up RT-PCR test, with results typically available within 36 hours.
The university enhanced contact tracing efforts and redefined workflows to facilitate timely identification and quarantine of close contacts of persons with confirmed COVID-19. During the 2-week outbreak, the contact tracing team expanded from nine full-time staff members to 11 full-time 13 part-time workers.
A new Daily Care and Concern Team was established to ensure that students in isolation and quarantine received meals and other needed resources; this team consisting of 12 reassigned university staff members and 60 volunteers, also telephoned everyone in isolation and quarantine daily to monitor for worsening symptoms. The university initially reversed 250 beds for isolation and quarantine purposes, increasing to 1,007 beds during the surge of cases, through use of apartments and hotels on or adjacent to campus.
During August 16-29, a total of 1,250 students were placed in isolation and quarantine; students with access to adequate facilities (i.e., allowed them to sleep separately from others and had a private bathroom) were permitted to isolate or quarantine off campus. In addition to 371 cases identified during a first week of the outbreak, another 160 were identified during the second week of the outbreak.
Slightly more than one half (52%) of the newly positive test results were in persons who were already in quarantine. Among 802 persons in quarantine during this 2-week period, 83 (10.3%) ultimately received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. In the week after the return to in-person instruction, an average of four cases per day were identified.
An enhanced communications campaign was created to underscore the importance of adhering to campus public health protocols. The campaign included e-mails from university and campus leaders, video messages, and virtual town hall meetings. The proportion of e-mails sent to the student e-mail distribution list that were viewed (a measure of the reach of these education efforts) was 84.1%.
Implementation of Screening
Before the outbreak, testing had been focused on symptomatic persons; routine screening tests were performed for student athletes but had not yet been implemented for the broader university community. After recognition of the outbreak, the university began screening asymptomatic persons with RT-PCR tests on specimens collected by supervised, self-administered nasal swabs. The capacity for screening testing increased throughout the semester.
Each round of screening was informed by the previous round and by diagnostic testing trends, using a Bayesian stratified, staggered-entry rotating cohort design. Persons were grouped into various cohorts (e.g., those who lived in a particular residence hall), and a fraction of each cohort was sampled in each round.
Some screening slots were reserved for the evaluation of persons in areas with increased risk for transmission (i.e., potential hotspots). The team responsible for the general campus screening strategy was able to adapt based on disease prevalence in certain groups, such as by college, membership group (club or team), residence hall, or even the floor or wing of a residence hall, to allow oversampling.
Diagnostic testing, which was performed for symptomatic persons and for close contacts of persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection, increased from an average of 17.9 tests per day before the outbreak to 208.4 per day during the 2-week outbreak. Likewise, screening increased to 205 test per day by the end of August.
Based on the decreasing case numbers, increased testing capacity, and enhanced ability to analyze and respond based on data, lower-level undergraduate classes resumed on September 2 (2 weeks after online instruction began), with upper-level undergraduate classes resuming a few days later. Other campus restrictions were gradually relaxed (e.g., coming to or leaving campus and residence hall visitation), and student activities were phased in over the subsequent 7-10 days; however, the requirement for universal masking remains.
Discussion
A COVID-19 outbreak on a university campus is a substantial challenge but was managed on a medium-sized campus while students remained in residence. Analysis of administrative data (e.g.; undergraduate versus graduate students and on-campus versus off-campus students or activities) facilitated identification of potential problems, which was critical to designing a specific, tailored response.
The stratified rotating cohort approach to screening that was implemented at the university can be used as an alternative to repeated campuswide testing, contact tracing, and isolation measures requires a substantial commitment of physical, personnel, and financial resources, which might not be readily available at all colleges and universities of comparable size. In addition, encouraging student adherence to mitigation strategies as a means to eventually continuing the semester in person was critical to the success of these efforts.
The findings in this report are subject to at least two limitations. First, the daily health check relied on self-reported symptoms, and no consequences were associated with failing to complete the health check. This might have led to an underestimate in the number of cases because symptoms might have gone unrecognized or underreported (and this automated test orders not generated). Conversely, in the absence of widespread screening, any unrecognized cases could have contributed to further spread on campus.
Second, although the university provided an on-campus testing site, persons were also able to obtain testing at other community locations, which might have delayed reporting of results or otherwise affected the university’s ability to respond to cases identified among members of the university community, as well as possibly resulting in an underestimate. This underscores the importance of university community, as well possibly resulting in an underestimate. This underscores the importance of universities working closely with the local health department to facilitate timely reporting of cases and identification of close contacts.
Immediate, aggressive measures to decrease SARS-CoV-2 transmission through enhanced testing, timely contact tracing, provision of adequate isolation and quarantine space, increased screening of asymptomatic persons, and communication promoting adherence to mitigation strategies can help control COVID-19 outbreaks while minimizing disruptions to be in-person instruction. The approach is consistent with recommendations for universities with outbreaks to avoid sending students home to avoid spreading infections into local and other communities.
January 30, 2021
January 30: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted a Press Release titled: “CDC requires wearing of face masks while on public transportation and at transportation hubs” From the Press Release:
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in the United States, CDC is implementing provisions of President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International travel and will require the wearing of masks by all travelers into, within, or out of the United States, e.g., on airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares. The mask requirement also applies to travelers in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and seaports; train, bus, and subway stations; and any other areas that provide transportation. Transportation operators must require all persons onboard to wear masks when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel. Operators of transportation hubs must require all persons to wear a mask when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub.
The action is to further prevent spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 and to further support state and local health authorities, transportation partners, and conveyance operators to keep passengers, employees, and communities safe.
Today’s order from CDC is part of a comprehensive, science-driven, U.S. government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. One component of the whole-of-government response is taking actions related to reducing virus spread through travel. Transmission of the virus through travel has led to – and continues to lead to – interstate and international spread of the virus.
“America’s transportation systems are essential,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH. “Given how interconnected most transportation systems are across our nation and the world, when infected persons travel on public conveyances without wearing a mask and with others who are not wearing masks, the risk of interstate and international transmission can grow quickly.”
Traveling on public transportation increases a person’s risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 by bringing people in close contact with other, often for prolonged periods, and exposing them to frequently touched surfaces. Face masks help prevent people who have COVID-19, including those who are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic, from spreading the virus to others. Masks also help protect the wearer by reducing the chance they will breathe in respiratory droplets carrying the virus.
“CDC recommends that non-essential travel be avoided; however, for those who must travel, additional measures are being put in place to help prevent the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Walensky. “Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely and consistently used by all people in public settings.
This order will be effective on February 2, 2021.
January 31, 2021
January 31: The White House posted a Statement titled: “Statement from White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki” From the Statement:
The President spoke to Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer today; he is grateful that Congress is prepared to begin action on the American Rescue Plan in just his second full week in office.
As has been widely reported, the President received a letter today from 10 Republican Senators asking to meet with him to discuss their ideas about the actions needed to address these crises. In response, the President spoke to Senator Collins, and invited her and other signers of the letter to come to the White House early this week for a full exchange of views.
With the virus posting a grave threat to the country and economic conditions grim for so many, the need for action is urgent, and the scale of what must be done is large. The American Rescue Plan – including $1400 relief checks, a substantial investment in fighting COVID and reopening schools, aid to small businesses and hurting families, and funds to keep first responders on the job (and more) – is badly needed. As leading economists have said, the danger now is not in doing too much: it is in doing too little. Americans of both parties are looking to their leaders to meet the moment.
COVID Under Biden-Harris Administration – January 2021 was put together by Jen Thorpe from information provided by the Biden-Harris Administration in January of 2021. [...]
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February 1, 2023I am an immunocompromised person who is absolutely terrified about what will happen if the White House chooses to believe that “Covid is over”. Fortunately, The White House has a website where you can contact them and share your opinions/thoughts about specific policies. https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Here is what I wrote to President Biden:
Covid is not “over”. Your decision to call it over is going to put a whole lot of people who are immunocompromised (including myself) at risk of not only catching Covid, but also catching it over and over again.
Why do I think so? Because I’ve seen what happens when previous state governors/federal governments declare “Covid is over”. The first thing that happens is stores, restaurants, grocery stores, large conferences and other public spaces remove all of their Covid protections (masking no longer required, social distancing nonexistent, fewer people staying home when they are sick, removing proper air filtration).
Right after that, the cases of Covid go up again – often overwhelming local hospitals. Each and every time a government entity declares that “Covid is over” people die in greater numbers because they can’t get a doctor’s appointment and the hospitals and ERs are flooded with Covid cases. If this happens and there is a nursing strike – people are going to die from lack of access to Covid-related health care.
Another problem with your decision to officially end the Covid is that it will enable vaccine makers to dramatically increase the cost of getting a vaccine. People who have health insurance – might – be charged more for a Covid vaccine that should continue to be free for everyone who wants one. This is going to be extremely problematic for people who are uninsured and cannot pay the new, exorbitant, fee for a vaccine. That will lead to people – who wanted the protections a Covid vaccine can provide – to go without it because they can’t afford it.
Believing that “Covid is over” is going to get children in schools that dropped Covid protection killed. Their immune systems are still developing and the Covid virus is extremely spreadable.
I am asking you to reconsider the “Covid is over” concept. It is dangerous, and will cause immunocompromised people (and healthy ones) to die. [...]
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December 23, 2021Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash
What you considered to be “normal” life is gone forever. The sooner you accept this – the easier it will be for you to move on and make better choices.
One of the things I’ve noticed since the COVID pandemic started is the idea that this would all be over soon. It might have been understandable to think that back in the last few months of 2019, when almost nothing was known about COVID-19 or its mutations. I’m writing this at the very end of 2021, and we are still in a pandemic.
It didn’t have to be this way, but here we are.
I’m not a doctor, nurse, or any other type of health care practitioner. I’m not an epidemiologist, or a person who helps make vaccines. I’m also not a politician who is tasked with the job of ensuring the safety of the people who are hoping to avoid getting infected from a frequently mutating virus that spreads very quickly.
What I am is a person with two auto-immune diseases – neither of which has a cure. I’m extremely lucky that my body was finally strong enough for me to safely get vaccinated. Getting there took years of work, medical tests, medication and supplements, and a huge effort to learn how to avoid getting sick from my multitude of allergens.
I was able to get my first shot (Pfizer), and later my second shot (also Pfizer). Recently, I had my booster shot (also Pfizer). Sometime before the booster, I was able to get a flu shot – my first in at least a few decades. I have been wearing a mask every time I go outside since March of 2020 when California was the first state to institute a lockdown. I rarely ever leave the house, but when I do, it is so that I can receive medical care.
There likely are people who have auto-immune diseases worse than mine, and who cannot safely get a COVID vaccine. This is not their fault. There are a wide variety of auto-immune diseases, and the cause of them can vary. Those of us who have one (or more) auto-immune diseases have to be very careful about everything we encounter every day.
It really bothers me is that there is absolutely no way for me to discern if a person is vaccinated or not. Wearing a mask isn’t always an indicator, because masks are required on public transportation – and in Uber and Lyft vehicles. If you walk into a store with a mask on your face, and then push it under your chin shortly after that – I know that you cannot be trusted to keep other people safe.
It seems to me that people who stopped wearing masks made that decision because they want things to go back to “normal” – like it was before the COVID pandemic started. It is as though they are trying to make the world look like it used to, in the hopes that “magical thinking” will simply turn back time.
Please understand that the “normal” you are longing for is never coming back. Here’s why:
There are too many people who not only refuse to get vaccinated (despite being healthy enough to get the shot) and who also refuse to wear masks. Those decisions put them at risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 (and whatever strain is currently dominant). It is not possible to immediately know that you have caught the virus, because the symptoms don’t instantly appear. This means that they are spreading the virus wherever they go. Cases of COVID start rising again, and we all go back into lockdown.
And then, the same group who refuses to comply gets outraged that there is another lockdown.
That cycle must be stopped. Some corporations are requiring workers to be vaccinated and to wear masks. Some are letting go workers who won’t comply. There are numerous events, conferences, stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and schools that won’t allow people in unless they will wear a mask and provide proof of vaccination. I believe that these measures will continue until the COVID virus is gone. What used to be “normal” in offices is no longer safe.
Did you know that people in Japan wear masks when they are sick? I want that to become the new “normal” in the United States. The masks will help prevent the spread of viruses, colds, and other respiratory illnesses. It also shows that you care about the health and well being of other people.
Early on, we learned that it is entirely possible for (many but not all) people to work from home. I believe that is going to be an option for more and more workers – especially those who have disabilities. Working from home might become the only way for non-vaccinated people to keep their jobs. It is also likely to become the way students are educated. To make this work, we need to ensure that everyone has access to the internet. That’s likely something that states or the federal government can make happen.
Public facing types of employment will have to dramatically change. It is already starting to. People who work in grocery stores, retail, restaurants and bars are required to wear masks. This will not change anytime soon. Part of the reason masks are necessary for these types of employment is because the masks provide protection not only from the virus, but also from the angry anti-maskers who spit on workers who ask them to wear a mask. Here are examples.
If the United States had required all businesses to give people paid time off when they get sick, we could have potentially stopped the spread of COVID early on. We also need the federal government to institute single-payer health care, or universal health care, so people can afford to get their illnesses and chronic diseases properly managed and tended to. I think many people want that to become the new “normal”.
We Won’t Go Back to “Normal” is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
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December 16, 2021Photo by Maxime on Unsplash
Public transportation, and several stores, already required people to wear masks while indoors. The new requirement makes mask wearing indoors standard across California.
You might be surprised to learn that the requirement for people to wear masks in all public indoor settings did not come from Governor Gavin Newsom. Instead, it came from The California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Dr. Mark Ghaly is California’s health secretary. The announcement was made on December 13, 2021.
Here is part of it:
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) continues to monitor COVID-19 data in order to protect the health and well-being of all Californians. Since Thanksgiving, the statewide seven-day average case rate has increased by almost half (47%) and hospitalizations have increased by 14%. In response to the increase in cases and hospitalizations, and to slow the spread of both Delta and the highly transmissible Omicron variant, CDPH has issued updated guidance to curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.Beginning December 15, CDPH will require masks to be worn in all indoor public settings irrespective of vaccine status through January 15, 2022, at which point California will make further recommendations as needed in response to the pandemic…CDPH website
In addition, there are updated requirements for attending mega events. Read that over again. It says “mega” (as in large) – not “MAGA” (as in Trump). The mega events include concerts and sporting events. CDPH explains: “Prior to attending an event, attendees will now require either proof of vaccination, a negative antigen COVID-19 test within one day of the event, or a negative PCR test within two days of the event.”
CalMatters provided additional information on December 13, 2021. First, it pointed out that this mask mandate for indoor public places in California was issued exactly six months after lifting the previous one. The first statewide mask mandate was imposed in 2020 and lifted last June.
Here are some things to know about the current indoor mask mandate:
The mask mandate is specific to public settings, not private gatherings. Health officials recommend people get tested ahead of holiday gatherings and consider better ventilation by opening windows or convening outdoors when possible.
The mandate will affect about 50% of the state population that lives in counties that currently don’t have their own mask mandate.
Right now, California is not considering further restrictions or capacity limits on businesses, and isn’t going to impose closures.
California’s 7-day average case rate (as of December 13, 2021) stood at 14.1 new cases per 100,000 people. On the high end, Riverside and San Diego counties reported rates of 19.8, San Bernardino County is at 22.7, Inyo County 29.4, and Mono County 50.1, according to state data.
On the lower end, Los Angeles reported 13.3 new cases per 100,000 and San Francisco and Alameda counties reported rates of 8.5 and 7.6, respectively.
As of December 13, 2021, 74,685 Californians have died from COVID-19.
It seems to me that this data emphasizes the reason for the indoor mask mandate. In some parts of California, cases of COVID-19 are rising. One way to stop the spread of the virus is to require people to wear masks when they are indoors. There is a chance that when the case numbers significantly drop – the mask mandate will lift.
Most people, whether vaccinated or not, are physically able to wear a mask for the time it takes to go grocery shopping. Doing so protects not only the shoppers who are wearing masks in indoor spaces, but also protects the workers who are wearing masks.
Earlier in the pandemic, there was a phrase I saw passed around on social media. “My mask protects you. Your mask protects me.” I like this phrase because it gives the feeling of being in this fight against COVID-19 together. One simple way to do that is with a mask mandate.
California Requires Masks In All Public Places is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
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September 1, 2021woman wearing a mask in a grocery store by Anna Shvets on Pexels
The county I live in has issued an indoor mask mandate. It started today. I rarely go outside anymore because I have two auto-immune disorders. When I do leave the house, I am almost always the only one wearing a mask.
According to my county’s Department of Public Health, the mask mandate is in response to a surge of COVID-19 cases that are described as the highest number of COVID-19 patients that the county has ever had. Part of the reason for the mask mandate is to enable hospitals to have room for people who need treatment for heart attacks, broken bones, or cancer (as a few examples).
I’m not going to say which county I live in, but will disclose that it is somewhere in California.
The mask mandate applies to not only those who are not vaccinated, but also those who are. An order has been issued that makes it clear that failing to adhere to the order is “a public nuisance subject to citation, abatement, or both, as well as a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.”
This is not new. In 1918, there was an influenza pandemic. The United States issued a mask mandate. Back then people who were not wearing a mask, or who were wearing their mask improperly (below their chin, for example), were given 30-day jail sentences. Those who could afford it could pay a $10 bail and be released.
My county now requires that masks be worn over the mouth and nose in all indoor settings. It includes gatherings, workplaces, offices, retail stores, restaurants, bars, fitness centers, theaters, museums, personal care services, family entertainment centers, and government offices serving the public.
Businesses must now require everyone who wants to enter to wear face coverings. The business must post signs at the door to make it clear that people must wear a mask if they want to go inside. Students, teachers, and others working at in-person schooling, will be required to wear a mask while indoors.
Personally, I am relieved to hear this news. The mask mandate will help prevent the spread of COVID-19. It makes the county a little bit safer for people like me who have weak immune systems. People who need to go to the hospital for non-COVID health issues will have a chance to get the care they need.
I cannot help but wonder what things would be like today if the United States government issued a mask mandate right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. So many lives could have been saved.
Anti-maskers are probably going to get angry about my county’s mask mandate. I recommend they get used to ordering their groceries to be delivered to their homes. They should also expect to pay fines for being maskless inside a store or business.
My County Issued a Mask Mandate is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
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June 18, 2021Golden Gate Bridge by Pixabay on Pexels
Reopening does not mean that COVID-19 has magically disappeared. We are opening too early, with unclear guidance that is unlikely to be properly enforced.
On June 15, 2021, Governor of California Gavin Newsom announced that the state was fully reopening. The COVID-19 related restrictions that had been in place will be eliminated, including physical distancing, capacity limits, county tier systems, and masks in almost all settings for vaccinated Californians.
The press release on the Governor’s website makes it abundantly clear that vaccinated Californians will be allowed to go into some settings without having to wear a mask. People who aren’t fully vaccinated – or who refuse to get vaccinated – will still be required to wear masks.
Based on the behavior of anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers, it is reasonable to assume that those groups of people will stop wearing masks anyway. Some of them never bothered to wear a mask at all. As a result, COVID-19 (and its variants) will continue to spread.
I live in California. I am immune-compromised, and I am fully vaccinated.
Beyond the Blueprint
The official website of the Governor of California (also called California for ALL) posted information titled Beyond the Blueprint. It is a fact sheet that describes what people can expect when the state reopened. Here are some important details:
Resuming Everyday Life
Everyday life will feel a lot like before COVID-19. Restaurants, shopping malls, movie theaters, and most everyday places will be open as normal with no capacity limits or social distancing required. The county tier system will also be eliminated entirely.Lifting mask requirements for vaccinated Californians. California’s Department of Public Health has updated statewide masking guidance to match the CDC’s guidance, lifting California’s mask requirements for vaccinated individuals starting on June 15.
Please note that the mask requirements are lifted for vaccinated individuals.
Limited Exceptions for Unique Settings
Mask requirements for uniquely vulnerable settings. In accordance with CDC guidance, masks will still be required for uniquely vulnerable settings such as: hospitals, long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, and public transit.
I have hardly ever left the house since the pandemic started. If I did go outside, it was to access medical care. My husband and I took a Lyft or Uber to our destination, or got on the bus. Previous to June 15, 2021, the requirement was that everyone needed to wear a mask on the bus, or in an Uber or Lyft (including drivers).
Public health recommendations for mega events. For indoor events of 5,000 people or more, attendees must confirm proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 status in order to attend. For outdoor events of 10,000 people or more (like concerts, sporting events, festivals, and conventions), it is recommended that attendees confirm proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 status to attend, due to increased risk caused by travel and crowds.
On June 14, 2021, Cal Matters posted an article titled: “As California reopens, 6 things you need to know about COVID-19”. It was written by Ana B. Ibarra. From the article:
Infections and hospitalizations are down, but not gone.
…At the peak of the pandemic, 17% of people in California tested for COVID-19 were infected. For about a month now, it’s been under 1%Last week, California recorded between 792 to 1,136 new infections every day. That’s comparable to the early days of the pandemic last spring.Hospitalizations have been on a downward trend for several months. As of Friday, 1,263 people statewide were hospitalized with COVID-19 and another 261 were in intensive care. During the mid-January peak, more than 22,000 infected people were hospitalized and more than 4,800 were in ICU’s.It’s a new record low: Hospitalizations are now less than half what they were in mid-October, when around 3,000 infected people were hospitalized, according to the 14-day average……The tragedies, however, remain. Fifty-five more people were added Friday to California’s pandemic death toll, which now includes 62,593 people…
California is not close to herd immunity yet
According to the Mayo Clinic, herd immunity. occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected – not just those who are immune.
The Mayo Clinic states that vaccines can help a population gain herd immunity. Herd immunity can be reached when enough people have been vaccinated against a disease and have developed protective antibodies against future infection. Herd immunity makes it possible to protect the population from a disease, including those who can’t be vaccinated, such as newborns or those who have compromised immune systems.
Cal Matters reported that about two-thirds of eligible residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. State health officials don’t set a vaccination goal for herd or community immunity, since children under 12 – 15% of the population – cannot yet be vaccinated and previously infected people may already be protected.
According to Cal Matters, experts say that 70% to 85% of the total population must be fully vaccinated to reach large-scale protection against the virus. California isn’t there yet.
Outbreaks are still possible
Cal Matters quoted Andrew Noymer, who is an epidemiologist at University of California, Irvine. “Let’s not forget that this is an ongoing pandemic,” he said. “… in Orange County, Latino males are lagging in vaccination, so that group is still at risk.” Andrew Noymer expects to see another wave of COVID infections in fall or winter.
Cal Matters also quoted Dr. Mark Ghaly, California state’s health and human services secretary. Cal Matters stated that Dr. Mark Ghaly said he expects to see outbreaks, especially in counties with lower vaccination rates. “It’s at those moments of an outbreak that we need to be ready to vaccinate additional people,” he said.
Blacks and Latinos are still at high risk
…About 56.5% of Black residents and 55% of Latinos have not been immunized, compared to 38% of white residents and 15.5% of Asian Americans, according to the state’s vaccination breakdown.This means that the groups that were harmed the most by the virus are still facing the most risk. Mistrust in the health system and vaccine hesitancy are barriers, but experts say access issues, like the inability to take time off work and lack of transportation are likely the bigger issue…
Many seniors aren’t vaccinated, and most kids aren’t even eligible
A significant portion of California’s seniors – about 1.5 million of them – have not been vaccinated, despite being among the most vulnerable to the virus. Seniors make up almost 16% of the state’s population, but 73% of COVID-related deaths. Still, 22% of them have not been vaccinated……Many seniors may be facing access issues. If they don’t drive, they likely rely on family members’ schedules. If they are ill or homebound, they might be waiting for public health departments and providers to come to themExperts say it also will be important to see how infections play out among kids, many of whom will be heading back to the classroom soon for the first time in a long time. About 34% of children ages 12 through 17 have received at least one dose.Vaccines for the approximate 6 million children in California younger than 12 years may not be available until well into the fall…. Pfizer said it expects to seek emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its vaccine for kids 2 to 11 years old in September…
You may need a booster shot.
According to Cal Matters, there are two reasons why people may need booster shots – waning immunity, and the need for additional protection because of a more dangerous variant.
On June 15, 2021, CBS News posted an article titled: “Gottlieb says Delta virus variant likely to become dominant U.S. strain”. It was written by Kimani Hayes. From the article:
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said Sunday that a coronavirus strain known as the Delta variant is likely to become the dominant source of new infections in the U.S. and could lead to new outbreaks in the fall, with unvaccinated Americans being most at risk.“Right now, in the United States, it’s about 10% of infections. It’s doubling every two weeks,” Gottlieb said on “Face the Nation”. “That doesn’t mean that we’re going to see a sharp uptick in infections, but it does mean that this is going to take over. And I think the risk is really to the fall that this could spike a new epidemic heading into the fall.”The Delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first discovered in India and is one of three related strains. It has become famous for its ability to outpace and replicate quicker than other variants in its lineage……However, Gottlieb said the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S. and overseas appear to be effective at containing the Delta variant, highlighting the importance of the public vaccination campaign…
California is opening up too soon
According to Cal Matters, in order to obtain herd immunity, 70% to 80% of the total population must be vaccinated. Cal Matters reported that about two-thirds of eligible residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. California is opening too soon.
There appears to be some confusion about what the new reopening rules actually mean. Information from Cal Matters is conflicting. I’m not sure how businesses – or customers – are going to be able to navigate through requirements that are not standard nor required.
Do you want to go to a concert?
California defines anything that draws more than 5,000 people (indoors) or 10,000 people (outside) as a “mega event”.
People who want to go to concerts, conventions, or other indoor “mega events” will have to prove that they have been vaccinated. They can do this by showing a vaccination card, a photo of the card, or documentation from a doctor that they tested negative for coronavirus in the previous 72 hours.
CBS News posted an article on April 20, 2021, titled: “Scammers are selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards online”. It was written by Megan Cerullo. From the article:
Criminals are looking to cash in on the U.S. immunization push against COVID-19 by selling forgeries of government-issued “vaccination record cards” that show people have been inoculated.Hundreds of fraudsters are selling blank or forged versions of the cards over ecommerce sites including eBay, Etsy and Shopify, while also running advertisements for the fakes on Facebook, according to Saoud Khalifah, CEO of Fakespot, which uses artificial intelligence to detect online retail scams. And with names like blankcovidcard.com, such sellers are hardly discreet……Khalifah of Fakespot suspects some purchasers of fake cards are “anti-vaxxers” who don’t plan on becoming vaccinated but want whatever access a card can afford them…
Scammers are making it impossible to determine which concert-goers have actually been vaccinated, and which have purchased a fake card. This sort of situation could easily lead to superspreader events.
Cal Matters reported that proof of vaccination or documentation from a doctor that a person tested negative for coronavirus in the previous 72 hours won’t necessarily be required at outdoor events like baseball games. However, California is recommending that stadiums either impose a rule or require masking.
What about bars, gyms, or movie theaters?
People who are vaccinated are allowed to take off their mask once they go inside these venues. It appears that bars, gyms and movie theaters will be allowed to drop social distancing rules. The result is the honest people, who got vaccinated, will be mixing with people who lied about being vaccinated and who aren’t wearing masks.
Those who are unvaccinated are required to wear a mask indoors in most public places. However, there’s no clear guidance about how the rule will be enforced. California’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mark Ghaly said that business can require masks of all customers, implement a vaccination verification system, or simply go with the honor system. The Secretary says the state is not requiring businesses to have someone at the door checking for vaccine status.
What about workplaces?
On June 17, 2021, Cal Matters updated an existing blog post and reported that this is where things get complicated.
Since November of 2021, California’s workplace safety regulator has been requiring most employees across the state to mask up and maintain six feet of distance from one another when possible. In addition, stores, restaurants and other employers were required to provide personal protective equipment to their staff, to offer testing when necessary, and in some cases, to set up pathogen-blocking furnishings such as plexiglass shields.
Those rules have changed.
What are the new rules regarding workplaces and COVID-19?
On June 17, 2021, a press release titled: “Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order Expediting Cal/OSHA’s Revised COVID-19 Regulations to Ensure Consistency with Public Health Guidance”. It was posted on the Governor of California’s website. Here are some key parts of the press release:
Following the vote by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to adopt revised COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards that reflect the state’s latest COVID-19 public health order, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order enabling the revisions to take effect without the normal 10-day review period by the Office of Administrative Law – providing clarity and consistency for employers and employees as California fully reopens its economy.Among other updates, Cal/OSHA’s revisions align with the latest guidance from the California Department of Public Health – based on guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – on face coverings and eliminate physical distancing requirements, except for certain employees during outbreaks. Unless they show symptoms, fully vaccinated employees do not need to be offered testing or be excluded from work after close contact with a COVID-19 positive person…
On June 17, 2021, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that workplaces in California can let vaccinated employees “do away with masks and many other coronavirus restrictions”. Unvaccinated employees have to keep their masks on indoors, in line with the California state health department and federal recommendations.
Changes were made after after a vote by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHA). In a 5-1 vote, the Board approved a clearer set of rules for vaccinated people in the workplace.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported the following:
Unvaccinated employees have to keep their masks on indoors.
Those who have not received the COVID-19 shots can also request N95 masks from their employers to reduce the chance of being infected with the virus.
In my opinion, this will help protect people who are immune-compromised who cannot safely get vaccinated. The N95 mask can protect immune-compromised people from catching the virus. It would be unethical for an employer to insist immune-compromised workers return to work and risk catching coronavirus (or the flu, or a cold) from their unmasked coworkers.
California plans to make a one-month supply of N95 masks available to employers for unvaccinated workers.
It is unclear how many N95 masks employers will receive or when they will arrive. What happens if the employer runs out of masks for unvaccinated workers? Will the employer be expected to purchase more N95 masks? Will California supply those employers with more of them?
Workers still have to wear masks on public transit and in other settings where they are required to by California’s health department, including during workplace outbreaks. Physical distancing requirements are no longer in effect under the new rules.
Employers are required to document the vaccination status of their workers. The employers do not have to obtain copies of vaccine cards. Employers can also “self attest” that they have been vaccinated. The San Francisco Chronicle, this is a topic that many of the Board members expressed concern about.
On June 17, 2021, KSBY posted an article titled: “Employers must document the vaccination status of employees under revised CAL/OSHA rules”. It was written by Megan Healy. From the article:
Some of the revised rules by CAL/OSHA say:
Employers must verify and document the vaccination status of fully vaccinated workers if they do not wear masks indoors;
Employers must make COVID-19 testing available to unvaccinated employees who have symptoms, as well as vaccinated employees who have symptoms after close contact with a COVID-19 case;
Workers must be allowed to wear a face-covering if they choose to without fear of retaliation from employers;
Employers must provide workers who are not fully vaccinated with respirators for voluntary use, upon request, and at no cost.
According to KSBY, employment attorney Kathy Eppright said: “Not only will employers be allowed to ask for the vaccination status of their employees, but they will also be required to.” She continued, “It’s permissible for an employer if they wanted to ask that information of employees or customers in order to determine what rules to apply.”
How does having to disclose your vaccination status relate to HIPPA?
Not long after these types of news articles appeared, I noticed that several people had become incredibly concerned about HIPPA. The prevailing thought was that an employer who asks for a worker’s (or customer’s) vaccination status is breaking HIPPA.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information about HIPPA. It stands for The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. HIPPA is a federal law that required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge.
The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information by entities subject to the Privacy rule. Those individuals and organizations are called “covered entities”. The Privacy Rule contains standards for individuals’ rights to understand and control how their health information is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote high quality health care and to protect the public’s health and well being.
Covered Entities include:
Healthcare providers: All healthcare providers who electronically transmit health information in connection with certain transactions are Covered Entities. These transactions include claims, benefit eligibility inquiries, referral authorization requests, and other transactions for which HHS has established standards under the HIPAA Transactions Rule.
Health plans: Health plans are Covered Entities that provide or pay the cost of medical care. Health plans include health, dental, vision, and prescription drug insurers; health maintenance organizations (HMO’s); Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare+Choice, and Medicare supplement insurers and long-term care insurers (excluding nursing home fixed-indemnity policies). Health plans also include employer-sponsored group health plans, government-and church sponsored health plans, and multi-employer health plans.
A groups health plan with fewer than 50 participants that is administered solely by the employer that established and maintains the plan is not a Covered Entity.
Healthcare clearinghouses: These Covered Entities that process nonstandard information they receive from another entity into a standard format. Healthcare clearinghouses usually receive individually identifiable health information only when they are providing these processing services to a health plan or healthcare provider as a business associate.
Business associates: A person or organization using or disclosing individually identifiable health information to preform or provide functions, activities, or services for a Covered Entity is also a Covered Entity. These functions, activities, or services may include claims processing, data analysis, utilization review, and billing.
As you may have noticed, most employers are not considered to be Covered Entities. That means your employer can ask you about your vaccination status. The U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services (HHS) posted information titled: “Your Rights Under HIPAA”.
A list of those who are not required to follow HIPPA include: life insurers, employers, workers compensation carriers, most schools and school districts, many state agencies like child protective service agencies, most law enforcement agencies, and many municipal offices.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that labor and employment attorney Martha Doty, with the law firm Alston & Bird, said many of her company clients had been using the honor system when determining who was vaccinated and who wasn’t.
The San Francisco Chronicle also reported that employment groups don’t like these rules because they feel it puts too much of a burden on employers to “police worker vaccination status and masking.” Labor advocates pointed to ongoing workplace outbreaks and questioned if it was too early to ease restrictions.
What about government entities?
According to Cal Matters, the California Department of Human Resources sent an advisory to department heads of State offices that directly serve the public. Those agencies will not be required “to inquire about a member of the public’s vaccine status.”
Instead, agencies “should provide notice to all customers, guests and members of the public that face covering are required for unvaccinated individuals. If an individual without a face covering enters a state building, the department should assume the individual is complying with the requirement.”
People will not have to wear a mask to enter the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). There won’t be any temperature checks, and capacity restrictions will ease. However, if you want to take a behind-the-wheel driving test, you will be required to wear a mask.
Putting all of this together
It is too early for California to fully reopen. We have not yet hit herd immunity. There are Californians who want to get vaccinated but cannot because they can’t get an appointment for a shot. Some worry they will experience a side effect from the shot that will cause them to miss work – especially if their employer does not offer paid sick leave.
It is possible to be entirely vaccinated and to still catch COVID-19. It has been said that those who do will get a much milder case than if they were unvaccinated. There is a Delta variant going around that is said to be more dangerous than the COVID-19 version that started spreading in late 2019 or early 2020. It is too early for California to fully reopen.
The new rules are a mess! Some business may ask customers if they are fully vaccinated, and will require those who aren’t to wear a mask. Employers might ask workers about their vaccination status, and might or might not require proof. Businesses can choose to let in every unmasked person without asking if they have been vaccinated, or could require everyone who enters to wear a mask. Government offices are also inconsistent about these rules – which vary from one office to another.
This causes confusion, and mistakes will be made. California is not ready to reopen yet.
California Reopened – And I have Concerns is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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May 3, 2021Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order titled: “Executive Order on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery.” The order called for an emphasis on ensuring the people who were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 would receive the help they needed. It also called for the creation of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.
The “Executive Order on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery” started with:
“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of American, and in order to address the disproportionate and severe impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on communities of color and other underserved populations, it is hereby ordered as follows:”
Section 1. Purpose
This section starts by pointing out inequities on America’s health care system.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated severe and pervasive health and social inequities in America. For instance, people of color experience systemic structural racism in many facets of society and are more likely to become sick and die from COVID-19. The lack of complete data, disaggregated by race and ethnicity, on COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates, as well as underlying health and social vulnerabilities has further hampered efforts to ensure an equitable pandemic response…”
The Mayo Clinic posted information on August 13, 2020, titled: “Why are people of color more at risk of coronavirus complications?” It was written by William F. Marshall, III M.D. From the information:
Research increasingly shows that racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States.
According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native people had an age-adjusted COVID-19 hospitalization rate at about 5.3 times that of non-Hispanic white people. COVID-19 hospitalization rates among non-Hispanic Black people and Hispanic or Latino people were both about 4.7 times the rate of non-Hispanic white people.
While there’s no evidence that people of color have genetic or other biological factors that make them more likely to be affected by COVID-19, they are more likely to have underlying health conditions. Having certain conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, increases your risk of severe illness with COVID-19. But experts also know that where people live and work affects their health. Over time, these factors lead to different health risks among racial and ethnic minority groups…
Here are some factors mentioned in the Mayo Clinic information:
Racial and ethnic minority members might be more likely to live in multi-generational homes, crowded conditions and densely populated areas such as New York City. This can make social distancing difficult.
Many people of color have jobs that are considered essential or can’t be done remotely and involve interacting with the public. In the U.S., according to the CDC, nearly 25% of employed Hispanic and Black or African Americans work in the service industry, compared with 16% of non-Hispanic white workers. Black or African Americans also account for 30% of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. Many people of color also depend on public transportation to get to work. These factors can result in exposure to the virus.
Members of racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to encounter barriers to getting care, such as a lack of health insurance or not being paid when missing work to get care. In 2017, according to the CDC only about 6% of non-Hispanic white people were uninsured, while the rate was nearly 18% for Hispanics and 10% for non-Hispanic Black people.
Racism also may play a role in health risks. The stress of dealing with racial discrimination can take a toll on your body, causing early aging. This has been linked to underlying conditions, which can increase the risk of severe illness with COVID-19.
The executive order continues with:
“…Other communities, often obscured in the data, are also disproportionately affected by COVID-19, including sexual and gender minority groups, those living with disabilities, and those living at the margins of our economy. Observed inequities in rural and Tribal communities, territories, and other geographically isolated communities require a place-based approach to data collection and the response. Despite increased State and local efforts to address these inequalities, COVID-19’s disparate impact on communities of color and other underserved populations remains unrelenting…”
Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) published the results of a poll on March 11, 2021. The poll was titled: “The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on LGBT People”. From the findings:
There has been little data on how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals (LGBT) in the U.S. Drawing on previous research indicating that LGBT individuals are at greater risk of both COVID-19 health and economic outcomes, this analysis examines the reported experiences from self-identified LGBT individuals from two months of KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor and finds that LGBT people have experienced the COVID-19 pandemic differently than non-LGBT people, including being harder hit in some areas:
Economic: A larger share of LGBT adults compared to non-LGBT adults report that they or someone in their household has experienced COVID-era job loss (56% v 44%).
Mental Health: Three-fourths of LGBT people (74%) say worry and stress from the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health, compared to 49% of those who are not LGBT, and are more likely to say that negative impact has been major (49% v 23%).
Views: One-third (34%) of LGBT adults say the news has generally underestimated the seriousness of the pandemic (compared to 23% of non-LGBT adults). Three-fourths of LGBT adults (74%) are either “very worried” or “somewhat worried” that they or someone in their family will get sick from the coronavirus, similar to responses from non-LGBT adults (67%). A large share of LGBT adults report being willing to take CDC recommended steps to avoid acquisition/transmission of the virus.
…Limited early data available on how LGBT people have experienced the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (U.S.) has suggested that this group may be disproportionately impacted. The reasons are far-reaching and may include: LGBT individuals being at a greater risk of worse COVID-19 outcomes due to higher rates of comorbidities; working in highly affected industries such as health care and restaurants/food services; living on average on lower incomes than non-LGBT people; experiencing stigma and discrimination related to sexual orientation/gender identity, including in accessing health care and, for transgender individuals, being less likely to have health coverage…
Johns Hopkins University posted a report on April 23, 2020, titled: “COVID-19 poses unique challenges for people with disabilities”. From the report:
…For people with disabilities, all the general challenges that come with the pandemic certainly apply, but there are additional barriers. The first is communication – getting information can be more difficult for people with vision, hearing, and even cognitive disabilities, as popular news sources may not be accessible, especially when information is changing quickly… Keeping all of us informed is key to the COVID-19 public health response, but information is not accessible to the disability community…
…The second barrier involves adopting recommended public health strategies, such as social distancing and washing hands. For example, frequent hand-washing is not always feasible for people with certain types of physical disabilities… …public health policies often do not consider people with disabilities, leaving a gap in guidance. Those who have personal aides and caregivers also need to be considered, as they cannot participate in social distancing in the same way that others are…
…The third, equitable access to health care, is a long-standing barrier worsened by COVID-19. This ranges from getting a coronavirus test to being seen in an emergency room. For instance, drive-up testing may be impossible if you rely on state mobility services. There are also existing barriers in health care settings that are exacerbated as the industry aims to meet the surge of COVID-19 cases. For example, the use of personal protective equipment, including masks, can make communication more difficult for patients with hearing loss…
…There’s fear that medical resource allocation, including ventilators, may be discriminatory against patients with disabilities, and complaints have been filed in multiple states about these rationing policies…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted information on August 19, 2020, titled: “CDC data show disproportionate COVID-19 impact in American Indian/Alaska Native populations”. From the information:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new study that specifically examines how COVID-19 is affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) – one of the racial and ethnic minority groups at highest risk of the disease. CDC found that in 23 selected states, the cumulative incidence of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases among AI/AN was 3.5 that of non-Hispanic whites.
These data also showed that AI/AN who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 tended to be younger than white non-Hispanic individuals with COVID-19 infection. Compared to whites, a higher percentage of cases among AI/AN individuals were in people under 18 years of age (12.9 percent AI/AN; 4.3 percent white), and a smaller percentage of cases were among AI/AN 65 years or older (12.6 percent AI/AN; 28.6 percent white). Limited data were available to quantify the disparity in COVID-19 incidence, COVID-19 disease severity, and outcomes among AI/AN persons compared with those among other racial/ethnic groups, reinforcing the need to prioritize improved data collection as a key strategy to understand and improve health outcomes.
Recent CDC studies have shown that AI/AN are among the racial and ethnic minority groups at higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. Persisting racial inequity and historical trauma have contributed to disparities in health and socioeconomic factors between AI/AN and white populations that have adversely affected tribal communities. The elevated incidence within this population might also reflect differences in reliance on shared transportation, limited access to running water, household size, and other factors that might facilitate community transmission…
The last part of the Purpose section says:
“Addressing this devastating toll is both a moral imperative and pragmatic policy. It is impossible to change the course of the pandemic without tackling it in the hardest-hit communities. In order to identify and eliminate health and social inequalities resulting in disproportionately higher rates of exposure, illness, and death, I am directing a Government-wide effort to address health equity. The Federal Government must take swift action to prevent and remedy differences in COVID-19 care and outcomes within communities of color and other underserved populations.”
Section 2. COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force
The second part of the executive order is about setting up a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.
“There is established within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force (Task Force).”
On January 30, 2020, CBS News posted an article titled: “Trump creates task force to lead U.S. coronavirus response”. From the article:
President Trump has created a new task force to lead the government’s response to the fast-spreading coronavirus, the White House announced Wednesday.
Led by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and coordinated through the National Security Council, the task force is made up of subject matter experts from across the federal government and has been meeting daily since Monday. Members of the 12-member group include National Security Adviser Robert O’Brian, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield, and the National Institutes of Health’s Dr. Anthony Fauci.
“The task force will lead the administration’s efforts to monitor, contain and mitigate the spread of the virus, while ensuring that the American people have the most accurate and up-to-date health and travel information,” the White House said…
President Biden’s executive order describes who will be on his COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, what the group will do, and other information.
“The task force shall consist of the Secretary of HHS; an individual designated by the Secretary of HHS to Chair the Task Force (COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Chair); the heads of such other executive departments, agencies, or offices (agencies) as the Chair may invite; and up to 20 members from sectors outside the Federal Government appointed by the President.”
Xavier Becerra is the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). According to The New York Times, he is the first Latino to serve as health secretary. On March 18, 2021, the Senate confirmed him with a vote of 50-49. Senator Susan Collins of Maine was the only Republican to support his confirmation. Previously, he was California’s Attorney General. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will select someone to be the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Chair.
Federal members may designate, to perform the Task Force functions of the member, a senior-level official who is a part of the member’s agency and a full-time officer or employee of the Federal Government.
Nonfederal members shall include individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to groups suffering disproportionate rates of illness and death in the United States; individuals with expertise and lived experience relevant to equity in public health, health care, education, housing, and community-based services; and any other individuals with expertise the President deems relevant. Appointments shall be made without regard to political affiliation and shall reflect a diverse set of perspectives.
Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation for their work on the Task Force, but members shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in Government service (5. U.S.C. 5701-5757).
At the direction of the Chair, the Task Force may establish subgroups consisting exclusively of Task Force members or their designees under this section, as appropriate.
Mission and Work of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force:
“Consistent with applicable law and as soon as practicable, the Task Force shall provide specific recommendations to the President, through the Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President (COVID-19 Response Coordinator), for mitigating the health inequities caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and for preventing such inequities in the future. The recommendations shall include:”
Recommendations for how agencies and State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials can best allocate COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in certain communities and disparities in COVID-19 outcomes by race, ethnicity, and other factors, to the extent permitted by law;
Recommendations for agencies with responsibility for disbursing COVID-19 relief funding regarding how to disburse funds in a manner that advances equity;
Recommendations for agencies regarding effective, culturally aligned communication, messaging, and outreach to communities of color and other underserved populations.
“The Task Force shall submit a final report to the COVID-19 Response Coordinator addressing any ongoing health inequalities faced by COVID-19 survivors that may merit a public health response, describing the factors that contributed to disparities in COVID-19 outcomes, and recommending actions to combat such disparities in future pandemic responses.”
What the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force will do regarding data collection:
“…To address the data shortfalls identified in section 1 of this order, and consistent with applicable law, the Task Force shall:”
Collaborate with the heads of relevant agencies, consistent with the Executive Order entitled “Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats,” to develop recommendations for expediting data collection for communities of color and other underserved populations and identifying data sources, proxies, or indices that would enable development of short-term targets for pandemic-related actions for such communities and populations;
Develop, in collaboration with the heads of relevant agencies a set of longer-term recommendations to address these data shortfalls and other foundational data challenges, including those relating to data intersectionality, that must be tackled in order to better prepare and respond to future pandemics; and
Submit the recommendations described in this subsection to the President through the COVID-19 Response Coordinator.
The next few paragraphs set up more about what the Task Force can do. They may seek the views of health professionals; policy experts; State, local, Tribal and territorial health officials; faith-based leaders; businesses; health providers; community organizations; those with lived experience with homelessness, incarceration, discrimination, and other relevant issues; and other stakeholders.
The Federal Advisory Committee Act may apply to the Task Force, and any functions of the President under the Act, (except section 6) shall be performed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. HHS will provide funding and administrative support for the Task Force (as permitted by law and within existing appropriations).
The Chair shall convene regular meetings of the Task Force, determine its agenda, and direct its work. The Chair shall designate an Executive Director of the Task Force, who shall coordinate the work of the Task Force and head any staff assigned to the Task Force.
The COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force will terminate within 30 days of accomplishing the objectives set forth in this order, including the delivery of the report and recommendations specified in this section, or 2 years from the date of this order, whichever comes first.
Section 3. Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response.
“…The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of HHS, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Education, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the heads of all other agencies with authorities or responsibilities relating to the pandemic response and recovery shall, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law:”
Consult with the Task Force to strengthen equity data collection, reporting, and use related to COVID-19;
Assess pandemic response plans and policies to determine whether personal protective equipment, tests, vaccines, therapeutics, and other resources have been or will be allocated equitably, inducing by considering:
The disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality in certain communities; and
Any barriers that have restricted access to preventative measures, treatment, and other health services for high-risk population;
Any barriers that have restricted access to preventive measures, treatment, and other health services for high-risk populations;
The effect of proposed policy changes on agencies’ abilities to collect, analyze, and report data necessary to monitor and evaluate the impact of pandemic response plans and policies on communities of color and other underserved populations
Policy priorities expressed by communities that have suffered disproportionate rates of illness and death as a result of the pandemic;
Strengthen enforcement of anti-discrimination requirements pertaining to availability of, and access to, COVID-19 care and treatment; and
Partner with States, localities, Tribes, and territories to explore mechanisms to provide greater assistance to individuals and families experiencing disproportionate economic or health effects from COVID-19, such as by expanding access to food, housing, child care, or income support.
The next part instructs the Secretary of HHS to provide recommendations to State, local, Tribal, and territorial leaders on how to facilitate the placement of contact tracers and other workers in communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic, recruit such workers from those communities, and connect such workers to existing health workforce training programs and other career advancement programs.
The Secretary of HHS must also conduct an outreach campaign to promote vaccine trust and uptake among communities of color and other underserved populations with higher levels of vaccine mistrust due to discriminatory medical treatment and research and engage with leaders within those communities.
Members of the Biden-Harris Administration COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force
On February 10, 2021, President Biden announced who would be on the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.
The Task Force is chaired by Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith. She is an associate professor of internal medicine, public health, and management at Yale, and is one of the nation’s foremost experts on disparities in healthcare access. According to information posted by Yale, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith had called attention to the unequal burden borne by communities of color.
She is also associate dean for health equity research, director for the Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity, and the founding director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith grew up in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In the press briefing about the Task Force, it states: “As Chair, Dr. Nunez-Smith will also ask six additional Federal agencies to be represented on the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force as federal members. This includes the United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice and Department of Labor.
The twelve Task Force members represent a diversity of backgrounds and expertise, a range of racial and ethnic groups, and a number of important populations, including: children and youth, educators and students; health care providers, immigrants; individuals; public health experts; rural communities; state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments, and unions.
Mayra E. Alvarez, MPH is President of the Children’s Partnership, a California advocacy organization working to advance child health equity.
Previously, she served in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama-Biden administration, including at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, the Office of Minority Health, and the Office of Health Reform. She also served as a Legislative Assistant in the US Senate and House of Representatives. She grew up in California, and graduated from the School of Public Health at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of California at Berkeley.
James Hildreth, PhD, MD is president and chief executive officer of Meharry Medical College, the nation’s largest private, independent historically black academic health sciences center.
Dr.Hildreth served previously as the dean of the College of Biological Sciences at University of California, Davis and as a professor and associate dean at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Hildreth is a member of the National Academy of Medicine an an internationally acclaimed immunologist whose work has focused on several human viruses including HIV.
He currently serves on the advisory council for the NIH director and as a member of the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. Dr. Hildreth has led Meharry’s efforts to ensure that disadvantaged communities have access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines. He graduated from Harvard University as a Rhodes Scholar, from Oxford University with a PhD in immunology and obtained an MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Andrew Imparato, JD Andy Imparato is a disability rights lawyer and Executive Director of Disability Rights California, where he has spearheaded advocacy on crisis standards of care and vaccine prioritization in the last year.
Imparato joined DRC after a 26-year career in Washington DC, where he served as the chief executive of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the American Association of People with Disabilities. From 2010-2013, Imparato served as Chairman Tom Harkin’s Disability Policy Director on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Imparato’s perspective is informed by his lived experience with bipolar disorder.
Victor Joseph was elected by the 42 member tribes to the position of Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Chief/Chairman in March of 2014 and served through October of 2020. As the Chief Chairman he was the principle executive officer for the corporation and presided over all corporate meetings of the member tribes.
Prior to being elected TCC’s Chief Chairman Victor was employed as TCC’s Health Director from 2007 to 2014. He worked for TCC a total of 28 years in a variety of leadership positions. He has also served as Alaska Representative on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee and on the Indian Health Services Budget Formulation Committee. Joseph is a tribal member of the Native Village of Tanana. He has extensive experience building strong working relationships with tribal leaders, colleagues, staff, and funding agencies and corporate beneficiaries.
Joneigh Khaldun, MD, MPH is the Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan and the Chief Deputy Director for Health in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). She is the lead strategist for Michigan’s COVID-19 response.
Prior to her role in Michigan she was the Director of the Detroit Health Department, where she established a comprehensive reproductive health network and led Detroit’s response to the Hepatitis A outbreak. Dr. Khaldun has held former roles as the Baltimore City Health Department’s Chief Medical Officer and Fellow in the Obama-Biden Administration’s Office of Health Reform in the US Department of Health and Human Services. She obtained her BS from the University of Michigan, MD from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and MPH in health policy from George Washington University. She practices emergency medicine part-time at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
Octavio N. Martinez, Jr. MD, MBA, MPH is the Executive Director for the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at The University of Texas at Austin. Additionally, Martinez is a Senior Associate Vice President within the university’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement; clinical professor in the university’s School of Social Work; and professor at Dell Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry.
He grew up in Texas, and has a MPH from Harvard University’s School of Public Health, an MD from Baylor College of Medicine, and an MBA and BBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin.
Tim Putnam, DHA, EMS is President and CEO of Margaret Mary Health, a community hospital in Batesville, Indiana and has over 30 years of healthcare experience. He received his Doctorate in Health Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina where his dissertation was focused on acute stroke care in rural hospitals.
He is a past president of the Indiana Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Association. In 2015 he was appointed by the Governor to the newly created Indiana Board of Graduate Medical Education and has chaired the Board since its inception. Dr. Putnam is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician.
Vincent C. Toranzo is an active student from Broward County, Florida. Mr. Toranzo has experience with the inner workings of municipality functions. He serves as the State Secretary of the Florida Association of Student Councils advocating for the inclusion of student voices in their community, such as assistance to foster children and the assurance of students’ safety amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Toranzo was awarded the U.S. President’s Award for Educational Excellence and a Citizenship Award for School and Public Services from his local U.S. congresswoman.
Mary Turner, RN is an ICU nurse at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale and in her sixth year as President of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) union – the Minnesota affiliate of National Nurses United.
She previously worked at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis for 10 years. Turner has been on the National Nurses United’s Joint Nursing Commission since 2011. She serves as the Chair of the Board for Isuroon, which provides empowerment, culturally sensitive health education, and advocacy for Somali women.
Homer Venters, MD is a physician and epidemiologist working at the intersection of incarceration, health, and human rights. Dr. Venters is currently focused on addressing COVID-19 responses in jails, prisons, and immigration detention facilities.
Dr. Venters is the former Chief Medical Officer of the NYC Correctional Health Services and author of Life and Death in Rikers Island. Dr. Venters has also worked in the nonprofit sector as the Director of Programs for Physicians for Human Rights and President of Community Oriented Correctional Health Service. Dr. Venters is a Clinical Associate Professor of the New York University College of Global Public Health.
G. Robert (“Bobby”) Watts, MPH, MS is the CEO of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, which supports 300 Health Care for the Homeless FQHC’s and 100 Medical Respite programs with training, research, and advocacy to end homelessness. Watts has 25 years’ experience in administration, direct service, and implementation of homeless health and shelter services.
Watts served as Executive Director of Care for the Homeless in New York City for twelve years. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health from which he holds an MPH in health administration and an MS in epidemiology.
Haeyoung Yoon, JD is Senior Policy Director at the National is Senior Policy at the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Over the course of her career, Yoon has worked on low-wage and immigrant workers rights issues.
Prior to National Domestic Workers Alliance, Yoon was a Distinguished Taconic Fellow at Community Change. Yoon also has extensive litigation experience and taught at the New York University School of Law and Brooklyn Law School. She recently testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship regarding Immigrants as Essential Workers during COVID-19. Yoon received her JD from CUNY School of Law, her MA from Harvard University, and her BA from Barnard College.
Biden’s COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
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April 18, 2021Photo by CDC on Unsplash
Have you wondered about how the Biden-Harris administration managed to get so many COVID-19 “shots in arms” in such as short period of time? Were you surprised when pharmacies, stadiums, empty stores in dying malls, and pop-up vaccinations sites appeared? All of this is thanks to the Biden-Harris Covid-19 Vaccination plan.
“Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden Outlines COVID-19 Vaccination Plan” was posted on January 15, 2021, on what was originally the Biden-Harris Transition website. After Joe Biden was sworn in as President of the United States, and Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice-President of the United States, that content moved to the White House website.
The information posted by the Biden-Harris administration before Inauguration Day shows that they were thinking ahead about how to stop the spread of Covid-19. This contrasts strongly with the Trump Administration’s severe lack of planning.
Fact Sheet: President-elect Biden Outlines COVID-19 Vaccination Plan starts with a brief paragraph about the need for effective and equitable vaccinations. It also provides some information about the spread of COVID-19, and the number of deaths. From the Plan:
Effectively and equitably vaccinating the U.S. Population will happen through stronger partnerships with states and communities, increased supply, more vaccination sites, and more vaccinators.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is getting worse by the day – more people are hospitalized with COVID-19 than ever before, the death rate is up almost 20 percent, and we’re nearing 400,000 deaths total. At the same time, there is a new, more contagious strain spreading across the country and we are woefully behind on vaccinating the U.S. population.
“President-elect Biden will confront this historic challenge with the full strength of the federal government – working closely with local communities already in the trenches. He will lead an unprecedented, whole-of-society effort that mobilizes every resource available – across the public and private sectors. It will take every American doing their part.
“As we move forward to get vaccines in arms as quickly as possible, we will not leave anyone behind. Communities across the country are counting on it. The health and economic security of our nation depend on it.
“Today, the president-elect outlined key highlights of his plan to efficiently and equitably vaccinate the U.S. population. This includes taking action to: …
The next portion of the Vaccination Plan is listed out very clearly.
Get more people vaccinated
Encourage states to allow more people to be vaccinated including individuals 65 and older as well as frontline workers.
“The process of establishing priority groups was driven by science, but the implementation has been too rigid and confusing. We now see doses of vaccines sitting in freezers unused while people who want the vaccine cannot get it. President-elect Biden’s plan encourages states to open up eligibility beyond healthcare workers and long-term care facility workers like teachers, first responders, grocery store employees, and anyone who is 65 and older.
“It won’t mean that everyone in these groups will get vaccinated immediately, as supply is not where it needs to be. But it will mean that as vaccines become available, they will reach more people who need them. For states with the capacity and supply to further expand, we encourage that as well. The federal government will continue to look to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) framework for an equitable, effective vaccination program.”
Ensure equity throughout the vaccination process to reach those in hard-to-reach, marginalized communities.
“We will ensure that there is equity in the vaccination process by using data to target resources to hard-hit communities, ensuring no out-of-pocket costs for vaccinations, and equitable access to vaccines in marginalized and medically-underserved communities. Partnerships with state, local, and community-based organizations and trusted health care providers, like community health centers, will be central to this effort.”
Create more vaccination sites
Stand up new, federally-supported community vaccination centers across the country.
“Getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible will require close coordination between the federal government and all states and territories. Knowing that not all states and jurisdictions have the resources to scale vaccinations at the pace this crisis demands, the Biden-Harris administration will leverage federal resources and emergency contracting authorities to launch new vaccination sites and to expand state and local efforts across the country.
“With the support of Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), these sites will mobilize thousands of clinical and non-clinical staff and contractors who will work hand-in-glove with the National Guard and state and local teams. The program will be scaled based on what is working best on the ground for state and local partners, and the communities they serve.”
Fully reimburse state deployment of the National Guard to support vaccinations and provide additional FEMA assistance.
“President-elect Biden will deploy mobile vaccination clinics in the most hard-to-reach communities and to support those who face challenges accessing vaccination sites, including individuals who live in underseved urban and rural areas. The federal government will partner with states and local providers, including primary care providers, to ensure that they have the resources needed to help get vaccines to the communities they serve.
“The federal government will launch targeted programs to engage community health centers, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals, and tribal health services to ensure that we can meet the needs of all communities.”
Make vaccines available in pharmacies.
“Millions of Americans turn to their local pharmacies every day for their medicines, flu shots, and much more. Nearly 90 percent of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. President-elect Biden will quickly jumpstart efforts to increase capacity at chain and independent pharmacies across the country to get Americans vaccinated.”
Launch a new partnership with Federally Qualified Health Centers nationwide.
“Federally qualified Health Centers (FQHC’s) serve more than 30 million patients each year – one in 11 people nationwide. Many are people of color and many live in rural communities. FQHC patients are often individuals struggling to make ends meet.
“Given the role that these providers play in their communities, President-elect Biden will launch a new program to ensure that FQHC’s can directly access vaccine supply where needed. At the same time, the administration will encourage jurisdictions to engage and work closely with health centers in their community vaccination planning.
“And to ensure that health centers have the resources they need to successfully launch vaccination programs, President-elect Biden has called on Congress to provide additional funds to support community health centers, and HHS will launch a new program to provide guidance, technical assistance, and other resources to prepare and engage these providers nationwide.”
Launch new models to serve high-risk individuals
“The administration will make programs available for high-risk congregate settings, including homeless shelters, jails, and institutions that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Increase supply and get it out the door as quickly as possible
Ensure a robust vaccine supply and spur manufacturing
“To help people get vaccinated more quickly, the president-elect will maximize the manufacturer of vaccine and vaccine supplies for the country, including the Defense Production Act. This effort will prioritize supplies that could cause bottlenecks, including glass vials, stoppers, syringes, needles, and the “fill and finish” capacity to package vaccines into vials”.
The Federal Emergency Management Program (FEMA) has an explanation of the Defense Production Act.
The Defense Production Act is the primary source of presidential authorities to expedite and expand the supply of materials and services from the U.S. industrial base needed to promote the national defense. DPA authorities are available to support: emergency preparedness activities conducted pursuant to title VI of the Stafford Act; protection or restoration of critical infrastructure; and efforts to prevent, reduce vulnerability to, minimize damage from, and recover from acts of terrorism within the United States. DPA authorities may be used to:
Require acceptance and preferential performance of contracts and orders under DPA Title I. (See Federal Priorities and Allocations System (FPAS)).
Provide financial incentives and assistance (under DPA Title III) for U.S. industry to expand productive capacity and supply needed for national defense purposes;
Provide antitrust protection (through DPA voluntary agreements in DPA Title VII) for businesses to cooperate in planning and operations for national defense purposes, including homeland security.
FEMA also provides information about the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, PL 100-707, signed into law November 23, 1988; amended the Disaster Relief Act of 1974, PL 93-288.
This Act constitutes the statutory authority for most Federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to FEMA and FEMA programs.
Title IV of the Stafford Act is called “Major Disaster Assistance Programs”. Section 401 “Procedure for Declarations” provides the following explanation of this part of the Stafford Act.
“IN GENERAL – All requests for a declaration by the President that a major disaster exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State. Such a request shall be based on a finding that the disaster is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and the affected local governments and that Federal assistance is necessary.
“As part of such request, and as a prerequisite to major disaster assistance under this Act, the Governor shall take appropriate response action under State law and direct execution of the State’s emergency plan. The Governor shall furnish information on the nature and amount of State and local resources which have been or will be committed to alleviating the results of the disaster, and shall certify that, for the current disaster, State and local government obligations and expenditures (of which State commitments must be a significant proportion) will comply with all applicable cost-sharing requirements of this Act.
“Based on the request of a Governor under this section, the President may declare under this Act that a major disaster or emergency exists.”
The Defense Production Act, and the Stafford Act, are what gives a president the power to take action in emergency situations in order to provide states with what they need to survive it. The incoming Biden-Harris administration clearly saw that the COVID-19 pandemic is an emergency.
There appears to be a potential problem, though. In order to receive emergency aid, a state’s governor would have to request it from the Biden-Harris Administration. My best guess is that the Biden-Harris administration believed that every state Governor would do so, but there was still the possibility that some state governors might decide not to accept the aid.
President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris would not be able to directly act on it until after the Inauguration and swearing in ceremonies were over. Planning ahead helped to make it possible for so many people, across the United States, to get vaccinated.
Be a reliable partner for states by providing actionable data on vaccine allocation timelines and delivery.
“To effectively plan and scale distribution, states and localities rely on both advanced understanding of their allocations and timely delivery of their ordered doses. Under President-elect Biden’s plan, the federal government will provide regular projections of the allocations states and localities will receive.
“The federal government will build on the operational plans in place to ensure the effective distribution, storage, and transit of vaccines to states, including support for maintaining or augmenting the vaccine-specific required cold chain. The federal government will also fully leverage the Defense Production Act to fill any distribution gaps, including with respect to any needed refrigeration, transportation, or storage facilities.”
Increase vaccine availability while maintaining a commitment to the two-dose schedule.
“President-elect Biden’s plan will release the vast majority of the vaccines when they are available, so more people an get vaccinated quickly, while still retaining a small reserve for any unforeseen shortages or delays. To continue ensuring second-dose availability on the timeline recommended by the FDA, the Biden-Harris administration will closely monitor development, production and release of vaccines, and use the DPA as needed to ensure adequate supply for second doses on the timeline recommended by the FDA.”
Mobilize more personnel to get shots in arms.
Surge the public health workforce to support the vaccination effort.
“A diverse, community-based public health workforce is essential to an effective vaccination program. President-elect Biden will address workforce needs by taking steps to allow additional qualified professionals to administer vaccines and strongly encourage states to use their flexibility fully to surge their workforce, including by expanding scope of practice laws and waiving licensing requirements as appropriate.
“The federal government, in partnership with states, will provide appropriate training, including thorough use of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The president-elect will also act swiftly to amend the current COVID-19 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration to permit certain qualified professionals, including retired medical professionals, that are not licensed under state law to administer vaccines to be able to do so with appropriate training in order to expand the number of qualified professionals able to administer the vaccine.”
The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) “is one of the nation’s uniformed services – a branch committed to the service of health. Officers advance our nation’s public health, serving in agencies across the government, as physicians, nurses, dentists, veterinarians, scientists, engineers, and other professionals.”
Their mission is: Protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of the nation. They work at the CDC, FDA, Indian Health Service, National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Defense.
The Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19 was placed on the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services on March 17, 2020, during the Trump Administration. It is also called the PREP Act.
The Summary of the PREP Act (at that time) stated: “The Secretary is issuing this Declaration pursuant to section 319F-3 of the Public Health Service Act to provide liability immunity for activities related to countermeasures against COVID-19.”
Part of the Supplementary Information included:
The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to issue a Declaration to provide liability immunity to certain individuals and entities (Covered Persons) against any claim of loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the manufacture, distribution, administration, or use of medical countermeasures (Covered Countermeasures), except for claims involving “willful misconduct” as defined in the PREP Act. This Declaration is subject to amendment as circumstances warrant.
Another part, Section IV. Limited Immunity, stated:
The Secretary must also state that liability protections available under the PREP Act are in effect with respect to the Recommended Activities. These liability protections provide that, “ubject to other provisions of the , a covered person shall be immune from suit and liability under federal and state law with respect to all claims for loss caused by, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the administration to or use by an individual of a covered countermeasure if a Declaration has been issued with respect to the countermeasure.” In Section IV of the Declaration, the Secretary states that liability protections are in effect with respect to the Recommended Activities.
In other words, the Trump Administration decided that the best way to handle the COVID-19 pandemic was to prevent people from being able to sue “those that manufacture, distribute, administer, prescribe or use Covered Countermeasures.” It wasn’t about protecting the health of the American people at all!
On January 28, 2021, about a week after Inauguration Day, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) posted: “HHS Amends PREP Act Declaration to Increase Workforce Authorized to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines”. This is the amendment that President Biden mentioned in the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Plan.
The Release stated the following:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today issued a fifth amendment to the Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP ACT) to add additional categories of qualified persons authorized to prescribe, dispense, and administer COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“To respond to the nationwide public health emergency caused by COVID-19, the Biden Administration is broadening use of the PREP Act to expand the vaccination workforce quickly with additional qualified healthcare professionals,” said HHS Acting Secretary Norris Cochran. “As vaccine supply is made more widely available over the coming months, having additional vaccinators at the ready will help providers and state health departments meet the demand for vaccine and protect their communities more quickly.”
Among other things, the amendment:
Authorizes any healthcare provider who is licensed or certified in a state to prescribe, dispense, and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any other state or U.S. territory.
Authorizes any physician, registered nurse, or practical nurse whose license or certification expired within the past five years to prescribe, dispense, and/or administer COVID-19 vaccines in any state or U.S. territory so long as the license or certification was active and in good standing prior to the date it went inactive.
Requires any healthcare professional described above to complete Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccine Training and, for healthcare providers who are not currently practicing or whose license or certification is expired, requires an on-site observation period by a currently practicing healthcare professional.
“Under the PREP Act and the Declaration, a qualified person is a covered person. Subject to certain limitations, a covered person is immune from suit and liability under federal and state law with respect to all claims for loss resulting from the administration or use of a covered countermeasure if a declaration under the PREP Act has been issued with respect to such countermeasures.”
As you can see, the Biden-Harris administration does include protection for health care practitioners who administer COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the manufactures of the vaccines, from being sued by a person who was harmed from it. The Trump-Pence administration made that the entire focus of the PREP Act. The Biden-Harris administration’s amendment makes it clear that the most important thing is to make it possible for more people to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine. It puts people first – not corporations.
Mobilize a public health jobs program to support COVID-19 response.
“President-elect Biden has asked Congress to make an historic investment in expanding the public health workforce, funding 100,000 public health workers to nearly triple the country’s community health roles. These individuals will be hired to work in their local communities to perform vital tasks like vaccine outreach and contact tracing in the near term, and to transition into community health roles to build our long-term public health capacity that will help improve quality of care and reduce hospitalization for low-income and underserved communities.”
Ensure the American people have the information and confidence they need to get vaccinated.
Launch a federally led, locally focused public education campaign.
“The federal government will build public trust through increased transparency, communication around progress and setbacks, and a public education campaign that addresses vaccine hesitancy and is tailored to meet the needs of local communities. The campaign will work to elevate trusted local voices and outline the historic efforts to deliver a safe and effective vaccine as part of a national strategy for beating COVID-19.”
The Biden-Harris COVID-19 Vaccination Plan worked! The White House COVID-19 Response Team posted regular updates about how many people have received a COVID-19 vaccination.
On January 27, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “The President set an ambitious goal of administering 100 million shots in our first 100 days. To get there, we’ve got to average about a million shots per day. Just one week in, our trajectory is good and we are all well on our way to hitting that goal.”
The tweet includes the following graphic:
The graphic says: 7,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021. Below it are a series of dots where each dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses.
On February 3, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse replied to its previous tweet with a new tweet: “Since last week’s update, we’ve administered another 9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The steps we’ve taken to increase supply & work directly with states to change the course of the pandemic make a difference in our goal to get 100 million shots in the first 100 days.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The graphic says: 16,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021. Below it is a series of dots. The black dots are toward the bottom Each black dot equals 10,000 doses. A grouping of blue dots each equal 10,000 doses. All the blue dots equal new vaccine doses since January 27th, 2021.
On February 10, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “We’ve been making steady progress over the past few weeks — getting more vaccine supply, getting more vaccinators on the ground, and creating more places to get vaccinated. We’re on track to meet our goal of delivering 100 million shots in our first 100 days in office.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The graphic says: 26,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021. Below it is a series of dots. This time, the black dots are located starting at the left-hand side of the image. The black dots rise to the line of dots third from the top, and decrease in stair steps from there. Each black dot equal 10,000 vaccine doses.
There is also a bunch of blue dots that start out on top of the black dots. The blue dots also decrease in stair steps on the right hand side. Each blue dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses, and new vaccine doses since February 3rd, 2021.
On February 17, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “27 days ago, the President launched his comprehensive national strategy to beat this pandemic. We are working every day to execute that strategy and seeing results.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The graphic says: 38,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021. Below it is a series of dots. The black dots start at the bottom of the graphic and continue up to the ninth line from the bottom. The black dots recede in stair steps as they get closer to the left-hand side of the graphic.
There are blue dots on top of the black dots. They fill the top nine lines of the graphic, and recede in stair steps on the left-hand side of the graphic. The blue dots fill in gaps left by the black dots stair steps.
Each black dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses. Each blue dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses. All the blue dots equal new vaccine doses since February 10, 2021.
On February 26, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “In just five weeks, we’ve administered more shots than any other country, with among the highest percentage of the population fully vaccinated. That progress is because we’re working around the clock to increase vaccine supply, places to get vaccinated, and vaccinators.”
The tweet contained a very large graphic:
At the top of this graphic, there are a multitude of tiny blue dots. A bracket holds them up. The bracket leads to text that says “For context, 10,000 vaccination doses looks like this”.
A line leads down to a circle that has one blue dot at the top of it. The circle has text that says “Just one of these dots holds 10,000 vaccination doses”. A line leads down from the circle into a rectangle that has a lot of black dots at the bottom. This time, they stair step as they reach the right hand side. Each black dot is equal to 10,000 vaccine doses.
On top of the black dots are many blue dots. They fill in the stair step where the black dots left off, and continue to the top part of the rectangle that all of these dots are in. Each blue dot equals 10,000 vaccine doses. All of the blue dots together equal new vaccine doses since February 17, 2021.
There is larger text in the middle of the graphic that says: 50,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021.
On March 12, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “Last night the President said that we’re on track to reach his goal of administering 100 million shots in his first 100 days weeks ahead of schedule. While there’s still so much more work to do, this by-the-numbers breakdown of our COVID-19 response outlines how far we’ve come.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The top of this graphic says: “An Update On The Biden-Harris COVID-19 Response”. There are no dots on this graphic. Under the heading, it says: “81M Shots Since January 20, 2021.” Drawings of eight syringes are in a line next to it.
There is a line under that part. Below it, there is text that says “More than 70% of 75 Year Olds have their first dose”. Next to that is a drawing of a bottle of vaccine with a yellow label. Below that, there is text that says “More than 60% of 65 Year Olds have their first dose.” Next to that is another bottle of vaccine with a yellow label.
Off to the side, there is a drawing of a small calendar. The calendar says: “2.2M per day” and there is an arrow pointing away from it, across the calendar page. Below the calendar it says: “7-Day Average of 2.2 Million Vaccinations Per Day.”
On March 19, 2021, @WHCOVIDResponse tweeted: “Before President Biden took office, he set a goal of administering 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in his first 100 days, which meant increasing vaccine supply and then turning vaccines into vaccinations. Today, on his 58th day in office, we have reached that goal.”
The tweet included the following graphic:
The top of this graphic says: “100,000,000 Vaccine Doses Administered Since January 20, 2021.” Underneath that it shows that each black dot equals 25,000 vaccine doses. It also says each blue dot equals 25,000 doses. There is another blue dot next to text that says “New vaccine doses since March 10th.”
Below the text, there are about eight lines of blue dots, stair stepping down as they reach the right hand side of the graphic. Below them are a multitude of black dots, slightly stepping up as they reach the right hand side of the graphic.
After reaching this goal, President Biden decided to double the goal and attempt to reach 200 million vaccine shots administered in his first 100 days in office. I really like the transparency that the Biden-Harris administration is providing people in regards to the effort to protect people from COVID-19.
The Biden-Harris Covid-19 Vaccination Plan is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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January 23, 2021Photo by Shawn Thorpe
For whatever reason, I ended up needing a lot more dental care than I expected this year. Trying to see a dentist during a pandemic is difficult. It is also a little weird because of changes made in response to COVID-19.
Before you read this blog post, you might want to read the first part: Dental Care During a Pandemic.
My next dental appointment was scheduled for August 6, 2020. It wasn’t clear what would take place at that appointment. Would it be a cleaning? Would I be getting a small titanium rod in my jaw (the next step in a tooth-replacement process)?
As before, my husband and I had to wait outside the dentist’s office when we arrived. The lobby was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. I sent a text to the office to let them know I was waiting on a bench across the street.
Eventually, the woman who does cleanings came out the back door of the office and waved me over. She used one of those forehead thermometers to check if I had a fever. After passing that test, she directed me inside to the room where the cleanings take place.
This was my first cleaning of the year. The previous one got canceled shortly after California did a “stay at home” order in March. At the time, I think many of us believed that following that order would be annoying, but worth it, if the result was the end of COVID-19.
I didn’t realize I was getting a cleaning that day until I was directed to the room where it happens. The woman who does the cleaning was in full PPE gear, which I had seen her use on my previous visit. (That visit was a quick check from the dentist to see if the site where a broken tooth was extracted was healing well).
The woman who does the cleaning did not know that I had a tooth extracted since the last time she saw me. I had to explain that I somehow broke a permanent cap and what was left of the tooth that was underneath it.
She shook her head. “I lot of people have broken their teeth,” she said. “I think it’s from stress because of the pandemic.”
It turned out that she and I both had a birthday in the same month. She told me that she didn’t feel like celebrating it this year. “Can’t go anywhere,” she shrugged. I told her I felt the same way, and didn’t do anything special on my birthday this year either.
The checkup and cleaning is covered by my insurance, and I wouldn’t have to pay for any of it. The woman who does the cleaning thought I had another cracked tooth.
“It looks like a chunk has been taken out of it.” While I remembered the now extracted tooth making a crunch sound when I broke it – I had no memory of another tooth breaking.
I have one more permanent cap left in my mouth. The woman who does the cleaning discovered that I was going to need a root canal on that one. The dentist, who came in after the cleaning to do a quick check, agreed.
It turns out the broken tooth was not actually broken. He had altered it when the extraction was happening, in preparation for the next steps.
This dentist referred me to a dentist in another town for an assessment on whether or not I needed a root canal. I kind of freaked out about that because neither I, nor my husband, drive. Taking an Uber or Lyft – there and back – would be really expensive.
My dentist convinced me that having the root canal done in the other town would be less expensive than here. He did this as the receptionist was putting my appointment with him for a root canal into the computer. She seemed displeased that he was making her change that.
The strangest thing about having to set up an appointment for a root canal at a dentist I’d never seen before is that I had no way to contact their office. The receptionist at my dentist’s office told me that the other dentist would call me when they were ready to make an appointment. I was told I’d have to negotiate a price with their office.
I have absolutely no idea how to budget for this unknown cost. It is also a bit alarming to know that I likely need a root canal – and then to be stuck in limbo waiting for an appointment from a dentist I’ve never seen before. There was nothing I could do but wait.
On August 19, I got a call from the receptionist at the dentist’s office that is in another town. She wanted to schedule me for a consultation for a root canal. Unfortunately, the appointment she was offering was on the exact same day that I would be having a titanium rod put in my jaw at my regular dentist’s office.
“I have no idea how long it will take me to heal,” I informed her.
The next option was an appointment two days from now. I decided to take it. When I was told the appointment would take an hour, so I could fill out paperwork, I convinced the receptionist to email those forms.
Neither I, nor my husband, can drive due to our chronic illnesses. We don’t have a car anymore.
This means we would be taking the bus to the town the new dentist is in and then walking part of the way to the office. My hope was the appointment would be shorter than expected. After that, my husband and I would be doing the same process in reverse to get back home.
The bus would be less expensive than if we took an Uber or Lyft back and forth. At the moment, both ride-sharing companies were fighting a lawsuit that would require them to give their California workers the same benefits as full-time employees.
Each one threatened to stop service in California rather than comply with the law. The bus was our only option.
Later that day, I got a text from my regular dentist’s office.
“Your co-pay for your appointment tomorrow is $605,” the receptionist texted.
“I thought my appointment was on the 24th?” I texted back.
Receptionist apologizes and clarified that yes, my appointment is on the 24th. “Wrong patient”.
It was a huge relief that I was not expected to come up with an extra $605 on top of the $1,500 that the appointment would cost.
The next day, I started getting worried about having to go out of town for the consultation on a root canal. The COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing and I, a person with autoimmune issues, was worried about what would happen if the people on the bus chose not to wear masks.
The photo at the top of this blog post shows what the sky outside looked like. Smoke was coming from a fire that was too far away for us to have to worry about evacuation. The smoke from that fire drifted here. California’s fire season had begun, and it was really fierce this time around.
It was 93 degrees outside at nearly 6 p.m. The weather app on my phone showed a warning about “unhealthy air quality”. The pollen count was 8.0, which was enough to make people who have no allergies cough and wheeze.
I had a bad feeling about this.
My weather app and the pollen.com app allow me to view data from not only where I live, but also whatever location I want to add. From this, I learned that the temperature in the other town would be 107 degrees tomorrow, and the pollen count would be 10.1.
When the pollen count reaches 10 I lose all ability to focus. I stop making sense, cannot focus on anything, and feel extremely sick.
The weather app said that the air quality where I live would be “Unhealthy Air Quality” tomorrow. The other town’s air quality would be “Very Unhealthy Air Quality”.
Rather than risk my health, I called the out-of-town dentist and listened to the automated message informing me that the office was closed due to COVID-19. Patients who needed emergency dental care could leave a message and would be called back if the dentist thought the person was having an emergency.
When the message ended, I stated my name, explained that the weather conditions and the smoke made it dangerous for me to go outside due to my chronic illnesses, and cancelled the appointment. And then I started to worry about how much I would be charged for cancelling an appointment the night before.
When I start panicking about money, I have a tendency to push myself into working harder, even if I’m not really well enough for that to be a good idea. I was trying to complete as much of my freelance writing work as possible.
It was 4 in the morning, and already 86 degrees outside. The pollen count was 8.5. The weather app warned that the air quality was “Unhealthy Air Quality for Sensitive Groups”. That’s me.
I made the right decision to stay inside and away from the excessive heat and the smokey, pollen filled air.
Here’s what I wrote on social media about how my day was going:
I have a portable air conditioner on, sitting a few feet away from me. It helps lower the temperature in here in the summer, and filters the air somewhat.
Nearby is a really good air filter/purifier that does a really good job of filtering out pollen, dust, and other particulate matter.
All of the windows are shut, but I can still smell smoke in the air. The mobile home we live in is old and far from being air tight.
The air smells like popcorn that has been slightly burned in a microwave.
I have started coughing, and am typing this while wearing my thickest cloth mask. The coughing has stopped, for now.
The receptionist at the out-of-town dentist called me back and was extremely nice to me. She honestly seemed to understand why I needed to cancel. She looked up some information and discovered that my referral will last for 90 days. There was time to reschedule, and they would call me back for an appointment in mid-September.
This gives me enough time to get the titanium rod placed in my jaw at my dentist’s office and recover from it at least a little bit. To my great relief, I was not being charged anything for cancelling the appointment.
Later, I learned that several businesses, including some that function as banks, had closed their offices due to the smoke. They didn’t want to expose their workers – or customers – to that danger.
On August 23rd, my dentist texted me a form to fill out before my appointment the next day. It was a short questionnaire that was designed to help them figure out if I might have COVID-19. I filled out the questions with “no” to most of them. One question asked if I have any autoimmune diseases. Yes! I have allergies.
On August 24th, I got up early so I could be at the dentist’s office in time for my 9 a.m. appointment. My husband and I took a Lyft to the office. The driver was wearing a mask, and so were we. As before, the reception area at the dentist’s office was closed, and I was told to text them when I arrived.
Between the last time I was here, and now, the office had three very new wooden benches placed in front of it. We wouldn’t have to wait on the bench across the street anymore. The new benches were comfortable.
The dentist gave me Novocaine – this time without epinephrine. (It makes me shake.) The office has the air conditioning blasting through a vent right above my feet. I started shaking, and the receptionist came in with a soft blanket for me to use.
The shaking didn’t stop right away. I wasn’t scared. Eventually the dentist figured out that the shaking was because I hadn’t eaten breakfast and my blood sugar dropped. He offered me two different fruit drinks that contained sugar – which should counteract the shaking. Unfortunately, I was allergic to ingredients in both of them.
The dentist sent someone to go to the 7-11 and pick up some sugar.
The procedure to place a titanium rod into my jaw was absolutely painless. I didn’t feel a thing other than some pressure. From my perspective, it seemed like the dentist was screwing the titanium rod into my jaw, with a tiny Allen wrench. So, this is what it would feel like to be a piece of IKEA furniture!
The whole thing was done in about 30 minutes. I watched the required video, and was given some paper that had the same information. The dentist, and the receptionist, both strongly recommended that I take a pain killer BEFORE the Novocaine wore off. I still had plenty of that leftover from when they did the extraction.
The receptionist gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, which she said to start taking that day.
To my surprise, the receptionist said that I still had some money on my account. I’m absolutely terrible about understanding numbers, especially right after having dental surgery. The total bill that was originally estimated to cost $1,500 was now $1,917. I have no explanation for why the cost increased.
My husband had to wait outside for me, so I was texting him to let him know I was done and what the cost of the bill turned out to be. We took a Lyft home. As directed by my dentist, I took a pain killer before the Novocaine wore off.
Spent a hazy half-hour or so watching a friend stream a video game on Twitch, and then went to sleep for a while.
My husband went back outside while I was sleeping to get the prescription for the antibiotic filled, and I have been taking it as directed.
The most interesting part about all of this is that the pain from the dental surgery is not much different in intensity than the pain my sinuses are in when the pollen count is too high.
I walk around with this kind of pain all the time, and have grown used to it.
This realization is actually kind of alarming.
August 26: I have been taking Vicodin, as prescribed and directed by my dentist, to cope with pain from dental surgery.
It feels like time stops while I’m under the influence of this medication.
August 30: The receptionist at my regular dentist’s office sent me a text. My next appointment will be on September 29 at 11:00 AM. I texted back that I would be there, as requested.
The appointment is so the dentist can check on how I am healing after having a titanium implant placed in my jaw, and a tiny metal plate on my gums to protect it. This is very similar to the appointment I had after the extraction, so I know it will be a quick appointment with no cost to me.
August 31: The antibiotics I am taking are relatively mild. I’m not having any terrible reactions to them. My biggest problem is that they make me super tired. Between that, and the high pollen count, I am absolutely exhausted and taking way more long naps than typical.
There are five more antibiotics left in the bottle.
September 1: I finally finished all of the antibiotics! The generic I was given cost $2.11 for 24 capsules. Overall, I didn’t have any terrible side effects from it. The worst part was it made me even more exhausted than typical, and I ended up sleeping more than usual.
September 6: The information that came with the antibiotic included a warning that side effects may last for a few weeks after I’ve taken all the medication.
The only side effects I had while taken them was (additional) exhaustion.
Very unpleasant side effects started today. I am in no danger – just really unhappy about this.
Typically, I lose weight too quickly from this specific side effect. And doing so can push my borderline anemia into full anemia.
The way to prevent that is to eat more – and I don’t wanna.
September 29: Today, I went back to my dentist’s office – again – to have what I was told would be a quick check on the titanium screw that the dentist implanted a while ago. The purpose is to see how well I’m healing so we can do the next – extremely expensive part – as soon as possible.
The dental assistant took an x-ray that showed that everything is good. I was given an appointment in early December to come back and start the extremely expensive part. It is unclear to me if this will take more than one appointment.
The receptionist asked if the other dentist, the one they referred me to for a consultation about a root canal, gave me an appointment. I explained that I was given an appointment, but then the smoke from the fires got so bad that it was unsafe for me to go outside. I had to cancel and reschedule.
“We got a lot of cancellations and reschedules, too”, she explained.
She then made it clear that I really needed to call back the other dentist and try to get an appointment as soon as possible. It turns out that the referral only lasts for 90 days, and if they can’t get me in within that time frame – my dentist would have to send a referral all over again.
I was feeling okay after leaving the dentist’s office. My husband and took a little walk downtown. I don’t leave the house anymore unless I have to for health care purposes because my immune system sucks, so it was nice to get a little bit of exercise.
After returning home, I called the other dentist to get an appointment for a consultation on a root canal. The receptionist gave me an appointment for two days from then, and would be within the time span allowed by the referral.
My husband helped me fill out an incredibly lengthy form that the dentist needed in order to assess my need for a root canal. We emailed the form back to the receptionist, who kindly emailed back that they received it.
October 1, 2020: My husband hired a driver to take us to my dentist appointment. I have started thinking of this dentist as “second dentist”. It makes it easier for me to keep track of which dentist does what to me.
The driver lives in the town that the office of “second dentist” is located. This driver usually takes people to, and from, wine tastings. He was happy to drive out of town to pick us up, drop us at the office of “second dentist”, and then take us home after I was all finished.
We had a lovely conversation with the driver on the way out (and also on the way back).
The office door was locked, and a note said to press a buzzer. A receptionist, wearing a mask, came to the door. She let me in to take my temperature – with one of those “forehead guns” – because it was incredibly hot outside.
She then went around to behind a plastic screen and asked for my driver’s license and dental health insurance card. I had to sign some forms by picking up a pen from the “clean pens” can. The pen went into the “dirty pens” can when I was done.
A nurse, covered in PPE, walked me into a room and took my blood pressure. She brought up an x-ray of the tooth that might need a root canal on a very large screen that was on the wall. The permanent cap I have on what is left of that tooth was obvious. Unfortunately, the x-ray was unable to show what was under the permanent cap.
The dentist came in, also covered in PPE, and asked me a few questions. Everyone I met there was extremely calm and kind. He asked me to take off my mask so he could take a look at the tooth and asses if it needed a root canal.
“Second dentist” poked at it with some dental tools, and used one of those little mirrors on a stick to take a closer look. He used some machine behind me to make a dental tool very cold, and I was instructed to raise my hand when I feel the cold.
Eventually, I felt the cold. It did not hurt or bother me.
After doing the assessment, “second dentist” announced that I probably do need a root canal. He noted what first dentist had already told me – that I had an opening in my gum above that tooth. He also said that I have an infection. When I asked if I needed antibiotics, I was informed that I did not. My body was fighting it.
My body was fighting it? I found this hard to believe. When I got home, I started taking an herbal supplement that I got from my acupuncturist. The supplement functions like a mild antibiotic.
There was potential that what was left of the tooth under the permanent cap would be insufficient, and he would be unable to do a root canal. If so, then he would put in a temporary cap and send me back to first dentist for an extraction.
The nurse pointed out that she thought my insurance required the office to get permission before doing the work. I was left in the dental chair to watch what I assumed was a National Geographic video featuring birds who are trying to attract mates.
The nurse returned and confirmed that my insurance requires permission before they can do the root canal. I was sent back to the receptionist, who gave me a pile of forms to fill, initial, and sign. The cost today was $45.
The forms held an alarming list of potential things that could go wrong during a root canal. One was listed as “sinus perforation”. The receptionist stopped “second dentist” and the nurse to explain that one. “Second dentist” assured me that would not happen.
I let them know I have bad allergies. “Second dentist” recommended I take allergy medication before the next appointment. He also wanted me to take a Sudafed, which is a decongestant. “Second dentist” explained that taking it would prevent me from having what I think of as post nasal drip while the procedure was going on.
The paperwork also had an entire page that was focused on “sedation medication”. I had no idea what that was.
Long story short, if the insurance approved, “second dentist” would send “sedation medication” to my pharmacy. I was instructed to pick it up immediately. It was important that I bring the medication to second dentist’s office and take the pill there, where they can monitor me.
I tried to explain that I have a high pain tolerance, due to fibromyalgia. I also made it clear that it is incredibly difficult to knock me out. The receptionist explained that the purpose was to sedate me so I would be calm while the dentist was working.
I ended up agreeing to pick it up from the pharmacy and bring it to “second dentist’s” office. No idea what kind of medication it will be, if it has gluten in it, or if it conflicts with the antihistamines I’m already taking.
My husband was waiting for me on the bench outside the office. They only allow the patient to come inside. He contacted our driver, who took us back home. We intend to call on him again if/when second dentist hears back from the insurance company and has permission to grant me an appointment.
The pre-authorization price I was given was $1,342.
I am mentally and physically exhausted by the thought of the dental work in my near future and the money it is going to cost.
October 2: I took a nap earlier today. After waking up, I wondered why I felt so awful. Then I remembered that I have an infection in the gum area where I (might) need a root canal, it is 100 degrees outside at 3PM, and my weather app says the air quality is “Unhealthy”.
October 17, 2020: I received mail from my dental health insurance provider. It was a “Pre-Determination of Benefits”. The letter included a chart that showed each and every little piece of the dental care that “second dentist” was going to provide me with.
The amounts shown were disturbing. Fortunately, the dental health insurance would actually cover some of it. It still was going to cost me $775 out of pocket.
October 18, 2020: I got a second “Pre-Determination of Benefits” letter in the mail from my dental health insurance provider. It was identical to the one that was sent to me the day before.
Hmm… I think I see a way for the dental health insurance to cut down on some of their costs. They could send ONE of “Pre-Determination of Benefits” letter to the patient instead of two.
October 19, 2020: I got a phone call from the office of “second dentist”. The very kind receptionist was calling to schedule me an appointment for a root canal. She said the dental health insurance approved, and asked me if I received a copy of the cost from the dental health insurance.
“Yes!”, I responded. “They sent two copies to me.”
The receptionist giggled. She then asked me what day I would be available for the root canal appointment.
She didn’t know that I had been sleeping right before she called. This left me a bit flustered. I got out of bed and went to my computer, trying to figure out what day would be best for me.
“How about… a Tuesday?” I made a quick decision to pick a day when I didn’t have a Dungeons & Dragons game to play, and when I wouldn’t be planning to record a podcast.
“Ok, a Tuesday…” The receptionist offered me an appointment on November 10, and I took it. The appointment would be at 1:00 in the afternoon, and could last until at least 3:30 to 4:00.
Why would a root canal take so long? The reason was due to the “sedation medication”. Someone at the office of “second dentist” would call in a prescription for that medication to my pharmacy of choice a week before my appointment. I was to bring it with me to the dental appointment. They would monitor me as I took this medication.
The receptionist made it clear that I would need to find someone else to drive me home from the appointment, as I would not be able to safely drive after taking the “sedation medication”.
I asked the receptionist for the name of the medication, so I could research it online. This was important, because I’ve had too many bad experiences with medications that had an inactive ingredient that I was allergic to.
I asked the receptionist if it was safe for me to take my regular allergy medication the night before I was on the “sedation medication”. She checked with “second dentist”, who said it would be okay to do that.
I am not allowed to have food or drink six hours before the appointment. The receptionist explained that this is because I will be in the office for three hours.
The first thing I did after the phone call ended was to get online and search for the inactive ingredients of the “sedation medication”. Fortunately, it appears to be gluten-free.
This is not the first time I had a root canal. For the first one, the dentist (who has since retired) gave me Novocaine and started working on the procedure after it kicked in. I remember she had the lights in the room dimmed.
It will be interesting to see what the “sedation medication” does to me. I have no fear of the dentist or the work he will do on me. If I had to guess, the office of “second dentist” gets a lot of patients who are extremely phobic of dentists.
November 4, 2020: I ventured out of my home with my husband, during the pandemic. We both wore masks – because it is the smart thing to do – and the bus required riders to wear them. The purpose of this trip was to pick up the “sedation medication” that “second dentist” prescribed.
We figured that, due to the type of medication, the pharmacy would not allow him to pick it up for me. I had to be there in person. My husband said that the pharmacy wanted to see my ID.
I woke up with what I call “allergy face”, and took benadryl before going outside. This is not something I would do if I was alone, just in case the benadryl hit stronger than typical.
If nothing else, this trip to the pharmacy would force me to stop refreshing The Guardian’s live feed about the election.
November 10, 2020: My husband and I, once again, hired a driver to take us to “second dentist’s” office. It was not located in the town we live in. The dentist’s receptionist made it clear that I would NOT be able to drive myself home from this appointment.
We were a little early, and the office was closed. Eventually, they let me in. Shawn had to wait outside due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Long story short, the receptionist instructed me to take both of the “sedation medication” pills while she watched. They eventually kicked in. I have no conscious memory of having the root canal.
I later learned that those pills were a mind eraser. We had to wait for the hired car to come pick us up. My husband later said that the dentist assistant came to the door and explained to my husband about important details that she knew I would not remember.
I posted two mostly incoherent posts on social media. I didn’t remember typing them. Apparently, I wanted to let my friends know I was done with the root canal and was ok.
The first post said:
“Have returned from the dentist. Am on a high ammount of a drug ive never taken before Very sleep and uncoordinated now
Dentist sat root canal went well.
I,m not feeling any pain at the momet”
The second post was one in which I tried to respond to a friend, who replied to my first post. It said:
“Im really spacy right now and much less coordinated when tryintg to walk Cant spell mucj oh here right now
Sleepy calm hungry
Got root canal seems unlikly I need an extraction
I’m not making muchsnse sorry”
December 1, 2020: Today, I go back to the dentist for what is hopefully the last of 2020’s dental work.
I’m not entirely sure what is being done today. It might be the day I get a porcelain tooth placed on the titanium screw that was put into my jaw earlier this year.
If so… then I’m likely done with dental work for a while.
December 1, 2020: I am back from the dentist. Today, the dentist did a thing that will be used to make my porcelain tooth. (I’m in “fibro fog” right now, so words are difficult).
The weirdest thing that happened was when the dentist reached into my mouth and unscrewed the titanium screw in my jaw so he could do the … thing.
No pain at all. I feel like a cyborg.
I go back in three weeks for the porcelain crown. We have already paid for it.
December 22, 2020: Porcelain tooth acquired! Took a little bit for the dentist to take out the titanium screw that was in my jaw and replace it with the titanium screw that is attached to my porcelain tooth.
It’s gonna take a little while before this tooth feels normal.
All dental work for 2020 is completed and paid off.
The only thing I have scheduled for 2021 is a checkup/cleaning in March.
More Dental Care During a Pandemic is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
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November 11, 2020Blue Swirls by Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash
My dentist insisted that I needed “sedation medication” for a root canal. I was told that it would make me feel very relaxed. Instead, it functioned as a mind eraser.
I read “Mind Eraser” on Episode 061 of “Words of Jen”.
My husband and I got into a car so I could get to my dentist appointment. This was not my regular dentist (who is in town, and easily accessible by bus or rideshare). This new dentist was in another town. It was made very clear to me that I wouldn’t be able to drive myself home after the procedure.
The rideshare driver was one we had hired before, when I made my first visit to the office of the person I think of as “second dentist”. Technically, he specialized in endodontics. “Second dentist” confirmed “first dentist’s” suspicion. I needed a root canal.
I brought with me a bag that included the “sedation medication” that “second dentist” insisted that I have right before the root canal. I was to bring it to the office, and take it there, where I could be monitored.
The bag also held my sunglasses (which I didn’t end up using), the credit card I would use to pay for the root canal, and a plastic, resealable, box that held some extremely soft, gluten-free, animal crackers. They will melt in your mouth if you let them, so you don’t have to chew.
When I made this dentist appointment, I was told that I could not have anything to eat or drink six hours before the appointment. I figured I would come out of the dentist’s office starving – and made sure I had food I could safely eat.
We arrived a bit early, and the office was having lunch. Shortly before my appointment, the receptionist appeared at the door. She took my temperature with one of those things that people aim at someone’s forehead to check for fever. I was offered hand sanitizer, which I used.
The receptionist smartly had me fill out some paperwork, and pay for the root canal, before I took the medication. She then asked me if I remembered to bring my “sedation medication”. I pulled the prescription bottle out of my bag and showed it to her.
The receptionist gave me a small cup of water to drink. The prescription bottle contained two pills. I was expecting one. “Am I to take both of these?, I asked. She said yes. So, I took them both.
The receptionist then pointed me to the bathroom. I remembered a call from “second dentist’s” office, a few days ago, in which I was reminded not to eat or drink anything six hours before the appointment. The reason was simple. They expected I’d be in “second dentist’s” office for three hours.
After I returned from bathroom the dentist’s assistant walked me to a room and pointed to where I could hang up my bag. I was told to sit down in the dental chair. She put a video on the big screen TV that was hanging on the wall. National Geographic’s “Deep Sea” started playing. It was narrated by David Attenborough.
I started to feel a bit more relaxed as I watched whales eating krill. A large swarm of tiny fish followed the whale. The dentist’s assistant moved around the room, setting up for the procedure I was about to have. “Let me know when you start to feel something,” she told me.
“What should I feel?” I asked.
“Very relaxed.”
A little while later, I got cold. She kindly brought me a blanket, and tucked me in. She said they keep the room cold because they all have to wear PPE, and it makes them warm.
I vaguely remember saying that I felt sleepy. I think I heard the dentist’s assistant ask me something. She sounded very far away. I remember having a brace of some kind pushed into my mouth, to keep my jaw open during the root canal.
When I woke up, I wasn’t aware that any time had passed. I must have looked confused. The dentist’s assistant was talking to me, but I wasn’t able to focus on what she said.
The next thing I remember was sitting on a bench outside “second dentist’s” office, with my husband. I tried to make a post on social media to let my friends know that the root canal was over, and that I was okay.
I don’t really remember getting into the rental car. Everything was still a blur after we returned home. To the best of my knowledge, I changed back into pajamas and went to sleep.
The next day, or maybe it was later that evening, I was scrolling through social media. There was not one, but two, incoherent posts that I made while under the influence of “sedation medication”. I have absolutely no memory of making the second one.
One of my friends sent me a very kind response. That was nice.
What else happened that I was unaware of? My husband told me that the dentist’s assistant came to the door of the office and gave him a lot of information about aftercare. I don’t remember that happening. He also said I fell asleep on the way home in the rental car.
The next day, “second dentist” called me. I had been sleeping, but was coherent enough to answer the phone. “Second dentist” informed me that the tooth that I had a root canal on had three roots.
“This is why your other dentist didn’t want to do the root canal”, he informed me.
“Second dentist” said he removed two of the roots, but could not remove the third one. He also said a tiny piece of one of the dental tools broke off in my gum. It was made of titanium, like the titanium screw that “first dentist” had placed in my jaw after an extraction not long ago. This was nothing to worry about.
I figure my body will go ahead and push out the little piece of titanium as soon as possible. That’s what it did years ago, when I had a root canal on a completely different tooth, and a little chunk of the tooth broke off and stuck out of my gums. That procedure did not require “sedation medication”.
Overall, I think taking the “sedation medication” was a good idea. It gave me the opportunity to have a much needed root canal without having to consciously experience any of it.
My expectation was that I would feel “very relaxed”. It wasn’t until after all was said and done that I learned it was a mind eraser.
Mind Eraser is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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November 3, 2020Photo by Rosie Fraser on Unsplash
I read “Dreaming of Buffets” on episode 058 of Words of Jen.
My husband and I are at a pizza place that we used to frequent before we moved halfway across the country. It has a small buffet in the corner that includes slices of pizza with a variety of toppings. There is a salad bar, baked chicken, and a small selection of desserts.
I’m standing there, plate in hand, trying to decide what to eat. The delicious smell of pizza fills the air, and I reach out to pick up a few slices.
And then I wake up.
I’ve been having very vivid dreams about buffets. This is quite unexpected considering that I suffer from food intolerance and allergies and don’t really enjoy eating. Based on what I’ve read on the internet, it appears that many people are having memorable dreams during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In another dream, we are at a local Chinese buffet. There is a wide selection of food to choose from. I fill up a plate with egg rolls, fried rice, and steamed vegetables. Everything smells and tastes delicious.
When I wake up, it dawns on me that this Chinese Buffet no longer exists. It closed years ago, and a fancy coffee shop moved in and remodeled the location. The coffee shop did well until the COVID-19 restrictions caused it to close.
I’ve also dreamed about standing in line at Panda Express, which my sleeping mind has decided counts as a buffet. In this dream, I am starving, and starring at the piles of food behind the plexiglass. It is unclear what kind of food I ordered. The worker hands me a to-go container, which warms my hands as I walk away.
More than once, I’ve dreamed about the local Hometown Buffet. My choice of food this time is a plate of fresh vegetables from the salad bar. Spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, peas, shredded carrots, and some brightly colored pickled beets go on the plate. There is room for a little bit of ranch dressing.
I wake up before I get to eat any of it.
Once again, this is a buffet that went out of business several years ago. My subconscious mind is trying to feed me, but most of the buffets it selects are long gone.
Maybe these dreams are a metaphor for 2020. The things that used to sustain us before the pandemic are disappearing, and some may never return.
Dreaming of Buffets is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 8, 2020Image by Adalhelma from Pixabay
By now, everyone knows that COVID-19 can spread from person to person. There are ways to help stop the spread. Wash your hands often. Wear cloth masks when you are outside – especially in situations where social distancing isn’t possible. Stay home if you are sick.
Failure to do so causes the virus to spread. To make that clear, I decided to track the rallies, conventions, and other large events that President Trump and/or Vice President Pence attended. Those events provided a vivid example of how COVID-19 spreads.
February 28, 2020: WCBD News 2 tweeted: “Folks have been camped out here for over 24 hours at this point on the parking lot of the North Charleston Collosseum awaiting the Trump Rally.”
The tweet included a wide-angle photo from behind a series of short barracades. Several tents are visible on the parking lot.
February 28, 2020: Digital Reporter for @WCBD Count on 2 Cait Przetak tweeted: “People are continuing to join the crowd at the North Charleston Colosseum as they prepare for President Trump later today. The Rally begins at 7 but doors open a 3 p.m. Some individuals have been here camping out for over 24 hours! @WCBD”.
February 28, 2020: US Editor of The Daily Telegraph Ben Riley Smith tweeted: “Sea of red hats in the queue for Trump’s rally at North Charleston, South Carolina”. The tweet included a photo that shows the backs of people, many of whom are wearing red hats, as they stand in line.
February 28, 2020: North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center tweeted: “All on-site parking lots are full. If you are coming to the Trump rally tonight, use a rideshare service such as @Uber or @lift #NChasColiseum”.
February 28, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Lindsey Graham thanks Trump, bemoans ‘never-ending bull—-‘ at South Carolina Rally”. It was written by J. Edward Moreno. From the article:
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C) on Friday praised President Trump for several accomplishments in his first term while bemoaning “bullshit” faced by the president.
Graham made the remarks while appearing alongside Trump at a rally in his home state of South Carolina on the eve of Saturday’s Democratic primary in his state…
…Grahams remarks came moments after Trump lashed out at Democrats and the news media during the rally, accusing them of pursuing a “new hoax” with their criticism of his administration’s handling of the coronavirus…
February 29, 2020: Heavy posted an article titled: “How Many Attended Trump’s South Carolina Rally? Crowd & Overflow Photos”. It was written by Stephanie Dube Dwilson. From the article:
President Donald Trump visited North Charleston, South Carolina for a Friday night rally on February 28, 2020 – the day before the Democrats’ big primary for the 2020 Presidential nomination. The venue, which seats 13,295, was packed and overflow space was needed for a crowd that had to watch outside…
…Trump’s South Carolina “Keep America Great” rally started at 7 p.m. Eastern on February 28 at the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center. This large venue has seating fro 13,000, according to the venue’s website. ABC 4 reported that the arena has a capacity of 13,295….
March 2, 2020: CBS News posted and article titled: “Trump rallies supporters in Charlotte, North Carolina.” From the article:
…Earlier Monday, Mr. Trump said he had no qualms about attending a large stadium rally despite the coronavirus threat.
“I think it’s very safe,” Mr. Trump said of campaign rallies, adding that the Democratic candidates are having plenty of rallies themselves.
The threat of the virus didn’t deter fans of Mr. Trump from attending Monday’s rally in Charlotte, where people in the stands shared buckets of chicken fingers and dunked their hands into shared vats of popcorn while they awaited the president’s arrival.
…The coronavirus outbreak has killed more than 3,000 globally and upended life for many around the globe. In the U.S., the number of infections has surpassed 100, with six dead. Federal officials have not advised against large gatherings in the U.S., leaving that to officials to address…
…Republicans have picked Charlotte to host the Republican National Convention. Mr. Trump also visited Charlotte last month as part of a series of revitalization and “opportunity now” summits, programs he and administrative officials have highlighted as he tries to chip away the Democrats’ electoral advantage in minority communities.
March 7, 2020: Associated Press posted a live blog titled: “The Latest: US state of Missouri reports first virus case”. From the live blog:
…Maryland officials say a person in New Jersey who tested positive for coronavirus attended the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in the Washington suburb of Oxon Hill, Maryland.
That’s leading Maryland officials to warn that anyone who attended or worked at the conference may be at some risk for acquiring COVID-19.
Among the political figures who attended CPAC converence were President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. The White House says there is no indication that either Trump or Pence was in close proximity to the attendee who tested positive…
March 7, 2020: ACU (the official Twitter account of the American Conservative Union) tweeted: “Important Health Notification for CPAC 2020 participants and attendees”.
The tweet included a screenshot with the following text:
“The American Conservative Union has learned that one of our CPAC attendees has unfortunately tested positive today for coronavirus. The exposure occurred before the conference. A New Jersey hospital tested the person, and the CDC confirmed the positive result. The individual is under the care of medical professionals in the state of New Jersey, and has been quarantined.
ACU has been in contact with the Health Department of the State of Maryland, and we will explicitly follow the guidance from government health experts.
This attendee had no interaction with the President or the Vice President and never attended the events in the main hall.
The health and safety of our attendees and participants is our top priority. Any attendee who has questions can contact ACU or the Department of Health for the State of Maryland.
Our children, spouses, extended family, and friends attended CPAC. During this time, we need to remain calm, listen to our health care professionals, and support each other. We send this message in that spirit.
The Trump Administration is aware of the situation, and we will continue regular communication with all appropriate government officials.”
March 8, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Trump ‘not concerned at all’ after CPAC guest tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Johanna Walters. From the article:
Donald Trump said he isn’t concerned at all about the coronavirus getting closed to the White House after it was revealed that an attendee at grassroots conservative conference CPAC had tested positive.
On a day when it also emerged that the nation’s capital had recorded its first case, the American Conservative Union said on Saturday that a participant at CPAC, which was attended by both Trump and the U.S. vice-president Mike Pence, had tested positive for coronavirus.
The White House said there was no indication that either Trump or Pence had been close to the infected attendee.
Asked if he was concerned about the virus getting closer, Trump said: No, I’m not concerned at all. No, I’m not. We’ve done a great job.”
When asked whether his thousand-person campaign rallies would … continue in light of the CPAC case, the president replied: “We’ll have tremendous rallies…”
March 8, 2020: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Sunday that he shook hands with a man now confirmed to be infected with the novel form of coronavirus during a recent interaction at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
In a news release Sunday evening, Cruz said that based on medical advice he had received, he did not believe there was any current risk of him developing the disease, that has already infected more than 100,000 people globally…
…Nevertheless, Cruz said he will remain at his home in Texas this week “out of an abundance of caution”…
…However, ACU chairman Matt Schlapp told the Washington Post he interacted with the patient at the event and that he then shook Trump’s hand on the stage on the last day of the conference. The organization did not provide any other details about the patient or what events at the conference they attended… The Hill
March 8, 2020: Ted Cruz (Republican – Texas) tweeted: “Today I released the following statement.” The tweet included a screenshot of a statement.
“Last night, I was informed that 10 days ago at CPAC I briefly interacted with an individual who is currently symptomatic and has tested positive for COVID-19. That interaction consisted of a brief conversation and a handshake.
“I have consulted with medical authorities from the Houston Health Department, the Harris County Public Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as my personal physician. I have also spoken with Vice President Pence, Leader McConnell, and Mark Meadows.
“I’m not experiencing any symptoms, and I feel fine and health. Given that the interaction was 10 days ago, that the average incubation period is 5-6 days, that the interaction was for less than a minute, and that I have no current symptoms, the medical authorities have advised that the odds of transmission from the other individual to me were extremely low.
“The physicians further advised that testing is not effective before symptoms manifest, and my brief interaction with the individual does not meet the CDC criteria for self-quarantine.
“The medical authorities explicitly advised me that, given the above criteria, the people who have interacted with me in the 10 days since CPAC should not be concerned about potential transmission.
“Nevertheless, out of an abundance of caution, and because of how frequently I interact with my constituents as a part of my job and to give everyone peace of mind, I have decided to remain at my home in Texas this week, until a full 14 days have passed since the CPAC interaction.
“Everyone should continue to treat this outbreak seriously and be driven by facts and medical science. We need to continue to be proactive in mobilizing resources to combat this outbreak – including the $8.3 billion in emergency funding we provided last week – and I encourage everyone to follow the recommendations of the CDC and other health professionals in protecting their own health and welfare, as well as the health and welfare of those around them.”
March 8, 2020: Paul Gosar (Republican – Arizona) posted a statement on his website titled: “Gosar Statement on COVID-19”. From the press release:
Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S (AZ-04) issued the following statement:
“I have been informed that during the CPAC conference members of my staff and I came into contact with an individual who has since tested positive for, and is hospitalized for, COVID-19. I was with the individual for an extended period of time, and we shook hands several times.
I am not currently experiencing any symptoms, nor is any member of my staff. However, in order to prevent any potential transmission, I will remain at my home in Arizona until the conclusion of the 14 day period following my interaction with this individual. Additionally, out of an abundance of caution, I am closing my office in Washington D.C. for the week and my team will follow the previously approved Tele-commute plan.
As we learn more about COVID-19, it is imperative to heed the advice and guidance from the CDC and medical professionals. President Trump and Vice President Pence have assembled an incredible team and I have been in contact with the CDC and the House Office of the Attending Physician.”
March 8, 2020: Paul Gosar tweeted: “1. I am announcing that I, along with 3 of my senior staff, are officially under self-quarantine after sustained contact at CPAC with a person who has since been hospitalized with the Wuhan Virus. My office will be closed for the week.” This tweet was part of a short thread.
The thread ended with this tweet: “2. We are all asymptomatic and feel great. But we are being proactive and cautious.”
March 9, 2020: Congresswoman Julia Brownley (Democrat – California) posted a statement on her website titled: “Brownley Statement On Coronavirus Exposure”. From the press release:
“Yesterday I was informed that an individual I met with last week in DC tested positive for COVID-19. I am told that individual is self-quarantining and has informed local public health officials.
“I consulted with the Office of Attending Physician, the CDC, Ventura County Public Health, and a personal physician experienced in infectious diseases, all of whom said that the risk of exposure to me and my staff is considered very low.
“However, given the significant number of constituents and other individuals that my staff and I normally have contact with each day when Congress is in session, I have decided to close our DC office for the week. My staff and I are working remotely to continue to serve the residents of Ventura County, and my district offices in Thousand Oaks and Oxnard remain open.
“Out of an abundance of absolute caution, my DC staff and I are self-monitoring and maintaining social distancing practices. Neither I, nor my staff, are experiencing any symptoms at this time.”
March 9, 2020: Representative Doug Collins (Republican – Georgia) tweeted: “This afternoon, I was notified by CPAC that they discovered a photo of myself and the patient who has tested positive for #COVID19. While I am not experiencing any symptoms, I have decided to self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution. Full statement →”
The statement was attached to the tweet said: “This afternoon, I was notified by CPAC that they discovered a photo of myself and the patient who has tested positive for coronavirus. While I feel completely healthy and I am not experiencing any symptoms, I have decided to self-quarantine at my home for the remainder of the 14-day period out of an abundance of caution. I will follow the recommendations of the House Physician and my office will provide updates as appropriate.”
March 9, 2020: Congressman Louie Gohmert (Republican – Texas) tweeted: “Congressman Gohmert’s full statement on #COVID-19”. It included the following statement:
“Saturday night, I got a call from the House physician advising that I had possibly been exposed to the COVID-19 virus at CPAC on February 27th, and that a top CDC physician in Atlanta would call me to discuss what should be done going forward. After CDC physician called me Sunday evening, and we discussed all the specific circumstances of which he was aware along with my circumstance, including that I was asymptomatic, he said that all things considered, I was cleared to return to Washington. He said he would return if he were me and advised that my staff and I should just be careful to observe proper hygiene protocols. I took the advice of the expert and returned to work. No one is panicking and we are observing the recommended precautions.”
March 9, 2020: Representative Josh Harder (Democrat – California) tweeted: “Folks, I’m canceling my planned town hall for next week – don’t want to gather a large crowd on the advice of health experts. Will hold a #coronavirus telephone town hall instead. More info to come.”
March 9, 2020: NPR posted an article titled: “Meadows, Other Members of Congress Self-Quarantine After CPAC Coronavirus Exposure”. It was written by Bobby Allyn. From the article:
Reps. Mark Meadows, Doug Collins, and Matt Gaetz said Monday that they are self-quarantining after learning they came in contact with a person infected with coronavirus while attending a conservative conference in the Washington area last month.
Rep. Mark Meadows, who is the incoming White House chief of staff, is one of several members who attended last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference. At least one attendee has tested positive for coronavirus. Meadows says he has no symptoms and tested negative. But, his spokesperson said, “out of an abundance of caution… he’ll remain at home until the 14 day period expires this Wednesday.”
That brings the number of congressional lawmakers who are self-quarantining over coronavirus concerns to six.
Both Collin and Gaetz have been in close contact with Trump in recent days. Reporters traveling with the president saw Gaetz board Air Force One on Monday…
March 9, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Coronavirus, quarantined congressman flew with Trump on Air Force One”. From the article:
Two Republican congressmen who were in close contact with Donald Trump in recent days have self-quarantined over concerns that they were also in contact in the same period with a known carrier of the coronavirus.
Republicans Matt Gaetz of Florida and Doug Collins of Georgia announced on Monday that they had begun two weeks of self-imposed isolation, as recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for anyone who has come into contact with the virus. Both congressmen said they were asymptomatic.
Gaetz flew with Trump on Air Force One from Orlando to Washington on Monday and was informed en route that he had come into contact with a virus carrier at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland last month.
“While the congressman is not experiencing symptoms, he received testing today and expects results soon,” said a message posted to Gaetz’s Twitter account.
Collins greeted Trump with a handshake at an airport in Atlanta on Friday before the two visited the CDC headquarters for an update on coronavirus. Collins subsequently learned that he also had been potentially exposed at the conservative conference, held each year in Maryland…
…Gaetz had worn an enormous gas mask last week during a House floor vote on an emergency funding package for the coronavirus response, but he later faced widespread condemnation when one of his own constituents died from the illness…
March 9, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Trump had contact with congressmen Collins and Gaetz before they self-quarantined over coronavirus concerns”. It was written by Dan Mangan and Kevin Breuninger. From the article:
President Donald Trump had contact with two Republican congressmen before their announcements Monday that they were entering self-quarantine after learning they had been previously exposed to someone since diagnosed with coronavirus.
Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia shook hands with Trump last Friday when the president traveled to Atlanta to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where officials there briefed him on their response to coronavirus.
Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida flew on Air Force One with Trump on Monday on a flight from Orlando, Fla., to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
The New York Times, citing two people with knowledge of the situation, reported that Gaetz learned shortly after the plane was airborne that he, like Collins, had been in contact with a person at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland in late February who has since been diagnosed with coronavirus. Gaetz then sat in a section of the plane by himself, the newspaper reported.
Gaetz publicly revealed he was entering self-quarantining about an hour after he got off the plane with Trump…
…The White House said later Monday that Trump had not been tested for coronavirus….
March 10, 2020: Matt Gaetz (Republican – Florida) tweeted: “I’ve just been informed that my COVID-19 lab test was negative. In an abundance of caution, I will remain under self-quarantine at the advice of medical professionals through Thursday at 2pm. I continue to feel fine and show no symptoms.”
March 11, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump travel to Nevada, Colorado called off due to coronavirus”. It was written by Brett Samuels. From the article:
President Trump canceled events scheduled for this week in Nevada and Colorado due to the coronavirus, the White House announced Wednesday.
“Out of an abundance of caution from the Coronavirus outbreak, the President has decided to cancel his upcoming events in Colorado and Nevada,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.
The president was scheduled to fly to Nevada on Thursday to attend a fundraiser and speak at Saturday’s Republican Jewish Coalition conference in Las Vegas. He was expected to stop in Denver on Friday…
…The Trump campaign does not currently have any rallies scheduled…
March 11, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Senate staffer tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jordain Carney. From the article:
A staffer in Sen. Maria Cantwell’s D.C. office has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Washington state Democratic senator announced on Wednesday night.
The announcement marks the first known instance of a congressional staffer getting the virus and follows days of heightened anxiety on Capitol Hill.
The staffer, according to a notice from Cantwell’s office, has been isolated since they started to have symptoms. Cantwell is closing her D.C. office for the remainder of the week for a deep cleaning.
“The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 has had no known contact with the senator or other members of Congress. The senator is requesting that testing be done on any other staffers who have been in contact with the individual and show symptoms,” the notice continues.
It marked the latest development in escalating stream of coronavirus news coming out of the nation’s Capitol on Wednesday, where Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency after six additional cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.
The House and Senate sergeants-at-arms are also preparing to announce the suspension of all tours in the Capitol in an effort to limit the potential spread of the virus on the hill…
March 12, 2020: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Trump won’t self-quarantine despite potential coronavirus exposure from Bolsonaro aide that caused 2 Republican senators to do so”. It was written by Kayla Epstein. From the article:
President Donald Trump has not been tested for coronavirus and has not entered self-quarantine, even after Republican Senators who had similar exposure to a reported COVID-19 patient this weekend chose to take these protective measures.
Trump was at his West Palm Beach club in Mar-a-Lago earlier this week along with a group that included several other administration officials, Republican politicians, Fox News personalities, and other conservatives, according to 1100 Pennsylvania, a watchdog blog dedicated to documenting possible conflicts of interest and high-profile comings and goings at Trump’s properties.
Also in attendance: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was in Florida accompanied by a delegation this week. His spokesman Fabio Wajngarten, who accompanied the foreign leader on the trip and was at Mar-a-Lago, later tested positive for COVID-19 according to Brazilian media and CNN.
Earlier this week, Wajngarten posted a photo of himself side by side with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at Mar-a-Lago on Instagram. He sported a “Make Brazil Great Again” hat, a nod to the President’s own statement accessory.
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement to Insider that “The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation’s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19; confirmatory testing is pending,”
Despite concerns that Trump and Pence may have been subsequently exposed to the coronavirus by standing right next to Wajngarten, Grisham that they “had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time.”…
March 12, 2020: Senator Rick Scott (Republican – Florida) posted a press release titled: “Senator Rick Scott to Self-Quarantine Following Potential Contact with Brazilian Delegation Member Who Tested Positive for Coronavirus”. From the press release:
Today, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement on his decision to self-quarantine following potential contact with a Brazilian delegation member who tested positive for Coronavirus.
Senator Rick Scott said: “My office was altered today by the Brazilian Embassy that a member of President Bolsonaro’s delegation tested positive for Coronavirus. On Monday, I met with the President in Miami, and while I do not believe I interacted with the infected person, that individual was in the same room as me. The Embassy said the person had no symptoms leading up to or the day of the conference. After consulting with the Senate’s attending physician and my personal doctor, I have been told that my risk is low, and I don’t need to take a test or quarantine. However, the health and safety of the American people is my focus and I have made the decision to self-quarantine in an abundance of caution. I am feeling healthy and not experiencing any symptoms at this time. I will still be working on my plan to combat Coronavirus and protect American families, and my offices in D.C. and throughout the state will still be fully operational to help Floridians.”…
March 12, 2020: Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican – South Carolina) tweeted: “Statement from the Office of Senator Lindsey Graham”. The tweet included a screenshot of the following statement:
“Senator Graham was at Mar-a-Lago last weekend. He has no recollection of direct contact with the President of Brazil, who is awaiting results of a coronavirus test, or his spokesman who tested positive.
“However, in an abundance of caution and upon advice from his doctor, Senator Graham has decided to self-quarantine awaiting the results of a coronavirus test.
“This is a precautionary measure. He will continue to work from home.”
Lindsey Graham’s self-quarantine comes almost two weeks after he attended the Trump rally in South Carolina on February 28, 2020. The CDC states that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear 2 to 4 days after exposure to the virus. It is unclear whether or not Lindsey Graham had symptoms.
March 12, 2020: Eduardo Bolsonaro (third child of Jair Bolsonaro and Federal Deputy from São Paulo) posted a tweet in two languages. The English part said: “President @jairbolsonaro Bolsonaro has been tested for coronavirus and we are waiting for the results. However, he is not exhibiting any symptoms of the disease.”
March 13, 2020: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Miami Mayor Francis Suarez confirms he tested positive for coronavius after meeting with Jair Bolsonaro’s delegation this week”. It was written by Kayla Epstein. From the article:
Miami mayor Francis Suarez announced he has tested positive for the coronavirus, after he met with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his delegation in Miami earlier this week.
In a Friday video to supporters that appeared to be taken from isolation, Suarez confirmed the positive result for COVID-19, the disease cause by the coronavirus.
“I feel completely healthy and strong,” Suarez said in the video. “However, I am doing the responsible thing by working with the county’s health department to take every precaution to ensure that not only my family’s healthy, but everyone I have come into contact with is healthy with as well.”
Suarez urged anyone who had physical contact with him to self-quarantine and said he could continue to work while recovering.
“If we did not shake hands or you did not come into contact with me if I coughed or sneezed, there is no action you need to take whatsoever,” he said. “If we did, however, touch or shake hands, or if I sneezed or coughed near you since Monday, it is recommended that you self-isolate for 14 days, but you do not need to get tested. After speaking with medical professionals, I will continue to follow Department of Health protocol and remain isolated while I lead our government remotely.”
Suarez told the Miami Herald in an interview on Friday that he was “concerned for people who have had some measure of contact with me.”…
…During Bolsonaro’s visit to Miami on Monday and Tuesday, Suarez said he was in the same room as the president and his infected staff member.
Suarez said that he did not believe that he had personal contact with the infected individual, and was not experiecing symptoms. However, he chose to enter self-quarantine “out of an abundance of caution.”
March 13, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Donor recently at Mar-a-Lago tests positive for coronavirus, according to Trump Victory email”. It was written by Will Steakin. From the article:
Trump Victory on Friday informed donors via email who attended a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday that a donor who also attended the event has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to an email obtained by ABC News.
“We unfortunately write today to notify you that an attendee at the Trump Victory-sponsored event you attended at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, March 8, has tested positive for the Coronavirus,” the joint committee between the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee wrote in an email sent today.
The news was first reported by the New York Times.
A senior campaign official tells ABC News the donor did not interact with the president. An RNC official told ABC News that the donor who tested positive for the coronavirus had “no direct contact with the first family” at the Mar-a-Lago event.
“The attendee had no direct interaction with the president or the first family at this event and the VP did not attend this event,” RNC official said.
A Trump campaign senior official also said “no known interaction with family.”
The email adds that the group is “not aware if the individual had the virus. by the time of the event.”…
March 13, 2020: Senator Ted Cruz posted a press release titled: “Sen. Cruz Announces Decision to Extend Self-Quarantine Until March 17 Out of Abundance of Caution”. From the press release:
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement:
My self-quarantine ended yesterday afternoon. I still have no symptoms and feel fine, and I was looking forward to taking my family out to dinner tonight.
“Unfortunately, last night I was informed I had a second interaction with an individual who yesterday tested positive for COVID-19.
“On March 3, I met in my D.C. office with Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox Party in Spain. We met for about 20 minutes, sitting together at a conference table. We shook hands twice and took pictures together.
“My understanding is that Mr. Abascal tested positive for COVID-19 last night. His staff have informed us that he was asymptomatic at the time of our meeting and that several days after our meeting he had extended interactions with another individual who has also tested positive.
“I’m still not feeling any symptoms. I’m consulting with medical officials. But, for the same reasons I initially self-quarantined-out of an abundance of caution and to give everyone peace of mind-I am extending the self-quarantine to March 17, a full fourteen days from my meeting with Mr. Abascal.
“COVID-19 is a serious public health hazard. All of us should resist panic, and we should listen to the doctors and the science. Medical professionals tell us social distancing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of this virus, and we should take every step possible to protect our health and be safe.”
March 18, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “Two members of House test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Phil Helsel. From the article:
Two members of the House of Representatives have tested positive for the coronavirus illness COVID-19 and are self-quarantining, the lawmakers said Wednesday.
Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., and Ben McAdams, D-Utah, are the first two members of Congress who have said they tested positive for COVID-19.
Diaz-Balart was the first to make the announcement Wednesday. His office said in a statement that after votes on Friday, he self-quarantined in Washington, D.C., and decided not to return home because his wife has a pre-existing condition.
Saturday evening, Diaz-Balart “developed symptoms, including a fever and a headache,” and on Wednesday, he learned he had tested positive for COVID-19, his office said.
“I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better,” Diaz-Balart said in a statement. “However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus.”
McAdams is quarantining at home in Utah. He said that after he returned home from Washington on Saturday evening, he developed mild cold-like symptoms and isolated himself at home.
“My symptoms got worse and I developed a fever, a dry cough and labored breathing,” McAdams said in a statement. He was tested Tuesday and learned Wednesday that he was positive…
…President Donald Trump was tested, and the test came back as negative, his doctor said Saturday.
At least seven lawmakers said they will self-quarantine as a precaution following the news of two representatives testing positive for the virus, although they said they are not experiencing any symptoms.
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., said in a statement Wednesday night that because he had an extended meeting with Diaz-Balart last week, he would self-quarantine. And on Thursday, Rep. Kendra Horn, D-Okla., tweeted that she will go into a “precautionary two-week self-quarantine” after having contact with McAdams last week.
Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga., also said that he will self-quarantine until March 27, after he was informed by the Attending Physician of the United States Congress that on March 13 he came into contact with a member who tested positive…
…Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., said in a statement Wednesday night that she would self-quarantine because she participated in a small group meeting with a colleague who has since tested positive.
Other House members who said Wednesday that they interacted with a person who tested positive and will self-quarantine include Reps. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., Matt Cartwright, D-Pa. and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla. The lawmakers said that they are not experiencing symptoms but will stay at home for the next two weeks, which means they won’t be able to return to Washington when the House comes back into session next week…
March 13, 2020: Embassy of Brazil in the USA tweeted: “Brazil’s Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Nestor Forster has learned tonight that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Following medical advice, Amb. Forster will extend his self-quarantine, which he had already placed himself into as a precautionary measure, for another two weeks.”
March 13, 2020: People posted an article titled: “Brazilian Diplomat Nestor Forster, Who Had Dinner with Donald Trump, Tests Positive for Coronavirus”. It was written by Gabrielle Chung. From the article:
Brazilian diplomat Nestor Forster, who dined with Donald Trump last weekend, has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a tweet from the Embassy of Brazil in Washington, D.C., on Friday…
…The ambassador dined with Trump, 73, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro during a visit to the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, according to the Palm Beach Daily News….
March 13, 2020: Reuters posted an article titled: “Brazil’s Bolsonaro to be tested again for coronavirus: report”. It was written by Debora Moreira and Pedro Fonseca. From the article:
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who met with Donald Trump in the United States less than a week ago, will be retested for coronavirus following a negative test on Friday, Brazil’s Estado de S.Paulo newspaper reported.
The test will be done early next week in order to rule out any chance the president has the virus, the newspaper said, without naming the source of the information. A representative for Bolsonaro’s press office declined to comment.
Bolsonaro and a large Brazilian entourage, including cabinet ministers, met with Trump and other senior U.S. officials last weekend at Mar-a-Lago. One of the party, Bolsonaro’s communications secretary Fabio Wajngarten, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and is in quarantine at his home.
Charge d’Affairs Nestor Forster Jr. at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington, who was also present at the Trump dinner, has also now tested positive, GloboNews television channel reported late on Friday.
Bolsonaro said earlier in the day that he had tested negative for coronavirus, in a post on his Facebook page.
“Tests negative for COVID-19 Mr President of the Republic Jair Bolsonaro,” the post said, above an old image of Bolsonaro making an obscene local gesture in an apparent response to some media reports that a first test had been positive.
Estado de S.Paulo said Bolsonaro would remain isolated in quarantine at his official residence until the beginning of next week, citing an unnamed member of the president’s medical staff who said Bolsonaro needed to be isolated for seven days from the time of being in contact with someone infected with the virus.
Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo tweeted earlier on Friday that his test had come back negative. Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva tested negative as well, the ministry said in a statement.
The results for others in the Brazilian delegation, including Bolsonaro’s wife Michelle and Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, have not yet been published.
However, Bolsonaro’s lawyer, Karina Kufa, who was part of the delegation, tested positive, according to the O Globo newspaper. Senator Nelsinho Trad, who also formed part of the group, said late Friday that his test had also come back positive…
March 14, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Trump tests negative for coronavirus, White House says”. It was written by Jason Hoffman and Veronica Stracqualursi. From the article:
President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, according to a statement from the White House.
Trump took the test on Friday, he said during a Saturday news conference, after coming into recent contact with two individuals who have tested positive for the virus.
“Last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed,” according to the statement about the results released by press secretary Stephanie Grisham with Trump’s permission. “One week after having dinner with the Brazilian delegation in Mar-a-Lago, the President remains symptom free. I have been in daily contact with the CDC and the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and we are encouraging the implementation of all their best practices for exposure reduction and transmission mitigation.”
Trump said Saturday he also had his temperature taken Saturday before entering the White House briefing room. The President told reporters that his temperature was normal…
…Asked when he would announce the results of his coronavirus test, the President said that the test was sent to a lab and could take a day or two. Trump said he took the test “only because the press is going crazy.”…
March 16, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Trump’s Mar-a-Lago getting a deep clean after confirmed coronavirus cases”. It was written by Betsy Klein. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort is undergoing a deep clean after multiple cases of coronavirus were confirmed at the club, a member confirmed to CNN.
Members were notified via email that the Palm Beach, Florida, club, including its grand ballroom, will be closed Monday for a cleaning, with the exception of the beach club, which is separate to the main area and will remain open.
Members were told that dinner will be served as usual Tuesday through Saturday.
The deep clean comes after multiple cases of the virus were reported by people who had been on the premises last week. The White House has said Trump has tested negative for the virus…
March 15, 2020: Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) tweeted: “I’m feeling much better. However, it’s important that everyone take this seriously and follow @CDCgov guidelines in order to avoid getting sick & mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times.”
The tweet included a screenshot of a press release titled: “Diaz-Balart Tests Positive for Coronavirus”.
In an abundance of caution, after votes on Friday, March 13th, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart decided to self-quarantine in Washington D.C., and not return to South Florida because of his wife Tia’s pre-existing conditions that put her at exceptionally high risk. On Saturday evening, Congressman Diaz-Balart developed symptoms, including a fever and a headache. Just a short while ago, he was notified that he has tested positive for COVID-19. While in quarantine, Diaz-Balart has been working from his apartment in Washington D.C.. The Congressman said in a statement:
“I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better. However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times.”
March 18, 2020: Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) tweeted: “(1/2) Today, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress informed me that I was in contact with a member of Congress on March 13th that has since tested positive for COVID-19. After heeding the advice of the President, Governor Kemp and at the direction of the House”
Rep. Drew Ferguson followed that tweet with a second tweet: “(2/2) physician, I will self-quarantine until March 27th. I am asymptomatic and will continue to work from home in West Point, Ga.”
March 18, 2020: Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) tweeted: “Please read my statement on contracting #COVID19. I have self-quarantines since first having symptoms and consulted with my doctor. #utpol”
The tweet includes a screenshot of Representative Ben McAdams statement:
Mc Adams statement on COVID-19 illness
On Saturday evening, after returning home from Washington, D.C., I developed mild cold-like symptoms. In consultation with my doctor on Sunday, I immediately isolated myself in my home. I have been conducting all meetings by telephone. My symptoms got worse and I developed a fever, a dry cough, and labored breathing and I remained self-quarantined. On Tuesday, my doctor instructed me to get tested for COVID-19 and following his referral, I went to the local testing clinic for the test. Today I learned that I tested positive. I am still working for Utahns and pursuing efforts to get Utahns the resources they need as I continue doing my job from home until I know it is safe to end my self-quarantine. I’m doing my part as all Americans are doing to contain the spread of the virus and mitigate the coronavirus outbreak. I urge Utahns to take this seriously and follow the health recommendations we’re getting from the CDC and other health experts so that we can recover from this public health threat.
March 22, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “Rand Paul becomes first senator known to test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Allan Smith. From the article:
Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Sunday became the first senator known to have tested positive for COVID-19.
“Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19,” Paul’s account tweeted. “He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.”
“He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time,” the thread continued. “Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul.”
Paul’s chief of staff later clarified that he “decided to get tested after attending an event where two individuals subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, even though he wasn’t aware of any direct contact with either one of them.”…
…Paul’s diagnosis has triggered a discussion about whether senators, many of whom are in older age brackets, should go home immediately or self-quarantine, given their likely contact with Paul, who was on the Senate floor extensively over the last week.
The news created fresh uncertainty about how Congress can finish and pass emergency coronavirus legislation, on which Democrats and Republicans are still struggling to reach a deal.
Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, both Utah Republicans, were the first two lawmakers to say they would be self-quarantining for two weeks after having had “extended” interactions with Paul and would have to miss floor votes…
March 24, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “White House press secretary to return to work after negative virus test”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham will return to work on Wednesday after testing negative for the coronavirus, a spokesman said.
“Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, who has been quarantined since coming in contact with Brazilian officials almost two weeks ago and working from home, has received negative COVID-19 test results and will be back to work tomorrow,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said.
Grisham, a top aide to President Trump, was with the president at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida earlier this month when he hosted a Brazilian delegation, including President Jair Bolsonaro. A press aide in the delegation later tested positive for the coronavirus.
It was later announced that Grisham would self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution, joining a number of lawmakers and administration officials who have self-quarantined in recent weeks after coming in contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus.
The president and his coronavirus task force headed by Vice President Pence have launched a public relations blitz to tout the White House’s response to the burgeoning virus outbreak, which has infected more than 53,000 people in the U.S.
March 27, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “South Carolina congressman tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Marty Johnson. From the article:
Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) announced Friday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The freshman lawmaker went into self-quarantine starting March 19 after learning he had been in contact with a member of Congress who had tested positive for COVID-19. Cunningham got tested Thursday, with the positive result coming back Friday.
“While my symptoms have begun to improve, I will remain at home until I know it is safe to leave self-quarantine,” Cunningham said in the statement, adding he will continue to tele-work from home….
March 27, 2020: Anchor at WBTV in Charlotte Jamie Boll tweeted: “New information: SC Congressman Joe Cunningham tests positive for coronavirus. He’s from the Charleston area”.
The tweet included a screenshot of Joe Cunningham’s statement:
Cunningham Statement on COVID-19 Test
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. – Rep. Joe Cunningham released the following statement after learning he had tested positive for COVID-19:
“On March 19th, 2020, I entered self-quarantine after I recieved word from the Attending Physician of the U.S. Congress that I had been in contact with a member of Congress who had since tested positive for COVID-19. While I otherwise feel fine, since March 17th I have been unable to smell or taste, which I learned this week is a potential symptom of COVID-19, I have been in contact with my doctor since I entered self-quarantine. Yesterday, my doctor instructed me to get tested for COVID-19 and following a virtual consultation on MUSC.care, I went to my local testing clinic. Today, I learned that I tested positive.
“While my symptoms have begun to improve, I will remain at home until I know it is safe to leave self-quarantine. I will continue to tele-work from home as Congress conducts its ongoing response to this public health crisis and my office will continue its urgent work of serving the people of the Lowcounty. Just now, the House passed bipartisan legislation that includes provisions I fought for and secured to deliver much-needed relief for South Carolina families and small businesses. I am grateful that my family remains in good health and urge South Carolinians to follow the guidance and recommendations from the CDC and other health experts so that we can recover from this public health threat.”
March 27, 2020: Rep. Mark Kelley (R-PA) posted a press release on his official website titled: “Representative Kelly Tests Positive for COVID-19”. From the press release:
Earlier, this week, U.S. Representative Mike Kelly began experiencing flu-like symptoms and consulted his doctor, who ordered a test for COVID-19. His test came back positive this afternoon. From his home, in Butler, Pennsylvania, Representative Kelly issued this statement:
“When I started experiencing flu-like symptoms earlier this week, I consulted my primary care physician. My doctor ordered a test for COVID-19, which I obtained at the drive-through testing site at Butler Memorial Hospital. My test came back positive this afternoon. My symptoms remain mild, and I will serve the 16th district from home until I fully recover. Additionally, my staff is tele-working and still available to constituents who need assistance.”
While awaiting his test results, Kelly was not in Washington for the House vote on the third coronavirus relief package. Had he been present, he would have voted in favor of the CARES Act…
March 29, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Capitol Police officer tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Scott Wong. From the article:
A United States Capitol Police (USCP) employee has tested positive for the coronavirus, a spokesperson confirmed to The Hill.
The USCP employee has been self-quarantined since March 18.
“The USCP has contacted employees in order to identify individuals who may have been in close contact with the affected employee. The Department has taken, and will continue to take, all the necessary steps to ensure tha any affected work areas or facilities were properly cleaned,” USCP spokeswoman Eva Malecki said in an email Sunday to The Hill.
“The USCP is working closely with the Office of Attending Physician, Congressional leadership, and the Architect of the Capitol, and our focuse is on the health and well-being of our employees.”
Malecki did not provide any details about the USCP employee. A Capitol source familiar with the case said the employee is an officer who had been assigned to the House chamber…
April 9, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Florida Republican becomes sixth member of Congress to test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Cristina Marcos. From the article:
Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) said Thursday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the sixth member of Congress to have the disease.
Dunn’s office said in a statement that he went to the emergency room on Monday not feeling well and later tested positive for the coronavirus.
Dunn, a former surgeon, is now self-quarantining at home and “expects a full recovery soon.”
“Congressman Dunn emphasizes that we must continue to do what we can to target vulnerable places and populations to slow the spread of this disease. He is keenly interested in new and faster testing to help everyone understand their risks,” the statement added, according to WCTV…
May 1, 2020: Phoenix New Times posted an article titled: “Two Arizona County Sheriffs Are Refusing to Enforce Coronavirus Emergency Orders”. It was written by Ray Stern. From the article:
Two Arizona county sheriffs say they refuse to cite or arrest business owners or individuals for violating the state’s emergency coronavirus restrictions.
In doing so, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and Mohave County Douglas Schuster – both of them elected officials – are tapping into a growing, mostly conservative-led sentiment in the state that the lockdown has gone far enough.
But their refusals are also in clear opposition to Governor Doug Ducey’s two-week expansion of the stay-at-home order, as well as the advice of health officials and other people who think opening businesses too early would create dangerous conditions for rapid spread of the infection…
…On Friday, Lamb told Phoenix New Times that if he got a call about a business violating reopening restrictions, he’d send a deputy out to “educate and advise” the owners about Ducey’s executive orders. But his deputies won’t be writing citations or arresting anyone from this point on.
“In tough times, tough decisions have to be made,” said Lamb, a Republican elected to office in 2016. “I’m looking at two laws in each hand going with the one that’s 200 years old rather than two days old”…
…Lamb said he gives condolences to people who have lost friends or family members because of the coronavirus, but somebody “has to have the guts” to stand up to the unconstitutional policies, which have created an “unsustainable” economic situation for the vast majority of Arizonans who haven’t gotten sick…
May 7, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “One of Trump’s personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins and Peter Morris. From the article:
A member of the US Navy who serves as one of President Trump’s personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus, CNN learned Thursday, raising concerns about the President’s possible exposure to the virus.
The valets are members of an elite military unit dedicated to the White House and often work very close to the President and the first family. Trump was upset when he was informed Wednesday that the valet had tested positive, a source told CNN, and the President was subsequently tested again by the White House physician.
In a statement, the White House confirmed CNN’s reporting that one of the President’s staffers had tested positive.
“We were recently notified bu the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus,” deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement. “The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.
Valets assist the President and first family with a variety of personal tasks. They are responsible for the President’s food and beverage not only in the West Wing but also travel with him when he’s on the road or out of the country. Past presidents have relied on them not only for these matters, but also as confidants. The valets have an inside view to a president’s personal life like few others.
A White House source said the valet, a man who has not been identified, exhibited “symptoms” Wednesday morning, and said the news that someone close to Trump had tested positive for coronavirus was “hitting the fan” in the West Wing…
…The White House is continuing to use the rapid Abbott Labs test, which provide results in about 15 minutes. Several officials who have received the test said it’s often administered in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next door to the West Wing on the White House grounds. A medical official swabs the staffer’s nostrils and informs them that they’ll be notified within the next several minutes if it’s positive.
Still, the White House has not enforced strict social distancing guidelines for staffers and few people inside the building wear masks during the day, including valets.
Trump said before traveling aboard Air Force One earlier this week that he was not concerned about being in close quarters with other people since those around him are regularly tested…
May 7, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Trump says coronavirus tests are ‘overrated,’ but he will get tested daily”. It was written by Kevin Breuniger. From the article:
President Donald Trump said Thursday that testing for the coronavirus is “somewhat overrated” shortly after announcing that he will be tested for the disease every single day.
Daily tests will also be conducted for “everyone that comes into contact with the president,” Vice President Mike Pence added to reporters at the White House.
The new daily testing policy for the president and those in his circle comes hours after the White House acknowledged that a personal valet for Trump tested positive for Covid-19.
Trump and Pence have since been retested after coming into contact with the valet, who among things serves the president’s meals.
Both Trump and Pence tested negative for the coronavirus, the White House said…
May 7, 2020: CSPAN tweeted: “President Trump on White House military valet testing positive for COVID-19: “Testing is not a perfect art. So, we test once a week. Now we’re going to test once a day.. I’ve had very little contact, personal contect, with this gentleman”. The tweet included a video of President Donald Trump speaking. Next to him is Texas Governor Greg Abbot.
May 8, 2020: USA Today posted an article titled: “White House staff to be tested daily for coronavirus after military aide tests positive”. It was written by David Jackson and Michael Collins. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s his staff will be tested daily for coronavirus after a Navy valet who has been in close proximity to him tested positive for the disease.
Trump told reporters on Thursday that he has had “very little contact” with the valet. But during an appearance Friday on the morning program “Fox & Friends,” Trump said the valet was in the same room with him on Tuesday, the day he began exhibiting symptoms.
Trump said he doesn’t recall any direct contact with the ill employee, but that White House aides will be now tested daily for coronavirus instead of weekly. Officials would not say whether Trump himself will be tested daily…
…Both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were given new tests after officials learned that the military aide had tested positive for the disease. Trump said he has been tested twice in recent days, with both tests coming back negative. Pence’s test also was negative, administration officials said.
The White House did not identify the infected person.
“We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus,” said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley in a statement. “The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health.”…
May 8, 2020: Katie Miller, Vice President Pence’s spokesperson, tested positive for coronavirus. She is the wife of Stephen Miller, who works closely with President Trump. Politico
May 8, 2020: Yahoo! News posted an article titled: “Document reveals Secret Service has 11 current virus cases, as concerns about Trump’s staff grow”. It was written by Jana Winter and Hunter Walker. From the article:
Multiple members of the U.S. Secret Service have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to Department of Homeland Security documents reviewed by Yahoo News.
In March, the Secret Service, which is responsible for the protection of President Trump and other leaders, acknowledged that a single employee tested positive in March. However the problem is currently far more widespread, with 11 active cases at the agency as of Thursday evening, according to a daily report compiled by the DHS.
This report comes as a pair of cases among White House staffers close to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have put the West Wing’s coronavirus security procedures in the spotlight.
According to the DHS document, along with the 11 active cases there are 23 members of the Secret Service who have recovered from COVID-19 and an additional 60 employees who are self-quarantining. No details have been provided about which members of the Secret Service are infected or if any have recently been on detail with the president or vice president.
The DHS, which oversees the agency, referred all requests for comment to the Secret Service, which in turn declined to comment on the number of coronavirus cases among its employees…
…On Monday, Yahoo News reported that there are regularly held large events with unmasked attendees in close quarters at the White House — including inside the Oval Office, which is the president’s inner sanctum. Many Secret Service employees on the White House grounds are among those who are not wearing masks. The agency did not respond to questions about why its employees are not wearing masks or whether personal protective equipment is being provided to members of the Secret Service who request it. Pence and Trump have also regularly opted not to wear masks…
May 9, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “CDC director will self-quarantine after contact with COVID-19 positive case”. It was written by J. Edward Moreno. From the article:
Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will self-quarantine for two weeks after coming in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 at the White House.
“CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield has been determined to have had a low risk exposure on May 6 to a person at the White House who has COVID-19. He is feeling fine, and has no symptoms. He will be teleworking for the next two weeks,” a CDC spokesperson told several media outlets.
The spokesperson added that, “In the event Dr. Redfield must go to the White House to fulfill any responsibilities as part of White House Coronavirus Task Force work, he will follow the safety practices set out by the CDC for those who may have been exposed.”
The CDC did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Hill.
Though the CDC did not specify who at the White House Redfield came into contact with, Katie Miller, Vice President Pence’s press secretary, tested positive for the virus on Friday, and one of President Trump’s personal valets tested positive on Thursday.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn also said Saturday he will self-quarantine for the next two weeks after learning that he came in contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19.
Like the CDC in the case of Redfield, the FDA did not disclose who Hahn came in contact with, but Politico, citing administration officials, reported that Hahn had come in contact with Miller.
May 10, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Pence to work from White House after aide tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Brett Samuels. From the article:
Vice President Pence will continue working from the White House this week after his press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, a spokesman said Sunday.
“Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine. Additionally, Vice President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,” Pence spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement.
Multiple news outlets reported that Pence was self-isolating after his press secretary, Katie Miller, tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday. One person familiar with the matter told The Hill that Pence may lay low for a few days and take extra precautions.
Three of the government’s top health officials have since announced they are going into some form of self-quarantine after interacting with Miller in the days leading up to her positive test.
Food and Drug Administration Administrator Stephen Hahn and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield both intend to self-quarantine, according to spokespeople. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious diseases expert at the National Institutes of Health, said he will go into a “modified” self-quarantine.
All three are members of the White House coronavirus task force, which is led by Pence. Miller is said to have sat in on at least one of the group’s meetings last week.
The three health officials were also slated to testify before a Senate committee this week and will now do so via videoconference.
Miller, who is married to senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, was one of two White House officials to test positive for the coronavirus last week. The other is a military member who works as a valet for President Trump.
The two positive tests have raised concerns about the virus spreading within the building and forced officials to reckon with how best to protect the president and vice president.
Trump and Pence have gone from being tested weekly to being tested daily, and officials have said they will institute additional procedures in the coming days to further limit their exposure to the virus.
May 10, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Sen. Lamar Alexander to self-quarantine after staff member tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Jordain Carney. From the article:
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) will self-quarantine after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus.
David Cleary, Alexander’s chief of staff, said the GOP senator had no symptoms and had tested negative for the coronavirus on Thursday. The staff member, according to Cleary, tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday.
“After discussing this with the Senate’s attending physician, Senator Alexander, out of an abundance of caution, has decided not to return to Washington, D.C., and will self-quarantine in Tennessee for 14 days,” he said. No other staff in Alexander’s office is expected to self-quarantine and most of the GOP senator’s Washington, D.C., staff, like most offices on Capitol Hill, was already working remotely.
Alexander is the latest senator who has had to self-quarantine after exposure to the virus. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is the only senator known to have tested positive but others, including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), have also self-quarantined in recent months.
Alexander, who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, is expected to keep working remotely, including overseeing a hearing scheduled for Tuesday on the virus…
May 11, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “No quarantine for Mike Pence despite rash of Covid-19 cases in White House”. It was written by Tom McCarthy. From the article:
Mike Pence will not enter quarantine despite a rash of coronavirus cases in the White House in recent days, including a positive test for the vice-president’s own press secretary.
“Vice-President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,” Devin O’Malley, a backup spokesman for Pence, said on Sunday night.
As the Trump administration urges Americans to return to workplaces and Donald Trump touts a “transition to greatness” ahead, the White House faces a delicate balancing act in projecting business as usual even as coronavirus cases spread through the halls of power.
Three members of the White House coronavirus taskforce – Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Dr Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration; and Dr Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – have entered two weeks of isolation, after having contact with someone who later tested positive.
Senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee who chairs the health committee, is isolating himself after a member of staff tested positive. A senior admiral on Trump’s top military advisory committee, chief of naval operations Michael Gilday, is also isolating himself following contact with an infected relative, Bloomberg News reported. Gen Joseph Lengyel tested positive at the White House on Saturday in a spot check, before he was to meet Trump.
A valet for Trump, who had served the president food without wearing a mask, also recently tested positive. The White House is considering new rules under which aides must maintain a distance of two metres (6ft) from the president, ABC News reported.
Pence’s spokeswoman, Katie Miller, the wife of Stephen Miller, one of the president’s closest aides, who is in frequent close contact with the Trump family, tested positive last week. It was unclear if Stephen Miller had entered self-isolation…
…On Monday morning the number of recorded Covid-19 deaths in the US was close to 80,000, and while the rate of new cases appears to be slowing in the New York City area and other sites of major outbreaks, elsewhere new infections are rising.
Nowhere is testing and contact-tracing for the virus as thoroughly as the White House, where aides and senior officials including Trump and Pence receive both spot checks and repeated testing in various forms, some on a daily basis. Without such testing, cases could go undetected, leading to a potentially wide outbreak…
May 12, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Pence ‘maintaining distance’ from Trump ‘for the immediate future'”. It was written by Jeremy Diamond and Kevin Liptak. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence is taking some precautions, but stopping short of the recommended self-quarantine in the wake of his press secretary testing positive for coronavirus.
Pence is “maintaining distance for the immediate future” from President Trump after consulting with the White House medical unit, a senior administration official said. It is not yet clear exactly how long Pence will stay away from Trump.
Later, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Pence had made the decision himself…
…Trump said Monday that he has not seen Pence since the vice president’s press secretary Katie Miller tested positive on Friday, a fact that was underscored by Pence’s absence from Trump’s news conference Monday. Trump said he could confer with Pence by telephone.
Pence said during a call with governors on Monday that he was taking extra precautions, noting that he was “in a separate room on my own” during a videoconference while Dr. Deborah Birx was “in a situation room meeting with some staff,” according to audio of the call obtained by CNN’s Betsy Klein…
…While he arrived to the White House on Tuesday wearing a mask, Pence has shown up on other days without covering his face. And his very presence there — even if he is staying away from Trump — contravenes guidelines issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which advise those who have had “close contact” (within six feet of someone for a prolonged period of time) with someone who has tested positive to stay home for 14 days after their last interaction…
June 6, 2020: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tweeted: “COVID-19 has literally hit home. I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive.”
June 15, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “House GOP lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Cristina Marcos. From the article:
Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) announced Monday that he and his family have tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the eighth member of Congress to have a confirmed or presumed case of the disease.
Rice said in a Facebook post that he, his wife, and his son had developed symptoms of COVID-19 – which he referred to as they “Wuhan flu” – in the last week but are now recovering.
“We are all on the mend and doing fine,” Rice wrote. He noted that his son “had gotten really sick” with a fever and “really bad cough,” while his wife had a “slight” fever with a cough and aches.
Rice said that he had milder symptoms but lamented that he had lost his sense of taste and smell – and expressed particular frustration that he is unable to enjoy bacon.
“I was lucky, and it was not bad for me. I had a low fever and a mild cough. It was gone by Thursday. I never stopped eating or drinking or working or moving. The only bad thing is I have completely lost sense of taste and smell. CAN’T TASTE BACON!!!” Rice wrote.
“We are finishing our quarantine and looking forward to seeing you all again. Friends, please wash your hands and take precautions,” Rice concluded…
June 17, 2020: AZ Central posted an article titled: “Pinal County sheriff says he tested positive for COVID-19 before planned Trump meeting”. It was written by Perry Vandell. From the article:
Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb announced on Wednesday afternoon that he tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Lamb posted on the Pinal County Sheriff Office’s Facebook page that he had been invited on Tuesday to join President Donald Trump at the White House and was tested before the meeting as part of the protocol…
…Lamb said he believes he came into contact with an infected person during a campaign event he held on Saturday. Lamb didn’t say if he wore a mask or practiced social distancing at the event.
“While still asymptomatic, I tested positive for the COVID-19,” Lamb wrote. “I will be self-quarantining for the next 14 days minimum. I alerted the Pinal County Public Health Dept. immediately after my positive test, and they are working to track all those I came in contact with following the Saturday event.”…
June 18, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Oklahoma venue management asks Trump campaign for health plan ahead of rally”. It was written by Marina Pitofsky. From the article:
The Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) Center in Tulsa, Okla., where President Trump is set to hold a campaign rally Saturday evening, requested Thursday that his campaign provide a plan for “health and safety” measures ahead of the event amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Given the Tulsa Health Department’s recent reports of increases in coronavirus cases and the State of Oklahoma’s encouragement for event organizers to follow CDC guidelines, we have requested that the Trump campaign, as the event organizer, provide BOK Center with a written plan detailing the steps the event will institute for health and safety, including those related to social distancing,” Meghan Blood, director of marketing for the BOK Center, said in a statement, CNN reported.
“Once received, we will share the plan with local health officials.”
The Trump campaign said that it will offer masks and temperature checks to all attendees.
The statment from the facility said that all staffers will be tested for COVID-19, and the venue will be “cleaned and disinfected repeatedly throughout the event, with special emphasis on high-touch areas.”…
June 19, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump to host 4th of July event despite pleas from lawmakers to cancel”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
President Trump will host a Fourth of July event despite pleas from lawmakers to cancel over concerns regarding the coronavirus pandemic.
The White House announced Friday that Trump and first lady Melania Trump with the Interior Department, will host the “2020 Salute to America” on the South Lawn of the White House and Ellipse on July 4.
The event will feature music, military demonstrations and flyovers to celebrate the nation’s service members and veterans, as well as an address from the president.
The event comes despite pushback from lawmakers that holding a mass gathering could put people at risk of contracting the coronavirus…
June 19, 2020: PBS posted an article titled: “Oklahoma Supreme Court says Trump rally attendees don’t have to wear masks”. From the article:
The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request to require everyone attending President Trump’s rally in Tulsa this weekend to wear a face mask and stay at least six feet apart from everyone else in the arena to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.
The court ruled that the two local residents who asked that the thousands expected at the rally be required to take the precautions couldn’t establish that they have a clear legal right to the relief they sought. In a concurring opinion, two justices wrote that the state’s reopening plan is “permissive, suggestive and discretionary.”…
…The request was made by John Hope Franklin for Reconciliation, a nonprofit that promotes racial equality, and the Greenwood Centre, Ltd., which owns commercial real estate, and on behalf of the two locals, who are described as having compromised immune systems and being particularly vulnerable to COVID-19…
…Oklahoma has seen a recent spike in coronavirus cases, setting a daily high on Thursday of 450. Health officials on Friday reported 125 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tulsa County, which is the most of any country in Oklahoma. Statewide, there were 352 new cases and one new coronavirus death reported Friday, raising the state’s new total number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began to 9,706 and its death toll to 367…
June 20, 2020: NBC News Correspondent Carol Lee tweeted: “NEW: six staffers working on Trump campaign rally in Tulsa have tested positive for coronavirus – campaign stmt says “quarantine procedures were immediately implemented. No COVID-positive staffers or anyone in immediate contact will be at today’s rally.”
June 20, 2020: …Before the rally Trump’s campaign revealed that six staff members who were helping set up for the event had tested positive for the coronavirus. Campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said neither the affected staffers nor anyone who was in immediate contact with them would attend the event. Associated Press
June 20, 2020: Herman Cain tweeted: “Here’s just a few of the #BlackVoicesForTrump at tonight’s rally! Having a fantastic time!” #TulsaRally2020 #Trumptulsa #TulsaTrumprally #MAGA #Trump2020 #Trump2020Landslide”.
The tweet includes a photo of Herman Cain siting with a group of people he has identified in the tweet as part of #BlackVoicesForTrump. Some people in the group are leaning on each other while seated close together. No one is wearing a mask.
June 20, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “6 Trump campaign staffers in Tulsa test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Grace Segers. From the article:
Six Trump campaign staffers on the advance team for the president’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday have tested positive for the coronavirus, the Trump campaign confirmed to CBS News. According to the campaign, the staffers were immediately quarantined and will not have contact with any rally attendees.
“Per safety protocols, campaign staff are tested for COVID-19 before events. Six members of the advance team tested positive out of hundreds of tests performed, and quarantine procedures were immediately implemented,” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement. “No COVID-positive staffers or anyone in immediate contact will be at today’s rally or near attendees and elected officials. As previously announced, all rally attendees are given temperature checks before going through security, at which point they are given wristbands, facemasks and hand sanitizer.”
The rally, Mr. Trump’s first since March, is taking place at the Bank of Oklahoma Center, which holds 19,000 people, with an additional stage in the outdoor area adjacent to the venue that can hold several thousand more. Health experts have raised concerns about having so many people gathered in one place, particularly as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in Oklahoma and several other states.
Although the campaign will be providing masks for rally attendees, it will not be mandatory to wear them. Several people waiting outside the Bank of Oklahoma Center ahead of the rally told CBS News they would not be wearing masks at the event. The online registration page for the rally included a legal disclaimer for attendees to acknowledge “that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.”
June 22, 2020: Two members of a campaign advance team who attended President Donald Trump’s rally in Oklahoma on Saturday have tested positive for the coronavirus, the campaign said.
The new test results bring the tally of advance team members for the Tulsa event who have tested positive for Covid-19 up to eight.
The six earlier positive tests of advance members occurred just before the event, and those people did not attend the rally as a result.
At least two of the earlier positive tests were of Secret Service agents. CNBC
June 23, 2020: NBC News reported the following:
The Dream City Church in Phoenix, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend a rally Tuesday, made a surprising claim Sunday: Its building has an air filtration system that can neutralize the coronavirus. Many experts found this startling, because there is little evidence such systems can stop the spread of the virus.
The claim came in a video in which the senior pastor, Luke Barnett, and Chief Operations Officer Brendon Zastrow discussed the presidential visit and the air purification system from a local company, IONaer, which echoes the claim of its system’s effect on the virus on its website. IONaer does business as CleanAir EXP.
“It was a technology developed by some members of our church,” Zastrow said. “And we’ve installed these units. And it kills 99 percent of COVID within 10 minutes.”
It’s the kind of claim that has little basis in reality, experts say. Both the ionization technology on which the system is based, as well as the way it works, are of limited effectiveness.
“When it comes to COVID-19 transmission, person-to-person transmission between those within 6 feet of each other is driving the majority of transmission,” Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, said. “Any ‘air cleaning’ type of device would not be able to have an impact on this close range transmission and the video could give attendees a false sense of security.”
The videos with the claim about the air purification system have since been removed from the church’s social media accounts…
…Tim Bender, the CEO and co-founder of IONaer, which makes the air purification systems, stressed that they had only been tested on “surrogates,” which are viruses similar to the coronavirus…
…Bender also clarified that the system is ineffective if people come into close contact with one another.
“There is nothing we can do with someone who coughs or sneezes,” Bender said. “The words we try to use is we add an additional layer of protection from passing viruses and bacteria through the area inside buildings. It’s just an additional layer of protection. If you’re taking the particulates out, you’re taking away the magic carpet that they’re traveling on.”…
…Trump is scheduled to begin a trip through Arizona on Tuesday, putting him in the middle of a state that is dealing with one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus. He will visit the church Tuesday afternoon, with organizers expecting about 3,000 attendees, according to The Arizona Republic.
Experts and even scientists in Trump’s own administration have warned against such events….
June 23, 2020: Several reporters who attended the Trump rally at the Dream City Church in Phoenix posted tweets about it. Here are a few:
White House reporter for AP, political analyist for MSNBC and NBC News, Jonathan Lemire, tweeted: “The scene of President Trump’s appearance at a Phoenix mega-church. No social distancing. And the only masks I am seeing are being worn by the White House travel pool.” The tweet included a photo that shows that the church was packed with people, all sitting very close to each other.
Former Newspaperman Sam Pye tweeted: “VIDEO: Crowds await the arrival of President Trump in #Phoenix. #TrumpRally #Trump2020 #PhoenixRally #PhoenixTrumpRally #Trump. The video shows a packed church, with people standing or sitting very close together. There were one or two people who were wearing masks.
White House Correspondent for Bloomberg News, Jordan Fabian tweeted: “Inside Phoenix mega church for President Trump’s Turning Point speech, full house, no distancing and very few masks being worn.” The tweet included a photo that shows that the church was packed with people who were not social distancing.
CBSNews White House Correspondent Ben Tracy tweeted: “At a Trump event in Phoenix where there is no social distancing and hardly anyone is wearing a mask. Arizona has one of the worst #covid issue in the country right now.” The tweet included a photo from above the crowd that was seated nearest the stage. Two people are wearing masks.
Students For Trump tweeted: “ABSOLUTELY PACKED HOUSE for @matggaetz and @RichardGrennel’s speech today leading up to @DonaldJTrumpJr, @kimguifoyle, and President @realDonaldTrump”. The tweet included a short video of some of the crowd. Many are wearing red hats. No one in the video is wearing a mask.
June 23, 2020: U.S. House Candidate Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) tweeted a thread that started with: “Last night, I learned my campaign team was potentially exposed to Coronavirus last week. Out of an abundance of caution and concern for my children and my team, I was tested for COVID-19. Today, my physician administered the Abbott Sars-Cov-2 RNA ID now nasal swab rapid test.”
The second tweet said: “I tested positive for COVID-19 a few minutes later. I was feeling a little fatigued with a body ache this weekend but that is kind of normal on the campaign trail. I have a slightly stuffy nose and mild body ache, but I do not have a fever or cough.”
The third tweet said: “I am concerned for my two children, the rest of my team, and volunteers, all of whom are like family. In consultation with my physician, I have personally contacted every individual, to the best of my knowledge, who has been in close proximity to me over the last week.”
The fourth tweet said: “I have asked for and paid for my staff and volunteers to get tested immediately. All of my campaign staff and volunteers have been instructed to self-quarantine and work remotely. My children and I will be in quarantine for the next two weeks or until I test negative for COVID.”
The thread continues from there.
June 25, 2020: Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Monies tweeted: “This won’t be painful, but it will be uncomfortable. We have this big Q-Tip that we’ll put up your nose for 10 seconds. I’ll count out loud.” Got my post #TulsaTrumpRally #COVID19 test. Called Monday for appointment & got one this morning. Results in 2-3 business days.” The tweet includes a short video from his car. He was wearing a mask.
June 25, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Dozens of Secret Service agents will be quarantined after Trump’s Tulsa rally”. It was written by Jim Acosta and Paul LeBlanc. From the article:
Dozens of Secret Service agents will be quarantined as a precaution following President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a law enforcement official told CNN on Wednesday.
The mass quarantine has led to the decision that Secret Service agents involved with presidential trips must be tested for coronavirus for the next couple of weeks, according to an email set to agency personnel. The email sent out Wednesday was confirmed by the law enforcement official. Agents must now be tested 24 to 48 hours before a presidential trip, the email said. The new testing mandate will be in place until July 4…
…Asked about the decision to test all agents on presidential trips for coronavirus, the Secret Service official said protecting agency personnel is critical during the COVID-19 pandemic…
…A US Secret Service source who worked advance for Saturday’s rally and is now quarantining told CNN that agents from Dallas and Houston worked the event as well, and they had been warned before the trip from those field offices that they would need quarantine when they got home.
The steps come after two Secret Service agents who attended the rally tested positive for coronavirus, a person familiar with the matter previously told CNN…
…Still, news of the quarantined Secret Service staff will heighten scrutiny of the Tulsa rally, which has already been intensely watched after the Trump campaign announced that some advance team staffers who worked on the event had tested positive for the virus.
Attendees were not required to wear masks or practice social distancing, despite the administration’s top health officials stressing the importance of both measures in preventing the spread of coronavirus.
Several administration officials at the rally did not wear masks, though campaign manager Brad Parscale was seen in one.
Those attending the rally had to agree not to sue the campaign if they contracted coronavirus, acknowledging the “inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.”…
June 26, 2020: Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Moines tweeted: “Friends, I tested positive for #COVID19. I’m pretty surprised. I have zero symptoms (so far) and I feel fine. In fact, I ran 5 miles this morning. I spent the last few hours calling people I know I’ve been in contact with in the last 14 days. Be safe out there.”
June 26, 2020: President Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, is “working from home” after Secret Service agents who attended last week’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, tested positive for the coronavirus.
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh, in a conference call with reporters, confirmed to The Daily Beast that Parscale was among the officials working remotely, and would return to work only after being tested for COVID-19… Business Insider
June 26, 2020: Billboard reported the following:
Hours before President Donald Trump took the stage last Saturday at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for his first rally in the COVID-19 era, arena workers were busy labeling thousands of seats with “Do Not Sit Here Please!” stickers to promote social distancing, part of a new safety protocol at the arena known as VenueShield.
Campaign staff quickly radioed over to an executive at ASM Global and asked the arena to stop labeling the seats. In fact, “they also told us that they didn’t want any signs posted saying we should social distance in the venue,” says Doug Thornton, executive vp for ASM Global, who oversees nearly 100 arenas across five continents for the venue management company created by the 2019 merger of AEG and SMG…
…A video created by a third party and reviewed by Billboard shows Trump staffers methodically walking the aisles of the BOK Center and peeling the three-inch square stickers from thousands of campaign chairs ahead of the “Make America Great Again” rally. (Trump’s campaign did not respond to Billboard’s request for comment)…
June 26, 2020: MSN posted an article from Green Bay Press Gazette titled: “Trump, in stop at Green Bay Austin Staubel airport, tells Hannity that Biden ‘can’t speak,’ blames Evers for Madison unrest”. It was written by Kent Tempus, Sammy Gibbons and Haley BeMiller. From the article:
President Donald Trump visited northeastern Wisconsin Thursday for the first of what are expected to be multiple campaign visits to the state by the president and his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Trump arrived at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport on Air Force One just before 1 p.m. and immediately got into a black SUV that took him to the nearby Jet Air Group facility for a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity and about 50 supporters.
During the interview with Hannity, which aired at 8 p.m., Trump discussed protests held in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police and accused some of wanting “to destabilize our country”. He blamed unrest in Madison and the assault of a state senator this week on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, contending it wouldn’t have happened under former Republican Gov. Scott Walker…
…The president also directed much of his attention to Biden.
“I don’t want to be nice or un-nice, but the man can’t speak, and he’s going to be a president because some people don’t love me maybe,” he said.
Afterward. Trump left the airport just before 3 p.m. on the Marine One helicopter to fly to Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, where he toured the shipbuilding yard and spoke about a $5.5 billion contract recently awarded to the company….
…Attendance at the town hall was limited to 50 people due to coronavirus concerns. All audience members had their temperatures checked are were required to wear a face covering – either their own or one provided by Fox News. No media other than Fox News were allowed inside during the taping…
June 27, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Mike Pence postpones Florida campaign tour as push to reopen US stalls”. It was written by Edward Helmore. From the article:
As reopening plans went into a dramatic reverse or stalled across the US in the face of a resurgent virus, Mike Pence called off a planned campaign bus tour in Florida amid a surge in confirmed Covid-19 cases.
The vice-president had been set to appear in Lake Wales at an event next week organized by pro-Trump group America First Policies. The event was billed as part of the “Great American Comeback tour.”
The group announced: “Out of an abundance of caution at this time, we are postponing the Great American Comeback tour stop in Florida. We look forward to rescheduling soon.” Pence was still traveling to the state, the White House confirmed, saying he would meet with Governor Ron DeSantis and his healthcare teams…
June 27, 2020: USA Today posted an article titled: “Pence cancels campaign events in Florida and Arizona as coronavirus cases spike”. It was written by Nicholas Wu. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence has canceled campaign events in Florida and Arizona as coronavirus cases spike in those states.
A spokesperson for President Donald Trump’s campaign confirmed to USA TODAY the events, which included stops as part of Pence’s “Faith in America” tour were canceled “out of an abundance of caution” as cases climb in Florida and Arizona.
A representative for the vice president said Pence would still travel to Texas, Arizona, and Florida this week to meet with governors.
On Tuesday, Pence was scheduled to give remarks at a Faith in America event in Tuscon and to meet with Gov. Doug Ducey about the COVID-19 response.
Pence had planned to travel to Florida on July 2 for a bus tour, meeting with Gov. Ron DeSantis about the coronavirus pandemic, and to deliver remarks both at a Faith in America event in Sarasota after touring Oakley Transport Inc. in Lake Wales…
…Florida announced 9,585 cases Saturday, and Arizona announced 3,591 cases.
June 28, 2020: The Texas Tribune posted an article titled: “Pence visits Dallas as Texas grapples with coronavirus spike”. It was written by Patrick Svitek. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence, during a trip to Dallas on Sunday, promised Texas would bounce back from a recent surge in cases of the new coronavirus while urging Americans to turn to their faith during a tumultuous period for the nation.
“Working with your governor, we will put the health of the people of the Lone Star State first, and every single day we’ll continue to reclaim our freedom and our way of life, as each day we are one day closer to the day we put this pandemic in the past,” Pence said during an event at First Baptist Dallas….
…After the event, Pence – who chairs the White House Coronavirus Task Force – Gov. Greg Abbott and his coronavirus response advisers briefed Pence on the dire situation in Texas. Speaking with reporters afterward, Abbott said the virus has taken a “very swift and very dangerous turn in Texas over just the past few weeks,” while Pence praised Abbott for his leadership – which has come under heavy fire from Democrats – and pledged the full support of the federal government.
The vice president also emphasized the importance of wearing a mask to reduce further spread.
The talk was a last-minute addition to Pence’s agenda. For over a week, the vice president had been scheduled to appear at First Baptist for its annual Celebrate Freedom Sunday, but he added meeting with Abbott in recent days as the state confronted its worst week yet in the pandemic.
The number of daily new cases hit a record high Thursday of nearly 6,000, and the number of hospitalizations has reached new highs every day for the past 16 days…
…Pence doubled down on his praise for Abbott later in the day, telling reporters after the briefing at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center that the governor demonstrated “decisive action” in reopening the state…
…Pence’s trip coincided with a growing debate in Texas over requiring people to wear masks. Abbott has resisted calls to fine individuals who do not wear masks but has allowed local governments to order businesses to require customers to do so.
Speaking to reporters after their meeting, Abbott, Pence, and Birx all urged Texans to wear masks. Birx was particularly emphatic, saying she was “appealing to every Texas to wear a mask… Every single one of them.”
Pence, Birx and his two other high-profile travel companions, Texas Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, all had face coverings on when they disembarked Air Force Two in Dallas on Sunday morning, as did their greeters; Abbott, Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. All appeared to remain masked while seated at the church, according to video broadcast by the church.
Pence has made headlines for not wearing a face covering at other public appearances during the pandemic. President Donald Trump has also refused to wear a mask in front of cameras.
First Baptist Dallas, led by pastor and ardent Trump supporter Robert Jeffress, had “strongly encouraged” attendees to wear masks and also socially distance. But the video of the ceremony showed most attendees sitting close together in pews, with only some donning masks. Most of the over 100 people in the choir and band sections on the stage were not wearing masks…
June 30, 2020: Axios posted the following information:
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on Monday that attendees at a July 3 event at Mount Rushmore where President Trump is set to speak will not be required to practice social distancing.
What she is saying: “We will have a large event on July 3. We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home, but those who want to come and join us, we’ll be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one. But we won’t be social distancing.”…
June 30, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Trump campaign scraps rally ahead of Session-Tuberville primary amid pandemic”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins and Kevin Liptak. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s campaign has scrapped plans to hold a rally in Alabama next weekend amid concerns about coronavirus infections rising in the US, CNN has learned.
Trump was slated to travel to the state ahead of the Senate race between his former attorney general Jeff Sessions and the former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, but plans were called off as state officials voiced concerns about a mass gathering and campaign officials ultimately decided against it. A person close to the campaign said there are currently no rallies on the horizon, but aids are scoping out possible venues for when they decided to host them again…
…On Tuesday, Alabama Republican Gov. Kay Ivey announced an amended order, which will extend the current rules until the end of July. The order encourages minimizing travel outside the home and wearing face coverings when doing so. The order also states that “all non-work related gatherings of any size, including drive-in gatherings, that cannot maintain a consistent six-foot distance between persons from different households are prohibited.”…
July 1, 2020: BuzzFeed News reported the following:
At least five members of the choir and orchestra at the Dallas megachurch visited by Vice President Mike Pence this weekend tested positive for the coronavirus in June, according to Facebook posts and internal church emails reviewed by BuzzFeed News.
An additional orchestra member had symptoms several days after being exposed and was awaiting a test result in mid-June, according to a call for prayers sent to the church’s musicians.
None of those six people were at the First Baptist church in Dallas during Pence’s hour-and-a-half-hour visit on Sunday, but it is unclear how many of the musicians who performed for Pence may have been exposed during previous practices and performances with those who were infected…
…The choir and orchestra performed for Pence without masks, according to a video of the event reviewed by BuzzFeed News.
One of the church’s music directors – who himself has been quarantined after testing positive for the virus – wrote an email informing the church’s musicians that choir members would not wear masks while singing…
…The event came just one day before the Texas Department of State Health Services reported more than 5,900 COVID-19 hospitalizations, an all-time high for the state, and as Dallas reported a record high day for cases. Gov. Greg Abbott, who aggressively pushed to reopen the state in May but rolled back his plan last week after cases surged, sat alongside Pence in the church’s pews…
The BuzzFeed News article includes a photo of Vice President Pence standing behind a podium at the First Baptist Church. In the photo, Pence is taking off his mask right before speaking.
July 2, 2020: Multiple Secret Service agents tasked with planning Vice President Pence’s trip to Arizona this week were reportedly removed from the trip after showing signs of coronavirus infection.
As many as 10 Secret Service and other law enforcement agents working on the trip were replaced after showing symptoms of the virus and at least one tested positive for the disease. The Hill (who got this information from The Washington Post).
July 2, 2020: Someone posted a tweet on Herman Cain’s Twitter account on his behalf. The tweet said: “We are sorry to announce that Herman Cain has tested positive for COVID-19, and is currently receiving treatment in an Atlanta-area hospital. Please keep him and all who are battling this virus, in your prayers.”
The tweet included a full statement. Part of the statement said:
“On Monday, June 29, Herman Cain was informed that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
By Wednesday, July 1, Mr. Cain had developed symptoms serious enough that he required hospitalization.
He spent the past night in the hospital and as of today, Thursday July 2, he is resting comfortably in an Atlanta-area hospital. Mr. Cain did not require a respirator, and he is awake and alert….”
July 3, 2020: Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of President Trump’s oldest son, has contracted the coronavirus.
Sergio Gor, chief of staff to the Trump campaign’s finance committee, says Guilfoyle was immediately isolated after the positive result to limit exposure. He says she will be retested to confirm the diagnosis because she isn’t showing any signs of COVID-19, the disease the virus causes. Gor says Guilfoyle is doing well and canceling her public events.
Gor says Donald Trump Jr. tested negative but is self-isolating as a precaution. He is also canceling his public events.
The couple was in South Dakota to hold fundraisers for Trump’s reelection. Trump is giving a pre-Fourth of July speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Associated Press
July 3, 2020: HuffPost posted an article titled: “Pence’s Arizona Trip was Delayed After Secret Service Agents Contracted Virus: Reports”. It was writen by Sara Boboltz. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence delayed his trip to Arizona this week due to several Secret Service agents contracting COVID-19 or displaying symptoms of the disease, according to multiple reports.
Pence was originally scheduled to visit the state on Tuesday, but went on Wednesday instead so that other, healthier, Secret Service agents could accompany him.
An unnamed official with knowledge of the matter told The Washington Post that the agency urged the vice president to delay his trip on Monday night. Eight to 10 people from sister agencies who were also helping to prepare for the trip displayed signs of the illness, as well, according to the Post…
…Arizona is among several states that have seen an alarming surge in COVID-19 infections over the past month. Currently, Arizona has had more than 87,000 reported cases with only around 10,000 recoveries – a figure that indicates the number still battling the virus. More than 1,700 people have died of the coronavirus in the state…
…Meanwhile, the U.S. passed another grim milestone on Thursday, soaring past 55,000 new coronavirus cases reported in a single day.
July 4, 2020: AZ Central posted an article titled: “Reports: Secret Service agents at Pence, Trump events in Phoenix test positive for virus”. It was written by Kathy Tulumello. From the article:
Secret Service agents who were preparing for Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Phoenix earlier this week fell ill with COVID-19, as did agents working at the president’s rally eight days before, according to media reports.
CNN reported Friday that several agents working on the Pence visit got sick, as did several agents who became infected while getting ready for President Donald Trump’s June 23 event in Phoenix.
The crowd for Trump was mostly unmasked.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Pence’s visit to Arizona, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed a day so that healthy agents could be available for his visit. The trip, which originally had called for public events, became a quick drop-in to support state officials battling a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Both news agencies cited unnamed sources.
Secret Service agents are sworn to protect the president, vice president and other high-profile officials.
Agents also were on the ground in South Dakota preparing for Trump’s speech Friday at Mount Rushmore…
…Trump’s June 23 visit to the state, his third in five months, underscored the state’s status as a battleground state in the presidential election.
In Phoenix, he spent fewer than 10 minutes of his 1½ hour speech discussing the new coronavirus, and the crowd of about 3,000 supporters appeared similarly disinterested in dwelling on the pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Both Maricopa County and Phoenix have enacted ordinances requiring masks in public places.
Most of the attendees who packed into Dream City Church in north Phoenix did not wear face coverings. Nor did any of the event speakers, including the president.
During his speech, the president repeatedly assured his crowd that the U.S. was at “the end of the pandemic.” …
…Kimberly Guilfoyle, a Trump campaign official and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of the president’s event at Mount Rushmore.
Guilfoyle attended the Trump event in Phoenix, which was 10 days before her positive test. The incubation period for COVID-19 can be up to 14 days.
Before coming to Arizona, Trump spoke at a June 20 rally in Tulsa, where Secret Service agents also reportedly tested positive for the virus.
July 4, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “National Park Service staff working Mount Rushmore event weren’t required to get tested, agency says.” It was written by Ali Main, Betsy Klein and Veronica Stracqualursi. From the article:
The National Park Service says it did not require employees who worked the Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore on Friday to get tested for coronavirus, despite the record-high new cases in the US and President Donald Trump’s attendance at the event.
“None of the Incident Management Team members for the event have reported exhibiting any symptoms or feeling unwell,” agency spokesperson Dana Soehn said in a statement Saturday. CNN reported that some Park Service staff were wearing masks and others were not at the Friday event in South Dakota. There was no social distancing at the event as attendees were clustered together in stadium seating.
Soehn said face masks were available to all Park Service employees who worked the event and use was recommended at all times when social distancing could not be maintained.
Soehn added that the agency is following US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for health monitoring of the work force and that Department of Interior “employees are encouraged to conduct daily self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 using the CDC symptom webpage or the CDC Self-Checker, and to not report to the workplace if they exhibit any symptoms or feeling unwell.”,,,
…The CDC says that outdoor spaces are less risky than indoor areas for Covid-19 spread, but still encourages standing 6 feet apart from others and to avoid crowded parks…
July 4, 2020: Bozeman Daily Chronicle posted an article titled: “Multiple Republican candidates self-quarantining after possible COVID-19 exposure”. It was written by Melissa Loveridge. From the article:
A Donald Trump campaign fundraising event last week in Gallatin County potentially exposed multiple Montana Republicans to COVID-19, including the wife and running mate of gubernatorial candidate and congressman Greg Gianforte.
Gianforte himself did not attend the event, but his wife Susan Gianforte and lieutenant governor candidate Kristen Juras did. Republican congressional candidate and state auditor Matt Rosendale and state auditor candidate Troy Downing were also there.
On July 1, Juras posted a photo on her campaign Facebook page posing less than 6 feet away and without masks with Susan, Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle. In the photo’s caption, Juras wrote that the photo was taken the night before, on June 30.
Guilfoyle tested positive for the coronavirus on July 3, as reported by the New York Times. The Times reported she was not experiencing symptoms.
A Gianforte campaign spokesperson confirmed that Juras and Susan attended the event, but that Gianforte was in Washington, D.C., because Congress was in session.
“Since learning of their potential exposure, Greg, Susan, and Kristen have adhered to recommended guidelines. Out of an abundance of caution and for the health and safety of others, they will self-quarantine, be tested for COVID-19, and suspend in-person campaign events pending test results,” the spokesperson said.
Downing’s campaign manager Sam Loveridge confirmed Downing attended the event. Loveridge said in an email that neither Downing nor his staff were ever in “close proximity” with Guilfoyle
“Out of an abundance of caution, Troy Downing will be tested as soon as possible and will avoid personal contact and all public functions until a negative test result can be confirmed,” Loveridge said in an email…
Rosendale’s campaign manager Shelby DeMars confirmed he had attended the event. DeMars said Rosendale and his wife both quarantined immediately after learning that Guilfoyle tested positive and are waiting for test results.
Elsie Arntzen, Montana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, tweeted that she had also been exposed to the illness and is quarantining and awaiting test results.
July 4, 2020: Congressional candidate and Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale tweeted: “STATEMENT FROM THE ROSENDALE CAMPAIGN: “On Tuesday Matt and Jean Rosendale attended an event where they were in contact with Kimberly Guilfoyle, who has tested positive for COVID-19. Immediately upon learning of their potential exposure both Matt and Jean self isolated and…
The next tweet in the short thread said: “…are awaiting their results. While neither Matt nor Jean are experiencing any symptoms, out of an abundance of caution, they are self-quarantining for 14 days and will be suspending in-person campaign events during that period.” #mtpol #mtal”
July 5, 2020: Houston Chronicle posted the following information:
If President Donald Trump decides to hold a campaign rally in Arkansas, the state will insist that all participants are socially distanced and wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Sunday.
Hutchinson’s comments on NBC’s “Meet the Press” follow Trump rallies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and at an Arizona megachurch, as well as an Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore, where most of the thousands of participants flouted public safety guidelines on maintaining a safe distance and wearing masks.
“You can’t stop every activity, but you have to be in a controlled environment in which you do protect yourself and others and take it seriously,” the governor said, adding that a lot of public celebrations for the July Fourth holiday were cancelled in his state “to minimize that exposure.”
“Obviously, I would like to have seen more face coverings there in order to set an example,” he said of Friday’s event in South Dakota.
And if the president wanted to host a rally in Arkansas?
“There would have to be social distancing and wearing of masks if you can’t social distance,” Hutchinson said. “You have to follow our guidelines and that’s what we would insist upon.”…
July 6, 2020: President Donald Trump is set to hold an outdoor rally Saturday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, according to the president’s campaign.
The campaign rally at Portsmouth International Airport will come three weeks after an indoor rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the president’s first of the COVID-19 era, drew a smaller than expected crowd amid concerns of rising infections in the region.
The Trump campaign’s announcement of the Portsmouth rally noted that “There will be ample hand sanitizer and all attendees will be provided a face mask that they are strongly encouraged to wear.” Many people at Trump’s rally in Tulsa skipped wearing masks, and relatively few masks were seen during his speech at South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore last Friday. Associated Press
July 6, 2020: The Hill posted the following information:
Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn (R) announced Sunday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Gunn said in a video posted on his Facebook page that he sought a test after coming into contact with another lawmaker who had also been diagnosed with the virus…
…The lawmaker, who did not identify the other House member who tested positive for the virus, said he had reached out to anyone he was in close contact with to tell them he had tested positive. He also called on anyone experiencing symptoms to also self-quarantine and notify anyone they’ve been in contact with if they test positive…
…Mississippi lawmakers met for much of June, sometimes wearing masks and sometimes not, and frequently sat together in close proximity in committee rooms while discussing the ultimately successful proposal to remove the Confederate battle flag from the state flag, The Associated Press reported…
July 6, 2020: New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu posted a press release titled: “Governor Chris Sununu Statement on President Trump Rally”. From the press release:
Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statement regarding the President’s upcoming rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
“As Governor I will always welcome the President of the United States to New Hampshire,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “I am pleased to see the campaign will be handing out face masks and hand sanitizer to all attendees, as has been true at all public gatherings in NH where social distancing is hard to maintain. It is imperative that folks attending the rally wear masks.”
From the outset of this pandemic, the State has not stopped or prevented individuals from peacefully assembling, including marches led by Black Lives Matter and protests from Reopen NH.
The Governor’s schedule is still being finalized. In the past, the Governor has greeted the President upon arrival at the airport. If the Governor greets the President at the airport, he will be wearing a mask.
July 6, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “South Dakota governor flew with Trump on Air Force One after being exposed to coronavirus: report”. It was written by Aris Folley. From the article:
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) flew with President Trump on Air Force One on Friday after having close interactions with Kimberly Guilfoyle, a senior advisor for the president’s campaign and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., who has tested positive for COVID-19, The Associated Press reported on Monday.
According to the news agency, the governor interacted with Guilfoyle, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, during a campaign fundraiser in South Dakota on Thursday. The two had also reportedly been seen hugging at one point during Guilfoyle’s visit to the state last week.
Noem’s office told to The Hill on Monday that the governor tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday after interacting with Guilfoyle at the fundraiser on Thursday…
…While on the plane to Washington, D.C., with Trump on Friday, Noem did not wear a mask, a spokeswoman for her office, Maggie Seidel, told the AP. Seidel was also reportedly asked about potential risks to the president from Noem’s presence on the plane on Friday.
July 6, 2020: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is reportedly in the running to become the running mate to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, said Monday she has tested positive for the coronavirus…
…She later said on CNN that one of her children has also tested positive. In the interview, Bottom said she had recently experienced symptoms similar to seasonal allergies, including a headache and a mild dry cough, and did not initially recognize them as signs of Covid-19″.
“I don’t have any idea how we were exposed,” she said. “I’m stunned.”… CNBC
July 6, 2020: Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) tweeted: “I had to get a Covid test in advance of a medical checkup. I thought I’d share what it’s like. It’s been three months since I was in the hospital with Covid-19. As expected, the test was negative. If you have symptoms, please get tested. The test isn’t as bad as it looks #utpol”. The tweet included a video of Rep. Ben McAdams getting tested for coronavirus.
July 7, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for Covid-19 after months of dismissing the seriousness of the virus”. It was written by Marcia Reverdosa, Rodrigo Pedroso, and Tara John. From the article:
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for Covid-19, following months of downplaying the virus.
Bolsonaro himself announced the result, speaking on Brazilian TV channels Tuesday. “Everyone knew that it would reach a considerable part of the population sooner or later. It was positive for me,” he said, referring to the Covid-19 test he took Monday.”
“On Sunday, I wasn’t feeling very well. On Monday, it got worse when I started feeling tired and some muscle pain. I also had a 38-degree fever. Given those symptoms, the presidential doctor said there was suspicion of Covid-19,” Bolsonaro said, adding that he then went to hospital to receive a lung scan.
He said that his wife, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro was also tested.
In an interview with CNN Brasil following his diagnosis, Bolsonaro said he would steer clear of in-person meetings in the near future. “I’m not going to see anyone for meetings. Everything will be done via video conference and I will rarely meet people if I need to deal with more reserved matter,” he said…
…More than 65,000 people have now died of the virus in Brazil, according to figures released by the country’s health ministry on Monday. So far, 1,623,284 cases have been confirmed. With coronavirus tests hard to come by in the country, some local experts say the real number of people infected could be 12 to 16 times higher…
July 8, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Trump rally likely contributed to surge in COVID-19 cases, Tulsa health official says”. It was written by Will Steakin and Olivia Rubin. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in late June, as well as the accompanying counterprotests, likely contributed to the area’s recent spike in coronavirus cases, Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said Wednesday.
“In the past few days, we’ve seen almost 500 new cases, and we had several large events just over two weeks ago, so I guess we just connect the dots,” Dart said at a press conference.
Dart, who said prior to the rally he’d recommended it be postponed over health concerns, added on Wednesday that “significant events in the past few weeks” had “more than likely contributed” to Tulsa County’s surge in cases.
Tulsa County reported 261 new cases on Tuesday, a new record high. The state also broke records this week with 858 new cases on Tuesday and 673 on Wednesday…
…Hospitals in the area are also beginning to report strain. Hillcrest HealthCare System, a major provider in Oklahoma with two hospitals in Tulsa, is nearly at capacity.
“We are running at 90-95% inpatient capacity in our Hillcrest Tulsa metro hospitals and ICUs,” Dr. Guy Sneed, the chief medical officer at Hillcrest HealthCare System, told ABC News. “Many of our COVID patients are very sick and require ICU services, including mechanical ventilator support. Some are also requiring ECMO services.”
“So, the strain on our existing hospital resources remains high, as it does for the other Tulsa area acute care hospitals,” he added.
In the lead-up to last month’s event, health experts raised concerns that the president’s rally could end up being a dangerous event in terms of possible infections. “I’m really very concerned about this event being a superspreader-type event where there will be potentially many people coming out of this who were exposed and could become sick from COVID-19,” Dr. Lena Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University told ABC News…
July 8, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Kimberly Guilfoyle reports being asymptomatic and ‘feeling really pretty good’ after COVID-19 diagnosis”. It was written by Marina Pitofsky. From the article:
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a top fundraiser for President Trump’s reelection campaign and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., revealed Wednesday event that she is feeling “really pretty good” after she tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.
Guilfoyle told the Trump campaign’s online show “The Right View” that “I’m doing my best and following my doctor’s orders.”…
July 10, 2020: Bloomberg posted an article titled: “Snack Food Executive to Host Trump Fundraiser With Virus Spreading”. It was written by Justin Sink, Jennifer Jacobs, and Mario Parker.
President Donald Trump is heading to coronavirus-stricken Florida for a high-dollar campaign fundraiser hosted in Hillsboro Beach by Troy Link, chief executive of Link Snacks, Inc.
The event is expected to bring in about $10 million for the president’s re-election, according to a person familiar with the event. A spokeswoman for the snack food company, known for offbeat ads pitching its beef-jerky, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The fundraiser — with tickets setting supporters back $580,600 per couple, according to the Washington Post, — comes after Trump was outraised by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for two consecutive months. The former vice president banked $141 million in June, according to his campaign, besting Trump’s $131 million haul.
But the President’s visit to Florida also coincides with a surge in coronavirus cases in the state, where Republicans will gather for their party convention next month. On Thursday, Florida’s Department of Health announced 8,935 new cases, bringing the state’s total to over 230,000. In Miami-Dade, County some 92% of intensive care hospitals are full…
…Trump’s visit will also include a stop at U.S. Southern Command in Doral, where he’ll be briefed on recent efforts to intensify drug interdiction in the Caribbean Sea and east Pacific Coast…
July 14, 2020: The NSC Twitter account posted a tweet: “Very productive meeting with my #French, #German, #Italian, and #UK counterparts. We discussed the major threats and challenges facing the United States and #Europe, as well as new ways to work together in the post-#COVID19 world”.
The tweet included a photo of five men in suits standing close together for the photo. None of them are wearing masks.
July 14, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “House GOP lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Cristina Marcos. From the article:
Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) revealed on Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, making him the ninth member of Congress with a confirmed or presumed case.
Griffith’s office said in a statement that he took a coronavirus test over the weekend after “developing possible symptoms” and has since been self-isolating.
“Although he does not currently have significant symptoms, he will continue to self-isolate as he performs his duties on behalf of Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District,” the statement said.
Griffith’s diagnosis comes five days after he participated in a press conference on Capitol Hill with members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus to push for reopening schools in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic despite safety concerns from educators and some parents.
Griffith wore a mask for parts of the press conference, which was held outdoors, but took it off to speak before the cameras…
July 14, 2020: Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) posted a press release on his official website titled: “Griffith Tests Positive for Coronavirus”. From the press release:
Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) today was informed that he tested positive for COVID-19. Upon developing possible symptoms, he took the test and has since been self-isolating. Although he does not currently have significant symptoms, he will continue to self-isolate as he performs his duties on behalf of Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District.
July 15, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Brazil’s Bolsonaro gets new positive coronavirus test result”. It was written by Mauricio Savarese. From the article:
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Wednesday he has tested positive for the new coronavirus for a second time, following his July 7 announcement that he had COVID-19.
“I did the test yesterday, and at night the result came back that I am still positive for coronavirus,” Bolsonaro said. “I hope that in the coming days I will do another test and, God willing, everything will be all right to return soon to activity.”
The far-right leader said he hasn’t experienced serious symptoms of the disease as he isolates at the presidential residence in capital of Brasilia.
According to the World Health Organization, the median time from onset to clinical recovery for mild cases is approximately two weeks.
Before his diagnosis, Bolsonaro had spent many of his weekends since the beginning of the pandemic mingling in crowds, sometimes without wearing a mask. He is treating his COVID-19 with the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, although it has not been proven effective against the virus.
Brazil, the world’s sixth most-populous nation and home to 210 million people, is one of the outbreak’s epicenters. More than 75,000 Brazilians have died from COVID-19, and almost 2 million have been infected, according to government statistics. Both numbers are the world’s second-highest totals, behind those of the U.S…
July 16, 2020: Tulsa World posted an article titled: “Watch Now: Kevin Stitt ‘pretty shocked’ to be first governor to test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Barbara Hoberock. From the article:
Gov. Kevin Stitt said Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first nation’s governor to contract the virus but remaining steadfast against a mask mandate.
The news comes the same day the state recorded 1,075 new cases, a record for a single day. Wednesday marked the first day that Oklahoma’s daily new case count exceeded 1,000. There have been 22,813 confirmed cases of the disease since early March…
…Stitt said he got his positive test result around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Stitt earlier that day had chaired a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office.
Three of the five members and Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, met in executive session to discuss a new leader for the agency.
The governor was asked Wednesday about the meeting, where Stitt did not wear a mask.
McBride on Wednesday said he has canceled his upcoming events and plans to get tested.
The other two members were Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur.
In a Facebook post, Pinnell said he would be retested for COVID-19 and would continue quarantining and working from home until he has results. He reported having no symptoms currently.
“No one in Oklahoma can say they don’t know anyone who has had it,” Pinnell said in his post. “We all know someone now and it should absolutely be taken seriously.”
Arthur was notified Tuesday during the contact tracing process and is quarantining and working remotely, according to the Governor’s Office.
Stitt’s office was asked for his schedule for the last two weeks. Baylee Lakey, a spokeswoman, said the request would have to be processed under the Oklahoma Open Records Act. Stitt’s office has been slow to respond to requests under the act…
…Stitt said he was “not thinking about a mask mandate at all.”
“I am just hesitant to mandate something that is problematic to enforce,” the governor said.
He said his wife and six children have tested negative for the virus.
Stitt said he will be quarantining at home and conducting more meetings by videoconference.
He said he does not second-guess his personal choices not to wear a mask despite testing positive.
Stitt on June 20 attended a campaign rally in Tulsa at the BOK Center for President Donald Trump.
The event attracted at least 6,200 people to the facility, which has 19,000 seats.
The majority of people in attendance were not wearing masks. The state’s Republican Congressional delegation, some of whom wore masks, attended…
…Stitt also attended the funeral service last week for Tulsa police Sgt. Craig Johnson, who died after being shot during a traffic stop on June 30.
Stitt was asked Wednesday whether his exposure likely came from the Trump rally, where he did not wear a mask. Stitt and Health Commissioner Lance Frye said the event was too long ago, adding that the exposure could have been at any point in the past two weeks…
June 18, 2020: Media Matters posted an article titled: “Vice President Mike Pence lied about Oklahoma’s coronavirus cases to defend Trump’s rally. Local TV newscasts mostly ignored it.” It was written by Zachary Pleat. From the article:
News programs broadcast in Oklahoma from dozens of television stations failed to cover a lie Vice President Mike Pence told about the state’s rising rate of coronavirus infections to defend a decision by President Donald Trump’s campaign to hold a rally in Tulsa on Saturday.
On June 15, Pence said at a televised White House roundtable that Oklahoma has “flattened the curve. And today their hospital capacity is abundant, the number of cases in Oklahoma has declined precipitously and we feel very confident going forward with the rally this coming weekend.” The Daily Beast, citing a tweet from CNN reporter Daniel Dale which showed a recent surge in new coronavirus cases reported in the state, quickly explained that Pence “blatantly lied to reporters about the trajectory of COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma, where President Trump is scheduled to hold a large campaign rally on Saturday.”
July 20, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Two Brazilian ministers test positive for coronavirus in a day”. It was written by Rodrigo Pedroso. From the article:
Two Brazilian ministers have tested positive for the coronavirus in one day, following in the footsteps of President Jair Bolsonaro and three other high-ranking government officials.
Brazil’s Minister of Citizenship Onyx Lorenzoni announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19 just hours before Milton Ribiero, Minister of Education, revealed that he was also infected.
In a series of tweets, Lorenzoni wrote that he was tested after he began to show symptoms last Friday. He said he had started the so-called “Covid kit” treatment, a cocktail of drugs promoted by some medical doctors who back Bolsonaro’s claim that it’s an effective treatment in the early stages of the novel coronavirus…
…The Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (SBI), in a report published Friday, urged medical professionals to stop using hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus, because it has been proved ineffective and can cause collateral damage.
A week earlier, Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency ANVISA, which regulates pharmaceuticals, released a statement saying there is no conclusive proof that ivermectin is effective as Covid-19 treatment.
The other minister, Ribeiro tweeted on Monday: “I’ve just received a positive Covid-19 result this morning. I am already medicated, and I’ll work remotely,” but did not specify which medication he is taking. He is working from a hotel in the capital Brasília, the minister’s press officer told CNN Brasil.
Brazil has now recorded more than two million cases and almost 80,000 deaths, more than any country except the United States, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University…
…In March, after returning from a trip to the US for meetings between Bolsonaro and US President Donald Trump, Brazil’s Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque and Institutional Security Minister General Augusto Heleno both tested positive for the coronavirus, along with Bolsonaro’s communication secretary Fabio Wajngarten, and another 15 members of the Brazilian delegation…
July 22, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “White House executive office cafeteria closed after positive coronavirus test”. It was written by Josh Lederman. From the article:
The White House is conducting contact tracing after a cafeteria worker tested positive for coronavirus, three Trump administration officials tell NBC News.
The cafeteria and an eatery in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, or EEOB, were both closed this week after the case was discovered, officials said. It was unclear how long the facility will remain closed, although some staffers were told it could remain shuttered for two weeks…
…Part of the White House complex, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building sits just across West Executive Ave. from the West Wing. It houses the offices of much of the senior White House staff, including officials from the coronavirus task force, the vice president’s office, the National Security Council and several economic policy shops.
Unlike the White House Mess, which is located inside the West Wing and run by the U.S. Navy, the cafeteria and an Ike’s Eatery in the neighboring EEOB are run by a government contractor. The White House referred questions about the situation to the General Services Administration, which maintains the building.
“All proper protocols were in place by the vendor including masks, gloves, plastic shielding at check out, and no dine-in service,” a GSA spokesperson said. “The White House Medical Unit has done contact tracing and determined that the risk of retransmission is low.”
The GSA did not say how many staffers might have been potentially exposed at the commissary or how long it will remain closed…
…Several White House officials and others in close proximity to the president have previously tested positive for coronavirus, leading to contact tracing efforts by the White House in the past. Although the White House recently ended regular temperature checks for all those entering the White House grounds, those coming into close proximity to the president are still given COVID-19 rapid tests at the White House.
July 23, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “DC investigator finds no Covid-related violations at Trump International Hotel”. It was written by Katelyn Polantz and Caroline Kelly. From the article:
A Washington, DC, investigator inspected President Donald Trump’s Washington hotel on Wednesday and found no violations of Covid-related regulations after images emerged of the President and others not wearing masks in the hotel’s lobby earlier in the week.
The agency says it will continue to monitor the Trump International Hotel’s compliance with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser’s regulations, which include the mandatory wearing of masks when inside businesses or the common areas of hotels…
…Jared Powell, spokesman for DC’s Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, which investigates complaints about businesses not following the Covid-19 protection policy, told CNN that “during the inspection, guests and staff were observed to be wearing face masks and coverings in compliance with the Mayor’s Order.”
“Reports are only generated when violations are observed in person by an investigator,” Powell added. ABRA will continue to monitor the establishment for compliance.”…
…The President attended “a roundtable with supporters of a joint fundraising committee,” according to the White House, at the hotel on Monday night. Footage later surfaced of Trump not wearing a mask in the hotel’s lobby.”…
…Per a Republican National Committee spokesperson prior to the fundraiser, it was slated to raise $5 million for Trump Victory, his joint fundraising operation with the RNC and state party committees.
July 23, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Two cafeterias used by White House staff closed after positive coronavirus test”. It was written by Justin Wise. From the article:
A pair of cafeterias regularly used by White House staff members were reportedly closed this week after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
An anonymous Trump administration official told The New York Times on Wednesday that the White House notified staffers about the closures, but said there wasn’t any reason for them to self-quarantine. The cafeterias were in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and the New Executive Office Building, neither of which are located next to the West Wing.
The worker who contracted the coronavirus is said to be a cafeteria employee, according to reports from NBC News and CNN.
The White House did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill.
In addition to the closures, the White House reportedly conducted contact tracing for staffers who may have been in contact with the employee. Staff have reportedly been advised to monitor themselves for possible symptoms and remain home if they feel sick…
July 27, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Trump national security advisor Robert O’Brien tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Kevin Breuniger. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s national security advisor, Robert O’Brien, has tested positive for coronavirus.
O’Brien has “mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site,” the White House said in a statement Monday.
“There is no risk of exposure to the President or the Vice President. The work of the National Security Council continues uninterrupted,” the White House said.
O’Brien, 54, is among the highest-ranking members in Trump’s orbit reported to have come down with the virus…
…The White House has said that Trump is regularly tested, as are all officials who come into close contact with the president and vice president.
O’Brien earlier this month had traveled to Europe to meet with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. He was photographed on that trip in close proximity with his European counterparts, none of whom appeared to be wearing masks during meetings, photos from the NCS’s official Twitter account show…
July 27, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Trump’s national security adviser tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Joan E. Greve, Julian Borger, and Ed Pilkington. From the article:
The national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, has tested positive for the coronavirus, but the White House insisted there was “no risk” of Donald Trump being exposed.
However, O’Brien recently returned from a trip to Europe where he was photographed without wearing a mask or social distancing, with several foreign officials, including his UK counterpart, Mark Sedwill; the UK ambassador to France, Edward Llewellyn; and the French national security adviser, Emmanuel Bonne…
The photographs referred to in the article from The Guardian were posted on the NSC twitter account on July 15, 2020. The tweet said: “Great to see #UK NSA @marksedwill today. We discussed important bilateral and global topics, including #HongKong, #China, #5G security, and #Iran. The U.S.-UK Special Relationship endures”.
The tweet included two photos. One was a group of eight people sitting around a table and having a meal together indoors. The other was a photo of standing close two four other people, some of whom appears to be in the photo with O’Brien that was posted by the NSC Twitter account on July 14, 2020.
July 27 2020: Tulsa World posted an article titled: “Oklahoma Gov. Kivin Stitt says he has recovered from COVID-19”. It was written by Harrison Grimwood. From the article:
Oklahoma’s chief executive reported Monday that he has returned to work about 12 days after testing positive for the new coronavirus.
Gov. Kevin Stitt announced on July 15 that he tested positive for COVID-19…
…Stitt said he quickly quarantined and sought testing and recommended that Oklahomans react similarly should they see symptoms set in.
He announced his positive test result on the same day Oklahoma first reported more than a thousand new cases of COVID-19 in any given day. And Stitt announced his return to work Monday, the highest day yet for case counts in Oklahoma at 1,401 new cases.
The disease can be deadly, with 496 Oklahomans having died from it thus far, Stitt’s only symptoms, he said, were fatigue and achiness.
Public health officials recommend that patients isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and quarantine until they are without a fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines…
July 29, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “Louie Gohmert, who refused to wear a mask, tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jake Sherman.
Rep. Louis Gohmert – a Texas Republican who has been walking around the Capitol without a mask – he tested positive for the coronavirus, according to multiple sources.
Gohmert was scheduled to fly to Texas on Wednesday morning with President Donald Trump and tested positive in a pre-screen at the White House. The eight-term Republican told CNN last month that he was not wearing a mask because he was being tested regularly for the coronavirus.
“f I get it,” he told CNN in June, “you’ll never see me without a mask.”…
…Gohmert attended Tuesday’s blockbuster House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General William Barr in person, where lawmakers were seated at some distance from one another.
But footage from before the hearing shows Gohmert and Barr walking together in close contact, with neither wearing a mask.
Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said Barr will be tested for coronavirus on Wednesday.
At one point in Tuesday’s hearing, Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) chastised several Republicans for taking off their masks, though Gohmert was not among those he scolded…
…Connie Hair, Gohmert’s chief of staff, declined comment. But after this article was published, Gohmert told his aides in person that he had been infected…
July 29, 2020: Representative Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) tweeted: “I want to wish @replouiegohmert a full & speedy recovery. When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. I’ve regularly instructed all Members to wear their masks had hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues.” The tweet included a link to the Politico article.
July 29, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Multiple lawmakers self-quarantine after exposure to Gohmert”. From the article:
At least two lawmakers said Wednesday that they will self-quarantine after recently being around Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) said her decision to self-quarantine came after she sat next to Gohmert on a flight from their home state over the weekend.
Rep Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, also said he will self quarantine after chairing a hearing that Gohmert attended on Tuesday.
Gohmert tested positive for coronavirus while he was being screened at the White House ahead of a planned trip to Texas with President Trump on Wednesday.
The Texas Republican had attended multiple hearings on Capitol Hill the previous day, including the Natural Resources Committee hearing about the Park Police’s handling of protesters at Lafayette Square last month and a Judiciary hearing with Attorney General William Barr…
…A spokesperson for Granger said she was “seated next to Representative Gohmert on a flight from Texas Sunday evening. At the direction of the Attending Physician, and out of an abundance of caution, she is self-quarantining.”..
…A spokesperson for Barr said earlier Wednesday that the attorney general will be tested for COVID-19 after being near Gohmert.
And at least one member of the Capitol press corps, a reporter for Bloomberg News, also got tested on Wednesday after an encounter with Gohmert…
July 29, 2020: Reporter for Bloomberg Erik Wasson tweeted: “In line for covid testing after Gohmert encounter”. The tweet included a photo of himself outside, wearing a mask, and standing in a socially-distanced line of people who were all waiting for a coronavirus test.
July 29, 2020: Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) tweeted a thread that started with this tweet: “On Monday, I had dinner with my good friend, Rep. Gohmert. While I feel healthy, exhibit no symptoms, and have otherwise followed mask and social distancing guidelines, the attending physician has advised that I should self-quarantine for 14 days out of an abundance of caution.”
The tweet included a three-minute and fourty-four second video from Fox News of Rep. Mike Johnson speaking at the House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Big Tech Executives on Alleged Bias Against Conservatives.”
Rep. Mike Johnson is not wearing a mask in that video. The majority of the video is two other people talking about the hearing.
The second tweet said: “Recognizing the seriousness of this virus & the danger it poses to high-risk individuals I began following the attending physician’s recommendation immediately. Should the attending physician recommend at any point that I take a COVID-19 test, I will follow that guideance as well.”
The third tweet in the thread said: “In the meantime, I plan to continue my work on behalf of the people of Louisiana’s Fourth Congressional District while in isolation and, as always, I encourage constituents to reach out to my office if they need anything.”
July 29, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “Turning Point USA co-founder dies of coronavirus-related complications”. It was written by Daniel Lippman and Tina Nguyen. From the article:
The co-founder of conservative student group Turning Point USA, Bill Montgomery, has died from complications of the coronavirus, according to two friends of his.
Montgomery, who started it in 2012 with young conservative star Charlie Kirk, died at the age of 80 on Tuesday from Covid-19, according to pro-Trump conservative strategist Caleb Hull, who posted about the death on Twitter and his personal Facebook page, and Chicago-based citizen journalist Vic Maggio…
…Montgomery is survived by his widow, Edie, a son and a daughter.
Over the course of the pandemic, Turning Point USA representative have downplayed the impact of the coronavirus on public life…
…In late June, Trump spoke to a packed audience of young Turning Point supporters at a megachurch in Phoenix where he was introduced by Kirk. Few people in the audience practiced social distancing or wore masks, although the organization gave masks to everyone who wanted one and provided socially distanced seating in the upper tier of the church…
June 29, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Tuberville breaks DC self-quarantine policy to campaign”. It was written by Rebecca Klar. From the article:
Alabama Republican State candidate Tommy Tuberville appears to have broken the D.C. policy requiring visitors from states with high coronavirus case counts to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Tuberville defied the District’s requirement during a fundraising trip in D.C. this week, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.
The Post cited a photo Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) posted to Facebook on Tuesday of the two men, neither in a mask, in the lobby of the Trump International Hotel…
…D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) last week announced visitors arriving to the District on nonessential business from hot spot areas will need to quarantine for 14 days. Alabama is one of more than two dozen states on the list…
…Tuberville, the former Auburn University football coach, beat Sessions in a runoff earlier this month. Sessions was running to reclaim his old seat.
…Tuberville will face Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) in November. Joes is considered the most vulnerable Democrat in facing reelection in 2020. The Cook Political Report rates the race as “Lean Republican”…
…The outlet noted that Tuberville wore a maks during his watch party early on the night of his win when he spoke to supporters but did not wear one when he gave his victory speech or when he went into the crowd and posed for photos and for hugs, handshakes and high-fives…
July 29, 2020: Vice President Mike Pence tweeted: “Thank you to Mrs. Combs’ 4th Grade Class! We are so proud and happy to see you all back in school! @Thales_Academy has taken careful steps to keep everyone healthy and we are grateful for the countless hours put in to open the academy and get kids back in the classroom!”
The tweet included four photos from the visit. In the first photo, the teacher is sitting at the front of the classroom with Mike Pence and Betsy DeVos each seated several feet away from each other. The teacher is wearing a mask. Mike Pence and Betsy DeVos are not.
The second photo shows some of the students in the classroom. three are wearing masks. The photographer focused on a child who is incorrectly wearing a mask around his neck. Behind the students are a row of photographers all of whom are wearing masks.
The third photo is very similar to the first one.
The fourth photo is centered on Mike Pence, who is not wearing a mask. He is seated in front of a whiteboard that says “Welcome Vice President Pence!”
July 30, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Herman Cain, former presidential candidate, dies from coronavirus”. It was written by Grace Segers. From the article:
Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has died from coronavirus, according to a post on his website. The businessman and right-wing media personality was 74 years old…
…Cain was hospitalized with COVID-19 on June 29…
…Although perhaps most famous for his 2011 presidential campaign, Cain had a long career as a prominent businessman. Cain received his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College and his graduate degree from Purdue University, and worked as a ballistic analyst for the U.S. Department of the Navy. He was a business executive at Burger King before he served as chairman and CEO of Godfather’s Pizza from 1986 to 1996. He also served as president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association from 1996 to 1999…
…Cain attended President Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 20. The 2012 presidential candidate posted a photo of himself and other rally attendees, none of whom were wearing masks. Although masks were provided to attendees at the rally, wearing them was not mandatory.
Trump campaign officials told CBS News that Cain sat with members of the president’s “Black Voices for Trump” advisory board, as seen in the photo he posted to Twitter, but he did not come in contact with Mr. Trump. The statement posted to Cain’s Twitter account upon his hospitalization said that “there is no way of knowing for sure how or where Mr. Cain contracted the coronavirus.” Calabrese also wrote in a column in early July that Cain had also traveled to Arizona, which is dealing with a serious outbreak, in the days after the rally…
July 30, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “My friend Herman Cain, a Powerful Voice of Freedom and all that is good, passed away this morning. Herman had an incredible career and was adored by everyone that ever met him, especially me. He was a very special man, an American Patriot, and great friend. I just got off…”
That tweet was followed by a second tweet: “….the phone with his amazing wife Gloria, daughter Melanie, and son Vincent to express my deepest condolences to the entire family. @FLOTUS Melania and I love Herman Cain, a great man. Herman, Rest In Peace!”
August 3, 2020: WKYC Studios posted an article titled: “People attending President Trump’s fundraiser at Bratenahl’s Shoreby Club will get rapid COVID-19 test: Mark Nayamik Reports”. It was written by Mark Naymik. From the article:
The Shorby Club, the private waterfront haven in Bratenahl, told its members in an email newsletter Sunday that anyone working or attending the fundraiser for President Trump on Aug. 6th will recieve a rapid COVID-19 test.
They must test negative to attend the event, the email reads. The email did not specifically identify the event as the president’s fundraiser. But 3News and others reported last week that Trump is holding a fundraiser at the club on Thursday, though the exact time has not been revealed.
The Shoreby Club email acknowledges members raised health safety concerns over holding such an event.
Though rapid testing is not widely available, the White House has been using such tests to regularly screen those around the president, including the press. In March, Trump showed off a rapid-testing device made by Abbott Labs, which is about the size of a toaster and can produce results in about 15 minutes. It’s unclear what test will be used or what protocol is place for testing guests. The Shoreby Club, which features a large outdoor event space overlooking the water, has not returned a call for comment on the event.
Thursday’s event is a joint fundraiser for Trump’s re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee. Tickets cost a minimum of $5,600. Guests who contribute $100,000 will have more exclusive access to the president and other GOP officials.
RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel and RNC Co-Chairman Tommy Hicks are expected to attend the event. Among the Ohio business and civic leaders hosting the event are Debbie and Matt Crawford, Mike Gibbons, Catherine and James Kassouf, Kelly and Mel Kurtz, Lanee and Jason Lucarelli, Jenny and Tim Smucker, Pam and Bill Summers and Tim Timken, according to a copy of the invitation to the event.
August 5, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Students at school touted by Pence for reopening must quarantine due to COVID-19”. It was written by Ella Torres. From the article:
Fourth graders at a school in North Carolina have been asked to quarantine for 14 days after a student there tested positive for COVID-19.
The school, Thales Academy in Wake Forest, said it was notified on Monday that the student became infected after having contact with an infected family member.
The student was asymptomatic and was last at school on Friday. Teachers who were exposed also will be quarantined.
Thales Academy, a network of private non-sectarian community schools with eight locations in North Carolina, made the news last week after Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited a classroom and applauded the school for reopening.
Pence and DeVos visited a campus in Apex, not Wake Forest…
…Thales welcomed students back July 20. It offered parents two options: fully online or fully in-person, according to ABC Durham affiliate WTVD.
Students had their temperatures taken and completed a medical questionnaire after they were dropped off, according to WTVD. Staff and faculty also reminded students to wear masks.
Because the school network is private, it doesn’t have to adhere to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s school reopening guidelines…
August 5, 2020: WKYC Studios posted an article titled: “Gov. Mike DeWine moves coronavirus briefing to Friday due to President Trump’s planned Ohio visit”. From the article:
Governor Mike DeWine’s office announced the next coronavirus briefing has been delayed a day due to a visit by the president.
President Donald J. Trump is scheduled to visit the Whirlpool plant in Clyde and hold a fundraiser in Bratenahl on Thursday. The Shoreby Club, the private waterfront haven in Bratenahl, told its members in an email newsletter Sunday that anyone working or attending the fundraiser for President Trump on Aug. 6th will receive a rapid COVID-19 test. They must test negative in order to attend the event.
Thursday’s event is a joint fundraiser for Trump’s re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee. Tickets cost a minimum of $5,600. Guests who contribute $100,000 will have more exclusive access to the president and other GOP officials. RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel and RNC Co-Chairman Tommy Hicks are expected to attend the event.
During his visit to the Whirlpool plant, President Trump will tour the plant and speak regarding his administration’s dedication to assist in supporting the manufacturing industry and American-made products.
The governor will greet President Trump when he lands in Ohio…
August 6, 2020: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) tweeted: “As part of the standard protocal to greet President Trump on the tarmac in Cleveland, I took a COVID test. I tested positive. I have no symptoms at this time. I’m following protocal and will quarantine at home for the next 14 days”. The tweet was posted at 9:34 AM.
August 6, 2020: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) tweeted: “I tested negative in second test I took today for COVID-19. First Lady Fran DeWine and staff members have also all tested negative for COVID-19. Thanks to all for the well wishes.” This tweet was posted a 7:00 PM.
August 7, 2020: Cleveland.com posted an article titled: “Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Andrew J. Tobias. From the article:
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday he has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
DeWine was tested Thursday as part of a standard protocol as he prepared to greet President Donald Trump at the tarmac in at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, according to a news release issued Thursday afternoon by the governor’s office.
Less than 10 hours after the initial announcement, DeWine announced he tested negative for coronavirus. The second round of testing was performed through a more sensitive test called a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR test, which detects genetic material from the new coronavirus, the governor’s office said. The earlier test delivers rapid results by testing the blood for antigens, but is a relatively unproven technology…
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who also was in Cleveland to greet the president, tested negative, according to the governor’s office. Trump is in Ohio to visit the Whirlpool manufacturing plant in Sandusky County and has a fundraiser planned later in Bratenahl.
DeWine has no symptoms, and is returning to Columbus where he will be tested again, as will Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine, the governor’s office said. He then will head to his home in Cedarville where he plans to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Husted, meanwhile, continued with his plans to meet the president on the runway…
…DeWine becomes the second U.S. governor to test positive for COVID-19. Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt tested positive on July 15. He reported to work 12 days later and has declared himself recovered, according to the Tulsa World.
DeWine, a Republican, has become nationally prominent for his cautious approach to dealing with the coronavirus, including being an early advocate for the wearing of facial masks…
…Officials in the governor’s office said it’s unlikely that many other staffers will have to quarantine as a result of the governor’s positive test. DeWine heads to Columbus twice a week for his coronavirus briefings, but generally works from his home in Cedarville. Most of his staff also work from home. So the only other state officials DeWine likely would come in close contact with include Husted, his security detail and staffers who help with the briefings, Tierney said…
August 7, 2020: Cleveland.com (via MSN.com) posted an article titled: “6 workers at Bratenahl club where Donald Trump appeared test positive for coronavirus, but didn’t encounter the president”. It was written by Robert Higgs. From the article:
Six people who work at the Bratenahl club that hosted President Donald Trump on Thursday tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus but were not at the clube to encounter the president.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health and the Shoreby Club each confirmed the positive tests on Friday and offered assurances that the workers posed no hazard to the president.
Any food with which they might have come in contact was discarded, club General Manager Buddy Kane said in a letter to members. The club, meanwhile, was closed Friday and will be sanitized.
The employees were tested Thursday morning off-site as part of preparations for the event. All were asymptomatic, Kane said in the letter to members.
It is unclear yet, though, how many of the employees actually did contract the virus, Dr. Heidi Gullett, medical director for the county Board of Health, said during a Friday media briefing.
The employees were given a rapid positive antigen test, which yields results quickly, but also can yield false positives.
That was the case for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who was scheduled to welcome the president to Cleveland, but instead returned to his home in Cedarville after getting a positive result from that test…
August 7, 2020: HuffPost posted an article titled: “Trump Calls Maskless Country Club Audience At Press Conference A “Peaceful Protest”. It was written by Sara Ruiz-Grossman. From the article:
President Donald Trump had dozens of guests at a press conference at his club in New Jersey, most of whom didn’t socially distance and some who didn’t wear masks for a time — appearing to flout state rules limiting indoor gatherings amid the pandemic and putting at risk the health of members of the media.
At the news conference held at Trump’s private golf club in Bedminster, which Trump announced late Friday, a reporter noted that Americans continue to die of COVID-19 nationwide, and yet, “in this room, you have dozens of people, you’re not following the guidelines of New Jersey.” New Jersey’s latest order limits indoor gatherings to 25 people in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. More than 40 people can be counted in photos from the news conference.
As the guests booed the reporter, Trump responded: “This is a political activity. You’re wrong on that. They have exceptions, political activity. And it’s also a peaceful protest.”
Under the state’s order, there are exceptions for funerals, religious services and political activity, which can have up to 100 people. Yet Trump had announced this as a news conference, not a campaign rally…
…As reporters waited for the news conference to start, photos showed guests standing close together, many of them without masks on. Later, staff apparently handed out masks to Trump’s guests. The guests reportedly had their temperatures taken prior to the event…
August 7, 2020: White House Correspondent for Bloomberg, Justin Sink tweeted: “there’s currently dozens of unmasked bedminster patrons the president has invited to the bedminster ballroom where he’s scheduled to hold his press conference – a number drinking wine. btw here’s the NJ regulations for golf courses.”
The tweet included a screenshot of the New Jersey regulations for golf courses. From the regulations:
Limiting the number of patrons in any indoor premises to 25 percent capacity – excluding employees
Requiring workers and customers to wear cloth face coverings while indoors, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health or where the individual is under two years of age
If a customer refuses to wear a cloth face covering for non-medical reasons then the business must decline the individual entry into the indoor premises
August 7, 2020: White House Correspondent for Bloomberg, Justin Sink tweeted: “this is the scene”.
The tweet showed a photo of a group of people, some of whom are children, standing behind a temporary barracade of chairs. They are all closely packed together. Four people in the crowd are wearing masks. The rest are not.
August 7, 2020: White House Correspondent for Bloomberg, Justin Sink tweeted: “after the press corps’ tweets, staffers asked audience members to distance more and handed out masks”
August 8, 2020: The Denver Channel posted an article titled: “President Trump signs 4 executive orders aimed at pandemic relief”. From the article:
President Trump signed four executive orders Saturday at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey aimed at helping both working and unemployed Americans during the ongoing pandemic…
…Saturday’s event had the feeling of a political rally by the end, as members of the president’s golf club were able to attend the press briefing. As the president answered some questions from the media, audience members cheered….
August 22, 2020: HuffPost posted an article titled: “QAnon Cultists, Emboldened by Trump, Rally in Hollywood To Spread Dangerous Conspiracies”. It was written by Sebastian Murdock and Jesselyn Cook. From the article:
Hundreds of believers of the dangerous conspiracy theory QAnon rallied in Hollywood on Saturday, just days after President Donald Trump praised the cult-like group.
The demonstration, purported to be about bringing awareness to child sex trafficking, was largely an opportunity for supporters of QAnon to spread various unfounded conspiracy theories; the group has co-opted anti-traffiking messaging to draw more people into its conspiratorial web. Most demonstrators did not wear masks as they marched through Los Angeles, where thousands of people have died from COVID-19…
…Protestors gathered next to an In-N-Out Burger on Sunset Boulevard, where they held a 20-second moment of silence, followed by a rendition of “Amazing Grace.”…
…Multiple protestors who declined to be interviewed by HuffPost later took part in a change of, “Where is the media?”…
…Days later, when asked by a reporter if he supports QAnon, Trump outright embraced the group.
“I don’t know much about the movement, other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate,” Trump said on Wednesday. “I have heard that it is gaining in popularity… I’ve heard these are people who love our country.”
August 26, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Melania Trump Rose Garden speech attendees not all required to get coronavirus tests”. It was written by Jeff Zeleny, Kate Sullivan and Kate Bennet. From the article:
Those who attended first lady Melania Trump’s speech in the White House Rose Garden that capped the second night of the Republican National Convention were not required to get tested for coronavirus, a person who attended the speech told CNN.
There were screening questions on the form to RSVP, but no coronavirus tests or temperature checks were done at the White House, the person said. The Trump campaign said earlier in the day that about 70 people would be attending the speech, which was the first one with an in-person audience at the Republican convention.
Early Wednesday morning, the first lady’s chief of staff Stephanie Grisham told CNN that the audience members “in the rows near the President and vice president” were tested for coronavirus before the speech.
Grisham said most of the guests were not tested, especially those “in the last five or six rows,” but she claims anyone who came into close contact with Trump or Pence — including senior aides, staffers and Melania Trump’s parents — were tested.
The vast majority of those attending did not wear masks, and the chairs provided for attendees did not appear to be placed six feet apart. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises keeping at least six feet apart from others if possible in order to prevent the spread of the virus, and the agency also advocates for face coverings, especially if it is difficult to keep six feet apart from another person…
…The first lady’s speech was attended by President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, second lady Karen Pence and members of Trump’s Cabinet, among others…
August 26, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Democrats press Esper on ‘concerning’ rise in Pentagon’s COVID-19 cases”. It was written by Rebecca Kheel. From the article:
A group of Senate Democrats is reviving its concerns about the Pentagon’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing a spike in cases in July.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, the nine senators called reports of a rise in cases among service members “concerning”.
“We are pleased to see that the department is taking some precautionary measures to address the spread of the virus, but are concerned that the department is still not properly prioritizing the health and well-being of our service members,” they wrote in the letter, dated Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, the Pentagon has reported a total of 53,033 coronavirus cases connected to the department, including 36,600 cases on the military.
There have been a total of 80 deaths reported across the department, including six service members. Of the troops who have died, one was an active-duty sailor, while the others were reservists or National Guardsmen.
The senators specifically highlighted that the number of COVID-19 cases connected to the Pentagon gtrew by more than 21,000 in July, a more than 100 percent increase…
August 27, 2020: Senator Thom Tillis (Republican – North Carolina) tweeted: “I am honored to be in Washington for President @realDonaldTrump’s acceptance speech for the @GOP nomination, where he will share with America our continued vision of freedom, prosperity, and opportunity to live the American Dream. #RNC2020”.
The tweet included a photo of Senator Tillis looking directly into a camera, giving a “thumbs up” and wearing a face mask. Right behind him is a crowd of people, all sitting extremely close together. None of them appear to be wearing masks. A large sign that says “Trump Pence” is in the distance.
August 28, 2020: The Charlotte Observer posted an article titled: “4 people at RNC in Charlotte test positive for COVID, as GOP defends safety measures”. It was written by Alison Kuznitz and Austin Weinstein. From the article:
Two attendees and two local support staff at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte tested positive for COVID-19, Mecklenburg County and GOP officials announced Friday.
The disclosures come after county health officials raised concerns about a lack of social distancing and mask wearing during the roll-call vote to renominate President Donald Trump for a second term on Monday – despite strict health protocols that were supposed to be followed. The GOP is defending the safety procedures it had in place.
Local health officials said the county instructed those who were infected to isolate immediately, and people who came in close contact with them should also quarantine themselves. A county spokeswoman did not respond to questions on whether the orders were followed.
It is not clear how many people at the RNC might have been exposed to the coronavirus. Almost 800 people were tested by the local hospital systems for the event.
The two infected attendees drove themselves home while self-isolating, GOP spokeswoman Blair Ellis said. That action aligns with the joint guidelines from the RNC, the county and local hospitals…
…Ultimately, infections were to be expected when bring that many people together from across the country, according to Dana Rice, a public health professor at UNC Chapel Hill.
“I’m not sure it could’ve been avoided, unless you didn’t bring people together in a room,” she said. “That was a decision that the RNC made not taking into consideration all of the public health warnings and messaging that has been out there.”
The public may need to wait weeks for an “after-action” report detailing the true scope of infections linked to the RNC…
…The Charlotte region has been North Carolina’s epicenter for the novel coronavirus since March when the pandemic began.
There have been almost 25,000 confirmed cases and 290 related deaths of county residents as of Thursday afternoon.
When delegates arrived in Charlotte last week, they were tested for the virus upon registration and had regular symptom checks. Support staff from the surrounding community were also tested, Mecklenburg officials said.
The RNC also used a rapid antigen testing system for other people at the convention, county spokeswoman Rebecca Carter said. “We did not manage those tests and the antigen tests do not confirm infection,” she said. Delegates also wore special badges that recorded who they came into contact with and for how long — making it easier for health officials to quell possible outbreaks.
Once in town, attendees were free to move about the city, eating at restaurants and attending events. That opened up the possibility that the virus could be picked up after their Charlotte-based test, and before the convention in person. Additionally, delegates were free to travel between their test in Charlotte and when they received their results.
Over the weekend ahead of the Monday renomination, delegates gathered for business meetings in a ballroom in the Westin Charlotte and mingled at a handful of events in the city, where mask wearing was not absolute…
…The delegates were seated at individual 6-foot tables for most of the official business of the convention.
Midway through Monday’s events, Harris reached out to RNC organizers with concerns about adherence to public health guidelines. She said she was assured that RNC staff would enforce them.
Shortly after, delegates swiftly converged near the stage of the Richardson Ballroom as President Donald Trump came to the podium for a surprise speech. Attendees, packed close to one another, danced the YMCA after the speech concluded — with many still not wearing face coverings.
When asked why they allowed delegates to do this, an RNC staff member said that that was the purview of the U.S. Secret Service. The Secret Service did not reply to a request for comment…
August 28, 2020: The News&Observer posted an article titled: “Maskless at Trump acceptance speech, Tillis says: ‘I fell short of my own standard'”. It was written by Brian Murphy. From the article:
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis has been adamant about the need to wear face coverings and be socially distant from others, repeatedly highlighting those precautions as keys to defeating COVID-19.
Tillis, a Republican facing re-election in 2020, attended President Donald Trump’s Republican National Convention acceptance speech Thursday night on the White House’s South lawn. More than 1,000 people were there, sitting shoulder to shoulder with few wearing face coverings. There was not universal testing for attendees.
“I’ve stressed the importance of mask wearing throughout this pandemic and have tried to lead by example on this issue, but last night I fell short of my own standard,” Tillis said in a statement Friday.
The speech originally was scheduled for Charlotte, but Trump moved the signature event after disagreements with Gov. Roy Cooper over social distancing and limited capacity in the arena. Four people at Monday’s limited RNC event tested positive for the coronavirus…
Tillis posted a photo of himself wearing a face mask before Thursday’s event started, but was captured on camera not wearing a face mask in the middle of the crowd later on…
September 25, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and first lady test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Sarah Lynch Baldwin. From the article:
Virginia’s Democratic Governor Ralph Northam said Friday that he and the state’s first lady have tested positive for COVID-19. Northam said he is asymptomatic and that his wife Pam’s symptoms are mild.
“We will isolate at home for 10 days and then reevaluate our symptoms,” he tweeted. “I am in constant contact with my cabinet and staff, and will continue working from the Executive Mansion.”
The couple was notified Wednesday that a member of their official residence staff had developed coronavirus symptoms and tested positive. They were then tested for the virus, which has affected nearly 7 million Americans and killed more than 200,000 according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University…
CBS News
September 25, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Missouri Governor Mike Parson and his wife Teresa test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Victoria Albert. From the article:
Missouri Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson have tested positive for the coronavirus, the governor’s office announced Wednesday. The Republican governor has not shown any symptoms and his wife’s symptoms are mild, the governor said.
Teresa was first tested Wednesday morning after displaying minor symptoms of the virus, and the governor was tested soon after. Teresa has taken a rapid test and a swab test that came back positive, and Parson is waiting on the results of a swab test after his rapid test came back positive, according to The Associated Press.
All official and campaign events have been canceled, and the governor’s staff is also getting tested, the office said….
…Parson has encouraged his state to wear masks and social distance — but he has also opposed a mask mandate, according to CBS affiliate KMOV. More than 116,000 people have tested positive for the virus in the state and nearly 2,000 have died, according to the most recent data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
The AP reported that the state broke its single-day death toll record on both Tuesday and Wednesday. When asked by the outlet on Wednesday if it was time for a statewide mandate, the state’s health director told AP that it should be decided by local officials.
UPDATE: December 1, 2021: The Guardian reported the following:
Donald Trump tested positive for Covid-19 three days before his first debate against Joe Biden, the former president’s fourth and last chief of staff has revelaed in a new book.
Mark Meadows also writes that though he knew each candidate was required “to test negative for the virus within seventy two hours from the start time… Nothing was going to stop from going out there.”
Trump, Meadows says in the book, returned a negative result from a different test shortly after the positive.
Nonetheless, the stunning revelation of an unreported positive test follows a year of speculation about whether Trump, then 74 years old, had the potentially deadly virus when he faced Biden, 77, in Cleveland on 29 September – and what danger that might have presented….
The Guardian
The date of Trump’s positive COVID test was September 26, 2020.
Also from The Guardian:
…Meadows says Trump’s positive test result on 26 September was a shock to the White House which had just staged a triumphant Rose Garden ceremony for the supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett – an occasion now widely known as a super-spreader event.
Despite the president looking “a little tired” and suspecting a “slight cold”, Meadows says he was “content” that Trump travelled that evening to a rally in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
But as Marine One lifted off, Meadows writes, the White House doctor called.
“Stop the president from leaving,” Meadows says Sean Conley told him. “He just tested positive for Covid”.
It wasn’t possible to stop Trump but when he called from Air Force One, his chief of staff gave him the news…
..The public, however, was not told of the president’s tests…
The Guardian
September 29, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Just arrived in the Great State of Ohio. Real Polls have been leading by even more than 2016. With Biden being against Fracking (Energy & Jobs) & your Second Amendment, we should be in very good shape!”
September 30, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Just landed in Minnesota. Hasn’t been won by a Republican since 1972, and we saved Minneapolis. Also opened the massive and beautiful Iron Range, which Obama and Sleepy Joe closed. Thousands of jobs started back. They will close again. How can we lose?”
September 30, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Leaving Minneapolis for a quick stop in Duluth to celebrate the opening of the Obama CLOSED Iron Range. My great honor!!!”
September 30, 2020: CBS Minnesota posted an article titled: “President Trump Returns to Minn. After Chaotic 1st Debate: “We Are Going To Win Minnesota”. It was written by Esme Murphy. From the article:
…While Democratic challenger Joe Biden focused his attention back east, President Donald Trump held a big rally at the Duluth International Airport Wednesday night. He landed there at about 8 p.m. after attending a fundraiser in Shorewood, hosted by Cambria CEO Marty Davis.
In Duluth, the president spoke for what is for him an unusually short rally speech of 45 minutes. He did mention several times how cold it was. He was greeted by a crowd of what looked like several thousand enthusiastic supporters…
…At a drive-in event in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Biden doubled down as he focused on the pandemic.
“He knew how serious this pandemic was. He knew how quickly it would spread. Thousands of people would get killed, but he forgot to say a single thing to us,” Biden said. “The man doesn’t deserve to be commander in chief.”…
…Republicans say they expect to see the president back in Minnesota before the election. Thursday, his son Eric Trump will campaign at a trucking company in Becker.
Biden’s wife, Jill, will campaign in Minneapolis on Saturday.
October 1, 2020: Star Tribune posted an article titled: “Trump claims credit for jobs, touts mining, pipelines, at rally in Duluth Minnesota”. It was written by Katie Galioto. From the article:
Five weeks before the election, President Donald Trump was back in Minnesota on Wednesday, raising money and rallying a few thousand supporters on a cold, blustery night…
…It was Trump’s seventh visit to Minnesota since taking office, and his second to northern Minnesota since early voting started in the state Sept. 18, when he rallied supporters in Bemidji.
Earlier in the evening, Trump attended a GOP fundraiser in Shorewood at the Lake Minnetonka home of Cambria President and CEO Marty Davis. He stayed about 90 minutes and made no public comments.
According to a Republican National Committee official, the event was expected to bring in $7 million for Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee run by and benefiting the Trump campaign and the party.
Among those greeting Trump at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport were Minnesota Senate Republican Leader Paul Gazelka, House GOP Leader Kurt Daudt and U.S. Senate candidate Jason Lewis.
Before Trump’s visit, Biden’s campaign released a list of endorsements from 45 leaders in Minnesota’s Iron Range.
Biden, meanwhile, embarked on an eight-stop train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Trump’s two-stop visit Wednesday marks the first of a series of campaign stops this week by the candidates and their surrogates.
Former Second Lady Jill Biden is scheduled to campaign in Minnesota on Saturday, making her second stop in the state since her husband secured the Democratic nomination.
Eric Trump, the president’s second son, will hold an event Thursday in Becker. And Biden’s running mate, California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, is scheduled to address a virtual gathering of the DFL’s annual Humphrey-Mondale Dinner on Thursday…
October 1, 2020: Bloomberg posted an article titled: “Trump Says He Will Quarantine After Aide Falls Ill With Virus”. It was written by Jennifer Jacobs and Jordan Fabian. From the article:
President Donald Trump said that he would begin self-quarantine while waiting for coronavirus test results after Hope Hicks, one of his closest aides, tested positive for Covid-19…
…The development is likely to inflame criticism of the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the president’s disregard for public health measures to combat it.
Trump seldom wears a mask and has belittled his re-election challenger, Joe Biden, for routinely covering his face. The president has resumed holding large campaign rallies at which thousands of his supporters gather, shoulder to shoulder, few in masks.
Most of the events are held outdoors at airports but two recent events in Arizona and Nevada were indoors, a setting that public health experts warn raises the risk of virus transmission.
At the debate in Cleveland, Trump’s entourage entered the debate hall without face coverings — or removed them as they sat down — and refused an offer of masks from a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic, which was co-hosting the event. Hicks was not seen in the debate hall.
Biden’s guests wore masks.
Hicks was seen on Tuesday riding maskless in a staff van with White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, campaign adviser Jason Miller and others.
When they returned to Washington on Tuesday, Stephen Miller and Hicks were seen sharing an umbrella as they exited Air Force One in the rain. Miller’s wife, Katie Miller — Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary — recovered from Covid-19 earlier this year.
After feeling ill in Minnesota, Hicks tested positive for the virus on Thursday.
Trump’s staff wear masks when traveling with him aboard the presidential helicopter, Marine One, and Hicks observed that protocol this week.
But his aides worry that Trump’s lack of sleep during the final stretch of the presidential campaign could leave him especially vulnerable to infection. The president did not return to the White House until after midnight following his Tuesday and Wednesday trips. The president’s age, 74, also puts him at greater risk for serious illness from the virus…
October 1, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs, Senior White House reporter for Bloomberg News, tweeted: “NEWS: Hope Hicks, who traveled with Trump aboard Air Force One to and from the presidential debate on Tuesday, and to his Minnesota rally yesterday, has coronavirus, sources tell me.”
October 1, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for COVID-19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!”
October 1, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “Hope Hicks, one of Trump’s closest advisers, tests positive for coronavirus, president to quarantine”. It was written by John Santucci and Katherine Faulders. From the article:
Hope Hicks, one of President Trump’s closest advisers, has tested positive for the coronavirus, ABC News has confirmed.
Hicks, who serves as counselor to the president and is among a tight group of advisers to the president, tested positive this week after traveling with the president on Tuesday to and from the first presidential debate on Air Force One. The president tweeted late Thursday he would go into quarantine, though it’s unclear how that will affect his upcoming schedule. The White House declined to comment late Thursday…
…Hicks was also on Marine One, the president’s helicopter, when it left the White House to fly to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday. She was seen walking to the helicopter with fellow top presidential advisers, such as Stephen Miller, Dan Scavino and Jared Kushner. None of them were wearing masks…
…Sources told ABC News that Hicks is experiencing symptoms and that she tested positive on Wednesday…
…A White House official told ABC News that they did not anticipate the positive diagnosis impacting the president’s upcoming travel. He is scheduled to travel to a rally in Sanford, Florida, on Friday night. He has two on Saturday in Wisconsin and ones on Monday and Tuesday in Arizona as well. ABC News has reached out for comment on whether they will proceed…
…Hicks has been one of the closest advisers to Trump since the 2016 presidential campaign. She followed the president into the White House and rose to White House communications director before departing in March 2018. She took a job as head of communications for Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News, but the absence did not last long.
She returned to the president’s side in February to be counselor to the president. She reports to Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser…
October 1, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
October 1, 2020: Representative Dean Phillips (Democrat – Minnesota) tweeted: “COVID-19 is a serious and unpredictiable disease, and I wish the President, First Lady, and Hope Hicks a speedy recovery. I also have those in my district in Minnesota who may have been exposed on my mind.”
The tweet was in response to President Trump’s tweet.
October 1, 2020: Shil Kapur, national political reporter for NBC News, tweeted: “After the president’s positive COVID test, the White House announces his trip to Florida (sent out just three hours ago) is canceled. His full new schedule for tomorrow “.
The tweet included a screenshot of “Updated Daily Guidance and Press Schedule for Friday, October 2, 2020” from the Office of the Press Secretary. From the guidance and press schedule:
In-Town Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP, NYT
TV Corr & Crew: CNN
Print: Washington Times
Radio: BBC
EDT
10:00AM In-House Pool Call Time
12:15PM: THE PRESIDENT hosts a phone call on COVID-19 support to vulnerable seniors
The White House
Closed Press
October 1, 2020: Karin Caifa, reporter for CNN Newsource, Johns Hopkins, and Columbia Journal tweeted: “The White House has released this statement from President Trump’s physician, confirming that both the president and First Lady have tested positive for Covid-19.”
The tweet included a screenshot of a memorandum that was sent to Kayleigh McEnanany, Assistant to the President, by Sean P. Conley, Physician to the President. The Memorandum said:
I release the following information with permission of President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
This evening I received confirmation that both President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.
The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of the country’s greatest medical professionals and institutions. Rest assured I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any future developments.
October 1, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump tweeted: “As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together.”
October 1, 2020: Edward-Issac Dovere, staff writer for The Atlantic, tweeted: “The next Trump-Biden debate is scheduled for October 15. Trump would, if he has a full recovery, just be coming out of his 2 week quarantine. It’s not possible to put Biden, who is in the high risk group himself just as Trump is, in the same room with the president.
October 1, 2020: Weija Jiang, CBS News White House correspondent, tweeted: “.@cbsnews has learned Hope Hicks tested negative for COVID-19 Wednesday morning, so she boarded AF1. She developed symptoms during the day and received a second test, which came back positive. The White House knew about this Wed. evening but Trump still had a fundraiser Thursday.”
October 2, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Trump and first lady Melania test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Maanvi Singh and Peter Beaumont. From the article:
The US presidential election has been plunged into disarray after Donald Trump and his wife Melania tested positive for coronavirus following weeks in which the US president sought to suggest the worst of the pandemic was over.
Trump announced his positive test in a dramatic tweet at 1am, prompting US television networks to go to live coverage of the 74-year old president’s health and his election campaign cancelled a planned event in the key battleground state of Florida.
The president and his wife were tested after one of his closest aides, the White House counsellor Hope Hicks, began showing symptoms earlier this week as she travelled to campaign events around the country with Trump’s entourage, including several other family members…
…Although Hicks was tested on Thursday after showing symptoms requiring isolation, Trump still travelled to New Jersey to meet supporters at his Bedminster Golf Club, and delivered remarks at a fundraiser despite the high risk that his counsellor may have been infected…
…With only a month to go until polling day on 3 November, and with Trump consistently trailing his opponent, Joe Biden, in opinion polls, the president will be forced to stay in the White House, abandoning the rallies he has employed to try to galvanise his support base.
Trump’s diagnosis, so close to the election, is a brutally ironic coda in an election seen by some as a referendum on his chaotic handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed 207,000 US lives and infected 7 million others.
Even in the hours before he tested positive for the virus, Trump, as he has often done, claimed without evidence that the pandemic would subside soon. “I just want to say that the end of the pandemic is in sight,” he said in prerecorded remarks…
…Hicks, who accompanied Trump and members of his family to the presidential debate on Tuesday and to a Minnesota rally on Wednesday, fell ill during a flight home on Air Force One on Wednesday evening and was isolated from other passengers aboard the plane.
Trump has in the last days met a number of prominent figures, some of who are in high-risk categories for coronavirus complications, including his Democratic rival, Biden, whom he faced, unmasked, during Tuesday’s debate, and the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell.
He said he received confirmation of the positive tests on Thursday evening. Earlier, Trump confirmed in an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News that Hicks had contracted the virus…
…It is unusual for Covid-19 patients to receive a positive PCR test result one day after exposure, public health experts say, and Trump may have been carrying the virus for longer – exposing those he interacted with this week…
October 2, 2020: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Trump Tests Positive for the Coronavirus”. It was written by Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman. From the article:
President Trump revealed early Friday morning that he and the first lady, Melania Trump, had tested positive for the coronavirus, throwing the nation’s leadership into uncertainty and escalating the crisis posed by a pandemic that has already killed more than 207,000 Americans and devastated the economy.
Mr. Trump, who for months has played down the seriousness of the virus and hours earlier on Thursday night told an audience that “the end of the pandemic is in sight,” will quarantine in the White House for an unspecified period of time, forcing him to withdraw at least temporarily from the campaign trail only 32 days before the election on Nov. 3.
The dramatic disclosure came in a Twitter message just before 1 a.m. after a suspenseful evening following reports that Mr. Trump’s close adviser Hope Hicks had tested positive. In her own tweet about 30 minutes later, Mrs. Trump wrote that the first couple were “feeling good,” but the White House did not say whether they were experiencing symptoms. The president’s physician said he could carry out his duties “without disruption” from the Executive Mansion…
…Mr. Trump’s positive test result posed immediate challenges for the future of his campaign against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic nominee, with barely a month until Election Day. Even if Mr. Trump, 74, remains asymptomatic, he will lose much of his remaining time on the campaign trail. If he becomes sick, it could raise questions about whether he should remain on the ballot at all.
The White House did not say how long Mr. Trump would have to remain isolated, but it canceled his plans to fly to Florida for a campaign rally on Friday, stripping his public schedule for the day of everything except a midday telephone call “on Covid-19 support to vulnerable seniors.” Appearances at rallies in Wisconsin on Saturday and in Arizona on Monday also appear sure to be scrapped, and the next debate, scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami, was left up in the air…
…For months, Mr. Trump has refused to wear a mask in public on all but a few occasions and has repeatedly questioned their effectiveness. And as recently as Tuesday, at their opening debate, he mocked Mr. Biden for wearing one. “I don’t wear masks like him,” the president said, his voice dripping with derision. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask.”
It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Trump might have been infected by the virus at the time of the debate with Mr. Biden, 77, although the two stood far across stage and never got within six feet of each other…
October 2, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump tweeted: “Thank you all for the love you are sending our way. I have mild symptoms but overall feeling good. I am looking forward to a speedy recovery”.
October 2, 2020: Associated Press posted an article titled: “Timeline of Trump’s activities in week coronavirus hit home”. From the article:
MONDAY
Trump surveys a truck produced by Lordstown Motors on the White House South lawn at an event attended by two members of Congress and three representatives from the Lordstown, Ohio, manufacturer.
Trump holds a Rose Garden event to announce an administration effort to distribute millions of coronavirus test kits to states. The event is attended by administration officials including Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress and state officials.
TUESDAY
Trump travels to Cleveland for a 90-minute presidential debate against Democratic rival Joe Biden. The two men are both tested ahead of the debate and stand behind lecterns positioned a good distance from one another. They do not wear masks during the faceoff….
WEDNESDAY
Trump travels to Minnesota for a fundraiser at a private home in suburban Minneapolis and an outdoor rally in Duluth…
THURSDAY
Trump flies to Bedminster resort in New Jersey for a private fundraiser. Several aids who were in proximity to Hicks scrap plans to accompany Trump…
October 2, 2020: NPR posted an article titled: “President Trump Has ‘Mild Symptoms’ After Testing Positive For The Coronavirus”. It was written by Tamara Keith, Ayesha Rascoe, Mark Katkov, Alana Wise, and Franco Ordoñez. From the article:
The country was put on edge overnight as President Trump announced that he and the first lady have tested positive for the coronavirus, a stunning announcement that raises concerns about their health and throws the final stretch of the presidential campaign — already upended by the pandemic — even further into unknown territory.
Trump plans to continue carrying out his duties but is expected to remain home for two weeks, canceling campaign events as doctors watch him at the White House.
Trump is 74, an age that makes him more vulnerable to the virus. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters Friday that the president has “mild symptoms.”
He did not directly answer a question about the type of symptoms that Trump is experiencing. First Lady Melania Trump said on Twitter that she also has mild symptoms but is “overall feeling good.”…
October 2, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “Vice President Pence tests negative for Covid after Trump’s diagnosis”. It was written by Lauren Egan. From the article:
Vice President Mike Pence tested negative for the coronavirus Friday, following President Donald Trump’s announcement that he and first lady Melania Trump had become infected with the virus.
Pence’s press secretary Devin O’Malley said that Pence underwent a routine Covid test Friay morning, and he and his wife Karen Pence had both tested negative. It is unclear whether or not Pence will enter isolation, as is recomended by health experts due to the incubation period of the virus…
…The last known public contact between Pence and Trump appeared to be an outdoor Rose Garden event on Monday. But at a campaign event in Litiz, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, ahead of the presidential debate, Pence told an indoor crowd of supporters that he had spoken with the president in the Oval Office earlier that day…
“It’s gonna be a great night. I can tell you, I left the president earlier today in the Oval Office and he’s ready,” Pence said to a large crowd of mostly maskless supporters.
Following Pence’s meeting with Trump Tuesday, the vice president continued to travel around the country hosting campaign events.
On Wednesday Pence traveled to Atlanta where he attended a fundraiser lunch and delivered remarks at a faith conference. Pence was seen deplaning Air Force Two without a mask, later putting one on as he waved to cameras. Pence was greeted at the airport by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who gave the vice president a fist bump.
On Thursday, the vice president hosted a campaign rally in Carter Lake, Iowa and spoke at a faith event in Des Moines.
At many of these events, hundreds of supporters gathered indoors without masks and no social distancing. Pence was interacting with voters at the conclusion of his speeches in Atlanta and Carter Lake.
Pence is scheduled to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday for the only vice presidential debate of the election cycle against Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. It is unclear whether the debate can continue as planned…
October 2, 2020: Maggie Haberman, White House correspondent for The New York Times, and analyst for CNN, tweeted: “BREAKING – Ronna McDaniel, the RNC chairwoman, tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, multiple sources say. She has mild symptoms. She was last with POTUS last Friday and has been in Michigan since then.”
October 2, 2020: Reuters posted an article titled: “Trump campaign directing staffers exposed to coronavirus to quarantine immediately: CBS”. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has asked all staffers exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 to self-quarantine immediately, according to a CBS reporter.
Campaign manager Bill Stepian made the request in an email to staff and encouraged staff to wear masks, wash hands and socially distance, according to the email posted on Twitter by reporter Nicole Sganga. “While some public events will be taken down, the campaign office remains open,” he said in the email”.
October 2, 2020: Senator Mike Lee (Republican – Utah) tweeted an image that had text that was inside a quote bubble. It said:
Yesterday morning, I was experiencing symptoms consistent with longtime allergies. Out of an abundance of caution, I sought medical advice and was tested for Covid-19. Unlike the test I took just a few days ago while visiting the White House, yesterday’s test came back positive. On advice of the Senate attending physician, I will remain isolated for the next 10 days.
Like so many other Utahns, I will now spend part of 2020 working from home. I have spoken with Leader McConnell and Chairman Graham and assured them I will be back to work in time to join my Judiciary Committee colleagues in advancing the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett in the Committee and then to the full Senate.
October 2, 2020: SCOTUS blog (which is NOT run by anyone on the Supreme Court) tweeted a response to Senator Mike Lee’s tweet. “Senator Mike Lee met with Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Tuesday September 29. He has now tested positive for Covid-19.”
October 2, 2020: Yamiche Alcindor, PBS NewsHour White House correspondent tweeted: “White House: Judge Amy Coney Barrett has tested NEGATIVE for COVID. She was with the President last on Saturday when she was nominated. She is following the CDC guidance and best practices, including social distancing, wearing face coverings, and frequently washes hands.”
October 2, 2020: Former Vice President Joe Biden (Democrat) tweeted: “I’m happy to report that Jill and I have tested negative for COVID. Thank you to everyone for your messages of concern. I hope this serves as a reminder: wear a mask, keep social distance, and wash your hands.”
October 2, 2020: Senator Kamala Harris (Democrat – California) tweeted: “Both @DouglasEmhoff and I were tested for COVID-19 this morning and thankfully we tested negative. This virus is still very much active across our country, please continue to wear a mask and maintain social distancing”.
Douglas Emhoff is Kamala Harris’s husband.
October 2, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “White House says Trump will be at Walter Reed for ‘the next few days'”. It was written by Nick Niedzwiadek, Quint Forgey and Matther Choi. From the article:
President Donald Trump was taken to Walter Reed Military Medical Center early Friday evening and will spend “the next few days” there, the White House said after Trump announced earlier in the day that he had tested positive for Covid-19.
The president was seen walking on the White House South lawn to Marine One under his own power around 6:15 p.m. and sporting a mask – notable given the president’s aversion to wearing one in public and his frequent mockery of his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, and others for doing so even when they are far from others. The president landed at 6:29 p.m., and he posted a video to his Twitter account of him assuring people that he was in good condition…
…In a memo released by the White House, Conley said that the president had completed an infusion of monoclonal antibodies produced by Regeneron, and was taking other medication, including aspirin, zinc and vitamin D. It made no mention of hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial that Trump frequently promoted — and took himself for two weeks as a precautionary measure earlier this year.
First lady Melania Trump is displaying “only a mild cough and headache,” Conley’s memo says. The doctor also wrote that the rest of Trump’s family had tested negative on Friday and that the first couple were being advised by a team of experts about their next steps…
…The constellation of infections has quickly extended beyond just the president and those closest to him. The White House Correspondents Association revealed that at least three journalists have tested positive for Covid-19, as have president of the University of Notre Dame — who visited the White House last weekend for the nomination of alumna Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court — and 11 people involved with Tuesday’s debate in Cleveland…
October 2, 2020: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (Democrat) tweeted: “We urge everyone who attended yesterday’s event in Bedminster to take full precautions, including self-quarantining and getting tested for #COVID19. Find your nearest testing location: http://covid19.nj.gov/testing.”
October 2, 2020: Carolina Huxley, Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director for Economic Initiatives tweeted: “.@IvankaTrump and Jared Kushner were tested again today for COVID-19 and both are negative.”
October 2, 2020: Kate Bennet, CNN correspondent, White House, tweeted: “New: Barron Trump, 14, has tested negative for the virus. @StephGrisham45 tells CNN, “Barron has tested negative and all precautions are taken to ensure he’s kept safe and healthy”.
Stephanie Grisham is White House Chief of Staff for First Lady Melania Trump.
October 2, 2020: NBC News tweeted: “President Trump has a low-grade fever after testing positive for coronavirus, according to 3 people familiar with his condition.” This tweet is the start of a short thread.
October 2, 2020: NBC News tweeted an image of a memorandum from Sean Conoly, Physician to the President, to Kayleigh McEnany, Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary. From the Memorandum:
Health Update on President Donald J. Trump
I release the following information with the permission of President Donald J. Trump.
Following PCR-confirmation of the President’s diagnosis, as a precautionary measure he received a single 8 gram dose of Regeneron’s polyclonal antibody cocktail. He completed the infusion without incident. In addition to the polyclonal antibodies, the President has been taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin.
As of this afternoon the President remains fatigued but in good spirits. He’s being evaluated by a team of experts, and together we’ll be making recommendations to the President and First Lady in regards to next best steps.
First Lady Melania Trump remains well with only a mild cough and headache, and the remainder of the First Family are well and tested negative for SARA-CoV-2 today.
October 2, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Here’s everything we know about the unapproved antibody drug Trump took to combat coronavirus”. It was written by Christina Farr and Kevin Stankiewicz. From the article:
…Regeneron confirmed it provided a single, 8-gram dose of its REGN-COV2 treatment for use by the president, whose coronavirus diagnosis was announced just before 1 a.m. ET Friday. Regeneron’s antibody drug is still experimental and has not received emergency use approval from the FDA, but it was provided in response to a compassionate use request.
CNBC’s Meg Tirrell on Friday reported that a “limited number of patients” had also received the drug on that basis after speaking with Regeneron’s chief scientific officer, Dr. George Yancopoulos.
On Tuesday, Regeneron said its REGN-COV2 treatment improved symptoms and reduced viral loads in non-hospitalized patients who have mild to moderate Covid-19. That was based on results for the first 275 trial patients. At the time, the company indicated it plans to “rapidly” discuss the early results with regulatory agencies, including the FDA…
…Regeneron’s REGN-COV2 is an experimental shot of lab-generated antibodies that mimics how the body would mount a reaction to a foreign invader. The goal is to boost the immune system’s defenses, rather than to wait on human biology to do its job…
October 2, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “GOP Sen. Thom Tillis tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jordain Carney. From the article:
Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) said on Friday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the second GOP senator who was at the White House on Saturday to be diagnosed with the virus.
“Over the last few months, I’ve been routinely tested for COVID-19, including testing negative last Saturday, but tonight my rapid antigen test came back positive,” Tillis said in a statement.
The news of Tillis’s diagnosis comes as Washington was upended after President Trump disclosed that he had tested positive for the virus, jolting an already chaotic election year.
Tillis, who said he is currently asymptomatic, is the fourth senator known to have tested positive, and the second member of the Judiciary Committee…
…”I will be following the recommendations of my doctor and will be self-isolating at home for 10 days and notifying those I’ve been in close contact with,” Tillis said.
The diagnosis for Tillis and Lee is injecting fresh uncertainty into the GOP timeline for trying to confirm Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) both pledged earlier Friday that they would move ahead with Barrett’s nomination as planned, with a hearing set to start on Oct. 12…
October 2, 2020: The Chronicle of Higher Education posted an article titled: “Days After Appearing Unmasked at White House, Notre Dame’s President Tests Positive for Covid-19”. It was written by Andy Thomason. From the article:
The University of Notre Dame’s president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, has tested positive for Covid-19 less than a week after appearing unmasked in the Rose Garden at the White House, the university announced on Friday.
According to an email announcement quoted by multiple news outlets, Jenkins this week became aware that a colleague had tested positive, prompting him to seek a test, which also came back positive. “My symptoms are mild, and I will continue work from home,” Jenkins said in the message. “The positive test is a good reminder for me, and perhaps for all, of how vigilant we need to be.”
The announcement came close on the heels of the bombshell revelation that President Trump had tested positive for Covid-19. Jenkins attended the Saturday ceremony in which Trump announced the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor, to the Supreme Court. Jenkins was seen unmasked at the ceremony, for which he later apologized…
October 2, 2020: Kellyanne Conway, former press secretary for President Donald Trump, tweeted: “Tonight I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are mild (light cough) and I’m feeling fine. I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians. As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic. “
October 2, 2020: HuffPost posted an article titled: “Kellyanne Conway Tests Positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Mary Papenfuss. From the article:
…Conway had attended a White House event last weekend announcing the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett for Supreme Court. Conway left the White House at the end of August, saying she needed time to focus on her family.
October 2, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “Trump campaign manager tests positive for Covid-19”. It was written by Alex Isenstadt. From the article:
Donald Trump’s campaign manager has tested positive for Covid-19, dealing another blow to his reelection effort on a day that saw the president and the head of the Republican National Committee report contracting the disease as well.
Bill Stepien received his diagnosis Friday evening and was experiencing what one senior campaign official described as “mild flu-like symptoms.” People familiar with the situation said the 42-year-old Stepien plans to quarantine until he recovers.
Deputy Campaign Manager Justin Clark is expected to oversee the Trump team’s Arlington, Va. headquarters while Stepien works remotely, though advisers stressed that he would maintain control of the campaign…
…Stepien traveled to and from Cleveland for Tuesday’s presidential debate. He joined Trump and Hicks aboard Air Force One. The campaign manager was also with the president in the White House on Monday…
…Stepien on Saturday is slated to hold separate conference calls with campaign staff and grass-roots leaders. Pence is expected to participate in one of the calls…
October 2, 2020: WKYC Studios posted an article titled: “City of Cleveland announces 11 positive cases of COVID-19 stemming from preperations for presidential debate”. From the article:
With the news that President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have both tested positive for COVID-19, the city of Cleveland has issued a statement after the pair were among those in town for Tuesday’s presidential debate.
According to the city, 11 positive cases of COVID-19 have stemmed from ‘pre-debate planning and set-up.’ The city adds that the majority of those 11 cases have occured among out of state residents. No city residents appear to have contracted coronavirus as a result of the debate, but that could still change.
Cleveland Clinic issued a statement on Friday confirming that it was required maintain a safe environment during the debate that aligned with CDC guidelines- including social distancing, hand sanitizing, temperature checks and masking. The Clinic added that everyone permitted inside the debate hall tested negative for COVID-19 prior to entry.
This evening, the Clinic released a second statement, saying those who tested positive did not have access to the debate space inside Samson Pavilion:
“It’s important to clarify the 11 people who tested positive never accessed the debate hall. These individuals were either members of the media or were scheduled to work logistics/set-up the days prior to the event. Individuals did not receive credentials or tickets to enter the debate hall until they had a negative test, and all were advised to isolate while they awaited their test results.”
Despite the statement by Cleveland Clinic, some members of the president’s family were seen seated in the audience without wearing a mask. Images show the family wearing masks when they entered the venue, other photos, however, show their facial coverings were removed while in physically distanced seats to watch the debate…
October 2, 2020: Governor Mike DeWine (Republican – Ohio) tweeted: “This evening, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine, and Ohio Lt. Goernor Jon Husted all received their results from COVID-19 tests taken today, and all tested negative.”
October 2, 2020: TIME posted an article titled: “Amy Coney Barrett had COVID-19 in Recent Months, Friends of Supreme Court Pick Say”. It was written by Tessa Berenson. From the article:
Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, was believed to have COVID-19 earlier this year, according to multiple people close to her.
Two friends of Barrett, who were granted anonymity because they did not feel comfortable discussing Barrett’s personal medical history on the record, confirmed to TIME that the judge had been sick in recent months and was thought to have contracted the virus. One said Barrett displayed mild symptoms and had quarantined. The other said she had received a positive test result.
The Washington Post reported Friday that Barrett had been diagnosed with the virus over the summer and had recovered, citing three officials familiar with the diagnosis.
The White House declined to comment. A member of Barrett’s family did not respond to a request for comment…
…According to the White House, Barrett is tested daily for COVID-19, and tested negative on Oct. 2…
October 2, 2020: Drew Hammel, Deputy Chief of Staff for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, tweeted: “Out of an abundance of caution, Speaker Pelosi was tested for COVID-19 this morning by the Capitol’s Office of the Attending Physician. Dr. Monahan just informed the Speaker that she tested negative.”
October 2, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Pelosi tests negative for Covid after Mnuchin meeting”. It was written by Haley Bird and Lauren Fox. From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested negative for Covid-19 Friday, her deputy chief of staff tweeted.
The announcement comes after the California Democrat was tested following her meeting earlier this week with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discuss a potential stimulus bill. Prior to their meeting, Mnuchin spoke with President Donald Trump, who has now tested positive for coronavirus, in the Oval Office…
…Pelosi is just one of several members of Congress who are being tested for the virus Friday — including Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who flew on Air Force One with the President this week, and Sen. Rob Portman, who attended an outdoor event with Trump on Monday. Their moves to get tested highlight how the President’s positive coronavirus result has ricocheted across Washington, as White House aides and lawmakers begin retracing their steps over the last several days to identify whether they may have been exposed.
Mnuchin, who announced he tested negative Friday morning, has been negotiating with Pelosi this week in an effort to strike agreement on an additional aid package to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. That effort has stalled, though Pelosi and Mnuchin continue to negotiate. House Democrats voted Thursday night to pass their own package, which has slim chances of being considered in the Republican Senate. In light of the President’s diagnosis, Pelosi called for a conclusion to those talks…
October 2, 2020: WKYC Studios posted an article titled: “Grassley, in presidential succession line, doesn’t get COVID-19 test after meeting with infected senator”. From the article:
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the third in the line of succession to the presidency, reportedly has not gotten tested for the coronavirus after attending a meeting with another senator who announced a positive test result Friday.
The line of succession has become top-of-mind for Americans now that President Donald Trump is in the hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19 Friday. The White House said Trump is expected to be there for a “few days.” The president’s physician said in a memo that Trump “remains fatigued but in good spirits,” He is undergoing an experimental antibody regimen.
The Des Moines Register reports Grassley attended a Senate Judiciary Meeting with Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, on Thursday. On Friday, Lee announced he had tested positive for COVID-19…
…”Sen. Grassley will continue to follow guidance from the Senate’s attending physician, the CDC and local health officials,” Grassley’s office said in a statement.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance says people should be tested if they have been within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes. A spokesman for Grassley told the Register that the senators kept themselves at a greater distance…
…Grassley is president pro tempore of the Senate. He follows Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in the presidential line of succession.
Grassley is 87, putting him in the higher risk category for severe illness or death should he contract the virus.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, the state’s other senator, was also in the meeting, according to the Register. She was reportedly tested for COVID-19 and it came back negative…
October 3, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Going well, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!!”
October 3, 2020: Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie tweeted: “I just recieved word that I am positive for COVID-19. I want to thank all of my friends and colleagues who have reached out to ask how I was feeling in the last day or two. I will be receiving medical attention today and will keep the necessary folks apprised of my condition”.
October 3, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Sen. Ron Johnson tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jordain Carney. From the article:
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the third senator to announce in the past two days that they had contracted the virus.
Johnson’s office said in a statement on Saturday that he was exposed to an individual on Sept. 29 who has since tested positive for the virus.
“After learning of this exposure, the senator was tested yesterday afternoon. This test came back positive,” his office said. “Senator Johnson feels healthy and is not experiencing symptoms. He will remain isolated until given the all-clear by his doctor.”…
…In addition to Johnson, Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) both said on Friday that they had tested positive for COVID-19.
Unlike Lee and Tillis, Johnson is not a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was not at the White House on Saturday for Trump’s announcement that he was picking Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee…
October 3, 2020: CNN posted in their live blog “GOP senator with Covid-19 said he learned he tested positive after attending Oktoberfest dinner”. From the post:
Sen. Ron Johnson said he learned he had tested positive for COVID-19 after he had spoken at the Ozaukee County Republican Party’s Oktoberfest Dinner on Friday night in Wisconsin.
Johnson said he had no symptoms before the dinner but had decided to get tested as a precaution, after hearing that Utah Sen. Mike Lee had tested positive earlier on Friday.
Johnson said he was able to get tested on Friday night before heading to the Oktoberfest dinner.
At the dinner event, Johnson said he let the organizers know that he would not stick around or mingle with people, or take photographs with attendees. He said he maintained social distancing at the event and let people kbow why he was being safe.
Johnson said he learned he tested positive after the event on his ride home.
October 3, 2020: Associated Press posted an article titled: “Official: Next 48 hours ‘critical’ for Trump in virus fight”. It was written by Jonathan Lemire, Jill Colvin and Zeke Miller”.
President Donald Trump went through a “very concerning” period Friday and the next 48 hours “will be critical” in his care as he battles the coronavirus at a hospital, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Saturday. Meadows’ comments contradicted the rosy assessment of Trump’s condition offered by his staff and doctors, who took pains not to reveal the president had received supplemental oxygen at the White House before his hospital admission.
“We’re still not on a clear path yet to a full recovery,” said a weary Meadows.
It was a dramatically different picture than the one painted by the White House staff since Trump revealed his diagnosis as well as by his doctors, who updated the public at a press conference at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
The briefing by Navy Commander Dr. Sean Conley and other doctors raised more questions than it answered as Conley repeatedly refused to say whether the president ever needed supplemental oxygen, despite repeated questioning, and declined to discuss exactly when he fell ill. Conley also revealed that Trump began exhibiting “clinical indications” of COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon, earlier than previously known.
“Thursday no oxygen. None at this moment. And yesterday with the team, while we were all here, he was not on oxygen,” Conley said.
But according to a person familiar with Trump’s condition, Trump was administered oxygen at the White House on Friday before he was transported to the military hospital. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity,..
…And while Vice President Mike Pence is currently off the campaign trail preparing for the coming week’s vice presidential debate, he and his staff are operating under a “business as usual” approach. He’s still planning to travel to Arizona on Thursday, Indiana on Friday and Florida on Saturday for events instead of isolating himself after potential exposure and to protect himself from contracting the virus anywhere else.
October 3, 2020: President Trump tweeted: “Doctors, Nurses and ALL at the GREAT Walter Reed Medical Center, and others from likewise incredible institutions who have joined them, are AMAZING!!!Tremendous progress has been made over the last 6 months in fighting this PLAGUE. With their help, I am feeling well!”
October 3, 2020: Omaha World-Herald posted an article titled: “Sen. Sasse tests negative for COVID-19, Sen. Fischer awaiting results after attending White House event.” It was written by Joseph Morton. From the article:
Sen. Ben Sasse has tested negative for the coronavirus, while Sen. Deb Fischer is awaiting her own test results.
The two Nebraska Republicans attended a White House ceremony last weekend alongside a number of individuals who have since tested positive for the virus, including President Donald Trump.
Sasse plans to work remotely from Nebraska for the next week or so despite the negative test.
“After consulting with the Senate attending physician and Nebraska doctors, he will work remotely from his home in Nebraska, undergoing further testing,” according to a statement by a spokesperson. “He will return to Washington for in-person work beginning Oct. 12. Ben, Melissa and their kids are praying for the president, the first lady, and a nation continuing to battle this nasty virus.”.
The testing and work-from-home decision were prompted by Sasse’s “close interaction with multiple infected individuals,” according to the statement…
October 3, 2020: Reuters posted an article titled: “White House chief of staff says Trump is doing very well”. From the article:
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Saturday that President Donald Trump is doing “very well” and that doctors are pleased with his vital signs.
“The president is doing very well. He is up and about and asking for documents to review. The doctors are very pleased with his vital signs. I have met with him on multiple occassions today for a variety of issues,” Meadows told Reuters.
October 3, 2020: Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie tweeted: “In consultation with my doctors, I checked myself into Morristown Medical Center this afternoon. While I am feeling good and only have mild symptoms, due to my history of asthma we decided this is an important precautionary measure.
October 3, 2020: CNN posted in a live blog a short article titled: “Chris Christie says he checked himself into the hospital after testing positive with Covid-19”. It was written by Dana Bash. From the short article:
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told CNN he checked himself into the hospital Saturday afternoon, as a precautionary measure, after announcing earlier in the day he had tested positive for Covid-19.
Christie, who suffers from asthma, said in consultation with his doctor, he decided it was best to be monitored in the hospital. He said he has a slight fever and is achy but felt well enough to drive himself to the hospital.
Christie told CNN by phone from the hospital that his breathing is fine, but after being admitted, he started a course of the Covid-19 treatment remdesivir.…
…Christie was part of the President’s debate prep team and sat close to the President, and others who have now tested positive for coronavirus.
He was also in the audience for Trump’s Supreme Court announcement last weekend.
October 3, 2020: CNN posted in their live blog: “GOP Sen. Thom Tillis “has mild symptoms,” his press secretary says”. It was written by Manu Raju and Ted Barrett.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is continuing to self-isolate at his home in North Carolina while experiencing “mild symptoms, and he is in great spirits,” according to a statement from his press secretary Adam Webb.
Tillis tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, days after attending a White House event where President Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Multiple attendees of that event, including Trump, have tested positive in the days since the ceremony, which featured many people wearing masks and not observing social distancing protocols.
October 3, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs, Senior White House Reporter for Bloomberg News, tweeted: “NEWS: One of Trump’s personal assistants has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell me. Nick Luna, as bodyman, works in very close proximity to the president so it’s not surprising.”
October 3, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs. Senior White House Reporter for Bloomber News tweeted: “Another factor that is unsettling White House aides tonight is Nick Luna is married to Cassidy Dumbauld, who is an aide to Jared Kushner. More people in the circle around Trump’s senior adviser diagnosed with coronavirus.”
October 4, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “President did not disclose 1st positive test, sources say”. It was written by Matt Zarrell, Jon Harworth, Ivan Pereira and Marc Nathanson. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s condition is continuing to improve as he fights a coronavirus infection, doctors say, and he may be able to leave Walter Reed Medical Center as early as Monday — even as details emerge that the president allegedly initially tested positive for COVID-19 earlier than he acknowledged.
Doctors also reported that Trump, over the course of exhibiting coronavirus symptoms, had earlier experienced two episodes of “transient drops” in his oxygen saturation.
Yet the president was feeling well enough Sunday evening to briefly leave Walter Reed for a surprise drive-by, waving to supporters outside the hospital.
Meanwhile, numerous questions remain about how many people at the highest levels of government had been exposed to the virus after a week of events involving the president where social distancing and mask-wearing were lax in the White House and elsewhere.
October 4, 2020: Josh Wingrove, White House reporter, Bloomberg, tweeted: “National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien says mask-wearing is now manditory for NSC staff. It has previously been voluntary.”
October 4, 2020: NPR posted an article titled: “Despite Risks to Others, Trump Leaves Hospital To Greet Supporters”. It was written byBarbara Sprunt. From the article:
Despite indications from doctors that he is still facing serious challenges from the coronavirus and could spread the disease to others, President Trump briefly left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday evening to wave to supporters gathered outside.
A masked Trump was seen waving to small crowds from a black SUV. Other images showed Secret Service personnel in the vehicle with personal protective equipment on to protect themselves from the high exposure risk of riding in an enclosed vehicle with someone who has tested positive for the virus.
Right before the drive-by, the president tweeted a video in which he thanked the doctors and staff at Walter Reed for treating him for COVID-19 and said he was about to “make a little surprise visit” outside to greet supporters…
…Trump has been briefed extensively about the pandemic by members of his White House coronavirus task force and other advisers.
Some experts swiftly characterized Trump’s drive-by greeting as reckless.
Dr. James Phillips, an attending physician at Walter Reed who is also chief of disaster medicine at George Washington University, lambasted the move as being made for “political theater.”
“That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack. The risk of COVID-19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures. The irresponsibility is astounding. My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to play,” he wrote on Twitter…
…His brief visit outside came hours after Trump’s medical team told reporters that the president experienced two drops in his oxygen levels over the course of his COVID-19 diagnosis, is being treated with a steroid, and could be discharged from Walter Reed as early as Monday. Medical experts raised skepticism about such a quick release given the other details shared by the president’s medical team.
October 4, 2020: KSBY posted an article titled: “Attorney General William Bar to self-quarantine”. From the article:
Attorney General William Barr will self-quarantine out of caution after President Donald Trump and several other lawmakers and aides tested positive for the coronavirus.
Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said Sunday that Barr has had four COVID-19 tests since Friday, and all have come back negative. She says he will self-quarantine for several days out of an abundance of caution.
Barr attended one meeting at Justice Department headquarters on Friday adn stayed home during the weekend, except to be tested. He plans to remain home for several days.
Barr attended the White House event for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett last weekend, and was seen on video having a conversation with former Trump aide Kellyanne Conway, who has tested positive for coronavirus. Neither was wearing a mask.
October 4, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “DeWine says White House did not contact him about possible Covid-19 exposure to Ohioans after Trump diagnosis”. It was written by Chandelis Duster. From the article:
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Sunday that he has not been contacted by the White House about potential Covid-19 exposure in his state after President Donald Trump tested positive for the virus days after his Cleveland debate.
“Well, they have not reached out to me. I know that I talked to the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic the other day who gave me an update, who gave me a report so I don’t know whether they have reached out to Cleveland Clinic or not. They have not talked to me about it, no,” the Republican governor told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
The President participated in the first presidential debate against Democrat Joe Biden in Cleveland last week. DeWine said that he didn’t attend the debate, but conceded to Tapper that he wished the President wore a mask more often.”Do I wish — look do I wish the President had worn a mask all the time? Of course. You know, of course,” he said…
…DeWine and his wife announced Friday they tested negative for the virus…
October 5, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump tweeted: “My family is greatful for all of the prayers & support! I am feeling good & will continue to rest at home. Thank you to medical staff & caretakers everywhere, & my continued prayers for those who are ill or have a family member impacted by the virus.”
October 5, 2020: Kayleigh McEnany, White House Press Secretary, tweeted an image of a statement:
After testing negative consistantly, including every day since Thursday, I tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning while experiencing no symptoms. No reporters, producers, or members of the press are listed as close contacts by the White House Medical Unit. Moreover, I definitely had no knowledge of Hope Hicks’ diagnoss prior to holding a White House press briefing on Thursday. As an essential worker, I have worked diligently to provide needed information to the American People at this time. With my recent positive test, I will begin the quarantine process and will continue working on behalf of the American People remotely.
October 5, 2020: Jim Acosta, CNN’s Chief White House correspondent, tweeted: “She was not wearing a mask during a gaggle with reporters yesterday.” The tweet included a photo of Kayleigh McEnany wearing black and a necklace with a cross on it. She is not wearing a mask.
October 5, 2020: Ben Siegel, ABC reporter/producer covering the 2020 campaign and Capitol Hill, tweeted: “McEnany did not wear a mask when she spoke to reporters at the White House yesterday”. The tweet is in response to Kayleigh McEnany’s tweet which included her statement.
October 5, 2020: Representative Salud Carbajal (Democrat – California) posted a press release titled: “Carbajal issues Statement After Exposure to Individual with COVID-19”. From the press release:
Congressman Carbajal issued the following statement after becoming exposed to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19:
“No one is immune to contracting coronavirus and Congress is certainly no exception. Despite taking every precaution – including wearing a mask, social distancing, and hand-washing – I learned I was exposed to an individual who tested positivefor COVID-19. I immediately got tested, which thankfully came back negative and I will continue to consult with my doctor.
“Given that symptoms may still appear up to two weeks after exposure to the virus, the House Attending Physician directed me to stay in Washington DC and quarantine for 14 days to self-monitor for symptoms. Accordingly, I will be carrying out my responsibilities virtually in order to protect the health and safety of others.”
October 5, 2020: Olivia Nuzzi, Washington correspondent New York Magazine, tweeted: “NEWS: @NYMag has confirmed that Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California has tested POSITIVE for COVID-19. Pastor Laurie was at the Prayer March on the Mall with Mile Pence and Franklin Graham and the ABC Rose Garden event later that day.” This tweet was the start of a thread.
October 5, 2020: Olivia Nuzzi tweeted: “A church official tells me that members of the church learned of Pastor Laurie’s positive test result on SUNDAY.”
October 5, 2020: Olivia Nuzzi tweeted: “A church official tells me that Pastor Laurie “is experiencing mild symptoms and he and his family are quarantining at home.”
October 5, 2020: Olivia Nuzzi tweeted: “The Prayer March on the National Mall that preceded the ABC Rose Garden event was attended by THOUSANDS, few of them wearing masks. Laurie, who is now positive, then went to the White House. When and where was he infected? How many others from the Prayer March are sick too?” This tweet was the end of the thread.
October 5, 2020: Paula Reid, White House Correspondent CBS News tweeted: “I sat in close proximity to two maskless, now COVID positive, White House staffers at last Thursday’s briefing. So I am now working from home & getting regular COVID tests.”
The tweet included a photo of herself, sitting in an empty row of seats at and wearing a mask. Behind her are several other reporters who are wearing masks and social distancing. Two arrows have been added to the photo, both of them starting with Paula Reid. One arrow points to Kayleigh McEnany, who is speaking at a podium. Another points to a man in a suit whi is not wearing a mask. He is sitting at the end of a row of seats separate from the press area.
The tweet was the start of a thread.
October 6, 2020: Paula Reid tweeted: “Noticing a sharp uptick in social media trolling from 1am – 6am lately. * Many * of the anti-mask/disinformation comments on this tweet started around the same time people in Moscow would be getting up. “
October 6, 2020: Paula Reid tweeted: “Working from home & getting tested (seen here this AM) is what responsible adults do when exposed to COVID. But it’s much easier for those of us who have access to rapid testing & still get paid when not at work. Tested negative at WH the morning of briefing & again today. ” This was the end of the thread.
October 5, 2020: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Riverside pastor Greg Laurie, who attended White House event, tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Nicole Hayden. From the article:
A Southern California pastor who attended two high-profile Washington D.C. events on Sept. 26, including a prayer march that saw an appearance by Vice President Mike Pence as well as a ceremony to nominate Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, has tested positive for COVID-19.
Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside – who has served as one of President Donald Trump’s key evangelical advisers – posted an Instagram video on Monday confirming his diagnosis.
Laurie said he and his wife have been in quarantine since learning of his positive test. No other family members have tested positive, according to his post.
Laurie recently participated in evanglist Franklin Graham’s Prayer March 2020, which drew thousands to prayer at the National Mall including Pence and his wife Karen. The event preceded Barrett’s nomination ceremony at the White House later that day…
…Laurie said Monday that his symptoms have been mild so far. He said his symptoms started with fatigue, aches and pains, a fever and loss of taste…
…Known for his large-scale evangelistic Christian events Harvest Crusades, Laurie did not mention his attendance at the Barrett nomination nor his participation in the Prayer March. However, in photos and videis that Laurie posted on his Twitter account, he can be seen without a mask and not social distancing among Prayer March attendees…
October 6, 2020: Paula Reid tweeted: “Noticing a sharp uptick in social media trolling from 1am-6am lately. * Many * of the anti-mask/disinformation comments on this tweet started around the same time people in Moscow would be getting up “
October 6, 2020: Paul Reid tweeted: “Working from home & getting tested (seen here this AM) is what responsible adults do when exposed to #COVID. But it’s much easier for those of us who have access to rapid testing & still get paid when not at work. Tested negative at WH the morning of the briefing & again today. “
The tweet showed a photo of Paula Reid in her car with the window open. She has pushed her mask down to her chin so she can self-administer a rapid COVID-19 test. This was the end of a thread.
October 6, 2020: Politico updated their article titled: “Riverside megachurch pastor who attended White House event contracts Covid-19”. It was written by Carla Marnucci. From the article:
The evangelical pastor of a high-profile California megachurch with links to President Trump announced Monday he’s among those who have contracted Covid-19 following the White House event for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
Pastor Greg Laurie of Riverside’s Harvest Christian Fellowship confirmed on his Facebook page that he tested positive for the virus over the weekend.
A week earlier, he attended the Sept. 26 Prayer March on the National Mall with Vice President Mike Pence and evangelist Franklin Graham. Laurie was also on hand for the White House Rose Garden ceremony for the nomination of Barrett…
…Coverage of the event show many of the attendees, including Laurie, were unmasked, shook hands and did not follow social distancing guidelines…
…Laurie, a resident of Newport Beach, is senior pastor of a number of large-scale evangelical churches in California – the Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside; Harvest Corona in Corona; Harvest Woodcrest in Riverside; Harvest Orange County in Irvine; and Harvest Kumulani in Kapalua, Hawaii.
October 6, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Top White House aide Stephen Miller tests positive for Covid-19”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins and Jim Acosta. From the article:
Stephen Miller, a top aide to President Donald Trump, has tested positive for coronavirus, he said Tuesday.
“Over the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday. Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine,” Miller said in a statement.
He is the latest official caught up at the outbreak at the White House that seen at least 10 others positive…
October 6, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “California congresman says he got coronavirus after Sen. Mike Lee Interaction”. It was written by Jeremy B. White. From the article:
Rep. Salud Carbajal announced Tuesday he tested positive for the coronavirus and said it came after he interacted indoors with Sen. Mike Lee, who revealed he had Covid-19 hours after President Trump said he was diagnosed with the disease.
Carbajal, a Central Coast Democrat, said in a statement that he began to experience “mild symptoms” and subsequently tested positive after being exposed to someone with the virus.
His office later told POLITICO that Carbajal had interacted indoors with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who announced his positive diagnosis Friday – hours after Trump’s Covid-19 announcement. Since then, Lee’s appearance at a Rose Garden event to formally announce the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barett has been widely scrutinized, including video of Lee hugging attendees without a mask…
October 6, 2020: Politico posted an article titled: “Top military leaders in quarantine after Coast Guard admiral tests positive for Covid-19”. It was written by Sarah Cammarata, Lara Seligman and Jacqueline Feldscher. From the article:
The nation’s top military leaders, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, are self-quarantining after coming into contact last week with the Coast Guard’s No. 2 officer, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, according to administration officials.
Senior military leaders who attended several meetings at the Pentagon last week with Adm. Charles Ray, the vice commandant of the Coast Guard, tested negative for Covid-19 on Tuesday but are self-quarantining as a precaution, a defense official said.
Officials believe that a Friday meeting in the “tank” — the Pentagon’s secure conference room for senior military leaders — is where the virus could have spread to others, a second defense official said.
Pentagon officials are conducting additional contact tracing and taking other precautions “to protect the force and the mission,” said Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman.
“Out of an abundance of caution, all potential close contacts from these meetings are self-quarantining and have been tested this morning,” Hoffman said Tuesday afternoon. “No Pentagon contacts have exhibited symptoms and we have no additional positive tests to report at this time.”
Ray was among several military leaders who attended an event at the White House on Sept. 27 celebrating Gold Star families. A day earlier, the White House held an outdoor event as President Donald Trump officially nominated Amy Coney Barrett to be the next Supreme Court justice. Many people who attended have since tested positive, including Trump himself.
The admiral felt “mild symptoms” this weekend and got tested Monday, according to a Coast Guard statement.
Not all of the military’s leaders are under quarantine. Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite were traveling last week and did not attend the Pentagon meetings with Ray.
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz has also been on travel and has not been in contact with Ray, spokesperson Jay Guyer said.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff includes the chairman, vice chairman, and the four-star heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard and Space Force…
October 6, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Top White House aide Stephen Miller tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins and Jim Acosta. From the article:
Stephen Miller, a top policy advisor to President Donald Trump, has tested positive for coronavirus, he confirmed in a statement Tuesday.
“Over the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday. Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine,” Miller said in a statement.
After working from home for several days, Miller showed up to work Tuesday and tested positive, a source familiar with what happened told CNN. He is the latest official caught up in an outbreak at the White House that has seen at least 10 others test positive. He’s also the latest member of the President’s team who prepped him for last week’s presidential debate to test positive…
…Miller also traveled aboard Air Force One on a Minnesota campaign trip woth Trump and Hicks. Officials have told CNN that Hicks began feeling sick while on the flight back to Washington after a fundraiser and campaign rally in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. She isolated in a separate cabin after she began displaying symptons.
Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, is Vice President Mike Pence’s communications director. She already had coronavirus several months ago and tested negative again on Tuesday morning. She traveled with Pence to Salt Lake City ahead of the vice presidential debate scheduled for Wednesday, but left the trip Tuesday out of an abundance of caution…
October 7, 2020: Bloomberg posted an article titled: “White House Security Official Contracted COVID-19 in September”. It was written by Jennifer Jacobs. From the article:
A top White House security official, Crede Bailey, is gravely ill with COVID-19 and has been hospitalized since September, according to four people familiar with his condition.
The White House has not publicaly disclosed Bailey’s illness. He became sick before the Sept. 26 Rose Garden event President Donald Trump held to announce his Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barett that has been connected to more than a dozen cases of the disease.
A White House spokesman declined to comment on Bailey…
October 7, 2020: ABC News posted an article titled: “34 people connected to White House, more than previously known, infected by coronavirus: Internal FEMA memo”. It was written by Josh Margolin and Lucien Bruggeman. From the article:
The coronavirus outbreak has infected “34 White House staffers and other contacts” in recent days, according to an internal government memo, an indication that the disease has spread among more people than previously known in the seat of American government.
Dated Wednesday and obtained by ABC News, the memo was distributed among senior leadership at FEMA, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security and the agency responsible for managing the continuing national response to the public health disaster.
The memo also notes that a senior adviser to the president is among those infected. Hope Hicks and Stephen Miller, both senior aides ot the president, have tested positive in recent days…
…When President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Tuesday, he immediately removed his mask before entering the building — setting off concern that his behavior may put staffers, complex workers, and Secret Service agents at risk…
October 7, 2020: Democracy Now posted a short article titled: “Two Presidential Valets Who Carry Nuclear Launch Codes Test Positive for Coronavirus”. From the article:
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports two of President Trump’s military aides tested positive. The aides act as valets who always travel with the president, carrying nuclear launch codes in a briefcase known as the “nuclear football.” Trump took the football with him to Water Reed hospital over the weekend, where he was administered the steroid dexamethasone, which has been linked to grandiose delusions and psychosis in some patients. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists wrote in response, “To state the obvious, we should not entrust nuclear launch authority to someone who is not fully lucid.”
October 7, 2020: Senator Cory Booker (Democrat – New Jersey) posted a press release titled: “Booker Seeks Answers from Secret Service Director James Murray and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on White House-Linked Outbreak of COVID-19”. From the press release:
U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent two letters seeking answers on the White House-linked outbreak of COVID-19. In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Booker requested an overview of steps that are being taken to protect the health and safety of the individuals who work on the White House grounds. In a separate letter to the Director of U.S. Secret Service James Murray, Booker requested that a full list and contact information of all individuals who attended or worked at President’s October 1st political event in Bedminster, New Jersey, be sent to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) to assist with contact tracing efforts.
“My concerns have only grown with recent reports that multiple support staff have contracted COVID-19, likely stemming from contact with President Trump, other White House staff, and non-essential visitors,” Senator Booker wrote in the letter to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. The President of the United States and his senior aides have access to some of the best medical care in the world, but many White House workers may not. These workers, like many Americans, may have pre-existing conditions that place them at heightened risk of contracting COVID-19, or they may be caring for loved ones who are at greater risk of suffering serious illness or death should they contract the disease. While the President and senior staff have openly flaunted CDC guidelines designed to halt the spread of the virus and the disease, support staff should not be forced to risk exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 in the course of carrying out their essential duties.”
In the letter to Director of U.S. Secret Service James Murray, Senator Booker also wrote, “New Jersey was among the hardest hit areas of the country by the COVID-19 pandemic. The progress New Jersey has made in bringing infection rates down to the lowest in the country is a testament to the leadership of Governor Phil Murphy and the collective restraint and solidarity of New Jersey’s nearly nine million residents.”
Senator Booker continued, “In order to prevent further transmission of COVID-19 in New Jersey and beyond, a full accounting and contact information of all individuals who attended, staffed, or were otherwise in close proximity to participants at the event is essential for timely contact tracing and testing.”
The full text of the letter to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows can be viewed here, and the full text of the letter to the Director of U.S. Secret Service James Murray can be viewed here.
October 7, 2020: Daily Beast posted an article titled: “White House Quietly Told Vets Group It Might Have Exposed Them To COVID”. It was written by Spencer Ackerman, Asawin Suebsaeng, Erin Banco, and Sam Stein. From the article:
On the same day President Donald Trump acknowledged contracting the coronavirus, the White House quietly informed a veterans group that there was a COVID-19 risk stemming from a Sept. 27 event honoring the families of fallen U.S. service members, the head of that charitable organization told The Daily Beast.
The White House warning, which came on Oct. 2, is the earliest known outreach to visitors of the complex that there was a risk of coronavirus emerging from the grounds where the president, the first lady, and at least 17 of his aides, according to Politico, have now tested positive for the virus…
…Pictures from the Gold Star family event, which Trump attended, show minimal mask wearing and social distancing. It took place indoors, though attendees said they were tested prior to attending. A Republican close to the White House also told The Daily Beast that others present at the event received outreach from a White House office—though not the medical office—late last week urging them to get coronavirus tests. The source described a chaotic scene in the White House as it tries to manage the internal outbreak…
…The Gold Star families event was attended by the vice commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Charles W. Ray. The Pentagon annnounced on Tuesday that Ray tested positive for coronavirus, prompting “self-quarantining” from several members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior military leaders Ray met with last week. Also at the event were Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who has tested negative, and Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff…
…”As a veterans organization, we are bipartisan and stay out of politics,” said Davis . “All Gold Star families that attended the event at the White House are doing great and have no symptoms of COVID.”
Daily Beast
October 8, 2020: Military Times posted an article titled: “Trump suggests he may have contracted coronavirus from Gold Star Families”. The article was written by Leo Shane III. From the article:
President Donald Trump suggested he may have contracted the virus from families of fallen troops during a White House event late last month because he couldn’t observe social distancing when “they want to hug me and they want to kiss me.”
The comments, made by Trump during an appearance on Fox Business on Thursday morning, come one week after administration officials announced that Trump has tested positive for the virus and 11 days after the meeting, held on Gold Star Families day…
…White House officials have come under public scrutiny in recent days for not requiring social distancing and mask wearing during events with numerous guests, including the announcement of Trump’s latest Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, the day before the Gold Star families event.
But administration officials have downplayed those concerns, saying that all visitors to the White House complex are tested and monitored for signs of illness…
…In recent days, Coast Guard Vice Commandant Adm. Charles Ray and Marine Corps Assistant Commandant Gen. Gary Thomas have tested positive for the virus, which has killed more than 210,000 Americans in the last seven months.
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – most of whom attended the Gold Star Families event – have gone into self-quarantine in recent days in response to their exposure to those senior officials and the president.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper also attended the event. Pentagon officials said he tested negative for the virus and spent most of the last few days on official travel away from Washington…
…On Thursday, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced it will change next week’s scheduled event featuring Trump and is Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, to a virtual event because of Trump’s positive coronavirus diagnosis. Trump said in the Fox Business interview he plans on skipping the debate as a result…
Military Times
October 10, 2020: Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie tweeted: “I am happy to let you know that this morning I was released from Morristown Medical Center. I want to thank the extraordinary doctors & nurses who cared for me for the last week. Thanks to my family & friends for their prayers. I will have more to say about all of this next week.”
October 10, 2020: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Trump Makes First Public Apperance Since Leaving Walter Reed”. It was written by Annie Karni and Maggie Haberman. From the article:
The White House had not made public the results of President Trump’s latest coronavirus test, which he claims he took on Friday. But Mr. Trump, eager to prove he had fully recovered a week after being hospitalized for Covid-19, appeared briefly on Saturday afternoon in front of hundreds of chanting supporters gathered at the White House.
“We’ve got to vote these people into obilivion,” Mr. Trump said, re-entering the arena with his signature bluster and without any acknowledgement that he might still be contageous to those around him. His short speech, delivered from the Blue Room balcony overlooking the South Lawn, was the first time he has been seen in public since leaving the hospital on Monday. (A television interview with Fox News that aired Friday night had been pretaped).
Mr. Trump, who emerged wearing a white surgical mask, peeled it off as he began his remarks. His voice sounded strong and his aggressive message playing down the threat of the virus was unchanged. But the event that the White House had previewed as a huge “peaceful protest for law and order”, was uncharacteristically brief.
White House officials said the president would speak for 30 minutes, but he kept his remarks to just 18 minutes in total. A typical Trump rally, in contrast, often runs for at least 90 minutes. A large bandage on top of his right hand was a reminder of the treatments and infusions he had recieved over the past week. And atypical for a president who usually keeps crowds waiting, Mr. Trump started right on time…
…One White House official said that about 2,000 invitations had been sent out. But the crowd on Saturday was made up of a few hundred attendees, many of whom were in town for a gathering of the so-called Blexit movement, started by the right wing firebrand Candace Owens, which encourages Black voters to leave the Democratic Party.
Attendees were asked to fill out questionnaires and undergo temperature screenings before entering the White House complex. They were also advised to wear masks, although many in the audience did not follow those directions…
October 10, 2020: The Guardian posted in their live blog “Trump supporters gather at White House – many without masks”. From the live blog:
Trump supporters are starting to gather for his address at the White House later. White House officials have said attendees will be required to wear masks and have their temperature checked before entering. Early photos suggest that many of them are definitely not wearing masks before the address. Maybe they’re heeding the president’s workds when he said Americans shouldn’t be “afraid” of a virus that has killed more than 210,000 people in the US…
…If you’re wondering why the crowds are less white than the president’s usual events, it’s because it has partly been organized by conservative activist Candace Owens who is behind Blexit, a campaign to get Black voters to leave the Democratic party. There are reports that some of the attendees have been paid to travel to the event.
The post included three photos of the crowd. Most people are wearing Trump hats and light blue shirts that say “We The Free”. Two people in the crowd is wearing a mask correctly. Several people were wearing a mask incorrectly – by pushing down to their chin, leaving their mouth and nose exposed.
October 12, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Trump’s physician says president tested negative for COVID-19”. It was written by Kathryn Watson. From the article:
President Trump’s physician said the president has tested negative for COVID-19, according to a memo released by the White House on Monday afternoon, about 90 minutes before he is set to hold a rally in Florida.
According to Dr. Sean Conley, the president’s physician, the president has tested negative “on consecutive days,” and is “not infectious to others.” Conley did not say on which days the president tested negative, and said rapid tests were used to determine the results, which are less accurate than PCR tests.
“It is important to note that this test was not used in isolation for the determination of the president’s current negative status,” Conley said. “Repeatedly negative antigen tests, taken in context with additional clinical and laboratory data, including viral load, subgenomic RNA, and PCR cycle threshold measurements, as well as ongoing assessment of viral culture data, all indicate a lack of detectable viral replication. The comprehensive data, in concert with the CDC’s guidelines for removal of transmission-based precautions, have informed our medical team’s assessment that the president is not infectious to others.”
Mr. Trump is set to take the stage in Sanford, Florida, at 7 p.m., for his first trip since his COVID-19 diagnosis and subsequent hospitalization…
October 13, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Labor secretary’s wife tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia’s wife tested positive for the coronavirus, the Labor Department announced Tuesday.
Trish Scalia is currently experincing “mild symptoms but doing well,” the department said. Eugene Scalia tested negative for the virus…
…It was not immediately clear where Trish Scalia contracted the virus. Both Scalias attended the Rose Garden event where President Trump announced his nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, which has been linked to multiple COVID-19 cases within Trump’s circles…
October 14, 2020: The U.S. Department of Labor posted a news release titled: “Statement from U.S. Department of Labor”. From the news release:
This afternoon, doctors confirmed that U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia’s wife, Trish, tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Mrs. Scalia is experiencing mild symptoms but doing well. This evening, Secretary Scalia received a test and the results were negative; he has experienced no symptoms. The Secretary and Mrs. Scalia will follow the advice of health professionals for Trish’s recovery and the health of those around them. For the time being, the Secretary will work from home while continuing to carry out the mission of the Department and the President’s agenda.
October 14, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump posted an essay titled: “First Lady Melania Trump: “My personal experience with COVID-19” on the White House website. From the essay:
It was two weeks ago when I received the diagnosis that so many Americans across our country and the world had already received—I tested positive for COVID-19. To make matters worse, my husband, and our nation’s Commander-in-Chief, received the same news.
Naturally my mind went immediately to our son. To our great relief he tested negative, but again, as so many parents have thought over the past several months, I couldn’t help but think “what about tomorrow or the next day?”. My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive. Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms. In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative.
I was very fortunate as my diagnosis came with minimal symptoms, though they hit me all at once and it seemed to be a roller coaster of symptoms in the days after. I experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time. I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food. We had wonderful caretakers around us and we will be forever grateful for the medical care and professional discretion we received from Dr. Conley and his team. It was an unfamiliar feeling for me to be the patient instead of a person trying to encourage our nation to stay healthy and safe. It was me being taken care of now, and getting first-hand experience with all that COVID-19 can do. As the patient, and the person benefitting from so much medical support, I found myself even more grateful and in awe of caretakers and first responders everywhere. To the medical staff and the residence staff who have been taking care of our family—thank you doesn’t say enough.
Recovering from an illness gives you a lot of time to reflect. When my husband was taken to Walter Reed as a precaution, I spent much of my time reflecting on my family. I also thought about the hundreds of thousands of people across our country who have been impacted by this illness that infects people with no discrimination. We are in unprecedented times—and with the election fast approaching, it has been easy to get caught up in so much negative energy.
It also cheered me to think of all the people I have met across our country and the world—and the goodness and compassion that exists if you seek it out. Our country has overcome many hardships and much adversity, and it is my hope COVID-19 will be another obstacle we will be able to tell future generations we overcame—and learned from in the process…
…I am happy to report that I have tested negative and hope to resume my duties as soon as I can. Along with this good news, I want people to know that I understand just how fortunate my family is to have received the kind of care that we did. If you are sick, or if you have a loved one who is sick—I am thinking of you and will be thinking of you every day. I pray for our country and I pray for everyone who is grappling with COVID-19 and any other illnesses or challenges…
October 14, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Barron Trump tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month”. It was written by Kathryn Watson. From the article:
Barron Trump tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, first lady Melania Trump announced in a a personal essay posted on the White House website.
The 14-year-old has since tested negative, as have the first lady and the president, since the two contracted the virus earlier this month. Mr. Trump, has described his battle with the virus to supporters but has not said much about his family’s experience with COVID-19. Mrs. Trump said Barron exhibited no symptoms…
October 14, 2020: Paso Robles Daily News posted an article titled: “Congressman Carbajal shares update on recovery from COVID-19”. It includes a video and a transcript of the video. From the transcript:
Hi everyone, I wanted to take a minute to thank you for all the well-wishes you continue to send to me through my office and my staff.
I also wanted to give you a brief update about my experience isolating, quarantining here as directed by my physician.
For the most part, my symptoms have been mild – I’ve had fatigue, body aches, fever, loss of appetite, and chills. Oftentimes, the symptoms would come and go.
For the most part, they’ve dissipated and the doctor’s told me that as soon as they completely dissipate I should be able to complete my quarantine and isolation.
I’m very grateful for the care I’ve received from our physicians – although it’s been remotely and phone check-ins.
As you can see, I’ve lost some weight since I last communicated with you via video. Certainly, not having an appetite it was difficult to eat anything.
But now I’m on the mend and again just wanted to let you in on an update about my status and to again remind you to please wear masks and social distance.
I’m lucky I’ve had more mild symptoms, but others have had real challenges with this virus. So, please, please follow our physicians and our medical providers’ suggestions, make sure you’re social distancing, make sure you’re wearing a mask.
And I hope to see you all very soon.
October 14, 2020: Representative Bill Huizenga (Republican – Michigan) tweeted: “Earlier today, I was expected to appear with the Vice President. While taking part in offsite testing protocols, I took a rapid test that came back positive for COVID-19. I am awaiting the results of a PCR test and I am self isolating until I have confirmed results”.
October 15, 2020: Representative Bill Huizenga (Republican – Michigan) tweeted: “Quick update: I have recieved my results from the PCR test confirming that I am positive for COVID-19. I will continue to self-isolate through the duration and serve the people of West Michigan. Thank you to the medical professionals who deal with these cases on a daily basis.” This wa the start of a thread.
October 15, 2020: Representative Bill Huizenga (Republican – Michigan) tweeted: “I deeply appreciate all those who have reached out and will continue to keep West Michigan updated on the status of my recovery.” This was the end of the thread.
October 15, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Biden campaign halts Kamala Harris’ travel after two people in campaign’s orbit test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Eric Bradner. From the article:
Joe Biden’s campaign is halting the travel of his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, through this weekend after two people — a flight crew member and Haris’ communication director, Liz Allen — tested positive for coronavirus.
A staff member for the charter company that flies Biden also tested positive Thursday, his campaign said, but Biden’s travel schedule is not changing because the former vice president did not come within 50 feet of the person.
Harris was not in what the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define as close contact with either person, Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement. Still, Harris’ planned trip to North Carolina on Thursday was scrapped, and she will remain off the road until Monday, she said…
…Harris has taken two PCR tests for coronavirus since October 8, including a test Wednesday, and has tested negative, O’Malley Dillon said.
The Biden campaign’s immediate disclosure of the positive results was in stark contrast with how Trump’s campaign and White House have handled positive coronavirus tests from Trump himself as well as top campaign officials and aides. Trump’s White House still has not disclosed when Trump had most recently tested negative for coronavirus prior to his positive test.
The two people were with Harris on a flight on October 8, the day after her debate with Vice President Mike Pence…
…Before and after the flight, both Allen and the flight crew member tested negative, and all other staffers on the flight have tested negative, she said…
…Biden’s campaign also scrapped the plans of Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, to travel to Minnesota, where he’d planned to campaign with Jill Biden, on Thursday. But because he had not been in contact with either person, the campaign said, he will return to in-person campaigning on Friday.
Hours after announcing the change to Harris’ schedule, Biden’s campaign said it had learned — through the process of contact tracing following the Harris flight crew member who tested positive — that an administrative staffer for the charter flight company that flies Biden also tested positive…
October 20, 2020: Steve Holland, who covers the White House and U.S. politics for Reuters, tweeted: “From Melania Trump chief of staff Stephanie Grisham: “Mrs. Trump continues to feel better ever day following her recovery from COVID-19, but with a lingering cough, and out of an abundance of caution, she will not be traveling today.”
October 24, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Two Loeffler staffers test positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Jordan Williams. From the article:
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) has tested negative for coronavirus after two of her staffers tested positive.
Loeffler’s office said in a statement on Saturday that she was tested for COVID-19 on Friday after two of her staffers tested positive. It is unclear when the staffers were tested.
“On Friday, Senator Loeffler was tested for COVID-19 after learning that two of her Senate staffers had tested positive,” the statement said. “Senator Loeffler tested negative.
“Senator Loeffler is more than energized than ever to vote to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as the next Supreme Court Justice on Monday, returning home and traveling the state to meet with hardworking Georgians,” her office said…
October 24, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Pence Adviser Marty Obst tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Mariana Pitofsky. From the article:
One of Vice President Pence’s closest advisers, Marty Obst, tested positive for COVID-19 this week, according to multiple reports.
The adviser tested positive on Wednesday, Bloomberg News first reported. It was not immediately confirmed whether Obst is experiencing symptoms from the virus.
Obst is not a Trump administration employee, although he is frequently in contact with the vice president and visits the grounds of the White House, according to Bloomberg. He was last in contact with Pence about a week ago.
Pence on Saturday traveled to Florida to give a speech at a campaign event…
October 24, 2020: The Hill posted article titled: “Pence’s chief of staff tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Brett Samuels. From the article:
Vice President Pence’s chief of staff tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, but the vice president intends to plow ahead with a busy campaign schedule, his office said.
“Today, Marc Short, Chief of Staff to the Vice President, tested positive for COVID-19, began quarantine and assisting in the contact tracing process,” Pence’s press secretary Devin O’Malley said in a statement. “Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence both tested negative for COVID-19 today, and remain in good health.”“While Vice President Pence is considered a close contact with Mr. Short, in consultation with the White House Medical Unit, the Vice President will maintain his schedule in accordance with the CDC guidelines for essential personnel,” O’Malley said.
Short is the latest White House official to contract the virus, and he is the second person close to Pence whose case became public on Saturday. But Short is in regular contact with the vice president, increasing Pence’s risk of exposure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines urge individuals who are considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19 to stay home for 14 days from their last contact with that individual.
Pence has maintained an aggressive travel schedule in recent weeks, and it is only expected to intensify in the final week of the campaign. He spent Saturday in Florida and will travel to North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Minnesota in the coming days, among other states…
October 24, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Documents show Trump campaign ignored coronovirus guidelines at guidelines at Duluth rally: report”. It was written by Celine Castronuovo. From the article:
President Trump’s reelection campaign seemingly ignored previously agreed upon health guidelines at its Sept. 30 rally in Duluth, Minn., just two days before the president was diagnosed with COVID-19, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.
The Post reported Saturday that in the days leading up to the Duluth rally, the Trump campaign signed an agreement with local officials to follow health guidelines aimed at limiting the spread of the virus, including capping rally attendance at 250 people.
However, as Trump supporters arrived at the tarmac of Duluth International Airport hours ahead of the rally, with many not socially distancing or wearing face masks, an airport official contacted the campaign.
“We have been notified that the 250 person limit has been exceeded,” an airport representative reportedly wrote in an email. “This email serves as our notice of a contract violation and we are requesting you remedy the situation.”
According to the Post, the campaign did not respond to the email or take any actions to address the warning.
Airport officials later estimated that more than 2,500 people attended the Duluth rally.
The Post reported that additional emails and documents obtained through open-records requests showed that while local officials suspected the campaign would not adhere to the agreement, they resisted directly enforcing the guidelines due to fear of backlash.
“We will not incite an incident by unilaterally taking physical action to close the event,” Tom Werner, the airport’s executive director, reportedly wrote to the airport’s appointed board members the morning before the rally.
In a statement to the Post, the Duluth Airport Authority (DAA) said, “It was made clear to the Trump Campaign, in the lead up to the event, that compliance with the State of Minnesota’s current public health executive orders was an expectation of the DAA.”
According to the Post, Minnesota public health officials have traced 19 coronavirus cases to a pair of Trump rallies in the state in September, with three tied to the Duluth event…
October 25, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “At least 5 of Vice President Pence’s aides test positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Kaitlan Collins, Jeremy Diamond, Jim Acosta, Daniella Diaz, Kevin Liptak and Betsy Klein. From the article:
At least five people in Vice President Mike Pence’s orbit have tested positive for coronavirus in recent days, including chief of staff Marc Short, close aide Zach Bauer and outside adviser Marty Obst, sources told CNN…
…Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence each tested negative for coronavirus on Sunday, a White House official said. Despite contact with multiple people who recently tested positive, Mike Pence is refusing to quarantine in defiance of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Pence’s office announced Saturday evening that Short had been diagnosed with Covid-19. Sources told CNN that Obst, who is a senior political adviser to Pence but is not a government employee, and at least three staffers in Pence’s office have also tested positive for the virus.
Bauer, one of the staffers who tested positive, according to two sources familiar with the matter, is Pence’s “body man,” meaning his job is to accompany Pence throughout the day and night helping him with a wide range of duties, putting him in close proximity to the vice president. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that Bauer has not been in the office since Tuesday, when he went home to quarantine after coming into contact with Obst. Bauer tested positive Saturday…
…Pence — who is the head of the White House’s coronavirus task force — plans to continue traveling and campaigning every day in the final stretch to Election Day, an official told CNN.
After North Carolina later on Sunday, Pence is going to Minnesota on Monday and back to North and South Carolina on Tuesday. He’s also expected to return to the upper Midwest this week. The official said Pence would continue to be tested but, like Trump, still plans to be on the road every day for the next week.
The developments raise new questions about safety protocols and transparency within the White House as the pandemic has killed at least 225,000 Americans…
…Pence, who is known to rarely wear a mask while flying on Air Force Two, traveled on Saturday to Florida for campaign rallies in Lakeland and Tallahassee. The vice president walked across the tarmac from Marine Two in a mask and boarded Air Force Two about an hour behind schedule…
…Short has been seen on the campaign trail actively eschewing the use of masks for months, including earlier this week traveling aboard Air Force Two. Neither Pence nor Short wore a mask on Pence’s trip on Thursday and Friday.
As chief of staff to Pence, Short has been a key aide involved with the US coronavirus response. He has been reported to have advocated for an economy-first approach to the pandemic…
…The CDC has issued guidance that says people should stay home for 14 days after having contact with a person who has Covid-19…
October 30, 2020: Governor Brian Kemp (Republican – Georgia) tweeted an image with the following statement:
Statement from the Office of Gov. Brian P. Kemp
“Following a negative COVID-19 PCR test result for both the Governor and the First Lady, the Governor is currently quarantining due to direct exposure within the last 48 hours to an individual who recently tested positive. At this time, the First Lady is not known to have been exposed to a confirmed case. The Governor is not currently experiencing any symptoms and will be quaranting, per Department of Public Health guidance. The Governor spoke with Dr. Toomey this afternoon and will continue to follow her expert guidance. We will provide futher updates at the appropriate time.”
Governor Brian Kemp’s tweet was retweeted by First Lady Marty Kemp.
October 30, 2020: Representative Drew Ferguson (Republican – Georgia) tweeted an image with the following statement:
“Last night I began feeling mild symptoms consistent with a cold, with no fever. This morning when I began running a slight fever, I immediately took a COVID test which has come back positive. Following the advice of my physician, I will be self-quarantining and working from home. I have also notified the Office of the Attending Physician in Congress and asked for their guidance. While the vast majority of my recent schedule has been virtual, we are beginning the process of reaching out to anyone I have seen in recent days. I am eager to get back to work and will do so as soon as I have fully recovered.”
October 30, 2020: The Hill reported: Ferguson attended a rally Tuesday with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and Kemp’s wife, who both announced Friday that they are quarantining while awaiting test results.
October 31, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Trump campaign rallies led to more than 30,000 coronavirus cases, Stanford researchers say”. It was written by Berkley Lovelace Jr. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s campaign rallies led to more than 30,000 coronavirus cases, according to a new paper posted by researchers at Stanford.
Researchers looked at 18 Trump rallies held between June 20 and Sept. 22 and analyzed Covid-19 data the weeks following each event. They compared the counties where the events were held to other counties that had a similar trajectory of confirmed Covid-19 cases prior to the rally date. Out of the 18 rallies analyzed, only three were indoors, according to the research.
The researchers found that the rallies ultimately resulted in more than 30,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19. They also concluded that the rallies likely led to more than 700 deaths, though not necessarily among attendees.
The researchers said the findings support the warnings and recommendations of public health officials concerning the risk of Covid-19 transmission at large group gatherings, “particularly when the degree of compliance with guidelines concerning the use of masks and social distancing is low.”
“The communities in which Trump rallies took place paid a high price in terms of disease and death,” said B. Douglas Bernheim, chairman of Stanford’s economics department and a lead author of the paper, wrote.
The paper, which has not undergone a peer review yet, was published on open access preprint platform SSRN….
…The researchers said they had to overcome “significant challenges,” acknowledging that the dynamics of Covid-19 are “complex,” and “even the most superficial examination of the data reveals that the process governing the spread of Covid-19 differs across counties.”
The new research comes as the coronavirus continues to rapidly spread across the United States. The U.S. continued to set new highs for infections this week, with Friday marking a record 99,321 daily new cases, bringing the seven-day average of daily new cases to a new high at 78,738, a CNBC analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University showed…
November 6, 2020: Bloomberg posted an article titled: “Trump’s Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, Infected By Coronavirus”. It was written by Jennifer Jacobs, Tyler Page, and Mario Parker. From the article:
President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, has told associates he has coronavirus, according to people familiar with the matter, adding to the outbreaks connected to the White House.
It wasn’t immediately clear when Meadows learned that he had contracted the virus, or whether he had developed symptoms of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. He informed a close circle of advisers after Tuesday’s election, one of the people said…
…A Trump campaign aide, Nick Trainer, is also infected, according to two people familiar with the matter. He and campaign spokespeople declined to comment…
…Meadows was at Trump’s bedside when the president was hospitalized last month with Covid-19…
November 6, 2020: Kaitlan Collins, CNN White House Correspondent, tweeted: “Worth noting that Mark Meadows was at the election night party at the White House Tuesday that hundreds of people attended. Officials said everyone would be tested beforehand.”
November 6, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs, Senior White House reporter for Bloomberg News tweeted: “Meadows was at campaign HQ on Tuesday with Trump without a mask and again on Wednesday – also without a mask, aides tell me.”
November 6, 2020: Jennifer Jacobs, Senior White House reported for Bloomberg News tweeted: “NEWS: Along with Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows, at least FOUR other White House aides currently have coronavirus, per sources. Pains where taken to keep Meadows’ illness a secret, I’m told. And people around him who knew him were told to keep quiet.”
November 9, 2020: ABC 7 WABC-TV posted an article titled: “HUD Sec. Ben Carson tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Jeremy Diamond and Betsy Klein from CNN. From the article:
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, his deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker confirmed to CNN.
“Secretary Carson has tested positive for the coronavirus. He is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery.” Baker said in a statement.
An aide added that Carson, 69, tested positive Monday morning at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after experiencing symptoms. He is no longer at the hospital.
Carson’s chief of staff Andrew Hughes disclosed the secretary’s positive diagnosis in an all-staff letter, writing: “He is resting at his house and is already beginning to feel better.”
Hughes also said staff would be notified if they’d been in contact with Carson and that “all precautions are being taken.”…
…Carson attended an election night party where White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and nearly every other attendee was not wearing a mask. Meadows and four others in Trump’s orbit tested positive last week.
Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, was spotted maskless at several Trump campaign events in the lead up to Election Day, including a Trump campaign rally in Waterford Township, Michigan, on October 30…
…Black Voices for Trump posts indicate that Carson and his wife, Candy, traveled to events in Florida and Georgia ahead of the election. Masks went largely unworn during the events. And the Carsons were photographed without masks, posing shoulder-to-shoulder with supporters…
November 9, 2020: USA Today posted an article titled: “David Bossie, Trump campaign adviser overseeing campaign legal challenges, has COVID-19”. It was written by Savannah Behrmann. From the article:
David Bossie, an adviser for President Donald Trump’s campaign, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to several outlets, becoming the latest in Trump’s orbit to contract the virus.
Bossie was tapped just a few days ago to head the Trump campaign’s legal challenges in contesting the outcome of the presidential election, which the president is projected to have lost.
According to ABC, Bossie tested positive on Sunday. He was in Phoenix, Arizona on Thursday to participate in a press conference with the state’s Republican party about the election, and has traveled to the Trump campaign’s headquarters in Virginia several times in the last week. He was often seen not wearing a mask.
Bossie’s diagnosis was reported Monday, just a few hours after news broke that Ben Carson, the Housing and Urban Development secretary, also had tested positive for COVID-19…
November 12, 2020: Representative Don Young (Republican – Alaska) tweeted: “I have tested positive for COVID-19. I am feeling strong, following proper protocols, working from home in Alaska, and ask for privacy at this time. May God Bless Alaska.”
November 12: 2020: KTOO posted an article titled: “Alaska Rep. Don Young, 87, says he’s diagnosed with COVID-19”. It was written by Nathaniel Herz. From the article:
U.S. Representative Don Young, 87, has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced in a tweet Thursday…
…Young, a Republican, was first elected in 1973 and is now the Dean of the House, meaning he’s the longest-serving member of Congress. He’s also the chamber’s oldest member.
The Associated Press declared Wednesday that Young has won re-election over Democratic Party-endorsed independent Alyse Galvin. He was photographed at one of his fundraisers not wearing a mask and said he did not require them at this political events…
…Young made headlines early in the pandemic when he jokingly referred to COVID-19, a type of coronavirus, as the “beer virus.” He later said he didn’t fully grasp the severity of the virus and the associated public health crisis.”
November 13, 2020: Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak (Democrat – Nevada) tweeted: “As part of a regular testing protocal, I underwent routine COVID-19 testing in Friday, November 13 in Carson City. A rapid test provided a positive result. I also recieved a diagnositc PCR test and those results are pending at this time”.
The tweet included screenshots of a press release:
As part of a regular testing protocol, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak underwent routine COVID-19 testing on Friday, November 13 in Carson City. A rapid test provided a positive result. The Governor also received a diagnostic PCR test and those results are pending at this time.
At this time, the Governor is not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. Earlier this week, the Governor expressed feeling fatigue, however he attributed it to his demanding schedule. No other symptoms were experienced.
“It was important to me to notify Nevadans as soon as possible of my positive COVID-19 test results. I am currently not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and I have returned to my residence to begin the quarantine and isolation process. Shortly after the test result came back, I underwent a disease investigation interview with Carson City Health and Human Services,” said Gov. Sisolak. “I want to thank the health officials who assisted me through this process. They serve as a strong reminder of how proud we should all be of our State’s public health workers. With my case, I want to underscore the importance of Nevadans to stay home as much as they possibly can at this time. There were more than 1,800 new cases identified in Nevada yesterday and cases are growing at a rate of 1.3 percent, or 1,402 new cases per day.”
Prior to today’s test, the Governor has received negative results on all previous tests – including his last two regular COVID tests conducted on Monday, Nov. 2 and Friday, Nov. 6.
Consistent with guidelines from the CDC and the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Governor will isolate and continue to monitor his symptoms. He will receive daily monitoring provided by the Local Health Authority, in addition to regular check-ins from a local physician.
The Governor has been interviewed by state and local public health officials and has also proactively reached out to those who may have been close contacts. Formal contact tracing efforts are underway to ensure all close contacts are notified and informed of next steps in accordance with public health guidelines.
All public events have been cancelled at this time. The Governor remains in constant contact with his staff and his Cabinet and the work of the Governor’s Office will continue remotely.
The Governor was last in the Carson City office on Thursday, November 12. Out of an abundance of caution, all staff in the Carson City office transitioned to work from home status today. Any staff members deemed close contacts through the contact tracing process will remain in quarantine for the full period in compliance with CDC guidelines and must receive a negative test result before returning to the office upon completion of their full quarantine period.
All relevant staff members will continue to self-monitor for symptoms and quarantine at this time – including staying at home and separating themselves from others, in accordance with public health guidelines. Those staffers will be working from home and are able to conduct their regular business during this time.
November 16, 2020: Representative Don Young (Republican – Alaska) posted a press release titled: “Health Update from Congressman Don Young”. From the press release:
“There has been much speculation in the media on my current condition, and I want Alaskans to know that their Congressman is alive, feeling better, and on the road to recovery. As you know, last week, I tested positive for COVID-19. Over the weekend, I was admitted to Providence Hospital for treatment and monitoring. The team at Providence did an outstanding job, and their commitment to patient care is to be commended. I have been discharged and continue recovering and working from home in Alaska. Very frankly, I had not felt this sick in a very long time, and I am grateful to everyone who has kept me in their thoughts and prayers.
Unfortunately, a lot of what you may have heard about my condition was based on speculation in the media that did not respect my privacy. This is irresponsible, and I do not want any Alaskans to be scared of seeking testing or treatment out of privacy concerns. COVID-19 is a serious virus, and its recent surge in our state has made this a critical moment. I encourage all Alaskans to continue following CDC guidelines: practice social distancing; use a mask; avoid crowds whenever possible.
The economy, in both Alaska and our entire nation, has been devastated by this virus. This is not just a public health emergency, but an economic crisis as well. Today, we received encouraging news that a second COVID-19 vaccine candidate has shown to be successful. This development represents tremendous potential, but we must continue looking out for one another. Fighting the spread of this virus is crucial if we are to recover. We cannot hunker down forever, but I sincerely believe that we will be successful in fighting COVID-19, so that we can restore our economic health in the present, and secure a bright future for all Alaskans; our children and grandchildren are depending on us. Stay safe, and may God Bless Alaska and our frontline workers.”
November 16, 2020: Representative Cheri Bustos (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “I have tested positive for the COVID virus. I am experiencing mild symptoms, but still feel well. I have been in contact with my medical provider and, per CDC guidance, am self-isolating”. This tweet was the start of a thread.
November 16, 2020: Representative Cheri Bustos (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Consistent with medical advice, I will be working remotely from my home in Illinois until cleared by my physician. All individuals that I had been in contact with have been notified. Across the country and the Congressional District I serve, COVID case numbers are skyrocketing.”
November 16, 2020: Representative Cheri Bustos (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “We must all continue to be vigilant in following public health best practices: wear a mask, practice social distancing, get your flu shot and wash your hands. The only way we will get this pandemic under control is by working together”. This tweet was the end of the thread.
November 16, 2020: Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak (Democrat – Nevada) tweeted: “Today, I wanted to provide an update on my #COVID19 diagnosis. I continue to remain in good spirits with only mild head congestion. I appreciate the ongoing outpouring of support and well wishes!”
The tweet included two screenshots of a press release:
Today, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced he continues to be in good spirits and has only experienced mild head congestion related to his positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
As part of a regular testing protocol, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak underwent a routine COVID-19 testing on Friday, November 13 in Carson City. A rapid test provided a positive result. The Governor also recieved a diagnostic PCR test at that time, which has also returned a positive result.
“I appreciate the outpouring of support and well wishes from Nevadans and those across the country who have taken time to check in on me,” said Gov. Sisolak. “I again want to thank the health officials who assisted me through this process. They serve as a strong reminder of how proud we should all be of our State’s health workers. My focus remains on addressing the record surge the State is currently experiencing and my administration continues to work around the clock to serve Nevadans through this ongoing pandemic.”
The Governor continues to isolate and monitor symptoms. He is recieveing daily monitoring provided by the Local Health Authority, in addition to check-ins from a local physician.
Prior to the positive results on Friday, the Governor has received negative results on all previous tests – including his last two regular COVID tests conducted on Monday, Nov. 2 and Friday, Nov. 6.
The Governor remains in constant contact with his staff and his Cabinet and the work of the Governor’s Office will continue remotely.
The Governor was last in the Carson City office on Thursday, November 12. Any staff members deemed close contacts through the contact tracing process will remain in quarantine for the full period of compliance with CDC guidelines and must receive a negative test result before returning to the office upon completion of their full quarantine period. Those staffers will be working from home and are able to conduct their regular business during this time.
The Governor’s Office has followed all public health and safety protocols including temperature checks, wearing face coverings, social distancing and strict hygiene procedures.
November 17, 2020: Senator Chuck Grassley (Republican – Iowa) posted a statement titled: “Statement from Sen. Grassley on Exposure to COVID-19”. From the statement:
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley today issued the following statement regarding exposure to COVID-19.
“I learned today that I’ve been exposed to the coronavirus. I will follow my doctors’ orders and immediately quarantine as I await my test results. I’m testing well and not currently experiencing any symptoms, but it’s important we follow public health guidelines to keep each other healthy.”
Grassley will continue his business for the people of Iowa virtually at home.
November 17, 2020: CBC News posted an article titled: “Chuck Grassley, second oldest senator, tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Grace Segers. From the article:
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who at 87 is the second oldest member of the Senate, said in a statement that he had been tested positive for the coronavirus. Grassley announced that he had been exposed to someone with the virus earlier on Tuesday.
“This morning, I learned that I had been exposed to the coronavirus. I received a COVID-19 test and immediately began to quarantine. While I still feel fine, the test came back positive for the coronavirus. I am continuing to follow my doctor’s orders and CDC guidelines,” Grassley said. He added that he would continue to work from home, and said his Senate offices would remain open…
In his statement earlier on Tuesday, Grassleysaid he would “immediately quarantine” as he awaited test results…
…Grassley did not get tested for the coronavirus after Senator Mike Lee, a felow member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, tested positive last month…
November 17, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Colorado Democrat Ed Perlmutter tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D) announced Tuesday that he’s tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the latest House lawmaker to be diagnosed with the virus.
Perlmutter said in a statement that he is currently asymptomatic and will isolate in his Washington apartment as he works remotely.
“I’ve been taking precautions like so many other Coloradans over the past eight months. This serves as an important reminder that this virus is highly contageous and should be taken seriously. As we enter the holiday season, I encourage everyone to heed the warnings of no personal gatherings, social distancing and wearing a mask,” he said…
…Perlmutter’s diagnosis comes amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across the country. The Capitol’s attending physician launched a new testing program for members and staff on Monday amid the surge to try to ensure that a building that houses employees who travel between Washington, D.C., and their districts across the country is not ravaged by a related flood of infections.
November 18, 2020: Representative Dan Newhouse (Republican – Washington) tweeted: “I began to feel a little run down yesterday, so I took a COVID-19 test. Last night, the results came back positive for the virus. My symptoms remain mild, and I am following CDC guidelines. I am quarantining and will continue to serve the people of Central Washington from home.”
November 18, 2020: The Hill reported: Newhouse voted on the House floor Monday night with several other lawmakers.
November 20, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Ben Carson says he’s ‘out of the woods’ after being ‘extremely sick’ with COVID-19”. It was written by Tal Axelrod. From the article:
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said Friday that he is feeling better after what appeared to be a serious bout of the coronavirus.
In a Facebook post, Carson, who is a medical doctor, said he believes he is “out of the woods” after being “extremely sick” with the highly infectious virus and that he believes an experimental treatment he took saved his life.
“I was extremely sick and initially took Oleander 4X with dramatic improvement. However, I have several co-morbidities and after a brief period when I only experienced minor discomfort, the symptoms accelerated and I became desperately ill. President Trump was following my condition and cleared me for the monoclonal antibody therapy that he had previously received, which I am convinced saved my life,” he wrote, referring to a treatment that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or a proven COVID-19 therapeutic…
…Carson, 69, first announced earlier this month that he’d tested positive for the coronavirus. It was not immediately clear which monoclonal antibody treatment Carson received or if he received Regeneron’s experimental antibody treatment that Trump received when he had his own battle with the coronavirus…
November 20, 2020: CNN posted an article titled: “Florida Republican senator says he has Covid-19”. It was written by Daniella Diaz. From the article:
Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said in a statement Friday morning he has tested positive with Covid-19, adding to the number of lawmakers in recent days that have tested positive with the virus.
“After several negative tests, I learned I was positive this morning,” he said in a statement. “I am feeling good and experiencing very mild symptoms. I will be working from home in Naples until it is safe for me to return to Washington D.C.”
Scott, who is the chairman of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, had campaigned last week with Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler who are both facing January runoff races for reelection in Georgia. Scott announced last Saturday that he had been possibly exposed to the virus and that he would isolate while awaiting test results…
…This case brings CNN’s tally to 26 House members and nine senators that have so far tested positive or been presumed positive since the start of the pandemic.
The increased number in positive lawmakers from both parties and chambers of Congress coincides with the uptick of cases across the country. The House began offering Covid-19 testing for members this week, eight months after the pandemic began.
November 20, 2020: The Associated Press posted an article titled: “Spokesman: Trump’s eldest son tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jonathan Lemire. From the article:
Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, was quarantining Friday after learning he has been infected with the coronavirus, a spokesperson said.
The younger Trump learned his diagnosis at the beginning of the week and has had no symptoms, said the spokesperson, who was granted anonymity to discuss private medical information.
Trump Jr. is following all medically recommend guidelines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, the spokesperson added.
The 42-year-old is the latest member of the president’s family to become infected with a virus that has killed more than 250,000 Americans and infected nearly 12 million others…
November 20, 2020: Andrew H. Giuliani (son of Rudy Guliani) tweeted: “This morning I tested positive for COVID-19. I am experiencing mild symptoms, and am following all appropriate protocals, including being in quarantine and conducting contact tracing.”
November 20, 2020: Jenna Ellis, Senior Legal Advisor for Trump’s legal team, tweeted: “Mayor @RudyGiuliani and I have both tested negative for COVID-19. The entire legal team will continue to follow the advice and protocols of our doctors.”
November 21, 2020: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Andrew Giuliani, a White House official, tests positive after attending a news conference with his father and other Trump lawyers”. It was written by Maggie Haberman and Katherine J. Wu. From the article:
Andrew Giuliani, a White House official and son of President Trump’s personal lawyer, announced on Twitter on Friday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. He is the latest in a string of administration officials, including Mr. Trump himself, to contract the virus…
…Mr. Giuliani, who is not known to wear a mask at the White House, attended a news conference on Thursday with his father, Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer who is leading efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The news conference was held in a small room packed with dozens of people at the Republican National Committee in Washington. Three other lawyers that the elder Mr. Giuliani called the president’s “elite strike force” team were also at the lectern: Jenna Ellis, Joseph diGenova and Sidney Powell…
…The elder Mr. Giuliani and the younger Mr. Giuliani had spent most of the week together, according to a person familiar with their interactions, blurring the timeline during which the virus could have hopped from one to the other…
…Andrw Giuliani is only the latest case in what one White House official not authorized to speak publicly described on Friday as another outbreak at the complex. There are at least four other people who have tested positive in the recent days in addition to the younger Mr. Giuliani, said the official.
Those test results have come as the small dining room near the West Wing, referred to as the Navy Mess, was reopened this week with limited seating, the official said…
November 21, 2020: Stephen Lawson, a spokesperson for Kelly Loffler’s campaign, tweeted: “My statement on Senator Loeffler’s COVID testing. She has no symptoms and is in good spirits, and appreciates everyone’s well wishes and support.”
The tweet included the statement:
Loeffler Campaign Statement on COVID Testing
Today, Loeffler campaign spokesperson Stephen Lawson issued the following statement:
“Senator Loeffler took two COVID tests on Friday morning. Her rapid test results were negative and she was cleared to attend Friday’s events. She was informed later in the evening after public events on Friday that her PCR test came back positive, but she was retested Saturday morning after conferring with medical officials and those results came back inconclusive on Saturday evening. Senator Loeffler followed CDC guidelines by notifying those with whom she had sustained direct contact while she awaits further test results.
She has no symptoms and she will continue to follow CDC guidelines by quaranting until retesting is conclusive and an update will be provided at that time.”
November 21, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Loeffler isolating after possible COVID-19 infection”. It was written by Jordan Williams. From the article:
Sen. Kelly Loffler (R-Ga.) is self isolating after a possible COVID-19 infection, her campaign said Saturday night.
Stephen Lawson, a spokesperson for her campaign, said in a statement, that Loeffler, took two tets Friday morning, including a rapid test that was negative, and she was cleared to attend two campaign events with Vice President Pence.
After her events, she was told that a polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) came back positive, the spokesman said. The senator was retested onSaturday and the results were “inconclusive,” Lawson said…
…Loeffler is facing reelection against Democratic challenger Rev. Raphael Warnock in a runoff on Jun. 5. The race is one of two that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.
Recently, she’s held joint events with Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), who is facing his own critical runoff against Jon Ossoff (D), and campaigned with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). He campaign events have drawn large crowds where not many people wear masks and socially distance, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.
November 22, 2020: California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat – California) tweeted: “Late Friday evening, @JenSeibelNewsom and I learned that 3 of our children had been exposed to an officer from the California Highway Patrol who had tested positive for COVID-19”. This is the start of a short thread.
November 22, 2020: California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat – California) tweeted: “Jen and I had no direct interaction with the officer and wish them a speedy recovery. Thankfully, the entire family tested negative today. However, consistent with local guidance, we will be quarantining for 14 days.”
November 22, 2020: California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat – California) tweeted: “We are grateful for all the officers that keep our family safe and for every frontline worker who continues to go to work during this pandemic.” This is the end of the thread.
November 25, 2020: Congresswoman Susie Lee (Democrat – Nevada) tweeted: “My statement on my mothers’ passing and my COVID-19 positivity”.
The tweet included a screenshot of her statement, titled; “Rep. Lee Statement on Mother’s Passing, Congresswoman’s COVID-19 Positivity”. From the statement:
U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-03) released the following statement on the passing of her mother, Joan Kelley, and on the Congresswoman’s positive COVID-19 test result:
“It is difficult for me to write this tonight, but I am heartbroken to share the news that my mother passed away yesterday evening after months of deteriorating health. This has been an extremely difficult couple of days for my family. I’m going to share more in the coming days about my mom and the pivotal role she played in shaping my life and the lives of my siblings.
“I traveled to Ohio on Monday because my mother had begun to recieve in-home hospice care. I took precautions to maintain social distance and wear a mask, and out of an abundance of caution, took a COVID-19 test before arriving in Ohio and again today. While I tested negative as recently as Sunday, I unfortunately tested positive today for COVID-19. I am curently asymptomatic and plan to participate in remote memorial services for my mother over the weekend. Starting next week, I will continue my congressional work remotely while isolating until I know it is safe to exit isolation.”
November 25, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “USAID administrator tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Justine Coleman. From the article:
John Barsa, the acting administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), tested positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday.
Acting USAID spokesperson Pooja Jhunjhunwala told The Hill in a statement that Barsa tested positive on Wednesday for the coronavirus after a rapid diagnostic test.
“The Acting Deputy Administrator has been isolating since he began exhibiting symptoms late Monday, November 23, and will continue to until a retest is conclusive,” Jhunjhunwala said.
Barsa reportedly informed senior staff on Wednesday of his positive test, two sources familiar with the call told Axios. Staffers told the news outlet that Barsa rarely wears a mask in their office…
…The acting USAID administrator was scheduled to travel to Honduras this weekend after the country was hit by Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota, but administrators told Axios they believe the trip will be canceled after the test results…
November 25, 2020: CBS News posted an article titled: “Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Jordan Freiman. From the article:
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Wednesday.
“Governor Mark Gordon received results today of a COVID-19 test that showed he is positive for the virus,” the governor’s office said in a statement. “He has only minor symptoms at this time and plans to continue working on behalf of Wyoming remotely.”
Last Thursday, Gordon, a Republican, announced new restrictions in the state as COVID-19 infection rates surged there and throughout the country. Indoor gatherings are limited to 25% capacity with social distancing while outdoor gatherings are capped at 50% capacity with social distancing. No mask mandate was announced.
The state has reported over 26,000 confirmed cases and 215 deaths, according to the Wyoming Department of Health…
November 25, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat – Colorado) tweeted: “This evening, I learned that I was exposed to an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. I took a test tonight and tested negative but will begin quarantine, per CDC and CDPHE guidance.”
The tweet included an image of a statement from Governor Jared Polis. It provided information that was similar to what was in the tweet.
November 28, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) tweeted: “This evening I learned that First Gentleman Marlon Reis and I have tested positive for COVID-19. We are both asymptomatic, feeling well, and will continue to isolate at home.”
The tweet included a screenshot of a statement:
This evening, Governor Polis and First Gentleman Reis learned that they have tested positive for COVID-19. They are both asymptomatic, feeling well, and will continue to isolate in their home.
“Marlon andI are feeling well so far, and are in good spirits. No person or family is immune to this virus. I urge every Coloradan to practice caution, limit public interactions, wear a mask in public, stay six feet from others, and wash your hands regularly,” said Governor Polis.
The Governor will continue to be closely monitored. Gov. Polis will continue to fulfill his duties and responsibilities and continue to work remotely…
December 6, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) tweeted: “Tonight, First Gentleman Marlon Reis started experiencing slightly worsening cough and shortness of breath. I took him to the hospital for review and treatment”.
The tweet included a screenshot of a statement:
Over the last 24 hours, First Gentleman Marlon Reis started to experience a slightly worsening cough and shortness of breath on day eight after being diagnosed with COVID.
As a precaution, the First Gentleman has been transported to the hospital for review and treatment. Governor Polis is not experiencing any additional symptoms at this time.
The Governor drove the First Gentleman in his personal vehicle to the hospital. We will continue to update the general public as new information is available.
December 6, 2020: President Donald Trump tweeted: “.@RudyGiuliani, by far the greatest mayor in the history of NYC, and who has been working tirelessly exposing the most corrupt election (by far!) in the history of the USA, has tested positive for the China Virus. Get better soon, Rudy, we will carry on!!!”
December 6, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Rudy Giuliani has coronavirus, Donald Trump says”. It was written by Amanda Holpuch. From the article:
Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, has tested positive for COVID-19, the president tweeted on Sunday.
Giuliani, 76 and a former mayor of New York City, has been leading Trump’s attempt to overturn his election defeat by Joe Biden, through lawsuits in battleground states.
Trump did not specify when Giuliani tested positive or if he was experiencing symptoms. Giuliani did not immediately comment. Citing an anonymous source, the New York Times reported that Giuliani was being treated at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington DC…
…Hours before Trump made the announcement, Giuliani was interviewed on Fox News. He appeared in good spirits while sharing baseless claims of election fraud during the 10-minute interview.
Though Giuliani is a high risk of complications from the virus because of his age, he has been traveling frequently in the aftermath of the election, often appearing in public without a mask.
Last week, he appeared maskless before state lawmakers in Michigan, to challenge votes in the state. On Thursday, he spoke at the Georgia capitol building in a crowded legislative session, again without a mask…
…Giuliani has repeatedly been exposed to be others who tested positive including after his son, Andrew…
…As Christmas approaches, the White House is hosting a string of holiday parties featuring large crowds indoors. Photos from a party on Tuesday showed people without masks engaging in the festivities…
December 6, 2020: AZCentral posted an article titled: “Arizona Legislature shuts down after Rudy Guiliani possibly exposed lawmakers to COVID-19”. From the article:
The Arizona Legislature will close for a week “out of an abundance of caution” after Rudy Giuiliani, Donald Trump’s personal attorney, possibly exposed several Republican lawmakers to COVID-19.
The president announced Giuliani had tested positive for the virus Sunday, less than a week after the former New York City mayor visited Arizona as part of a multistate tour aimed at contesting 2020 election results. He was later admitted to Georgetown University Medical Center.
Giuliani spent more than 10 hours discussing election concerns with Arizona Republicans – including two members of Congress and at least 10 current and future state lawmakers – at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix last Monday. The 76-year-old led the meeting maskless, flouting social distancing guidelines and posing for photos.
He also met privately with Republican lawmakers and legislative leadership the next day, according to lawmakers’ social media posts….
…U.S. Reps. Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs attended Giuliani’s Phoenix meeting, sitting behind Giuliani. State lawmakers Mark Finchem, Bret Roberts, Nancy Barto, Leo Biasiucci, David Cook, Kelly Townsend, David Gowan, Sonny Borrelli and Sylvia Allen sat together on a panel at the front of the room. A handful of other GOP legislators were in the audience.
They spend hours listening to Giuliani question multiple “witnesses” – who were not placed under oath – about how elections can be infiltrated and why they thought Arizona’s election results may have been compromised.
Some GOP lawmakers scheduled to take office next month, such as Representative-elect Judy Burges and Senator-elect Wendy Rogers, were in the audience. Attendees were spread out, but a photo posted by the Arizona Republican Party showed many participants, including Giuliani and Trump legal adviser Jenna Ellis, posing close together for a group photo.
On Tuesday, Giuliani met with more Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Rusty Bowers, House Majority Leader Warren Peteren, Senate President Karen Fann, Senate Majority Leader Rick Gray and Sens. Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Vince Leach, according to Leach and Peterson…
December 6, 2020: Rudy W. Giuliani tweeted: “Thank you to all my friends and followers for all the prayers and kind wishes. I’m getting great care and feeling good. Recovering quickly and keeping up with everything.”
December 7, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) tweeted: “Update on First Gentleman Marlon Reis: He is in good spirits and looks forward to returning home soon. Marlon and I appreciate all your kind words and support.”
The tweet included a screenshot of the following statement:
First Gentleman Marlon Reis was diagnosed with COVID-19 nine days ago and last evening he was admitted to the hospital following shortness of breath and a worsening cough.
The First Gentleman and Governor appreciate all of the kind words and support they have received during this time and continue to urge all Coloradans to do their part to slow the spread of this virus. That means wearing a mask in public, staying six feet from others, avoiding large gatherings, and washing your hands regularly.
The First Gentleman has normal oxygen saturation, is in good spirits, and looks forward to returning home soon. He has received dexamethasone for inflammation and remdesivir and has not required oxygen. Governor Polis is not experiencing any symptoms at this time and will return to public as soon as doctors clear him to be around others. We will continue to provide updates as new information is available.
December 7, 2020: CNBC posted an article titled: “Michigan, Arizona legislatures postpone work due to Covid diagnosis for Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani”. It was written by Dan Mangan. From the article:
The legislatures of Arizona and Michigan said that they would postpone work as a result of a positive coronavirus test for President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who appeared without a mask at information sessions hosted by Republican lawmakers from both states in the past week.
Arizona’s Senate and House on Sunday are closing for a week “out of an abundance of caution for recent cases and concerns relating to covid-19,” according to a letter sent to lawmakers.
In Michigan, state Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield said the House would be in session on Tuesday, “but no voting will take place and attendance will not be taken.”
“Multiple representatives have requested time to receive results from recent COVID-19 tests before returning to session, out of an abundance of caution,” Chatfield said in a statement.
The moves came in reaction to Trump’s announcement Sunday on Twitter that Giuliani, who had been leading the president’s last-ditch, long-shot efforts to reverse Joe Biden’s win in the presidential race, had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The former New York City mayor and top federal prosecutor on Monday was at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., with mild symptoms, according to a source who spoke to NBC News…
…In a statement issued Sunday night, the Trump campaign said, “Mayor Giuliani tested negative twice immediately preceding his trip to Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia.”
“The Mayor did not experience any symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 until more than 48 hours after his return,” the campaign said. No legislators in any state or members of the press are on the contact tracing list, under current CDC Guidelines.”
“Other team members who are defined as having had close contact will be following their physicians’ directives and CDC guidelines on self-isolation and testing.”…
December 7, 2020: El Paso Times posted an article titled: “Lilian Blancas, election runoff candidate for El Paso municipal court, dies from COVID-19”. It was written by Aaron Martinez. From the article:
El Paso County Magistrate Judge Lillian Blancas, who was in a runoff for the El Paso Municipal Court 4 judicial seat, died Monday from COVID-19.
Blancas, 47, had been in the hospital since Nov. 9, according to family friends. This was her second time in the hospital because of COVID-19…
…Blancas finished first in the Nov. 3 election with about 40% of the vote, ahead of associate judge and private defense attorney Enrique Holguin…
…The runoff was triggered because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote…
If Blancas wins the runoff election, the El Paso City Council will vote to appoint a candidate, according to Deputy City Clerk John Glendon.
December 8, 2020: Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) tweeted: “First Gentleman Marlon Reis is back home from the hospital. Marlon and I are so thankful for the doctors, nurses, and staff who took care of him while he was there.”
The tweet included a screenshot of a statement:
First Gentleman Marlon Reis was diagnosed with COVID-19 ten days ago, and was admitted to the hospital for treatment this weekend and today he has been successfully discharged and returned home.
“I am so thankful to the doctors, nurses, and staff and for the support and well wishes we have received from friends and neighbors, and Coloradans during this time,” said First Gentleman Reis. “I hold everyone who has been affected by this deadly virus in my heart. Jared and I continue to encourage our fellow Coloradans to remain vigilant, wear masks, stay six feet apart, avoid gatherings, and wash your hands regularly.”
The First Gentleman is feeling well and his doctor advised him to take the steroids for two more days. The First Gentleman was treated at UCHealth at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Governor drove him home this morning. Governor Polis continues to not experience any symptoms and will return to public activities as soon as doctors clear him to be around others.
December 8, 2020: Axios posted an article titled: “Scoop: West Wing fears COVID spread after Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis attends WH party”. It was written by Jonathan Swan. From the article:
President Trump’s lawyer Jenna Ellis has informed associates she tested positive for the coronavirus, multiple sources tell Axios, stirring West Wing fears after she attended a senior staff Christmas party on Friday….
…The revelation follows Sunday’s news that Ellis’ legal sidekick Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized after testing positive…
…Ellis showed up to the White House senior staff party in the East Wing on Friday as the guest of Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro and was not seen wearing a mask, according to sources who attended the event…
December 8, 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Rudy Giuliani expects to leave hospital soon following Covid-19 diagnosis”. From the article:
Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday said he is feeling better after contracting Covid-19 and expects to leave the hospital on Wednesday.
The 76-year old former New York City mayor, who is spearheading Trump’s flagging effort to overturn the Republican president’s election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, said he began to feel unusually tired on Friday.
By Sunday, when his diagnosis was announced, Giuilani said he was showing other “mild symptoms” but that currently he has no fever and only a small cough.
“I think they are going to let me out tomorrow morning,” Giuliani said in an interview with WABC Radio in New York. He was at Georgetown University hospital in Washington, two sources familiar with the situation said on Sunday.
Giuilani plans to attend a virtual hearing this week with Georgia lawmakers, one of the sources said on Tuesday…
…In Georgia, state lawmakers are due to hold a virtual meeting on Thursday to discuss election issues, after a hearing last week in which Giuliani urged the lawmakers to intervene to overturn Biden’s victory in the state. Giuliani made similar pleas last week in Michigan and Arizona….
…In his radio interview, Giuliani said he had tested negative just before his trip to the three states.
He also confirmed that Jenna Ellis, an attorney with whom he has worked side-by-side on Trump’s legal challenges, also had contracted the coronavirus.
December 8, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Giuliani from hospital calls COVID-19 ‘a curable disease'”. It was written by John Bowden. From the article:
President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani said Tuesday from his hospital bed that COVID-19, which has infected more than 12 million Americans and killed more than a quarter million, was a “curable” disease.
Giuliani, who was taken to the hosptial two days ago following his COVID-19 diagnosis, called in to his daily radio program on 77 WABC in New York to lament that restrictiosn around the country meant to control the spread of the deadly disease were “destroying American business,” according to The Associated Press.
“This is a curable disease at this point,” Giuliani said…
…”I’d rather stay at risk than live in a basement all my life,” Giuliani added, an apparent reference to criticsm of President-elect Joe Biden by President Trump for holding campaign events and meetings from his home earlier this year while many states instituted bans on large public gatherings…
December 9, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf tests positive for COVID-19”. It was written by Jessie Hellmann. From the article:
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) has tested positive for COVID-19 but says that he is currently experiencing no symptoms.
Wolf said in a statement that he tested positive Tuesday after a “routine” test.
“I am continuing to serve the commonwealth and performing all of my duties remotely, as many are doing during the pandemic.” he said.
“As this virus rages, my positive test is a reminder that no on is immune from COVID, that following all precautions as I have done is not a guarantee, but it is what we know to be vital to stopping the spread of the disease and so I ask all Pennsylvanians to wear a mask, stay home as much as possible, social distance yourself from those not in your household, and, most of all, take care of each other and stay safe.”
His wife Frances Wolf is awaiting the results of her test, and both he and his wife will quarantine at home…
December 30, 2020: The Hill posted an article titled: “Friends and colleagues mourn loss of Louisiana Rep.-elect Luke Letlow”. It was written by Juliegrace Brufke. From the article:
Lawmakers and senior staffers are mourning the loss of Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.), who died of complications from COVID-19 on Tuesday.
The 41-year-old Louisian Republican was slated to succeed retiring Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-La.), whom he previously served as chief of staff.
Letlow’s colleagues and friends described him as a loving father to his two young children and husband to his wife, Julua, and as somene who was committed to serving his community…
…Letlow’s death has led some Democrats pointing to the need to practice social distancing and wear masks…
…But Letlow’s campaign chairman and friend Scott Franklin told Business Insider that Letlow took precautions on the campaign trail during the pandemic.”…
Letlow was first admitted to St. Francis Medical Center due to complications from the coronavirus on Dec. 19 before being transferred to the Ochsner LSU Health ICU on December 23. He suffered a heart attack following a procedure related to the virus…
December 31, 2020: U.S. Candidate for Senate David Perdue (Republican – Georgia) tweeted: “Statement from our campaign:””. The tweet included a screenshot of the statement:
“This morning, Senator Perdue was notified that he came in close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for COVID-19. Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but following his doctor’s recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, they will quarantine. The Senator and his wife have been tested regularly throughout the campaign, and the team will continue to follow CDC guidelines. Further information will be provided when available.”
December 31 2020: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Republican senator David Perdue to quarantine after Covid-19 exposure”. It was written by Lauren Gambino. From the article:
The Republican senator David Perdue of Georgia will quarantine after being exposed to someone infected with Covid-19, taking him off the campaign trail just days before a fiercely-contested runoff election to keep his seat.
The senator was notified on Thursday that he had come into “close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for Covid-19”, according to a statement released by his campaign.
“Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but following his doctor’s recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, they will quarantine,” the statement said.
The campaign did not specify how long the senator planned to quarantine. Donald Trump is expected to hold a rally in support of the Republican candidates in Georgia on Monday, the eve of the runoff elections that will determine control of the Senate.
Perdue is being challenged by Jon Ossoff while the senator Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed to her seat last December, faces Raphael Warnock. Neither Perdue or Loeffler cleared the 50% threshold required to win their seats outright, triggering the runoffs on 5 January…
December 31, 2020: NBC News posted an article titled: “New York restaurant loses liquor license after ‘Covid conga line’ party”. It was written by David K. Li and Ali Gostanian. From the article:
New York state authorities yanked the liquor license of a restaurant that played host to a “Covid conga line” and might have led to at least one infection, officials said Tuesday…
…The Whitestone Republican Club threw its Christmas bash at Il Bacco on Northern Boulevard in the borough of Queens, and the group danced the night away without masks.
In widely circulated video footage, nearly a dozen revelers – none of whom were wearing a mask – could be seen dancing and singing to the Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing.” The head of the conga line appeared to be holding a flag in support of President Donald Trump.
“After video surfaced of a potential superspreader holiday party at Il Bacco with maskless dancing, the SLA immediately launched an investigation,” the State Liquor Authority said in a statement.
“During a follow-up inspection, investigators found flagrant violations of indoor dining regulations and existing health safety and Alcoholic Beverage Control laws, while verifying the maskless party depicted in the video did in fact occur.”
At least one guest at that party has tested positive for coronavirus, the Whitestone Republican Club said Thursday…
January 1, 2021: The Ronaoke Times posted an article titled: “State Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, dies from complications of COVID-19”. It was written by Amy Freidenberger. From the article:
State Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, died Friday from complications related to COVID-19, according to his legislative office.
Gov. Ralph Northam and the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus confirmed Chafin died Friday night. He represented a swath of far Southwest Virginia, including part of the New River Valley. He was 60…
…While several other Virginia lawmakers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since March, Chafin is the first to die from complications related to the coronavirus…
…Chafin, an attorney who lived in Lebanon in far Southwest Virginia, and his family keept the information about the senator’s diagnosis private for weeks.
Lawmakers and people in political circles heard about Chafin having the disease caused by the novel coronavirus in mid-December when he was hospitalized at VCU Medical Center in Richmond. His office did not responde to repeated requests from The Roanoke Times in December for information about his health.
Towards the end of December, a member of his church posted in a Facebook group that he was “suffering from complications due to COVID-19” and that his family was asking for prayers…
January 1, 2021: The Hill posted an article titled: “Giuliani, Trump Jr. among guests at Mar-a-Lago New Year’s party ditched by Trump: report”. It was written by Zack Budryk. From the article:
President Trump’s two adult sons and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani were reportedly among the guests at a New Year’s Eve party at the president’s Mar-a-Lago club, which the president himself did not attend despite previously planning to do so.
The president returned to Washington from Florida early with no official explanation, but his Thursday arrival came days before Congress is set to certify the results of the Electoral College vote amid the president’s repeated attempts to overturn its results.
Without the president, the highest-profile attendees included Giuliani and Trump’s sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, as well as Fox News host Jeanine Pirro and performers Berlin and Vanilla Ice, CNN reported Friday. The latter’s name trended on Twitter after a clip of his performance surfaced.
A person familiar with preparations told CNN that numerous bookings were made when the buyers believed the president would be at the party, with some performers reluctant to commit to attending without knowing whether he would be there.
Trump, who forewent his usual Thanksgiving visit to the club, was expected to ring in the new year in Florida as late as Wednesday before it became clear that evening that he and first lady Melania Trump would leave for Washington.
The club set tables for 10 people with no social distancing measures, according to the network, and few party attendees wore masks.
January 4, 2021: The Texas Tribune posted an article titled: “Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger tests positive for coronavirus”. It was written by Alex Samuels. From the article:
U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, a high ranking member of Texas’ congressional delegation, has tested positive for the coronavirus, her office announced Monday afternoon.
Granger, who was on the U.S. House floor during swearing-in proceedings in Congress on Sunday, is a ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee.
Granger tested positive for the respiratory disease after arriving in Washington D.C. and is “asymptomatic and feeling great,” her office said in a statement. Granger said she will remain under the care of her doctor and has been quarantining…
January 5, 2021: Representative Kevin Brady (Republican – Texas) tweeted: “Tonite the Office of House Physician informed me that I’ve tested positive for Covid 19 & am quarantined. As recommended, I received a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Dec 18 & also recently tested negative for Covid on New Years Day. Begin treatment tomorrow. Shld be fine “
January 5, 2021: Reuters posted an article titled: “U.S. House Republican Kevin Brady tests positive for COVID-19”. From the article:
U.S. Representative Kevin Brady, the top Republican on the House of Representatives tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, said on Tuesday that he had tested positive for coronavirus weeks after receiving a first dose of the Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccine…
…Experts say a second dose of the vaccine is needed to ramp up protection against the virus…
January 6, 2021: Representative Jake LaTurner (Republican – Kansas) tweeted: “Late Wednesday evening, Congressman Jake LaTurner received a positive test result for COVID-19. Congresman LaTurner took the test as part of Washington DC’s travel guidelines that require visitors be tested. He is not experiencing any symptoms at this time.” This tweet is the start of a short thread.
January 6, 2021: Representative Jake LaTurner (Republican – Kansas) tweeted: “Congressman LaTurner is following the advice of the House physician and CDC guidelines and, therefore, does not plan to return to the House flor for votes until he is cleared to do so.” This tweet is the end of the thread.
January 8, 2021: Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democrat – Delaware) tweeted: “While I was disappointed in my colleagues who refused to wear a mask, I was encouraged by those who did. My goal, in the midst of what I feared was a super spreader event, was to make the room at least a little safer.”
January 11, 2021: Representative Pramila Jayapal (Democrat – Washington) tweeted: “I just recieved a positive COVID-19 test result after being locked down in a secured room at the Capitol where several Republicans no only cruely refused to wear a mask but recklessly mocked colleagues and staff who offered them one.”
The tweet included a link to Representative Jayapal’s statement on her website:
United States Representative Pramily Jayapal (WA-07) recieved a positive COVID-19 test result tonight after being locked down in a secure room at the U.S. Capitol where numerous Republican lawmakers recklessly refused to wear masks in the moments after the January 6 attack. Dr. Brian Monahan, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress, advised representatives and Congressional staff on Sunday that those in the secured room could have, “been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection”. The duration in the room was multiple hours and several Republicans not only cruelly refused to wear a mask but mocked colleagues and staff who offered them one.
“Too many Republicans have refused to take this pandemic and virus seriously, and in doing so, they endanger everyone around them. Only hours after President Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, our country, and our democracy, many Republicans still refused to take the bare minimum COVID-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic — creating a superspreader event on top of a domestic terrorist attack,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “While I am isolating per the Capitol Physician’s instructions, I will continue to work to the best of my ability because the deep urgency of our many crises is paramount. I share the outrage and anger of my constituents and those across this country who have watched Donald Trump fail to combat this raging pandemic and refuse to take care of Americans who are suffering, dying, and devastated. Now, we have also watched him openly fuel and incite these insurrectionists who attacked the Capitol and our democracy on January 6—so I will not rest until I do everything in my power to remove this President from office.”
“I am also calling for serious fines to be immediately levied on every single Member who refuses to wear a mask in the Capitol,” Jayapal continued. “Additionally, any Member who refuses to wear a mask should be immediately removed from the floor by the Sergeant at Arms. This is not a joke. Our lives and our livelihoods are at risk, and anyone who refuses to wear a mask should be fully held accountable for endangering our lives because of their selfish idiocy.”
Jayapal began quarantining immediately after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, fearing and foreseeing exactly what would occur given the number of maskless lawmakers sitting in the same room as her and her colleagues. In an interview with The Cut on Thursday, she said, “I’m quarantining now because I am convinced that where we ended up, in the secured room — where there were over 100 people and many were Republicans not wearing masks — was a superspreader event.”
January 11, 2021: Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democrat – New Jersey) posted a press remease on her website titled: “WatsonColeman Recieves Positive Coronavirus Test Following January 6 Capitol Lockdown”. From the press release:
Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson (NJ-12) received a rapid antigen test result for COVID-19. She believes she was exposed during protective isolation in the U.S. Capitol building as a result of insurrectionist riots. As reported by multiple news outlets, a number of members within the space ignored instructions to wear masks.
“I received a positive test result for COVID-19, and am home resting at this time. While I am experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms, I remain in good spirits and will continue to work on behalf of my constituents.”
Watson Coleman is isolating and awaiting the results of PCR testing: she previously received the first dose of the Pifzer/BioNTech COVID19 vaccine, which has been made available to members of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Executive Branch agencies for the purposes of continuity of goverment operations.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Unfortunately, I received a positve COVID-19 test this morning following being tested yesterday on the advice of the House Attending Physician”. This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Last Wednesday, after narrowly escaping a violent mob incited by the President of the United States to attack the Capitol and its occupants, I was forced to spend several hours in a secure but confined location with dozens of other Members of Congress.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Several Republican lawmakers in the room adamantly refused to wear a mask, as demonstrated in the video from Punchbowl News, even when politely asked by their colleagues”.
The tweet included a link to that video.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Today, I am now in strict isolation, worried that I have risked my wife’s health and angry at the selfishness and arrogance of the anti-maskers who put their own contempt and disregard for decency ahead of the health and safety of their colleagues and our staff.
January 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “I am at least the third Member from that room paying the price, including Rep. Pramala Jayapal and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a 75-year-old cancer survivor”.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Wearing a mask is not a political statement, it is public health guidance, common courtesy, and simply what should be expected of all decent people.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “We can no longer tolerate Members coming to the floor or gathering in the halls of Congress without doing the bare minimum to protect those around them.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Those that flout public health guidance should be sanctioned and immediately removed from the House floor by the Sergeant at Arms for their reckless endangerment of their colleagues.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Thankfully, I have not yet experienced symptoms and am in the care of capable physicians”.
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “Since driving home to Deerfield from Washington, I have remained isolated as much as possible from my wife in our house and have not experienced other close contacts since my exposure on Wednesday.”
January 12, 2021: Representative Brad Schneider (Democrat – Illinois) tweeted: “This week, the House is doing critical work to protect our national security, our democracy, and our Constitution, moving to remove the President from office after he incited this angry mob of domestic terrorists. I regret that I must make these votes by proxy.” This tweet is the end of the thread.
January 12, 2021: Vox posted an article titled: “Lawmakers are testing positive for Covid-19 after the Capitol lockdown”. It was written by Sean Collins. From the article:
A growing number of lawmakers have tested positive for the coronavirus since Trump supporters staged an insurrection on January 6 at the US Capitol. Currently, at least five lawmakers have said they are infected…
…All are self-isolating following their results. LaTurner said he is asymptomatic, while Fleischmann on Suday said, “I currently feel okay.” Watson Coleman’s office said she is “experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms.” Jayapal did not share whether she is experiencing symptoms in her announcement of her test results. And as of Tuesday, Schneider said, “I have not yet experienced symptoms.”
These positive test are a reminder of the importance of taking preventative action to guard against the coronavirus, and mask-wearing alone in crowded, indoor spaces with limited airflow isn’t enough to prevent transmission – particularly if others who may be contagious refuse to wear masks. Research has suggested that mask-wearing by all parties in a given encounter could reduce the risk of spread by nearly 80 percent.
LaTurner tested positive the evening of the storming of the Capitol, suggesting he was infected prior to the insurrection; Fleischmann announced his results Sunday. Watson Coleman’s results came Monday, while Jayapal and Schneider recieved theirs Tuesday. Fleischmann and all three Democrats discovered they’d been infected days after being sequestered with other lawmakers and Hill staffers in a crowded safe rom amid the attack.
As Punchbowl News reported many Republican lawmakers in the safe room – including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Green, Andy Biggs, Scott Perry, Michael Cloud, and Markwayne Mullin – refused to wear masks despite the crowded conditions, even when Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester offered them…
January 12, 2021: BuzzFeed News posted an article titled: “Three Democrats Now Have COVID-19 After Republicans Refused To Wear Masks During The Capitol Attack”. It was written by Salvador Hernandez. From the article:
…Among the members of Congress who were seen wearing no masks and refusing one when offered were Mullin and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Greene is a new member of Congress who has openly supported and spread lies of the mass delusion QAnon and reportedly refused to wear a mask earlier this month on the floor of the House. She later did don a mask that read “Trump won,” propelling the lie that President Donald Trump won the election.
Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas, and Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California were also seen in the video without masks…
THIS BLOG POST WILL BE UPDATED WHEN MORE INFORMATION IS FOUND.
This is How it Spreads is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
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July 7, 2020image by vonpics on Pixabay
My neighbor who loudly and frequently builds stuff, has wheeled a kayak holder to the back of his pickup. I’m fairly certain he built the holder himself. A familiar rattling and squealing noise was my first clue that the kayaks were coming out.
Of course, I decided to look out the window to see what was happening.
Neighbor puts his two kayaks into the back of his red pickup truck. One falls out, squeaking its way to the ground. Neighbor stands and stares at it, momentarily dumbfounded.
He picks up the escaping yellow kayak and places inside the back of his red pickup, next to the blue kayak that was already in there. They are side by side now, and filling up the entire back of the truck.
Neighbor attempts to shut the tail gate on the back of the pickup. The blue kayak is too long for the truck, and it is sticking out past the end of it.
Neighbor cannot close the the tail gate.
He fiddles with the kayaks for a while, and eventually realizes there is no possible way to make the blue kayak fit inside the bed of the pickup truck. He leaves the tail gate open, and begins an attempt to find some way to secure the kayaks.
I predict that both kayaks will fly out of the pickup bed when the truck reached speed.
Neighbor walks away for a moment. When he returns, he stacks the yellow kayak on top of the blue one. A small, square, red flag-like piece of fabric has been attacked to the end of the blue kayak.
Next, he begins filling up the rest of the truck bed with all manner of things. Some folding chairs go in, along with a small cooler, possibly some fishing gear, and what might be a small grill.
This pickup truck, unlike some others, lacks the part that looks something like a net. It is the part that stretches across the end of the truck bed, just before the spot where the tail gate is supposed to close.
All of the things he put into the truck bed are going to fall right out the back – which he cannot close due to the length of the blue kayak.
A fishing pole is now leaning against the back of the pickup truck. It is tall. No idea how he’s gonna fit that in the truck bed.
It looks like he is planning on spending Memorial Day at one of the nearby bodies of water. In the past, what he is currently attempting would be a perfectly normal thing to do on a three day weekend.
But, this is 2020, and COVID-19 is still out there. There is no vaccine, and the virus doesn’t take vacations.
My neighbor is outside a lot, but never wears a mask of any kind. I figure he’s not gonna social distance at whatever body of water he is about to drive to.
And he just coughed a very dry cough.
Parks in my county are open with restrictions. Social distancing is required. No group gatherings are allowed. It is ok to have a picnic or BBQ with household members, only. I think masks are strongly suggested, but no one seems to be enforcing that.
I figure I’m gonna see this neighbor on one of those videos where a bunch of idiots get in the water in big groups, without masks or social distancing, sometime later tonight.
Neighbor has decided to bend the tall fishing pole into the opening of the blue kayak (the one that has a red flag hanging from it). That cannot possibly be good for the fishing pole. Neighbor has curved the pole into the shape of a letter U.
The kayaks are still not secured. Neither is anything else that he has placed into the truck bed.
Neighbor takes a moment to get a cloth and wipe off the condensation that has collected on the side mirrors of his red pickup truck.
When finished, he stows the cloth inside the truck somewhere. Then, he stands next to the pickup bed, intently staring at it, trying to solve the puzzle of his own making.
Suddenly, he pounces! Neighbor is now making a half-assed attempt to secure all the non-kayak objects that are in the back of the pickup. He seems to have realized that there is a good chance that some of this stuff will fall out after he starts driving to his destination.
Neighbor places some of the stuff into the back of the truck, behind the driver’s seat. The cooler gets securely stowed.
Next, he unbends the U shaped fishing pole as he slides it out of the kayak. Neighbor tries to find a way to get the fishing pole into the back seat of the truck. He turns it this way… he turns it that way. He even tries bending it into a somewhat larger U shape.
The fishing pole ends up right back inside the blue kayak.
He takes another moment to stare at the back of the truck again, pondering his options.
It ain’t gonna work!
Two white plastic bags, of the kind you get from a grocery store, have been added to the truck bed. The bags have taken on that round shape that indicates they have been filled with something.
Neighbor takes a minute to try and determine whether the bags should have their handles propped up, or if it is better to shove the handles inside the now rounded part of the bags.
I think the bags will be equally aerodynamic no matter what way the handles are placed. I expect the bags, and whatever they are holding, to be the first to fly out when he starts driving.
The neighbor now appears to be having some second thoughts. It is as though he has acknowledged to himself that being unable to close the tail gate could perhaps be a problem.
I imagine him picturing the contents of the truck bed slowly floating out and away as he drives, like white dandelion seeds catching the wind when the summer is over. Unlike the fluffy seeds, these objects are very likely to cause destruction.
Neighbor walks away once more, and returns with what looks like an elastic rope of some kind. Neighbor begins attaching it to end of the truck bed, where the tail gate hangs open.
The elastic rope stretches across the truck bed in a skinny, straight, line. It goes across the tip of end of the blue kayak, which is hanging several inches out of the truck bed. Neighbor fiddles with the red flag he attached to the blue kayak.
It ain’t gonna work.
The elastic string is not securing the yellow kayak that has been placed on top of the blue one. Not at all. The string won’t help if the blue kayak below the yellow one falls out of the back of the pickup.
Neighbor just pulled out a bright orange, thick, string. Or is it a cable? He stretches this across the open tail gate, and it reaches… right over the top of the blue kayak. He has now unsuccessfully secured both of his kayaks.
The woman who lives next door, and who I hardly ever see, walks out the door of the house and gets into passenger seat of the pick up. Her hair is wet, and she might be still in the process of waking up.
Neighbor woman gets out of the pick up. She returns with her adorable pug dog, whom I love. The dog makes the cutest “wuf wuf” sounds when it thinks that there might be a human on the other side of the tall fence his owner built and installed shortly after moving in.
The pug dog is on a leash that is connected to the halter that the dog is wearing. Neighbor woman picks up the pug, and it happily gets itself into the back seat of the pickup.
The pug dog is more secured than anything that is in the truck bed.
The neighbor gets into the pickup and slowly, very slowly, drives down the alleyway a little bit. He stops. He wipes the condensation of the side mirrors once again.
Neighbor climbs into the pick up bed and starts moving around some of the items. The two folding chairs that were in the truck bed are removed and placed into the back seat of the truck. The pug dog is likely back there somewhere, and I hope he has enough room to be comfy on this poorly planned road trip.
And.. they’re off!
I watch as the neighbor drives extremely slowly up the ramp that leads out of the mobile home park and onto the street. The incline is a feature, not a bug, and was put in place when a crew came to repair and replace the roads in the mobile home park a while back.
Neighbor is probably going to have to drive faster than that once he gets onto a highway. I can neither predict exactly what items he will lose on the way, nor how many he will return home with.
I watch as the neighbor’s truck turns onto the road, and drives away. They are on their way to gather with a bunch of other people who won’t wear masks, and who don’t practice social distancing. Whatever body of water they are heading for might become the next COVID-19 hotspot.
I remain inside my home, windows closed and air conditioning on, with every intention of staying put this entire three day weekend.
It Ain’t Gonna Work is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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June 30, 2020Image by LoveYouAll from Pixabay
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people in many ways. For me, the biggest problem wasn’t running out of toilet paper, or losing my job. What I needed, and could not immediately get, was a dental appointment.
In February of 2020, I unexpectedly cracked a permanent cap. I wasn’t eating anything crunchy at the time. It didn’t hurt, because that particular tooth had a root canal done on it several years ago.
Knowing that I had a dentist appointment – for a checkup and cleaning – scheduled in March, I decided to wait. The dental assistant could clean my teeth, and the dentist could take a look at the cracked permanent cap, on the same visit.
About a week before my “check up and cleaning” dental appointment, I started getting what seemed like two of the three symptoms of COVID-19. I called the dentist’s office and explained the situation to the receptionist. We decided that it was best that I NOT go to my March appointment.
The receptionist scheduled me a new appointment – in May.
The symptoms I was experiencing turned out not to be COVID-19. The third one (of the three that were known at the time) never appeared.
Meanwhile, the cracked permanent cap started separating. There was an obvious crack down the center of it that I could see when I looked in the mirror (and moved my head around enough to get some light cast on it).
I was starting to get a bit nervous. Maybe this was more serious than I thought? But, I had a dentist appointment coming up at the beginning of May. I could wait until then.
In the middle of March, my county issued “stay at home” orders, followed by my State doing the same. There was no information on when those orders would be lifted. It all depended on whether or not people followed the order, stayed home, and helped to stop the spread of COVID-19.
On April 30, my dentist’s office sent me an email. They had decided to close “for now”. I wasn’t entirely surprised, because the “stay at home” order included the requirement that only “essential services” stay open. Dentists were not considered to be providing “essential services”, apparently.
Based on the email, it was clear that all scheduled “checkup and cleaning” appointments had been canceled. The dentist’s office would reschedule patients whenever they were allowed to do that again. Those who felt that they were having a “dental emergency” could call the dentist himself (on a separate phone number), and he would determine whether or not it was really an emergency.
The permanent cap I cracked was getting worse. It was now hard to eat on that side of my mouth. Of course, this tooth was a molar, which people need if they want to chew food. To me, it looked like the crack was widening.
Eventually, I called the dentist’s office, and left a message in which I explained the situation. I left it up to the receptionist whether or not what I was experiencing was a dental emergency.
This resulted in a dentist appointment on May 19th My hope was that the dentist would take a quick look at the broken permanent cap, perhaps remove it, and set me up with a temporary cap.
My husband and I took a Lyft to the dentist’s office. Both of us wore masks, and the driver did, too. This was the first time I’d gone outside since March 5th.
The front door of the dentist’s office was closed, which was confusing, because that’s the only entrance we knew about. The receptionist, who was wearing a mask, opened the door and came outside.
She explained that they had closed off the waiting room, and that we could wait in our car until it was time for my appointment. We explained that we don’t have a car. The compromise was to go sit on a nearby bench and wait for the receptionist to appear at the back door and wave me over.
It was very windy outside. I learned that the cloth mask I was wearing functioned quite well at filtering out dust and pollen. To my surprise, my mask was helping me to breathe better than before the pandemic started, when no one here was wearing masks.
I’m going to start wearing masks on days when the pollen is too high for me to safely go outside. So far, this is the one incredibly positive thing I’ve had happen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The receptionist came out the back door of the office and waved at me. She made it clear that my husband could not come inside. I was quickly escorted to one of the three “rooms” in the dentist office.
It took less than a minute for the dentist to take a look at the cracked permanent cap – poke it with a dental tool – and listen to me make an unhappy noise.
He informed me that not only did I crack the permanent cap, but I also had destroyed what was left of the tooth underneath it. I was going to need an extraction, something I was not at all prepared to experience that day. The dentist explained he would not do it today, but would schedule another appointment for it.
“It was such a beautiful cap,” the dentist lamented.
I vaguely remember trying to explain that when I first cracked the cap, I had an appointment scheduled. But, that appointment didn’t happen. It was shocking to realize how much damage I had done to myself.
The dentist said that there was only a tiny percentage of a chance that what happened to me could happen. I was just unlucky.
The dentist prescribed an antibiotic – since I had a gum/tooth infection that I wasn’t even aware of. He also prescribed a painkiller. The receptionist gave me the prescriptions, urged me to start taking the antibiotic right away – tonight. She gave me a new appointment for the extraction, and what I later realized was also for a bone graft.
The receptionist also handed me a paper that itemized the amount of money each part of the upcoming procedures would cost. It was astounding. I’m not good with numbers, but even I could tell that this was going to wipe out all of our savings.
This appointment, however, was free of charge.
As my husband and I waited for another car to pick us up, I explained to him the situation. We needed to go to our regular pharmacy and get the prescriptions.
The driver was wearing a mask, and was very nice. Even with the mask on, it was obvious that I had been through some sort of dental thing. He dropped us off right at the door of the pharmacy.
Everyone in the pharmacy was wearing masks. Everyone seemed to be taking great care to engage in social distancing.
Unfortunately, the pharmacist didn’t have what I needed. He explained that he could give me the antibiotic – they had plenty of it – but they were out of the painkiller I had been prescribed. He suggested we go to a different pharmacy – a different company – who might have the painkiller.
This was disappointing. A second pharmacist joined the conversation, and recommended that we take these prescriptions to the pharmacy downtown (which was the same company as this one). She was certain they had everything I needed.
This time, my husband and I took the bus. The buses were running for free while the “stay at home” order was in place. The purpose was to ensure that people who were working in “essential services” could get to and from work.
The second pharmacy had everything I needed – but couldn’t get it for me immediately. We were told to come back in half an hour or so. This resulted in my husband and I aimlessly wandering around downtown, killing time.
The weather was nice. Most of the people we passed by were wearing masks. Some were in groups of two, with their masks under their chin. They immediately put the masks back in place when they saw other people coming.
We ended up sitting on a bench near a big Catholic church. I was exhausted both physically and mentally. My best guess was that the reason I’d been exceptionally tired lately was due to the infection.
When the pharmacy called, we walked back over to pick it up. The antibiotic cost $2.00. The pain killer cost $1.27. I think we took another bus back home, but am not sure. I was “out of spoons” by then.
As instructed, I took the first antibiotic immediately after I got home (and ate some food). The pain killer would wait until I needed it. The dentist said it was an opioid, and that made me not want to take it. The antibiotic kicked in, and I ended up taking a long nap.
A decision needed be made. My options were to do a bridge – where a fake tooth is connected to two real teeth, or to have a titanium implant placed in my jaw (with a fake tooth on top of it). The dentist suggested the implant was better.
“With a bridge, you have to damage two healthy teeth,” he explained. After my nap, I did some research, and decided I agreed with his assessment. The next day, I called the dentist’s office to let them know I wanted the implant.
The cost for the next appointment was $715. My husband said we had the money for that part of the bill. The rest? Was going to be a struggle.
The first step of the process would begin with an appointment two days from the quick one. I wasn’t especially worried about it because I have a really good dentist and a very high pain tolerance.
The receptionist sent me a text that morning, asking if I could come in fifteen minutes earlier than the time the appointment was scheduled for. My husband and were able to summon an Uber, and I texted back and forth with the receptionist to let her know we were on the way.
At the dentist appointment I was given novocaine. The dentist and I had a conversation about video games as we waited for it to kick in. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that the novocaine had epinephrine in it. It makes me shake.
The dentist said the “cure” for this problem was to have something with sugar in it. The sugar stops the shaking. He left and returned with a sealed bottle of juice. The first two ingredients, I could tolerate. The third one was something I was allergic to, and I handed the bottle back to him.
He did not seem to know what to do next. I suggested he hand me my purse, where I had a tin box of mints that had sugar in them. We talked more about video games as we waited for the mint to melt and take away the shaking.
Without going into too many details, today’s appointment was specifically for the extraction of whatever was left of the tooth I destroyed. The cracked permanent cap was easily removed. I didn’t feel anything at all while the extraction was happening.
I was too out of it to realize at the time, but this appointment was when a bone graft was placed in my jaw. I remember the dentist saying, “Don’t swallow, this is gonna taste real bad.” I assumed it was an antibiotic, but no. The dentist was able to “remove the infection” and reshape another tooth that I didn’t know had become infected.
There were sutures done to put things back together, and that was that.
I remember the dental assistant (not the one who does the checkups and cleanings) wiping off my face with a wet wipe before letting me move from the chair. I have borderline anemia, and it takes a while for me to clot.
The dentist recommended that I take one painkiller after I go home and the novocaine wears off. He said to take one more before going to bed so I could get some good sleep. I was shown a video about what NOT to do, and given a handout with the same instructions.
As before, Shawn could not come into the dentist’s office while I was there. The waiting room was still closed off. I remember texting him to say I was all done, and to ask which credit card to use. The bill for today’s work was $715. (That’s with dental insurance coverage, by the way).
I was given an appointment for June 1st, to take the sutures out.
There is a thing called “fibro fog”. It happens when a person who has fibromyalgia does too much or experiences trauma. Everything from this point on was a blur. My husband summoned a Uber while I explained what happened at this dental appointment and when the next one would be. For some reason, there weren’t any Lyft drivers available at that moment.
While waiting, I tried to use my phone to post on social media that I was finished with the dental work of the day. Looking back upon those posts as I write this blog, I realize that I barely made any sense.
This experience made me realize just how important a molar is. Now that one was missing, it had become difficult to eat food. Soft foods were recommended, and I think the first thing I tried to eat was a banana. The trick was to find ways to eat it without letting the food touch the newly placed sutures.
The novocaine was starting to wear off, so I started doing some research about the opioid I had been prescribed. It turned out that I had been prescribed a generic form of the same pain killer I was prescribed years ago, when that tooth had a root canal. This eased my mind because it meant I was not a person who becomes addicted to this particular opioid.
If I remember correctly, the previous time I was prescribed this particular pain killer for dental work, it was fine. The “worst” thing that happened as a result of taking this type of pain killer was that I spent hours playing World of Warcraft and leveling up my fishing skill.
This time, when the novocaine wore off to the point where I was really uncomfortable – I took a pain killer. It helped.
As directed, I took one more before going to sleep that night. The instructions I was given stated that I should sleep with extra pillows, so I would be propped up. The pain killer made falling asleep incredibly easy, and that’s coming from me, a person who is always exhausted due to chronic illnesses!
Days went by, and I was starting to lose track of time passing. Between the antibiotics that made me super sleepy, and the pain killers that made the world more foggy than “fibro fog” does, things got surreal.
One of the things I posted on social media that day was:
“I am awake right now waiting for when I can take my next antibiotic. Could feel the previous one wearing off a while ago.
This means I will have to eat again, which is difficult, due to dental surgery (part 1).
Antibiotics make me super sleepy, and I will lose much of the day due to being asleep.
Also, talking kinda hurts right now, due to dental surgery.”
Later on, I posted this:
“eight more antibiotics to go, eight hours apart from each other.
social distancing antibiotics”
And not long after that, I posted:
“Antibiotic is kicking in.
Gonna take a nap now.”
Sometime the next day, I posted:
“four more antibiotics to go!”
followed by:
“3 antibiotics left!”
The next day, I posted:
“2 antibiotics left”
followed by:
“one more antibiotic to go!”
The day after that I posted:
“Finished the antibiotics”
The only one of these I vaguely remember posting was the one with the phrase “social distancing antibiotics”.
On May 27th, I appeared to have had a moment of clarity. I mean, the thing I posted did include some information regarding the dental work that I’d already posted about on social media (probably more than once). But, I didn’t realize it at the time.
The point of that post was to say that my next appointment was scheduled for June 1st. It would be a quick appointment where the dentist removes the sutures. That appointment was free of charge.
After that appointment, I was told they would check up on me monthly, for four months, to see how I was healing. At some point, the dentist would declare that I had healed enough to get the titanium implant placed.
This gave my husband and I some time to gather up enough money to at least pay for for part 2 of the dental work.
On May 29th, I made what I think of as a “note to self” post on social media. The purpose was to keep track of how many opioids I had taken.
“I have been prescribed a painkiller.
Here’s how many I’ve taken: (as of May 21)
1 when the novocaine wore off (as directed by my dentist)
1 to sleep that night (as directed by my dentist)
1 to sleep the next night
1 a few days after that because it turns out having a bone graft in my jaw around the now extracted tooth can cause pain
1 right now – same reason (and I want to sleep)
5 total
Next appointment June 1 – to get stitches removes
On June 1st, I once again attempted to “live blog” on social media about my experience at the dentist. This time, the front door of the office was open, and the waiting room was accessible. Once again, I was wearing a mask, which I did not intend to remove until the dentist needed me to.
I stood in front of the receptionist’s desk, and waited. She wasn’t there, and I figured that maybe she was on a break. I moved away from the desk, and kept typing into my phone.
A man who looked to be about my age, came into the waiting room. He stood and stared at the empty receptionist desk for a while. This man was not wearing a mask, so I backed away from him.
A little while later, the man leaned over the desk, and looked both ways. The receptionist wasn’t there. He then walked into the open door that separates the waiting room and the area where the dentistry happens.
No one back there immediately responded to the man, so he turned around and looked at me. He asked if there was a receptionist today. I shrugged.
The woman who does the cleaning and checkups – which the dentist office was once again able to offer, took a second to talk to the unmasked man. She explained that they were short handed today, and that he could wait in the waiting room.
He pointed at her, and she raised her arms and nodded her head. The dental assistant was covered from head to toe in PPE. She even had a face shield.
The man then went and sat in a chair. I picked a place to sit that looked about six feet away from him. He decided to talk to me.
He asked if I was there for a checkup. He was there for a checkup. I explained that no, I was not here for a checkup. The man didn’t seem to be able to hear me, possibly because of the mask I was wearing. Instead of taking it off, I just used my voice-work skill to project my voice farther.
I told him I was there to get sutures removed. He said he took out his own sutures. This was something he seemed proud of. I responded that I’d rather have the dentist do mine for me, and went back to looking at my phone.
The dentist came to get me, and we went to the first “room” (when I had the extraction done). No novocaine was needed. It only took a couple of minutes for him to remove the sutures. The dentist said I was healing well, and there were no signs of infection. He was pleased.
I’m writing this blog post on June 30th, 2020. In between then and now, I called the dentist’s office to see when they wanted to schedule me for my next appointment. No one has responded yet.
Dental Care During a Pandemic is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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March 29, 2020Image by 024-657-834 from Pixabay
Many changes have been made as a response to dealing with COVID-19. Most of them involve things people can do to avoid catching – and spreading – the virus. My state has ordered (almost) everyone to “shelter at home”.
The result has caused changes that I would not have guessed would become “the new normal” in 2020.
On March 18, 2020, the county I live in issued a “Shelter at Home” order. The goal was to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a virus that has no cure and is especially contagious. Requiring people to stay home (with the exception of people who provide essential services) makes sense.
The very next day, the Governor of the State of California, Gavin Newsom, issued a “Stay home except for essential needs” executive order. It is in place “until further notice”, and is a statewide order.
Essential services will remain open, including: gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants, banks, laundromats, and essential state and local government functions.
The smaller farmers’ markets in my county are allowed to continue, so long as everyone stays at least six feet away from each other the entire time. My county has the largest farmers’ market in the United States, which happens on Thursday night – unless it rains. It has been canceled. There is no easy way to ensure a crowd that large can do effective “social distancing”.
Californians can still go to the pharmacy to pick up their medication, and are allowed to grocery shop while keeping a careful distance from the other shoppers. Eye exams, teeth cleaning, and elective procedures are required to be rescheduled until… some day in the future when we are no longer required to “shelter at home”.
I was supposed to have a teeth cleaning this month. Unfortunately, a few days before I was supposed to go, I developed two out of the three symptoms of COVID-19. I was having some difficulty breathing, and had developed a dry cough. There was no fever.
This put me in the position of trying to guess if these symptoms were allergies, or COVID-19. There is some overlap between the two. This is not a game that I, a person with a weak immune system, wanted to play.
The pollen count got too high for me to handle around the end of January. I’ve barely left the house since. This is not unusual for me during what I have come to think of as “allergy season”.
So far, I have gone outside to:
Bring my mail-in-ballot to the County Clerk’s office. My husband and I prefer doing it that rather than dropping them into the mail and hoping they get where they need to go. We then got breakfast at a local restaurant.I went to my acupuncturist’s office for an appointment.I walked a couple of blocks with my husband to a restaurant so he could pick up a take-out order. This was before “shelter at home” went into effect, so we were able to sit in the restaurant while waiting for his food. I’m allergic to everything this restaurant serves.I went to the DMV to replace my soon-to-expire driver’s license with a Real ID. Doing so required me to put my thumb on a tiny scanner several times. NO ONE WAS WASHING THE SCANNERS. I suspect this pushed my immune system into more distress than typical.
First, I called my doctor’s office, at what I refer to as “the clinic for the poor people.” The receptionist sounded a bit tired, and extremely nervous about the virus.
“Oh my god!”, she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this! It’s like a movie.”
She told me some of her relatives had COVID-19 and were at home watching movies about pandemics. She told them she didn’t want to know how those movies ended.
We decided that, since I didn’t have a fever, I could just wait and see what happens. I remember telling the receptionist that I didn’t want to take away a test from someone who is worse off then I am. At the time, it was clear that there was a severe shortage of tests.
Next, I called my dentist’s office. The receptionist sounded absolutely exhausted. I asked her if she was ok, and she insisted she was. Our conversation went as follows:
“I have two out of three symptoms of COVID-19. Do you still want me to come in for my appointment in a few days?”
“NO!”
We rescheduled. It is unclear to me if that appointment will happen, considering we don’t know how long “shelter at home” will last. Since then, my dentist’s office sent me an email to let me know they have closed. The dentist might or might not be able to treat dental emergencies, on a case by case basis.
My husband and I are lucky, in a way, because we both work from home. I started working as a freelance writer in 2010, and he began working from home some time before that. So far, our income has been stable.
Both of us are disabled. He is legally blind (which cannot be cured). I have tons of allergies and fibromyalgia (neither of which have a cure). Working from home is our “normal” and pretty much the only way we can maintain a job.
Today, all across the country, people are working from home. This amazes me, because for years, the “go-to” for businesses was to insist that employees could not work from home. It was too complicated to manage; way too difficult to set up; employees would still have to commute to the office for in-person meetings.
We now know that that all of those excuses were lies. The shift from the idea that everyone must be in the office, to everyone must work from home, went lightning quick (especially for the huge tech companies).
I believe that working from home will become the new normal, whenever “shelter at home” ends. It has been said that anything a person does for 30 days in a row becomes a habit. The longer people work from home, the more they become used to it. My hope is that working from home will become a common option for people who have disabilities.
Because my husband and I are both disabled, neither of us can drive anymore. He never could, and I lost the ability several years ago when fibromyalgia stole my ability to move my body fluidly and quickly enough to be a safe driver. I move too slowly now to see if there’s a car in the other lane, and lack the grip strength to turn the wheel.
Renewing my driver’s license seemed easier than switching to a State ID, in part because I have yet to qualify for Social Security Disability. Having a driver’s license doesn’t mean I am required to drive, after all.
There is a grocery store within walking distance – which also is near a bus stop. I cannot reliably go there, due to my chronic illnesses.
Eventually, my husband and I switched to having groceries delivered. At first, that felt like I was giving up, letting my chronic illnesses “win”. Over time, I realized just how helpful grocery delivery was for people like us.
But now, in the time of COVID-19, grocery delivery itself has become unreliable. We had one successful order from a store that has plenty of gluten-free foods that are safe for me to eat.
The next order was delayed, and the delivery person was unable to find all the things on our list. The store had no toilet paper, and most of the gluten-free stuff was out of stock.
The order after that never happened. The website allowed us to pick items from the few things that were still in stock. But, it refused to allow us to select a time when we wanted the food delivery to arrive.
My husband has gone outside to get whatever groceries were available. We have plenty of toilet paper, for now. It is unclear if the gluten-free foods will return. We’ve been buying more fruits and veggies than usual, in part because some of them are safe for me to eat and all of them are gluten-free.
Many of the local restaurants are overjoyed to take an order and deliver it to our home. This might be the only thing keeping some of them in business. One restaurant now allows people to have both food and beer delivered. That didn’t happen before COVID-19.
For me, “shelter at home” is normal. I end up stuck inside for a few months every spring when the pollen is too high for me to physically handle. The same thing happens in the fall when ragweed pollen is ever-present. There are also days when my fibromyalgia decides to act up and cause me a whole lot of pain.
A friend on social media pointed out that choosing to stay inside, and being required to stay inside, are two different things. This is one situation where I think healthy people are having a harder time coping with the world than I am.
I’m having conflicting emotions about “shelter in place”. I’m more frightened than typical about going outside now, worried that my already weak immune system will make me a big target for the virus. But, I’m starting to miss little things like playing Pokémon GO, and being able to eat in one of the few restaurants that serves food that I’m not allergic to.
Welcome to my world. All of you have to live like me now.
Shelter At Home is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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March 24, 2020Image by Vektor Kunst iXimus from Pixabay
The news cycle moves really fast, and can be difficult to keep up with. That’s why I decided to put together a timeline of COVID-19 (also called coronavirus). This blog post contains everything I could find about it from credible sources.
NOTE: This is what the world knew about coronavirus in January of 2020. Keep in mind that some things have changed as the world learned more about COVID-19.
December 19, 2019: Reuters reported “Chinese officials investigate cause of pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan”
Chinese health authorities said they are investigating 27 cases of viral pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan, after rumors on social media suggested the outbreak could be linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Of the people infected, seven were in critical condition and 18 were in stable condition, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said on Tuesday and its Weibo social media account. The condition of two other patients had improved to the point where they would be discharged soon, it said.
“The cause of the disease is not clear,” the official People’s Daily newspaper said on Weibo, citing unnamed hospital officials. “We cannot confirm it is what’s being spread online, that it is SARS virus. Other severe pneumonia is more likely.”
All of the patients had been isolated and their close contacts are under medical observation, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said. An investigation and cleanup were under way at a seafood market in the city, which is expected to be connected with the cases, it said.
Initial laboratory tests showed that the cases were viral pneumonia. No obviously human-to-human transmission had been found and no medical staff had been infected, the commission said.
A team of experts from the National Health Commission is in Wuhan to carry out tests, state broadcaster CCTV said.
An official at Wuhan Central Hospital, where local media said some of the cases were being treated, declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
In 2003, Chinese officials covered up a SARS outbreak for weeks before a growing death toll and rumors forced the government to reveal the epidemic, apologize and vow full candor in future outbreaks.
The disease, which emerged in southern China in late 2002, spread rapidly from south China to other cities and countries in 2003. More than 8,000 people were infected and 775 died.
December 31, 2019: The Guardian reported: The World Health Organization (WHO) is alerted by the Chinese authorities of a string pneumonia-like cases in Wuhan, a city of 11 million people. Patients are quarantined and work begins on identifying the origin of pneumonia.
December 31, 2019: The Guardian reported: The World Health Organization (WHO) is alerted by the Chinese authorities of a string of pneumonia-like cases in Wuhan, a city of 11 million people.
Patients are quarantined and work begins on identifying the origin of the pneumonia.
December 31: 2019: PolitiFact posted: China confirms existence of a new virus.
January 2020
January 1
January 1: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) described coronavirus and the source and spread of the virus:
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in people and many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and now with this new virus (named SARS-CoV-2).
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a betacoronavirus, like MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. All three of these viruses have their origins in bats. The sequences from U.S. patients are similar to the one that China initially posted, suggesting a likely single, recent emergency of this virus from an animal reservoir.
Early on, many of the patients at the epicenter of the outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei Provence, China had some link to a large seafood and live animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread. Later, a growing number of patients reportedly did not have exposure to animal markets, indicating person-to-person spread. Person-to-person spread was subsequently reported outside Hubei and in countries outside China, including the United States. Some international destinations now have apparent community spread with the virus that causes COVID-19, as do some parts of the United States. Community spread means some people have been infected and it is not yet known how or where they became exposed….
The CDC noted there was no known vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it. Nonpharmaceutical interventions would be the most important response strategy.
The CDC stated is implementing its pandemic preparedness and response plans, working on multiple fronts, including providing specific guidance on measures to prepare communities to respond to local spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. They were able to adapt pandemic guidance developed in anticipation of an influenza pandemic for a potential COVID-19 pandemic.
January 3
January 3: The Guardian reported: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies a seafood market suspected of being at the centre of the outbreak and it is closed down.
January 3: The Washington Post was the first to report (in March of 2020) that U.S. Intelligence reports warned President Donald Trump about coronavirus in January and February. That article is locked behind a paywall.
Vox posted an article on March 21, 2020, titled: “Intelligence reports warned about a pandemic in January. Trump reportedly ignored them.” It was written by Riley Beggin.
US intelligence officials reportedly warned President Donald Trump and Congress about the threats posed by the novel coronavirus beginning in early January – weeks before the White House and lawmakers began implementing stringent public health measures and as the president minimized the threat posed by the virus in his tweets and public statements.
The fact those warnings were largely disregarded – something first reported by the Washington Post’s Shane Harris, Greg Miller, Josh Dawsey, and Ellen Nakashima – suggests Trump administration officials failed to take action that could have prepared the health care system to handle an influx of patients, helped Americans avoid mass social distancing, and saved lives.
Top health officials first learned of the virus’s spread in China on January 3, US Health and Human Services Secretary said Friday. Throughout January and February, intelligence officials’ warnings became more and more urgent, according to The Post – and by early February, much of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA’s intelligence reports were dedicated to warnings about Covid-19.
All the while, Trump downplayed the virus publicly, telling the public the coronavirus “is very well under control in our country,” and suggesting warm weather would neutralize the threat the virus poses.
Privately, Trump reportedly rebutted health and intelligence officials’ attempts to get him to take action to prepare communities in the US while rebuking officials who were delivering sober risk assessments…
January 3: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region posted a thread that began with this tweet:
“#China has reported to WHO regarding a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, Hubei Province. The Govt has also met with our country office, and updated @WHO on the situation. Govt actions to control the incident have been instituted and investigations into cause are ongoing. 1/3”
“We’re closely monitoring the situation in Wuhan & are in active communication with our counterparts in China. We’ve activated our incident management system across the 3 levels of @WHO (country office, regional office, HQ) & can launch a broader response, if needed. 2/3”
“#China has extensive capacity to respond to public health events and is responding proactively & rapidly to the current incident in Wuhan – isolation patients, tracing close contacts, cleaning up the market, and searching for the cause and additional cases. 3/3”
January 3: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted: “We’re closely monitoring the situation in Wuhan & are in active communication with our counterparts in China. We’ve activated our incident management system across the 3 levels of @WHO (country office, regional office, HQ), & can launch a broader response, if needed. 2/3”
January 3: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted: “#China has extensive capacity to respond to public health events and is responding proactively & rapidly to the current incident in Wuhan – isolating patients, tracing close contacts, cleaning up the market, and searching for the cause and for additional cases. 3/3”
January 5
January 5: The World Health Organization posted disease outbreak news titled: “Pneumonia of unknown cause – China” From the disease outbreak news:
On 31 December 2019, the WHO China Country Office was informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology (unknown causes) detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. As of 3 January 2020, a total of 44 patients with pneumonia of unknown etiology have been reported to WHO by the national authorities in China. Of the 44 cases reported, 11 are severely ill, while the remaining 33 patients are in stable condition. According to media reports, the concerned market in Wuhan was closed on 1 January 2020 for environmental sanitation and disinfection.
The causal agent has not yet been identified or confirmed. On 1 January 2020, WHO requested further information from national authorities to assess the risk.
National authorities report that all patients are isolated and receiving treatment in Wuhan medical institutions. The clinical signs and symptoms are mainly fever, with a few patients having difficulty in breathing, and chest radiographs showing invasive lesions of both lungs.
According to the authorities, some patients were operating dealers or vendors in the Huanan Seafood market. Based on the preliminary information from the Chinese Investigative team, no evidence of significant human-to-human transmission and no health care worker infections have been reported.
Public Health Response
National authorities have reported the following response measures:
One hundred and twenty-one close contacts have been identified and are under medical observation;
The follow-up of close contacts is ongoing;
Pathogen identification and the tracing of the cause are underway;
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission carried out active case finding, and retrospective investigations have been completed;
Environmental sanitation and further hygiene investigations are under way
WHO risk assessment
There is limited information to determine the overall risk of this reported cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology. The reported link to a wholesale fish and live animal market could indicate an exposure link to animals. The symptoms reported among the patients are common to several respiratory diseases, and pneumonia is common in the winter season; however, the occurrence of 44 cases of pneumonia requiring hospitalization clustered in space and time should be handled prudently.
Wuhan city, with a population of 19 million, is the capital city of Hubei province, with a population of 58 million people. WHO has requested further information on the laboratory tests performed and the differential diagnoses considered.
WHO advice
Based on information provided by national authorities, WHO’s recommendations on public health measures and surveillance of influenza and severe acute respiratory infections still apply.
WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers. In case of symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel, travellers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share travel history with their healthcare provider.
WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the current information available on this event.
January 5: World Health Organization (WHO) posted a thread of tweets:
“On 31 December 2019, WHO was informed of cases of #pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan City, #China. A total of 44 cases have been reported: 11 patients are severely ill, while the remaining 33 are in stable condition”. (The tweet included a link to the WHO website – posted above)
“The cause has not yet been identified or confirmed. WHO is closely monitoring the situation and is in close contact with national authorities in #China. #pneumonia”
“WHO’s recommendations on public health measures and surveillance of influenza and severe acute respiratory infections are unchanged. WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travelers, or any travel or trade restrictions. #China #pneumonia”
January 5: World Health Organization (WHO) posted a short thread of tweets:
“Chinese authorities informed WHO that they have ruled out a number of causes of the outbreak of #pneumonia in Wuhan City. . The pathogen is not influenza, avian flu, adenovirus, SARS, or MERS. Work continues to identify the cause.”
“Chinese authorities updated the figures on the #pneumonuia of unknown cause in Wuhan. A total of 59 cases have been reported, of which 7 are severely ill. The earliest to fall ill was on 12 Dec, the latest on 29 Dec. Investigations continue to identify any other cases or contacts.”
January 8
January 8: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted a thread which started with:
“Chinese authorities have made a preliminary determination of the cause of the #pneumonia in Wuhan as a novel (new) #coronavirus. @WHO continues to monitor the situation closely and is ready to support #China to investigate and respond to this outbreak. (1/7).”
January 8: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted: “Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks. Chinese investigators conducted gene sequencing of the virus, using an isolate from 1 positive patient sample (2/7)”
January 8: World Health Organization Western Region tweeted: “Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others more severe disease such as MERS and SARS. Some transmit easily from person to person, while others don’t. (3/7)”
January 8: World Health Organization Western Region tweeted: “According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people. (4/7)”
January 8: World Health Organization Western Region tweeted: “Globally, novel coronavirues emerge periodically in different areas, e.g. SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. As surveillance improves more coronaviruses are likely to be identified. (5/7)”
January 8: World Health Organization Western Region tweeted: “In the coming weeks, more comprehensive information is reqired to better understand the status and epidemiology of the outbreak, the clinical picture, the source, modes of transmission, extent of inflection and countermeasures. (6/7)”
January 8: World Health Organization Western Region tweeted: “@WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the current information available (7/7).
January 9
January 9: The Guardian reported: The WHO says the outbreak in Wuhan was caused by a previously unknown type of coronavirus, a broad family ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses like severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).
January 9: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control posted a risk assessment post titled: “Pneumonia cases possibly associate with a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China”. From the Executive Summary of that report:
Between 31 December and 2019 and 5 January 2020, 59 pneumonia cases possibly associated with a novel coronavirus have been reported in Wuhan, China with a common exposure link to Wuhan’s South China Seafood City market.
The cases showed symptoms such as fever, dyspnoea, and radiological tests compatible with bilateral lung infiltrative lesions. Seven severe cases have been reported, but no deaths. No cases have been reported outside of Wuhan. According to Chinese authorities, no human-to-human transmission could be documented.
Epidemiological investigations including contact tracing are ongoing and hygiene- and environmental sanitation activities in the affected market have been carried out in Wuhan.
Three EU airports have direct flight connections to Wuhan and there are indirect flight connections to other EU hubs. Considering there is no indication of human-to-human transmission and no cases detected outside of China, the likelihood of introduction to the EU is considered to be low, but cannot be excluded. However, more epidemiological and laboratory information is needed in order to elaborate a comprehensive assessment of this event and the possible risk for the international spread.
ECDC is monitoring this event through epidemic intelligence activities. For options for response and safety precautions, see EDCD’s threat assessment.
January 9: The World Health Organization (WHO) posted a statement titled: “WHO Statement regarding cluster of pneumonia cases on Wuhan, China.” From the statement:
Chinese authorities have made a preliminary determination of a novel (or new) cornavirus, identified a hospitalized person with pneumonia in Wuhan. Chinese investigators conducted gene sequencing of the virus, using an isolate from one positive patient sample. Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks.
Initial information about cases of pnemonia in Wuhan provided by Chinese authorities last week – including the occupation, location and symptom profile of the people affected – pointed to a coronavirus (CoV) as a possible pathogen causing this cluster. Chinese authorize subsequently reported that laboratory tests ruled out SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus and other common respiratory pathogens.
Coronaviruses are large family of virses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others more severe disease such as MERS and SARS. Some transmit easily from person to person, while others do not. According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people.
Globally, novel coronaviruses emerge periodically in different areas, including SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012. Several known coranaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humas. As survillance improves more coronaviruses are likely to be identified.
China has strong public health capacities and resources to report and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. In addition to treating the patients in care and isolating new cases as they may be indentified, public health officials remain focused on continued contact tracing, conducting environmental assessments at the seafood market, and investigations to identify the pathogen causing the outbreak.
In the coming weeks, more comprehensive information is required to understand the current status and epidemiology of the outbreak, and clinical picture. Further investigations are also required to determine the source, modes of transmission, extent of infection and countermeasures implemented. WHO continues to monitor the situatuon closely and, together and, together with its partners, is ready to provide technical support to China to investigate and respond to this outbreak.
The preliminary determination of a novel virus will assist authorities in other countries to conduct disease detection and response. Over the past week, people with symptoms of pneumonia and reported travel history to Wuhan have been identified at international airports.
WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available.
January 10
January 10: Health Protection Scotland posted information titled: “Wuhan novel coronavirus and avian flu – advice for travelers”. From the advice:
HPS is aware of a reported outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China’s Wuhan City and is monitoring the situation with Public Health England (PHE) and international partners, including the World Health Organization.
The risk for the UK population is very low and the risk for travellers to Wuhan is low, but, ahead of the Chinese New Year this month, travellers are advised to take simple precautions such as practicing good hand, respiratory and personal hygiene, and minimize contact with birds and animals in markets in Wuhan as a further precaution.
If travellers returning from Wuhan become unwell within 14 days of their return, they should call their GP or NHS and report their recent travel…
January 10: World Health Organization South-East Asia posted a news release titled: “Novel Coronavirus in Wuhan, China”
Chinese authorities have reported the detection of a novel (or new) coronavirus, identified in a patient with pneumonia in Wuhan.
For more information, please visit WHO Statement Regarding Cluster of Pneumonia Cases in Wuhan, China.
In response, Thailand has implemented early screening at all international airports that receive flights from Wuhan. A small number of individuals with fever and respiratory symptoms on arrival have been referred for further clinical assessment and lab testing, with the full application of measures for infection prevention and control.
January 10: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “WHO advice for international travel and trade in relation to the outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus in China”
On 31 December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology was reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. On 9 January Chinese authorities reported in the media that the cause of this viral pneumonia was initially identified as a new type of coronavirus, which is different from any other human coronaviruses discovered so far. Coronaviruses are a large family of respiratory viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to the Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The clinical signs and symptoms of the patients reported in this cluster are mainly fever, with a few patients having difficulty in breathing, and chest radiographs showing bilateral lung infiltrates. Some cases were operating dealers or vendors in Huanan Seafood Market. From the currently available information, preliminary investigation suggests that there is no significant human-to-human transmission, and no infections among health care workers have occurred. More information is required to better understand the mode of transmission and clinical manifestation of this new virus. The source of this virus is not yet known.
International travelers: practice usual precautions
While the cause of the pneumonia seems to be a novel coronavirus, transmission potential and modes of transmission remain unclear. Therefore, it would be prudent to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections while travelling in or from affected areas (currently Wuhan City) by:
avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections;
frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment;
avoiding close contact with live or dead farm or wild animals;
travelers with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands.
Health practitioners and public health authorities should provide to travelers information to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections, via travel health clinics, travel agencies, conveyance operators, and at points of entry.
If a traveller on board of an aircraft/a ship has signs and symptoms indicative of acute respiratory infections, the model of Maritime declaration of health (Annex 8 of IHR) or the health part of the aircraft general declaration (Annex 9 IHR) can be used to register the health information onboard and submit to POE health authorities when required by a State Party.
A passenger locator form can be used in the event of a sick traveller detected on board a plane. This form is useful for collecting contact information for passengers and can be used for follow-up if necessary. Travelers should also be encouraged to self-report if they feel ill. The cabin crew should follow the operational procedures recommended by International Air Transport Association (IATA) with regard to managing suspected communicable disease on board an aircraft.
International traffic: no restrictions recommended
Wuhan city is a major domestic and international transport hub. Currently, there are no reports of cases outside Wuhan City. Given the heavy population movements, expected to significantly increase during the Chinese New Year in the last week of January, the risk of cases being reported from elsewhere is increased.
WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travellers. It is generally considered that entry screening offers little benefit, while requiring considerable resources. In case of symptoms suggestive to respiratory illness before, during or after travel, the travelers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share travel history with their health care provider. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available on this event.
As provided by the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), countries should ensure that:
routine measures, rained staff, appropriate space and stockpile of adequate equipment in place at points of entry for assessing and managing ill travellers detected before travel, on board conveyances (such as planes and ships) and on arrival at points of entry:
procedures and means are in place for communicating information ill travellers between conveyances and points of entry as well as between points of entry and national health authorities;
safe transportation of symptomatic travellers to hospitals or designated facilities for clinical assessment and treatment is organized;
a functional public health emergency contingency plan at points of entry in place to respond to public health events.
January 10: CBC posted “Is Canada at risk from a mysterious virus from China related to SARS?”
For Canadians who remember face masks, quarantines and airport screenings of the SARS epidemic, a mysterious outbreak of pneumonia in China has likely caused the same family of viruses to be raising concern.
Since Dec. 12, 59 people have been reportedly identified and genetically sequenced the previously unknown virus from an infected patient in Wuhan and found remnants of it in 15 others, state-run media agency Xinhua announced Thursday.
The illness has been identified as a new coronavirus, a large family of viruses that can make the jump from animals to humans and range from the common cold to much more serious illnesses, such as SARS or MERS.
Chinese officials have traced the outbreak back to a seafood market in Wuhan, which was shut down and disinfected on Jan. 1. But it’s not yet known how it made a species jump from animals to humans, or if it is transmittable from person to person.
Diseases such as SARS and MERS, influenza and avian influenza have also reportedly been ruled out in tests. World Health Organization representative to China Dr. Gauden Galea said in a statement.
“According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people,” he said.
“In the coming weeks, more comprehensive information is required to understand the current status and epidemiology of this outbreak, and the clinical picture.”
How does this outbreak compare to SARS?
Given the fact that both SARS and the Wuhan outbreak both originated in open-air markets that sold both live and dead animals, the similar origins if the viruses are hard to ignore.
“Certainly there are some parallels, if we’re thinking back to SARS,” said Dr. Kamran Khan, an infectious disease physician and scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.”
“We know that in today’s world, diseases spread incredibly quickly and we don’t actually even know what this is just yet.”
More than 400 Canadians were diagnosed with SARS and 44 died as a result of the 2002-2003 epidemic that killed 774 worldwide. So the current outbreak is something health officials who lived through it are watching closely.
“I think given when it presented, how it presented, it certainly did raise eyebrows and serious concerns,” Dr. Marjorie Pollack, deputy editor of the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED), said of the current outbreak.
“People who want to be sensationalist and want to blame are throwing stones at China, saying they’re not being transparent enough… They are being transparent with what they know. They’re not being transparent for speculations.”
Information was hard to come by in the early days of the SARS epidemic, too, and health officials in Canada were caught off guard when the virus was confirmed to have landed in Toronto in March 2003.
“This went on for months before, really, the world kind of knew what was happening. And it really started to build up quite a bit of momentum before it started to disperse in different parts of the world,” Khan said.
“We’re getting this information, certainly easier … but I still take all of the information as being preliminary at this point.”
For its part, WHO said in a statement that the identification of a new coronavirus in a short period of time is a “notable achievement” that “demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks.”
Dr. Allison McGeer, an infectious diseases specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, who herself was diagnosed with SARS in 2003, said she’s encouraged by the amount of information released by China so far.
“The fact that we know about it, that we’re talking about it, this is a marker of just how much better things are,” she said.
“A challenge with SARS was when it started, we didn’t know anything about it.”
Could Canada be at risk?
The Public Health Agency of Canada recently updated its website, warning travelers to Wuhan to avoid contact with animals and to report any symptoms to health-care workers.
But assessing the level if risk in Canada for an outbreak like this is largely based on two key factors; whether the virus will spread from person to person and whether health-care workers will be affected on the front lines.
“In the last 15 years, the volume of people travelling through commercial flights has doubled. We’ve become vectors that are moving these diseases very, very, rapidly around the world,” said Khan, who is also the founder and CEO of the company BlueDot, which uses various types of data to study how infectious diseases spread around the world.
“We are not there yet. We are still moving too slow. If we want to get in front of these threats, we are literally going to have to spend knowledge faster than the diseases themselves. And they move quick.”
His data shows that all of the travelers projected to depart from Wuhan on commercial flights from January to March of this year, 4,000 of them are headed to Canada — and the majority to cities such as Toronto and Vancouver.
“Thirty years ago, when somebody turned up in the emergency department in hospital, you didn’t have to worry about where they’d been because air travel was much less common,” said McGeer.
“Now when somebody turns up in your emergency department, they could have been anywhere four days ago. And so SARS was us catching up with the globalization of humans.”
McGeer says that while she can’t guarantee there would be no risk of transmission of a virus like this in Canada if it were to spread overseas, she’s confident health-care workers could do a better job of containing it than they did with SARS.
It can be hard to recognize new viruses early on, she added, which is why airports in Hong Kong, Singapore, and cities around Wuhan will likely be screening travellers in the meantime.”
But a comprehensive 234-page report into the outbreak of SARS in Canada, released by Dr. David Naylor in October 2003 found WHO-ordered airport screening to be completely ineffective.
More than 6.5 million travelers were screened at Canadian airports for SARS by August 2003, with 9,100 passengers isolated for further assessment by nurses or quarantine officers. None had SARS.
A thermal scanner project was also piloted, with 2.4 million passengers screened and 832 requiring further assessment. None of them were found to have SARS either.
So it’s likely not a virus that will be easily detected until health-care workers can test for it based on its genetic sequencing.
“If somebody comes from Wuhan with pneumonia, and we don’t know they came from Wuhan, we’re not looking for it. And if it happens to be transmissible, we’re not going to make the diagnosis,” McGeer said. “So until we have a test for it, it can be very difficult.”
Khan thinks that even with the technological innovations in health care since SARS, the biggest risk related to an outbreak spreading to Canada is the fact that we’re far too “reactive”.
“We spring into action with incredible vigour during an emergency, but then forget about the emergency almost immediately after it’s over,” he said.
“The current events in Wuhan are a reminder about what happened in Toronto and around the world 17 years ago, and are foreshadowing what we will no doubt face again. Will we pay attention, and if so, for how long?
January 11
January 11: The Guardian reported: The Chinese health authorities report the first fatality as a 61-year-old man dies from pneumonia in Wuhan. They revise downwards the number of sick people to 41.
January 11: The World Health Organization (WHO) posted disease outbreak news titled: “Novel Coronavirus – China”. From the news:
On 11 and 12 January 2020, WHO recieved further detailed information from the National Health Commission about the outbreak.
WHO is reassured of the quality of the ongoing investigations and the response measures implemented in Wuhan, and the committment to share information regularly.
The evidence is highly suggestive that the outbreak is associated with exposures in one seafood market in Wuhan. The market was closed on 1 January 2020. At this stage, there is no infection among healthcare workers, and no clear evidence of human to human transmission. The Chinese authorities continue their work of intensive surveilance and follow up measures, as well as further epidemiological investigations.
Among the 41 confirmed cases, there has been one death. This death occurred in a patient with serious underlying medical conditions.
China shared the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus on 12 January, which will be of great importance for other countries to use in developing specific diagnostic kits.
The cluster was initially reported on 31 December 2019, when the WHO China Country Office was informed. The Chinese authorities identified a new type of coronavirus (novel coronavirus, nCoV), which was isolated on 7 January 2020. Laboratory testing was conducted on all suspected cases identified through active case finding and retrospective review. Other respiratory pathogens such as influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) were ruled out as the cause.
According to information conveyed to WHO by Chinese authorities on 11 and 12 January, 41 cases with novel coronavirus infection have been preliminarily diagnosed in Wuhan City. Of the 41 cases reported, seven are severely ill. This is when the one death, mentioned above, was reported, in a patient with other underlying health conditions. Six patients have been discharged from hospital. Symptom onset of the 41 confirmed nCoV cases ranges from 8 December 2019 to 2 January 2020. No additional cases have been detected since 3 January 2020.
he clinical signs and symptoms reported are mainly fever, with a few cases having difficulty in breathing, and chest radiographs showing invasive pneumonic infiltrates in both lungs. National authorities report that patients have been isolated and are receiving treatment in Wuhan medical institutions.
According to the preliminary epidemiological investigation, most cases worked at or were handlers and frequent visitors to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. The government reports that there is no clear evidence that the virus passes easily from person to person.
Currently, no case with infection of this novel coronavirus has been reported elsewhere other than Wuhan.
January 13
January 13: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced it is working with officials in Thailand and China following reports of confirmation of the novel coronavirus in a person in Thailand. The person was a traveler from Wuhan, China, and was identified by Thai officials on January 8, 2020, and hospitalized that day.
January 13: The Guardian reported: The virus spreads beyond China’s borders for the first time with a case emerging in Thailand, according to the WHO, the victim is a Chinese woman diagnosed with mild pneumonia who was returning from a trip to Wuhan.
January 13: The World Health Organization (WHO) posted “WHO statement on novel coronavirus in Thailand”. From the statement:
WHO is working with officials in Thailand and China following reports of confirmation of the novel coronavirus in person in Thailand.
The person was a traveler from Wuhan, China, and was identified by Thai officials 8 January, and hospitalized that day. The person is recovering from the illness according to Thai officials.
The possibility of cases being identified in other countries was not unexpected, and reinforces why WHO calls for on-going active monitoring and preparedness in other countries. WHO has issued guidance on how to detect and treat persons ill with the new virus.
The genetic sequencing shared by China enables more countries to rapidly diagnose patients.
WHO reiterates that it is essential that investigations continue in China to identify the source of this outbreak and any animal reservoirs or intermediate hosts.
Given developments, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will consult with Emergency Committee members and could call for a meeting of the committee on short notice.
January 13: World Health Organization South-East Asia posted a news release titled: “Thailand responding to the novel coronavirus”. From the news release:
Current situation:
On January 13, 2020, The Ministry of Public Health of Thailand reported an imported case of infection caused by the novel coronavirus recently identified in Wuhan, China. The concerned individual is a Chinese national who was found to have fever on arrival at Suvarnbhumi airport on 8th January. A clinical diagnosis of mild pneumonia was made after referral to a government hospital. Laboratory testing subsequently confirmed that the novel coronavirus was the cause.
WHO acknowledges the capacity of Thailand’s laboratories to do the complex genetic analysis to confirm the diagnosis.
Background:
Since early December, a number of cases of pneumonia have been detected in persons from Wuhan city in China. Chinese authorities identified a new coronavirus as the agent causing these changes.
Coronaviruses are common – many cause less severe illness such as the common cold; other are known to cause more severe illness (SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, MERS). Chinese scientists have sequenced and made available the genetic material of this virus – a remarkable achievement in such a short time. This will be critical to helping public health authorities around the world understand this illness and track it.
The way these patients became infected is not yet known. To date, there has been no suggestion of human-to-human transmission of this new coronavirus. There have been no infections reported among health care workers, which can be an early indicator of person to person spread.
At present, WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travelers in relation to this event. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information available. If travelers develop respiratory illness before, during or after travel, they should seek medical attention and share travel history with their health care provider.
The World Health Organization is working with Thailand and other countries to track further infections caused by this new coronavirus and to ensure that they are prevented and controlled. This includes,
Providing all countries with a technical package of interim guidance, including: Common case definitions to ensure patients are identified quickly; Information on laboratory methodologies to identify this and other respiratory viruses; Guidance on how to protect health care workers and others; Guidance on clinical management is being quickly reviewed by global experts and will be shared once available.
Facilitating information sharing on this and other relevant health events between countries.
In the longer term, using the International Health Regulations to develop and strengthen capacities of countries to detect and respond to infections like the new coronavirus.
January 14
January 14: The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the onset of 2 additional COVID-19 cases in the United States.
January 14: The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tweeted:
“CDC continues to monitor this ongoing investigation to learn more about this rapidly evolving outbreak #coronavirus. #2019-nCoV” The tweet included a link to the CDC’s information about coronavirus.
January 14: Health Protection Scotland posted a report titled: “Outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei, China”. From the report:
An outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, has been linked to a newly-discovered coronavirus.
As of 12 January 2020, there have been 41 confirmed cases and one death. The death occurred in a patient with serious underlying medical conditions.
Coronaviruses are a well-recognized cause of human illnesses that range from mild to severe. This outbreak has been linked to possible exposure to infection at the South China Seafood City market in Wuhan. No cases have been confirmed outside the city.
While the risk to UK travellers to Wuhan is currently considered low, because of this general ongoing risk of avian flu in China, travellers are advised to take simple precautions such as practicing good hand, personal and respiratory hygiene, and to minimize contact with birds and animals in markets in Wuhan or elsewhere in China.
If travellers returning from Wuhan or elsewhere in China become unwell within 14 days of their return to the UK, particularly with respiratory symptoms, they should call their GP or NHS 111 and report their recent travel details.
Further information and travel advice can be found on the UK Government website. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EDCC) has also published a rapid risk assessment on the outbreak.
Further information on travel to China can be found on the TRAVAX (for health professionals) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.
January 14: World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted: “Preliminary investigations conducted by Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, #China”
January 14: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control posted information titled: “Update: Cluster of pneumonia cases associated with novel coronavirus – Wuhan, China – 2019”. From the information:
As of 13th of January 2020, 59 probable cases of pneumonia associated with a novel coronavirus have been reported in Wuhan City, China. Most cases had an epidemiological link to a Seafood City market (a wholesale market for seafood and live animals). Among the 59 probable cases, 41 tested positive for the novel coronavirus of which seven cases have been discharged from the hospital, six are being treated and remain in severe condition and one case died. The cases showed symptoms such as fever, dyspnoea, and radiological features of bilateral pneumonia. Overall, 763 close contacts have been identified and are being monitored. So far, none of them tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The onset of symptoms ranged from 8 December 2019 to 2 January 2020. No human-to-human transmission could be documented so far and no cases among health care workers have been reported. Contact tracing activities and applied hygiene and environmental sanitation activities in Wuhan are ongoing and the implicated market was closed to the public on 1 January 2020.
On 11 January 2020, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission provided an update on the current status of the outbreak, confirming a novel coronavirus as the causative agent of 41 pneumonia cases. Preliminary results from the whole genome sequencing shows that this case has similarity with the SARS coronavirus. Further genetic analyses are ongoing.
According to the authorities, the first death among the confirmed cases occurred on the 9th of January. This case was a 61-year-old male with severe underlying conditions.
Due to enhanced surveillance and entry screening at transport hubs, suspect cases with pneumonia and recent travel history to Wuhan, China, are being detected in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. So far, all suspect cases have been discarded after epidemiological and laboratory investigations.
An update published by Wuhan authorities on the 12th of January, confirmed that there were no new cases of novel coronavirus pneumonia detected in Wuhan.
Confirmed imported case in Thailand
On the 13th of January, Thai authorities reported a confirmed imported novel coronavirus case in Thailand. The case is a tourist coming from Wuhan and was placed under isolation at Bamrasnarudura Institute of infectious disease in Bangkok. No further epidemiological and clinical information on this case are currently available to ECDC.
Neighboring territories such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Russia and Vietnam implemented entry screening activities to all incoming travellers from Wuhan in their transport hubs such as airports and train stations.
The airport of Wuhan has direct flight connections with some EU cities: Paris (France) with six weekly flights, London (the United Kingdom) with three weekly flights and Rome (Italy) with five weekly flights. Health authorities in the concerned EU/EEA Member States remain vigilant and closely monitor the ongoing situation in China.
ECDC is not aware of any implementation of exit screening in Wuhan international airport.
ECDC is monitoring this event through epidemic intelligence activities, and published a threat assessment brief “Pneumonia cases possibly associated with a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China” on 9 January 2020. ECDC has also published a “Health emergency preparedness checklist for imported cases of high-consequence infectious diseases.”
January 15
January 15: The Guardian reported: China’s health commission says it cannot confirm human-to-human transmission of the virus but the possibility “cannot be excluded”. The next day a first case of the virus is confirmed in Japan in someone who had stayed in Wuhan in early January.
January 15: World Health Organization Western Pacific posted a thread of tweets that started with this tweet:
“Japan has reported 2019-nCOV in a man in his 30s in Japan who travelled to Wuhan. Japanese offcials report that he did not visit the Huanan seafood market which has been linked to many of the people with #nCov in Wuhan. The patient has been discharged from hospital in Japan.
World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “It is not surprising that there are cases outside of China, and it is possible that there will be cases in other countries in the future. @WHO encourages all countries to continue preparedness activities. We have issued interim guidance on how to do this.”
World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “According to the latest information we have, there is no clear evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission and there are no infections reported among health care workers.”
World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “The fact that some cases do not seem to be linked with the Huanan seafood market means we cannot exclude the possibility of limited human-to-human transmission”.
World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “We are still in the early stages of understanding this new virus, where it came from, and how it affects people. There is still many unknowns, and the situation may continue to evolve.”
World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Good progress is being made. @WHO is working closely with officials in China, Japan and Thailand regarding the novel coronavirus.”
World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Travel advice was posted by @WHO on 10 January. Based on currently available information, WHO does not recommend any restriction of travel or trade.” This was the last tweet in the thread.
January 15: CBC reported: “Japan confirms 1st case of mysterious pneumonia linked to China”
Japan confirmed the first case of infection from the new China coronavirus that has killed one person and prompted a travel alert from the U.S. State Department.
A man in his 30’s from Kanagawa prefecture, next to Tokyo, tested positive, Japan’s health ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The man had been to the Chinese City of Wuhan, where there has been an outbreak of pneumonia believed to be caused by the new coronavirus strain, it said.
The U.S. State Department issued a health alert update on Wednesday about travel to the Wuhan region. It referenced an alert by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging citizens travelling in the region to avoid contact with animals, animal markets, or animal products, among other precautions.
Thai health authorities said on Wednesday they were stepping up monitoring of passengers arriving at airports ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, when 800,000 Chinese tourists are expected to visit the country.
The World Health Organization has said the new virus could spread quickly and has warned hospitals worldwide.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause infections ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Some of the virus types cause less serious disease, while some — like the one that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) — are far more severe.
Memories remain fresh in Asia of a 2002-2003 outbreak of SARS, which emerged in China and killed nearly 800 people worldwide.
The World Health Organization has said there may have been limited human-to-human transmission of the new coronavirus in China within families.
The Japanese patient returned from Wuhan this month with a fever and was hospitalized. He was released yesterday after the symptoms subsided, according to the health ministry statement.
January 16
January 16: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the onset of 1 additional COVID-19 case in the United States.
January 16: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted an article titled: “Wuhan-Linked Pneumonia Confirmed in Japan for First Time”. From the article:
The first case in Japan of mysterious viral pneumonia, which sickened many people in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has been confirmed, Japanese government sources said on Thursday.
A man in his 30s in Kangawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, has tested positive for the same strain of coronavirus that caused a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, according to the health ministry.
The man is believed to have been infected with the virus in the Chinese city, the sources said.
January 16: SCMP reported: “Wuhan pneumonia: China steps up efforts to control spread of coronavirus”
Chinese authorities have stepped up their efforts to prevent the spread of a respiratory disease linked to a newly discovered coronavirus, as reports suggest the virus has spread to neighboring countries.
Since Wednesday, passengers at Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan – the central Chinese city where the outbreak began — have been required to pass through electronic temperature sensors at each of its exits. Any that are found to have a body temperature of more than 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) are then required to undergo a manual chick and if the high temperature is confirmed, spend a period of time in a quarantine facility.
An internal notice by the airport, which was shared on social media, advised airlines to refund passengers or allow them to change their tickets if they were affected by new checks.
Meanwhile, authorities in Wuhan, which has recorded 41 infections and one fatality, said they had also installed body temperature sensors at three key railway stations in the city.
The new measures come as Japan’s health ministry confirmed on Thursday that a Chinese man living in Kanawaga prefecture, just south of Tokyo, had contracted the virus.
Aged in his 30’s, the man is said to have traveled to Wuhan earlier in the month, where he developed a fever. On his return to Japan, he was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia but was later discharged five days later when his condition improved.
The case is the second to be confirmed outside China, after Thai authorities reported on Monday that a woman from Wuhan was receiving treatment in a hospital in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok. She was admitted to hospital three days after developing a fever, sore throat, and a headache.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s health ministry said on Thursday that two Chinese tourists – a 22-year-old man and a three-year-old by – had been placed in isolation after showing fever-like symptoms on their arrival in the country.
Blood samples from the two patients, who flew into Da Nag on Tuesday as part of the same tour group, were being tested to determine the cause of the fever, it said.
While Chinese officials have found no clear evidence to suggest human-to-human transmission of the virus, it has also not been ruled out.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Japanese officials reported that although the infected man in Kanagawa had travelled to Wuhan, he had not visited the Huanan seafood market, which is thought to be the epicenter of the outbreak.
The market also sold live animals such as poultry, bats and marmots, along with wildlife parts, prompting concerns that the infectious respiratory pathogen emerged from an as-yet-unidentified animal reservoir.
The outbreak has also raised concerns that the coronavirus could spread from Wuhan, a major transport hub, to other cities during the Lunar New Year travel season, which is now underway.
The virus has captured world-wide attention because of similarities with the one that caused the 2002-02 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, which infected more than 8,000 people globally and killed more than 600 in mainland China and Hong Kong.
Other Asian countries have raised the alert with stricter checks on passengers at airports and other transit points since the outbreak, which was identified on January 9 as a new strain of coronavirus, since named 2019-nCoV by the WHO.
On Thursday, the WHO said it was working closely with officials in China, Japan, and Thailand, and encouraged all countries be vigilant.
“It is not surprising that there are cases outside of the People’s Republic of China and it is possible that there will be cases in other countries in the future,” a WHO spokeswoman said.
On Wednesday, the US state department issued a health alert about Wuhan, urging people travelling in the region to avoid contact with animals, animal markets or animal products, among other precautions.
On Thursday, officials from the Centre for Disease Control in Taiwan said they had put Wuhan on a higher level of travel alert as health authorities in the mainland city had been unable to rule out the possibility of human transmission.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection said that as well as reporting cases of people suspected of developing respiratory symptoms after visiting Wuhan, medical workers should flag up patients who had visited a hospital in mainland China or had close contact with someone confirmed to have been infected with the new virus.
January 17
January 17: The Guardian reported: A second person, a 69-year-old-man, dies in Wuhan, according to authorities. That same day, the CDC announces that it will begin screening passengers arriving from Wuhan at three airports: San Francisco, New York’s JFK and Los Angeles (LAX) airports.
January 17: World Health Organization posted News titled: “Lack of new antibiotics threatens global efforts to contain drug-resistant infections”. From the News:
Declining private investment and lack of innovation in the development of new antibiotics are undermining efforts to combat drug-resistant infection, says the World Health Center Organization (WHO).
Two new reports reveal a weak pipeline for antibiotic agents. The 60 products in development (50 antibiotics and 10 biologics) bring little benefit over existing treatments and very few target the most critical resistant bacteria (Gram-negative bacteria).
While pre-clinical candidates (those in early-stage testing) are more innovative, it will take years before they reach patients.
“Never has the threat of antimicrobial resistant been more immediate and the need for solutions more urgent,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebeyesus, Director of WHO. “Numerous initiatives are underway tp reduce resistance, but we also need countries and the pharmaceutical industry to step up and contribute with sustainable funding and innovative new medicines.”
The reports (Antibacterial agent in clinical development – an analysis of the antibacterial clinical development pipeline and its companion publication, Antibacterial agents in preclinical development) also found that research and development for antibiotics is primarily driven by small- or medium-sized enterprises with large pharmaceutical companies continuing to exit the field.
Clinical development review
WHO in 2017 published the priority pathogens list, 12 classes of bacteria plus tuberculosis that are posing increasing risk to human health because they are resistant to most existing treatments. The list was developed by a WHO-led group of independent experts to encourage the medical research community to develop innovative treatments for these resistant bacteria.
Of the 50 antibiotics in the pipeline, 32 target WHO priority pathogens but the majority have only limited benefits when compared to existing antibiotics. Two of these are active against the multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria, which are spreading rapidly and require urgent solutions.
Gram-negative bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, can cause severe and often deadly infections that pose a particular threat for people with weak or not yet fully developed immune systems, including newborns, aging populations, people undergoing surgery and cancer treatment.
The report highlights a worrying gap in activity against the highly resistant NDM-1 (New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1), with only three antibiotics in the pipeline. NDM-1 makes bacteria resistant to a broad range of antibiotics, including those from the carbapenem family, which today are the last line of defense against antibiotic resistant bacterial infections.
“It’s important to focus public and private investment on the development of treatments that are effective against the highly resistant bacteria because we are running out of options,” says Hanan Balky, WHO Assistant Director-General for Antimicrobal Resistance. “And we need to ensure that once we have these new treatments, they will be available to all who need them.”
On a more positive note, the pipeline for antibacterial agents to treat tuberculosis and Clostridium difficile (which causes diarrhea) is more promising, with more than half of the treatments fulfilling all the innovation criteria defined by WHO.
Preclinical development review:
The pre-clinical pipeline shows more innovation and diversity, with 252 agents being developed to treat WHO priority pathogens.
However, these products are in the very early stages of development and still need to be proven effective and safe. The optimistic scenario, the report indicates, is for the first two to five products to become available in about 10 years.
WHO on AMR
New treatment alone will not be sufficient to combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance. WHO works with countries and partners to improve infection prevention and control and to foster appropriate use of existing and future antibiotics.
In the area of research and development, WHO and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) have established the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), a non-profit research and development organization accelerating the development of new and improved antibiotics to tackle drug-resistant infections. GARDP’s strategy is to deliver five new treatments by 2025. GARDP is working with more than 50 public and private sector partners in 20 countries to develop and ensure sustainable access to treatments, promoting responsible use and affordability to all in need.
January 17: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted: “Public Health Screening to Begin at 3 U.S. Airports for 2019 Novel Coronavirus (“2019-nCoV”)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will implement enhanced health screenings to detect ill travelers traveling to the United States on direct or connecting flights from Wuhan, China. This activity is in response to an outbreak in China caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (2019 nCoV), with exported cases to Thailand and Japan.
Starting January 17, 2020, travelers from Wuhan to the United States will undergo entry screening for symptoms associated with 2019-nCoV at three U.S. airports that receive most of the travelers from Wuhan, China: San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK), and Los Angeles (LAX) airports.
“To further protect the health of the American public during the emergency of this novel coronavirus, CDC is beginning entry screening at three ports of entry. Investigations into this novel coronavirus are ongoing and we are monitoring and responding to this evolving situation,” said Martin Cetron, M.D., Director of CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine.
Based on current information, the risk from 2019-nCoV to the American public is currently deemed to be low. Nevertheless, CDC is taking proactive preparedness precautions.
Entry screening is part of a layered approach used with other public measures already in place to detect arriving travelers who are sick (such as detection and reporting of ill travelers by airlines during travel and referral of ill travelers arriving at a US port of entry by CBP) to slow and reduce the spread of any disease into the United States.
CDC is deploying about 100 additional staff to the three airports (SFO, JFK, and LAX) to supplement existing staff at CDC quarantine stations located at those airports.
CDC is actively monitoring this situation for pertinent information about the source of outbreak, and risk for further spread through person-to-person or animal-to-animal transmission. CDC continues and more is learned about the newly emerging virus but is an important public health tool during periods of uncertainty and part of a multilayered government response strategy. As new information emerges, CDC will reassess entry screening measures and could scale activities up or down accordingly.
On January 11, 2020, CDC updated a Level 1 Travel Health Notice (“practice usual precautions”) for travelers to Wuhan City and an updated Health Alert to health care professionals and public health partners with new and updated guidance is forthcoming.
China health officials report that most of the patients infected with 2019-nCoV have had exposure to a large market where live animals were present, suggesting this is a novel virus that has jumped the species barrier to infect people. Chinese authorities additionally report that several hundred health care workers caring for outbreak patients are being monitored and no spread of this virus from patients to health care workers has been seen. They report no sustained spread of this virus in the community, however there are indications that some limited person-to-person spread may have occured. CDC is responding to this outbreak out of an abundance of caution, ready to detect people infected with 2019-CoV.
January 17: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control posted information titled: “Rapid Risk Assessment: Cluster of pneumonia cases caused by a novel coronavirus, Wuhan, China, 2020”. From the Executive Summary of the information:
A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has been isolated and considered the causative agent of the cluster of 41 pneumonia case in the area of Wuhan, Hubei province in China, and three travel-related cases in Thailand and Japan, arriving from Wuhan.
The majority of detected pneumonia cases reported having visited the Wuhan Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market recently before disease onset. For a few cases there was no direct connection with a food market. The Wuhan Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market has been closed and disinfected. However, there is no information available on restrictions at any other food markets in Wuhan. If the sources of the infections are indeed certain animals sold in the market, other markets in the city may continue to pose a risk of infection. At the moment, there is no information on the source of infection or the transition mode. The occurrence of a few cases having no history of contact with the implicated market or other any similar market suggests the possibility of the infection source being even more widely distributed.
As of 16 January 2020, there is no clear indication of sustained human-to-human transmission. The report of two small family clusters in Wuhan and the exposure history of the imported Japanese case (history of contact with a person with an acute, not laboratory confirmed, respiratory infection in Wuhan), suggest the person-to-person transmission may have occurred. In the absence of detailed information from the ongoing studies in China, it is impossible to quantify the potential of the 2019-nCoV for human-to-human transmission.
The clinical information on confirmed 2019-nCoV cases reported so far suggests a milder disease course than that observed in SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV cases. However, in the absence of results from ongoing epidemiological investigations, it is impossible to assess whether there are population groups at higher risk of severe illness.
January 17: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a press briefing transcript titled: “Transcript of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Response Telebriefing”. From the transcript:
Operator: Good afternoon, and thank you for standing by, as a reminder, today’s conference is being recorded, if you have any objections, you can disconnect at this time. Your lines are in a listen only mode until the question and answer session of today’s conference. At that time, you may press star followed by the number one to ask a question. Please unmute your phones and state your name when prompted. It is now my pleasure to turn the conference over to Benjamin Haynes. Thank you, you may go ahead,
Ben Haynes: Thank you, Michelle, and thank you all for joining us for today’s telebriefing regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus and the proactive action the CDC is taking. We’re joined today by Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and Dr. Marty Cetron, director of CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. Drs. Messonnier and Cetron will provide opening remarks before taking your questions. I would now like to turn the call over to Dr. Messonnier.
Nancy Messonnier: Great. Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to provide you with an update regarding the outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan City, China, which has been identified as being caused by a novel coronavirus. This is a serious situation. We have faced this challenge before first with SARS and later with MERS. Both outbreaks were complex and required a comprehensive public health response. Because of that experience, we know it’s crucial to be proactive and prepared. Frist, outbreaks of new diseases among people are always a public health concern. Second, while the discovery of a new virus can be exciting, we are still learning about it. This means our recommendations will continue to evolve as we learn more about the virus. Since the outbreaks of MERS and SARS, we have made improved in our capacity in the United States and around the world. We’re now better poised to respond to this new threat quickly and collaboratively. Based on the information that CDC has today, we believe the current risk from this virus to the general public is low. For a family sitting around the dinner table tonight this is not something that they generally need to worry about.
Now I would like to provide you with the most current information we have. Please know that we are still early in this response and the situation is still evolving hour by hour and day by day.
On December 30th, China reported an outbreak of respiratory disease in Wuhan City, it’s a major transportation hub about 700 miles south of Beijing with the population of more than 11 million people. An investigation led by local officials identified a new coronavirus as the cause of the outbreak. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people, and others that circulate among animal, including camels, cats, and bats. Rarely animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people.
This was the case with MERS and SARS. There have been a lot of developments in this outbreak over the last few days, and I want to share what we know based on the latest public health reports. Regarding the source, most of the patients in the outbreak have reportedly had some link to a large seafood and live animal market which does suggest animal to human spread. The market was closed early this month for disinfection and cleaning.
In terms of severity, China has reported 45 cases to date. The most recent four cases were just reported within the past hour or two. And there have been two deaths. Those patients who died were older adults. And one of the two patients had known serious underlying medical conditions. Some patients have been described as being seriously ill, while others have recovered and been discharged from the hospital. As relates to the spread of the virus, we’re still learning more. While most of these infections seem to be happening from animals to people, there is some indication that limited person-to-person spread is happening, including outside of Asia. Just this week, three cases outside of China have been identified, two in Thailand, one in Japan, all in travelers from Wuhan.
Now I’d like to talk a little bit about what CDC has been doing. Last week we established an incident management structure to coordinate our response. We’re monitoring the international situation with our teams on the ground in China, Thailand, and Japan as well as working closely with colleagues at the World Health Organization. We have been updating the CDC web site daily to include new information and I would direct you there for the latest case counts and updated information in terms of our response.
We issued a level one travel notice first, which reminds travelers to practice usual cautions for Wuhan City, China, that was earlier this month and we’ve continued to update it based on new information. We sent out a health advisory via the Health Alert Network updating health care workers and public health partners on this outbreak and will be sending out additional guidance either later today or tomorrow. Our laboratory is using genetic sequences provided by the Chinese and already has the ability to identify this pathogen were it to occur in the United States. We’re working on a specific diagnostic test to detect this virus and we’ll be distributing this test to state health departments.
I’m going to stop there and hand over the briefing to my colleague, Dr. Marty Cetron, the Director of the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. He’ll talk to you about the precautions we’re taking at airports to identify possible novel coronaviruses. Marty.
Marty Cetron: Thank you, Nancy. To further protect the health of the American public during the emergence this new coronavirus, beginning today CDC will be screening passengers on direct and connecting flights from Wuhan. This will begin tonight at New York, JFK airport, the first of the three main airports and one of the two that receive direct arriving flights from Wuhan.
While a remarkable amount has been learned since the first detection of this virus last month, it’s still early and much remains unknown as Dr. Messonnier pointed out. The investigation into this novel coronavirus is ongoing and dynamic, and CDC is actively engaged on the many fronts that Dr. Messonnier outlined. We are preparing across the public health and health care system to prevent, detect, and respond to this novel coronavirus.
The earlier we detect a case, the better we can protect the public and the more we can understand about this virus, and its risk for spread. CDC will implement public health entry screening at San Francisco airport, New York JFK and LAX airport. These airports receive the vast majority of travelers from Wuhan. As I mentioned, JFK and also San Francisco are the only two airports in the United States with direct flights from Wuhan. LAX was included because of the equivalent large volume of passengers coming from indirect flights.
Entry screening is only one part of a layered approach that includes altering the nation’s public health system and health care delivery systems. When used with other public health measures already in placer rapid detection of ill arriving travelers, we can slow and reduce the spread of disease into the United States. It is early in this outbreak. The virus is novel, and while we have expertise with SARS and MERS, humility is important. There is so much work to be done as the outbreak investigation unfolds and is very dynamic as you heard. As we learn more about this newly emerging virus, CDC will adjust its screening and response procedures appropriately. Thank you.
Ben Haynes: Thank you, doctor and doctor, Michelle we are ready to open up for questions.
Operator: Thank you, sir. At this time, if you would like to ask a question or if you do have any comments, you may press star one. Please unmute your phones and state your name when prompted. Again, that is star one for any questions. One moment, please. Andrew Joseph from STAT, you may go ahead.
Andrew Joseph: Hi, thanks very much. With three exported cases identified already, but only 45 identified in Wuhan, are you working under the assumption that the outbreak is actually bigger than that in Wuhan, that you think there might be more unidentified cases so far?
Nancy Messonnier: Yes, this is Dr. Messonnier, and I would say that this is the stage of investigation we need to proceed cautiously and be prepared to respond quickly to any eventuality. So of course, we’re generally concerned that there might be more cases, but we need to wait until our colleagues in China complete their investigation. That said, that is one of the reasons we’re standing up screening in the United States to make sure that we have the means to detect a case early here so that we can detect it early and learn more about it.
Andrew Joseph: Thank you.
Operator: Thank you, our next question comes from Mike Stobbe with the Associated Press, you may go ahead,
Mike Stobbe: Thank you for taking my call. Just a couple. I wanted to make sure to clarify, CDC is trying to develop the diagnostic test to determine the virus, but when you all will be screening people, you’ll be looking at symptoms. You won’t b able to actually test for the virus, is that correct? And I also wanted to ask, just to make sure I have the most current information. There’s not screening planned at the Wuhan airport in China or underway right now. It’s screening on the receiving end, not before they get on the plane? Thank you.
Nancy Messonnier: I think we’ll trade off on those questions. The diagnostic one is mine. We actually do have laboratory diagnostics here at CDC that are stood up. The first diagnostics that we’d be relying on is based on sequence. My compliments to our colleagues in China. They identified this pathogen very quickly and quickly put that sequence up where it’s publicly available to all the scientists around the world.
That is how our colleagues in Japan and Thailand identified cases. They compared the sequences that they found in Japan and Thailand to the sequence that the Chinese collaborators posted. So we at CDC also have the ability to do that today, but we are working on a more specific diagnostic. We expect to have that imminently, and samples from patients who are appropriately identified with screening both at the airports or elsewhere in the United States, CDC stands ready to actually do laboratory diagnostic tests to identify whether they do have novel coronavirus. Marty.
Marty Cetron: Yeah, so Mike, your question about what, I think you were asking whether we’re going to be doing any diagnostics at the airport, and the answer to that is now. We will do symptom-based screening in persons that have the epi link to Wuhan, and we will take a temperature, and then we will triage for evaluation those patients of concern where they will be referred to a facility that can do a regular diagnostic work up and collect the specimens that Nancy was referring to in terms of sending to CDC for reference testing for coronavirus. So that’s the basic sequence.
Regarding exit screening in Wuhan, to the best of our knowledge, it is not ongoing at this time although there have been many people who have pointed out that the efficiency of exit screening obviously on a global perspective is an important step that compliments entry screening activities. So, one is hopeful that that will move but as you can imagine, Wuhan is a dealing with a lot of issues at the present and will continue to, you know, apply requests through formal channels that exit screening also be added to the compliment of the tool box.
Ben Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Thank you, Denise Grady from New York Times, you may go ahead.
Denise Grady: Hi, thank you very much. I just want to specify a little more, what exactly does screening involve. Is there also any kind of question, are you looking only at temperature, are you looking at coughing, how do you tell apart somebody who’s coughing and has got a runny nose to someone who might be of concern, where exactly are they going to be taken? And what about people traveling with them? What kinds of plans are in place to deal with this if somebody is thought to be a possible case?
Marty Cetron: Thanks for that question. Excellent question. We will be capturing the information of the person who comes, in addition we will be asking questions about symptoms, and we will be taking a temperature check. And those that have symptoms that are compatible and a fever will be moved to what we call a tertiary screening by our quarantine medical officers for further investigation regarding exposures and contact and family issues. But all members of the same family will go through the same screening.
The sick individual will be triaged to evaluation in preidentified designated facilities and we have been working with our public health partners and our clinical partners as well as the transport services and we have been through this type of protocol before in 2014 and 2016, during the Ebola entry screening which lasted many months, over a year. And those individuals will be transported safely, without exposing others, and evaluated under CDC guidance for infection control precautions and recommendations. And that’s the basic sequence.
The ability to make the — refine the diagnosis and your point is well taken, we’re in the middle of respiratory virus season. It will be for more likely that these symptoms will be caused by the common circulating winter viruses, including influenza, parainfluenza, RSV, and many others than it will be this novel virus. While we have been in contact with some of our partners that are screening in other countries, it is our understanding that they have screened thousands before they found these one a two individual cases. So, we are expecting that, you know, this is going to be a triage scenario, and there is the capability in these referral centers for doing rapid diagnostics for the other causes of respiratory illness. So, thank you for your question.
Denise Grady: Thank you. Are you able to tell us where the facilities are, where people are going to be taken in these cities, New York, San Francisco, LA?
Marty Cetron: We generally — we generally don’t, you know, pre-identify publicly those institutions. But needless to say there’s extensive preparedness network that has gone on for a very long time to identify the facilities that have the appropriate precautions and capability to deal with patients like this. And I have just been updated that perhaps as of today or this morning, Wuhan may be beginning exit screening. We’ll conform that, but some of the media reports are indicating that.
Ben Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Thank you. Lena Sun from the Washington Post, you may go ahead.
Lena Sun: Yes, hi. I have a couple of questions. Thank you. Dr. Messonnier, do we know more about whether people are in the limited human-to-human transmission, if they can only spread when they’re symptomatic, and also Dr. Marty Cetron, could you please give us a sense of the volume of flights coming directly or connecting to Wuhan to these airports? I believe the top 20 airports from Wuhan are all in Asia, but of course, from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, a ton of them come here. Where do the US arriving flights sort of fit in that volume of space?
Nancy Messonnier: Okay. That was only two questions.
Lena Sun: I have a follow up, but I’m holding it.
Nancy Messonnier: The answer to the first question is we don’t know. MERS and SARS, which are similar to this novel coronavirus, we know from investigation of those two viruses that they are more likely to spread when somebody is more contagious and that asymptomatic people can spread, but at a much lower rate. So, it certainly is reasonable to ask the same question of this coronavirus, but it really would be premature to conclude that because we frankly don’t have enough information yet and that’s why we are taking this cautious approach.
Lena Sun: Okay. Again, just ask a quick follow up to that related question, you know, the Chinese have been giving out some information but they haven’t given any kind of a time line when people were symptomatic, how long they were sick for, any of that detail. Have you guys pressed them for that, or do you already have that information?
Nancy Messonnier: We don’t have all the information at the level of detail that our scientists would prefer. You know CDC scientists and we want to see every tidbit of data ourselves and that’s not the situation we’re in right now. We are in more of a waiting mode, waiting to see what our colleagues from China are releasing. It is a fast-moving situation, again, as identified, you know, again within the past hour, four more cases have been reported. Things are still moving fast and information is still coming on. We generally know that the incubation period is around 2 to 14 days, and there’s nothing that we’ve seen with this outbreak that is not consistent with that, but we really don’t have the level of detail that would allow us to be really completely confident that this virus is behaving the way we expect.
Marty Cetron: About the travel volume, just to give you some feel. So we have data, we look at data from the past year, and then we actively are getting data from each day’s arrivals confirming not only the capacity of a flight by how many bodies are in seats.
And the annual data in general arrives for the past year from Wuhan with itineraries originating in Wuhan and ending in the United States is over 60,000, probably ranging from 60 to 65,000 per year. There’s some asymmetry in that not all months are equal, the peak seasons in China travel to the U.S. usually arrives in January due to the Chinese Lunar New Year, which is up coming.
And we also have weekly estimates for these three airports and we’re expecting that the screening over the next couple of weeks could include as many as 5,000 people per month with direct or indirect flights from Wuhan. But it will really vary, and this is something each day that we get sort of an updated number. What’s different and unique about this is the two, the two direct flights that will originate. Recall that during 2014-16, there were no direct flights from West Africa to the United States, they were all indirect. So, we’ll be screening episodically these large volume of arrivals three times a week from JFK and San Francisco in particular.
Ben Haynes: Next question, please, Michelle.
Operator: Thank you. Nurith Aizenman from NPR.
Nurith Aizenman: I have a question from each of you and also a follow up. The first question is from the test. I’m trying to picture this. Someone comes in, they do have symptoms. Maybe they have something that makes you think they really should be screened. They’re taken to this location, you know, and then the test is done, how quickly, if they’re testing of the things that are easily known, you can easily identify if it’s something other than this new coronavirus, how quickly would that occur realistically, are we talking an hour, like all day, overnight, just some sense of the time line that someone might be detained.
The other questions is, again, on this issue of the incubation period we are seeing, I mean, there’s been dribs and drabs about when the last symptoms were — onset of symptoms were reported by these cases but it sounds like its limited to kind of early January. Are we — are you seeing, you know, is it normal to expect kind of a gap in cases and then a reemergence of new cases if there is a lot of human-to-human transmission going on? In other words, like, 14 days on basically around now, we’d start to see like suddenly a new flourishing of cases?
Marty Cetron: So, let me take the issue just to clarify where the diagnostic testing is going to go. People that come to the secondary screening and we have surge CDC staff to these ports obviously, and when they answer the questionnaire, if there’s no concerns about signs and symptoms and they’re afebrile, they’re going to be given a card that they can carry with them as to what symptoms to be alert for in the ensuing 14 days, and how to safely contact and interact with the health care system for care. Those folks would be moving on, and we’ll expect we’ll be able to process them in moving on quite quickly and without significant delays.
For the folks that actually have suspicious signs and symptoms and concerns, they will have a more detailed exam and an inquiry about exposures in tertiary at the airport. Many of those folks will likely end up being referred for further evaluation. It is unlikely that they will be able to make an immediate connecting flight if they had one, and so the types of diagnostics, screening diagnostics for common viruses can be done quickly but it’s still sort of an amount of hours of turn around in that process.
Currently they have to be shipped to CDC and tested here in reference labs. And the speed in which that turn around occurs will continue to improve over time as we get these laboratory processes up and running for throughput. But perhaps Dr. Messonnier can talk about what the expected time frame is in the screening process.
Dr. Messonnier: We’re sort of on the verge of having a more parsimonious laboratory test, and that will improve things right now. If it was right now today it might be as much as a day but it’s going to get rapidly faster as we work so rapidly on our diagnostics. The second questions is sort of a, I would take it as a theoretical question about incubation periods and waves as opposed to a specific question because I mean I think what you’re asking is, is it possible for there to be one wave and then a lull and then a second wave.
Nurith Aizenman: Exactly. I mean, essentially as we’re looking at what’s happening, right, and we’re trying to figure out what does this tell us, and is it possible that the fact that we haven’t seen a whole lot of cases yet out of Wuhan, doesn’t necessarily tell us much because maybe you would expect to see the next wave like around now is when you would start to expect to see the next wave if there is indeed significant human-to-human transmission?
Nancy Messonnier: Yeah, I think what I would say about that is, you know, we’re trying — I mean, of course we’re hypothesizing and like you, trying to put this story together and see if we can find an easy explanation, but at the same time, even as we speak, more information is flowing in as the Chinese investigators continue their investigations in terms of familial clustering and what exact exposure, what proportion of these cases actually were in the market and what weren’t.
So, I think it’s a little hard to completely feel confident that we have every bit of information and what we’re going to see additional cases all around the world as folks look for it more. Respiratory illnesses in general have a spectrum of illness, and generally we tend to find people who are more on the severe end of illness, but as we start testing more, and as lots of countries stand up diagnostic testing, I expect that we’re going to see more cases, and I think it’s highly plausible that there will be at least a case in the United States, and that’s the reason that we’re moving forward so quickly with this screening that Dr. Cetron is talking about.
Ben Haynes: Next question, please, Michelle we have time for two more. Sorry.
Operator: Thank you. Dan Vergano from Buzzfeed News, go ahead.
Dan Vergano: Thanks for doing this. Why a virus that starts in animals and spreads to people, and shows signs of spreading from people to people, it might be a particular concern in an outbreak like this, you know, like why the concern?
Nancy Messonnier: I think we are concerned anytime there is a new virus or a new pathogen emerging in a population that hasn’t seen it before because what it means is that populations don’t have existing immunity, and we don’t have specific treatments of vaccines. So we’re always concerned about that.
I this particular situation, we are especially concerned about a novel coronavirus because we have the president of MERS and SARS, and those were quite complicated, difficult outbreaks with many people getting ill and deaths, and so understanding that this pathogen looks, at least from a genetic perspective, like those pathogens makes us especially worried. It doesn’t take much for a virus in general to go from being worrisome to being extremely worrisome because they tend to morph and mutate a lot, and so that’s why in this class of viruses, we are especially worried and we’re taking a very cautious approach.
Dan Vergano: Thank you very much.
Ben Haynes: Last question, please.
Operator: Thank you. Elizabeth Cohen from CNN, you may go ahead.
Elizabeth Cohen: Hi, thank you so much for having this teleconference, I have two nuts and bolts questions for Dr. Cetron, I want to make sure I heard two things correctly, you said over the next few weeks we’re expecting 5,000 passengers from Wuhan, and two I think you said the JFK screenings start tonight at SFO, and LAX tomorrow. Did I get those two things right?
Marty Cetron: Yes, so the first direct flight from Wuhan scheduled arrival is around 10:00 p.m. Tonight at JFK, and that will be the first fully screened flight. The — we will serially roll those out. The next direct flight arrives at San Francisco I believe around 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, and some of the indirect flights will be screened in LAX also beginning tomorrow morning.
So, as we have surged as I indicated, you know, over a hundred CDC staff to these three airports and rough numbers I gave you around travel was across all three. In terms of that, we’ll actually see realistically how many bodies are in the seats, this is projections based on carrying capacity.
And then I believe it was either you or somebody else that asked about where does the U.S. sort of fit into the total scheme. The — there was a report out that modeled that based on, I think it was 2018 data, the top destination countries, Thailand, Japan and Malaysia. These may have evolved a little bit in 2019, and they may be influenced little bit on a monthly or seasonal basis as to what those orders are, but in general, the U.S. is, you know, not in that top tier as somebody indicated.
Most of these — most of this travel is in Southeast Asia, and so the experience of screening that is going on in many countries right now will be very ill illuminative, both about early detection of cases and the proportion of cases that trigger the screening, you know, as positive screening that actually get confirmed with the novel coronavirus will also help us a lot to find a little bit the scope and magnitude of exportation.
Nancy Messonnier: Well, thank you for joining us today. In closing, I do want to remind you that we’re still in the early days of this investigation. Things continue to evolve. We’re monitoring the situation closely. We’re working to keep you informed every step of the way.
I also want to take a moment to thank the many partners with while we are completely dependent and collaborating on this response. The we here is not CDC in isolation, but clearly our state, local, territorial partners, CBP, FAA, the airlines Our ability to stand up to this kind of response and our ability to intervene this quickly is entirely dependent on those collaborations as well as the many international collaborations in countries where were are working.
The risk of these outbreaks depends on the characteristics of the virus, including if and how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus such as antiviral treatments or vaccines. The situation could indeed change quickly. Therefore, we are taking a cautious approach to this outbreak and we’re preparing ourselves to respond quickly to any new developments, thank you again.
Ben Haynes: Thank you Dr. Messonnier and Dr. Cetron. And thank you all for joining us for today’s briefing. Please visit the 2019 novel coronavirus web page found at the bottom of the press release for continued updates. If you have further questions, please call the CDC media office at 404-639-3286 or email media @CDC.gov.
Operator: Thank you, this concludes today’s conference call. You may go ahead and disconnect at this time.
January 19
January 19: World Health Organization South-East Asia posted a news release titled: “Update information on Thailand responding to the novel coronavirus”
Current situation:
On 17th January 2020, the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand reported a second imported case of infection caused by the novel coronavirus recently identified in Wuhan, China. The concerned individual is a Chinese national who was found to have fever on arrival at Suvarnbhumi airport on 13th January. A clinical diagnosis of mild pneumonia was made after referral to a government hospital. Laboratory testing subsequently confirmed that the novel coronavirus was the cause.
WHO acknowledges the capacity of Thailand’s laboratory to do the complex genetic analyses necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
Background:
Since early December, a number of cases of pneumonia have been detected in persons from Wuhan city in China. Chinese authorities identified a new coronavirus as the agent causing these cases.
Coronaviruses are common – many cause less severe illness such as the common cold; other are known to cause more severe illness (SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, MERS). Chinese scientists have sequenced and made available the genetic material of this virus — a remarkable achievement in such a short time. This will be critical to helping public health authorities around the world understand this illness and track it.
The way these patients became infected is not yet known. To date, there has been no confirmation of human to human transmission of this new coronavirus. There have been no infections reported among health care workers, which can be an early indicator of person to person spread.
At present WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travelers in relation to this event. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information available. If travelers develop respiratory illness before, during or after travel, they should seek medical attention and share travel history with their health care provider.
The World Health Organization is working with Thailand and other countries to track further understand infections caused by this new coronavirus and to ensure that they are prevented and controlled. This includes,
Facilitating information sharing on this and other relevant health events between countries
In the longer term, using the International Health Regulation to develop and strengthen the capacities of countries to detect and respond to infections like the new coronavirus.
Providing all countries with a technical package of interim guidance, including:
Case definitions to help with identification of cases
Information on laboratory methodologies to identify this and other respiratory viruses,
Guidance on how to protect health care workers and others;
Information for clinicians on case management
Guidance on Risk Communication
The following guidelines are also being developed
Advice for people visiting markets
Guidance on entry & exit screening at airports and other ‘points of entry’
Guidance on case investigation and contact tracing
January 19: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted: “The Republic of #Korea has confirmed a case of #nCoV2019 in a person who travelled from Wuhan, China. Korean authorities report that she did not visit markets in Wuhan or have contact with animals or other confirmed cases.” This was the start of a thread.
January 19: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted: “The #nCoV2019 case was detected by thermal scanner during entry at Incheon Airport. She is currently in a stable condition, isolated in hospital for testing and treatment. Contact tracing is underway.”
January 19: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted: “Since 3 January, Korean health authorities have strenghtened surveillance for #pneumonia cases in health facilities nationwide, and screening for travellers from Wuhan. Public risk communication has also been enhanced.”
January 19: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted: “@WHO is working closely with the Republic of #Korea, and other countries to continue preparedness activities, and with global networks of experts in relation to the novel #coronavirus (nCoV-2019).” This is the last tweet in that thread.
January 19: World Health Organization Western Pacific Region tweeted: “The total number of confirmed cases of #nCoV2019 reported to date is 205, including 3 deaths. All reported deaths have been in Wuhan, China.”
January 19: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Chief Medical Officer’s statement on novel coronavirus” It is a statement from Professor Brendan Murphy, Australian Government Chief Medical Officer, about cases of novel coronavirus
The Australian Government Department of Health is aware of the cases of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from the region of Wuhan in China, and watching developments very closely.
The situation warrants close attention and an evidence-based response and there is no cause for alarm in Australia.
The situation warrants close attention and an evidence-based response and there is no cause for alarm in Australia.
Australia has well established mechanisms to respond to ill travelers at points of entry.
Under Australian legislation, airlines must report passengers on board showing signs of an infectious disease, including fever, sweats or chills.
Planes reporting ill travellers are met on arrival by biosecurity officers who make an assessment and take necessary actions, such as isolation and referral to hospital where required.
The World Health Organization position does not currently recommend any travel advisory for China, or additional measures at airports beyond our established mechanisms.
The Department of Health is aware that new cases have recently been identified, after a period of a week where no new cases had been identified.
Whilst there is no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission, the recent cases, several days after the closure of the fish market that was initially identified as the likely source, raises direct transmission as a possibility.
Importantly, however, there have been no reported cases of infection in the several hundred health care workers who have been exposed to patients in China.
All confirmed cases have so far been people who have been in Wuhan, or visited Wuhan.
Whilst there have been two deaths, one was a person with significant other medical conditions. Wuhan Tainhe international airport will commence exit screening of passengers.
The World Health Organization is closely monitoring the situation and is in regular contact with Chinese authorities to provide support required. The Department of Health is also in contact with the World Health Organization.
The Department of Health works in partnership with State and Territory Health Officers, to ensure that we continue an evidence based response in Australia. The Chief Health Officers will be meeting this week to further discuss the recent developments with this virus.
Ausralia has processes in place to enhance border measures in relation to a communicable disease, if required, working through our established Health Protection system.
January 19: World Health Organization (WHO) started a thread that began with this tweet: “China has reported 139 new cases of novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in #Wuhan, #Beijing and #Shenzhen over the past two days. This is the result of increased searching and testing for 2019-nCoV among people sick with respiratory illnesses.”
January 19: World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted: “For the first time, there are novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) cases reported outside of #Wuhan, within #China. These cases were identified because of searching and testing for cases outside Wuhan.”
January 19: World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted: “WHO has provided advice to countries on how to identify people sick with the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV), how to care for them, and how to prevent spread.”
January 19: World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted: “WHO has issued advice for individuals on how to protect themselves and others from the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
January 19: World Health Organiztion (WHO) tweeted: “An animal source seems the most likely primary spurce of this novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, with some limited human-to-human transmission occuring between close contacts.”
January 19: World Health Organization tweeted: “WHO urges countries to continue preparedness activities for the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV), and continue sharing of information. Speedy information sharing has already had a positive impact on the response.”
January 19: World Health Organization tweeted: “WHO is constantly analyzing data on the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) as we recieve it, and working closely with global networks of experts on a range of topics.”
January 19: World Health Organization tweeted: “As more #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) cases are identified and more analysis undertaken, we will get a clearer picture of disease severity and transmission patterns. We will update and expand our guidance as we learn more.”
January 19: World Health Organization tweeted: “WHO is proposing studies on the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that can be done in #China and elsewhere to better understand transmission, risk factors, and where the virus is. These studies take time and resources. Some of these studies are being undertaken already.” This was the last tweet in the thread.
January 20
January 20: The CDC reported 1 additional COVID-19 case in the United States.
January 20: World Health Organization South-East Asia posted “Update information on the novel coronavirus”. From the news release:
National authorities in China reported to WHO an additional 139 new cases of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
On January 20th, 2020, national authorities in China reported to WHO an additional 139 new cases of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection, that were detected in Wuhan, Beijing and Shenzhen over the past two days. This is the result of increased searching and testing for 2019-nCoV among people who are unwell with respiratory illness.
Background:
Since early December, a number of cases of pneumonia have been detected in persons from Wuhan city in China. Cases have now also been detected in Beijing and Shenzen. Chinese authorities identified a new coronavirus as the agent causing the cases. Two imported cases have also been reported in Thailand – in people that had traveled from Wuhan. A case has also been reported in Japan, who had also visited Wuhan.
Coronaviruses are common — many cause less severe illness such as the common cold; other are known to cause more severe illness (SARS and Middle East Syndrome, MERS)
At present, WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travelers in relation to this event. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information available. If travelers develop respiratory illness before, during or after travel, they should seek medical attention and share travel history with their health care provider.
The World Health Organization is working with Thailand and other countries to track further understand infections caused by this new coronavirus and to ensure that they are prevented and controlled. This includes,
Facilitating information sharing on this and other relevant health events between countries
In the longer term, using the International Health Regulations to develop and strengthen the capacities of countries to detect and respond to infections like the new coronavirus.
Providing all countries with a technical package of interim guidance including,
Case definitions to help with identification of cases
Information on laboratory methodologies to identify this and other respiratory viruses,
Guidance on how to protect health care workers and others;
Information for clinicians on case management
Guidance on Risk Communication
The following guidelines are also being developed
Advice for people visiting markets
Guidance on entry & exit screening at airports and other ‘points of entry’
Guidance on case investigation and contact tracing
January 20: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “The total number of confirmed cases of #nCoV2019 reported to date is 222 (China: 218, Thailand: 2, Japan: 1, Rep. of Korea: 1) including 4 deaths (all in Wuhan, China). The number of people reported with 2019-nCOV in Wuhan, China, includes 15 health care workers.” This was the start of a thread.
January 20: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “It is now very clear from the latest information that there is at least some human-to-human transmission of #nCoV2019. Infections among health care workers strenghten the evidence for this.”
January 20: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “In addition, info about newly reported #nCoV2019 infections suggests there may now be sustained human-to-human transmission. But more information and analysis are needed on this new virus to understand the full extent of human-to-human transmission and other important details.”
January 20: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “@WHO continues to work closely with governments and experts on this, and progress is underway. Director-General @DrTedros will convene an Emergency Committee on #nCoV2019 on Wednesday, 22 Jan 2020.” This tweet is the end of the thread.
January 20: The Guardian reported: A third death and more than 100 new cases are announced in China, sparking concerns ahead of the annual lunar new year holiday which begins on 25 January and during which hundreds of millions of Chinese people travel nationwide.
More than 200 cases have been recorded with cases reported in Beijing in the north, Shanghai in the east and Schenzhen in the south. The virus is also detected in South Korea in a Chinese person who has arrived by plane from Wuhan.
In his first public comments on the outbreak, China’s president Xi Jinping says the virus must be “resolutely contained.”
Human-to-human transmission is “affirmative”, a top Chinese expert on infectious diseases, Zhong Nanshan, tells state broadcaster CCTV.
January 20: Ars Technica posted “Outbreak of new virus explodes in China; human-to-human spread confirmed”. It was written by Beth Mole.
An outbreak of a never-before-seen coronavirus in the Chinese city of Wuhan dramatically worsened over the last few days – the case count has more than tripled, cases have appeared in new cities, and authorities have confirmed that the virus is spreading from person to person.
The World Health Organization announced Monday that it will convene an emergency meeting on Wednesday, January 22, to asses the outbreak and how best to manage it.
On Saturday, January 18, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission reported 136 newly identified cases of the viral pneumonia and one additional death. On Tuesday, January 21, (local time 4:18am), the commission reported another death. That brings Wuhan’s totals to 198 case sand four deaths. Just one day earlier, on January 17, the health commission had reported just 62 cases and two deaths.
The outbreak began in December there and has been linked to a live-animal market in Wuhan called the South China Seafood Wholesale Market. Researchers raced to identify the virus behind the outbreak, confirming quickly that the culprit is a never-before-seen coronavirus – a relative of the virus that caused the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in 2003. Like SARS, experts suspect that the new coronavirus leapt from animals at the market to humans, sparking the outbreak. Many strains of coronavirus circulate in animals and humans, causing mild to severe diseases.
But until this weekend, there were reasons to be optimistic that the new outbreak could be easily managed. Officials in Wuhan quickly shit down the live animal market January 1 for decontamination. On January 11, the health commission reported 41 conformed cases, most of which had clear ties to the market, and there was no clear evidence that the virus was spreading from human to human. No medical staff has been infected, and there had been no sign of new cases since January 3.
That has all changed. As the case tally shot up over the last few days, officials say that there is clear evidence that the virus is spreading from person to person, and at least 14 medical staff members contracted the virus.
Booming bug
“Now we can say it is certain that it is a human-to-human transmission phenomenon,” SARS expert Zhong Nanshan said on state-run television on Monday, according to The New York Times. Zhong is leading a government-appointed expert panel on the outbreak.
Zhong elaborated that there was at least one case of human-to-human transmission in Wuhan, a city in central China, and two cases in families in the southern Guangdong province that borders Hong Kong. He also said that in one case, a single parent spread the virus to at least 14 medical staff members. He referred to such a patient as a “super-spreader,” according to the South China Morning Post, and called these patients key to controlling the outbreak.
“We expect the number of infected cases will increase over the Lunar New Year travel period, and we need to prevent the emergence of a super-spreader of the virus,” Zhong said. Millions are expected to travel during the holiday period.
So far, officials have found cases of the virus in travelers to Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.
Besides Wuhan and Guangdong in mainland China, Chinese health officials have now reported cases in Beijing,Shanghai, and Shenzhen. The total number of cases overall in China has climbed to 218, according to state-run media.
Hong Kong has reported many suspected cases, but none have been confirmed to be linked to the outbreak. The region was hard hit by the 2003 SARS outbreak, which sickened over 8,000 people worldwide and killed 774.
Officials in Hong Kong and many other places have stepped up monitoring and are screening travelers. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ha already announced that it is closely monitoring the outbreak and will screen travelers from Wuhan.
The main symptoms of the virus are fever, cough, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.
January 20: PolitiFact posted: World Health Organization reports cases in China, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.
January 20: South China Morning Post posted “Wuhan virus kills fourth patient, infects hospital staff amid fear of ‘super-spreader’
Health authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan said another person had died from the recently identified coronavirus infection, bringing the total to four.
It added that 15 medical staff in Wuhan had contracted the virus, confirming that it is spreading by human transmission and raising concerns that people at the most virulent stage of infection – so-called super-spreaders – could infect many others.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it would call an emergency meeting on Wednesday to decide whether the outbreak should be declared an international public health emergency.
The new strain of coronavirus was identified this month after a mystery pneumonia started striking people in Wuhan mid-December. It is so far know to have spread to Thailand, South Korea and Japan in addition to cases in China, in Beijing, Shanghai and the southern province of Guangdong.
The speed of the outbreak has raised fears of another epidemic on the scale of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) coronavirus, which killed more than 700 people around the world in 2002-03 after originating in China.
One of China’s top Sars experts confirmed on Monday evening that the virus could be transmitted between humans, and that it was likely to have originated from wild animals.
The total number of infections reported in Wuhan – where a seafood and animal meat market is thought to be the centre of the outbreak – had reached 198 by Tuesday. The total number of confirmed cases in mainland China stood at 218, with five in Beijing, 14 in Guangdong and one in Shanghai.
More suspected cases have been reported in Shanghai and Qingdao on the coast, Chengdu and Yunnan province in the southwest, and Guangxi in the country’s south.
January 21
January 21: AAP posted “CDC confirms first U.S. case of new coronavirus”. It was written by Associate Editor Alyson Sulaski Wyckoff. From the news:
The first U.S. case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in a man from Snohomish County in Washington state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The patient, a man in his 30s, became ill after he returned to the U.S. Jan. 15 from Wuhan, China, which has been battling an outbreak of pneumonia caused by the respiratory virus (2019-nCoV) since December. He sought care at Providence Regional Medical Center – Everett in Snohomish County, where he is recovering. Based on the patient’s symptoms, a clinical specimen was sent to CDC overnight, and laboratory testing confirmed the diagnosis. A CDC team has been deployed to Washington state to support the investigation.
“CDC has been proactively preparing for introduction of this virus,” said Nancy Messonnier, M.D., director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in a tele briefing with Washington state officials today. “We know today’s news is concerning … now with close to 300 with the novel virus.”
Six patients have died, and while most of those who had been sickened with the virus live in China, several travel-associated cases have been reported in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Older adults may be at increased risk for severe disease, Dr. Messonnier said. She added that the travel alert to Wuhan has been upgraded from a level 1 to a level 2.
The CDC is instituting enhanced airport screening of passengers arriving from China, part of a multilayered process.
In the coming week, health officials will begin public health entry screening of passengers at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Screening was already in place as of Jan. 17 at New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco international airports. To date, no one has been discovered with the virus through entry screening.
The CDC is working closely with global partners and has activated its Emergency Operations Center to provide support. In addition, the CDC is involved in the following:
Alerting clinicians to be vigilant for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China;
Developing guidance for clinicians for testing and management of 2019-nCoV, plus guidance for home care of patients; and
Developing a diagnostic test to detect the virus in clinical specimens at a faster rate. Testing currently must take place at CDC, but the agency will share the test with domestic partners in the coming days and weeks
While it was originally thought that the virus was spreading from animal to person, “there are growing indications that limited person-to-person spread is happening. It’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people,” the CDC noted in a news release.
“… it’s crucial to be proactive and prepared,” Dr. Messonnier said.
January 21: The CDC reported the onset of 1 more additional COVID-19 case in the United States.
January 21: World Health Organization (WHO) posted a Report titled: “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report -1. The data in it was reported by January 20, 2020. From the report:
SUMMARY
Event highlights from 31 December 2019 to January 2020:
On 31 December 2019, the WHO China Country Office was informed of cases of pneumonia unknown etiology (unknown cause) detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. From 31 December 2019 through 3 January 2020, a total of 44 case-patients with pneumonia of unknown etiology were reported to the WHO by the national authorities in China. During this reported period, the causal agent was not identified.
On 11 and 12 January 2020, WHO received further detailed information from the National Health Commission China that the outbreak is associated with exposures in one seafood market in Wuhan City.
The Chinese authorities identified a new type of coronavirus, which was isolated on 7 January 2020.
On 12 January, 2020, China shared the specific genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus for countries to use in developing specific diagnostic kits.
On 13 January, 2020, the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, reported the first cases of a lab-confirmed novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
On 15 January, 2020, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan (MHLW) reported an imported case of laboratory-confirmed 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from Wuhan.
On 20 January, 2020, National IHR Focal Point (NFP) for Republic of Korea reported the first case of coronavirus in the Republic of Korea.
Situation update:
As of 20 January 2020, 282 confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV have been reported for four countries including China (278 cases), Thailand (2 cases), Japan (1 case) and the Republic of Korea (1 case);
Cases in Thailand, Japan and Republic of Korea were exported from Wuhan City, China;
Among the 278 cases confirmed in China, 258 cases were reported from Hubei Province, 14 from Guangdong Province, five from Beijing Municipality and one from Shanghai Municipality;
Of the 278 confirmed cases, 51 are severely ill, 12 are in critical condition;
Six deaths have been reported from Wuhan City.
I. Surveillance
Table 1. Countries, territories, or areas with reported confirmed cases of 2019-nCov, 20 January 2020
Details of cases reported on 20 January 2020:
Wuhan City: 60 new confirmed cases including three deaths.
Guangdong Province: Fourteen confirmed cases (one case was confirmed on 19 January) including four severe cases, no deaths; Of the 14 confirmed cases, 12 had travel history to Wuhan and two cases had contact history with cases; Nine were male and fives were female
Beijing Municipality: Five confirmed cases (two cases were confirmed on 19 January); Of the three new conformed cases on 20 Jan, two were male and one was a female; All five cases had a travel history to Wuhan and are currently asymptomatic.
Shanghai Municipality: One confirmed case in a female; Travelled to Shanghai from Wuhan on 12 January; Two contacts have been identified for follow up.
II. PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
WHO:
The WHO has been in regular contact with Chinese as well as Japanese, Korean and Thai authorities since the reporting of these cases. The three countries have shared information with WHO under the International Health Regulations. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested;
On 2 January, the incident management system was activated across the three levels of WHO (country office, regional office, and headquarters);
Developed the surveillance case definitions for human infection with 2019-nCoV and is updating it as per the new information becomes available;
Developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnosis, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for mild patients, risk communication and community engagement;
Prepared disease commodity package for supplies necessary in identification and management of confirmed patients;
Provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans;
Updated the travel advice for international travel in health in relation to the outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus in China;
Utilizing global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modeling;
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics;
WHO is working with our networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modeling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
III. COUNTRY RESPONSE:
China:
National authorities are conducting active case finding in all provinces;
Since 14 January 2020, 35 infrared thermometers have been installed in airports, railway stations, long-distance bus stations, and ferry terminals;
Search expanded for additional cases within and outside of Wuhan City;
Active / retroactive case finding in medical institutions in Wuhan City;
The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan City was closed on 1 January 2020 for environmental sanitation and disinfection. Market inspection in expansion to other markets;
Public education on disease prevention and environmental hygiene further strengthened in public places across the city, farmers’ markets in particular.
Thailand:
The Department of Disease Control has been implementing its surveillance protocol by fever screening of travellers from all direct flights from Wuhan, China, to the Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi airports, with the screening protocol starting at Karbi Airport on 17 January 2020;
From 3 to 20 January 2020, among 116 flights, 18,383 passengers and aircrew members were screened for respiratory symptoms and febrile illness;
As of 20 January 2020, the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand has scaled up the Emergency Operations Center to Level 2 to closely monitor the ongoing situation both at the national and international levels.
Risk communication guidance has been shared with the public and a hotline has been established by the Department of Disease Control for people returning from the affected area in China with related symptoms.
Japan:
Contact tracing and other epidemiological investigations are underway by the local health authorities in Japan;
As of 20 January 2020, 41 contacts have been followed. Of the 41 contacts, 37 have not shown any symptoms, three have left the country and efforts have been made to reach one contact;
The Japanese Government scaled up a whole-of-government coordination mechanism on the 16 January;
The MWLW has strengthened surveillance for undiagnosed severe acute respiratory illnesses since the report of undiagnosed pneumonia in Whuhan, China;
From 6 January, MHLW requested local health governments to be aware of the respiratory illnesses in Wuhan by using the existing surveillance system for serious infectious illness with unknown etiology;
NIID is supporting local authorities on epidemiologic investigations including contact tracing;
Quarantine and screening measures have been enhanced for travelers from Wuhan city at the point of entries since 7 January;
NIID established an in-house PCR assay for nCoV on 16 January;
Revision of the risk assessment by NIID is being conducted, including case definition of close contacts;
The public risk communication has been enhanced;
A hotline has been established among the different ministries in the government;
The MHLW is working closely with WHO and other Member States to foster mutual investigations and information sharing.
Republic of Korea:
Contact tracing and other epidemiological investigation are underway;
The government of the Republic of Korea has scaled up the national alert level from Blue (Level 1) to Yellow (Level 2 out of 4-level national crisis management system);
The Republic of Korea health authority has strengthened surveillance for pneumonia cases in health facilities nationwide since 3 January 2020;
Quarantine and screening measures have been enhanced for travelers from Wuhan at the point of entries (PoE) since 3 January 2020;
Public risk communication has been enhanced.
January 21: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan Confirms 41 People with Contacts with Pneumonia Patients”
The Japanese health ministry said Monday that it has identified 41 people who may have had long-term contacts with patients of pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus that has led to an outbreak of the disease in the inland China city of Wuhan.
While three of them have already left Japan, the ministry has been able to get in touch with all of the 41 people, and no new case of infection has been confirmed in the country, the ministry said.
The ministry will monitor the 41 people’s health conditions for about two weeks.
The ministry said last week that it has confirmed the first case of infection with the new coronavirus in Japan, noting that the patient is a Chinese man in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, who tested positive for the virus after returning from Wuhan.
According to the ministry’s announcement on Monday, 38 of the 41 people may have spent a large amount of time with the Chinese man at the workplace or home.
January 21: PolitiFact posted: The first U.S. case is announced in Washington state (as well as Vietnam and Singapore). WHO says the virus risk globally is high.
January 21: The Guardian reported Health officials in Washington state report the first case in the US. The man is in his 30s and is in good condition in a hospital in Everett, Washington, after returning to the area last week from China. He was believed to have travelled to the Wuhan area.
January 21: Health Protection Scotland posted “Outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei, China: updated” From the report:
An on-going outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China has been linked to a newly-discovered coronavirus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that, as of January 20, 2020, there have been 205 cases including three deaths. Coronaviruses are a well-recognized cause of human illnesses that range from mild to severe. This outbreak has been linked to possible exposure to infection at the South China Seafood City market in Wuhan.
As of 20 January, 2020, all cases are people who live in, or have travelled to, Wuhan…
January 21: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Novel coronavirus update”. It is a statement from the Chief Medical Officer about novel coronavirus
The Australian Government Department of Health is working across agencies to implement additional measures to manage the risk of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from the region of Wuhan in China.
I want to reassure Australians that to date there have been no confirmed cases in Australia and the risk of transmission in Australia from this novel coronavirus remains low.
We have well established mechanisms to detect and respond to ill travellers, and processes in place to implement further measures if the risk increases.
This is a rapidly evolving matter with developments in recent days and we remain alert but not alarmed.
Recent developments include significant increases in reported cases, and evidence of limited human-to-human transmission.
After consulting other Government agencies and the states and territories, we are now undertaking evidence based, proportionate additional border measures, particularly in relation to the three weekly direct flights from Wuhan to Sydney.
All passengers on these direct flights will recieve information abou the virus on arrival requesting that they identify themselves to biosecurity officers at the airport if they are unwell. If they have symptoms of an infectious disease they will be assessed by NSW Health.
Additional information will be displayed at all major international ports around Australia, with instructions on what to do if travellers have symptoms or if symptoms develop.
We are currently working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to update the travel advisory to Wuhan.
We are also preparing updated advice for doctors and other health professionals in Australia and will be providing advice on the Department of Health’s website.
There have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Australia.
Australia’s public health systems have identified a number of individuals who have presented with relevant symptoms and travel history to Wuhan.
So far, all but one have been cleared of the novel coronavirus. Laboratory testing results are pending on one remaining case in Queensland.
Key details of the evolving situation and suspected cases in Australia are shared across jusrisdictions through key expert bodies such as the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and its standing committee, the Commuicable Diseases Network Australia.
Australia has world-class public health systems in place to manage any cases, including isolation facilities in each state and territory.
There is currently no vaccine available for this virus; supportive care is the best available treatment if a case is confirmed.
Background
Coronaviruses are ubiquitous – there are many known viruses in humans and animals including some viruses that cause the common cold.
This novel virus was first detected in the City of Wuhan in China around 30 December 2019.
As of 21 January 2020, 198 confirmed cases of this virus have been detected in the Wuhan region of China, with three deaths.
Twenty-three additional cases have been detected in individuals in Beijing and Guangdong Province (China), Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Some of these individuals have reported a history of travel to Wuhan.
Since 17 January 2020, 136 new cases have been identified in patients in Wuhan with previously unexplained pneumonia.
All reported cases are adults.
The recent increase in the number of cases has been partially due to increased surveillance and testing of cases.
There is likely to be under-reporting and detection, particularly of mild cases, and true numbers are likely to be significantly greater.
A number of clinical symptoms have been reported, fever was the single consistent symptom. Other symptoms include breathing difficulty, coughing and a sore throat.
Among the reported cases, a proportion have experienced severe symptoms, including three deaths in China, with one individual known to have underlying disease.
There is not enough data to assess clinical severity yet, however, on current evidence, the virus is not thought to be a clinically severe as SARS or MERS and investigations are ongoing.
January 21: The Guardian reported: Health officials in Washington state report the first case in the US. The man is in his 30s and is in good condition at a hospital in Everett, Washington, after returning to the area last week from China. He was believed to have travelled to the Wuhan area.
January 21: Health New South Wales Gov posted: “NSW Health advice to travellers returning from Wuhan, China”
As part of an international response, NSW Health will help Commonwealth Biosecurity staff at Sydney Airport monitor travellers returning from Wuhan, where there is an outbreak of novel human coronavirus.
Chinese Health officials have confirmed more than 200 cases of the infection, including people who travelled from Wuhan to other parts of China and to at least four other countries in Asia.
No cases of the novel coronavirus have been detected in NSW.
Director of Health Protection, NSW Health, Dr Jeremy McAnulty said advice is being provided to travellers who may have already returned to NSW from Wuhan as it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to develop.
“Symptoms of the virus include a fever with respiratory symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, or shortness of breath,” Dr McAnulty said.
“There is no need for alarm, but people should be aware of the emerging situation and if they develop symptoms on returning from affected areas overseas, they should call ahead before seeing their GP.
“This virus does not appear to spread easily between people, but anyone with symptoms should practice simple hygiene by covering their mouths and sneezes with a tissue or their elbow and washing their hands thoroughly.”
While the Australian Government Department of Health in consultation with the Australian Government Department of Agriculture has the lead for health matters at the Australian border, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said public health officials are working with the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions to monitor the situation in China.
“Sydney is a popular destination for people travelling from China especially around the time of the Lunar New Year, so up-to-date health advice is paramount,” Mr Hazzard said.
Health workers in NSW public hospitals as well as community-based General Practitioners have already been issued precautionary advice to help them identify any cases of the infection and to apply careful infection control measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. NSW Health will continue to update all relevant health professionals at Infectious disease alerts.
NSW Health has made novel coronavirus 2019 a notifiable disease under the Public Health Act. Under this requirement, doctors and laboratories must report any suspected cases to NSW Health.
NSW Health has developed and exercised a range of procedures for case finding, diagnosis, and contact tracing for high consequence and infectious diseases (such as pandemic influenza, SARS, MERS and emerging infections) should they occur in NSW.
People who are heading overseas should also check the advice on Smart Traveller (smarttraveller.gov.au). General advice for overseas travellers includes avoiding animals (alive or dead) and animal markets, and avoiding close contact with sick people.
January 21: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “First Travel-related Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Detected in United States”. From the press release:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today confirmed the first case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States in the state of Washington. The patient recently returned from Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of pneumonia caused by this novel coronavirus has been ongoing since December 2019. While originally thought to be spreading from animal-to-person, there are growing indications that limited person-to-person spread is happening. It’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people.
The patient from Washington with confirmed 2019-nCoV infection returned to the United States from Wuhan on January 15, 2020. The patient sought care at a medical facility in the state of Washington, where the patient was treated for the illness. Based on the patient’s travel history and symptoms, healthcare professionals suspected this new coronavirus. A clinical specimen was collected and sent to CDC overnight, where laboratory testing yesterday confirmed the diagnosis via CDC’s Real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) test.
CDC has been proactively preparing for the introduction of 2019-nCoV in the United States for weeks including:
First altering clinicians on January 8, 2020, to be on the look-out for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China.
Developing guidance for clinicians for testing and management of 2019-nCoV, as well as guidance for home care of patients with 2019-nCoV.
Developing a diagnostic test to detect this virus in clinical specimens, accelerating the time it takes to detect infection. Currently, testing for this virus must take place at CDC, but in the coming days and weeks, CDC will share these tests with domestic and international partners.
On January 17, 2020, CDC began implementing public health entry screening at San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK), and Los Angeles (LAX) airports. This week CDC will add entry health screening at two more airports – Atlanta (ATL) and Chicago (ORD).
CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center to better provide ongoing support to the 2019-nCoV response
CDC is working closely with the state of Washington and local partners. A CDC team has been deployed to support the ongoing investigation in the state of Washington, including potentially tracing close contacts to determine if anyone else has become ill.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing respiratory illness in people and others circulating among animals including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people, such has been seen with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). When person-to-person spread has occurred with SARS and MERS, it is thought to happen via respiratory droplets with close contacts, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread.
The situation with regard to 2019-nCoV is still unclear. While severe illness, including illness resulting in several deaths, has been reported in China, other patients have had milder illness and been discharged. Symptoms associated with this virus have included fever, cough, and trouble breathing. The confirmation that some limited person-to-person spread with this virus is occurring in Asia raises the level of concern about this virus, but CDC continues to believe the risk of 2019-nCoV to the American public at large remains low at this time.
This is a rapidly evolving situation. CDC will continue to update the public as circumstances warrant.
January 21: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) posted “CDC confirms first U.S. case of new coronavirus”
The first U.S. case of the novel coronavirus virus has been confirmed in a man from Snohomish County in Washington state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The patient, a man in his 30s, became ill after her returned to the U.S. Jan. 15 from Wuhan, China, which has been battling an outbreak of pneumonia caused by the respiratory virus (2019-nCoV) since December. He sought care at Providence Regional Medical Center – Everett in Snohomish County, where he is recovering. Based on the patient’s symptoms, a clinical specimen was sent to CDC overnight, and laboratory testing confirmed the diagnosis. A CDC team has been deployed to Washington state to support the testing investigation.
“CDC has been proactively preparing for introduction of this virus,” said Nancy Messonnier, M.D., director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in a tele briefing with Washington State officials today. “We know today’s news is concerning… now with close to 300 with the novel virus.”
Six patients have died, and while most of those who have been sickened with the virus live in China, several travel-associated cases have been reported in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.
Older adults may be at increased risk for severe disease, Dr. Messonnier said. She added that the travel alert to Wuhan has been upgraded from level 1 to level 2 (see Resources).
The CDC is instituting enhanced airport screening of passengers arriving from China, part of a multilayered process.
In the coming week, health officials will begin public health entry screening of passengers at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Screening was already in place as of Jan. 17 at New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco international airports. To date, no one has been discovered with the virus through entry screening.
The CDC is working closely with global partners and has activated its Emergency Operations Center to provide support. In addition, the CDC is involved in the following:
Alerting clinicians to be vigilant for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China;
Developing guidance for clinicians for testing and management of 2019-nCoV, plus guidance for home care of patients; and
Developing a diagnostic test to detect the virus in clinical specimens at a faster rate. Testing currently must take place at CDC, but the agency will share the test with domestic partners in the coming days and weeks.
While it was originally thought that the virus was spreading from animal to person, “there are going indications that limited person-to-person spread is happening. It’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people,” the CDC noted in a news release.
“… It’s crucial to be proactive and prepared,” Dr. Messonnier said.
January 21: World Health Organization posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 1. From the report:
Event highlights from 31 December to 20 January 2020:
On 31 December 2019, the WHO China Country Office was informed of cases of pneumonia unknown etiology (unknown cause) detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. From 31 December 2019 through 3 January 2020, a total of 44 case patients with pneumonia of unknown eitology were reported to WHO by the national authorities in China. During this reported period, the causal agent was not identified.
On 11 and 12 January 2020, WHO recieved further detailed information from the National Health Commission China that the outbreak is associated exposures in one seafood market in Wuhan City.
The Chinese authorities identified a new type of coronavirus, which was isolated on 7 January 2020.
On 12 January 2020, China shared the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus for countries to use in developing specific diagnostic kits.
On 13 January 2020, the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand reported the first imported case of lab-confirmed novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
On 15 January 2020, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan (MHLW) reported an imported case of laboratory-confirmed 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
On 20 January 2020, National IHR Focal Point (NFP) for Republic of Korea reported the first case of novel coronavirus in the Republic of Korea.
Situation update:
As of 20 January 2020, 282 confirmed cases 2019-nCoV have been reported from four countries including China (278 cases), Thailand (2 cases), Japan (1 case) and the Republic of Korea (1 case);
Cases in Thailand, Japan and Republic of Korea were exported from Wuhan City, China;
Among the 278 cases confirmed in China, 258 cases were reported from Hubei Province, 14 from Guangdong Province, five from Beijing Municipality and one from Shanghai Municipality;
Of the 278 confirmed cases, 51 cases are severely ill, 12 are in critical condition’
Six deaths have been reported in Wuhan City.
Reported incidence of confirmed 2019-nCoV, 20 January 2020
China, Hubei Province – 258
China – Guangdong – 14
China Beijing Municipality – 5
China Shanghai Municipality – 1
Japan – 1
Republic of Korea – 1
Thailand – 2
Total confirmed cases – 282
Details of cases reported on 20 January 2020:
Wuhan City:
60 new confirmed cases including three deaths.
Guangdong Province:
Fourteen confirmed cases (one case was confirmed on 19 January) including four severe cases, two critical cases, no deaths;
Of the 14 confirmed cases, 12 has travel history to Wuhan and two cases had contact history with cases;
Nine were male and fives were female.
Beijing Municipality:
Five confirmed cases (two cases were confirmed on 19 January);
Of the three new confirmed cases on 20 Jan, two were male and one was a female;
All five cases had a travel history to Wuhan and are currently asymptomatic
Shanghai Municipality:
One confirmed case in a female;
Traveled to Shanghai from Wuhan on 12 January;
Two contacts have been identified for follow up.
II. Preparedness And Response:
WHO:
WHO has been in regular contact with Chinese as well as Japanese, Korean and Thai authorities since the reporting of these cases. Three countries have shared information with WHO under the International Health Regulations. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested;
On 2 January, the incident management system was activated across the three levels of WHO (country office, regional office and headquarters);
Developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnosis, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for mild patients, risk communication and community engagement;
Prepared disease commodity package for supplies necessary in identification and management of confirmed patients;
Provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans;
Updated the travel advice for international travel in health in relation to the outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus in China;
Utilizing global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling;
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics;
WHO is working with out networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
III. COUNTRY RESPONSE:
China:
National authorities are conducting active case finding in all provinces;
Since 14 January 2020, 35 infrared thermometers have been installed in airports, railway stations, long-distance bus stations, and ferry terminals;
Search expanded for additional cases within and outside Wuhan City;
Active / retroactive case finding in medical institutions in Wuhan City;
The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan City was closed on 1 January 2020 for environmental sanitation and disinfection. Market inspection in expansion to other markets;
Public education on disease prevention and environmental hygiene further strengthened in public places across the city, farmers’ markets in particular.
Thailand:
The Department of Disease Control has been implementing its surveillance protocol by fever screening of travelers from all direct flights from Wuhan, China to the Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi airports, with the screening protocol starting at Krabi Airport started on 17 January 2020;
From 3 to 20 January 2020, among 116 flights, 18,383 passengers and aircrew members were screened for respiratory symptoms and febrile illness;
As of 20 January 2020, the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand has scaled up the Emergency Operations Center to level 2 to closely monitor the ongoing situation both at the national and international levels;
Risk communication guidance has been shared with the public and a hotline has been established by the Department of Disease Control for people returning from the affected area in China with related symptoms
Japan:
Contact tracing and other epidemiological investigations are underway by the local health authorities in Japan;
As of 20 January 2020, 41 contacts have been followed. Of the 41 contacts, 37 have not shown any symptoms, three have left the country and efforts have been made to reach one contact;
The Japanese Government has scaled up a whole-of-government coordination mechanism on the 16 January;
The MHLW has strengthened surveillance for undiagnosed severe acute respiratory illness since the report of the undiagnosed pneumonia in Wuhan, China;
From 6 January, MHLW requested local health governments to be aware of the respiratory illnesses in Wuhan by using the existing surveillance system for serious infectious illness with unknown etiology;
NIID is supporting local authorities on epidemiologic investigations including contact tracing;
Quarantine and screening measures have been enhanced for travelers from Wuhan city at the point of entries since 7 January;
NIID established an in-house PCR assay for nCoV on 16 January;
Revision of the risk assessment by NIID is being conducted, including the case definition of close contacts;
The public risk communication has been enhanced;
A hotline has been established among the different Member States to foster mutual investigations and information sharing.
Republic of Korea:
Contract tracing and other epidemiological investigation are underway;
The government of the Republic of Korea has scaled up the national alert level from Blue (Level 1) to Yellow (Level 2 out of 4-level national crisis management system);
The Republic of Korea health authority has strengthened surveillance for pneumonia cases in health facilities nationwide since 3 January 2020;
Quarantine and screening measures have been enhanced for travelers from Wuhan at the point of entries (PoE) since 3 January 2020;
Public risk communication has been enhanced.
January 21: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “First Travel-related Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Detected in United States”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today confirmed the first case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States in the state of Washington. The patient recently returned from Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of pneumonia caused by this novel coronavirus has been ongoing since December 2019. While originally thought to be spreading from animal-to-person, there are growing indications that limited person-to-person spread is happening. It’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people.
The patient from Washington with confirmed 2019-n-CoV infection returned to the United States from Wuhan on January 15, 2020. The patient sought care at a medical facility in the state of Washington, where the patient was treated for the illness. Based on the patient’s travel history, and symptoms, healthcare professionals suspected this new coronavirus. A clinical speciman was collected and sent to CDC overnight, where laboratory testing yesterday confirmed the diagnoses via CDC’s Real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) test.
CDC has been proactively preparting for the introduction of 2019-nCoV in the United States for weeks, including:
First alerting clinicians on January 8, 2020, to be on the look-out for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China.
Developing guidance for clinicians for testing and management of 2019-nCoV, as well as guidance for home care of patients with 2019-nCoV.
Developing a diagnostic test to detect this virus in clinical specimens, accelerating the time it takes to detect infection. Currently, testing for this virus must take place at CDC, but in the coming days and weeks, CDC will share these tests with domestic and international partners.
On January 17, 2020, CDC began implementing public health entry screening at San Francisco (SFO), New York, (JFK), and Los Angeles (LAX) airports. This week CDC will add entry health screening at two more airports – Atlanta (ATL) and Chicago (ORD).
CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center to better provide ongoing support to the 2019-nCoV response.
CDC is working closely with the state of Washington and local partners. A CDC team has been deployed to support the ongoing investigation in the state of Washington, including potentially tracing close contacts to determine if anyone else has become ill.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing respiratory illness in people and others circulating among animals including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people, such as has been seen with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
When person-to-person spread has occurred with SARS or MERS, it is thought to happen via respiratory droplets with close contacts, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. The situation with regard to 2019-nCoV is still unclear. While severe illness, including illness resulting in several deaths, has ben reported in China, other patients had milder illness and been discharged. Symptoms associated with this virus have included fever, cough, and trouble breathing. The confirmation that some limited person-to-person spread with this virus is occurring in Asia raises the level of concern about this virus, but CDC continues to believe the risk of 2019-nCoV to the American public at large remains low at this time.
This is a rapidly evolving situation. CDC will continue to update the public as circumstances warrant.
January 21: Washington Governor Jay Inslee posted a statement titled: “Inslee statement on novel coronavirus case confirmed in Washington”. From the statement:
Gov. Jay Inslee issued a statement in response to the confirmed case of novel coronavirus in Washington, the first confirmed case in the U.S.
“I’d like to thank the Washington State Department of Health, the Snohomish County Public Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for their quick action on this.
“Based on what we know now, risk to the general public is low. Our local and state health departments were prepared for this contingency. They have practiced and drilled for this situation, and they were ready. The quick response also shows the importance of a strong public health system, which we have here in Washington state.
“We want to make it clear: our teams are employing a layered approach to combat this. We have strong partnerships and a tiered public health system in place.
“We take this very seriously and, while this is the first case in the U.S., there will likely be others. Washington state will continue to work to share information and help however we can.”
January 21: Reuters posted “Macau confirms first Wuhan virus case, tightens screening in casinos”. It was written by Donny Kwok.
The Chinese-ruled gambling hub of Macau confirmed on Wednesday its first case of pneumonia linked to an outbreak of a newly identified coronavirus and tightened temperature screening measures in casinos and around the city.
The death toll from the flu-like coronavirus in China rose to nine on Wednesday with 440 confirmed cases.
The virus, originating in Wuhan at the end of last year, has spread to Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai, as well as the United States, Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
The Macau case involves a 52-year-old Wuhan businesswoman who reported to hospital on Tuesday, said Macau Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Ao Leong Lu, who vicechairs a committee set up to respond to the virus.
The woman took a high-speed train to the Chinese city of Zhuhai on Jan 19, then a shuttlebus to Macau. She had dinner with two friends, then went to the hotel and spent a long time in casinos. She was in a stable condition in an isolation ward. Her two friends were also being monitored and were in isolation.
Speaking at a news conference in Macau, Ao and other officials said authorities were coordinating with six gaming enterprises to introduce temperature screening machines at all entrances into casinos.
A total of 405 guest entrances and 47 staff entrances have already been provided with portable screening devices and all casino staff had to wear surgical masks. All performers and staff at the events hosted across Macau will be screened.
Entry points into Macau will also have temperature checks and visitors will be asked to fill in a health declaration form. Bus stops, taxi stands and wet markets will be cleaned more frequently.
The tourist-magnet casino industry in Macau, which returned to Chinese rule in 1999, accounts for more than 80% of the revenue in the city of 600,000 people. Macau is a popular Lunar New Year destination for mainland Chinese.
Coronavirus are a family of viruses named because of the crown-like spikes on their surfaces that cause respiratory illnesses ranging from the common cold to the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
January 21: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “Transcript of Update on 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)”. From the transcript:
Operator: Standby for today’s conference, we will begin in just a few moments. Know if you are standing by, all lines will be listen only. You can press start and 1 to ask a question on the phone line. This call is being recorded if you have objections, you can continue next disconnect at this time. You may begin.
Ben Haynes: Thank you, Sarah, and thank you for joining us for today regarding the CDC 2019 novel coronavirus response. We are joined today by Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease and health officials from the state of Washington. Dr. Messonnier will provide opening remarks before taking your questions. I will now turn the call over to Dr. Messonnier.
Nancy Messonnier: Good afternoon and thank you all for joining us. During our briefing last Friday, I foreshadowed that we could see a novel coronavirus infection in the United States, most likely in a traveler from Wuhan. Today I am joined by representatives from the state of Washington to announce that we have now confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States.
CDC has been proactively preparing for an introduction of the virus here. We know that today’s news is concerning. I’m grateful with the work being done at all levels within the federal government and at the state and local level to prepare and respond. Based on international reports, there are now close to 300 people who have been confirmed with this novel coronavirus in China, and there have been travel associated introductions in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. Additional deaths have also been reported. Human to human spread has been confirmed. How easily or sustainably this virus is spreading remains unknown. These new developments further emphasize CDC’s proactive approach in responding to this evolving outbreak.
In terms of our response: Over the weekend CDC finalized development of a real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction – abbreviated as rRT-PCR – test that can diagnose this new virus. We used this test to quickly confirm our first U.S. case. Right now, testing for this virus must take place at CDC, but in the coming weeks, we anticipate sharing these tests with domestic and international partners through the agency’s International Reagent Resource.
Yesterday, we activated our Emergency Operations Center in response to the newest developments. I know a lot of you are likely wondering about the entry screening that we started on Friday at San Francisco airport, New York JFK, and LAX airport. So far, CDC staff have screened over 1,200 passengers. However, no individuals have been referred to a hospital or discovered yet through entry screening. This is an evolving situation and again, we do expect additional cases in the United States and globally. This week CDC will add entry health screening at two more airports – Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson and Chicago O’Hare. Today, we will also be raising our travel health notice from a level 1 to a level 2. Preliminary information suggests that older adults with underlying health conditions may be at increased risk for severe disease.
I’m now going to hand the briefing over to my colleague, Washington State Secretary of Health, John Wiesman, who will introduce key players in Washington state and outline what the public health system is doing in response to the case. Dr. Wiesman.
John Wiesman: Great, thank you Dr. Messonnier. I appreciate that. Hello, I am John Wiesman, Secretary of Health for the state of Washington. I first want to begin by recognizing the quick, collaborative work being done with our local and federal public health and healthcare partners. Over the holiday weekend, this group of people quickly identified a possible risk, coordinated the patient care, sent samples to CDC, and CDC tested them immediately. Together we are implementing actions to ensure the public’s health is protected.
I am also thankful that the man who tested positive for this virus acted so quickly to seek treatment. Because of that we were able to isolate him from the public. His actions gave us a head start. All of this work means we believe the risk to the public is low. It’s true that we are learning more about the new coronavirus. We have a strong public health team here in Snohomish county and Washington state. And together with our partners at CDC, we will share any additional information as we learn it. To give you information about the situation, I’ll hand it over to our state infectious disease epidemiologist, Dr. Scott Lindquist and Dr. Chris Spitters, the health officer from Snohomish Health District, who will tell you more about the current situation. Dr. Lindquist.
Scott Lindquist: Thanks, this is Scott Lindquist, the state epidemiologist for Washington state. And I just want to remind everyone how we had anticipated screening, so our system was ready despite a holiday weekend. This is a man in his 30s in a county north of Seattle, Snohomish County, and we have been in close contact, thanks to the CDC’s Emergency Operations Center helping direct the appropriate specimen collection, isolation, and investigation procedures with the local health jurisdiction. So, I’ll turn it over to our local health officer, Dr. Chris Spitters, who can give us some details of where they’re working on this patient right now. Chris.
Chris Spitters: Thank you Scott. Last night, the Snohomish Health District coordinated with the Snohomish county emergency medical system to safely transport the patient to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. That facility is following our jointly developed infectious disease protocols to ensure prevention of transmission in the facility. As stated earlier, the risk to the general public is low. We are working with the medical center to ensure that the small number of healthcare workers and patients that may have been exposed are notified for symptom watch and monitored.
No one wants to be the first in the nation in these types of situations, but these are the types of situations that public health and its partners train and prepare for. Because of this, everything has been going along quite smoothly and on behalf of the Snohomish Health District, I’d like to thank the Centers for Disease Control, the Washington State Department of Health, and Providence Regional Medical Center, as well as all of our local partners in Snohomish county for their support and collaboration in this effort.
Nancy Messonnier: Thank you all. I just wanted to add briefly that a CDC team has been deployed to support the ongoing investigation in the state of Washington, including tracing close contacts to determine if anyone else has become ill. As always, we stand by to help out state, local, and global partners in any way we can. As I mentioned on Friday, we have faced similar challenges before – with SARS and MERS. Those outbreaks were complex and required a comprehensive public health response. Because of that experience, we know it’s crucial to be proactive and prepared.
The confirmation that human to human spread with this virus is occurring in Asia certainly raises our level of concern about this virus, but we continue to believe the risk of this novel coronavirus to the American public at large remains low at this time. Activation of the EOC and the enhanced airport entry screening reflect the continuation of CDC’s very aggressive public health response strategy. Enhanced airport screening is just one part of a layered approach to increasing the public health and healthcare delivery system to raising its awareness to properly detect the cases early.
This individual had a level of concern that enabled him to seek medical care promptly and his clinicians appropriately evaluated and reported the patient. I want to remind everyone that we are still in the early days of this investigation – both domestically and abroad. We are monitoring the situation closely and working to keep you informed every step of the way.
I want to take a moment to thank our colleagues in Washington at both the state and local level, as well as the healthcare staff that have been fully engaged and collaborating with us since yesterday when this case was discovered and tested as novel coronavirus. Our ability to coordinate and react this quickly is entirely dependent on these collaborations. We are aware that this situation could change quickly. Therefore, we at CDC are taking a cautious approach to this outbreak and are prepared to respond to any new developments.
Ben Haynes: Thank you, doctor, we are now ready for questions.
Operator: The first question is from Helen Branswell with STAT, your line is open.
Helen Branswell: Thank you very much. In this case with this individual, can you give us information about his condition? Is he ill? Do you know if he had contact with people who were contagious?
Nancy Messonnier: Washington state we will let you answer that.
Chris Spitters: So, regarding the patient’s condition, they are in good condition and again, they’re currently hospitalized out of an abundance of precaution and for short term monitoring. Not because there was a severe illness. At this point, the individual has reported that he did not visit any of those implicated markets and did not know anyone who was ill. He was just traveling from that area.
Ben Haynes: Next question please.
Operator: Thank you, our next question from Evan Brown with Fox News, your line is open.
Evan Brown: Thank you very much. Just thinking back a number of years to the Ebola incident in Dallas. We saw a real push to not only have that individual placed in isolation as well as the other folks who became ill with very strict isolated standards. Is this a scenario where this same contingency is needed? Or no? What type of care is given to the patient for this? Are they isolating him and what type of medications can he get? Or is it a matter of supportive care?
Nancy Messonnier: This is CDC, maybe we’ll give a general answer and then we’ll turn it over to Washington for you to talk specifically about this patient. Thank you for that question. It’s actually important to clarify that the precautions for this patient are standard isolation precautions. This is something that many hospitals know how to do and we’re grateful that in this region in Washington state they were prepared for this contingency. So this is not a situation like the Dallas one. This is something where most hospitals in the region should have a hospital that can utilize these kinds of precautions. Washington?
This is CDC, maybe I’ll also say this is a hugely important issue and the health of our healthcare workers is very important to all of us. And we are practicing very, we are being proactive at all levels to make sure that as much as possible the people taking care of this patient are careful and cautious. And CDC will be working closely with the state health department on the particulars of this patient’s care.
Scott Lindquist: Just regarding the Dallas or the Texas incident, this is again, not the same situation and plus this is an area of the state that has drilled recently on transporting a person in the ambulance and what types of isolation they should require. And there’s no question that there is isolation equipment available to the hospital. Again, we are very comfortable that this patient is isolated, poses a very little risk to the staff or the general public in this current situation. And again, because of an abundance of caution, we have used pretty strict isolation requirements and hospitalization because it is the first person in the UntiedStates. We will likely learn from this and future cases and we will adjust our recommendations accordingly.
Ben Haynes: Next question please.
Operator: Our next question comes from Lena Sun with the Washington Post.
Lena Sun: Hi, can someone go over the basics with us. When did this person arrive? Did they arrive through one of the airport screening locations? Were they on a direct flight from Wuhan? What was the timeframe? Is this person a resident of the United States he went to China for business or pleasure and is now back in the United States?
Scott Lindquist: We can give you the detail we know that that’s our priority today is really all the details of flight numbers, seat numbers, and people that would have been exposed. What we know currently is he proceeded the institution of the screening at the airports. He came in before that screening was done and was actually not with symptoms when he came to the United States.
But this was a very astute gentleman that is looking at internet activity and had actually researched this and shared this information with his provider. We know it was not a direct flight from Wuhan to Sea-Tac, which is our local airport. And that’s really our challenge going forward.
We had talked about this on Friday that while we weren’t screening at Sea-Tac, we potentially could have a traveler the came through many routes. So we decided to activate and be ready before all the screening airports were set into motion. So, this gentleman kind of proceeded and slipped around that type of screening, but because the public health system was aware and because this is a really agreeable gentleman who was looking out for his health care, we were able to detect it early and really minimize ongoing exposure to anybody.
Lena Sun: So I have a follow-up question that I want to understand. So, this gentleman came to Seattle and you’re not sure how. It was not a direct flight and because he was monitoring the internet and did not have symptoms, when he started to get symptoms, he proactively reached out to providers or health officials?
Scott Lindquist: Correct, that’s exactly how he did it. Chris, is there anything you would like to add?
Chris Spitters: Just to add on that he has been fully cooperative.
Lena Sun: Okay, is he a resident of the United States?
Chris Spitters: Yes, a resident of the U.S.
Nancy Messonnier: Before we move on, I just want to say that as this situation and as the information has been accumulating over the weekend, CDC has been thinking and rethinking our stance and we made some decisions on Sunday even in advance of this case. And Dr. Marty Cetron, who many of you know, is just going to tell use where we are on that screening.
Marty Cetron: First, I want to highlight the fact that, leave not doubt, entry screening is just one part of a multilayered system. The point is to alert the system. Individuals are often very empowered to make good decisions if they are informed. Healthcare systems and public health departments, as you just heard, are being alerted. The entry screening is one part of that with notices going out.
The screening system started after the Seattle case, this gentleman was indirect, not on a direct flight. Over the weekend with the increasing cases, we decided to more into this full on 100% coverage strategy which means adding additional airports and instructing on Sunday the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation to begin our funneling approach and redirect all the traffic to the airports that have screening to the benefit of the alert can be more completely covered.
So that plan is in place, the new airports will be rolling online this week and the operationalizing of the funneling, which is a very complex process involves reissuing tickets and rerouting passengers from all over the globe through connecting and direct flights. All of that is part of the strategy that was actually initiated before we even heard about this case to compete that coverage.
Lena Sun: I have another follow-up question. The reporter would like to know the date of when this gentleman came to Seattle?
Marty Cetron: Our best understanding is on the 15th of January. The screening initiated on the 17th.
Lena Sun: When did he reach out to providers?
Scott Lindquist: Yeah, he actually reached out on the 16th. This is Scott Lindquist. He actually reached out to his medical provider on the 19th. We were in communication with the CDC Emergency Operations Center coordinating specimens that were shipped overnight and had the results the following day, incredibly fast.
Ben Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: The next question comes from USA Today. Your line is open.
Grace Hauch: Hi there. I wonder if this gentleman came through Sea-Tac why there is a screening there and at Chicago, has screening begun or is it about to begin? Are they other airports considering?
Marty Cetron: Yeah, no, the kind of active screen isn’t in place at Sea-Tac and as I indicated last Friday, when we spoke, you have to go down to a lot of airports to do this across the country, for every single possible flight. So, we concentrate that by volume and when we get to the top five as we are looking at here in this regard, that we begin to redistribute the flights so they can be concentrated in the airports.
However, all 14 airports that had passengers had notices and had been put on alert, had been working from the airport quarantine stations with their public health partners. So, again, it’s a multistep process. It rolls out and, in fact, this idea of funneling means redirecting and reissuing tickets so all the arriving passengers from Wuhan would come into the airports where we can surge this capacity at. All the airports are doing other steps, particularly passenger education, as which you can see if very important in this regard. And that education is in both English and Mandarin.
Ben Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: The next question is from Ryan with the Seattle Times, your line is open.
Ryan Blethen: Hi, I wasn’t let onto the phone call until the question-and-answer period and I may be asking about things already covered. Where in Washington state is this man? You can start with that.
I am curious as to where he is in Washington in which hospital he is at? And what are hospitals doing in Washington now to look for this? Also, on the screening question, is Sea-Tac going to be one of the airports that will be screening for this now?
Chris Spitters: So the gentleman is a Snohomish county resident and he is currently at Providence Medical Center. This is Chris, I am the health officer of the Snohomish Health District.
Marty Cetron: I think it’s important to point out that all the quarantine stations do enhanced education and respond to any illness report. I indicated that active screening, which is where every passenger is questioned and has a temperature check is going on at the top three airports right now – JFK, San Francisco which has direct flights and LAX which has most of the indirect flights. Additional screening will be added to Chicago and Atlanta this week and rolled out as soon as the capacity. And the rest of the airports, all of the people who originate in Wuhan and travel to the United States, all of those tickets, passengers will be routed into these five.
Scott Lindquist: And this is Scott Lindquist, the state epidemiologist for Washington state. This is part of our larger plan of preparing the hospitals and the healthcare system for all hazard preparedness which means Ebola, SARS, MERS, or in this case, the novel coronavirus. Most of these hospitals have been prepared with infection control with how to sample, how to isolate. And we were well prepared as this hospital is one of the hospitals that recently did a drill as well as our ambulance system for transporting the patients.
John Wiesman: And just sort of reinforcing the layered approach here, hospitals need to be prepared with patient education. In this case we don’t believe even if we had active screening at the airport that this patient would have been picked because at the time, we don’t believe the patient had symptoms of a fever. So, this is the important piece about having a strong public health system all across the country that is prepared for this kind of biosecurity approach.
Ben Haynes: Two more questions. Our next question comes from Roni Rabin with the New York Times.
Roni Rabin: I also came in very late and right now what is being done to secure or what steps is the CDC doing about that? You have people in China who are working with the Chinese authority.
Nancy Messonnier: This is CDC. As you say, there is new information hour by hour, day by day that we are tracking and following closely. We do have staff in China and Thailand and they have long term placements there working closely with the ministries of health. We also have staff at WHO and certainly have collaborated with global health leaders worldwide. We and the global health community are really working together to understand the situation. Information is rapidly evolving and we hope that over the next coming days, the situation will become clearer and certainly as you point out, the key issue that we all need to understand is how easily or sustainably the virus is spread from human to human and that is information we don’t completely have nailed down yet. But we’re continuing to work globally with all our partners to better understand it.
Roni Rabin: Thank you. Can you still hear me? In the case of the Washington patient –? Just a reminder of the timeline.
Scott Lindquist: Just a reminder of the timeline. This gentleman presented on Sunday, specimens were obtained, and the results were learned on Monday. And today, Tuesday, our priority is doing contact investigation and tracing. So, we have had three people assigned to us from CDC that are here and that is our priority to determine what it means to be at risk, who those people are, doing the contact investigations all the way from China to his home here in Snohomish county. That’s exactly what our priority is right now early in this investigation.
Nancy Messonnier: Just to add that we are grateful that the patient is doing well and that is clinically not ill and he has been so cooperative. Things have been moving quickly and the health department has appropriately been prioritizing their activities. But there will be a whole set of activities to come in the coming days. But their first priority was clearly making sure this patient was healthy and being appropriately treated as we move on to the next phase.
Ben Haynes: Last question.
Operator: The last question comes from Julie Steenhuysen with Reuters, your line is open.
Julie Steenhuysen: Are you coordinating with the world health organization in terms of how to treat this patient? What are you using at this point?
Nancy Messonnier: There is a global effort to share information about potential treatments. That’s globally among the community of people that have dealt with similar issues with MERS and SARS, as well as inter-governmentally within the United States. So all those conversations are ongoing and very active. That being said, as our collaborators in Washington state said, the gentleman is right now very healthy. I think that would be characterized that he is getting supportive care and monitoring.
Chris Spitters: That’s absolutely correct, I have nothing to add.
Julie Steenhuysen: One more follow-up, is CDC working with NIH to develop a vaccine and where is that effort?
Nancy Messonnier: NIH has always been very active in this area and there is early work early and early conversations. As you know, the development of a vaccine is a complex process. It’s not something that’s going to be available tomorrow. But there are active conversations about vaccines as well as diagnostics
Ben Haynes: Thank you Dr. Messonnier, Dr. Cetron and colleagues from the state of Washington. I’d also like to thank you all for joining us for today’s briefing. Please visit the 2019 novel coronavirus webpage for continued updates. If you have further questions, please call the CDC media line at 404-639-3286 or email media@cdc.gov.
Operator: That does conclude today’s call. Thank you for participating. You may disconnect your lines at this time.
January 22
January 22: World Health Organization Western Pacific China posted “Mission summary: WHO Field Visit to Wuhan, China 20-21 January 2020”.
On 20-21 January 2020, a World Health Organization (WHO) delegation conducted a field visit to Wuhan to learn about the response to 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-n-CoV). The mission was part of the on-going close collaboration between WHO and Chinese national, provincial, and Wuhan health authorities in responding to 2019-n-CoV.
The delegation visited the Wuhan Tianhe Airport, Zhongnan hospital, Hubei provincial CDC, including the BSL3 laboratory in China’s Center for Disease Control (CDC). The delegation observed and discussed active surveillance processes, temperature screening at the airport, laboratory facilities, infection prevention and control measures at the hospital and its associated fever clinics, and the deployment of the rRT-PCR test kit to detect the virus.
Data collected through detailed epidemiological investigation and through the deployment of the new test kit nationally suggests that human-to-human transmission is taking place in Wuhan. More analysis of the epidemiological data is needed to understand the fill extent of human-to-human transmission. WHO stands ready to provide support to China to conduct further detailed analysis.
The delegation discussed China’s plan to expand 2019-nCoV definition. This will allow China and the international community to build a clearer picture of the spectrum of severity of the novel coronavirus. The new case definition and the provision of test kits to all provinces of the spectrum of severity of the novel coronavirus. The new case definition and the provision of test kits to all provinces, are expected to lead to further increases in the number of cases identified and confirmed in Hubei Province and other provinces. Increases in conformed cases are to be expected as testing is increased.
The delegation discussed with the local authorities their on-going efforts to communicate to the general public to expect more cases of 2019-nCOV to be confirmed, and to follow public health advice regarding infection control procedures. This is especially important at a time when seasonal influenza is at its highest, and over the Chinese New Year period when many people travel across China. The delegation and their counterparts agreed close attention should be paid to hand and respiratory hygiene, food safety, and avoiding mass gatherings where possible. People with fever should avoid close contact with others and seek medical help.
The facilities for fever triage and for treatment of suspected and confirmed cases were visited in Zhongnan hospital. The delegation witnessed the systems that have been put in place to provide high quality diagnostic, treatment, and isolation services. The identification among 16 health care workers reinforces the importance of ensuring appropriate infection prevention and control measures are in place for patients, staff and hospital visitors at all times. All health professionals should adhere to infection control procedures even in parts of the health care system that do not usually deal with cases of infectious diseases.
On 21 January 2020, at the conclusion of the visit the Chinese Government has released the primers and probes used in the rRT-PCR test kit. This follows China’s rapid identification of the virus and sharing of the genetic sequence. The primers will assist with establishing real-time RT-PCR for the detection of 2019-n-CoV in other countries. Chinese experts also shared with the delegation a range of protocols that will be used in developing international guidelines, including case definitions, clinical management protocols, and infection control among others.
The delegation commended the commitment and capacity demonstrated by national, provincial, and Wuhan authorities and by hundreds of local care workers and public health specialists working to respond to the 2019-nCOV outbreak. While challenges still remain regarding the transmission, epidemiology, and our understanding of the behavior of the virus, WHO and its partners will work together with China to respond to this outbreak.
January 22: People’s Daily, China, the largest newspaper in China, tweeted: “No people in #Wuhan, C China’s Hubei will be allowed to leave the city starting 10 a.m. of Jan 23. Train stations and airport will shut down; the city bus, subway, ferry and long-distance shuttle bus will also be temporarily closed: local authority #WuhanPneumonia #coronavirus”
January 22: South China Morning Post posted “China has been transparent about Wuhan outbreak, virus expert Zhong Nanshan says”
Chinese officials have been transparent in handling the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak and the participation of a Hong Kong professor through the process indicates the Beijing has no secrets to hide, said one of the country’s leading experts on communicable diseases.
Dr Zhong Nanshan, whose team is advising the leadership on how to handle the crisis, told a new conference in Guangzhou on Tuesday that China had not held back information in reporting the outbreak in Wuhan, which has sucked more than 300 people across the country since early December.
As of Tuesday night, Chinese authorities said, at least six people – all in Wuhan – have died after contracting the virus and a total of 15 medical personnel, also in Wuhan, have been infected.
Zhong cited the involvement of Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, a top infectious-disease expert at the University of Hong Kong, as proof that Chinese leaders understand the importance of transparency in handling the public health emergency.
Yuen was among a group of experts who visited Wuhan on Sunday to assess the situation in the central China city, which has a population of 11 million. Speaking in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Yuen warned that the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan has entered the stage of transmission among families and hospitals taking it a step closer to a full-blown community epidemic.
“This time I worked together with Professor Yuan to determine how the infection has spread ,” said Zhong, who was China’s best-know expert during the 2002-2003 Sars crisis, which killed more than 700 people globally.
“Phase one of the transmission is from animals to human … and we are now in phase two, which is about human to human.”
“According to Professor Yuen, we will be in phase three if we have a clear spreader of the virus,” he added.
China’s credibility raised at it tries to dispel fears it will cover up the spread of the virus.
Zhong said that Yuen’s participation should help allay concerns among that China would cover up the epidemic or was reluctant to share information.
“There are people in Hong Kong who believed that China would not report infections truthfully,” Zhong said. “But Professor Yuen has now participated in a number of our major meetings including the one chaired by Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan and he (Yuan) had even offered some suggestions in the meetings.”
“He has very good ideas of what’s happening in China,” Zhong added.
“So he has taken part in our highest level of discussions and he has knowledge of how we are handling the situations,” Zhong said. ” also enables us to have relatively good cooperation with the authorities in Hong Kong, both in the government and technical levels.”
Regarding criticism that Wuhan had been slow in publicizing information about the outbreak, Zhong defended the municipal government, saying that local officials had tried their best to report suspected cases as fast as possible and that the could only confirm cases after test result had been verified by higher authorities.
He supported the decision by the Wuhan government to impose a travel ban on travellers who have been detected with high temperatures – a symptom of infection.
“The leadership in Wuhan is very concerned about outbound travel and has taken serious steps to monitor passengers’ temperature,” he said. “The government would stop any passengers who have developed a fever, and I fully support such measures.”
Reports that the virus was spreading raised particular concern, as more than 450 million Chinese are expected to travel over the Lunar New Year holiday period, according to official estimates. On Tuesday the US Centers for Disease Control and protection confirmed that the first known case of Wuhan coronavirus had been identified in the United States.
Zhong warned that the current outbreak could exacerbate if more medical personnel catch the virus.
“We must pay special attention to hospitals so they would not fall to human-to-human transmission,” he said. “The consequence can be very serious if infection happens between patients and doctors.”
“We must keep up our guard so hospitals would not become the venues where the disease spreads,” he added.
January 22: The Guardian posted “Coronavirus: WHO steps back from declaring public health emergency”
The World Health Organization has stepped back from declaring the growing viral pneumonia outbreak in China to be a public health emergency of international concern, saying its expert committee would meet again on Thursday to discuss more evidence from its teams on the ground.
“This is an evolving and complex situation,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO. “Today there was an excellent discussion but it was also clear that to proceed we need more information.”
“The decision is one I take extremely seriously and one I am only prepared to make with appropriate consideration of all the evidence.”
More than 540 people have been taken to hospital with breathing difficulties and 17 have died, all in Hubei province, the Chinese authorities said on Wednesday. Many more are thought to have developed a milder form of the illness. UK infectious disease experts have doubled their estimate of the likely number of cases during the coronavirus outbreak to 4,000.
The WHO’s emergency committee met as the international spread of the virus became clear, following the diagnosis of cases in people who have travelled not only to other regions of China but also abroad. There have been cases in Thailand, Japan, South Korea, and most recently, the United States.
The coronavirus is from the same family that caused 800 deaths globally from Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in 2022-03 and Mers (Middle East respiratory virus), identified in 2012.
The UK government said on Wednesday morning that it was implementing checks on travelers arriving from the city of Wuhan, but within hours, it became clear that the three direct flights a week to Heathrow would not be arriving. Chinese state media announced that Wuhan was shutting down outbound flights and trains.
The official Xinhua News Agency said people had been asked not to leave Wuhan without specific reasons. The People’s Daily newspaper tweeted that no one would be allowed to leave the city from 10am on Thursday and that train stations, the airport, city busses, subways, ferries and long-distance shuttle busses would be temporarily closed.
Members of WHO’s emergency committee, who praised China for its openness in sharing data and information, said that in circumstances where a new and infectious virus was circulating, they would recommend that mass gatherings should be avoided.
Responding to the public transport ban, Dr Didier Houssin, chair of the committee, said: “We need some time to understand the specific measures that have been taken.” The WHO team in China would be reporting overnight on developments.
The committee said that the virus is mostly affecting older people, with 73% of patients over the age of 40. Nearly two-thirds (64%) are male and 40% of those who have died had underlying conditions that made them vulnerable to a new virus, such as heart disease or high blood pressure. That was typical of the coronaviruses, they said. The fatality rate so far appears to be lower than Mers, which kills a third of those who get it, or Sars which has a death rate of around 10%.
The new coronavirus has been linked to a market selling seafood and live animals in Wuhan, which has now been closed. The type of coronavirus has never been identified before and it has been confirmed that human-to-human transmission is taking place.
Experts believe it is quite possible the disease, which causes coughing, fever and breathing problems, will arrive in the UK. It can take at least five days for symptoms to show. If flights resume, the airport checks may not pick it up, but will serve to alert people to the need to get medical attention if they fall sick.
Prof Neil Ferguson’s team at Imperial College London, who carry out disease modelling for the WHO, said they had increased their estimate from 1,700 cases at the end of last week to 4,000. However, they say there is considerable uncertainty and the true number could be between 1,000 and 9,700.
“You should not interpret that as the epidemic doubling in size in five days,” Ferguson said. The increase was due to more information coming out of China, where doctors were struggling to deal with a rapidly evolving situation. “All the reports I have read from within China that hospitals are now overwhelmed with suspect cases.”
Experts say the spread of the coronavirus fulfills the criteria of the WHO to declare it of international concern. “Personally, I think this is a big event,” said Hornsby. “Is it extraordinary? Yes, it pretty much is. We haven’t seen this large-scale spread since Sars.”
The Chinese authorities were criticized for failing to share information about the Sars epidemic which began in China in 2002 but spread globally. There have been around 2,500 cases of Mers, which is far less transmissible, mostly in Saudi Arabia.
“This is a new and rapidly evolving situation where information on cases and the virus is being gathered and assessed daily. Based on the available evidence, the current risk to the UK is considered low. We are working with the WHO and other international partners, have issued advice to the NHS and are keeping the situation under constant review,” said Dr Nick Phin, the deputy director of the National Infection Service at Public Health England.
“Individuals should seek medical attention if they develop respiratory symptoms within 14 days of visiting Wuhan, either in China or on their return to the UK. They should phone ahead before attending any health services and mention their recent travel to the city.”
Public Health England has shifted its risk assessment slightly from “very low” to “low”, but, said the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, “obviously we want to stay ahead of the issue so we are keeping a very close eye on it.”
The UK Foreign Office has updated its advice for Britons travelling to China, warning the virus had spread to other areas outside Hubei province.
January 22: South China Morning Post posted: “First Wuhan coronavirus case confirmed in United States as authorities say threat to public from deadly pneumonia still ‘low’
Public health officials in Washington state confirmed on Tuesday the first case of Wuhan coronavirus in the United States.
The patient was admitted to hospital on Sunday, after arriving in Seattle from Wuhan, China, on January 15, officials at the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.
The man, a US resident in his 30s, “is in good condition and hospitalized out of an abundance of precaution and for short-term monitoring”, a local health office, Chris Bitters, said. “He reported that he did not visit any of those impacted markets and did not know anyone who was ill. He was just travelling from that area.”
Initial transmissions of the virus have been traced back to Wuhan’s Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, which has since been closed. Weeks after the market city in central China became “ground zero”, the authorities said human-to-human transmission played a role in the outbreak.
The CDC received samples of the previously unknown virus the day before the patient sought medical attention in Seattle for the symptoms he recognized in reports about the illness, Scott Lindquist, state epidemiologist for communicable diseases said. That enabled health authorities to confirm the diagnosis on Monday.
CDC officials called the case’s risk to the general public “low” because he was admitted to hospital early and had been very cooperative with health authorities.
“I’m grateful that the man who tested positive for this virus acted so quickly to seek treatment. Because of that we were able to isolate him away from the public, and these actions gave us a head start,” said Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman. “All tis work means that we believe the risk to the public is low.”
Still, more cases are expected to emerge in the US.
“This is an evolving situation and … we do expect additional cases in the United States and globally,” Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, said.
To take further precautions, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport will begin screening for signs of the virus in passengers this week, adding to the list of airports that had already started this procedures.
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport began the screening last week.
Additionally, the CDC changed its travel notice for China to an “alert level 2” from “watch level 1” Messionner said.
The death toll from the Wuhan coronavirus, which has sickened more than 300 people across China, has risen to nine. The central city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, has stepped up controls to contain its spread.
Chinese officials reported as early as Wednesday that the total number of confirmed cases had jumped to 324, the bulk of them in Hubei province. Others were reported in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangdong, Zhenjiang, Henan and Chongqing.
Cases have also been confirmed in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Thailand, while Hong Kong reported 118 reported 118 suspected cases, including 88 people who have been discharged.
According to Wuhan health authorities, 15 medical personnel in the city had contracted the virus, confirming that it is spreading by human transmission and raising concerns that people at the most virulent stage of infection – so-called super-spreaders – could infect many others.
Authorities announced tightened inspection measures over travellers to and from the city, including a ban on outbound tour groups, and vehicle spot checks for wildlife and live animals.
Airline stocks in the US led a broad decline in the markets following the CDC’s confirmation of the Washington state coronavirus case.
United Airlines and Delta Air Lines both declined more than 2.5 per cent, while American Airlines tumbled by 4.2 per cent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 152 points, or 0.5 per cent to 29,196, ending a week-long rise.
The US patient is undergoing treatment at Providence Regional Medical Centre Everett, north of Seattle.
January 22: The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control posted “Risk assessment: Outbreak of acute respiratory syndrome associated with a novel coronavirus, Wuhan, China: first update”. From the Executive Summary of the information:
A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has been isolated and considered the causative agent of the cluster of 448 pneumonia cases in the area of Wuhan, Hubei province in China, as well as four travel-associated cases in Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
On 31 December 2019, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commision in Wuhan City, Hubei province, China reported a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown aetiology, with a common reported link to Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market (a wholesale fish and live animal market selling different animal species).
On 9 January 2020, China CDC reported that a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) had been detected as the causative agent and the genome sequence was made publicly available. Sequence analysis showed that the newly-identified virus is related to SARS-CoV clade. Detection systems have been developed and are available for the Member States through WHO and the European Virus Archive global catalogue.
As of 20 January 2020, a total of 295 laboratory-confirmed cases infected with 2019-nCoV have been reported, 291 from Wuhan, China and four travel-associated from Thailand (2), Japan (1) and South Korea (1). Four deaths have been reported among the cases. Chinese health authorities have confirmed human-to-human transmission and 15 healthcare workers are reported to have been infected in Wuhan, and in China. It is possible that further cases will also be detected among travelers from Wuhan to other countries.
These are considerable uncertainties in assessing the risk of this event, due to lack of detailed epidemiological analyses.
On the basis of the information available, ECDC considers that:
the potential impact of 2019-nCoV outbreaks is high;
further global spread is likely;
there is currently a moderate likelihood of infection for EU/EAA travellers visiting Wuhan;
there is a high likelihood of case importation into countries with the greatest volume of people travelling to and from Wuhan (i.e. countries in Asia);
there is a moderate likelihood of detecting cases imported into EU/EAA countries;
adherence to appropriate infection prevention and control practices, particularly in healthcare settings in EU/EEA countries with direct links to Wuhan, means that the likelihood of a case reported in the EU resulting in secondary cases within the EU/EAA is low.
January 22: The CDC reported the onset of 1 more additional COVID-19 case in the United States.
January 22: PolitiFact posted: A reporter asks if there are worries about a pandemic. Trump responds: “No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s just one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”
January 22: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 2”. From the report:
SUMMARY
Situation update:
As of 21 January 2020, a total of 314 confirmed cases have been reported for novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) globally;
Of the 314 cases reported, 309 cases were reported from China, two from Thailand, one from Japan and one from the Republic of Korea;
Cases in Thailand, Japan and the Republic of Korea were exported from Wuhan City, China;
Of the 309 confirmed cases in China, 270 cases were confirmed from Wuhan;
Of the 270 cases, 51 cases are severely ill and 12 are in critical condition;
Six deaths have been reported in Wuhan;
Four of five deaths, with available epidemiological information, had underlying comorbidities;
To date, sixteen health care workers have been infected;
Reported incidence of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases
Hubei Province: 270
Guangdong Province: 17
Beijing Municipality: 5
Shanghai Municipality: 2
Chongqing Municipality: 1
Zhejiang Province: 5
Jiangxi Province: 2
Sichuan Province: 1
Tianjin Municipality: 2
Henan Province: 1
Shandong Province: 1
Yunnan Province: 1
Taiwan, China: 1
Japan: 1
Republic of Korea: 1
Thailand: 2
TOTAL: 314
Details reported on 21 January 2020:
Additional 32 cases (11% increase in number of cases) have been reported since the last situation report published on 21 January 2020. Cases have been reported in seven additional provinces and two municipalities. One case was reported in Taiwan, China.
Wuhan City:
Twelve additional confirmed cases were reported.
Guangdong Province:
Three additional confirmed cases including one male and two females;
Of the three confirmed cases, two had travel history to Wuhan and none had contact history with cases
Shanghai Municipality:
One additional confirmed case with no information available as of now;
Twenty closed cases for the first case mentioned in the situation report published on 21 December 2020 are being followed up.
Hunan Province:
One confirmed case in a female, Wuhan resident;
Date of symptom onset is unknown, currently in stable condition.
Shangong Province:
One confirmed case in a male, Wuhan resident;
Fifty-three contacts have been identified and are followed.
Sichuan Province:
One confirmed male, works in Wuhan.
Zhejiang Province:
Five confirmed cases;
All five cases had travel history to Wuhan and are currently in stable condition.
Chongqing Municipality:
One confirmed case in a female with travel history to Wuhan;
Current condition is unknown.
Tianjin Municipality:
Two cases, one male and one female, not epidemiologically linked to each other;
Both had travel history to Wuhan;
Current condition is unknown for both cases.
Yunnan Province:
One confirmed case in a male;
Current condition is unknown
Taiwan, China:
One confirmed case in a female, Wuhan resident;
No history of visiting the traditional markets or hospitals in Wuhan;
No contact with confirmed cases;
No contact with live animals;
Date of symptom onset was 11 January 2020;
Contact tracing and epidemiological investigations are underway.
As of 21 January, 16 cases have been reported among health care workers in Wuhan. Detailed exposure information from these health care workers is not currently available to WHO.
II. PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
WHO:
WHO has been in regular and direct contact with Chines as well as Japanese, Korean and Thai authorities since the reporting of these cases. The three countries have shared information with WHO under the International Health Regulations. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested;
On 2 January, the incident management system was activated across the three levels of WHO (country office, regional office, and headquarters);
Developed the surveillance case definitions for human infection with 2019-nCoV and is updating it as per the new information becomes available;
Developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnostics, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for mild patients, risk communication and community engagement;
Prepared disease commodity package for supplies necessary in identification and management of confirmed patients;
Provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans;
Updated the travel advice for international travel in health in relation to the outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus in China;
Utilizing global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling;
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics;
WHO is working with our networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
III. COUNTRY RESPONSE
China:
National authorities are conducting active case finding in all provinces;
Since 14 January 2020, 35 infrared thermometers have been installed in airports, railway stations, long-distance bus stations, and ferry terminals;
Search expanded for additional cases within and outside Wuhan City;
Active / retroactive case finding in medical institutions in Wuhan City;
The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan City was closed in 1 January 2020 for environmental sanitation and disinfection. Market inspection in expansion to other markets;
Public education on disease prevention and environmental hygiene further strengthened in public places across the city, farmers’ markets in particular.
Thailand:
The Department of Disease Control has been implementing its surveillance protocol by fever screening of travellers from all direct fights from Wuhan to the Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi airports, with the screening protocol starting at Krabi Airport started on 17 January 2020;
From 3 to 20 January 2020, among 116 flights, 18,383 passengers and aircrew members were screened for respiratory symptoms and febrile illness;
As of 22 January 2020, the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand has scaled up the Emergency Operations Center to Level 2 to closely monitor the ongoing situation both at the national and international levels;
Risk communication guidance has ben shared with the public and a hotline has been established by the Department of Disease Control for people returning from the affected area in China with related symptoms.
Japan:
From 6 January, the Ministry requested local health governments to be aware of the respiratory illness in Wuhan by using the existing surveillance system for serious infectious illness with unknown etiology;
Quarantine and screening measures have been enhanced for travellers from Wuhan at the point of entries since 7 January;
National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) established an in-house PCR assay for nCOV on 16 January;
The Japanese Government scaled up a whole-of-government coordination mechanism on the 16 January;
As of 21 January, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) announced it will conduct active epidemiological investigations for confirmed cases and close contacts;
The Ministry of Health has strengthened surveillance for undiagnosed severe acute respiratory illnesses since the report of undiagnosed pneumonia in Wuhan;
Revision of the risk assessment by NIID is being conducted, including case definition of close contacts;
The public risk communication has been enhanced;
A hotline has been established among the different ministries in the government;
The MHLW is working closely with WHO and other related Member States to foster mutual investigations and information sharing.
Republic of Korea:
Contact tracing and other epidemiological investigation are underway;
The government has scaled up the national alert level from Blue (Level 1) to Yellow (Level 2 out of 4-level national crisis management system);
The health authority strengthened surveillance for pneumonia cases in health facilities nationwide since 3 January 2020;
Quarantine and screening measures have been enhanced for travelers from Wuhan at the point of entries (PoE) since 3 January 2020;
Public risk communication has been enhanced.
January 22: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan Struggling to Prepare for Coronavirus Threat”. From the article:
As Japan prepares for an influx of Chinese visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday period, hotels and other commercial facilities are struggling to devise measures for preventing the spread of a new coronavirus strain from China.
One major hotel chain operator said that it does not plan to take special measures against the threat of coronavirus. Hotel reception staff are unable to take ordinary prevention measures such as wearing surgical masks from a hospitality persepctive.
Another hotel company, Prince Hotels Inc., plans to post warnings around the lobby in Japanese, English and Chinese calling on visitors to alert hotel staff if they feel unwell.
Restaurant chain giants McDonald’s Co. (Japan) and Ootoya Holdings Co. <2705> are also unable to take special measures, falling back on ordinary hygiene management measures such as making employees wash their hands.
One source from a major department store operator said that companies’ hands are tied, as measures to distinguish Chinese visitors from other people would be infeasible.
January 22: The Guardian reported: European airports from London to Moscow step up checks on flights from Wuhan.
The WHO’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says he is postponing the decision on whether or not to declare a global health emergency. “I have decided to ask the emergency committee to meet again tomorrow to continue their discussion,” he said, referring to a group of international experts who met for several hours at the WHO in Geneva.
January 22: Australian Government Department of Health posted: “Chief Medical Officer’s interview on ABC Radio AM about novel coronavirus”
SABRA LANE: Australia’s Chief Medical Officer is Professor Brendan Murphy. When I spoke with him earlier, I began by asking what will happen if the World Health Organization decides to declare this outbreak a public health emergency.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, that sets up a range of responses from the World Health Organization, it ups their response and their involvement in managing the outbreak in China. It probably won’t have much significance for us in terms of our response, we’ve already ramped up our national response. Things have changed a lot over the last three or four days. There have been a significant increase in case numbers, evidence some human-to-human transmission, and we’ve heard reports now of six deaths, even though the case numbers are probably over 300. So we have more concern than last week, but we’re well-prepared in this country to respond.
SABRA LANE: All right. If that declaration is made, Australian researchers will be involved in trying to create a vaccine. Is that right?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Potentially. There is a group at The University of Queensland that have been funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Australian government to develop approaches to use recombinant virus vaccines. That would certainly be an option that the World Health Organization would explore. But that’s still to be determined.
SABRA LANE: How dangerous is this virus? Given that Chinese authorities have admitted it’s been transmitted from person-to-person?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, there’s a lot we don’t know about this virus at this moment, Sabra. We don’t know how efficiently it’s transmitted from human-to-human. We don’t whether the cases – which nearly all have risen in Wuhan – how many of them have come from person-to-person or how many have come from the as-yet undetermined animal vector, where we believe the virus originated from. We also don’t know how severe it is. We know that there are a lot of mild cases, there are probably mild cases that haven’t been detected. But there have been a relatively small number of severe cases and six deaths. So we know that it can cause a severe illness.
SABRA LANE: How can people prevent it spreading and how can they lower their risk of catching it?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well at the moment in Australia, there is no evidence that this virus is present. The risks really at present remain particularly focused on people coming from that region in China, particularly the city of Wuhan. That’s why we’ve ramped up biosecurity measures, meeting those three direct flights from Wuhan a week. And anyone who’s come from Wuhan or from a city where – or been in contact with anyone with this virus who develops flu-like symptoms should seek medical attention. In Australia, we have well-established procedures to isolate and test for this virus.
SABRA LANE: And that first flight from Wuhan, since the alert was sort of increased, if you like, here in Australia is tomorrow.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Correct.
SABRA LANE: Wuhan is the centre of the outbreak as you’ve been mentioning. Some other nations are screening passengers, including taking their temperatures before they get off the plane. Is Australia considering measures like that?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: We are meeting every passenger, providing information to them, asking them to declare if they’ve got any symptoms. But we know that an incubation period for a virus like this could last seven days. We know in our experience in swine flu and other epidemics that measuring temperature might pick up a few people but it also misses a lot of people, and it probably doesn’t add anything to the biosecurity measures that we’ve put in place.
SABRA LANE: China seems to have been upfront about this. The President has said containing it is a top priority. It appears to be a complete turnaround from how it handled the SARS outbreak. What do you make of their approach this time?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: I think it’s admirable. The Chinese are being transparent. They’ve shared the virus sequence. And they’ve instituted open and transparent public health response. And I think it’s a wonderful development. And as you say, it’s quite different to how they dealt with SARS.
SABRA LANE: Just getting back to passengers. How come we won’t be screening passengers? That we are relying on those people being upfront and saying yes, I’ve got symptoms. A lot of people have spent money to come here and they might be anxious about being up front.
PROFESSOR BRANDEN MURPHY: We showed in the swine flu pandemic, we picked up less than 10 per cent of people with swine flu that came through by temperature screening. It really isn’t very effective. Many people don’t have a temperature. It’s probably more important to tell people on the flight the information so if they get symptoms after they arrive that they seek medical attention. Biosecurity officers are trained to identify a sick person coming off the plane, and there’s a legal requirement that airlines, if they detect a sick person on a plan they are required to declare that before they arrive. So we have pretty good measures in place and we think they’re proportionate.
SABRA LANE: Brendan Murphy, thanks for joining AM.
January 22: South China Morning Post posted “Why wild animals are a key ingredient in China’s coronavirus outbreak”
Before its closure, exotic animals – from snakes to civet cats – were available at a wet market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan that is ground zero of a new virus killing people with pneumonia-like symptoms and infecting growing numbers of others around the world.
According to official reports, as of 11pm Wednesday, the previously unknown coronavirus had killed 17 people and infected 541 others.
Most of the infections and all of the deaths were in Hubei province where Wuhan is located, including 375 in the city itself. Many worked or died near Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, which experts believe is the source of the outbreak, with the virus jumping from wild animals on sale there.
The market was shut down in late December at the start of the outbreak and is now under surveillance by security staff.
One stall that was on the east side of the market caught people’s attention online. According to a menu posted by the stallholder on Dazhong Dianping – the most popular review and rating app in China, around 100 varieties of live animals and poultry were available, from foxes to wolf cubs and masked palm civets.
The civets are thought by the World Health Organization to have been an intermediate host carrying a virus from bats that jumped to humans in a wet market in Guangdong province near Hong Kong that led to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) in 2002-03. Sars killed 774 people worldwide and infected 8,098 in total.
Residents confirmed that crab, shrimp and striped bass were the main items sold in the 50,000 square meter (12.35 acre) market, but in other corners, exotic animals were also on offer.
A woman living nearby surnamed Ai, 59, said she saw some stallholders selling live animals in the market.
“There were turtles, snakes, rats, hedgehogs and pheasants,” she said. She added that more stalls in the west part of the market sold live animals.
Another stallholder who sells vegetables near the seafood market said he knew the market sold live animals.
“Some stalls have more kinds and some have less, but they have sold these for a long time,” he said, declining to give his name because of the sensitivity of the issue.
A notice from the Wuhan Administration for Industry and commerce in September also showed that live animals were on sale in the market. In the notice, it said government officials inspected eight stalls that sold live animals, including tiger frogs, snakes, and hedgehogs, and checked their wildlife business licenses and approval documents. “Unapproved wildlife business is strictly forbidden,” it said.
Captive breeding of wildlife for commercial purposes is allowed in China but companies must get a license from provincial authorities, according to the national wildlife protection law.
Health authorities in Wuhan said on Sunday they would increase controls on agriculture and seafood markets, and ban the sale of live poultry and wildlife.
That ban was spelt out in banners hanging from the gate and along the streets to Wuhan’s Bashazhou agricultural market just outside the third ring road on Tuesday. The market is the biggest wholesale outlet of its kind in central China and sells vegetables, fruit, seafood and agricultural by-products. But one of the vendors, Duan, who mainly sells salmon, said he had never heard about wild animals being traded in the market.
There were no obvious sign of live poultry or wildlife for sale 1,000km away at a wet market in Yuexiu district in Guangzhou, a city known for adventurous diners.
Many mainland cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Beijing have banned sales of life poultry and animals in their downtown area in the wake of epidemic disease outbreaks in recent years.
However, on Yuexiu vendor said he had live chickens for sale. “Wait a moment. I’ll get it from the back door,” he said.
Trading was hectic in a market in Conghua district, also in Guangzhou, where the sale of live poultry was legal. Live chickens were sold at 17 yuan (US$2.46) for half a kilogram at some stands, where dozens of potential customers were in lively bargaining with stall holders, undeterred by developments in Wuhan.
Zhong Nanshan, director of the China State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease and a world expert on the Sars virus, said after a visit to Wuhan that the source of the new coronavirus was probably from wildlife, such as bamboo rats or badgers.
“The outbreak concentrated in two districts on Wuhan, where there are big seafood markets,” Zhong said in an interview with broadcaster CCTV on Monday.
“While they are called seafood markets, many vendors are selling game. According to preliminary epidemiological analysis the virus is probably transmitted from wildlife to humans.”
Shi Zhengli, a researcher with the Wuhan Institute of Virology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the real problem was in people’s behaviour, rather than with the animals.
“The simplest way to prevent such infectious diseases is to stay away from wildlife, say no to game, void their habitats and livestock and farms mixing with wildlife, Shi said.
Hu Xingdou, an independent political economist, said Chinese people’s love for eating wildlife had deep cultural, economic and political roots.
“While the West values freedom and the human rights, Chinese people view food as their primary need because starving is a big threat and an unforgettable part of the national memory,” Hu said.
“While feeding themselves is not a problem to many Chinese nowadays, eating novel food or meat, organs or parts from rare animals or plants has become a measure of identity to some people.”
The 2003 Sars outbreak saw a decline in consumption of exotic animals by normally adventurous Chinese diners in the following years. According to a survey released in 2006 by San Francisco-based WildAid and the official China Wildlife Conservation Association, about 70 per cent of 24,000 people surveyed in 16 mainland cities had not eaten wild animals in the previous year, up from 51 per cent in a similar survey in 1999. While number fell, it showed 30 per cent of those surveyed were still eating wildlife.
January 22: World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted: “The total number of confirmed cases if the 2019 novel #coronavirus reported globally to date is 581. The total number of cases from mainland China is 571. This includes 95 severe cases and 17 people who have died. #nCoV2019”. This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 22: World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted: “Hong Kong SAR has reported 1 case of #nCoV2019, Macao SAR has reported 1 case, and Taiwan, China has reported 1 case. All of these cases are people who travelled from Wuhan.”
January 22: World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted: “Japan, the Republic of #Korea and the #USA have each reported 1 case of novel #coronavirus. #Thailand has reported 4 cases of #nCoV2019.” This was the last tweet in the thread.
January 22: The Japan Times posted an article from Reuters titled: “Chinese doctor investigating outbreak says he was infected”
A Chinese physician who was investigating the outbreak of a deadly new virus in central China says he himself have been infected.
Wang Guangfa, who heads the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Beijing’s Peking University First Hospital, was part of a team of experts that earlier this month visited Wuhan, where the virus emerged.
“I was diagnosed, and my condition is fine,” Wang told Kong’s Cable TV on Thursday, thanking people for their concern.
The death toll from the flu-like coronavirus strain, which officials have confirmed can be transmitted between humans, had climbed to six as of Tuesday, with the number of reported cases rising above 300. Fifteen medical personnel are among those infected.
Wang, who conducted research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, said he was receiving treatment and would have an injection soon. He did not give details on how he may have been infected.
“I don’t want everyone to put too much attention on my condition,” he told the channel.
Wang told state media on Jan. 10 that the outbreak appeared to be under control, with most patients, showing mild symptoms and some having been discharged.
He could not be reached by Reuters on Tuesday.
January 22: South China Morning Post posted “China virus: Taiwan tells people not to go to Wuhan amid outbreak”
Taiwan has suspended travel by tour groups to and from Wuhan and has called on Taiwanese not to visit the city in central China, after the first confirmed case of the new coronavirus was detected on the island.
President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday that the Ministry of Transport and Communications had posted a travel warning for Wuhan and ordered all domestic travel operators to temporarily suspend tours to the city. Earlier, she called on the island’s residents not to visit the Wuhan area unless absolutely necessary.
“We will also temporarily stop all Wuhan tour groups from coming to Taiwan,” she said. “During the Lunar New Year, I want to remind people not to panic and to continue their everyday lives, just to remember to stay informed with official information and to manage your own health, to avoid the threat of this virus.”
Tsai also urged Beijing to be “open and transparent” about information on the outbreak, and called on the World Health Organization “not to exclude Taiwan over political considerations”. Taiwan is not a member of the international organisation and has been blocked from attending its annual summit, the World Health Assembly, amid rising pressure from Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island as part of its own territory.
Authorities have confirmed 440 cases of the virus in mainland China, mostly in Wuhan, where on Tuesday authorities said nine people had died.
The outbreak has spread to cities including Beijing and Shanghai, with cases also confirmed in Thailand, South Korea and Japan, as well as Taiwan. On Tuesday, the United States also confirmed its first case of the coronavirus.
Taiwan had stocks of 44 million surgical face masks and almost 2 million N95 face masks, which offer greater protection, and would release them as needed, Tsai added, calling on people not to hoard them.
Taiwanese Transport Minister Lin Chia-lung wrote on his Facebook page that the island’s airlines should consider suspending routes to Wuhan.
Taiwan on Tuesday confirmed its first case of infection from the new coronavirus, a woman in the 50s who had returned after working in Wuhan,
China’s severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) coronavirus epidemic in 2002-2003 killed more than 700 people.
January 22: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Chief Medical Officer’s interview on the Today Show about novel coronavirus”
KARL STEFANOVIC: In the last few minutes it’s been revealed the Queensland man suspected of contracting the virus has been released from isolation. That’s good news. Doctors are saying he’s no longer displaying any symptoms. However, United States confirms its first case of the virus this morning to Australia’s Chief Medical Officer. Brendon Murphy joins us now. Brendan, good morning to you. All of this is a big worry.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Good morning Karl. I think our concern has increased over the last three or four days for a number of reasons. That there’ve been significant increases in case numbers in Wuhan in China, where the disease originated. We now have evidence of some human-to-human transmission which we didn’t have before. And whilst there are many mild cases, there have been some serious cases and as we’ve heard this morning, reports of up to six deaths. So for that reason, we have in Australia instituted proportionate border measures in relation to direct flights to Wuhan. But I should say that we are very well prepared as a nation to deal with any case of this disease if it does come from China.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Brendan, the reality is that Wuhan is a significant transport hub in China, that any transport hub in China means a lot of people. A lot of people going there, a lot of people going elsewhere from there. Trying to contain this thing is going to be incredibly difficult. Now it’s all about treating, is it not? And what should people know about travel in and out of China and also just generally speaking about this?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: So, we’ve updated our travel advisory suggesting that people exercise extreme caution. I personally wouldn’t be considering travel to those parts of Wuhan where the markets are. So we’ve updated that travel advisory. You’re right that it’s never completely possible to contain viruses when, for a lot of them, there is an incubation period of sometimes up to seven days where people are asymptomatic. So our focus is on directly dealing with the major traffic from Wuhan, providing information, meeting everyone who comes off those planes. We’ve now declared this a Listed Human Disease with biosecurity implications and we want to make sure that anyone who’s come from Wuhan or the are where this infection has been, if they do develop symptoms, seek medical attention and we’re well prepared to respond if that happens.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Brendan, the issue is, and I’m sure you’ve been on a flight recently, anyone who arrives on a flight from anywhere, a long distance flight and that’s what we’re talking about here, symptoms of this are cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose – they’re almost cold-like symptoms, aren’t they? I mean, this is going to be so broad. The logistics in China to narrow down someone who might have it are pretty extreme.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: That’s exactly right. I mean, one of the particular features of this virus is that nearly everyone has a fever. But you’re right, it’s not really distinguishable from the flu and it is flu season in China at the moment. That’s why we are very much focusing our attention on those direct flights from Wuhan where there is a higher risk. But again, people who are unwell, who come off a flight like that, are probably just as likely to not have this virus as something else. But that’s why we’ve developed protocols for the biosecurity officers and the public health officers to try and determine whether the risk is significant.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Brendan, the issue is, and I’m sure you’ve been on a flight recently, anyone who arrives on a flight from anywhere, a long distance flight and that’s what we’re talking about here, the symptoms of this are cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose – they’re almost cold-like symptoms, aren’t they? I mean, this is going to be so broad. The logistics in China to narrow down someone who might have it are pretty extreme.
PROFESSOR BRENDEN MURPHY: That’s exactly right. I mean, one of the particular features of this virus is that nearly everyone has a fever. But you’re right, it’s not really distinguishable from the flu and it is flu season in China at the moment. That’s why we are very much focusing our attention on those flights from Wuhan where there is a higher risk. But again, people who are unwell, who come off a flight like that, are probably just as likely to have this virus as something else. But that’s why we’ve developed protocols for the biosecurity officers and the public health officers to try and determine whether the risk is significant.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, we’re well versed in it. We did a terrific job a couple of years ago so it means we’re prepared for it. And do things like wearing masks on planes help at all?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: No, I don’t think there’s evidence to suggest that we should go to that stage at the moment. Obviously if you were in contact with someone with the virus, then you would want to take protection.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Do you have any further update on this Brisbane person?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: What I’ve been told is that the tests aren’t back yet. But that the person is well and is now at home in home quarantine, waiting for the tests. But the good news is that there’s no clinical concern about this person but we still don’t know whether they’ve had this virus or just another virus such as flu.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Do you have a specific test for it?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: There are specific tests being developed. They’re just – they’ve been developed over the last few days at some of our specialist labs, yep.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay. This stuff is moving pretty quickly but we appreciate your time and expertise on it. Thank you so much. Professor Brendan Murphy there.
January 22: South China Morning Post posted “Tracking Wuhan virus a ‘jigsaw puzzle’ as China cracks down with quarantine powers”
Tracking down the source and the infection route of the newly emerged coronavirus in the central Chinese city of Wuhan is akin to putting a jigsaw puzzle together, as the death toll rises and carriers of the pathogen emerge across the country and the world, according to a disease specialist.
“It’s early days, it’s a real jigsaw puzzle right now,” said David Heymann, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
“Right now, it doesn’t look like this is a particularly lethal virus. It’s lethal in people who have co-morbidities, elderly people who have diabetes and chronic lung disease, and that’s very similar to what the influenza virus does,” said Heymann, who is a former executive director of the World Health Organization’s Communicable Diseases Cluster, where he headed the global response to the Sars virus in 2002-03.
“What’s key to all of this is good infection prevention and control in hospital settings. If health workers continue to get infected now that they know this virus is present, they can inadvertently infect other patients,” he said.
China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said on Wednesday that tougher measures introduced this week authorized hospitals nationwide to quarantine any suspected carriers of the virus and their close contacts, even against their will. The coronavirus has killed 17 people – all of them in Hubei province – sine it first caught the attention of medical authorities a little over three weeks ago. As of 11pm Wednesday, 541 people in mainland China had been infected, according to official reports.
“The basic are contact tracing, identifying people who might have been exposed, and making sure that they understand that if they develop a fever, they must immediately report to a health facility because that’s the time they become infectious,” said Heymann, who is chair of an advisory body to the WHO.
He said another measure was to isolate patients with the disease and to take care of them until the immune system could rid the body of the virus. “There’s no other medicine right now that can treat it.”
Wuhan, in Hubei province, has remained the ground zero of fatalities and infections since the outbreak was first reported on December 31 and with no drugs available to fight the virus, containment and quarantine are the tools China is turning to try and control it.
That had now reached a “most critical stage,” Li Bin, the director of the NHC, said on Wednesday.
The challenge for the authorities is how and to do what extent to quarantine a city such as Wuhan, which has a larger population than New York and is a major hub in China’s rail network, with an average of 700,000 passengers a day passing through its three main stations. It also has an international airport with direct flights to the United States and the rest of Asia.
China is also this week experiencing its largest single annual mass migration of people as hundreds of millions travel across the county for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Li, of the NHC, said there was a risk of the virus mutating and spreading further during the country’s annual peak travel period.
“The virus is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract,” Li said. “Now, during Chinese New Year, the surge increases the risk of the epidemic’s spread and the difficulty of prevention and control. We must not take it lightly.”
The virus, which has pneumonia-like symptoms, has most recently been discovered in travellers in Hong Kong and the US for the first time. Infected individuals have also been found in Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and Macau, with most of the cases involving people travelling from Wuhan.
China’s stricter quarantine measures came as the provincial government in Hubei, where Wuhan is located, announced a “grade II public health emergency” – the second-highest level of emergency response – in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“This means that various local authorities, government departments and medical institutions can legally screen for fever patients, and conduct isolated treatment of confirmed or suspected cases, as well as isolated treatment and medical observations of others in close contact with those people,” Xu Shuqiang, director of the health emergency response office at China’s Ministry of Health, said.
On Tuesday, the NHC upgraded the coronavirus to a Class B infectious disease but said it would use the stricter control measures for a Class A disease to handle the outbreak, meaning any infection nationwide must be reported within two hours and monitored.
A Class B classification gives the government the power to stop travel to, from and within a city, and to take other emergency measures that would effectively shut down a city.
Closing down a city the size of Wuhan would be unprecedented in China, but the country’s top infectious disease expert said quarantine was the only way to stop the disease at present.
“As soon as it spreads from human to human, quarantine must be the first priority,” Zhong Nanshan said at a briefing on Thursday. “At the moment, I don’t think quarantine has been implemented thoroughly enough.”
The disease is believed to have first appeared in a seafood and animal meat market in Wuhan.
The first cluster of infections in December involved people who worked at the market, suggesting that the virus had jumped from an animal host in the same way that the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) epidemic began.
Gao Fu, director of China’s disease control and prevention centre, said at the briefing that the source of the disease was a wild animal sold at the seafood market, but did not elaborate on what species it was, or how the disease spread from animals to humans.
As many as 15 medical staff in Wuhan have been infected with the virus which exposed “weak links” in preventive measures in medical institutions, according to Jiao Yahui, deputy director in charge of medical affairs with the NHC.
“We are in a gradual process of learning the development stages and characteristics of the virus,” said Jiao, who also paid tribute to front-line medical staff confronting the outbreak.
Heymann said it was not possible to make predictions of how the virus would proceed from now.
“Influenza viruses can’t be stopped, they run their course and they stop. It would not be wrong to make any type of estimate of what might happen in the future because not enough is known to base that estimate on. The WHO will be looking at all the evidence and making recommendations for the world to follow.”
January 23
January 23: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 3”. From the report:
Situation Update:
A total of 581 confirmed cases have been reported for novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) globally.
Of the 581 cases reported, 571 cases were reported from China.
Cases have been reported in Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Taipei Municipality, China, Macau Special Administrative Region, United States of America and the Republic of Korea, all had travel history to Wuhan.
Of the 571 confirmed cases in China, 375 cases were confirmed from Hubei Province.
Of the 571 cases, 95 cases are severely ill.
Seventeen deaths have been reported (all from Hubei Province).
Reported incidence of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases:
Hubei Province: 375
Unspecified: 131
Guangdong Province: 26
Beijing Municipality: 10
Shanghai Municipality: 9
Chongqing Municipality: 5
Zhejiang Province: 5
Jiangxi Province: 2
Sichuan Province: 2
Tianjin Municipality: 2
Henan Province: 1
Hunan Province: 1
Shandong Province: 1
Shandong Province: 1
Yunnan Province: 1
Taipei Municipality: 1
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: 1
Macau Special Administrative Region: 1
Japan: 1
Republic of Korea: 1
Thailand: 4
United States of America: 1
TOTAL: 581
January 23: The Guardian posted “China virus: ten cities locked down and Beijing festivities scrapped”. It was written by Lily Kuo. From the article:
Chinese authorities have imposed lockdown measures on ten cities in an unprecedented effort to contain the outbreak of the deadly new virus that has made hundreds of people ill and spread to other parts of the world during the busy lunar new year travel period.
Authorities banned transport links from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, on Thursday morning, suspending buses, subways, ferries, and shutting the airport and train stations to outgoing passengers. Later in the day, the nearby central Chinese cities of Huanggang and Ezhou announced similar measures. Travel restrictions were also placed on the smaller cities of Chibi and Zhijang.
Starting at midnight, long-distance buses, the rapid transit system, and the train station in Huanggang would be shut, according to a notice from the local government. Cinemas, internet cafes and other entertainment venues would all stop operation. Residents should not leave the city, except for “special reasons”.
A government notice in Ezhou said the city’s railway would stop operating on Thursday evening. In nearby Chibi, authorities said buses and rural transport links would be halted. Officials ordered tour operators to cancel operations and said no more large-scale cultural events were to be held.
On Friday, Huangshi in Hubei province also halted public transport. The People’s Daily newspaper said Xiantao, Enshi, Qianjang and Xianning were also subject to travel restrictions.
There have been 830 confirmed cases in China of the coronavirus, from the same family of viruses that gave rise to Sars. Chinese authorities say 95 patients remain in a critical condition.
On Thursday, Hebei’s provincial health authority said an infected patient had died, marking the first confirmed death outside Hubei provence, where the outbreak began. On Friday morning the official death toll rose to 25.
Cases have also been confirmed in the US, the UK, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.
Officials worry the weeklong lunar new year holiday, which begins on Saturday and usually sees hundreds millions of Chinese crisscross the country, will exacerbate an outbreak that has reached almost all of China’s provinces.
The state-run Beijing News said the capital had cancelled events including two well-known lunar new year temple fairs. The Forbidden City, the palace complex in Beijing that is now a museum, announced it will close indefinitely on Saturday.
The country’s railway operator, China State Railway Group, said passengers would be able to receive full refunds on tickets nationwide starting on Friday.
While sweeping measures are typical of China’s communist government, large-scale quarantines are rare around the world, even in deadly epidemics, because of concerns about infringing on people’s liberties, and the effectiveness of such measures in unclear.
“To my knowledge, trying to contain a city of 11 million people is new to science,” Gauden Galea, the World Health Organization’s representative in China, told the Associated Press. “It has not been tried before as a public health measure. We cannot at this stage say it will or will not work.”
Late on Thursday, Wuhan City authorities said that limits on car travel would be reduced for the first time at noon on Friday.
In Wuhan, supermarket shelves were empty and local markets sold out of produce as residents hoarded supplies and isolated themselves at home. Petrol stations were overwhelmed as drivers stocked up on fuel, exacerbated by rumours that reserves had run out. Local residents said pharmacies had sold out of face masks.
“When I saw the news when I woke up, I felt like I was going to go crazy. This is a little too late now. The government’s measures are not enough,” said Xiao, 26, a primary schoolteacher in Wuhan, who asked not to give her full name.
Anxiety in Wuhan has been exacerbated by reports that hospitals are turning patients away because they do not have enough room. A hospital contacted by the Guardian on Thursday said it had between 500 and 600 patients and recommended patients go to a community health centre instead. Eight hospitals in Wuhan put out calls for donations of protective equipment, according to Chinese media.
Officials said they would build a new hospital in six days to accommodate patients, modelled after an isolation facility constructed in Beijing during the SARS outbreak.
Hubei officials said schools, on break for the spring festival holiday, would delay the beginning of the spring term.
The illness from the newly identified coronavirus appeared last month in Wuhan, an industrial and transportation hub in central China. The vast majority of cases in the mainland have been in the city.
Analysts have predicted the reported cases will continue to multiply. “Even if are in the thousands, this would not surprise us,” Galea said. The number of cases was not an indicator of the outbreak’s severity, so long as the mortality rate remained low, he added.
The coronavirus family includes the common cold as well as viruses that cause more serious illnesses, such as the Sars outbreak that spread from China to more than a dozen countries in 2002-03 and killed about 800 people, and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome which developed from camels.
China is keen to avoid repeating mistakes with its handling of Sars. For months, even after the illness had spread around the world, China parked patients in hotels and drove them around in ambulances to conceal the true number of cases and avoid WHO experts.
In the current outbreak, China has been credited with sharing information rapidly, and President Xi Jinping has emphasized that as a priority.
On Thursday, a WHO committee said the outbreak does not yet constitute a public health emergency of international concern. Previous emergencies have included Ebola and Zika.
January 23: The Guardian reported: As Chinese authorities say 17 people have died and more than 500 have been infected, air and rail departures from Wuhan are suspended.
January 23: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted an article titled: “Japanese Man Develops Severe Pneumonia in Wuhan”. From the article:
A Japanese man has been hospitalized in the Chinese city of Wuhan due to severe pneumonia, an official at the Japanese embassy in Beijing said Thursday.
Authorities are investigating whether the pneumonia was caused by a new strain of coronavirus.
Cases of pneumonia stemming from the virus are spreading, mainly in China. The Chinese government confirmed 571 cases in the country as of midnight Wednesday (4 p.m. GMT).
January 23: Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus tweeted: “I am not declaring the new #coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern today. The Emergency Committee was divided over whether the outbreak represents a PHEIC. This is an emergency in China, but has not yet become a global health emergency.”
January 23: Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysys tweeted: “This should not be taken as a sign that @WHO does not think the situation is serious. WHO is following this new #coronavirus outbreak every minute of every day, at county, regional and global level. I will not hesitate to reconvene the committee at a moment’s notice if needed.”
January 23: The Hollywood Reporter posted “Shanghai Disney Resort Shuts Down as Coronavirus Spreads”. It was written by Patrick Brzeski. The article included Disney’s full statement:
The Walt Disney Co. is preparing to close its Shanghai Disney Resort in response to the growing outbreak of coronavirus currently sweeping China.
As of Friday afternoon, local time, China’s National Health Commission had confirmed 875 cases of coronavirus infection nationwide, with 26 deaths. Most troubling, all but two of the country’s 31 provinces and municipalities had reported cases of the virus, suggesting that Beijing’s belated but now aggressive measures to contain the infection were falling short.
Disney said Friday that it would be joining public facilities across China, including the nation’s 70,000 cinemas and the Forbidden City in Beijing, in closing its gates. Public health officials have urged citizens to avoid congregating in crowded public spaces. Disney said it would close the theme part and facilities surrounding it on Saturday.
“We will continue to carefully monitor the situation and be in close contact with the local government,” Disney said in a statement on its website and posted across social media. “We will announce the reopening date upon confirmation,” it added.
The public health crisis in China has already dealt a hammer blow to the Beijing film industry, forcing studios to cancel the release of their biggest movies during the most popular moviegoing week of the year. The Disney closure arguably marks the first moment when the virus has had a significant impact on a U.S. entertainment firm. The Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, is China’s busiest travel and vacation period, and the holiday has delivered big attendance numbers to Disney’s Shanghai park in years past.
Shanghai Disneyland had planned several special attractions to draw in guests to celebrate the traditional family holiday with some Western entertainment. Mickey, Minnie and other Disney characters were outfitted in special Spring Festival costumes crafted by Chinese designer Guo Pei, while special red and gold lanterns were hung to line the roads and alleys of Mickey Avenue. The park also created an extra-impressive fireworks display to explode over the compound every night of Spring Festival. The show will be accompanied by an underscore of traditional Chinese music narrated by Mickey himself.
Read Disney’s full statement below:
In response to prevention and control of the disease outbreak and in order to ensure the health and safety of our guests and Cast, Shanghai Disney Resort is temporarily closing Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown including Walt Disney Grand Theater and the Wishing Star Park, starting January 25, 2020. We will continue to carefully monitor the situation and be in close contact with the local government, and we will announce the reopening date upon confirmation.
Shanghai Disney Resort will assist in the refund for guests who have purchased tickets for admission to Shanghai Disneyland, have booked a resort hotel, or have booked tickets for Beauty and the Beast Mandarin Production through the original ticket purchase channel, and we will introduce the detailed procedure and guidelines via the resort’s official platforms as soon as possible.
We wish our guests a healthy and happy Spring Festival!!
January 23: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “The total number of confirmed cases of the 2019 novel #coronavirus reported globally to date is 845. The total number of cases from mainland China is 830. This includes 177 severe cases and 25 people who have died. #nCoV2019”. This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 23: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Hong Kong SAR has reported a total of 2 cases of #nCoV2019, Macao SAR has reported 2 cases, and Taiwan, China has reported 1 case.”
January 23: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Republic of Korea has reported 2 confirmed cases of novel #coronavirus. #Japan, #Nepal, #Singapore, & #USA have each reported 1 case of #nCoV2019”
January 23: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Understanding of #nCoV2019 is still evolving. Based on current info, most confirmed cases are not severe. Among those who have died, most are over 65 yrs with underlying health conditions. But there is still much more to learn about this virus, and we continue to monitor closely.”
January 23: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “WHO DG @DrTedros has not declared #nCoV2019 a public health emergency of international concern. He stressed that it is an emergency in China, but not yet a global health emergency. @WHO is following #nCoV2019 very closely and the Emergency Committee may be reconvened at any time.”
January 23: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted an article titled: “Japanese Firms Banning Travel to Wuhan due to Pneumonia Outbreak”. From the article:
More and more Japanese companies are banning their employees from traveling to the Chinese city of Wuhan due to the spread of pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus.
Some Japanese department stores have allowed their workers to wear face masks as visitors from China are expected to increase during the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday.
Honda Motor Co. <7267> which has a plant in Wuhan, where the new coronavirus originated, banned business trips there in principle, starting on Wednesday. The plant will be closed until Feb. 2 due to the holiday.
Subaru Corp. <7270> notified workers that nonessential trips to China should be avoided.
“We’ll secure safety for our employees and prevent a spread of the disease,” a company official said.
January 23: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Statement on the first meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)”
The meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the international Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in 2019 in the People’s Republic of China, with exportation currently reported in the Republic of Korea, Kapan, Thailand, and Singapore, took place on Wednesday, 22 January 2020, from 12:00 to 16:30 Geneva time (CEST) and on Thursday, 23 January 2020, from 12:00 to 15:10. The Committee’s role is to give advice to the Director-General, who makes the final decision on the determination of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The Committee also provides public health advice or suggests formal temporary recommendations as appropriate.
Proceedings of the meeting
Members and advisors of the Emergency Committee were convened by teleconference.
The Director-General welcomed the Committee and thanked them for their support. He turned the meeting over to the Chair, Professor Didier Houssin.
Professor Houssin also welcomed the Committee and gave the floor to the Secretariat.
On 22 January, representatives of WHO’s legal department and the department of compliance, risk management, and ethics briefed the Committee members on their roles and responsibilities.
Committee members were reminded of their duty for confidentiality and their responsibility to disclose personal, financial, or professional connections that might be seen to constitute a conflict of interest. Each member who was present was surveyed and no conflicts of interest were judged to be relevant to the meeting.
The Chair then reviewed the agenda for the meeting and introduced the presenters.
On 23 January, representatives of the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Thailand and the Republic of Korea updated the committee on the situation in their countries. There have been increased numbers of reported cases in China, with 557 confirmed as of today.
Conclusions and Advice
On 22 January, the members of the Emergency Committee expressed divergent views on whether this event constitutes a PHEIC or not. At that time, the advice was that the event did not constitute a PHEIC, but the Committee members agreed on the urgency of the situation and suggested that the Committee should be reconvened in a matter of days to examine the situation further.
After the announcement of new containment measures in Wuhan on 22 January, the Director-General asked the Emergency Committee to reconvene on 23 January to study the information provided by Chinese authorities about the most recent epidemiological evolution and the risk-management measures taken.
Chinese authorities presented new epidemiological information that revealed an increase in the number of cases, of suspected cases, of affected cases, of affected provinces, and the proportion of deaths in currently reported cases of 4% (17 of 557). They reported fourth-generation cases in Wuhan City, as well as other nearby cities). After this presentation, the EC was informed about the evolution in Japan, Republic of Korea, and Thailand, and that one new possible case had been identified in Singapore.
The Committee welcomed the efforts made by China to investigate and contain the current outbreak.
The following elements were considered critical:
Human-to-human transmission is occurring and a preliminary R0 estimate of 1.4-2.5 was presented. Amplification has occurred in one health care facility. Of confirmed cases, 25% are reported to be severe. The source is still unknown (most likely an animal reservoir) and the extent of human-to-human transmission is still not clear.
Several members considered that it is still too early to declare a PHEIC, given its restrictive and binary nature.
Bad on these divergent views, the EC formulates the following advice:
To WHO
The Committee stands ready to be reconvened in approximately ten days’ time, or earlier should the Director-General deem it necessary.
The Committee urges to support ongoing efforts through a WHO International multidisciplinary mission, including national experts. The mission would review and support efforts to investigate the animal source of the outbreak, the extent of human-to-human transmission, the screening efforts in other provinces of China, the enhancement of surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections in these regions, and to reinforce containment and mitigation measures. A mission would provide information to the international community to aid in understanding of the situation and its potential public health impact.
WHO should continue to provide all necessary technical and operational support to respond to this outbreak, including with its extensive networks of partners and collaborating institutions, to implement a comprehensive risk communication strategy, and to allow for the advancement of research and scientific developments in relation to this novel coronavirus.
In the face of an evolving epidemiological situation and the restrictive binary nature of declaring a PHEIC or not, WHO should consider a more nuanced system, which would allow an intermediate level of alert. Such a system would better reflect the severity of an outbreak, its impact, and the required measures, and would facilitate improved international coordination, including research efforts for developing medical counter measures.
To the People’s Republic of China
Provide more information on cross-government risk management measures, including cirrus management systems at national, provincial, and city levels, and other domestic measures.
Enhance rational public health measures for containment and mitigation of the current outbreak.
Enhance surveillance and active case finding across China, particularly during the Chinese New Year celebration.
Collaborate with WHO and partners to conduct investigations to understand the epidemiology and the evolution of this outbreak, including specific investigations to understand the source of the novel coronavirus, notably the animal reservoir and animals involved in the zoonotic transmission, as well as the understanding of its full potential for human-to-human transmission, and where transmission is taking place, the clinical features associated with infection, and the required treatment to reduce morbidity and mortality.
Continue to share full data on all health cases with WHO, including genome sequences and details of any health care worker infections or cluster.
Conduct exit screening at international airports and ports in the affected provinces, with the aims early detection of symptomatic travelers for further evaluation and treatment, while minimizing interference with international traffic.
Encourage screening at domestic airports, railway stations, and long-distance bus stations as necessary.
To other countries
It is expected that further international exportation of cases may appear in any country. Thus, all countries should be prepared for containment, including active surveillance, early detection, and isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of onward spread of 2019-nCoV infection, and to share full data with WHO.
Countries are required to share information with WHO according to the IHR.
Technical advice is available here. Countries should place particular emphasis on reducing human infection, prevention of secondary transmission and international spread and contributing to the international response through multi-sectoral communication and collaboration and active participation in increasing knowledge on the virus and the disease, as well as advancing research. Countries should also follow travel advice from WHO.
To the global community
As this is a new coronavirus, and it has been previously shown that similar coronaviruses required substantial efforts for regular information sharing and research, the global community should continue to demonstrate solidarity and cooperation, in compliance with Article 44 of the IHR (2005), in supporting each other on the identification of the source of this new virus, its full potential for human-to-human transmission, preparedness for potential importation of cases, and research for developing necessary treatment.
The Director-General thanked the Committee for its advice.
January 24
January 24: The CDC reported the onset of 1 more additional COVID-19 case in the United States.
January 24: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report 4”. From the report:
Situation Update:
A total of 846 confirmed cases have been reported for novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) globally.
Of the 846 cases reported, 830 were reported from China.
Eleven confirmed cases have been reported outside of China in six countries.
Of these 11 confirmed cases, 10 had travel history to Wuhan
One confirmed case in Vietnam had no travel history to any part of China but was a family member of a confirmedcase who visited Wuhan. This suggests an instance of human to human transmission that occured in Vietnam.
Of the 830 confirmed cases in China, 375 cases were confirmed in Hubei Province.
Of the 830 cases, 177 cases have been reported as severely ill.
Twenty-five deaths have been reported to date.
On 24 January 2020, the number of confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV has increased by 265 cases since the last situation report published on 23 January 2020, including China which reported additional 259 confirmed cases.
Reported incidence of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases:
China:
Unspecified: 384
Hubei Province – 375
Guangdong Province – 32
Beijing Municipality – 10
Shanghai Municipality – 9
Chongqing Municipality – 5
Zhejiang Province – 5
Jiangxi Province – 2
Sichuan Province – 2
Tianjin Municipality – 2
Henan Province – 1
Hunan Province – 1
Shandong Province – 1
Taipei Municipality – 1
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region – 2
Macau Special Administrative Region – 2
Japan – 1
Republic of Korea – 2
Viet Nam – 2
Republic of Singapore – 1
Thailand – 4
United States of America – 1
TOTAL: 846
January 24: President Trump tweeted: “China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”
January 24: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) posted “2nd U.S. case of coronavirus confirmed in Chicago”
A second case of a novel coronavirus has been confirmed in a Chicago woman and is one of 63 potential cases under investigation in 22 states.
The case follows confirmation of the virus earlier this week in a Washington state man in his 30s. Eleven other patients have tested negative, and 50 are waiting on test results, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“While this situation poses a very serious public health threat, CDC believes the immediate risk to the U.S. public is low at this time, but the situation continues to evolve rapidly,” said Nancy Messonnier, M.D., director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
The Chicago woman is in her 60s and returned from Wuhan, China, the center of the new virus’ outbreak on Jan. 13, She fell ill several days later. She has had limited contact with other people since her return and is being treated in an isolation room at a local hospital where authorities said she is doing well. Those known to have come in contact with her have not displayed symptoms of illness.
“This is all very reassuring as far as infection risk to the general public, which remains low nationally and locally here in Chicago,” said Chicago Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D., M.P.H.
China first reported cases in late December and linked the virus to a large market with seafood and live animals in Wuhan, a city of more than 11 million people and a major transportation hub. The pathogen is genetically similar to those that caused outbreaks of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and there is evidence of human-to-human spread.
The global case count has reached 881, and there have been 26 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. While most of the cases are in China, cases have been confirmed in Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the U.S.
On Thursday, the World Health Organization declined to declare an international public health emergency but did not rule out doing so in the coming days or weeks.
The CDC recommends avoiding nonessential travel to Wuhan. Those who do travel to China should avoid people who are sick and practice good hand hygiene. Upon their return, they should monitor themselves for fever and respiratory symptoms for 14 days and contact their health care provider immediately if they get sick.
In the past week, the CDC has screened about 2,000 people arriving from Wuhan at international airports in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta. Officials said they are continuing to evaluate their approach as China implements new travel restrictions in Wuhan and other cities.
January 24: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Second Case of Wuhan-Linked Pneumonia Found in Japan”
The Japanese health ministry said Friday that it has confirmed the country’s second case of infection of a new strain of coronavirus believed to be behind the pneumonia outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
A man in his 40s who is a resident of Wuhan developed pneumonia and tested positive for the new virus during his visit to Japan as a tourist. He is currently hospitalized in Tokyo.
January 24: CGTN, China Global Television Network, tweeted: “Liang Wudong, a doctor at Hubei Xinhua Hospital who had been at the front line of the #CoronavirusOutbreak battle in Wuhan, dies from the virus at age 62.”
January 24: Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison tweeted: “Update on Coronavirus”. The tweet included a screenshot of that update, which said:
Today the first case of Coronavirus has been confirmed in Australia.
The patient, a man from Wuhan in China, flew to Melbourne from Guangong on 19 January. He is now being treated in isolation in Victoria. Authorities are tracing and contacting all passengers who traveled on the same flight to Melbourne and anyone he has been in contact with since.
As previously advised by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy it was always expected that Australia would see cases of this virus.
The Australian Government has already enacted new measures to protect Australians. From today, anyone arriving in Australia on flights from other parts of China will be met an provided instructions on what to do if they have symptoms, or start to develop them.
Australians are being strongly advised not to travel to Wuhan or the Hubei Province in China. Chinese authorities have also imposed travel restrictions in at least five cities in the Hubei province. Australians travelling to these area may not be able to leave until restrictions are lifted.
I am receiving daily briefings from health authorities and the Chief Medical Officer and we will continue to monitor and take action where necessary.
Australia has a first class health system and we are extremely well prepared to diagnose, manage and isolate any case of Coronavirus.
January 24: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Chief Medical Officer’s update on novel coronavirus”. It is a transcript of Professor Brendan Murphy’s press conference about novel coronavirus.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: We’ve just completed a meeting with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, which consists of all the senior public health officials in every state and territory in the Commonwealth and a range of technical experts. And I’ve also just finished briefing the Prime Minister, Minister Hunt, the Minister for Health, and the Foreign Minister on the discussions at that meeting and the current latest data.
So, the latest data from China is that there are now 844 cases worldwide; 830 in China, 14 cases in locations outside of China, and you can see some of those on our map up on the wall there. There are now 25 deaths 24 of which have been in Wuhan, the main epicenter of this outbreak, and one in someone in Beijing. And again, the story around the deaths are that they have pretty much been elderly people or people with other medical conditions. People who are generally frail. That’s the word we’re getting from China. Approximately 25 per cent of people who contract this infection and who have been detected and diagnosed seem to get a more severe illness. But we do know, or we do suspect, that there are a number of additional cases that are so mild that they haven’t come to attention and been detected or diagnosed at the moment.
You will have heard that the WHO Emergency Committee met again overnight and decided yet again not to declare a public health emergency of international concern. That doesn’t mean, in any way, that they’re not taking this seriously. In fact, they made it very clear that the director-general made it clear, that they do see this as a serious issue and they are upping some of their responses. They’re sending in a new specialist team in, and they believe the country should be prepared and taking action as we are. So, of course, it doesn’t change our response in Australia. But they feel that unless there’s more sustained human- or evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission in countries outside of China, that there are some technical reasons why it doesn’t fulfill the criteria for meeting that definition of, a public health emergency of international concern. So, that’s the current situation internationally.
In Australia, we still have no confirmed cases. There are several patients who are being tested every day. People who have had a relevant travel history and who have developed respiratory symptoms. None of those have turned out to be positive. But, as I’ve said on previous occasions, should we get a positive case in Australia, we are extremely well-prepared to isolate and manage them. The Health Protection Principle Committee discussed a range of materials which are now on our Department of Health wbsite. There’s now good clinical guidelines. We’ve provided new information to every health practitioner, relevant health practitioner, in the country and emergency department, and there’s a lot of new information up on our website.
So, that’s the situation at the moment. It’s pretty much as it’s been over the last few days. As more information comes out from China, as they get more diagnostic information, we always expect the case numbers to increase. And the nature of the disease doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of changing. It is of concern that there are some cases outside China, but they are small in number and they are being well-managed in those locations.
So, I’ll leave it there, and happy to take any questions.
QUESTION: You said this morning that the WHO was split on whether to declare a public health emergency. Just explain that.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, I think the Emergency Management Committee – the director-general, said that they were divided. Some of the members felt that it wasn’t worth declaring. Others felt that, because of these technical reasons, that it wasn’t quite ready. But he made it very clear that that didn’t make any difference to the fact the WHO regards this as a very significant issue and that people should be responding.
QUESTION: So, what powers would declaring something like that give them? What would the practical difference be?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: It really – I don’t think it would make an awful different on top of what they’re already doing because they’re already activating the sort of things that they would do in that circumstances. I think the big difference is, in a public health emergency of national concern, if there are lots of foci of transmission outside of the one area, there’s greater international coordination required. And that’s probably not necessary at the moment. Every country is responding appropriately.
QUESTION: You mentioned the WHO upping their response and sending a specialized team. What is that new specialized team; what are they going to be doing?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, I think the director-general this morning talked about sending an expert team particularly to try and identify the source. We still – they’re still not clearly identified what animal, vector, and how the disease originally came across, but also to assist the Chinese. The Chinese, as we’ve said on many occasions, have been incredibly open and willing to get assistance. So, the WHO has been doing that as well as – they are activating some of their networks to look at the potential of vaccine development and the like.
QUESTION: As you observe what’s going on and see a lot of these cities in China being locked-down, shutdown, in quarantine – what’s your response to that? Is that a good idea, is it a bit too extreme; it;s called unprecedented.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: It is unprecedented, and I suspect it might be more difficult to do in Australia than it might be in China. But I think it has made a big difference to us, because it means that the potential of travel to Australia of people from that big epicenter is significantly reduced. So, we had put in place, as you know, a range of border measures to deal with those direct flights from Wuhan. They were enacted yesterday, but we don’t need to do that right now. We are very aware, however, because the cases have been seen in parts of China other than Wuhan, and in other countries we have to be aware that a person could come from another port into Australia. So, we are making sure that these warnings are up on all of our borders, and that border security officials are briefed.
QUESTION: With that 14 cases – number 14 cases outside of China, is that expected to increase, given all the trouble – the Lunar New Year?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Look, I think the pattern over the last week would suggest that we’re likely to see more cases outside of China. I think that’s that pattern we’ve observed. And you can never be sure about anything, but I think that’s likely.
QUESTION: Even with the lockdown and quarantine?
PROFESSOR BRENDEN MURPHY: Yes, I think because there will be people – incubation period of these sort of viruses, and there are people who will have left Wuhan before the lockdown who might be in other places, yep.
QUESTION: And how long do you expect this situation to run for? What’s the kind of –
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: You can’t be sure. I think we have to, you know – if we start to see – we suspect that we’ll see increasing numbers of cases for some time, but eventually hopefully it will peak and we’ll se a plateauing. But these things are very hard to predict, and predictions are often proven to be wrong. So, we’re just keeping a watching brief and responding as appropriately.
QUESTION: And is there a risk that, as it does go on, that the virus mutates and becomes more severe? Or are those concerns misplaced?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Look, there’s always a risk with a virus that’s novel to the human species. And in the experience of SARS, there were what we called super-spreaders, some mutations that were very infectious. There’s no clear evidence that that’s happened with this virus at the moment, but that’s always a risk, yep.
QUESTION: You said they’re trying to work out the source of what animal it started in. How important is that to figure that out? What would that do in the context of this?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, it would help ensuring that that source can be completely dealt with. Now, the markets have been closed so – but it would help in future prevention of outbreaks.
QUESTION: And there are some cases being investigated in New South Wales – I think four at the moment. How concerned should people be about those investigations, and… ?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: I don’t think there should be concern. I think this people all have had travel history, relevant travel history. They’re all likely to have come from outside. If one or more are eventually found to be positive, New South Wales Health will – has very well-established practices. They’ll be quarantined and looked after.
QUESTION: You mentioned that peak – do you think that’s going to happen in the Lunar New Year, given we probably won’t see that kind of travel again for at least…
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: I wouldn’t want to predict. Predictions in these things are very dangerous.
QUESTION: And just on finding if someone’s positive or not, you mentioned yesterday a one-step test. Are we likely to know within one to two days?
PROFESSOR BRENDEN MURPHY: Yes, I think that we heard our briefing today, that the testing has matured, and the laboratories now believe that they can get an answer which is good enough to act on within the same day now.
QUESTION: Right.
QUESTION: How confident are you in accuracy of the figures coming out of China on how many infections they have?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, I think as I’ve mentioned we are – we always believe there are likely – it’s not just because of reporting, but in a case like this there are likely to be underestimations of the true numbers where there are likely to be milder cases because we know there are many mild people with this disease that probably haven’t been counted or even tested. So, we believe, and nobody has any reason not to believe, the Chinese are being incredibly open and I think the reason the numbers have gone up a lot recently is they’re just getting on top of the data and reporting it better. I don’t think there’s any suggesting that anything is being hidden.
QUESTION: How would you characterise the difference between their reaction this time and the SARS pandemic?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Very different. The international community has really praised China for their prompt and transparent action.
QUESTION: We never saw a vaccine developed for SARS. Are we likely to see one developed now?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well I think it depends on how long this disease lasts in its active stage. We certainly have better technology to develop vaccines there’s new recombinant technology that can produce vaccines in theory within, you know, a turnaround of 16 to 20 weeks.
January 24: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Infectious Disease Risks Haunting Japan in Olympic Year”
Japan faces rising risks of infectious diseases being carried in from abroad, as more than 40 million people are expected to visit the country in 2020, when the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will be held.
While the outbreak in China of pneumonia believed to be linked to a new strain of coronavirus has emerged as a new source of concern, Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases has identified measles, invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), Middle infectious diseases that require caution during the 2020 Tokyo Games, after studying factors such as how contagious they are and whether there is a risk of group infections.
Measles is spreading in the Philippines and other places. Japan was verified in 2015 by the World Health Organization as having achieved measles elimination but continues to see group infections due to imported cases.
In 2015, four people from Scotland and elsewhere were infected with IMD at an international scouting even in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. Another infection case was reported last year after the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Although rare in Japan, IMD is one of the infectious diseases that people must exercise vigilance against, according to the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases.
January 24: Bloomberg posted “Malaysia Reports First Confirmed Cases of Novel Coronavirus”. It was written by Anuradha Raghu.
Malaysia reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus, after three members of a family tested positive.
A woman and her two grandchildren — Chinese nationals from Wuhan — traveled to Malaysia from Singapore, Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said in a briefing in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. They are related to a 66-year-old man and his son who had tested positive for the virus in Singapore.
Singapore health authorities tipped Malaysia off that the family had entered the country. The three positive cases in Malaysia are in stable condition with cough symptoms, and have been isolated, the health minister said. Five others who were traveling with them have tested negative for the virus, Malaysia said.
January 24: Reuters posted “Malaysia confirms fourth case of coronavirus infection”. It was written by Joseph Sipalan.
Malaysia reported a fourth case of coronavirus infection late Saturday, just hours after it announced its first confirmed cases.
The newly identified virus can cause pneumonia, which has been deadly in some cases. It is still unclear how dangerous it is and how easily it spreads between people.
Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said the latest case was a 40-year-old man from Wuhan, China, who was part of a tour group that traveled by bus to the southern state of Johor from Singapore on Wednesday.
The man suffered from fever the next day and sought treatment at a hospital in Johor. Tests by Malaysia’s Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre confirmed he was suffering from the coronavirus, Noor Hisham said…
…Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad had earlier announced three confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in three Chinese nationals, the first reported in Malaysia.
The three were related to a 66-year-old man confirmed by Singapore to have tested positive for the virus.
The infected individuals were a 65-year-old woman, who is the wife of the man with the virus in Singapore, and their two grandsons, aged 11 and 2, Dzulkefly said…
January 24: People’s Daily, China, the largest newspaper in China, tweeted: “A total of 450 professional #PLA medical staff from Shanghai, Chongqing, and Xi’an arrived at #Wuhan at 23:44 on Friday to deal with the #pneumonia caused by the novel #coronavirus.”
January 24: PolitiFact posted Trump tweets, “It will all work out well.”
“China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”
January 24: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan’s Abe Orders Prompt Update on New Coronavirus”
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed cabinet members Friday to provide the public promptly with accurate information about pneumonia linked to a coronavirus outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Abe also instructed them to provide support to Japanese nationals abroad through local embassies.
“I want the public to take usual preventative measures against colds and stay calm without becoming overly concerned about the outbreak,” he told a meeting of relevant ministers.
Japan has confirmed its second case of the new strain of coronavirus, while in China, more than 800 cases have been reported with the death toll far exceeding 20.
Abe called on the ministers to continue making the utmost efforts to prevent the spread of the virus in Japan and ensure the safety of Japanese citizens abroad.
January 24: UK Department of Health and Social Care posted “CMO for England statement on the Wuhan novel coronavirus”. It is a statement from the Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, on Wuhan novel coronavirus”
COBR met today to discuss the situation in Wuhan, China, and elsewhere in Asia. I updated on the current situation, the preparedness of the NHS, and possible next steps.
I am working closely with the other UK Chief Medical Officers. We all agree that the risk to the UK public remains low, but there may well be cases in the UK at some stage. We have tried and tested measures in place to respond. The UK is well prepared for these types of incidents, with excellent readiness against infectious diseases.
We have global experts monitoring the situation around the clock and we have a strong track record of managing new forms of infectious disease. We have access to some of the best infectious disease and public health experts in the world from around the UK.
There are no confirmed cases in the UK to date. We have been carefully monitoring the situation in Wuhan, China , since the beginning of the outbreak and are now implementing our planned response.
A public health hub will be set up in Healthrow from today. This consists of clinicians and other public health officials, in addition to existing port health measures.
The World Health Organization has rightly responded quickly and China has introduced strong public health measures.
January 24: Reuters reported that Shanghai had shut down all cinemas during the Lunar New Year holidays, which last until January 30. The virus outbreak in China prompted seven Chinese films that were set to premiere during the country’s Lunar New Year holiday to postpone screenings.
January 24: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted “Second Travel-related Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Detected in United States”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today confirmed the second infection with 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States has been detected in Illinois. The patient recently returned from Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by this novel coronavirus has been ongoing since December 2019.
The patient returned to the U.S. from Wuhan on January 13, 2020, and called a health care provider after experiencing symptoms a few days later. The patient was admitted to a hospital, where infection control measures were taken to reduce the risk of transmission to other individuals. The patient remains hospitalized in an isolation room in stable condition and is doing well.
Based on the patient’s travel history and symptoms, health care professionals suspected 2019-nCoV. A clinical specimen was collected and sent to CDC, where laboratory testing confirmed the infection. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) are investigating locations where this patient went after returning to Illinois and are identifying any close contacts who were possibly exposed. The patient has limited close contacts, all of whom are currently well and who will be monitored for symptoms. Since returning from China, the patient has had very limited movement outside the home.
CDC is taking aggressive public health measures to help protect the health of Americans. While CDC considers this a serious public health threat, based on current information, the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV to the general American public is considered low at this time. CDC is working closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and other local partners. A CDC team has been deployed to support the ongoing investigation.
However, CDC has been proactively preparing for the introduction of 2019-nCoV in the U.S. for weeks, including:
First alerting clinicians on January 8 to be on the look-out for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China.
Developing guidance for clinicians for testing and management of 2019-nCoV, as well as guidance for home care of patients with 2019-nCoV.
Has developed a diagnostic test to detect this virus in clinical specimens. Currently, testing must take place at CDC, but CDC is preparing to share these test kids with domestic and international partners.
Implementing public health entry screening at Atlanta (ATL), Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), and San Francisco (SFO) airports. CDC is currently evaluating the extent and duration of this enhanced screening.
CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center to better provide ongoing support.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing respiratory illness in people and others circulating among animals including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people and then spread between people, such as has been seen with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Investigations are ongoing to learn more, but person-to-person spread of 2019-nCoV is occurring.
It is likely there will be more cases reported in the U.S. in the coming days and weeks. CDC will continue to update the public as circumstances warrant. While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, there are simple daily precautions that everyone should always take. It is currently flu and respiratory disease season, and CDC recommends getting vaccinated, taking everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed. Right now, CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Wuhan, China. In addition, CDC recommends people traveling to China practice certain health precautions like avoiding contact with people who are sick and practicing good hand hygiene.
January 24: CDC Travel Health tweeted: “Update: CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential travel to #Hubei Provence, #China, including #Wuhan.” The tweet included a link to CDC information about this recommendation. It also included a graphic of a map of the world with “Travel Notice Warning (Level 3): Avoid Nonessential Travel” on it.
January 24: CNN Business posted “McDonald’s closes restaurants in five Chinese cities because of the coronavirus”. It was written by Danielle Wiener-Bronner.
McDonald’s closed restaurants in five Chinese cities and is implementing new health protocals in the region as the deadly coronavirus continues to spread.
On Friday, the company shuttered locations in Wuhan, Ezhou, Huanggang, Quianjaing and Xiantao – all cities that have been impacted by the Chinese government’s travel restrictions, company spokesperson Barry Sum told CNN Business in an email. At least 10 cities in central Hubei provence are facing travel restrictions, including Wuhan, where this strain of coronavirus originated.
“McDonald’s restaurant operation in Hubei province runs normally in cities where public transportation is available,” Sum said. “Staff and customers’ safety is our first priority and we have comprehensive, precautious measures being implemented to all restaurant operations and office staff.” It’s not clear when the affected restaurants will reopen.
At least 800 people have been infected with the virus, which has killed dozens. The respiratory infection has spread to Japan, Thailand and the United States, among other countries. Major cities including Beijing have canceled some or all major Lunar New Year celebrations in an attempt to prevent more illness and death.
McDonalds “will maintain close communication with local health and other relevant authorities, actively implementing any guidance by medical authorities for containment of the virus, and continue to work together to fight this epidemic,” Sum said.
In addition to suspending service, McDonald’s is also enacting new standards to monitor employees for signs of the infection. The company shared on its Chinese social media platforms that “all restaurants are required to commence a system of measuring body temperature of all crews upon arrival at work,” adding that it has “established reporting, recording and observation mechanism for employees traveling to and from Wuhan during the New Year Spring Festival.”
Employee with fevers or cold symptoms are to be sent home. Additionally, workers will start wearing masks and are being instructed to wash their hands and use disinfectants more frequently.
The chain is also placing hand sanitizers in stores for customer use, increasing the frequency of cleanings in stores and instructing suppliers to take safety precautions.
January 24: The Guardian reported: China said on Saturday that the death toll has risen to 41, with 1,287 affected.
January 24: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan Raises Travel Advisory Level for Hubei Province”. From the article:
Japan has decided to raise its travel advisory for China’s Hubei Province to Level 3, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Friday.
The move means Japanese citizens are advised to avoid any travel to the province hit hard by a pneumonia outbreak caused by a new strain of coronavirus.
The epicenter of the outbreak is Wuhan, the capital of the province.
January 24: The Guardian posted “Coronavirus: death toll reaches 41 in China with first cases in Europe”. It was written by Rebecca Ratcliffe and Denis Campbell.
China has expanded an unprecedented lockdown during the country’s most important holiday to 13 cities and at least 36 million people, as efforts to contain the deadly new coronavirus were stepped up around the world and the first cases were reported in Europe.
Restrictions on movement were widened on Friday in China in an effort to stop the spread of the disease. Late on Friday, authorities confirmed a further 15 deaths and 180 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of fatalities to 41 people and more than 1,000 affected.
Cases have been reported across South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, the United States, Thailand and Vietnam. On Friday the first cases were reported in Europe with France saying it had identified three cases. The French health minister, Agnès Buzyn, said it was likely there would be other cases.
Buzyn added that the cases involved people who had travelled to China and two of them were from the same family.
Chinese officials shut down part of the Great Wall and suspended public transport in the affected cities, stranding millions of people at the start of the lunar new year holiday amid growing anger about the government’s handling of the crisis. Beijing’s famous temple fairs, a tradition during lunar new year celebrations, will not go ahead, while Shanghai Disneyland announced it would also close indefinitely. McDonalds’s announced it has also suspended its business in five affected cities.
The developments came as:
The virus claimed its first victims outside Hubei as well as its youngest victim, a 36-year-old man who was admitted to hospital in the central province earlier this month but died of a sudden cardiac arrest on Thursday.
Authorities in China were racing against the clock to build a new 1,000-bed hospital dedicated to the disease within days.
The US, South Korea and Japan detected their second cases, and Singapore reported two more, for a total of three.
In the UK, tests for the virus on 14 people were reported to have come back negative as the government sought to calm public concern. With tests still in progress on several other possible cases, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, chaired a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee to ensure appropriate measures were in place should the virus reach the UK.
Leaving Whitehall after the meeting, he told reporters that the risk remained low.
However chief medical officer Prof Chris Witty cautioned that it was “highly likely” that cases would be seen in the UK. But he stressed that contingency plans were ready for that eventuality.
British universities meanwhile began taking measures to stop the spread of the virus warning students considering travelling home to China that they risk being quarantined on their return. Medical experts also remained at every UK airport with information on the virus being given to passengers returning from China.
Elsewhere, private schools were also gearing with contingency plans for overseas pupils who were unable or unwilling to return home for upcoming holidays. China sends more pupils to UK fee-paying schools than any other country.
In Wuhan, the city in Hubei that is the epicenter of the disease, hospitals were struggling with an overflow of patients and a lack of supplies. At least eight hospitals in the city made pleas for donations of masks, goggles, gowns and other protective medical gear. Administrators at Wuhan University People’s hospital set up a group chat on the popular WeChat messaging app to coordinate donations.
It is feared that the lunar new year holiday, when hundreds of millions of people travel across the country and abroad, could few the spread of the virus. A growing number of airports are introducing screening for passengers who arrive from China.
China says the virus, which is from the same family of viruses as SARS, is mutating and can be transmitted through human contact.
Some have questioned if the closures of airports and train stations in Wuhan on Thursday morning were introduced too late, since many residents will already have set off for the holiday. On Friday, the People’s Daily, the Chinese Communist party’s main newspaper, called for people who have recently been to Wuhan to isolate themselves at home, even if they don’t have symptoms.
Beijing is to take stricter and more targeted measures in the coming days, state television reported, without giving further details. “The spread of the virus has not been cut off … Local authorities should take more responsibility and have a stronger sense of urgency,” state broadcaster CCTV said.
The World Health Organization stopped short of declaring the outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern, but called on the global community to work together to fight the virus.
Other cities, including Ezhou, Huanggang, Chibi, Qianjaing, Zhjiang, Jingmen and Xiantao have introduced similar measures.
In Zhijiang city, all public venues have been shut down except hospitals, supermarkets, farmers’ markets, gas stations and drug stores. Indoor entertainment venues in Enshi city have also been shut down.
There is suspicion among many in China that officials may be downplaying the number of cases recorded over recent weeks, recalling the government’s reluctance to disclose the full scale of the 2002-03 Sars outbreak, which killed almost 800 people.
Some residents have set up volunteer groups to escort medical staff to and from hospitals, she said. All public transport has been suspended and taxi drivers are often reluctant to drive people to medical facilities, fearing they might be infected.
People who sought treatment in Wuhan this week told the Guardian they had ben turned away from hospitals, which have been inundated with patients. Facilities are reportedly running out of beds and diagnostic kits for patients who present with fever-like symptoms, which means many people do not know for sure if they have the virus.
The initial symptoms are similar to those of a cold and flu, and include a cough or fever. Most of the people who have died in the outbreak have been older men, but on Friday it was confirmed that at 36-year-old man had died, the youngest person yet.
Footage posted on Weibo that appeared to be taken inside Wuhan’s hospitals, showed overcrowded facilities that are struggling to cope. One video, apparently taken at Hankou People’s hospital, showed long queues of patients wearing masks, waiting to be checked. The man filing claimed there were only four doctors on duty and that people had been waiting for several hours for treatment. Another video showed a patient lying on the floor, apparently having fainted.
A British man in Wuhan, who only gave his first name, Paul, said his family were well but anxious to leave. He was mostly staying indoors, he said, but friends who lived nearby had been round to visit. The family were due to fly to Japan for a holiday but are now stuck in Wuhan after all flights were cancelled.
“Wearing masks is the main thing security people at our complex insist,” he said. “We are getting temperature checked coming and going from where we live.”
In the US, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said it had 63 patients under investigation, with the second confirmed case diagnosed in a 60-year-old woman from Chicago who had traveled to Wuhan in December.
January 24: World Health Organization Philippines tweeted: “Based on the results that came out today from the confirmatory testing done in Australia of the 5-year-old in Cebu, he is negative from the 2019 novel #coronavirus.” This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 24: World Health Organization Philippines tweeted: “This means that the Philippines continues to have no confirmed case of 2019 novel #coronavirus. However, it is likely that we will see more cases in China and in other countries in coming days and weeks.”
January 24: World Health Organization Philippines tweeted: “The Philippine Department of Health, Bureau of Quarantine and airport authorities are continuing active case findings for possible cases of 2019 novel #coronavirus in the country.” This was the last tweet in the thread.
January 24: The Guardian “French cases show coronavirus has reached Europe”
France has identified three cases of the deadly new coronavirus from China, the first cases in Europe.
Two of the cases were announced by the health minister, Agnès Buzyn, on Friday evening. She said that both of those affected had traveled to China.
The third case was announced a few hours after the press conference. Two of the three infected people belong to the same family, authorities said.
The minister said she believes that one reason why France is the first European country to have confirmed cases is that it has developed a test allowing medics to rapidly diagnose those affected. “You have to treat an epidemic as you would a fire, that’s to say find the source very quickly,” she said. “We identified the first positive cases very quickly.”
One of the patients, a 48-year-old man, passed through Wuhan, the Chinese city at the centre of the outbreak, before travelling to France on Wednesday, the minister said. He is in the south-western city of Bordeaux. “He’s been put in an insulated room so as to avoid any contact with the outside world. He’s fine,” she said.
She said he is a French national who traveled to China for work and lives in the Bordeaux area. He was in contact with about 10 people before he was taken into care, the minister said. French authorities are seeking to contact them.
The mayor of Bordeaux, Nicolas Florian, told residents not to be concerned about the case. “There is no imminent danger. It’s under control, in hospital… There is no cause for alarm, and no reason to panic,” he told France Bleu radio.
The other person referred to by Buzyn is in hospital in Paris. The minister said they also travelled to China but she had little information about that case, which was confirmed shortly before she spoke at the news conference.
The minister urged people who suspect they may have the virus to call emergency services and to stay at home to avoid spreading the disease.
The newly discovered virus has killed 41 people and infected more than 1,000. Most of the cases and all of the deaths so far have been in China, where officials have imposed severe restrictions on travel and public gatherings.
Cases have also been reported in South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong King, Macao, Taiwan, the US, Thailand and Vietnam.
January 24: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan Govt, Firms Concerned about Supply Chain Damage from New Virus”
In the wake of the spread of pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus after an outbreak in Wuhan, China, the Japanese government and companies operating in the city are strengthening their vigilance.
A prolonged outbreak is likely to deal a blow to the supply chains of Japanese firms such as automakers and electronic equipment makers.
“We’ll closely watch the disease’s economic impacts with high interest,” Japanese industry minister Hiroshi Kajiyama told a press conference on Friday.
Wuhan is a core of supply chains in Asia, bringing together cutting-edge factories that make semiconductors and other high-tech components.
Some 160 Japanese companies operate in the city, including Honda Motor Co. <7267>, Nissan Motor Co. ,<7201> Denso Corp. <6902>, and Daikin Industries Ltd. <6367>.
January 24: Minister for Health & Ambulance Services, Victoria, Australia, Jenny Mikakos MP tweeted: “We have confirmed a case of the 2019 novel coronavirus in Victoria – the first in Australia. There is no need for the community to be alarmed, our health system is well prepared to manage infectious diseases.”
The tweet included a link to the Victoria State Government website to a press release titled: “First novel coronavirus case in Victoria”. From the press release:
Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the first Australian case of the 2019 novel coronavirus.
The man is in his 50s, a visitor from China, is in a stable condition with the respiratory illness. He was confirmed as positive at 2:15am today following a series of tests.
The patient is being treated in an isolation room at Monash Medical Centre Clayton in accordance with recommended infection control procedure.
He had been to the city of Wuhan, China in the two weeks prior to the onset of his illness…
January 24: AFP News Agency correspondent Xinqi Su tweeted: “First recorded death of doctor in mainland China due to #nCoV2019 came on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Liang Wudong, and E.N.T. dept doctor of Hubei Xinhua Hospital, passed away one week after he was admitted to Jinyintan Hospital, his colleague said.”
January 24: AFP News Agency correspondant Xinqi Su also tweeted: “Another doctor lost in the fight against #nCoV2019- Jiang Jijun, a 51yo veteran infectious disease doctor, died of a sudden heart arrest on his way to the fever clinic on Jan. 23. His colleague said he was exhausted by a two to three-fold surge in service demand due to the epidemic.”
January 24: The Guardian reported that China’s Hainan province quarantines tourists from Hubei province.
In China’s Haikou city, the capitol of the southern island province of Hainan, will start a 14-day centralized medical observation for tourists from the central Hubei province, the local government in Haikou has announced.
Tourists from Hubei, especially from Wuhan city, are not allowed to leave the hotel where the medical observation will be held during the 14-day period, it said.
Hubei has confirmed 729 cases of the new coronavirus, with 39 deaths as of January, the provincial health authorities said.
January 24: Australian Foreign Minister & Minister for Women Marise Payne tweeted: “We have raised our travel advice for Wuhan and Hubei province to level 4 – “Do not travel.” Chinese authorities have restricted travel in at least 5 Hubei cities. Australians going there may not be able to leave until restrictions are lifted.”
The tweet included in link to information about Level 4: Do not travel.
If you are already in this location, you should consider leaving if it’s safe to do so. If you do travel, get professional security advice. Your travel insurance policy might be void. The Australian Government may not be able to help you.
At level 4, your health and safety is at extreme risk. This may be because of a high threat of terrorist attack, conflict, violent social unrest, widespread infectious disease, or critical levels of violent crime. It could be a combination of risks.
If you travel to this location you’re at a high risk of death, imprisonment, kidnapping, or serious injury.
If you get into trouble, the Australian Government may be unable to help. In most cases, our ability to provide consular assistance in these destinations is extremely limited.
Any travel by Australian officials to ‘Do Not Travel’ locations is subject to high-level approval. It includes rigorous risk assessment and movement planning usually involving the use of armoured vehicles.
You should not travel to this location. If you are already in a ‘do not travel’ area, you should consider leaving. If, despite our advice, you decide to travel to a location with a travel advice level of 4, it’s your responsibility to follow all the advice for levels 1, 2, and 3, as well as the following.
Before you go
Check your travel insurance. Most standard policies won’t cover you for ‘Do not travel’ destinations
Consider your security. Get independent, professional security advice. You may need to hire personal protection.
Have robust management measures in place. This includes a detailed emergency management plan.
Understand that you could die. Make sure you have an up to date will and enduring power of attorney. Designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries.
It’s your responsibility to take care of your security. The Australian Government can’t provide security assistance or advice.
January 24: Reuters reported “Japan confirms third case of Wuhan virus”
Japan has confirmed a third case of infection by China’s coronavirus, the health ministry said on Saturday.
The latest case was confirmed in a woman in her 30s who lives in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak. She arrived in Japan on Jan. 18, the ministry said.
The death toll from China’s coronavirus outbreak jumped on Saturday from 41 to 26 a day earlier. More than 1,300 people have been infected globally.
January 24: New York State Health website “Governor Cuomo Outlines State Response to First Two Confirmed Cases of Novel Coronavirus in United States”
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a series of actions to raise awareness and prepare New York State in response to an outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced two confirmed cases in the United States – one in Washington State and one in Chicago. The State Department of Health currently has four persons under investigation for novel coronavirus that are under isolation as their cases are being tested at the CDC. So far, one of these cases has been proven negative and three are still pending. While the risk for New York is currently low, the Governor is calling for increased vigilance to ensure New Yorkers are protected.
“As we learn about the first confirmed cases of this novel coronavirus in the United States and potentially in New York, I want to assure New Yorkers that were are prepared,” Governor Cuomo said. “We are undertaking a wide-reaching and rigorous effort with all stakeholders, including healthcare providers to keep New Yorkers safe. The symptoms of the virus are very similar to a common cold – if you are concerned that you might be ill, please follow our guidance to protect yourself and others.”
Last week the Department of Health issued guidance to healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, clinical laboratories and local health departments to provide updated information about the outbreak, and ensure the proper protocols are in place if a patient is experiencing symptoms consistent with the novel coronavirus, had a travel history to Wuhan, China, or had come in contact with an individual who was under investigation for this novel coronavirus.
Additionally, the Department has hosted a series of informational webinars for hospitals and local healthcare providers. Today the Department hosted a webinar for medical professionals at colleges and universities – many of which host international students – to disseminate information about the virus, infection control recommendations and the current criteria for testing.
Last week’s guidance coincided with the start of a CDC-led airport entry screening program at John F. Kennedy International Airport for passengers arriving from Wuhan, China. Chinese officials have since closed transport in and out of Wuhan and other cities in the province, including the international airports. DOH, Port Authority and the New York City Health Department will continue to work collaboratively with CDC as their travel screening process evolves. To date, no passenger has required further evaluation as a result of the CDC-led passenger program at JFK. To raise further awareness for all international travel, Governor Cuomo has directed the Port Authority to post informational signs at all four Port Authority international airports.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, “This virus is being carefully monitored at federal, state and city levels to ensure the public’s health and safety, and while awareness is important, the current risk to New Yorkers is low. People who have traveled abroad recently and have symptoms that mimic the flue should see their doctor. We are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control to receive daily updates and stand ready to assist.”
Symptoms of the novel coronavirus may include:
Runny nose
Headache
Cough
Sore throat
Fever
A general feeling of being unwell
The CDC recommends that individuals avoid all nonessential travel to Wuhan, China, but has provided specific information for those who are still planning a trip to Wuhan and for individuals who have recently returned from that city and may be experiencing the above symptoms. While there is currently no vaccine for this novel coronavirus, everyday preventative actions can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses, including:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Individuals who are experiencing symptoms and may have traveled to areas of concern, or who have been in contact with somebody who has traveled to these area, should call ahead to their healthcare provider before presenting for treatment.
January 24: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted”Transcript of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Response”
Ben Haynes: Good morning, thank you for joining us for today’s update on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus response. We are joined today by Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr. Marty Cetron, director of CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine; and health officials from the Illinois Department of Health. Following opening remarks, we will open it up for your questions. I would now like to turn the call over to Dr. Messonnier.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier: Good morning, thank you for joining us. Over the last week, I’ve said that with our advanced surveillance and detection capacity, we expect find more cases of novel coronavirus in the United States associated with the ongoing and expanding outbreak in Wuhan, China. We understand that some people are worried about this virus and how it may impact Americans. While this situation poses a very serious public health threat, CDC believes that the immediate risk to the U.S. public is low at this time, but the situation continues to evolve rapidly. Today I am joined by representatives from Illinois and Chicago to announce that we have confirmed a second travel-related U.S. infection of novel coronavirus. I would like to hand the briefing over to my colleague Illinois Department of Public Health State Epidemiologist Dr. Jennifer Layden, who will discuss about the specifics about this patient and the specific actions taken by IDPH. Dr. Layden.
Dr. Jennifer Layden: Thank you Dr. Messonnier, and good morning. I am Dr. Jennifer Layden, the State Epidemiologist and Chief Medical Officer for the Illinois Department of Public Health. I would like to start by thanking our local public health partners in Illinois, healthcare partners and the CDC for the coordinated and collaborative work on this rapidly evolving situation. It is because of the diligent work by numerous health professionals that we were able to identify this confirmed travel-associated case of novel coronavirus quickly while also taking measures to prevent others from being exposed. IDPH has been closely monitoring this international outbreak and began proactively preparing in the event the outbreak expanded.
We have been providing the CDC guidance, resources, and recommendations to our local health departments, hospitals, and clinicians; developed a dedicated website and webpage; and held webinars this week for local health departments, clinicians, and healthcare facilities across the state.
Earlier this week we were notified by our local health department partners of a Chicago resident who had returned from Wuhan on January 13. The individual did not have symptoms while traveling. More recently, the individual began experiencing symptoms, called healthcare providers and ultimately was admitted to the hospital and placed in isolation. As the patient did in this case, we ask that any individuals who begin experiencing symptoms and have recently traveled to Wuhan or had contact with someone diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, call their healthcare provider or hospital before seeking treatments so that the appropriate infection control measures can be put in place.
Coordination between the hospitals, local and state health departments allowed specimens to be quickly shipped and tested at the CDC. This coordination between providers, hospitals, and public health is critical for our continued effort to best respond to and reduce transmission. The Illinois Department of Public Health will continue to partner with the CDC and has invited them to Illinois to assist with this investigation.
IDPH is ready to bring testing online at our state labs when testing is available from the CDC. We will continue to communicate and coordinate with our local health departments and numerous clinical partners as we respond to this evolving situation. I would now like to turn it over to Dr. Allison Arwady, the Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner, who can provide more information about this patient and the next steps of the investigation.
Dr. Allison Arwady: Thank you, Dr. Layden. This is Dr. Allison Arwady, the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. The patient is a woman in her 60s and a Chicago resident. Most importantly, I am pleased to report she’s clinically doing well and is in stable condition.
She traveled to Wuhan, China in late December and returned to the U.S. on January 13. A few days after arriving home, the patient began to feel unwell. As you heard, she called ahead to alert her doctor to her illness. The doctor appropriately asked about travel history and quickly put a mask on the patient helping to limit the potential risk of spreading infection. Her doctor then referred her directly to a hospital with infection control capabilities for further work up.
Hospital staff placed her in the appropriate vetting for infection control, performed a full clinical work up, and worked with public health to arrange testing for novel coronavirus at CDC. The patient is clinically doing well, currently in stable condition and remains hospitalized primarily for infection control. The patient has been very helpful as we have been gathering information about her contacts in recent days.
Again, she was not symptomatic when flying, and based on what we know now about this virus, our concern for transmission before symptoms developed is low. So that is reassuring. She has limited close contacts, all of whom are currently well, and will be monitored for symptoms.
Since returning from China, the patient has had limited movement outside her home. Now that the test is positive, we will be continuing to collect and confirm information on her activities and contacts. But we know already for example that she had not taken public transportation or attended any large gathering. And actually, to our best knowledge at this point, she has not had extended close contact with anyone outside her home since returning from China.
This is all very reassuring in terms of infection risk to the general public which remains low nationally and locally here in Chicago. I want to thank the federal state and many local partners who have worked together not just in response to this case but over many years to ensure the Chicago area is well prepared to respond to emerging and infectious diseases.
Dr. Messonnier: Thank you both. This is Dr. Messonnier and I want to take a moment to thank our colleagues in Illinois at the state and local level who have been working with us since earlier this week when the patient was identified. Like we did with the state of Washington, a CDC team has been deployed to support the ongoing investigation in Illinois, and as always, we standby to help state, local, and global partners.
I also would like to thank all the states and clinicians who have reached out to us over the last few days to discuss potential cases, and who have followed up by sending samples if it was warranted. This is a sign that the public health system is working. To date, we have 63 of what we are calling patients under investigation or PUIs from 22 states. So far, only two have been confirmed positive and 11 tested negative. We anticipate by next week we’ll begin regular reporting of case information on our website.
There are likely to be many more PUIs identified in the coming days. We have faced similar public health challenges before. Those outbreaks were complex and required a comprehensive public health response. This is what we are preparing for. We have an aggressive response with the goal of identifying potential cases early. We want to make sure these patients get the best and most appropriate care. This is a rapidly changing situation both abroad and domestically, and we are still learning.
Let’s remember this virus is identified within the past month and there is much we don’t know yet. We are expecting more cases in the U.S., and we are likely going to see some cases among close contacts of travelers and human to human transmission. Our goal is always to protect the health of Americans. We at CDC have our best people working on this problem. We have support across the entirety of the Federal Government. We have one of the strongest public health systems in the world.
Again, while there are many unknowns, CDC believes that the immediate risk to the American public continues to be low at this time, but that the situation continues to evolve rapidly. CDC recommends travelers avoid all non-essential travel to Wuhan. We also recommend people traveling to other parts of China practice certain health precautions, like avoiding contact with people who are sick and practicing good hand hygiene.
Returning travelers with symptoms, or close contact with people confirmed with coronavirus, may be asked to take precautionary measures and there may be some disruptions. I want to thank those people in advance for their cooperation. Everyone can do their part here.
Although Chinese officials have closed transport within and out of Wuhan, China, CDC will continue to conduct enhanced screening at five designated airports: New York JFK, San Francisco, LAX, Chicago O’Hare and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson. We are currently evaluating the extent and duration of this enhanced screening. Every day we learn more and every day we assess to see if our guidance or response can be improved. As the response evolves, CDC will continue our aggressive public health response strategy. Thank you.
Ben Haynes: Thank you Dr. Messonnier. We are ready to take questions.
Operator: Thank you, we will now begin our question/answer segment. You may press star 1 to ask a question and one moment please for our first question.
Our first question comes from Lena Sun with the Washington Post.
Lena Sun: Thank you doctors for holding this call and thank you so much for starting it on time for those of us who were on the other call yesterday. I have a question; can you tell us how many people have been screened and is it possible to get a list of the 22 states and how many people — how many close contacts are being monitored?
Dr. Marty Cetron: Yes, we have screened over 2,000 folks to date as of yesterday, and that’s about 200 flights. We have not found any cases; one person was sent for additional medical evaluation. That’s the current status of screening at the five ports for the active entry screening.
Dr. Messonnier: In terms of the number of states, I don’t have that information today. It is one of those things we are hoping to be able to post on the web next week.
OK, I am sorry, I am – Nina, there are 22 states. The specific information about which state is again something we hope to post by next week. I’m sorry, I missed the third question? Oh, the contact list.
I think it would be premature for us to give you absolute numbers, but I ask my colleagues in Chicago, Illinois, if you want to give a sense of how many people you are tracking.
Dr. Allison Arwady: This is Allison Arwady in Chicago. We are currently working to determine exactly what our list is going to be for monitoring, this patient had limited close contacts and the ones that have been identified are currently well will certainly be working with the CDC team on the ground to make sure there is a full list of those folks as well as healthcare workers caring for the patients. We are not ready to share details at this time. We are well on our way to having all of that established.
Dr. Messonnier: This is Dr. Messonnier again, I would just like to say that given the unknowns as we continue to learn about the virus, the public health community is airing on the side of caution in terms of the following close contacts as you would expect at this point in the investigation.
Ben Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Next question comes from Helen Branswell with STAT.
Helen Branswell: Is there any indication of illness among the contacts of the patient with illness in Washington State. That’s the first. The second in your discussion with the woman who was in Wuhan, the new case, is there any indication of how she may have become infected? Did she go to the fish market or was she around people who were sick? And the third question is for Dr. Cetron, given that flights out of Wuhan have been stopped, what are you actually doing at the five airports now and was the number of cities that you are trying to monitor from expanded?
Dr. Messonnier: The first answer, to whether or not there is illness among contacts of Washington state, is at this time we have not identified any illnesses among the contacts of the initial patient in Washington state. Dr. Layden or Dr. Arwady, do you want to answer the second question about what you know about how she potentially became infected.
Dr. Allison Arwady: We are not at this time releasing any personal information about the patient. Certainly, with the CDC team on the ground, we’ll be gathering additional information about her activities and travel in China just like what we are doing here on the Chicago side. Decisions to screen and test these patients, as folks know, are purely based on being in Wuhan as opposed to specific activities. That’s what we can share at this point.
Dr. Marty Cetron: And Helen this is Dr. Marty Cetron, and I think your point is well taken. We have seen a fairly dramatic change in the situation in China with the government’s announcement of travel bans and restrictions out of Wuhan and actually those are extending of travel bans and restrictions out of Wuhan and actually those are extending to additional cities as we speak.
As you would expect, we are reevaluating the approach, and as I said earlier when we first began entry screening with a clear focus on the epidemic epicenter that we would continue to evaluate the balance and utility of a border entry screening program based on the totality of the circumstances.
Those circumstances have clearly changed. We are reevaluating that approach and watching for both expansion to other cities as well as concentrating the efforts. As you heard today, it is really important to point out that both of the initial first two U.S. cases were asymptomatic and afebrile when they arrived.
The concentration of resources and efforts need to be focused on the tremendous work that our state and local partners are doing to rapidly identify cases and contacts and assure that the American health is protected. So, there will be a balance and a shifting in how we look at entry screening as we go into the new scenario with the travel closures.
Operator: Thank you. The next question will come from Elvia Malagon, with the Chicago Tribune.
Elvia Malagon: Is there any indication that the patient has traveled with anyone, when she went to China, and have any of those people been tested for this?
Dr. Allison Arwady: There were no other Chicago or Illinois residents that traveled with this patient. Therefore, we are not testing anybody in that setting. We are through following on with her close contacts in any of these situations.
Operator: This question comes from Issam Ahmed AFP. You may ask question. Your line is open.
Issam Ahmed: Out of the 63 cases on the investigation you mentioned, 11 tested negative. So just to get a breakdown, those 11 are out of the 63 and the two confirmed positives are out of the 63 total?
Dr. Messonnier: Yes, that’s correct, 63 is the total nimble of cases under investigation. As you know from other outbreaks, we use that term loosely to provide the number of people who we are doing an evaluation with. We think that number has gone up as a testament to the diligence of our partners at the local state level, the diligence of clinicians and those two positive and the other patients’ samples are in the process of arriving or in the process of being tested her at the CDC. As you heard from Illinois, we are rapidly working at the CDC to get those tested out where they can meet closer to the patients to really try as quickly as possible to be able to provide diagnoses.
Issam Ahmed: Perfect, and when you get those, do you know the timeline when it will be out?
Dr. Messonnier: I would say that we are working to expedite it as quickly as possible.
Operator: This question comes from Denise Grady with the New York Times.
Denise Grady: A couple of things. When you are following patients, I realized that you are testing but also you are looking at an incubation period and is there some period during which the person is OK and then you are figuring no problem. Is the incubation period known yet?
Dr. Messonnier: In general, the information that we have so far suggests an incubation period around two weeks. That’s not surprising given the kind of virus this is. That’s a general guideline. In terms of following, you know what really it is the state and the local health departments who are following and investigating these cases and how they proceed with that investigation partly depends on their clinical suspicion of whether this is likely to be a positive case.
And so, for example, with this patient, the health department had a very high degree of suspicion and even before the diagnosis had already started to thin about their initial investigations. And I don’t know if doctor, if you want to talk about what you were doing.
Dr. Jennifer Layden: Sure, this is Dr. Layden. We started to work with both, in this case before it was confirmed, the patient and others to identify any potential areas of exposures and potential close contacts and we are working closely with local health departments and the CDC to prioritize contacts. And we’ll be monitoring through systems we developed these individuals through the extent of the incubation period.
Denise Grady: Thank you, can I ask one more just follow up on that. When samples are sent in and tested, what are the samples and what are you testing from the patients?
Dr. Messonnier: Thank you. We are generally testing respiratory samples, but we are also testing blood, and we are currently working to expand the kind of diagnostics we can do, but the focus right now is the real-time PCR is respiratory specimens and sometimes blood.
Operator: Next question comes from Steven Gray; your line is open.
Melissa Para: Thank you, this is actually Melissa Para. I just wanted clarification on how exactly you guys are keeping track of those travelers who may have been asymptomatic when they arrive at Chicago O’Hare but may develop symptoms later on.
Dr. Marty Cetron: Now that’s a great question, and the point is well taken that these patients were asymptomatic when they arrived. We are alerting them, and we have expanded the alerts to travelers to include all travelers that are coming from any potential area, and getting the word out through a number of different outreach sources for self-monitoring as well as the vigilance, the signs, the cards, the airport screens. The cards we are handing out say clearly, be aware to monitor your symptoms in the next 14 days, and this is how to engage the healthcare system safely and have your physician report to the public health infrastructure.
So that its the current monitoring process. With the ban in Wuhan, we wouldn’t expect to see if the travel ban is effective, additional cases coming in. So, it is the last 14 days before the ban where this pool of folks we are identifying now is where that focus is. We need to increase vigilance and awareness of the entire system from travelers and people who get sick and clinicians as well to be on the alert for that. So, we are pushing that message out from several sources, and an important one is this conference right now, so you can help us actually get that message out pretty effectively. Thank you.
Melissa Para: One follow-up question. We are still learning more about this and symptoms can kind of range all over the place, but is it possible that you know I understand that we have non-contact thermometers at the airport, but is it possible there may be patients who may have this and don’t have a fever that may pass through that screening because they’re not showing a fever as the symptom?
Dr. Messonnier: So, I think that is entirely true and part of what the message the Dr. Cetron was trying to give, illnesses like this have an incubation period and here can often be periods of mild illness before more serious illness occurs. We are really still working to understand the full spectrum of illness associated with this novel coronavirus.
What our focus still is for travelers and clinicians, is the people with recent travel who have fever and respiratory symptoms and I think that really should be the focus. Of course the problem this time of the year is that it is cold and flu season and there are a lot of respiratory viruses that are circulating including influenza.
But, we ask clinicians, travelers and the entire community to be vigilant. We want everyone to air on the side of caution if they have those symptoms, and they have a travel history, to call their healthcare provider right away.
Operator: Next question comes from Sarah Omermohle with Politico. Your line is open.
Sarah Owermohle: Thank you. I want to ask what kind of dialogue you guys are having with Chinese health authorities, and if that helps the understanding of when people present symptoms or when they transmit this disease to others, and the source of it as well as if there is any inkling of where it is coming from and also on the diagnostic tests you are developing. How long is the turnaround time to definitively say this is the Wuhan virus and how much turnaround of people sending samples to you and the time it takes to get those to you?
Dr. Messionner: I am going to answer the second question first. Once the sample is prepared at CDC, the time it takes to actually do the test is four to six hours which is a very typical time for a real-time PCR. As you say, part of the delay is the sample getting to CDC, and entirely one of the reasons we are focusing on the possibility of getting those tests out closer to the patients so the results can become available more quickly.
For that question, what I would say is that, CDC has a team that’s been in China for many years where we work closely with the Department of Health in China, and one of the things we have been working with them is preparedness for respiratory diseases and influenza for a long-term partnership, and in that way there is a strong collaboration.
The situation in China continues to evolve rapidly. I think we should be clear to compliment the Chinese on the early recognition of the respiratory outbreak center in the Wuhan market, and how rapidly they were able to identify it as a novel coronavirus and publish that information and make it available for all countries, like the U.S. That step was key for use having the diagnostics so that we could identify it here.
Over the past few days, there has been a large amount of information coming out of China, we are working closer with all the global partners under the umbrella of WHO, but also directly, to synthesize that information and that’s one of the reasons we have been so clear that this situation is rapidly evolving because information is coming in hour by hour and day by day.
Operator: Thank you. This question comes from Rob Stein with NPR, your line is open.
Rob Stein: Thank you very much for taking my question. I had a couple of questions, one was, can you tell us the hospital that the woman was treated in at Chicago? Also, can you tell us anything more about where you are targeting the testing? Are there specific places for your priorities of getting the testing out to?
Dr. Allison Arwady: This is Alison Arwady in Chicago. For the first question, to protect patient’s privacy when the Chicago Department of Public Health or Illinois Department of Public Health are investigating a patient with communicable diseases, we do not routinely name the hospitals where the patient sought care.
I do want to say, that we would potentially name hospitals in three situations: Number one, if we have concern the general public may be at risk of infection; Number two, if we could not identify individuals who needed follow-up monitoring; Or number three, if we believe there has been transmission within the hospital itself. In this case, based on everything we know now, none of these situations apply, so we are sticking to our standard communicable disease release.
In the interest of balancing patient’s privacy and transparency, if we have any evidence or reasons to believe the general public is at risk of transmission in the hospital, we would hare the name of the hospital at that time.
Dr. Messonnier: In terms of the second question, the prioritization of the diagnostic kits, we are working rapidly to get it to every state because we believe it is likely that many states will have patients under investigation that they’ll want to do diagnostics. But we are certainly paying special attention to those states that have larger populations returning from Wuhan, to make sure they have that availability first.
In terms of other countries, CDC has an incredibly strong infrastructure for this exact kind of development of diagnostics, and we’ll certainly be working to make sure that we use those resources to help all the countries around the world that are in need of those resources and all the countries around the world that are in need of our help with diagnostics and in this case we are working with the World Health Organization who is coordinating a lot of those efforts.
Operator: this question comes from Dawn Kopecki with CNBC News.
Dawn Kopecki: Can you talk a little bit about the incubation period, has it been confirmed that it is a two-week incubation period? If so, how does that compare to SARS which has an incubation period of two to seven days. This seems to be spreading faster than SARS and although it is not as lethal. In the first ten weeks there was about 400 and some SARS patients about there are 900 in the first three weeks with this. So, can you talk about how this compares to SARS in terms of how contagious it is. Is it considered over the two weeks period and how much more rapidly is it spreading than SARS?
Dr. Messionnier: I think I would start by saying again that it is really in the early days and we are continuing to accumulate information every day that is helping us to understand this virus. Right now, our understanding of the incubation period is somewhere around 14 days.
I do agree with you that information of MERS and SARS was slightly shorter. But I think it’s premature to judge that as being distinctly different because we really are still in the learning phase of this novel pathogen that’s just emerged and been identified.
What an incubation period means is that is an average time that somebody takes from the time that they’re exposed to the time that they are sick. But anytime that there is an incubation period, it is not a hard and fast number. There is always range around it, and so that’s why the health department is being cautious in terms of identifying potential contacts.
In terms of infectiousness and severity, I think it is a little premature to absolutely say, whether it is similar or different than SARS or MERS or all the other human coronaviruses. We are looking at that closely, and we have an approach that we take to try to compare different viruses, and we’re looking at the information we have on SARS and MERS as well as other coronaviruses, and rapidly trying to synthesize all the information from the countries, especially the Chinese data that is much more available over the last couple of days, and I hope that we’ll have more direct information about that issue soon.
But I think it would be premature to conclude that we know whether it is more or less infectious than SARS and more or less severe than SARS. It is just too early to say that.
Operator: The last question comes from WebMD.
WebMD: Thanks. I read in the report today that, in terms of symptoms, this is mostly lower respiratory symptoms. Does that mean congestion so that you have difficulty breathing and perhaps pneumonia without congestion?
Dr. Messonnier: What I would say is that information is emerging, and I think the reports are useful and interesting, but it is not an accumulation of all the available data. Early on our understanding is that, in Wuhan the case definition was somewhat narrower and focused on pneumonia, and you can hypothesize that by focusing on pneumonia you might miss milder disease. So, our focus on this is to have a high degree of suspicion for people with fever and respiratory symptoms, and that’s how we have communicated that to our state and local partners and clinicians and travelers.
WebMD: Got it. So, patients with this cold have like runny nose – I am just trying to understand what the symptoms are.
Dr. Messonnier: I think that again, I would not say the patient can have, I would say that we need to continue to investigate and understand this. Our focus on travelers and the message we want to make sure we’re getting to travelers and in the healthcare, community is that we are looking for returning travelers who have fever, cough, and respiratory symptoms. But, if you have a suspicion and if you’re concerned because you have a fever and you returned, we want you to contact your healthcare provider. It is better to be safe and be evaluated, and as more information becomes available, we will be communicating that.
WebMD: Ok, thank you.
Ben Haynes: Thank you, to our colleagues and our doctors. A transcript of this briefing will be available at the CDC press room. Remember to visit our coronavirus web page for updated response information. If you have further question, contact the main media line, 404-639-6286 or e-mail us.
Operator: We thank you for your participation. You may disconnect your lines.
January 24: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker posted a thread of tweets starting with this one: This morning the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmation that the first case in Illinois of novel coronavirus in an individual who travelled to the city of Wuhan in central China. At this time, the risk to the general public remains low.
January 24: Governor JB Pritzker tweeted: I want to assure Illinoians that we are closely monitoring this situation and taking every precaution. Our Illinois state and local agencies and officials – along with our federal counterparts including the CDC – are highly engaged in this coordinated response.”
“The people of Illinois that our health officials will continue to coordinate with federal officials in a robust manner to take all cautions and to communicate with the public.”
Governor JB Pritzker ended his thread with this tweet: “The same precautions you take during flu season are the same precautions you should take for this virus. Take extra care to wash your hands. Visit a doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms, particularly if you or a loved one has recently traveled abroad.”
January 24: Illinois Department of Public Health posted “City of Chicago Announces First Local Patient with Travel-Related Case of 2019-Novel Coronavirus”.
Patient is the second of two nationally diagnosed cases, officials note small risk to the general public.
The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) today joined state and federal health officials as well as other City departments in reporting the first local resident with a confirmed case of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Health officials reassured the general public that the risk of the virus spreading still remains low. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first confirmed Friday morning the second case of coronavirus in the United States. The patient recently returned to Chicago from Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of pneumonia caused by the virus has been ongoing since December 2019.
“We’re pleased that the patient is doing well and getting the proper care, that the public health system responded appropriately, and that the risk of transmission to the general public is low,” said Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. “We have worked very closely with federal, state, and local partners, not just in response to this case, but over many years to ensure the Chicago area has strong public health systems and is well prepared to respond to emerging infectious diseases.”
The patient is in stable condition and remains hospitalized. Based on the information currently known about her activities since her return, there is no immediate health risk to the general public. The patient, a woman her 60s, took the proper steps of calling ahead to her doctor before arriving at the emergency room and had not extend contact since arriving back in the U.S. She has since limited all close contacts. The general health risk from 2019-nCoV in both U.S. and Chicago is still deemed to be low at present.
“The Illinois Department of Public Health is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Chicago Department of Public Health, other local health departments, hospitals, clinicians, and other medical providers to proactively identify and aggressively respond to any possible cases of novel coronavirus,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “Our ultimate goal is to identify and contain any illnesses to prevent the spread of disease. We understand there is a lot of interest, but there are still many unknowns with this novel virus and the situation is rapidly evolving. As we learn more, and when cases are confirmed, we will make sure to share that information.”
The Illinois Department of Public Health, Chicago Department of Public Health, and Cook County Department of Public Health are working in tandem to identify any close contacts who may have been exposed after the patient returned from China. Additionally, a CDC team has also been deployed to support the ongoing investigation, including tracing close contacts to determine if anyone else has become ill.
The patient returned to the U.S. from Wuhan on January 13, prior to the implementation of screening procedures at five U.S. airports, including the addition of O’Hare International Airport earlier this week. However, the City has been working closely with the CDC and other federal, state and local agencies, including the Department of Aviation (CDA) and the Chicago Fire Department, to proactively prepare for local cases since learning of the outbreak.
“The Chicago Department of Aviation has no higher priority than the safety and well-being of the traveling public, as well as our airport community. From the moment information came to light about this particular strain of coronavirus, CDA’s safety and security team has been closely monitoring the situation and interfacing with our federal and public health partners,” CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee said. “As always, we want to be sure we’re able to support any special efforts related to the coronavirus, while at the same time maintaining normal operations — and that has happened. In addition to our valued travelers, we are working hard to ensure the tens of thousands of individuals who make their living at O’Hare airport have the most up-to-date information on the coronavirus, as well as ongoing efforts to keep the public and our airport family safe.”
Chinese authorities first identified the new coronavirus, which has resulted in hundreds of confirmed human infections in China and exported cases in Thailand, Japan, South Korea and the United States/ On Tuesday, January 21, the CDC confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States in the state of Washington. The patient was also a traveler who had recently returned from Wuhan.
Coronaviruses are a class of respiratory viruses that range from the common cold to more serious illnesses like SARS and MERS. They can cause fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia. Coronaviruses are generally spread via droplets in the air, like when people cough and sneeze, similar to the common cold.
It is currently undetermined whether there is a limited person-to-person spread or if there is a possibility of an animal-to-person spread.
There are no additional precautions recommended for the general public to take. However, as a reminder, CDPH always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
For more information, visit www.chicago.gov/2019-nCov.
January 24: Billboard reported – The Chinese government has closed the Mercedes-Benz Arena indefinitely. The venue’s promoter and its joint-venture partner, a media group owned by the Shanghai government, have postponed over a dozen shows until the virus is contained.
January 24: World Health Organization posted: “Updated WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV“
This is an update to the WHO advice in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus nCoV, published by WHO on 10 January 2020. Since that date, travel-related cases linked to Wuhan City have been reported in several countries. For details about the current outbreak in China and the exported cases, please refer to the Disease Outbreak News and the situation reports published by WHO.
So far, the main clinical signs and symptoms reported in this outbreak include fever, difficulty in breathing, and chest radiographs showing bilateral lung infiltrates. As of 24 January 2020, human-to-human transmission has not been confirmed largely in Wuhan city, but also some other places in China and internationally. Not enough is know about the epidemiology of 2019-nCoV to draw definitive conclusions about the full clinical features of the disease, the intensity of the human-to-human transmission and the original source of the outbreak.
International travellers: practice usual precautions
Coronaviruses are a large family of respiratory viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to the Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). In case of symptoms suggestive of acute respiratory illness before, during or after travel, the travellers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share travel history with their health care provider.
Public health authorities should provide to travelers information to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections, via health practitioners, travel health clinics, travel agencies, conveyance operations and at points of entry.
WHO’s standard recommendations for the general public to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses are as follows, which include hand and respiratory hygiene, and safe food practices:
Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water;
When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw tissue away immediately and wash hands;
Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever and cough;
If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider;
When visiting live makers in areas currently experiencing cases of novel coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals;
The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.
WHO technical guidance on surveillance and case definitions, laboratory guidance, clinical management for suspects novel coronavirus, one care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, infection prevention and control, risk communications, disease commodity package, and reducing transmission from animals to humans is available on the WHO website.
Health measures related to international traffic
The current outbreak originated in Wuhan city, which is a major domestic and international transport hub. Given the large population movements, expected to significantly increase during the Chinese New Year in the last week of January, and the observed human to human transmission, it is not unexpected that new confirmed cases will continue to appear in other areas and countries.
With the information currently available for the novel coronavirus, WHO advises that measures to limit the risk of exportation or importation of the disease should be implemented, without unnecessary restrictions of international traffic.
According to Chinese authorities, all unnecessary or non-essential large-scale public gatherings will not be approved during the Spring Festival, which starts on 25 January in China.
Advice for exit screening in countries with ongoing transmission of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV (currently People’s Republic of China)
Conduct exit screening at international airports and ports in the affected areas, with the aims early detection of symptomatic travelers for further evaluation and treatment, and thus prevent exportation of the disease while minimizing interference with international traffic.
Exit screening includes checking for signs and symptoms (fever above 38°, cough), interview of passengers with respiratory infection symptoms leaving the affected areas with regard to potential exposure to high-risk contacts or to the presumed animal source, directing symptomatic travelers to further medical examination, followed by testing for 2019-nCoV, and keeping confirmed cases under isolation and treatment.
Encourage screening at domestic airports, railway stations, and long-distance bus stations as necessary.
Travelers who had contact with confirmed cases or direct exposure to potential source of infection should be placed under medical observation. High-risk contacts should avoid travel for the duration of the incubation period (up to 14 days).
Implement health information campaigns at points of entry to raise awareness of reducing the general risk of acute respiratory infections and the measures required, should a traveler develop signs and symptoms suggestive of infection with the 2019-nCoV and how they can obtain assistance.
Advice for entry screening in countries/areas without transmission of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV
Evidence shows that temperature screening to detect potential suspect cases at entry may miss travelers incubating the disease or travelers concealing fever during travel and may require substantial investments. However, during the current outbreak with the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV, the majority of exports cases were detected through entry screening. The risk of importation of the disease may be reduced if temperature screening at entry is associated with early detection of symptomatic passengers and their referral for medical follow up.
Temperature screening should always be accompanied by dissemination of risk communication messages at points of entry. This can be done through posers, leaflets, electronic bulletin, etc., aiming at awareness among travelers about signs and symptoms of the disease, and encouragement of health care seeking behavior, including when to seek medical care, and report of their travel history.
Countries implementing temperature screening are encouraged to establish proper mechanism for data collection and analysis, e.g numbers of travelers screened and confirmed cases out of screened passengers, and method of screening. In implementing entry screening, countries should take into account national policies and capacity.
Public health authorities should reinforce collaboration with airlines operators for case management on board aircraft and reporting, should a traveler with respiratory disease symptoms is detected, in accordance with the IATA guidance for cabin crew to manage suspected communicable disease on board an aircraft.
Previous advice with regard to procedures for a sick traveller detected on board a plane and requirements for IHR capacities at points of entry remains unchanged (see WHO advice published 10 January 2020).
WHO advises against the application of any restrictions of international traffic based on the information currently available on this event.
January 24: The Guardian posted: “Chinese city plans to build coronavirus hospital in days”
The Chinese city of Wuhan, the centre of the coronavirus outbreak, has begun the ambitious task of building a 1,000-bed hospital in just 10 days to treat victims of the epidemic.
To speed construction, the hospital is being built with prefabricated buildings around a holiday complex originally intended for local workers, set in gardens by a lake on the outskirts of the city.
Although the timescale is ambitions, China has form for constructing hospitals at short notice in response to major health crises. In 2003, during the Sars outbreak 7,000 workers in Beijing built the Xiaotangshan hospital in the northern suburbs in just a week. Wuhan authorities said the Xiaotangshan hospital, also built using prefabricated buildings, was the template for the new facility in Wuhan, being built on a 25,000 sq metre site.
The hospital in the Chinese capital featured individual isolation units that looked like rows of tiny cabins. Within two months, it treated a seventh of all the country’s Sars patients, Changjiang Daily said, describing it as “a miracle in the history of medical science.” The facility closed less than two months after it was judge that a decisive victory had been won against Sars in China.
Building machinery, including 35 diggers and 10 bulldozers, arrived at the Wuhan site on Thursday night, with the aim of getting the new facility ready by Monday 3 February, state media reported. Earlier reports had suggested the hospital would be completed in under a week.
China State Construction Engineering, one of the companies building the hospital, said on Friday it had more than 100 workers on the site.
Images on state television showed a flurry of activity at the muddy site with dozens of diggers painted in various colours hard at work preparing the ground, as a stream of trucks ferried in materials and equipment.
Using temporary buildings not only facilitates swift construction, but is also keeps the cost down.
Xinhua said the new facility was aimed at “alleviating the shortage of medical treatment resources and improving the ability to care for patients”.
Construction in Wuhan began as reports surfaced of bed shortage in hospitals designated for dealing with the outbreak, which has infected 830 people across China and killed 26. People who sought treatment in the city this week told the Guardian they had been turned away from hospitals, which have been inundated with patients who present with fever-like symptoms.
At least eight hospitals in Wuhan issued public calls for donations of masks, googles , gowns and other protective medical gear, according to notices online.
Administrators at Wuhan university people’s hospital set up a group chat on the popular WeChat messaging app to coordinate donations.
Sars, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, killed 349 people in mainland China and 299 in Hong Kong in 2002-2003.
January 25
January 25: CGTN, China Global Television Network tweeted: “#UPDATE Xinhua Hospital says 62-years-old ENT specialist, Dr. Liang Wudong, who is suspected to have died from the coronavirus Saturday retired in March 2019.”
January 25: The CDC reported the onset of 3 additional COVID-19 cases in the United States.
January 25: New South Wales Health posted: “Novel coronavirus statistics – 11AM”
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 0
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 5
We will not be disclosing the hospital location of patents under investigation for privacy reasons.
We will update the public of any confirmed cases and need to disclose a person’s movements.
January 25: World Health Organization (WHO) posted a “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 5”
SUMMARY
Situation Update:
A total of 1,320 confirmed cases have been reported for novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) globally.
Of the 1,320 cases reported, 1,297 cases were reported from China, including Hong Kong SAR (5 confirmed cases), Macau SAR (2 confirmed cases), and Taipei (3 confirmed cases.)
A total of 1,965 suspected cases have been reported from 20 Chinese provinces, regions and cities (excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taipei).
Of these 23 confirmed cases, 21 had travel history to Wuhan City, China; one case in Australia had direct contact with a confirmed case from Wuhan while in China; and one confirmed case in Viet Nam had no travel history to any part of China as mentioned in the situation report published on 24 January. According to preliminary investigations, this constitutes an instance of human-to-human transmission within a family.
Of the 1,287 confirmed cases (excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taipei), 237 cases have been reported as severely ill.
Forty-one deaths have been reported to date (39 deaths in Hubei province, one death in Hebei province and one in Hellongjaing province).
On 25 January 2020, the number of reported confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV has increased by 474 cases since the last situation report published 24 January 2020.
WHO’s assessment of the risk of this event has not changed since the last update (22 Jan): very high in China, high at the regional level and high on the global level.
Reported Incidences of confirmed 2019-nCoV, 25 January 2020:
China: – 1297 – including confirmed cases in Hong Kong SAR (5 confirmed cases), Macau SAR (2 confirmed cases) and Taipei (3 confirmed cases.
Japan: 3
Republic of Korea: 2
Viet Nam: 2
Republic of Singapore: 3
Australia: 3
Thailand: 4
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal: 1
United States of America: 2
French Republic: 3
TOTAL: 1320
II. PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
WHO:
WHO has published an updated advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.
WHO has been in regular and direct contact with Member States where cases have been reported. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested.
On 2 January, the incident management system was activated across the three levels of WHO (country office, regional office, and headquarters).
Developed the surveillance case definitions and reporting forms for human infection with 2019-nCoV and is updating it as the new information becomes available.
Developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnosis, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, risk communication, and community engagement.
Prepared diseases commodity package for supplies necessary in identification and management of confirmed patients.
Provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans.
Utilizing global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling.
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.
WHO is working with our networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit outward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
The strategic objectives of the response are to interrupt the transmission of the virus from one person to another in China, to prevent exportation of cases from China to other countries and territories, and to prevent further transmission from exported case if they were to happen. This can be achieved through a combination of public health measures, such as rapid identification, diagnosis and management of cases, identification and follow up of the contacts, infection prevention and control in healthcare settings, implementation of health measures for travellers, awareness raising in the population, risk communication.
During previous outbreaks due to other coronavirus (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)), human to human transmission occurred through droplets, contact and fomites, suggesting that the transmission mode of the 2019-nCoV can be similar. The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections:
Avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands).
Within healthcare facilities, enhance standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments.
WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travelers. In case of symptoms suggested of respiratory illness either during or after travel, the travelers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their health care provider. Travel guidance has been updated.
III. COUNTRY RESPONSE
China:
Public education on disease prevention and environmental hygiene further strengthened in public places across the city, farmer’s markets in particular. As of 23 January, the National Health Commission revised protection standards and specifications for medical workers and strengthened prevention and control measures against 2019-nCoV.
National authorities are conducting active case finding in all provinces.
Search expanded for additional cases outside Wuhan.
Active / retroactive case finding in medical institutions in Wuhan.
The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan was closed on 1 January 2020 for environmental sanitation and disinfection. Market inspection in expansion to other markets.
Australia:
Updated General Physicians, pharmacists, emergency departments, and the broader health system on the situation as it evolves to enable possible cases to be rapidly identified, diagnosed and managed.
Developed diagnostic tests through the Public Health laboratories to rapidly diagnose cases
Supported the Commonwealth to provide advice and assess travelers for illness on the direct flight from Wuhan to Sydney on 23 January.
Providing regular updates to the community through media briefings, media release and social media including in Mandarin.
Infection with 2019-nCoV is now notifiable under New South Wales Public Health Act 2010, so doctors and pathology laboratories are required to notify NSW Health of all people suspected to have this infection.
January 25: People’s Daily, China, the largest newspaper in China, tweeted: “Doctor Liang Wudong at the ENT department of Hubei Xinhua Hospital who had been at the front line fighting against #nCoV2019 in Wuhan, died from the virus on Sat at the age of 62. #RIP”. The tweet included a large, black and white, photo of Doctor Liang Wudong.
January 25: The Times of India posted: “Coronavirus: China ‘shuts 10 cities; 12 quarantined in India”
Twelve people who returned from China and Hong Kong have been quarantined (as a precautionary measure) in hospitals in India – three, including a Briton, in Mumbai, and nine in Kerala’s Ernakulam and Thrissur — as China locked down 10 cities and closed a part of the Great Wall to control the outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus (nCoV) that has killed 26 people and affected 1,100 people across the globe.
Nepal was the latest to confirm an nCoV case: a student who had returned from China’s Wuhan was treated for respiratory problems and discharged. But the authorities are now searching for the man and is family after samples taken from him and sent to a Hong Kong laboratory tested positive.
Samples from two people in Mumbai and one each from Hyderabad and Bengaluru tested negative, health officials said late on Friday. One woman in Kottayam, Kerala, has ben isolated at home and was under observation after she developed a fever.
January 25: New South Wales Health posted “Novel coronavirus statistics – 5PM”
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 0
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 7
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
We will update the public immediately of any confirmed cases and need to disclose a person’s movements.
January 25, 2020: The Japan Times posted “Japan confirms third case of new coronavirus infection”
The health ministry said Saturday that it has confirmed a third case of a new deadly virus that has been rapidly spreading in China and beyond.
The patient is a woman from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak of the mysterious coronavirus began, the ministry said, adding she arrived in Japan in Jan. 18.
The ministry has not disclosed her nationality or which airport or port she used when she entered the country.
The woman in her 30s, who is in stable condition, is said to have had no symptoms at the time of arrival but developed a fever and started coughing on Tuesday night, according to the ministry.
She visited a Tokyo hospital on Thursday and later tested positive for the virus, which has killed at least 41 people in China.
She has not been hospitalized as she has been exhibiting only minor symptoms and is staying in her hotel room, a ministry official said at a news conference.
She came to Japan as part of a family of four. However, so far the other three have not developed any symptoms, the official said.
He added that the number of people suspected of contracting the virus “is not sharply increasing” in Japan. But he stopped short of saying how many have tested negative or are currently under observation.
The number of people with pneumonia caused by the virus topped 1,300 worldwide on Saturday, just as hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens set out on domestic and overseas trips at the start of the Lunar New Year holiday.
January 25: CNN Philippines tweeted: “JUST IN: Hong Kong declares Wuhan virus outbreak an “emergency” The Hong Kong Disease contingency plan has been upgraded from “serious” to “emergency” level, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announces s- via @CNN”
January 25: CNN Philippines also tweeted: “Lam also says schools in the city will be suspended until February 17. This is amid rising fears of the virus’s spread.”
January 25: People’s Daily, China, the largest newspaper in China tweeted: “#HongKong to suspend high-speed rail and flights connecting the city with Wuhan indefinitely, HK chief executive Carrie Lam said Sat, vowing to step up quarantine efforts to curb the spread of #nCoV2019.”
January 25: Masslive.com posted “Wuhan bans cars, Hong Kong closes schools as coronavirus spreads”. The source is the Associated Press.
The virus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan, already on lockdown, banned most vehicle use downtown and Hong Kong said it would close schools for two weeks as authorities scrambled Saturday to stop the spread of an illness that has infected more than 1,200 people and killed 41.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said her government will raise its response level to emergency, the highest one, and close primary and secondary schools for two more weeks on top of next week’s Lunar New Year holiday. They will re-open Feb. 17.
Lam said that direct flights and trains from Wuhan would be blocked. The outbreak began in the city in central China and has spread nationwide and overseas, fueled by millions of people traveling during the country’s biggest holiday.
In a sign of the growing strain on Wuhan’s health care system, the official Xinhua news agency reported that the city planned to build a second makeshift hospital with about 1,000 beds. The city previously announced that construction of a hospital of the same size is underway and expected to be completed Feb. 3…
…China cut off trains, planes and other links to Wuhan on Wednesday, as well as public transportation within the city, and has steadily expanded a lockdown to 16 surrounding cities with a combined population of more than 50 million, greater than that of New York, London, Paris and Moscow combined.
The cities of Yichang, Suizhou and Jingzhour were the latest added to the list on Friday evening and Saturday…
January 25: New South Wales Health posted “Coronavirus cases confirmed in NSW”
NSW Health is urging people who have recently returned from Wuhan or have been in contact with a confirmed case of novel coronavirus infection to ensure they are aware of symptoms and seek immediate health assessment if symptoms develop within 14 days.
Three adult males have been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. Two cases had travelled to Wuhan, China, and one case had direct contact with a confirmed case from Wuhan while in China.
NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr. Kerry Chant, said these cases demonstrate the importance of returning travellers knowing the symptoms of novel coronavirus infection.
“Anyone with these symptoms should practice simple hygiene by covering their coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their elbow and washing their hands thoroughly.”
Dr Chant said it is important people take action to keep their family and friends safe, so don’t be afraid to speak to your doctor if you have any symptoms.
NSW Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard, urged anyone with symptoms to come forward as soon as they feel unwell.
“It is important people feel confident contacting their GP or local emergency Department.
“They should also call ahead to speak to their GP or local emergency Department. If the GP considers novel coronavirus testing is needed they will be referred to the Emergency department for testing.”
A male in his 50s arrived in Sydney from Wuhan, China, on China Eastern flight number MU749 on 20 January 2020. He developed symptoms that night and he subsequently attended a GP. He was diagnosed in hospital with novel coronavirus on 25 January 2020.
A man in his 30s arrived in Sydney from China, on 6 January 2020. He did not develop symptoms until 15 January 2020 and saw his GP. He was diagnosed in hospital with novel coronavirus on 25 January 2020. He had contact with a person from Wuhan diagnosed with the virus.
A man in his 40s arrived in Sydney after being in Wuhan, China, on 18 January 2020. He did not develop symptoms until 24 January 2020 and self-presented to hospital on the same day. He was diagnosed in hospital with novel coronavirus on 25 January 2020.
All three patients are currently in isolation in NSW hospitals.
Public Health Units are following up contacts of these patients in accordance with the National Guidelines.
As part of the ongoing international response, NSW Health will continue to work closely with Commonwealth Government agencies to monitor travellers returning from Wuhan, China.
Health workers in NSW public hospitals and community-based GPs have been issued advice to help them identify any cases and apply careful infection control measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
January 25: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “The total number of confirmed cases of 2019 novel #coronavirus reported from mainland China is 1,975. This includes 237 severe cases and 56 people who have died. #nCoV2019 #nCoV”. This was the first tweet in a thread.
(This tweet was corrected by another tweet that followed the thread: “Correction: The total number of confirmed cases of the 2019 novel #coronavirus reported from mainland China to date is 1,975. This includes 324 severe cases and 56 pople who have died. #nCoV2019#nCoV”)
January 25: World Health Organization Pacific continued its thread with another tweet: “Hong Kong SAR has reported a total of 5 cases of #nCoV2019, Macao SAR has reported 2 cases, and Taiwan, China has reported 3 cases.”
January 25: World Health Organization Pacific continued its thread with another tweet: “Among other countries in the @WHO Western Pacific Region, #Australia, #Malaysia & #Singapore have each reported 4 cases of the 2019 novel #coronavirus. #Japan has reported 3 cases. The Republic of #Korea and #Vietnam have each reported two cases.
January 25: South China Morning Post reported “Retailers, manufacturers shutting doors, letting employees work from home as Wuhan viral outbreak spreads”
From Ikea to personal care manufacturer Beiersdorf, businesses are shutting their doors and telling employees to stay home in Wuhan, the epicenter of a viral outbreak that has killed more than three dozen and spread from China to as far away as the United States.
But, the question for corporate leaders is whether a travel ban in Wuhan and seven other cities in Hubei Province amid fears over the spread of coronavirus will keep workers home after the Lunar New Year holiday break, stifle the transport of goods from the logistics and manufacturing centre and keep consumers on the sidelines.
The businesses most directly affected, so far, have been transport and tourism – related industries with airlines cancelling flights, hotels waiving cancellation charges and travelers staying home during what is normally one of the busiest travel times of the year in the mainland. Some three billion trips were expected within China this year during the 40-day Lunar New Year holiday travel period.
“The 2002-2003 experience from Sars disease suggests that if we assume a similar scenario, we could see some short-term impact on consumption and tourism for a few months, but it is unlikely to impact manufacturing/industrial sectors,” Suresh Tantia, senior Asia-Pacific investment strategist at Credit Suisse, said. “During the Sars breakout in late 2002, the public awareness rose in February-April 2003. During these months China’s retail sales growth moderated, but exports/imports and fixed asset investment were stable.”
The Sars epidemic in 2003 afflicted more than 8,000 people in 37 countries worldwide and killed 299 people in Hong Kong.
Tanita said policymakers in China may be forced to step up monetary and fiscal easing to support growth if there is a slowdown in consumption in the mainland.
Banks advise caution in travel as Wuhan coronavirus outbreaks worsens.
The coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan has infected more than 1,100 people and resulted in at least 41 deaths with confirmed cases reported in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
Local officials have barred travel to and from eight cities in Hubei Province: Wuhan, Huanggang, Ezhou, Chibi, Xiantao, Qianjiang, Zhijiang and Lichuan.
Trains, busses and ferries in and out of Wuhan were stopped at 10am on Thursday. Didi, the Chinese-ride sharing service, also said in a statement that it would halt services in Wuhan at noon on Friday at the request of local authorities.
Wuhan, city of 11 million people, is an important logistics and manufacturing hub in central China, located in the east-west conduit.
It serves as an important transport line for China, both by air and the nation’s network of high-speed railways. At the end of 2018, there were 430 high-speed trains that stopped in Wuhan daily, according to city data. The city’s airport handled 2.9 million passengers in November, the most recent data available…
January 25: Australian Ministers Department of Health posted a media release titled: “First confirmed case of novel coronavirus in Australia”. It was written by The Honorable Greg Hunt, MP, Minister for Health. From the media release:
The first case of novel cornavirus (2019-nCoV) has been confirmed by Victoria Health Authorities this morning.
The Commonwealth Department of Health is in close contact with Victorian health authorities and has notified the World Health Organization.
The patient, a man from Wuhan, flew to Melbourne from Guandong on 19 January.
Minister for Health Greg Hunt said, “Australia has world-class health systems with processes for the identification and treatment of cases, including isolation facilities in each state and territory, these processes have been activated.”
“Our laboratories have developed testing processes for this novel coronavirus that can provide a level of certainty within a day.”
Australian Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy said Victoria had acted swiftly and appropriately.
“Victoria has followed its strict protocols, including isolating the affected person. I understand the patient has pneumonia and is in a stable condition.”
The virus originated in mainland China – the overwhelming majority of cases are there – and the only clear evidence of human-to-human transmission is in the Wuhan region.
Minister Hunt said, “Victorian and Commonwealth authorites will be undertaking “contact tracing” for passengers who travelled on this flight and to provide them with information and advice.”
Australia will continue to monitor the situation closely and continue to act on the best available evidence and advice:
Overnight, DFAT raised the level of travel advice for Wuhan and
Hubei Province in China to ‘level 4 – do not travel’ and has issued a
Smartraveller bulletin on the virus outbreak. The advice level for China
as a whole has not changed.
Border measures are already in place to detect travellers who are unwell coming into the country.
Whilst, the Chinese authorities have now stopped all traffic from
Hubei province as an added precaution, the Government is ensuring that
all passengers on flights from other parts of China will be met and
provided information on arrival.
Information is also on display at all major international ports
around Australia, with instructions on what to do if travellers have
symptoms or if symptoms develop.
Human coronavirus with pandemic potential’ is now a Listed Human
Disease under the Biosecurity Act 2015, enabling the use of enhanced
border measures.
The Department of Health has provided primary and community health
care workers and Emergency Departments in Australia with updated advice.
The Chief Medical Officer convened a national teleconference of the
Australian Health Protection Principle Committee (AHPPC) this morning to
inform State and Territory Authorities and to coordinate further
national action.
Professor Murphy said it was important people who had recently arrived in Australia from Wuhan, and those in close contact with them, watch for signs of the coronavirus.
“We don’t know exactly how long symptoms take to show after a person has been infected, but there is an incubation period and some patients will have very mild symptoms,” Professor Murphy said.
“Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting and difficult breathing. Difficulty breathing is a sign of possible pneumonia and requires immediate medical attention.”
“People who arrive in Australia from an international flight with these symptoms should alert their airline, or a biosecurity officer if they have disembarked.”
If people start getting symptoms in the next week after arriving in Australia, they should see a doctor or go to hospital if they are very ill. If they have travelled to Wuhan, they should call ahead to ensure others aren’t put at risk…
January 25: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Chief Medical Officer’s update on novel coronavirus”.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: … from Wuhan travelled to Melbourne last Sunday on a flight on the 19th. On flight CZ321from Guangzhou and he was well when he arrived but developed an illness during last week and is currently in stable condition under isolation in a hospital in Melbourne. As we indicated earlier in this week, given the number of cases that have been found outside of China and the significant traffic from Wuhan city in the past to Australia, it was not unexpected that we would get some cases.
So this is the first confirmed cases. There are other cases being tested each day. Many of them are negative but I wouldn’t be surprised if we had further confirmed cases. As I’ve said previously however Australia is very well prepared. We have excellent State and Territory health systems. All of whom have protocols to isolate and rapidly diagnose conditions such as this. And this is evidenced by what happened with this gentleman in Melbourne, who is now under isolation and being managed. This morning I convened an emergency meeting of the Australian Health Protection Principle Committee to discuss this first positive case and we discussed the protocol for contact tracing of passengers adjacent to him in the train, in the plane sorry, and providing information to other passengers on that plane.
As I’ve previously advised, we have a lower risk now of people coming from Wuhan because the Chinese government have now stopped all transport out of Wuhan. However, there may be some people who have been in Wuhan, who got out before the travel ban was instituted by China and they may make their way to Australia from other ports in China.
So for the time being as of this afternoon we’ll be meeting all flights from China – and there are a very large number of flights to Australia each week from China – and providing information to all passengers in English and Mandarin, encourage them if they’ve been from that Hubei province of China, particularly the city of Wuhan. And if they get any illness when they’re here to seek medical attention and identify themselves as having come from that region of China. We are intending- Minister Hunt is proposing to convene a meeting of health ministers this afternoon just to make sure that all health ministers are well apprised of the situation. And the Australian Government Crisis Committee will also be meeting just to make sure that everybody is fully prepared and fully understands the implications of having one or more positive cases in Australia.
We’re still in a learning curve about this virus. Information from China is showing significant increase in numbers, now over 1,300 confirmed cases, and the death toll is now up to 41. Again, the vast majority, 39 of those deaths, have been from people in that epicentre in Wuhan province and we have as you will have heard reports now of a further exported cases to other countries in increasing numbers. But again, they are small numbers and we’re confident that outside of the major epicentre in China there is not yet evidence of significant or any human to human spread.
But clearly, we’re keeping a watching eye on this situation and will watch the situation internationally very closely. In terms of the Australian public unless you have been in close contact with someone who is unwell and has come from that part of China, there is no need for current concern.
There is no evidence that this virus is being transmitted at all in Australia. But clearly, our message is for people who have come from that part of China, there is no need for current concern. There is no evidence that this virus is being transmitted at all in Australia.
But clearly our message is for people who have come from that part of China in recent weeks who do develop any symptoms particularly: fever, cough, shortness of breath, vomiting, often flu like symptoms and maybe they may just have the flu but to call ahead to their doctor or their hospital nearby to wan them and to come in and get checked.
So the risk really is in people who’ve come from that part of China. There is at this stage no risk to the general Australian community. And I want to emphasize that. But clearly, we are keeping a very close eye on this situation so that’s probably all I need to say that the moment I’m happy to take questions.
QUESTION: How many people have been tested and tested negative to this.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: That is a daily evolving number probably a dozen so far I think in Australia. But there are people being tested today so I can’t confirm that accurately.
QUESTION: Can you tell us where this gentleman was from or where he has been?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: He was from Wuhan and he came from Wuhan to Guangzhou on an earlier flight and then from Guangzhou to Melbourne on a direct flight. So he’s come from the area where the virus was.
QUESTION: Do you think the Chinese government is misleading in how bad this virus actually is?
PROFESSOR BRENDEN MURPHY: I don’t believe so. I think the Chinese government has taken very proportionate measures. I mean it’s quite an extraordinary measure to lock down an entire province. It’s not just the city of Wuhan but its surroundings cities now where they have banned all travel out of those cities. They have been very transparent. The fact that the data is evolving rapidly each day is more than I think, that due to the fact that they are requiring that data. I don’t believe there’s any evidence that they’re not being open and transparent.
QUESTION: Do you have concerns given the incubation period, that we’ll have multiple cases of this virus appearing in Australia?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: It’s very hard to tell. Given that it was only last weekend as you recall that Friday of the previous week there had been no new cases reported for 10 days or only about 45 cases. There was a fairly relaxed international message clearly over the course of the last weekend things exalted and since the Chinese government stopped travel from last Thursday the risk to Australia I think is more in those people who travelled in the week up to Thursday when the travel ban was put in place.
And there are potentially others like this person who travelled to Australia who were well when they arrived and who may develop disease but we just don’t know. Given that the travel has now stopped from that region and there are no clear epicentres outside of that region where there are human to human transmission I suspect the risk of people coming from other parts of China or the world is very low. But we just need to keep watching and seeing what develops.
QUESTION: The flu season is in China because it’s cold. Is that going to be a problem in Australia when it comes to our winter time and our flu season?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Well I think the flu season is a problem because a lot of people from that part of China who develop this symptoms will have the flu and including people who may have come from here. I think it’s just too early to say what the cause of this virus is going to be over the next months. And I think that’s probably a bit premature to postulate whether the flu season will have anything to do with it here.
QUESTION: Can you tell us how many people have been tested today?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: I can’t tell you because the state and territory health services are testing. They arrange tests. They’ve got their own labs but we – I believe they’re probably in the order of a half dozen people who are having tests across the country today. We’ve had many tests in the last few days and they’ve all been negative except this one.
QUESTION: And how did it come about that he tested positive. Did he present himself with symptoms?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: He did. He developed symptoms and he sought – he contacted ahead of the hospital and turned up to the hospital wearing a mask. And the hospital- he was very responsible citizen and went to hospital, decried that he’s come from Wuhan and he was unwell and they rapidly isolated him and organized the test.
QUESTION: How old is this man?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: In his 50s. Thank you very much.
January 25: New South Wales Health posted Novel Coronavirus statistics (as of 11AM that day). Number of confirmed cases: 0. Number of cases under investigation: 5.
January 25: New South Wales Health posted another Novel Coronavirus statistics (as of 5PM that day). Number of cases confirmed: 0. Number of cases under investigation: 7.
January 25: The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control posted information titled: “Novel coronavirus: three cases reported in France”. From the information:
French health authorities have confirmed three cases of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) virus in France since 24 January 2020. The first confirmed cases in Europe are not unexpected given the developments of the last few days with several 2019-nCoV cases reported in countries outside of China.
The fact that these cases were identified, proved that detection and confirmation of this novel virus is working in France. showing a high level of preparedness to prevent and control possible infections of 2019-nCoV.
Most EU countries have plans and measures in place to contain this kind of infections and Europe has well-equipped laboratories that can confirm probable cases in addition to hospitals that are prepared to treat patients accordingly. EU/EEA countries should ensure that timely and rigorous infection prevention and control measures (IPC) are applied around people diagnosed with 2019-nCoV, Such measures will keep the likelihood of further sustained spread in both healthcare and community settings low.
In the past, systematic implementation of infection prevention and control measures were effective in controlling both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.
ECDC is working with the EU/EEA Member States to ensure that they are prepared to manage any imported cases. ECDC is monitoring this event through epidemic intelligence activities, and provides risk assessments to guide EU Member States and the EU Commission in their response activities.
At this stage, it is likely that there will be more imported cases in Europe. Even if there are still many things unknown about 2019-nCoV, European countries have the necessary capacities to prevent and control an outbreak as soon as cases are detected.
ECDC will update its dedicated page with the recent developments in the course of the day with most recent confirmed data.
January 25: China correspondent, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) tweeted: “The streets are empty in the small towns of Hubei Province where the #coronavirus outbreak started. #China”. The tweet included a short video, which appears to be taken from a vehicle driving through a street. There are no people in the video.
January 25: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Chief Medical Officer’s interview on Weekend Sunrise about novel coronavirus”
MATT DORAN: And for more, Australian Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy joins us live from Canberra. Professor, thank you for your time on a busy day. There are now four confirmed cases across the country. That is of course expected to rise. How are you going tracking down the other passengers on these particular flights?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Good morning. So, the passengers on those two flights, the lists have been provided and the contact information to the Victorian health authorities from the Victorian plane, and they’ve in the process of doing so with the New South Wales plane, and the state and territory health departments will be contacting people. It’s important to note that people in the plane generally probably have a pretty low risk. We tend to provide more detailed contact to those who were sitting in close proximity to those suspected cases. But both of them only really developed significant symptoms after arrival. So this is just being precautionary.
ANGELA COX: China’s president has warned the spread of the virus is accelerating. There were some concerns earlier last week that China was downplaying the severity of this. What are your thoughts about how quickly it’s spreading? You’d obviously be looking very closely at how quickly this virus spreads.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: So, obviously we are concerned about what’s happening in China. As you say there has been a significant increase in reported numbers and an increase in the reported deaths, and as we know there are now over 40 cases that have been exported out of China to other countries including Australia.
Given the traffic from that part of Hubei province to Australia before China locked that area down on Thursday, as Dr. Bowden in Victoria said, we have always expected that we would be seeing some cases who have traveled from China to here in the last few weeks. We are very well prepared as evidenced by the way both New South Wales and Victoria have dealt rapidly with those cases and isolated them.
MATT DORAN: Professor, given the enormous area we’re talking about in China – you’re talking about trying to effectively quarantine maybe 60 million people – the question I guess for me becomes: When do authorities here consider limiting the intake of passengers from China more broadly, as opposed to this particular province?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: It’s very, very difficult to close the borders to an infectious disease. As you have heard, those four cases were all well when they arrived. People can come to Australia from a variety of ports around the world and the World Health Organization is certainly not recommending any sort of border control measures of that nature.
MATT DORAN: Is that something you’re considering, though, Professor?
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: No. At the moment our focus is on making sure that everyone who comes from China is provided information about this disease and told to contact medical authorities or their GP or an emergency department if they become unwell. I think it is important to note that the Chinese authorities have really stopped travel out of that major epicentre of the diseases and that has significantly reduced the potential traffic. But we know that here are pockets in other parts of China. So that’s why every flight from China is now being met and information being provided.
ANGELA COX: Okay. Thank you so much Professor Brendan Murphy for your time this morning.
PROFESSOR BRENDAN MURPHY: Thank you.
January 26
January 26: The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control posted an update titled: “Risk assessment: outbreak of acute respiratory syndrome associated with a novel coronavirus, China; First cases imported in the EU/EEA; second update”
A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has been isolated and considered the causative agent of the cluster of 2026 pneumonia cases in the area of Wuhan, Hubei province in China, as well as 38 imported cases monitored from other countries around the world. Fifty six deaths have been reported among the cases.
On 31 December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown aetiology was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. On 9 January 2020, China CDC reported a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) as the causative agent of this outbreak, which is phylogenetically in the SARS-CoV clade.
As of 26 January 2020, a total of 2,026 laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV cases have been reported, 1,988 in China and 38 imported cases from other countries around the world. Fifty six deaths have been reported among the cases. Chinese health authorities have confirmed human-to-human transmission outside Hubei province and 16 healthcare workers are reported to be infected.
Imported cases in Europe
On 23 January 2020, the first imported cases (3) of 2019-nCoV were identified in France.
The rapid increase in the number of reported cases can be partly attributed to the ongoing improved testing protocols and epidemiological investigations on the Chinese authorities; however, since the original source remains unknown and human-to-human transmission has been documented, further cases and deaths are expected. Further cases are also expected among travellers from Hubei Province. Therefore, health authorities in Member States should remain vigilant and strengthen their capacity to respond to such an event.
There are considerable uncertainties in assessing the risk of this event, due to lack of detailed epidemiological analyses.
On the basis of the information currently available, ECDC considers that:
the potential impact of 2019-nCoV outbreaks is high;
further global spread is likely;
there is currently a moderate likelihood of infection for EU/EAA citizens residing in or visiting Wuhan, Hubei province, China;
there is a high likelihood of further case importation into countries with the greatest volume of people who have travelled from Wuhan, Hubei Province (i.e. countries in Asia)’
there is a moderate likelihood of further case importation into EU/EAA countries;
adherence to appropriate infection prevention and control practices, particularly in healthcare settings in EU/EEA countries with direct links to Hubei, means that the likelihood of a case detected in the EU resulting in secondary cases within EU/EEA is low;
the impact of the late detection of an imported case would be high, therefore in such a scenario the risk of secondary transmission in the community setting is estimated to be very high.
January 26: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan Govt Urged to Prevent Spread of New Coronavirus”
A Japanese ruling party official on Sunday called on the government to take “full-scale border control measures” to prevent the spread of pneumonia caued by a new strain of coronavirus while paying close attention to related information from the World Health Organization.
In a television program, Tomomi Inada, executive acting secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, also urged the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to ensure that the public are fully given necessary information on the new virus originating in the inland China city of Wuhan.
Noting that China’s government decided on Saturday to effectively ban oversees travel by Chinese nationals from Monday, Tetsuro Fukuyama, secretary-general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said in the TV program that the move by Beijing is certain to have a considerable impact on Japan’s tourism industry and that the Japanese government should give consideration to the issue.
According to China’s government, nearly 2,000 people in the country have developed pneumonia caused by the new virus and the death toll has topped 50.
January 26: New South Wales Health another Novel Coronavirus statistics – 9AM
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 3
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 2
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
We will update the public immediately of any additional confirmed cases and the need to disclose a person’s movements.
January 26: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Govt to Bring Japanese Nationals in Wuhan Back Home”
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday that the government will bring back home Japanese nationals in Wuhan, the epicenter of a new type of coronavirus that has caused a number of people to develop pneumonia, and areas near the inland Chinese city.
“As soon as coordination with the Chinese government is made, we will help all Japanese nationals willing to return home to get back to Japan using all available measures, including chartered flights,” Abe told reporters at his official residence.
“We are making adjustments with the Chinese government at various levels,” he said, adding that the Japanese government will accelerate the preparations in order to have Japanese citizens in Wuhan and nearby areas return home as soon as possible.
Around 710 Japanese nationals are now believed to be in Wuhan, according to Japan’s Foreign Ministry. Traffic to and from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, has been shut off to prevent any further spread of the virus. Similar traffic shutdown has also been in place in some 10 other cities in the Chinese province.
On Sunday afternoon, the ministry began a survey targeting Japanese nationals in the province through its website, asking those willing to return home to inform Japan’s embassy in Beijing of their names, gender, passport numbers and other data.
January 26: New South Wales Health posted Novel Coronavirus Statistics – 5PM
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 3
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 1 (see below)
Preliminary test results have shown the above case currently under investigation has tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus. Confirmation is expected tomorrow. Public health follow-up of this probable case is being undertaken in accordance with the national guidelines and the patient remains in isolation.
Of the five cases that were under investigation today, four have now been cleared of the infection.
We will update the public immediately should this case be confirmed.
January 26: Australian Government Department of Health posted a transcript titled: “Chief Medical Officer’s update on novel coronavirus”. It is a transcript of Professor Brendan Murphy’s press conference about novel coronavirus in Australia.
Well, thank you for coming this afternoon to get an update on the coronavirus situation. I can report there have been no new confirmed cases in Australia. The number of four cases; three in Sydney and one in Melbourne remains the same. The four patients, I believe, are all in stable condition in isolation in hospital. Information just released from China shows, as expected, the number of cases has increased to over 2000 and now 56 deaths.
Nearly all of those deaths are in the Hubei province, which includes the city of Wuhan. That province has been the focal point of this infection. But we do know that there have been more than 40 cases exported to other countries and there have been cases seen in other provinces of China.
As I have advised previously, since the Chinese have essentially locked down Hubei province and stopped people leaving, the risk of infected people who might be incubating the virus coming to Australia remains lower than it was before that time.
However, because people could have left the province before the lockdown and could come to Australia via a number of flights, we are now meeting every flight from China and providing the passengers with an information sheet, asking them to identify themselves if they’re unwell on the flight, but also to identify if they become unwell, particularly with fever or cough or other respiratory symptoms after they have been in Australia.
If any of those people with a relevant travel history or have been in contact with someone with this condition gets those symptoms, we want them to call ahead to their GP or their emergency department and go and be tested. The chances are they won’t have this condition, but the really important thing in Australia is that we identify and be able to isolate people with this virus. We have an excellent public health system in every state and territory with good protocols for isolation and treatment of people.
So the risk to the Australian population is – there is no risk at the moment other than people who have come from – with that travel history or have been in contact with people. So there is no cause for general concern, but we are very focused on identifying anyone who may have come with this disease in recent weeks.
QUESTION: How many people have actually been contacted that were on planes with these people that were travelling?
BRENDAN MURPHY: At the moment, the Commonwealth has provided information to the Victorian authorities on all of the passengers on the Victorian plane and are providing more information on the New South Wales plane – the two planes that are being followed up. I think it’s important to note that both the passenger on the Victorian plane and the New South Wales plane didn’t develop symptoms until after they landed in Australia. And we do know that it’s likely, because this virus is similar to other coronaviruses, that people aren’t infectious until they have symptoms. But because these two patients developed symptoms within about 24 hours of arrival, we’re being absolutely cautious and contacting those people.
Now, the earlier people to be contacted are those who were sitting within the two rows in front or behind them in the plane because they are the only people with any real potential of any cross-infection. But then we will also contact everyone else who was on the flight later, or the state and territory health authorities will, to ensure that they get information and particularly are reassured.
QUESTION: Is there any reason why it’s taking so long to track down all those passengers and they haven’t been contacted?
BRENDAN MURPHY: To actually get the contact details of the passengers, you have to go manually through those arrival cards. You know, those cards that you’ve all filled in when you arrive in Australia. And then you have to be able to decipher what people have written for their contact details, and that takes a lot of time. But the Victorian health authorities were given the information yesterday, as soon and the Commonwealth finished that. And we’r working 24 hours a day to identify those people.
So the state health authorities are taking their time and contacting, as I said, those people who are at the highest risk – who were sitting close to the people. But we don’t really believe the risk of contracting this virus from those other plane passengers is high. It would be much higher if those people had had symptoms or been unwell on the flight, but they weren’t.
QUESTION: There are reports that there have been alerts going out in New South Wales in some areas of – to be wary of coronavirus. Can you explain more about that?
BRENDAN MURPHY: I’m not aware of those alerts, I’m sorry.
QUESTION: So there are no new cases at the moment. Do you know how many test results are still waiting to ?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Look, this is a moving feast. There have been several tests done every day. I don’t actually know how many are being done in the preliminary test or the confirmed test. I’m not aware of any highly likely positive that’s being worked up at the moment. But I would not be surprised if there ware some more cases because we, knowing what’s happened in other countries and knowing the traffic from that part of China to Australia, it’s highly likely that we may see some more. But as I’ve said on many occasions, we are incredibly well-prepared to isolate and deal with that and to prevent any transmission of the virus in this country.
QUESTION: Considering that the Australian Open is on at the moment, are they any concerns or any contingency plans…
BRENDAN MURPHY: I don’t think any – there’s no evidence to suggest that we would need to do that at the moment.
QUESTION: Once someone contracts coronavirus, how infectious is it? You were talking about two rows before and being on the plane.
BRENDAN MURPHY: We’re still understanding about this virus. Initially, as you know, in China it was reported that most cases came from an animal species. We now know that there is clear human-to-human transmission. We believe it’s when these people are asymptomatic, as I said. So if someone is just incubating in the plane, we don’t think they’re infectious. So we – clearly, there is some evidence of infectiousness when people have symptoms and fever. So that’s the concern and that’s when we would want to isolate people who might have come from that area who have symptoms to wear a mask and be isolated.
QUESTION: Is it a matter of, if someone coughs on you and they’ve got it you’ll get it, or is it airborne?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, again, we don’t fully understand everything about this virus, but we believe that it’s likely to be aerosol spread. So, coughing on someone would present a risk, but we don’t really have good data on the infectivity or how high the risk of human-to-human transmissions is. That data issuing developed and being updated at the moment. But we’re still understanding this virus fully.
QUESTION: Are treatment plans changing the more we understand about it?
BRENDAN MURPHY: There is no available specific treatment for a coronavirus. The treatment is supportive – looking after people, making sure they’re isolated, giving them oxygen if they do have pneumonia, and making sure that secondary complications are treated. But it is a supportive treatment at the moment.
QUESTION: Could we just explain; how does it actually kill someone? It’s obviously …
BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, again, people, generally speaking, we believe from reports from China that the people who have severe disease have a severe lung involvement – a severe pneumonia – and that is likely to lead to other complications, particularly if you have other illnesses and comorbidities, and that’s probably the main way of killing people. But we don’t fully understand that at the moment.
QUESTION: At this stage, perfectly healthy people in the prime of their life – should they be concerned, then?
BRENDAN MURPHY: We, again, as we have said previously, the advice from China is that a significant number of the people who have died had other illnesses. But probably not all. So like as sometimes happens in influenza, sometime people who are otherwise healthy can get a serious illness with an infection. But again, we’re talking only about people who may have come from China at the moment; we’re not talking about people in Australia who haven’t come from China or haven’t been in contact with someone in another country with this disease being at risk.
So we’re not suggesting that people should be worried in Australia at the moment.
QUESTION: Just going on mathematics, the amount of people on all the flights that have come on that we’ve now had cases reported on. That’s, you know, 800 – I mean 800 people at least. Just on the mathematics, we are expecting more people to get …
BRENDAN MURPHY: As I’ve been saying all week, I think it’s quite likely we will get some more cases, we just don’t know. We just have to be prepared, but I suspect it will be relatively small numbers, but we have to be prepared for whatever happens.
QUESTION: And should Australians be concerned about the flights that still keep coming from China?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, I think we – the Chinese authorities have, as I said, locked down the Hubei province. So, that’s where the vast majority of these cases are now. We know that there are small pockets in other parts of China but the Chinese authorities are quarantining them. So I suspect the risk of people coming from other parts of China is relatively low. But just to be sure, we’re providing that information to all passengers.
QUESTION: And so, as you said that you’re not quite sure how many are being contacted on the flights that have come in, including that one on Sunday with the Victorian . Do we know if there’s been a struggle to contact some? Because given they’ve moved on, they might not have registered their correct details, they might not even be in the country still.
BRENDAN MURPHY: So, these contacts are being done by the relevant state health authorities. So, the Victorian health department and the New South Wales health department. The Commonwealth provides the information from our Border Force, and you’d have to probably ask them how they’re going with the contact. But I know they’re working flat-out on that at the moment in both states.
QUESTION: Families of the patients confirmed to have coronavirus haven’t been quarantined. Is that decision being changed at all?
BRENDAN MURPHY: The state health departments are doing contact tracing of those patients, and I can’t comment on exactly what quarantine provisions they are contemplating because that is in their court.
QUESTION: Okay. And with, you know, , what are you guys telling healthcare providers? Because often that’s next for transmission. We’ve seen Chinese healthcare providers already die in contact with coronavirus. What are you telling doctors, nurses?
BRENDAN MURPHY: So, healthcare providers in Australia are well trained to deal with communicable diseases. They are well trained in the use of personal protective equipment and isolation. I have just today, sent a message to every emergency physician, every GP – or about to send later today in the country, giving them an update on this condition and outlining the need to be aware of peoples’ travel history and how to deal with people if they come. So, I’ve been in contact with the presidents of both colleges of GPs, the college of Emergency Medicine, the president of the AMA, and they’re all standing by later today to send out these messages.
QUESTION: The man from Victoria who is confirmed to have it – he went to the GP on Thursday wearing a facemark. And despite the, the doctor still didn’t, kind of, have the red flag that this person might have coronavirus. Does that concern you?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Look, I’m not aware of the exact circumstances of that clinical interaction. But that was one of the reasons prompting me to send this message to all doctors today to remind them. We have previously provided information, but we’re trying to reinforce it at the moment.
QUESTION: Would you expect a GP who hasn’t picked up coronavirus, which was the case in Victoria, to be facing a bit of, like, disciplinary action?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Look, I can’t comment on the circumstances of what happened in that clinical interaction. I don’t know the details. So it probably would be speculation.
QUESTION: Would you be recommending an investigation?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Look, again, I would need to find out what happened in the circumstances before I’d make any comment on that.
QUESTION: And the US is looking at evacuating its citizens from Japan. Would you support Australia doing the same thing, or is that too risky?
BRENDAN MURPHY: So, I’m advised by the Minister of Health that the Foreign Minister, Minister Payne, will be making a statement in relation to Australian nationals in Hubei province later today.
QUESTION: And do you have any idea what she’ll be saying?
BRENDAN MURPHY: No, I don’t. That’s in the province of the Foreign Affairs Department. I know that they are actively engaging with our citizens in Hubei province, but it’s the Foreign Minister’s job to make an announcement about – or statements about that later.
QUESTION: As a doctor though, do you support that evacuation happening? Or is it too risky?
BRENDAN MURPHY: I’m not – the Foreign Affairs Department is obviously contacting our people. I don’t know the numbers of where they are at the moment. We would need to be – to look at the circumstances before I could make an assessment of that.
QUESTION: On a purely practical level, the common facemarks that we’re seeing on the people who arrive at airports – are they effective in preventing spread?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Obviously, there’s standard surgical masks are less effective than the properly grades masks that you can buy – the ones that prevent small particles from coming in. So, we are always recommending that people use those proper masks.
QUESTION: So if someone’s wearing just that usual surgical mask, they could still be spreading the virus?
BRENDAN MURPHY: But there’s significantly less — reduced chance, even from the surgical mask. But it’s not complete protection, no.
QUESTION: Just on, it’s probably a little bit out of your realm, but I understand the Matildas are playing over in China and it’s been moved, but do you suggest that they should possibly not be going to China at all?
BRENDAN MURPHY: I don’t think I should comment on that. That’s a matter for the Matildas.
Thanks very much, everybody. Thanks for coming.
January 26: CDC tweeted: “CDC confirms 3 new cases of novel #coronavirus (#2019 infection in the U.S., 1 in AZ & 2 in CA, bringing total to 5. All US cases travelled from Wuhan, China. More cases may be identified. However, risk to US general public is considered low.”
January 26: New South Wales Health posted “Novel coronavirus statistics – 9AM”
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 3
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 2
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
We will update the public immediately of any additional confirmed cases and the need to disclose a person’s movements.
January 26: World Heath Organization (WHO) posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 6”. From the report:
Data was reported by 26 January 2020.
Situation update:
On 26 January 2020, the number of reported confirmed cases of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has increased by 694 cases since the last situation report published yesterday.
A total of 2,014 confirmed 2019-nCoV cases have been reported globally;
Of the 2,014 cases reported, 1,985 cases were reported from China, including Hong Kong SAR (4 confirmed cases), Macau SAR (2 confirmed cases), Taipei (3 confirmed cases).
Twenty-nine confirmed cases have been reported outside of China in ten countries. (see table-1) Of these 29 exported cases, 26 had a travel history from Wuhan City, China.
Among the three cases identified in countries outside of China:
One case in Australia had direct contact with a confirmed case from Wuhan while in China;
One case in Australia reported today, travel history is not yet known;
One case in Viet Nam had no travel history but was in contact with a confirmed case (his father with travel history to Wuhan), resulting in human-to-human transmission within a family.
Of the 1,975 confirmed cases (excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taipei), 324 cases have been reported as severely ill.
Fifty-six deaths have been reported to date (52 deaths in Hubei province and 4 from outside Hubei)
WHO’s assessment of the risk of this event has not changed since the last risk assessment conducted on 22 January: very high in China, high at the regional level and high at the global level.
I. SURVEILLANCE
Limiting international spread of 2019-nCoV depends on understanding the global epidemiology. Key questions that global surveillance must answer to include the following:
How fast is 2019-nCoV spreading from China to other countries?
Where are cases exported from and to?
What types of exposures are reported by travellers originating in Wuhan or in other provinces in China reporting cases and human to human transmission?
Are individuals symptomatic before travel and potentially detectable through exit or entry screening?
Is there person-to-person transmission occurring in countries reporting imported cases?
What is the clinical presentation of illness among travelers?
Reported incidence of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases (Table 1)
China: 1,985
Japan: 3
Republic of Korea: 2
Viet Nam: 2
Singapore: 4
Australia: 4
Malaysia: 3
Thailand: 5
Nepal: 1
United States of America: 2
France: 3
TOTAL: 2,014
II. PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
WHO:
WHO has been in regular and direct contact with Member States where cases have been reported. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested.
Developed the surveillance case definitions and reporting forms for human infection with 2019-nCoV and is updating it as the new information becomes available.
Developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnosis, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, risk communication and community engagement.
Prepared disease commodity package for supplies necessary in identification and management of confirmed patients.
Provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans.
WHO has published an updated advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.
WHO is providing guidance on early investigations. The first protocol that is available is a: Household transmission investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
WHO has developed an online course to provide general introduction to emerging respiratory viruses, including novel coronaviruses.
WHO is providing guidance on early investigations, which are critical to carry out early in an outbreak of a new virus. The data collected from the study protocols can be used to refine recommendations for surveillance and case definitions, to characterize the key epidemiological transmission features of 2019-nCoV, help understand spread, severity, spectrum of disease impact on the community and to inform operational models for implementation of countermeasures such as case isolation, contact tracing and isolation. The first protocol that is available is a: Household transmission investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
WHO is working with its networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
Utilizing global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling.
WHO Is working with networks of specialists to analyze 2019-nCoV full genome as they become available.
WHO has not received evidence that the virus has changed. WHO awaits further information from Chinese officials.
Current estimates of the incubation period range from 2-10 days, and these estimates will be refined as more data become available. Understanding the time when infected patients may transmit the virus to others is critical for control efforts. In previous outbreaks of other coronavirus, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), some individuals can be asymptomatic and transmit to others. Detailed epidemiological information from more people infected is needed to determine the infectious period of 2019-nCoV.
WHO has issued advice to people on how to protect themselves from 2019-nCoV infection, as for any virus that spreads via the respiratory route.
In addition, it is vitally important in health care settings, that health care workers are able to protect themselves from infection. WHO guidance on infection prevention and control measures in health care facilities is here.
January 26: California Department of Public Health posted “Two Confirmed Cases of Novel Coronavirus in California”
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has been informed that one individual in Los Angeles County and one individual in Orange County have tested positive for novel coronavirus 2019 (nCoV-2019). This information is confirmed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH), the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“The California Department of Public Health has been preparing for this situation by working closely with local health departments and health care providers,” said Dr. Angell, CDPH Director and State Health Officer. “We are supporting ongoing efforts by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and the Orange County Health Care Agency to respond to these cases, and will continue working with our partners to monitor for any additional cases that may occur in California, to ensure that persons can be safely and effectively evaluated for this novel virus, and to protect the health of the people of California.”
At this time, no other persons infected with nCoV-2019 have been identified in California. Currently, the immediate health risk from nCoV 2019 to the general public is low.
It is very important for persons who have recently traveled and who become ill to notify their health care provider of their travel history. Persons who have recently traveled to Wuhan, China, or who have had contact with a person with possible novel coronavirus infection should contact their local health department or health care provider.
CDPH has been prepared and is continuing with the following actions:
Providing information about the outbreak and how to report suspect cases to local health departments and health care providers in California.
Coordinating with CDC personnel who are doing screening of travelers from Wuhan, China at SFO and LAX airports.
Assuring that health care providers know how to safely manage persons with possible nCoV-2019 infection.
Supporting hospitals and local public health laboratories for collection and shipment of specimens for testing at CDC for nCoV-2019.
Activating CDPH’s Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response efforts across the state.
The nCoV-2019 outbreak in China continues to evolve and California is prepared for more cases that may arise. CDPH considers this a very important public health event: we are closely monitoring the situation and providing updates to partners across the state to support their preparedness efforts.
As with any virus, especially during the flu season, CDPH reminds you there are a number of steps you can take to protect your health and those around you:
Washing hands with soap and water.
Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick are all ways to reduce the risk if infection with a number of different viruses.
If someone does become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough, they should stay away from work, school or other people to avoid spreading illness.
CDPH will not be providing additional information about the patients beyond what is being shared by the LADPH and OCHCA.
January 26: New York State Health website posted “Governor Cuomo Announces State’s Continued Response to Novel Coronavirus as Three More Individuals are Identified for Testing in New York State”
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced New York State’s latest efforts to prepare and respond to the outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now confirms three cases in the United States. While there have been no confirmed cases in New York State, as of today, the New York State Department of Health has sent seven total cases to CDC for testing. Three of those cases remain in isolation as their cases are tested at CDC.
“While the experts still believe the risk of catching this novel coronavirus is currently low in New York, I want all New Yorkers to know we are prepared and continue to take all necessary steps to keep people informed and safe to keep people informed and safe,” Governor Cuomo said. “I have directed the Department of Health and other state agencies to continue working closely with the CDC, the World Health Organization, our local and federal government partners, and New York’s healthcare providers to ensure we stay ahead of this situation.”
With travelers expected to begin returning to the US this week from Lunar New Year celebrations in China, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) has begun working with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to post multilingual sinage about the virus at all four Port Authority International airports. DOH is also working with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to place informational signage on subways and busses.
Information about the novel coronavirus is available here.
On Friday, the State Department of Health held an informational webinar on the coronavirus with over 400 participants from New York’s colleges and universities, many of which have international students and faculty. DOH will circulate guidance this week on messaging to students about the virus, how to prevent it and how it spreads. This is in addition to a series of informational webinars DOH has already held for hospitals and local healthcare providers.
Last week the Department of Health issued guidance to healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, clinical laboratories and local health departments providing updated information about the outbreak, and ensuring proper protocols are in place if a patient is experiencing symptoms consistent with the novel coronavirus, had a travel history to Wuhan, China, where the novel coronavirus originated, or had come in contact with an individual who was under investigation for this novel coronavirus.
Last week’s health guidance coincided with the start of a CDC-led airport entry screening program at John F. Kennedy International Airport for passengers arriving from Wuhan, China. Chinese officials have since closed transport in and out of Wuhan and other cities in the province, including their international airports. DOH, Port Authority, and the New York City health Department will continue to work collaboratively with CDC as their travel screening process evolves. To date, no passenger has required further evaluation as a result of the CDC-led passenger screening program at JFK. To raise further awareness for all international travel, Governor Cuomo has directed the Port Authority to post informational signs at all four Port Authority International airports.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, “We encourage all New Yorkers to take normal precautions against sickness, such as regular hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. We will continue to work with our partner at the CDC and are prepared to assist in any way necessary to ensure the health of New Yorkers.”
Symptoms of the novel coronavirus may include:
Runny nose
Headache
Cough
Sore Throat
Fever
The CDC recommends that individuals avoid all nonessential travel to Wuhan, China, but has provided specific information for those who are still planning a trip to Wuhan for individuals who have recently returned from that city and may be experiencing the above symptoms.
While there is currently no vaccine for this novel coronavirus, everyday preventative actions can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses, including:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Individuals who are experiencing symptoms and may have traveled to areas of concern, or have been in contact with somebody who has traveled to these areas, should call ahead to their healthcare provider before presenting for treatment.
January 26: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a media statement titled: “CDC confirms additional cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus in United States”. From the media release:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today confirmed additional travel-related infections of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States, this time in Arizona and California. These patients recently returned to the U.S. from Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus has been ongoing since December 2019. This brings the total number of 2019n-CoV infections detected in the United States to five.
Based on the patient’s travel history and symptoms, healthcare professionals suspected 2019-nCoV. Clinical specimens were collected and sent to CDC, where laboratory testing confirmed infection with 2019-nCoV. Investigations are underway to determine where these patients went after returning to the United States and any close contacts who were possibly exposed. CDC teams have been deployed to support these efforts.
This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we are still in the early days of the investigation – both domestically and abroad. CDC continues to monitor the international situation with our teams on the ground in affected countries, to monitor the international situation with our teams on the ground in affected countries, as well as domestically in the four states with confirmed cases – Arizona, California, Illinois, and Washington. CDC is leaning forward with an aggressive public health response strategy and working closely with state and local public health authorities to identify potential cases early and make sure patients get the best and most appropriate care.
It is likely there will be more cases reported in the U.S. in the coming days and weeks, likely including person-to-person spread. In previous outbreaks with MERS and SARS, the two other coronaviruses that have jumped the species barrier to cause severe illness in people, person-to-person spread has been seen, including among healthcare workers caring for patients ill with coronavirus infection. This underscores the importance of appropriate precautions in the health care setting as well in homes of people who are infected with 2019-nCoV but who may not be hospitalized. CDC has developed guidance for both situations.
This is a very serious public health situation. We understand that some people are worried about this virus and how it may impact Americans. Outbreaks of new disease are always of concern- and in today’s connected world, an outbreak anywhere can be a risk everywhere. Risk is dependent on exposure. Someone who is in close contact with a person who is infected with 2019-nCoV will be at greater risk of infection and should take the precautions outlined in CDC’s guidance for preventing spread in homes and communities. While this is a serious public health threat, CDC continues to believe the immediate risk to the U.S. general public is low at this time.
Right now, CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential travel to the Hubei Province, China. In addition, CDC recommends people traveling to other parts of China practice certain health precautions like avoiding contact with people who are sick and practicing good hand hygiene. For the general public, no additional precautions are recommended at this time beyond the simple daily precautions that everyone should always take. It is currently flu and respiratory disease season, and flu activity is still high and expected to continue for a number of weeks. CDC recommends getting a flue vaccine, taking everyday preventative actions to stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.
As we learn more about this novel coronavirus, we will continue to update our guidance. Please visit the CDC website which is updated daily, for the latest information related to our response.
January 26: Billboard reported – Canto-pop singer Andy Lau canceled 12 concerts scheduled throughout February at the Hong Kong Coliseum. The My Love Andy Lau World Tour Hong Kong 2020 was scheduled to start on Feb. 15 and end on Feb. 28. Lau said in a statement: “Sorry about this. I wish that everyone will remain healthy. And that we get through this difficulty together.” According to the South China Morning Post, more than 100,000 fans will be impacted by the cancellations.
January 26: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Chief Medical Officer’s interview on ABC Radio on Novel coronavirus”
JOSH SZEPS: We can now speak to Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy, who joins us from Canberra. Professor Murphy, thanks very much for being with us. How concerned should we be about coronavirus?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Clearly, we are concerned at what’s happening in China. It’s clear that this disease is not under control. The Chinese authorities are taking very significant measures, as your reported just outlines, to contain the epicentre of the infection in Hubei Province. But we know that it has spread to small pockets in other parts of China, generally people from that area of Hubei Province.
And we know there are more than 40 exported cases including to Australia. Again, isolated cases, no evidence of any human-to-human transmission outside of China. All of the cases outside of China do seem to have come from China. And we are very well-prepared in Australia, we have very strong public health response systems, as evidenced by the way the four cases identified yesterday have been managed.
JOSH SZEPS: When you say no evidence of human to human transmission outside of China, would that have anything to do with the specifics of the virus itself? Or is that just the fact that we’re dealing with it well?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Well I think it’s probably that there are small numbers and it’s being dealt with well in those countries. It’s pretty clear now from the data coming out of China that close contacts of infected people can contract the virus. So the virus is clearly being proven to have human to human transmission. But if we get onto it well and you don’t get a focus of cases then that can be prevented.
JOSH SZEPS: One of the characteristics of this virus, as I understand it, is that it can begin with symptoms that are almost identical to a common cold or a flu and those can last for some number of days. Does that pose a specific challenge?
BRENDAN MURPHY: It does because it is flu season in China and probably most people with those sort of symptoms, which are relatively non-specific — fever is prominent, cough, breathlessness – probably don’t have this virus. That’s why we’re focusing on our public health message in Australia to say that if you have come from that Hubei Province of China in the last two or three weeks and you become unwell, please tell ahead to your doctor or your emergency department, call ahead and tell them that you’ve had that travel history, and be tested. Most people will probably be negative, but we need to capture anyone who’s come from China, particularly before they closed down the area late last Thursday.
JOSH SZEPS: But, to clarify, if you haven’t been to China and if you just have a bit of a sniffle and you’ve eaten some dumplings, you don’t need to be rushing to an emergency room just yet.
BRENDAN MURPHY: No, indeed. The only other situation where you might be at risk is if you’ve been a close family contact of someone who’s come from China who is unwell, and that’s pretty unlikely.
JOSH SZEPS: Professor Murphy, thank you so much for your time. Good talk to you.
BRENDAN MURPHY: Pleasure.
January 27
January 27: Arab News (News from Japan) posted “Japan to Designate New Pneumonia as Specified Disease”
The Japanese government said Monday it will designate pneumonia caused by a new type of coronavirus that is spreading mainly in China as a specified infectious disease.
The government plans to make the move at a cabinet meeting Tuesday. The designation under the infectious disease law will allow authorities to conduct compulsory hospitalization of infected patients and stop them from attending work.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled the policy at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan’s parliament.
“The government will make the utmost efforts to prevent the spread of the infections in Japan,” Abe said.
The designation of a specified infectious disease is made when the disease is not included in the major infectious diseases in the law.
In 2003, the government designated severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, as a specified infectious disease. A similar measure was taken for Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, in 2014.
The government also accelerated its preparations to evacuate Japanese nationals from Wuhan, Hubei Province, where the outbreak of the new coronavirus started.
The government will send commercial chartered flights as early as Tuesday so that all Japanese nationals willing to return home can do so.
At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that some 560 Japanese nationals are in the Chinese province.
“We’ll help all Japanese nationals there who want to return home to come back to Japan as soon as arrangements are made with the Chinese government.” Suga said.
Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters that he hears the government will start sending the flights as early as Tuesday.
The government is also considering utilizing a government plane for the evacuation, informed sources said.
At a meeting Monday, the Tokyo metropolitan government confirmed that up to about 50 inpatient beds at four metropolitan government-linked hospitals can be made available to people returning to Wuhan.
In response to China’s ban on group tours to oversees destinations, Suga said that the government will closely watch effects of the measure on the Japanese economy.
As the number of Chinese travelers to Japan has been surging recently, the government will gather information and closely monitor the situation, he said.
January 27: New South Wales Health posted “Advice for parents ahead of school returning”
With students returning to school next week, parents of children who have had contact with a confirmed case of novel Coronavirus are being urged to keep their children at home and monitor for symptoms.
NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant explained that any child who has been in contact with a person confirmed as having novel coronavirus must not attend school or childcare for 14 days after the last contact with the infected person.
“14 days represents the internationally recognized incubation period for the disease,” Dr Chant said.
“After this time the child is considered not to be at risk of infection.”
Students who have traveled to Wuhan and Hubei during the school holidays can return to school but should be carefully monitored for symptoms of coronavirus infection.
“The most common symptom is a fever,” Dr Chat said.
“Other symptoms include cough, sore throat, and shortness of breath.”
Anyone who exhibits these symptoms should be isolated immediately from other people and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
If you develop a fever, a cough, sore throat or shortness of breath within 14 days of travel to Hubei or contact with a person with confirmed coronavirus, you should immediately isolate yourself from other people. Contact your GP or your emergency department or call the health direct helpline 1800 022 222 and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Minister for Health, Brand Hazzard explained that NSW Health has processes in place to identify any close contacts of cases confirmed in Australia.
“Advice about not attending school would be provided to these close contacts,” he said.
There are currently four confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in NSW. All cases had travelled to Wuhan, China or had contact with a confirmed case in China.
Parents with concerns can contact their local Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055 for advice or visit the dedicated NSW Health information page a COVID-19 (Coronavirus).
NSW Department of Education has issued guidance to all NSW Schools, which included information to guide school staff in the event of a child becoming sick.
January 27: UK Department of Health and Social Care posted “Wuhan coronavirus: Health Secretary’s statement to Parliament”. It is a statement from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock.
Mr Speaker, with your permission, before turning to the Bill I would like to update the House on the ongoing situation with the Wuhan coronavirus.
The Chief Medical Officer continues to advise that the risk to the UK population is “low” and has concluded that while there is an increased risk of likelihood that cases may arise in this country, we are well prepared and well equipped to deal with them.
As of 2pm, there are currently no confirmed cases in the UK. We are working night and day with the World Health Organization and the international community and are monitoring the situation closely. Our approach has been guided by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty.
As I set out in my statement on Thursday, coronavirus presents with flu-like symptoms including a fever, a cough, or difficulty breathing. The current evidence is that most cases appear to be mild.
However, this is a new disease and the global scientific community is still learning about it. I have therefore directed Public Health England to take a belt and braces approach, including tracing people who have been to Wuhan in the past 14 days.
Coronaviruses do not usually spread if people don’t have symptoms – however we cannot be 100 per cent certain.
From today, we are therefore asking anyone in the UK who has returned from Wuhan in the last 14 days to self-isolate. Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people – and to contact NHS 111. If you are in Northern Ireland, you should phone your GP.
If you develop respiratory symptoms within 14 days of travel from the area, and are now in the UK, call your GP or ring 111 informing them of your symptoms and your recent travel to the city.
Do not leave home until you have been given advice by a clinician.
Public Health England officials are continuing to trace people who have arrived in the UK from Wuhan. Having eliminated those who we know have since left the country, there are 1,460 people we are seeking to locate.
The Foreign Office is rapidly advancing measures to bring UK nationals back from Hubei Provence.
I have asked my officials to ensure there are appropriate measures in place upon arrival to look after them and protect the public.
If you are in Hubei Province and wish to leave, please get in contact with the Foreign Office.
The UK is one of the first countries in the world to have developed an accurate test for this coronavirus and PHE is undertaking continuous refinement of this test. PHE has this morning confirmed to me that it can scale up this test so we are in a position to deal with cases in this country if necessary.
Mr Speaker, I want to stress that the NHS remains well prepared. The NHS has expert teams in every ambulance service and a number of specialist hospital units with highly trained staff and equipment ready to receive and care for patients with any highly infectious, disease including this one.
The NHS practices and prepares its response to disease outbreaks and follows tried and tested procedures, following the highest safety standards possible for the protection of NHS staff, patients and the public. Specific guidance on handling the Wuhan coronavirus has been shared with NHS staff.
Madame Speaker this is a timely reminder to have a first-class health care system and this bring me to this Bill.
January 27: New South Wales Health posted “Novel coronavirus statistics”
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 4
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 5
January 27: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Honda, Aeon to Bring Home Japanese Workers from Wuhan”. From the article:
Honda Motor Co. <7267> and Aeon Co. <8267> will bring home Japanese workers from Wuhan, China, due to the spread of pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus, officials at the two Japanese companies said Monday.
The companies will use flights chartered by the Japanese government for the evacuation from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, the officials said.
A chartered flight will leave for Wuhan as early as Tuesday, Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters. The new virus is believed to have originated in the inland Chinese city.
Honda has an auto assembly plant in Wuhan. Japanese workers and theri family members, totaling some 30, will be brought back home, company officials said. A few Japanese workers who oversee the plant will stay there, they said.
Aeon, which runs five supermarket stores in Wuhan, will allow workers who hope to go back to Japan to do so, company officials said.
January 27: New South Wales Health @NSWHealth tweeted: “1/2 @NSWHealth has been made aware of a social media post that is being widely circulated warning people to not consume certain foods or visit certain locations in Sydney. This post has not originated from NSW Health or any related entity…
January 27: New South Wales Health @NWSHealth tweeted: “2/2 Further, there is no such entity as the “Department of Diseasology Parramatta”. NWS Health would like to assure the community that the locations mentioned in this post pose no risk to visitors, and there have been no “positive readings” at train stations.”
January 27: New South Wales Health posted “Novel coronavirus statistics – 11:30 am”
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 4
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 6
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
January 27: CDC Travel Health tweeted: “CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential travel to #China due to the ongoing #2019nCoV (#coronavirus) outbreak. The outbreak is growing and there is limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas”.
January 27: President Trump tweeted: “READ THE TRANSCRIPTS!”
For context, Trump was using one of his catchphrases in an effort to provide misinformation about his impeachment. Specifically, he wants people to read what he refers to as a “transcript” of a call between himself and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In that call, the House of Representatives concluded, as part of an investigation, that Trump withdrew Congress approved funding for Ukraine until and unless President Zelenskyy publicly announced that Ukraine was investigating former Vice President Joe Biden because Biden’s son, in the past, had worked for a large Ukraine business.
The “transcript” is not a transcript – it is a memo written by Trump’s Attorney General. A transcript does not exist, because the U.S. Government stopped recording calls after former President Nixon was impeached for his tape recordings of conversations.
Also, for context, President Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives. January 27, 2020, was the start of the Senate hearing that was being publicly broadcast.
In short, Trump is more focused on himself than on the coronavirus (that he had been warned about.)
January 27: World Health Organization Western Pacific posted a thread that started with this tweet: “The total number of confirmed cases of the 2019 novel #coronavirus reported from mainland China to date is 4,515. This includes 976 severe cases and 106 people who have died. #nCov #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV”.
January 27: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: Hong Kong SAR has reported a total of 8 cases, Macao SAR has reported 7 cases, and Taiwan, China has reported 4 cases. #coronavirus #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCov”
January 27: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Among other countries in the @WHO Western Pacific Region: Austraia & Singapore have each reported 5 cases; Japan, Malaysia & the Republic of Korea: 4 cases each; Vietnam: 2 cases; Cambodia: 1 case. #coronavirus #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV”
January 27: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “For more information in other regions, follow @WHO, including daily SitReps
Reduce your risk of coronavirus infection by washing hands frequently, and following these measures
Reduce your risk of coronavirus by:
Clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub
Cover nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or flexed elbow
Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms
Thoroughly cook meat and eggs
Avoid unprotected contact with live wild or farm animals
January 27: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “GMO Employees to Work from Home amid Coronavirus Concern”
GMO Internet Inc. <9449> said Monday it has told about 4,000 employees, about 90 pct of its workforce in Japan, to work from home amid concerns over a new coronavirus.
The measure will last for about two weeks starting Monday, the Japanese internet service provider said.
Subject to the measure are employees working in offices in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, the western city if Osaka and the southwestern prefecture of Fukuoka.
The company said it has told workers in Beijing, Shanghai, and other places in China, including those on business trips, to return to Japan.
The moves are to “secure employee’s safety and continue providing stable services,” a GMO Internet official said.
January 27: Ohio Department of Health tweeted: “Ohio currently has zero cases of #Coronavirus. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely with @CDCgov.”
January 27: New York State website posted “Governor Cuomo Issues Update on Novel Coronavirus as Two More New Yorkers Identified for Testing Bringing Total to Nine”. From the news:
Samples From Four Found to be Negative at CDC, Five Results Still Pending
No Confirmed Cases in New York
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an update on the status of testing for the Novel Coronavirus in New York State, after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed five cases in the United States.
“While there have been no confirmed cases in New York State, as of today, our Department of Health has sent samples for nine individuals to CDC for testing: four of these samples have proven negative and five results are still pending,” Governor Cuomo said. “These five individuals remain in isolation as their samples are tested at CDC. While the risk for New Yorkers is currently low, we are still working to keep everyone informed, prepared, and safe.”
January 27: Australian Government Department of Health posted a transcript titled: “Chief Medical Officer’s update on novel coronavirus”. It is a transcript of Professor Brendan Murphy’s doorstop about novel coronavirus”. From the transcript:
BRENDAN MURPHY: Four elsewhere in China. The average age of the deaths, the median age I should say is 71 and a half years, which suggests that they’re in an elderly population in the main. Although there have been some young people in that group. There are 54 exported cases now in a range of countries, generally in small numbers. In Australia, there are now five confirmed cases: four in New South Wales, in Sydney, currently at Westmead Hospital and one in Melbourne in Monash Medical Centre. I’m advised that all five remain stable. There are a number of other Australians who have been tested and have been negative.
I’ve been regularly updating the Prime Minister, the Minister for Health, and Government on the developments. I think one thing we are noticing is that in China, whilst more than half the cases are still in the Hubei province, we are seeing increasing numbers across the other provinces in China. We still don’t know whether those increasing numbers are due to people who’ve come from the Hubei province, left that province before it was locked down and developed symptoms.
There is still no evidence yet of sustained human to human transmission outside of the Hubei province. In Australia, our focus, as I’ve said on many occasions, is the early detection of anyone who may have come from China, particularly the Hubei province, within the last two weeks; the incubation period being up to 14 days.
And our message remains the same: if you develop flu-like symptoms, fever, cough, contact either your GP or your local emergency department, tell them before you come that you’ve had a relevant travel history to China and attend to be tested. The majority of people that have been tested turn out to be negative.
We have increased some of the border measures today. As we’ve previously advised, every flight from China now is being met by border security officers who are going on the plane and distributing information to every passenger trying to identify any unwell passengers. The airlines are also required to identify any unwell passengers and if they are unwell, there’s a process of screening them. Every passenger on those flights from China is given an information sheet in Chinese and Mandarin, sorry, Mandarin and English and told to undertake, to watch themselves, and to contact their doctor or their emergency department should they develop symptoms over the following 14 days.
In addition, because there are some people who could come from China via other countries, and other ports within 14 days, we are now making announcements in the arrivals halls of airports, again in English and Mandarin, pointing out that anyone who may have come from China from whatever flight or whatever port they’re on, pointing out the risks and identifying that there is printed material available for them to collect at the airport if they have come from China so that all of the people who may have come from China can get that information.
Again, we have no evidence there’s a risk to the Australian public. There’s no human to human transmission that’s been identified in this country. I convened this afternoon the Australian Health Protection Principle Committee and we have been looking at the data, and as I said, the concern, I think, is the number of cases outside of the Hubei province in China, and that’s why we are starting to look at people who have come from parts of China other than Hubei as potentially at risk. Although, our focus still remains on that Hubei province of China, which is the epicentre and which is the only place where human to human transmission has been identified.
So I think I might leave it at that and be happy to take any questions.
QUESTION: There’s huge numbers of Chinese travelers – 43 flights into Australia today. These messaging and pamphlets, is that really enough to kind of deter this?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Well, I think the important thing is that everybody who comes from China is aware of the risk. The risk is probably greater after they’ve arrived because most – all of the cases that have been identified to date were perfectly well when they arrived, but they have all presented to doctors or emergency departments baed on their knowledge of the risks. So, the most important thing is to get that information out there. So we feel that is a proportionate measure.
QUESTION: Should we be quarantining these passengers when they arrive?
BRENDEN MURPHY: There is no evidence to suggest that – and I’m not aware of any first world country that’s doing that. I don’t think there’s sufficient evidence of the risk. I think, as I said before, now that the Chinese Government has locked down the Hubei Province, which is where the majority of these people come from, it’s quite hard to get out of China from those at-risk areas, and we think the risk of someone coming on current flights is probably very low. So you might be quarantining thousands of people for little benefit.
QUESTION: Do you think like Rome and other cities we should cancel Chinese New Year celebrations here?
BRENDAN MURPHY: We don’t believe that there is any good reason to cancel any public gatherings. There is no evidence of human to human transmission in Australia. Were there evidence of human to human transmission, that’s a very different matter.
QUESTION: Because there were 11 people in Melbourne being tested today. Are those people now clear or?
BRENDAN MURPHY: I haven’t got the final update. All I know is that as of half an hour ago, there were no other highly probable cases in Australia. But there are being people tested every day and there will be more probably that turn out to be positive.
QUESTION: Is that the same situation then in Perth? We were told there were four people in isolation there.
BRENDAN MURPHY: I think — I’m advised that one of the people being tested in Perth may be positive and the others look like they may be negative but that’s still to be confirmed.
QUESTION: The Chinese Health Commission is now saying that people can be contagious during the incubation period. Is that something that you accept and does it change your response at all?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Again, the expert panels that met later today were not convinced of that at the moment. They were not convinced that evidence is being presented. It would be very unusual because this virus is similar to the SARS and MERS viruses and they were not infectious before symptoms. And the evidence that we’ve seen doesn’t suggest there’s clear proof of that. But we’re urgently seeking urgent advice from the World Health Organization and international experts because if that were to be the case, it would have implications for how we do contact tracing.
QUESTION: Do you urge people to contact their GP’s not emergency departments but another the message that the public is receiving, do not call of visit GP, call this helpline. Is there a bit of mix messaging, what should people be doing?
BRENDAN MURPHY: No, I think they are saying, if you are unwell. The hotline is if you want information generally just to find out about it and get general information. But if you have come back from China, particularly the Hubei Provence in the last two weeks and you develop a fever, cough, or respiratory symptoms, you need to get tested. And that’s when we say you should ring your general practitioner or your emergency department, say that you are someone who’s recently returned from China, particularly the Hubei Provence and ask for advice about coming in to be isolated and tested.
QUESTION: Were you told that there was a patron at the Australian Open, at the tennis yesterday that was taken off and is now in isolation. Do you know about this, can you tell us what the situation is?
BRENDAN MURPHY: I have no knowledge of that sorry.
QUESTION: So you don’t know if the paramedic could be infected as well?
BRENDAN MURPHY: I have no knowledge of anything at the Australian Open. I’m sorry, I can try and find out.
QUESTION: New South Wales is now urging parents to not send their kids to school if they’ve been in contact with anyone who’s a confirmed case. And there’s also a petition circulating around Melbourne calling for any kids who have just come back from the area to not be sent to school for about two weeks. Are these reasonable responses.
BRENDAN MURPHY: So again with the expert committee, that met earlier today, all of our viral and infectious disease experts, they have confirmed their position which is that any child that has been a contact of someone who has this disease should be excluded from school for 14 days. But children who are well who have not had any contact or any exposure to an infected person that may have come back from China, should not be excluded. That remains the position of ever jurisdictional department at the moment.
QUESTION: What about advice to unis and more so to students.
BRENDAN MURPHY: So our advice to universities is again anyone who’s come back from China, students particularly those who are from the Hubei Province, should be very aware of the risks. That they should monitor themselves and if they become unwell with any of these symptoms, they should do the same as anybody else. They should contact their GP or the university medical centre or the local hospital and go and be tested.
QUESTION: We understand that the relatives of people who have been in contact with the confirmed case in Victoria haven’t all been tested, does that sound right to you? Or would all kind of immediate family – ?
BRENDAN MURPHY: There probably isn’t the basis to test people. What the public health authorities do is they closely monitor the direct contacts. Make sure that again a child wouldn’t go to school, if they’re not exposing health care facilities or public places and they would monitor them to see if they develop any symptoms. There probably isn’t any value testing someone early on in the exposure.
QUESTION: Is testing an expensive process?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Testing is being done by public health laboratories at no cost to the consumers. So the governments collectively around the country are paying for testing.
QUESTION: But for governments, I guess my question is, are they holding off for, like a combined for a cost and reasonable – ?
BRENDAN MURPHY: No government is holding off on costs. This is a public health issue of grave concern, and we have in Victoria, Victoria infectious diseases research lab, which is our major national centre is working 24 hours a day testing at the moment. So no expense is being spared for testing.
QUESTION: What’s the median age of the Australians who have or the people in Australia who have tested positive for this virus?
BRENDAN MURPHY: So there are only five of them. The youngest is a university student, a female. The rest are all males and I can’t remember exactly but I think they’re ranging from about mid 30’s to about 60, but I would have to confirm that again, I haven’t got that information with me today.
QUESTION: Do they have any other health problems or issues?
BRENDAN MURPHY: I’m advised that they are stable and they’re not seriously unwell and I’m not aware of any other health conditions that they might have.
QUESTION: Could I just ask as well, there’s many people who book and make GP appointments over the internet. I gather you’re insisting that they pick up the phone?
BRENDAN MURPHY: We do not want people to book over the Internet and just turn up to a GP’s surgery. We want everybody who is unwell and has had the relevant travel history to notify the GP or the emergency department before they attend for testing.
QUESTION: Have all GP’s been sort of briefed? And have you asked the AMA been able to reach all the GP’s?
BRENDAN MURPHY: So just yesterday we, I wrote a personal letter to every GP and emergency physician. And the colleges, the relevant colleges circulated those through their networks, providing updates to them and providing messages. We’ve also provided mass information in the past but this was further messaging. The AMA, the college of GP’s, the college of rural and remote medicine, the college of emergency medicine have been incredibly positive and cooperative in trying to get that message out.
Just today, we’ve also sent a similar message to all of our pharmacists, because a lot of people who develop flu-like symptoms will attend pharmacies for advice and we are making sure that the pharmacists are aware of what advice to give, which is to recommend that people call ahead to the GP or ED before they go and get tested.
QUESTION: I’m hoping you don’t send those letters via Australia Post?
BRENDAN MURPHY: We have electronic communications. Thanks Hannah, thanks very much everybody
January 27: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted an article titled: “Japan Firms to Bring Home Workers from Coronavirus-Hit Wuhan”.
Many Japanese companies have decided to call back expatriate workers from the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of a pneumonia outbreak, as the Japanese government plans to charter evacuation flights.
Companies will bring home Japanese workers and their families from the inland China city, currently under lockdown to prevent the spread of a new strain of coronavirus believed to be behind the disease.
Honda Motor Co. <7267> will evacuate some 30 people on Japanese government-chartered planes. The automaker’s plant in Wuhan is closed until next Sunday for the Lunar New Year holiday. “We will make decisions on operations from Feb. 3 while monitoring the situation,” a company representative said.
Nissan Motor Co. <7201> will also bring home employees and their families.
Major chipmaking equipment maker Tokyo Electron Ltd. <8035> will bring back some 30 people to Japan, while Nippon Steel Corp. <5401> and tire maker Bridgestone Corp. <5108> will evacuate four employee and one worker, respectively.
January 27: CDC posted a “Transcript of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV Update). It is a Press Briefing Transcript. From the transcript:
Operator: Good morning and thank you all for holding. Your lines have been placed on a listen only mode until the question and answer portion. At that time then press star one. The call is being recorded. If you have any objections, please disconnect at this time. Now I would like to turn the call over to Paul Fulton. Thank you, you may begin.
Paul Fulton: Thank you all for joining us today for a briefing on CDC’s 2019 novel coronavirus response. We’re joined today by Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease. Dr. Messonnier will make opening remarks before we take questions. I will now turn the call over to Dr. Messonnier.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier: Good morning and thank you for joining us. I’m joined by Dr. Weldon who is leading our task force for this response. To date we have 110 of what we’re calling persons under investigation or PUIs from 26 states. This is a cumulative number and will only increase. We still have only five confirmed positives and 32 that have been tested negative. There have been no new confirmed cases overnight. This information will be posted on our website and updated on our website on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
I want to give a short update of the laboratory side of our work. Last week, we mentioned CDC has developed a diagnostic test called a real-time reverse transcription preliminary chain reaction, that’s RRTPCR. It can diagnose this new coronavirus in respiratory serum samples from clinical specimens. Last Friday, we publicly posted the protocol for this test. This is a blueprint to make the test. Currently, we’re refining this use of the test so we can provide optimal guidance to states and laboratories on how to use it.
We’re working on a plan now so that priority states get these kids as soon as possible. But in the coming weeks, we’ll share these tests with domestic and international partners so they can test the virus themselves. Our longer-term plan is to share these tests with domestic and international partners through the agency’s international re-agent resource.
Additionally, CDC uploaded the entire genome from the virus from the first and now second cases reported in the United States. All the sequences we extracted are similar the one that china initially posted a couple of weeks ago. This means that right now and based on the CDC’s analysis of the available data it doesn’t look like the virus has mutated.
And we’re growing the virus in cell culture which is necessary for further studies, including the additional genetic characterization. Once isolated the virus will be available in the bei resources repository, which is a NIH resource that supplies organisms and re-agents to the broad community or microbiology and infectious disease researchers.
As we have said since the beginning, this is a rapidly changing situation, both here and abroad. 16 international locations including the U.S. have identified cases of this new virus. I’m sure you’ve seen the reporting and videos coming out of china in Wuhan, particularly. Our thoughts are with the people on the front lines of this emerging public health threat in china.
Right now, we are continuing to screen a few passengers from Wuhan at the five designated airports. This enhances entry screening serves two purposes. The first is to detect illness and rapidly respond to symptomatic people entering the country. The second purpose is critical to educate travelers about these symptoms of the virus and what to do if they develop symptoms. I expect our travel recommendations will change in the coming days. I can’t provide details on this yet but know we’re working on it.
Given the aggressive public health response we’re pursuing, there may be some disruptions experienced by some. CDC recommends travelers avoid all non-essential travel to Hubei Province china. Yesterday, we began recommend people traveling to all parts of china practice enhanced precautions including avoiding contact with people who are sick and discussing travel to china with your healthcare provider, especially if you are an older adult or have underlying health conditions. Returning travelers with symptoms and close contact of people confirmed with novel coronavirus may be asked to take precautionary measures.
We understand many people in the united states are worried about this virus here in the united states. However, currently in the U.S., this virus is not spreading in the community. For that reason, we continue to believe that the immediate health risk from the new virus to the general American public is low currently.
Every day we learn more and every day we assess to see if our guidance or our response can be improved. As this evolves CDC will continue our aggressive public health strategy, working to protect the health and safety of the American people. Thank you.
Paul Fulton: Thank you, Dr. Messonnier. We’re now ready to take questions.
Operator: Thank you. As a reminder if you want to ask a question please press star one, unmute your phone and record your name clearly when prompted. One moment, please. Once again to ask a question press star one. Our first question is from Michele Cortez from Bloomberg, news.
Michelle Cortez: Hi. Thanks, so much for taking the question. I wonder if you can give use some details on the screening, the flight screening now that we’re not having flights out of Wuhan directly any longer if you can tell how many patients were screened or how many travelers were screened and if there were detected that way, how many are we following with close contacts and how you think that’s going to change? I you know mentioned that in passing but I’m wondering if you’ll expand to all of china or shut it down. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks.
Dr. Messonnier: Sure. We’ve screened somewhere around 2400 people so far. And as you imagine, the number of people who are coming from Wuhan is declining with the aggressive closure of that city. I don’t have in front of may sort of the daily total from today or every the day before, but those number are, indeed, declining and we’re continuing the same posture with those five airports with the same screenings.
Two reasons to do the screening, one is to identify ill returning passengers so that they can be identified quickly, treated promptly, and so the we can keep transmission from going further and importantly education so that we can educate returning traveler about the signs and symptoms.
In terms of people identified through screening there’s a variety of people that are being tracked and I don’t think I’ll go in more detail. In terms of our forward-looking stance, as I said this outbreak is unfolding rapidly and we’re rapidly looking at how we should – how it impacts our posture at the border. We’re certainly considering broadening of that screening and that is something that I’ll be prepared to speak about as soon as we can decide on it.
Paul Fulton: Next question, please.
Operator: Thank you. Our next question is from Dan Vergano from Buzzfeed News.
Dan Vergano: Hi, thanks very much. I wonder if you could say something about the disputes over the weekend about the infectiousness of the disease, the subzero factor. Is there any way this usually plays out or there a stage at which you can definitively say how infectious this is?
Dr. Messionier: I wouldn’t say it’s a dispute. I would say its scientists from around the world are looking at the available data and trying to analyze it, to come up with information that will be helpful in response. So, different scientists are looking at the data slightly differently and our general interpretation at this point is that the incubation period is somewhere around two to 14 days.
I do think, again, it’s important that this outbreak is really unrolling in front of our eyes and when we have a definitive answer it may not be further on into an outbreak.
There’s some confusion about what this is that folks are talking about, it’s called an Arnot. It’s a reproductive number of how many infected people come from a single infected person. Several different groups looked at it. Most articles have had interpretation that the Arnot is somewhere 1.5 and 3. That’s not a dramatic difference. As a comparison, the Arnot for measles is somewhere around 12 to 18. That’s among the most contagious. In general, you want to get an Arnot below one. That’s how you get the disease controlled. I’ll stop there.
Paul Fulton: Next question, please.
Operator: Thank you. Our next question is from Evan Brown from Fox News.
Evan Brown: Hi, good morning. Could you talk a little bit more about the posting of the protocols for this test? Is this now sort of like an open source kind of test? Are your encouraging as many different health departments around the world to do this, to be able to have their own version of this test or am I not getting that right. Can you explain that more and tell me the best you can how helpful you think it would be to get this test out there as quickly as possible to as many different agencies?
Dr. Messonnier: I’ll start. I think — thank you for allowing us to clarify. We have put that protocol out. It’s a blueprint, Dr. Weldon will explain more about what the means. In general, at this stage of the investigation we are asking our clinical lab parters to send samples to CDC because we think that’s the most efficient way to – in order to ensure results are as accurate as possible.
I would point out that other countries as far as I know every other country is doing centralized testing. That is sort of how we typically stand up in this kind of response. Our most important priority is making sure that the tests is accurate. Speed is important but accuracy is probably a priority. Dr. Weldon, do you want to talk more about this?
Dr. Weldon: Yes. So, the protocol that was posted online, the intent was to use this as a blueprint. The hope is researcher can take this protocol and adapt it to their own labs so they can have this important tool available at their disposal for testing samples from suspected patients. The protocol itself is undergoing rigorous evaluation in our own labs and kits are being developed that will allow CDC to distribute to state and international labs so that they will have the important re-agency needed for the assay.
Paul Fulton: Next question, please.
Operator: Thank you. Our next question is from Kat Eschner from Popular Science.
Kat Eschner: Thank you for taking my question. I’m wondering if you can speak to the origins of the virus at all. Two articles suggest it may not have come from the Wuhan seafood market. Do we know anything more at this time?
Dr. Messonnier: So, I would also put this in the range of interesting science that’s coming out rapidly and at CDC we’re work to synthesize it. There are two different kinds of research that’s coming up in these articles. Some of its genetic sequencing analysis which is a comparison the sequencing of the strains from china with other coronaviruses including animal coronavirus and SARS and MERS.
There is epidemiology data in terms of the genetic sequencing data it looks somewhat like a bat coronavirus, but I think there’s a lot more to be done in terms of both the genetic sequencing as well as the analysis into the epidemiological researcher before we are all confident that we know how this started.
Yesterday the microphone may not have been on when I answered a question, so I’ll make sure I re-answer that. There was a question about there risk of novel coronavirus from packages of products shipped from china. So, there’s still a lot of unknown about the newly emerged 2019 coronavirus and how it spread.
But we know a lot about MERS and SARS, the other two coronavirus that are known to be infectious in people. The Novel coronavirus is genetically related more to SARS than MERS, which also have their origins in bats. We don’t know for sure if this virus will behave in the same way as far as MERS, we use information from those coronaviruses to guide us.
In general, because of the poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, that’s in the range of hours, there’s likely a very, very, very low if any risk of spread from products or packaging that is shipped over a period of days or weeks in ambient the temperatures.
So at this time we can’t fully evaluate the risks from different products that are shipped from china under different conditions, but coronaviruses have generally spread most often by respiratory droplets and there’s no evidence that supports transmission of this coronavirus is associated with imported goods and no cases in the U.S., associated with imported goods. More information will be posted as it becomes available on our website and I’m sure we’ll talk about it in upcoming media teleconferences.
Paul Fulton: Thank you. Next question?
Operator: Thank you. Our next question is from Dawn Kopecki from CNBC.
Dawn Kopecki: Hi. Last week you said there was no evidence that the coronavirus was infectious during the incubation period but china’s health minister this weekend said that there was evidence that it could be spread when people were asymptomatic. Do you have any additional information on this?
Dr. Messonnier: We have seen the reports out of china regarding the spread of the disease. We at CDC don’t have any clear evidence of patients being infectious before symptom on sets. However, with our states and local health department partners we are being very aggressive and very cautious in tracking of close contacts to determine if we can identify any close contacts who are, indeed ill.
So far, we’ve not seen any human-to-human transmission in the United States, but we’ll update you as more information becomes available from the U.S., as well as other countries.
Dawn Kopecki: Thank you.
Paul Fulton: Our next question, please?
Operator: Thank you. Our next question is from Melissa Jenco from APP News.
Melissa Jenco: Yes, thanks for taking my question. I just wondered if you could tell us if this virus had – what kind of impact this had on children both in the U.S., and what you know of the global cases?
Dr. Messonnier: So far, most of the information coming out of China which is certainly where most cases are is that the disease is by far majorly in adults with older adults in those underlying illnesses with higher risk. In the United States the five cases are all in adults.
There are a few reports of disease in children, and we’ll wait to learn more as more information becomes available. In the U.S., as you can imagine we’re also taking a cautious approach and certainly we’ll be very cautious about making sure that if there are children who are immunized and treated properly and monitoring any close contacts of cases that happen to be in children.
Paul Fulton: Next question, please.
Operator: Thank you. Our next question is from Mike Stobbe from the Associated Press.
Mike Stobbe: Hi. Thank you for taking my question. Doctor, could you say more – you said there were 110 people in the U.S., are being monitored. The samples have been taken from each of them and you’re awaiting results.
Could you be more specific about that is going on the evaluation of those 110 people? Can you say when the test kits are expected to be sent out? I’m sorry, you kind of alluded to a decision that I guess CDC is discussing about whether to change its recommendation. Anything else you can say are you thinking of doing screening for all Chinese passenger? You dangled something big in front of us and we’re all kind of wondering what you’re referring to. Thank you.
Dr. Messonnier: Sure. Let me take those in order. In term of PUIs, the process is like this. We identify somebody who potentially has exposure to Wuhan and has a fever and a respiratory illness. We would consider a PUI to be somebody who had contact with a confirmed case and had fever and respiratory illness.
Those patients are coming to attention in a variety of forums. Some have presented themselves to a health care provider. Others are being detected through vigilance at health departments, the airport and healthcare providers, so when those patients are identified that procured is set that the health department gets called first.
The health department calls CDC. We have folks here on site 24/7 through our emergency operation center. The CDC people who take the call discuss the case with the health department and clinician and based on the discussion decide whether that patient merits additional laboratory diagnostics. Specimens are taken and they are sent to CDC where they are tested.
The lag time between a patient — the decision that a patient needs further laboratory testing and a result somewhere around a day, depending on where that patient is being seen and how we can most efficiently ship it. That number of PUI’s is that general number and as you say, we’ll be working our way through the ones that will require additional laboratory testing and you’ll see patients identified as either being confirmed cases or hopefully rule out a confirmed case.
In terms of the lab kits what I would say is we’re working as fast as we can, and I am going to say one to two weeks. We’re doing everything we can to make it as fast as possible. We understand that for physicians, clinicians and health departments it’s important to have the kits as close as possible to the patients geographically so we can provide a result but it’s another week or two.
In terms of the last thing we are intermittently thinking about this decision. As you know there’s lots of new information coming out of china in terms of cases, in terms of what is going on here outside of Wuhan. There are other provinces. The case numbers. We’re trying to take that into account as we move quickly as we can towards any decisions.
I expect that there will be a decision and an announcement about that within the next day, but I can’t give you a time because we want to make sure that we’re being expedient and sensible about what kind of decisions and recommendations we’re making.
Paul Fulton: I think we have time for two more questions. Next question, please?
Operator: Our next question is from Lisa Irizarry from News Day.
Lisa Irizary: Hi, thanks for taking my question. I just want to make sure I understood, 110 persons under investigation, they were either themselves traveling in china and Wuhan or they had contact with somebody who had recently traveled, is that correct?
Dr. Messonnier: Generally, most of them, yes. As I said before we have a general guideline. However, because there is so much unknown, we are being cautious about testing and being responsive to concerns of the clinicians and the health department. The decision about whether that a patient gets tested is a joint decision between the clinician, the health department and CDC.
So, in general that is the correct definition, but around the edges there may be some additional testing and know hat this issue also, what we consider a PUI is something that we’re in active discussions out with our state and local partner.
In the definition of the PUI, also know that while the number is 110 — we’re prioritizing based on PUIs that might be at higher risk. For example, in general somebody who has a very close contact of a confirmed case and has respiratory symptoms might be a higher priority than somebody with a mild cough and traveled to Wuhan two weeks ago. Those are not real examples but just know that within 110 we are also prioritizing based on risk.
Lisa Irizarry: One quick follow up question, it’s 26 states. At some point will you release which states those are?
Paul Fulton: Last question please.
Operator: Our final question today is from Ronnie Koenig from the New York Times.
Ronnie Koenig: A couple of things. I want to get more clarity on this fight from Wuhan. I didn’t think there were flight from Wuhan. Your screening people who came from another city via Wuhan and are you able to get that information if they do present themselves at the airport? I’m not sure how that’s happening unless there are flights coming.
I just want to ask one more thing. You’re asking people to present themselves to come in for testing if they have been to Wuhan? I mean 110 out of — I mean we know there are so many people who have traveled recently from china. that is a very small number and we do see they are asymptomatic and not older with underlying conditions. So just a little confused about — are you — is there scarcity of testing?
Dr. Messonnier: There’s no scarcity of testing and I’m sorry if you could let me respond now.
Ronnie Koenig: Sure.
Dr. Messonnier: Thanks. So, again, as I said, fights from Wuhan, direct flights have certainly been stopped. But there are a variety of people who are called broken itineraries, they may be transiting from Wuhan through another country back to the United States. There are still individuals who are in the middle of one of those itineraries when I am talking about screening passengers from Wuhan, I’m talking about those people.
As I said earlier, I don’t have numbers from the past day, but we are gathering those people and they are still part of the same screening. In terms of the message to travelers, our focus is on returning travelers from Wuhan who have respiratory symptoms and fever.
This is something we’ve been trying to make sure, we’re being very clear about to returning travelers and one of the things that’s really important about the screening at the airport is that we’re not just identifying people who are sick, we’re passing out those messages so that people who returned from Wuhan who came back a week ago, for example, if they have a fever and respiratory infections, my message is to please call your health care provider. It’s important to get you analyzed and you may need to be tested.
As many of you know several of the confirmed patients in the United States were asymptomatic when they came back. Developed symptoms later. I want to compliment them because they were prompt in calling their health care provider and identified themselves as traveling to Wuhan.
Patients who are returning are an important part of this equation and I’m sorry I misspoke, travelers from Hubei not just from Wuhan. If you recently returned from Hubei and you have a fever and respiratory symptoms, please call your health care provider so you can be appropriately checked out and we want to make sure you get the best health care possible.
Paul Fulton: Thank you, Dr. Messonnier. Thank you all for joining us today for this briefing. Please remember to visit the 2019 Novel Coronavirus webpage for continued updates. If you have further questions, please call the CDC media line at 404-639-3286 or email media@cdc.gov.
Operator: Thank you. This does conclude today’s conference. You may disconnect at this time.
January 27: World Health Organization posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
Highlights:
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and colleagues are in Beijing to meet with government and health experts supporting the response. The mission’s aim is to understand the latest developments and strengthen the partnership with China, in particular for the response.
Current estimates of the incubation period of the virus range from 2-10 days, and these estimates will be refined as more data becomes available. Understanding the time when infected patients may transmit the virus to others is critical for control efforts. Detailed epidemiological information from more people is needed to determine the infectious period of 2019-nCoV, in particular, whether transmission can occur from asymptomatic individuals or during the incubation period.
WHO is continually monitoring developments and on standby to reconvene the Emergency Committee on very short notice as needed. Committee members are regularly informed of developments.
Among the 37 cases identified outside of China, three were detected without the onset of symptoms, while among the remaining 34 patients, there is information on date and symptoms for 28 individuals…
The median age of cases detected outside of China is 45 years ranging from 2 to 74 years, 71% of cases were male (information was missing on age for 6 cases, and on sex for 4 cases.) Of the 27 for whom we have detailed information on the date of symptom onset and travel date from China, 8 cases had symptom onset in China, 5 had onset on the same day as travel, and 14 developed symptoms after leaving China.
36 cases had travel history to China, of whom 34 had travel history in Wuhan city, or had an epidemiological link to a confirmed case with travel history to Wuhan. For the remaining two, investigations into their travel histories are ongoing. One additional case was the result of human-to-human transmissions among close family in Viet Nam.
Countries, territories or areas with reported confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV, 27 January 2020:
China – including cases confirmed in Hong Kong SAR (8 confirmed cases), Macau SAR (5 confirmed cases) and Taipei (4 confirmed cases): 2761
Japan: 4
Republic of Korea: 4
Viet Nam: 2
Singapore: 4
Australia: 4
Malaysia: 4
Thailand: 5
Nepal: 1
United States of America: 5
Canada: 1
France: 3
TOTAL: 2,798
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
Limit human to human transmission including, reducing secondary infections among close contacts and health care workers, preventing transmission amplification events, and preventing further international spread from China*
Identify, isolate and care for patients early, including providing optimized care for infected patients;
Identify and reduce transmission from the animal source;
Address crucial unknowns and about clinical severity, extent of transmission and infection, treatment options, and accelerate the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines;
Communicate critical risk and event information to all communities and counter misinformation;
Minimize social and economic impact through multisectoral partnerships.
This can be achieved through a combination of public health measures, such as rapid identification, diagnosis and management of cases, identification and follow up of the contacts, infection prevention and control in healthcare settings, implementation of health measures for travelers, awareness raising in the population, risk communication.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
WHO has been in regular and direct contact with Member States where cases have been reported. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested.
Developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnostics, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, risk communication and community engagement.
Provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans.
WHO has published an update advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.
WHO is providing guidance on early investigations. The first protocol that is available is a: Household transmission investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
WHO has developed an online course to provide general introduction to emerging respiratory viruses, including novel coronavirus.
WHO is providing guidance on early investigations, which are critical to carry out early in an outbreak of a new virus. The data collected from the study protocols can be used to refine recommendations for surveillance and case definitions, to characterize the key epidemiological transmission features of 2019-nCoV, help understand spread, severity, spectrum of disease, impact on community and to inform operational models for implementation of countermeasures such as case isolation, contact tracing and isolation. The first protocol that is available is a: Household transmission investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
WHO is working with its networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
Utilizing global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE
During previous outbreaks due to other coronaviruses (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)), human to human transmission occurred through droplets, contact and fomites, suggesting that the transmission mode of the 2019-nCoV can be similar. The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections include the following:
Avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover cogs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands.)
Within healthcare facilities, enhance standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments.
WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travelers. In case of symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel, the travellers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their health care provider. Travel guidance was updated on 24 January.
January 27: American Academy of Pediatrics (AMA) posted “CDC: 5 US cases of coronavirus confirmed”.
Five cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the U.S., and federal health officials are preparing diagnostic kits so states can perform their own testing.
Cases have been confirmed in Arizona, California, Illinois and Washington and all involved adults who traveled to Wuhan, China, the center of the outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“At this time in the U.S., this virus is not spreading in the community,” said Nancy Messonnier, M.D., director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “For that reason, we continue to believe the immediate health risk from the new virus to the general American public is low at this time.”
Thirty-two people have tested negative, and 73 potential cases are still under investigation.
While the CDC has been handling testing, it has created a test to diagnose the new coronavirus in respiratory and serum samples and plans to send it to domestic and international partners in the next couple of weeks. It also has posted a testing protocol online, which Dr. Messionnier described as “essentially a blueprint to make the test.”
“We are doing everything we can to make it as fast as possible,” she said. “We understand that for patients, clinician and health departments, it is much preferable to have that kit as close as possible to the patient geographically so we can efficiently proved a result.”
China first reported cases in late December and linked the virus to a large market with seafood and live animals in Wuhan, a city of more than 11 million people and a major transportation hub. The pathogen is genetically similar to those that caused outbreaks of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and there is evidence of human-to-human spread.
The global case count has reached 2,886, and there have been 81 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. While most of the cases are in China, cases have been confirmed in about a dozen other countries, including Thailand, Australia, the U.S., Japan, South Korea and France.
The global case count has reached 2,886, and there have been 81 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. While most of the cases are in China, cases have been confirmed in about a dozen other countries, including Thailand, Australia, the U.S., Japan, South Korea and France.
“So far, most of the information coming out of China, which is certainly where the majority of cases are, s that the disease is by far, majorly in adults, with older adults and those with underlying illnesses at higher risk,” Dr. Messonnier said.
The CDC is continuing to screen passengers arriving from Wuhan at international airports in Las Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta and may expand screening in the coming days.
It recommends people avoid non-essential travel to Hubei Province, China. People traveling to other parts of China should discus their plans with their health care provider and take precautions.
Clinicians should be vigilant for people who have a fever and respiratory symptoms and who traveled Wuhan within 14 days of symptom onset or were in close contact with a confirmed or suspected coronavirus patient. If they suspect a case, they should take infection-control precautions and immediately contact their state or local health department to facilitate testing.
January 27: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a news release title: “FDA Announces Key Actions to Advance Development of Novel Coronavirus Medical Countermeasures”.
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced critical actions to advance development of novel coronavirus medical countermeasures.
As with any emerging public health threat, the FDA will collaborate with interagency partners, product developers, International partners and global regulators to expedite the development and availability of medical products needed to diagnose, treat, mitigate and prevent such outbreaks.
“We have a vital mission to protect and promote public health and the FDA is closely collaborating with our domestic and international public health partners to mitigate the impact of the novel coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D. “We are actively leveraging the vast breadth of the FDA’s expertise and have begun employing the full range of our public health authorities to facilitate the development and availability of investigational medical products to help address this urgent public health situation.”
As part of FDA’s ongoing commitment to prepare and respond to infectious disease outbreaks, the agency is sharing updates on processes in place to help developers understand the pathways, including Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), that may be available to more rapidly advance and make medical countermeasures available for this virus, including diagnostic tests.
The FDA is also issuing key information for the public to help support the timely development of medical products to respond to the current outbreak. In order to support efficient medical product development for novel coronavirus medical countermeasures, today the FDA is launching a landing page that provide key information to the public, including product developers, on the FDA’s efforts in response to this outbreak.
“We are committed to keeping the American people informed as we prepare and respond to emerging public health threats, including the novel coronavirus,” said FDA Deputy Commissioner of Policy, Legislation and International Affairs Anna Abram. “The agency is committed to ensuring safe and effective medical countermeasures are available as quickly as possible to protect public health.”
Being able to quickly and accurately diagnose patients infected with the novel coronavirus is an essential step in helping patients identify the need for care and mitigate the spread of the virus to additional individuals. Currently, there are no commercially available products that are authorized to detect novel coronavirus; however, the FDA is actively working to facilitate the development and availability to advance and share the reference materials necessary to facilitate diagnostic development.
The FDA is also requesting that diagnostic test sponsors interested in potential EUA for tests to detect 2019n-CoV contact CDRH-EUA-Templates@fda.hhs.gov for further information and templates.
Sponsors wishing to develop therapeutics for 2019-nCoV are encouraged to submit information and questions via the FDA’s Pre-IND Consultation program.
The FDA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency is also responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
January 27: Billboard reported – Japanese rock group Suchmos canceled a slate of dates in China that were scheduled between Feb. 7-11. The group said they hoped to play dates in China as soon as possible.
January 27: CBC News (Canada) posted “Online claims that Chinese scientists stole coronavirus from Winnipeg lab have ‘no factual basis’ Karen Pauls and Jeff Yates reported
The Public Health Agency of Canada is denying any connection between the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg, two scientists who were escorted out of the building last summer, and the coronavirus outbreak in China.
Baseless stories claiming that the two scientists are Chinese spies and that they smuggled the coronavirus to China’s only Level 4 lab in Wuhan last year have been spreading on all social media platforms and on conspiracy theorists blogs. One article from a conspiracy blog was shared more than 6,000 times on Facebook on Monday.
The story even made its way on Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, where a video pushing these claims was watched more than 350,000 times.
“This is misinformation and there is no factual basis for claims being made on social media.” Eric Morrissette, chief of media relations for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada said in response by queries by CBC News.
The conspiracy theory seems to be based on a distorted reading of reporting from CBC News published last summer. One of the first mentions occurred Saturday on Twitter, where businessman Kyle Bass claims that “a husband and wife Chinese spy team were recently removed from a Level 4 Infectious Disease facility in Canada for sending pathogens to the Wuhan facility.”
In the tweet, which was shared over 12,000 times, he linked to a story CBS News broke in July, revealing that a researcher, her husband, and some of their graduate students were escorted out of the National Microbiology Lab (NML) in Winnipeg amid an RCMP investigation into what’s being describe as a possible “policy breach” and “administrative matter.”
The RCMP and Health Canada have both stressed that there was no danger for public safety.
CBC reporting never claimed the two scientists were spies, or that they brought any version of the coronavirus to the lab in Wuhan.
Experts say the disinformation is creating a “social panic” online.
“We’ve seen already Twitter and Reddit and other platforms that there have been calls to ban travellers from China from entering North American or Europe – that there have been individuals targeted to be supposedly pulled off flights of stopped at the Canadian border or the U.S. border,” Says Fuyuki Kurasawa, director of the Global Digital Citizen Lab at York University.
“The broader damage is that there grows a mistrust toward both government authorities, public health officials, the media, authoritative sources of media, and there there becomes a social media environment where speculation, rumour and conspiracy theories take over and wash out the factual information that is being promoted online.”
Kurasawa is already seeing that spread from the online world to the real world.
“Individuals will take it on themselves to become vigilantes, where they’ll try to spot someone who supposedly is either holding the truth about some hidden truth about the coronavirus or a person who may be a carrier or supposed carrier of the virus because they appear to have certain symptoms, and then they’ll ask the general public to take matters into own hands,” he says.
Kernels of truth in disinformation
Dr. Xiangguo Qiu is a medical doctor and virologist from Tianjin, China, who came to Canada for graduate studies in 1996. Qiu is still affiliated with the university. there and has brought in many students over the years to help with her work. She helped develop ZMapp, a treatment for the deadly Ebola virus which killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa between 2014-2016.
Her husband Keding Cheng works at the Winnipeg lab as a biologist. He has published research papers on HIV infections, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), E. coli infections and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
One month later, CBC discovered that scientists at the NML sent live Ebola and Henipah viruses to Beijing on an Air Canada flight March 31. The Public Health Agency of Canada says all federal policies were followed. PHAC will not confirm if the March 31 shipment is part of the RCMP investigation.
Contrary to posts on Twitter, the coronavirus was not part of this shipment. And there is no confirmation Qiu or Cheng were the scientists behind the shipment.
In another followup story using travel documents obtained in Access to Information requests, CBC reported that Qiu made at least five trips to China in 2017-18, including one to train scientists and technicians at China’s newly certified Level 4 lab.
She was invited to visit the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences twice a year for two years, for up to two weeks each time. The lab does research with the most deadly pathogens.
PHAC has denied any connection between RCMP investigation, Qiu’s visits to Wuhan or any Canadian research, with the coronavirus outbreak.
However, PHAC would not comment on the current status of Qiu and Cheng, citing privacy reasons.
Communicate more effectively
Heidi Tworek, assistant professor in international history at the University of British Columbia, says governments and public health authorities need to do a better job of communicating facts at times like this, including the languages of the communities impacted.
“It’s incredibly challenging during fast-moving outbreaks of any disease to balance between information to keep the public safe and prevent something from becoming a massive epidemic and also trying to provide truthful information and also providing enough so you don’t end up with a vacuum, which is were disinformation can flourish, Tworek says.
“We’ve seen in previous outbreaks it’s been difficult to get this right, but I’d emphasize this is actually a crucial element of what we need to be thinking about into the future – how do we actually communicate well and swiftly with general public with all types of health scares? This will not be the last time we face disinformation during a potential epidemic.”
January 28
January 28: World Health Organization (WHO) posted”WHO, China leaders discuss next steps in battle against coronavirus outbreak”
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, today met President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. They shared the latest information on the novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-n-CoV) outbreak and reiterated their commitment to bring it under control.
Dr. Tedros was joined by WHO Regional Director Dr. Takeshi Kasai and Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme Dr Mike Ryan, and also met State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and Minister of Health Ma Xiaowei.
The National Health Commission presented China’s strong public health capacities and resources to respond and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. The discussions focused on continued collaboration on containment measures in Wuhan, public health measures in other cities and provinces, conducting further studies on the severity and transmissibility of the virus, continuing to share data, and for China to share biological material with WHO. These measures will advance scientific understanding of the virus and contribute to the development of medical countermeasures such as vaccines and treatments.
The two sides agreed that WHO will send international experts to visit China as soon as possible to work with Chinese counterparts on increasing understanding of the outbreak to guide global response efforts.
“Stopping the spread of this virus both in China and globally is WHO’s highest priority,” said Dr Tedros. “We appreciate the seriousness with which China is taking this outbreak, especially the commitment from top leadership, the transparency they have demonstrated, including sharing data and genetic sequence of the virus. WHO is working closely with the government on measures to understand the virus and limit transmission. WHO will keep working side-by-side with China and all other countries to protect health and keep people safe.”
The WHO mission comes as the number of people confirmed with the virus rose to over 4500 globally on 28 January, the greatest number being in China.
The WHO delegation highly appreciated the actions China has implemented in response to the outbreak, its speed in identifying the virus and openness to sharing information with WHO and other countries.
Much remains to be understood about 2019-nCoV. The source of the outbreak and the extent to which it has spread in China are not yet known. While the current understanding of the disease remains limited, most cases reported to date have been milder, with around 20% of those infected experiencing severe illness. Both WHO and China noted that the number of cases being reported, including those outside China noted that the number of cases being reported, including those outside China, is deeply concerning. Better understanding of the transmissibility and severity of the virus is urgently required to guide other countries on appropriate response measures.
WHO is continually monitoring developments and the Director-General can reconvene the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on very short notice as needed. Committee members are on stand-by and are informed regularly of developments.
January 28: Reuters posted “Spain, Portugal work to repatriate nationals from coronavirus-hit Wuhan”
The governments of Spain and Portugal are working with China and the European Union to repatriate their nationals from the Wuhan area struck by the coronavirus, the two countries’ foreign ministers said Monday.
The coronavirus outbreak has killed 81 people in China and infected more than 2,800 globally, most of them in China.
“We’re working… with our consulate in Beijing, and officials in China and the European Union to repatriate around 20 Spaniards in Wuhan, Hubei, the epicenter of the coronavirus. We will continue to update on any advances,” Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya wrote on Twitter.
She did not provide any futher details.
Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva told state broadcaster RTP that the ministry was exploring whether Portuguese citizens in Wuhan could return on a civilian plane with citizens from other European countries.
“Unlike other countries such as the United States or France, who have large numbers of citizens in Wuhan and carry out their own repatriation programmes, it makes more sense for country like Portugal, which has only a few citizens there, to carry out coordinated operations, if possible,” he said.
January 28: The CDC reported the onset of 3 additional COVID-19 case in the United States.
January 28: President Trump tweeted: “Really pathetic how @FOXNews is trying to be so politically correct by loading the airwaves with Democrats like Chris Van Hollen, the no name Senator from Maryland. He has been on forever playing up the Impeachment Hoax. Dems wouldn’t even give Fox their low ratings debates…
For context, in the tweet above, President Trump was angry that Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic Senator from Michigan, discussed that Trump had been impeached. Trump is also angry that this happened on Fox News, a channel that had previously acted as state media and praised Trump.
In the above tweet, Trump is also pointing out that the Democrats did not want to hold any of their primary debates on Fox News. He is using that observation as an attack on Fox News. There is another tweet in this thread, but it is irrelevant.
January 28: President Trump tweeted: “It’s amazing what I’ve done, the most of any President in the first three years (by far), considering that for three years I’ve been under phony political investigations and the impeachment HOAX! KEEP AMERICA GREAT!”
January 28: President Trump tweeted: “Heading to New Jersey. Big Rally, in fact, Really Big Rally!”
January 28: President Trump tweeted: “Thank you Wildwood New Jersey! #KeepAmericaGreat”. The tweet included a periscope video of the rally in New Jersey.
January 28: NPR posted: “Starbucks Closes More Than 2,000 Stores In China Amid Coronavirus Outbreak”
Starbucks has temporarily closed more than half of its stores in mainland China as an outbreak of coronavirus has surged through the country, affecting thousands of people.
Starbucks executives on Tuesday called the viral outbreak a “very complex situation,” adding that the company closed its locations in China at the direction of local government officials as well as “proactively,” to limit the spread of the virus among workers and consumers.
“Our immediate focus is on two key priorities in China,” CEO Kevin Johnson told analysts on an earnings call. “First, caring for the health and well-being of our partners and customers in our stores. Second: playing a constructive role in supporting local health officials and government leaders as they work to contain the coronavirus.”
China is a key, fast-growing market for Starbucks and many other companies that are starting to see an impact from the outbreak and the measures that Chinese authorities have imposed in response, including a lockdown of multiple cities with tens of millions of residents.
Other chains such as McDonald’s and KFC have also been closing stores. McDonald’s is expected to share an update on Wednesday when it reports its quarterly earning. Apple CEO Tim Cook said on Tuesday that his company has closed one of its retail stores.
“Many of the stores that remain open have also reduced operating hours,” Cook said. “We’re taking additional precautions and frequently deep-cleaning our stores as well as conducting temperature checks for employees.”
Starbucks CEO Johnson said he had anticipated raising the company’s financial forecast for the year on Tuesday, but would not do so now “due to the dynamic situation unfolding with the coronavirus.” China is the second-largest market for Starbucks, which had almost 4,300 stores there at the end of 2019.
In a company earnings release on Tuesday, Starbucks said. “Currently, we have closed more than half of our stores in China and continue to monitor and modify the operating hours of all of our stores in the market in response to the outbreak of the coronavirus.”
Chinese authorities say that a surge in cases of the rapidly spreading coronavirus in recent weeks has sickened nearly 6,000 people as of Wednesday, with more than 130 deaths. Additional cases have been reported outside of China, including in Australia, France and Canada, and the U.S.
In the United States, five confirmed cases involve people who recently traveled to Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak. At a news conference Tuesday, top U.S. health officials reiterated that the disease — while serious — is not currently a threat to ordinary Americans.
January 28: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “WHO, China leaders discuss next steps in battle against coronavirus outbreak”
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, today met with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. They shared the latest information on the novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV) outbreak and reiterated their commitment to bring it under control.
Dr Tedros was joined by WHO Regional Director Dr. Takeshi Kasai and Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program Dr Mike Ryan, and also met State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and Minister of Health Ma Xaiowei.
The National Health Commission presented China’s strong public health capabilities and resources to respond and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. The discussions focused on continued collaboration on containment measures in Wuhan, public health measures in other cities and provinces, conducting further studies on the severity and transmissibility of the virus, continuing to share data, and for China to share biological material with the WHO. These measures will advance scientific understanding of the virus and contribute to the development of medical countermeasures such as vaccines and treatments.
The two sides agreed that WHO will send international experts to visit China as soon as possible to work with Chinese counterparts on increasing understanding of the outbreak to guide global response efforts.
“Stopping the spread of the virus both in China and globally is WHO’s highest priority,” said Dr. Tedros. “We appreciate the seriousness with which China is taking this outbreak, especially the commitment from top leadership, and the transparency they have demonstrated, including sharing data and genetic sequence of the virus. WHO is working closely with the government on measures to understand the virus and limit transmission. WHO will keep working side-by-side with China and all other countries to protect health and keep people safe.”
The WHO mission comes as the number of people confirmed with the virus rose to over 4500 globally on 28 January, the greatest number being in China.
The WHO delegation highly appreciated the actions China has implemented in response to the outbreak, its speed in identifying the virus and openness to sharing information with WHO and other countries.
Much remains to be understood about 2019-nCoV. The source of the outbreak and the extent to which it has spread in China are not yet known. While the current understanding of the disease remains limited, most cases reported to date have been milder, with around 20% of those infected experiencing severe illness. Both WHO and China noted that the number of cases being reported, including those outside China, is deeply concerning. Better understanding of the transmissibility and severity of the virus is urgently required to guide other countries on appropriate response measures.
WHO is continually monitoring developments and the Director-General can reconvene the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on very short notice as needed. Committee members are on stand-by and are informed regularly of developments.
January 28: CNBC posted an article titled: “Facebook restricts employee travel to China as coronavirus spreads”. It was written by Annie Palmer. From the article:
Facebook has started restricting employee travel to China, joining a growing list of U.S. companies that have done the same amid a growing outbreak of the coronavirus.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have taken steps to protect the health and safety of our employees,” Facebook spokesperson Anthony Harrison told CNBC in a statement.
The travel restrictions were announced on Monday. Facebook has banned all non-essential travel the country, but if employees must visit China, they have to receive approval first. The company has also told employees who work in China, or who have recently traveled there, to work from home, Facebook said.
Facebook is the first major U.S. technology company to ban all non-essential travel to the country. Other companies including Disney, McDonalds, Starbucks, and Ford Motor have either suspended operations or instituted travel restrictions there. Apple shares fell on Monday amid concerns the company, which has high revenue exposure in China, would be hurt by any impact the coronavirus might have on consumer spending.
More than 100 people have died from the disease, while total confirmed cases have risen to more than 4,600. The majority of cases have been reported in Wuhan, China, but within the last week, five cases have been confirmed in the U.S.
January 28: The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control posted “ECDC statement following reported confirmed case of 2019-nCoV in Germany”.
German health authorities confirmed a case of 2019-nCoV in Bavaria on 27 January. This brings the cases reported in Europe to four. The cases in France had a direct link to Wuhan, China.
Based on current information, the infection in Germany followed a close contact with a visitor from China during a stay in Germany (diagnosed with 2019-nCoV after return to China) who had previously been visited by relatives from the Wuhan area. The German authorities are investing this case and taking the necessary steps to trace and inform any contracts.
At this stage of the on-going outbreak in the Hubei province in China, it is likely that there will be more imported cases in Europe. As a consequence, it could be expected to see (limited) local transmission in Europe. A single detected case in Europe does not change the overall picture for Europe, nor does it change the assessment that there is currently a moderate likelihood of importation of cases of 2019-nCoV to the EU/EEA. As more and more cases are reported globally, this also increases the probability of sporadically imported cases to EU/EEA countries.
Based on this, EU/EEA countries should ensure that timely and rigorous infection prevention and control measures (IPC) are applied around any detected nCoV cases in the EU/EEA, in order to prevent further spread in the community and healthcare settings. Healthcare workers in the EU/EEA need to be aware and vigilant in order to detect possible nCoV cases early and apply appropriate infection control measures when handling patients.
Right now, the focus still should be on the development of the outbreak in China and the related information on the characteristics of the virus.
The source of the infection is unknown and could be still active. Human-to-Human transmission has been confirmed but more information is needed to evaluate the full extent of this mode of transmission and understanding how the virus spreads. This is a rapidly evolving situation, ECDC is revising its risk assessment for Europe.
January 28: Kyodo News (News from Japan) posted “Japan classifies new virus as designated infectious disease”.
Japan on Tuesday classified pneumonia caused by a new deadly coronavirus that originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan as a “designated infectious disease” that legally allows compulsory hospitalization amid a steep rise in overseas infections.
The designation approved by the Cabinet will also restrict infected patients from going to work and require disinfection of sites where the virus has been detected.
The government will use public money to pay for the medical treatment of those subject to forced hospitalization. About 400 specified medical institutions across Japan will be able to provide treatment.
An ordinance on the designation will be implemented on Feb. 7, according to Japanese officials. The government also said anyone who travelling who is suspected of having the virus must, under the quarantine law, have a medical checkup at their point of arrival in Japan.
Japan is stepping up quarantine and other preventative efforts to prevent the spread of the virus in the country, one of the major destinations for Chinese travelers during the Lunar New Year holiday.
The death toll from the new virus topped 100 in China, local media said Tuesday. Globally, the pneumonia-causing virus has infected more than 4,500, with four confirmed in Japan.
The designation, the fight of its kind and the first since the 2014 spread of Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, also requires doctors report any patients confirmed in Japan.
“We will take all possible measures to prevent the spread of infections,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference.
The same emergency steps were also taken in the past for other infectious diseases designated by the government as Class II such as MERS and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. Under the law, infectious diseases are divided into five classes depending on their severity.
The government is also arranging charter flights for Japanese nationals who wish to return home from Wuhan, a city of 11 million that has been on a virtual lockdown since last week.
“We are ready to go if we can get approval from the Chinese authorities,” Suga said, adding that Tokyo is also considering sending necessary supplies to Wuhan such as masks and protective clothing.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said a charter plane will leave Japan on Tuesday night.
As of last week, about 710 Japanese were registered as staying in Hubei Province, whose capital is Wuhan. Japanese embassy officials have been trying to determine the number of Japanese citizens wishing to return home.
Once they board a charter plane, a doctor, two nurses and a quarantine office plan to conduct an in-flight check for symptoms such as fever and cough, according to the Japanese health ministry.
The passengers will be asked to monitor their health condition for two weeks after their return to Japan and report to the nearest public health center if they develop symptoms of the new coronavirus.
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “There are no confirmed cases of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Ohio. However, ODH is closely monitoring two possible cases reported by Miami University in Butler County.” This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “Both students being monitored had recently returned from China. Neither individual is severely ill. They are currently in isolation pending test results.”
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “The CDC is conducting the testing, and results are expected by the end of the week.”
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “ODH has been working diligently with our health partners and local health districts across the state to ensure we are prepared if a case is confirmed in Ohio.”
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “Five U.S. cases of 2019-nCoV have been confirmed by the CDC. Unless you have recently traveled from China or have been around someone ill with this new virus, your risk of getting sick is low.”
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “Investigations are ongoing to learn more about transmission. There is no known person-to-person spread of 2019-nCoV in the U.S.”
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Seek medical care if you are experiencing symptoms and traveled from Wuhan City, China, in the 14 days before you started feeling sick.”
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “Also seek medical care if you are exhibiting symptoms and, in the 14 dasy before symptoms appeared, had close contact with a person who is under investigation for 2019-nCoV”.
January 28: Ohio Department of Health posted a tweet: “Just like other illnesses, it’s critical to protect yourself against the virus: wash hands often, follow appropriate cough and sneeze etiquette, don’t go to work or school when you feel ill; avoid exposure to others who are sick.”
January 28: New South Wales Health posted another Novel Coronavirus Statistics (as of 11:30 AM that day).
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 4
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 6
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
January 28: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted “HHS and CDC Supporting Safe, Expedient Departure of US Citizens”.
The U.S. Government is relocating approximately 210 U.S. citizens from Wuhan, China back to the United States. The Department of State has the lead for the safe and expedient ordered departure of citizens. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are collaborating with the Department of State on the logistics of public health evaluations for every traveler on the flight. HHS and CDC are working with partners to ensure that any traveler who develops symptoms during their journey receives appropriate medical care.
Our primary objective is to facilitate the safe return of these Americans while protecting the public’s health. These individuals will be screened before they take off; monitored during the duration of the flight by medical personnel on board; screened again on landing to refuel in Anchorage, Alaska; monitored on the last leg of the flight by medical personnel on board; evaulated upon arrival at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County, California; and then monitored for symptoms post-arrival.
January 28: World Health Organization South-East Asia posted “Thailand announced a total of 14 cases of Novel Coronavirus detected in country”.
On 28th January, the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand announced there have been a total of 14 cases of Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV detected in Thailand. 13 cases had travelled from Wuhan and 1 case from Chongqing. Five of the cases are from the same family.
A press release from the Ministry of Public Health (in Thai language) can be seen here
A WHO Situation Report on Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV for 27th January 2020 can be seen here.
Background
Beginning early December 2019, an upsurge of cases of pneumonia was detected in persons from Wuhan City in China. Cases have now also been detected in many other parts of China, and human-to-human transmission has been confirmed in the city of Wuhan. Chinese authorities identified a new coronavirus as the agent causing these cases. 14 imported cases have also been reported in Thailand: all in people that had traveled from Wuhan. Cases have also been reported from several other countries.
Coronaviruses are common – many cause less severe illness such as the common cold; other are known to cause more severe illness (SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, MERS)
At present, WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travelers in relation to this event. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information available. If travelers develop respiratory illness before, during or after travel, they should seek medical attention and share travel history with their health care provider.
The World Health Organization is working with Thailand and other countries to track further understand infections caused by this new coronavirus and to ensure that they are prevented and controlled. This includes,
Facilitating information sharing on this and other relevant health events between countries
In the longer term using the International Health Regulations to develop and strengthen the capacities of countries to detect and respond to infections like the new coronavirus.
Providing all countries with a technical package of interim guidance, including:
Surveillance and case definitions
Laboratory guidance
Clinical management for suspected novel coronavirus
Home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus
Infection prevention and control
Risk communications
Readiness checklist
Disease commodity package
Reducing transmission from animals to humans
January 28: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Toyota Bans Business Trips to China’s Hubei”
Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> has banned employees from going on business trips to China’s Hubei Province, due to an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus, company officials said Tuesday.
Previously, the Japanese automaker had told its employees to refrain from making nonessential business trips to the provincial capital, Wuhan, where the outbreak is believed to have started.
Currently, no Toyota workers are on business trips in Hubei, the officials said.
January 28: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 8”
Highlights:
A World Health Organization (WHO) senior leadership team, led by Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyeus, today met President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. They shared the latest information on the outbreak and reiterated their commitment to bring it under control.
The discussions focused on continued collaboration to improve containment measures in Wuhan, to strengthen public health measures in other cities and provinces, to conduct further studies and transmissibility of the virus to continue to share data, and for China to share biological material with WHO. These measures will advance scientific understanding of the virus and contribute to the development such has vaccines and treatments.
WHO is launching Global 2019-nCoV Clinical Data Platform to allow Member States to contribute anonymized clinical data in order to inform the public health clinical response
WHO is continually monitoring developments and the Director-General can reconvene the Emergency Committee on very short notice as needed. Committee members are regularly informed of developments.
TECHNICAL FOCUS: Clinical Management:
Patients with 2019-nCoV infection, are presenting with a wide range of symptoms. Most seem to have mild disease, and about 20% appear to progress to severe disease, including pneumonia, respiratory failure and in some cases death.
Clinical care of suspected patients with 2019-nCoV should focus on recognition, immediate isolation (separation), implementation of appropriate infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and provision of optimized supportive care. WHO is convening a bi-weekly call with clinical experts around the globe, to better understand, in real-time, the clinical presentation and treatment interventions.
WHO has published interim clinical care guidance for hospitalized patients and for mildly ill patients at home, and developed a standardized clinical case record form (CRF) that will be available via the website.
To facilitate the aggregation of standardize clinical data, WHO is launching a Global 2019-nCoV Clinical Data Platform to allow Member States to contribute anonymized clinical data in order to inform the public health clinical response.
As there is currently no known effective antiviral therapy for 2019-nCoV, the WHO R&D blueprint is conducting a systematic review to evaluate the potential therapeutics and develop master clinical protocols that are necessary to accelerate this globally.
WHO has also updated the Disease Commodity Package that includes an essential list of biomedical equipment, medicine and supplies to care for patients with 2019-nCoV.
In addition, a notification was sent out to the Emergency Medical Teams network requesting an expression of interest for clinical operations support teams to support triage, referral systems, clinical care and IPC.
SURVEILLANCE
Western Pacific
China – 4537
Japan – 6
Republic of Korea – 4
Viet Nam – 2
Singapore – 7
Australia – 5
Malaysia – 4
Cambodia 1
South-East Asia
Thailand – 14
Nepal – 1
Sri Lanka – 1
Region of the Americas
United States – 5
Canada – 2
European Region
France -3
Germany -1
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
WHO’s strategic objectives for this response are to:
Limit human-to-human transmission including reducing infections among close contacts and health care workers, preventing transmission amplification events, and preventing further international spread from China*
Identify, isolate and care for patients early, including providing optimized care for infected patients;
Identify and reduce transmission from the animal source;
Address crucial unknowns regarding clinical severity, extent of transmission and infection, treatment options, and accelerate the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines;
Communicate critical risk and event information to all communities and counter misinformation;
Minimize social and economic impact through multisectoral partnerships.
This can be achieved through a combination of public health measures, such as rapid identification, diagnosis and management of the cases, identification and follow up of the contacts, infection prevention and control in healthcare settings, implementation of health measures for travellers, awareness-raising in the population and risk communication.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
WHO has been in regular contact with Member States where cases have been reported. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested.
WHO has developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnostics, clinical management, infection prevention and control in healthcare settings, home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, risk communication and community engagement.
WHO has provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans.
WHO has published an updated advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.
WHO has developed an online course to provide general introduction to emerging respiratory viruses, including novel coronaviruses.
WHO is providing guidance on early investigations, which are critical to carry out early in an outbreak of a new virus. The data collected from the study protocols can be used to refine recommendations for surveillance and case definitions, to characterize the key epidemiological transmission features of 2019-nCoV, help understand spread, severity, spectrum of disease, impact on the community and to inform operational models for implementation of countermeasures such as case isolation, contact tracing and isolation. The first protocol that is available is a: Household transmission investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
WHO is working with its networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
WHO is working with global health expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE
During previous outbreaks due to other coronaviruses (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), human-to-human transmission occurred through droplets, contact and fomites, suggesting that the transition mode of the 2019-nCoV can be similar. The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections include the following:
Avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands).
Within healthcare facilities, enhanced standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments.
WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travellers. In case of symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel, travellers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their healthcare provider. Travel guidance was updated on 24 January.
January 28: WHO posted: “WHO, China leaders discuss next steps in battle against coronavirus outbreak“
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, today met President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. They shared the latest information on the novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV) outbreak and reiterated their commitment to bring it under control.
Dr Tedros was joined by WHO Regional Director Dr Takeshi Kasai and Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme Dr Mike Ryan, and also met State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and Minister of health Ma Xiaowei.
The National Health Commission presented China’s strong public health capacities and resources to respond and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. The discussions focused on continued collaboration on containment measures in Wuhan, public health measures in other cities and provinces, conducting further on the severity and transmissibility of the virus, continuing to share data, and for China to share biological material with WHO. These measures will advance scientific understanding of the virus and contribute to the development of medical countermeasures such as vaccines and treatments.
The two sides agreed that WHO will send international experts to visit China as soon as possible to work with Chinese counterparts on increasing understanding of the outbreak to guide global response efforts.
“Stopping the spread of this virus both in China and globally is WHO’s highest priority,” said Dr Tedros. “We appreciate the seriousness with which China is taking this outbreak, especially the commitment from top leadership, and the transparency they have demonstrated, including sharing data and genetic sequence of the virus. WHO is working closely with the government on measures to understand the virus and limit transmission. WHO will keep working side-by-side with China and all other countries to protect health and keep people safe.”
The WHO mission comes as the number of people confirmed with the virus rose to over 4500 globally on 28 January, the greatest number being in China.
The WHO delegation highly appreciates the actions China has implemented in response to the outbreak, its speed in identifying the virus and openness to sharing information with WHO and other countries.
Much remains to be understood about 2019-nCoV. The source of the outbreak and the extent to which it has spread in China are not yet known. While the current understanding of the disease remains limited, most cases reported to date have been milder, with around 20% of those infected experiencing severe illness. Both WHO and China noted that the number of cases being reported, including outside China, is deeply concerning. Better understanding of the transmissibility and severity of the virus is urgently required to guide other countries on appropriate response measures.
WHO is continually monitoring developments and the Director-General can reconvene the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on very short notice as needed. Committee members are on stand-by and are informed regularly of developments
January 28: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan Confirms 1st Coronavirus Infection without Visit to Wuhan”
A person in Japan has been confirmed infected with a new coronavirus despite not having visited the Chinese city of Wuhan at the center of the pneumonia outbreak, Japanese health minister Katsunobu Kato said Tuesday.
The infection marks the first time for the new virus to be confirmed in Japan from someone who did not travel to Wuhan, Hubei Province.
January 28: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Doorstop interview at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre”
…GREG HUNT: Thank you very much. Okay, with the Chief Medical Officer Professor Murphy, we’ll give a quick update on coronavirus.
As of this morning, there are five confirmed cases in Australia of coronavirus. Other cases will continue to be tested by state health authorities and as results are known they will be made available publicly.
All of those five patients, we are advised, are stable, in isolation and under very high quality care.
Globally, on the latest figures available, 2800 patients have been confirmed and 80 deaths, but we expect that the Chinese and World Health Organization authorities will provide an update on those figures during the course of today.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee to reaffirm all of the elements of our national preparedness.
The World Health Organization reviewed Australia’s preparedness two years ago as part of a global survey, and we were identified as being at the absolute global forefront of preparedness.
But all of those elements are being put in place now, and I will let Professor Murphy speak to those a little bit more.
In particular, the Australian Government, through the embassy, has also been in contact with Chinese authorities about Australians who are in Wuhan and the broader Hubei Province.
Significant progress, significant progress has been made overnight, and we are exploring all options with the Chinese authorities, both to ensure that there is support and care for Australians on the ground, and that there is a pathway to returning them home.
And the advice from the Foreign Minister shortly before coming to this event is that there has been significant progress.
So I want to thank the embassy and the Chinese authorities, and we will continue to ensure that we have strong broader protection, the highest quality medical care in the world, and action to protect and secure those Australians who are in Hubei Province in China. Brendan?
BRENDAN MURPHY: Thank you, Minister. So as the Minister said, given the update on the numbers, the main message that we’re trying to give still to the Australian public is that there is no cause for concern in the Australian public.
There is no human to human transmission of this virus. And it’s important to note because we had some media about masks today.
There is no need for the Australian public to wear masks. There is- the only people who should wear masks in relation to this virus are those who are unwell and have a relevant travel history.
Our most important thing now is for those who have come back from China in the last two weeks, whom developed flu-like symptoms, particularly if they’ve come from the Hubei Province of China, they need to call ahead to their GP or their emergency department, tell them of their travel history and get tested.
As the Minister said, we’re testing a large number of people across the country every day.
The vast majority of them are negative, as we always expected it to be, but we all do expect that it is likely we might find some more positives over the next few days, but we are extremely well prepared.
All of our state and territory health services have stood up teams to be prepared, their public health units have activated. We’ve got very, very good isolation facilities.
We now have very good diagnostic facilities; same day diagnostics- turn around in diagnosis in most parts of the country.
And we have also put up additional border measures that I outlined yesterday – in addition to every single flight from China, because this disease is now present in significant numbers in other parts of China, mainly from people who have come from the Hubei Province.
There’s no clear evidence that there’s human to human transmission in those other parts of China, but because people are appearing with the disease in other parts of China, every flight from China is being met and entered by border security officers and making sure that everyone on the flight gets information in English and Mandarin about the need to report their travel history, if they develop symptoms after they arrive, and obviously if they have any symptoms, they should declare themselves to a border security officer at the airport.
And we’ve had a three-fold increase in people reporting ill symptoms to border security officers. Mostly just trivial symptoms, but the message is getting out there.
So we are well prepared. We are still concerned about what is happening in China.
This outbreak is not under control. The Chinese authorities are doing a lot of things.
As we know, they’ve locked down the Hubei Province, very hard to get out of there. That’s the main focus of this infection at the moment, but we are reviewing things daily.
Yesterday, I convened the expert public Health Committees of the Commonwealth and states and territories to review all of our advice and all of the situations that are happening at the moment.
So I’ll leave it there, thanks Minister.
GREG HUNT: Yeah. Happy to take any questions.
JOURNALIST: When did you list coronavirus as a pandemic potential disease and (inaudible)?
BRENDAN MURPHY: So, we listed it as a listed human disease early last week, as soon as we received the data from the weekend before last that there was a very significant increase in numbers.
As you recall only 10 days ago, the Chinese were reporting only 50 cases and there’d been no new cases for a week. But over that following weekend, the numbers increased significantly.
Our concern was such that we knew we needed to have the capacity to make additional border measures. So I signed the determination to make the listed human disease early last week.
JOURNALIST: You’ve spoken about those enhanced border measures and people going (inaudible) boarding these flights, but would this also involve turning away flights from China?
GREG HUNT: Look, what I’ll do is speak to that very briefly. We will follow the medical advice without fear or favour. And so if the medical advice is that stronger action is needed, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the National Security Committee will adopt that immediately.
And so we continue to follow all of the advice.
I have to say, Professor Murphy listed this before the World Health Organization had declared it to be an epidemic of global significance, so he was ahead of the curve.
And again, to have people who are fearless in their advice and in their decision making is one of the great strengths of the Australian system, and I think that’s one of the reasons why the WHO recognized it.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) to that point of having to turn away flights?
BRENDAN MURPHY: There – the Chinese are actually already, as I’ve said they’ve locked down the Hubei Province, which is the main epicentre. It’s impossible to get out of there.
They have already stopped organized tour groups leaving China. The Chinese are putting significant restrictions in.
Even if you stop all of the flights from China, there are ways to come from China via other ports.
So we are also putting in additional border measures for every flight that comes to Australia, putting out announcements and providing those printed materials for people that have come from other ports.
It’s essentially not practical to really close off all traffic in an international transmission of a virus. All of the cases that we’ve detected so far were- came here when there wasn’t major concern about the disease internationally.
They all came before that escalation, the weekend before last. All of them were perfectly well when they arrived. So the medical advice and the World Health Organization advice is that complete travel bans are not an effective additional measure.
GREG HUNT: Okay, thank you. I think there was one, or sorry there is one here.
JOURNALIST: There are five confirmed cases in Australia – without wanting to sound alarming, what are the chances there are going to be more?
GREG HUNT: Brendan?
BRENDAN MURPHY: My sense here is there will be more, but I wouldn’t be alarmed about that. Given the traffic of people before this escalated from that region of China to Australia, I would be reasonably confident that we’ll find some more cases over the coming days.
But we’re incredibly well prepared to test and isolate them when they appear.
JOURNALIST: Minister, there has been some (inaudible) that Australian health authorities had been slow to act behind the (inaudible), Singapore in terms announcing extreme measures. Do you think that that’s a fair assessment?
GREG HUNT: Well I think what you’ll see is that we’ve been helping to lead at the global level in relation to this.
The World Health Organization, as I say, has yet to declare this to be a pandemic of global significance.
The measure that we’ve taken has been in conjunction with the international organizations, in conjunction with the state health and territory authorities, and have come from constant engagement between Professor Murphy as the Chief Medical Officer of Australia and the medical community, as well as the state and territory communities.
JOURNALIST: The doctors, sorry, the (inaudible) practitioners are saying that they would like more masks in their practices, because of the brushfires, everyone is running low on masks, and if they have cases, they want to be able to protect against the spread.
They were under the impression that there’s a government stockpile of masks that’s going to be released. Is that something?
GREG HUNT: So there is a national medical stockpile of 12 million, in addition to those that were provided for brushfires where there is still significant reserves with the states and territories.
And Professor Murphy will say a little bit more in a second, but he’s been in contact with the College of General Practitioners and we’ll work to make sure that anybody who needs them, has them. Brendan.
BRENDAN MURPHY: Yes, thanks. I have spoken to the President of the RACCP this morning.
We’re investigating the supply situation to general practitioners. If it really is difficult and impossible for some of them to get them we’ll make sure they can get masks because we do want GP’s who sees someone with the relevant travel history is unwell to put a mask on the patient, and put a mask on the doctor and the staff when they’re assessing the patient — that is important advice.
So we need to be able to follow through what that, so we’re actively following that up with the college today.
JOURNALIST: You said that it might not be feasible to actually shut down flights but if need be would you also look at potentially quarantining people coming from China.
BRENDAN MURPHY: The expert advice is quarantining is not of practical public health value at the moment.
The advice of all the public health experts that convened yesterday remains the same – that people who have come from China should be treated like any normal member of the community unless they develop symptoms of fever, flu-like symptoms that could suggest this virus – and it probably won’t be.
But if they’re unwell, they must immediately wear a mask, ring forward to their GP or their emergency department.
But there is- most of the international advice — I know there’s been a bit of a story in the media about potentially some people being given slightly infectious before their symptoms — but all of the previous experience with these coronaviruses is that people are only infectious when they’re symptomatic.
So, our focus at the moment is identifying symptomatic people with that travel history and managing them and isolating them.
JOURNALIST: And after those initial symptoms, what will somebody with coronavirus experience (inaudible)?
BRENDAN MURPHY: We know that there are a very large number of mild cases. We suspect that in Hubei Province there are probably a large number of people who have never ever been diagnosed.
In Thailand, of the eight cases the have been exported to there, five have now gone home well.
The five people in Australia are in a very stable condition – in fact one of them is so well they’re long in hospital because of the quarantine requirements.
So, we know that 25 per cent of people reported from China do have a more severe illness with a pneumonia and we know there have been 80 deaths.
Now, the median age of those deaths is 71.5 years and the Chinese are reporting that many of them have elderly and have other comorbidities.
But the concerning development in that 25 percent is the development of a viral pneumonia and, obviously, there is no specific treatment for that other than respiratory support. But a lot of people do have mild disease.
JOURNALIST: Minister, we know there was a family in New South Wales who were tested yesterday morning for a coronavirus. Just confirming you’re (inaudible) with news about that this morning?
GREG HUNT: Yes. So, just before arriving here at Peter Mac we’ve had advice from both the New South Wales Minister for Health – Brad Hazzard — and the Department of Health that the family of four, they have all been tested and they’ve all received a clearance of a negative test.
So these are the preliminary results, but it’s good news so far.
JOURNALIST: Two questions, one quickly. Is there any other cases that are being likely to be confirmed at this stage?
GREG HUNT: Brendan.
BRENDAN MURPHY: Look, every day there are a number of cases who what we call meet the case definition. They have come from that part of China, they have relevant symptoms and they’re being tested.
But- so, there are potential positive cases every day. As I said, over the weekend, we only had one additional confirmed one after the reports on Saturday.
So, as I said, I expect to see more positives but there is nothing that we know of that’s a very strong likelihood at the moment.
GREG HUNT: Any – one more?
JOURNALIST: Sorry, I just want to ask when you said earlier that there’d been significant progress overnight about these Chinese in Wuhan. What’s that mean? Is that in terms of negotiating with the Chinese authorities? And will we be able to get them out?
GREG HUNT: Well, our work has been to provide support on the ground and then to provide a pathway home.
The Foreign Minister and the Embassy are working with the Chinese authorities and the advice I have from Foreign Minster Payne this morning, again just before coming here, is significant progress.
So, the Foreign Minister is working to ensure we have a pathway home for each and every one of those Australians. The timing is something that will be worked on with the Chinese authorities.
And this is part of a global challenge, but Australia has been working with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and many others directly with the Chinese authorities.
And we are confident that given time we will get all of our Australians back and we are also working in the meantime to make sure that they have the best care, the best support on the ground.
JOURNALIST: Are we talking days or weeks?
GREG HUNT: I will leave that for the Foreign Minister.
JOURNALIST: The DFAT is compiling a list of people are currently in Wuhan.
GREG HUNT: Yes.
JOURNALIST: How many people have (inaudible) registered as being in that region?
GREG HUNT: So, again, the advice of the Foreign Minister just before coming here was approximately 400 calls have been received in terms of registration.
They are being crosscheck to ensure there is no double counting – because sometimes you will have, understandably, multiple family members report the same person.
So they are going through the process, but at this stage, approximately 400 registrations have been placed with Foreign Affairs.
JOURNALIST: Are you expecting an influx of Australians and nationals coming back from the Chinese New Year celebrations (inaudible) in terms of that?
GREG HUNT: Well we have the border protection measure in place. One of the things which the Prime Minister has ordered and instructed is to ensure that all planes coming from China are boarded by biosecurity officials, and that’s, I think, an extremely important measure.
So each and every passenger is met with and by biosecurity officials and that not only are they provided with information, but there is a review of their symptoms and situation.
JOURNALIST: Minister, I have been sent a text from one of the producers back in the office that they heard further ten student have been quarantines at a Queensland private school. Do you know anything on that?
GREG HUNT: No, I’m sorry. I don’t have any information on that.
JOURNALIST: Is Australia playing any broad role in patient diagnosis (inaudible)?
BRENDAN MURPHY: So we are very actively involved in the World Health Organization emergency response. We also have researchers at the University of Queensland who are actively involved in vaccine development, and we have staff in the WHO.
We have also offered to the WHO any assistance. We have assistance, medical assistance, teams and experts — obviously that’s a matter for the Chinese whether they take that up.
So, we have epidemiology experts who are participating nightly in modelling teleconferences with the WHO. So we are very actively involved. Okay.
GREG HUNT: Thank you very much.
JOURNALIST: And if I can ask you another couple of quick questions, Minister. Just given the scathing Auditor-General’s report into Bridget McKenzie and the fact that there’s now an investigation into her by the Secretary of the PM&C, how can she remain in the Minister?
GREG HUNT: Look, obviously the Prime Minister’s referred that to the Secretary of PM&C so I won’t (inaudible).
JOURNALIST: And did you have any knowledge of Senator McKenzie supplementing Sport Australia’s list of recommended clubs for funding within her – by herself given that it was being run from your department.
GREG HUNT: No, that was a process conducted by the Minister.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Thanks everyone.
January 28: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Chinese Buying Masks in Bulk in Japan amid Coronavirus Crisis”
Sales of face masks and other hygiene products have been surging in Japan amid the spread of pneumonia caused by a new type of coronavirus, with people from China, where the outbreak started, massively buying masks in particular.
“Chinese people living in Japan have bought 10 to 20 boxes of masks at once,” the manager of a drug store in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward said. As masks sell out as soon as they come back in stock, the store started on Tuesday to allow one customer to buy only one box.
At a different drug store, a Chinese woman in her 30s, who lives in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, said that she has already sent more than 100 boxes of masks to her family in Shanghai and will buy more because they are not available in the city.
At drug stores run by Weicia Holdings Co. <3141>, sales of masks in the latest week doubled from the preceding week.
A public relations official of the company said that masks are in high demand among both Japanese and Chinese people. Sales of antibacterial sprays and had sanitizers are also growing, the official said.
January 28: Football Federation Australia (FFA) posted “Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Qualifiers Update”
Football Federation Australia (FFA) was this afternoon notified of the latest advice from Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, regarding the coronavirus. The updated advice follows a meeting of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on Wednesday afternoon. This major new development confirmed that health experts believe the coronavirus is contagious before people show symptoms, and contacts of any confirmed cases must now be isolated following exposure.
The health and wellbeing of all players, staff and spectators is of paramount importance to both FFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
FFA is working with the Australian Government and AFC to explore ramifications of this advice and how it may affect the staging of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Qualifiers.
As a result of these developments, which came to light following today’s match schedule announcements, FFA will not be going on sale tomorrow with tickets for the tournament.
FFA will provide a further update as soon as possible.
January 28: New York State website posted “Governor Cuomo Issues Update on Novel Coronavirus as One More New Yorker is Identified for Testing Bringing Total to 10”
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an update on the status of testing for the novel coronavirus in New York State. As of today, the New York State Department of Health has sent samples for 10 individuals to the CDC for testing with seven found to be negative and three more still pending. So far, there are no confirmed cases in New York State.
“While we continue to closely monitor the spread of this novel coronavirus, I have directed our Department of Health to continue communicating with and providing updates to our local communities, healthcare providers, colleges, universities, and New York companies with locations or business interests in China,” Governor Cuomo said. “My message to New Yorkers is: takte this coronavirus seriously, take proper precautions, stay informed, but also feel confident that our Health Department and this administration are prepared and ready.”
The Department of Health continues to provide guidance to New York’s colleges and universities, many of which have international students from China, on how to identify the virus, update students, and promote prevention measures.
More information about the novel coronavirus is available here.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, “We encourage all New Yorkers to take normal precautions against sickness, such as regular hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. We will continue to work with our partners at the CDC and around the State as we assist in any way necessary to ensure the health of all New Yorkers.”
Symptoms of the novel coronavirus may include:
Cough
Sore Throat
Fever
While there is currently no vaccine for this novel coronavirus, everyday preventative actions can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses, including:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Individuals who are experiencing symptoms and may have traveled to areas of concern, or have been in contact with somebody who has traveled to these areas, should call ahead to their healthcare provider before presenting for treatment.
January 28: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “CDC Advises Travelers to Avoid All Nonessential Travel to China”
On January 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated travel guidance for China, recommending that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to all of the country (Level 3 Health Notice). This warning is in response to an ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (2019-nCoV) spreadking between people in many parts of that country.
Chinese health officials have reported thousands of 2019-nCoV cases in China, as well as severe illness including deaths. Sustained person-to-person community spread with this virus is reportedly occuring in China.
A number of travel-associated cases of 2019-nCoV infection have also been identified in other locations, including in the United States. In other parts of Asia, some limited person-to-person spread has been detected among close contacts of travelers returning from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak, however, community spread with this virus has not been reported in locations outside China.
In the United States, there have been 5 cases of 2019-nCoV detected in travelers returning from Wuhan. No person-to-person spread has been detected in the United States at this time and this virus is NOT spreading in the community.
While it’s possible that some person-to-person spread with this virus may be detected in the United States, the goal of the ongoing U.S. public health response is to contain this outbreak and prevent sustained spread in this country.
Based on the current information, the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV to the general American public is considered low at this time. However, risk is dependent on exposure and some people will have greater risk of infection, for example, healthcare workers caring for 2019-nCoV and other close contacts. CDC is aggressively responding to this serious public health situation to help protect the health of Americans. This response may cause disruptions in some people’s daily lives. This is unfortunate, but necessary to protect the health of Americans.
January 28: CBC News (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) tweeted: “Death toll from the coronavirus in China now stands at 131, as health authorities confirm 25 new deaths in Hubei.”
January 28: CBC News posted an article titled: “Coronavirus deaths in China rise to 132 with confirmed cases nearing 6,000.” From the article:
Coronavirus: The latest
At least 132 deaths, all in China, according to China’s National Health Commission.
One death in Beijing, the rest in Hubei province, which includes the city of Wuhan.
5,974 confirmed cases in China.
More than 50 million people locked down in containment efforts in China.
Most cases are in mainland China.
Eight cases in Hong Kong and five in Macao.
Other confirmed cases in: Taiwan, Australia, Cambodia, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the United States and Canada.
Health officials in B.C. are ‘confident’ that first case of the virus has been found there.
The first American and Japanese chartered planes containing evacuees from Wuhan departed early Wednesday local time.
The European Union and Mongolia are also planning evacuations. Canada still working on its plan.
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in China rose to 132 early Wednesday local time, according to China’s National Health Commission, with the total number of confirmed cases across the country hitting nearly 6,000.
The news came as several foreign governments – including the European Union and Japan – were preparing to fly their citizens out of Wuhan, the locked-down city at the centre of the outbreak.
The updated death toll followed word from officials in Hubei province, where the first illnesses from the newly identified coronavirus occurred in December, that another 25 people had died there as of end-of-day Tuesday.
The National Health Commission said 1,459 new cases have been confirmed, bringing the total to 5,974.
The growing number of cases and deaths come as foreign governments began flying their citizens out of the affected area. A Japanese chartered flight carrying 206 evacuees landed at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport Wednesday, not long after U.S. officials confirmed a flight of evacuees took off in the early morning hours.
Scientists grow virus
As news of the virus rise in cases, a team of scientists in Australia said on Wednesday they have successfully developed a lab-grown version of coronavirus, the first to be recreated outside China, in a breakthrough that could help combat the global spread of the illness.
The researchers at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne said they would share the sample, which was grown from an infected patient, with the World Health Organization and laboratories around the world.
“Having the real virus means we now have the ability to actually validate and verify all test methods, and compare their sensitivities and specificities,” said Julian Druce, the head of the institute’s virus identification laboratory, in a statement.
China’s increasingly drastic containment efforts began with the suspension of plane, train and bus links to Wuhan, a city of 11 million people. That lockdown has expanded to 17 cities with more than 50 million people in the most far-reaching disease-control measures ever imposed.
Hong Kong’s leader has announced that all rail links to mainland China will be cut starting Friday as fears grow about the spread of the coronavirus. Both the high-speed rail station and the regular train station will be closed, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday. Ferry service will also be curtailed.
The EU is set to dispatch a second flight to get healthy European citizens from Wuhan, according to a statement by the European Commission. The disaster response was initiated at France’s request.
More than 100 EU citizens will travel on the second flight.
France’s government had already announced that it would organize return flights for both healthy citizens and those with virus symptoms, and that it would hold them in quarantine for 14 days after their arrival in France.
Mongolia and other governments were also planning evacuations for citizens in Wuhan.
On Tuesday afternoon, Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Phillppe Champaigne said Canada is still working on its plans to get Canadians out of the affected area. He said 250 Canadians living there have registered online with Global Affairs Canada, with about 126 requesting consular assistance to get home.
China extended the Lunar New Year holiday by three days to Sunday to reduce the risk of infection by keeping offices and other factories nationwide closed and the public at home. The government of Shanghai, a global business centre and home to 25 million people, extended the holiday in that city by an additional week to Feb. 9.
The government has sent 6,000 extra medical workers to Wuhan from across China, including 1,800 who were due to arrive Tuesday, a commission official, Jiao Yahui, said at a news conference.
Wuhan is building two hospitals, one with 1,500 beds and another with 1,000 for the growing number of patients. the first is scheduled to be finished next week.
Global Affairs Canada has advised Canadians to avoid all travel to Hubei province, including the cities of Wuhan, Huanggang and Ezhou.
U.S. health officials expanded their recommendations for people to avoid non-essential travel to any part of China, rather than just Hubei province.
Air Canada said Tuesday it’s canceling “select flights to China to better match capacity with expected demand.”
“Air Canada currently operates 33 flights a week to China, and the resulting capacity reduction is relatively small,” airline spokesperson Pascale Déry told CBC News in an email. “Those customers who are affected will be notified and provided with alternate travel options. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will adjust accordingly.”
Mongolia closed its vast border with China, and North Korea said it was strengthening quarantine measures. Hong Kong and Malaysia are barring visitors from Hubei. Chinese travel agencies were ordered to cancel group tours nationwide.
Also Tuesday, the Education Ministry cancelled English-proficiency and other tests for students to apply to foreign universities. The ministry said the new semester for public schools and universities following the Lunar New Year was postponed until further notice.
In addition to the transportation restrictions with mainland China, Hong Kong officials announced some government offices would remain closed until at least Monday, and non-essential public employees were allowed to work from home.
Beijing’s official response has “vastly improved” since the 2002-03 SARS outbreak, which also originated in China, but “fears of a global contagion are not put to bed,” said Vishnu Varathan at Mizuho Bank in Singapore.
Scientists are concerned about the new virus because it is closely related to other diseases including SARS, which killed nearly 800 people.
So far, the new coronavirus doesn’t seem to spread as easily among people as SARS or influenza. Most of the cases that spread between people were of family members and health workers who had contact with patients. That suggests the new virus isn’t well adapted to infect people.
Countries with confirmed cases
China has reported eight cases in Hong Kong and five in Macao, and more than 45 cases have been confirmed elsewhere in the world. Almost all involve mainland Chinese tourists or people who visited Wuhan.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Taiwan, Australia, Cambodia, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the United States and Canada.
Three new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Canada, two in Toronto and one newly announced in British Columbia. The Toronto cases are a 50-year-old man and his wife who traveled to Wuhan. The husband, whose case has been confirmed by Canada’s National Microbiology lab, is considered “presumptive” pending confirmation by the lab, was at home in isolation and was “asymptomatic”as of Monday, according to health officials in Toronto.
In B.C., health officials announced Tuesday they are “confident” they have the first case of the coronavirus in the province. A man in his 40s who regularly travels to China for work tested positive late Monday. He lives in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and is in isolation at home. His case is also “presumptive” pending conformation of the test results from the National Microbiology Lab.
Five American cases — two in Southern California and one each in Washington state, Chicago, and Arizona, — are people who had recently arrived from central China. Health officials said they had no evidence the virus was spreading in the U.S., and they believe the risk to Americans remains low.
In Germany, Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan, the virus has spread person-to-person, rather than from a traveller arriving from China, heightening concerns.
During the SARS outbreak, Chinese authorities were criticized for reacting slowly and failing to disclose information. The government has responded more aggressively to the latest outbreak.
The coronavirus family includes the common cold but also more severe illnesses, such as SARS, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. The new virus causes cold- and flu-like symptoms, including cough and fever, and in more severe cases, shortness of breath and pneumonia.
The virus is thought to have spread to people from wild animals sold a Wuhan market. China on Sunday banned trade in wild animals and urged people to stop eating meat from them.
January 28: Billboard reported – Cantopop singer Leon Lai postponed his two shows in Macau, China. Lai’s Leon Metro Live 2.0 concerts were originally slated for Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at Studio City Event Centre.
Promoter Live Nation announced the postponement of Miriam Yeung’s Feb. 8 concert in Singapore. The show, which was slated to take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, is postponed indefinitely, due to the travel and freight conditions in China.
American rock band X Ambassadors took to social media to announce that their Feb. 14 and 15 shows in Shanghai and Chengdu, respectively, were canceled.
January 28: ACLU posted “What You Need To Know About the Coronavirus Outbreak: A Civil Liberties Perspective” It was written by Senior Policy Analyst, ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project – Jay Stanley
The World is watching anxiously to see what happens with the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China. As scientists and public health officials in the United States learn more about the virus, and as we all see how bad the outbreak turns out to be, it is important that public policymaking remain firmly centered around science.
Unfortunately our history of reactions to infectious disease outbreaks suggests that if this outbreak becomes severe, we’re likely to see strong pressure to the contrary. In particular, we can expect three things:
We can expect some to panic.
Unfortunately, there tends to be disproportionate hysteria and exaggerated fear around infectious diseases – especially when they are new. In 2009, the appearance of the H1N1 (aka “swine flu”) virus prompted some to call for measures like closing the U.S.-Mexico border, and enormously disruptive measure that, among other things, would have led to billions of dollars in lost economic activity. The H1N1 turned out to be no worse Ethan a normal strain of the seasonal flu virus.
In late 2014, many panicked over the Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa, including a number of U.S. governors who imposed politically motivated quarantines on health care workers and others returning from West Africa. Those quarantines were completely unjustified by science. (In 2015 the ACLU, the Yale School of Public Health, and Yale Law School released a major report analyzing the response to Ebola.)
Every disease is different and merits different public health responses. A person infected with Ebola, for example, is not contagious until after fever and other symptoms begin. That appears not to be the case with the coronavirus, and scientists’ recommendations will no doubt differ as a result. But no matter how bad any disease outbreak may get, responding in ways that are not supported by science is never the right thing to do.
We can expect pressure for counterproductive responses.
Most panicky responses to disease outbreaks, according to epidemiologists and other experts, only make things worse. In particular, law enforcement-type approaches to stopping the spread of communicable disease such as forced treatment and large-scale quarantine are, as three preeminent public health experts put it, “generally acknowledged by experts to be either completely ineffective or only potentially marginally effective” in slowing the spread of disease.
Public panic will predictably spark calls for “tough,” even draconian measures that treat the problem like a law enforcement or national security issue rather than a public health matter. We at the ACLU have always acknowledged that civil liberties must sometimes give way when it comes to fighting a communicable disease – but only in ways that are scientifically justified.
And the public health community has learned over time that treating sick people like potential enemies only spurs them to “go underground” and avoid the authorities, which exacerbates the spread of disease. The evidence is clear that travel bans and quarantines are not the solution. Also counterproductive are the targeting and stigmatization of vulnerable populations, another historically frequent response to frightening epidemics.
We can expect that Trump will lead the panic, not calm it.
In previous disease scares, Donald Trump has been among the most panicky and scientifically undergrounded public voices in the United States. During the West African Ebola outbreak in 2014-15, he opposed allowing American doctors infected with the diseases to be airlifted back to the United States for lifesaving treatment (tweeting “KEEP THEM OUT OF HERE”). He also called for blocking all air traffic from West Africa.
As one expert advised in 2015, “Officials should avoid unrealistic reassurances or taking unnecessarily stringent measures so as to appear decisive.” Even in the earliest stages of the present outbreak, President Trump managed to violate the first half of that guidance, rashly and unrealistically telling the nation of the Wuhan virus, “We have it totally under control.” If things get worse, history suggests he’ll violate the second half as well and react with theatrical, counterproductive “toughness.”
The job of our political leaders is to solicit and follow the guidance of public health experts in crafting calm and rationale response to an outbreak, to help the public understand the scientific facts of this disease, and to present an honest and mature appraisal of risk and the limits of human power curb nature. Unfortunately, Trump and his administration have a terrible record when it comes to listening to scientists.
We don’t know how bad this outbreak will be. If this one is not severe, another one probably will be in the future. And the more dangerous an actual outbreak, the more important it is that our authorities respond with cool heads and based on science, and not intrude any more than strictly necessary on people’s civil liberties.
January 28: New South Wales posted “Save the Date to Vaccinate” app keeps kids safe
NSW Health is urging parents and carers to ensure children are vaccinated on time and has warned vaccinations shouldn’t be delayed even if a child has a minor illness.
Dr Jeremy McAnulty, Executive Director, Health Protection NSW encouraged parents and carers to download the Save the Date to Vaccinate app to ensure their children receive vital vaccinations in time for the start of school.
“On-time vaccination are the most effective way to protect children from life-threatening diseases,” Dr. McAnulty said.
“The free Save the Date to Vaccinate app reminds parents and carers what vaccinations their child needs and when they’re due, in like with the NSW Immunisation Schedule.
“If a child has a runny nose or a slight cold, they can still get vaccinated. Delaying vaccinations can leave children exposed to serious illnesses at a time when they are the most vulnerable.”
Dr McAnulty said the recent measles outbreak in Samoa, which has killed at least 83 people, is a salient reminder of just how dangerous vaccine preventable disease can be when immunisations rates are low.
Mother of two Lisa Smith, from Sydney’s north, said the Save the Date to Vaccinate app is a helpful reminder in a hectic schedule.
“I’ve never missed a vaccination with my first child but once I had my second child, I found it hard to stay on top of the key dates as I was just so busy with work and looking after two children,” Ms Smith said.
“The Save The Date to Vaccinate app sends automatic reminders to my phone, it’s made it so much easier to schedule immunisation appointments, not forget them and have a record to hand all of the vaccinations my children have received.
On-time vaccination and overall participation in childhood immunisation programs continues to improve in NSW, with 94.5 per cent of children fully vaccinated by five years of age in the past 12 months compared with 90.8 per cent in 2012.
Protecting children from potentially deadly diseases is a key priority for the NSW Government, which has invested approximately $130 million in the 2019-20 Immunisation Program budget, including Commonwealth and state vaccines.
January 29
January 29: Senator Elizabeth Warren (who was running for President) shared her “Preventing, Containing, and Treating Infectious Disease Outbreaks At Home and Abroad” plan.
PREVENTING TRANSMISSION AND PREPARING FOR OUTBREAKS
The best way to beat a pandemic is to prevent it from starting in the first place. As President, I will work to build the foundations that help us catch infectious diseases before they spread.
Build strong public health systems at home and abroad. Combating infectious diseases requires building health infrastructure that enables us to handle epidemics whenever and wherever they strike. Diseases do not recognize borders — we need a global approach to a global problem. To build strong systems we must:
Fund agencies that prevent and manage outbreaks. President Trump has repeatedly proposed billions in cuts to the agencies responsible for fighting and preventing pandemics, a devastating blow that would put lives at risk. Some of the deepest proposed cuts were to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which runs essential pandemic prevention and response programs. As President, I will fully fund this work, ensuring that key agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the State Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have the support they need to do their jobs.
Prepare health departments, health care providers and hospitals, and other facilities and frontline staff. We must increase funding for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement that supports the critical work of health departments across the country to prepare for outbreaks, natural disasters, and more. Similarily, we must continue to support the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), which ensures we equip facilities and train staff on the front lines.
Fully Fund the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). Designed to build capacity in nearly 50 countries, the GHSA funds work in partnership with other countries to strengthen their public health infrastructure and combat outbreaks before they start. And in a few short years, it is clear that investment has paid off. Under President Trump, some of this work has ramped down, but we know that the ability to stop an outbreak requires consistent investment and support. As President, I’ll provide it.
Reduce transmission of infectious diseases at home. By reducing the transmission of communicable diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C, we keep families healthy and safe and strengthen our health system’s ability to respond to global pandemics. That’s why I have a plan to invest $100 billion to end the opioid epidemic, and why I’ve committed to end the domestic HIV epidemic by 2025 and ensure that patients can afford drugs like PreP and Hepatitis C treatments by acting on Day One of my presidency to lower drug prices.
Move to Medicare for All. When people can’t access basic health care, infectious diseases are more likley to spread and cause severe, lasting health effects — as we saw in the recent Indiana HIV outbreak. This is especially true in underserved communities, who experience the effects of outbreaks more severely. Under Medicare for All, everyone will have high quality health care they can afford, removing financial barriers for patients who may be contagious and need to seek care. We all benefit when we stop the spread of infectious disease faster.
Fully Fund critical existing global health work. U.S. investments in global health, including programs that combat HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria help build capacity in countries around the world that enables them to better handle epidemics when they strike. As President, I will push to expand funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which funds vital services for individuals with HIV or AIDS overseas and its a pillar of U.S. global health programs. I’ll also repeal the Trump administration’s heartless Global Gag Rule, which makes organizations that conduct or refer patients for abortion ineligible for global health funds — harming patients and reducing the capacity of other nations’ health systems.
Fight climate change. A changing climate means infectious diseases will spread to new places, and it’s already happening. In 2016, the Zika virus threatened more of the U.S. because changing climates mean the mosquitos that carry it now thrive further and further north. And Lyme disease is expected to increase by 20% in the next decade due to climate change. West Nile is projected to more than double by 2050 due to warming, costing upwards of $1 billion annually. Our health depends on fighting climate change. And I have a lot of plans for that.
Recommit to the Paris Agreement and invest in the Green Climate Fund. On Day One of my administration, I’ll commit the United States to rejoin the Paris Agreement, including meeting Obama era commitments to the Green Climate Fund — a critical funding stream to prevent the spread of climate fueled pandemics — and backfilling the contribution that the Trump administration failed to deliver.
Recognize interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. When it comes to pandemics, we must think about how animal, human, and environmental factors interact. Last year the Trump administration shut down the Predict program to test animals for dangerous pathogens that could cross over to humans. As President, I would restore this essential work. And I will support new scientific research to help understand and predict the impact of warmer temperatures on disease emergence and transmission.
Invest in CDC’s Climate and Health Program. This essential program invests in adaptation for the effects of climate change on our nation’s health, but its budget only allows for programs that cover roughly half our population. Rather than follow President Trump’s attempts to kill this program, I will expand it to cover very American so no community is left behind.
Prioritize effective federal management. As President, I’ll take key steps to ensure that the agencies who handle outbreaks have clear leadership, responsibility, and support.
Restore White House leadership position for health security. President Obama created this position in response to the Ebola epidemic. In 2018, the Trump administration eliminated it – and I demanded answers. As President, I will bring it back, with a formal senior lead in my White House who focuses solely on global health security and oversees this work across the entire federal government.
Rebuild the State Department and USAID. American security and health depend on robust diplomacy and development assistance, but the Trump administration has declared war on the State Department and USAID. We must reverse the trend of declining American diplomacy and development aid by creating a 21st century foreign service and corps of development specialists. My plan to rebuild the State Department ensure that we have the diplomats we need leading our engagement with the world to help effectively manage outbreaks.
Build on the CDC’s legacy as the world and domestic leader in public health. The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) holds our nation’s largest supply of medial countermeasures and medical supplies. Historically, CDC has managed SNS because it has the public health expertise to stock the right medical countermeasures and ensure they get to communities who need them during an emergency. In 2018, the Trump administration removed the SNS from CDC management in an ill-advised attempt to streamline response activities that could make it easier for drug companies to lobby for their products to be included. As President, I will move it back to optimize public health while ensuring coordination with other agencies.
Strengthen the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE). PHEMCE coordinates the federal government’s efforts to prepare for potential chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, as well as from emerging infectious diseases. We must ensure the PHEMCE fully utilizes expertise from across agencies and reinvigorate its ability to prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Develop vaccines for infections diseases. The United States should join its peer countries and invest in the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a public/private global alliance focused on vaccine development, and actively participate in global coalitions working toward vaccine development. I have pushed the CDC to prepare for pandemic influenza, which must include the development of a universal flu vaccine — a necessity if we want to effectively fight the next strain of pandemic influenza…
January 29: Victoria State Government (Australia) posted “Second novel coronavirus case in Victoria”.
Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services confirmed a second Victorian case of the 2019 novel coronavirus.
The man in his 60s, a Victoria resident, is isolated and recovering at home. He was confirmed as positive this morning following a series of tests after experiencing a respiratory illness.
After the positive result, the man was seen by doctors at the Monash Medical Centre in accordance with infection control procedures and was assessed as well enough to stay at home.
The Victorian man had traveled to Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The man first became unwell more than two days after returning from China. There is no current evidence that passengers or crew on the flight that the man took to return to Melbourne are at risk.
The department is monitoring five close contacts who live with the man. Two of the contacts are children who have been excluded from school…
January 29: The CDC reported the onset of 1 additional COVID-19 case in the United States.
January 29: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 9”
Highlights:
Four confirmed cases reported in United Arab Emirates, in individuals traveling from Wuhan City.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, has set up a public private collaboration called “The Pandemic Supply Chain Network (PSCN)” It is a Market Network that seeks to provide a platform for data sharing, market visibility and operational coordination and connecting.
Today, PSCN is launching the first of several teleconference calls with over 350 private sector organizations and 10 multilateral organizations to develop a market capacity and risk assessment for personal protective equipment (PPE). This assessment will be used as the basis to match the global demand for PPE with the global supply. The market and risk assessment of PPE is expected to be completed by 5 February 2020.
The Emergency Committee on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) under the International Health Regulation (IHR 2005) is re-convened by the World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 30 January.
TECHNICAL FOCUS: Travel advice:
WHO has published travel advice for international traffic on 27 January. This document includes advice for individual travelers on general measures to reduce the risk of acute respiratory infection, as well as advice on health measures related to international traffic. Exit screening is advised for areas with ongoing transmission of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV (currently in People’s Republic of China).
Exit screening includes checking for signs and symptoms (fever above 38°, cough), interview of passengers with respiratory infection symptoms leaving the affected areas with regards to potential exposure to high-risk contacts or to the presumed animal source, directing symptomatic travelers to further medical examination, followed by testing for 2019-nCoV, and keeping confirmed cases under isolation and treatment.
The evidence from the past outbreaks shows that effectiveness of entry screening is uncertain, but it may support risk communication strategy by providing information to travellers from affected countries/areas to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections, and to seek medical attention early if they develop symptoms with the infection.
During the current outbreak with the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV, a number of exported cases were detected through entry screening implemented by some countries. Symptomatic cases may be detected though temperature screening at Point of Entry, for whom medical examination and laboratory tests will be conducted for confirmation.
Temperature screening to detect potential suspect cases at Point of Entry may miss travellers incubating the disease or travellers concealing fever during travel and may require substantial investments. A focused approach targeting direct flights from affected areas could be more effective and less resource demanding.
If entry screening is implemented, temperature screening should always be accompanied by dissemination of risk communication messages at Points of Entry. This can be done through posters, leaflets or electronic bulletin aiming at raising awareness among travellers about signs and symptoms of the disease, and encouragement of health care seeking behavior, including when to seek medical care, and reporting of their travel history.
When implementing temperature screening, countries should take into account national policy and capacity considerations. Countries implementing temperature screening are encouraged to establish proper mechanism for data collection and analysis such as number of travellers screened and confirmed cases out of screened passengers, and method of screening.
WHO advises against the application of any restrictions of international travel based on the information currently available on this event.
Countries, territories or areas with reported cases of 2019-nCoV, 29 January 2020:
SURVEILANCE
China: 5997 (cases include cases confirmed in Hong Kong (8 confirmed cases), Macau SAR (7 confirmed cases) and Taipei (8 confirmed cases).
Japan: 7
Republic of Korea: 4
Viet Nam: 2
Singapore: 7
Australia: 7
Malaysia: 4
Cambodia: 1
Thailand: 14
Nepal: 1
Sri Lanka: 1
United States of America: 5
Canada: 3
France: 4
Germany: 4
United Arab Emirates: 4
TOTAL: 6065
Four confirmed cases reported in United Arab Emirates, in individuals travelling from Wuhan City.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
WHO has been in regular and direct contact with Member States where cases have been reported. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested.
WHO has developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnosis, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, risk communication and community engagement.
Prepared disease commodity package that includes an essential list of biomedical equipment, medicines and supplies necessary to care for patients with 2019-nCoV.
WHO has provided recommendations to reduce the risk of transmission from animals to humans.
WHO has published an updated advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.
WHO has developed an online course to provide general introduction to emerging respiratory viruses including novel coronaviruses.
WHO is providing guidance on early investigations, which are critical to carry out early in an outbreak of a new virus. The data collected from the study protocols can be used to refine recommendations for surveillance and case definitions, to characterize the key epidemiological transmission features of 2019-nCoV, help understand spread, severity, spectrum of disease, impact on the community and to inform operational models for implementation of countermeasures such as case isolation, contact tracing and isolation. The first protocol that is available is a: Household transmission investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
WHO is working with its networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, mange the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
WHO is working with global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE
During previous outbreaks due to the coronavirus (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), human-to-human transmission occurred through droplets, contact and fomites, suggesting that the transmission mode of the 2019-nCoV can be similar. The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections include the following:
Avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals/
People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands.)
Within healthcare facilities, enhance standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments.
WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travellers. In case of symptoms, suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel, travellers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their healthcare provider.
January 29: President Donald Trump tweeted: “Just received a briefing on the Coronavirus in China from all of our GREAT agencies, who are also working closely with China. We will continue to monitor the ongoing developments. We have the best experts anywhere in the world, and they are on top of it 24/7!”
January 29: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “Transcript of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Response”
Operator: Welcome and thank you for standing by. Today’s conference is being recorded. If you have any objections you may disconnect at this time. All participants are in a listen-only mode and to the question and answer session of today’s presentation. To ask a question at that time, pleas press start one. I would like to turn the call over to your host Benjamin Haynes, thank you.
Haynes: Thank you, Michelle, and thank you for joining us for today’s briefing, I am joined by Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of CDC’s national center for immunization and respiratory diseases, who will provide opening remarks before taking your questions. I would now like to turn the call over to Dr. Messonnier.
Messonnier: Thank you for joining us today. I’m pleased to give an update on the ongoing 2019 novel coronavirus situation in the united states. As promised, we updated our web site earlier today with our lab results. This morning, we have 165 persons under investigation or PUIS with 68 persons testing negative and only 5 confirmed positive. The remainder are samples in transit or being processed at CDC for testing.
We have uploaded the full genetic sequence for all five viruses detected in the united states to date, and we’re working quickly through the process to get the CDC -developed test into the hands of public health partners in the united states and internationally.
CDC is expanding entry screening to 20 U.S. Ports of Entry where CDC have quarantine stations. Also, in collaboration with customs and border protection, CDC is expanding distribution of travel health education materials to all travelers from china. 350,000 travel education cards are ready for distribution.
The good news here is that despite an aggressive public health investigation to find new cases, we have not. The situation in china is concerning. However, we are looking hard here in the united states. We will continue to be proactive. I still expect that we will find additional cases.
Another development today, the federal government was able to successfully return a plane full of U.S. Citizens living in Wuhan, china to this country. We have taken every precaution to ensure their safety while also continuing to protect the health of our nation and the people around them. 195 passengers have been screened, monitored and evaluated by medical personnel every step of the way, including before takeoff, during the flight, during a refueling in Anchorage, Alaska, and again in California. Twenty CDC staff are present to help manage this process.
All of the 195 passengers are without the symptoms associated with novel coronavirus. And all have been given assigned living quarters at the air force base. All of the 195 have agreed to remain on base voluntarily. CDC has now begun a second stage of further screening and information gathering from the passengers. The passengers will be offered testing as part of this thorough risk assessment. And samples will be sent to CDC. We will be processing them with the appropriate speed.
I want to thank everyone who worked so hard over these past few days to bring these Americans home. I heard that the people on board cheered loudly when the plane touched down safely in anchorage. I want to thank those now safely returned from Wuhan for their cooperation and patience as we safeguard their health and the health of all Americans.
I understand that many people in the united states are worried about this virus and whether it will affect them. Outbreaks like this are always concerning. Particularly when a new virus is emerging, but we are well prepared and working closely with federal, state and local partners to protect our communities and others nationwide from this new public health threat. At this time, we continue to believe that the immediate health risk from this new virus and the general American public is low.
Haynes: Thank you, Dr. Messonnier, Michelle, we are ready to take questions.
Operator: Our first question will come from mike stobbe with ap, your like is now open.
Stobbe: Hi, thank you for taking my call. Yeah, thank you, doctor. I wanted to ask you, there was a press event from Riverside, and it was a little confusing. First of all, you used the number 195. The number 201 has been used earlier. Are you saying it was actually 195 people on the flight?
And the people who, from the flight, could you tells us exactly what the restrictions are for those folks at the base? You have already said that they’ve all agreed, but there was supposed to be a three-day period, and there was some confusion about whether if someone decided they wanted to leave before three days even if there isn’t a federal quarantine order, are they allowed to do that?
And why three days? How did you all arrive at three days if the incubation period is up to 14 days according to a paper in the “New England journal today” is five days, and the flight was supposed to go to the Ontario airport. Whose decision was it to divert it to the Air Force base and why was that decision made? Thank you.
Messionnier: Sure. So, I know that the numbers have been confusing and as you know, we pride ourselves on precision. Some of it is the desire to communicate quickly. So, the correct number is 195 passengers. It’s 195 passengers who have been screened.
Thanks also for the opportunity to clarify around what the status of the travelers are. You know, quarantine is a regulatory authority. It’s used to isolate someone because they post a threat to the health of their family or their community. In this instance, we have 194 travelers who are willingly undergoing isolation for the purpose of medical evaluation and investigation of their risk assessment. These passengers are happy to be back in the United States. We at CDC are happy to help them return to their communities at the completion of their risk assessment.
All of the parties are committed to reducing the spread of this illness, so the 72 hours, you know, we hope that we will be able to assess their risk more quickly than that, get these patients through the process after giving them perhaps a little time to rest and recuperate and we’re trying to make sure that we can get them on their way as quickly as possible, knowing that it may take a little while to fully assess their risk, which is something we’re doing jointly with these passengers, so we’re hoping to give them and us a little time to make sure we take our time to do this risk assessment fully, but also mindful of the stress that these passengers have been under. We also want to recuperate before we ask them the detailed set of questions that we think will help us help them make the appropriate risk assessment.
Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Next question will come from Eden David with ABC news medical unit; your line is now open.
David: Hi, thanks for taking the time to update us, so I understand that you are isolating these particular 195 passengers but what about the commercial flights that are still coming in from china? You’re not isolating them or why the extra precautions for this specific – this specific subset of passengers and what would be your comment on why you’re not taking the same initiative for the commercial fights coming in?
Messonnier: Thanks for the opportunity to clarify. These are passengers from Wuhan, and the number of travelers coming from commercial airlines from Wuhan has drastically dropped in the past days since the airport at Wuhan was closed. So, the numbers of passengers directly coming from Wuhan drastically dropped.
We are still doing active screening of any passenger who was coming from Wuhan in the five airports where we initially set that up, and the kind of screening we’re doing is in the same category as this screening. It is a similar risk assessment where we’re understanding where they’ve been, who they’ve been in contact with. Of course, looking for any medical illness and quantifying their risk into the set of categories that help us define the next steps.
These passengers are undergoing something similar. It is more detailed, partly because of what’s been going on in Wuhan the past few days. And because of their situation, we thought that out of the desire to make sure that they have time to rest and recuperate before they’re getting asked those questions, we wanted to make sure that they had a place where they could safely do that. And this offers us that place. It is in the same kind of setting that we’re offering risk assessment for other passengers coming back from Wuhan as well as anybody in the united states.
For example, the individuals who have been identified as close contacts of the confirmed patients were also stratifying their risk as well, and our guidance for those individuals differs based on their risk. For example, somebody who was directly in close contact of a coughing patient with Wuhan would have a higher risk of somebody for example who passed them on the street a week before they became ill. But all of those people are at risk, but the risk is different, and in these returning travelers, these 195 people, we want to take our time to make sue we fully assess their risk, and that we have worked with the people to do it.
Again, I want to compliment them. I also want to thank the folks from Alaska as well as California who have been with us every step of the way. We appreciate their patience. As we said before, the cooperation of the patients with this novel coronavirus as well as their close contacts, as well as their – these other travelers are essential for us to be able to protect the health of these people, the health of their families and the health of the communities.
Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Next question will come from Eben Brown with FOX News, your line is open.
Brown: Thank you, Dr. Messonnier, for doing the call this afternoon. It’s been mentioned that the screening is being done at 20 airports or at 20 metro areas where the CDC has their standing quarantine stations but is it just only airports or will there or are there screening stations underway at sea ports or land-based border crossings? I mean, it’s always possible someone could have flown from china to Cancun, got on a cruise ship and came to Miami. Is that something that’s being addressed or what would be the criteria to start addressing those types of scenarios?
Messionnier: Sure. Thank you. So, I actually think it’s a great opportunity to differentiate the active enhanced screening that we were doing a the five airports for folks coming out from Wuhan from what we’re doing to enhance the screening at these 20 quarantine stations.
So as part of our regular business at those 20 quarantine stations we look at work with customs and border protection to identify people who are returning to the United States with illness. That is part of our regular business and at these 20 quarantine stations, what we’re actually doing is enhancing the staffing at those airports so we can do more of that illness detection. It’s called a standard illness protocol. Part of our normal business, but we’re enhancing those activities.
There are two of the 18 airports actually include two land borders that are also quarantine stations and also searching for illness response. Detecting people that come into the United States ill is part of our normal business, and it’s relevant here, but we should remember that some of our five cases weren’t ill when they crossed back into the United States. They became ill later.
So it’s equally important to use that opportunity and for CDC to work with cbp to provide all of these returning passengers educational materials, those educational materials specifically point out what the signs and symptoms of novel coronavirus are and we tell them if they have a fever and they have respiratory symptoms, specifically a cough they need to contact their health care provider. This is part of the method we use in a layered approach to try and protect all of us from any such illness that comes into the United States.
Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Our next question will come from Richard Harris from npr. Your line is now open.
Harris: Thanks, I’ve got two quick questions, one of which is, if these folks get screened with the CDC’s pcr test, and they call come back negative is there any biological reason to continue to 14-day surveillance of them or is that just, is that belts and suspenders up because it would seem like everyone’s negative for carrying the virus, that would be end of story. And the second question is about WHO. Which today said CDC would not be part of their new scientific efforts to go into china and learn more, and I was wondering if the CDC has any progress to report on getting a CDC team into china. Thanks.
Messonnier: Sure. The answer to the first question is we’re being appropriately cautious as one should be when there is a new virus with which we only have limited experience, and so we really make sure that there’s appropriate monitoring. As we’re doing for all of the — as we’re doing for all of the close contacts of the confirmed cases in the United States, and so I think it’s — I wouldn’t call it belts and suspender, I would call it an appropriate degree of caution for a new disease.
As we learn more about the disease from investigations here in CDC, as well as around the world, our procedures may change but right now we’re taking what we consider to be an appropriately proactive and cautious approach around potential contacts as well as around travelers.
In terms of the — in terms of the WHO, I don’t know that that’s a confirmed report, and actually, we expect that we will be invited to be part of the this WHO expert group, so we actually will, as I understand it, we are working with WHO to put together a team to go to china as soon as possible and we’ll provide an update on the team’s departure as well as activities when more information becomes available.
Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Next question will come from Erica Edwards from NBC, your line is open.
Edwards: Hey, thank you. I have two quick things. One is just to clarify something that was said earlier. I know that the number of passengers changed from 201 to 195. Can we assume that the other six were crew members? And also, I’m wondering if you can say anything more about the close contacts in the confirmed cases here in the U.S., particularly that patient in Washington state? I believe we’re at or near the end of the 14 days since he arrived back in the U.S. Is that person still hospitalized and if so, why?
Messionnier: Yeah, so the 195 is the correct number. The other people on the plane were state department employees, medical officers and pilots. In terms of clinical status of the patient in Washington state, as I said before, you would really need to direct that question to the state heath department, but just know that we are actively engaged with these patients and their clinical care making recommendations to their clinicians and the health department as to how long they need to stay in hospital. I think that as you can imagine, with a new disease, we are being cautious and I think their clinicians in their health departments are being cautious as we learn more, but those decisions will be coming from the state health department, local decision, not from CDC. over.
Haynes: Next question, please.
Operator: Our next question will come from Nathan Weixel from The Hill, your line is now open.
Weixel: Thanks for taking my question. I just wanted to clarify, just about whether CDC is actually going to be part of this WHO Group, you don’t know that you’re a part of it yet or you don’t know that you’re going to china, you just expect that?
Messionnier: So, the information that I have right now is that we are invited to be part of the WHO mission and that we are working with WHO through the particulars of that team. I think there are logistic questions and such about this, but again, my understanding is that there has been preliminary outreach and that CDC at this point, the plans are to include CDC as part of that team.
Haynes: Michelle, we have time for two more questions.
Operator: Our next question will come from Lisa Krieger from San Jose Mercury News, your line is open.
Krieger: Yes, hi, thank you very much. Granted that the travel to Wuhan is the single greatest risk factor, I wonder if you could answer a reader’s question about how do I tell the difference between, you know, symptomatically between a cold, the flu and a new coronavirus?
Mesionnier: I actually think that’s a really important question for the American public because the symptoms of this disease early are over and cough and respiratory disease, and as I think your readers astutely pointed out, that is similar wi what we say as the early symptoms of influenza as well as other viral respiratory diseases.
That’s why it’s really important for Americans to know right now that the risk factor that we have identified in the United States are travel to Wuhan, but he second group of people that we’re especially concerned about are people who are close contacts of people who are traveling to — who have traveled to Wuhan, and that’s why the health department is working with CDC, have been —
I’m sorry, it’s Hubei province. You said Wuhan so I said Wuhan, but the answer is people who have traveled to Hubei province, and other countries that already identified cases among those groups that have had close contact with people who have traveled and that’s why we have been working with our state health departments to be very proactive and aggressive in identifying potential contact of confirmed patients and monitoring them closely. That is, you know, we expect to see additional cases in the United States.
We think there could be travelers returning from Hubei Province, but we also think that it’s likely we may have cases among close contacts of patients that, but right now, there is no sign in the United States that we have broader community transmission, and that’s why people who are not in one of those groups either traveling themselves or having close contact with a confirmed case, we don’t think those Americans need be especially concerned, because we judged the risk in the general American public to be low.
Haynes: Last question, please.
Operator: and our last question will come form Issam Ahmed with AFP, your line is now open.
Ahmed: Hi, Nancy, just another clarifying question, so it’s the volunteer isolation period is 72 hours, and then what was the 14 days for, and I’m sorry, and will everybody have to submit a specimen or is that also voluntary, which will be tested at CDC?
Messonnier: I’m sorry if some of this got confusing as we tried to work quickly through a complex problem. We said it might take up to three days because we thought it might take up to that long for us to do a full risk assessment with these returning travelers and built in there some time to make sure that they also had enough time to rest and recuperate after what sounds like a difficult ordeal.
So, we said up to three days because we thought that gave us a little room to make sure that had enough time to do all the things we needed to do. It’s not a specific time line. It is a period of time for our medical officers who evaluate each patient. Each passenger in giving the passengers time to work things through with us as quickly as possible.
What I can say in general is that we are working with — we at CDC are working as quickly as we can to return our fellow Americans to their lives but we also want to make sure we’re doing it in a way that no one represents a risk to themselves or their families or their communities and right now, 195 of these travelers are willing and eager to cooperate because they also want to make sure that they’re taking care of their own health, the health of their families and the health of their communities.
So, they are voluntarily cooperating with us, and in these kind of situations, that’s in general how our fellow Americans react. They want to make sure that they’re protecting themselves and their communities and we want to compliment them on their eagerness to help, and we have full expectation that we’ll continue to have that kind of cooperation.
Haynes: Thank you, Dr. Messonnier, and thank you all for joining us for today’s update. Please visit the 2019 novel coronavirus web page for continued updates and if you have further questions, please contact the main media line at 404-639-3286 or by e-mail at media@cdc.gov. Thank you.
Operator: This concludes today’s conference, all participants may disconnect at this time. Please disconnect at this time. Thank you.
January 29: Reuters posted: “Japan plane evacuating citizens arrives Tokyo from virus-hit Wuhan”
A chartered plane carrying 206 Japanese nationals evacuated from Wuhan the epicenter of China’s coronavirus outbreak, arrives at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Wednesday, as the death toll from the new strain rose to 132.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday that 650 Japanese citizens were hoping to come home, and the government was making arrangements for additional flights.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has stressed that the government will explore all possible measures to bring back all those citizens who want to return to Japan.
January 29: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted: “Chartered Plane Arrives in Wuhan to Bring Japanese Home”
An All Nippon Airways plane chartered by the Japanese government arrived at an airport in Wuhan late Tuesday night local time on a mission to bring home Japanese nationals from the city in China’s Hubei Province following the outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new type of deadly coronavirus in the country.
The airplane operated by the major Japanese carrier will ferry some 200 people, who will be the first group of Japanese to be evacuated from the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak using government-charted aircraft.
The ANA plane will depart from the Wuhan airport in several hours and arrive back at Haneda on Wednesday morning. Returning in the first group will be mainly people with high risks of infection, including those living near the outbreak epicenter.
For the first round of airlifting operations, the plane left Haneda for Wuhan on Tuesday night, also carrying relief goods, such as face masks and protective suits, for supply to the Chinese side.
As of Tuesday, some 650 Japanese nationals in Hubei said they wish to return to Japan, according to the government.
January 29: New South Wales Health posted “Novel Coronavirus Statistics -10am
The situation is continually evolving.
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 4
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 6
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
January 29: AP News posted: “Japanese evacuation flight brings back workers from Wuhan”
The first group of Japanese evacuees from a virus-hit Chinese city arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, a dozen of them with cough and fever including two who were later diagnosed with pneumonia.
Five of the 206 evacuees were taken to designated Tokyo hospitals specializing in treating infectious diseases, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a parliamentary session, adding that they were still checking if any passengers were ill with the virus.
Two who had pneumonia were not yet linked to the new coronavirus, Tokyo city officials said. All five patients, being treated at two Tokyo hospitals, were stable, hospital officials said.
Later Wednesday, seven other evacuees who cleared an earlier screening on board were also found to have coughs and fever in a secondary screening and were hospitalized, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said in a statement. The remaining evacuees who had no symptoms were taken to a hotel where they will be quarantined.
Officials said about 650 Japanese citizens and their families in Wuhan and elsewhere in Hebei province had sought to return home. Aoyama said there are more than 400 others still in Wuhan, including those working for a Japanese supermarket chain that has stayed open to serve customers who need food and other necessities and supplies.
He said it was important to step up preventative measures in Japan, but “I hope we can also provide support for the Chinese people, while we also help Japanese people who are still there.”
Another evacuee, Takayuki Katy, said that all those wishing to leave Wuhan had submitted their health inquiry form and had their temperature taken before departure. While on board, a doctor came to each passenger to take temperature again and check their condition, he said.
Kato said he did not panic as he was able to monitor the news online and via local media, but “I was shocked when all transportation systems were suspended. That’s when the situation drastically changed.”
Aoyama and Kato, along with the rest of the evacuees who were not showing immediate signs of infection, were expected to be taken to the National Center for Global Health and Medicine for further checks and a virus test.
Health officials said the evacuees will be sent home on chartered buses to keep them from using public transportation and stay home for about two weeks until their virus test results are out, though it’s not legally binding. Others who need to travel long distance home are asked to stay at designated hotels.
Abe’s Cabinet designated the new coronavirus as an infectious disease Tuesday, allowing hospitalization and treatment of the patients compulsory, but the measure is taking effect Feb. 7 because of the required 10-day notification period, causing concerns that it may be too late.
Former Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told a ruling party meeting that “if you abide by law and people die, it’s useless,” Kyodo News quoted him as saying.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told the parliamentary session Wednesday that the government would have to send two more flights to evacuate the rest of the people wishing to return home.
Japan’s government said it will send another chartered flight to evacuate the others later Wednesday.
January 29: PolitiFact posted: The White House forms a coronavirus response task force, initially led by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.
January 29: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Toyota to Keep China Plants Closed until Feb. 9”
Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> will keep its plants in China closed until at least Feb. 9, in response to the spread of a new coronavirus in the country, company officials said Wednesday.
Whether to reopen the plants on Feb. 10 depends on the situation, one of the officials said.
Toyota has four auto assembly plants in China.
Previously, the company planned to reopen a plant in Tianjin on Monday, and a plant in Guangzhou on Tuesday after suspensions during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Toyota said that it will donate 10 million yuan to the Red Cross Society of China to help finance its purchases of medical supplies such as masks.
January 29: Australian Government Department of Health posted “Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) statement on novel coronavirus on 29 January 2020.”
AHPPC provides the following advice to the Australian community following advice from the Communicable Diseases Network Australia.
AHPPC is aware of:
very recent cases of novel coronavirus who are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic and
reports of one case of probable transmission from a pre-symptomatic case to other people, two days prior to the onset of symptoms.
These data are very limited and preliminary and AHPPC still believes that most infections are transmitted by people with symptomatic disease. However, AHPPC believes that we should take a highly precautionary approach and is making the following new recommendations:
People who have been in contact with any confirmed novel coronavirus cases must be isolated in their home for 14 days following exposure;
Returned travellers who have been in Hubei Province of China must be isolated in their home for 14 days after leaving Hubei Province, other than for seeking individual medical care.
Given the lower number of cases in China reported outside Hubei province, we do not currently recommend self-isolation for travellers from other parts of China or other countries. We are closely monitoring the development of cases outside of Hubei province and will update this advice if necessary.
AHPPC recognises that the evidence for pre-symptomatic transmission is currently limited, and this policy is highly precautionary. At this time, the aim of this policy is containment of novel coronavirus and the prevention of person to person transmission within Australia.
Further details of the extent of pre-symptomatic transmission is being monitored, and may result in changes to policy.
Summary of evidence to support the revised advice
New international evidence suggest that asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic infection can occur, and that pre-symptomatic transmission has occurred in at least one case cluster.
1. German case cluster: It has been reported that participants at a workshop in Munich had contact with a woman on 21 January. This woman, who had been in Wuhan, became symptomatic on 23 January and diagnosed following return to China. Four workshop attendees, with no travel history to China, have been confirmed with nCoV and several more are under investigation.
2. A 10 year old child reported in a case series was noted as having no fever; although it is likely that this case may have had a cough sufficient to produce PCR positive sputum.
3. A Japanese person reported as a case was a bus driver who transported Chinese passengers from Wuhan. The Japanese person had no history of travel outside Japan. None of the passengers were known cases.
4. Several Chinese language media reports have detailed transmission from pre-symptomatic cases, but no confirmatory evidence has been published.
5. WHO Sitrep (#8) states that 3 of 58 cases diagnosed outside China were asymptomatic.
January 29: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “More Aircraft May Fly to China Soon to Evacuate Japanese”
The Japanese government is in the final stages of arrangements to send additional chartered aircraft on Wednesday night to evacuate expatriates from China’s Hubei Provence, at the center of the outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus that has caused pneumonia among a number of people.
The cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will decide on Thursday to set up a task force to be headed by him to stop the new coronavirus from spreading further in the country.
According to the government, some 650 Japanese nationals in China province are wishing to return home via government-chartered flights. Of them, 206 returned on the first such flight on Wednesday morning.
“We’ll continue to take every possible measure to bring home all of the people hoping to come back to Japan,” Abe said at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan’s parliment, on Wednesday. The government will also work on preventing the spread of the virus in Japan, he added.
In Japan, seven people, including one Japanese, were confirmed to be infected with the new virus.
January 29: The Desert Sun posted: “Over 200 US evacuees from coronavirus epicenter begin 72-hour evaluation period at March Air Reserve Base”. It was written by Colin Atagi.
As more than 200 U.S. evacuees from the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China began a sequestered, 72-hour evaluation period at March Air Reserve Base on Wednesday, health officials assured the public that the risk of a similar outbreak in the United States is “very low”.
“There’s a lot about this virus that we don’t know. But, something that we also have to keep in mind is that these folks need to come home… The risk to the public remains low and we aim to keep it that way,” said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County’s public health officer.
A contingent of federal, state and county health experts took questions from reporters Wednesday after a chartered plane filled with U.S. diplomats, their families, and other U.S. citizens who were in Wuhan, China, landed at the air force base near Morano Valley.
Authorities said the 210 passengers passed numerous screening tests to determine if they were exhibiting symptoms of the illness before being allowed on the plane, which stopped briefly in Anchorage, Alaska, where another series of screening tests were administered before continuing on to the Southern California air base.
Government officials made the decision to bring the passengers to Riverside County, although none of the passengers are from the county.
“The coronavirus is spreading rapidly, we think, in China and we think it is appropriate that our citizens who are in the epicenter of that outbreak in Wuhan be repatriated home for their own safety,” said Dr. Chris Braden, deputy director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The illness has sickened at least 5,500 people and is responsible for 132 deaths around the world.
Health officials said there are 60 cases in 13 other countries outside of China, including five in the United States. None of the five are in Riverside County.
Authorities said the evacuees are isolated from military personnel on base. For at least the next three days, they will be monitored twice a day for fever and other symptoms.
“There (will) be no interaction between those people on the base in the military and these passengers. There is a cordon that is there that we have established for the passengers. There are federal marshals there to keep everyone safe,” Braden said.
“At the end of three days, we think we’ll have enough information to know their status and their risk,” he added.
Officials said the passengers who don’t exhibit symptoms in those first 72 hours will be able to travel to their home states and on to their families or residences. They will, however, continue to be monitored for a maximum of 14 days.
“When they leave and go to their home states, at least twice a day someone from public health will contact them and say, ‘Do you have any of these symptoms?’ ‘Tell me your temperature?’ or ‘I’m going to take your temperature,” Braden said.
“We are going to monitor them for the full extent of their incubation period,” he said. adding that every passenger has “agreed to do that. If they want to go to their home stay we will pass that information on to the health officials in that state so they can handle that there.”
Officials said there is no danger to anyone who lives near the base or to any personnel on the base.
Coronavirus has similar symptoms to the flu, however, anyone who’s feeling sick should not immediately assume they have been infected.
“If you have these symptoms and you haven’t been to China, you don’t have coronavirus. It’s that simple.” said Kaiser.
Authorities were quick to say that the passengers were not under a federal quarantine order.
“A quarantine order would be forced,” said Rear Admiral Dr. Nancy Knight, director of the Division of Global Health Protection at the CDC. “In this 72-hour period we are respecting the rights of individuals and … they can leave. However, they are sitting in the middle of a military base. Any discussion around departure would be just that — a discussion … If someone demands to leave right now that is where all of the (medical) partners… would come together and talk about what needs to be done. This would be discussed up to the highest levels of the U.S. government and we would ensure we were making the right decision for the American people.
The plane was charted by the U.S. State Department after it issued an evacuation order for U.S. diplomats and their families, officials said, adding that the flight was large enough to accommodate more people than the State Department diplomats and their families.
“They were able to offer seats to other American citizens and their families if they wanted to evacuate Wuhan,” Knight said.
Because of this it was initially thought that more than 210 people would be aboard the plane.
However, “a number of people did not have the right documentation to enter the United States. Some others … did not show up. There was one person who had a fever who was not allowed to board,” Braden said.
During the 72-hour observation period, passengers will undergo “checks every 12 hours for symptoms and temperatures. … The hospital provided a mobile health care unit near where people are being housed. And laboratory testing is being offered to these individuals and our desire is to turnaround those results as quickly as possible.” Knight said.
The CDC lab in Atlanta will be testing samples from the passengers and authorities believe these checks will be completed within 72 hours.
Kaiser reiterated: “The risk for the general communities in the United Staes from this infection is very low.”
“We have five confirmed cases in the United States. All were identified very early in their illness. They were isolated very early,” Braden added. “There is no indication of transmission from those cases.”
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to pneumonia to Middle East respiratory syndrome, known as MERS, and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.
Common signs of infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause a high fever, kidney failure, and death.
Eisenhower Health Infection Preventionist Michael Connors said people can prevent the spread of illness by washing hands and covering their nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing.
“If a person has traveled to affected areas, they should follow public health directions and notify heath care providers via phone before coming in for an appointment,” he said.
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January 29: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted: “5 Japanese Returnees Test Negative for Wuhan Coronavirus”.
Five of the 206 Japanese nationals brought back on a government-chartered plane from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak of pneumonia blamed on a new strain of coronavirus, have tested negative for the virus, it was learned.
Feeling unwell, the five were sent to two hospitals designated as institutions to deal with specific infectious diseases following the All Nippon Airways flight’s arrival at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda. Two of them were diagnosed with pneumonia. But they and the other three were all confirmed not to have the new coronavirus later. Three of the five are men in their 30s to 50s and two are women in their 50s.
According to the Tokyo metropolitian government, four of the five people were admitted to Ebara Hospital in Tokyo’s Ota Ward. Two of them – a man in his 40s and a man in his 50s – who complained of such symptoms as a cough and a fever were initially diagnosed with pneumonia following computed topography scan tests.
One of the two women was admitted to Komagome Hospital in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward.
January 29: The Honorable Scott Morrison Prime Minister of Australia posted: “Assisted Departure and Strict Quarantine For Australians From Wuhan/Hubei”
The Australian Government is working across agencies to assist the departure of isolated and vulnerable Australians from Wuhan and to put strict quarantine arrangements in place.
Australian diplomatic and consular staff have been working very closely with the Chinese authorities and with other partner countries to develop options for the departure of Australians in Wuhan and Hubei Province, in what continues to be a difficult and complex situation.
The Australian Embassy in Beijing is now seeking formal approval from the Chinese Government to send a plane to Wuhan to assist the departure of Australians from Hubei Province.
We thank the Chinese Government for the cooperative way they have dealt with Australian counterpart and those of the countries who have citizens in Wuhan and Hubei province.
Australians departing on any flight arranged by the Australian Government will be flown to Christmas Island to undertake a period of quarantine of up to 14 days based on current medical advice, as a condition of their assisted departure.
They will also be required to commit to making a contribution to the cost, consistent with normal arrangements in these circumstances.
This will ensure we are also prioritizing public health in Australia.
A consular team is positioned to support an assisted departure. A temporary Consular office is being set up in Wuhan to work with local authorities to help give effect to this plan. We do not have a permanent consular presence in Wuhan.
An Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) will provide medical support and expert advice to returning to Australians upon arrival at Christmas Island.
There are just over 600 Australian citizens currently registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. We will seek to speak with each of them in relation to the Goverment’s announcement. Our focus and priority is on vulnerable and isolated citizens.
We are endeavoring to make further contact with those people who have provided us their details. Contact can be difficult due to high demand on phone lines in China. We request that those who have registered their detail contact DFAT again if they have not spoken to Australian consular officials in the past 24 hours. The DFAT emergency number is +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas or 1300 555 135 if you are calling from Australia on behalf of a family member.
We also thank Qantas, which has offered to support Australians out of Wuhan if the authority to proceed is provided.
We understand this is a very stressful time for this impacted. We encourage people to make contact with family and friends, stay in touch with travel providers and contact your insurers. Australians should continue to follow all health precautions which are available on the Smart Traveler website – www.smarttraveller.gov.au.
We advise that Australians do not travel to Hubei Province and reconsider their need to travel to China overall.
January 29: Reuters reported that Mondelez International Inc. maker of Oreos and Chips Ahoy cookies, said it expects its first-quarter revenue will be impacted by the coronavirus spreading across China, and it has temporarily closed two factories.
The company reported quarterly revenue that beat estimates, helped by higher demand for its snacks in developing markets. Shares in Mondelez were up 2.6% after the bell.
January 29: China Daily tweeted: “At 4:30 pm on Tuesday, about 10 million people were watching the ongoing construction of the Huoshenshan and Leishenshan hospitals – two makeshift hospitals for novel coronavirus patients in suburban #Wuhan”. The tweet included a link to a the China Daily website, where a livestream was available.
January 29: Reuters reported Sweden’s IKEA said on Thursday that it has temporarily closed all its stores in China because of the new coronavirus.
The decision to close all of its 30 stores follows an announcement from the world’s biggest furniture retailer on Wednesday that it was closing around half of its stores and shortening the opening hours.
The total number of confirmed deaths from the coronavirus in China has risen by 38 to 170 as of Wednesday, as the number of infected patients rose by more than 1,700.
January 29: People’s Daily, China, The largest newspaper in China, tweeted: “China is expected to resume its maks production with normal capacity on Feb 3 and produce 180m masks per day by the end of Feb. The domestic production, together with imported masks, will ease the gap between supply and demand, according to PLA Daily.”
June 29: Twitter posted on its blog: “Helping the world find credible information about novel #coronavirus”. It was written by Jun Chu and Jennifer McDonald.
As the global conversation continue around the spread of novel #coronavirus, we want to share the work we’re doing to surface the right informatio, to promote constructive engagement, and to highlight credible information on this emerging issue. We’ve seen over 15 million Tweets on this topic in the past four weeks and that trend looks set to continue.
Preventing platform manipulation
At present, we’re not seeing significant coordinated attempts to spread disinformation at scale about this issue. However, we will remain vigilant and have invested significantly in our proactive abilities to ensure trends, saerch, and other common areas of the services are protected from malicious behaviors. As ever, those who engage in these practicies will be removed from our service. We do not permit platform manipulation and we encourage people to think before sharing or engaging in deliberate attempts to undermine the public conversation.
Expanding search prompt
Given the rapidly evolving nature of the issue and the growing international response, we’ve launched a new dedicated search prompt to ensure that when you come to the service for information about the #coronavirus, you’re met with credible, authoratiative information first. In addition, we’re halting any auto-suggest results that are likely to direct individuals to non-credible content on Twitter. This is an expansion of our #KnowTheFacts prompt, which we specifically put in place for the public to find clear, credible information on immunization and vaccination health.
Our official #coronavirus partnerships are now in palce in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germamy, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, US, UK, and Vietnam. We will continue to expand as the need rises.
Direct engagement
Finally, our Global Public Policy team is proactively seeking ways to integrate the product with organizations involved in the effort to contain the threat. Experts, NGO’s and governments play a pivotal public service role, using Twitter to reach people with the right information when they need it. We’re committed to playing our part to amplify authoritative, official content across the globe.
January 29: NPR posted “Face Masks: What Doctors Say About Their Role in Containing Coronavirus”. It was written by Maria Godoy.
As the coronavirus continues to spread, officials in China are urging citizens to wear masks in public to stop the spread of the virus – and cities in China as well as other parts of Asia are reportedly running out of face masks.
But can a mask really keep you from catching the virus?
To answer that question, it helps to clarify what kinds of masks we’re talking about.
Because experts don’t yet know exactly how the virus is transmitted, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that health care workers treat it like an airborne pathogen – germs that can travel in particles or droplets in the air. That means health care workers interacting with a coronavirus patient should wear a heavy-duty mask called an N96 respirator. These respirators are designed to fit tightly around the nose and mouth, and, when worn correctly, block out at least 95% of small airborne particles, according to the CDC.
But wearing an N95 respirator is serious business, says Dr. Williman Schaffner of Vanderbuilt University Medical Center. Health care workers who use these respirators are required to undergo an annual fit test – a check to make sure that mask forms a tight seal on the wearer’s face so that contaminated air can’t leak in. Although N95s are disposable, workers must also demonstrate that they know how to put on and wear the model that they are using.
This type of maks is “difficult to wear” because it’s uncomfortable, Schaffner says. Some people find it harder to breathe when wearing the N95. But “that’s the kind of protection that really works.”
While N95 respirators are available for the public to purchase, there’s no recommendation from health agencies for the general public to wear them.
By contrast, surgical masks – those cheap, disposable, gauzy masks that often come in blue or green, — are less uncomfortable. But Shaffner says the scientific evidence that “there might be a benefit for people in the community wearing face masks is very, very meager. The general sense is perhaps, but they’re certainly not an absolute protection.” In other words, they do provide some benefit but they’re far from foolproof.
Surgical masks are just a physical barrier that will protect you against “a visible splash or spray of fluid or large droplets,” explains Raina MacIntyre, an infectious disease researcher and professor of global biosecurity at the University of New South Wales in Sydney who has studies the efficacy of face masks. These masks fit loosely on the face around the edges, so they don’t completely keep out germs, and small airborne particles can still get through.
MacIntyre’s research has shown that N95 respirators offer far superior protection. But in one study, she did find that family member who wore surgical masks when carrying for a sick chid at home had a lower risk of getting infected. But the benefit only occurred if people wore masks “all the time when you are in the same room as the infected person,” MacIntyre says — something many families in the study found difficult to do. “But if they did wear it, yes, they got protection.”
MacIntyre notes that cloth masks, — which people wash and reuse — are also common in Asian countries. She says there’s no evidence to show they have any benefit, and her research suggest they “may actually be harmful,” because frequent washing and moisture retention can make cloth masks a breeding ground for pathogens.
January 29: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “UPDATE: HHS and CDC Receive Flight Carrying Repatriated US Citizens”.
This morning, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in collaboration with the Department of State recieved the flight carrying approximately 210 U.S. citizens from Wuhan at March Air Reserve Base in California.
The plane was met by a team of CDC medical officers deployed there to assess the health of the passengers. The passengers have been screened, monitored and evaluated by medical personnel every step of the way, including before takeoff, during the flight, during a refuling in Anchorage, Alaska, and now post-arrival. CDC and staff have conducted risk assessments to ensure the health of each traveler, including temperature checks and observing for respiratory symptoms.
CDC will work with the California Department of Public Health and Riverside County Public Health to transport any passenger exhibiting symptoms to a hospital for further evaluation. Passengers not exhibiting symptoms of exposure, will be asked to stay on the base in housing to allow CDC medical officers to perform more thorough screening and to better understand each individual’s exposure.
CDC is committed to protecting the heatlth and safety of Americans. At this time, we continue to believe the risk of coronavirus exposure to the general public is low. CDC is taking these measures to assess and care for these returning Americans to protect them, their loved ones, and their communities.
January 29: The New York Times Editorial Board wrote “Is the World Ready for the Coronavirus?”
The coronavirus outbreak, which began in early December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, had as of Wednesday sickened more than 6,000 people across at least 15 countries and claimed more than 130 lives, all of them in China. Experts don’t yet know how contagious, or how deadly, this new virus is. But the growing crisis has inspired panic. Cities around the world are bracing for a potential wave of infections. Stock and oil prices are tumbling. And experts in just about every global industry are fretting over the many supply chains that could be disrupted — from prescription drugs and surgical masks to rare earth metals — if the outbreak grows into an even wider epidemic.
Given the scope of these anxieties, it’s a wonder more hasn’t been done to prepare for an outbreak like this one. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have long warned that the rate at which new pathogens emerge is increasing (partly as a result of global warming). The agency identifies new ones every year, and disease outbreaks — especially those involving viruses that leap from animals to humans, as the coronavirus did — are hardly surprising.
China, the center of the current outbreak, appears to have learned at least some lessons from the last such crisis it confronted. In 2002, when SARS first emerged, the country’s leaders waited roughly three months before notifying the World Health Organization. By then, the virus was on its way to reaching more than a dozen countries. (SARS is also caused by a coronavirus, variants of which are fairly common around the world but rarely affect humans. When they do, they generally cause upper-respiratory infections.)
Chinese officials appear to have moved much faster this time around. They alerted the W.H.O. within a month of detecting the first coronavirus cases and moved quickly to sequence the new virus and to contain it: Some 56 million people, including the entire city of Wuhan, have been placed under quarantine.
But global health experts say that over all, the country’s response still leaves much to be desired. Officials appear to have withheld crucial information — including that the virus was spreading between humans and that cases were not confined to the elderly or to people who visited the market believed to be at the outbreak’s epicenter — for weeks. They have also rebuffed initial offers of help from the C.D.C. and failed to share samples of the virus with the scientific community.
Global health experts are already cautioning other countries to prepare for China’s containment efforts to fail. Part of the problem is that a quarantine of this size is inherently difficult to maintain. Another major issue is a lack of public trust: Control measures work only if people abide by them. And people are much less likely to follow orders when they don’t trust that the authorities issuing them have their best interests at heart. In Wuhan and elsewhere in China, trust in officials is running low, as some citizens suspect that the government is more concerned with containing bad press than with defeating the virus…
January 29: CBC posted “Canada prepares charter flight to bring home Canadians in China affected by coronavirus outbreak”. It was written by Kathleen Harris.
Canada has secured a charter aircraft to bring home Canadians stranded in the coronavirus-affected region of China – but people who are already infected will not be allowed to board.
Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam said Chinese authorities will not allow anyone who may be infected to get on the plane.
“No cases, and no sick people, will be leaving that city,” Tam said during an appearance before the House of Commons health committee Wednesday.
Tam said China has diagnostic tools to determine if someone is infected. Because the incubation period is anywhere from one to 14 days, she said there are “meticulous” measures in place to isolate individuals from other passengers if they develop symptoms during the flight.
Asked if Canada is considering asking people on the flight to self-isolate upon their return to Canada as a precaution, Tam said it’s crucial to secure the public’s full cooperation with measures to contain the virus. That means avoiding stigmatization and any measures that go beyond scientifically sound measures to protect public safety, she said.
Saying public health authorities have to strike a balance between public safety and individual liberty, Tam said “restricting someone’s freedom, essentially to be moving about in a community, after return … I think that is not something we would take lightly.”
Tam and Health Minister Patty Hajdu have maintained the risk to Canadians remains low. Tam said that assessment is based on the small number of cases that have been exported from China, and the fact that the most severe illnesses or deaths resulting from the novel coronavirus have involved older patients with underlying conditions.
Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced today the government has chartered an aircraft to repatriate Canadians and is now working on the diplomatic front to organize the flight — work which could take several days because the affected region is in a “lockdown.”
He said 160 Canadians have requested consular services to date.
“We have to work with the Chinese authorities to deal with the logistical side of things,” he said, adding that Canada is coordinating with other countries on the process.
Facing criticism from some stranded Canadians about a lack of consular assistance, Champaigne insisted that Canada is at the “forefront” of the response.
Air Canada announced today it was suspending direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai until Feb. 29.
Champagne said he could not confirm whether any of the Canadians requesting repatriation are sick, or or are showing symptoms of the virus.
Hajdu said she could not state yet if returning Canadians might be required to go into quarantine. She said the government will take steps to protect the health and safety of Canadians at home and abroad, but could not specify what those measures will involve.
“Part of the process now is figuring out exactly what our protocols will be when we return Canadians that wish to come home,” she said.
“We’re working very closely with our U.S. counterparts, who obviously have some experience in this and have set up some best practices, and we’ll be following their lead very closely and we’ll have more to says as those processes unfold.”
Hadju said not every Canadian in China requesting consular services wants to come home. Some need help with getting to other regions of China or securing supplies, she said.
Canada is cutting the number of consular staff in China due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Global Affairs Canada announced the reduced staffing at its diplomatic missions in China on Twitter, and in Chinese on the Beijing embassy’s social media pages on Wednesday. Canadians who need emergency consular assistance are being told to contact the emergency watch and response centre in Ottawa.
More than 6,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported globally — the vast majority of them in China – with 133 related deaths.
Some Canadians trapped in Wuhan, China, due to strict travel restrictions, say they’re safe but feeling abandoned by their consular officials.
Consular offices were closed Saturday through Tuesday due to the Chinese New Year.
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government is looking at ways to help Canadians stuck in China.
“We are working very closely with our consular officials in China. We’re listening and concerned about the Canadians who are right now in the affected zone,” he said.
Application centres closed
“We will do what we can do. There are many countries looking at different ways to help out. It is a complex situation, but we’re doing everything we can to support Canadians.”
Patterson Wu, a Vancouver-based Canadian citizen now in Wuhan, said he tried without success for days to reach a consular official. When he finally made contact, the official told him there was no evacuation plan at the moment, and referred him to a Chinese website listing various hospitals.
“I tried to phone them for many days now, but they were on holiday while we were stuck in the city with the epidemic happening in the country,” he told CBC News Network.
“It kind of felt like finally I got something, but at the same time, I kind of felt like, ‘This is all I got?”
Another Canadian from Toronto said he is frustrated with the lack of government help in brining home his 15-month-old daughter, who is visiting grandparents in Wuhan.
“I’m certainly scared, worried, frustrated with the lack of response that I hear. I feel helpless. There’s not much I can do,” Richard Fabic told CBC Toronto on Tuesday. “I missed her before, but now I miss her more.”
All visa application centres in mainland China are temporarily closed, and consular offices will be providing only basic services (such as passport renewals) and emergency services such as medical assistance, emergency benefits and missing persons.
According to the embassy’s post, the immigration service will continue to provide services and prioritize the processing of travel documents for customers and permanent residents “who need to travel urgently to Canada for humanitarian and compassionate reasons.”
Global Affairs Canada’s emergency response centre can be reach by phone at 612-996-8885 or by email sos@international.g.c.ca.
The government has launched a website dedicated to the coronavirus and has set up an information hotline.
The World Health Organization announced Wednesday it will convene the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee tomorrow to determine whether the current outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
During a news conference in Geneva Tuesday, Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Health Emergencies Program, praised the Chinese government’s “laser focus” and committed efforts to control the outbreak and protect public health.
“The challenge is great, but the response has been massive,” he said.
There’s a lot of misinformation to there about the virus’s origins and how it spreads.
Ryan acknowledged the challenge media outlets face in communicating accurate risk information and holding authorities and institutions to account.
All of the 15 countries that have imported cases, which include Canada, must be at “full alert,” he said.
Asked if countries evacuating their citizens from the affected regions could spread the virus further, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesys said every county can make its own decisions but must prepare for the arrival of new cases. Those countries need to have a “through understanding” of their actions, he said.
Several countries have started repatriating their citizens from the affected region in China.
A Japanese flight carrying 206 evacuees home included four people with coughs and fevers. The three men and one woman were taken to a Tokyo hospital on separate ambulances for treatment and further medical checks.
A chartered flight also landed in California today carrying 200 Americans from China.
Stephen Lucas, the deputy health minister and Public Health Agency of Canada President Tina Namiesniowski also took questions the committee meeting.
January 29: Stephen McDonell (China Correspondent for the BBC) tweeted: “Already more people infected with the #Wuhan #Coronavirus in #China that throughout the entire SARS epidemic which went on for around 7 months. More human movement now than in 2002/3 but this virus also seems much more infectious. More infectious but (for the moment) not as deadly.”
January 29: Overwatch League (An e-Sports league for Blizzard Entertainment’s Overwatch video game) tweeted a statement. The statement was in the form of a graphic with words on it, and it included the Overwatch League logo.
We have decided to cancel our February and March matches in China in order to protect the health and safety of our players, fans, and staff. We hope to have a safe and happy Lunar New Year, and remain incredibly excited to play Overwatch League matches in China later this season.
We’ll share more information about when and where the matches will take place at a later date.
Thank you for your support and understanding!
January 30
January 30: The World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Statement on the second meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)”.
The second meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019 in the People’s Republic of China, with exportations to other countries, took place on Thursday, 30 January 2020, from 13:30 to 18:35 Geneva time (CEST). The Committee’s role is to give advice to the Director-General, who makes the final decision on the determination of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The Committee also provides public health advice or suggests formal Temporary Recommendations as appropriate.
Proceedings of the meeting
Members and advisors of the Emergency Committee were convened by teleconference.
The Director-General welcomed the Committee and thanked them for their support. He turned the meeting over to the Chair, Professor Didier Houssin.
Professor Houssin also welcomed the Committee and gave the floor to the Secretariat.
A representative of the department of compliance, risk management, and ethics briefed the Committee members on their roles and responsibilities.
Committee members were reminded of their duty of confidentiality and their responsibility to disclose personal, financial, or professional connections that might be seen to constitute a conflict of interest. Each member who was present was surveyed and no conflicts of interest were judged to be relevant to the meeting. There were no changes since the previous meeting.
The Chair then reviewed the the agenda for the meeting and introduced the presenters.
Representatives of the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China reported on the current situation and the public health measures being taken. There are now 7711 confirmed and 12167 suspected cases throughout the country. Of the confirmed cases, 1370 are severe and 170 people have died. 124 people have recovered and been discharged from the hospital.
The WHO Secretariat provided an overview of the situation in other countries. There are now 83 cases in 18 countries. Of these, only 7 had no history of travel in China. There has been human-to-human transmission in 3 countries outside China. One of these cases is severe and there have been no deaths.
At its first meeting, the Committee expressed divergent views on whether this event constitutes a PHEIC or not. At that time, the advice was that the event did not constitute a PHEIC, but the Committee members agreed on the urgency of the situation and suggested that the Committee should continue its meeting on the next day, when it reached the same conclusion.
This second meeting takes place in view of significant increases in numbers of cases and additional countries reporting confirmed cases.
Conclusions and advice
The Committee welcomed the leadership and political commitment of the very highest levels of Chinese government, their commitment to transparency, and the efforts made to investigate and contain the current outbreak. China quickly identified the virus and shared its sequence, so that other countries could diagnose it quickly and protect themselves, which has resulted in rapid development of diagnostic tools.
The very strong measures the country has taken includes daily contact with WHO and comprehensive multi sectoral approaches to prevent further spread. It has also taken public health measures in other cities and provinces; is conducting studies on the severity and transmissibility of the virus, and sharing data and biological material. The country has also agreed to work with other countries who need their support. The measures China has taken are good not only for that country but also for the rest of the world.
The Committee acknowledged the leading role of WHO and its partners.
The Committee also acknowledged that there are still many unknowns, cases have now been reported in five WHO regions in one month, and human-to-human transmission has occurred outside Wuhan and outside China.
The Committee believes that it is still possible to interrupt the virus spread, provided that countries put in place strong measures to detect disease early, isolate and treat cases, trace contacts, and promote social distancing measures commensurate with the risk. It is important to note that as the situation continues to evolve, so will the strategic goals and measures commensurate with the risk. It is important to note that as the situation continues to evolve, so will the strategic goals and measures to prevent and reduce the spread of the infection. The Committee agreed that the outbreak now meets the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and proposed the following advice to be issued as Temporary Recommendations.
The Committee emphasized that the declaration of a PHEIC should be seen in the spirit of support and appreciation for China, its people, and the actions China has taken on the front lines of this outbreak, with transparency, and, it is to be hoped, with success. In line with the need for global solidarity, the Committee felt that a global coordinated effort is needed to enhance preparedness in other regions of the world that may need additional support for that.
Advice to WHO
The Committee welcomed a forthcoming WHO multidisciplinary technical mission to China, including national and local experts. The mission should review and support efforts to investigate the animal source of the outbreak, the clinical spectrum of the disease and its severity, the extent of human-to-human transmission in the community and in healthcare facilities, and efforts to control the outbreak. This mission will provide information to the international community to aid in understanding the situation and its impact and enable sharing of experience and successful measure.
The Committee wished to re-emphasize the importance of studying the possible source, to rule out hidden transmission and to inform risk management measures.
The Committee also emphasized the importance of studying the possible source, to rule out hidden transmission and to inform risk management measures.
The Committee also emphasized the need for enhanced surveillance in regions outside Hubei, including pathogen genomic sequencing, to understand whether local cycles of transmission are occurring.
WHO should continue to use its networks of technical experts to assess how best this outbreak can be contained globally.
WHO should provide intensified support for preparation and response, especially in vulnerable countries and regions.
Measures to ensure rapid development and access to potential vaccines, diagnostics, antiviral medicines, and other therapeutics for low- and middle-income countries should be developed.
WHO should continue to provide all necessary technical and operational support to respond to this outbreak, including with its extensive networks of partners and collaborating institutions, to implement a comprehensive risk communication strategy, and to allow for the advancement of research and scientific developments in relation to this novel coronavirus.
WHO should continue to explore the advisability of creating an intermediate level of alert between the binary possibilities of PHEIC or no PHEIC, in a way that does not require reopening negotiations on the text of the IHR (2005).
WHO should timely review the situation with transparency and update its evidence-based recommendations.
The Committee does not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available.
The Director-General declared that the outbreak of 2019-nCoV constitutes a PHEIC and accepted the Committee’s advice and issued this advice as Temporary Recommendation under the IHR.
To the People’s Republic of China
Continue to:
Implement a comprehensive risk communication strategy to regularly inform the population on the evolution of the outbreak, the prevention and protection measures for the population, and the response measures taken for its containment.
Enhance public health measures for containment of the current outbreak.
Ensure the resilience of the health system and protect the health workforce.
Enhance surveillance and active case finding across China.
Collaborate with WHO and partners to conduct investigations to understand the epidemiology and the evolution of this outbreak and measures to contain it.
Share relevant data on human cases.
Continue to identify the zoonotic source of the outbreak, and particularly the potential for circulation with WHO as soon as it becomes available.
Conduct exit screening at international airports and ports, with the aim of early detection of symptomatic travellers for further evaluation and treatment, while minimizing interference with international traffic.
To all countries
It is expected that further international exportation of cases may appear in any country. Thus, all countries should be prepared for containment, including active surveillance, early detection, isolation and case management, contract tracing and prevention of onward spread of 2019-nCoVinfection, and to share full data with WHO. Technical advice is available on the WHO website.
Countries are reminded that they are legally required to share information with WHO under the IHR.
Any detection of 2019-nCoV in an animal (including information about the species, diagnostic tests, and relevant epidemiological information) should be reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as an emerging disease.
Countries should place particular emphasis on reducing human infection, prevention of secondary transmission and international spread, and contributing to the international response through multisectoral communication and active participation in increasing knowledge on the virus and the disease, as well as advancing research.
The Committee does not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available.
Countries must inform WHO about travel measures taken, as required by the IHR. Countries are cautioned against the actions that promote stigma or discrimination, in line with the principles of Article 3 of the IHR.
The Committee asked the Director-General to provide further advice on these matters and, if necessary, to make new case-by-case recommendations, in view of this rapidly evolving situation.
To the global community
As this is a new coronavirus, and it has been previously shown that similar coronavirus required substantial efforts to enable regular information sharing and research, the global community should continue to demonstrate solidarity and cooperation, in compliance with Article 44 of the IHR (2005), in supporting each other on the identification of the source of this new virus, its full potential for human-to-human transmission, preparedness for potential importation of cases, and research for developing necessary treatment.
Provide support to low- and middle-income countries to enable their response to this event, as well as to facilitate access to diagnostics, potential vaccines and therapeutics.
Under Article 43 of the IHR, States Parties implementing additional health measures that significantly interfere with international traffic (refusal of entry or departure of international travellers, baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods, and the like, or their delay, for more than 24 hours) are obliged to send to WHO the public health rationale and justification within 48 hours of their implementation. WHO will review the justification and may request countries to reconsider their measures. WHO is require to share with other States Parties the information about measures and the justification received.
The Emergency Committee will be reconvened within three months or earlier, at the discretion of the Director-General.
The Director-General thanked the Committee for its work.
January 30: New South Wales Health posted “Novel coronavirus statistics – 9:30am”
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 4
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 7
NSW – number of cases tested negative – 50
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
January 30: France24 posted: “France confirms sixth case of coronavirus infection as its citizens evacuate Wuhan”
France has confirmed a sixth case of infection by the new coronavirus from China, a French health official said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a jet carrying around 200 French citizen flew out of the virus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday, according to the AFP journalists on board the flight.
The French military aircraft is bound for southern France, where the passengers will undergo a 14-day quarantine, in case they are carrying the new coronavirus.
The United States and Japan have already carried out airlifts from Wuhan for their citizens. A second US flight is planned in the coming days.
Britain also plans to evacuate around 200 of its citizens on Friday and Australia and New Zealand are among others organizing similar operations.
The European Commission has said it is planning a flight to evacuate more European nationals.
Beijing has taken extreme steps to stop the spread of the virus, effectively quarantining more than 50 million people in Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province, including thousands of foreigners.
The World Health Organization on Thursday declared a global emergency over the virus, which has also spread to more than 15 other countries.
China’s death toll from the virus rose to 212 on Friday as hardest-hit Hubei province reported 42 new fatalities.
January 30: Illinois Department of Public Health posted “Second Illinois 2019 Novel Coronavirus Case Identified”.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), and Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are reporting the second confirmed case of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) in Illinois. The individual is a man in his 60s and is the spouse of the first confirmed travel-related case in Illinois. He had not traveled overseas but interacted with his wife upon her return from China. This is the first person-to-person spread of the virus in the United States.
“I want to emphasize that the risk of this novel coronavirus to the general public in Illinois remains low. Local, state, and federal health officials are working to identify those who have had close contact with the individual I order to take protective measures to minimize further spread of the virus,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “We will continue to keep the public fully informed as additional information becomes available.”
On Friday, January 24, 2020, CDC, IDPH, and CDPH announced the first confirmed Illinois case of 2019-nCoV in a Chicago resident, a woman in her 60s who returned from Wuhan, China on January 13, 2020. The woman remains in the hospital in stable condition and is doing well. The second patient is also hospitalized in stable condition.
“We know coronaviruses are most likely to spread through close personal contact, and we know this second patient had close contact with his wife after she began to develop symptoms, so it’s not totally unexpected that he acquired the virus,” said Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, Commissioner of CDPH. “This is exactly why the public health has been monitoring him closely, and why we monitor any close contacts of confirmed cases. This does not change our guidance that the risk to the general public remains low at this time. People in the community do not need to change their behavior based on this news; for example, they don’t need to cancel events, avoid mass gatherings, or wear gloves and masks in public.”
Public health officials are investigating locations where this second patient has visited in the last two weeks and any close contacts who were possibly exposed. Public health and medical professionals are taking an aggressive approach in identifying and actively monitoring individuals who were in contact with both confirmed cases in an effort to reduce the risk of additional transmission. A CDC team continues to be deployed to Illinois to support these efforts.
“If you have traveled to China or come into contact with a confirmed case and are experiencing fever, cough, or shortness of breath, contact your healthcare provider,” said Cook County Department of Public Health Chief Operating Officer Dr. Terry Mason. “We encourage everyone to practice the same germ prevention as with flu, which last year caused 35 million illnesses and just over 34,000 deaths.”
CDC is closely monitoring the outbreak of respiratory illness caused by 2019-nCoV that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which continues to expand. There have been hundreds of cases worldwide, including two in Illinois, and more than 50 deaths. Symptoms reported among patients with 2019-nCoVhave included mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Although this is the first person-to-person transmission in the U.S., it is still not yet clear how easily 2019-nCoV spreads from one person to another. With MERS and SARS, also novel coronaviruses, the virus was thought to have spread mainly through sneezing and coughing, similar to the flu. In general, it was spread between close contacts.
There is currently no vaccine to prevent 2019-nCoV infection. Right now, 2019-nCoV has not been found to be spreading widely in the United States, so there are no additional precautions recommended for the general public to take.
However, the following everyday preventive actions can help prevent the spread of several viruses, including seasonal flu.
January 30: New South Wales Health posted “Novel coronavirus statistics – 4pm”
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 4 (see below)
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 20
NSW – number of cases cleared – 50
Of the four confirmed cases, two patients have been discharged, a 53 year old male and a 35 year old male.
Two patients remain in hospital, a 21 year old female and a 43 year old male.
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
January 30: Australian Medical Association (AMA) posted “Dr.Tony Bartone – Today – Coronavirus and Christmas Island”
ALLISON LANGDON: Let’s get a medical perspective on this with Dr Tony Bartone from the Australian Medical Association. Very good morning to you, thanks for coming in.
TONY BARTONE: Good morning.
ALLISON LANGDON: We’ve seen another two cases confirmed in Australia overnight. How do you think we’re handling this?
TONY BARTONE: So right from the outset, it’s been handled according to best practice international guidelines and processes. We’ve been prepared. We’ve been rated previously as being equal best when it comes to preparedness to deal with this kind of outbreak. And we’ve been really focused on isolation, and contact tracing of those who have been exposed and the fact that more than a week on we’ve got such a relatively small number of cases confirmed is a real sign of the success thus far of the measures that have been implemented.
KARL STEFANOVIC: So the World Health Organization has advised Governments not to transport or evacuate their citizens from China. The solution from the Australian Government is let’s take them to Christmas Island. What are your thoughts on that?
TONY BARTONE: So, I can understand why the Australian Government has put that process in place. It’s important to recognize that we’ve got a group of vulnerable Australians who, through no fault of their own, found themselves at the epicenter of a significant outbreak. And they must be under a lot of stress and fear and concern.
Despite WHO’s recommendation, we feel that the repatriation to Christmas Island, to a place where has been previously the focus of populations under enormous mental and physical trauma and anguish, is not a really appropriate solution. We’ll be calling on the PM and the relevant Ministers to find a much more humane solution to dealing with a group of very vulnerable and concerned Australians.
ALLISON LANGDON: But doctor, they’re not going there indefinitely. They’re going there for the two-week quarantine period. It’s not a long time to keep the rest of Australia safe.
TONY BARTONE: I agree with the principle, but we can find a better set of facilities to deal with that, to manage that staged return to the community. We can protect the Australian community and also be much more humane to those Australians who, as I said, through no fault of their own, find themselves the focus of this epicentre.
KARL STEFANOVIC: It’s like nuclear waste. I mean, what are you going to do with it? I mean, where – what are you going to do with these people at this point? I mean, these people are coming out from China, it’s an infected area. What area of Australia are you going to put them where they’re safe?
TONY BARTONE: Well, it’s not up to me to suggest the exact area but the Government has at its disposal a number of facilities, everything from, you know, defense sites or other sites, quarantine facilities, which it could ramp up to meet this demand. Remember, AUSMAT teams are going into Christmas Island to provide the necessary solutions. It’s not like Christmas Island has got the solution. You know, they’re ramping up their facilities and their resources with the teams coming in. So, we can do that in a number of other places much more humanely.
ALLISON LANGDON: We’re now hearing that coronavirus is spreading between people before symptoms actually appear; that an Australian lab has recently been able to re-create the virus. So how close are we, considering that this seems – it does seem to be mutating, how close are we to finding a vaccine to treat it?
TONY BARTONE: Up ’til yesterday we didn’t have a copy of the virus outside of China. China hadn’t shared it with the rest of the world. We’d only had the genetic code. The fact that we’ve now got a virus where we can actually test a vaccine is a really significant positive step into developing a vaccine. It’s fantastic work by Australian scientists to get that far. Now, of course, we’re still, you know, months away from a vaccine but we’re a significant way closer than we were two days ago.
KARL STEFANOVIC: You’re going to run into problems here because a lot of Australians are going to say, hang on a second, these people need to be evacuated, they want to be evacuated, otherwise they say where they are. But if they want to be evacuated, then they can’t come into our cities, they can’t come into our towns, they have to make sure that they’re okay before they come in. And isn’t Christmas Island a viable option?
TONY BARTONE: But, Karl, you remember, at the heart of this is that the infectivity, as long as we follow proper process and procedures and we know that we’re dealing with a specific group, we can keep them isolated from the rest of the community in much, much better facilities because it’s really – you know, the droplet spread of this infection and can be managed and contained.
ALLISON LANGDON: Is the Government consulting you on in issue?
TONY BARTONE: We’re in constant dialogue with the Chief Health Officer on various matters. On this issue, we were not consulted.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Yeah okay. Appreciate it.
January 30: The CDC reported the onset of 1 additional COVID-19 case in the United States.
January 30: World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 10”
Highlights
The Emergency Committee on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) is meeting today to discuss whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
First confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease in Finland, India and Philippines; all had travel history to Wuhan City.
On 29 January, WHO held its third press briefing to provide update on the situation.
WHO recommends that the interim name of the disease causing the current outbreak should be “2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease” (where the ‘n’ is for novel and “CoV” is for coronavirus). The name complies with the WHO Best Practices for Naming of New Infectious Diseases, which were developed through a consultative process among partner agencies. Endorsement for the interim name is being sought from WHO’s partner agencies, World Organiztion for Animal Health (OIE) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The final name of the disease will be provided by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). WHO is also proposing ‘2019-nCoV” as an interim name of the virus. The final decision of the official name of the virus will be made by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.
TECHNICAL FOCUS: Laboratory detection:
WHO published interim laboratory guidance for detection of the novel coronavirus on 9 January and has updated that advice twice. This guidance includes advice on biosafety, patient sampling, and pathogen detection and characterization.
Like the epidemiological situation, the diagnostic landscape is changing quickly. The first 2019-nCoV cases were detected using metagenomic sequencing. Within days of obtaining the sequence data public-sector groups, including China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have designed assays targeting areas of the genome detecting sequences specific for the novel virus (2019-nCoV) and have made them publicly available.
One of WHO’s main aims is to strengthen global diagnostics capacity for 2019-nCov detection to improve surveillance, early detection and track the spread of disease. To date, human-to-human transmission outside of China has been limited, and public health efforts are targeted at limiting further transmission in countries with imported cases which depends critically on the ability to detect the pathogen.
WHO has taken a three-pronged approach to enhance diagnostic capacity for 2019-nCoV:
Forming a network of specialized referral laboratories with demonstrated expertise in the molecular detection of coronaviruses. These international labs can support national labs to confirm 2019-nCoV cases and troubleshoot their molecular assays;
Strengthening national capacity for detection of 2019-nCoV so that diagnostic testing can be preformed rapidly without the need for overseas shipping. One way this has been achieved is through working with existing global networks for detection of respiratory pathogens such as, notably, the National Influenza Centers that support the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System;
Ensuring test availability. This has involved a) screening of 2019-nCoV PCR protocols from academic laboratories for validation data (e.g. limits of detection, specificity), b) looking for sequence alignment of established commercial coronaviruses assays (e.g. SARS) to see if any were likely to be able to detect 2019-nCoV with high sensitivity, and c) working with commercial and non-commercial agencies with capacity to manufacture and distribute newly-developed 2019-nCoV PCR assays. WHO will begin supporting its regional and country offices to make these tests available the first week of February 2020.
SURVEILLANCE
Western Pacific:
China – 7736 (confirmed cases)
Japan 11
Republic of Korea – 4
Viet Nam – 2
Singapore – 10
Australia – 7
Malaysia – 7
Cambodia – 1
Philippines – 1
South-East Asia:
Thailand – 14
Nepal – 1
Sri Lanka – 1
India – 1
Region of the Americas
United States of America – 5
Canada – 3
European Region
France – 5
Finland – 1
Germany – 4
Eastern Mediterranean
United Arab Emirates – 4
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
WHO has developed a protocol for the investigation of early cases (the “First Few X (FFX) Cases and contact investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection”). The protocol is designed to gain early understanding of the key clinical, epidemiological and virological characteristics of the first cases of 2019-nCoV infection detected in any country, to inform the development and updating of public health guidance to manage cases and reduce potential spread and impact of infection.
WHO has been in regular and direct contact with Member States where cases have been reported. WHO is also informing other countries about the situation and providing support as requested.
WHO has developed interim guidance for laboratory diagnosis, advice on the use of masks during home care and in health care settings in the context of the novel coronavirus outbreak, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, risk communication and community engagement.
Prepared disease commodity package that includes an essential list of biomedical equipment, medicines and supplies necessary to care for patients with 2019-nCoV.
WHO has provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans.
WHO has published updated advice for international traffic relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.
Activation of R&D blueprint to provide diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics.
WHO has developed an online course to provide general introduction to emerging respiratory viruses, including novel coronavirus.
WHO is providing guidance on early investigations, which are critical to carry out early in an outbreak of a new virus. The data collected from the protocols can be used to refine recommendations for surveillance and case definitions, spectrum of disease, impact on the community and to inform operational models for implementation of countermeasures such as case isolation, contact tracing and isolation. The first protocol that is available is a: Household transmission investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
WHO is working with its networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
WHO is working with global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE
During previous outbreaks due to coronavirus (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), human-to-human transmission occurred through droplets, contact and fomites, suggesting that the transmission mode of the 2019-nCoV can be similar. The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections include the following:
Avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissue or clothing, and wash hands.)
Within healthcare facilities, enhance standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments.
WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travellers. In case of symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel, travellers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their healthcare provider.
January 30: President Trump tweeted: “Great photos from a SOUTHERN BORDER WALL Briefing with Secretary of Defense, Mark @EsperDod!”
The tweet was the start of a five tweet thread. Each tweet had four photos of the wall that Trump promised in his 2016 campaign. This thread was meant to attract Trump’s supporters, in the hopes they will vote for him again in 2020.
January 30: President Trump tweeted: “Just landed in Michigan. Car companies, and many others, are building and expanding here. Great to see!”
January 30: President Trump tweeted: “Leaving Michigan now, great visit, heading for Iowa. Big Rally!
January 30: President Donald Trump tweeted: “Working closely with China and others on Coronavirus outbreak. Only 5 people in U.S., all in good recovery.”
January 30: World Health Organization Philippines tweeted: “Today, the Department of Health announced the first confirmed case of 2019 novel #coronavirus in the Philippines. The patient is 38 years old from China.”
January 30: World Health Organization Phillippines tweeted: “The announcement was done today by @SecDuque in a press briefing, after results were recieved from the confimatory test done at the reference laboratory in Australia.”
January 30: World Health Organization tweeted photos of the @DOHgov press release. From the press release:
DOH CONFIRMS FIRST 2019-NCOV CASE IN THE COUNTRY; ASSURES PUBLIC OF INTENSIFIED CONTAINMENT MEASURES
The Department of Health (DOH) today confirmed that a 38-year-old female Chinese patient under investigation (PUI) is positive for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) after her laboratory results arrived today from Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Library in Melbourne, Australia. DOH, however, continues to guarantee the public that all necessary precautionary measures are being taken to halt the spread of the virus.
The confirmed case arrived in the Philippines from Wuhan, China via Hong Kong last January 21, 2020. The patient sought consult and was admitted in one of the country’s government hospitals last January 25 after experiencing mild cough. She is currently aysmptomatic.
“I assure the public that the Department of Health is on top of this evolving situation. We were able to detect the first confirmed case becaues of our strong surveillance system, close coordination with World Health Organization and other national agencies, and the utilization of DOH’s decision tool. We are working closely with the hospital where the patient is admitted and have activated the Incident Command System of the said hospital for appropriate management, specifically on infection control, case management and containment. We are also implementing measures to protect the health staff providing care to these patients,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
DOH is also in close coordination with the Intre-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) which includes representatives of the Departments of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Interior and Local Government (DILG), Justice (DOJ), Labor and Employment (DOLE), Tourism (DOT), Transportation (DOTr), and Information and Communications Technology (DICT). The Task Force will convene a high-level meeting tomorrow, January 31, 2020, to discuss the first confirmed case and developments arising from this health issue.
The Bureau of Quarantine remains on high alert and is in constant coordination with authorities from all ports of entry for stricter border surveillance. DOH assures that its health facilities are equipped and prepared to recieve and care for PUI’s and confirmed 2019-nCoV cases.
DOH has recorded a total of twenty-nine (29) PUI’s – eighteen (18) in Metro Manila, four (4) in Central Visayas, three (3) in Western Visayas, one (1) in MMAROPA, one (1) in Eastern Visayas, one (1) in Northern Mindano, and one (1) in Davao. Twenty-three (23) PUI’s are currently admittedand five (5) have been discharged but are still under strict monitoring. DOH also reported one PUI mortality.
“I urge the public to stay calm and remain vigilant at all times. Let us continue to practice good personal hygiene and adopt healthy lifestyles,” the Health Secretary concluded.
January 30: Victoria State Government (Australia) posted “Third Novel Coronavirus case in Victoria”.
Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services confirmed a third case of Novel Coronavirus in Victoria.
The total number of confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus in Victoria now is three. There are currently eight pending results and a total of 71 negative results.
The latest case a woman in her 40s, a visitor from Hubei Province in China, is in a stable condition with the respiratory illness. She has been confirmed positive today following a series of tests.
The patient is in isolation in the Royal Melbourne Hospital in accordance with recommended infection control procedures.
The woman attended a GP and was referred to the hospital immediately. Two close contacts are being provided support and education and monitored closely for signs and symptoms of illness…
January 30: Ohio Department of Health tweeted: “ODH, CDC, CCBH determined that the sixth U.S. confirmed coronavirus case was not infectious during his day trip to Cleveland. It is important to remember the U.S. is still low risk for nCoV. There are no additional PUIs related to this case on OH.”
January 30: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “New Coronavirus Detected in 3 Japanese Returnees from Wuhan”
A new coronavirus originating in Wuhan has been detected in three of the 206 Japanese nationals who returned home aboard a government-chartered flight Wednesday, a government official said Thursday.
The three are among the 12 returnees hospitalized after returning from the Chinese city, according to the health minister Katsuobu Kato.
Of the 12, five tested negative for the virus, he told parliament.
January 30, 2020: UK Department of Health and Social Care posted “Statement from the 4 UK Chief Medical Officers on novel coronavirus”.
The Chief Medical Officers were:
Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty
Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr. Frank Atherton
Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Dr. Catherine Calterwood
Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Dr. Michael McBride
We have been working in close collaboration with international colleagues and the World Health Organization to monitor the situation in China and around the world.
In light of the increasing number of cases in China and using existing and widely tested models, the 4 UK Chief Medical Officers consider it prudent for our governments to escalate planning and preperation in case of a more widespread outbreak.
For that reason, we are advising an increase of the UK risk level from low to moderate. This does not mean we think to risk to individual in the UK has changed at this stage, but that government should plan for all eventualities.
As we have previously said, it is likely there will be individual cases and we are confident in the ability of the NHS in England, Scotland, and Wales and HSC in Northern Ireland to manage these in a way that protects the public and provides high quality care.
January 30: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Human-to-Human Spread of Coronavirus Confirmed in Japan”
Human-to-human transmission of a new strain of coronavirus that caused a pneumonia outbreak in China was confirmed in Japan, the health ministry said Thursday.
The ministry called on not only people who have visited the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis, but also those who developed symptoms such as coughing after contracting people with records of staying in Wuhan, to go see a doctor after making an advance call.
Following the confirmation of the human-to-human spread of the virus, the ministry expanded the scope of people who are required to call medical institutions in advance to newly include those who had secondary contacts.
In Japan, a driver of a bus that carried 60 tourists from Wuhan and a guide on the same bus have been confirmed to be infected with the virus.
The ministry called on people not to worry more than necessary, saying that “the virus has not become widespread at the moment”. It advised people to take steps similar to those for avoiding the flu, such as wearing masks and washing hands.
January 30: New South Wales Health posted “Novel Coronavirus Statistics – 9.30am.
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 4
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 7
NSW – number of cases tested negative – 50
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
January 30: PolitiFact posted: Trump blocked travel from China.
That same night, he holds a campaign rally in Iowa.
“We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment five … we think it’s going to have a very good ending for it.”, Trump said.
January 30: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted: “Abe Regrets 2 Returnees’ Refusal of Virus Tests”.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday that it is “very regrettable” that two Japanese returnees from Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, refused to have virus tests.
Officials “tried for a long time” to persuade them to accept virus tests as the government has no legal grounds to forcibly conduct such tests, Abe told a House of Councillors committee meeting.
The two were among the first batch of Japanese nationals brought back home on a government-chartered plane on Tuesday.
The prime minister said the government is now asking Japanese citizens still in the locked-down Chinese city and surrounding areas, before they board additional charter flights to return home, to agree to undergo virus tests.
During the Upper House committee meeting, Abe agreed to the view expressed by an opposition lawmaker that it is problematic that Taiwan was not invited to an emergency meeting of the World Health Organization on the coronavirus outbreak.
January 30: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan to Do Follow-Up Survey on People Who Have Stayed in Wuhan”
Japan’s government on Thursday decided to conduct a follow-up survey on all people entering the country who have been to China’s Wuhan, the epicenter of the pneumonia outbreake caused by a new coronavirus.
The decision was made at the first meeting of a task force headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, set up to prevent the spread of the virus.
Under the plan, the government will obtain information on the places of stay of such people, including foreigners, in Japan and conduct the follow-up survey, which will include medical checks.
Meanwhile, a third government-chartered flight left Tokyo International Airport at Hanada for Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei Province, on Thursday night to bring back more Japanese nationals.
“We’ll implement thorough health management, including viral tests, regardless of whether (people) display symptoms,” Abe said at the task force meeting. He instructed his cabinet members to work as one to implement necessary measures without hesitation while putting top priority on protecting the lives and health of the Japanese people.
January 30: Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted: “I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern over the global outbreak of #2019nCoV, not because of what is happening in #China, but because of what is happening in other countries.” The tweet included a link to Periscope.
January 30: The World Health Organization (WHO) posted “Statement on the second meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)”.
The second meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus 2019 in the People’s Republic of China, with exportations to other countries, took place on Thursday January 2020, from 13:30 to 18:35 Geneva time (CEST). The Committee’s role is to give advice to the Director-General, who makes the final decision on the determination of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The Committee also provides public health advice or suggests formal Temporary Recommendations as appropriate.
Proceedings of the meeting
Members and advisors of the Emergency Committee were convened by teleconference.
The Director-General welcomed the Committee and thanked them for their support. He turned the meeting over to the Chair, Professor Didier Houssin.
A representative of the department of compliance, risk management, and ethics briefed the Committee members on their roles and responsibilities.
Committee members were reminded of their duty of confidentiality and their responsibility to disclose personal, financial, or professional connections that might be seen to constitute a conflict of interest. Each member who was present was surveyed and no conflicts of interest were judged to be relevant to the meeting. There were no changes since the previous meeting.
The Chair then reviewed the agenda for the meeting and introduced the presenters.
Representatives of the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China reported on the current situation and the public health measures being taken. There are now 7711 confirmed and 12167 suspected cases throughout the country. Of the confirmed cases, 1370 are severe and 170 people have died. 124 people have recovered and been discharged from hospital.
The WHO Secretariat provided an overview of the situation in other countries. There are now 83 cases in 18 countries. Of these, only 7 had no history of travel in China. There has been human-to-human transmission in 3 countries outside China. One of these cases is severe and there have been no deaths.
At its first meeting, the Committee expressed divergent views on whether this event constitutes a PHEIC or not. At that time, the advice was that the event did not constitute a PHEIC, but the Committee members agreed on the urgency of the situation and suggested the Committee should continue its meeting on the next day, when it reached the same conclusion.
The second meeting takes place in view of significant increases in numbers of cases and additional countries reporting confirmed cases.
Conclusions and advice
The Committee welcomed the leadership and political commitment of the very highest levels of Chinese government, their commitment to transparency, and the efforts made to investigate and contain the current outbreak. China quickly identified the virus and shared its sequence, so that other countries could diagnose it quickly and protect themselves, which as resulted in the rapid deployment of diagnostic tools.
The very strong measures the country has taken include daily contact with WHO and comprehensive multisectoral approaches to prevent further spread. It has also taken health measures in other cities and provinces; is conducting studies on the severity and transmissibility of the virus, and sharing data and biological material. The country has also agreed to work with other countries who need their support. The measures China has taken are good not only for that country but also for the rest of the world.
The Committee acknowledged the leading role of WHO and its partners.
The Committee also acknowledged that there are still many unknowns, cases have now been reported in five WHO regions in one month, and human-to-human transmission has occurred outside Wuhan and outside China.
The Committee believes that it is still possible to interrupt virus spread, provided that countries put in place strong measures to detect disease early, isolate and treat cases, trace contacts, and promote social distancing measures commensurate with the risk. It is important to note that as the situation continues to evolve, so distancing measures commensurate with the risk.
It is important to note that as the situation continues to evolve, so will the strategic goals and measures to prevent the reduce of spread of the infection. The Committee agreed that the outbreak now meets criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and proposed the following advice to be issued as Temporary Recommendations.
The Committee emphasized that the declaration of a PHEIC should be seen in the spirit of support and appreciation for China, its people, and the actions China has taken on the front lines of this outbreak, with transparency, and, it is to be hoped, with success. In line with the need for global solidarity, the Committee felt that a global coordinated effort is needed to enhance preparedness in other regions of the world that may need additional support for that.
Advice to WHO
The Committee welcomed a forthcoming WHO multidisciplinary technical mission to China, including national and local experts. The mission should review and support efforts to investigate the animal source of the outbreak, the clinical spectrum of the disease and its severity, the extent of human-to-human transmission in the community and in healthcare facilities, and efforts to control the outbreak. This mission will provide information to the international community to aid in understanding the situation and its impact and enable sharing of experience and successful measures.
The Committee wished to re-emphasize the importance of studying the possible source, to rule out hidden transmission and to inform risk management measures.
The Committee also emphasized the need for enhanced surveillance in regions outside Hubei, including pathogen genomic sequencing, to understand whether local cycles of transmission are occurring.
WHO should continue to use its networks of technical experts to assess how best this outbreak can be contained globally.
WHO should provide intensified support for preparation and response, especially in vulnerable countries and regions.
Measures to ensure rapid development and access to potential vaccines, diagnostics, antiviral medicines and other therapeutics for low- and middle-income countries should be developed.
WHO should continue to provide all necessary technical and operational support to respond to this outbreak, including with its extensive networks of partners and collaborating institutions, to implement a comprehensive risk communication strategy, and to allow for the advancement of research and scientific developments in this relation to this novel coronavirus.
WHO should continue to explore the advisability of creating an intermediate level of alert between the binary possibilities of PHEIC or no PHEIC, in a way that does not require reopening negotiations on the text of the IHR (2005).
WHO should timely review the situation with transparency and update its evidence-based recommendations.
The Committee does not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available.
The Director-General declared that the outbreak of 2019-nCoV constitutes PHEIC and accepted the Committee’s advice and issued this advice as Temporary Recommendations under the IHR.
To the People’s Republic of China
Continue to:
Implement a comprehensive risk communication strategy to regularly inform the population on the evolution of the outbreak, the prevention and protection measures for the population, and the response measures taken for its containment
Enhance public health measures for containment of the current outbreak.
Ensure the resilience of the health system and protect the health workforce.
Enhance surveillance and active case finding across China.
Collaborate with WHO and partners to conduct investigations to understand the epidemiology and the evolution of this outbreak and measures to contain it.
Share relevant data on human cases.
Continue to identify the zoonotic source of the outbreak, and particularly the potential for circulation with WHO as soon as it becomes available.
Conduct exit screening at international airports and ports, with the aim of early detection of symptomatic travellers for further evaluation and treatment, while minimizing interference with international traffic.
To all countries
It is expected that further international exportation of cases may appear in any country. Thus, all countries should be prepared for containment, including active surveillance, early detection, isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of onward spread of 2019-nCoV infection, and to share the full data with WHO. Technical advice is available on the WHO website.
Countries are reminded that they are legally required to share information with WHO under IHR.
Any detection of 2019-nCoV in an animal (including information about the species, diagnostic tests, and relevant epidemiological information) should be reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as an emerging disease.
Countries should place particular emphasis on reducing human infection, prevention of secondary transmission and international spread, and contributing to the international response through multisectoral communication and collaboration and active participation in increasing knowledge on the virus and the disease, as well as advancing research.
The Committee does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions based on the current information available.
Countries must inform WHO about travel measures taken, as required by the IHR. Countries are cautioned against actions that promote stigma or discrimination, in like with the principles of Article 3 of the IHR.
The Committee asked the Director-General to provide further advice on these matters and, if necessary, to make new case-by-case recommendations, in view of this rapidly evolving situation.
To the global community
As this is a new coronavirus, and it has been previously shown that similar coronaviruses required substantial efforts to enable regular information sharing and research, the global community should continue to demonstrate solidarity and cooperation, in compliance with Article 44 of the IHR (2005), in supporting each other on the identification of the source of this new virus, its full potential for human-to-human transmission, preparedness for potential importation of cases, and research for developing necessary treatment.
Provide support to low- and middle-income countries to enable their response to this event, as well as to facilitate access to diagnostics, potential vaccines and therapeutics.
Under article 43 of the IHR, States Parties implementing additional health measures that significantly interfere with international traffic (refusal of entry or departure of international travellers, baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods and the like, or their delay for more than 24 hours) are obliged to send to WHO the public health rationale and justification within 48 hours of their implementation. WHO will review the justification and may request consider their measures. WHO is required to share with other State’s Parties the information about measures and the justification received.
The Emergency Committee will be reconvened within three months or earlier, at the discretion of the Director-General.
The Director-General thanked the Committee for its work.
January 30: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “The total number of confirmed cases of the 2019 novel #coronavirus reported from mainland China to date is 9,692. This includes 1,527 severe cases and 213 people who have died. #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV” This was the start of a thread.
January 30: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: Hong Kong SAR has reported a total of 12 cases, Macao SAR has reported 7 cases, and Taiwan, China has reported 9 cases. #coronavirus, #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV.”
January 30: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Other countries in @WHO Western Pacific Region: Singapore has reported 13 cases, Japan 12 cases, Australia 9 cases, Malaysia 8 cases, Republic of Korea 6 cases, Viet Nam 2 cases, Cambodia & Philippines 1 case each #coronavirus #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV”
January 30: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “It is important to note that the case numbers reflect date reported, not date of illness onset. #coronavirus #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV” This was the last tweet in the thread.
January 30: Financial Post posted “ANA Sees China Flight Bookings Plunging amid Coronavirus Spread”.
ANA Holdings said on Thursday its bookings for flights leaving China fell by half in February from a year earlier as a new virus spread.
The Japanese airline also said its bookings to China from Japan plunged 60% in the same period.
“The concern is of the impact that the situation could have on China’s economy and the knock on that will have on things like air cargo,” said ANA Executive Vice President Ichiro Fukuzawa said at a news conference in Tokyo after it released its earnings for the three months ended Dec. 31.
He said China accounted for around a tenth of ANA’s passenger flights.
January 30: The Guardian posted “Coronavirus: Britons to be quarantined in Wirral after arriving from Wuhan”. It was written by Simon Murphy and Dan Sabbagh.
Around 120 Britons will fly from the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak overnight and land in the UK on Friday morning where they will be taken to Wirral for a fortnight’s quarantine.
It news came shortly before the risk level from the virus in the UK was raised from low to moderate and the World Health Organization declared it a global health emergency.
Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, announced that the emergency flight, which was delayed by 24 hours, would be taking off from Wuhan and was due to land at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire at around 9am.
Military doctors will be onboard the chartered plane in case immediate treatment is necessary, although any passengers displaying symptoms of the virus – which can include a sore throat, fever and breathing difficulties – will be barred from boarding.
It is understood there will be a quarantine area in the plane incase somebody falls ill during the flight.
The returnees will be bussed to Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral, where they will be monitored and treated if any symptoms develop. They will be staying in an accommodation block usually designated for NHS staff. Margaret Greenwood, the Labor MP for Wirral West, said she had spoken to the health secretary, Matt Hancock, who told her that experts believed it was unlikely that those quarantined had the virus.
Passengers were asked to sign contracts agreeing to the 14-day quarantine as a condition of getting the flight home. A further 50 EU nationals will also be on the chartered flight, which will fly on to Spain where it will complete its journey.
Raab said: “We are pleased to have confirmation from the Chinese authorities that the evacuation flight from Wuhan airport to the UK can depart at 0500 local time on Friday 31 January. The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority. Our embassy in Beijing and consular teams remain in close contact with British nationals in the region to ensure they have the latest information they need.”
Some Britons with family members who hold a Chinese passport have decided to remain in Wuhan because they faced being separated if they had chosen to travel.
Matt Raw and his 75-year-old mother, Hazel, were entitled to a place on the flight but are staying in Wuhan as Matt’s wife, Ying, a Chinese national, was not allowed to board because of strict rules imposed by the Chinese government.
“I would have for anything to happen to and I would much rather be somewhere where the virus isn’t,” said Raw. “Half of the British people here that wanted to leave are still trapped. The government’s only done half the job.”
The death toll from the virus, has spread to at least 16 countries, has reached 170, and there are more than 7,700 confirmed cases in China. A total of 161 British nationals have so far tested negative for the virus.
Scotland’s chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, said it was “highly likely” there would be a positive case in the UK in the coming days.
On Thursday night the four chief medical officers of the UK increased the risk level of coronavirus from low to moderate. They said they “do not think the risk to individuals in the UK has changed” but that the government should “plan for all eventualities.”
The WHO said its decision to declare it a global emergency was no criticism of China but was designed to provide support for countries with “weaker health systems which are ill prepared to deal with “.
A British woman in Wuhan who claimed she was told she would have to leave her three-year-old son behind if she flew out because he had a Chinese passport said the Foreign Office was in discussions with counterparts in the county about her situation.
Natalie Francis, originally from York, said on Wednesday that Foreign Office staff in London told he she could leave on a flight but that her son Jamie must stay. She said she was told “nothing can be done.”
“He suffered from pneumonia last year and the only advice they can give is for me to leave him behind? One again, thank you for nothing and Beijing embassy,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
However, Francis suggested in an update on Thursday morning that there might have been some progress on the matter, writing: “Been in touch with the , Jamie and I are on the lists but they are still discussing with the Chinese government. Flight has been delayed by may be Friday with quarantine in the north-west for 14 days.”
The first US case of person-to-person transmission of the coronavirus has been confirmed by health officials. The individual is married to a Chicago woman who was diagnosed with the virus after she returned from a trip to Wuhan.
Elsewhere, an Italian cruise ship carrying 6,000 passengers was held at a port near Rome after two Chinese passengers fell ill with suspected coronavirus.
The couple boarded the Costa Smeralda on 25 January and later came down with fevers and breathing problems. However, local reports suggested they had tested negative.
An apartment-hotel in Yorkshire was put on lockdown after a man believed to be a Chinese national was taken to hospital on Wednesday evening by paramedics clad in quarantine suits.
York’s Staycity Hotel confirmed that the apartment where the may was staying had been sealed off and would undergo “a thorough environmental clean and disinfection.”
British Airways announces it would suspend flights to and from China to the end of February, one of a number of carriers stopping or reducing services to the affected country.
Russia closed its border with China and moved to stop issuing electronic visas to Chinese nationals. The prime minister, Mikhail Mishutin, pledged: “We have to do everything to protect our people.”
As China reported the biggest single-day jump in coronavirus deaths, the country’s football association cancelled all domestic games.
January 30: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “CDC Confirms Person-to-Person Spread of New Coronavirus in the United States”.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today confirmed that the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has spread between two people in the United States, representing the first instance of person-to-person spread with this new virus here.
Previously, all confirmed U.S. cases had been associated with travel to Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by this novel coronavirus has been ongoing since December 2019. However, this latest 2019-nCoV patient has no history of travel to Wuhan, but shared a household with the patient diagnosed with 2019-nCoV infection on January 21, 2020.
Recognizing early on that the 2019-nCoV could potentially spread between people, CDC has been working closely with state and local partners to identify close contacts of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases. Public health officials identified this Illinois resident through contact tracing. Both patients are in stable condition.
Given what we’ve seen in China and other countries with the novel coronavirus, CDC experts have expected some person-to-person spread in the US,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D. “We understand that this may be concerning, but based on what we know now, we still believe the immediate risk to the American public is low.”
Limited person-to-person spread with 2019-nCoV has been seen among close contacts of infected travelers in other countries where imported cases from China have been detected. The full picture of how easily and sustainably the 2019-nCoV spreads is still unclear. Person-to-person spread can happen on a continuum, with some viruses being highly contagious (like measles) and other viruses being less so.
MERS and SARS, the other two known coronaviruses that have emerged to cause serious illness in people, have been known to cause some person-to-person spread. With both those viruses, person-to–person spread most often occurred between close contacts, such as healthcare workers and those caring for or living with an infected person. CDC has been proactively preparing for the introduction of 2019-nCoV in the U.S. for weeks, including:
First alerting clinicians on January 8 to be on the look-out for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China.
Developing guidance for preventing 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from spreading to others in homes and communities.
Developing guidance for clinicians for testing and management of 2019-nCoV as well as guidance for infection control of patients hospitalized or being evaluated by a health care provider.
CDC is working closely with Illinois health officials and other local partners. A CDC team has been on the ground since the first 2019-nCoV-positive case was identified and is supporting an ongoing investigation to determine whether further spread with this virus has occured.
It is likely there will be more cases of 2019-nCoV reported in the U.S. in the coming days and weeks, including more person-to-person spread. CDC will continue to update the public as we learn more about his coronavirus. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. Right now, 2019-nCoV has not been found to be spreading widely in the United States, so CDC deems the immediate risk from this virus to the general public to be low. However, risk is dependent on exposure, and people who are in contact with people with 2019-nCoV are likely to be at greater risk of infection and should take the precautions outlined in CDC’s guidance for preventing spread in homes and communities.
For the general public, no additional precautions are recommended at this time beyond the simple daily precautions that everyone should always take. It is currently flu and respiratory disease season, and CDC recommends getting vaccinated, taking everyday preventative actions to stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed. Right now, CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential travel to China.
January 30: The Guardian posted “Coronavirus deaths leap in China as countries struggle to evacuate citizens”. It was written by Sarah Boseley and Justin McCurry. From the article:
China has reported its biggest single-day jump in coronavirus deaths, as countries struggled to evacuate citizens still trapped in the city where the outbreak began and Russia closed it long border with its southern neighbour.
The death toll rose to 170 on Thursday – up from 132 the previous day, a rise of 29%. The number of confirmed cases in China now stands at 7,736, up from 5,974 a day ago. The actual death rate has not risen, and is now at 2.2%
The number of global cases is 7,818.
It is understood that 162 of the deaths – or 95% – are in Hubei province where Wuhan, the city where the outbreak began, is located. Of the new deaths, 37 were in Hubei province and one in south-western province of Sichuan.
The health chief of Huanggang city, which has reported 500 cases, second only to Wuhan, was summarily sacked by the Chinese government following public anger over her inability to answer questions about the outbreak on state television.
Tang Zhihong floundered under questioning from a central government inspection team together with a reporter. Asked how many sick people there were in one of the hospitals, she replied: “I don’t know, I’m unclear. I only know how many beds there are. Don’t ask me how many people are being treated.”
Her TV appearance generated more than half a million comments on the Weibo account of state television’s news channel, most of them in a very angry tone. A few hours after the programme aired, the city’s health department said in a terse and brief statement that Tang had been removed. It gave no other details.
The World Health Organization’s emergency committee is meeting on Thursday to decide whether to declare a global health emergency. On Wednesday, it warned all governments to be “on alert.”
The WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has praised China for its efforts to contain the virus but said that the few cases of human to human transmission outside of China, in Japan, Germany, Canada and Vietnam were cause for real concern.
In Moscow, the Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin issued a decree ordering the temporary closure of the country’s border with China, which extend for 2,600 miles (4,200 kms). The border had been de facto closed because of the lunar new year holiday, but authorities said the closure would be extended until 1 March. In addition, all train traffic between the two countries, except for one train connecting Moscow and Beijing, was stopped on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the US and South Korea confirmed their first cases of person-to-person spread of the virus. The man in the US is married to a 60-year-old Chicago woman who got sick from the virus after she returned from a trip to Wuhan. The case in South Korea was 56-year-old man who had contact with a patient who was previously diagnosed with the virus.
The first British flight to evacuate citizens will carry about 150 British nationals and 50 others, mainly from the EU. A Spanish chartered flight is scheduled to leave Wuhan at 5am local time on Friday for RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. From there it is understood that the British passengers will be taken to a former NHS facility in the north-west of England.
Australia is yet to gain permission from the Chinese government to evacuate hundreds of its citizens and New Zealand has launched a separate rescue mission, through a timeline remains unclear.
France, South Korea and other countries are also pulling out their citizens or making plans to do so. About 250 French citizens and 100 other Europeans are scheduled to be flown out of Wuhan onboard two French planes this week.
In Italy, a cruise ship’s 6,000 passengers were kept on board while tests were held on two Chinese travellers.
Businesses are beginning to feel the impact of the outbreak. Several airlines have suspended services to China, while Toyota, Ikea, Foxconn, Starbucks, Tesla and McDonald’s were among major companies to temporarily freeze production or close large numbers of outlets in China. The Chinese Football Association has postponed all domestic games.
In Huahe, a town in Hubei province, authorities were investigating the case of a 17-year-old boy with cerebral palsy who died after his father, who cared for him, was taken into quarantine for five days.
Almost 200 US citizens evacuated from Wuhan on Wednesday were undergoing three days of testing and monitoring at a Southern California military base to ensure they did not show signs of the virus.
In Japan, three of the 206 people repatriated on Wednesday had tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the country to 11. A second group of 210 Japanese nationals arrived in Tokyo on Thursday morning.
Officials defended the decision not to forcibly quarantine all Japanese nationals arriving from Wuhan, in contrast to Australia, South Korea, Singapore and New Zealand, which will quarantine all evacuees for at least two weeks regardless of whether they show symptoms.
January 30: NBC News posted “Cruise with 6,000 people stuck on board due to coronavirus scare gets clean bill of health”. It was written by Claudio Lavanga and David K. Li.
Thousands of passengers, including more than 100 Americans, were stuck on their Italian cruise ship for much of Thursday after a passenger showed symptoms of the coronavirus, officials said.
But by late Thursday night, all 6,000 passengers and 1,000 crew had been given the medical OK to come and go from the Costa Smeralda, officials said.
Earlier in the day, the cruise line operator announced that everyone had to stay on board after one traveler appeared to fall ill.
It turns out the sickened female guest, a 54-year-old Chinese national, was “diagnosed…with the common flu,” according to a statement Thursday night from Costa Crociere.
“While we appreciate the inconvenience caused, the procedures in force and our cooperation with the Health Authorities were effective in managing this situation and were intended to ensure the maximum safety for all our guests, crew, and the community as a whole,” the cruise company statement said.
Of those travelers, 114 are American, cruise line spokesperson Davide Barbano said.
The ship has 1,143 passengers who were scheduled Thursday to end their cruise in Civitaecchia, a port city about 50 miles northwest of Rome.
Health officials with the maritime authority in Civitavecchia had given those travelers permission to leave the ship earlier in the day – but that city’s mayor asked for that disembarkment to be delayed until the results of all medical tests were known.
The maritime authority agreed to that delay, according to Patrick Vignola, a spokesman for the mayor.
“The mayor himself does not have the authority to overrule decisions by the port authority,” Vignola told NBC News earlier on Thursday.
“Nevertheless, once we learned that more than a thousand passengers were going to be allowed to disembark, he sent a request to the health ministry, the port authority and health authority to keep all passengers on board until the result of the tests clears the suspicion of coronavirus.”
Vignolia added: “He did that because as a mayor he is responsible for the well-being of his citizens, and worried port workers were asking him, ‘How do we know we are safe? We are glad the authorities listened to our plea.”
Then hours later, the entire ship was cleared.
More than 7,800 people in China have been infected by the virus that emerged in the central city of Wuhan. China has reported 170 deaths.
January 30: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Honda Decides to Put Off Restart of Wuhan Plans”
Honda Motor Co. <7267> said Thursday that it has decided to keep its automobile plants in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak of a new coronavirus, closed until Feb. 13.
The Japanese automaker earlier planned to keep facilities offline through next Sunday in line with the Lunar New Year holiday in China.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. <7211> plans to extend the period of closure for its two facilities in Shanghai, including a research and development base, by seven days until Feb. 9, sources in the company said.
Japanese companies are scrambling to deal with the spread of the coronavirus, as prolonged effects of the outbreak are feared to disrupt supply chains for their branches in China…
January 30: The New Zealand Goverment posted “Government charters Air NZ flight to assist Wuhan departure”. It was posted by RT Honorable Winston Peters the Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Government has agreed with Air New Zealand to charter an aircraft to assist New Zealanders leaving Wuhan, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.
The aircraft will have the capacity for around 300 passengers and will fly from Wuhan to New Zealand. Officials will be working through operational requirements with Air New Zealand and Chinese authorities.
New Zealanders in the Hubei region who are registered on Safetravel have been emailed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to register interest in the flight, which is subject to Chinese Government approval.
“We are pleased to have been able to offer this assistance to New Zealanders in a challenging situation,” Mr Peter said.
“We courage all New Zealanders in the Hubei region to register on Safetravel and ensure all their details are accurate and up to date. This will give us a better understanding of the level of demand for this flight.”
“New Zealand will be offering any additional seats to Pacific Island and Australian citizens as a matter or priority.”
“This is a complex operation as we work through all the necessary requirements but we are working to have the aircraft depart as soon as possible.”
Consular teams will be working with health officials to ensure that the risks of transmission of the Coronavirus to New Zealand are carefully managed throughout the evacuation process.
Officials are currently developing procedures for: pre-departure health screening of passengers, infection control inflight, and isolation of all passengers arriving in New Zealand for up to two weeks.
Those who do take a seat on the plan will be required to pay a nominal fee, however the government will absorb most of the cost of the charter flight.
“The New Zealand Government would like to thank Air New Zealand for its support in assisting to bring New Zealanders home,” Mr Peters said.
January 30: Human Rights Watch posted “China: Respect Rights in Coronavirus Response”. From the article:
The Chinese government should ensure that human rights are protected while responding to the coronavirus outbreak, Human Rights Watch said today. As of January 29, 2020, confirmed cases of the infection, formally known as 2019-nCov, globally stood at 6,065, and the death toll at 132.
The Chinese government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak was initially delayed by withholding information from the public, underreporting cases of infection, downplaying the severity of the infection, and dismissing the likelihood of transmission between humans. Since mid-January, authorities have taken a more aggressive approach, quarantining 50 million people in an effort to limit transmission from the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, where the virus originated, to the rest of China. In addition, authorities have detained people for “rumor-mongering,” censored online discussions of the epidemic, curbed media reporting, and failed to ensure appropriate access to medical care for those with virus symptoms and others with medical needs.
“The coronavirus outbreak requires a swift and comprehensive response that respect human rights,” said Yaqui Want, China researcher. “Authorities should recognize that censorship only fuels public distrust, and instead encourage civil society engagement and media reporting on this public health crisis.
The first patient with onset symptoms was identified in Wuhan on December 1, 2019. Nearly a month later, on December 31, Wuhan authorities announced there were 27 cases of an unknown type of pneumonia and alerted the World Health Organization; they identified the new virus, 2019-nCoV, a week later. The first death was announced on January 11. By January 29, 2019-nCoV cases had been reported in 15 countries.
Internet and Media Censorship
Since mid-December, the Chinese government has tried to control the flow of information regarding the epidemic. There is considerable misinformation on Chinese social media and authorities have legitimate to counter false information that can cause public panic. But rather than rebutting false information and disseminating reliable facts, the authorities in some instances have appeared more concerned with silencing criticism.
Chines police have detained or harassed people for allegedly “spreading rumors.” On January 1, police in Wuhan announced that they had summoned eight people for questioning for “publishing and spreading untrue information online” related to cases of pneumonia. One was a doctor at a hospital where infected patients were being treated.
On December 30, he sent messages in a private WeChat group alerting them about the unknown illness. Hospital officials later warned him not to “spread rumors,” and the police forced him to sign a document stating that he would stop illegal activities and abide by the law. On January 12, the doctors as admitted to the hospital for pneumonia symptoms after treating patients, and is now in critical condition.
In recent weeks, police across China have detained dozens of people for their online posts related to the virus. On January 25, Tianjin police detained a man for 10 days for “maliciously publishing aggressive, insulting speech against medical personnel.”
Authorities have censored numerous articles and social media posts about the epidemic, including those posted by families of infected people seeking help, by people living in cordoned cities documenting their daily life, by the netizens critical of the government’s handling of the crisis. Women’s rights activist Gus Jing said she had trouble posting on Weibo and WeChat blogs on her life in cordoned Wuhan.
Authorities in various locations ordered medical personnel treating infected patients not to speak to the media. They also blocked some journalists from reporting. Government personnel escorted BBC journalists way from Henan province. Police claimed that there were “no problems” in the area and “so no need for to stay.”
Restrictions and Movement in Wuhan and Surrounding Areas
Since January 23, authorities have imposed travel lockdowns on Wuhan and nearby cities, effectively fencing in 56 million people. Wuhan authorities also suspended all vehicle traffic, with some exceptions, in the city center. Many residents in Wuhan expressed difficulties about access to medical care and other life necessities.
A man on Weibo said that his HIV medicine was running out but that he could not get it refilled due to the roadblocks. He sought help from the local police. Instead of helping get the new medicine, the police informed his parents of his HIV status, which he had chosen to be kept private. A man with cancer in Huanggang, a city near Wuhan also under cordon, said he was unable to purchase life-saving medicine. A pregnant woman reported that the only way she could get to see her gynecologist was by walking a long distance.
International human rights law, notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which China has signed but not ratified, requires that restrictions on human rights in the name of public health or a public health emergency meet requirements of legality, evidence-based necessity, and proportionality. Restrictions such as quarantine or isolation of symptomatic people must, at a minimum, be provided for and carried out in accordance with the law. They must be strictly necessary to achieve a legitimate objective, the least intrusive and restrictive available to reach the objective, based on scientific evidence, neither arbitrary nor discriminatory in application, of limited duration, respectful of human dignity and subject to review…
January 30: Boston Globe posted “BSO cancels tour of East Asia due to coronavirus concerns”
The Boston Symphony Orchestra has canceled plans for a tour of East Asia, responding to the threat of the rapidly spreading coronavirus. The ensemble’s eight-concert tour under music director Andris Nelsons, with piano soloist Yefim Bronfman, was to take place from Feb. 6-16.
“On behalf of Andris Nelsons and the musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, we are all deeply disappointed that we will not be able to perform for the wonderful audiences in Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Shanghai,” BSO president and CEO Mark Volpe said in a statement released by the orchestra Thursday morning.
As of Thursday, China had reported more than 7,500 cases of coronavirus, and the US State Department had posted warnings to all Americans to “reconsider travel” to China and to avoid all travel to Hubei Province, where the virus was first identified. Earlier this week, the State Department evacuated 195 Americans from the city of Wuhan, where the outbreak began.
In Hong Kong, all government-administered performance venues, including the Hong Kong Cultural Centre – where the BSO was scheduled to perform – have been closed since Jan. 29.
According to the BSO’s statement, the orchestra is considering scheduling some new Boston concerts for the period it was due overseas, including a free community program.
Changes to BSO tour itineraries are rare in the orchestra’s history, but not unprecedented. In 1960, a planned appearance in Seoul under the baton of Charles Munch was canceled after South Korea was engulfed in what came to be known as the April Resolution. The orchestra has not traveled there since, so its upcoming visit would have been a first in BSO history.
Geopolitical events also intervened in 1999, when the United States bombed the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia while the orchestra was again touring East Asia, this time led by Siege Ozawa. The episode prompted widespread outrage in China. As rock-throwing protesters in Beijing trapped then-US ambassador Jim Sasser and his staff inside the American Embassy, the BSO chose to forgo its scheduled appearance in Beijing.
January 30: France 24 posted “France confirms sixth case of coronavirus infection as its citizens evacuate Wuhan”
France has confirmed its first three cases of the Wuhan coronavirus on Friday, a fourth case on Tuesday, and a fifth case on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a jet carrying around 200 French citizens flew out of the virus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan on Froday, according to AFP journalists on board the flight.
The French military aircraft is bound for southern France, where the passengers will undergo a 14-day quarantine, in case they are carrying the new coronavirus.
The United States and Japan have already carried out airlifts from Wuhan for their citizens. A second US flight is planned in the coming days.
Britian also plans to evacuate around 200 of its citizens on Friday and Australia and new Zealand are among others organizing similar operations.
The European Commission has said it is planning a flight to evacuate more European nationals.
Beijing has taken extreme steps to stop the spread of the virus, effectively quarantining more than 50 million people in Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province, including thousands of foreigners.
The World Health Organization on Thursdays declared a global emergency over the virus, which has also spread to more than 15 other countries.
China’s death toll from the virus rose to 212 on Friday as hardest-hit Hubei province reported 42 new fatalities.
January 30: Reuters posted “Two first coronavirus cases confirmed in Italy: prime minister”.
Italian Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte on Thursday said there were two confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy, the first two in the country since the emergency exploded.
Conte said Italy had closed air traffic to and from China.
“We have two confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy,” the prime minister told a news conference, adding two Chinese tourists from China had contracted the virus.
On Thursday, the World Health Organization declared that the coronavirus epidemic in China now constitutes a global public health emergency.
January 30: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) posted “1st person-to-person spread of coronavirus in U.S. reported; WHO declares public health emergency.”
A novel coronavirus has spread from person-to-person in the U.S. for the first time, according to federal health officials.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, due to the increasing cases and countries affected.
A man in his 60s from Chicago appears to have caught the virus from his wife who caught it while traveling to China. The man, who is the sixth confirmed case in the U.S. had not traveled.
Health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasized the two had been in close contact, and they are monitoring other potential contacts.
“We understand this may be concerning, but based on what we know now, our assessment remains the immediate risk to the American public is low,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D.
Globally, there have been 7,834 cases of the respiratory virus and 170 deaths, according to the WHO. Most cases are in China, but they also have been reported in 18 other countries.
In the U.S., 92 people are awaiting test results.
“The only way we will defeat this outbreak is for all countries to work together in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesys, Ph.D., M.S.c. “We are all in this together and can only stop it together. This is the time for facts, not fear. This is the time for science, not rumors. This is the time for solidarity, not stigma.”
WHO officials said they did not see a need for restrictions on travel or trade. They called for support for counties with weak health systems; quick development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics; data-sharing and combating misinformation.
It is unclear whether the recommendations will change CDC’s level 3 travel advisory warning against unnecessary travel to China or the U.S. State Department’s level 4 warning not to travel to Hubei province, the center of the outbreak.
Health care providers should be vigilant for patients who have traveled to China and have a fever and respiratory symptoms…
…In addition to the warnings about travel, officials recommended the general public avoid respiratory illnesses by washing their hands, covering their mouths when coughing and staying home when they are sick. Buying masks is not necessary.
January 30: Reuters posted “Germany identifies fifth case of coronavirus”
German health officials said on Thursday they had identified the country’s fifth case of the coronavirus in an employee working at the same firm as the other four infected individuals in the northern state of Bavaria.
“This concerns an employee at the company in Starnberg at which the other four known cases work,” said Bavaria’s health ministry in a statement, adding further details would be made available on Friday.
January 30: Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, tweeted: “Are Americans safe from the coronavirus? In only 3 years, Trump has eliminated the office of pandemic response, drastically scaled back the CDC’s overseas outbreak prevention efforts & discontinued a surveillance program meant to detect new viral threats.”
January 30: China correspondant for the BBC, Stephen McDonell, tweeted: #Coronavirus official figures update: 213 dead; 9720 infected; 15,238 suspected to have been infected; 179 recovered and discharged. Hubei alone 5806 infected and 204 dead. Wuhan city 2639 infected and 159 dead. #China.” This was the start of a short thread.
January 30: China correspondant for the BBC, Stephen McDonell, tweeted: “The number of those who’ve recovered and released does seem small. It can only mean that either they’re keeping people in hospital longer to make sure they’re OK and won’t pass the #coronavirus on or not monitoring that statistic very closely. #China” This was the end of a short thread.
January 30: Kenya Airways tweeted a screenshot of a statement:
SUSPENSION OF SERVICE TO GUANGZHOU, CHINA
Further to our prior communications regarding the current Coronavirus outbreak, we have temporarily suspended all flights to and from Guangzhou starting Friday 31st January 2020, until further notice. We however, clarify that our service between Nairobi and Bangkok remains operational.
Our consultation with the Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs will continue and we will provide updates as the situation develops.
We apologizes to all customers for the inconvenience and reaffirm that the safety of our customers and staff remains our highest priority.
January 30: Monash University tweeted: “We’ve had to make some difficult decisions for the safety and wellbeing of our staff, students and the wider community due to the novel coronavirus, which has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.” This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 30: Monash University tweeted: “Among the difficult decisions made, all exams scheduled for February and the commencement of semseter one have been postponed.”
January 30: Monash University tweeted: “We’re continuing to monitor the rapidly evolving novel coronavirus situation acting accordingly with the advice from the Department of Human Services. For more information, see our fact sheet.” The tweet included a link to their fact sheet. This tweet was the end of the thread.
January 30: Reuters posted an article titled: “Spain to repatriate nationals from Wuhan in cooperation with UK”. From the article:
A group of Spanish citizens will fly back from the Chinese city of Wuhan in the coming hours as part of a joine repatriation operation with the United Kingdom amid concerns over coronavirus, Spain’s ministry said on Thursday.
Spain’s Health Minister Salvador Illa said earlier that the group of around 20 Spaniards will spend 14 days in quarantine when they return to the country.
January 30: Reuters posted “Factbox: Airlines suspend China flights over coronavirus”
Airlines have started suspending flights to China in the wake of a new coronavirus outbreak, which as of Thursday had killed 170 people and infected almost 8,000.
Air Canada said on Jan. 28 it was canceling select flights to Canada
Air France said on Jan. 30 it suspended all scheduled flights to and from mainland China until Feb. 9
Air India said it was cancelling its Mumbai-Dehli -Shanghai flight from Jan. 31 to Feb 14.
Air Seoul … said on Jan. 28 it had suspended all flights to China.
Air Tanzania – Tanzania’s state-owned carrier said it would postpone its maiden flights to China. It had planned to begin charter flights to China in February.
American Airlines said it would suspend flights from Los Angeles to Beijing and Shanghai from Feb. 9 to March 27.
British Airways said on Jan. 30 it has cancelled all flights to mainland China for a month.
Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong) said it would progressively reduce capacity to and from mainland China by 50% or more from Jan. 30 to the end of March.
Delta Air Lines said on Jan. 29 it was reducing flights to China to 21 per week from 42 starting Feb. 6 through April 30.
Egyptair said on Jan. 30 it would suspend all flights to and from China starting Feb. 1.
Ethiopian Airlines on Jan. 30 denied reports it had suspended all flights to China. The airline’s statement contradicted its passenger call centre, which told Reuters earlier in the day that flights to China had been suspended.
Finnair (Finland) said on Jan. 28 it would suspend its flights to Nanjing and Beijing until the end of March after China suspended international group travel from the country. Finnair will suspend its three weekly flights between Helsinki and Beijing Daxing between Feb. 5 and March 29 and its two weekly flights between Helsinki and Nanjing between Feb. 8 and March 20.
Lion Air (Indonesia) said on Jan. 29 it would suspend all flights to China from February. The airline has suspended six flights from several Indonesian cities to China so far and will suspend the rest next month.
Lufthansa (Germany) said on Jan. 29 it was suspending Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines flights to and from China until Feb. 9. The airline continues to fly to Hong Kong, but it will stop taking bookings for flights to mainland China until the end of February.
SAS said on Jan. 30 it has decided to suspend all fights to and from Shanghai and Beijing from Jan. 31 until Feb. 9.
Turkish Airlines (Turkey) said on Jan. 30 it would decrease frequency on scheduled flights to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Xian between Feb. 5 and Feb. 29.
United Airlines (Chicago-based) said it would implement a second phase of flight cancellations between its hub cities in the United States and Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai, resulting in 332 additional roundtrips being called off through March 28. The cancellations will reduce the carrier’s daily departures for mainland China and Hong Kong to four daily depatures from 12. United had previously suspended 24 U.S. flights to Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai between Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 because of a significant drop in demand.
United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) has cancelled 22 China flights as a result of the Wuhan quarantines and normal manufacturing closures due to the Lunar New Year holiday, UPS Chief Executive David Abney said on Jan. 30. He did not specify how may flight cancellations were due to the virus.
Virgin Atlantic said on Jan. 30 it would suspend its daily operations to Shanghai for two weeks from Feb. 2. It cited declining demand for flights and the safety of its customers and staff.
January 30: Forbes posted “Mammoth Biosciences Raises $45 Million For Crispr Diagnostics – And Its Tech Is Already Being Used Against Coronavirus”. It was written by Leah Rosenbaum.
Mammoth Biosciences, a company that uses gene-editing technology Crispr for disease testing, said Thursday that it had raised $45 million in Series B funding to expand into treatments. The round, led by Dechung Capital and including new investor Verily, brings total funding to over $70 million.
The South San Francisco-based company, founded in 2017 by Forbes Under 30 honorees Trevor Martin, Janice Chen, Lucas Harrington and Crispr pioneer Jennifer Doudna, uses Crispr as a genetic “search engine” to find disease markers and alert researchers of their presence. They’ve already partners with others, such as gene-editing company Horizon Discovery and a UC San Francisco researcher who is creating a rapid diagnostic test to identify people infected with the new coronavirus.
“The company has been one of the most prolific innovators in the overall Crispr ecosystem,” says Ursheet Parikh, an investor at the Maryfield Fund, which also participated in the round.
The new capital will allow Mammoth to expand into more traditional gene editing, which can be used to treat diseases. The company also plans to double in size, Martin says. Mammoth already moved into a new lab space on the South San Francisco campus of Verily, Alphabet’s life sciences company.
Crispr gene editing emerged in the 2010’s as a tool that could quickly and precisely snip, repair or insert genes into DNA, giving rise to companies including eGenesis, Caribou Biosciences and Sherlock Biosciences. Most biotech companies in the gene-editing space use Crispr system with Cas9, a large protein that can cut DNA.
Mammoth focuses on a different one, Cas14. Martin refers to this protien as “nano-can,” because it’s smaller and more precise than the popular Cas9 protein. It’s “more of a scalpel than a sledgehammer,” he says. In a diagnostic test, the Cas protein is programmed to find a specific target.
Once it finds this target, I breaks apart a “reporter molecule,” which can then change the color of the solution, indicating a positive or negative test result. Cas14 is particularly useful in diagnostics, Martin says, because of its size and its ability to quickly generate a signal once it finds DNA evidence of disease.
The technology has big implications for diagnostics, Martin says. One of Mammoth’s current partnerships is with UCSF researcher Charles Chiu, who also sits on Mammoth’s scientific advisory board, to create a rapid diagnostic test for the new coronavirus that has sickened more than 6,100 people globally and killed 132.
Right now, suspected coronavirus samples are shipped to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where it can take six or more hours for the test to complete. The new test will work by taking a sample from a nasal swab, putting it into a tube with the Crispr-Cas system and other chemicals, and then dipping in a color-changing strip of paper to determine whether the test result is positive or negative.
The whole thing should take two hours, Chiu says, and be done in a doctor’s clinic or an emergency room. His lab was already working on a similar diagnostic test quickly to the new coronavirus. Chiu says the only thing holding it back is a lack of human samples with which to test the diagnostic accuracy.
Chiu credits Mammoth’s platform for helping them create a better, faster test. “There are very few if any technologies that you could use that would have the same speed, turnaround, and accuracy,” he says.
January 30: New York State website posted “Governor Cuomo Provides Update on Novel Coronavirus While Reminding New Yorkers Flu is Still Prevalent”.
Governor Andrew Cuomo today advised New Yorkers that State and local health departments and healthcare partners are remaining vigilant and have a high state of readiness to protect New Yorkers from novel coronavirus. He also advised New Yorkers of ongoing risk for seasonal flu and urges them to take recommended precautions to prevent both. As of today, the New York State Department of Health has sent samples from 11 individuals to the CDC for testing for the novel coronavirus, with seven found to be negative and four more still pending. There are no confirmed cases in New York State.
Regarding flu however, the number of laboratory-confirmed flu cases and hospitalizations has increased every week since flu season began in October. Flu season occurs primarily from October through May, and the 2019-20 season has yet to peak.
“New York does not have one single confirmed case of novel coronavirus, but we are taking every necessary precaution to protect against its spread into our state. We have been here before, and I want to remind New Yorkers that it is much more likely that they will be exposted to the influenza virus than the coronavirus,” Governor Cuomo said. “I am urging New Yorkers to take basic precautions against the flu, such as regular hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. These measures will also help people avoid coming in contact with the novel coronavirus.”
The latest influenza surveillance report shows seasonal flu activity continues to increase in across New York State. Last week, 2,015 New Yorkers were hospitalized with lab-confirmed influenza, up eight percent from the previous week. This season, there have been 11,539 flu-related hospitalizations. In addition, last week, 15,012 laboratory-confirmed flu cases were reported to the State Department of Health, an 11 percent increase in cases from the week prior. There has been a total of 72,385 lab-confirmed cases reported this season, with three flu-associated pediatric deaths.
Influenza activity data is available on the New York State Flu Tracker. The Flu Tracker is a dashboard on the New York State Health Connector that provides timely information about local, regional and statewide influenza activity.
On January 3, the State Department of Health issued a statewide health advisory alerting healthcare providers to the dramatic increase in flu activity across New York State. The advisory also encourages providers to promote the effectiveness of patients getting vaccinated to help prevent the spread of influenza. While the effectiveness of the flu vaccine can vary, this year’s flu vaccine is likely to be more effective against the types of flu viruses that are circulating this season.
Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, “As flu is considered widespread in New York State, taking everyday preventive steps such as washing hands often, covering a cough or sneeze and staying home with experiencing flu-like symptoms will help prevent the spread of the flu. These same actions will help protect New Yorkers against the novel coronavirus.”
The latest increase in lab-confirmed flu hospitalizations comes after Dr. Zucker declared flu prevalent in December throughout New York State. The announcement put into effect a regulation requiring that healthcare workers who are not vaccinated against influenza wear surgical or procedure masks in areas where patients are typically present.
The State Health Department recommends and urges that everyone six months of age or older receive an influenza vaccination. The vaccine is especially important for people at high risk for complications from influenza, including children under age 2, pregnant women and adults over age 65. People with pre-existing conditions, such as asthma and heart disease, are also at greater risk, as are individuals with weakened immune systems due to disease or medications such as chemotherapy or chronic steroid use. Since influenza virus can spread easily by coughing or sneezing, it is also important that family members and people in regular contact with high risk individuals get an influenza vaccine.
While there is currently no vaccine for novel coronavirus, the same simple preventative measures for influenza can help stop the spread.
Last week the Department of Health issued guidance to healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, clinical laboratories, colleges and local health departments to provide updated information about the outbreak, and ensure the proper protocols are in place if a patient is experiencing symptoms consistent with the novel coronavirus, had a travel history to Wuhan, China, or had come in contact with an individual who was under investigation for this novel coronavirus.
Additionally, the Department has hosted a series of informational webinars for hospitals, colleges and local healthcare providers. The Department of Health is also working closely with the Centers for Disease Control to receive daily updates.
January 30: New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu posted “Governor Chris Sununu Statement Following NH DHHS Announcement of Two Negative Test Results for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus”.
Today, Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statement after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that two individuals who had traveled to Wuhan City, China, have tested negatively for the Coronavirus:
“We are pleased the patients are doing well. It is important to note that the State of NH followed all CDC guidelines in assessing these potential cases and had a plan in place to stop potential spread of this virus. Our state remains vigilant in monitoring any potential cases and are well prepared for any future potential incidents. For future updates on the situation, visit the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services website.”
Note: For additional information, a copy of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’s press release is below.
NH DHHS Announces Two Negative Test Results for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) announces that two individuals in New Hampshire with recent travel to Wuhan City, China, have tested negative for the 2019 novel coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the negative tests and both patients have fully recovered. DHHS will continue to monitor for new suspect cases of this new coronavirus for individuals who develop fever or respiratory symptoms after traveling to the affected areas in China.
“We have not yet identified any individuals infected with this novel coronavirus in New Hampshire, but we continue to work closely with healthcare providers and the CDC to protect the health of our communities,” said New Hampshire State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan. “Rapid identification and testing of individuals is critical in preventing the spread of this novel coronavirus. We will continue to work with healthcare providers to monitor for any additional suspect cases that may occur in New Hampshire and test as appropriate based on a person’s symptoms and travel to affected areas in China. The risk to our communities remains low.”
“We are pleased the patients are doing well,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “It is important to note that the State of NH followed all CDC guidelines in assessing these potential cases and had a plan in place to stop the potential spread of this virus. Our state remains vigilant in monitoring any potential cases and are well prepared for any future potential incidents.”
More than 7,000 cases of novel coronavirus have been identified in more than fifteen countries, including the U.S., where the total number of cases remains at five. DHHS has asked New Hampshire healthcare providers to alert DPHS if they identify patients with travel to Hubei Province, China, who become ill with fever or respiratory symptoms within 14 days of travel so that DPHS can help assess risk, assist with testing, and ensure isolation of the ill patients to prevent the potential spread of novel coronavirus.
While the risk of contracting coronavirus remains low in the US, there are protective measures people can take to reduce their risk of illness. While we are still learning about how easily this novel coronavirus is spread, most coronaviruses of this type are transmitted through the spread of respiratory droplets, and people can take precautions similar to those taken during flu season to prevent the spread of illness; frequent handwashing with soap and water, avoiding close contact with sick people, staying home if you are sick, covering your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
Reported symptoms of illness have primarily included fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. There are currently no vaccines available to protect against the novel coronavirus. CDC now recommends avoiding all nonessential travel to China. For the most updated travel recommendations, people planning a trip to China or surrounding areas should check the CDC website for any updated travel restrictions and recommendations. Residents who have recently traveled to Hubei Province, China and are feeling sick should call their health care provider and let them know of their travel and symptoms before presenting to a provider office.
January 30: CNBC posted “Russia closes border with China to prevent spread of the coronavirus”. It was written by Holly Ellyatt.
Russia is to close its border with China as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, according to the country’s state media.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Thursday morning that he had signed an instruction to close the state border in the Far East, Russian news agency TASS reported.
“A corresponding instruction was signed today. Work on it is already in progress. We will inform all those concerned properly about the measures to close the border in the Far Eastern region and other steps the government has taken (to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Russia)” the news agency quoted him as telling a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
Sixteen out of the 25 crossings along the Russian-Chinese border will be closed as of midnight January 31, the decree said, according to the Moscow Times. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that it had temporarily suspended the issuing of electronic visas to Chinese nationals.
The move by Russia comes as the pneumonia-like virus, first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of December, continues to spread.
China’s health authorities say the number of cases has now exceeded 7,711 and the death toll stands at 170.
Most of the cases are in China but the virus has also been found in France, Germany, Cambodia, South Korea, Singapore, the U.S., Thailand, Sri Lanka and Japan. The Philippines and India have confirmed their first cases on Thursday too.
So far, there have been no reported cases of the virus in Russia. The World Health Organization is to decide later Thursday whether to declare a global health emergency over the outbreak.
January 30: Boston.com posted “‘We need to put the health and well-being of our musicians first’: Boston Symphony Orchestra cancels East Asia tour”. It was written by Ainsile Cromar.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s East Asia tour has been cancelled as growing concerns loom over the spread of the deadly new coronavirus.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the health risk in the U.S. is still low, on Jan. 27, they issued a level three travel health notice, which recommends all travelers avoid nonessential travel to China.
The symphony’s four-city tour led by director Andris Nelsons would have traveled from Feb. 6 to Feb. 16, according to a BSO press release, but after discussion between Shanghai Oriental Art Center — which has made cancellations in its own upcoming performances — and the tour’s other presenters, they’ve decided to prioritize their musicians’ health.
“We are all deeply disappointed that we will not be able to perform for the wonderful audiences in Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Shanghai,” BSO President and CEO Mark Volpe wrote in the release. “At this time of grave concern over the spread of the new coronavirus, our thoughts continue to be with those most directly affected by this serious public health crisis.”
The orchestra has only cancelled two other international performances in the past: once in 1960, during the Asia-Australasia tour which skipped an appearance in Seoul, South Korea because of political unrest, and again in Beijing after the Chinese embassy in former Yugoslavia was accidentally bombed in 1999.
The 2020 trip would have been the BSO’s 29th international tour since the orchestra was founded in 1881, and its first appearance in Seoul.
“We greatly appreciate everyone’s understanding that we need to put health and well-being of our musicians first and foremost,” BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons said. “Please know the we are all passionately committed to a future visit to East Asia soon.”
Nelsons expressed his thanks to everyone involved in making the tour possible, his regret to anyone impacted by the virus.
“We all feel deep gratitude to the many wonderful people who worked so hard at every level to organize and support this tour,” he said. “Most importantly, our hearts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by the coronavirus.”
January 30: Billboard reported NCT Dream’s promoter One Production announced the cancellation of the group’s two shows in Macau, China, on Feb. 7 and 8 and their Feb. 15 concert in Singapore.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra announced the cancellation of its Asia tour. The orchestra had been scheduled to go on a four-city tour that included Seoul in South Korea, Taipei in Taiwan and Shanghai and Hong Kong in China from Feb. 6-16.
January 31
January 31: World Health Organization (WHO) posted: “Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report – 11”
Highlights:
The Emergency Committee on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) under the International Health Regulations (HR 2005) was reconvened on 30 January. WHO declared the outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern. The Emergency Committee has provided advice to WHO, to the People’s Republic of China, to all countries, and to the global community, on measures to control this outbreak. The Committee believes that it is still possible to interrupt virus spread, provided that countries put in place strong measures to detect disease early, isolate and treat cases, trace contacts, and promote social distancing measures commensurate with the risk.
Today, the first two confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease were reported in Italy; both had history to Wuhan City.
WHO’s Risk Communication Team has launched a new information platform called WHO Information Network for Epidemics (EPI-WIN). EPI-WIN will use a series of amplifiers to share tailored information for specific target groups. EPI-WIN began this week to establish connections to health care and travel and tourism sectors and will work with food and agriculture and business/employer sectors next week.
TECHNICAL FOCUS
As part of WHO’s response to the outbreak, the R&D Blueprint has been activated to accelerate evaluation of the diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for this novel coronavirus.
The global imperative for research is to maintain a high-level discussion platform which enables consensus on strategic directions, nurtures scientific collaborations and, supports optimal and rapid research to address crucial gaps, without duplication of efforts.
Understanding the disease, its reservoirs, its transmission, its clinical severity and developing effective counter measures including therapeutics and vaccines is critical for control of the outbreak, the reduction of related mortality and minimization of economic impact.
Countries, territories or areas with repeated confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV, 31 January 2020:
China (including cases confirmed in Hong Kong SAR (12 confirmed cases), Macau (7 confirmed cases) and Taipei (9 confirmed cases): 9720
Japan: 14
Republic of Korea: 11
Viet Nam: 5
Singapore: 13
Australia: 9
Malaysia: 8
Cambodia: 1
Philippines: 1
Thailand: 14
Nepal: 1
Sri Lanka: 1
India: 1
United States of America: 6
Canada: 3
France: 6
Finland: 1
Germany: 5
Italy: 2
United Arab Emirates: 4
TOTAL: 9826
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
WHO has actively sought misinformation and responded to rumors through ‘myth busting’ on WHO’s social media and website.
WHO has developed a protocol for the investigation of early cases (the “First Few X (FFX) Cases and contact investigation protocol for the (2019-nCoV) infection”). The protocol is designed to gain an early understanding of the key clinical, epidemiological and virological characteristics of the first cases of 2019-nCoV infection detected in any individual country, to inform the development and updating of public health guidance to manage cases and reduce potential spread and impact of infection.
WHO has been in regular interim guidance for laboratory diagnosis, advice on the use of masks during home care and in health setting in the context of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, clinical management, infection prevention and control in health care settings, home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, risk communication and community engagement.
Prepared disease commodity package that includes an essential lis of biomedical equipment, medicines and supplies necessary to care for patients with 2019-nCoV.
WHO has provided recommendations to reduce risk of transmission from animals to humans.
Activation of R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.
WHO is providing guidance on early investigations, which are critical to carry out early in an outbreak of a new virus. The data collected from the protocols can be used to refine recommendations for surveillance and case definitions, to characterize the key epidemiological transmission features of 2019-nCoV, help understand spread, severity, spectrum of disease, impact on the community and to inform operational models for implementation of countermeasures such as case location, contact tracing and isolation. The first protocol available is a: Household transmission investigation protocol for 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.
WHO is working with its networks of researchers and other experts to coordinate global work on surveillance, epidemiology, modelling, diagnostics, clinical care and treatment, and other ways to identify, manage the disease and limit onward transmission. WHO has issued interim guidance for countries, updated to take into account the current situation.
WHO is working with global expert networks and partnerships for laboratory, infection prevention and control, clinical management and mathematical modelling.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE FOR THE PUBLIC
During previous outbreaks due to other coronavirus (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), human-to-human transmission occurred through droplets, contact and fomites, suggesting that the transmission mode of the 2019-nCoV can be similar. The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections include the following:
Avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands).
Within healthcare facilities, enhance standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments.
WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travelers. In case of symptoms suggestive of respiratory illnesses either during or after travel, travelers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their healthcare provider.
January 31: President Donald Trump tweeted: “The Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats keep chanting “fairness”, when they put on the most unfair Witch Hunt in the history of the U.S. Congress. They had 17 Witnesses, we were allowed ZERO, and no lawyers. They didn’t do their job and had no case. The Dems are scamming America!”
January 31: President Donald Trump tweeted: “Democrats = 17 Witnesses. Republicans = 0 Witnesses”.
For context, President Trump was intensely focused on complaining about his impeachment hearing.
January 31: CBS News posted “Global airlines suspend flights to China on virus fears”.
Airlines around the world are canceling or suspending flights to China amid the growing coronavirus outbreak and a sharp drop in demand for travel to the country. Among the airlines scaling back or cancelling flights are United Airlines, Air Canada, British Airways and Delta Airlines.
By Thursday morning, the flu-like virus had killed at least 170 people, all of them in China. More than 9,000 others have been infected in more than a dozen countries, including six confirmed cases in the United States.
Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, chairman of the subcommittee on Aviation and Space, called Friday for the U.S. government to implement a total travel ban on China as the virus continued to spread. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier in the week that the Trump Administration was considering it, but no decisions have been announced.
As demand for travel drops to China because of the outbreak, airlines including United, Finnair, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and Singapore-based Jetstar Asia have said they are cutting back on flights.
On Thursday, United said it would extend its suspended flights to China through March 28, cutting to just four daily departures its typical daily departures from the U.S. mainland China. United had said earlier the flight cutbacks would end on February 8.
Delta said Friday that all flights to and from China would stop operating from February 6, with the airline flying reduced schedules before then “to ensure customers looking to exit China have options to do so.” Delta said the last flight from China to the U.S. would leave on February 5.
British Airways said Wednesday that it is immediately suspending all flights to and from mainland China after the U.K. government warned against unnecessary travel to China amid a virus outbreak.
In the U.S., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said a complete ban on travel to and from China is among the options the Trump administration is considering as it tries to address the rapid spread of the deadly new coronavirus.
French flagship carrier Air France announced Thursday it was suspending all normal scheduled flights to and from mainland China in a bid to help stem the spread of the new coronavirus. There were five confirmed cases of the virus in France as of Thursday.
Delta on Wednesday said it would temporarily reduce its weekly flights between the U.S. and China because of “significantly reduced customer demand.” Its flights will be cut from 42 weekly flights to 21 weekly flights, it said.
China has cut off access to the central city of Wuhan, epicenter of the outbreak, and 16 other cities to prevent people from leaving and spreading the virus further. Hong Kong airlines are cutting the number of their flights to the mainland by about half through the end of March in response to government virus-control efforts.
The first Americans evacuated on a U.S. government flight from the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak were likely facing at least a couple more days of isolation at a military base in Southern California, as the U.S. government planned more evacuation flights in the coming days. The first evacuees cleared initial health checks in China and then again during a stopover in Alaska on the way to the California base.
List of flight cancelations
Air Canada – on Wednesday said it’s suspending all direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai effective January 30 until February 29.
Lufthansa – said Wednesday that it’s suspending direct flights on Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airline fleets to or from mainland China until 9 February.
Air Seoul – a budget airline, became the first South Korean airline to suspend its flights to mainland Chinese destinations apart from Wuhan, stopping its flights to the cities of Zhangjiajie and Linyi.
Indonesia’s Lion Air said it canceled more than 50 fights to China well into February. The flights are from five international airports in Manado, Surabaya, Jakarta, Batam and from Denpasar, in Bali, to 15 airports in China. Lion Group’s spokesman Dana Mandala Prihantor said the suspension would be phased in gradually and would continue until further notice.
Cathay Pacific Group said flights to 24 mainland destinations would be reduced to 240 weekly. The company owns Cathay Pacific Airways, cargo carrier Air Hong Kong, Cathay Dragon and Hong Kong Express.
Helsinki, Finland-based Finnair, which has actively promoted its position linking Asian and Western destinations, said it was canceling three weekly flights to Beijing Daxing International Airport through late March, as well as its twice-weekly flights to Nanjing. It will continue operating flights to four other mainland Chinese destinations, including Beijing Capital Airport.
Jetstar Asia said it will temporarily suspend flights to the Chinese cities of Hefei, Guiyang and Xuzhou starting Thursday through the end of March due to drop in demand.
South Korea’s second-largest carrier, Asiana Airlines, said it will temporarily suspend flights to the Chinese cities of Guilin, Changsha and Haikou starting next month.
Taiwan’s Eva Air announced a partial cancellation of flights to and from mainland China for two weeks starting Feb. 2. In addition, the airline has stopped providing towels, magazines, table clothes, and is limiting use of blankets and pillows on its flights.
Kazakhstan, which shares a long border with far western China, announced Wednesday that it plans to suspend all flights, train and bus traffic and to halt issuing visas to Chinese nationals.
January 31: HHS posted: “Secretary Azar Declares Public Health Emergency For United States for 2019 Novel Coronavirus”
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the entire United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to 2019 novel coronavirus.
“While this virus poses a serious public health threat, the risk to the American public remains low at this time, and we are working to keep this risk low,” Secretary Azar said. “We are committed to protecting the health and safety of all Americans, and this public health emergency declaration is the latest in the series of steps the Trump Administration has taken to protect our country.”
The emergency declaration give state, tribal, and local health departments more flexibility to request that HHS authorize them to temporarily reassign state, local and tribal personnel to respond to 2019-nCoV if their salaries normally are funded in whole or in part by Public Health Service Act programs. These personnel could assist with public health information campaigns and other response activities.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working closely with state health departments on disease surveillance, contact tracing, and providing interim guidance for clinicians on identifying and treating coronavirus infections. HHS is working with the Department of State to assist in bringing home Americans who had been living in affected areas of mainland China. HHS divisions are also collaborating with industry to detect, prevent, and treat 2019-nCoV infections.
In declaring the public health emergency, Secretary Azar acted within his authority under the Public Health Service Act. This declaration is retroactive to January 27, 2020.
This U.S. public health emergency declaration follows a declaration by the World Health Organization that spread of the virus constituted a public health emergency of international concern.
January 31: The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control posted: “Risk assessment: Outbreak of acute respiratory syndrome associated with a novel coronavirus, China: first local transmission in the EU/EEA – third update”.
On 31 December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown aetiology was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. On 9 January 2020, China CDC reported a novel coronavirus (2019-n-CoV) as the causative agent of this outbreak, which is phylogenetically in the SARS-CoV clade.
As of 30 January 2020 09:00, more than 7,000 laboratory-confirmed 2019-n-CoV cases had been reported worldwide, mainly in China, but also with more than 70 imported cases from other countries around the world. Details on the epidemiological update for 2019-nCoV can be found on ECDC’s website.
So far, one hundred and seventy deaths associated with this virus have been reported. On 20 January, Chinese health authorities confirmed human-to-human transmission outside of Hubei province. Sixteen healthcare workers are reported to have been infected.
On 24 January 2020, the first three cases of 2019-n-CoV imported into the EU/EEA were identified in France and one additional case was reported in 29 January 2020. On 28 January, a cluster of four locally-acquired cases, with indirect links to Wuhan, was reported in Germany. On 29 January, Finland reported an imported case from Wuhan.
China CDC assesses the transmissibility of this virus to be sufficient for sustained community transmission without unprecedented control measures. Further cases and deaths in China are expected in the coming days and weeks. Further cases or clusters are also expected among travelers from China, mainly Hubei province. Therefore, health authorities in the EU/EEA Member States should remain vigilant and strengthen their capacity to respond to such an event.
There are considerable uncertainties in assessing the risk of this event, due to lack of detailed epidemiological analyses.
On the basis of the information currently available, ECDC considers that:
The potential impact of 2019-nCoV outbreaks is high;
The likelihood of infection for EU/EEA citizens residing in or visiting Hubei Provence is estimated to be high;
The likelihood of infection for EU/EEA citizens in other Chinese Provences is moderate and will increase;
There is a moderate-to-high likelihood of additional imported cases in the EU/EEA;
The likelihood of observing further limited human-to-human transmission within the EU/EEA is estimated as very low to low if cases are detected early and appropriate infection prevention and control (IPC) practices are implemented, particularly in healthcare settings and EU/EEA countries;
Assuming that cases in EU/EEA are detected in a timely manner and that rigorous IPC measures are applied, the likelihood of sustained human-to-human transmission within the EU/EEA is currently very low to low;
The late detection of an imported case in an EU/EEA country without the application of appropriate infection prevention and control measures would result in the high likelihood of human-to-human transmission, therefore in such as scenario the risk of secondary transmission in the community setting is estimated to be high.
January 31: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan to Add New Pneumonia to Specified Disease List Sat.”
The Japanese government decided Friday to designate pneumonia caused by the new strain of coronavirus raging in China as a specified infectious disease Saturday, a week earlier than initially scheduled.
The government is considering covering the airfares for chartered flights it dispatched to Wuhan, the epicentr of the coronavirus crisis, to help Japanese nationals return home.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced these matters at the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliment said.
The government “will reject the entry into Japan of anybody infected who try to enter the country,” Abe told the committee.
The government is also considering what can be done to tighten immigration controls in order to limit the entry into Japan of those suspected but not confirmed to be infected, he added.
January 31: Massachusetts.gov posted “Massachusetts state officials announce Coronavirus preparation measures”
Today, the Department of Public Health and Massport detailed ongoing steps being taken to ensure the Commonwealth is prepared to respond to the 2019 novel coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified Boston Logan International Airport as one of 20 additional airports that will have enhanced screening for passengers arriving from China, beginning in the coming days. To date, there have been no confirmed cases of 2019 novel coronavirus in Massachusetts and the risk to residents remains low.
The novel coronavirus has resulted in thousands of confirmed human infections in more than 20 countries, with more than 99 percent of cases in China. To date, six cases have been confirmed in the US, two individuals in California, two individuals in Illinois and one individual each in Washington State and Arizona. Again, to date, there have been no confirmed cases in Massachusetts.
On Friday, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared the 2019 novel coronavirus public health emergency and ordered any US citizens returning from the center of the outbreak in China to be quarantined for two weeks. This followed a declaration Thursday by the World Health Organization that the coronavirus out break is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Also that day the CDC reported the first case of person-to-person transmission in Illinois. Massachusetts state health officials, in conjunction with Massport and local health departments, have responded to prevent the spread of the virus.
Among the steps taken by the Department of Public Health:
Established an Incident Command Structure to facilitate the dissemination of information from federal and state partners to statewide stakeholders regularly.
Launched a new website that provides up-to-date information on the status of novel coronavirus for all residents: www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus
Developed and disseminated clinical advisories to all Massachusetts health care providers and issue guidance to hospitals, health-systems and Emergency Medical Services.
Scheduled calls with other key health care partners including local boards of health.
“Our priority is protecting public health as we work with our state and federal partners to provide the most up to date information and guidance to our residents,” said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “We understand that this new virus is causing public concern, but I want to reassure people that at this time, the risk to Massachusetts residents remains low.”
As announced earlier this week, the CDC will start to screen international passengers for symptoms and signs of novel coronavirus. This is in addition to the 5 airports where enhanced screening is already underway. Logan International Airport has three daily non-stop flights from China; Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Logan Airport does not have any flights originating in Wuhan, China or Hubei Province.
With the US government’s declaration Friday of a public heath emergency, which includes limiting arrivals from China to just a handful of airports, starting Sunday, Feb. 2, the plans for Logan International Airport could change.
Coronaviruses are respiratory viruses and are generally spread through respiratory secretions (droplets from coughs and sneezes) of an infected person to another person. Symptoms of novel coronavirus include: fever, cough and shortness of breath, and in severe cases, pneumonia (fluid in the lungs). Information about how this novel coronavirus spreads is still limited.
Although the risk of the coronavirus to Massachusetts residents remains low, people are advised to take many of the same steps they do to help prevent colds and the flu, including:
Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
Cover coughs and sneezes.
Stay home when feeling sick…
January 31: New South Wales Health posted “Novel Coronavirus Statistics” – 10.30 am”
NSW – number of cases confirmed – 4 (see below)
NSW – number of cases under investigation – 9
NSW – number of cases cleared – 67
Of the four confirmed cases, two patients have been discharged, a 53 year old male and a 35 year old male.
Two patients remain in hospital, a 21 year old female and 43 year old male.
We will not be disclosing the hospital locations of patients under investigation for privacy reasons.
January 31: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “3rd Evacuation Flight Brings Home Japanese from Wuhan”. From the article:
The third charter jet sent to Wuhan by the Japanese government arrived at Tokyo International Airport at Hanada on Friday, bringing home 149 Japanese nationals from the Chinese city mired in the coronavirus crisis.
Some of the people are complaining of ill health, officials said.
Returnees who show no symptoms after taking medical checks will be transferred to designated facilities to monitor their health condition for a while.
A total of 565 Japanese nationals were brought back to Japan aboard three government-chartered planes to Wuhan to evacuate all Japanese nationals who want to return home during the outbreak of pneumonia caused by the deadly virus.
According to the health ministry, three people in their 40s to 50s who were aboard the first flight, which arrived in Japan Wednesday, tested positive for the virus. Two of them did not show symptoms of the coronavirus-caused pneumonia.
January 31: ABC News Australia posted “Chinese women’s soccer team quarantined in Brisbane hotel as state confirms first coronavirus case”. It was written by Talissa Siganto. From the article:
Queensland health officials have revealed the Chinse women’s national soccer team is being quarantined in Brisbane over concerns about the possible spread of coronavirus.
The announcement came shortly before the state’s chief officer, Jeannette Young, confirmed Queensland’s first case of the illness.
“A 44-year-old Chinese national, who is currently isolated in the Gold Coast University Hospital, has been confirmed to have novel coronavirus,” Dr. Young said in a statement on Wednesday night.
“The man, who is from the city of Wuhan (Hubei Province) is stable.”
It came as Victorian authorities confirmed that state’s second case, bringing the total number of cases nationally to seven.
The virus has infected more than 6,000 people around the world, most of them in China, where the death toll stands at 133.
Dr Young earlier said 32 people in the Chinese women’s soccer squad – including players and staff – travelled through the city of Wuhan one week ago, where the outbreak is believed to have begun.
In light of this, Dr Young said they had been placed in a Brisbane hotel until February 5.
The group were checked by border officials after arriving in Brisbane on a flight from Shanghai on Wednesday morning before being placed in isolation at a hotel.
Dr. Young said authorities were working with the team and the hotel’s management to ensure the visitors remained separated from staff and other guests.
She said no-one from the group had shown any symptoms of the virus and the team had been traveling with their own doctor.
“There is absolutely no risk to anyone else in that hotel or to the staff in the hotel, these people are all well,” she said.
“They’ve been extremely cooperative, as has the Chinese consulate, and they will work with us, and the hotel has been fantastic as well.
“If any of these footballers develop any symptoms we will of course be taking them immediately to one of our hospitals … to be immediately assessed and tested and isolated.”
In a statement, Football Federation Australia (FFA) said the health and wellbeing of all players, staff and spectators was “of paramount importance to both FFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)”.
“FFA is working with the Australian Government and AFC to explore the ramifications of this advice and how it may affect the staging of the Women’ Olympic Football Tournament Qualifiers,” the FFA said.
As a result of these developments … FAA will not be going on sale with tickets for the tournament.”
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also changed the order of home matches to be played by Chinese clubs in the AFC Champions League group stage due to the coronavirus, Asian soccer’s governing body has confirmed.
The move follows consultation with the Chinese Football Association (CFA) and means that home games of the four Chinese clubs on the first three match days will be rescheduled and played away by swapping the order with their opponents.
“The decision, which was also made in conjunction with the competing clubs from the respective groups, is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all participating players and teams,” the AFC said in a statement.
According to the revised schedule, Beijing Guoan will open their campaign at FC Seoul on February 11 and visit Melbourne Victory on March 3.
Students back from China urged to stay home
Meanwhile, the Queensland Education Department has also issued new advice for any students or staff who have traveled to China in the past 14 days to keep themselves isolated and not return to school for 14 days.
Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said the advice given to schools would be updated in line with the changes to the national advice.
“We are updating the advice to schools to ask them to isolate all students who have travelled to China in the last 14 days until they have been returned 14 days without symptoms,” he said.
Mr. Miles said authorities were continuing to work together across all levels of government and with other states to “keep Queenslanders safe.”
Education Minister Grace said the department would alert schools about the change in advice immediately.
“This is a precaution, but we ask of course to ack is there are any symptoms … self-isolate immediately,” she said.
Brisbane’s Stuartholme School which had earlier this week planned to isolate 10 of its boarding students from mainland China but still allow them to attend classes said it would not keep them from classes for 14 days.
January 31: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “The total number of confirmed cases of the 2019 novel #coronavirus reported from mainland China to date is 11,791. This includes 1,795 severe cases and 259 people who have died. #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCov” This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 31: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Hong Kong SAR has reported a total of 13 cases, Macao SAR has reported 7 cases, and Taiwan, China has reported 10 cases #coronavirus #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV”.
January 31: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “Other countries in the @WHO Western Pacific Region: Singapore has reported 16 cases, Japan 13 cases, Rep of Korea 12 cases, Australia 9 cases, Malaysia 8 cases, Viet Nam 5 cases, Camboria & Philippines 1 case each #coronavirus #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV”
January 31: World Health Organization Western Pacific tweeted: “It is importan to note that case numbers reflect date reported, not date of illness onset. #coronavirus #nCoV #nCoV2019 #2019nCoV”. This was the last tweet in the thread.
January 31: Nippon.com (News from Japan) “Japan Travel Agencies Hit by Cancellations of China Tours”.
Massive cancellations of China-bound package tours from Japan are hitting Japanese travel agencies in the wake of the outbreak of pneumonia blamed on a new strain of coronavirus spreading from Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei Province.
As the outbreak spread throughout the world, the Japanese tourism industry is concerned that the coronavirus crisis may affect overall demand for travel abroad, sources familiar with the situation said.
The outbreak is also causing travel agencies to suspend China-bound package tours not including visists to Hubei, because major tourism spots outside the province, such as the Palace Museum in Beijing and the Great Wall of China, have been closed amid the crisis.
In an unusual move, JTB Corp. and H.I.S. Co <9603> have decided to give full refunds to customers for tours anywhere in China, excluding Hong Kong and Macau, without collectin cancellation fees, even if they cancel their tours just before departure.
JTB, Club Tourism International Inc. and Hankyu Travel International Co. have halted tours to Wuhan after Japan’s Foreign Ministry raised its travel alert related to infectious diseases. JTB plans to continue the suspension until the advisory is lowered to Level One from the current Level 3, which calls for avoiding travel to designated areas.
January 31: UK Department of Health and Social Care posted “CMO confirms cases of coronavirus in England”. It is a statement from Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, about cases of novel coronavirus in England.
We can confirm that 2 patients in England, who are members of the same family, have tested positive for coronavirus. The patients are receiving specialist NHS care, and we are using tried and tested infection control procedures to prevent further spread of the virus.
The NHS is extremely well-prepared and used to managing infections and we are already working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients had, to prevent further spread.
We have been preparing for UK cases of novel coronavirus and we have robust infection control measures in place to respond immediately. We are continuing to work closely with the World Health Organization and the international community as the outbreak in China develops to ensure we are ready for all eventualities.
January 31: Billboard posted “Cancellations Announced in January”
Three stops on GOT7’s world tour “Keep Spinning” tour were postponed including their concerts in Bangkok planned for Feb. 15 and 16 at Rajamangala National Stadium and a concert in Singapore planned for Feb. 22.
K-pop group TWICE‘s Tokyo fan signing events to be held on Feb. 1 and 2 were canceled.
The inaugural C.E.A. (Charming Eastern Awakening) Fest in Joy Park in Chengdu in China scheduled for April 18-19 is canceled. The event was set to headlining performances from Martin Garrix and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike.
January 31: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Nara Puts Off Accomodation Tax amid Coronavirus Outbreak”.
The western Japan city of Nara will put off its plan to introduce the accommodation tax during fiscal year 2020, to limit damage on the city’s tourism industry amid the outbreak of a new coronavirus, its mayor said Friday.
Mayor Motonobu Nakgawa told a press conference that the city will take various factors into consideration and decide when to introduce the tax after monitoring the situation concerning the virus.
A city survey of 13 large hotels with 100 rooms or more each showed that reservations for 3,156 guests, mainly on group tours from China, had been cancelled as of Thursday, according to the city.
On Tuesday, the health ministry said that a Japanese male bus driver in Nara Prefecture has been confirmed as infected with the virus. He drove tourists from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the center of the outbreak.
“It has been confirmed that their is obious damage (to tourism). We need to stop for now to see how things go.” Nakagawa said.
January 31: Nippon.com (News from Japan) posted “Japan Confirms 2 More Symptomless Returnees with New Coronavirus”.
Two Japanese nationals who returned from Wuhan on Thursday aboard the second government-chartered flight have been found to be infected with the new coronavirus that spread from the Chinese city and has caused an outbreak of pneumonia, the Japanese health ministry said Friday.
A man in his 30s and another man in his 50s tested positive for the virus, but have no symptoms. The number of returnees who are infected with the coronavirus but have no symptoms now stands at four. The other people returned to Japan on Wednesday aboard the first chartered flight.
A total of 210 Japanese nationals returned home on the second chartered plane. The first flight brought home 206 people, with three of them, including the two symptomless people, found to have the coronavirus.
The third flight chartered by the Japanese government for the evaucation operations arrived at Tokyo International Airport in Haneda on Friday moring with 149 passengers from Wuhan, bringing the total number of Japanese people brought back from the city and other parts of Hubei Province to 565.
Twenty-five of the 149 passengers complained of symptoms such as coughing and were admitted to hospitals in Tokyo. The remaining passengers were sent to the National Institute of Public Health in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, or the Customs Training Institute in Kasiwa, Chiba Prefecture, east of the Japanese capital, for monitoring
January 31: CDC tweeted: “The CDC, under statutory authority of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, has issued federal quarantine orders to all 195 United States citizens who repatriated to the U.S. on January 29, 2020. The quarantine will last 14 days from when the plane left Wuhan, China.” This tweet was the start of a thread.
January 31: CDC tweeted: “This action is a precautionary and preventative step to maximize the containment of the virus in the interest of the health of the American public. The current epidemic in Mainland China has demonstrated the #2019nCoV’s capacity to spread globally.”
January 31: CDC tweeted: “This legal order is part of a public health response that is necessary to prevent the transmission and spread of this virus in the U.S. This federal quarantine will protect the health of the repatriated US citizens, their families, and their communities. #2019nCoV”
January 31: CDC tweeted: “CDC is committed to protecting the health & safety of all Americans. We continue to believe the immediate risk to the larger American public is low at this time. The #2019nCoV outbreak investigation is ongoing. For updates:” The tweet included a link to the CDC website. This was the last tweet in the thread.
January 31: The Desert Sun posted “‘A whole different ballgame’: Wuhan flight passengers at March Air Reserve Base under quarantine; evacuee shares experience”. It was written by Marie McCain and wires.
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday ordered the quarantine of all 195 U.S. evacuees from Wuhan, China, who are being screened for symptoms of the coronavirus at March Air Reserve Base near Moreno Valley.
So far, none of them have exhibited symptoms of the virus, a Riverside County spokeswoman said Friday. Nevertheless, the quarantine order means they will have to remain on base for the full 14-day incubation period.
“This action is a precautionary and preventative step to maximize the containment of the virus in the interest of the health of the American public” the CDC said in announcing the quarantine.
“This legal order will protect the health of repatriated citizens, their families, and their communities. These individuals will continue to be housed at the March Air Reserve Base. Medical staff will continue to monitor the health of each traveler, including temperature checks and observation for respiratory symptoms,” the agency added.
“If an individual presents symptoms, medical care will be readily available. Even if a screening test comes back negative from CDC’s laboratory results, it does not conclusively mean an individual is at no risk of developing the disease over the likely 14-day incubation period.
U.S. emergency declared, travel restricted
Federal officials said the CDC quarantine in Southern California was one of the reasons the coronavirus outbreak was declared a public health emergency in the United States.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, on Friday, made that announcement along with another that President Donald Trump will temporarily bar entry to the U.S. of foreign nationals believed to be at risk of transmitting the virus. The new restrictions begin Sunday afternoon.
“The risk of infection for Americans remains low and with these and our previous actions we are working to keep the risk low,” Azar said.
Americans returning from Hubei province, the center of the outbreak, will be required to undergo 14 days of quarantine. Others returning from elsewhere in China will be allowed to self-monitor their condition for a similar period.
The public health announcement came hours after the State Department issued a level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory, the highest grade of warning, and told Americans in China to consider departing using commercial means.
“Travelers should be prepared for travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice,” the advisory said.
Friday’s order quarantining U.S. evacuees at March Air Reserve Base is the first time a federal quarantine has been ordered since the 1960s, when one was instituted over concern about potential spread of smallpox, the CDC said.
A day earlier, Riverside County health officials ordered the quarantine of one of the evacuees after that person attempted to leave the base hours after the group arrived.
“We understand this action may seem drastic,” the CDC’s Dr. Nancy Messonnier said. “We would rather be remembered for over-reacting than under-reacting.”
A morbid accounting
China, as of Friday morning, counted 9,692 confirmed coronavirus cases with a death toll of 213, including 43 new fatalities. The vast majority of the cases have been in Hubei province and its provincial capital, Wuhan, where the first illnesses were detected in December. No deaths have been reported outside China.
The National Health Commission reported 171 cases have been “cured and discharged from the hospital.” The World Health Organization has said that most people who got the illness had milder cases, though 20% experienced severe symptoms.
The virus can cause fever, coughing, wheezing and pneumonia. Health officials think it spread mainly from droplets when an infected person coughs of sneezes, similar to how the flu spreads.
That almost 10,000 people globally have fallen in in just two months is a troublesome sign of the virus’ spread, according to the WHO, which has declared the outbreak a global emergency.
There are six U.S. cases, with one each in Los Angeles and Orange counties, as well as in Chicago, Arizona, and Washington state. Five of the six people who have contracted the virus involve visitors to China.
The first case of a person-to-person transmission in the U.S. involved the husband of a Chicago woman who returned from China on Jan. 13. Both are hospitalized.
In Southern California, authorities described the 195 evacuees as U.S. citizens. Most of them are State Department diplomats and their families. None of them are from Riverside County.
They were screened twice before departing Wuhan and had another evaluation during a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska, before landing Wednesday morning at the air base, officials said.
Their plane was bound for Ontario International Airport before being diverted.
Dr. Chris Braden, deputy director of the CDC’s National Center for Emerging an Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, has said the decision to monitor the passenger at the air base was made “at a high level of government.”
Wuhan ‘turned into chaos’
Late Thursday, one of the evacuees shared his experiences in a telephone interview with the Associated Press.
Jarred Evans is a professional football player in China. He is used to wearing a helmet and shoulder pads. But in the wake of a deadly viral outbreak, he’s switched to a mask and medical gloves.
“When you’re dealing with life and death, it’s a whole different ballgame,” he said.
The evacuees, including children ranging from around a year old to about 13, are staying at the sprawling base where they received a battery of blood tests and were given nose, throat and mouth swabs, Evans, 27, said. Some test results won’t be back for a week, he added.
While the surroundings are fairly comfortable, Evans said Thursday that he and others are still being cautious about mingling.
“I’m still wearing my mask and I’m still wearing my gloves,” he said in a telephone interview. “We’re still not knowing who has it. I’m still taking major precautions. You don’t know whether you’re in the clear.”
“Today, a lot of kids were enjoying the weather,” he said, and the base provided scooters, bikes, footballs and soccer balls for them to play with.
But at dinnertime, Evans added, “everyone’s getting their food and going right back to their rooms.”
Those being held at the base 60 miles (96 kilometers) east of Los Angeles arrived Wednesday morning.
Evans said he would remain until testing shows he is free of the virus.
He is a professional quarterback who moved to Wuhan several years ago to play in a Chinese football league.
The city of 11 million people felt joyful, he said, with residents getting ready for the Lunar New Year.
Then, in a matter of days, “it turned into chaos” as news broke of the rapidly expanding coronavirus outbreak. Suddenly, Evans said, people were swarming pharmacies and stores to get masks and disinfectant spray.
Friends translated the news for Evans, who speaks no Chinese.
“I stocked up on rice, noodles, water, anything that could help me survive for a week or two,” Evans said.
From New York City to ghost town
The Chinese government shut dow the city. Busses, trains, taxis, and personal cars were banned. The military patrolled some streets.
“That’s when people, honestly, stayed locked in their homes,” Evans said.
He compared the deserted city to an Old West ghost town.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” he said. “Imagine New York City being shut down. I was completely scared at first, because I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen. I don’t speak the language, and my family is so far away.”
Evans holed up in his home for a week and a half until he received news that the U.S. Embassy was evacuating its diplomats and their families and other U.S. citizens.
He was notified that a chartered flight was carrying some of the 1,000 or so Americans in Wuhan back to the United States. The flight was coming in the next day.
Evans said he was told, “If you can make it there, you’re on the flight.”
“It was a race against time,” he said.
Evans found an acquaintance who drove him to the airport. The embassy notified Chinese authorities of the license plate number so he could pass through the guarded streets.
Evans said he was No. 171 out of 195 people permitted on board.
On the plane were two men in full hazardous material suits, who warned them about the seriousness of the outbreak. Nobody appeared sick but all of the passengers decided to wear masks throughout the flight, Evans said.
The plane flew to Anchorage, where passengers had health screenings, and then landed at March Reserve Air Base on Wednesday morning. The U.S. arrival was joyful, Evans said.
“We were clapping, smiling, laughing … there were cheers,” he said.
One he is cleared, Evans says he intends to visit his family. Then it’s on to Switzerland, where he is signed to pay with the Bern Grizzlies this year. But he would like to return to Wuhan when the coronavirus outbreak recedes.
January 31: Nippon.com (News from Japan) “Japan to Bar Foreigners with Recent Stays in Hubei”
Japan’s government decided Friday to impose a temporary ban on entry by all foreigners with recent histories of staying in China’s Hubei Province, including its capital, Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak of a new coronavirus.
The entry ban will be in place “for the time being” from Saturday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a meeting on the day of the government’s headquarters for responding to the ongoing spread of the new coronavirus.
The move comes after the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency on Thursday, in the face of the spread of the coronavirus that has caused numerous people to develop pneumonia in China and other parts of the world.
It will be the first time for the Japanese government to impose an entry ban tha specifies a certain area.
Specifically, the govenrment will not accept entry applications form foreigners with histories of being in Hubei within the past 14 days and holders of Chinese passports issued by the province, regardless of whether they have been confirmed to have the virus or not. “We can’t deal with this unprecedented crisis if we stick to precedents,” the prime minister stressed, instructing cabinet ministers to respond flexibly.
January 31: Nippon.com (News from Japan) “Japanese Institute Succeeds in Isolating Wuhan Coronavirus”.
Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases said Friday that it has succeeded in cultivating and isolating the new coronavirus, first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan, from a person in Japan who has been confirmed to have the virus.
Using the isolated virus, the institute will start work to develop a vaccine and a drug for the coronavirus, as well as a test kit capable of quick diagnosis. It will also offer the isolated virus to researchers and companies, while trying to discover the infection mechanism and promoting research on the toxicity of the virus.
The isolated virus’ gene sequences 99.9 pct matched those released by the Chinese government, according to the Japanese institute.
In the isolated virus, there was no gene mutation leading to higher infectiousness or toxicity, the institute said.
January 31: The White House posted “Press Briefing by Members of the President’s Coronavirus Task Force”.
Secretary Azar: Well, good afternoon, everyone. I’m Alex Azar, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Chairman of the President’s Task Force on the Novel Coronavirus.
I’m going to start by turning things over to Dr. Robert Redfield, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to discuss the current situation on the novel coronavirus. Dr. Redfield.
Dr. Redfield: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, Let me give you an update on the current situation of the novel coronavirus. First though, I want to emphasize that this is a serious health situation in China, but I want to emphasize that the risk to the American public currently is low. Our goal is to do all we can to keep it that way.
Second, I want to recognize the concern that the American public may have. And I want to reiterate what I just said: Currently, the risk of the American public is low.
As of today, there are nearly 9,700 cases in China, with more than 200 deaths. Additionally, currently there are another 23 countries that have confirmed, totally, 132 cases. This also includes 12 individuals who have been confirmed in six countries who did not travel to China.
CDC has launched an aggressive public health response focused on early case recognition, isolation of those cases identified, and contact tracing around those individuals. This response is a layered response, which includes both targeted airport screening, as well as heightened education and awareness of the American healthcare community to be vigilant in ascertaining the possibility of recent travel to China when they are evaluating patients with upper respiratory tract infection.
To date, we have confirmed six cases of the novel virus in the United States. The most recent case had no travel history to China, but was a close personal contact of one of the previous cases that we had identified through our aggressive contact tracing. In addition, there are currently 191 individuals that are under investigation.
Once again, I want to emphasize that this is a significant global situation, and it continues to evolve. But I also want to emphasize that the risk at this time to the American public is low.
Mr. Secretary.
Secretary Azar: Thank you, Dr. Redfield. I would now like to invite Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, to discuss the underlying rational for the actions that I will be discussing after he concludes. Dr. Fauci.
Dr. Fauci: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. The concept that’s underlying the action that you’ll hear about shortly is the issue of the unknown aspects of this particular outbreak. So let me enumerate just a few of these.
I can start off by putting it into perspective by telling you I often get asked – we have an influenza outbreak here. We have about 8,000 deaths already. We have about 100,000 hospitalizations. Why are we paying such attention? And why are we doing the kinds of things we’re doing here right now?
Well, the reason is, despite the morbidity and mortality with influenza, there’s a certainty, for example, of seasonal flu. I can tell you all, guaranteed, that as we get into March and April, the flu cases are going to go down. You could predict pretty accurately what the range of mortality is and the hospitalizations, as we’ve done over the years.
The issue now with this is there’s a lot of unknowns. As you can see just from the media, the number of cases steeply inclined each and every day. You know that, in the beginning, we were not sure if there were asymptomatic infection, which would make it a much broader outbreak than what we’re seeing. Now, we know for sure that there are.
It was not clear whether an asymptomatic person could transmit it to someone while they were asymptomatic. Now we know from a recent report from Germany that is absolutely the case.
There are a number of countries outside China that have travel-related cases. And now what we’re seeing is that there are secondary cases from them, and, as Bob mentioned, we also have that in this country. The WHO has issued, as you know, a Public Health Emergency of International Concern declaration.
If you put all of these things together, I underscore what Bob said: We still have a low risk to the American public, but we want to keep it at a low risk. And because there are so many unknowns here, we’re going to take the action that the Secretary will describe, in a temporary way, to make sure we mitigate, as best as we possibly can, this risk. Thank you.
Secretary Azar: Thank you, Dr. Fauci. Today, President Trump took decisive action to minimize the risk of the novel coronavirus in the United States. Since taking office, President Trump has been clear: His top priority is the safety of the American people. In addition to the steps that the doctors have outlined, we continue to operationalize a multi-layered, cross-agency, public health response.
Following the World Health Organization’s decision to declare the 2019 novel coronavirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, I have today declared that the coronavirus presents a public health emergency in the United States. The actions we have taken and continue to take complement — complement the work of China and the World Health Organization to contain the outbreak within China.
In accordance with the declaration, beginning at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time; Sunday, February the 2nd, the United States government will implement temporary measures to increase our abilities to detect and contain the coronavirus proactively and aggressively. Any U.S. citizen returning to the United States who has been in Hubei Province in the previous 14 days will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine to ensure that are they are provided proper medical care and health screening.
To be clear, this applies only to U.S. citizens who have been in Hubei Province in the past 14 days prior to their attempted entry into the United States.
Any U.S citizen returning to the United States who has been in the rest of Mainland China within the previous 14 ays will undergo proactive entry health screening at a select number of ports of entry and up to 14 days of monitored self-quarantine to ensure they’ve not contracted the virus and do not pose a public health risk.
Additionally, the President has signed a presidential proclamation, using his authority pursuant to Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, temporarily suspending the entry into the United States of foreign nationals who pose a risk of transmitting the 2019 novel coronavirus.
As a result, foreign nationals, other than immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who have traveled in China within the last 14 days will be denied entry into the United States for this time.
One again, these actions will become effective at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time; Sunday, February 2nd. These prudent, targeted, and temporary actions will decrease the pressure on public health officials screening incoming travelers, expedite the processing of U.S. citizens and permanent residents returning from China, and ensure resources are focused on the health and safety of the American people.
I want to stress: The risk of infection for Americans remains low. And with these and our previous actions, we are working to keep the risk low. All agencies are working aggressively to monitor this continually evolving situation and to keep the public informed in a constantly transparent way.
The United States appreciates China’s efforts and coordination with public health officials across the globe, and continues to encourage the highest levels of transparency.
It is likely that we will continue to see more cases in the United States in the coming days and weeks, including some limited person-to-person transmission. The American public can be assured the full weight of the U.S. government is working to safeguard the health and safety of the American people.
I’d now like to invite Deputy Secretary of State Steve Biegun for an update.
Deputy Secretary Beigun: Good afternoon. And thank you, Secretary Azar. My name is Steve Biegun, and I am the Deputy Secretary of State, and I represent the State Department on the President’s Novel Coronavirus Task Force.
Let me describe briefly the role of the Department of State in the proceedings of this task force and our contributions. Our first responsibility is to monitor events on the ground in China where we have the presence of U.S. diplomats, and to give clear and accurate advice to American citizens, and, in particular, American travelers considering visiting or staying in China.
In this particular case, this includes identifying any health or safety risks to which they may be subjected, but also, very importantly, identifying their access to essential services such as healthcare in parts of China the are affected by this coronavirus.
China has an excellent healthcare system, but, in parts of the country it is simply overwhelmed and the accessibility to that healthcare for any reason — including potential infection, but also any other type of accident in need of medical care — may be compromised during the Chines government’s own treatment of the consequences of this virus.
Finally, we also make our judgements based on any obstacles, particularly obstacles to movement that American citizens might face in the country. And in China, we have seen barriers to travel, both within and without China, as well as between the United States and China. And so we’ve given prudent advice, over the course of the week, to American citizens in order for them — to allow them to make the best possible choices for themselves.
Our second responsibility is to assist U.S. citizens in the affected areas as much as possible. Because we have a presence on the ground, we can provide advice and, in some cases, we can make other arrangements. But I want to emphasize this as “as possible,” and we will continue to review what we can do in certain circumstances.
Finally, and very importantly, the core mission of the Department of State is to work closely with our international partners. And in this case, we are working very closely with the Chinese government in order to address a number of related matters.
But let me start, on behalf of the President and the Secretary of State, by extending our deepest compassion to the people of China. This has been a very difficult time for the Chinese people. It came at a point of their peak holiday season. Many are affected. Many have lost loved ones or are enduring the illness of loved ones. And I want the Chinese people to know that they have the deepest sympathies of the United States of America.
Let me also say and echo what Secretary Azar said, which is we are deeply appreciative of the close cooperation we have with the Chinese government as we work together to try to find appropriate ways to address any risks and challenges from this virus.
And finally, the United States will continue to cooperate with China in ways that we could potentially provide assistance, including technical assistance, and also, to the extent possible, any critical supplies that the Chinese need in order to address this virus. And we are working very hard to find donors and make arrangements so that we can — we can undertake a robust effort to help the Chinese people get their arms around this outbreak.
Thank you.
Secretary Azar: Thank you, Secretary Biegun. Let me — let me invite the Acting Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli to take the podium for some comments.
Acting Deputy Secretary Cuccinelli: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I am Ken Cuccinelli. I’m the Acting Deputy Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, and I’m the Department’s representative on the task force led by Secretary Azar.
Several elements of the Department of Homeland Security are engaged in implementing the medical strategy you heard described here, including Customs and Border Protection, which stands at our land ports, seaports, and airports — and I’ll come back to the airports in a moment — particularly the Office of Field Operations personnel who see when you come back into the country from your travels. They’re the first line of defense when you land and come to the country.
Additionally engaged is TSA — the security and the engagement with the airlines. Our chief medical officer in the department is in CWMD and they’re — we were providing medical support at the airports.
So we’re using contract authority that we have to backfill the CDC personnel, so they can be freed up for other missions at the airports where medical screening is being focused.
FEMA continues to prepare and support HHS preparations themselves. And then the United States Coast Guard, of course, commands the ports of the United States and deals with incoming shipping, which is obviously slower than the airplanes but coming nonetheless, and we are prepared to deal with each of those.
The President’s proclamation will have Customs and Border Protection ensuring that United States citizens, legal permanent residents, and their immediate families continue to enter the United States, through they — those coming from Hubei Province, as you heard from the Secretary, will be subject to quarantine and the others from China to screening.
We will be implementing a funneling effort at the airports. This is done under the authority of the Customs and Border Protection, and it will include seven airports. So starting five o’clock on Sunday, Eastern Time, incoming flights from China will be funneled through seven airports. Those airports are JFK, Chicago’s O’Hare, in San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Honolulu and LAX.
This is done under the CBP’s authority. It will be executed by the Security the Department of Homeland Security, consistent with the President’s proclamation and in support of that effort — again, so we can focus the expertise of the medical professionals that will do the screening to implement this.
We’ll continue to support the medical efforts across the country both at our ports — our land, sea, and air — as well as with personnel standing up some of the resiliency measures that HHS has been working on for some time. Thank you.
Secretary Azar: Thank you, Secretary Cuccinelli. At this point, we’d be happy to take some of your questions. Kevin, would you like to get started?
Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. If the risk is really low, could you talk about why go to such an extreme as a public health emergency? If the risk is that low, why are we taking such measures?
Secretary Azar: So these are actually fairly incremental, measured steps, on top of the steps we’ve already progressively been taking. You’ll notice that many airlines have already stopped direct flights from China. They have pulled that down. We’re seeing a significant — and the Department of Transportation could comment on the numbers we’re seeing or Homeland Security. We’ve seen a significant reduction in people from the U.S. going to China, people from China coming to the U.S., already.
This just helps us focus our efforts so that we — as we’re dealing with the unknowns that Dr. Fauci spoke about earlier — unknowns around incubation period, unknowns about the speed of transmissibility, unknowns about asymptomatic transmission, unknowns about severity — that we can take appropriate, measured, prudential steps so we can focus our resources. Because it’s the bread and butter — I’ve talked to you before about — the bread and butter of public health is: identify people who might be symptomatic or might have the disease, diagnose, isolate, treat, contract trace.
That’s a significant undertaking, as we have already done with the six individuals in the United States who’ve been positively identified. We have to focus those resources.
John.
Q: Mr. Secretary, the mandatory quarantine for people coming in Hubei Province — will that be home quarantine or will that be in an institutional setting?
Secretary Azar: That would be at an appropriate quarantine facility of some kind for individuals. For the U.S. citizens returning to the United States from having been in China within the previous 14 days, they would be funneled, as Secretary Cuccinelli spoke of; they would be screened appropriately to see if they present any type of symptoms of the disease; and then they would be asked to self-isolate at home over 14 days.
But for individuals from Hubei — because that is the epicenter of this, with such high immediate transmission — we feel that these additional measures of quarantine for up to 14 days are appropriate.
Q: And can I just follow that: Have you selected specific quarantine centers?
Secretary Azar: We have selected them. We’re — we will announce those as DHS implements, with the airlines, that funneling activity.
Q: To follow up on John, what does self-quarantine look like for the people who are self-quarantining? How do you enforce that? What are the mechanisms surrounding that?
And if you could also speak to — you just described this as sort of an incremental step, I believe. This is obviously significant: the quarantine of citizens in this country.
What is your message to Americans who are watching this in the news, who are seeing this, who are feeling really alarmed by the steps that this administration is taking and by the spread of coronavirus in general? They hear you say the risk is low, but then they see this action being taken, and I think some people might be freaked out by that.
Secretary Azar: I hope not. I hope that people will see that their government is taking responsible steps to protect them. These are — these are preventative steps. The risk is low in the United States. The risk is low of transmissibility, the risk of contracting the disease is low, but our job is to keep that risk low, as much as we can, by taking appropriate preventative steps.
So that’s — that’s the approach we’re taking.
Let me ask Dr. Redfield if he can talk a bit about — we — this is — we do this type of quarantine and self-isolation work basically every day, working very closely — I want to stress something that we’ve not mentioned enough — working very closely with our state and local public health partners. They’re — just as we do with emergency response, we serve as backup and expertise and a border-type force, but the state and local authorities are the backbone of our public health infrastructure and we work with them to daily to help with our quarantine stations and activities.
So, Dr. Redfield, could you talk a bit about self-isolation?
Dr. Redfield: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Clearly, we’ve stratified the risk groups here, as it was already alluded to, from Hubei Provence, where there really is aggressive transmission. Those individuals are going to come and be required to have 14 days of — up to 14 days of (inaudible) transmission.
Then, there’s a large category of individuals coming back to China. As we stand here today, over half of the reported cases in China are not in Hubei, but when you look at their history it’s — they got infected — probably over 80, 85 percent of them got infected from Hubei.
Those individuals will then be actively screened when they come into one of the seven airports, for significant risk, as well as any evidence of any symptoms. In the absence of any reason to advance them into a clinical evaluation at that port of entry, they will be allowed to complete their travel back to their home, where they then will be monitored by the local health departments in a self-monitoring situation at home.
We did this in the West African Ebola outbreak.
Q: That sounds Ebola. Right.
Dr. Redfield: We did it in the — but I want to emphasize: At that time, 98 percent of the American public voluntarily accepted the importance of this. And we think and we continue to believe the American public will see this as something to their benefit, to their family’s benefit, obviously their community’s benefit. So that’s the current situation.
Dr. Fauci: There’s one other aspect of this that I think is important. Very recently, there was a case of a woman who was in China, and came to Germany, and had an interaction — professional interaction — with a professional partner.
She had no symptoms at the time. She went back to China and got sick. This individual, with whom she had an interaction, contracted the coronavirus at a time that she had no symptoms. He then transmitted it to two of his colleagues, so they now have four cases. One of the problems with when the virus is transmitted in an asymptomatic way and has its implications — it puts a terrible burden on the screening process. How do you screen somebody?
You know, remember back with Ebola? Ebola doesn’t get transmitted unless you’re actively very ill, and you know that. It’s very, very clear. When you can transmit a virus at a time when you’re asymptomatic, that just puts that extra burden on screening. And as a lot of people come in, it’s going to be very difficult.
Q: Dr. Fauci, can I follow up on that? I — just what he was saying. Given that Germany data that you just cited, are the 195 people being quarantined right now — are they getting tested every day for coronavirus?
Secretary Azar: Let’s ask Dr. Redfield to describe their care.
Dr. Redfield: Clearly, they’re all isolated and will be for the 14 days. We have done virus isolation, but I want to be clear: the current tests that we developed at CDC is not — we’re not sure of the natural history of how the virus is isolated. Can you isolate it one day, then three days later you can’t? And we are seeing — in the cases that are in the hospital, we’ve seen people who had detectible virus, then they didn’t have detectable virus, and then three days later they had detectable virus.
We’re using the virus cultures right now in these individuals more to help us learn about this virus. How much asymptomatic carriage, in fact, is there? So I want people to understand that distinction. We’e not using it as a release criteria because we don’t know the natural history of how this virus is secreted, and this is what we’re continuing to learn.
Q: And are you comfortable that the thousands of people that pass through the U.S. screening so far are not car- — that they don’t have coronavirus?
Dr. Redfield: So this is why it’s such a layered approach. We are going to see additional cases in this country. We’ve already seen, in the six cases we’ve defined: A number of them came in asymptomatic. So this is why we have that multi-layered approach and have really worked hard to engage the medical community in the United States.
Of the six cases that we diagnosed so far, one was picked up by hospi- — airport screening. Four were picked up by astute doctors. And the most recent one was picked up by CDC doing aggressive contact tracing.
Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Jeff Mason from Reuters. Can you — you referenced airlines earlier. Can you or your colleague from the Department of Transportation give us an update on the administration’s thinking about a travel ban on airlines, in general, being prohibitive for flying to and from China?
Assistant Secretary Szabat: There is no travel ban — Joel Szabat, Assistant Secretary of Transportation. I think many of you who’ve been following this are aware: All of the three U.S. carriers who’ve flying between the U.S. and China have announced that they are taking down all of their passenger flights, and they announced that before any action by the administration.
So we are working closely with our counterparts in the — our Chinese aviation counterparts. And we’ll be working, going forward, with both the U.S. and the Chinese passenger airlines about their flight plans going forward.
Q: Are you considering more drastic action beyond the voluntary measures that the airlines have taken so far?
Assistant Secretary Szabat: As Secretary Azar mentioned earlier, this is an evolving situation — but, at the moment, now.
Secretary Azar: Would you mind giving some numbers on — I don’t know if you or Ken can talk a bit about what we’re seeing on air traffic numbers, perhaps?
Assistant Secretary Szbat: So, I’ll start off and then turn over to Acting Deputy Secretary Cuccinelli.
So, in terms of passengers traveling between United States and China, as you might expect, over the course of the last couple of weeks, the passengers loading in the U.S. to fly to China have dropped to almost none. Passengers continue to have a high, what we call “load factor” — a high rate of passengers coming from China to the United States. However — so the U.S. carries though, as they’re (inaudible) they represent just under 50 percent of the passenger capability.
So with that we have been seeing already, in the course of the last week to 10 days, a significant decrease in the number of passengers that have been going between United States and China. And the Department of Homeland Security does an excellent job of tracking those number day to day.
Acting Deputy Secretary Cuccenelli: So, just to speak to the numbers: Since the Chinese have locked down Wuhan and the Hubei Province — which was eight days ago, if memory serves — travel from China to the United States, as of yesterday, had dropped by close to 20 percent.
Travel from the United States to China had dropped by well more than 50 percent, and this is with the sort of market response that Joel referenced by the airlines and the voluntary actions taken by travelers.
I would note for you all that it’s not a lot of data, but over the past five days, the number of American citizens traveling from China back to the United States has been rising. So even while the total number is going down, it does look to us, initially, like Americans, at least some of them, are returning back home.
Q: Dr. Fauci, how confident are you in the accuracy of these tests? If somebody is testing negative and then they later test positive, can you have confidence, if your testing negative for something that you don’t have it?
Dr, Fauci: So, you mean — I think the question you ask is really one of the fundamental bases of why this decision was made. If we had an absolutely accurate test that was very sensitive and very specific, then we could just test people and say, “Okay, we’re good to go.”
I want to get back to that broad concept that I mentioned when I made my brief introduction about the unknowns. We don’t know the accuracy of this test. We haven’t done enough — people who came in with negative, then all sudden they were positive. You could have virus in your nasal secretions or you couldn’t and still be infected. I mean, it isn’t like it’s a horrible test, but it is not a test that’s absolute.
I spoke to a reported the other day, talking about tests. So when you’re talking about HIV, if a person has HIV and I draw their blood, I can tell you 100 percent whether they have HIV or not — 100 percent. That’s not even near where we are with this.
Q: You talk about a gradual approach, Mr. Secretary, in terms of what you’re doing right now. What measures do you have, sort of, in the toolkit if this gets worse?
Secretary Azar: Well, let me ask, perhaps, Dr. Kadlec to talk a bit about our approach. Obviously, at this point, as I’ve said, the risk here in the United States is quite low for any individual. The risk is low. Our job is to work to keep it that way.
But we have public health tools that we use, we exercise constantly in the event of larger-scale infectious disease outbreaks. And that’s what we would — that what we would rely on should we end up seeing more cases in the United States. But it’s exactly these measures that help make any additional cases more manageable to use the tools Dr. Kadlec will talk about.
Dr. Kadlec: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. And my role in this is really precautionary at this stage. And everything that’s been done at this point has been incremental, proportionate, and precautionary. And so my responsibilities are to work across the federal government, as well as within HHS, to ensure that we’re postured should this virus, kind if, continue to expand.
And so, domestically, we’re working on — working with our private sector healthcare preparedness. We’re working specifically around supply chain resilience because much of our healthcare products come from overseas. And we’re also working actively with NIH and our DOD colleagues, as well as our DARPA colleagues and the private industry to develop better diagnostics, possible therapeutics, as well as vaccines, which Dr. Fauci can speak more about.
So we’re really taking a very — I wouldn’t say cautious — but deliberate and methodical approach to ensure that, come what may, we’re prepared. Thank you.
Secretary Azar: Kristen.
AIDE: I’m going to call the last question so that we can ensure we get you guys out for departure. So last question.
Secretary Azar: Kristen.
Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I think, as Dr. Fauci said, right now there’s a lot of unknowns. Obviously, almost every other day we’re learning something we didn’t the day before about this. And we’ll continue to do that.
Probably the most important thing, from our perspective, is whether or not there’s expansion of what I call “sustained community human-to-human transmission.” Right now, that is limited, in large part, to Hubei area and the broader China.
We’ve had some isolated human-to-human transmission in some of the cases that have gone internationally. I mentioned we’ve had 12 so far that have been defined in the whole world. So that’s going to be important to see if there’s broadening of sustained human-to-human transmission. I think that’s going to really be the major — the major thing that we’re going to be looking.
And, as the Secretary said, these precautionary messages and actions that have been put out today, it really is intended to keep this virus from causing significant consequences to the American public.
Secretary Azar: Thank you all very much. And again, I just want to stress: First, the most important thing that we can be doing is what we are doing, which is offering to help the Chinese government and assist them in helping them to control the spread of the novel coronavirus in China — working with them as closely as possible, as well as with the World Health Organization.
Second, the risk to Americans is low. You have a team here. You have an experienced, first-class — the world’s bets public healthcare system, infrastructure, and professionals looking out for you, making judgments like this, scaling them up, as appropriate, to work to keep this from becoming an issue that would be of concern for you — to keep that risk low.
So thank you all very much.
January 31: South China Morning Post posted “Coronavirus: South Korea, Thailand confirm cases of human transmission”.
South Korea on Friday confirmed five more cases of the deadly coronavirus, bringing the total in the country to 11, including two people who returned from Wuhan via the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao last week.
South Korea and Thailand have also confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission, as four individuals contracted the virus without travelling to China, according to Seoul and Bangkok’s health officials.
In Seoul, one of them was a man in his 50s who developed symptoms after dining with South Korea’s third confirmed patient at a restaurant in the capital.
The first patient to contract the virus inside Thailand was a local taxi driver, said Tanarak Pipat, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control.
“The Thai person who got infected does not have a record of traveling to China and it is likely that he was infected from a sick traveller from China,” Tanarak said.
The taxi driver was one of the five other coronavirus cases confirmed in Thailand on Friday.
The new South Korean cases emerged after 368 of the country’s citizens were evacuated to two facilities in Asan and Jincheon, cities about 80km south of Seoul, where they will be isolated.
The country is set to send a second flight to Wuhan to evacuate some 300 more Korean citizens in the coming days.
A total of 18 South Korean evacuees who arrived from Wuhan have been hospitalized after showing symptoms, Seoul’s health authorities said on Friday, as concerns mount about a wider outbreak of the virus.
“The 350 people, who are asymptomatic … will be staying at temporary facilities,” vice health minister Kim Gang-lip told reporters. “During the 14 days, residents won’t be allowed to leave the facility and any visits from outsiders will be banned completely.”
There was initial backlash against the government’s quarantine plans and residents accosted Kim earlier this week. However, on Friday, several hundred police officers were on hand at the facilities in Asan and Jincheon and there was no major rally.
As the busses carrying the evacuees arrived in Asan escorted by police cars and disinfectant trucks, some residents held signs saying “Hope you have a good rest in Asan” and “We will pray for the people suffering from the new coronavirus.”
The South Korean government has warned that it will crack down on any “fake news” about the disease and distributed infographics on Twitter on Friday to dispel some unverified rumours.
In one image, it refuted a claim that a person can contract the virus by eating Chines kimchi, saying it is “extremely low” risk for the virus to survive lengthy import procedures even if any products contain it. The health ministry also made clear that kimchi is not a wonder drug and would provide no protection against the virus.
In response to the coronavirus crisis, North Korea postponed plans to tear down South Korean-made hotels and other facilities at the North’s Diamond Mountain resort to prevent the spread of a new virus that has reached the South after sickening thousands in China.
The North’s decision, which was conveyed to the South through a fax message, came as it intensifies precautions against the outbreak, including blocking tourists, reducing flights and mobilising screening efforts in a nationwide campaign state media described as a matter of “national existence.”
North Korea had earlier demanded South Korea sent workers to Diamond Mountain at an agreed upon date to clear out the facilities.
The outbreak has prompted North Korea to declare a state emergency, though it is unclear whether there are any confirmed cases in the isolated nation.
Meanwhile Japan accelerated its time frame for the virus to become a “designated infectious disease” as its third chartered flight with evacuees arrived home. Japan now has 17 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, an epidemic believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Two of those returned on the first chartered flight and had shown no symptoms.
The government classified the new coronavirus a designated infectious disease on Tuesday but the designation will take effect on Saturday rather than the original date of February 7. The designation allows compulsory hospitalization and the use of public funds for treatment, among other measures.
The third flight out of Wuhan, which arrived on Friday morning, brought the total number of Japanese evacuees to 565.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry on Friday urged its citizens not to travel to China and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo will deny entry to holders of Chinese passports issued in Hubei province.
Foreign nationals who have stayed in Hubei two weeks before they wish to visit Japan will also be denied entry from Saturday.
The government has come under fire in parliament and on social media over what critics say is inept handling of the returned Japanese, such as allowing two asymptomatic people from the first flight to refuse testing and “self-quarantine”, although by Friday they had consented to tests.
Health minister Katsunobu Kato told a parliamentary committee that Japan was doing everything possible and would change its response if conditions changed.
“We still don’t know how strongly contagious this is … we understand that everybody is concerned,” he said, but warned there were limits to what the government could do while still respecting human rights.
Epidemiologist David Fisman, a professor at the University of Toronto, said that although there are more than 90 cases around the world outside China, the number of secondary cases there remains fewer than 10.
“That means the reproduction number outside China is currently less than 0.1. Diseases do not spark epidemics unless reproduction numbers are over 1,” he said. “I realize this is an anxiety-provoking time. This is scary for everyone.”
In New Zealand, officials on Friday said a patient had been tested for the coronavirus. If confirmed, it would be New Zealand’s first case.
“They have a special isolation room in the hospital and it has what’s called ‘negative pressure ventilation’. That basically stops the possibility of the virus being carried out in the air,” director-general of Health Ashley Bloomfield said.
January 31: German Federal Foreign Office posted “Foreign Minister Maas on the evacuation of Germans from Wuhan.”
Foreign Minister Heiko Mass issued the following statement in Berlin today (31 January).
We now have all the permits from the Chinese authorities that we need to evacuate our citizens. As I speak, a Bundeswehr plane is setting off for China, to fly the German nationals out.
I am relieved that we have got to this stage, that an end will now be put to the difficult situation in which our citizens find themselves in Wuhan, that the people who want to leave can now be flow out by us.
We’re talking about over 100 people. None of them has been infected. None of them is even suspected of having the virus. To guarantee the health and safety of the population in Germany, the people who have been evacuated from China will be quarantined for two weeks on Bundswher premises in order to be absolutely sure that none of the evacuees is carrying the virus.
I would like to thank the Chinese Government for working together with us on this. My thanks also go to the Crisis Response Centre, the authorities involved and our consular teams in China. We hope that everyone who comes back will be in good health and will stay that way – regardless of the fact that they will be monitored by medics here.
January 31: BBC News posted “Coronavirus: Two cases confirmed in UK”
Two people from the same family have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, the chief medical officer for England has announced.
The Chinese nationals were guests at the Staycity apartment-hotel in York, before being taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
The hotel remains open for business but their apartment will be thoroughly disinfected, the company said.
Meanwhile, 83 Britons evacuated from Wuhan in China are in quarantine.
They were taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral, where they will remain for 14 days, after their flight landed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Friday.
The new coronavirus has caused the deaths of 213 people so far – all in China.
Cases of the virus have reached nearly 10,000 in China – and more than 100 cases have been reported in 22 other countries.
Prof Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said the NHS was “extremely well-prepared for managing infections” and it was quickly trying to identify any close contacts between the two patients had to prevent further spread.
But he said the confirmed cases could not be identified because of patient confidentiality.
Who qualifies as a close contact?
Anyone who is within two metres of the infected person for 15 minutes.
Would the virus survive on a tissue?
Probably for 15 minutes, but it is unlikely to survive on surfaces, like door handles, for more than 24 hours.
Source: Public Health England
The two people with coronavirus were moved from their York apartment-hotel to be treated initially at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull, before being taken to the infectious diseases unit in Newcastle.
Public Health England said there was minimal risk of infection to either guests or staff at the Staycity property in York.
Those identified as close contacts would be given health advice about symptoms and an emergency number in case they became unwell – but wouldn’t be quarantined, PHE said.
‘High chance of getting better’
Prof Whitty said the specialist unit at the Newcastle hospital was experienced in treating people with infectious diseases and there was a “high chance people would get better,” based on current information.
“A lot of people will end up with a relatively minor disease,” he said.
The small number who go on to be more seriously ill tend to develop respiratory problems which “will be dealt with as anyone else with a respiratory disease,” Prof Whitty added.
Some GPs have started sending text messages to patients, telling them to stay away from their local surgery and phone them instead, if they feel unwell and have been to China in the last two weeks.
Ian Jones, professor of virology at the University of Reading, said the possibility of further spread was “minimal” because the cases were caught early.
Virus experts said they were not surprised to see cases in the UK but there was no reason to panic.
The WHO declared the outbreak a global emergency on Thursday.
The number of coronavirus cases worldwide has now surpassed that of the Sars epidemic, which spread to more than two dozen countries in 2003.
The mortality rate for the new strain of coronavirus is currently low, at 2% – less than Sars at 10% and Ebola at 70%, the chief medical officer says.
But the death rate could yet go up if more of those in hospital die, or drown if it’s discovered there are many other people with mild symptoms.
The quarantined Britons are being isolated from the general public, but not in “solitary confinement”, according to the chief medical officer.
“We intend them to be housed in a way which is pleasant,” he added.
Pat Hackett, leader of Wirral Council, said: “All services in the hospital are running as usual including emergency services, outpatients and planned surgery. Staff working in the hospital will not be in contact with these UK citizens.”
January 31: NDTV (India) posted “Kerala Student With Coronavirus, Moved To Hospital”.
The Kerala girl who has been the first patient to test positive for coronavirus case in India has been shifted to the Thissur Medical College hospital and her condition is improving, according to health authorities.
According to the latest figures 1,053 people in various parts of the state are under observation for suspected cases of coronavirus, with 15 people kept in isolation wards in various hospitals in the state.
It was on Thursday that state Health Minister K.K. Shailaja told the media that a girl student who arrived here from China’s Wuhan (where the virus was first reported) was the first confirmed case of the virus in the country.
The Kerala health minister has since reached Thissur and has met the district administration officials from all sectors for an effective coordination to see that every mandated protocol according to the WHO guidelines are carried out.
On Friday, it has been decided to contact all the passengers who travelled on a private airline flight from Kolkata to Cochin on January 23 – the flight that the girl student was travelling.
It was on January 22 that this girl traveled from Beijing to Kolkata.
The health authorities have asked the people of the state not to panic but to be aware of the dangers of the virus and to seek immediate care, if need arises.
January 31: Reuters posted “Russia reports first coronavirus cases, restricts China air travel”. It was written by Olesya Astakhova and Tom Balmforth.
Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and restricted flights direct to China, its biggest trade partner, as Russians complained of rising prices for medical masks and anti-virus medicine.
The two infected people, both Chinese nationals, are in a stable condition and have been quarantined, officials said.
One of the cases was identified in the Sibrerian region of Tyumen and the other in the far eastern Zabaykalsky region, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova said.
“They are under strict supervision, isolated and are receiving the necessary treatment,” she told reporters.
The outbreak has infected more than 9,800 people globally, almost all of them in China, and has killed 213 people in China. There are more than 130 confirmed cases in 24 countries and regions outside mainland China.
Russia will halt all direct flights to China from 2100 GMT on Friday, with the exception of those operated by its national arline, Aeroflot, Golikova said.
Four Chinese airlines – China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Air China, China Eastern – will still be able to fly to Moscow, Golikova and Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport said.
All China-related flights will be routed through a separate terminal at the Sheremetyevo Airport, Aeroflot said, to minimize contact between those flights and other passengers.
Russia’s minor Ikar airline will also continue its flights between Moscow and China, the airport said.
Russia has already closed its 4,300 km-long (2,670 mile) land border with China to pedestrians and vehicles in an effort to protect its population, although rail freight continues as does passenger train service from Moscow to Beijing.
Russia has no plans to limit freight traffic between Russia and China but will restrict Chinese nationals, Golikova said.
Russia plans to evacuate more than 600 Russian citizens now in Wuhan and Hubei Provence, the epicenter of the outbreak in China, and they will be quarantined for 14 days, she added.
The national anti-monopoly watchdog said it was looking into public complaints it had received about rising prices for medical masks and anti-virus medicine.
The Russian rouble hit seven-week lows against the dollar as coronavirus fears reduced global risk appetite.
January 31: The Guardian posted “Coronavirus outbreak: Britons fly out of Wuhan as death toll passes 200”. It was written by Justin McCurry and Rebecca Ratcliffe.
A plane carrying more than 100 British and other EU nationals trapped in Wuhan, the city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak, has left for the UK after Chinese spouses and partners were given permission to travel.
The chartered flight left Wuhan at 9:45am local time in Friday, the Foreign Office said in a statement. The plane was carrying 83 British people and 27 foreign nationals, and it was scheduled to land at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire at 1pm UK time.
Two patients in England, who are members of the same family, were also revealed on Friday to have tested positive for coronavirus. The Department of Health declined to say where in England the patients were from but it is understood they are not in the Wirral area, where a special facility has been set up to quarantine Britons evacuated from Wuhan.
The flight will continue on to Spain following the stopover in the UK, at which point EU nationals’ home countries will take responsibility for them, it added.
German said on Friday it was dispatching military plane to China to evacuate more than 100 German citizens. It will arrive in Germany on Saturday and the evacuees would be kept in quarantine for two weeks.
South Korea on Friday said it was dispatching military plane to China to evacuate more than 100 German citizens. It will arrive in Germany on Saturday and the evacuees would be kept in quarantine for two weeks.
South Korea on Friday also evacuated 367 of its citizens from Wuhan. They arrived back in Gimpo on Friday morning as the country confirmed a seventh case of coronavirus infection.
The evacuations came as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency and the US raised its travel warning to level 4, it’s highest level, and told its citizens not to travel to China.
The US advice also said those currently in China should consider departing using commercial means.
Hours before the UK-bound flight left, China said the death toll from the outbreak had risen by 43 overnight to 213. All of the deaths have occurred in China, which recorded 9,692 cases as of Friday, compared with 7,711 confirmed cases 24 hours earlier. The virus has now infected more people in China than fell ill in the country during the 2002-3 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).
Dominic Raab, the UK foreign secretary said: “It’s welcome news that our evacuation flight has now left Wuhan. We know how distressing the situation has been for those waiting to leave. We have been working around the clock to clear the way for a safe departure.”
Previously, Chinese authorities had said that no one with a Chinese passport would be allowed to travel on the flight, which was originally due to leave Wuhan on Thursday. On Thursday night, however, the Foreign Office confirmed that Britons would be allowed to bring their dependents onboard and dual nationals would also be allowed.
Just hours before the flight departed, there was a lack of clarity over who would be allowed to board the plane, and how people would reach the airport given the ban on public transport and most private cars.
Nick, who has dual British and US citizenship, and who has a wife and two children in Wuhan, was among those who did not board the plane. He was initially told there was no guarantee that his wife, who is Indonesia, would be able to fly.
“We thought long and hard and decided to give up our seats and ensure that the plane left full,” he said, adding that he believed it was safer to stay at home than to travel to the airport late at night, with no guarantee they would be able to board, when the city is under lockdown.
Matt Raw, who has lived in Wuhan for the past year with his wife, Ying, and 75-year-old mother, Hazel, who suffers from dementia, were among those on the flight. Raw posted a video from Wuhan airport on Friday morning in which he said they had finally been given permission to fly and were about to pass through airport security.
The coronavirus has now spread to more than 15 countries, with the US and South identifying their first cases of human-to-human transmission. Japan, Germany and Vietnam have already recorded cases in which the infection spread between people.
“Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems,” The WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told a briefing in Geneva on Thursday.
“The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China but because of what is happening in other countries,” he said. “Our greatest concern is the potential for this virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems which are ill-prepared to deal with it.
“We must all act together now to limit further spread … We can only stop it together.”
Pilots and flight attendants, meanwhile, demanded that airlines stop flights to China, with American Airlines’ pilots filing a lawsuit seeking an immediate halt to services to the country. The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airline pilots, cited “serious, and in many ways still unknown, health threats posed by the coronavirus,” in a lawsuit filed in Texas, where the airline is based.
Several major airlines have already suspended or reduced services to China, including British Airways, Air Canada, Lufthansa, KLM and United. The Press Association reported on Friday that Virgin Atlantic had suspended its daily flight between Britain and Shanghai.
The British evacuees are among thousands of foreign nationals who have been trapped in Wuhan sine the city was sealed off last week.
Japan has so far brought back around 400 citizens on three flights, with a fourth fight expected next week to collet the remainder of 650 Japanese living in and around Wuhan who had asked to return home. Three people aboard the first evacuation flight Wednesday tested positive for the virus after landing back in Japan.
The US airlifted about 200 people on Wednesday, with a second flight expected in the coming days. A French plane also left Wuhan on Friday, according to an AFP journalist on board the fight, while Australia and New Zealand were among other countries organizing evacuations.
January 31: Reuters posted “German coronavirus cases climb to six after child infected: ministry”.
A new coronavirus that is spreading around the world has been confirmed in a child in Germany, the southern state of Bavaria said on Friday, bringing the total number of known cases in Germany to six.
The new case is a child of an employee at the same firm where four more individuals in the Munich area were infected, the state health ministry said in a statement.
All affected persons are in stable condition, the ministry said.
January 31: The Local SE posted “First case of coronavirus confirmed in Sweden”
A patient at the Ryhov County Hospital in Jönköping central-southern Sweden, has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) confirmed.
The patient is a woman in her 20s who landed in Sweden on January 24th after visiting the Wuhan area in China. At that point she had no symptoms, the agency said.
But a few days later she developed a cough and contacted the health services in Jönköping,
She is currently being kept in isolation at the clinic for infectious diseases and is not seriously ill.
“It is important to remember that individual cases is not the same thing as the infection spreading in Sweden. We currently consider this risk to be very low based on experiences from other countries,” Karin Tegmark Wisell, head of the Public Health Agency’s department for microbiology, said in a statement.
The woman had not been in contact with other people since returning to Sweden so there is no risk of her having spread the virus, Malin Bengner, an infectious diseases doctor in Jönköping, told a press conference on Friday afternoon.
Swedish health officials said the woman had followed their guidelines when she developed symptoms, by calling the health services to explain the situation rather than showing up at hospital in person.
“She has acted in an exemplary way,” Tegmark Wisell told reporters via a telephone link.
Around 20 people so far have been tested for the coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in Sweden, but all tests apart from the one patient in Jönköping have come back negative.
The coronavirus broke out in the Chinese city of Wuhan – which is an international transport hub but has no direct flights to Sweden – at a fish market late December.
The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the outbreak a global emergency, as the death toll exceeded 200 and China’s health commission reported more than 9,600 confirmed cases of infection.
At least 80 infections have been reported outside of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
The symptoms of the coronavirus are not dissimilar from a common cold.
They include a cough, headache, fatigue, fever, and difficulty breathing, and the virus is primarily spread through airborne contact or contact with contaminated objects.
If you think you may have coronavirus, do not do not go to hospital or your doctor’s surgery. Swedish health authorities are worried about potentially infected people turning up at hospitals and passing on the virus. Instead, call Sweden’s national health advice hotline 1177.
January 31: The Guardian reported that Lunar New Year celebrations across the UK have been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. Events in Oxford, Cambridge, Colchester, Exeter, Manchester, Wigan and Bristol have all been called off.
January 31: Reuters posted “UPDATE-1 Spain confirms first case of coronavirus – Health Ministry”.
Spain has confirmed the country’s first case of coronavirus after a man was diagnosed on the remote island of La Gomera in the Canaries, the Health Ministry said late on Friday.
The patient is part of a group of five people taken into observation on the island and isolated on Thursday after it was found some of them had come into contact with a German man diagnosed with the virus, the ministry said.
The diagnosis from Spain’s National Centre for Microbiology came shortly after a plane transporting a group of 27 EU nationals from the virus epicentre in the Chinese city of Wuhan landed in Madrid.
None of the repatraited Spaniards exhibited symptoms of the virus, but they will be quarantined at a military hospital in Madrid and held under observation for 14 days, the health ministry said.
Four Danish citizens and one Norwegian who were also aboard the plane will be flown back to their home countries.
Health Minister Salvador Illa will chair a ministerial meeting on Saturday to discuss Spain’s response to the outbreak, which has infected more than 9,000 people and killed more than 200 around the globe.
The World Health Organization declared the epidemic an international emergency on Thursday, with cases confirmed in nearly 20 countries, including the United States, Britain and Germany.
January 31: CBS News posted “Santa Clara County Public Health Officials Confirm First Bay Area Coronavirus Case” (California)
Officials with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department on Friday received confirmation from the CDC that an adult make resident of the county has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
The test is the first confirmed of the new coronavirus that emerged in the Chinese city and province of Wuhan two months ago.
Santa Clara County officials offered more details on the case during a Friday afternoon press conference. Santa Clara County Public Health Department Health Officer and Director Dr. Sara Cody said that the patient was diagnosed upon returning home from a trip to Wuhan, China, and had limited exposure to the public.
“Since his return to the country, he has been self-isolating at home and did not leave home at all except to seek medical care,” said Dr. Cody.
The patient was seen at a local clinic and hospital, but was never sick enough to be hospitalized.
“We are currently reaching out to anyone he may have had contact with to assess whether they may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus,” said Cody. “Our preliminary investigation indicates that he came into contact with very few individuals after returning home.”
Cody also said that there was no evidence to suggested that the novel coronavirus was circulating in the Bay Area or Santa Clara County, despite the announcement of the first case.
County Health Department staff have been in regular contact with the patient and monitoring his symptoms and condition. Officials said further information about the individual would not be released for reasons of medical privacy.
Cody said the due to the size of Santa Clara County and the number of people who travel to China for business and personal reasons, official were not surprised that the first case in Northern California and the Bay Area arose there.
“We have been preparing for this possibility for weeks knowing that we were likely to eventually confirm a case,” said Cody.
The other two previously confirmed cases in California are located in Los Angeles County and Orange County.
Earlier Friday, three of the largest U.S. airlines — United, Delta and American — have cancelled flights between the United States and China because of coronavirus concerns.
This comes after the State Department recommended against traveling to China in the wake of an outbreak, raising its travel warning to the highest level.
The novel coronavirus has been declared a public health emergency in the United States, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a White House briefing on Friday.
Azar signed a public health emergency declaration in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
After the declaration goes into effect at 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, U.S. citizens returning to the United States who have been in Hubei, China, province in the 14 days prior will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine, Azar said.
U.S. citizens who have been in the rest of mainland China in the 14 days prior will face a health screening at a select number of ports of entry, he said. Those citizens also face up to two weeks of monitored self-quarantine to ensure they pose no health risk.
Coronavirus is now a “global health emergency” according to the World Health Organization.
China has reported an additional 43 deaths, bringing the total there to 213. There are nearly 10,000 confirmed cases.
With the addition of the case in Santa Clara County, there are now seven confirmed cases in the U.S.
January 31: U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (Democrat – Michigan’s 12th District) sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg (CEO Facebook), Susan Wojcicki (CEO YouTube), Jack Dorsey (CEO Twitter) and Alex Zhu (CEO TIkTok), asking them to take steps to stop the spread of misinformation as it relates to coronavirus on their platforms.
Dear Ms. Wojcicki, Mr. Zuckerberg, Dorsey, an Zhu,
With the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the Coronavirus a public health emergency, rising fatalities and evidence of person to person transmission this letter is being sent to you with concerns and questions on how your platforms are handling inaccurate and misleading information surrounding the dangers and risks associated with this virus.
During a global health emergency, it is vital to the public interest that individuals have access to timely and accurate information. As expert’s knowledge and understanding about this virus grows, so too will the necessity of accurate and reliable information for the world. As global companies, a rampant spread of inaccurate information will have a decidely negative impact on the response efforts to contain and mitigate thsi global health emergency.
With any crisis, fear and the need to understand what is happening can cloud judgement and push us to look for answers, credible or not. This is not a new phenomenon, but what is new is the global reach, impact, and negative effects finding wrong or incomplete answers will have, not only on a given user, but to their families and communities worldwide. The actions you choose to take will impact the lives of your users and those around them.
Unlike nation-state disinformation campaiogns, the effects on users and the public could very well facilitate the continued spread of Coronavirus and more deaths. With that please provide responses to the following questions.
(1) Is your company working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or the WHO in order to prioritize and boost timely and accurate information regarding the Coronavirus? And how specifically are you ensuring that the information on your platform is accurate and continues to be accurate as experts understanding of this virus evolves?
(2) Does your platform have policies and practices in place to limit, flag, or demote inaccurate user generated content pertaining to public health emergencies?
(3) If so, what are these policies and practices? And does the public have access to them?
(4) Are human content moderators or technology solutions being used to identify and flag these types of inaccurate content?
(5) Are human content moderators or technology solutions being used to identify and flag these types of inaccurate content?
Much like this virus, misinformation, willful or benign in nature, will continue to spread until measures are taken to limit exposure and treat symptoms. I urge you to take serious action in addressing this issue and appreciate your attention to this matter. A prompt response is appreciated.
January 31: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “CDC Confirms Seventh Case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus”.
CDC today confirmed another infection with 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States that was detected in California. The patient recently returned from Wuhan, China, where an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by this novel coronavirus has been ongoing since December 2019. This brings the total of number of 2019-nCoV cases in the United States to 7.
January 31: BuzzFeed News posted “A Pro-Trump Blog Doxed a Chinese Scientist It Falsely Accused Of Creating The Coronavirus As A Bioweapon”. It was written by Ryan Broderick.
A popular pro-Trump website has released the personal information of a scientist from Wuhan, China, falsely accusing them of creating the coronavirus as a bioweapon, in a plot it said is the real-life version of the video game Resident Evil.
On Wednesday, far-right news site Zero Hedge claimed without evidence that a scientist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology created the strain of the virus that has led the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency. The outbreak has grown to more than 9,776 cases, with 118 outside of China. The coronavirus has killed 213 people, all in China.
It concludes, “if anyone wants to find out what really caused the coronavirus pandemic that has infected thousands of people in China and around the globe, they should probably pay a visit.” It also lists their email address and a phone number.
BuzzFeed News has reached out to the scientist, whom it is declining to name.
Zero Hedge’s Twitter account was suspended Friday, following the publication of the scientist’s name.
“The account was permanently suspended for violating our platform manipulation policy,” a spokesperson for Twitter told BuzzFeed News.
The rumors and lies about the Wuhan Institute of Virology dovetail with a popular meme about how the institute’s logo is similar to that of the Umbrella Corporation, the shady agency responsible for making the virus that starts the zombie apocalypse in the Resident Evil video game franchise. The logo that inspired the meme isn’t actually from Wuhan Institute of Virology, but actually belongs to Shanghai Ruilan Bao Hu San Biotech Limited, located in Shanghai, 500 miles away.
Zero Hedge, which described itself as a financial blog, has more than 50,000 followers on Facebook and more than 670,000 followers on Twitter and is run by Daniel Ivanjjiiski, a Bulgarian-born US-based, former investment banker, who writes the majority of the posts published by the pseudonym Tyler Durden. The site regularly amplifies conspiracy theories from anonymous message board 4chan and writes frequently about the deep state, doomsday prep, bitcoin speculation, and New Age pseudoscience.
Zero Hedge’s Wednesday coronavirus story – “Is This the Man Behind the Global Coronavirus Pandemic?” – focused on the Chinese scientist who researches the coronavirus.
Zero Hedge linked to a Wuhan Institute of Virology press release from January 2019 that says the scientist was studying why bats who carry the coronavirus don’t get sick from it. What the Zero Hedge article does not state is that studying a form of a virus strain found in animals is a standard way to make vaccines, whether for the flu or polio.
Brandon J. Brown, an associate professor at the University of California, Riverside, and a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the International Society of Vaccines, and the Global Health Council, told BuzzFeed News it makes sense that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was researching coronavirus in bats.
“One reason why this institute would be doing immune research would be to prevent what we are seeing right now with the novel coronavirus outbreak,” Brown said. “They have studied other coronaviruses at that site including SARS, where they discovered that it originated in bats.”
Brown also said that the entire idea of the coronavirus working as a bioweapon is pretty silly. “The fatality rate is 200/10,000. which is currently lower compared to many other viruses including SARS, so if it was meant as a bioweapon, it is not a good one,” Brown said. “So let’s debunk the bioweapon idea that we are seeing in the news.”
As the virus has spread, so too has misinformation about it. the new focus on the scientist is the culmination of several conspiracy theories that have gained traction since the beginning of the outbreak early in January. One version of the hoax began in Facebook Groups run by supporters of the pro-Trump QAnon movement and the anti-vax community where users claimed the outbreak was a population control plot by former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates.
Another version claimed that the virus was smuggled out of Canada to the Wuhan Institute of Virology by two Chinese spies posing as scientists. This narrative is muddled, but it seems to be based on a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation story from July about a possible “policy breach” at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg that resulted in Dr. Xiangguo Qin, a researcher who regularly collaborates with Chinese scientific institutes, her husband, Keding Cheng, and as CBC reported “an unknown number of her students from China were removed” from Canada’s only lab that is a biosafety level 4, the maximum containment level for dangerous pathogens.
On January 25, hedge fund manager Kyle Bass tweeted this version of the hoax. His tweet was retweeted over 12,000 times and had gone viral as a screenshot on Facebook. Factcheck.org, one of the platforms official independent fact-checking organizations, debunked it, and on Facebook, screenshot’s of Bass’s tweet now appear with a “false information” disclaimer. Eric Morrissette, a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada, told Factcheck.org, “this is misinformation and there is no factual basis for claims being made on social media.”
The theory about Chinese spies smuggling the coronavirus out of Canada is also being promoted by what appears to be inauthentic behavior on Twitter.
January 31: California Department of Public Health posted “Three Confirmed Cases of Novel Coronavirus in California”.
The California Department of Public Health has been informed that one person in Santa Clara County has tested positive for novel coronavirus 2019. This information is confirmed by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Laboratory.
Currently, the California Department of Public Health confirms a total of three cases of novel coronavirus in California: one individual in Santa Clara County, one individual in Los Angeles County, and one individual in Orange County have tested positive for novel coronavirus 2019.
“It is understandable that some Californians may be nervous about the potential spread of the novel coronavirus, but the risk to the general public in California remains low,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, California Public Health Department Director and State Health Officer. “The Department of Public Health has been closely tracking this virus and we are actively engaged with our local health departments, the CDC and local governments to make sure Californian’s remain safe and healthy.”
At this time no other persons infected with novel coronavirus (nCoV 2019) have been identified in California. Currently, the immediate health risk from novel coronavirus 2019 to the general public is low.
It is very important for people who have recently traveled and who become ill to notify their health care provider of their travel history. Those who have recently traveled to China or who have had contact with a person with possible novel coronavirus infection should contact their local health department or health care provider.
The Department of Public Health has been prepared and is continuing with the following actions:
Providing information about the outbreak and how to report suspect cases to local health departments and health care providers in California.
Coordinating with CDC personnel who are doing screening of travelers from China at SFO and LAX.
Assuring that health care providers know how to safely manage persons with possible novel coronavirus 2019 infection.
Supporting hospitals and local public health laboratories for collection and shipment of specimens for testing at CDC for novel coronavirus 2019.
Activating the Department of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response efforts across the state.
The novel coronavirus 2019 outbreak in China continues to evolve and California is prepared for more cases that may arise. The California Department of Public Health considers this a very important public health event; we are closely monitoring the situation and providing updates to partners across the state to support their preparedness efforts.
As with any virus, especially during the flu season, the Health Department reminds you there are a number of steps you can take to protect your health and those around you:
Washing hands with soap and water.
Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick are all ways to reduce the infection with a number of different viruses.
Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
The California Department of Public Health will not be providing additional information about the patient beyond what is being shared by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. For more information about nCoV-2019, please visit the CDPH website.
January 31: Massachusetts Department of Public Health posted “Massachusetts state officials announce Coronavirus preparation measures”.
Today, the Department of Public Health and Massport detailed ongoing steps being taken to ensure the Commonwealth is prepared to respond to the 2019 novel coronavirus. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified Boston Logan International Airport as one of 20 additional airports that will have enhanced screening for passengers arriving from China, beginning in the coming days. To date, there have been no confirmed cases of 2019 novel coronavirus in Massachusetts and the risk to residents remains low.
The novel coronavirus has resulted in thousands of confirmed human infections in more than 20 countries, with more than 99 percent of cases in China. To date, six cases have been confirmed in the US, two individuals in California, two individuals in Illinois and one individual each in Washington State and Arizona. Again, to date there have been no confirmed cases in Massachusetts.
On Friday, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared the 2019 novel coronavirus a public health emergency and ordered any US citizens returning from the center of the outbreak in China to be quarantined for two weeks. This followed a declaration Thursday by the World Health Organization that the coronavirus outbreak is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Also that day the CDC reported the first case of person-to-person transmission in Illinois. Massachusetts state health officials, in conjunction with Massport and local health departments, have responded to prevent the spread of the virus.
Among the steps taken by the Department of Public Health:
Established an Incident Command Structure to facilitate the dissemination of information from federal and state partners to statewide stakeholders regularly.
Launched a new website that provides up-to-date information on the status of novel coronavirus for all residents: www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus.
Developed and disseminated clinical advisories to all Massachusetts health care providers and issued guidance to hospitals, health systems and Emergency Medical Services.
Scheduled calls with other key health care partners including local boards of health.
“Our priority is protecting public health as we work with our state and federal partners to provide the most up to date information and guidance to our residents,” said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “We understand that this new virus is causing public concern, but I want to reassure people that at this time, the risk to Massachusetts residents remains low.”
As announced earlier this week, the CDC was to begin enhanced screening of passengers who have traveled to Boston Logan International Airport from China. As part of its daily responsibilities, US Customs and Border Patrol conducts a passive screening for signs of illness of all passengers entering the US.
Logan was identified as one of 20 US airports where officials from the CDC will start to screen international passengers for symptoms and signs of novel coronavirus. This is in addition to the 5 airports where enhanced screening is already underway. Logan International Airport has three daily non-stop flights from China: Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Logan Airport does not have any flights originating in Wuhan, China or Hubei Province.
With the US government’s declaration Friday of a public health emergency, which includes limiting arrivals from China to just a handful of airports, starting Sunday, Feb. 2, the plans for Logan International Airport could change…
January 31: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted “CDC Issues Federal Quarantine Order to Repatriated U.S. Citizens at March Air Reserve Base.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the statutory authority of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, has issued federal quarantine orders to all 195 United States citizens who repatriated to the U.S. on January 29, 2020. The quarantine will last 14 days from when the plane left Wuhan, China. This action is a precautionary and preventative step to maximize the containment of the virus in the interest of the health of the American public.
This legal order will protect the health of the repatriated citizens, their families, and their communities. These individuals will continue to be housed at the March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California. Medical staff will continue to monitor the health of each traveler, including temperature checks and observations for respiratory symptoms. If an individual presents symptoms, medical care will be readily available. Even if a screening test comes back negative from CDC’s laboratory results, it does not conclusively mean an individual is at no risk of developing the disease over the likely 14-day incubation period.
This legal order is part of a public health response that is necessary to prevent the transmission and speed of this virus in the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The current epidemic in Mainland China has demonstrated the virus’s capacity to spread globally. CDC is using one of the tools in our toolbox as a way to contain the potential impact of this novel virus on the United States.
This outbreak investigation is ongoing; we learn more every day about this newly emerging virus. First and formost, CDC is committed to protecting the health and safety of all Americans. While CDC continues to believe the immediate risk to the larger American public is low at this time, this legal order has been put in place as a necessary step to fully assess and care for these repatriated Americans, protecting them, their loved ones, and their communities.
January 31: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar posted “Secretary Azar Declares Public Health Emergency for United States for 2019 Novel Coronavirus”.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the entire United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to 2019 novel coronavirus.
“While this virus poses a serious public health threat, the risk to the American public remains low at this time, and we are working to keep this risk low,” Secretary Azar said. “We are committed to protecting the health and safety of all Americans, and this public health emergency declaration is the latest in the series of steps the Trump Administration has taken to protect our country.”
The emergency declaration gives state, tribal, and local health departments more flexibility to request that HHS authorize them to temporarily reassign state, local, and tribal personnel to respond to 2019-nCoV if their salaries normally are funded in whole or in part by Public Health Service Act programs. These personnel could assist with public health information campaigns and other response activities.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working closely with state health departments on disease surveillance, contact tracing, and providing interim guidance for clinicians on identifying and treating coronavirus infections. HHS is working with the Department of State to assist in bringing home Americans who had been living in affected areas of mainland China. HHS divisions also are collaborating with industry to identify and move forward with development of potential diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics to detect, prevent, and treat 2019-nCoV infections.
In declaring the public health emergency, Secretary Azar acted within his authority under the Public Health Service Act. This declaration is retroactive to January 27, 2020.
This U.S. public health emergency declaration follows a declaration by the World Health Organization that spread of the virus constituted a public health emergency of international concern.
January 31: Walmart posted “How Walmart is Responding to the Coronavirus”.
To: Walmart associates
From: Judith McKenna, Chief Executive Officer – Walmart International
I know many of you are concerned about the developing issues related to the coronavirus which originated in Wuhan, China, and if you’re like me, the wellbeing of our associate and customers there has weighed heavy on our hearts this week. As we’ve now seen reports of confirmd cases of the virus in more than 15 countries around the world, I wanted to take a minute to share an update about what our company is doing. We continue to work closely with authoraties in China, as well as associates and supplies, on a proactive response plan to help reduce the spread of the virus.
In alighment with official recomendations, we are implementing the following measures:
Enhancing general hygiene and health practices in our China stores, clubs, depots, and support centers, with special emphasis on disinfecting higher-risk areas.
Temporarily limiting all non-business critical travel to, from, and within mainland China, and conducting all planned meetings virtually.
Leveraging our global supply chain to increase supply of essential items to continue to serve customer needs in China.
Addressing the individual needs of each store, club, distribution center, and support center in China, adjusting business hours and operations accordingly.
In addition to these steps, we’ve donated 1 million RMB to provide medical supplies and increased support to Hubei — the region most impacted — and we will continue to look for opportunities to use our assets to aid relief efforts locally.
As I write this note, I can’t help but take pride in the way our teams come together to support their communities. We may still be in the early stages, but I want you to know that we will be there for our associates and customers every step of the way. Service is core to who we are, and this value shines brightest in moments like these. I am so grateful to our partners, suppliers, and especially our associates in China for their work to ensure people have access to important items and services, while keeping the health and safety of all involved top of mind.
.We will be closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as we can. In the meantime, make sure you are taking steps to be conscious of risks, and seek medical attention if you feel unwell. If you’ve been in China over the past two weeks, you should plan to work remotely through the 14-day incubation period, in accordance with official guidelines. At this time, there are no additional restrictions on global travel, so if you have specific questions on that, do reach out to your respective leaders for guidance.
Please join me in keeping our associates and customers in Wuhan and across China in your thoughts.
January 31: The Globe And Mail posted “Trump administration restricts entry Into U.S. from China”.
The Trump administration will put in place temporary travel restrictions that will bar entry into the United States by any foreign national who has traveled to China in the past 14 days, administration officials announced Friday.
The temporary restrictions, a reaction to the novel coronavirus that was deemed a public health emergency by the World Health Organization, will be put in place at 5 p.m. on Sunday. The U.S. on Friday also declared the coronavirus, which has sickened more than 9,700 people in Asia and has spread to the U.S. and 20 other countries, a public health emergency.
The action will restrict all foreign nationals who have been to China – other than immediate family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents — from entering the U.S.
In addition, officials said, any American citizen returning to the U.S. from the Hubei province in China will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine, and any American citizen returning to the country who has visited the rest of mainland China within the past 14 days will undergo pro-active entry health screening at selective ports of entry, as well as 14 days of self-quarantine.
Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, is in Hubei.
Administration officials did not say how long the “temporary” measures would be in place.
But they said the U.S. would also funnel all flights from China to just a few airports, including New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare, Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
The travel restrictions were announced Friday by Alex Azar, the health secretary, who declared that the coronavirus posed “a public health emergency in the United States”
Mr. Azar and other members of an administration task force assembled to address the virus sought to play down public fears about an outbreak. “The risk at this time to the American public is low,” said Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “This is a serious health situation in China, but I want to emphasize the risk to the American public currently is low. Our goal is to do all we can do to keep it that way.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the actions were being taken because there were “a lot of unknowns” surrounding the virus and its transmission path. Unlike influenza, which is fairly predictable in terms of infection and mortality Dr. Fauci said there was not the same certain about the transmission rate and path of the coronavirus.
“The number of cases have steeply inclined with every day,” Dr. Fauci said.
The administration’s announcement came as major air carriers said they were suspending flight between the U.S. and mainland China.
Administration officials said the President’s action did not constitute a travel ban, since immediate family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents would still be allowed into the country.
“There is no travel ban.” said Joel Szabat, an assistant secretary at the Department of Transportation.
Administration officials have been debating internally over the past few days about whether instituting travel restrictions would be seen as an alarmist reaction to a virus that so far has affected only a handful of people in the U.S. And U.S. President Donald Trump had expressed concerns about the economic impact of any restriction or ban, according to people familiar with his thinking.
Members of the National Security Council had argued in favour of the travel restrictions, given the rapid spread of the virus and a backlog in testing at the CDC.
Despite the administration’s efforts to minimize the actions they announced, lawmakers in Congress who had been pushing Mr. Trump to impose a travel ban and the measures announced Friday were significant and had their full support.
“By imposing temporary travel restrictions on China, the president has taken decisive action to protect Americans against the Wuhan coronavirus,” said Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, who has been aggressively pushing the administration to impost a targeted travel ban.
The U.S. airline industry separately took steps to restrict travel between the U.S. and China.
The announcement by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines that direct air service would be halted for months sent shocks through the stock market and rattled industries that depend on the flow of goods and people between the worlds largest economies.
The airlines’ move underscored the seriousness of the health crisis, fanning new fears about a worldwide economic downturn and contributing to growing unease about how widely, deeply and quickly the virus might spread.
Mr. Azar said the administration was not trying to raise alarms, but that Americans should view its actions as a sign that their government was “taking responsible steps to protect them.”
January 31: Reuters posted “Australia bars entry to foreign nationals traveling from mainland China”. It was written by Will Zeibell.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia will deny entry to all foreign nationals traveling from mainland China from Saturday due to the increasing threat from the coronavirus epidemic.
Morrison also announced that Australia was raising its travel guidance for China to the highest level, advising people against visiting the country at all.
“We’re in fact operating with an abundance of caution in these circumstances,” Morrison told reporters in Sydney. “So Australians can go about their daily lives with confidence.”
The new incoming travel ban includes anybody who has been in China from Feb. 1, whether they have traveled directly from the country or through another port. It extends an existing ban on travel from the province of Hubei, the center of the epidemic, to the entire country.
Australian citizens and permanent residents returning home are exempt from the ban but are required to isolate themselves for 14 days after their arrival.
Australian authorities have identified 10 coronavirus cases in Australia, but no deaths.
The Australian travel restrictions came just hours after the United States announced border curbs on foreign nationals who have been in China amid fears that the virus could spread further overseas.
Around two dozen countries have reported confirmed cases of the virus, but the vast majority of those infected remain in China, where the number of deaths stood at 259 on Saturday.
Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand both said on Saturday they were suspending flights to mainland China.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the government continued to work with Qantas to arrange flights to evacuate some Australian nationals from Hubei, as other countries have done.
Asked if he expected any political fallout from the decision to close Australia’s borders, Morrison said his “first responsibility is Australians and Australia’s national interests.”
“Obviously, we appreciate the challenges that the Chinese government are facing at the moment with this very serious issue, and we do thank them for the engagement we have had.”
January 31: PolitiFact posted “Timeline: How Donald Trump responded to the coronavirus pandemic”
In the span of one year, Americans went from hearing about a new virus in central China to watching the slow rollout of a vaccine, with only a small percentage of Americans able to access it in the first several weeks.
In between, they endured months of stay-at-home orders, school and business closures, and requirements to wear masks in many public spaces as the monthly case and death tolls rose.
President Donald Trump went from dismissing the threat of the virus — publicly at least — to taking credit when the vaccine was approved for emergency use. Between his Twitter posts, campaign rallies and daily press conferences, Trump became the foremost mouthpiece for the federal government’s virus response. But he routinely distorted the facts, and then caught the virus himself as his own White House became a hotspot for infection.
Trump told the nation we were “rounding the corner” even as cases continued to rise in the fall. He and his administration overpromised about when Americans could get the vaccine and how fast the rollout would proceed.
The story of Trump and the coronavirus can be broken down into a series of phases: the emergency of the threat; the government’s focus on keeping it out of the United States; the flailing effort to contain the spread; Trump’s positive test; his return to the campaign trail; his election loss followed by announcements about vaccine trials; and finally emergency use approval of the Pfizer vaccine and Moderna vaccines followed by their rollout to the states.
Here are some of the key moments each phase, and what Trump said at those times — fact-checked.
Phase One: The disease emerges
Dec. 31: China confirms existence of a new virus.
Jan. 20: World Health Organization reports cases in China, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.
Jan. 21: The first U.S. case is announced in Washington state (as well as Vietnam and Singapore). WHO says the virus risk globally is high.
Jan. 22: A reporter asks if there are worries about a pandemic. Trump responds: “No. Not at all. And we have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”
Jan. 24: Trump tweets: “It will all work out well”
“China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!” (posted on Twitter)
Jan. 29: The White House forms a coronavirus response task force, initially led by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.
Phase Two: Keeping it out of the United States
Jan. 30: Trump blocks travel from China.
The same night, he holds a campaign rally in Iowa.
“We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at the moment five. … we think it’s going to have a very good ending for it.”…
January 31: ABC News (Australia) posted “Coronavirus has sparked racist attacks on Asians in Australia – including me”. It was written by Iris Zhao.
I was standing in a supermarket aisle and moving my shopping cart trolley to make room for a middle-aged woman to pass when I overheard it: “Asians … stay home… stop spreading the virus.”
I stopped and looked at the woman. Her face was serious, her eyes stared blankly at the floor in front of her as if she was just thinking aloud.
I didn’t confront her. Her voice lowered when she knew I was watching her, but the muttering continued as she walked away.
With 10,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 200 deaths, as of Friday, its no wonder many people feel anxious about the spread of the disease and the risk of infection.
But that isn’t enough, a new problem is emerging: more and more people are reporting racist comments and abuse from those who believe that because the virus originated in China anyone with an Asian-looking face is likely to spread the disease.
Before this experience, racism was something I knew existed, but had only experienced via other people’s stories.
But I am not alone
Gold Coast surgeon Rhea Liang tweeted on Thursday that one of her patients joked about not shaking her hand because of coronavirus.
Dr Laing didn’t find it funny at all. Instead, she felt offended by racism.
“I have not left Australia. This is not sensible public health precautions,” she wrote.
Several Chinese-Australian friends shared their own experiences when I brought up my supermarket encounter.
One recounted how a waiter had dumped change at his table before turning and quickly walking away after my friend paid cash for a meal at a Melbourne restaurant.
Another, who wore a mask as a precaution at a shopping mall on Friday, had three teenagers tell her: “See you! Go and catch the coronavirus.”
None of these people had been to China recently, nor have had contact with anyone confirmed or suspected of having coronavirus.
Vitriol leaves its mark
Sydney man SK Zhang, who has lived in Australia for the past 20 years, said since news of the pandemic broke, he has been getting stares on public transport and ins increasingly worried about how the online vitriol will affect Chinese-American children.
It’s been a tough week … We are very fearful … but at the same time we are also being targeted with racism and a lot of unwanted attention,” he said.
“The way I would put this is right after 9/11, people looked at every Muslim as if they were terrorists, and that’s how people are looking at us.”
He said he wears a face mask for his own protection and could sense tension when he stepped on the bus or a train.
“Nobody has verbally abused me or anything, but I can feel the unwelcome stares coming from these people.”
“People are looking at us and thinking ‘he’s a virus carrier.”
Geelong teacher Andrew Branchflower, who recently returned from China with his family, said he was concerned about the online vitriol.
“My wife is Chinese. My kids take after mum. The speed at which the Yellow peril rhetoric has watched up has made me alarmed and angry,” he wrote on Twitter.
Speaking to the ABC, he said he was troubled by the misconceptions and sentiments about “closing our border” circulating to a “slippery slope” and restricting freedoms;
He said I was confronting to think of his children, aged four and one facing the online prejudice.
“They’re very fortunate to have members of the Asian Australian community calling out the rhetoric.”
And some are taking action
On January 29, some in the Chinese community in Australia began an online campaign to protest what they see as “inappropriate” labelling of the coronavirus as a “Chinese” disease by two newspapers, The Herald Sun and the Daily Telegraph.
The Herald Sun published a headline that referred to the “Chinese Virus Pandamonium”, while The Daily Telegraph highlighted “China kids stay home” in their headlines.
Campaigners fear headlines like these will make Chinese-Australians a target for discrimination.
And more than 50,000 people agree with them, with the change.org petition receiving huge interest and calls for an apology.
“No one called the Ebola virus a Congo Virus! No one called BSE as European Virus or French or American Virus! Please, show some respect and humanity!” wrote Anna Ou on the site.
Meanwhile examples of insensitive medic coverage are not limited to Australia.
According to The New York Times, French newspaper Le Courrier Picard has apologized after being criticized for its headline “Yellow Alert.”
The Danish daily Jylland-Posten has also faced controversy after publishing a “coronavirus themed” cartoon which replaced the stars on Chinese national flag with icons of the virus.
The newspaper refused to apologize and argues the cartoon was not offensive to China.
It’s happened before
Asian-Canadians also highlighted that they had been subjected to racism and stereotypes — and not for the first time.
Carrianne Leung, who wrote a paper on the “yellow peril” impact of SARS in 2002 on the Asian Canadian community, said on Twitter she was seeing patterns recurring now with the coronavirus outbreak.
“When a disease is racialised, you need to know that the every-day racism was targeted at folks is bad, and the trauma and anxiety remain,” she wrote on Twitter.
“During SARS, the hyper surveillance and containment in public spaces, transit, their workplaces, schools, etc. were terrible to live through.”
Her study highlighted a history of “xenophobia panic” and of associating Asian immigrants with being “dirty and diseased.” One survey respondent featured in that paper said the attitudes during SARS saw pre-existing racism resurface.
“The racialisation of SARS and the discrimination during SARS only reflected the ongoing and long standing prejudice and discrimination,” the respondent said.
The study found the way to the media represented by the SARS crisis generated public hysteria and impacted on Asian communities.
“The adverse effects from the racial profiling of SARS, 9/11 and other such events have made many of use question the core values of what Canada really stands for,” the paper concluded.
Wuhan residents are suffering
I’ve been writing about the coronavirus outbreak from South Australia for two weeks now.
My woking day always begins with phone calls and texts to my sources in Wuhan.
It’s stressful to hear about the Wuhan people I know being trapped at home or separated from families by the lockdown, all the while living in fear of becoming infected.
But it is not only non-Chinese displaying suspicious or racist behavior towards people of Chinese background.
Wuhan residents are being blamed for creating the disease, and discriminated against by people living in other parts of China.
Even in China, people from Wuhan, no mater wether they are healthy or sick, are often tracked down and reported to police when they post pictures of themselves on social media showing they are outside the lockdown.
In may parts of Asia, locals have been campaigning to block all Chinese nationals, regardless of their health status, from entry.
Of course, it’s understandable that all humans share a fear of death and as a result feel concerned about associating with people from a country where the most infections have taken place.
But as I experienced in the supermarket this week, the coronavirus has really borough out the worst in people.
And that is really not OK.
January 31: Billboard reported – Three stops on GOT7’s world tour “Keep Spinning’ tour were postponed including their concerts in Bangkok planned for Feb. 15 and 16 at Rajamangala National Stadium and a concert in Singapore planed for Feb. 22.
K-pop group TWICE‘s Tokyo fan signing events set to be held on Feb 1 and 2 were canceled.
The inaugural C.E.A. (Charming Eastern Awakening) Fest at Joy Park in Chengdu in China scheduled for April 18-19 is canceled. The event was set to headlining performances from Martin Garrix and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike.
January 31: NPR posted “Trump Declares Coronavirus A Public Health Emergency And Restricts Travel From China” It was written by Allison Aubrey.
The Trump administration declared a public health emergency in the U.S. Friday in response to the global coronavirus outbreak.
“Today, President Trump took decisive action to minimize the risk of novel coronavirus in the United States,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at a White House press conference.
The risk of contracting the coronavirus is the U.S. is low – something that federal health administration officials emphasized repeatedly. “We are working to keep the risk low,” Azar said.
The declaration of a public health emergency — which will become effective Sunday at 5 p.m. ET – enables the government to take temporary measures to contain the spread of the virus, which has been confirmed in seven people in the U.S.
The action means that U.S. citizens who have been in China’s Hubei Province in the past 14 days will be subject to 14 days of mandatory quarantine if they travel back to the United States.
Earlier Friday, federal officials announced that American citizens who were evacuated from Wuhan earlier in the week would be quarantined for 14 days at March Air Reserve Base in Southern California. The action represents the first time in 50 years the U.S. has instituted a quarantine order.
In addition, the U.S. is temporarily suspending entry of most travelers arriving from China, or who have recently been in China, if they are not U.S. citizens.
“Foreign nationals other than immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have traveled in China in the last 14 days will be denied entry into the United States,” Azar said.
Further, U.S. citizens who have been in other areas of mainland China in the past two weeks will be subject to screening at the airport of entry and to heightened monitoring for 14 days.
In their Friday remarks, federal health officials pointed to the fast global spread of the virus as justification for the move. The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on Thursday.
U.S. officials also tried to explain their reasoning for an intense focus on this outbreak, which so far has not led to any deaths in the U.S., though it has led to more than 250 in China.
“I often get asked influenza outbreak,” which has led to at least 8,000 deaths in the U.S. this season, said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is part of the NIH. “People want to know why we’re paying so much attention to the novel coronavirus.”
In contrast to the seasonal flu toll, which is predictable, Fauci said, “there are a lot of unknowns .”
“The number of cases has steeply inclined each and every day,” Fauci noted. In addition, at the beginning of the outbreak, it wasn’t clear whether an infected person without symptoms could transmit the virus to another person.
“Now we know of sure that there are” asymptomatic infections, Fauci said.
January 31: Queensland Government posted “Report by the Chief Health Officer of Queensland”
COVID-19 Feature
Queenslanders kept the virus out and got vaccines in – less than 0.7% adults were COVID-19 positive in 2020-21 with the majority of Queenslanders experiencing the infection by the end of 2022. Hospitals coped and deaths were low (0.1%)
At a glance
In Queensland, the COVID-19 pandemic has broadly occurred in two phases: a) keeping the virus out for as long as possible until high levels of vaccination coverage were achieved (2020-2021); and b) protecting those at highest-risk (2022).
As of 31 January 2023:
Over 80% of adults were estimated to have been infected at least once based on antibody testing of blood donors.
1.6 million positive COVID-19 swabs had been reported in Queensland. 98% were reported in 2022. Most cases (54.5%) were identified through self-reported rapid antigen tests (RATs)
Daily counts of public hospital bed occupancy for people with COVID-19 peaked at between 509 to 988 during each of the four waves during 2022. Each wave was attributed to different sub-lineages of the Omicron variant.
92.% of eligible people over 16 years had received at least two doses of vaccine.
1,757 people had died from COVID-19 in Queensland (33.9 per 100,000 population). This number is very low by global standards (about one-tenth the rate reported in the USA)
Introduction
The SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)) global pandemic is one of the foremost public health crises in living memory resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. The first cases of ‘pneumonia with an unknown cause’ were detected in Wuhan, China, and were notified to the World Health Organization (WHO) in December 2019.
The first case in Australia was detected on 25 January 2020 in Victoria while the first Queensland case was detected soon after. Public health actions of test, trace, isolate, and quarantine (TTIQ) were undertaken as part of an elimination strategy to disrupt transmission chains.
The initial success of high population levels of vaccine uptake enabled Queensland to open the State borders and shift from a phase where the focus was on keeping the virus out for as long as practicable to then aiming to protect those at highest risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19. New variants of concern (VoC) for COVID-19 were expected to emerge, with the likelihood that some would have the potential to behave differently to other virus strains.
Undertaking genomic sequencing of the circulating strains helped to confirm whether variant were significantly more transmissible and/or caused more severe disease which then informed the public health response to COVID-19.
This feature summarizes the health events from the first case of COVID-19 through until the near end of the fourth wave of community transmission in Queensland on 31 January 2023. The essential public health advice that remains in place today is to:
Stay home if you’re sick
keep up to date with your vaccinations
take a rapid test (RAT) if you get COVID-19 symptoms
If you get COVID-19:
register your RAT result
stay home until you’re well again
wear a mask for 7 days after your test
avoid visiting hospitals, aged care or disability care for 7 days after your test
ask household members to closely watch for symptoms
wash your hands
wear a mask if required by the health care provider, venue or household.
A Timeline of COVID-19 – January 2020 is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen [...]
Read more...
Coloring
January 16, 2024ColoringThis is a mushroom. I got it as a Christmas present from a friend.
(A work in progress)
It has various colors of paper inside a clear box. The paper has three parts that you need to pull off in order to help the mushroom grow. There is a bar in the center of the paper that holds it all together.
The colors of the paper vary. It stared with red and a variety of other colors as you remove them. Each piece of paper has two dates on it, along with the month. So far, the majority of the top papers are in red.
If you put the batteries in – it glows!
Here is a top-down look at the mushroom box. It glows and sparkles!
I started writing haiku on the pages that I needed to pull off in order to “grow” the mushroom. It sort of functions like a calendar, but the main point appears to be waiting to slowly make the mushroom appear.
Start of a new year / Anything could happen now / Hoping for good days
One of my goals is / To learn how to stream online / Need to find the time
The rain keeps falling / Washing away debris and dirt / Making me sleepy
Allergy Season / Pollen in the air today / Not even spring yet
Acupuncture Day! / A tune-up for my body / Feeling better now
I always enjoy / Playing as a vampire / Maybe I am one
Painting walls again / Mostly window frames this time / Needs a touch up now
Wasn’t expecting / A dramatic color change / And yet, here it is
Here’s a top down look / Of what’s beneath this paper / Looks like abstract art
Red piece of paper / Has an oddly shaped hole in it / Now in better light
Another look at / Beneath this calendar page / Abstract art layers
Geometric shape / Punched through a bright white paper / Bland abstract art
The more I remove / the more that is revealed / Of what’s underneath
Removing the page / reveals strange shaped cut out / That looks like a fish
White piece of paper / with more revealed beneath / Shows strange structures
White piece of paper / Shows the structure in the cut / Holding things intact
January 25 and 26 exposes some of the what is underneath this cut out.
This is what the cutout looks like when removed from the calendar and placed on a black box
January 27 and 28 show more of the structures beneath it. When will the white structures fall out?
Here is what the January 27 and 28 calendar piece looks like when placed on the black box.
Here is what the January 29 and 30 page looks like.
This one is a little blurry, but you can still see the shape that this page has.
Last page of January 2024!
This is the cut out for January 31, 2024!
Glowing calendar box at the start of February 2024. [...]
June 3, 2023ColoringI am slowly working my way through the pages of the 2018 Johanna Basford Coloring Calendar. A friend of mine gave it to me as a Christmas gift, and I’m really enjoying it. At some point, I got too busy to keep up with the coloring and failed to post the months that I managed to color.
I decided to seek out the May 2018 coloring pages and post them here.
May 1
May 2
May 3
May 4
May 5 and 6
May 7
May 8
May 9
May 10
May 11
May 12 and 13
May 14
May 15
May 16
May 17
May 18
May 19 and 20
May 21
May 22
May 23
May 24
May 25
May 26 and 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
May 31
Johanna Basford Coloring Calendar – March is a post created by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
December 27, 2021ColoringD&D Beyond had an advent calendar that included one special item or offer each day. If I remember correctly, the calendar didn’t include the entire month of December. The things in it that caught my attention the most were the coloring sheets.
At the top of this blog is a cropped version of a coloring sheet that included the D&D Beyond logo. It resembled the front of one of their player’s handbooks. I gave this character, who might be a magic user, red and green colored clothing. There is a yellow glowing light hovering over her hand.
This coloring sheet was probably intended to be colored and then sent out to friends and family who play Dungeons & Dragons. It features a Beholder, which is a creature with a large eye and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Each of the Beholder’s tentacles has its own eye at the end of it.
I find it very amusing that the Beholder is wearing a large Santa hat and that each of its tentacles are also wearing smaller Santa hats. That’s just adorable (in a very creepy way).
The use of the word behold is clever. “Behold!” is at the top of the card. It references the Beholder creature, of course. It also reminds me of the part from the movie “A Charlie Brown Christmas” where Linus gives a speech that includes that phrase: “For Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all my people.” The result mixes a reference from the Bible with a terrifying monster that wants nothing more than to kill of your entire adventuring party.
I think this coloring sheet might also have been intended as a card. It shows a festive table with a fancy tablecloth, candles, bottles of alcohol and glasses to pour it in. Your adventuring party might be tempted to eat or drink something. As you reach for the goodies, the large present that is on the table opens it’s mouth, showing rows of sharp teeth! Beware, adventurers! These mimics want to have you for their dinner!
This coloring sheet could also be used as a card. I’m not sure if anyone sends out New Year’s Eve cards, though. It was fun to color this band of adventurers who appear to be having a celebration. I kind of wonder where the wizard learned to make fireworks like those!
The D&D Beyond Holiday Coloring Sheets that you see in this blog post came from D&D Beyond’s 2021 Advent calendar. I enjoyed coloring them. [...]
Medium
August 18, 2024Mediumphoto of several 100 dollar bills by Mackenzie Marco on Unsplash
Former U.S. Rep. George Santos is expected to plead guilty to multiple counts in his federal fraud case – sources tell Scripps News, according to KSBY.com.
Santos, a Republican from New York, is expected to enter the plea at a court hearing planned for Monday on Long Island, an anonymous source told The Associated Press. The source could not publicly discuss details of the plea.
The court hearing was scheduled for Monday afternoon after prosecutors and Santos’ lawyers jointly requested one on Friday. They also sought and received a delay in certain pre-trial deadlines.
The news comes just weeks before jury selection was set to begin on Sept. 9. Santos has previously pleaded not guilty to a range of financial crimes, including to lying to Congress about his wealth, collecting unemployment benefits while actually working and using campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses such as designer clothing.
Politico reported that former Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from the House last year amidst a fantastical flood of fraud investigations, is expected to offer guilty pleas Monday as part of a deal to resolve the wide-ranging federal indictment he faces, a person familiar with the case said.
Santos is set to appear Monday afternoon in federal court in eastern Long Island at what U.S. District Court Judge Jonna Seybert set as a pretrial hearing. However, there are plans to use the session to allow the former lawmaker to change his plea, according to a person who was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive details of the case that are not yet public.
According to Politico, Santos, 36, was facing 23 federal charges, including wire fraud, lying in Federal Election Commission reports and lying in House financial disclosure. Some of the charges stemmed from his alleged diversion of campaign funds to cover personal expenses including plastic surgery and Botox injections.
Santos was elected to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District in 2022, but before he was sworn in, reports began to emerge that he fabricated key details in his resume. Allegations of more serious fraud and business misconduct followed, triggering a House Ethics Committee investigation and numerous calls for him to resign.
Santos refused to resign and was expelled last December by a vote of 311 to 114.
NBC News reported the disgraced former lawmaker faces a 23-count superseding indictment in the Eastern District of New York, including charges of wire fraud aggravated identity theft and making materials false statements to the Federal Election Commission.
According to NBC News, the superseding indictment is in addition to a 13-count federal indictment on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds that Santos was hit with in May 2023.
Is anyone surprised by this? Generally speaking, people who money launder, commit fraud, and other sketchy tactics might think they are above the law and can do anything they want to. Looks like George Santos is about to face reality. [...]
June 29, 2024MediumPhoto of the Supreme Court by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
The Supreme Court can sometimes make decisions that can be very confusing for people to understand. Once in a while, the current Supreme Court Justices get things right.
Today’s decision resulted in the Justices rejecting a Republican-led challenge to the Biden Administrations’ communication with social media companies to combat online misinformation on topics related to COVID-19 and the 2020 election (TechCrunch)
According to TechCrunch, the ruling overturns an injunction, which was on hold, that would have limited contact between government officials and social media companies.
The case was titled “Vivek H. Murthy, Surgeon General, Et. Al., Petitioners v. Missouri, Ethics Al”
Surprisingly, the Supreme Court Justice who wrote the opinion was Justice Amy Coney Barrett. She is one of the conservative justices on the bench, I don’t always like her decisions, but this time, she got it right.
Justice Barrett was selected by Mitch McConnell. According to PBS, the (then) Senate Majority Leader said to (then) President Trump: “First, I’m going to put out a statement that says we’re going to fill the vacancy. Second, he said, you’ve got to nominate Amy Coney Barrett.”
This decision was made by Mitch McConnell shortly after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death.
Here is a short piece from Justice Barrett’s opinion:
During the 2020 election season and the COVID-19 pandemic, social media platforms frequently removed, demoted, or fact-checked posts containing allegedly false or misleading information. At the same time, federal officials, concerned about the spread of “misinformation” on social media, communicated extensively with the platforms about their content-moderation efforts.
The plaintiffs, from two States and five social-media users, sued dozens of Executive Branch officials and agencies, alleging that they pressured the platforms to suppress protected speech in violation of the First Amendment. The Fifth Circuit agreed, concluding that the officials’ communications rendered them responsible for the private platforms’ moderation decisions. It then affirmed a sweeping preliminary injunction.
The Fifth Circuit was wrong to do so. To establish standing, the plaintiffs must demonstrate a substantial risk that, in the near future, they will suffer an injury that is traceable to a Government defendant and redressable by the injunction they seek. Because no plaintiff has carried this burden, none has standing to seek a preliminary injunction…
Held: Neither the individual nor the state plaintiffs have established Article III standing to seek an injunction against any defendant.
The Opinion of the Court stated:
The plaintiffs, without any concrete link between their injuries and the defendants’ conduct, ask us to conduct a review of the years-long communications between dozens of federal officials, across different agencies, with different social-media platforms, about different topics.
This Court’s standing doctrine, prevents us from “exercising general legal oversight” of other branches of Government. We therefore reverse the judgement of the Fifth Circuit and remand the case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
It is so ordered.
Judge Barrett delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts C.J., and Sotomayor, Kagan, Kavenaugh, and Jackson, J.J. joined. Alito, J. filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas and Gorsuch, J.J., joined.
I find it interesting that the writer of this opinion was Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and she and Judge Kavenaugh both sided with the more liberal justices. [...]
June 29, 2024MediumThe letters “AI” in neon on a black background by Igor Omilav on Unsplash
It seems like every corporation wants to use AI. This is not good for the environment, especially since it sucks up water and steals electricity that humans need in order to survive.
The BBC reported: … The world’s data centres are using ever more electricity and the International Energy Alliance (IEA) expects this to double in just four years. Data centres could be using a total of 1,000 terawatts hours annually by 2026. “This demand is roughly the equivalent to the electricity consumption of Japan,” said IEA. Japan has a population of 125 million people.
Forbes posted some concerning facts about ChatGPT, water, and electricity:
ChatGPT consumes over half a million kilowatts of electricity each day, an amount staggering enough to serve about two hundred million requests.
ChatGPT’s daily power usage is nearly equal to 180,000 U.S. households each using about twenty-nine kilowatts.
A single ChatGPT conversation uses about fifty centiliters of water, equivalent to one plastic bottle.
A recent OECD policy report reported that AI’s water footprint varies significantly depending on where it is trained and hosted. For example, AI consumes 1.8-12 liters of water for each kWh of energy usage across Microsoft’s global data centres, with Ireland and the state of Washington being the most and least water-efficient locations, respectively.
According to Forbes, fresh water only makes up 2.5% of the world’s total volume and more than half of that is ice. Agriculture uses 70% of what’s actually usable. By 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population is expected to suffer from water scarcity, which will affect all aspects of people’s lives.
Anthropologist Steven Gonzalez Monserrate took field notes about “The Staggering Ecological Impacts of Computation and the Cloud” on MIT Press Reader:
…The flotsam and jetsam of our digital queries and transactions, the flurry of electrons flitting about, warm the medium of the air. Heat is the waste product of computation, and if left unchecked, it becomes a foil to the workings of digital civilization. Heat must therefore be relentlessly abated to keep the engine of the digital thrumming in a constant state 24 hour a day, every day.
To quell this thermodynamic threat, data resource centers overwhelmingly rely on air conditioning, a mechanical process that refrigerates the gaseous medium of air, so that it can displace or life perilous heat away from computers. Today, power-hungry computer room air conditions (CRACs) or computer room air handlers (CRAHs) are staples of even the most advanced data centers.
…As a result, the Cloud now has a greater carbon footprint than the airline industry….
Humans need access to clean water and electricity. I have concerns that the corporations that are messing around with AI could potentially take away the things that actual humans need, in an effort to feed their expensive — and likely worthless — AI addiction. [...]
Biden-Harris Administration
March 28, 2024Biden-HarrisPhoto of The White House by Aaron Kitteridge from Pexels
Here is everything you need to know about the Government Shutdown that took place during the Biden-Harris administration. This is not the first time the U.S. government has faced a shutdown.
This blog post covers what happened in January, February, and March of 2024.
In 2018-2019, (then) President Donald Trump caused a shutdown because he wanted money for a border wall. This resulted in several weeks of having the U.S. government experience a partial shutdown.
You can read more about the Trump shutdown here:
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week One
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Two
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Three
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Four
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Five
Will There Be Another Partial Government Shutdown?
This blog post covers the Government Shutdown starting from January 2024.
January 2024:
January 5, 2024: As bipartisan talks on a deal linking stricter border security policies with Ukraine aid stretch on with no clear resolution in sight, Speaker Mike Johnson has a new problem: the growing number of House conservatives willing to shut down the government over it. (Politico)
There are just two weeks remaining before the first tranche of federal funding runs out on January 19, with a more high-profile group of agencies set to run dry on Feb. 2. And without a border agreement that Johnson can sell to the majority of the House GOP, he’s facing a growing rebellion among hardliners who want to pick a shutdown fight over surging migration at the nation’s southern border.
The idea began with Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who floated it on social media, and others followed suit. Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) reiterated the position during a House GOP trip to the border this week, with Biggs claiming: “No more money for his bureaucracy until you’ve brought this border under control.”
The Conservative House Freedom Caucus is hardly united behind the push to shut down the government over the border — and without a bigger swath of its members vowing to oppose any funding plan without a border deal, the speaker’s headaches may prove somewhat contained. The Louisiana Republican had demanded any Ukraine aid be tied to border changes, but never truly embraced the Senate’s ongoing partisan talks…
…House Republicans have a narrow three-vote majority, which will shrink to two after Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) leaves office on Jan. 21. That makes the burgeoning demands from his right flank more than enough to sink any spending bill that GOP leadership tries to pass along party lines. If Johnson leans too heavily on Democratic votes to pass a funding agreement, though, he could face fresh threats to his gavel…
…When it comes to government funding, Johnson would be able to sidestep frustration from his hardliners if he can strike a deal with Senate Democrats and the White House. That gets harder if he decides to try to link a GOP border bill to the government funding talks, an idea that’s DOA in the Senate.
“We have seen this failed playbook before, and here’s the bottom line: shutting the government down over extreme partisan policies … doesn’t solve a single problem — instead, it forces the personnel at our southern border to work without pay and seriously undermines the very agencies responding to the uptick in new arrivals,” said Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
While House Republicans have also used short-term funding extensions to buy more time since taking over the majority last year, that’s less likely to happen this time — the speaker is wary of turning to another stopgap bill after fierce backlash from his use of one in the fall…
January 7, 2024: The White House posted: “Statement from President Joe Biden on the Bipartisan Funding Framework”
The bipartisan funding framework congressional leaders have reached moves us one step closer to preventing a needless government shutdown and protecting important national priorities. It reflects the funding levels that I negotiated with both parties and signed into law late last spring. It rejects deep cuts to programs hardworking families count on, and provides a path to passing full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies. I want to thank Leaders Schumer and Jeffries for their leadership in reaching this framework. Now, congressional Republicans must do their job, stop threatening to shut down the government, and fulfill their basic responsibility to fund critical domestic and national security priorities, including my supplemental request. It’s time for them to act.
January 8, 2024: Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby En Route Charleston, SC.
Aboard Air Force One En Route Charleston, South Carolina
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hello. Hi, everybody.
Q: Hi, Karine.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hello. Okay, just one quick thing at the top and then we’ll get going here. So, today President Biden is traveling to South Carolina where he will deliver remarks at an event at Mother Emanuel AME Church.
We will continue — we will then continue on to Dallas, where the President will pay his respects to the late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.
And now I have the Admiral right behind he here, who’s going to discuss the latest in the Middle East.
There he goes. There you go.
MR. KIRBY: Thank you, Karine. Just a quick update on trucks into Gaza. Over the last 48 hours, 210 trucks got in. That’s good, but it’s not good enough.
One of the things that — I know you know Secretary Blinken is in the region right now. He’s in Saudi Arabia today, heading to Israel tonight. But that’s going to be one of the things he focuses on. It has already and will continue to see if we can’t increase that humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
That’s it.
Q: Are you — is the U.S. concerned, on the Lebanon blast that the Israeli strikes in Lebanon are going to increase risk of a — of a wider war?
MR. KIRBY: So, first, I’d let the Israelis speak to their operations one way or another. We’re not going to confirm that — reports of their operations.
From the beginning, we have talked about our strong desire not to see this conflict escalate or widen. And that includes the potential for a second front up in the north of the country.
We believe that the displaced people in Lebanon and displaced people in Israel have a right to return to their homes, and we want to see that happen as soon as possible.
Q: What is the level of frustration at the NSC about Secretary Austin not informing the White House until later about his hospitalization? And will there be any consequences for that?
MR. KIRBY: I think — look, our main focus right now is on Secretary Austin’s health and making sure that he gets all the care and support that he needs to — to fully recover. That’s the focus.
And he has already resumed all his authorities. He’s already doing all of the functions he would normally do. He’s just do- — he’s doing it right now from — from the hospital.
Well — well — obviously, I think, as you might expect, we’ll take a look at processes and procedure here and try to learn from this experience. And if there’s some changes that need to be made, you know, in terms of process and procedure, we’ll do that.
Q: There are some — there are some calls for him to be fired. Is that something that the President is wanting or considering doing?
MR. KIRBY: The President’s number one focus is on his health and recovery, and he looks forward to having him back at the Pentagon as soon as possible.
The President respects the fact that Secretary Austin took ownership for the lack of transparency. He also respects the amazing job he’s done as Defense Secretary and how he’s handled multiple crises over the last almost three years now. And very much values his advice, candor, leadership, and, again, looks forward to having him back at the Pentagon.
Q: John does the President know what elective surgery the Secretary had, even though the American people don’t know? And does he know what his current symptoms are and his current health condition is?
MR. KIRBY: I know that the President had an opportunity to talk to Secretary Austin a couple of days ago, wish him well, get — see how he was doing.
I don’t know the details of that conversation, and I don’t know the level of the President’s personal knowledge of his medical situation. And then, that would really between — between the two men.
Your — your question about that elective procedure is really better directed to the Pentagon, not — not to us.
I want to make sure I put a fork in m answer to you. There is no — no plans for anything other than for Secretary Austin to stay in the job and continue in the leadership that he’s been exu- — that he’s been demonstrating.
Q: John, given — John, given the delay in disclosing this, did Secretary Austin meet the President’s own standard of transparency? And is the White House committed if — if President Biden had to have some kind of medical procedure, is the White House committed to releasing that information to the public in a very timely manner?
MR. KIRBY: Well, on the second question, you’re a little out of my lane. That’s really — but I don’t want to speak for Karine, but I think the answer is yes. I mean, the answer is absolutely yes. We’ll be as transparent as possible.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. I mean, the President has always put transparency at the center of his administration, from the beginning. And obviously, that’s what we’re going to continue to do.
So, we’re going to. continue to be transparent. Obviously, the Department of Defense will have more about the — more to speak about their protocol. I just don’t have anything to add on — specifically on that piece.
Q: Do you think you were transparent here, though? I mean, it took days for this — for this — for people to be informed about this and at a time of, you know, conflict around the world.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: From what I —
MR. KIRBY: This —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay — no, go ahead —
MR. KIRBY: I’m sorry —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, no, no, no. Go ahead.
MR. KIRBY: The — the Pentagon has talked about this. The Secretary put out a statement, took accountability for the lack of transparency. We’ll let you — we’ll let the Pentagon speak to the process there.
Q: John — John, quickly. You mentioned you guys are taking a look at process. Does the President want an official review into what happened in him not — you know, communication not coming up through the White House?
MR. KIRBY: As I said to Jeff, I fully expect that we’ll take a look at process and procedure here. We’ll do what’s akin to a hot wash and try and see if processes and procedures need to be changed at all or modified so we can learn from this.
Q: John —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Q: All right. Does the White House have an official view on, like, the duty of the Cabinet Secretaries and when they need to disclose this type of, you know, medical procedure or hospitalizations?
MR. KIRBY: Look, I think there’s a — an expectation that when a Cabinet official become hospitalized that there’s a — that that will be notified up the chain of command. There is that expectation.
Q: Can you say, was there any contact between Jake Sullivan and the Defense Secretary in those four days — January 1st to January 4th — any contact at all?
MR. KIRBY: On the morning of the 1st of January, the Secretary, as well as Secretary Blinken, Jake, other relevant officials, did have a secure conference call with the President. This was regarding operations in the Middle East. And — and so, there was — there was contact —
Q: (Inaudible.)
MR. KIRBY: — and then, on the 1st of January.
Q: John, you said at the beginning of your remarks that the most important thing right now is the Secretary’s health. How is his health?
MR. KIRBY: That’s really for Secretary Austin and the Pentagon to speak to, Jeff. That — that would be inappropriate for me to — to get into his personal health condition.
He — he did indicate that he’s recovering well in his own statement, And as — again, he expects to be back at the Pentagon in the relatively near future.
Q: John, the Situation Room knows how to get in touch with all senior Cabinet officials at all time. Did they know his physical —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Can you repeat the question — yeah, we —
Q: — the Situation Room itself know his location? There’s a board in the Situation Room. It shows where the President is at all times, the Vice President is at all times. I mean, did the Situation Room know where he was physically?
MR. KIRBY: There’s a process in the — at — in the — for the Situation Room, the Ops Center, to check in every morning to get the general location of all the non-White House principals, the Cabinet officers. And there is a process of connection to the agencies to do that.
But it’s generic, Peter. It’s what town they’re in — D.C., if they’re oversees, where they are. That’s the process. The — the issue of when a Cabinet official gets hospitalized, that’s — that’s really on the agency to inform that — that that has happened.
Q: It wasn’t — it wasn’t the Situation Room knew and didn’t put it up the chain itself?
MR. KIRBY: That is correct.
Q: Okay.
MR. KIRBY: There was no — you all hear — you all seen the press reporting on this. There was no notification or knowledge at the White House or the National Security Council until Thursday afternoon.
All right.
Q: Thanks.
Q: (Inaudible) —
MR. KIRBY: Yes, ma’am.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks, Admiral.
Q: (Inaudible.) He’s leaving?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: Oh —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Wa — Admiral.
Q: Admiral. Admiral.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: J.J. had a question.
Well, since he was in earshot — he’s still in earshot. J.J. had something.
Q: One more. Didn’t realize you were leaving already. There was some reports over the weekend about Elon Musk and some concerns about his — his drug use and the behavior that he’s been exhibiting. Some of his board members concerned. Aware of that reporting? And is there — he’d had some contracts with the government. Any reaction to it? There’s connections between —
MR. KIRBY: We wouldn’t comment on that.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We wouldn’t comment on private companies.
Q: So, Karine, should the American people — I’m sorry. Do you need a second.
Okay. Should the American people have confidence in Austin given his lack of transparency? And then, also, do the American people need to be concerned about a lack of transparency for the President given this lapse?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I want to go back to Austin’s statement a couple of days ago, where he has taken responsibility.
Q: Yeah.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And so, I think that’s important. So, I would point you to that. And I will just reiterate that the President has complete confidence — continues to have confidence in Secretary Aust — in Secretary Austin.
And — and as the Admiral just stated, I think the number one thing right now for him — we want to see him back at the Pentagon — get well and back at the Pentagon.
And I’ll just add one more thing is that the President — as we have shared, the President spoke to Austin — Secretary Austin on Saturday. They had a very good conversation. And again, you know, the President appreciated Austin’s statement and taking full responsibility here. And I think that’s what — that’s what matters, is him getting back to — to the Pentagon and taking full responsibility.
Q: Do you think it’s necessary — to, sort of, like, tie up this issue — for Austin to articulate where — what happened? I mean, does he need to sort of explain, kind of, how the President explains when he’s —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, we’re going to leave it to the Department of Defense to speak to this. I think they will. So, I will leave it to them to talk about their process, their protocol, the specifics — that specific question that you’re asking. So, we’ll leave it there to — to walk us — walk — walk all of you through the — through what happened last week.
Q: Karine, there was a spending toplines agreement over the weekend. What is the administration’s current view on whether a shutdown can be avoided in a couple of weeks?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, let me just say a couple of things, since this just happened — right? — over the weekend, and just want to be on the record here.
So — so, the bipartisan funding framework congressional leaders have reached moves us one step closer to preventing a needless government shutdown and protecting important national priorities. The framework reflects the funding levels negotiated as part of the bipartisan budget agreement and rejects deep cuts to programs hardworking families count on, and it provides a path to pass — to passing full-year — full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies.
Now it is for congressional Republicans — they have to do their jobs — they must do their jobs and stop threatening to shut down the government and fulfill their basic responsibility to fund critical domestic and national security priorities, including the President’s supplemental requests. It’s time for them to act. And so, that’s what we expect.
As far as the process and how this moves forward, that is — certainly congressional leaders to — to figure out how this legislative process is going to be.
But look, and we’ve said this over and over again — this is their basic duty, when it comes to Congress and keeping the government open and funded. This is something that they are responsible for, and they should not pay politics with this.
This is — these are programs that the American people rely on. And so, we — they have to get this done.
Q: Karine, just to follow up on that, you say it’s the Congress’s job to figure this out, but surely the White House is involved.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: Can you give us a sense of who’s doing what and where you see the next steps happening here?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I mean, you know this: The first go-around — right? — around the debt ceiling, the President certainly got involved — right? — and there was a bipartisan agreement that was signed — that was actually signed by the President and — and it became law. And — and it was voted by two thirds of the House — Republican House, and it was — certainly got bipartisan support in the Senate.
So, this is something that, obviously, the first go-around — that we were involved and we made it happen because we — the President understood how important this is to get this done for the American people.
As it relates to this particular deal, the — the administration was — was obviously in close touch with congressional — with congressional members of both parties throughout their negotiation process on this particular outcome. And we provided, like we always do, technical — any type of technical guidance to lawmakers. And so, that is how we were involved in this particular new iteration of this.
Q: Is there anything in the deal that the President is unhappy with?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, you know, this is — if you’re asking if — like, if this is con- — this is consistent, right? We believe this is consistent with the original agreement that I had just, kind of, went through that process.
And so, the framework both abides by the cap set in the bipartisan budget agreement and achieves the same levels for defense and non-defense discretionary spending that we and the — the White House and the congressional leaders agreed to last May, as I just laid out how this process had started originally.
Q: Karine —
Q: Back to Sec- —
Q: Sorry, you — (laughter) —
Q: Back to Secretary Austin again. Could you let us know at some point if the President is aware of what landed his Defense Secretary in the ICU, at least so we know that the President is aware? If this is a secret from the President even, that’s — that’s a different thing.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, I — I hear you — I hear — I hear you, J.J. It’s just that it is not something that we can speak to, right? This is his own medical — it is — it is a private thing that — it is something that the Secretary and the Department of Defense would speak to.
As you know, they spoke on — the President and the Secretary spoke on Saturday. They had a conversation. And the President wants to see the Secretary get well, and it sounds like he’s doing weeks from his own statement — the Secretary — and get back to the Pentagon and continue the job that he’s been doing this past couple of years — and, we believe, very well.
So, don’t want to get into — into any — any specifics on that. That is really for Secretary Austin and the Department of Defense to — to speak to.
Q: Karine, quickly on the — on the border talks. Are there any plans for the President to host Johnson at the White House to discuss the border? And have they had any calls or conversations recently in the last couple of weeks?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So — and you’re talking about just between the President and — and the —
Q: Between the President —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — Speaker?
Q: — and the Speaker, yeah.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I don’t have any — anything to preview for you on any conversation that he’s had specifically with the Speaker.
What I can say is that the President is in regular contact and conversations with congressional leaders. As you know, his team has been also in regular communication — part of the negotiation, as we saw- — talk about the supplemental. And so that’s been going for some weeks — for some time now. I don’t have any specific conversation between the two of them on — to preview at this time or lay out or to announce at this time.
What I will say, though, as it relates to the supplemental: One of the negotiators — the Republican negotiator was on one of the Sunday news networks and said that he expects, essentially — I’m paraphrasing here — he expects to have something go out this week. And so, I think that’s important.
We — we’ve always said we believe that the — the direction of the negotiations have been going in the right direction. And we appreciate that there is a bipartisan conversation happening in the Senate on border security.
Q: Over the weekend, the former President referred to the January 6th detainees as — as “hostages.” Does — did the — Mr. Biden see those comments? And was there any reaction or does he plan to address that at all?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, you heard — you heard from the President on Friday. He gave a — he gave a really important, critical speech on January 6th.
And I’ve said this, and the President has said this many times, right? What we saw on January 6th was an attack on our democracy. We saw — and not just us — the American people saw 2,000 insurrectionists, really, attack the Capitol. And we saw a confederate flag flying around in the Capitol. That’s what we saw.
And not just that. We s- — police officers were injured. Some police officers lost their lives because of that event. And so, you heard you — heard that from — from the President.
As it relates to what you asked me about the hostage — look, I want to be careful. We follow the law. We don’t comment on 2024. We also don’t comment on DOJ investigations or legal processes.
So — but, you know, I’ve seen American veterans note that — how grotesque and offensive to compare those convicted of assaulting cops and attempting to overthrow the American government that veterans — that veterans have died defending innocent Americans, like an Israeli — like in Israel and — and people of other nationalities who — who were abducted during Hamas atrocities on October 7th.
So, it is — like I said, it is grotesque to make those type of comparisons. And the President, you know, spoke very forcefully of how he saw January 6th and laid out there’s a choice that we have to make here. There’s a choice that we have to make — that the American people have to really decide.
Q: Is it really a condemnation — isn’t it, Karine? — of — making that comparison?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I want to be careful, right?
Q: Do you have to be careful?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, but — but, look, what we —
Q: He referred to them as “hostages.”
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yes, he did. And I just said about how January 6th was — was an attack on our democracy, and we have to continue to call that out. That’s what the President said — right? — that’s what the President said and laid out on January 6th.
And, you know, it is — look, what we saw on January 6th cannot be repeated again. And that is one of the things that the — the President is making very, very clear. And he has over the past couple of years.
And what we saw was certainly something that is a dark day for — for the history of — of this country. And so, we ca- — we get to make sure it doesn’t repeat itself.
And there is misinformation, disinformation currently out there still about January 6th — right? — about — about — about that. And so, we have to call that out as well. And that’s what you’re going to continue to hear from this President.
Q: How is the President going to assess the threat level of political violence in his speech today in Charleston? And — and is he going to specifically point to former President Trump as someone who foments violence?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, just going to be really careful and mindful here as well. But I’ll say a couple of things. The Vice President, the President — I’m sorry, when the — when the President was Vice President, he and his family worshiped at the Mother Emanuel, and that was back in 2015, to show solidarity after the heartbreaking tragedy.
And so, the President has continued to underline that we cannot forget the act of racist hate suffered by Mother Emanuel congregation and that we must continue to stand together against those kinds of sentiments as Americans.
As he said when he signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act and when he took action to protect houses of worship and when he spoke at South Carolina State University’s commencement, upholding the dignity and rights for all Americans and giving hate no safe harbor are North Star — -starts — Stars for this Pres- — this President. So, that’s what you’re going to continue to expect from him.
But, I’m not going to get too far ahead of the President. You’ll hear directly from him in a couple of hours.
All right? Yeah. All right. Thanks, everybody.
January 12, 2024: Press Gaggle by Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby En Route Allentown, PA.
Aboard Air Force One En Route To Allentown, Pennsylvania
MR. BATES: Good morning.
Q: Good morning.
MR. BATES: I have a few things at the top. And then, Admiral Kirby is going to take questions.
We are on our way to Pennsylvania, where the President will visit several small businesses in Lehigh Valley and the Allentown area.
Allentown, a historic steel town, was hollowed out by failed trickle-down economics. But thanks to Bidenomics and the President’s Investing in America agenda, Allentown and communities nationwide are experiencing an economic comeback.
As we saw yesterday, the President’s economic agenda is working, with applicants for new businesses reaching record heights.
Sixteen million new business applications have been filed in the last three years. That’s more new business applications in — than the four years of the prior administration combined.
As the President has said, every time someone starts a new small business, it’s an act of hope and confidence in our economy, and we’ve seen 16 million acts of hope since President Biden took office in that regard.
This is the same hope and confidence the President will highlight on the ground today.
Entrepreneurs who have hope and confidence in this economy, supported by the President’s investments, were able to take on the risk of starting a business.
And as a result, in Allentown and beyond, we are seeing a small business book, more good-paying jobs with rising wages, record-low unemployment, and lower costs for hardworking families.
Similarly, Bidenomics has accomplished the decades-long goal of bringing manufacturing back to America. We have created 26,000 new manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania under President Biden. Pennsylvania lost 23,000 manufacturing jobs under Donald Trump.
Also, today, we announced that we are implementing one of the most impactful provisions of the President’s SAVE plan, which is the most affordable repayment plan in U.S. history.
Starting next month, borrowers enrolled in SAVE who took out less than $12,000 in loans and have been repayment for 10 years will get their remaining student debt cancelled.
This action will particularly help community college borrowers, low-income borrowers, and those struggling to repay their loans, and it’s part of our ongoing efforts to act as quickly as possible to give more borrowers breathing room.
We encourage all borrowers who may be eligible for early debt cancellation to sign up for the SAVE plan at StudentAid.gov.
Already, 6.9 million borrowers are enrolled in the plan; 3.9 million have a monthly payment of $0.
The President will continue using every tool at his disposal to get student loan borrowers the relief they need to reach their dreams.
And I’ll underline that proponents of MAGAnomics have consistently opposed the relief that he is delivering for hardworking borrowers.
And then, finally, next week, on Monday, the President will travel to Philadelphia for a service event in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
And with that, Admiral Kirby will take questions.
MR. KIRBY: Thanks.
Hey, guys. I don’t have an opening statement.
Q: All right.
MR. KIRBY: Fire away.
Q: Can you give any new assessments this morning about how much the Houthi capabilities had been degraded and how significant the damage was to the targets with the strikes last night?
MR. KIRBY: We’re still doing that assessment right now. That’s what we call a battle damage assessment. That’s ongoing. And it could take some hours before we can have a better sense — a clearer sense of what — the actual damage done.
I would just remind that these were all valid, legitimate military targets — all really aimed at going after the Houthis’ ability to store, launch, and guide drones and missiles.
Q: Is the President ready for a war in Yemen if it were to come to that? And would he be willing to send in ground troops?
MR. KIRBY: We’re not interested in a war with Yemen. We’re not interested in a conflict of any kind here. In fact, everything the President has been doing has been trying to prevent any escalation of conflict, including the strikes last night.
Q: Have you seen the bipartisan group of members of Congress say that the President violated the War Powers Resolution? What’s your response to that?
MR. KIRBY: We’re very comfortable and confident in the legal authorities that the President exercised to conduct these strikes.
Q: Are you expecting an attack in the Red Sea today? Do you see that as being ineffective or not really showing that they were degraded after your strikes last night?
MR. KIRBY: Look, I think there was — going into this, certainly no- — nobody was Polayannish about the possibility that the Houthis might conduct some sort of retaliation. So, I don’t have the operational reports on this.
But again, they’ve got choices to make here, and the right choice is to stop these reckless attacks.
As the President said — I’ll point you to the last sentence in his statement last night — he reserves the right and he won’t hesitate to take further action to protect our troops and our facilities and international commerce.
Q: Do you know who was in the Situation Room last nigh when he decided to make those airstrikes — that decision?
MR. KIRBY: He made that dec- — he made the decision to approve these options after the attack on Tuesday — the big attack that was, like, 18 drones, some cruise missiles, a ballistic missile. And he was kept up to speed as that attack was unfolding. It took some time.
When he was briefed that it had been accurately and effectively defended, he called his national security team together — this is Tuesday afternoon — was presented with the response options and approved those options at that time.
Q: John, can you talk about calculation (inaudible) now as opposed to earlier? This has been going on for a while. Some Republicans would say it should have been done earlier; this is overdue. So, what made now the right time to do it?
MR. KIRBY: I think you have to keep it in context for everything they’ve been doing since November, Peter. And repeatedly since that time — you al have seen the tick-tock. We — on the diplomatic front, we’ve worked with the U.N. We worked with coalition partners to condemn those attacks; work on that U.N. Security Council resolution; out together Operation Prosperity Guardian, which is really about defending international shipping in the Red Sea, boosting our military presence in the Red Sea.
I mean, everything the President has been doing since these attacks really started in late November has been designed to disrupt their ability to do that but also to send a strong signal to the Houthis that they need to stop.
And on Tuesday, we had this very large attack on multiple ships in the Red Sea using, again, a large number of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.
And — and right before that, you might remember, the — we issued what can only be understood as a final warning to the Houthis. They violated that, obviously, in this attack on Tuesday. And so, it lead to these strikes.
Q: On Soleimani. There was — when we had the strike on Suleimani back during the last administration, there was communication with the Iranians through the Swiss, I believe, that was meant to keep it from escalating beyond a certain, you know, level. Is there anything like that going on right now with Iran or anybody else in the region?
MR. KIRBY: I don’t have any diplomatic conversations to speak to in that regard. Again, this was really focused on disrupting Houthi capabilities to conduct these attacks.
Q: And — but the Houthis had an opportunity, they knew that this was coming, so they were able to move some of their resources. So, was this meant more as a signal to the Houthis not to try anything further? Or was this meant to actually destroy their capabilities?
MR. KIRBY: This wasn’t some signaling exercise. This was this was — this was designed to disrupt and to degrade Houthi military capabilities.
And as I said in the first answer, while we are still assessing the actual impact of those strikes, we know that each and every target was militarily significant to the Houthis’ ability. So, we’ll — we’ll see where that goes.
Q: And just to follow up on Peter’s questions, what is the President’s strategy to keep Iran out of this war?
MR. KIRBY: Well, first of all, there’s no war with the Houthis. We don’t seek a war in Yemen with the Houthis. We want to — we want to see these attacks stop. We know that Iran backs the Houthis just like they back Hezbollah and they — and they back Hamas. We have in the past and we will certainly continue to hold Iran accountable for their destabilizing activities.
I mean, in this administration alone, we’ve issued some 500 sanctions — again- — I mean, against 500 entities, 50 sanction regimes. We’ll continue to work with our partners, you know, to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to dissuade these destabili– these destabilizing behaviors by Iran.
Q: (Inaudible.) sanctions against Iran?
MR. KIRBY: I don’t want to get ahead of where we are. We have in the past looked at economic sanctions as a tool. They certainly remain on the table. But I don’t — I won’t prejudge any decisions that haven’t been made yet.
Q: John, can you tell us about Secretary Austin’s participation in this decision-making process?
MR. KIRBY: It was seamless. It was as if — it was no — no different. His participation was no different that it would be on any other given day, except that he was briefing the President on options and engaged in the discussions from the hospital. But he was fully engaged as he would be in any other event.
Q: And on Taiwan elections this weekend. Are you guys following what’s happening? And are you concerned about any implications so soon after the San Francisco meeting?
MR. KIRBY: We are — obviously, we’ll be watching and monitoring the — the elections in Taiwan. Taiwan has strong democratic institutions that we want to see exercised, of course. We wan to see free, fair, transparent elections. Obviously we’re not taking a stake one way or the other in the — in the result. That’s up to the people of Taiwan.
And just like we would say anywhere else in the world, it would be unacceptable for any other actor — nation-state or otherwise — to interfere with that — with that — with that exercise of democracy. But we’ll be watching it closely, of course.
Q: Back on the Houthis. I don’t know if this is your swim lane or if it’s — if it’s Bates’s. But are you seeing an — is the administration seeing any sort of economic impacts as a result of the strikes as of this morning?
MR. KIRBY: No, not — not at this time. No.
Q: Does the President believe the Houthis are a terrorist group?
MR. KIRBY: As we’ve talked about, we are reviewing the FTO — Foreign Terrorist Organization — finding on the Houthis. As you know, we — we delisted them. And we have announced that we’re reviewing that — that decision right now. No decisions have been made yet.
Q: How soon can we expect one?
MR. KIRBY: I don’t — I don’t think I can give you an exact timeline or a date on the calendar. I mean, that work is ongoing, largely at the State Department. But — but it’s — it’s an ongoing review.
Q: And if the attacks against these vessels don’t stop, is the President willing to do this all over again?
MR. KIRBY: Well, with the caveat that — (Air Force One experiences turbulence) — you okay? (Laughter.)
With the caveat —
Q: Sorry, it’s —
MR. KIRBY: No, I know, I know.
Q: Yeah. The — it’s — yeah.
MR. KIRBY: I’m reaching for the bulkhead too. (Laughter.)
With the caveat that, you know, I don’t want to get into hypotheticals, and I certainly am not going to take about potential future military operations one way or the other. I would, again, point you to that last statement in his statement yesterday: He said he will not hesitate to take further action if its required to protect our sailors, our ships, or the — the ships and sailors of merchant traffic in the Red Sea.
Again, I want to come back to the — the Houthis are the ones that escalated here — and, in particular, escalation on Tuesday. And they have a choice to make. And the right choice would be to stop these reckless attacks.
Q: And what about Tuesday was so much different? Like, was it the scale? What was it about Tuesday that was significantly different?
MR. KIRBY: It was a — it was —
Q: The scale (inaudible)?
MR. KIRBY: It was significant scale. I mean, almost 20 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles all — sort of targeted —
Q: (Inaudible.)
MR. KIRBY: — toward a fairly significant cluster of ships, both naval ships — not just U.S. but a British destroyer, as well as international — I’m sorry, as well as commercial vessels. Some of them the U.S. flagged.
Q: Let me ask you, Do you ask the French to participate, and do they refuse?
MR. KIRBY: I won’t get into the diplomatic conversations we’ve had. I mean, you’ve seen the list of people that participated in — you know, you’ve also seen that internationally, even those who weren’t actively involved in the dropping of bombs, many of our coalition partners have signed up to the — the support — nonoperational support but also just, you know, rhetorical support for what we did.
Q: Kirby, could you just briefly reflect on this moment in foreign policy for the Biden administration? We have Gaza going on, this, Ukraine. How are you all staying above water and navigating?
MR. KIRBY: You know, the President describes this time that we’re living in as an inflection point, and he’s right. I mean, you look all around in the world, and one of the things that’s a common thread is democracy is under threat. And it’s in threat in many different ways.
And it’s — the President believes in a foreign policy that — that bolsters our allies and partners, that builds on alliances and partnerships, that recognizes that the United States can’t do it all alone, but that our leadership is vital and important to solving some of these problems.
And I think what you’re going to see going forward this — this coming year is what you’ve seen from the — in the last three years from President Biden, and that is a very active foreign policy built on relationships — improving relationships that need it, shoring up the relationships that we know are strong and solid, and trying to solve these problems in a collateral — in a collaborative but also a multilateral way.
MR. BATES: Thank you, Admiral.
Q: And just very briefly —
MR. BATES: We’re about to land, so we’ll take other questions.
Q: Just a quick one on oil. Oil prices topped $80 a barrel. What kind of supply disruptions and changes in pricing here in America is the White House tracking?
MR. BATES: We are monitoring conditions. We will remain in touch with our international partners to determine any long-term impact surprises.
But let me be very clear: It’s the Houthis who have been endangering the freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vial waterways. And they should stop with their reckless behavior, which is costing many countries unjustly, including ours.
Q: The Justice Department announced this morning that they will seek the death penalty for the Buffalo supermarket shooter. Obviously, the President campaigned on abolishing the federal death penalty. And this is the first time that Attorney General Garland’s department is pursuing the death penalty. So what are the President’s thoughts about that course of action?
MR. BATES: What happened in Buffalo was grotesque and a heartbreaking tragedy.
In 2022, in the wake of the shooting, President Biden traveled to Buffalo to meet with the families of the victims impacted by this senseless violence. And as he said there, “hate will not prevail,” because hate has no place in America. Period.
With res- — with respect to the death penalty, the President has long talked about his views on this issue broadly. We will leave it to the appropriate authorities to speak to individual cases and sentencing decisions. And I would refer you to the Department of Justice for anything more.
Q: And Speaker Johnson agreed to topline numbers, again, doubling down on his agreement with Schumer. Does the White House see that as potentially averting a government shutdown?
MR. BATES: Listen, House Republicans voted for an agreement in May. Speaker Johnson reaffirmed it on Sunday. And again, this morning, we have an agreement. (Air Force One experiences turbulence.) (Laughter.) And Republicans need to keep their word and stop trying to shut down the government.
Q: Are you —
MR. BATES: I’m impressed by everybody’s balance. (Laughter.)
Q: Are you in touch with agencies —
Q: We’re impressed by your balance.
Q: Are you in touch with agencies to potentially plan for that at all?
MR. BATES: Just — sorry, just one moment. As Speaker Johnson and Democratic leaders said on Sunday, we do have a bipartisan funding framework that reflects the funding levels in last year’s bipartisan budget agreement. Republicans need to keep their word.
Of course, we do prepare for every contingency. OMB and agencies are making preparations for every program. But, again, that is — that is out of caution.
This could all be prevented if House Republicans keep their word and do their jobs.
Q: What is the President’s message to progressives who do not want to be dragged into another war in the Middle East?
MR. BATES: You — you have heard Admiral Kirby directly a moment ago that we are not looking for any kind of war. This was a proportionate action justified by the circumstances, an act of self-defense with bipartisan support.
And, again, we — we have sent strong warnings to the Houthis about how reckless and unjustified this behavior is.
AIDE: Thank you, everybody.
Q: Donald Trump says he wants to make tax cuts permanent if he’s elected in 2025. Does the White House have a reaction at all?
MR. BATES: With the — with the caveat that we do not comment on the 2024 elections, yesterday’s news that, in 2023, inflation dropped by almost two thirds from its peak builds on the progress we’ve been achieving for American families. And that news highlights why there’s every reason to continue the economic growth and momentum of Bidenomics, not decimate the middle class with the hi – — the — the cost-hiking MAGAnomics agenda that Republican officials are proposing.
Americans are now wealthier than during the Trump administration. Americans are earning more than during the Trump administration. More Americans are working than during the Trump administration.
As we’re talking about today, more small businesses are being created than at any point in American history. And a record-breaking number of Americans have gained healthcare coverage.
MAGAnomics would threaten to revers all those gains by selling middle-class families out to rich special interests, including by demanding in — deficit-hiking tax giveaways for the wealthy and big corporations. And we oppose those kinds of proposals.
Rather than tax welfare for the rich, like MAGAnomics calls or, Bidenomics will continue to power the strongest economy in the world by growing the middle class.
AIDE: Thank you, everybody.
MR. BATES: Thank you, all.
January 19, 2024: Bill Signed: H.R. 2872
On Friday, January 19, 2024, the President signed into law:
H.R. 2872, the “Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024,” which provides fiscal year 2024 appropriations to Federal agencies for continuing projects and activities funded in the four of the 12 annual appropriation bills through March 1, 2024. For the remaining eight annual appropriations bills, the CR provides funding through March 8, 2024.
January 31, 2024: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Good afternoon. Hello.
Hi. I have a few things at the top before we get started.
As the Presi- — as the President and his team continue working to deliver a historic bipartisan agreement on the border, House Republicans have a choice to make: They can keep playing po- — politics or they can work in a bipartisan way to secure the border.
Sadly, this is not new. For years, they have refused to heed the President’s requests for action on much-needed funding for border security.
For example, in the bill the President introduced in his first day in office, more than a thousand days ago, he requested funding to develop and deploy — exped- — expediting screening technology to improve our ability to catch narcotics and contraband at every port of entry. Republicans never acted on the bill.
Each year in office, President Biden has requested record — breaking border security funding into law. But without exception, House Republicans have tried to stop the President from delivering the resource we need at the border.
As recently as October, President Biden submitted a supplemental request for additional resource for border security; House Republicans did not take it up.
Now House Republicans are going further and signaling that they may refuse to even consider a historic bipartisan security deal that would strengthen America’s national security.
Perhaps Speaker Johnson and House Republicans should reflect on what they’ve had to say over the past few months.
In October, Speaker Johnson said, “We must come together and address the broken border.” And in November he said, “I think we can get a bipartisan agreement” on “border security.
But suddenly, we’ve heard a change of tune. One Republican member from Texas even said, why would they do anything to help President Biden?
This is about helping the President — this is about helping the American people. It’s not about securing the border.
Republicans in the Senate are working with us to do just that. Republicans in the House should as well.
Look no further than their effort to impeach Secretary Mayorkas, an impeachment that even conservatives say is unconstitutional.
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board said, “Grandstanding is easier than governing, and Republicans have to decide whether to accomplish anything other than impeaching Democrats. Impeaching him accomplishes nothing beyond political symbolism. A better idea is to strike a deal with Mr. Biden on serious border security reforms.” That’s from the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board.
Former President Trump — Trump’s own impeachment lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, urged Republicans to vote no.
House Republicans’ own impeachment witness, Jonathan Hurley, said there is no basis for impeachment.
And former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, who served in Bush administration, said House Republicans should “drop this impeachment charade and work with Mr. Mayorkas to deliver for the American people.”
Members of the House Republican Conference have said this is baseless. Congressman Ken Buck said, “Secretary Mayorkas did not commit an impeachable offense.” And Congressman Tom McClinick — McClintock said, “These are not impeachable offenses.”
So, our challenge to House Republicans is this: Will you go against the very voices you typically listen to play a dangerous, unconstitutional game, or will you listen to what many of yourselves have — have been saying? Come to the table, work on a bipartisan border security solutions, finally find our needs at the border, and actually tackle the problem instead of playing politics with it.
So, this is not about politics. This is about bipartisan solutions to help the American people and secure the border.
We hope, for the sake of the country, House Republicans challen- — change course from their years of playing politics with this issue.
So, now, yesterday, a new IMF report found that the United found that the United States is leading the global economic recovery. As Axios put it, “the U.S. is winning the world economic war.” The United States economy grew faster than any other large, advanced econo- — economy last year by a wide margin and is on track to do so again in 2024.
And the Washington Post wrote earlier this week, “Falling inflation, rising growth give U.S. the world’s best recovery.” That’s thanks to strong actions taken by this President to recover from the pandemic and invest in America.
And yesterday, we got new evidence Americans are seeing the results, with consumer confidence at the highest level in more than two years and inflation expectation falling to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic.
And before I turn it over to my colleague, Admiral John Kirby, as you all know, this Friday, the President and the First Lady are honored to attend the dignified transfer or the three U.S. Army soldiers we lost in Jordan.
As the President said, these service members represented the very, very best of our nation.
The President spoke to each of the families yesterday to offer his heartfelt condolences, and he and the First Lady will have another opportunity to meet with them in person in Dover on Friday.
As the Pentagon announced yesterday, the President and the First Lady will be joined by Secretary of Defense…
February 2024:
February 20, 2024: Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre En Route To Los Angeles, CA
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, it’s cold back here.
Q: It’s very cold.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hi, guys. I have a couple of things at the top.
See? Aamer has his hat on. It’s — it is cold.
Q: I’m sorry. I’ll take it off.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no no, I’m not — no judgement. I’m just saying it’s cold.
All right. If House Republicans are serious about border security, serious about standing up to Putin, and serious about protecting our national security, they must act immediately to pass the bipartisan national security supplemental bill.
Instead, right now, they are on vacation as the stakes for our security and the security of our closest partners and allies continue to mount. The events of the last few days underscored this fact.
Let’s be clear, President Biden has led the way on the urgent need to secure our border, working with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate on the toughest, fairest border legislation in decades. And he has put forward the resources we urgently need to enable Ukraine to stop Russia in their tracks and from posing a great threat to our NATO Allies.
Now, this Saturday, the President will participate in a video conference call with other G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss our continued support for Ukraine and steps we can take together to continue holding Russia accountable.
This is the third year that G7 leaders have convened in February to condemn Russia’s unjustified attack on Ukraine and express solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
As you recall, when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, President Biden quickly pulled together a G7 leaders call to coordinate our response, and he continues to work together closely with our allies and partners.
Ahead of Saturday’s meeting — and you heard this from the President before he boarded on Marine One this afternoon on the South Lawn — we will be announcing a significant new package of sanctions on Russia on Friday to mark the second anniversary of the invasion and to respond to the death of Aleskey — Alekskey Navalny, who courageously stood up to the corruption and the violence of the Putin government and ultimately gave his life in pursuit of Russia where the rule of law exists and is applied equally to everyone.
As the President said in Friday, this urgently reminds us — this tragedy, pardon me, reminds us of the stakes of this moment and the need to stand up to Putin and pass the national security supplemental bill, and the Ukraine aid it contains, which overwhelmingly passed in the Senate on a bipartisan basis.
Time is of the essence. House Republicans must take urgent action to support national security legislation that would easily pass the House.
Today, the Vice President — the Vice President traveled alongside EPA Administrator Michael Regan to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the administration’s Investing in America tour, where they announced $5.8 billion in funding for clean water infrastructure.
This is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to ensuring a future where every child and family has access to clean, safe water, and it brings the total amount of clean water funding announced by EPA from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to $22 billion.
Then, on Thursday, the Vice President will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to continue her nationwide Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour. During the fourth stop of her tour, the Vice President will highlight how organized — organizers, advocates, and elected leaders in states like Michigan have worked to protect reproductive rights since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
And finally, the First Lady will travel to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to highlight the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, which President Biden launched in November to fundamentally change how we approach and fund women’s health research.
With that, Aamer, you want to kick us off?
Q: Yeah On the sanctions. The U.S. has already thrown quite a bit of sanctions at Russia. How should we see what’s going to be announced on Friday? Will this be substantive and have actual teeth in what it does to Russia and to Putin? Or is this more symbolic as we reach the two-year anniversary and also in reaction to Navalny’s death?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, you’ve heard from the President earli — earlier — early right before he got on Air Force One when he was on the South Lawn. He said the — those sanctions would be major.
I’m going to be really careful. We don’t preview, as you know, the details of sanctions ahead of time for a variety of reasons, including to avoid capital flight risk. So, we have to be super careful.
But, again, as the President stated, it’s clear that Russia is responsible for — for Navalny’s death and what has happened to Navalny is yet more proof that Putin’s brutality — no one — not in — not in Russia, not here at home, and not anywhere around the world should be fooled here. He does not target the citizens of other countries, as we are — we have been seeing happen, obviously, in Ukraine for the past two years. He also inflicts terrible crimes on his own people.
So, I’m going to be super careful. You will hear from — from this administration on Friday, when the time — when the time is right.
Q: Are the punishments for Navalny going to be different from the sanctions that were already planned for the anniversary? Is there something in addition to what was already arranged for that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I’m going to be really careful. Obviously, there’s a connection, obviously, to Naval- — Navalny’s death here. And so — and obviously, it’s going to be the two-years anniversary coming up. But I’m just going to be careful and not —
You’ll hear directly from us, from the administration, as to sanctions, why the sanctions are happening. And I just don’t want to get ahead of that.
Q: Why — why should we expect these sanctions to be any different? We’ve been imposing sanctions since 2022, and none of them have had their desired goal.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, a couple of things here. We and our partners have imposed the most severe sanction on Russia that any economy this size has ever faced. That — so, that is a fact.
We’ve kicked them out of the international organization and worked to isolate them on the world stage. We’ve been able to do that — along with, obviously, our NATO Allies, right?
We’ve provided Ukraine with the capacity to impose massive costs on the Russian military, and the Russian military has been severely degraded as a result of the brutal and unprovoked war they launched against the people of Ukraine.
It’s critical now, obviously — what we’ve been saying for the past couple of weeks, couple of months — that Congress needs to act. We saw a bipartisan — bipartisan agreement come out of the Senate in order to end the really important national security supplemental. We need to see the House do the same.
We have heard from Republicans — House Republicans say that if the bill were to get to the floor that it would get bipartisan support. We need Congress to act.
Q: Right at the beginning, you talked about Congress going on recess. The President has the authority to call Congress back. Why doesn’t he simply do that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, here’s the thing. The Senate did their job, moved forward with a bipartisan piece of legislation with the national security ri- — risk that we are currently facing. And it was critical, it was important, and it was done in li — in a bipartisan — 70 to — 70 to 29 — in a bipartisan way.
And we need to see the House act. They went home early. They went home early.
Q: But he could call them back.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, this is for Speaker Johnson to deal with, right? He has already said these bills are dead. And it shouldn’t be that way. He shouldn’t be putting — playing politics. He shouldn’t be playing with our national security. And this is on Speaker Johnson.
It is — this is a question for Speaker Johnson. Why does he continue to say these bills are dead when we know — we know for a fact that if he were to put this particular bill that came out of the Senate in a bipartisan way and put it on the floor, the national security supplemental, it would pass in a bipartisan way?
We’re talking about funding for Ukraine. We’re talking about the funding for Israel. We’ve talked about the Indo-Pacific, right?
And — and what did we have to do? They had to — the Senate had to strip out a border security from it — another — another piece of legislation was had for months, and we got a bipartisan negotiation.
Speaker — the Speaker continues to get in the way and play politics here.
Q: Karine, you’ve mentioned the — you’ve mentioned —
Q: (Inaudible) on the —
Q: Sorry. You’ve mentioned the — the supplemental several times, but we also don’t have funding for the whole government, right? So, what is the President going to do on that when Congress comes back? And two, does this mean you’re optimistic about a CR?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, the President has been really clear. We have to prevent a needless shutdown, right? We’ve said this. Every time we come to this space, we say we have to prevent a needless shutdown. House Republicans must finally do their jobs and work across the aisle to pass funding bills that deliver for the American people.
So, we support bipartisan negotiations happening on the Hill, obviously. And so, House Republicans should not waste their — waste our time, waste their time, waste the American people’s time. They should move forward.
We — this is their basic duty. Their basic duty to keep the government open, and we’re going to be —
Q: And what will the President do?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, it is their job. It is their job to keep the government open. What we’re going to do is we’re going to continue to call that out and say, “Hey, you know what? This is about” — these are — we’re talking about programs that the American people need — they need.
And so, this is for Congress to work out. They got to get this done.
Q: So, the President sa- —
Q: Does that mean that —
Q: The President — the President said yesterday he’s willing to meet with the House Speaker. Is there any update on that? Any progress made?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, obviously the President, if it — it is — if it is indeed a serious discussion, he — to be had, he’s open to that, obviously. Right? He’s alw- — if it’s a serious discussion.
But I have to remind everybody — right? — what Putin — Putin is a deep threat to our national security. You guys know this. I don’t even have to remind you of that.
Our borders need — needs to be secured. Right? You’ve both heard us say this. The President has — has led on both when it comes to getting a bipartisan agreement on the border security, when it — when you saw what the — what the Senate was able to do on getting that national security supplemental in a bipartisan way.
But so far, it’s the Speaker. As I just stated moments ago, it’s the Speaker that is the only one who is actively hurting America’s national security by killing those priorities that I just laid out, and then going on an early — early vacation, as I mentioned already.
So, this is a question to the Speaker: Is he going to choose Trump — is this what he’s going to do? — and his own internal politics over the doing — doing what’s right for the Ukraine, doing what’s right for our national security, doing what’s right for our border, doing what’s right for Israel and the Palestinian civilians? Or — and let’s not forget the Indo-Pacific.
If so, let’s have a real discussion. Let’s have a serious, good-faith discussion. But we all know where the Speaker stands already. And he’s playing politics on this.
Q: Karine, what does a “serious” discussion entail?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: It’s up to —
Q: How is that different than —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look —
Q: — the last conversation they had?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, that’s — look, here’s the thing: We know that the Senate already has put forth a bipartisan — a bipartisan agreement — passed 70 to 29 on the floor of the Senate — to deal with the national security. Right? They’ve also came together to deal with border security.
And what we keep hearing from the Speaker — this is why it’s — it’s kind of — it’s kind of bizarre, right? Because they — they keep swinging, right? They keep saying, “We must have bipartisan border legislation now” to “Where on Earth did this bipartisan legislation come from? Get it away from me. We’d like to talk about reversals.” Right? It’s just bizarre.
I mean, this is the Speaker. This is the Speaker of the House who goes from one side to another and doesn’t actually know what he wants.
So, it’s up to him: What is — is he really serious about having a conversation? But there are — it’s in front of him, right? The agreement that came out — that came out of the Senate to deal with the national security, it’s in front of him. There’s a — there — there was an agreement on the border. It’s in front of him. He keeps saying these things are dead. He keeps saying these things are dead.
And so, the President is like, “Okay, well, if it’s a serious conversation, let’s have it.” But he’s not serious. He isn’t. Where — where is the seriousness coming from the Speaker right now?
Q: So, on — on Rob’s question, you said no, there is no update on a meeting with Speaker Johnson and — and the President?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t have an update. What I’m saying is we are open to having a serious conversation, is the — if there is one to be had. But I’m also laying out where the Speaker has been for the past couple of weeks on this. He’s not serious about this. Right?
I mean, he — you guys have written about how he swung from — from back and forth on this issue.
Q: What’s the sign — what’s the sign? What could the Speaker do to demonstrate he’s acting in good faith?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean — I mean, if he’s acting in good faith, then take it up. Take it up. Take up the national security supplemental. Say — say you’re going to bring it to the floor or say that you’re going to have a discussion about it.
He’s saying it’s dead. He’s saying it’s dead before he even brings it — brings it to — brings it to his own caucus. Right? His own caucus has said if it puts — if it goes to the floor, it would pass in a bipartisan way, the border — the border security negotiations. He just said it’s dead. Didn’t even do — go through a process of trying to go through to see, “Hey, well, how — how much — can we move this further in the House?” No.
So, where’s the seriousness here?
Q: Karine, on — on Senator Joe Manchin. What was the President’s reaction to the fact that a fellow Democrat didn’t want to endorse him right now?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look — and you’ve heard us say this. We — the President has a very good working relationship with Senator Manchin the last three years. They — the two of them, along with other — other congressional members and — have been able to get some historic legislation passed and — on behalf of the American people. Whether it’s the CHIPS and Science Act, whether it’s the American Rescue Plan, there has been a lot of effort and good work with — with the — with the senator.
I can’t speak to his decision. That is something for hime to speak to. We appreciate, obviously, our working relations- — relationship with the senator. And I’m not going to talk politics, you know, I can’t.
Q: Was the President disappointed?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m just not going to — I’m not going to go beyond a private conversation with the President. I’m just going to say that we respect Senator Manchin. We’ve had a very good relationship. The President has had a very good relationship with the senator over the past three years.
Q: (Inaudible.)
Q: Karine, on Gaza. Could — did you want to follow up on that?
Q: No, go — it’s okay.
Q: On — on Gaza. Could you talk a little bit about the President’s thinking in terms of endorsing this terminology around ceasefire? You have this U.N. resolution. It’s the first time the U.S. has backed that word. It’s crept into the President’s own language. What is his thought process in introducing that word? And is it too little, too late?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, a couple of things here. There’s no change in our policy — U.S. policy, obviously. We — we are steadfast on that. You heard President Biden talk about this last week. It expresses our position if — if the U.N. resolution that you’re talking about that we have put forth — in support of a hostage deal that would pause the fighting for an extended period of time.
So, that policy stays the same. That potential deal represents the best opportunity to reunite all hostage — hostages with their families and enable a prolonged pause in fighting and it would bring about conditions for more lifesaving food, water, fuel, medicine, and other essentials to get into the hands of Palestinian civilians who so desperately need it.
The resolution also includes other priorities that we have been vocal on, such as supporting the protection of civilians in Rafah and the ongoing U.N. UNWRA investigation into whether — whether some of its employees were part of the horrific terror attacks on October 7th, to name a couple.
We’re proposing this resolution because it is vital that any Security Council efforts help — help ongoing diplomatic efforts on the ground, not hinder them. Regrettably, other proposals in the Council, such as the one being — that was deliberated today, as you all know, service to hurt these diplomatic efforts.
And just as you — as you are asking me about the word, and so, look, it’s not the first time we’ve called for a temporary ceasefire in order to free the hostages held by Hamas and other — and allow more assistance to get to Gaza, as I just stated. President Biden has used the term “a temporary ceasefire” twice earlier this month. And he — he was talking about a temporary ceasefire for hostages as far back as November.
And so, this — the U.S. policy does not change what we’ve been trying to do and what the President and his team has been working on around the clock in a diplomatic fashion to make sure that we get that — that we get — we get those hostages home, including American hostages home to their families and to their loved ones and get that all-important humanitarian aid into Gaza.
This is something that we have been doing, right? This is something that we were able to do, that — that we were able to have that short period of time of humanitarian pause, obviously, and got more than 100 — 100 hostages home.
And so, this is what we’ve been talking about. This is the temporary ceasefire that the President wants to see.
Q: And another one on language. Do you — do you agree with — with Prime Minister Netanyahu that it was inappropriate for Lula of Brazil to compare the plight of the Palestinians with the plight of the Jews in the Holocaust?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m not — I’m going to let Lula speak for himself. We’ve been very clear where we stand. We stand, obviously, with Israel being able to defend itself against Hamas and this terrorist organization. That’s why we continue to push for — obviously, one of the reasons we continue to push for the national security supplemental.
What we saw on October 7th was 1,200 — 1,200 people — more than 1,200 people who were killed and more than — obviously, more than 150 people who were — who were taken hostage. And it was a — it was a devastating, tragic day. And we want to continue to make sure that Israel is able to defend itself.
Obviously, we want to also make sure that the all-important humanitarian aid get to — get to Palestinian civilians, who are — who are victims of — who are victims themselves of what Hamas is doing. Let’s no forgot — forget: Hamas is embedding themselves into hospital, into civilian infrastructure, and they’re causing harm to their own people.
And so, we want to make sure that we can get – that temporary ceasefire and get that done so we can get that aid and also make sure that we get those hostages home to their families.
Q: And if I could just follow up on what Trevor asked. Is it — just to put a fine point on it, is it appropriate, as terrible as the suffering is in Gaza, to equate it with the — with the Holocaust?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I — I — I’m not going to — this is a very sensitive situation right now — obviously, a very sensitive issue. We understand that as it relates to what folks are seeing in Gaza, it’s incredibly personal.
And what I can say is that we support — obviously, our policy in Israel is — is steadfast. And — and I’m just going to be super mindful.
Obviously, these are two different scenarios — right? — two different situation: what we saw in the Holocaust. And it is — it is two different things that should not be compared.
But, obviously what we’re seeing in — what we’re seeing — the deviation that we’re seeing in — in — with the Palestinian civilians, what Hamas is causing is devastating. It is devastating.
Q: Just quickly on —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: But they’re two different times in history, and we have to be very clear about that.
Q: Any reaction to the Alabama Supreme Court ruling on the frozen em — on frozen embryos?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. So, I’m going to be careful on — on commenting on specific case. But this is exactly the type of chaos that we expected when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and paved the way for politicians to dictate some of the most personal decisions families can make.
All across the country, women are being forced to grapple with the devastating consequences of action by Republican elected officials, from undermining access to repro- — reproductive — reproductive care and emergency care to threatening access to contraception.
And, as a reminder, this is the same state whose Attorney General threatened to prosecute people who helped women travel out of state to seek the care they need.
The President — this President and this Vice President will continue to fight to protect access to reproductive healthcare and call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law for all women in every state.
Q: The President —
Q: Karine, can you give us an idea of what the President is doing tomorrow? What are his remarks about?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We certainly will have more to share later today on what Pr- –the President’s day is going to look like tomorrow.
Q: The President has talked a lot about stimulating competition in the financial services sector. How concerned is this administration about the Discover-Capital One merger?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Say that last part.
Q: The Discover-Capital One merger. How — how concerned are you guys?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, again, with this as well: I’m not going to speak to any particular case. But let me lay this out.
Bank mergers are reviewed by bank regula- — regulators on a case-by-case basis.
As we have said, we need a diverse banking sector with a mix of — of large, regional and community banks. And as the President says, capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism, it’s exploitation.
His comp- — his compet- — his competition executive order urges the Department of Justice and bank regulators to review bank merger policies. This administration will continue to fight to protect and enforce our anti-trust laws.
Anything further, obviously, I’m going to refer you to Department of Justice.
Q: Karine, the — the publisher of the New York Times has talked about getting flak from the White House for its coverage of the President’s age. Can you talk to us a little bit about what you think is, sort of, fair game when covering the nation’s oldest president and what might be off limits?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I mean, a couple of things there that I would say on that — on the particular — particular item.
Look, you know — and, you know you — you ask me pretty regularly about the President’s age and we lay out what our perspective is. We lay out what we see — we’ve seen this president do in the last three years, which is deliver on historic — historic piece of legislation that’s going to change the lives of American for generations to come.
That — so wh- — now, to your question, more specifically, about — about the New York Times coverage, is that — that display — what we believe to be a journalistic objectivity about coverage of the President’s age speaks to why we agree with former New York Times editor Margaret Sullivan, and she says, “Maybe the Times and other major media outlets out to look in the mirror.” “Self-scrutiny and — and course correction are not among their core strengths.” And I’ll leave it there.
Q: Yeah. Has — has the President reached out to Congresswoman Tlaib following her com- — her social media posts over the weekend to vote uncommitted? And do progressives — does he believe that progressives have a right to be outraged over the administration’s handling of Israel and Gaza?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, what I’m about to say, I think, answers both questions.
So, I’m — on the first one, I’m being really careful because there’s an upcoming election — obviously, an upcoming primary. So, I’m going to be really careful.
But, as you know, the — we had se- — White House senior official, they traveled to Michigan earlier this month to hear from Muslim and Arab Americans, leaders during what has deeply pain — pain — what has been deeply painful and personal moment. We care very much about that and what the community is going through and wanted to convey that in a strong way.
Obviously, we know that this has been a difficult time, and the President cares very deeply. And importantly, it’s why he is working day and night to stop the suffering and loss of life — of life among innocent Palestinians and Israelis who have been caught in the middle of this conflict between Israel and Hamas.
And so, that is our commitment. But we understand how deeply — how deeply people feel about this. And — and we value what they have to say.
Going to be really careful on commenting specifically on — on the congresswoman. Obviously, there’s an upcoming primary.
Q: Was the President — was the President offended by Charlamagne’s comments on main — was it “main character energy” that he said is lacking?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I’m going to be really careful. Again, this is related to 2024. So, I can’t — I’m not going to speak to Charlamagne’s —
Q: No, that was related to —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And I refer you — I refer you to —
Q: I don’t think that was related to the campaign. I think that was related to how he’s handled his administration.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I have not heard — I’m going to be very honest. I have not heard Charlamagne’s comments. I know he’s had specific thoughts about 2024, So, as it relates to that, I’m going to refer you to the campaign.
Q: Any plans for the President to speak with Yulia, Aleksey Navalny’s widow?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I don’t have anything to — to read out this time. But as you all know, the Vice President met with — met with Navalny’s wife recently. But I don’t have a meeting — I don’t have a meeting with the President to — to read out at this time.
Q: Can you share anything on what priorities the President is tackling on this long trip to California?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Priorties?
Q: Phone calls? What’s he doing up there?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, the President, as always, is always working on behalf of the American people. We’ll have more on what his say looks like tomorrow. I don’t have anything beyond that.
Q: As a follow-up, last month was the worst month we’ve had in layoffs in the tech sector. Any chance that the President will address that fear it’s going to spread into the larger economy?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: It’s the largest month of what?
Q: The largest — largest lump monthly — largest — excuse me, largest layoffs in a single month in the tech sector since, I think, May of — May of 2023.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So — so, we closely monitor, obviously, all reports of Americans losing their jobs. President Biden knows what losing a job can mean for a family and entire community. You’ve heard him talk about his own personal experience growing up.
But broadly speaking, thanks to the strong economy under President Biden, layoffs are near record lows. In fact, they’re lower than the average during the prior administration, even before COVID.
As you know, unemployment is at under 4 percent. And — And, also, 3 million jobs were created just last year, more than any year under the previous administration. And companies continue to grow.
We’ve seen small business applications boom at 16 million applications in the last three years. And so, that tells you a lot about the economy.
But obviously, anytime we hear about Americans losing jobs, that’s something that we monitor.
All right,
Q: Does the President plan to meet with his son, Hunter, while he is in California? He was with —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m not — I’m not going to speak to — the President’s family.
Q: And then, is he — is he aware — is he aware or in touch with his brother James heading into his interviews with House Republicans —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I’m not —
Q: – tomorrow?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m not going to — I’m not going to speak to the President’s private conversation with his family. I never do, and I’m not going to do that now.
All right. Thanks, everybody.
Q: Thanks, Karine.
Q: Thank you very much, Karine.
February 21, 2024: A leader of the Cherokee Nation is warning Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to avoid a government shutdown, saying it would have a “devastating” impact on Indian County and the Cherokee Nation in particular. (The Hill)
A partial shutdown will begin on March 2 unless Congress takes action to extend funding. Appropriations covered by Agriculture, Energy-Water, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development bills would be the first to expire, with other appropriations running through March 8.
Congress is on recess, and the House is not set to return to Washington, D.C., until just before the first deadline.
“As the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation — the largest tribal nation in the United States with citizens in every state across the country, including Louisiana — I write to draw your attention to the devastating impact that a federal government shutdown will have not only on Cherokee Nation in particular, but also for Indian Country as a whole,” Chuck Hoskin Jr., the Cherokee Nation principal chief, write in the letter to Johnson.
The letter was addressed to Johnson on Feb 14, ahead of the annual National Congress of American Indians in Washington. He urged Johnson to “take this danger into account” as the March 1 and March 8 deadlines to pass funding bills approach.
Hoskin emphasized that essential tribal services such as health care, education programs and public safety that are funded by federal money will “be severely curtailed if Congress fails to keep the government open.”…
…If the federal government were to shut down, Hoskin said more than 142,000 Cherokee Nation citizens will not be provided with groceries, nearly 13,000 people will lose access to diabetes medication and cancer treatment and more than 1,000 will not be able to continue workplace training programs. He added that detention agreements “will have to be canceled,” which could release 85,000 “criminals before their sentences are served.”
Hoskin argued that if the federal government shuts down, it disrupts the Cherokee Nation’s ability to exercise sovereignty because it “cannot fully administer the programs that are central to our self-governance.” He added that the same is true for all tribal nations in the country, which will greatly feel the effects of a shutdown.
“I implore you, as Speaker of the House, to consider the broader implications of a government shutdown on Indian Country,” he wrote. “It is critical that the United Stats honor its commitments and responsibilities by finding a resolution that averts this crisis.”
February 21, 2024: The House Freedom Caucus pressed Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to put forward a yearlong stopgap funding bill, which would trigger automatic cuts to government spending, if he can’t win concessions on controversial conservative policy riders. (The Hill)
In a letter to Johnson on Wednesday, the hard-line conservative caucus also asked for an update regarding spending talks with Democrats ahead of a March 1 deadline to prevent a partial government shutdown.
“With the expiration of government funding rapidly approaching, negotiations continue behind closed doors and as a result, we anticipate text for likely omnibus legislation that we fear will be released at the latest moment before being rushed to the floor for a vote,” the caucus stated in the letter. “House Republicans should not be left in the dark on the status of the spending levels and hard-fought policy provisions.”
Johnson has faced pressure from his right flank to hold the line for lower spending in ongoing bipartisan talks and to push for a laundry list of policy riders related to abortion, diversity initiatives, border issues and other GOP priorities…
…The letter comes as some members have already raised concerns that Congress could be headed for another short-term funding patch next week to keep various parts of the government open as bipartisan spending talks heat up…
February 23, 2024: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, February 23, 2024
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Good afternoon, everybody.
Q: Good afternoon.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I think it’s Frid- — it’s Friday, right?
Q: (Inaudible.)
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. (Laughs.) Good point. Good point.
Okay. A couple of things at the top before we get into questions. (A cellphone rings.) Somebody wants to take that? (Laughter.) Don’t want to interrupt your call.
Okay. So, I want to address some devastating news out of Oklahoma. As a parent, I was absolutely heartbroken to learn about Nex Benedict’s death.
Every young person deserve to feel safe and supported at school.
Our hearts are with Nec- — Nex Benedict’s family, friends, entire school community in the wake of this horrific and gut-wrenching tragedy.
I know that for many LGBTQ+ students across the country, this may feel personal and deeply, deeply, painful.
The President and his administration launched the 988 line to help, and we have a line dedicated to serving LGBTQ+ young people that can be reached by dialing 988 and pressing “3”.
Though devastating tragedies like these, we must support each other and life on another up.
Now, in other news that we learned — that came out this week is how the people of Alabama woke up to shocking news.
The State Supreme Court has put access to fertility treatments for at risk families who are desperately trying to get pregnant.
It’s unimaginable for people who want to become parents, and it’s a devastating example of the kind of chaos and confusion that has resulted from the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
There are reports that families seeking fertility care don’t know what to do or where to turn. Doctors are afraid to pr- — of prosecution. And families in other states are worried they might be next.
But this is not the first time reproductive care has been disrupted in Alabama, a state where women are already living under a total abortion ban. The state has no exceptions for rape or incest.
This is the same state whose Attorney General threatened to prosecute people who help women travel out of state to seek the care they need.
And it’s not just Alabama. We’re seeing this chaos play out across the country.
The day Roe fell is the day that the floodgates opened for Republican elected officials to dictate some of the most personal decisions families can make.
Now, as a result:
Twenty-one states have abortion bans in effect. In nearly all states, doctor can be charged with a felony for simply doing their jobs.
Twenty-seven million women of reproductive age now live in states with abortion bans.
Over 380 state bills restricting access to abortion care were introduced just last year.
And congressional Republicans have proposed three national abortion bans.
It doesn’t stop there. Believe it or not, it doesn’t stop there.
Birth control access is under attack. Women are bring denied care for ectopic pregnancy. And now, with this decision out of Alabama — Alabama, IVF is under attack.
So, we want to be really clear here: It is absolutely unacceptable to this administration when women are denied the care that they need. It is unacceptable.
President Biden and Vice President Harris will continue to fight to protect access to reproductive healthcare and call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law for all women in every state.
Now, as you saw this mo- — morning, we are excited to announce that on March 1st, President Biden will welcome Prime Minister Meloni of Italy to the White House to reaffirm the strong relationship between the United States and Italy.
The leaders will discuss shared approaches to address global challenges, including their commitment to continue supporting Ukraine as it confront’s Russia’s aggressions, preventing regional escalation in the Middle East and delivering humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, developments in North Africa, and close trans- –transatlantic coordination regarding the People’s Republic of China.
They will also discuss Italy’s G7 presidency and coordinate in advance the N- — of the NATO Summit in Washington.
And finally, earlier today, you heard directly from the President when he delivered remarks and issued a statement to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine tomorrow.
We mourn — we mourn the many Ukrainian lives who have been lost as a result of Russia’s unprovoked and unlawful war, and we are committed — committed to com- — continuing to support the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s vicious and brutal war in Ukraine.
As part of that commitment, we sanctioned over 500 targets today to impost additional costs on Russia for its repression, human rights abuses, and aggression against Ukraine.
The Department of Commerce is adding more than 90 companies to the Entry List for their activities in support of Russia’s defense-industrial base and war effort.
And the Department of State is designating three Russian individuals who were connected to Navalny’s imprisonment and the Russian government’s harsh treatment of him.
The U.S. government has designated over 4,000 entities and individuals in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine over the past two years, the strongest set of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy.
And we will continue — we will continue to take actions to ensure Mr. Putin pays an — an — a steeper price for his aggression abroad, the repression at home.
At the same time, we need House Republicans to take actions to join us — to join us in standing up to Putin and to take action by passing the national security supplemental bill to sure we can continue to support Ukraine.
Time is of the essence and Ukraine cannot afford for House Republicans to continue to delay.
Before I continue, we will have the week ahead later to all of you. I don’t have that in front of me at this time. But, obviously, we’ll share that with all of you.
Go ahead, Zeke.
Q: Thanks, Karine. We’ve heard some sharp works from the President, from yourself, criticism of the Speaker for not bringing up the Ukraine aid to the floor. Has the President reached out directly to the Speaker at all sine their last conversation a month ago?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, we have – — I don’t have a — a call to read out to you about a call between the President or — and the Speaker.
You — look, want to be very clear here. We’ve been — we’ve been — and it’s been clear to all of you, and you’ve all have reported this as well. We know for a fact that if this bill — this national security supplemental were to go to the floor, it would get bipartisan support. This is in the House — in the House, obviously. We know that House Republicans would support this. We know that House Democrats would support this.
All — all he needs to do — all the Speaker needs to do is bring this to the floor — it will get support — instead of playing political — political games here, instead of playing political stunts.
And you all have reported — I believe Politico reported — how there is no direction for this — for this — for this Republican co — caucus in the House. They don’t have a plan. And it’s easy to do.
This is something — and I’m going to be really blunt here. Lives are at stake. If you think about what’s happening in Ukraine, if you think about what’s happening in the Middle East, live are at stake here. This is about saving lives, and they can get this done.
This is also about the national security of the American people. So, if he truly stands with the American people, he would get this done. Put it on the floor. It will get bipartisan support. Put it on the floor. Stop playing political games.
Q: In your topper, you mentioned the Alabama decision. Is there any actions the federal government can take or is looking at taking to try and help women who are trying to get in vitro fertilization services? (Inaudible.) hospital network that — that stopped the practice now?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look — and, look, I don’t have anything to share at this time. I know you’re asking me are there any policy actions — right? — that we can take from here. Look, what we will say here is that the fix here is — is not — is — is Roe v. Wade. That’s the fix. That’s how we get to a place where we fix what’s going on and stop the chaos that we’re seeing in these states.
That’s the fix. It is a legislative fix that needs to come from Congress. That’s what we need to get — to get a place to.
I don’t have anything to announce here. But it is unimaginable of what families are now having to deal with and how this could spread to other states. And this is the chaos — the chaos that comes from the Dobbs decision, that comes form what Republicans have been doing since the Dobbs decision.
And so, we have to get this right. We have to get this fixed by making sure Congress acts and gets Roe — become — makes Roe the law of the land. The courts got it wrong. The courts got it wrong in this.
Q: And then, last from me. Last month, the President said that he did not have any additional executive authority to act on with regard to the border. He met with governors this morning, where he apparently told them that he was frustrated with his lawyers and seemed frustrated with his lawyers as he’s trying to devise some executive actions. We did some reporting on that in the last couple of days as well.
So, is the President currently contemplating any additional executive actions on the border? What are they, and when will we see that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we don’t have any actions to — to announce today — no decisions. And this is something that I’ve actually spoken to the President about. No decisions have been made on this.
Here’s what we know, and here’s the bottom line. There is no executive action — no executive action that the President can take — no matter how aggressive it could be, can deliver the significant policy reforms and additional — additional resources that Congress could have provided that Republicans rejected. Right?
There’s nothing — no actions that he could take that would have been — that would be as – as — as tough, as fair as this bipartisan — bipartisan legislation that came out of the Senate, obviously, that we worked on for — for months.
And that’s what would have actually dealt with this, what was happening at the border, dealt with the immigration situation. And this is what Republicans rejected.
And so, look, I don’t have any decisions to — to make at this time. What we believe is that piece of legislation that came out — bipartisan piece of legislation that came out of the Senate, that would have been the way to move forward here.
And, again, Republicans in the House decided to block that. They denied to go a political direction. They decided on issues, on policies that were included in there that they believed in — that they, at one point, believed that’s how to move forwards to deal with the border — they — they rejected it.
And so, again, don’t have anything to announce at this time or any decisions — to be even more clear, any decisions that have been made right now. But we had something at — on the table that came out of the Senate in a bipartisan way, and they decided — and they rejected it, meaning the Republicans in the House.
Go ahead, Selina.
Q: Thanks, Karine. On the Alabama IVF ruling. How concerned should American families be that this could spread to other conservative states? And does this president need to do more than simply calling for the codification of Roe v. Wade? Does he need to go further here, siren this does deal with —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look —
Q: — a separate issue?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And I hear your — your — your question here. Yeah, they should be concerned. They should be concerned. On your first part of your question, they should be concerned that this should — could spread in other states.
This is the chaos that has come out of the Dobbs decision. This is the chaos that has come out of — of getting ri- — rid of Roe, which was the law of the land for almost 50 years.
And so, look, what needs to happen — I mean, the way that we fix this or the way that we get to a place where women feel protected, where women can make decisions on their own body, where families can make a decision or how to move forward in – in growing their family or starting a family is the law of the land. That’s the fix. That’s what needs to happen.
And there is — that is the — the best way to move forward here.
Q: And on the border deal. The President had earlier said that he was out of options when it comes to executive actions. Does the fact that he’s considering other actions mean that there as more he could have done earlier?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I —
Q: So, what changed here?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m going to be very clear. The bottom line, the only way to — we could have had move forward — we could move forward in an effective, more comprehensive way was to move forward with the bipartisan — bipartisan legislation that came out of the Senate. That was the way that we believe would have been a fair — it was a — one of the toughest, one of the fairest bipartisan border security bills that we have seen in decades.
It would have dealt with giving resources that’s needed at the border. It would have dealt with policy issues as it relates to immigration. And that’s what — the way we should have moved forward.
A couple of things it would have done: establish a fair — a more efficient process for asylum claims with consequences for those who do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States; provide more resources to secure the border and process claims — Border Patrol agents, law enforcement personnel, and detection technology to combat fentanyl trafficking, asylum officers and immigration judges; make our country safer, our border more secure, while treating people fairly and humanely, consistent with our values as a nation.
Republicans rejected this bipartisan agreement that came out of the Senate. That’s something that the President worked with in a bipartisan way, obviously, with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate for months. They rejected that.
And we believe that is the direction — that is the bottom line for us. That’s what — that’s the way we should have moved forward. We just — I don’t have anything to announce or any decision that’s been made.
Q: Just really quickly, though.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: Roe v. Wade versus trying to protect women’s rights to IVF treatment: They are two separate things. So, is the administration looking at protections for the latter?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I don’t have anything t share on any policy changes of any policy updates for all of you. We have to understand how this started. This started because of what happened with Roe — the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe, something that was a — a — you know, a Roe was — was — was, you know, constitutional for almost 50 years — almost 50 years. And that got overturned.
And the moment that got overturned, that day, Republicans started to work and take action. I just mentioned 380 pieces of legislation to go against what women’s — difficult decisions that women need — women need to make about their bodies, about their family, about how they’re going to move forward, about the care that they need — 380 pieces of legislation across the country. That’s what is happening. That’s what’s happening right now.
And so, the chaos has been started — was started that day that happened — the day Roe was overturned. And the only way to fix this — the best way to fix this is to restore Roe.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Karine. The President made an appeal this morning to governors at the White House, asking them to kind of go back to their states and talk with their congressional lawmakers about passing the Ukraine aid bill. I’m wondering if that is sort of the next course of action where you’re thinking about targeting the Speaker and top House Republicans in their districts.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, the President had an opportunity to — to engage with governors of both — obviously of both parties, which is something that he does yearly. And they have important — important items to speak on — to speak to on the agenda. And obviously, this is a — this is an issue that governors care about.
We know that even with the bipartisan deal for the border security, obviously, that came out of the Senate, we got support from governors. We go letters from governors. We got letters from that included c- — mayors from — from the cities that were being affected. So, we know that we got support from them.
And so, one way, obviously to get the Speaker to do his job and put it — put it on the floor and actually take it up is for governors to speak up as well.
And I believe that they have. Obviously, the letter was a key part of that.
And so, look, there are — there are many, many items on the agenda to discuss. This is something that’s important when you think about immigration, when you think about what’s happening at the border and how it’s affecting these — these states, these governors.
So, yeah, I think it’s important for — one way the President to show leadership and also say — and — and governor to show leadership is to — to be very clear what this means to them, to their constituents back at home.
Q: Are you planning to follow up with them in, you know, the next week if they have had those conversations?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, we’ve been in regular touch with governors. Obviously, we – there was a billion dollars that we were able to secure to help governors deal with the — the migrant situation, the migrant issue over the past several months.
So, we’ve been in constant communications with governors, with mayors. And so, those conversations continue.
What you were able to see is the President leaning in and showing how important it is to move wit the — with the bipartisan deal, as it relates to the border — obviously, border security and — and also, obviously, the national security supplemental, since we are — we are speaking about the — the two-year anniversary tomorrow of Ukraine being — being attacked by Russia.
So, all of these things are important. We’re talking about our national security — our national security — the importance of our national security for the American people. And we’re also talking about our border and what we need to do to make sure that we deal with the border challenges.
Q: I have a quick one on the meeting that he had in California with Navalny’s family. We did see the readout that you put out. You know, the President has spoken a little bit on it. But what specific assurances did he offer Yulia? Because the sanctions package was already in the works — right? — to mark the anniversary of the two-year war.
What did he tell the Navalny family that he can do?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So —
Q: — to protect them? I mean, did he advise her not to go back to Russia?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m going to be really careful and not speak to a private conversation that the President had. That is something that we don’t do here. I’m not going to go beyond the readout.
But, yes, was the — was the sanction package in motion before Nalvany’s death? Yes. As you — as you know, tomorrow will be a two-year anniversary.
But we added to the package — obviously added additional sanctions once we learned about Nalvany’s death.
So, both are true. In this case, both can be. true and are true. And so, I just am not going to go beyond a conversation — a private conversation.
Q: Did he ask her not to go back to Russia?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m not — I’m just not going to do that. Obviously, it is her decision to make. I’m just one going to get into — into private conversations.
Go ahead.
Q: Border deal aside, the White House is actively discussing taking executive action on the border, as the governors mentioned earlier today, and as we reported. So, why now? Is the border deal just a jumping off point to new executive actions that the President can take?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m not going to comment on any individual policy option that’s being speculated in the media. I’m just not going to do that.
What we have been very clear — the bottom line is the way to have moved forward was with this border deal. That’s the way —
Q: But there is executive actions that are now being considered that weren’t considered before. So, why?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m not — I’m not going to get into policy discussions that are possibly happening or — or how — however it’s being reported. I’m just not going to get into that.
What I can say is the bottom line here: We believe no executive action, no matter how aggressive it could be or — or could look would have been as — as significant as the border deal that came out of the Senate in a bipartisan way. No action.
And let’s not forget: Republicans rejected that. And so, don’t have anything to go — to go on beyond that.
Q: On Alabama. What’s your message to the clinics in Alabama that have proactively paused IVF-treatments? Are they making the right call?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I can’t speak to the decisions that the clinics are making. That is for them. They are, you know — you know, there are safety concerns. There’s legal concerns that they out to weigh and decide on.
What we can speak to is the chaos that has been created because of the overturning of Roe, and we see this. And it is devastating. It is dangerous to women.
And so, what we’re going to do is continue to speak out against that and make it very clear that — that the court decision that was made was wrong. And — and, yeah, you know what? This could — this could get spread. This could go beyond Alabama. And that is a scary thought for many families across the country, certainly many women across the country.
Q: Last question. You mentioned there’s no readout with the President and the House Speaker. The — one of the — one of the messages in the G7 call, according to John Kirby, will be that the President will do everything he can to get Congress to pass that funding. Has there been any reach-out from the White House to try to get a call or meeting in the books since he is the person between that funding and the White House?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I — I get the question. But let’s not forget, for the past several months, NSC and other parts of, obviously, the President’s administration have had regular conversation. You’ve heard Jake Sullivan speak to going over to House and the Senate to talk to Republicans and Democrats about the aid, the importance of the Ukraine aid.
You’ve heard that conversation. You’ve heard him say this from this podium. And we also know there is bipartisan support. We saw it coming out of the Senate. And there’s bipartisan support in the House.
What the Speaker — the pressure here needs to be on the Speaker. The Speaker needs to do his job and actually take this up, put it to the — if he were to put it to the floor, it would have bipartisan support.
But we’ve been doing our job. We’ve been having those conversations with congressional members. And, you know, it’s — it’s unfortunate that the Speaker chooses to turn this into a political — a political football here.
This is not what this is about. This is about our national security. This is about the American people.
Go ahead, Ed.
Q: On the sanctions —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — that were unveiled today. What makes these sanctions any more effective than the hundreds announced before?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. So, a couple of things, as I just mentioned. So, first of all, these sanctions are cumulative, so we have to look at it in that way. These are 500 new targeted sanctions that are now being sanctioned — the targets are being sanctioned for the first time, so that’s important to note.
These targets are within Russia’s defense industrial base, its financial system, and it will continue to impost costs on Russia to make it harder to carry out its brutal war and vicious war in Ukraine.
We will continue to make sure that we hold Putin’s aggression accountable and raise the cost on his — on — not — not just him but also his enablers. But we also, as I’ve said — as I stated, we need Congress to act. They need to do their job. They need to provide the assistance that Ukrainians need to continue to fight Putin’s brutal war.
That’s what they need to do. They need to be able to make sure that we provide Ukraine’s — Ukrainians with the assistance to defend themselves. And so, we are continuing to urge the Speaker. Again, if the Speaker were to put this on the floor, we would see bipartisan support for the national security bill.
Q: I guess, asked another way, you’ve — there have been 4,000 sanctions now in the last two years. It hasn’t stopped the war. So, to what extent — or how should the success of these sanctions even be measured —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look –
Q: — if that hasn’t happened?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, I totally get the question. Look, we believe they’ve been effective. Right? That’s what we believe. The goal of sanction export control is to increase — again, increase the cost of — Mr. Putin and his enablers. And it’s clear that our sanctions and imports controls are having an impact.
And so — it’s not just them. It’s — obviously, Russia had been forced — because of we’re — we’re raising the stakes on Russia and their — and his enablers, we see Russia being forced — right? — to turn to countries like Iran and North Korea to get the arms and ammunition it needs to carry out this war.
And I want to read — I want to just lay out an example from Bloomberg. Bloomberg reported last month that Russia’s government has tapped almost half the national wealth funds available — available reserves as it pours money into the — its defense budget at the expense of Russia’s other needs.
When you think about Putin’s own oil c- — own oil czar, the have li — he’s linked the fact that Russia has been force to sell its oil at heavily discounted prices to our coalition’s increased enforcement of oil — oil price cap in recent months.
So, we have seen the impact, we believe. Again, this is cumulative, what we were able to sanction — again 500 additional targets. And we believe that it has had an impact.
Q: On the Alabama IVF ruling, you have spoken out just here yesterday and forcefully about it. The Vice President did yesterday and continues to on her national tour. The President tweeted about it and issued a written statement.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: When might we see him more publicly speak out about this issue? We keep hearing — at least we keep hearing from voters and Democrats who say, “Where is he on this? Why isn’t he talking about –“
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, I’ve —
Q: “- an issue of such urgent concern?” Presidential focus, time statement in public instead of on paper is very different than sending you out here or tweeting about it or sending the Vice President on the road. So —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, Ed. I think the President has spoken about what the attack on reproductive rights — what the attack on women being able to make choices on behalf of — of their own healthcare and getting the healthcare that they need, the actions that he has taken, whether it’s executive actions and what, obviously, his agencies have been able to do — DOJ, HHS — I mean, those have been done because of this President, and he has spoken to this many times.
The day that Roe was overturned, you heard from the President. The President was the only person that spoke to this on — on that day. And I would argue that a statement from the President is incredibly powerful, is important. He spoke to this through — through his statement, And the President has been very clear where he stands.
He believes that we need to continue to protect women’s right to make a decision, reproductive rights decision — reproductive health decision, pardon me. And that’s where we’re going to continue to be. That’s where he’s going to continue to be. And we’ve been very clear about that.
Q: We’ve asked about this before. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is once again concerned they are not being brought into conversations about potential executive orders and other actions taken by the White House, saying that what they’re reading about, at least, is unacceptable them and they haven’t had much dialogue with the White House about it. Are there any plans to — to remedy that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, first, we —
Q: To meet with them?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No decisions have been made. I want to be very, very, clear about that, again. And I would say that we are in regular communication, regular contact with members of — of the Hispanic Caucus, members of the Progressive Caucus, just members of —
Q: Well, they claim they’re not.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: From my understanding, and I’ve asked about this, we’ve been in regular communications with them. And so, obviously, we respect – we respect congressional members. We work — we work very closely with them on many, many issues.
We’ve been in regular communication and regular contact. We just don’t have any decisions to make on any executive actions. And we don’t have any decisions that have been made. And that may be why they haven’t been talked to about that particular issue.
But I would say, as it relates to immigration, as it releases to what we’ve been trying to do, certainly, as it related to the bipartisan agreement that came out of the Senate, we were in regular discussion. No decision has been made. No decision has been made here.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. We know what the governors told us that the President told them about the border and what he’s considering with regards to executive actions. Just for the sake of clarity, can you tell us what the President told them?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m just not going to go into private conversations. I’m just not. The governors can speak for themselves. I’m just not going to go into it.
Q: Okay. And Tammy Duckworth, the senator from Illinois, is talking about legislation that could protect IVF at the federal level. If Congress were to pass legislation to protect IVF, would President Biden sign it?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I have not seen the legislation. I have not talked to our Office of Leg Affairs about it. So, I want to be super careful here. Obviously, Tammy Duckworth, the senator, is a — is a close colleague, someone we’ve worked very closely with. So, I just would need to talk to our Office of Leg Affairs.
We believe the best way, honestly, to get this done, as it relates to the chaos that has been created, is to get Roe to — to become law of the land, and that’s something Congress can do. I just — I want to be careful. I just don’t want to speak to that particular legislation.
Q: And are you actively trying to get additional funding for the Border Patrol or some of the other funds to help deal with the border situation added to the CR or whatever vehicle might have to move to avoid a government shutdown?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we’re always having active conversations on what else we can to do make — to deal with the challenges at the border, obviously. Don’t have anything specific to lay out on additional funding. Obviously, there was additional funding that we requested in that border security supplemental.
Obviously, there would have been additional funding if the House — House Republicans would have moved forward with that bipartisan agreement that came out of the Senate and Republicans didn’t reject it outright. Obviously, that would have been helpful to what’s happening, the challenges at the border. I just don’t have anything to share on the specifics.
Go ahead, (inaudible.)
Q: Several on the border, Karine. But the northern one, it’s not as dramatic as in the south, but there are different and more and more reports on migrants crossing the border to come to the U.S. Is the administration worried? Is it in contact with the Canadian government to try and stop the flow?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, we are in constant communication with our Canadian counterparts, obviously, on a range of issues that — including migrants attempting to cross the border. Don’t have any new announcements to make. But we are constantly having those conversations with our counterparts in Canada. I just don’t have anything for you at this time.
Q: How worried is the administration that it’s happening more and more (inaudible)?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, I’m not going to — to put a gauge on this on how worried we are. But we do have constant communication with our counterparts on a range of issues, including the one that you just laid out to me.
Q: And on the sanctions. The Canadian government today, in parallel, announced its own package of sanctions against Russians and Russian entities. How — how was the coordination happening the — the planning of all of this?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, obviously, I just laid out that we are in constant communication with our Canadian counterparts on a range of issues. Obviously, Canada has been a — a strong partner with us, along with 50 other — 50 — or 49 other countries — obviously, NAT- — including NATO — NATO Alliance, as well, and what the President has been able to do to bring a strong front as it relates to helping Ukraine beat back with Russia’s aggression.
I don’t have any specific conversations to lay out on how that coordination — potential coordination worked. But we are in constant communication with our Canadian counterparts.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Karine. On the consideration of these new executive orders for the border. What changed between the time President Biden said, “We are a nation who says, ‘If you want to flee and you’re fleeing oppression, you should come,” and now?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t understand. What — what do you mean? The — your question, I don’t get —
Q: As a candidate —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — how it’s connected to the —
Q: — President Biden was telling people to come to the border. So, what has changed since then?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I don’t have a context of this quote that you’re giving me. But what I will say is this. The President took this issue very seriously of what is happening at the border and what — and the immigration system as a whole. Right?
And we have said over and over again, this is a system that has been broken for decades, under the last administration, as you know, which was a Republican administration, and other administrations before that. And he took this so seriously that the first piece of legislation that he put forth on day one was on immigration reform. That is what counts, and that is what matters.
And for the past several months, we worked with Republican senators and also Democrats in the Senate to try to come up with a fair and tough piece of legislation that would deal with border security. That was — let’s not forget — endorsed by the border union patrol.
And that’s how seriously the President has taken it. We’ve done this for months, and House Republicans have gotten in the way. The Speaker has gotten in the way.
And so, we want to deal with this issue. This is an issue that a majority of Americans care about. House Republicans, the Speaker got in the way.
The question really is for the Speaker: What changed? Speaker Johnson, what’s changed?
Q: Something else President Biden has promised is a more humane border policy than Trump. So, why would he even be considering now a border policy that is more similar to Trump?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What border policy are you talking about?
Q: Well, Axios is reporting that the legal authority Biden is considering using powered Trump’s Muslim ban and similar sweeping restrictions at the border.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m not going to get into — get into or comment on individual policy option that’s being speculated right now. As I said before, no decisions have been made. We want to make sure — the President has been very clear: He wants to make sure that our country is safer, and we need more Border Security, abv — obviously, to secure our border. We’ve been very clear about that. And we want to do it while treating people fairly and humanely, and that is consistent with our values.
But, look, Republicans continue to get in the way. Speaker Johnson has gotten in the way of this. And so, a lot of these questions are for him.
We did our job. The Senate did their job in a bipartisan way on — there are provisions in that — polic- –policies that are in that legislation that Republicans agreed with at some point, not very long ago — just last year — that they agreed with. And now they’re rejecting it.
Go ahead.
Q: Karine, with regards to the sanctions on Russia, you mentioned that previous sanctions, you said, had ben effective, in part, because Russia was forced to go to other countries like Iran and North Korea to get resources.
Still, though, the war is not over. How can you make the argument that those sanctions have been effective if they’re still getting those resources from those other countries, whenever they get them from?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, we believe — and I just laid this out moments ago — that we have seen an impact. I talked about Bloomberg. I talked about what their — Putin’s own oil czar has had to do. I mean, this is the — I mean, what we have been able to impose on — on Russia has been pretty significant. It has been pretty significant, when you think about the — another major economy — the most that we’ve ever been able to do on any major economy. And as — as I’ve stated, this is cumulative. Right? This is a — this is a continuation. And we believe, as has been reported, that we have seen — that we have seen some impact here.
We’re going to continue to use every tool — every tools in our — in our tool belt, obviously. We’re going to develop — developing new tools to make it harder and costlier for Russia to fuel its war machine. That’s why we’re going to do. And at the same time, we need Congress to do their jobs, we need House Republicans, we need the Speaker to put on the floor a national security supplemental plan that we believe and we know will get bipartisan support.
We’ve heard from Republicans in the House; we’ve heard from, obviously, Democrats in the House. That’s what we need the — the House to do.
Q: And on the border. I know you’ve said you couldn’t or wouldn’t get into specific executive actions being considered or not considered. But bottom line: As a — as a policy, does the administration believe that asylum laws need to be strengthened?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m going to be —
Q: And — but the reas- — the —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I know. I know.
Q: I know, but the reason I asked that is that the bipartisan bill — and you said the President would sign it–
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, he would.
Q: — would strengthen asylum laws. So, I just want to be sure: The administration does believe that asylum laws need to be strengthened?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Obviously, because it was in — as you just stated — in the bipartisan legislation that came out of the Senate that the President’s team worked very closely on. I just want to be very, very clear and very careful. Decisions haven’t been made. I’m not going to get into any internal — internal policy — individual policy, pardon me, option that’s being speculated in the press. I’m just not going to do that from here. But no decision has been made.
Q: And finally, on a separate topic. I know the U.S. has had a complicated relationship with Mexico before. I wanted to get the White House’s reaction to President López Obrador doxing a New York Times reporter in a press conference.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, well, I — well, I’ve not seen that. Obviously, that’s not something we support. We believe in the freedom of the press, obviously, which is why we do this on — on — almost a daily basis.
And we — we — it is important for the press to be able to report on issues that matter to the American people freely in an — in a way that, obviously, you all feel secure and safe and in a way that you’re not being doxied or attacked. That is — you know, that is something that we will, obviously, reject.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Karine. One follow-up on Nex Benedict and then another one on a —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — separate subject. Given that Nex’s family said they had been bullied in the months prior to their death, specifically about their gender identity, and the family also says that Nex was physically assaulted the day prior their death, does the White House think that this case should be the subject of a federal hate crime investigation?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m going to be really careful. That is something for the Department of Justice to decide on. I cannot speak to that. Obviously, our hearts go out to — to Nex Benedict’s family. It is a tragedy that is awful.
And I said at the beginning, and I’ll say it again: Every kid should feel safe and should feel protected when they go to school. And this should not be the case.
And I said this at the beginning, and I’ll say it again: Every kid should feel safe and should feel protected when they go to school. And this should not be the case.
But that is something — as far as any legal action, that’s something for the Department of Justice to decide.
Q: And then the Florida Surgeon General defied CDC guidelines this week suggesting it’s fine to send unvaccinated kids to school amid a measles outbreak there. This comes as the CDC says that routine childhood vaccinations hit a 10-year low in 2023, putting about a quarter of a million kindergartners at risk for measles.
Does the administration support tightening the kinds of philosophical and religious exemptions that are increasingly being used to defy school childhood vaccine mandates? And what else is the administration doing to promote the importance of childhood vaccines, especially against the backdrop of this nationwide uptick in measles outbreaks?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, just a — a couple of things. As it relates to the outbreak, the CDC is actively monitoring these cases. And as you know, we have — the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response remains in close and regular contact as we continue to — to work and monitor what’s going on on the ground.
And we want to make sure that communities feel safe, obviously. So any questions on — specifically on that, I would refer you to the CDC.
Look, you know, responding to measles outbreaks, which are now, obviously, occurring in every region of he world is a priority for this administration. Meas- — measles, as you know, is highly contagious, infect- — infectious — contagious infection. But it is easily prevented with routine child- — childhood vaccines.
We are providing technical support to the — for example, to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, and we are donating, as well — to makes sure there is a vaccine alliance, which has provided millions of measles and other vaccine doses to low- and low-middle income countries.
So, we are monitoring this. It is important that, obviously we do everything we can to mitigate the situation. But CDC is actively aware, obv, — obviously, actively monitoring these cases that we’re seeing across the country.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Karine. So, in addition to the sanctions, is the President supportive of, you know, confiscating frozen Russian assets and using it for Ukraines reconstruction?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, a couple of things, because this is a little bit complicated. And I want to take a step back for the folks who — who are, clearly, watching this briefing. I understand that you all understand this.
But in 2 — 2022, we worked together with our allies and partners to quickly immobilize almost $300 billion of Russia’s sovereign assets that they had held internationally when they launched their brutal invasion of Ukraine. That joint action to cut off Russia’s access to a significant amount of funds has made it much riskier for Russia to fund its war against the Ukrainian people and boost their defense spending while also mana- — managing their economy.
So, now we’re going to continue to be in active conversation with our allies and partners, including the G7, as well as members of Congress, on additional steps to seize Russia’s aggres- — to seize Russians’ — Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and to ensure Russia pays for the damage it has caused.
I don’t have any new announcement to make. But it is a bit complicated because, as I said, we’re talking about international — kind of an int- — it’s been held internationally. So, it is a little bit more complicated.
Q: Are there other countries who are planning to, you know, take that action?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would refer you to other countries. I can’t speak for other countries here. But I just wanted to make sure we laid out it is complicated. It is not as simple as it — as it may seem. But, certainly, don’t have any new announcements to make at this time.
Go ahead, Karen.
Q: Thanks. What’s the view from the White House right now about how conversations are going about government funding and spending bills next week — or ahead of next week’s significant deadlines —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I mean —
Q: — for a shutdown?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, and we’re — you know, we’ve been here before and we’ve always been very clear: House Republicans have a job to do. Their basic duty is to keep the government open. They need not to play politics here. They need not to play politics here. They need to get this done. We’ve been very clear about that. And — and it is their job.
If you think about it, and I’ve talked about it before, House Republicans — two thirds of the House Republicans voted for the deal last year. And just early this year, they reaffirmed that deal. So, what’s the problem? What’s the problem here? They need to get this done. They need to get this done.
There are important programs that the American people need. And so, they need to move forward and make sure we keep the government open.
Q: I feel like I’ve asked you this before deadlines. But are you anticipating another short-term funding bill, another CR? And is the President okay with that this time around too?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I’m not going to get into legislative negotiations from here. But, look, it is — we got to be really clear. Like, these are programs that are critical, that are important to the American people. And it needs to get done. It needs to get done.
So, I’m not going to get into negotiations from here. House Republicans need to do their jobs here. They need to get to work. And they need to make sure that we — they avoid, they prevent a needless shutdown.
Q: And are White House officials involved in any conversational like Leg Affairs, with congressional leaders this weekend about getting closer to something?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I can say that OMB — OMB and our Leg Affairs team are in touch with lawmaker from both parties every day on the need to keep the government open.
But, again, this is — this — this problem is a problem of the House Republicans’ making. It’s not something that we can fix for them. This is something that they can deal with. This is something that they actually need to get to work here. They need to get to work.
Go ahead, Ed.
Q: Thanks, Karine. I want to try a little bit different on the executive actions, possibly, on the border. Th bills are stalled. So, why wait three years, now, in to take alternatives or take possible executive actions on the border?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What are you talking about?
Q: Well, you mentioned the — the bill, the when — the first week in office, the President issued his bill for that — for immigration reform and then the negotiated Senate bill. Those are both stalled. The House is not taking them up.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I think you’re seeing it very differently than we are. We’re saying that the President took it very seriously. He took it very seriously by taking action on day one, putting forward a comprehensive immigration policy legislation that he wanted Congress to act on. They did not act on it.
We – we taken actions on our own. And we’ve been able to secure some funding to deal with what we’ve seen at the border. But we need more. We need more. And we’ve said this. We have said this for the past three years. And House Republicans have continued to get in the way.
In the last couple of months, we worked with Senate Republicans and Democrats for — for several months to come up with a border security that is tough, that is fair, that’s supported — that was endorsed by the Border Patrol union. The Border Patrol union endorsed this — this legislation. Repu- Republicans rejected it.
So, this is — this is something for Republicans in the House to speak to. We’ve worked with the Senate in a bipartisan way to get this done, to actually deal with an issue that matters to the American people, in a bipartisan way. And House Republicans have allowed politics to get in the way.
And Speaker Johnson left early after — if you think about the national security supplemental that had to — we had to take out — they had to take out the border security from it because that’s what the Speaker wanted. That was done out of the Senate. It was passed. And then, the Speaker went home early and is gone. He went on — they — he went on vacation early.
And so, this is — this is truly a question for the Speaker.
Q: Well — but my question is — is: Now we’re hearing about executive actions that could be taken. Why wait this long —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I have been very —
Q: — to look at executive actions?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’ve been very clear: We have made no decisions on that. I’m not going to get into policy discussions or hypotheticals that we’re hearing right now. Be very clear.
But the focus here should be what happened in the Senate in a bipartisan way that Republicans have rejected. That is — that is the reality that we’re in here, Ed. That’s that reality.
Q: And then one more, if I may. In fiscal year 2023, at the border, there were 24,000 Chinese nationals that had illegally crossed and 288 were deported. And the National Border Patrol Council President says that the vast majority of them coming across now are military-aged men. What’s the level of concern for the White House about these military-aged men?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, this is a — this is — continues to be a concern for this — for this administration. So well — we’ll just start there. But speaking specifically to individuals just in general who pose a — a risk to public safety and national security regardless of nationality, they are detained as they undergo immigration proceedings and are removed if they do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States.
Global migration is at the highest since World War Two. And that means we we work with our international par- — partners to bolster their enforcement capabilities while expanding economic opportunities and lawful pathways.
That’s what we’ve been able to do for migrants deserving of protection, specifically under the President’s Los Angeles Declaration for Migration and Protection and Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity.
And again, I go back to that bipartisan agreement that came out of the Senate. And that would have been a — a step forward here. It would have been a piece of legislation that — that, as I’ve said, would have been tough, it would have been fair, and it was endorsed by the Border Patrol union, and Republicans in — in the House rejected it.
Go ahead, Gerren.
Q: Thanks, Karine. A group of progressive lawmakers led by Congresswoman Barbara Lee and 200 organizations sent a letter to the President this week urging him to take executive action, including executive orders, to advance a range of bills that have been introduced by Democrats that have been stalled in Congress, including H.R. 40, which the President said he supports, to create a reparations commission, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act, as well as resolutions to protect Black history and create a banned books weeks in — in light of these bans we’ve been seeing in states like Florida.
Has the White House received this letter? And does the President believe that his racial justice agenda has been effective? And does he think that he — he can do more through executive action?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, let me just say that a lot of — and, yes, we have received the letter, and a lot of the items in that letter that has been — the issues that have been outlined is some of the — is some of the causes that the President has championed over the past three years.
The President has taken, as you know, historic actions as it relates to voting rights here, strengthening voting rights on the federal level. He’s taken action to raise wages. Let’s not forget the actions that he’s taken — because he’s taken the actions on building an economy from the bottom up, middle out, we have seen, as it relates to unemployment for the Black community. When he walked in, it was a 9 percent. Now it’s at 5 percent. Always more work to be done. But that matters.
Black wealth has jumped up to 60 percent since the pre-pandemic days.
He supports a study of reparations and continues the — as — and the continuing impacts of slavery and signed an executive order to — to deal with racial equality on his very first day in office, as it relates to the federal government and what agencies can do better. And also, you know, he’s spoken about banning of books as it relates to Black history.
So, the President is going to — is committed to making sure that we address racial inequalities here, and he’s going to take — continue — and he’s going to continue to take action to make sure no communities are left behind. And as I just stated, he’s taken historic executive action on this issue.
This is a priority for this President. When he walked into this administration, he talked about the different — the different crises that our country was dealing with: climate change, it was COVID at the time, the economy at the time. Racial inequality was part of that a well.
And so, he’s committed. He’s committed.
(Speaking to an aide.) I know. You’re trying to get me. (Laughs.)
Go ahead, sir.
Q: Thank you. During last year, in December, the administration sold weapons to Israel, bypassing Congress. Why can’t the U.S. do the same for Ukraine right here and right now, given their desperate need of weaponry?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, we need — we actually need funding. We need this — we need this funding in order to get Ukraine what they need. It’ gone. You’ve heard — you’ve heard — you’ve heard the Admiral speak to this from the podium. It’s gone. There is no more.
We need Congress to do its job and pass much-needed assistance — security assistance that the Ukraine’s need — Ukrainians need.
Q: But we’re talking about a sale of weaponry.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: If there’s — I mean, there’s a lot more to this, right? There is actual — their actual funding that we need to make sure that we get so that DOD and that the — obviously, the Pentagon can do what it needs to do in order to give the — to give the security assistance that is needed, to give — to give the — to give the weapons that they need to pro- — to fight against Ukrainians’ aggression.
You’ve heard the Admiral speak to this today on his — in his gaggle, and you’ve heard him talk about this multiple times.
There are — there is an assistance that we have to provide them. That is — it’s not a — we just don’t have it now. We’re done.
Q: If there — if there is no success on the Hill, would you consider selling weapons to Ukraine?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, the way to deal with this is to pass this national security supplemental. The way to actually help the people of Ukraine to fight for their sovereignty, to fight for their democracy, to fight against — against Mr. Putin’s aggression is to actually pass this national security supplemental.
That would get bipartisan support in the House. It will. That’s how we’re — we move forward here. There’s no other way to actually do this in a bipartisan scenario. It’s there. And Speaker — Speaker — the Speaker needs to do his job. Speaker Johnson needs to take this up.
We know that the bipartisan support exists. We’ve heard from Republicans speak to this directly and very recently. So, why doesn’t he just do his job and stop putting politics in front of this?
This is why I don’t want to get into hypotheticals, because there’s an option that exists. There’s an actual oct- — option that exists. And the Speaker is putting politics in this. And that’s not how we should move forward.
All right, everybody. Thank you so much.
Q: Thanks, Karine.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. See you tomorrow — not tomorrow. Tomorrow is Saturday. (Laughter.)
See you next week.
February 23, 2024: Leaders in both parties are racing to secure a deal on government spending as the negotiation window quickly closes and the fears of a shutdown grow more pronounced. (The Hill)
Congress returns to Washington next week facing a pair of looming funding deadlines — March 1 for a handful of agencies and March 8 for the rest — leaving lawmakers with little time to iron out their differences and get bills to the floor to keep the government open.
While Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has moved deftly to avoid a shutdown since taking the gavel in October, restive conservatives are losing patients with his willingness to cut budget deals across the aisle. And some observers on Capitol Hill are already warning that the current fight is the greatest shutdown threat of Congress.
“I’m worried. Of all the scares we’ve had since the last fiscal year, I think this is going to be the scariest. I think we could be in a world of hurt,” said a Senate GOP aide. “I don’t know if it’ll be a partial or full, but I think the chances of a shutdown are the highest we’ve had this fiscal year.”
Party leaders in both chambers have sought to assure the public — and the markets — that the sides will come together to adopt their appropriations bills and avoid any disruptions to government operations.
But a number of disagreements remain between the parties. And Johnson is facing additional pressure from within his own Republican conference, where conservatives are demanding right-wing policy riders that are a non-starter with Democrats in both Congress and the White House.
“I think the odds are 50-50 at this point,” Rep. Patrick McHenry (R.-N.C.) told CBS’s Major Garrett on “The Takeout” podcast this week.
McHenry, chair of the Financial Services Committee, called the current shutdown threat “a preventable disaster” — one that might have been avoided if party leaders had moved the spending bills late last year instead of kicking the process into an election year.
A deal is expected to be released as early as Sunday.
“All the Speaker has to do is allow the Appropriations Committee to go get a deal,” McHenry said. “If the Speaker wishes to stop it, for whatever reason, we’ll probably have a government shutdown.”
The debate is the latest challenge for Johnson who, less than four months into his Speakership, is facing the same dilemma over government funding that led to the removal of his predecessor. And his options all carry risks.
If Johnson brings bipartisan spending compromises to the floor, he could keep the government open but might face the conservative backlash that toppled former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R.-Calif.). If he decided to block those spending bills, the government would likely shut down, providing a political gift to President Biden and the Democrats just months before November’s elections…
…Hard-liners are already turning up the heat on Johnson.
Twenty-eight members of the House Freedom Caucus penned a letter to the Speaker on Wednesday requesting an update on their conservative policy demands, which touch on a host of explosive topics that include abortion, immigration, and eliminating the salaries of certain federal officials.
Without those provisions, the hard-liners said, the House will have a difficult time wrangling GOP support for government funding…
…The demand for policy riders has already been squarely rejected by top Democrats, who are warning that any bill with those provisions will never reach Biden’s desk…
…Democrats have their own set of policy demands, including more funding for a federal program — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC — that helps feed millions of low-income children and their mothers. WIC is facing a shortfall, and DeLauro and Democrats won’t support any spending bill that doesn’t fix it…
……As lawmakers barrel toward their fourth shutdown showdown this Congress — which as been billed the most unproductive in years — some member are openly airing their frustration with being unable to complete the “key” part of their job…
February 24, 2024: Speaker Mike Johnson (R.La.) is looking to prevent a partial government shutdown by moving a set of spending bills as a single package ahead of Friday’s deadline, according to a source familiar with the matter. (The Hill)
Johnson held a private call with GOP lawmakers Friday night and told members his goal is to pass a package of the four bills due Friday, known as a “minibus,” but warned the number of bills included in the package is up in the air, according to the source. Congressional leaders could release the compromise bills as soon as Sunday.
Johnson warned the lawmakers, however, that they will likely be “disappointed” with the final bills if they are expecting “home runs and grand slams” in them, according to a partial transcript of the call. Conservatives have been urging Johnson to insist on a number of controversial policy riders in the appropriations measures.
“I don’t think anybody on this call thinks that we’re going to be able to use the appropriations process to fundamentally remake major areas of policy. If you’re expecting a lot of home runs and grand slams here, I admit you’ll be disappointed,” Johnson said on the call.
“But we will be able to secure a number of policy victories, both in bill text and report language, or other provisions and cuts that severely undermine the administration’s programs and objectives. These bills will be littered with singles and doubles that we should be proud of, especially in our small minority.” he added…
…The House returns to session on Wednesday…
…The Speaker also floated the possibility of a continuing resolution to extend funding for some programs and agencies as negotiations continue, and acknowledge a short shutdown is possible if negotiators need a little more time to come to a consensus, according to the source.
Johnson, though, said he does not want to pass a continuing resolution, according to the lawmaker…
…Moving the spending bills as a package could frustrate conservative members, who have demanded a return to regular order that includes voting on individual appropriations measures. House lawmakers, however, are up against a clock, returing to the Capitol on Wednesday and facing the first deadline Friday…
…The current shutdown showdown marks the fourth time this Congress lawmakers are racing the clock to keep the lights on in Washington.
February 24, 2024: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) made a plea for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to pass aid to Ukraine, during a Friday interview. (The Hill)
“We need Speaker Johnson to make sure that we get that aid,” Schumer said in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “If he put the bill on the floor, it would pass. There are a good number of republicans in the House who know how important it is, and he has to see that history is on his back.”
“He cannot have obeisance to Donald Trump,” Schumer continued. “He has to do the right thing here.”
Schumer visited Ukraine Friday, as part of a congressional delegation set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Senate Majority Leader also pushed Johnson to pass a national security spending package that the Senate passed last week, which features $60 billion in Ukraine aid…
…For his part, Johnson has pushed back against the Senate’s package, signaling that he won’t bring it to the House floor because it doesn’t have border security measures that the House Republicans want.
” the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters,” Johnson said last week in a statement. “America deserves better than the Senate’s status quo.”…
February 25, 2024: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) reiterated Sunday that House Democrats are “willing to find common ground” with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on legislation, including ways to keep the government funded past the March 2 deadline. (The Hill)
“My view from the very beginning of this Congress is that, as House Democrats, we are ready, we’re willing, we’re able, to find bipartisan common ground on any issue, at anytime, anyplace, in order to make life better for the American people, to address issues related to the economy, public safety, national security,” Jeffries said in an interview on “The Cats Roundtable” on WABC 770 AM with host John Catsimatidis that aired Sunday.
“And we should always be willing to do that, and so, Mike Johnson and I speak regularly, try to figure it out, ‘Where are those places of commonality?” he added…
…The House unveiled their own legislation last week that would combine aid for Ukraine and border provisions that Republicans want. As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hits two years, a bipartisan group of lawmakers have urged their colleagues to back the bill.
Congress is also dealing with the prospect of another government shutdown. Johnson on Friday said he would move a set of spending bills — as a single package — forward next week, ahead of the deadline, according to sources familiar.
Shutdown drama has divided Congress in the past, but Jeffries noted that while the two parties may not always agree, they should be able to work together professionally…
February 25, 2024: Congressional leaders are trading blame as both sides struggle to strike a bipartisan deal to stave off the threat of a partial government shutdown. (The Hill)
Lawmakers have until March 1. to pass legislation to fund the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and other offices for fiscal 2024 or risk their first partial government shutdown in years.
Leaders were expected to announce an announcement this weekend on potential next steps as spending talks continued over the current recess. But leaders on both sides said Sunday that more work is needed for both sides to reach a compromise…
…”We are mere days away from a partial government shutdown on march 1. Unless Repubicans get serious, the extreme Republican shutdown will endanger or economy, raise costs, lower safety, and exact until untold pain on the American people,” Schumer wrote in a letter to lawmakers.
However, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pushed back on Schumer’s comments shortly after.
“Despite the counterproductive rhetoric in Leader Schumer’s letter, the House has worked nonstop, and is continuing to work in good faith, to reach agreement with the Senate on compromise government funding bills in advance of the deadlines,” Johnson said.
However, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pushed back on Schumer’s comments shortly after.
“Despite the counterproductive rhetoric in Leader Schumer’s letter, the House has worked nonstop, and is continuing to work in good faith, to reach agreement with the Senate on compromise government funding bills in advance of the deadlines,” Johnson said.
“Leader Schumer’s letter fails to mention that many of the points still being debated come from New Democrat demands that were not previously included in the Senate bills,” He added. “At a time of divided government, Senate Democrats are attempting at this late stage to spend on priorities that are farther left than what their chamber agreed upon.”…
…The back and forth between both sides also comes as the House Freedom Caucus pushed the prospect of a yearlong stopgap funding bill. The legislation would trigger automatic cuts to government spending if the party doesn’t win concessions on controversial policy riders.
Some of the measures the ultraconservative caucus has pressed for include efforts to reduce “Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ salary to $0,” targeting the Pentagon’s abortion travel policy and defunding Planned Parenthood…
February 26, 2024: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) vowed to reporters Monday that Senate Republicans would not let the government shut down, later warning colleagues on the floor that a government shutdown would be a political loser for fellow lawmakers. (The Hill)
“We’re not going to allow the government to shut down,” McConnell told reporters Monday as he walked to the Senate chamber to deliver his opening comments for the week.
The veteran GOP leader doubled down on his message on the Senate floor, urging colleagues to avoid a standoff that could wind up shuttering federal departments and agencies.
“Without action by Friday, the country would face needless disruptions to agriculture, transportation, military construction, and essential services at the VA,” McConnell warned colleagues on the floor in comments that also appeared to be directed at the House.
“So I’ll say at the outset what I’ve said every time Congress has faced this threat: Shutting down the government is harmful to the country. And it never produces positive outcomes — on policy or politics,” he said.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said several “substantive” differences remain between Democratic and Republican negotiators in both chambers.
“I think we’re making real progress despite the chatter you may hear. I talked to the Speaker today and I’ve been in touch with the staff and also with my counterparts on the defense subcommittee,” she said, referring to her conversations with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and fellow members of the Appropriations panels.
She said the negotiations over some of the policy riders that House conservatives want to add to the package have been “elevated to the leadership” level.
“I’m hopeful that we can avoid a government shutdown, which would be a disaster, and actually move some bills this week. What I’m not sure of is what the exact plan for moving the agreed upon conference reports,” she said. “And which bills are in which packages.”
February 26, 2024: Conservatives’ demands for controversial policy additions to spending bills are stalling efforts to fund the government by Friday, nudging the country closer to a partial government shutdown and sparking frustration among lawmakers in both parties. (The Hill)
Congressional leaders failed to unveil the long-awaited compromise appropriations bills over the weekend, blowing through a Sunday target date floated last week and, as a result, leaving members wondering about a path forward just days ahead of the looming deadline.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y) said House Republicans were responsible for the holdup, writing in a letter to colleagues Sunday that conservatives in the lower chamber “need more time to sort themselves out.” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), however, dismissed his “counterproductive rhetoric,” saying that new requests from Democrats had delayed the process.
The blame-game preview comes as hard-liners are pressuring Johnson to use the appropriations process to extract policy concessions from Democrats after the Speaker cut two previous spending deals with lawmakers across the aisle, which incensed members of the right-flank.
At the same time, Democrats, Senate Republicans and the White House are pushing for a bipartisan deal to keep the lights on in Washington, a message that will ring loud and clear for Johnson on Tuesday when President Biden hosts the top four congressional leaders to discuss government funding.
Those dynamics are thrusting the Speaker into a familiar — yet difficult — decision: Cave to conservatives and force a shutdown that would be politically perilous for Republicans, or break from GOP hard-liners and work out a spending deal with Democrats that risks sparking a rebellion on the right/
Prominent lawmakers are imploring him to choose the latter.
“It is my sincere hope that in the face of a disruptive shutdown that would hurt our economy and make American families less safe, Speaker Johnson will step up to once again buck the extremists in his caucus and do the right thing,” Schumer said Sunday.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.Ky.) — who on Monday said a shutdown would be “harmful to the country” — called for full cooperation among lawmakers in the sprint to avert a funding lapse.
“We have the means — and just enough time this week — to avoid a shutdown and to make serious headway on annual appropriations. But as always, the task at hand will require that everyone rows in the same direction: toward clean appropriations and away from poison pills.” McConnell said.
Congress enacted a stopgap bill last month that extended funding through March 1 for programs and agencies covered by four of the 12 annual spending bills, including military construction, water development and the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. Funding for the remaining eight bills will run out on March 8.
Senior negotiators in both chambers had been hopeful Congress could meet the March 1 deadline as lawmakers signaled some progress in spending talks in recent weeks. Johnson was also looking to move a package of the first four bills this week to stave off a partial shutdown, a source familiar told The Hill over the weekend.
Concerns, however, are already bubbling up that Congress is headed for another short-term funding patch as hard-liners dial up pressure on the Speaker to secure conservative policy wins in areas like abortion and the border.
Some on the right flank say they are willing to shut down the government absent any conservative wins…
…The House Freedom Caucus sent a warning shot to Johnson last week, demanding an update on their laundry list of policy requests and cautioning that if the priorities are not included in funding measures, he should not count on the bills receiving widespread GOP support in the chamber.
They are demanding policies that would eliminate the salaries of controversial Cabinet officials, target transgender- and abortion-related issues and gut the Biden administration’s climate initiatives, among other hot-button matters…
…Conversations about next steps will come to a head Tuesday, when President Biden is set to host the top four congressional leaders — Johnson, Schumer, McConnell and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) — for a meeting at the White House to discuss government funding.
Biden is also expected to press leaders on the need to pass an emergency defense and foreign package that includes assistance for Ukraine and Israel, as well as funding to replenish U.S. weapons and munitions. The Senate approved a $95 billion package earlier this month that has been pushed aside by House Republicans, throwing the future of foreign aid into question.
“We also want to see that the government does not get shut down, it is a basic, basic priority or duty of Congress is to keep the government open,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday when asked about the gathering. “So that’s what the president wants to see, he’ll have those conversations.”
February 26, 2024: Lawmakers are racing to avoid a partial shutdown by Friday’s funding deadline, an effort that grew more difficult over the weekend as leaders failed to reach a deal — and traded barbs who is responsible for the holdup. (The Hill)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Sunday that congressional leaders had not yet reached an agreement on compromise spending bills, blaming House Republicans for the delay. But Speaker Mike Johnson (R.La.) shot back, placing the onus on “new Democrat demands” in negotiations.
The Senate reconvenes Monday, and House lawmakers are back in Washington on Wednesday, leaving lawmakers just a handful of days to hash out their difference and approve appropriations bills — or, if needed, clear another short-term stopgap. Four spending measures are due Friday, and the remaining eight must be approved by March 8.
President Biden is hosting the top four Congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming government funding deadline and the Senate-passed foreign aid package that is awaiting action in the House…
Sprint to shutdown deadline
Government funding is at the top of the to-do list for Congress this week as lawmakers stare down a Friday deadline to pass four appropriations bills or face a partial shutdown.
It is the fourth time this Congress that members are facing a shutdown cliff.
Appropriators closed out the weekend without releasing the compromise spending bills that have been the subject of negotiations for months, putting lawmakers behind the eight ball as Friday’s deadline quickly approaches.
Funding for military construction, water development and the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development lapse Friday. Thee remaining eight spending bills expire March 8.
The top four Congressional leaders — Johnson, Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — will convene at the White House on Tuesday to meet with Biden and discuss government funding and the stalled foreign aid package.
The “four corners” last met at the White House in January to discuss sending additional aid for Ukraine. Johnson, however, has been pushing for a one-on-one meeting with Biden to discuss national security and the border.
This week’s gathering comes after Schumer and Johnson played a round of the blame game over the weekend, holding each other responsible for the delayed announcement of the compromise appropriations bills.
February 26, 2024: President Joe Biden and House Speaker Mike Johnson have virtually no relationship. (Politico)
The two men holding the most powerful positions in the country have rarely talked. They don’t know each other. They are decades apart in age and miles apart in political philosophy.
Their lack of a meaningful relationship — let alone any relationship at all — has contributed to political friction and standstills over the past few months. But it’s putting an additional strain on the nation’s government this week, as both Biden and Johnson barrel toward another government funding deadline on Friday and into a third year of war in Ukraine as the underfunded country fights off Russia.
The White House has not taken Johnson up on his for a one-on-one meeting but the two are likely to square off Tuesday when the four congressional leaders meet at the White House where the president plans to discuss both the supplemental and government funding.
In the lead up to the meeting, there have been few signs of affinity developing between the two.
For Ukraine funding, the Biden administration is engaged in a public pressure campaign to effectively shame Johnson into allowing a vote on the floor. The government funding, the White House is working with Democratic allies who control the Senate ahead of a potential standoff with the GOP House…
…The theory that Washington best works on interpersonal relations is a bit of a glamorized and outdated view of politics. One doesn’t need to have tight friendships with lawmaker in order to win their votes.
But for Biden at least, gladhanding and human connection is core to his identity and one of the ways that he reportedly viewed his presidency as different from Barack Obama’s. He has prided himself on his personal engagement with the Hill, including the Republicans there. That he lacks those variables with the House Speaker is no small matter.
Many senior aides at the White House still feel like they don’t quite know how Johnson will lead his conference or get a major deal done, according to two aides granted anonymity to speak about internal conversations. There is a belief that Johnson’s foremost allegiance is to not get on the wrong side of Donald Trump. That has disappointed but not surprised the White House team. But it’s also frustrated them on occasion, including when the speaker moved to effectively kill border security and Ukraine aid legislation earlier this month.
Over time, the president’s aides have come to see Johnson as a useful political foil — ripe for attacks on the border, Ukraine and his support of “The Big Lie” — that could turn off swing voters and help both Biden and House Democrats this fall…
February 27, 2024: The White House posted: “Remarks by President Biden Before a Meeting With Congressional Leaders“
THE PRESIDENT: All right. Well, thank you all for being here.
Look, I want to thank the leaders for being here today. We got a lot of work to do. We got to figure out how we’re going to keep funding the government, which is an important problem, an important solution we need to find. And I think we can do that.
And — and Ukraine — I think the need is urgent. I hope we get to speak to that a little bit. And I think the consequence of inaction every day in Ukraine are dire. I’ve been speaking to some of our — our G7 partners. And you just got back, Chuck.
LEADER SCHUMER: I did. I did. Yeah.
THE PRESIDENT: They’re very concerned.
And — and also, we need to — we — we need to — in terms of the supplemental, we need to deal with the Israeli portion. But that also contains a significant portion having to do with humanitarian assistance into the Palestinian area, which I think is important.
THE PRESIDENT: They’re very concerned.
And — and also, we need to — we — we need to — in terms of the supplemental, we need to deal with the Israeli portion. But that also contains a significant portion having to do with humanitarian assistance into the Palestinian area, which I think is important.
And we have to replenish the air defenses for Israel, and we have to work on making sure they don’t face the threat from — they can face the threat from the — from what’s going on in the Middle East, not just from Hamas but also from Iran
And so — and government funding, I’m sure you guys had all — that all taken care of. But all kidding aside, I think that it’s Congress’s responsibility to fund the government. We got to get about doing it. A shutdown would damage the economy significantly, and I think we all agree to that. And we need bipartisan solutions.
So, I want to hear from the group. And I want to hear from all of you here. So, thank you all for coming. And that’s what we’re going to be talking about. Thank you.
(Cross-talk.)
We’ll get a chance to talk afterwards.
February 27, 2024: The White House posted “Readout of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s Meeting with Congressional Leadership on Government Funding and the Bipartisan National Security Supplemental”
Today, President Biden and Vice President Harris met with Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and leader Jeffries in the Oval Office about the urgency of keeping the government open and passing the bipartisan national security supplemental.
The President made clear that Congress must take swift action to fund the government and prevent a shutdown. A shutdown is unacceptable and would cause needless damage to hardworking families, our economy, and our national security. He emphasized that the only path forward is through bipartisan funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies.
The President also emphasized the urgent need for Congress to continue standing with Ukraine as it defends itself every day against Russia’s brutal invasion. He discussed how Ukraine has lost ground, on the battlefield in recent weeks and is being forced to ration ammunition and supplies due to Congressional inaction. He underscored the importance of the bipartisan national security supplemental, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support and would pass in the House if it was brought to a vote. He made clear that in addition to arming Ukraine and investing in America’s defense industrial base, the bill would help Israel defend itself against Hamas, and provide more humanitarian aid for those impacted by conflicts around the world, including Palestinian civilians who are experiencing dire humanitarian conditions.
February 27, 2024: Senate Republicans are trying to wave their House GOP counterparts away from blundering into a partial government shutdown at week’s end, something that looks increasingly likely given Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) unstable grip on power over a narrow majority. (The Hill)
GOP Senators warn a shutdown for any reason would be a political loser and imperil their prospects in November.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) delivered a stern message to his GOP colleagues Monday afternoon, warning them that shutting down the government is not an option.
“Shutting down the government is harmful to the country. And it never produces positive outcomes — on policy or politics,” he warned on the Senate floor.
Congressional leaders failed to release the text over the weekend for legislation to fund military construction and the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Energy, Transportation and Housing, and Urban Affairs, setting the stage for a partial government shutdown after March 1.
Senate Republicans expressed frustrations Monday afternoon over the failure to reach an agreement, noting that the funding levels of the bill have already been worked out and that a standoff over controversial policy riders is gumming up the process.
McConnell warned that if lawmakers fail to meet Friday’s deadline, “the country would face needless disruptions” in those areas.
He added that funding the government “will require that everyone rows in the same direction: toward clean appropriations and away from poison pills.”
McConnell’s comments appeared directed at the Speaker and House conservatives who are insisting on adding controversial policy riders to the government funding package, according to Senate aides familiar with the negotiations.
The House Freedom Caucus last week submitted to Johnson a list of more than 20 policy riders they don’t want to add to the annual spending bills, including a proposal to zero out Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’s salary, block the Pentagon’s ability to reimburse the travel costs of service members who obtain abortions and defund elements of the Biden administration’s climate agenda.
Members of McConnell’s leadership team echoed his warning that stumbling into a government shutdown would boomerang on Republicans eight months before Election Day, which will decide control of the White House, Senate and House…
February 27, 2024: Jousting among House Republicans and the rest of Washington is by now a familiar exercise. Lawmakers who are fresh from a recess will join President Biden today to replay a debate about an imminent shutdown and who might be blamed by voters. (The Hill)
The president will describe Ukraine’s urgent military needs, and he’ll try to deflect criticism about a migrant crisis at the U.S. southern border by pointing to his planned Thursday visit to Brownsville, Texas. His message to Republicans, according to the White House, will be, “Stop playing politics.”
The odds are slim that Congress and the administration will sit down today and hatch a plan to prevent a lapse in funding by Friday while settling immigration differences, including a divide between House and Senate Republicans, as well as an accord that might loosen Congress’s purse strings to bolster allies in Kyiv and Israel.
Biden will meet in the Oval Office this morning with four House and Senate leaders in what is expected to be a group restatement of position and a flurry of finger-pointing.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been criticized within his own party for being a shape-shifting leader who can be slow to make decisions. The conservative House Freedom Caucus wants Johnson to press again for deep spending cuts. House Democrats will not back proposed GOP add-ons to spending measures dealing with abortion, LGBTQ and other cultural touchstones.
February 27, 2024: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.) ahead of a White House meeting Tuesday called on Speaker Mike Johnson (R.La.) to “reject the MAGA hard right, which wants a shutdown.” (The Hill)
Schumer is ramping up his rhetoric ahead of a Tuesday midday meeting at the White House with Johnson, President Biden, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
The nation faces a partial shutdown this weekend, with the Department of Energy and other agencies closing, unless Congress takes quick action.
“Agriculture, transportation, veteran’s programs and more will be thrown into chaos this Friday if we fail to extend funding,” Schumer warned on the Senate floor. “As I’ve said throughout the 118th Congress, there is no justification — none — for provoking a government shutdown.”
He said Democrats “strongly oppose shutdowns” and many of his Senate Republican colleagues, including McConnell, feel the same way, but he argued that Johnson is under pressure from House conservatives to take a hard line in negotiations over any bills to fund the government past the end of this week.
“Look, we realize the Speaker of the House is in a difficult position, but he must reject the MAGA hard right, which want’s a shutdown,” Schumer said, asserting the view “does not represent a majority of the Republicans in the House.”
Schumer said a small group of House conservatives who have demanded more then 20 controversial policy riders be added to government funding legislation “are trying to bully everyone else into submission to get what they want.”
“And what they want, make no mistake about it, they say it openly is a government shutdown,” he claimed…
…Funding for military construction and the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Energy, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development will expire after March 1. Funding for other federal departments and agencies, including the department of Defense, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services will expire after March 8.
February 27, 2024: The White House posted “Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and White House National Security Advisor John Kirby“
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Good afternoon. Hello. Okay, I have a couple of things at the top, and then we’ll get going.
A short time ago, President Biden and Vice President Harris concluded a meeting with congressional leaders on the need to keep the government open and pass the national security supplemental.
In the meeting, the President made clear that Congress must take swift action to fund the government and prevent a shutdown. A shutdown would cause needless damage to hardworking families, our economy, and our national security. The only path forward is through bipartisan bills that are free of extreme politics.
The President also emphasized the urgent need to Congress — for Congress to stand with Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s brutal invasion.
Ukraine has lost ground on the battlefield in recent weeks and is being forced to ration ammunition and supplies due to congressional inaction.
The bipartisan national security supplemental passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support — 70 to 29 — and would pass in the House if it was brought to a vote.
It would arm Ukraine, invest in America’s defense industrial base, help Israel defend itself against Hamas, and provide humanitarian aid for people impacted by conflicts, around the world, including Palestinian civilians.
The President called on the House to support of national security and pass the supplemental, and made clear the dire consequences if they failed to act.
Now, today, in the wake of the Alabama Supreme Court decision threatening access to IVF treatment, HHS Becerra — Secretary Becerra is in Alabama today to hear from families and healthcare professionals.
Today’s visit is a critical part of the Biden-Harris administration’s ongoing work to hear directly from families impacted by the Republican elected officials’ extreme agenda.
The Biden-Harris administration will continue to fight back against attacks on reproductive freedoms, whether that’ attacks on abortion care, birth control access, and now IVF access. It is absolutely unacceptable to this administration when women are denied the care they need.
And some news for you today. This Sunday, March 3rd, Vice President Kamala Harris will return to Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday by joining the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
While there, she will deliver remarks on honoring the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and the Biden-Harris administration’s continued work to achieve justice for all and encourage Americans to continue the fight for fundamental freedoms.
Ala- — Alabama will be the 12th state the Vice President has traveled to in 2024 after visiting 24 states in 2023.
With that, my colleague, Admiral John Kirby from NSC, is here to give any updates in the Middle East.
Admiral.
MR. KIRBY: Thanks, Karine.
I think — good afternoon.
Q: Good afternoon.
MR. KIRBY: I think as you may know, USAID Administrator Samantha Power is in Israel this week for a series of meetings, including ongoing efforts by the United State to increase the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance to civilians that live in Gaza.
Today, the Administrator announced that the United States will provide an additional $53 million in urgently needed humanitarian assistance, which will include assistance to the World Food Program and other international NGOs providing resources for food, shelter, water, medicine, sanitation, hygiene all to the people of Gaza and the West Bank.
This brings the total amount of funding announced by the United States government since the 7th of October to more than $180 million.
Now, there is no question that much more aid is needed to address the critical and urgent needs on the ground. That’s why President Biden and the entire team will continue to work every day to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza while also prioritizing the safety of civilians and aid workers.
That’s also why we are working so hard on a temporary ceasefire to not only get the hostages out and the fighting paused, but all — to get that critical humanitarian assistance in and to increase the flow. There’s just not enough getting in right now.
There was significant progress towards those ends last week following U.S. engagements in the region. We are building on that progress this week, and the President and his team remain engaged around the clock with multiple partners in the region.
But, as the President said in the last 24 hours or so, there is no deal as of yet and there is a lot more work to do.
Speaking of more work to do, the United States took additional action to counter terrorist financing and to disrupt Houthi attacks on international shipping.
In coordination with the United Kingdom, we sanctioned the Deputy Commander of Iran’s IRGC, Mohammad Reza Falazadeh, for his role as a Houthi-affiliated operative and for owning and operating a vessel used to ship Iranian commodities in support of both the Houthis and the IRGC.
We also designated two additional companies that own and operate a vessel involved in shipping more than 100 million dollars’ worth in Iranian commodities on behalf of Iran’s Ministry of Defense.
This brings the total amount of funding announced by the United States government since the 7th of October to more than $180 million.
Now, there is no question that much more aid is needed to address the critical and urgent needs on the ground. That’s why President Biden and the entire team will continue to work every day to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza while also prioritizing the safety of civilians and aid workers.
That’s also why we are working so hard on a temporary ceasefire to not only get the hostages out and the fighting paused, but all — to get that critical humanitarian assistance in and to increase the flow. There’s just not enough getting in right now.
There was significant progress towards those ends last week following U.S. engagements in the region. We are building on that progress this week, and the President and his team remain engaged around the clock with multiple partners in the region.
But, as the President said in the last 24 hours or so, there is no deal as of yet and there is a lot more work to do.
Speaking of more work to do, the United States took additional action to counter terrorist financing and to disrupt Houthi attacks on international shipping.
In coordination with the United Kingdom, we sanctioned the Deputy Commander of Iran’s IRGC, Mohammad Reza Falazadeh, for his role as a Houthi-affiliated operative and for owning and operating a vessel used to ship Iranian commodities in support of both the Houthis and the IRGC.
We also designated two additional companies that own and operate a vessel involved in shipping more than 100 million dollars’ worth in Iranian commodities on behalf of Iran’s Ministry of Defense.
The Biden administration has now administered over 55 separate Iran sanctions rollouts targeting more than 550 individuals and entities.
All told, we’ve targeted — taken targets with Iran’s involvement in human rights abuses; hostage-taking; missile, drone, and non-pro lifer — proliferation programs.
We have no plans to lift, waive, or provide any new sanctions relief for Iran, and we will continue to look ways — for ways to take action and to hold them accountable.
And with that, I’d take some questions.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Josh.
Q: Thanks, Karine. John, two subjects. First, with regard to Israel and the possible ceasefire, a senior official from Egypt told AP that there is a six-week ceasefire that could go into effect, with Hamas agreeing to free up to 40 hostages and Israel would release at least 300 Palestinian prisoners. Would those terms provide sufficient incentives to both sides to find a way to work together?
MR. KIRBY: We’re still negotiating, and I am not going to negotiate from the podium. I’m not going to comment about those particulars.
We’re still working out the modalities of this — of this arrangement and we’re hopeful that we can get there.
Q: And then, secondly, Secretary Yellen said today that she was looking toward unlocking the value of some $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine. Does she want to spend that money? Or is the U.S. looking to use it as collateral for, like, a debt insurance?
MR. KIRBY: What we’re talking about here is the potential for using frozen assets. Back in 2022, we froze some 300 billion dollars’ worth of Russian assets at the beginning of the war.
What we’re talking about is the potential of using some of those frozen assets to assist Ukraine in their ability to defend themselves but also to potentially assist with reconstruction in Ukraine.
Now, that — that — also, we believe Russia needs to be responsible for the damage they’ve caused in Ukraine. So, it’s not going to let them off the hook for that, but it could be used for that purpose as well.
Q: But — but are you going to spend it, or are you going to use it in an alternative way and keep it intact?
MR. KIRBY: Again, the idea would be exploring the option of being able to use those frozen assets to help Ukraine as they defend themselves and as they try to recover from two years of war.
But I want to make a couple of things clear. Number one, we still need more legislative authorities from Congress for the President to be able to act on that, to, quote, unquote, “spend it” the way you’re talking about.
Number two — and this is not an unimportant thing, and the Secretary said this as well — we’ve got to have coalition — our coalition partners, who also were involved in the freezing of these assets, to come along with us.
And so, the conversations we’re hape- — hap — havining — I’m sorry. The conversations we’re having now are with our allies and partners about — about making sure that they’re on board with the usage of these frozen assets.
Q: Thank you, Karine. John, thank you. “Next Monday” is a very specific date that the President offered up for when this ceasefire could begin, especially, as you mentioned, if negotiations are still ongoing. So, can you provide any insight about why he offered up the date of next Monday and what has to happen between now and then?
MR. KIRBY: He told you himself that he was getting advised by his national security team, particularly our National Security Advisor, about the progress that we were making and the — the direction in which the talks were going. We’re — we’re hopeful and cautiously optimistic that we’ll be able to get this pause in place very, very soon.
Q: And then, secondly, has the President been briefed or seen Israel’s plan to evacuate Rafah?
MR. KIRBY: We have not been presented with such a plan.
Q: Thank you.
Q: Admiral, the President referred to his hopes for a ceasefire. You have used the word “pause.” Previously, he has talked about the “temporary ceasefire.” Is he shifting his sense of what kind of cessation in violence would be? How long it would be? Anything on that that is new, in his view?
MR. KIRBY: I wouldn’t say that there’s anything new, Kelly. I mean, a humanitarian pause, temporary ceasefire, they’re rough – –they’re roughly the same things. We’re not talking about anything different.
Q: There’s a political —
MR. KIRBY: What we’re hoping to d- —
Q: — difference, though. When the President says “ceasefire,” it carries a different sort of weight.
MR. KIRBY: What we’re hoping to do is get an extended pause in the fighting — I’ve just called it a “temporary ceasefire” myself — that would allow for several weeks — hopefully, up to six — where there will be no fighting so that we can get all the hostages out, increase the flow of humanitarian assistance but, just as critically, get the fighting stopped so that there’s no more civilian casualties and there’s no more damage to civilian infrastructure.
Now, the last pause was a week. What we’re hoping for is much more aggressive than that. And as we’ve said before, we also hope that if we can get that in place — and both sides can abide by it for the course of several weeks, maybe up to six — that maybe that could lead to something more in terms of a — a better approach to end the conflict writ large.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Selina.
Q: Thanks, Admiral. Just to follow up on Weija’s previous question, though. We’ve learned, according to an Israeli source, that Netanyahu was quite surprised by the President’s comments about his expectations that there would be a ceasefire by Monday. So, that doesn’t bode a lot of optimism that one of the key parties was surprised by that timeline the President had set. So, why did he say Monday?
MR. KIRBY: I can’t speak for the surprise that foreign leaders have or don’t have with regard to things that we’re saying.
The President talked to you all after staying completely up to speed — and he has been kept up to speed — on how these negotiations are going. And he shared with you some context. And he certainly share with you his optimism that we can get in — in, hopefully, a short order.
But he also said, you know, it’s not all done yet. And you don’t — and you don’t have a deal until you have a deal. We don’t have one right now.
So, the team is still working at this very, very hard, as I said in my opening statement, around the clock. But we believe that we are getting closer. And — while we don’t want to sound too sanguine or Pollyannish about it, we do think there has been some serious negotiations.
Q: And after Speaker Johnson’s meeting with the President, it doesn’t really should like he changed his mind on Ukraine. He again reiterated that the border needs to be addressed before Ukraine. So, given this current trajectory, what does that mean for Ukraine and its battlefield needs?
MR. KIRBY: I’d also point to what he said about, you know, taking up the issue of Ukraine funding in a timely fashion, and he said that right out there outside the West Wing. And we know that he does support funding for Ukraine. He said so himself. We know that significant House leadership — and certainly on both sides of the aisle in the House — support funding for Ukraine.
Now, the question is: When you say a “timely fashion,” what do you mean by that? I can tell you, to the Ukrainian soldier on the battlefront, timeliness is now. It’s right now.
As — as you and I just came back from the weekend, the Russians started taking some other towns and villages. Now, they didn’t — nothing to the significance of Avdiivka, in terms of the logistics hub that they want to create there. But they’re on the move. This is not some frozen conflict.
And so, we urge the Speaker, when he says a “timely fashion,” that he — that — that he actually lives up to that. Because, again, to the Ukrainian soldier, the time is right now.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Steve.
Q: What’s the significance of trying to get a hostage deal in place before Ramadan starts on March 10th?
MR. KIRBY: What we’re focused on, Steve, is getting this deal in place as soon as we can. And you heard from the President — I mean, we’re — we’re hopeful that this can — this can happen in – this can happen in — in coming days.
And if that does — if we are able to get the pause in place and the hostages out in a relatively short order, then, clearly, an extended pause — as I was talking to Kelly about — would certainly take you into Ramadan.
But right now, it’s — it’s not about trying to beat the clock to Ramadan. It’s about trying to get these two sides to come to closure on a deal that, again, would get these two sides to come to closure on a deal that, again, would get all those hostages out and get the — and to get the fighting stopped.
Q: And separately, we took note of the remarks by the French President today on the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine. How would the United States regard any NATO Allies sending troops to Ukraine?
MR. KIRBY: Well, that’s a sovereign decision that every NATO Ally would have to — would have to make for themselves.
You heard the Secretary General Stoltenberg say himself he had no plans or intentions of — of — certainly under NATO auspices, of putting troops on the ground. And President Biden has been crystal clear since the beginning of this conflict: There will be no U.S. troops on the ground in a combat role there in Ukraine.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, M.J.
Q: Thank you, John. Senator Schumer just said that Ukraine couldn’t wait a month or two more for additional funding because it would, “in all likelihood lose the war.” Is that the administration’s assessment as well?
MR. KIRBY: I’d also point to what he said about, you know, taking up the issue of Ukraine funding in a timely fashion, and he said that right out there outside the West Wing. And we know that he does support funding for Ukraine. He said so himself. We know that significant House leadership — and certainly on both sides of the aisle in the House — support funding for Ukraine.
Now, the question is: When you say a “timely fashion,” what do you mean by that? I can tell you, to the Ukrainian soldier on the battlefront, timeliness is now. It’s right now.
As — as you and I just came back from the weekend, the Russians started taking some other towns and villages. Now, they didn’t — nothing to the significance of Avdiivka, in terms of the logistics hub that they want to create there. But they’re on the move. This is not some frozen conflict.
And so, we urge the Speaker, when he says a “timely fashion,” that he — that — that he actually lives up to that. Because, again, to the Ukrainian soldier, the time is right now.
Q: And separately, we took note of the remarks by the French President today on the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine. How would the United States regard any NATO Allies sending troops to Ukraine?
MR. KIRBY: Well, that’s a sovereign decision that every NATO Ally would have to — would have to make for themselves.
You heard the Secretary General Stoltenberg say himself he had no plans or intentions of — of — certainly under NATO auspices, of putting troops on the ground. And President Biden has been crystal clear since the beginning of this conflict: There will be no U.S. troops on the ground in a combat role there in Ukraine.
MR. KIRBY: It – the situation is dire, M.J. As I said, the Russians not only took Avdiivka, they’ve taken a couple other towns and villages in just the last 48, 72 hours.
These guys on the — these Ukrainian soldiers on the — the front, I mean, they’re –they’re making some real tough decisions about what they’re going to shoot at and what they’re going to shot at it with. And they’re running out of bullets, and it’s — it’s not — as Jake said the other day, it’s not running out of courage; they’re running out of bullets.
So, the situation is very dire. I’m not in a position to put a time stamp on it and say, you know, by such and such date they’ll lose the war. But they are certainly beginning to lose territory — territory that they had clawed back from the Russians and now they have to give it back to the Russians because they can’t — they can’t fight them off.
Q: I’m not asking you to give a prediction, but do you generally agree that in a month’s time, in two months’ time, it is very possible that Ukraine could lose the war without additional funding —
MR. KIRBY: What I would —
Q: — as Senator Schumer said?
MR. KIRBY: What I would tell that — as I said to Steve, the time is now — right now. The dire — the situation is dire now. I can’t predict what it’ll look like in a month or two because I can’t predict what the Russians are going to do.
But certainly if — just for argument’s sake, if they continue to get no support from the United States, in a month or two, it is very likely that the Russians will achieve more territorial gains and have more success against Ukrainian frontlines in terms of just territory gain, mostly in the East but potentially even in the South.
Q: And just a quick follow-up on Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu said over the weekend that regardless of what happens with the ongoing hostage talks, that they plan to go into Rafah. You just told Weigia that it’s not like the U.S. has seen some evacuation plan from the Israelis. So —
MR. KIRBY: It’s not — it’s not “like” we haven’t seen it. We haven’t seen it.
Q: You have not. That is what I meant.
Given that, do you believe that there is a — a -plan by the Israelis to secure the safety of the civilians in Rafah before they enter Rafah, which, again, the Prime Minister says they are planning to do no matter what?
MR. KIRBY: Well, the Prime Minister has also ordered the Israeli Defense Forces to — in producing a plan for operations in Rafah, to include in that a plan for securing the safety of the more than a million refugees that are there.
Again, we — we’ve not been presented one. I can’t speak for the Israelis and to what degree their planning has progressed and what that looks like. But the Prime Minister himself has said — he publicly said that he has tasked his generals to come up with one.
MR. KIRBY: That’s correct.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Nadia.
Q: Thank you, Karine. Hi, Admiral. The U.N. Special Rapporteur said today that Israel is purposefully starving Palestinians in Gaza by destroying greenhouses, small-scale fishing boats, and their farms. So, why the U.S. has not done a review of how this war is conducted while you are very quick to do it Ukraine against the Russians?
MR. KIRBY: I —
Q: And then a question for Karine.
MR. KIRBY: Okay. I’m not aware of the report coming out of the U.N. on the greenhouses, so I’m going to take that, and we’ll go back and look at that.
As I’ve said there — there is a process of supporting foreign militaries. We are following that process. And the State Department has acknowledged that — that when they are alerted to incidents of concern, they do look into them. It’s not a formal review; it’s not some investigation, but it’s part of the normal process of security assistance to a foreign military.
Now, whether they’re looking at this one, I don’t know.
And you had a question for Karine.
Q: I have a question about the Arab — sorry — about the Arab American community leaders today.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: They said that their vote of noncommittal is an appeal to the White House, to the President, to stop the killing of their relatives in Gaza.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: So, how will the White House change their strategy to address this issue that Arab Americans are concerned about and calling for?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I’m going to be really mindful because we’re talking about an election, so I’m not going to comment on — on an upcoming election. But there’s a couple of things I do want to say, which I think is incredibly important.
First of all, you know that senior officials have gone to Michigan as of late — earlier this month to meet with Muslim and Arab Americans and we understand — right? — during a very deeply painful and personal moment, right? We understand what they’re going through. We understand what this means to this community. And the President understands that too.
So, we care very much about what — about that and what the community, again, is going through. And we wanted to convey that very strongly, obviously, which is why you had senior officials go direct- — go to Detroit, go to Michigan, to have those conversation.
And look, we know it’s been a difficult time. The Pr- — the President cares about that. They care — he cares about that. They care — he cares about what that community is feeling very deeply. And we believe it’s Important that they feel that they are able to — to express themselves and voice — voice their feelings and their concerns.
And so, look, you heard the Admiral talk about the hostage deal, the temporary ceasefire. That is why it is so critical and important to get that done. That is why you’ve seen this President and his administration work 24/7 to get that done, so we can get a temporary ceasefire, so we can get that humanitarian aid into Gaza, so that we can get those hostages — and we have American hostages that are — that are part of that number as well. We want to get those hostages home to their families, to their loved ones.
And the President is not going to stop. You heard him yesterday in New York. He’s not going to stop until we get that done. So, I’ll leave it there.
Let me let the Admiral finish.
MR. KIRBY: (Laughs.)
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Danny.
Q: Thanks, Karine. Thanks, Admiral. I’m just going back to President Macron’s comments about not running out Western troops on the ground in Ukraine. Has President Macron discussed that will President Biden at all?
MR. KIRBY: I — I won’t go beyond the — the readout of the conversation. I don’t have anything more to add on that.
Q: And very briefly, you said as well that President Biden has said before that he would not send U.S. troops to Ukraine in a combat role. The French Foreign Minister suggested Western troops could be sent for demining or arms production or cyber. Is there a possibility that — is that something that would be considered by the U.S.?
MR. KIRBY: No. The only U.S. military personnel that — that are in Ukraine are associated with the embassy as part of the defense attaché office, and they’re doing important work in terms of helping us with the accountability of weapons and systems that are provided to Ukraine.
The President has been clear: There’s not going to be U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Raquel.
Q: Thank you so much Karine. Hi, John. One about Gaza and another about Ukraine.
On Gaza. What makes the President confident the ceasefire can be reached in a week? Any breakthroughs that — that made him confident about that?
And any comment about the number of civilians dead in Gaza reaching 30,000? How many more will have to die until the U.S. agree with a permanent ceasefire?
MR. KIRBY: We don’t want to see one more die, which is why this pause we’re working on is so important. The President was reflecting updates that he’s been getting from the national security team about the progress of those talks.
We’re hopeful and, as I said early, cautiously optimistic that we can get there — and hopefully in short order. But it’s been — it’s been a lot of — lot of diplomatic work, a lot of negotiations to try and get us to this point.
And we’re not there yet. I think that’s important to say. The President made that clear too. It’s not — you don’t have a deal until you have a deal. We don’t have a deal right now.
But as for how many more should die, again, I’ve said many times before, the right number of civilian causalities is zero. We don’t want to see one more person in- — innocent person killed in this conflict, which is, again, why this six-week-or-so pause could be so effective in terms of reducing the number of civilian casualties and giving use some breathing space to get more humanitarian assistance in and potentially talk about an end to the conflict.
Q: Another one on Ukraine, very quickly, because Senator Schumer described the meeting on Ukraine as the “most intense” he ever had in the Oval Office. How does the President feel about it after the meeting? Does he believe a deal can be reached? He’s more or less optimistic about it?
MR. KIRBY: The President believes that it’s important to continue to have these conversations. He’s — he believes it’s important to make sure that — certainly, in the Speaker’s case, that he makes the case for why it’s important for this supplemental funding.
Obviously, the big purpose of the meeting today, as Karine already let you guys know, was really about preventing a government shutdown. But, clearly, they had the opportunity to talk about the national security supplemental, and the President made his case.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, April.
Q: A couple of topics. One, with the grassroots committees meeting with the President and — and administration officials. Going back to the Dearborn, Michigan, issue, you’ve got a large contingent of Arabs, you’ve got a large contingent of Muslims, as well as Jewish people.
Karine, you just said you’re listening. For both of you, as you’re listening, are you taking anything in as to what they are saying in these conversations? Are you acting on any of what they’re saying?
MR. KIRBY: Absolutely. We take these conversations very seriously. And — and without getting into specific details or disclosing some of the things that we’ve been hearing, we — we are taking them on board. And we are — we are willing to adjust the — the way we’re approaching the conflict and the way they’re talking about the conflict to — to reflect those concerns. But we’re taking them very seriously.
Q: So, as you’re taking them in and taking them seriously, it sounds like you’re acting on some of what they’re saying. Is it more on the political front, the humanitarian front, or national security front that you’re acting on with — with these grassroots conversations?
MR. KIRBY: I can only speak about the national security implications here. And I can tell you very much that — because we’ve — the National Security Council has been a part and parcel of these conversations, and we’re coming back from them, we feel, informed, more educated, and certainly more understanding of some of the concerns that are out there in the Arab community and — Arab American community. And, again, we’re — we’re taking that on board, and we’re doing — and were acting on it.
Q: And I know, as this meeting happened, it was about preventing a government shutdown. But, again, there is an intertwining of foreign affairs, national security involved in the budget. But is there a concern that it continues to be kicked down the road? Because we’ve been kicking the — the can down the road since last year, and it just keeps going and going —
MR. KIRBY: Yeah.
Q: — and going. We keep coming to this point. Is there a concern about that?
MR. KIRBY: Absolutely. I mean, when you don’t — when — you know, one of the things that’s — that’s been unfortunate throughout this appropriations process for now, for two — you know, for the entire time we’ve been in office, is the use of continuing resolutions to try to keep the government going.
And just — not to — not to get into too long- — too long an answer here, but when your ba- –basing everything on a CR, that means there’s certain things, like, for — in the defense world, where you can’t –you can’t enact new contracts for weapons systems or ships or airplanes because a CR only allows you to fund last year’s numbers. So, you’re limited. You can’t start some new programs, and you can’t even pay for some programs using new funds because you’re — you’re stuck with the last year’s funding.
So, it absolutely has an effect on national security.
Q: So, the CRs are crippling the military — the U.S. military capabilities?
MR. KIRBY: It is definitely making it harder for the Defense Department to continue to support our global requirements when you are talking about continuing resolution funding. It definitely hampers your flexibility. No question about it.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. We need to start wrapping up.
Go ahead, Anita.
Q: Thank you so much, John. I’ll start with Israel then move on to Ukraine. You just said it’s not about trying to beat the clock to Ramadan, in terms of a ceasefire. But how concerned is the administration about the possibility of escalation during Ramadan, during this holy month, and how, you know, it’s going to be seen for U.S.-backed troops to be attacking Muslim —
MR. KIRBY: We’re mindful of the sensity — sensitivities, of course, around the month of Ramadan and the import- — the spiritual importance of that to — to the — to the Muslim world. Of course, we understand that.
What — What we don’t want us — we — we want to see this temporary ceasefire in place as soon as possible. And, again, if we can get the agreement for several weeks, it would take you through Ramadan anyway. You can’t enact new contracts for weapons systems or ships or airplanes because a CR only allows you to fund last year’s numbers. So, you’re limited. You can’t start some new programs, and you can’t even pay for some programs using new funds because you’re — you’re stuck with the last year’s funding.
So, it absolutely has an effect on national security.
Q: So, the CRs are crippling the military — the U.S. military capabilities?
The clock that we’re worried about is the — the hostages. We can only assume that they are being held in abhorrent conditions and that their health is at risk, their lives are at risk. We want to get them ba- — out as soon as possible.
Q: And then, just quickly, on Ukraine. After this difficult conversation — or this intense conversation, sorry, in the Oval Office, are you looking at other funding possibilities — Lend-Lease or loans to Ukraine or weapon sales to Ukraine?
And then, just to push you on Steve’s question and Danny’s question about the French President, are you — you know, has — does President Biden think it would be a good idea if France were to go into Ukraine (inaudible)?
MR. KIRBY: As for other funding, I’ve said before: There’s no magic pot of money here that we can dip into. We asked for it in October. And, again, it was done in good faith and in consultation with our Ukrainian partners. We need that funding.
Look, we’ll let President Macron speak — he — for his military and what he is or is not willing to do with — with his troops.
The President has been clear: He does not support U.S. troops involved in this conflict in Ukraine. And I’ll leave it at that.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. (Inaudible.) Go ahead, Annie.
Q: Thanks so much. Admiral, I just was hoping you can help me a square , sort of, two strains of conversation in this room. One has been about the, sort of, conditions that the United States wants to see before Israel goes into Rafah. The President himself referenced this last night, saying that he’d want to know about plans for evacuation before they go in and take out the remainder of Hamas. Separately, we’ve been talking a lot about a ceasefire that could start as early as, you know, this weekend.
So, can you help me understand: Is the idea here that there would be an invasion of Rafah before the ceasefire, or it’s going to come after the ceasefire? I just —
MR. KIRBY: So, the —
Q: I’m trying to understand wh- — how these two things are connected.
MR. KIRBY: I understand the confusion. But you actually do have to kind of consider them a bit separately. And, again, I don’t want to speak for the Israelis. The — they should speak to the operations they are or are not planning.
All I can tell you is that we’re — we haven’t been presented any kind of a plan to provide for the safety and security of the refugees there. And we’ve said very clearly: We would not support Rafah operations unless or until there is a credible, achievable plan to provide for their safety and security.
So, I can’t tell you what timeline the Israeli Defense Forces are on, in terms of Rafah operations.
At the same time, we are in active negotiations, and we are hopeful that we’re getting to the conclusion or near the conclusion of those discussions and negotiations over a temporary ceasefire, which would, if enacted, last perhaps as long as six weeks from the time it was signed on to by both parties.
In that six weeks, based on the — the idea of a temporary ceasefire, of course, there would be no fighting, which means civilian casualties will come down; damage to civi- — civilian infrastructure will be stopped; you’ll have breathing space to get more humanitarian assistance in; and, of course, we’d have the ability to get all those hostages out. The idea is to get them all out — all the hostages that are — that are remaining.
Q: Is that in the plan —
MR. KIRBY: But it would have to happen over stages.
Q: Is that when this —
MR. KIRBY: So, if — wait. So, if we were able to get this in place — I can’t give you a date certain on the calendar, but if we did, you can expect, should both sides abide by their commitments, several weeks of no fighting.
Q: So, would that mean that a Rafah invasion wouldn’t happen, or it would just be delayed until after the ceasefire?
MR. KIRBY: There would be no fighting for the — for the entirety of the agreed-to timeframe. No fighting anywhere.
Q: Thanks. John, just on the Oval Office discussions today. Speaker Johnson came out and — and — as he said before, that, you know, the southern border has to be addressed before — before Ukraine aid and funding. They are saying this shouldn’t be done legislatively; more so, that it should be done by rolling back executive orders or changing it from an executive perspective. Is that part of these discussions? And is the White House ruling out undoing some of the executive orders from earlier on in the administration?
MR. KIRBY: I’d say a couple of things.
First, the President has taken executive action at the border. And he — and he certainly will continue to do so as appropriate and within the bounds of the law.
He’s also said – that in order to make the new changes, the fixes to the border security, you got to have new legislation. A lot of this has to do with capabilities, funding, — I’m sorry, capabilities, personnel and — and resourcing, infrastructure. You can’t just make that happen through executive action, all of that. You’ve got to have funding behind it, which is why the supplemental request was so important. And the one submitted in October included border security.
And the President said months ago he was willing to have a discussion with members of Congress about border security. Border security was in the supplemental request. And we worked with the Senate to get a bipartisan deal arranged that — that the Speaker said he absolutely insisted on. And then, when it was delivered to him, he said, no, he didn’t want it.
Q: So, there would be a legislative component to this if, let’s say, the Republicans are saying you can un- —
MR. KIRBY: In order to —
Q: — unlock Ukraine funding if you were to do something executive-wise on — on the border?
MR. KIRBY: We were willing to have a discussion — and did, with the Senate — about border security and Ukraine funding, as well as Israel and the Indo-Pacific. That’s — we’re still waiting to have those discussions.
The — the Speaker has to decide exactly what he wants to do here and then move out. He says he wants to act in a timely fashion on Ukraine. Well, let’s go. Let’s get them what they need.
And the President is more than willing to have discussions about the border.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. We’ve got to wrap it up. Go ahead, Tam. Last question.
Q: At what point do you declare the supplemental dead or too late to help Ukraine?
MR. KIRBY: We need it now. I wouldn’t even begin to speculate about what would be too late. We’re already, in some ways, too — too late. They lost the town of Avdiivka because of — literally because of ammunition. So, in some ways, its already having a dramatic effect on the battlefield.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks. Thanks, Admiral. Appreciate it.
MR. KIRBY: Yep. You bet.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Give me one second. Hi.
Q: Hi.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Laughs.) Go ahead.
Q: So — so, in the pr —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I had something to say, and I changed my mind. Go ahead. (Laughter.)
Q: I mean, all right. So — so, in the past, you’ve described Speaker Johnson’s proposals as “not serious” regarding government funding, the border —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — Ukraine. In the Oval Office today, was Speaker Johnson serious? Did he meet the threshold that the White House has set in the past?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, a couple of things. I know some — I know that Senator Schumer said it was intense. Yes, the meeting was intense, but it was also very productive. And I think that’s important to take that into account.
A couple of things that I would say is that all four congressional leaders agreed with the President and the Vice President that a shutdown is unacceptable. But, as you all know, the clock is ticking. It is ticking. It has been ticking for some time now.
And it continues to do so — right? — as it relates, obviously, to — to a potential shutdown but also — but also what we’re seeing — right? — with the national security supplemental. This is something that we put forth in October.
And as it relates to that, all four leaders also understood the gravity — gravity of the situation in Ukraine. And they heard — and here’s the thing, they heard a sobering account from the CIA Director, who was in the room, about — about how Ukraine has lost ground on the battlefield — you heard me say that at the top — in recent weeks, because of congressional inaction.
And so, this is the reality. This is the reality that Ukraine is in. This is the reality that we’re in when we talk about our national security. And this is the reality that Congress is in. They have not taken action. And so, we are seeing what’s happening currently in the battlefield in Ukraine.
So, as the President said, there are consequences, and the consequences are incredibly dire. Congress must take action. We have to support our national security. And that is what the President — that was the message that went into — during that – during that meeting. And that’s how we saw the meeting play out.
All four congressional leaders were in agreement on those — on those two pieces that I just laid out here. It is incredibly important to move forward. The clock is ticking here. The clock is ticking.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Karine. House Speaker Johnson and the President had their first —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — face to face, one-on-one meeting. What can you share about how that went?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, yes. And I think, obviously, the Speaker spoke to this himself when he was at the Sticks. The President and the — and Speaker Johnson had a moment after — after the meeting — after the group meeting.
I’m going to be mindful here. It was a private discussion, so I don’t have a readout for all of you. But it was — you heard — again, you heard from — from the Speaker on how — on his — his side of things. I just don’t have anything else to share on — on the private meeting they had.
Q: Okay. Well, earlier you just said that this was a very productive meeting.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: On the Ukraine funding front, what was productive about it? It seems like nothing has changed.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, look, I mean, there’s work to do, obviously. Right? There is work to do. And we have said, if the Speaker puts this on the floor, it would get bipartisan support. We believe that. We’re talking about the national supplemental, obviously. It would have su- –bipartisan support.
I just laid out how all four leaders heard directly from the CIA Director about how dire it is and what we have seen the last couple of months in Ukraine because of the congressional inaction. I mean, that is dire — right? — that they heard dire reports from the CIA Director on what is currently happening.
And, you know — and it’s not that — just that; it’s what you all have reported from what’s coming out of Ukraine and what we have seen as — as recently as last week when — when Russia took over one of the — one of the critical cities in Ukraine.
And so, look, the evidence is there. They heard from the CIA Director. The reporting — all of — you have been reporting. We’ve heard from President Zelenskyy directly about this. It is — there are consequences here. There are consequences.
And — and, you know, Congress needs to act. The House needs to act. Senate acted. Seventy to twenty-nine, they passed a bipartisan — in a bipartisan way this national security supplemental. Now we need it to go to the floor. We know — we know, hearing from Republicans in the House, that there would be bipartisan support.
So, yes, it was productive in the sense that everybody was in agreement on what needs to happen next. Now we need to see that action in Congress.
Q: Yesterday, a U.S. airman died after he set himself on fire —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — outside an Israeli — or outside the Israel Embassy. Was the President aware of his death? Did he have any response to it?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yes, the President is aware. And we can — I can say that it is — obviously, is a — it’s a horrible tragedy, and our thoughts are with the family of the servicemember at — during this — I could — we can’t even imagine this hor- — horrible, difficult time.
The Department of Defense and the Metropolitan Police are looking into this. So, we’re not going to get ahead of that. So, I would certainly refer you to them. But it is — it is a horrific tragedy, what — what occurred the other day.
Q: Is there anything new that you can share about the President’s visit to the border on Thursday? Does he have any plans to announce any executive actions?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I don’t have anything to — I’m not going to get ahead of the of the President. Don’t have anything to — to announce at this time. We’ve — we’ve spoken to executive actions. I’ve spoken to that many times.
We think the bottom line is: The way to have dealt with this border — the challenges that we see on the border, what we see with this immigration — broken immigration system that has been broken for decades, is if we — if Republicans had moved forward with — with the bipartisan deal that came out of the Senate.
But instead of doing that, Donald Trump — they listened to Donald Trump, the former President, and they made it about politics. They did not make it about an issue that majority of Americans care about. They made it about politics and Donald Trump. And that is unfortunate.
What I will say is just — and I said this yesterday in the gaggle; I’ll say it again. As you all know, he’s going to travel to Brownsville, Texas. He’s going to meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement, and local leaders, and he’s going to discuss the urgent need to pass the bipartisan — bipartisan proposal that came out of the Senate.
And we believe that if this proposal — this legislation were to become law, it would be, yes, the toughest but also the fairest. And let’s not forget, it was — it was supported by the Border Patrol union, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. And, you know you don’t see that type of support for a bipartisan piece of legislation nowadays.
And so, he’s going to reiterate to congressional Republicans to stop playing politics, to focus on the American people, to get this done. If they are serious — if they are serious about giving the U.S. Border Patrol agents what they need, if they are serious about fixing the immigration system, they would get politics — push politics to the side and do — do the work on behalf of the American people.
Go ahead, Kelly O.
Q: Speaker Johnson referred to a separate second meeting with him and the President. You referred to it as “a moment.” Was it a separate sit-down? Was it planned that the President would make that time available? Or did that just kind of come out organically —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I th- —
Q: — after their meeting?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I think the — I think the President, you know, wanted to have a one-on-one conversation with Speaker Johnson. They did. I was — it was– it happened after the group meeting. It was a brief — they spoke briefly. It was a private discussion.
And so, that’s how we would call it. It happened after the briefing. He pulled him to the side while the other — other three left. And they had a moment; they had a conversation. I wouldn’t get too — too into the semantics here. I would just say they had a moment, and I think it’s important that the — the President believed it was important to have a moment and to have a brief conversation with the —
Q: So, that sounds more like something that just came up today, not on the planned schedule —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean —
Q: — as you set the day.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I — it wasn’t — it wasn’t a planned — on — on the planned schedule. I think the President wanted to have a one-on-one conversation with the Speaker. He did that. And it was an — he believed it was important to do.
Don’t have a readout of it, obviously. It was a private discussion, a private conversation.
And so, that’s how we would call it. It happened after the briefing. He pulled him to the side while the other — other three left. And they had a moment; they had a conversation. I wouldn’t get too — too into the semantics here. I would just say they had a moment, and I think it’s important that the — the President believed it was important to have a moment and to have a brief conversation with the —
Q: And if there were any agreement — if the Speaker had accepted a premise from the President or if they had made any kind of a more formal decision in the moment, would that be something you could share?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, I think we’ve been very clear what we want to see, and it doesn’t change. Right? What we want to see is the national supplemental, as it was passed out of the Senate in a bipartisan way — 70 to 29 – to deal with our national security, to deal with what’s going on in Ukraine, to deal with what’s going — what’s going on in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific — let’s not forget — we want to see that passed. We want to see — because that hasn’t changed, right?
So, there’s no separate deal here. What we want to see is this national security supplemental be put to the floor. And we know — we know, because we’ve heard from congressional House Republicans, that it would pass in a bipartisan way. That’s what the President wants to see.
Q: And if there were any agreement — if the Speaker had accepted a premise from the President or if they had made any kind of a more formal decision in the moment, would that be something you could share?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, I think we’ve been very clear what we want to see, and it doesn’t change. Right? What we want to see is the national supplemental, as it was passed out of the Senate in a bipartisan way — 70 to 29 – to deal with our national security, to deal with what’s going on in Ukraine, to deal with what’s going — what’s going on in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific — let’s not forget — we want to see that passed. We want to see — because that hasn’t changed, right?
So, there’s no separate deal here. What we want to see is this national security supplemental be put to the floor. And we know — we know, because we’ve heard from congressional House Republicans, that it would pass in a bipartisan way. That’s what the President wants to see.
And they heard — these — the Big Four heard directly from the CIA Director about how dire — the consequences are dire. And we’ve seen that. We’ve seen Ukraine has lost ground in the battlefield.
And obviously, there’s the other issue of a potential shutdown. The clock is ticking on that as well. They got to move. They got to move and stop focusing on extreme positions here. We got to move. And this is about the American people. That’s what this should be about.
Go ahead, Selina.
Q: Thanks, Karine. You said the Big Four all understand the gravity of the situation in Ukraine. But does the President actually trust Speaker Johnson? Did this move the ball forward at all in terms of convincing him to put Ukraine aid on the floor for a vote?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, he needs to do — this is Speaker Johnson — needs to do what’s best for the American people. He needs to do what’s best for our national security. He needs to do what’s best for our countr- — our country. He needs to put our national security supplemental on the floor. That’s what we know.
The last time where was a vote on Ukraine, it got more than 300 votes — more than 300 votes, including many, many House Republicans. That’s the reality.
And so — and also keeping the government open — there are critical programs that the American people need. If the government shut down — shuts down, Americans don’t get those critical programs that they need.
And so, look, I can’t speak for, you know, the — the Speaker and what he’s going to do. What I can speak for and what we can continue to reiterate from here and what the President can continue to reiterate is how important it is to move forward. There are national security consequences here, as I’ve laid out moments ago. And there’s also critical programs — important programs that the American people — as it relates to keeping the government open.
It is literally a basic duty that Congress has, and Republicans in — in the House are getting in the way of that, and they should not.
Q: And the President sounded confident or optimistic that a government shutdown could be avoided. But we’re only days away. No bill text has been released. There are still many, many policy disputes.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: So, where is that optimism coming from?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, the President is an optimistic person. You guys know that. He talks about that often, in many speeches that he gives — he — he gives to the American people about optimism and possibilities. That is a president who believes in that.
And so, look, he’s going to continue to be optimistic. He brought the Big Four here to have these critical, important conversations about how to move forward here.
And it’s about the American people. This is not about the President here. We’re talking about the national security supplemental. We’re talking about keeping — keeping the government open, even our border challenges. This is about the American people.
So, we have to be optimistic. But he’s — we’re going to continue to do the work. When the Big Four — when the congressional members left, what was agreed upon is that their teams would continue to have conversations, obviously — with our teams — OMB, Office of Leg Affairs — to continue to have those conversation on how to — how to certainly deal with what’s going on with the potential shutdown, as the clock is ticking.
And we’re going to push — to continue to push to make — to — to, you know, reiterate the importance of putting that national security bill on the floor. It already came out of the Senate in a bipartisan way. It needs to go to the floor and the House.
Q: Is it more and more likely we’ll just get another CR?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I can’t speak to — I’m not going to speak to, you know, how – you know, the — how –how Congress is going to move with a procedure. I’ll leave that up to them and how they want to move with the CR, if there is a CR.
What we are going to continue to re- — reiterate and say from here is how important — important to get that national security supplemental through, how important is it to continue to keep the government open.
And we’re not going to stop talking about the border. You’ll see the President in – on Thursday in Texas talking about how important is was to — you know, to get that bipartisan Senate agreement.
Q: Is it more and more likely we’ll just get another CR?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I can’t speak to — I’m not going to speak to, you know, how – you know, the — how –how Congress is going to move with a procedure. I’ll leave that up to them and how they want to move with the CR, if there is a CR.
What we are going to continue to re- — reiterate and say from here is how important — important to get that national security supplemental through, how important is it to continue to keep the government open.
And we’re not going to stop talking about the border. You’ll see the President in – on Thursday in Texas talking about how important is was to — you know, to get that bipartisan Senate agreement.
And because of — again, because of the former President, Republicans decided to reject a bipartisan agreement that was supported by Border Patrol union, that was supported by U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which you don’t see very often in this current political climate.
Go ahead.
Q: The CIA Director’s participation, was that planned well in advance? Was that the President’s idea? Did he show maps? How — how did all that go?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m not going to go into specifics and details on — on the meeting. What I can say is that the CIA director was there. He laid out the — the consequences, how dire they were. He talked about what was going on in the battle- — in a battlefield, obviously, and how Ukraine was losing ground, which is important.
I think we believe — the President believed it was important to hear from the CIA Director. Let’s not forget the meeting that the President held not too long ago, just last month, had the National Security Council folks in there, other folks from the intelligence community.
So, this is — this is — this is a normal, obviously, situation that we’ve had before in making sure that the Big Four hears directly from the intelligence community, and that’s what you — that’s what happened today.
I’m not going to go into specifics, but he was very clear. He laid it out for them — how dire the consequences are right now. And Ukraine needs our help. The brave people of Ukraine who has been fighting for their democracy, you know, they need continued — continued assistant from us. And it’s not about just their democracy. It’s about our national security as well.
Go ahead, M.J.
Q: Speaker Johnson again called on President Biden to take executive action on the border. Does the White House, at this point, believe that it has many more executive actions that it can take, or does it believe that it’s come close to exhausting those options?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Here’s what I will say, M.J.: We believe in order to deal with what’s happening at the border, you need a legislative solution. You do. It doesn’t matter — we don’t think — we don’t believe — the bottom line is: We don’t believe that an executive action would — would amount to what this legislation — this bipartisan legislation would have – would have been able to do if it was enacted into law — if it was passed, obviously, and enacted into law.
And what it would have done is been the toughest but also fairest deal, with providing resources, obviously, that’s needed for law enforcement, and make some key changes as it relates to the immigration — immigration system. That’s what I believe.
I don’t have anything to share about additional executive action. As I’ve said before, don’t have a decision here to — to share with all of you.
But we fundamentally believe that if that bipartisan agreement that came out from the Senate was — was moved or was even voted out of the Senate and then, obviously, moved to the House and enacted into law, it would have been the first step, that beginning step, to deal with a real issue that majority of Americans care about.
Anything else, I just don’t have an- — anything to share.
Q: I have a question on a different topic. Former President Trump suggested recently that his mugshot and his legal troubles are being embraced by Black people because they understand what it’s like to be targeted and discriminated against.
I just wonder: You know, you are a White House that prides itself on, you know, your relationship with the Black community, it’s, you know, outreach to the Black community. The President himself talks frequently about how he believes he won in 2020 thanks to Black voters. What was his response to that comment from the former President?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, and I do have a couple of things to say about that. I want to be really careful because it was said — he said it as a candidate. Obviously, don’t want to comment on 2024. But speaking separately — right? — speaking apart from that and just being very candid here, it’s repugnant and it’s defice — divisive to — to traffic in racist stereotypes. That’s what we have seen. And that affect all Americans, right? You’re tearing up all Americans by doing this.
It is, again, divisive and repugnant. And it’s coming from, obviously, a former president of the United States. And in any context, it is profane to compare the long, painful history — the long, painful history of abuse and discrimination suffered by Black Americans and — to something that is totally different than self-serving purposes.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, and I do have a couple of things to say about that. I want to be really careful because it was said — he said it as a candidate. Obviously, don’t want to comment on 2024. But speaking separately — right? — speaking apart from that and just being very candid here, it’s repugnant and it’s defice — divisive to — to traffic in racist stereotypes. That’s what we have seen. And that affect all Americans, right? You’re tearing up all Americans by doing this.
Q: Just to clarify, is that description reflective of how the President himself —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I speak for —
Q: — is —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — the President of the United States as the White House Press Secretary. Absolutely.
Q: He’s aware of the comments, through, from the former President?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Ab- — he’s aware of the comments. I’ve spoken to him directly about these comments. He’s aware.
Go ahead, Karen.
Q: Thanks. Back on the Ukraine aid. You’ve said several times during this briefing that the House should put on the floor the bipartisan bill that the Senate has already passed. House Speaker Mike Johnson said after the meeting that he was very clear with the President that the House is “actively pursuing and investigating all the various options” on that. That doesn’t sound like he is ready to just take that Senate bill and put it on the floor.
Can you tell us what he said to the President about the “various options” that the House would consider? Are they going to break up what the Hou- — what the Senate has already passed? Would they put something into it? What did he tell the President?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What — what we are supporting right now is the national security supplemental that came out of the Senate. That’s what we want to see. That’s what we want to see put on the floor. That’s what we’re going to continue to make sure we push forward.
There is bipartisan support. You’re talking about one — obviously, one member — one member in Congress. But we have seen other members, other Republicans who have said they would support this, who have said they want to have bi- — they want to vote on this national security supplemental. It would get — we know it would get bipartisan support.
And so, that’s what we want to see. We’re going to be consistent on that. That’s how we want to see the House move forward.
Q: But did the Speaker tell the President he would not put that Senate bill on the floor as it is right now?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would let the Speaker speak for himself. I think you were talking about a con- — another congressional member.
Q: No, I’m saying —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, I’m so sorry.
Q: — Speaker Johnson said that.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Well —
Q: Af- — after the meeting, Johnson said that he told the President that the House is pursuing and investigating various options on the security — supplemental security bill.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We have been very clear: We want to see the national security supplemental that was passed out of the Senate go to the floor of the House. We know it would get bipartisan support. That’s what we want to see.
And what I said — and you — you are correct, all fours — all four congressional leaders understood the gravity as it relates to the national security supplemental, as it relates to Ukraine — the gravity of the situation in Ukraine. They heard directly from the CIA Director: We want to see the national security supplemental that — that came out — 70-29 out of the Senate. It should be put to the floor. We know it would get bipartisan support.
Go ahead.
Q: Hi, Karine. Thanks. You’ve referenced several times that the bipartisan Senate border bill has been endorsed by the union that represents Border Patrol agents. Brandon Judd, the president of the National Border Patrol Council — the main union for the Border Patrol agents — will actually be joining Donald Trump on Thursday for his border visit. And he said he actually did not receive an invite from the White House. And we were wondering what your response to that is and if there was any reason why.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I — I — we’ll have more to share on what Thursday is going to look like. We’ll have more to share on who is going to be joining the President. I don’t have anything beyond — beyond what I just laid out.
But is a fact that the — the Border — the Border Patrol union did indeed support the bipartisan proposal that came out of — of the Senate. And I think that’s important to state.
I can’t speak for him being with the former President in Texas. That’s for him, obviously, to speak to.
AIDE: One or two more.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right, April. Go ahead.
Q: Karine, this week, the Vice President has been talking to groups about voting rights. She – as you said at the top today, she’s going to Selma on Sunday to commemorate Bloody Sunday. But the actual date of Bloody Sunday’s anniversary is March 7th, the day of the State of the Union address.
Now, with that said, is the President going to deal with the issue of voting rights within the State of the Union Address that happens to fall on the historic date of Bloody Sunday? And what can he say and what will he say as we are now voting without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act? It’s been completely gutted, so —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — what’s he going to talk about?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You’re right. It’s been completely gutted. And its shameful that it’s been completely gutted.
I’m not going to get ahead of the President’s State of the Union Address. I want to be really mindful. The President is working on it. And obviously —
Q: How many drafts?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Laughs.) I’m not going to get into that.
But what I can say is obviously the President understands, and you’ve seen him do this a couple times before — right? — address Congress, and not just address Congress — speak directly to the American pe- — to American people in primetime about the state of the Union —
Q: Right.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — about what he sees is important to the American people, how to move forward. And you’ll see him address that. Just not going to get ahead of that.
As it relates to voting rights, look, you’re right. You know, the access to — to voting has been compromised in many ways. It’s been gutted, obviously, as you just laid out. And let’s not forget the action that the President took very early on in his administration. He signed an executive action to deal with vo – — voting rights access on the federal level.
And so, he took that very, very seriously, and he continues to call for Congress to take action here on voting rights.
And so, I’m not going to speak to the President’s State of the Union and if that’s going to be included. You’re right, it’s going to be on a — on a very important anniversary of Selma. I just don’t want to get ahead of the President at this time.
Q: Okay. So, let’s stick with the State of the Union and then something different. So, State of the Union is typically optimistic about what’s going on in the country. Is the state of the Union strong at this point?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m going to let the President speak to that. But look, I think I was asked this question earlier about the optimism of this President. He is optimistic. And you hear him say — he tends to end many of his speeches — and I kind of said this a bit — about possibilities and how important it is.
And, you know, as President, as authentically Joe Biden, he believes in possibilities. He believes in all communities, as we’re talking about voting rights, to have the possibilities — to not be left behind.
And you see that in every policy that he’s moved forward with, especially his economic policies. You see that in all of the legislation, to make sure that we have equity at the center of all of these important pieces of legislation and policies that we move forward with.
And he wants to make sure that we build a – for example, an economy from the bottom up, middle out. And we have seen — we have seen some successes in these communities. We have seen success in the economy, turning it around. It was at a tailspin when the President walked in after what we saw the last administration do to the economy.
And so, look, he’s going to continue to do the work. Again, I don’t want to get ahead of this President. You’ll hear from him directly, obviously, on that day on the state of the Union. But he is always optimistic. And I think it is important — I think, for him, it is important, as you speak to the American people, you have to show that optimism, even if there are still a lot of — as there’s still a lot of work to be done.
All right. Go ahead, (inaudible). I’m going to start wrapping it up. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Karine. Speaker Johnson left here saying that — “Border first.” Do we know what he wants at the border? There’s many actions that the President could take. Does he have anything that — that he’s demanding, and is there anything the President could give up to compromise so he would move up Ukraine?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, here’s the thing, Cristina — and I appreciate the question. I don’t think he knows what he wants. No, ser- — and I say that very seriously.
They first asked for — when we put forward the national security supplemental, it has border security in it, and we were told by the Speaker and others we need to deal with the border security challenges first. You had a bipartisan group of senators coming — coming out of the Senate, working for four months with — with the White House to put forward a bipartisan piece of legislation that dealt with an important, important — important challenge that we see at the border in immigration.
And then, so, we did that. We moved that forward. We presented it. And it — we were told, “No, no, no, no, no, we want — we don’t want the border security; we want just the national security supplemental without border security.”
Then, the Senate goes back, and they pass the national security supplemental without the border security — 70-29. We did that – or they did that, and the Speaker refuses to put that to the floor.
So, what is it that he really wants here? If you look at the border security deal, that proposal, it has –components of that has what the Speaker has been talking about for years.
So, the question is really for him. Like, you know — and — and let’s not forget why that happened. That happened because Donald Trump told them — told Republicans that if they move forward with the border security negotiated deal that came out of the Senate in a bipartisan way, that it would help this current president — it would help President Joe Biden.
And they put politics — they put politics first, instead of the American people. That’s what we’ve seen. This is what has been developing. You all have written about it. That’s what we have seen.
Now we’re going to continue to talk about the dire needs that we’re — the consequences that we’re seeing in Ukraine, as you just heard me say over and over again during this briefing, and the importance of getting that national security supplemental done. They heard directly from the CIA Director — right? — today.
We’re going to continue — the President is going to go to Texas — Brownsville, Texas, to be more specific — to talk about the importance of moving forward with the border security challenges, that particular negotiation that came forth in a bipartisan way, So, the question is really for him. Like, you know — and — and let’s not forget why that happened. That happened because Donald Trump told them — told Republicans that if they move forward with the border security negotiated deal that came out of the Senate in a bipartisan way, that it would help this current president — it would help President Joe Biden.
We’re going to continue — the President is going to go to Texas — Brownsville, Texas, to be more specific — to talk about the importance of moving forward with the border security challenges, that particular negotiation that came forth in a bipartisan way.
And let’s not forget: The clock is ticking on the government shutdown. This is not how our government should be done — moved here — run here. You know, House Republicans need to do their jobs. They need to do their jobs. They need to do what is best — what is best for our national security, what is best for the American people.
I know you guys are probably tired of hearing me speak. We’ll see you guys tomorrow.
Q: Thanks, Karine!
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Bye!
February 27, 2024: Readout of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s Meeting with Congressional Leadership on Government Funding and the Bipartisan National Security Supplemental
Today, President Biden and Vice President Harris met with Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Leader Jeffries in the Oval Office about the urgency of keeping the government open and paying the bipartisan national security supplemental.
The President made clear that Congress must take swift action to fund the government and prevent a shutdown. A shutdown is unacceptable and would cause needless damage to hardworking families, our economy, and our national security. He emphasized that the only path forward is through bipartisan funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies.
The President also emphasized the urgent need for Congress to continue standing with Ukraine as it defends itself every day against Russia’s brutal invasion. He discussed how Ukraine has lost ground on the battlefield in recent weeks and is being forced to ration ammunition and supplies due to Congressional inaction.
He underscored the importance of the bipartisan national security supplemental, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support and would pass in the House if it were brought to a vote.
He made it clear that in addition to arming Ukraine and investing in America’s defense industrial base, the bill would help Israel defend itself against Hamas, and provide more humanitarian aid for those impacted by conflicts around the world, including Palestinian civilians who are experiencing dire humanitarian conditions.
February 27, 2024: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday said lawmakers are “making good progress” to avoid a government shutdown. (The Hill)
“We are making good progress. We made it very clear. The Speaker said unequivocally he wants to avoid a government shutdown,” Schumer told reporters outside the White House after he and other top congressional leaders met with President Biden.
“We made it clear that means not letting any of the government appropriations bills lapse, which means you need some to get that done, but we’re making good progress and we’re hopeful that we can get this done really quickly,” Schumer said.
Schumer met with the president alongside Speaker Mike Johnson (R.La.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D. N.Y.), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.).
Returning to the Capitol, McConnell told reporters, “We talked about keeping the government open, which I think we all agree on.” Schumer said there are “little back-and-forth’s on different issues that different people want,” but he said he didn’t think those matters were “insurmountable: — calling it “heartening” to hear Johnson say he wants to avoid a shutdown…
February 27, 2024: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday said he is “very optimistic Congress will avert a shutdown by Friday’s deadline after meeting with President Biden and top congressional leaders at the White House (The Hill)
“We have been working in good faith around the clock every single day for moths and weeks, and over the last several days, quite literally around the clock to get that job done. We’re very optimistic,” Johnson told reporters on the White House lawn. “We believe that we can get to agreement on these issues and prevent a government shutdown, and that’s our first responsibility.”
“We will get the government funded and we’ll keep working on that,” he later added.
The positive outlook comes three days ahead of Friday’s partial government funding deadline, when four of the 12 annual spending bills are due. Without congressional action this week, a slew of programs and agencies will shut down. The remaining eight bills will lapse on March 8.
Congressional leaders had hoped to unveil the compromise spending measures over the weekend, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D- N.Y.) informed members in a Sunday letter that the negotiators had not yet reached an agreement on the legislation…
…Johnson has been under intense pressure from his right flank to push for a number of controversial policy additions to annual spending bills, including provisions related to the border, abortion and language that would eliminate the salaries of various Cabinet officials. Those request, however, have been soundly rejected by Democrats…
February 27, 2024: Three of Congress’s top four leaders had a loud and unified message for Speaker Mike Johnson (R- La.) when they met with him at the White House on Tuesday: Ignore the pressure from conservative critics and avoid a government shutdown on Friday. (The Hill)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D- N.Y), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, (R-Ky.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D- N.Y.) emerged from the meeting, which participants described as “intense” and “passionate,” feeling somewhat reassured that Johnson heard their pleas.
“It was a productive and intense meeting,” Schumer said outside the White House. “We made it so clear that we can’t have the shutdown because it hurts so many people in so many different ways.”
Schumer said “the Speaker did not reject” the warning and “said he wants to avoid a government shutdown.”
Jeffries said after the meeting that the atmosphere was “intense” as leaders in the room, which included President Biden and Vice President Harris, emphasized “the need to avoid a government shutdown and to fund the government so we can address the needs of the American public.”
He said negotiators are making “real progress” on the appropriations bills for federal departments and agencies that will see their funding lapse on March 1 without congressional action. Those bills include funding for military construction and the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Energy, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that we can do what is necessary in the next day or so to close down these bills and avoid a government shutdown,” he said.
But he also warned that Congress may have to pass another stopgap spending measure to fund the department of Defense, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and other agencies that will see their funding lapse after a second March 8 deadline…
…Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D- Wash.) said on the Senate Floor Tuesday that the policy riders Freedom Caucus conservatives are trying to add to the spending bills are threatening to derail the legislation before March 1 and March 8 deadlines.
“The biggest obstacle right now has been Republican poison pills that were never truly on the table. They were always going to be non-starters,” she said.
“But we have made really good progress on the first few bills, and we can get them done if extreme demands are pushed aside. We cannot let a few far-right extremists derail the basic functioning of the government,” she added.
Senate Democrats and Republicans — as well as House Democrats — have become increasingly concerned about Johnson’s ability to avoid a shutdown in light of how much difficulty he’s faced passing legislature this and last year…
February 27, 2024: Readout of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s Meeting with Congressional Leadership on Government Funding and the Bipartisan National Security Supplemental
Today, President Biden and Vice President Harris met with Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Leader Jeffries in the Oval Office about the urgency of keeping the government open and passing the bipartisan national security supplemental.
The President made clear that Congress must take swift action to fund the government and prevent a shutdown. A shutdown is unacceptable and would cause needless damage to hardworking families, our economy, and our national security. He emphasized that the only path forward is through bipartisan funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme politics.
The President also emphasized the urgent need for Congress to continue standing with Ukraine as it defends itself every day against Russia’s brutal invasion. He discussed how Ukraine has lost ground on the battlefield in recent weeks and is being forced to ration ammunition and supplies due to Congressional inaction.
He underscored the importance of the bipartisan national security supplemental, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support and would pass in the House if it was brought to a vote. He made clear that in addition to arming Ukraine and investing in America’s defense industrial base, the bill would help Israel defend itself against Hamas, and provide more humanitarian aid for those impacted by conflicts around the world, including Palestinian civilians who are experiencing dire humanitarian conditions.
February 28, 2024: House Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday quipped the reports Congressional leaders ganged up on him during this week’s meeting at the White House are “pretty accurate.” (The Hill)
Johnson, along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D. N.Y), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, (R-Ky.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D. N.Y.) met at the White House with President Biden and Vice President Harris on Tuesday for talks on funding for Ukraine and efforts to avert a government shutdown.
Meeting participants described the talks as “intense” and “productive,” and said they felt somewhat reassured Johnson heard their pleas to avoid a government shutdown on Friday…
…Johnson’s comments came just hours after Congressional leaders struck a deal to avert a government shutdown at the end of the week. Under the deal announced Wednesday, leaders agreed to punt a pair of funding deadlines into March to allow more time for spending talks.
This deal came after what one Republican senator told The Hill was piled pressure on Johnson during Tuesday’s meeting.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the senator said, “When you can demonstrate it’s kind of three against one, you can kind of pressure or influence someone, and I hope that’s what he senses.”
The leaders in the room were also unified when it came to asking Johnson to pass the Senate’s $95 million foreign aid package, including $60 billion for Ukraine. Johnson has signaled he will not bring the package to the House floor as it lacks border security provisions House GOP members have demanded for months.
February 28, 2024: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Good afternoon, everyone.
Q: Good afternoon.
Q: Hello.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Laughter.) Hi. Hello. Thanks, Weijia.
All right. A couple of things at the top before we get going.
The President has been receiving updates on the wildfires that have already scorched over 500,000 acres across the Texas Panhandle. We are grateful for the brave firefighters and first responders who are working to protect people and save lives. And we urge everyone in the affected area to remain vigilant and heed the warmings of local officials, especially those who have been ordered to evacuate.
White House and federal officials are in close contact with state and local officials on the frontlines of these fires, and FEMA and the U.S. Forest Service are providing assistance to — to the state. Specifically, FEMA has issued two fire management assistant grants to support Texas and one grant for Oklahoma.
The National Interagency Fire Center and the U.S. Forest Service are also providing firefighting assistance, including tanker planes. As always, we stand ready to provide further support as needed.
And tomorrow, following Secretary Becerra’s trip to Alabama, the White House Gender Policy Council, and Office of Public Engagement will host a listening session on the importance of access to IVF; and call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in fed – — in federal law for all women in every state.
And we will have more, obviously, to share in this event later today.
Also today, President Biden will sign an executive order to protect Americans’ sensitive personal data from exploitation by countries of concern. This is the most significant executive action any president has ever taken to protect Americans’ data security. It will authorize the Attorney General to prevent the large-scale transfer of Americans’ personal data to countries of concern and provide safeguards around other activities that can give those countries access to sensitive data.
Buying data through data brokers is currently legal in the United States, and that reflects a gap in our national security. Today, we are taking narrowly crafted steps to close that gap.
Aver- — as a result of the EO, the Department of Justice will begin a process to put regulations in place to prohibit the scale of data or — the sale of data, pardon me, or put in place a cybersecurity safeguards on the transfer of data.
Of course, throughout this process, we engage heavily with industry and other stakeholders to minimize any unintended economic impacts that will continue as this process moves forward. The administration is committed to protecting American safety and privacy, and we will continue to take appropriate action to ensure their protection.
With that, Aamer, you want to kick us off?
Q: Yes. On Leader McConnell’s announcement today. Did he call or let the President know — he was here yesterday — ahead of the announcement —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: – that he would be making it?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I don’t have any — any details to read out to you outside of, obviously, the readout that we — the we had or beyond the rea- — readout that we had from yesterday. You heard directly from the President just moments ago. I believe you were in the room, Aamer.
And I’ll quote the President: “He and I have trust. We have a great relationship. We fight like hell, but he has never, never, never misrepresented anything. I’m sorry he’s stepping down.”
I just don’t have anything outside of that.
Q: So, to that end, what does this mean, if anything, for current negotiations on big items like the — this foreign aid supplemental or even the CR?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I don’t — I don’t presume it means anything, right? He said he’s going to step down, essentially, at the — by the end of the year. I don’t think that affects his leadership. Leader McConnell has been a leader, as you know, for some time of the Senate.
And he’s been very clear, as well as the other four — the other three of the Big Four yesterday. They said it was important. They all agree the importance of making sure Ukraine gets the funding that they need. They all four agreed with the President and the Vice President on making sure that we keep the government open.
And I think that’s important — important to note. And so, I don’t think it affects Mitch McConnell’s leadership in this current time as we’re moving forward.
Look, we have bipartisan support in the Senate. And we know that we have bipartisan support on — on the House side as it relates, obviously, to the national security supplemental. And we want to see the House bring that forward and out that to the floor so we can see that moving so we can make sure that the brave people of Ukraine gets — continues to get the assistance that they need from the United States.
Q: And the Leader also noted in his speech that, “Father Time remains undefeated,” and “It is time for the next generation of leadership.” How does that sentiment resonate, if at all, with the President?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I’ll say this. Look, we — a decision like that the — that the — Mitch McConnell, the Senator, made a very personal decision. And that is for an individual to make and decide on. And he spoke to it. So, I’ll certainly let the senator continue to speak to that, if he chooses. And we know his words. We heard it on the floor of the Senate today.
The President has been very clear. The President has said he wants to continue to deliver for the American people, as he has done for the last three years in a historic fashion.
This is — this is a historic presidency when you think about how we’ve turned the economy around; when you think about how we’ve been able to — the President has been able to beat — beat Big Pharma and let Medicare negotiate for — for the American people, making sure that we’re getting these prices to be lower; a climate change aden — agenda; passing an Inf — the Inflation Reduction Act, a incredibly important piece of legislation, obviously, that is now law that’s going to do — that’s going to move the climate situation in a direction that is in the positive way — right? — and to make sure that we’re dealing with the climate — the climate change issue.
So, there’s a lot of things that the President has done. He wants to continue that. And that’s what he’s looking forward to do. And obviously, you’ll hear a lot more from him next week as he addresses — addresses Congress.
Q: And could you just indulge me on just one non-McConnell question?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. Sure.
Q: He’s going to be at the border tomorrow. What should we expect him to see and do, and what’s his objective? What dies he hope to accomplish tomorrow?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, as you know, — as you all know, we’ve — we’ve announced and you have all reported he’s going to Brownsville, Texas, tomorrow. He’s going to meet with Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials, frontline personnel, and local leaders.
While he is there, the President will be briefed by officials from the Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services, and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. And the President will also deliver remarks to highlight the need for Congress to pass the bipartisan border security agreement that was negotiated out of the Senate, as you know, not too long ago and took four months — four moths of us, the White House, working with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate to get that done. And, obviously, Republicans have rejected that because of politics.
Go ahead, Selina.
Q: Thanks, Karine. The President said he’s sorry to hear that McConnell is stepping down. But what impact broadly does he believe this will have on the Republican Party, on the future of the party, and the future of Congress?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m not going to get into — you know, into evaluating or looking into how this is going to affect the Republican Party. That’s for them to speak to.
What we’re going to continue to do is work on behalf of the American people. We know where the — where — where the Big Four stand as it relates to making sure that we get that national security supplemental done in a bipartisan way. It was done in the Senate in a bipartisan way. We want to see that get to the floor.
We know where the Big Four stood yesterday on making sure that there is not a shutdown, that that is avoided, that Congress do its job and keep the — keep the government open to make sure that Americans get the programs that they need from — from the federal government — important programs, important — import- — important resources that is critical to the American people.
That’s where we stand. That’s what we understand. As it relates to the Republican Party, that’s for the Republican Party to speak to.
Q: And did the President take a mental fitness or cognitive test during his physical this morning?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, let me just say I did see Dr. O’Conner in — he stepped into my office earlier today, after the President completed his physical this morning, as you all know. He was happy with how everything went. And as soon as he finishes completing the memo — it will be a robust, comprehensive memo — we will certainly share that with all of you, as we have done in the last two years.
And look, you saw the President return to work. He took some of your questions not too long ago, and you saw he’s going to continue to — to fight for the American people. And in this particular instance, he was talking about fighting — fighting crime. So, the President is going to continue that — that process.
As it relates to — you were asking me about a cognitive test — as it relates to that, look, you know, the President doesn’t need a cognitive test. That is not my assessment. That is not my assessment. That is the assessment of the President’s doctor. That is also the assessment of the neurologists who has also made that assessment as well.
And, you know, — and you’ve heard us say this, and I’ll reiterate this: The President’s doctor has said, if you look at what this President — the President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief– he passes a cognitive test every day — every day, as he moves from one topic to another topic, trying — understanding the granular level of these topics.
You saw him talk about a fighting crime today. Tomorrow, he’s going to go to the border. Next week, he’s going to give a State of the Union Address.
And so, we have keep that in mind. This is a very rigorous job. And the President has been able to do — do this job every day for the past three years.
And let’s not forget, he is also leading a historic presidency, which is also important to note in everything we’ve been able to do — he’s been able to get done over the past three years.
Q: But given that there’s been so much scrutiny, and you say there’s no problem, he would pass the test every day, why not just have his doctor administer the test and then case closed?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Because the doctor doesn’t believe that he be- — he needs one, because his — including the neurologist doesn’t believe he needs one.
Look, I think, — I think folks need to understand that the President passes, again, a cognitive test every day. If you look at what a clinical cognitive test is actually, what it actually does, it is a 15-minute appointment that is — that is administered by someone that, most of the time, people don’t actually know.
And — and — and the President has a team of doctors that is with him 24/7. And he is able to do the work every day that is rigorous — that is more rigorous than it would be for any 15-minute clinical — clinical appointment.
And you thin about the job growth, you think about the record small-business action, you think about the bloom in that — in that particular space of 16 million more small businesses have been cre- created. You think about delivering historic investment — that has been done by a president who has to deal with these issues every day, again, on a granular level.
And — and so, his doctor, including the neurologist, do not believe that he needs one. That is their assessment.
Go ahead, Jeff.
Q: Thanks, Karine. Is the President’s expectation still that a ceasefire will take place in Gaza starting Monday?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, the President, obviously, and his team has been working 24/7 for some time now, as you all know, to get to a — to get to a cea- — a ceasefire. Obviously, that would also include humanitarian aid get — going into Gaza. That would also include making sure that we get hostages home, including American hostages back home to their friends and families, obviously, which is incredibly important.
We are working around the clock to get that done. The President — you heard the President a couple of days ago say that he is certainly — he is optimistic and hopeful in getting done. And so, that is incredibly important to this President, to his entire team to secure — to secure that deal — that hostage deal. So, we’re going to continue focusing on that.
I wish I had something to share of any news on where we were. I do not. But this is a priority for this President.
Q: I’m just curious if he still thinks that timeline is realistic. (Inaudible)
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I think he’s optimistic and he believes that it is — it is important to get done.
Q: And separately, did the President monitor his son’s testimony today in Congress? And does he have a comment or does the White House have a broader comment about it?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I can’t speak to — I can’t speak to the President monitoring that. Obviously, he was busy this morning. You saw him go to Walter Reed. And obviously, he gave remarks and met with — did remarks on crime and met with some law enforcement.
What I would say is — just going to be, you know, as — anything that’s related to — to Hunter, obviously, Hunter and his representatives can speak to that on any specifics regarding his testimony.
I’ll say this broadly, and we’ve been very clear here that we think it’s a stunt that has dragged on for months and months and months. It’s uncovered zero evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden. In fact, House Republicans’ own wit- — own witnesses have refuted allegations over and over again, and — with the core premise of their inquiry continues to fall apart.
You all have reported this. We have seen this for the past several months.
So, House Republicans would be better off in helping American families. There’s a national security supplemental that, if it went to the floor, it would pass. That would help our own national security, that would help Ukraine, that would help other — making sure that we get that humanitarian aid into Gaza, making sure that we’re continuing to assist Israel. And also, let’s not forget the Indo-Pacific.
There is a potential shutdown. The clock is ticking. They need to do their jobs and get that done.
And so, look, you know, that’s kind of where we are with this. It’s dragged on. There’s zero evidence. We think it’s baseless.
Anything else, I would refer you to our Hou- White House Counsel.
Go ahead.
Q: Just on the news about Senator McConnell. Does — do you know if the President feels like he increasingly has fewer Republican governing partners that he can work with?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, we’re talking about Mitch McConnell, the Leader. Obviously, he’s been — he’s been in that — in that role as Senator for some time, has worked closely with this President. You heard from the President how he views their relationship — a very important relationship.
But, look, we were able to get a bipartisan negotiation coming out of the Senate on border security, on — on dealing with a broken immigration system, which is something that people didn’t think we’d be able to do.
Se- you know, that is really important. We were able to get a bi- — bipartisan support on the national security supplemental — 70 to 29 — you know? And I think that is also important that we were able to do that in the political climate that w’re in.
Are we sorry to see Mitch McConnell go? Because, obviously — in November, when he steps down, he still — sounds like he’s still going to be in the Senate. He’s just stepping down as leadership. So, I want to make that clear as well. And the President said he’s sorry to — to see that happen.
But we believe that there are still ways and still Republicans, certainly, in the Senate that we can work with in a bipartisan way. And we have done that. We have done that over the last three years.
Q: A little follow-up to Jeff’s question but more narrowly tailored, I guess. Is the e President supportive of his son, Hunter, you know, sitting down for this closed-door deposition today? Does he think it’s a good idea?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m just not going to get into private conversations that the President has with his family. Just not going to do it from here. I’m just going to leave it there.
I shared our thoughts on this. We’ve ben very clear how we think it’s a political stunt. We would love to work with the House R- — with House Republicans on issues that matter to the American people. The President has said: It’s — why don’t they focus on the American people instead of his family? And everything that they have moved forward with as it relates to this, certainly, has been baseless.
I’m just not going to get into a private conversation with the President.
Q: Thank you, Karine. Was President Biden surprised that more than 100,000 voters in Michigan in yesterday’s primary chose to vote that they were “uncommitted”?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I’ll say this. The President is — appreciates the people of Michigan coming out last night to make sure that their voices were heard yesterday. I think that’s really important. And he is proud to have received more than 80 percent of the Democratic Party voters’ vote. And I think that’s really important.
As it relates to the uncommitted, look, I said this yesterday: There has been senior officials that have gone to Michigan, as recently as earlier this month, to hear directly from the Muslim and Arab American community. And we understand how — how personal this is, how this moment is incredibly painful. And we’re going to continue to have those conversations. And we’re going to make sure that we continue to listen and continue to engage.
And as I mentioned earlier before, this is why it’s important to get this hostage deal. It will be accompanied with a temporary ceasefire. And so, we want to see that done. We want to see that moving forward. The President is going to continue to work on that 24/7.
And — and let’s not forget: We’re going to continue to work on making sure there is a two-state solution as well.
And so, he is — he appreciates folks getting out there, making their voices heard. But he also got more than 80 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary, and that’s important, too, to note.
Go ahead, Jordan.
Q: Thanks, Karine. It sounds like negotiators on the Hill are making progress toward avoiding a government shutdown. But it seems like they might need a stopgap spending bill to make sure there’s not temporary shutdown. Do you see that as a scenario? And would the President sign one if necessary?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we’re going to let the negotiators do their job, do their work. We’ve been very clear: There is no need for a shutdown here. And, you know, the President and the four — the Big Four made that clear yesterday in their meeting.
And House Republicans need to do their job. They need to do their job. It is not rocket sci- — rocket science — right? — what needs to happen. They need to figure it out, keep the government open, make sure those all-important programs that the American people need continue.
And so, I’m going to let the congressional leaders have their conversations, do their negotiations on the exact path forward, and leave that to them.
Q: The — the House is expected to consider a bill that would transfer the RFK Stadium site in Washington, D.C., to local leadership that would allow it to be redeveloped for, perhaps, another stadium or housing. Does the White House support that bill?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I just don’t have anything for you on that. I would have to — I haven’t checked with the team. I know — I saw that reporting. I just don’t have anything to share with you on that.
Q: Then, lastly, Venezuela has proposed some changes to its election that run aground of the agreement it had with the U.S. — moving up the election date, sort of limiting the involvement of opposition. Is the White House aware of that? And if so, what that trigger snapback sanctions if that were the case?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I would have to get back to the team on that — on that particular election question that you just asked me, and just would have to get back to you on that piece — particular piece.
Go ahead, Danny.
Q: Thanks, Karine. The World Food Program has warn — warned that famine is imminent in Northern Gaza. Does the White House share that assessment of the situation there, that a famine is imminent? And has the — has the White House urged Israel specifically to let aid into that — to that particular area?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, this is why we’re trying to get that deal, right? This is why we’re trying to get the hostage deal, which would be accompanied, obviously, by a temporary ceasefire. It is important. It is important to get that aid into Gaza, to make sure that we get the food and the necessary medical needs into Gaza. And so, that is going to — that is certainly why we’re continuing to push, obviously, to make sure that the hostages get home to their families.
And so, this is what the President wants to see. We know that innocent Palestinians are indeed suffering in Gaza. We understand that. The President understands that, which is why he’s been working, again, around the clock, 24/7, to get all-important humanitarian aid.
You heard from my colleague yesterday as — as the administrator from USAID was — is in the region and announced $53 million of additional humanitarian aid that will go into — into Gaza to make sure that that food is getting in, make sure that sup- — other supplies are getting in — critical supplies. And so, that announcement happened yesterday.
So, we are aware of what’s happening on the ground there. And we are going to continue to work 24/7 to get that hostage deal done, to make sure that there is a temporary — a temporary ceasefire, getting that aid in, and getting those hostages home — hostages home.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Karine. Does the President support an extension of the current continuing resolution to later in March to give negotiators time to come to an agreement and avoid a government shutdown?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I just got a version of that question. And, look, I think we were very clear that all four — the Big Four that were here meeting with the President and the Vice President were very clear yesterday — the importance of continu- — continuing to making sure or keeping the government open and not shutting down. The clock is ticking. And they all agreed that we have to keep the government open. They have to do that. Right?
And so, as it relates to the process and how they’re going to do that, I’m going to let the negotiators and congressional members deal with that. They can figure that out.
But it is important — it is important that we keep the government open.
Q: And I hear what you’re saying about Mitch McConnell staying until the end of the year. But with respect to Ukraine aid, based on his comments today, are you concerned that there just isn’t any support for Ukraine aid among many Republicans in Congress —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I —
Q: — and that there — and that there won’t be — that they won’t be able to get the votes for that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I — I disagree. There is actually support for Ukraine. There is bipartisan support in the House. I mean, they got it, certainly, from the Senate, right? They passed, 70 to 29, a national security supplement that include — that included aid to Ukraine. They just did that.
Now we want t see that go to the floor of the House. And we have heard from Republicans that if it came to the floor, they would vote for it. So, that’s what we want to see.
So, we actually believe there’s support in — in — with House Republicans, obviously with Democrats, to move that really all-important national security supplemental that is needed for — not just for Ukraine and, obviously, Israel and — and Indo-Pacific and what we need to do there in getting that humanitarian aid, obviously, to folks — innocent Palestinians who need it in Gaza, but also for our own national security, it is important that we get it done.
I talked about this yesterday: During the Big Four meeting, we had the CIA Director that was in that meeting that laid out the dire consequences and what we have seen in Ukraine as they have lost — you know, they have lost ground on the battlefield. And it is because of congressional inaction. They laid that out for them.
And so, — and so, look, the CIA Director was clear in that meeting. We have been clear. And they all agreed. They all agreed. All four agreed that we needed to move forward on this.
Go ahead, Karen.
Q: Thanks. Can you talk a little bit about the President’s prep for the State of the Union next week? How involved has he been so far in the drafting of the speech and where this process stands a week out?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we have a little bit mo- — time left. The President, obviously, this is a — the President sees this as an incredibly important opportunity not to just address Congress but also to — to address the American people. Millions of people — millions of Americans are going to be watching and listening to the President talk about the state of the Union, obviously, and how he’s going to move forward with — with his plans for – on behalf of the American people.
As it relates to the draft, it’s always in progress, obviously — almost alwa- — always — almost always to the end, to the final, final minute. And so that President is going to be heavily involved, as he has been for the last two.
He’s looking forward to this moment. We still will — we’ll still — about a week away. And so, there’s still time. There’s still time.
Q: And he’s going to Camp David this weekend. Is that meant to be practice sessions? Is he bringing people up there with him to do speaking (inaudible) —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, he’s going to work — he’s going to work on the State of the Union Address/ He’s going to continue to work on behalf of the American people as he’s there. And so, look, there’s going to be, obviously, focus on — on the speech. Just don’t have anything else to share.
We’ll sh — we’ll have more color for you as we get closer — closer to next Thursday.
Q: And, of course, wh- — should we expect travel after the State of the Union? Would he be doing that traditional “take the message on the road”?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, the President likes to be on the road and talk directly to the American people. So, certainly, you’ll — you should expect the President to get on the road, as he normally does.
Go ahead, Andrew.
Q: Thanks, Karine. On — on the matter of the President’s physical. I know that in the past, Dr. O’Connor has put out a memo to you that gets released —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — to us. The President is the oldest person to ever serve as President. And I know that — you’ve said he takes a cognitive test every day through doing the job and Dr. O’Connor ha said that he remains healthy enough to exercise his various responsibilities.
Having said that, why is — is the President or your office not willing to make Dr. O’Connor available to us to just answer questions here? Previous presidents —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: – have put their doctors up at that lectern. Why — why not this one?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So — so a couple things, Andrew. And the President said that they thought he was “too young,” so, you know, you heard from the President. He talked about this when he was asked.
And so, look, as it relates to Dr. O’Connor — look, this is someone who has served under Republican and Democratic presidents in the White House as a military physician, extensively in the field as well. And — and so, he is well respected. And let’s not rememb- let’s not forget, there was a — he did this with a team — a team of 20 — 20 doctors who participated in completing the President’s physical at Walter Reed. So it wasn’t just him. There were specialists that were part of this as well.
Q: Yes, and —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And — and I think that’s important to note.
And as I said, at the beginning, when I —
Q: But —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Wait. Let me finish. I said, at the beginning, when I was asked this question: It’s not just Dr. O’Connell — O’Conor who said this; also, his neurologist does — do not believe that he needed — that was their assessment — that they did not believe he needed a cognitive test.
As it relates to your question, there is not a precedent for bringing the doctor to — to the podium. And it — or to the brof- — to the briefing room.
Like, I understand it has happened a few times over the 35 years, a couple of times, but it is actually not the president. And so, what Dr. O’Connor has done is he has put forward, over the last two years, a comprehensive, robust — robust memo — as you just state, that is sent to me and then, obviously, we disseminate it to all of you — that lays out — lays out in parts of the President’s physical. And I think that’s important. It is — it is robust, and it is comprehensive.
Q: That — that being said, I know it hasn’t been, you know, a yearly thing for every president. But given the President’s age; given that his age is a concern for Americans, accor- –according to polling, it is an issue; and he — that the is the oldest person to ever serve as president, why would it not help, in your estimation, to put Dr. O’Connor or any of the other medical unit physicians that —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — that saw the President up there to answer questions, not necessarily from, you know, all of us but some of our colleagues who are medical correspondents, people who really know — know the medical field. Can he be made available to some of them, even if you don’t want to put him up here?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m not a doctor. The doctor — the —
Q: Me neither. (Inaudible.)
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Right. And I am — and that’s why I’m telling you and you will see from the doctor himself in a couple of hours. We will certainly make this robust, comprehensive memo, as we have done the last two years, available to all of you.
And the reason I said I’m not a doctor is because his own doctor — his personal doctor, as well as the neurologist — has said that we don’t need to have a cognitive test. As it relates to the Pres- — the doctor coming to — coming to the briefing room, it is not a norm. We’re trying to get back to the norm that it was — it used to be where doctor’s don’t come to the briefing room.
It is not — it is not the norm. It is not. It has happened a couple of times over the 35 years, but it’s not the norm.
And so, look, the — the doctor has also said that, look, he is — he is a professional here. He doesn’t want to make this about politics. he wants to make this about the work. He wants to make this about making sure that we put forward to — to you — he puts forward to all of you a robust, comprehensive memo. And that is what we — we’re going to do. We did it the last two years, and we’re going to do it again.
Q: Okay. One more on — on Gaza and the Michigan results last night. There are many, many voters in Michigan – Arab American voters — who have said they — they cannot vote for the President again because of what transpired in Gaza. there are many who voted “uncommitted” to register their disapproval but remaining open to voting for the President in November.
What is he going to do between now and November to assuage the concerns of people who, in many cases, have lost family members, have — have seen horrible things happen to the people they love over here, and they’ve seen him literally go over and hug the man that they believe is responsible? How is he going to clean that up?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look — and I have answered this already, and I’ll say it — maybe I’ll say it this way. Look, the President understands. He understands how painful this moment is to many people. He gets that, which is why he has had conversations with the Arab and Muslim — Muslim community, listened directly to them and heard their concerns.
You — you’ve heard me say just moments ago how senior officials went to Michigan and listened and engaged. And we’re going to continue to do that.
And this is why he is continuing to work on securing a hostage deal. This is why he is continuing to work to do just that. And if we do that, which is going to be accompanied by a temporary ceasefire, that is going to be important. It is going to be important to do.
And his team has made that a priority. We’re going to continue to get that done. And let’s not forget, we got to continue to make sure we get to a two-state solution. And so, those are the — those are the commitments that the President has made.
And as it relates to the pain that community is going through, obviously, we’re going to continue to listen, we’re going to continue to engage, and we understand how painful this is for so many — for so many in this country.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Karine. Do you know: Will the report from Dr. O’Connor include the rationale for not doing a cognitive test?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I believe that, as I said, the report will be robust and comprehensive. It will certainly speak to that as well.
Q: And do you know: Does the President have any plans to go to Michigan in the coming weeks or months? And might that include meeting with Arab American leaders?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I don’t want to get ahead of — of the President’s schedule. Obviously, the President is going to do a lot of travel over the next several weeks and months. Just don’t have anything to share specifically on Michigan.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Karine. Why go to Brownsville, Texas, specifically?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I think the President — and I said this at the top, and I’ve said this many times — he wanted to show that it was important for him to go down there to hear from Border Patrol agents, to hear from first responders on what’s going on on the ground. He’s been — he’s been to the border before — recently in this administration.
And he also wants to lay out the work that he has been able to do with sen- — with senators in a — in a bipartisan way. We were able to come — come forward to the American people — push forward a bipartisan bill that dealt with the border — the challenges at the border that also dealt with a broken immigration system. We were able to do that.
And, you know, as I said — as I’ve said many times, it was support- — it’s supported by the Border Patrol union, U.S. — U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and that is not something you see every day. But what we ended up — what ended up happening is that Republicans rejected it. They rejected it because of the last president and the politics around the last president.
And so, look, the President is going to — he said — we actually even said that once the bill was killed by Republicans that — that the American people are going to hear directly from American — from — from the President.
Q: Well, the reason I ask is because Brownsville is one of the slower sectors. In the month of February, they averaged, I think, 17 illegal crossings a day for a little more than 450 in the month. The number one sector has — had more than 14,000 in the same time period. This administration has often criticized Republicans when they go to the border and hold similar press conferences as saying they’re doing publicity stunts and photo ops. So, how is this any different?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, it’s very different. What House Republicans have done is nothing — absolutely nothing. If anything, they consistently get in the way — they consistently get in the way of what the President is trying to do to get more resources.
They are turning this into a political stunt by listening to Donald Trump and saying that they need to kill it — this is what they’ve been doing — and making it political, where the President got his team now — directed his team to work with senators, both Republicans and Democrats, to get a bill done.
Q: But the President is not going to actually see the parts of the border where it’s actually really bad.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I think — I think you’re missing the point. The point is the President actually did the work to get a bipartisan bill done that act- — that deals with an issue that the majority of Americans care about. He did. It felt with border security challenges. It dealt with immigration iss — policy. He actually did that.
Republicans got in the way. They rejected it. Well, Republicans in the House got in the way, and then it as rejected because of what they are told by the last — by the last president, by Donald Trump, to kill it.
Q: What do you say to people, though, who think that this is just an election-year stunt — finally hearing about the border —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We worked —
Q: — after it’s been a problem for the last three years?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, here’s the thing. Here’s what I would say. On the first day of this President administration, he put out a comprehensive immigration policy to deal with this issue. He did that on the first day. That was his first piece of legislation.
I would hole the American people would see how serious this President was — or is about — about fixing this issue. Not only that: spent four months — four months having a bipartisan conversation, doing negotiations to come up with a — with a — with a bill, with a pol — proposal that was, again, approved by the Border Patrol union — right? — that was – that’s supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
We don’t see that. And that’s because of the President’s direction of what he was able to do because he got involved and worked with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. And then when we got this bill done — by the way, it included a lot of thing that House Republicans wanted — when the got that done, it was rejected because of politics.
I mean, that’s where we are. That is where we are. So, the President is going to make that very clear and take it directly to the American people.
Q: Thank you.
Q: Karine, has the President spoken to the family of Laken Hope Riley, the young Georgia student who was murdered, allegedly, at the hands of an undocumented immigrant?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, first of all, I do want to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley. Given this is an active case, I’m going to be really careful about speaking to that case more specifically. Would have to refer any — anything specific to that — to that case to law enforcement and, obviously, ICE.
And I — the President — I don’t have anything regarding to the President speaking to the family. But it is heartbreaking. I — I can’t even imagine what the family is going through.
And so — but anything else specifically, I would refer you to ICE and law enforcement.
Q: Just for clarity, when you say you don’t have anything else in regards them speaking: So, we can assume that they haven’t spoken to this point, at least?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I just don’t have anything to read out to you.
Q: Okay. If they have spoken, will you correct us and let us — let us know that there is something yo can tell us?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would — we would — we would let you know. I just don’t have anything for you.
Q: Okay. Perfect. You got a lot of questions about Michigan. I just want to ask this a little bit differently. I know the President understood — understands the way that people of the “uncommitted” community felt in registering their votes. What message does the President think was being sent by those 100,000 Michiganders? What do they — what does he believe they want to see him do?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I can’t speak for them. Right? I — no, seriously, I can’t. What I can —
Q: But – yeah, but the White House has spoken to them. So, I guess, presumably the White House would know what — what they want to see him do.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, what we’re doing, what I can tell you that we’re going to continue to do, is listen. And we understand how painful that is for the community.
That is why — and let’s not forget — that is why — and I think that’s what you’re alluding to in your — in your question to me — he’s had his senior advisors — senior officials go to Michigan to have those conversations with that community — Ar — Arab and Muslim leaders — and we’re going to continue that conversation.
And he believes it is important for people to feel like their voice is being heard. That’s our — our message.
But let’s not forget: We’re — there’s also work to be done, which is what the President has been doing for the last — you know, last several months, 24/7 with his team, getting that hostage deal so it can lead to a temporary ceasefire.
We want to make sure that happens. And if the President is going to work very to secure that —
Q: And having —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — and getting to a two-state solution.
Q: Having spoken to the leader of the House — the House Democratic Leader in the statehouse there in Michigan just yesterday, one of the message that was communicated in that conversation was his desire, A, to communicate this message directly to the President. So, is that under consideration, A?
And, B, that the President not just continue to make efforts to get the hostages out but that the U.S. policy change vis-à-vis Israel and what it’s doing is Gaza. Is the President open to changing course in that regard, which includes the provision of weapons to Israel?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, the U.S. policy is not going to change on this. But what we can do is get to a temporary ceasefire so we can get that humanitarian aid into — into Gaza to the — the innocent people of — of — the Palestinian people who need that aid.
And you heard me — you heard us announce yesterday about the $53 million that was announced by Administrator Powers . And we believe that’s also important to do to continue to do that — get that — get the food that’s needed to get in there and, also, incredi — incredibly important medical supply as well.
And so, we’re going to continue to work with Israel on getting that done, as well as making sure we get the humanitarian aid.
We believe getting to a temporary ceasefire is important. Of course, the President wants to see this war end. Of course. And that’s what he’s working towards: getting a ceasefire, making sure — there are hostages that are being held in Gaza —
Q: Six Americans.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — their families and their friends — and six Americans, exactly — their family and friends want them to come home. We got to make sure that we get them home as well.
So, that’s where we’re focused on. That’s what the President — he spoke about it just a couple of days ago, obviously, when he was in New York. He’s hopeful. We’re going to continue to work towards that end.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. In two weeks from now, there will be third anniversary of the first Quad Summit that the President held here three weeks — three years ago. In these three years, what has been achieved the Quad for that the challenges remain the same?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I would say — I would say this. The President is incredibly proud of the progress the Quad has made over the past three years. To your point, the anniversary is coming up, and we’re — we are hoping to continue that momentum in 2024 under India’s host year, as you just stated.
And we’re talking about not just the United States — obviously India, Japan, and Australia. And we have all shared — a shared vision here of a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The Quad is helping all of our nations deliver concrete benefits to the Indo-Pacific across a number of critical, important sectors.
So, we look forward to continuing that progress for the Quad in 2025 — and not just in 2024 but, also, beyond.
Q: As Quad has made significant progress, as you said, President formed another group of four countries called 12U2 — Israel, U.S., UAE, and India. In the context of the war that goes — going on in the Middle East, has this grouping taken a back burner, is no longer active?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, not at all. It’s still a priority. 12U2 remains critically important. And the President is — is deeply committed to making sure that we continue with 12U2, obviously, with our partnership among our four countries and beyond through innovative, inclusive and science-based solutions to an- — advanced — let’s not forget — enhance food and energy security; space operation: other ventures advancing projects on water conservation, waste management, and other areas.
So, there’s a strong future for 12U2. And so, we’re looking forward to continuing that partnership. It has not taken a back burner. It is certainly a pri- — continues to be a priority.
Q: One more question, if I may. As the President heads to the border tomorrow, on illegal immigration. There are many groups, m- — mostly Indian Americans, who feel that the President is not much as serious as he is on illegal immigration — not much serious on legal immigration systems. He hasn’t held any meetings with those groups, what th — what the problems are, what the issues are. Can you give them a sense of the steps the President has taken to address them?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, one of the steps — if we look at H1-B visa process, we have taken action to improve that: end the process and backlogs for lawful permanent residents who are eligible to become U.S. citizens.
Just last month, for example, as part of our efforts to strengthen the integrity of our immigration system and reduce potential for fraud, DHS published a final rule relating to H1-B visas. So, the changes promote fairer and more equitable outcomes.
And so, we will continue our work to improve the system within our authorities. And that has certainly been a priority.
Obviously, I would refer you to U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services for any specifics on the actions we have taken. But we take that very seriously. And we’re continuing to do everything that we can to improve the visas process.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Janne.
Q: Thank you, Karine. The U.S. want South Korea to provide more 155mm artillery shells to Ukraine. South Korea has already provided more artillery shells to Ukraine than Europe. Why does the U.S. demand more support from South Korea?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m going to let South Korea speak to their own — their own military decisions and their bilateral relations. We are grateful — we are grateful for their support to — to Ukraine, obviously, as they continue to defend against the — Russia’s aggression. So, we are grateful for that. But I’m not going to speak to their own military decisions. That is something for them to speak to.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Ed.
Q: Yeah, thanks, Karine. I appreciate it. So, the — on the executive order the President signed today, if I could. What’s the level of concern of the President that, kind of, apps like TikTok and Temu are sending data now — the private data now to the Chinese Communist Party?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we — we do have concerns, which is why we put out the EO, which we’ve never seen any other administration do before, right? And it is to protect Americans’ sensitive personal data from exploitation by countries of concern — and the most significant executive action that we have seen from any president — any president has ever taken.
And so, look, it is important. I think — I think it — it — as I stated at the top, when you think about the buying data brokers is currently legal. It’s legal in the United States. And that reflects a gap in our national security.
So, this is about national security. This is about the people’s privacy — Americans’ privacy.
And so, what we’re going to do — what this EO is going to do — it’s going to narrow that by — by carefully crafting steps to move forward here where we’re protecting the privacy of Americans.
Q: Then how come the President’s campaign, then, is on TikTok if there’s such a concern?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I’m going to let — I’m going to let the campaign speak for itself. I know this question has come up a couple of times. I’m going to let them speak for itself.
As it relates to TikTok or the impact of TikTok or any other companies, look, this program does not target any one company or — or cover expressive content. But if a company is collecting Americans’ data on a large scale that falls under one of the covered categories, such as precise geological data, that data won’t be able to be sold to — or transferred to the country of concern once the rulemaking process is complete.
So, as you know, when the President signs an executive action, there’s a rulemaking process. But we believe that this is going to make a difference in — for our national security and also for the American people in perfect — protecting their privacy. So, that’s important.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you very much, Karine. So, tomorrow marks the fourth anniversary of the Doha Agreement between Washington and Taliban. Following the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Washington has repeatedly said that the Taliban need to fulfill their commitments in the agreement. What specific parts of the commitments does the administration want the Taliban to be — to fulfill under this agreement?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, a couple of things here, and I know my colleague at the State Department was asked this question and spoke to this earlier today.
So, it has been four years since the previous administration signed, as you know, the 2020 agreement with the Taliban. This agreement empowers the Taliban, weakened our partners in — in Af- — in the Afghan government, and committed to withdraw our troop a few months after President Biden’s inauguration, as you know, with no clean — clear path, plan for — for what could come next. That’s what we saw.
The Taliban have not fulfilled their commitments in the Doha Agreement. The Taliban has also not fulfilled their Dohan commitment to engage in a meaningful dialogue with fellow Afghans leading to a negotiated settlement and inclusive political system.
So, we continue to hold the Taliban to their commitments. And we are working tirelessly every day to ensure that this set of commitments is fulfilled. And that has been how we’re moving forward on that.
Q: And if I may, is there any plan for VP to do her physical checkup?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You would have to speak to the VP’s office.
Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead, Go ahead, Jared.
Q: Thank you. Back on the EO. So, you talked about how it narrows this — this gap that exist in federal law. You would need legislation to fully close that loophole?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yes, we always need Congress to take the step to narrow it. There’s going to be, as you know, a process here. And so, we’re going to let that process take place. But this is a step.
This is — this is — let’s not forget, this is a step that no other president has taken. And we want to make sure that we’re protecting our national security. We want to make sure that we’re doing everything that we can do also to protect Americans’ privacy.
Q: is there a sort of engagement now with Congress on what that legislation would look like, what it is that needs to happen? I guess, what’s that next step after this step, right?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, look, we’re going to do — there’s going to be a rulemaking process. We — as the President signed this — right? — DOJ is going to move forward on this. And so, it’s important. They’ll have additional details as the executive — and how it moves with the executive action.
And we’re always talking to Congress on a — on a — on a myriad of — of important agendas, items, obviously, that matter to the American people. That will continue.
Go ahead, Nadia.
Q: Thank you, Karine. Two questions. The White House considers Israeli settlements as an obstacle to peace. In fact, it clashes with the President’s vision of a two-state solution. So, Israel is intending to build 3,000 new unit — one of the biggest settlements in the West Bank, which is Ma’ale Adumim.
So, do you see this as Prime Minister Netanyahu defiance against the President and making his vision of a two-state solution redundant?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Say that last part again.
Q: Does Netanyahu — by building the settlements that clashes with the White House vision of a two-state solution, is he defying the President and making his vision redundant?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Is her def- — def- —
Q: Defying President Biden.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look —
Q: Netanyahu.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — we have certainly seen these reports, and we’ve been really clear about how disappointed we are by — by the announcement, right?
And — and, look, it has been longstanding U.S. policy under both Democratic and Republican administrations that new settlements are, indeed, counterproductive, as you just stated in your question, to — as we try to head to peace. Right? They are also inconsistent with international law.
So, we — we’re going to continue to be in firm opposition to settlement expansion. I don’t have anything else here to share. Obviously, we continue to have diplomatic conversations with the Israeli government. But we are going to be very clear bout our disappointment in this.
It is — it is not — that has been our — our longstanding U.S. policy has been very clear under both Republican and Democratic administrations on this specifically.
Q: And also, in reference to the $53 million in humanitarian aid. The problem that many people see, especially U.N. organizations and agencies on the ground, is the method: how can you get this — this money or this aid to people who are starving.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: Some countries have been doing air dropping of food, like Jordan and other countries. So, why can’t the U.S. do the same?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I don’t have anything to share with you about the air dropping — if we’re considering that, is that something that we’re going to do. Just don’t have anything to share about that.
But look, this is, again, why it’s so important to get to this hostage deal, why it’s so important to get to this temporary ceasefire. We need to get all — important humanitarian aid into Gaza, to the innocent people of Palest- — of the Pales — of Pales — Palestinian people, to make sure that they have what they need. Whether it’s food, whether it’s medical assistance, we understand that.
And, as you just mentioned, $53 million was just announced by USAID to — to help in that process. But we have to get to this hostage deal. We have to.
It is important to get the hostages home and that aid in and get that temporary ceasefire. So, the President is going to work on this, continue to work on this 24/7. He is committed to this. He wants to make sure that we secure that deal.
MS. DALTON: We just have time for one more.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Go ahead, what in the back. Go ahead.
Q: Yeah, thanks. The former President and his people are saying that the only reason President Biden is going this week is because former President Trump was going to go, and he wanted to not lose this issue. So, can you give us a sense of what the planning process was to go this week?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, that’s — I mean, look, you guys have covered this President and other presidents for some time. We just can’t all of a sudden put something on the President’s schedule. Right? It takes time to do that. The President has been very clear that he was going to take this issue directly to the American people. He has said that.
When Republicans rejected that Senate — Senate bipartisan bill on border security, on the immigration policy — right? — to fix a broken system that has been broken for decades, he said he was going to take it directly to the American people and, also, at the same time, hear from law enforcement and frontline personnel who deal with this issue every day. And, obviously, he’s going to make — he’s going to give remarks.
But he’s been very clear about this, that he was going to take it directly to the American people. He is going because it’s important for the American people to hear directly from him. He is going as — because it’s important to highlight that Republicans are getting in the way here. They are getting in the way. They had rejected a deal that — parts of that — that deal, they wanted, and they rejected it.
So, this is not about politics for this President. This is about how we’re going to fix an issue that a majority of Americans care about: a broken immigration system, the challenges at the border. That’s why the President thought it was important to go at this time.
Q: And on that point, does he feel that Republicans’ rejection of the bill — of the compromise bill, of the — the product that the Senate put together, does that allow him to flip the script, to go on the offense on this issue?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, I believe we are on the offense. We believe we are in the offense. Four months — let’s not forget, it took four months to get this done and work in good faith.
And let — and we have said: If this bill was able to get in — to become law, it would have been, yes, the toughest but also the fairest that we have seen in some time.
And, look, we believe we’re on the offense because we did the work with the Senate in a bipartisan way for four months. And Republicans rejected it. They allowed politics to get in the way. When you work in a bipartisan way — right? — in good faith, you’re putting politics aside, and you’re trying to get something done on behalf of the American people. That’s what the President did.
All right, everybody. See you on Friday. Thank you.
February 28, 2024: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D. N.Y) told colleagues Wednesday that congressional negotiators are “very close” to reaching a deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the week, announcing that they “continue to make very good progress on an agreement.” (The Hill)
Schumer reiterated his arguments made at a meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) at the White House Tuesday warning of the fallout of a partial government shutdown.
“A shutdown is a loser for the American people. In a shutdown, costs go up, safety goes down, and the American people would pay the price,” he said.
“I’m hopeful that the four leaders can reach this agreement very soon; we can not only avoid a shutdown on Friday, but get closer to finishing the appropriations process altogether,” he added.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said Tuesday that disagreements over policy riders have been the biggest obstacle to reaching the deal.
The biggest obstacle right now has been far-right Republicans poison pills that were never truly on the table. They were always going to be nonstarters,” she said.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, said Monday that the negotiations over policy riders had been elevated to the leadership level.
Funding for military construction, the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Energy, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development are set to expire March 1. Other federal departments, including the Pentagon and departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services, will see their appropriation end March 8.
Johnson is now floating a proposal to postpone those deadlines to March 8 and March 22.
Senator Republican Whip John Thune (R- S.D.) said Wednesday that the funding deadlines could be pushed back by a week or two weeks, respectively, but expressed frustration over congressional leaders repeatedly punting on big decisions.
“The first tranche of bills have been pretty carefully vetted,” he added. “I think there’s a path to getting that first tranche done. The second tranche is obviously more complicated and may need more time.
February 28, 2024: As the clock ticks down toward a potential partial shutdown of the federal government this week, millions who rely on federal assistance for food could be left in the balance. (The Hill).
If Congress fails to reach a deal to fund the government, a partial government shutdown would be triggered on March 1. That partial shutdown would impact several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which manages SNAP and WIC food assistance.
Impact on SNAP food stamps
SNAP, which stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, used to be called the Food Stamp Program. The program helps low-income and no-income families buy groceries by loading up a monthly benefit allowance onto an EBT card.
Because of the way SNAP is funded, the impact of a government shutdown wouldn’t be felt right away, a USDA spokesperson told Nextstar. Each month’s benefits are issued the month prior, so people would receive their benefit as normal in March even if Congress can’t reach a deal by the end of the month.
If the shutdown drags on longer than a month, there is reserve funding that should allow SNAP to keep operating for a while, but delays and issues might arise if USDA employees who run the program are furloughed, explains the Food Research & Action Center.
Impact on WIC benefits
When it comes to WIC, which refers to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, the situation is a bit different. WIC provides food assistance to low-income pregnant women, new mothers, and their babies and young children. The program is facing a $1 billion budget shortfall.
WIC has enough money to keep offering aid for a short time under a government shutdown, but that could quickly run out, explained Safa Hamas, who oversees the WIC program in Wake County, North Carolina.
When WIC doesn’t have enough money to help everyone who qualifies, the program prioritizes pregnant women, breastfeeding women and infants with nutritional issues like anemia or pre-term birth. If there’s enough funding to help them, WIC will offer assistance to the next priority tier, which includes infants under 6 months who have nutrition-related medical issues…
…Hamad told Nextstar’s WNCN that when there’s not enough funding, people in lower priority tiers get put on waitlists.
“What I’m most concerned about is that we’re going to have to turn people away,” she said. “So, even toddlers will be put on waitlists.”
While funding for WIC is a point of contention in the current negotiations, a continuing resolution could avert a funding lapse even if the government shuts down, a USDA spokesperson said. A continuing resolution is a temporary plan that allows the government to keep running as normal while lawmakers continue to debate a final budget.
A shutdown’s impact on federal agencies
While some USDA benefits continue and other’s won’t, the fate is clearer for the agency’s employees under a government shutdown. “The federal government is currently not allowed to spend money effective 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2024.” reads an FAQ for department employees.
“Most USDA employees will be placed on furlough,” the FAQ continues, at which point they will not be allowed to work except to help with shutting down operations. They won’t be paid for their furloughed time until the government is funded again.”
If Congressional leaders don’t come to an agreement soon, government funding for agriculture, transportation, military construction and some veteran’s services expires Friday. Funding for the rest of the government, including the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department expires a week later, on March 8.
February 28, 2024: Congress has until March 1 to avert a partial government shutdown and until March 8 to avoid a full government shutdown. If lawmakers fail to meet these two deadlines, parts of the government would be required by law to temporarily shutdown operations. (The Hill).
The March 1 deadline would impact the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation and Energy.
The second deadline, on Friday, March 8, would impact all other agencies including the Internal Revenue Service. Every department and agency has a set of procedures in case of a shutdown that includes which employees are considered essential, how many would get furloughed and who would work without pay.
According to the contingency plan released by the Department of Treasury for the fiscal year 2024, essential functions of the IRS would continue. It’s not clear exactly how filing season and refunds would be impacted since there has never been a shutdown during tax season.
However, experts agree that electronic tax refunds would most likely be processed as normal, if as long as there are no errors on the return. If there are issues, with a return, it could take longer to process since IRS employees considered non-essential would be furloughed.
Taxpayers filing a hard copy might not be as lucky, and could experience delays in receiving their refund.
The IRS recommends filing electronically and setting up direct deposit to get a refund within 21 days.
The last time the government faced a looming shutdown was in January. At the time, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said the agency would do everything in its power to minimize disruptions.
“We have not experienced a shutdown in the middle of filing season, so there is some uncertainty there,” Werfel said in January.
The filing deadline of April 15 will stay in place even if there is a government shutdown. Taxpayers can avoid possible delays by filing as soon as possible.
February 28, 2024: Congressional leaders have struck a deal to avert a government shutdown this week, agreeing to punt a pair of funding deadlines into March to buy more time for spending talks (The Hill)
Under the deal announced Wednesday, leaders have agreed to extend funding for six bills covering the department’s of Agriculture, Justice, Commerce, Energy, Interior, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development through March 8.
The deal would also extend funding for the six annual funding bills, which cover the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, the Pentagon and other offices, through March 22.
“We are in agreement that Congress must work in a bipartisan manner to fund our government,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D.-N.Y.), said in a joint statement on Wednesday, along with the heads of the appropriations committees in both chambers.
“To give the House and Senate Appropriations Committee adequate time to execute on this deal in principle, including drafting, preparing report language, scoring and other technical matters, and to allow members 72 hours to review, a short-term continuing resolution to fund agencies through March 7 and the 22 will be necessary, and voted on by the House and Senate this week.”
Leaders say negotiators have come to agreement on all six measures due March 8, but a senior appropriator signaled on Wednesday that there could still be some loose ends.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat in the House of Appropriations Committee, told reporters Wednesday that “there’s still one or two pieces” to iron out when asked about the first batch of bills. That included unresolved items in areas like WIC and SNAP benefits, as well as guns.
House Republicans expect to vote on a stopgap bill on Thursday. DeLauro said she expects text for a package containing the first batch of six bills to come out this weekend.
The new deal sets up a battle in the House, where Johnson faces a tough challenge in getting through another short-term stopgap measure, particularly conservatives have passed for a full year stopgap.
“I don’t think it’s the right move but you know the Speaker’s got to make a decision that he thinks is best,” Rep. Bryon Donalds (R-Fla.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said on Thursday.
I think, like most conservatives, I’m disappointed and I’m wondering where we’re gonna fix the border,” Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), another member of the caucus, said.
Experts have warned a full-year stopgap could trigger steep cuts to government funding, and members on both sides of the aisle have rejected the idea amid concerns about how it would impact defense and nondefense programs. But conservatives have continues to fight for the proposal in pursuit of lower overall funding levels and stronger border security.
Under the stopgap spending bill, funding for four of the 12 full-year spending bills is set to expire Friday, while funding for the remaining eight bills is up on March 8.
The latest agreement comes as spending cardinals in both chambers have signaled more time may be needed to complete their funding work after weeks of tense bipartisan negotiations.
“I think we possibly could have been ready for next week and gotten it done. But it takes a while to process bills in both houses right now,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who chairs the subcommittee that crafts funding for the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, told The Hill on Wednesday.
Baldwin’s forthcoming bill is among the eight currently scheduled to lapse March 8. Often a battleground for fights over abortion-related policies, her bill is seen as one of the tougher measures to craft.
“I think that will give us enough time to conclude, but I think we’re at a point where most remaining issues have been resolved,” she said when asked about the prospect of a stopgap through March 22 earlier on Wednesday.
Rep. Henry Cullar (Texas), the top Democrat on the House Funding subcommittee that oversees Homeland Security Department funding, also said Wednesday that he and other negotiators are still working on hashing out spending for various programs under the subpanel’s umbrella and “working on riders.”
House Republicans pursued a laundry list of riders Democrats have decried as “poison pills” during spending talks, as the party seeks to secure conservative policy wins. However, Republican negotiators have acknowledged they won’t get everything they’ve asked for as both sides seek to put a bow on fiscal 2024 funding.
“I understand that we’re not going to get all the riders, but I’m hoping that there are maybe a couple that we can get some wins out,” Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), the spending cardinal for the subcommittee the crafts funding for the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, said on Wednesday.
February 29, 2024: Statement from President Joe Biden on Passage of the Bipartisan Government Funding Bill
This bipartisan agreement prevents a damaging shutdown and allows more time for Congress to work toward full-year funding bills. That’s good news for the American people. But I want to be clear: this is a short-term fix — not a long-term solution.
In the days ahead, Congress must do its job and pass full-year funding bills that deliver for the American people. And House Republicans must act on the bipartisan National Security Supplemental, which already passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support and would pass the House if it was brought to a vote.
During my meeting with Congressional Leaders this week, we all agreed on the vital importance of supporting Ukraine. That understanding must now be backed with action. Every day that House Republicans refuse to hold a vote on the bipartisan National Security Supplemental, the consequences for Ukraine grow more severe.
In addition to arming Ukraine as they defend against Russian attacks every single day, this bill will help ensure that Israel can defend itself agains Hamas and other threats. And it will provide critical humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people and those impacted by conflicts around the world. Because the truth is, the aid flowing into Gaza is nowhere near enough, and nowhere fast enough. Innocent lives are on the line.
It’s time for House Republicans to put our national security first and move with urgency to get this bipartisan bill to my desk.
February 29, 2024: The head of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus is bashing the nascent funding agreement hashed out by leaders of both parties, warning that conservatives would be willing force a government shutdown to secure steeper cuts and policy preferences (The Hill)
Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) has led the charge among the far-right lawmakers urging Speaker Johnson (R-La.) to fight for scores of conservative policy riders to accompany the 2024 spending bills. Absent that, Republicans want the Speaker to champion a stopgap bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), to extend government funding at current 2023 levels through the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends Oct. 1.
The latter strategy would trigger an automatic, 1-percent cut to federal programs of all types beginning May 1 — a stipulation of last summer’s bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) designed to encourage lawmakers to reach an agreement on 2024 spending or face reductions to popular programs.
Good said that 1-percent cut is far preferable to the deal Johnson endorsed with the leaders of both parties and both chambers, which adopts higher spending caps established by those same leaders in January. He’s also calling for a series of policy changes, including tougher border security measures and a scaling back of the government’s spying powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
“I would do a CR through Sept. 30 that triggers the FRA caps that would cut about $100 billion from the deal,” Good said Wednesday evening in the Capitol.
“I’d attach border security to it. I would attach Israel pay-for. And I’d attach FISA… reforms. That’s what I’d like to see happen. And we ought to be willing to have a shutdown fight to force it to happen.
Good isn’t the only conservative voicing his disapproval.
Reps. Troy Nehels (R-Texas), and Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) were among conservatives who said Thursday they wouldn’t vote for a stopgap measure.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said he preferred a yearlong CR to the one announced Wednesday night.
“I’m for the long-term CR; that’s the only way you can get leverage,” he said. “That’s not what the direction looks like now.”
And Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) made clear she’s unhappy with the direction the party is headed.
“Remember the big fight earlier this year about no CR’s and rules and no omnibuses and no minibuses? Well, everything talked about in conference this morning was a CR, another CR, a weeklong CR,” she said. “And then you’ve got the most conservative members of Congress standing up wanting one-year CR. I don’t know what to say.”
It’s unclear how much power conservatives like Good hold to force a shutdown. The spending deal unveiled Wednesday features two legislative packages scheduled to receive to separate votes over the next month.
The first package is expected to hit the House floor before March 8; the second is slated to follow by March 22. The House will vote Thursday on a CR to prevent a shutdown before those two deadlines, with the Senate expected to follow suit.
The conservatives could block those packages if Johnson chooses to bring them to the floor under regular order, which would require the passage of a rule beforehand — a rule the conservatives could sink.
The more likely strategy would be to bring the funding bills up by a procedure known as the suspension calendar, which bypasses the rule requirement but heightens the bar for passage; a two-thirds majority would be needed to send the bills to the Senate.
That’s the likely route GOP leaders will choose, and given the early support from bipartisan leaders, it’s expected to be successful.
But for Johnson, there are dangers in the strategy, as well. His predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had brought a CR to the floor last September under the suspension calendar. It prevented a government shutdown but also triggered a vote to remove his gavel.
Within days, McCarthy had been toppled from power.
February 29, 2024: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) declined to say Thursday if he’d help protect Speaker Mike Johnson (R- La) from a conservative revolt. (The Hill)
In an interview with the New York Times a day earlier, the Democratic leader had suggested that “a reasonable number” of Democrats in his caucus would cross the aisle to keep Johnson in power in the face of a coup — if the Speaker agreed to consider legislation providing aid to foreign allies, including Ukraine.
On Thursday, Jeffries emphasized that he wasn’t stating his own position, but simply making an assessment based on “observations” of the members of his caucus.
“The comments that I have made on this issue speaks for themselves,” Jeffries told reporters in the Capitol. “The only comments that I have made on this issue are observations, but not a firm declaration.”
Johnson, since taking the Speaker’s gavel in October, has said he supports more military aid for Ukraine. But former President Trump has come out against the assistance, and Johnson is under heavy pressure from conservatives on the GOP conference to keep any such bill off the floor.
Amid the fight, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has vowed to force a vote to remove Johnson from power if he does stage a vote — a threat with teeth since the new House rules stipulate that a single lawmaker can bring such a motion.
Democrats are scrambling for ways to get the Ukraine bill to the floor, and a number of them have already emerged to say that they’d help Johnson survive a motion to oust him if he agrees to certain conditions, such as considering the Senate-passed foreign aid package.
“Just like I told McCarthy: Talk to Hakeem, and there are some of us that can support you,” Rep. Henry Cueller (D-Texas) said last month, referring to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was booted from his leadership post last year at the hands of disgruntled conservatives. “I’ll say the same thing to .”
More recently, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) delivered a similar message.
“If we get a vote on the appropriations bills and we get a vote on the supplements, there’ll be enough Democrats that Johnson will not be removed as Speaker,” Smith said. “That’s just my view.”
In his interview with the Times, Jeffries said he hasn’t overlooked that message being sent by members of his party.
“It does seem to me, based on informal conversations, that were Speaker Johnson to do the right thing relative to meeting the significant national security needs of the American people by putting it on the floor for an up-or-down vote, there will be a reasonable number of people in the House Democratic Caucus who will take the position that he should not fall as a result,” Jeffries told the Times on Wednesday.
The debate is evolving differently than the one that preceded McCarthy’s removal in early October. In that case, a number of Democrats had also offered their support, but a defiant McCarthy rejected the help, expressing confidence that he’s “hold on” despite a slim majority.
The strategy backfired with every Democrat voting to remove him.
February 29, 2024: Evening Report — Government shutdown averted after House OK’s temporary deal (The Hill)
The House, torn over its narrow Republican leadership, has decided to avert a shutdown this week.
But the reprieve may be short-lived.
The legislation — which cleared the chamber in a 230-99 vote — kicks the two government funding deadlines to March 8 and March 22, buying lawmakers more time to hash out their differences on spending bills and push them over the finish line.
The short-term funding bill is heading to the Senate one day before Friday’s funding deadline.
This was the fourth stopgap approved under this Congress and the third under Johnson’s leadership.
But not all is calm on the legislative front…
Six appropriations bills due next week seem to be in the clear, but there are disagreements on other measures.
“Clearly, the second group of bills could be difficult and problematic, especially as Republicans in the House continue to insist on policy riders that erode women’s reproductive freedom,” said Pete Aguilar (Calif.), chair of the Democratic Caucus, said shortly before the vote.
February 29, 2024: Senate passes short-term bill to avert government shutdown (The Guardian)
The Senate passed a short-term funding bill following a House vote on Thursday afternoon, narrowly averting a partial government shutdown that was due to occur this weekend.
Ahead of the Senate vote, the majority leader, Chuck Schumer, addressed the chamber floor, saying that he saw “no reason this should take a very long time.”
“This agreement is proof that when … bipartisanship is prioritized, when getting things done for the American people takes a high priority, good things can happen, even in divided government.”
The temporary extension funds the departments of agriculture, transportation, interior, and others through 8 March. It funds the Pentagon, homeland security, health and state through 22 March.
“These bills will adhere to the fiscal Responsibility Act discretionary spending limits and January’s top-line spending agreement,” congressional leaders said on Wednesday.
The extension comes after congressional leaders said there was an agreement on six of the 12 annual spending bills and plans for them to be signed before March 8, before they would face another partial shutdown.
The short-term extension bill is on its way to Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it ahead of its Saturday shutdown deadline.
Meeting with congressional leaders earlier this week alongside Kamala Harris, Biden said that a government shutdown would “significantly” damage the economy.
At the end of the process, Congress is set to approve more than $1.6tn in spending for the fiscal year that began in October — roughly in line with the previous fiscal year. That’s the amount that former speaker McCarthy negotiated with the White House last year before eight disgruntled Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats a few months later and voted to oust him from the position.
Some of the House’s most conservative members wanted deeper cuts from non-defense programs that the agreement allowed through its spending caps. They also sought an array of policy changes Democrats opposed. They were hoping the prospect of a shutdown could leverage more concessions.
“Last I checked, the Republicans actually have a majority in the House of Representatives, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at our checkbook because we are all too willing to continue the policy choices of Joe Biden and the spending levels of Nancy Pelosi,” said Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican.
But Chuck Fleishmann, a fellow Republican from Tennessee, countered before the vote that shutdowns are damaging and encouraged lawmakers to vote for the short-term extension. “I want the American people to know, Mr. Speaker, that this negotiation has been difficult, but to close the government down at a time like this would hurt people who should not be hurt,” Fleischmann said.
February 29, 2024: Government shutdown averted after House OKs temporary deal (The Hill)
The House, torn over its narrow Republican leadership, has decided to avert a shutdown this week.
But the reprieve may be short lived.
The legislation — which cleared the chamber in a 320-99 vote — kicks the two government funding deadlines to March 8 and March 22, buying lawmakers more time to hash out their differences on spending bills and push them over the finish line.
The short-term funding bill is heading to the Senate one day before Friday’s funding deadline.
This was the fourth stopgap approved under this Congress and the third under Johnson’s leadership.
But all is not calm on the legislative front…
Six appropriation bills due next week seem to be in the clear, but there are disagreements on other measures.
“Clearly the second group of bills could be difficult and problematic, especially as Republicans in the House continue to insist on policy riders that erode women’s reproductive freedom,” Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), chair of the Democratic Caucus, said shortly before the vote.
MARCH 2024:
March 1, 2024: Press Release: Bill Signed: H.R. 7463
On Friday, March 1, 2024, the President signed into law:
H.R. 7463, the “Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024,” which provides fiscal year 2024 appropriations to Federal agencies for continuing projects and activities funded in 4 of the 12 annual appropriations bills through March 8, 2024. For the remaining 8 annual appropriations bills, the CR provides funding through March 22, 2024.
March 1, 2024: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hi. Good afternoon, everybody. Apologies for the briefing starting late today.
I want to start by saying: Happy Women’s History Month — a time when we celebrate the countless women who have fought tirelessly and courageously for equality, justice, and opportunity in our nation. And we reaffirm our commitment to continue advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls in the United States and around the world.
The President is honoring this commitment with action. He signed a law historic legislation to advance gender equity over the last year, including to support women in the workplace, such as the Pregnant Workers Family — Fairness Act — pardon me; the Speak Out Act; and the Pump for Nursing Mothers Act as well. And to ensure all people can live free from violence through the strengthening and reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
The President is also proud of having the most diverse group of women at the highest levels of government in the U.S. history, including the first woman Vice President and the first gender-equal Cabinet.
This Women’s History Month, we remain committed to continuing this important work in service of advancing the full participation of women, a foun — foundational tenet of our democracy.
And I wanted to lift up some really good news that all of you saw this morning and you also heard from the President as well speak to this, which is the lowering health cost for the American people that we heard today.
So, as you know, for far too long, American families have been crushed by drug cost many times higher than the cost to make them and what people in our — in other countries are charged for that same very — that same prescription.
Insulin costs less than $10 to make, but Americans are sometimes forced to pay over $300 for it as well. As the President said this morning, it’s flat wrong. That’s why the President fought tooth and nail to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which caps the price of insulin for Americans on Medicare.
This was a critical action to lower healthcare costs for American people. But the President has been clear that the insulin cap should apply to all Americans. And that was something that we saw congressional Republicans blocked at that time.
In this — in his State of the Union address, he also called on Pharma companies to continue this progress and bring prices down for everyone on their own.
Today, Eli Lilly, the largest manufacturer of insulin in the United States, heeded that call and announced that they are lowering their prices, capping what patients pay out of the pocket — out of pocket for drugmakers’ insulin products at $30 — at $35.
This is great news and important progress toward lowering costs for all Americans. Unfortunately, congressional Republicans are making — are among the few left that believe insulin costs should be sky high. In fact, they are fighting to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, which would increase healthcare costs for American people and increase the deficit as well.
And finally, last night, House Republicans voted to overturn the Department of Labor’s rule that investors make their own investment decisions free of government interference. The Senate will vote on the measure today.
Republicans talk about their love of free markets, small government, and letting the private sector do the work. The Republican bill is opposite of that. It forces MAGA Republican’s ideology down the throats of private sector and handcuffing investors as well. The bill would bar fiduciaries from considering significant risks like extreme climate threats and poor coop — coop — corporate governance when they make investment decisions.
It would give investment professionals less flexibility to make prudent decisions, meaning they won’t be free to maximize the retirement savings for millions of Americans. That would jeopardize the retirement and life savings for police officers, firefighters, teachers and tens of millions of retirees all across the country.
This is unacceptable to the President and that is why he will veto this bill if it does come to his desk.
President Biden is focused on protecting workers’ hard-earned live savings and pensions. And that is — that is what he’s going to continue to do. You’ve heard him say that many times.
And with that, Aamer, you want to kick us off?
Q: Yeah. Thank you. So, Chicago had their mayoral — or first round of their mayoral elections yesterday. And it’s the latest big American city where frustrations about crime was a central issue of the cycle. Does President Biden — does he feel that this administration and, I guess, Washington writ large is putting enough attention on dealing with the issue of crime, particularly in areas — big urban areas like Chicago?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, let me just first speak to the mayor’s race. Look, the President is committed to working with who — whoever — whomever the — you know, the people in Chicago or the people on the ground, whichever — if it’s a city or a state — whomever they choose to represent them. So, that is — is the case and will continue to be the case.
And so I’m going to withhold commenting on any specific race but I know you’re asking about crime specifically. Look, the President put forth, as you know, a comprehensive Safer Communities plan. And he put that forth after inheriting a rise of crime. That is something that he has been focused on since the beginning of his administration.
Let’s not forget, in that plan, he calls for more than 100,000 police officers to go into the community, to work with communities, and make sure that communities feels safe, families feel safe. And that’s what the President has put forward.
And you’ll see — when you see his commitment to crime – you’ll see that in his — in his budget next week. As you know, we’re going to release that March 9th . And it will reflect his commitment, as well, as we’re trying to continue to fight crime, which is — the President has been leading at from the beginning of his administration.
But what we have seen is that, for years — for years, congressional Republicans have been doing the opposite. When you think about the COPS program, which is something that the President put forward, they have wanted to defund that, to take that away.
And if you think about that, that leads to the defunding the police. Just recently, they called on defunding the FBI. And you think about the border security funding; they want to take that away as well.
So the President has been committed. And one more thing I would add: Let’s not forget the banning assault weapons. That is a key part of this — when we think about crime, when we think about gun crime — that we believe will help alleviate the crime that we’re seeing, keep families safe, keep communities safe across the country.
So, the President has walked the talk. The President has been very consistent on making sure that communities feel safe and fighting crime. And he’ll continue to do that.
Q: Okay. So just one on a different topic. If TikTok isn’t safe for federal government workers’ devices, does the President believe it’s safe for Americans’ children’s smartphones?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I’m glad that you asked about that because, look, we have been clear about our concerns about TikTok, apps like TikTok — and, certainly, our concerns with countries, including China, as they seek to leverage digital technologies and Americans’ — and Americans’ data in ways that can present harm and — and risk to our national security, clearly.
There was — to your point about families, there was a piece of data, of CDC data, that just found recently that nearly 60 percent of teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, and — and 30 percent seriously considered suicide.
So, this is something that the President has taken action on. If you look at the executive — executive — using his executive branch authorities. When you think about his Unity Agenda, a couple of things that hew as able to do was stop collecting — stop collecting personal data on kids and teenagers online, ban targeted advertising to children, and impose stricter limits on the personal data companies collect on all of us.
And so, this is what the President calls on for Congress to pass in a bipartisan way — you know, privacy legislation to hold bi- — big tech accountable.
And so, the President is going to continue to take actions. But we see that. We see that in the data how this has affected young people, especially during this pandemic in the last couple of years.
Q: Thanks, Karine. To follow on that, does the President believe TikTok is a threat to national security?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, we have said that we have concerns. We have concerns about the app. And that’s why we have called on Congress to act and — including — and I mentioned earlier, just moments ago — including what China — how China is trying to collect the privacy of Americans in a way that it would have — it would — can present national security risks.
So, yes, we have concerns about that. And — and look, we’re going to continue to — again, to call on Congress. I just laid out the President’s Unity Agenda and what he’s looking to do and the actions that he wants to take from the executive branch, his authority. And so, we’re going to continue to call that out.
Q: But does that — do the actions include a ban on all devices in the U.S.?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, what I would — what I would say is this: The White House does not use TikTok. And — but we do believe — we do believe that — that, you know, Congress took action. And so, therefore, clearly, we’re — they took action and put this into law. And clearly, we’re taking — taking those steps as it — as it relates to the federal government.
Outside of that, we know that CFIUS has an ongoing investigation or ongoing — looking at this — looking at this situation. So, I’m not going to go beyond what CFIUS is doing.
Q: I guess what I’m trying to understand is: You know, has the President not issued a federal ban on TikTok on all devices because he does not think it’s a threat to national security or because he does not have a legal mechanism to do so?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m not going to get into the specifics on what he has legally to do or not do so. What I’m saying — and we’ve been very clear that TikTok, you know, poses a problem and an issue. And so, we have concerns that as it relates to American’s data — collecting Americans’ data a the potential national security risk. And we’ve been very, very clear on that.
Again CFIUS has an ongoing process that they’re going to — they’re working through, so I’m going to let that speak for itself, what they come up with.
Q: And then, just one more on the — the intelligence assessment of the Havana Syndrome. The community does not believe it was a foreign adversary that is to blame for these cases, but rather things such as pre-existing conditions, conventional illnesses, environmental factors. Can you elaborate on what that might mean and what else you’re doing to try to pinpoint exactly what caused it?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, so a couple of things. So, look, nothing is more important to this admin- — administration, to this President than the health and wellbeing of our workforce. So that is a priority for this President.
With bipartisan support with Congress, we have focused on ensuring that our colleagues and their families who report anomalous health incidents receive the support and access — care that they need. And so that has also — that medical treatment, the medical care that they need has been incredibly important.
So we also asked the — the U.S. Intelligence company to surge resources to help advance our understanding of the AHI reports to date and examine all possibil – — all possible explanations. We have committed to be transparent with the workforce because we believe that’s what they deserve and with the American people as well.
But what the IC has learned — and we would refer you to, clearly, ODNI — as it relates to the assessment and what the specifics of that assess- — assessment and the key judgements that the IC released, that’s something that they clearly would recommend to them.
But it is important to note that what the Director of the National Intelligence said and underscored today is that today’s IC assessment does not call action into the very real experience and symptoms. Like, we acknowledge that, and we understand that people are truly — truly went through — went through an ordeal. And so, you know — and that’s something that, clearly, our colleag- — our colleagues and their families had to deal with.
So, our commitment and the President’s commitment to the health and safety of the U.S. government personnel remains unwavering. And this is why the departments and agency will continue to provide timely care on the medi– as we look at the medical care and make sure that — that the reports are thorough, support research efforts, and process HAVANA Act payments as requested.
So, again, when it — as it relates to the specific — any specific questions to their assessment, I would refer you to ODNI.
But this doesn’t change the commitment that the President has in making sure that, you know, these families, our colleagues in the workforce get the help and the assistance that they need. And we’re — they’re going to continue to — to work through that.
Q: Thank you. And just to follow up on that, is the President satisfied with that report, with that assessment on the Havana Syndrome?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’ll say this: You know, what’s important to the President is that we take this very seriously, as the intelligence community has.
And you saw the assessment. They laid it out pretty — pretty clearly from ODNI. What we are committed to is making sure that — that our workforce and their families get the assistance that they need through this — the medical care. And, look, the work is ongoing. It continues.
Q: So the — that extra, special financial support that came from the HAVANA Act that the President signed, the White House still believes that the people who are suffering from these symptoms, even with this assessment now, that those people should still get that extra financial support?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Absolutely.
Q: That’s the position of the White House?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, absolutely.
But I do want to send a message to the American people: Look, it is — it is important, again, for the health and wellness of the — of the workforce to be a priority.
And that’s what you — you saw from the intelligence community assessment. And — and it — look, and even from the assessment, that doesn’t alter that. It doesn’t alter our commitment, the President’s commitment to their health and safety. And so that’s what I would say.
There is a commitment there to make sure that we make sure that there is a safe workforce for folks who are working for the U.S. government and who clearly are employees.
Q: If I can just — on one topic that you had brought up: the Eli Lily news. Did the President make a personal appeal directly to any company executives ahead of this announcement to lower the cost of insulin?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I’ll say this: I mean, the President has the biggest bu- — bully pulpit, right?
Q: Yeah, beyond what we heard from him, of course, in the State of the Union.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I mean, I think that’s pretty important, right? I think when people ask what is the President doing using the bully pulpit, as he did at the State of the Union, and calling out or laying out how we can help the American people is critical. It’s important here.
And we say that, right? We say that. He talked — he spoke to insulin and how costs need to go down. And here we see Eli Lilly taking action.
And so, look, this is something that he’s going to do. Using the bully pulpit as the President of the United States is an incredibly powerful tool, and the President uses that in a very important way not just to talk to the American people and lay out his platform, lay out how he’s working every day to make sure — in this case, lowering costs for Americans, whether it’s healthcare, whether it’s energy — and making sure that we continue to deliver, but it’s also speaking directly to companies like Eli Lily and saying, “Hey, you know, we need — you all need to change how you move forward, especially on something like insulin that affects so many families across the country.”
Q: But one-on-one conversations with anybody —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I don’t have — I —
Q: – or other companies?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t have a — any conversations to preview. But I think it is important to really speak to the importance of the bully pulpit, as the — and the way that the President uses that in a way that’s effective and in a way that communicates what the American people need.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Karine. China is going through its party Congress process right now, and they’re expected to implement the biggest government reshuffle in a decade over there.
Do you — what will the U.S. engagement with the Chinese look like once this process is over? Do you have a comment?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, the approach — the approach that we have to China hasn’t changed, right? We’ve — you’ve heard us say, “We seek competition, not conflict.” You’ve heard us say that it needs to be practical. That’s the way we approach it: calm with — and resolute. And that is not going to change.
And the President will always do what is required to defend our interests, the American people’s interests. Still believes it is important to keep the lines of communication open.
As you all know, Secretary Blinken very recently, when he was in Munich, had a — had a meeting, a conversation with Wang Yi, his counterpart in China. And so, again, keeping those lines of communications open.
So, as you mentioned, they’re going through the annual parliament to put in place its government representative. We maintain working-level lines of communication as they go through this process. And after that’s done, as we have said, we are prepared to have high-level engagement with China from — from the President on down.
I don’t have anything to preview. I know many of you have asked me about if there’s a conversation with the President and President Xi. There — I don’t have anything to read out for you at that — at this time.
Q: Xi is expected to further tighten his grip on China after this process is over. Is that — how is the administration viewing that? How is the administration planning to engage with him?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m not going to get into what — how the process of their annual parliament. I’m going to let them — you know, that’s something political. We don’t really want to respond to that.
They’re going to go through their process. Once that is over, we’re going to continue having an open channel conversation.
As I mentioned, Secretary Blinken had a conversation with his counterpart, Wang Yi, very recently in Munich when they all — when they all gathered there for the summit.
And so, we’re going to keep — continue to have those line of communication.
Look, as I said just moments ago, it’s going to be resolute, it’s going to be practical, and it’s going to be calm. And we have been very, very clear: Nothing will change on how — on our approach with handling — with dealing and our — our relationship with China in this — in this past two years.
Q: And I had one on another topic. The Ron DeSantis opportunity-ed in the Journal yesterday, where he talked about signing a law that ended Disney’s self-governing status in Florida that essentially provided the company with a favorable tax structure; they were able to get away without paying taxes around regional infrastructure developments.
How does the White House that has been cracking down on tax evasion view this move by DeSantis? I mean, is there — is there any line of thinking that perhaps supports what has just happened in Florida with Disney?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, Im going to be very frank with you, Nandita. I have not read the op-ed, and I — frankly, I don’t plan to.
Look, the President has been very clear here. He’s going to deliver for the American people.
I talked about lowering costs. We just talked about Eli Lilly and their great announcement or — of capping $35 for insulin, which is going to be so important to family across the country.
We just talked about — I was just asked about crime and the work that the President has done over the lat two years to fight crime in communities, something — something that he inherited, when you think about the rise if crime in the last couple of years.
And so, we’re not going to play political games. That’s not something that we do here. We’re going to continue to stay very focused — laser-focused on delivering for the American people.
And I’m not going to read that op-ed.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Karine. There’s a bipartisan rail safety bill that was introduced or proposed today in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer endorsed the broad outlines of the proposal. Has the White House seen it? Does the White House support it in the wake of the East Palestine disaster?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, we’re glad to see bipartisan support. This is something that — you know, that Secretary Pete has been calling for. And this is, clearly, to bring forth several rail safety measures, which is incredibly important.
So, you know the bill would increase the maximum fines for safety violations. It would strengthen rules governing trains carrying hazardous materials. It will accel- — accelerate the timeline for phasing in safer tank cars and establishing a permanent retirement for two-person train cars. So, this is a good first step and we welcome it.
Q: Is there anything, just on the executive branch side, that you guys are considering or weighing in terms of assistance to East Palestine?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, as far — you’re talking about economic — more economic assistance? Look, we — you’ve heard from Secretary Buttigieg, you’ve heard from the EPA Administrator speak to how we’re going to hold Norfolk Suffolk accountable here to make sure hat the pay and they pay for the mess that they created on the ground in the community of East Palestine.
This is something that we are incredibly focused on and serious about. You’ve even heard the EPA Administrator say that if they don’t, they will — they will have to pay this three times over.
And so, look, we’re going to keep them — keep them accountable. And that’s going to be our focus.
Q: And just one final one. The President nominated Eric Garcetti roughly 600 days ago to be ambassador to India. I think he’s supposed to have a committee approval process next week. The vote, I think, is still kind of up in the air.
Does the administration believe that he will be confirmed? And do you feel like this is a make-or-break moment for a long process?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: As you know, Phil — you know Eric Garcetti was voted out in a bipartisan way — out of committee. And so, clearly, he had bipartisan support, which is very important in this process.
And we encourage and look forward to the Senate — the Senate — you know, moving forward with his nomination on the floor.
Q: Thanks, Karine. I just wanted to circle back to crime. As soon as next week, Congress could end up overturning a new sentencing law in D.C. that reduces penalties for some violent crimes, among other measures. Is the President prepared to issue a veto if that vote passes and it crosses his desk?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I know we’ve been asked this question before.
Q: Yeah, but given that Manchin has signaled support, I thought (inaudible) update.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, the President takes this very seriously when it comes to crime. I’m not going to get ahead of — of what — of what the — you know, of what the decision is going to be or of what it’s going to ultimately look like. Don’t want to get too much into hypotheticals.
But what I can state clearly, and I’ve said this before: The President is very committed to make sure that our communities are safer, that families feel safer. That’s why he put forth a plan very early on, making sure that we put more police in — in communities, that work with communities so that they feel safer.
That’s — and you’ll see that as it — as it relates to funding, you’ll see that in his budget next month.
I’m not going to get into too much of hypotheticals from here. But the President, I believe, in the last two years and throughout his career has shown his dedication in making sure that we keep communities safe.
Q: Okay. And just a second one. Since it’s March 1st, do you have any information about the President’s planned trip to Ottawa this month? It’s been reported that he’s going to be visiting Trudeau.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t have anything to share. Nothing to preview at this time.
Q: Okay.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Q: I wanted to ask you about the student loan arguments that were before the Supreme Court yesterday, and many justices seem to take issue with — with the program. And I wonder if the administration has a message to those who have had loans already forgiven and are kind of in limbo right now.
And given the skepticism from a lot of the justices, are there any plans from the administration in the event that you don’t have the authority or the authority is struck down?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, a couple of things. We, you know — the plan that we put forward in August is the plan that we have — right? — which is a — which is also a plan that you heard the Solicitor General really defend in a — in a very strong and powerful way yesterday. And that’s our plan.
And we believe in our legal authority to get that done, to get it implemented. And let’s not forget, it is a good plan. It is a plan that is going to give American families — middle-class families who truly need it, individuals who truly need it — up to $200,000 in relief; to give that, again, a little bit of breathing room for, again, working families and middle-class Americans.
You heard — I don’t know if you saw this, but Secretary — Secretary of Education sent out an email to borrowers yesterday, and basically saying that we have their back. And I think that’s also very important. That’s the message that we sent to borrowers who need this opportunity right now as we’re coming out of this pandemic, going through this pandemic — a little bit, again, of breathing room.
Q: I guess my question is: If that plan is deemed unconstitutional, is there a backup plan?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, I just said, that’s our plan. This is our — our focus right now is getting this done.
It is — you saw — again, you saw the Solicitor General really give a strong argument yesterday in front of the highest court in the land. There’s a reason why we took it to the Supreme Court: because we believe that we have legal authority.
And let’s not forget who this helps. It helps teachers. It helps firefighters, nurses, police officers. That is who we’re talking about and giving that extra little time and extra breathing room to make sure that they can either start a family or buy a house.
And let’s not forget: When that happens, when that occurs, it actually puts money back into the community and helps the economy more broadly.
Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. Follow-up on —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh — (laughs) — go ahead.
Q: Is it me? Or —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, it’s okay.
Q: Okay. Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You’ve got the floor, my friend.
Q: A follow-up on Mayor Garcetti’s nomination. It looks like he doesn’t have bipartisan support, as this week, Florida Senator Marco Rubio placed a hold on his nomination, along with six other diplomatic position, including Rich Verma, Greeta — Geeta Rao.
What do you have to say on that? Is the President calling these senators — some of these senators to get these nominations through the Senate?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, it’s basically what I just said. We think that Eric Garcetti is — you know, is qualified to serve this vital role. That’s why the President nominated him, right? The President nominated him because he thought he had the experience to be the U.S. ambassador to India.
And as I mentioned moments ago to one of your colleagues, he received bipartisan support going out of committee. And we — we would like to see the — you know, the Senate to move him forward and to continue getting that support.
Q: One more. Secretary Blinken landed in Delhi today to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting — attend (inaudible) — Foreign Ministers Meeting and his bilateral with his Indian counterpart. Is he carrying any message from the President for the Prime Minister and (inaudible)?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. On his visit, Secretary Blinken will reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-India relationship and express our commitment to continue working together and in groups like the Quad to advance economic growth for our two contours and expand cooperation as we have our shared priorities.
So, that’s what you’re going to hear from Secretary Blinken. That is the message that he will deliver.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Q: Thanks, Karine. Just following up on the HAVANA Act, which technically stands for the “Helping American Victims Afflicted by Neurological Attacks” Act. The predicate, obviously, of that law the President signed is that these are attacks. And now the intelligence community is saying that the — seven agencies are saying it was either “unlikely” or “very unlikely” that that’s the case.
So, understanding your position that obviously the administration wants to ensure that personnel across the government gets care — but that’s not what this law outlines. This law outlines care for those who have been a subject of attacks. Is that a concern of yours? And how do you plan to address that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I think what the President wants to make sure that occurs, that happens is that we show our commitment to — to government employees, to the workforce, as they’re going through a real issue here. This is a real problem that they all have experienced.
And so, we want to make sure that they continue the medical care that they’re getting, and that they get the resources that is needed as they’re working for the U.S. government. That doesn’t take that away.
And — and so, that is a message that we’re going to send to the workforce, the U.S. government federal workforce, and also the families who are going through this, the individuals who are going through this right now.
And I think an important message for the President to send. They had a real experience that they all went through, that they reported, that, clearly, the intelligence community looked into to see exactly what it was. They have a conclusion; they came up with an assessment. I would leave it to them to speak directly to that.
But it doesn’t — it doesn’t take away what they went through. And so, the President is committed to that. And I think that’s the message that we want to make sure goes forward.
Q: And just quickly following up on that: Now that this assessment is in, does the President feel, does the White House feel as if this is a settled matter? Or does he have more (inaudible)?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — honestly, I would refer you to the ODNI on their specific assessment and where they are and what they concluded. I’m not going to speak from — to that from here.
I just — what I want to reiterate again is that we want to make sure that the workforce, our federal workforce, understand that their health and safety is indeed our priority.
Go ahead, Jen.
Q: Yeah. On the Federal Reserve search — the search for the Vice Chair — can you say, is the President looking for a more dovish counterbalance to Jay Powell, which is what some progressives would prefer? Or is that not a factor in this search?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, this is a priority. Making sure that we fill this vacancy is a priority to this President. I’m not going to get into specifics on what the President’s process is, but I would tell you that he — he thinks it’s important to get that vacancy filled, and he’s going to clearly continue to make that a priority. And we hope to have something to share in the near future.
Go ahead.
Q: FISA 702 reauthorization. What’s the White House’s position on reforms to 702 in this round? Would you be open to reforms? Or is the White House insisting that the selection be reauthorized without any charges?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t have anything new to — to share on that particular piece.
Q: Okay. If I could go back to the question about the D.C. Council action and the likelihood that the Senate will send the President a bill that forces him to make a decision. Is it fair to say the President at this moment is undecided? Has he not yet decided what he’s going to do?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m just not going to get into hypotheticals from here. I just — what I can say to you is the President’s commitment just more broadly, as it relates to crime, as it relates to making sure that Americans and families feel safe, and what he’s done in the past two years but also beyond.
And so, that’s what I can speak to at this time. Just not going to get into hypotheticals from here.
Q: Okay. So let me ask you it this way: There — basically there are two ways to look at the question. One is to side with the mayor, who said that the Council’s action went too far and she vetoed it. The other is to side with members of the Council who insisted on enacting it against her objections. But has the President decided where he stands? Does he stand with Mayor Bowser? Does he stand with mayors — members of the Council?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, what I can say — so as it relates to D.C., I’ll say this and the President has ben very clear about this: You know, we think that we must do more to — to reduce crime and save lives. And that’s why the President has taken those actions.
And it relates to more — D.C. more broadly, and the President has said this as well, it’s a clear example of why D.C. deserves statehood. Right? And that’s something that the President has called for since the campaign.
But, again, I’m not going to get into — into particulars, into hypotheticals.
The Safer American Plan was something that the President has put forward to lay out how he sees making communities safer, how he sees dealing with an increase of crime that happened — that he inherited, that happened before he walked into office.
So I’ll just leave it there, and I won’t speak further to any hypotheticals.
I’ll go to the back, and then I’ll come back down.
Go ahead.
Q: Yeah. Thanks, Karine. So, I want to ask you about the Labor Secretary pick, Julie Su. While she was labor secretary of California, the — during COVID — the state lost between $20 billion and $32 billion in unemployment insurance to fraudsters. Meanwhile, 5 million people had benefits delayed and a million people had the wrongfully canceled. Is the President concerned that this will impact her getting confirmed?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, a couple of things, because there’s — we got to put this all in context of what was happening at the time.
Its was a historic crush of unemployment claims at the onset of the pandemic. That’s what we were seeing. The design of the initial pandemic unemployment systems and years of national investments in UI modernization led to challenges — right? — including fraud attacks, as you were just stating, across the nation in red and blue states alike. That was happening across the country during the very early states of the pandemic.
But under her leadership — under Julie’s leadership, California took important steps to process a number of claims — we’re talking about one in five, which is the entire nation — that’s what California was dealing with — to ensure that working people who were — who were out of work, and this was not their fault, could continue to pay their rent, could continue to put food on the table, continue to put the — keep- the lights on.
So, look, she believed in safety nets and — need to be strengthened. And that is something that she indeed believes in.
And — and I’ll add — I’ll add this as well. When the President took office, he — he prioritized combating potential frauds of relief funds, just as he did aggressively and successfully as the Vice President.
So this is an issue that’s important to her, strengthening those safety nets, and also an issue that’s important to the President that he’s actually taken action on.
Q: So, does he think she can be confirmed?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, absolutely. Yes. He thinks that the Senate should confirm her and she is the right person for the job and has the experience to do the job.
And let’s not forget: She has spent the last two years working hand in hand, you know, with — with Secretary Walsh.
Q: You talked about TikTok earlier. I’m just curious now, why did the administration then wait so long to ban TikTok in all federal employees? Twenty-nine states have already done it. And the President, his first month in office, canceled an investigation by the Commerce Department into TikTok. So why did he wait so long?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So I’m not going to speak to any investigation. Look, the process is happening now. That’s what we’re seeing. What I can say is that the President has been very — been very clear about his concern with apps like TikTok. And I just laid out the CDC reporting and how it’s affecting our children, and the importance of making sure that we deal with this in a real way, which is why he put forth his Unity Agenda and laying out ways that we can deal with an issue that is affecting the emotional growth and — and also — of our children.
And so, look, the Unity Agenda kind of lays out how the President wants to move forward. I’m not going to go beyond that.
Go ahead.
Q: A quick follow-up on the ESG Labor rule. You had framed, the White House has framed this as kind of MAGA Republicans imposing their views on the free market. The fact that two Democratic senators say they’re going to vote for this bill, does that undermine the argument?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, not at all, because this is a — this is something that Republicans have pushed forward. This is their — this is their — this is there agenda, which is kind of in line how they want to move forward with a very extreme ideology, the MAGA — the MAGA Republican ileo — ideology. And that’s what they’re going, again, is they’re really pushing down the throats of private sector. That’s what we’re seeing. This is what this piece of legislation is.
Q: And a timeline question. Any timeline on when the President would issue this veto if we assume this bill passes today?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, it depends on the mechanism of the Senate and what ultimately happens in the voting dynamics. I can’t speak to that here, on the timeline.
Go ahead, Peter.
Q: Thank you, Karine. Why is President Biden afraid of China?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: The President is not afraid of China.
Q: Well —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Did you see — did you see the President last week, when we went to — when we went to — when we went to Ukraine, went to Kyiv? This is not a President that’s afraid of anything. It was a historic trip that many of you said was brave.
So, clearly, this is a President that’s not afraid to go into a war zone. He’s not afraid to go there when there’s no military presence on the ground.
So, there’s nothing that this President fears.
Q: China flew a spy craft over the U.S. The President didn’t really do anything to China. And according to the FBI director, China may have created something that ha killed more than 1.1 million people in this country. And President Biden is not punishing them.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, you’re — you’ve given me two — two things here. So let’s take them in parts.
As we all about the Chinese surveillance — the China surveillance balloon, the President did take that down. And he did it in a way that, as it was on its path, we collected information from it; we protected our national security information on the ground; and we did it in a way that as smart, effective, and also protected the American people. That’s what the President is always going to put forth, is the — is the safety of the American people. So that’s what the President did with that particular issue.
Look, as it relates to — you’re talking about the COVID origins, we’ve been very clear. We’ve been very clear that we need the data, and we need to figure out how to get to the bottom of the COVID origins. And that’s something that the President has said since the beginning of this administration.
So, that — none of that has changed.
Q: But with his campaign, it was all about shutting down the virus and how hard it was for families with an empty chair at the kitchen table because of COVID. If we now know, according to the FBI director, who is most likely responsible for all those empty chairs at all those kitchen tables, why not do more to try and hold them accountable?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So — so, I’m going to flip that on its head for a second. It was because of this President that took action — by the way, the last administration did not; they dod not have a comprehensive plan to actually —
Q: But before that —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, no, no no. No —
Q: That is responding to COVID.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No —
Q: But where did COVID come from?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, but — but —
Q: If we know that it’s China —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Peter, you can’t tell — first of all, you can’t tell me how to answer the question. I’m going to answer it for you. Right? So just give me a second.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So because he took those actions, he actually helped to save lives. Because he — he took action to make sure that people got shots in arms and put a comprehensive plan in front of the American people and put in the work, we actually were able to get to a place where COVID is not gone, but we are now in a place — we’re in a different place in the pandemic. And that’s because of the President. And that’s because of his leadership.
So, let’s not — let’s, like, be very real about what the President has done over the last two years to take on COVID, to make sure that the economy is growing again, to make sure that we’re really working for the American people. So that’s number one. I want to be very, very, clear on that.
Now, to your question about COVID origins: As we’ve known — as we’ve know, we have seen many — many different conclusions — right? — from — from the intelligence community. Some of them have made some conclusion on one side. Some of them have made conclusions on the other side. Some of them say they don’t have enough information. So I want to also be very careful there as well.
And it was because of this President, very early on — the first several months of his administration — he went to the intelligence community and said, “We need to figure out how all this occurred.” Because, who knows, we have to try and prevent any future pandemics. So that is the work that this President did.
Our relationship with China has not changed. It is — it is very different — I’m going to be very clear — very different than how we have seen it in the last administration.
All right, I’m going to continue. Go ahead, Peter. And I’ll come to the back.
Q: Just a separate thought on China, if I can quickly. The administration has constantly described the administration has constantly described the relationship between the U.S. and China is one of strategic competition, a point that the President has made himself a couple of weeks ago when he spoke about this issue.
The congressman, Mike Gallagher, who was the Republican Chair of the House Select Committee on China, yesterday referred to this relationship as an “existential struggle.” Does the White House agree with that characterization? And is the White House understanding the threat from China right now?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, under this President, we are more prepared to outcompete China, protect our national security, and advance a free and open Indo-Pacific than ever before. That’s under this President. And that’s because of the Pres- — of the work that he he’s done in the last two years and also on the experience. This is an experienced President.
As you know, he spent more than 30 years in the Senate. He spent eight years as Vice President. And so, he understands national — how to deal with foreign policy relationships, foreign leaders.
And so, that’s how we see our relationship with China moving forward. Many of our efforts we have been pursuing are bipartisan. They’re underscoring the alignment at home on key issues, and we will continue to work with Democrats and Republicans, because the way we have moved forward is in a bipartisan way.
Q: Let me follow up on a separate question that was asked by one of my colleagues in the room about student loans and the wait for the decision from the Supreme Court as it relates to this.
I know that you said earlier that there is no other plan. The plan right now is the one being presented before the Supreme Court and you feel strongly in your case. Obviously, those who have loans that they would owe, in case this is rejected, don’t have the same ability. They have to have a backup plan in case. I know that two months would pass before they would have to pay those loans again, in case the Supreme Court rejects this here.
But what do you say to those Americans who have tens of thousands of dollars that they might be responsible for two months after the Court makes its decision, if they choose to reject it? How should they be preparing right now for that? And what would you do to protect them?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And I’ll just add that, yesterday, right in front of the Supreme Court, you saw many of those Americans speaking out loud —
Q: We did.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — and clear, and saying how important the President’s plan is to them. Because they’re being crushed, right?
Q: But what’s the — what should be —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No —
Q: — the plan B?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well —
Q: Because everybody who has their own budget at home has to have a plan B.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I totally — I — I hear you, Peter. And you asked me what the message was to the American people. You heard — I just laid out or mentioned how Secretary of Education put out, sent an email out to those borrowers saying that, “Hey, we have your back.”
This is an administration when you think about the President and the last couple of years here — he has — that is kind of his motto, right? “We have your back.” We will do everything we can to protect Americans and give them, again, some space to actually be able to be part of this growing economy.
And so, look, we do not — we do not — again we do not have another plan. This is our plan. This is it.
We believe that we have the legal authority. That’s why we took it to the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court. And we’re going to continue to fight.
And you saw — you saw the solicitor general do a fantastic job in putting forth a strong argument defending — defending the President’s plan.
Q: Just to be clear, though: So you don’t have another plan? Which is to say for those other — and you have those individuals’ backs, which is to say, if this is rejected though, there isn’t anything in the works right now —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What —
Q: — by this administration to have their —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I’m saying to you, Peter —
Q: — back going forward? They would be —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I’m saying — what I’m saying to you, Peter, is: This is our plan. It is a good plan because it helps Americans across the country, especially working Americans, middle-class Americans. So this is our plan.
And you heard it. You heard it. The reason I mentioned the folks that were in front —
Q: I get it. I’m just asking on behalf of —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — of the Supreme Court.
Q: — those folks that have tens of thousands they owe. What should they do?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Laughs.) I — and — and —
Q: So what should they do?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — they should know that we are going to continue to fight, that we feel strong in our legal authority here.
And you heard it. You heard it from the — from — from the SG yesterday, who did a — who did a — who defended it — the President’s plan in a forceful way in front of the Supreme Court.
Q: Has the President spoken to Jimmy Carer in recent days, given the fact that he appears to be doing well, considering the circumstances? Have they had any opportunity to speak?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t have any call to preview or to speak to. As — as you know, the President, I think, spoke to this when he did his ABC interview recently, that he has known Jimmy Carter for some time, was the first senator —
Q: But no new calls to share with us then?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — the first senator to endorse him. And so they have decades of relationship behind them. And so I would just say that, you know, he continues to wish him well.
But I don’t have a call to read out.
I’ll go to the back. Trying — all the way in the back Go — behind you.
Q: Thank you. So, shifting gears. The Daily Beast reported yesterday that Republican Congressman James Comer invoked President Biden’s son, Beau Biden, over not being prosecute — prosecuted, excuse me — saying “This U.S. attorney had had an opportunity to go after the Biden’s years ago.” He goes on to say, “It was Beau Biden, the President’s other son, that was involved in some campaign donations from a person that got indicted.”
So, I’m wondering if the White House has a response to Chairman Comer invoking Beau Biden and whether the President thinks it’s potentially — if Mr. President thinks it’s potentially appropriate that Mr. Comer investigate his deceased son.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, it’s completely unappropriate . And it’s ugly, the comments that he made. And it says a lot about the chairman, which is not good, by the way. To — to make the statement that he did is incredibly ugly and inappropriate.
And here’s what I would say: Instead of — instead of House Republicans focusing on attacking the President and his family, why don’t they actually focus on what the American people put them in office to do, which is to deliver of them, which is to actually work with — with their colleagues — the Democratic colleagues, the President — to actually put forth pieces of legislation or put forth policies that’s going to make a difference in their lives?
And, you know, you don’t have to listen to me: You can look at the results from — from the midterms that said just that. They want to see — they want to see Congress working for them. That’s what they want to see.
They want to make sure that their Medicare is protected. They want to make sure that we’re lowering costs. They want to make sure that their family feels protected. They want to make sure that their rights are protected.
But that’s not what the House Republicans are doing. Instead, they want to do political stunts.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: In the back. Way in the back.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Way — way in the back. Go ahead.
Q: Thank you. The Attorney General, Merrick Garland, was testifying up on the Hill today, and he was asked a lot about fentanyl. I have a few questions for you on that front.
He was asked by Senator Graham — he said — Senator Graham said, quote, “Would you agree with me that whatever we are doing, as it relates to sentencing guidelines, is not working?” And the Attorney General said, “I would agree with that because of the number of deaths that you pointed out.”
Does President Biden believe that sentencing guidelines around fentanyl deaths need to get stricter?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m going to just — I just cause a bit of that — the coverage. I didn’t catch all of it. And I — I will say that the — the Secretary — or the Attorney General spoke to a number of issues from what I understand. What I know for sure that he did, he spoke to the department’s independent — the Justice Department’s independent work and his commitment to rule of law.
I’m just not going to go beyond — beyond that.
Q: The Attorney General said — was asked if he opposes making the most cart- — the senior-most cartels being labeled as “foreign terrorist organizations.” And he said he would not oppose that.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I only saw a little bit of the coverage.
What I can say is what he’s committed to. I’m just not going to go into this.
Q: So let me get a little big broader for a second. The number of fentanyl deaths in this country has doubled in the last two years. The Attorney General descried it as an epidemic. Can you describe what the administration has done to take on, to curb, and to try and tackle this epidemic, as he put it?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So the — this administration, when you think about fentanyl and you think about the work that this President has done, it has been very much focused on getting — making sure that we keep families safe, making sure that we keep our communities safe, and getting fentanyl off the street. And we’ve done that in record numbers.
You’ve heard me talk about that. You’ve heard me talk about the work that this President has done in fent — fentanyl more specifically, which I was just talking about the plan that he put forward to make sure that we keep communities safe. And that is part of that as well.
We have seen record number of fentanyl, you know, come off the streets because of the work that the President has done, because of what he has committed in protecting the border’s security, making sure that he put forth historic funding.
There’s still more work to be done. We would like to do that with Republicans. They’ve refused to work with us. If anything, they want to take away — they want to take away that border security funding. They want to defund the FBI.
But the Pres- — the President is using the tools that are in front of him right now on the executive level to seek — to make sure that we do every — he does everything that he can, without the help of many — of many Republicans in Congress, to make sure that we keep our communities safe. And that’s what he’s going to continue to do.
Go ahead, way in the back. Owen.
Q: Okay, thank you. Thank you, Karine. Two questions for you, please. Thank you. Number one, just recently in California — a very tragic story. Catholic Bishop David O’Connell, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, he served the area for 45 years ministering to migrants, the poor, victims of gang violence; known as the peacemaker. And he was gunned down at his home, murdered, just — again, just a few weeks ago. I know the White House is aware of it, but do you have a statement you — or is there —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: — something you want to tell the faithful there in Los Angeles?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Absolutely. And I appreciate the question.
We do have something that we want to share, which is: The President and the First Lady join Archbishop Gómez, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and the entire Catholic community in the mourning of Bishop David O’Connell. We also express our sympathy and prayers for the family and friends of the Bishop, who will certainly — certainly remember his legacy of service to those on the margins of society.
And so, again, we offer up our condolences to — the community.
Q: Thank you. And then secondly, is the President — is President Biden aware of this leaked document that recently came out of the Richmond, Virginia, field office that compared Catholics — conservative Catholics — to violent extremists?
Several attorneys general have written a letter, and they say, quote, “Anti-Catholic bigotry appears to be festering in the FBI, and the Bureau is treating Catholics as potential terrorists because of their beliefs.” Again, they wrote that in reaction to the leaked document.
So, my question is: Is the President aware of that document? And what would he tell Catholics seeing these headlines who might be worried. “They’re coming after us — the Feds — because of our faith”?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I — look, I have not seen this leaked document. I have not spoken to the Pres- — I haven’t see it, so therefore I haven’t spoken to the President about it. So I just don’t want to get ahead of — of that.
Q: Would you look at it eventually and give —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay.
Q: Okay.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Q: Thank you, Karine. About Labor Department’s ESG rule.
I have a follow-up question on that. Today, Senator Jon Tester joined Senator Manchin, and he — he voiced his opposition to this ESG retirements rule. I understand the President will veto this bill. But what’s your reaction to his statement today?
And how does the White House feel about growing opposition to the ESG investment in Congress and in general?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I spoke to this at the top of the briefing, and I laid out where the President is on this. I — as it relates to the dynamics of the Senate and where this is going to go, I’d leave the to the — to Senator Schumer. That’s something for him to speak to.
What I can say is that if this bill reaches the President’s desk, he will veto it. And I’ll — I’ll leave it there for now.
Go ahead.
Q: Thanks a lot. I want to ask about Merrick Garland’s testimony today before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He was asked a number of questions in regards to Hunter Biden and the ongoing investigation that’s being conducted by the U.S. Attorney in Delaware.
And during that particular testimony, he said it would be a “national security problem” if the President’s son had been receiving payments from a foreign government as a means to influence the administration.
Do you agree with that statement from the chief law enforcement office of the U.S.?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We’re not going to continue to be prudent from here and not speak to any investigation that is currently underway by the Department of Justice.
And when it comes to Hunter Biden, I would refer you to his personal representative. He’s a private citizen. So I will leave it there.
And we’re going to be consistent from here.
Q: Let me ask you another question on a separate matter entirel- — entirely- a foreign policy matter. Two Iranian warships are going to dock in port in Brazil on Sunday. As you well know, the President of Brazil was just here meeting with President Biden. President Biden lauded the shared values of both countries. Do you have any issue with the Iranian warships docking in port in Brazil?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And so, we’ve been very clear when we’ve been asked these type of questions of meetings or any engagement. We just won’t speak to that from here. I would refer you to the respective countries. I’m just not going to speak to a potential meeting or a potential engagement. Just not going to do that.
Court —
Q: Well, it’s not a meeting.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Courtney.
Q: It’s not a meeting.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I’m just not going to — clearly, there’s some sort of engagement happening. I’m just not going to speak that — to that from here.
Go ahead, Courtney.
Q: Thank you, I wanted to ask you about the case that is before a judge in a federal court in Texas about abortion medication. We’re expecting that judge to rule any day now in the decision that could either temporarily, permanently — depending on how the legal process goes — ban access to mifepristone in certain places.
What’s your message to patients that are worried about this? I know that you’ve, so far, spoken out on how you disagree with this court challenge. But what should doctors know, that should patients know when this can happen any day, especially given that this judge has ben relatively hostile to the administration?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I mean, I spoke to this very recently. Like, we don’t know what the court is going to do, as you just stated. Ultimately, it’s for the col — court to decide. So we’re always very careful.
The decision would be unprecedented, as you know, and devastating to women’s health. And we may find ourselves in uncharted territory.
And so, we’re closely — closely working with the Justice Department and DHS — HHS – on this, on how to be prepared for any range of outcome or potential outcomes. And so we’ll continue to do that. We’ll continue to be steadfast. We will — we’re monitoring this and waiting, like all of you, to see where the decision goes.
But again, we’re not taking this lightly. We’re taking this very seriously. This is going to be — depending on where this goes, this could be unprecedented and uncharted territory. And we’re going to continue to do our — our work internally to see which way — how we would respond.
Q: I also wanted to ask you about education for practi- — (sneezes) — excuse me — practitioners, doctors who perform abortions in certain states. When they’re in medical school now, it’s difficult to get practice with the procedure given that it’s so limited or restricted.
Vice President Harris expressed interest in working on that issue, either by sending students to other paces to get practical experience or other ideas. Can you provide any update on that and if your engaged in that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, I know she — she spoke about this recently. I don’t have anything more to share than what she laid out about her concerns and the potential next steps. Don’t — just don’t have anything further to share with — than what the Vice President laid out.
Go ahead.
Q: If the Supreme Court rules against the President’s student debt plan, will you all consider extending the payment pause while you come up with a plan B?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Again, we don’t — our plan is what we — what we laid out in August. That is our plan. And we believe it’s a good plan as it delivers — as it relates to the American people — middle class Americans, as it relates to working people.
This is a plan that is going to give relief to tens of millions of Americans across the country. And we heard from many of them yesterday in front of the Supreme Court.
I’m just not going to get into hypotheticals.
We believe — we believe that we have a strong legal authority here. That’s why we took it to the Supreme Court. And you heard from the solicitor general. She made a very strong case for why the President’s program is important. And — and I’m just going to leave it there for now.
Q: Just another question on TikTok. You all have had TikTok influencers in the building before; you’ve briefed them before. Given the focus on the national security concerns, do you still feel like that’s an appropriate way to engage with the app?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, as — as I’ve mentioned before, the White House, clearly, does not — does not use TikTok. But one thing that we do believe in is meeting the American people where they are. And the reality is some — many of them — millions of them are — on this app.
So we engage with people who are using their own platforms. It’s up to them on how they use the content. But we’ve always said from here — this is something that we’ve said for a long time — that we’re going to try to communicate with the American people and meet them where they are. But we’re — also have been clear about the concerns that we have with this — with — apps like TikTok. And that’s not going to stop.
Q: Thanks.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.
Oh, go ahead. You’re the last question.
Q: Thanks, Karine. We just learned that the TSA officers at a Pennsylvania airport stopped an explosive device from getting on the plane Monday. Do you have any comment on that?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t have any comment from here at this time. I would have to talk to our team.
Q: More broadly, do you have a message to Americans who are hearing about flight safety incidents, close calls, devices on planes? How can you ensure that the airs are safe — the air is safe?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, Secretary Buttigieg has been on the airwaves today, this morning, the last couple of months on this, speaking to our commitment to making sure that we keep Americans safe, especially Americans who are — are, clearly, flying.
And — and so we’re going to continue to do that. The President is committed to that.
As it relates, for one example, to the — the objects — the three recent objects, one of the reasons the President took that — the actions that we took because we wanted to make sure that we kept civilian air- airways safe. So, you’ve seen him take really bold actions in that way.
But as it relates to, you know, just what we’ve been seeing the past couple of months and just most recently, look, we’re going to do everything that we can to make sure that we — that Americans feel safe flying.
I know there’s a FAA investigation on this most recent incident, and so, you know, we’re going to see where the investi- — investigation goes and how we can prevent that.
All right. Thanks, everybody. See you tomorrow.
March 8, 2024: Press Release: Bill Signed: H.R. 7454
On Friday, March 8, the President signed into law:
H.R. 7454, the “Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2024,” which extends through May 10, 2024, Federal Aviation Administration authorities and related revenue authorities and extends through May 11, 2024, the authority of the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to mitigate credible threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems to covered facilities and assets.
Thank you to Representatives Graves and Larson, Senators Cantrell and Cruz, and many others for their leadership.
March 9, 2024: Message to the Congress on the Designation of Funding as an Emergency Requirement in Accordance with Section 6 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
To the Congress of the United States:
In accordance with section 6 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (H.R. 4366; the “Act”), I hereby designate as emergency requirements all funding (including the transfer and repurposing of funds) so designated by the Congress in the Act pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as outlined in the list of accounts.
The details of this action are set forth in the enclosed memorandum from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
March 9, 2024: Press Release: Bill Signed: H.R. 4366
H.R. 4366, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” which provides in divisions A through F, full-year funding through September 30, 2024, for departments and agencies of the Federal Government covered by 6 of 12 appropriations bills. Division G includes extension for existing authorities.
Thank you to Leaders Schumer and McConnell, Senators Murray and Collins, Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Representatives Granger and DeLauro, for their leadership.
March 22, 2024: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and White House National Communications Advisor John Kirby
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Good afternoon, everyone.
Q: Good afternoon.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I wanted to just start off at the — at the top that we just heard — obviously, all of us just heard the terrible news. Our thoughts are with the Duchess of Cambridge and her family members and friends during this incredibly difficult time. And certainly, we wish her a full recovery.
And I think it’s important that we respect their privacy, especially at this time, so I’m not going to go further — further than that.
I’ll just — I will do one more thing before that, though. I know folks are going to ask if the President has spoken to her or the family. I can just say right now that we don’t have anything to share at this time. But, obviously we – we wish the Duchess of Cambridge a full recovery and we are incredibly sad to hear of the news.
Q: Is the First Lady going to send her a note?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t have anything to share at this time. We — this news just broke, obviously. So, we are taking this one — this terrible news — as all of you are. And so, just don’t have anything to share.
We want to make sure that we certainly respect their privacy at this incredibly difficult time — not just for her but her family. So, I’ll just — just leave it there.
Q: Did the palace give the White House any kinds of a heads up?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would just say we learned just like all of you. And we want to be incredibly respectful to their privacy.
So, I have a couple of things at the top. Obviously, we have a guest. The Admiral is here today to talk about a couple of things in the Middle East and more broadly.
So, tomorrow makes 15 years since the Affordable Care Act became the law of the land. President Biden believes that healthcare is a right, not a privilege. And since taking office, he’s been focused on historic actions to lower healthcare and prescription drug costs and expand access to coverage.
So, ahead of this historic milestone, I want to go over some key statistics which I think is incredibly important.
Under President Biden, more Americans have health insurance than under any president. A record-breaking 21 million Americans signed up for health coverage this year, with a majority of shoppers able to find coverage for less than $10 a month.
Americans are saving, on average, 800 bucks a year on premiums.
Four states have ex — expanded Medicaid since the President took office. And millions have benefited from ACA’s critical protections, which have prevented people from being denied coverage for pre-existing conditions or being charged with more for being a woman.
But President Biden is not rist — resting on these accomplishments. He has a bold agenda to continue to bring down Americans’ healthcare costs. He’s calling on Congress to — to make expanded Affordable Care Act’s tax credits permanent so Americans can continue to save on premiums.
After decades of failed attempts and without a single Republican vote in Congress, President Biden beat Big Pharma by passing the Inflation Reduction Act. Already, the law is lowering prescription drug prices.
Now, President Biden wants to expand the amount of drugs that Medicare can negotiate lower prices for at least 50 drugs per year. And he wants to expand the 35 bucks for a month cap on insulin and the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on drug spending to everyone.
Despite all of this, Republican officials are still working to end the Affordable Care Act, repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, and gut Medicaid. In fact, congressional Republicans have attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act over 50 times, including during the last administration with the support of the President’s predecessor.
President Biden has been clear he will never let that happen and he will never stop working to protect and strengthen the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Speaking of healthcare, this week Republican Study Committee, which represents 100 percent of House Republican leadership and 80 percent of their conference, released its budget.
Now, you’ve heard the President say this. His father has an expression that goes, “Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I will tell you what you value.”
So, let’s look at what House Republicans actually value. First, their budget endorses a national abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. It pus IVF treatment on the chopping block through House Republicans’ support for the Life at Conception Act.
The President believes we must restore the right to choose and protect other freedoms, not take them away.
The Republican Study Committee budget would make devastating cuts to Medicare, Social Security, and the Affordable Care Act; increase —
Q: Your mic is dropping out.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: It’s —
Q: Your mic is dropping out.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: It’s dropping down? Can you guys hear me?
Q: Yeah.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I was on a roll. (Laughter.)
All right. But I want to make sure you hear me.
All right. So, the Republican Study Committee budget would make devastating cuts to Medicare, Social Security, and the Affordable Care Act; increase housing and prescription drug costs for families; give more huge tax cuts to the wealthy and the biggest corporations. Put simply, their budget lays out a dark future for America.
This is about our visions for the future: whose side are we on. President Biden is on the side of the American people. He believes in giving the middle class a fair shot, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and securing Americans’ rights and freedoms. He will never stop fighting for that future.
(Referring to the microphone audio.) Is there still an issue? I hear some rumbling. We’re all good? Okay, great.
And then, next, before I turn it over, I wanted to turn to the latest from Capitol Hill. The House of Representatives just voted to pass the funding bill to keep the government open, invest in the American people, and strengthen our economy and national security. The Senate should pass — pass it as quickly as possible.
To be clear this bill is a com- — compromise reached by congressional appropriators, so no side got everything it wanted.
But it expands access to child care, Head Start; invests in cancer research; funds prevention programs; and advances American leadership abroad.
It also provides resources to secure the border that Republicans opposed. We fought hard and for additional resources and were successful in preventing Republicans from severely underfunding DHS.
But it’s not enough. Republicans have blocked our multiple requests in increased border funding and the bipartisan border security agreement.
Congress should pass that agreement to give border personnel the policies and funding needed to secure the border. The House must also pass the bipartisan national security supplemental to advance our national security interests.
And I do have one — one last thing.
Turning to the President’s schedule and upcoming visit, we recently announces that, on April 15th, the President will welcome Prime Minister Sudani of Iraq to the White House to coordinate on common priorities and reinforce the strong bilateral partnership between the United States and Iraq.
The leaders will reaffirm their commitment to Strategic Framework Agreement and deepen their shared vision for a secure, sovereign, and prosperous Iraq fully integrated into the Board of Regents.
President Biden and Prime Minister Sudani will consult on a range of issues during the visit, including our shared commitment to the lasting defeat of ISIS, an ev — an evolution of the military mission nearly 10 years after forming the successful Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.
They will also discuss ongoing Iraqi financial reforms to promote economic development and progress towards Iraqi’s energy independence and modernization.
And I do have something about the week ahead.
On Tuesday, March 26th, the President and the Vice President will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina. We will have more to share soon, but you’ll hear the President and the Vice President highlight how they are fighting for all Americans and their vision of the future. So, we look forward to seeing you on the road.
With that, Admiral John Kirby is here to — to give us an update, discuss Ukraine and the Middle East and the President’s morning call with the President-elect of Indonesia. Thank you for your patience…
…MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Chris, what you got?
Q: So the spending vote is today.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
Q: (Inaudible) will let us reach durable spending agreements with House Republicans. What’s your response to the motion to vacate that was filed against Speaker Johnson and, you know, the future of those (inaudible) negotiations?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, we’ve always been clear: We are not going to get in the middle of what’s going on in the House leadership. That’s not going to be our focus. The President has been very clear. He’s going to continue to focus on the American people.
You saw him in Arizona, where he made a really important chips announcement on semiconductors. Going to create 30,000 jobs in — in Arizona — good paying union jobs. The — the, you know, $8.5 billion commitment that’s going to actually with — with Intel — that’s going to actually spur more investment into this country — on manufacturing investment, doing more semiconductors right here in the U.S.
And so, that’s what the President wants to focus on: creating jobs, actually investing in America. You saw him go through three states in two days to talk about how he sees his vision for this country. He has been also, very clear.
Look, there are a couple of things that are on the floor of the House — right? — or one of them is — should be on the floor of the House, which is the national security supplemental. We know it would get overwhelming support. We need to see them move forward on it. You just heard from my colleague from NSC how important that — for Ukraine to have the funding that they need or have the assistance — security assistance that they need to continue to defend themselves. We want to see that go through.
And there’s the bipartisan agreement that came out of the Senate — Republicans and Democrats coming together to try and deal with what’s going on at the border.
We’re just not going to speak to what’s going on with the leadership. I guess, get — grabs — you know, get your popcorn, sit tight, and watch what is happening.
Q: And what’s the risk if the Senate does not immediately move on the spending legislation and potential for partial whenever shutdown of —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look — look, there is still time to prevent a partial shutdown. You know, the House passed the funding bill, as you all know, and the Senate still has time to pass it today. And there is no reason for it to not move forward.
This is about — this is not about this President. It’s not about the White House. It’s about the American people. We’ve always said that. This is about programs that American families need.
And so, we — we sh- — we should be able to avoid a partial f- –shutdown. It is possible to do so. And so, we want to see if the Senate move quickly on this.
Q: Thank. Has the President seen that dramatic video of migrants surging past National Guardsmen in Texas in — in El Paso?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, I have not spoken to the President about that video. What I can say is this: You know, I really, truly believe that’s a question for, you know, the Republican governor of Texas, right? This is — this is something that he should address, that he should actually speak to.
The President has worked with Congress in the Senate, as I just spoke to, about getting an immigration bill done, making sure that — making sure that we deal with the border challenges that we see — that we are now seeing. And you have a — a governor of Texas who’s continued to politicize this.
I do want to say we are grateful for the Border Patrol’s quick work to get the situation under control and apprehend the migrants. So, that’s important.
But congressional Republicans need to move on this. What they’re doing instead — and this is the bipartisan agreement, obviously — is listening to the former President, President Trump, tell them not to get involve in moving forward this bipartisan agreement because of his own personal politics, because it will help this President.
You all reported that. It’s not coming from us. You all reported that.
And it is unfor- — unfortunate that Congress Republicans are not getting on board with what majority of Americans care about. And you have a governor in — in Texas, Governor Abbott, who is continuing to make this — make this, sadly a dangerous situation, a chaotic situation. Let’s not forget who they pass by to — to do — to pas by the razor wires. They pass by the Texas National Guards that the Republican Governor put — put at the border.
Q: But are — are you saying that Americans should just expect that there will continue to be a standoff between the National Guardsmen —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: There shouldn’t be —
Q: — and the border agents?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: But — but he —
Q: What is the resolution there?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: There shouldn’t — the resolution is — is pushing for — with the bipartisan agreement that came out of the Senate with Republicans and Democrats. That’s the solution.
Q: But with all due respect, it doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: It’s not — there’s no —
Q: So, what’s the solution —
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: There’s — there’s no there’s no “all due respect.” You are asking me a question. I am telling you the solution
The solution is for Congress to move forward and Republicans to get out of the way or get involved — get involved.
Republicans in the Senate got involved with Democrats, got involved with is a well for a couple of months to come up with this bipartisan agreement — an agreement that was supported by the Border Patrol union, an agreement that was supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, that was — that if it is put into effect — it does become law if they give them — the President the opportunity to sign this bill, it would be the toughest and the fairest legislation or law that we have seen in some time to deal with the border.
I mean, honestly, this is a question for the — for the governor of Texas. Seriously, that question is for — he is the one who — the razor wire, that’s him. The National Guards, that’s him.
The Border Patrol agents still did their job, even though it was — it was — you know, they got — you know, they got in the way, Like, the governor’s plans got in the way.
Q: It just — it sounds like, right now, the White House and the President — the administration is not considering anything else to stop future events like that. Right now, the blame is the Texas governor and Congress.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You have a governor who has politicized this issue. Fact. That is just fact. He has politicized this issue.
You have a former president who said to Congress — Republicans in Congress — do not move forward with a bipartisan agreement that was agreed upon by — by senators because it helps up — it helps Joe Biden, when we’re not thinking about helping Joe Biden. We’re thinking about helping the American people.
The majority of the American people want us to do something on this issue. And Republicans are allowing the former President to get in the way.
So, we’ve done the work. We have. We have done the work. And we need more. Yes, we were able to secure more funding for DHS with this — with this budget deal, but we need more resources. We do.
And so, there is an agreement — there is an agreement that took two months to get to. I don’t know. It’s up to them. They have to answer that question.
Go ahead.
Q: On that same issue. Today, Governor DeSantis said that he’s also looking at implementing a law like Texas that would allow Florida to arrest migrants as soon as they cross the Florida border. Are you concerned that other governors will be looking into, kind of, stricter immigration laws like this?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m concerned about the politics that’s being played here instead of dealing with the issue, instead of the governor of Florida saying, “Hey, senators — my senators in my state, we need to work on the issue at hand here. There is a bipartisan agreement that is in your chamber — right? — that is in the Senate and that was agreed upon in a bipartisan way. Can you guys move forward with that instead of playing politics?”
That’s what they want to see. We want to see an issue actually dealt with that majority of Americans care about.
There is a bipar- — I cannot say this enough: There is a bipartisan agreement that came out of the Senate. Republicans were asked to reject it because of the former President, because of helping th- — his own politics.
That’s not how we should be moving forward as a country. That is just not. And that’s not what the President believes.
Q: Thank you. So, on this border video. What does President Biden think should happen to adult men who are assaulting and overpowering U.S. National Guardsmen?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, let me just first say, we’re grateful — and I said this moments ago — to Border Patrol agents for their — to — to quickly — to quickly work and get the situation under control and apprehend the migrants.
So, I — I want to be really clear that everyone who was apprehended was apprehended by Border Patrol. They were able to do their job, even though it’s made more — even though Republican governor — in particular, Governor Abbott – has made it difficult for them.
They need more resources. We need more personnel. I mean, we have to have the backs of our law enforcement on the ground are — who are dealing with this every day. But Republicans are getting in the way. Republicans in Congress do not want to help. And you have a governor, Governor Abbott, who is politicizing it. That is what’s happening.
Border Patrol agents did their job, even though, you know, the governor is getting in the way of them doing their jobs.
Q: But — I get that you guys — you talk so much about having a more humane immigration system. This video does not show helpless women and children begging for a safe place to come in. It shows adult men landing haymakers in U.S. troops in uniform. If that was happening anywhere else in the world, wouldn’t President Biden send reinforcements?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, two things. Everyone was apprehended by the Border Patrol agents. That is important to note. They were apprehended.
Q: They were deported?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Wh- — they were apprehended. I can’t speak to indivil — individual cases. That’s not something I can do from here. But they were all apprehended. That’s number one.
And it — the reason why you’re talking about the Texas National Guard, they were put there because of the governor of Texas. The governor of Texas put the Texas National Guard there. We didn’t put them there. He put them there.
What we really need is actual solutions. We need to see resources. The Border Patrol agents deserve resources. They deserve to be able to do their jobs. And we’re not getting that from Republicans. They’re rejecting a bipartisan agreement that came out of the Senate.
Q: And last one. There is a Venezulan migrant with half a million followers on TikTok who is telling border crossers they can live in the empty houses in this country. Would President Biden support a law that would make that kind of squatting illegal?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I have not seen that TikTok video, so I can’t comment on that.
Go ahead, Alaykla. Oh, maybe not. (Laughs.)
Q: Oh, yes. Does the President have plans to speak to Hakeem Jeffries now that there has been a motion to vacate Speaker Mike Johnson about whether Democrats will support him if that vote happens?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: That’s something for Democrats to — to speak to. We’re not going to get involved. We do not get involved. We’ve been pretty — pretty consistent. Regardless if it’s Republicans or Democrats, we’ve been pretty consistent in that.
We trust Hakeem Jeffries’s leadership. He’s the leader of the Democrats. That is for them to decide on. I’m not going to comment on that.
Q: But if Democrats were to force him to bring a vote to the national security supplemental bill, would Biden then support their support of the Speaker?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Laughs.) Look, Democrats are going to make their decision. Democrats’ leadership, Hakeem Jeffries is going to make their own decision on how to move forward. We’re going to be consistent here on how important it is to move the national security supplemental.
We’ve been very clear. It passed 70-29 out of the Senate. Overwhelmingly — we believe it would pass overwhelmingly in the House if it was put to the floor. And there’s no — there’s no time to wait here. There’s no time to wait.
We see what’s going on in Ukraine. A lot of that is because of congressional inaction. We can’t — we can’t continue to allow that to happen. Ukraine needs the funding, the security, obviously, to continue to defend themselves. And that’s what we’re going to continue to speak to.
Go ahead.
Q: Just a quick housekeep- — housekeeping matter. Will the President head to Wilmington regardless of whether the shutdown is going to be averted or not?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, you hear us say this all the time. This is still the case with this situ- — this scenario that we’re seeing, obviously, in Congress right now, is that the President is the President wherever he is, and he can do his business wherever he is.
I just don’t have a change in his — his schedule at this time.
Go ahead.
Q: The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been closing in on 40,000 this week. It’s down a little bit today. But does the President see that as an economic achievement, or does he view that — in his view, is the stock market not necessarily representative of the economy?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, what we’ve said many times here — you’ve heard that from our economists; you’ve heard that from me — is the stock market is not the economy. We understand that. It is clear that President Biden’s economic plan is working to grow the middle class, spur investments in manufacturing.
You just heard me talk about what we saw in Arizona, what the President was able to announce in Arizona: semiconductors from — that came out of the CHIPS — CHIPS and Science Act — incredibly important bipartisan legislation; infrastructure and outperform other countries. That’s what we’re trying to do here.
So, record stock market highs under President Biden are good for retirement accounts, obviously, household wealth, which is why we would never root for a stock market crash or for Americans to lose their jobs. That’s not what this President is all — is about.
Q: Could you — if there — there could potentially be a lapse in funding if they can’t get this passed in the Senate by tonight. Can you speak to what the op — or the planning has been like for White House operations here, like who would be deemed essential? Can people work over the weekend? That kind of thing.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, Congress can prevent this — this partial shutdown. We believe there’s still time to do that. So, I want to be very clear here. But like every other agent, we are reviewing and updating our contingency plan. This is something that we do regularly. And we’ll have more to share, obviously, once — once that is finalized.
But federal employees just across the government will — will furlough, and that includes White House staff, just to give you a little bit of what that would look like.
But we believe there is still time. There is still time for Congress to prevent a partial shutdown. We — you know this — this doesn’t have to be. This doesn’t have to be. And obviously, we’re always — like every agency, we look at all options.
Q: If I could ask one question related to the royals. King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer, President Biden had said that he hoped to speak with him. Did they ever connect?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I — I have — don’t have a call to read out about what the President and the King — and King Charles. I just don’t have anything to share at this time.
Q: Do you expect the President will reach out to King Charles over the weekend about this?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, look, as I said before, obviously, it is tragic news. It is devastating news. And we certainly — the Duchess — wish the Duchess of Cambridge a — a full recovery. We want to respect their privacy, especially at this time. They have young children. They have a family so we want to respect their privacy.
I don’t have anything to share on the President reaching out. We just are learning this news. Literally, as I walked out, this news came — came to be. And so, it is incredibly deviating to hear, and we wish her, again, a full recovery.
Go ahead, Karen.
Q: Thanks. It was just over a week ago that the White House announced the new weapons package for Ukraine, and Jake Sullivan had said at the time it could move very quickly to get there. Do you have an update on whether that assistance has reached Ukraine and reached the battlefield yet?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, as you know, it was important to be able to — to have that extra additional as- — funding for — to give additional assistance. Ukraine obviously needs that. They are — they have lo – lo- — been losing ground in the battlefield. So, obviously, Jake came here and gave a lowdown — a laydown of how important that is.
I don’t have any specifics on where we are getting the funding — or not getting that funding — getting the assistance to — to Ukrainians. I would refer you to the Department of Defense. But it was important. It’s critical to do everything that we can to make sure Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself.
But that is not enough. You also heard Jake Sullivan say that from here. That is not enough. We have to move forward and get the national security supplemental. They — it has to get out of the House. We know it we got out of the Senate. It’s important to do that.
(Inaudible.)
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I know we’ve got to wrap up. Go ahead, Jon.
Q: Thanks, Karine. The House Republican majority will narrow even further next month. Mike Gallagher announced that he’s stepping down from Congress on April 19th. Does that present an opportunity for the White House to try and pass that national security supplemental, given the fact that the numbers, the dynamics may be changing?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I mean, we don’t even need the dynamics to change — right? — in the House to get this done. We really don’t. If the Speaker were to put it on — on the floor — would have put it on the floor weeks ago, today, it would pass overwhelmingly. We know that to be true because we’ve heard from Republicans; you know where Democrats stand. We know that.
And so, we don’t need the dynamics of the House to change. We just need the Speaker to do his job and put forth on the floor something that we know, a — a — this national security supplemental, a bill that we know would pass overwhelmingly. That’s what he needs to do.
We need it. We need it for our own national security. It is important to get this done on behalf of the American people.
All right, everybody. Have a great weekend. We’ll see you next week.
Q: Thank you.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks, everyone.
Q: Thanks, Karine.
March 11, 2024: Sequestration Order for Fiscal Year 2025 Pursuant to Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as Amended
By the authority vested in me as President by the laws of the United States of America, and in accordance with section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act (the “Act”), as amended, 2 U.S.C. 901a, I hereby order that, on October 1, 2024, direct spending budgetary resources for fiscal year 2025 in each non-exempt budget account be reduced by the amount calculated by the Office of Management and Budget in its report to the Congress of March 11, 2024.
All sequestration shall be made in strict accordance with the requirements of section 251A of the Act and the specifications of the Office of Management and Budget’s report of March 11, 2024, prepared pursuant to section 251A(9) of the act.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
March 14, 2024: Remarks by President Biden at a Campaign Event | Milwaukee, WI (March 13 2024)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, folks. (Applause.) Well, it’s good to be here with the power of the state. Gwen Moore runs my whole life, runs everything. (Laughter.) And your county executive and your mayor. You got a hell of a crew.
And I tell you — but thank you so much. You know, the thing about this campaign and particularly here in — in Mil- — in Milwaukee specifically, but Wisconsin general and several other states, it’s going to get down to knocking on doors, the old-fashioned way. No, it really is. And it get’s down to just making contact with people.
Secondly, you opened up — you got 44 headquarters in this state — 44. And this is going to be the next President one of these days. (Laughter and applause.)
(The President addresses a child in the audience.) When you become president, and they say, “Joe Biden is out in the waiting room,” promise me you won’t say “Joe, who?” (Laughter and applause.) Okay?
Folks, look, we’ve got a lot to do. And there’s an awful lot at stake in this campaign. I need not tell you all. You understand it fully.
One of the things that is — that I like about this campaign, particularly here in this state, is — by the way, this is the first time headquarters has been here in Milwaukee. Well, there’s a reason for that. (Applause.) There’s a reason for that. Because if it wasn’t, I’d be afraid of going back with Gwen. You know — (Laughter.)
But all kidding aside, look, this is about ordinary people. I grew up in a neighborhood that was not poor but middle class — technically, lower-middle class — you know, a three-bedroom house with four kids and a grandpop living with us.
And, you know, wh- — it was decent, but, you know, there wasn’t anything left over at the end of the month. And so, what I started to do was — my dad used to say — that trickle-down economic program had been going on for years, not a whole hell of a lot trickled down on my dad’s kitchen table.
And so, we decided to make a completely different approach to how we were going to govern the country. And one of those was to make sure that we invested in people, we built them from the middle out and the bottom up. When that occurs, the wealthy still do very well. But it’s about time they start paying their fair share of taxes. (Applause.)
And today, I just came back from announcing $36 million project to reconnect this city in a way that it should never have been separated in the first place.
The reason I know that, my city — the city of Wilmington, Delaware, where I grew up — is a situation where we have I-95, not I — what’s that — I 50 —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Ninety-four.
THE PRESIDENT: – 50 — – 94 here.
And I’m President of the United States; I’m in charge of this program. They haven’t funded Delaware yet. I’m like, what the hell’s going on here? (Laughter.)
But we have, you know, over $3 billion to do this across the country. It’s about bringing people together.
You know, we’ve — I have a very different view than — as you know, than the opposition here, the guys I’m running against. I don’t think we’re a dying nation; I think we’re a growing nation. I don’t think we’re behind. No, I really mean it. (Applause.)
And I’ve been doing it a long time. But, you know, it’s never — I’ve never been more optimistic about America’s prospects — never, never, never.
And so, but they all — it’s — and I know it sounds like hyperbole, but it’s all in your hands and you — folks like you all across the country, because this is how I won the first time I ever ran, and this is how we’re going to win again.
A lot of you helped me in 2020, and we made sure he was a loser — he is a loser. (Laughter.) And we’re going to make sure that happens again, right? (Applause.)
And, by the way, we are — we are a country of immigrants. We’re — they are not “vermin.” (Applause.) And, look, you know, the matter is, all of us are immigrants — every one of us except the Native Americans here. And the fact of the matter is that we — it’s what we built this country.
That’s why we’re the most unique country in the world, the most powerful nation in the world, the most connected nation in the world. And we’ve got to take advantage of it, not walk away from it.
Any rate. A lot more tot talk about, but I want to — just ate to say thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause.)
And, by the way, history is watching. History is watching. This young man is going to be reading about what we do and don’t do. Now, I don’t mean me personally — what we do as a generation now. We have a chance to really turn this country in the right direction, move in directions that are —
You know, we have the most vibrant economy in the world. We got a lot more to do. We’re investing in healthcare. We’re investing in all the things that matter, all the things that your senator from this state, Johnson, says if back to — if we win, he’s going to try to eliminate — eliminate.
So, we ju- — this is really important — really important. Not because of me but because of all of you and all we can do.
So, “No one should be jailed… ” By the way, I’m taking care of that. No one is going to be jailed. (Laughter.) No one should be jailed for just using and possessing marijuana and it is staying on their record. (Applause.)
And, by the way — and, by the way the fact of the matter is that stays on their record all — the whole time just for smoking marijuana. Now, if you’re selling it, if you’re out growing, it’s a different deal. But if you’re just using, it should be wiped off your record. Because you have that on your record, you have to — “Have you ever been arrested or do you have a felony on your record?” You have to put yes.
Not anymore. Not anymore.
Anyway, we got to do everything from gun violence to deal with choice. You know, our freedoms are at stake. They really are at stake — not a joke — the right to choose, the right to be able to determine whether you’re going to get to vote, how we vote.
There’s so much more we can do. But I’m talking too much. I just want to talk to you each individually.
Thank you all very, very much. (Applause.)
March 16, 2024: Remarks by President Biden at the Gridiron Club and Foundational Dinner
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, thank you. I think I should sit down.
Good evening.
AUDIENCE: Good evening.
THE PRESIDENT: It’s great to be here at Gridiron dinner, though it’s six hours past my bedtime. (Laughter.)
What I love about the Gridiron are the opportunities for young people, like Dan Balz and Al Hunt. (Laughter.) But it was tough to see Mitch McConnell announce he’s stepping down as GOP leader. I hate to see a friend give up in his prime. (Laughter.)
Look, it’s been a long night. So, I’ll keep my remarks just a few minutes less than my State of the Union. (Laughter.) Kamala will stand up 83 times, because even the press has to admit: I crushed it. (Laughter and applause.) Granted, your expectations were so low, I just had to show up and remember who the president is. (Laughter.) That’s the press, always underestimating me.
But Kamala and I and the members of the administration here tonight are proud — proud of our accomplishments on behalf of the American people: record job growth, wages rising, rigging the Super Bowl for Taylor Swift. (Laughter.)
There have been some bright spots in the media. I heard Wordle website is actually doing news now. You get that? (Laughter.) The New York Ti- — anyway — (laughter.)
We know not everyone is feeling the progress we’re making. We’re committed to helping the little guy. Ron DeSantis, though, won’t take our calls. (Laughter and applause.)
Our big plan to cancel student debt doesn’t apply to everyone. Just yesterday, a defeated-looking man came up to me and said, “I’m being crushed by debt. I’m completely wiped out.” I said, “Sorry, Donald, I can’t help you.” (Laughter and applause.)
But we’re lucky to have great partners, including Governor Whitmer of Michigan. She did a great job tonight. (Applause.) Gretchen and I both joined the picket line of UAW workers.
A strong union can make a corporation quiver, at least that’s what Jeff Bezos has been telling me at dinner. (Laughter and applause.) Jeff is a big supporter of journalism. He’s the richest man in the world, and that’s even with owning The Washington Post. (Laughter.)
Believe it or not, Republican Governor Cox of Utah is a good friend. He also did a great job tonight — a really great job tonight. (Applause.) He’s smart, he’s civil, he’s willing to stand up to extremists — or, as we call that, he’s a good Democrat. (Laughter.) God bless you, man. I hope I don’t get you into too much trouble.
I heard Republicans were going to do a skit tonight, but they couldn’t get a speaker. (Laughter.)
And the biggest joke of the night: an impeachment inquiry. Imagine believing something so baseless that has a zero chance of succeeding. But Republicans would rather fail at impeachment than succeed at anything else. (Laughter.)
They want a secure border — bor- — border, but they block it. We had the strongest border bill ever that we’ve c- — come up with. They take credit for one of the biggest infrastructure laws, but voted against it. And I’m the one confused? (Laughter and applause.)
Hell, my good friend, the Taoiseach of Ireland, is here tonight to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow. He took one look at Congress, and he asked for another Guinness. (Laughter.)
Of course, the big news this week is two candidates clinched their parties’ nomination for president. One candidate is too old and mentally unfit to be president. The other is me. (Laughter and applause.)
Look, I’m running against the same guy that I beat in 2020. But don’t tell him. He thinks he’s running against Barack Obama. (Laughter.) That’s what he said.
And another big difference between us: I know what I value most. I’m Jill Biden’s husband, and I know her name. (Laughter and applause.)
In the coming months, Kamala and I will be making the case how Americans are better off than four years ago, how we got so much through the pandemic, turned around the economy, reestablished America’s leadership in the world. All without encouraging the American people to inject bleach. (Laughter.) All without destroying the economy, embarrassing us around the world, or — or itching for insurrection.
Look, I wish these were jokes, but they’re not. As I said in my State of the Union Address, we live in an unprecedented moment in democracy, an unpre- — Democracy and freedom are literally under attack.
Putin is on the march in Europe. My predecessor bows down to him and says to him, “Do whatever the hell you want.” A former American president actually said that.
Joining us tonight is the prime minister of Estonia and the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States. I say — (applause) — I say to Putin and told him in person we will not — we will not bow down. They will not bow down, and I will not bow down. Period. (Applause.)
Here at home, our basic freedom is under assault — the more freedom to vote, the freedom to choose, and so much more.
The lies about the 2020 election, the plots to overturn it, to embrace the January 6th insurrectionists pose the greatest threat to our democracy since the American Civil War.
In 2020, they failed. But you all know the threat remains, a poison cours- — coursing through the veins of democracy. Disinformation everywhere. There’s a toxic cycle of anger and conspiracy. Massive — massive changes in the media industry, with pursue, with pursue, with pursue. Pursuing what? Pursuing heat and pursuing — instead of light.
All the while, the other guy calls you the free press. Well, he calls you the enemy of the people, even as many of you risk your lives to do your job and sometimes even give your lives to do your jobs.
I made it clear we are doing everything we can to bring Evan and Austin home and all Americans wrongly detained around the world. (Applause.) And we’ll not give up.
Folks, every single one of us has a role to play in making sure American democracy endures. This year, you, the free press, have a bigger role than ever.
Let me state the obvious. You’re not the enemy of the people. You are a pillar of any free society. And I may not always agree with your coverage or admire it, but I do admire your courage.
Good journalism holds a mirror up to a country for us to reflect the good, the bad, the truth about who we are.
This is not hyperbole: We need you. We need you. Democracy is at risk, and the American people need to know. In fractured times, they need a context and a perspective. They need substance to match the enormity of the task.
As a result, the choices you make really matter. And each story you make makes democracy stronger.
I know it’s possible because I know the American story. We’re a great nation. We’re good people, defined by core values of honesty, decency, dignity, light over darkness, courage over fear, and truth over lies.
These are also the bedrock principles of good journalism.
So, tonight, I’d like to toast the free press and toast to the American people and the enduring causes of democracy and freedom.
May God bless you all. And may God protect our troops.
Thank you. (Applause.)
March 23, 2024: Press Release: Bill Signed: H.R. 2882
On Saturday, March 23, 2024, the President signed into law:
H.R. 2882, the “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” which provides funding through September 30, 2024, for projects and activities of departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
Thank you to Leaders Schumer and McConnell, Senators Murray and Collins, Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Representatives Granger and DeLauro, for their leadership. [...]
January 19, 2024Biden-HarrisStatue of a overly-large handgun with a knot tied in it by Maria Lysenko on Unsplash
In September of 2023, President Biden established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to reduce gun violence, which has ravaged communities across the country, and implement and expand upon key executive and legislative action which has been taken to save lives.
The Office of Gun Violence Prevention is overseen by Vice President Harris, who has been a key leader in the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to end our nation’s gun violence epidemic. Stefanie Feldman, a longtime policy advisor to President Biden on gun violence prevention, serves as Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, alongside leading gun violence prevention advocates Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, who join the Administration as Deputy Directors of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
The Office of Gun Violence Prevention builds on historic actions taken by President Biden to end violence in our country; including signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislative action in nearly 30 years aimed at doing so, and taking more meaningful executive action than any other president to make our schools, churches, grocery stores, and communities safer.
The Biden-Harris Administration has worked to implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun violence prevention legislation in nearly 30 years. This legislation is already saving lives by keeping guns out of the hands of individuals under 21 who are prohibited from purchasing firearms, empowering the Justice Department with new authorities to prosecute firearm traffickers, improving access to mental health services in our schools to help young people deal with the trauma and grief resulting from gun violence, and investing in community violence interventions.
The Biden-Harris Administration announced dozens of executive actions to: keep especially dangerous weapons and repeat shooters off our streets; hold rogue gun dealers and gun traffickers accountable; provide law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to reduce gun violence; and address the root causes of gun violence.
Most recently, the Justice Department’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – a critical leader in work to reduce gun violence – proposed a rule to reduce the number of guns sold without background checks and keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
President Biden continues to call on Congress to take additional action, including by:
Banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines;
Requiring safe storage of firearms;
Requiring background checks for all gun sales;
Eliminating gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability; and
Enacting his Safer America Plan, which would put more police officers on our streets for accountable, community policing and invest in gun violence prevention and intervention.
The first thing that comes to my mind is the poem “America is a Gun” by Brian Bilston. It is a powerful poem, and I highly recommend you read it.
NPR reported today (January 19, 2024) that Vice President Harris says young voters could create a “sea change” on the issue of gun violence if they turn out and vote. It is an issue that the Biden campaign says will help motivate a key part of its base of support – and one where it sees Harris as being an effective messenger.
“On this issue, it is a lived experience,” Harris told U.S. mayors in Washington on Thursday, describing what she’s learned from talking to younger people about the gun violence epidemic.
“They are aware of the solutions. And I think, frankly, when they start voting in numbers, we’re going to see a sea change.”
According to NPR, Harris has long been talking about gun violence prevention, dating back to her first position in office as a district attorney in San Francisco. In September, when President Biden created Office of Gun Violence Prevention, he tapped Harris to lead it.
But as focus turns to the reelection campaign, Harris is making gun violence prevention an issue as the brings up all over the country. It even comes up at events that aren’t specifically focused on it. Last year, for example, she embarked on a tour of college campuses around the country, where her office says she met with more than 15,000 students. And gun violence came up at every stop.
I believe that the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention is going to make a big difference in people’s lives. The existence of this new office evokes the potential of being able to safely walk outside, go to the grocery store, go to school, and/or participate in the religion you have chosen – without being fearful of getting shot in the process. Imagine schools that would no longer have to put children through lockdowns.
Here’s a statement from Vice President Harris:
“Every person and every child deserves the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and live up to their God-given potential. Every family, in every community, should have the freedom live and to thrive. We know that true freedom is not possible if people are not safe.
This epidemic of gun violence requires urgent leadership to end the fear and trauma that Americans experience every day. The new Office of Gun Violence Prevention will play a critical role in implementing President Biden’s and my efforts to reduce violence to the fullest extent under the law, while also engaging and encouraging Congressional leaders, state and local leaders, and advocates to build upon the meaningful progress that we have made to save lives.
Our promise to the American people is this: we will not stop working to end the epidemic of gun violence in every community, because we do not have a moment, nor a life to spare.” [...]
December 17, 2023Biden-Harris / Mediumwoman smiling while wearing a green graduation cap by Juan Ramos on Unsplash
Recently, I was scrolling through my Twitter/X account, looking for new things that Activision-Blizzard was doing. I sometimes do this in order to find new gaming topics to talk about in the next episode of my podcast.
Unfortunately, someone who follows my gaming podcast account retweeted a post from someone who was a stranger to me. What I saw was a guy who, in short, spewed out a bunch of misinformation about things like student loan forgiveness. From memory, he claimed that President Biden talked about student debt relief – and never did anything about it again.
I checked that guy’s Twitter/X account, assuming that maybe he got incorrect information from someone else he knew, or from questionable websites. The majority of his tweets were misinformation about President Biden’s policies. It made me uncomfortable, and I decided to block him.
This random guy may not have known that someone who followed him retweeted his comment about student loan forgiveness, or that it ended up on a Twitter/X account that focuses mostly on the Diablo series of games.
Why did this happen? My best guess is that weird quirks, served up by Twitter/X’s algorithm, have ceased to function properly shortly after Elon Musk purchased Twitter. I think the bizarre ads, from companies you’ve never heard of, and the loss of ads from big corporations, are a clear sign that Twitter won’t last for much longer. Advertising used to be what paid the bills on that platform.
Around this time last year (December 2022), NPR reported: Elon Musk’s Twitter has dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the advisory group of around 100 independent civil, human rights, and other organizations that the company formed in 2016 to address hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, self-harm, and other problems on the platform.
According to NPR, the council has been scheduled to meet with Twitter representatives Monday night. But Twitter informed the group via email that it was disbanding it shortly before the meeting was to take place, according to multiple members.
The interesting thing is, President Biden has been working on student loan debt forgiveness for a very long time. (NPR)
July 14, 2023: Statement From President Joe Biden on New Student Debt Relief Actions
…My Administration is delivering on that commitment. Starting today, over 800,000 student loan borrowers who have been repaying their loans for 20 years or more will see $39 billion of their loans discharged because of steps my Administration took to fix failures of the past. These borrowers will join the millions of people that my Administration has provided relief to over the past two years -resulting in over $116 billion in loan relief to over 3 million borrowers under my Administration.
But we’re not stopping there. My Administration has worked hard to secure the largest increases to Pell Grants in a decade, fixed broken loan programs such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and created a new income-driven repayment plan that will cut undergraduate loan payments in half and bring monthly payments to zero for low-income borrowers. And, when the Supreme Court made the wrong decision, I immediately announced a new plan to open an alternative path to relief for as many borrowers as possible… (WhiteHouse.gov)
August 14, 2023: Statement from President Joe Biden on Student Loan Debt Cancellation for More Than 800,000 Borrowers
…When I came into office, hundreds of thousands of borrowers weren’t accurately getting credit for student loan payments that should have delivered them forgiveness under Income-Driven Repayment plans or were placed in forbearance by loan services in violation of Department of Education rules.
Under these plans, if a borrower makes 20 or 25 years’ worth of payments, they get the remaining balances of their loans forgiven. But because of errors and administrative failures of the student loan system that started long before I took office, over 804,000 borrowers never got the credit they earned, and never saw the forgiveness they were promised – even after making payments for decades.
I was determined to right this wrong, and today, because of the actions my Administration took, these 804,000 borrowers who have been in repayment for over 20 years will start to see their debt cancelled. Over 614,000 of them will have all of their remaining federal student loan debt cancelled once this action is complete…(WhiteHouse.gov)
October 29, 2023: President Joe Biden’s plans to cancel up to $400 billion in student debt for tens of millions of Americans were foiled over the summer at the Supreme Court.
Still, Biden managed to erase $127 billion in student debt so far for more than 3.5 million borrowers – more than any other president in history.
His administration has used existing programs that were previously hard to access for many borrowers to deliver that relief…
…The Biden administration has evaluated millions of borrowers’ loan accounts to see if they should have their debt cleared.
As a result, it has cleared nearly $42 billion for more than 850,000 people enrolled in these plans.
Most people with federal student loans qualify for income-driven repayments plans, and can apply at Studentaid.gov…(CNBC.com)
December 6, 2023: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $5 Billion in Additional Student Debt Relief
The Biden-Harris Administration announced today the approval of an additional $4.8 billion in student loan debt for 80,300 borrowers. These discharges stem from fixes made by the U.S. Department of Education to income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
Today’s announcement brings the total approved debt cancellation by the Biden-Harris Administration to nearly $132 billion for more than 3.6 million Americans.
“Before President Biden took office, it was virtually impossible for eligible borrowers to access the student debt relief they rightfully earned,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The data released today once again make it clear that the Biden-Harris Administration’s relentless efforts to fix the broken student loan system are paying off in a big way, with more than 3.6 million borrowers now approved for nearly $132 billion in loan forgiveness. This level of debt relief is unparalleled and we have no intention of slowing down… (U.S. Department of Education)
In short, it is always a good idea to do some fact checking – from credible sources – before posting misinformation on Twitter/X. The guy who posted false information about Biden and student loans failed to do some research before filling his Twitter/X account with garbage. [...]
California
February 23, 2024CaliforniaOctober 2, 2020: California has been working on a way to provide reparations for African Americans. This effort began in 2020, when Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation giving special consideration to Black Americans. The legislation. which was authored by former Assemblymember Shirley Weber, called for the creation of a task force that would study and develop reparations proposals for African Americans. This is a first-in-the-nation attempt at providing reparations.
Merriam-Webster dictionary provides few definitions of reparations. The most relevant one is: the act of making amends, offering expiation, or giving satisfaction for a wrong or injury.
Writing for Teen Vogue, (in 2019) Jameelah Nasheed pointed out: “Historically, various groups have received reparations, including (but not limited to) payments made to Holocaust survivors and Japanese-Americans after their forced captivity in internment camps. In these cases, reparations have been financial payments, which is how they’re typically framed for descendants of slaves in the U.S.”
Cal Matters reported that the nine-member reparations task force voted 5-4 in favor of defining eligibility for reparations based on lineage “determined by an individual being an African American descendant of a chattel enslaved person or the descendant of a free Black person living in the US prior to the end of the 19th century.
In other words, the outcome of this vote establishes that only those Black Californians who are able to trace their lineage back to enslaved ancestors will be eligible for the state’s reparations. Other Black Californians – such as Black immigrants – will be excluded.
There are some opposing viewpoints about this. Kamiliah Moore, task force chairperson, said that going with a lineage-based approach would “aggrieve the victims of slavery”. Civil rights lawyer Lisa Holder argued against a strict lineage approach, stating, “We must make sure we include present day and future harms. The system that folks are advocating for here, where we splice things up, where only one small slice benefits, will not abate the harms of racism.”
The reparations task force is expected to release a reparations proposal in June 2023 with recommendations for the California Legislature. Many task force members said they expect cash payments to be one of the proposal as well as a formal apology. The task force also said that the eligibility determination will help economists tasked with quantifying the amount of reparations owed.
CBS News reported that today, Black residents are 5% of California’s population but are overrepresented in jails, prison, and homeless populations.
Testimony given to the reparations task force showed that California and local governments were complicit in stripping Black people of their wages and property, preventing them from building wealth to pass down to their children. Their homes were razed for redevelopment, and they were forced to live in predominantly minority neighborhoods, and couldn’t get bank loans that would allow them to purchase property.
MARCH 2022:
March 7, 2021: Los Angeles county officials may return a beachfront property that was seized from a Black family nearly a century ago. The Guardian reported.
Manhattan Beach used eminent domain in 1924 to force Willa and Charles Bruce, the city’s first Black landowners, off the land where they lived, KABC-TV reported on Friday. The Bruces also ran a resort for Black families during a time when beaches in the strand were segregated.
Part of the land was developed into a city park. It is now owned by Los Angeles county and houses lifeguard headquarters and a training center.
The county supervisor Janice Hahn said she was exploring options to restore justice for the family, including giving the land back, paying for what they lost or leasing the property from them so the lifeguard building can remain at the location.
“I wanted the county of Los Angeles to be a part of righting this terrible wrong,” Hahn told the station.
Meanwhile, a Manhattan Beach city taskforce is recommending that the city council consider issuing an apology and creating a commemorative plaque to acknowledge the Bruce family.
Anthony Bruce, one of the family’s last living direct descendants, now living in Florida, said the seizure robbed him of his family’s legacy.
“It was wrong against the Bruce family,” he said. “I think we would be wealthy Americans still living there in California… Manhattan Beach, probably.”
March 30, 2022: California’s first-in-the-nation task force on reparations voted Tuesday to limit state compensation to the descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the U.S. in the 19th century, narrowly rejecting a proposal to include all Black people regardless of lineage. NPR reported.
The vote was split 5-4, and the hours-long debate was at times testy and emotional. Near the end, the Rev. Amos Brown, president of the San Francisco branch of the NAACP and vice chair of the task force, pleaded with the commission to move ahead with a clear definition of who would be eligible for restitution.
“Please, please, please I beg us tonight, take the first step,” he said. “We’ve got to give emergency treatment to where it is needed.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation creating the two-year reparations task force in 2020, making California the only state to move ahead with a study and plan, with a mission to study the institution of slavery and its harms and to educate the public about its findings.
Reparations at the federal level has not gone anywhere, but cities and universities are taking up the issue. The mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, announced a city commission in February while the city of Boston is considering a proposal to form its own reparations commission.
The Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, became the firs U.S. city to make reparations available to Black residents last year, although there are some who say the program has done nothing to right a wrong.
California’s task force members – nearly all of whom can trace their families back to enslaved ancestors in the U.S. – were aware that their deliberations over a pivotal question will shape reparations discussions across the country. The members were appointed by the governor and the leaders of the two legislative chambers.
Those favoring a lineage approach said that a compensation and restitution plan based on genealogy as opposed to race has the best chance of surviving a legal challenge. They also opened eligibility to free Black people who migrated to the country before the 20th century, given possible difficulties in documenting family history and the risk at the time of becoming enslaved.
Others on the task force argued that reparations should include all Black people in the U.S. who suffer from systemic racism in housing, education and employment and said they were defining eligibility too soon in the process.
Civil rights attorney and task force member Lisa Holder proposed directing economists working with the task force to use California’s estimated 2.6 million Black residents to calculate compensation while they continue hearing from the public.
“We need to galvanize the base and that is Black people,” she said. “We can’t go into this reparations proposal without having all African Americans in California behind us.”
But Kamilah Moore, a lawyer and chair of the task force, said expanding eligibility would create it’s own fissures and was beyond the purpose of the committee.
“That is going to aggrieve the victims of the institution of slavery, which are direct descendants of the enslaved people in the United States,” She said. “It goes against the spirit of the law as written.”
The committee is not even a year into its two-year process and there is no compensation plan of any kind on the table. Longtime advocates have spoken of the need for multifaceted remedies for related yet separate harms, such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, mass incarceration and redevelopment that resulted in the displacement of Black communities.
Compensation could include free college, assistance buying homes and launching businesses, and grants to churches and community organizations, advocates say.
The eligibility question has dogged the task force since it’s inaugural meeting in June, when viewers called in pleading with the nine-member group to devise targeted proposals and cash payments to make whole the descendants of enslaved people in the U.S.
Chicago resident Arthur Ward called in to Tuesday’s virtual meeting, saying that he was a descendant of enslaved people and has family in California. He supports reparations based only on lineage and expressed frustration with the panel’s concerns over Black immigrants who experience racism.
“When it comes to some sort of justice, some kind of recompense, we are supposed to step to the back of the line and allow Caribbean’s and Africans to be prioritized,” Ward said. “Taking this long to decide something that should not even been a question in the first place is an insult.”
California Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, who voted against limiting eligibility, said there is no question that descendants of slaves are the priority, but he said the task force also needs to stop ongoing harm and prevent future harm from racism. He said he wished the panel would stop “bickering” over money they don’t have yet and start discussing how to close a severe wealth gap.
“We’re arguing over cash payments, which I firmly don’t believe are the be all and end all,” he said.
Reparation critics say that California has no obligation to pay up given that the state did not practice slavery and did not enforce Jim Crow laws that segregated Black people from white people in the southern states.
But testimony provided to the committee shows California and local governments were complicit in stripping Black people of their wages and property, preventing them from building wealth to pass down to their children. Their homes were razed for redevelopment, and they were forced to live in predominantly minority neighborhoods and couldn’t get bank loans the would allow them to purchase property.
Today, Black residents are 5% of the state’s population but over-represented in jails, prison, and homeless populations. And Black homeowners continue to face discrimination in the form of home appraisals that are significantly lower than if the house were in a white neighborhood or the homeowners are white, according to testimony.
A report is due by June with a reparations proposals due by July 2023 for the Legislature to consider turning into law.
January 28, 2023: To help close the racial wealth gap, the U.S. government should pay $14 trillion in reparations to Black Americans, according to William A. Darity and A. Kristen Mullen, authors of “From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century”, CNBC reported.
In an interview with CNBC, Darity, a Duke University professor, and Mullen, a forklorist and writer, said the federal government is financially responsible because it was culpable for the enslavement of Black Americans and legal segregation in the United States. Mullen said “the federal government was the party” to both the suppression of the Black vote and in some cases the destruction of Black people’s property.
She added that “the federal government is also the only entity that has the capacity to pay the debt.”
Darity and Mullen told CNBC that the cost of reparations would not need to be passed on to taxpayers.
“You don’t necessarily have to raise taxes to undertake these massive expenditure projects,” Darity said, citing the federal government’s $4.6 trillion Covid-19 spending as an example.
However, Darity warned that reparations could lead to inflation if not properly rolled out. To minimize risk, Darity suggested the payment should be spread out over a period of up to 10 years or the reparations should be provided in the form of assets rather than liquid cash.
“The key thing,” Darity said, “is that ultimately the discretion for the use of the funds must reside with the recipient.”
March 7, 2023: California’s Reparation Task Force has concluded its two-day public meeting geared toward compensating Black Americans affectedly the legacy of slavery. But the nine-member body is a long way off from the finish line, The Sacramento Bee reported.
The panel has until July 1 to submit its final report to the Legislature. In the meantime, it is focused on gathering feedback and working out the report’s moving parts.
One of the key discussions of the recent meeting was the creation of a new state agency – a “freedmen’s bureau” to be the authority should reparations become a reality.
Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020 signed AB 3121, authored by then-Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, to explore how California might compensate for harms caused by enslavement and racial discrimination.
More task force meetings are scheduled for March 29 and 39 in Sacramento, and approval of the final report is set for May 2 in the capital.
There will be a June 30 meeting once the report is finalized. All meetings will be in person and broadcast online.
Here are some of the top takeaways from the task force’s two-day meeting:
Establishing A State Freedman’s Bureau
The idea for the proposed California American Freedman Affairs Agency was inspired by an act passed by Congress on March 3, 1865.
Back then, the federal government established a Freedmen’s Bureau to provide food, shelter, clothing, medical services, and land to African Americans newly freed from enslavement.
Nearly 160 years later, California’s task force looks to create an agency with the power to implement reparations and have oversight to ensure its many goals are met.
They could include implementing programs and policies that benefit the quality of life for descendants of enslaved Blacks. It could also provide services to the descendant community through contracts, grants or partnerships with community-based organizations, private entities and other local, state and federal agencies.
“That’s what the spirit of this new independent agency would be. It would be a permanent place and space for this unique group of people to get the services that they’ve been denied and despoiled for centuries,” task force chair Kamilah Moore said.
The proposed state freedmen’s bureau could include different branches to cover different areas reparations, such as confirming genealogy for eligibility of services. Other branches might handle legal affairs, data and research, social services and family affairs, medical/psychological services and business affairs for entrepreneurship.
Many on the panel said the recommendations, if approved, would give the new state agency “teeth.”..
...Unjust Land Seizures
The task force hasn’t decided upon a definitive dollar amount for reparations. There have been some estimates in the media, but task force member Don Tamaki said the group has “left it up to the economists to do the number-crunching and they’re still looking at data on housing, mass incarceration and so forth. Work is being done, but it’s not ready to present.”
Five harms committed against Black Americans identified by the task force will likely impact how they ultimately calculate an amount.
Those harms include:
Property taken unjustly through eminent domain from 1850 to 2020
Devaluation of Black businesses from 1850 to 2020
Housing discrimination and redlining from 1933 to 1977
Mass incarceration and over policing from 1970 to 2020
Harms related to health from 1900 to 2000
Task force member Amos C. Brown reminded his colleagues not to “gloss over” the land and property component of that review.
“In 1900, we owned about 19 million acres of land. But now we have less than 3 million,” Brown said. “We (have to) look at how land was stolen from us in the Fillmore in San Francisco. In West Oakland, in South Central Los Angeles. And other areas across the state. And even Allensworth.”
Allensworth is a Central Valley town founded in the early 20th century by Blacks who were ex-slaves. It’s now managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreations.
Task force member Reginald Jones-Sawyer mentioned how eminent domain was used as a tool to displace residents of Black neighborhoods of Los Angeles, when the Century Freeway, Interstate 105 was built.
The Los Angeles Times reported that more than 21,000 residents had lost their homes because of the freeway which was completed in 1993. The Times reported that some of those residents were overwhelmed by the pain of being forced out, suffering heart attacks or dying by suicide. Highway engineers conceded that the cost of building interstates through cities was too great…
March 10, 2023: A proposal to pay Black people in California up to $1.2 million in restitution for slavery ran into political headwinds Wednesday as Gov. Gavin Newsom and a lawmaker who was on the state panel raised doubts about the prospect of cash payments, Politico reported.
State Sen. Steven Bradford said he wouldn’t count on the Legislature – though dominated by Democrats – to vote in favor of payments, one of the recommendations of a panel expected to release its final recommendations on July 1.
“I’m realistic enough to know that we might not have colleagues who are willing to do that,” Bradford told reporters.
He spoke after Newsom sparked an uproar with a statement that hailed the findings of the task force as a milestone but specifically noted that dealing with the legacy of slavery “is about much more than cash payments.”
The governor was acknowledging political reality, Bradford said.
“I think he’s setting a real realistic expectation that there probably won’t be check payments in the tune of or the amount of what we’ve battled around the last two years since we started this process,” he said.
The comments from Newsom and Bradford illustrated the considerable political obstacles to compensating Black people for the harms of slavery, even in a progressive state that drew praise for creating a groundbreaking task force. Those challenges will be magnified by California’s enormous budget deficit, the contentiousness of proposing cash payment and, Bradford acknowledged, resistance from fellow Democrats.
Newsom signed the task force into law in 2020, touting California as being the first state to study reparations and calling the bill a corrective to the “structural racism and bias built into and permeating throughout our democratic and economic institutions.”
After months of meetings and public input, the panel released a semifinal report on May 6 calculating that the cumulative cost of mass incarceration, housing discrimination, and healthcare inequity could amount to $1.2 million per person at the high end.
It would be up to the Legislature and Newsom to enact any element of the report.
Many of the recommendations have already begun to be addressed, Newsom noted in a statement.
“We should continue to work as a nation to reconcile our original sin of slavery and understand how that history has shaped our country,” he said. “Dealing with the legacy of slavery is about much more than cash payments.”
Bradford similarly described an array of non-cash solutions that include more funding for healthcare, buying homes and bringing higher education. But he said Newsom’s statement also conceded the limitations of what California will be able to accomplish. “I’ve tried to temper people’s expectation that it might not be a check,” Bradford said.
The apparent retreat from payments drew criticism, including from the Reverend Amos Brown, a civil rights activist who was vice-chair of the reparations task force.
“We’re being disingenuous when we all of a sudden want to run away from money,” Brown said.
Any legislation arising from the work of the task force in the coming years could face a challenging path to Newsom’s desk. California is staring down a budget deficit estimated $22.5 billion in January.
Supporters of reparations have long stressed that the concept encompasses more than monetary payments. The author of the bill creating the panel, then-Assembly member Shirley Weber, said in 2020 that the measure “does not take a position on the form of reparations should take but does take a clear position on reparations as necessary.”
The panel’s report recommended offering “the payment of cash or its equivalent” to people who had been harmed by slavery. It also recommended the Legislature offer a “down payment’ with an immediate disbursement of a meaningful amount of funds.”
California has since moved to more directly compensate the descendants of enslaved people for their losses: A 2021 bill signed by Newsom returned a costal property called Bruce’s Beach to the descendants of Black owners who’d seen the land stripped away in the early 20th century. But the report noted that losses are not always easy to quantify.
“Not all specific harms perpetrated against the state’s African American residents involve land – or other property that can be easily returned,” the panel said. “In those cases, those individual harms must be remedied with monetary compensation.”
March 29, 2023: KQED reported Alison Ford grew up on Parker Street in South Berkeley.
Her mother was a postal worker – everything from a mail sorter to a window clear. When she had weekend shifts, she’d take Ford and her younger sister, Sabrina, across the Bay Bridge to their great-grandmother’s house in San Francisco.
Winfrey Broadnax Ford, known as Granny Ford to the family, had Ford and Sabrina help tend the small garden in the backyard of the Marina-style home she owned in the Bayview neighborhood, a section of San Francisco where Black people once were a majority of the residents.
Ford, who was always interested in her family history, but it wasn’t until Granny Ford, her father’s grandmother, died in 2016 – at the age 102 – that she really began seeking out information about the distant relatives she only knew vaguely from Granny Ford’s stories. She wanted more context about who she was.
Ford ultimately traced her lineage to generations of enslaved ancestors, all the way back to her great-great-great-great-grandfather, Isaac.
” was probably a slave until he was my age,” said Ford, 44. “That is mind-blowing to me. And he then went on to sharecrop and have kids that did the same. But his grandkids were literate and landowners.”
“I’ve always felt connected to that part of my family history, because I spent so much time with my great-grandmother,” she continued. “Growing up, I know that I was only a couple of generations removed from slavery.”
California’s Reparations Task Force is examining the historic harms of slavery and anti-Black racism in California. Last summer, the task force released a preliminary report (PDF) detailing California’s history of enslavement and its many decades of discriminatory policies – in housing, education, health care, criminal justice and other areas – that established the systemic racism that persists today. This summer, the task force will present recommendations on how Black residents should be compensated for this ensuring oppression.
If the task force’s recommendations are adopted by the state’s Legislature, many Black Californians will have to prove their eligibility for reparations. To help with this, a preliminary report proposed establishing a California African American Freedmen Affairs Agency to “support potential claimants with genealogical research to confirm eligibility.”
In a 5-4 vote in March 2022, the task force voted in favor of lineage-based reparations that would be “determined by an individual being an African American descendant of a chattel enslaved person or the descendant of a free Black person living in the U.S. prior to the end of the 19th century.” But there’s still a lot yet to be finalized about what kind of specific documentation would be required to prove eligibility.
Eligibility has loomed over the first-in-the-nation statewide task force since it began meeting in June 2021. There’s a wide spectrum of opinion on how feasible it will be to document eligibility — and considerable concern about the emotional toll Black Californians will have to pay.
The task force will continue the debate on eligibility Wednesday and Thursday in Sacramento, including defining the parameters of a residency requirement.
Ford allowed me to observe a session with a genealogy consultant, offering a window into the process of documenting ancestry. Having a deeper understanding of what her ancestors endured brought the weight of their existence into sharper focus.
“Such a huge net of people had to go through so many traumatic things for me to be here having this conversation,” she told KQED. “I don’t think there’s an amount of money that would make it right, but I think that it serves to show that there has just been generational trauma that has very directly led to the financial disenfranchisement of African Americans in this country.
If a person can track their ancestry back to the 1870 census, and their relative was living in a state that practiced enslavement, some genealogists feel it is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the ancestor likely was enslaved. The census tracked additional components, like whether a person could read and write; that could lend support to the likelihood the person was enslaved since enslavers often forbid the people they held captive from becoming literate.
Black people were not counted as part of the country’s population until the 1870 census, the first undertaken after the Civil War. That’s because, until then, enslaved people were considered property, said Sharon Morgan, who runs Our Black Ancestry, a Facebook genealogy group with more than 36,000 members.
“For people who were enslaved, we were not considered people,” said Morgan, a genealogist in Macon, Mississippi, who has served as a consultant for the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society “You find them in property records.”
Many genealogists, including Morgan, said they were only able to access some records by sifting through physical archives. Morgan originally traveled to Mississippi, where the vestiges of enslavement show in glaring racial disparities show in glaring racial disparities, to do research on a distant relative who, she said, had 17 children fathered by the nephew of her enslaver. “I came to Mississippi to write a book about it, and I ended up staying. And my book still isn’t finished,” she said.
“You have to be lucky enough to find a will, a deed, or some other family papers, farm records – something else that will identify your ancestor,” Morgan continued. “But there’s another problem, because those lists are generally only by first name.”
Kellie Farrish, a genealogist based in the East Bay, said the scavenger hunt described by Morgan is mostly a thing of the past because of the digitization of records.
“It used to be a lot of traveling,” said Farrish, who presented at a task force meeting in March of 2022. And in boxes, if they’re even maintained at all. That world just doesn’t exist anymore.”
Farrish, who owns Reparative Genealogy, which helps Black people trace their lineage to the earliest ancestor documented in the United States, has been working in genealogy for more than 15 years. The first time we talked on the phone, she told me to think about navigating genealogy like navigating geography: Drivers used a road atlas before printing out MapQuest directions; now they use Google Maps on their phones.
“It’s the same with genealogy,” she said. “This is what ancestry has become. And the group that needs to realize this the most is African Americans. As we build out everyone’s tree, this work becomes easier and easier and easier…
…Cheryl Grills, director of the Psychology Applied Research Center at Loyola Marymount University and a task force member, voted against lineage-based reparations because of the trauma associated with searching for enslaved ancestors.
“Not every Black person wants to do this genealogy thing. It could be triggering,” Grills said. “It could be traumatizing because what the family had to go through, what the family suffered and endured.”…
May 1, 2023: The California Reparations Task Force published documents Monday indicating it plans to recommend the state apologize for racism and slavery and consider “down payments” of varying amounts to eligible African American residents, Cal Matters reported.
The documents, numbering more than 500 pages, do not contain an overall price tag for reparations, but they do include ways the state could calculate how much money African Americans in California have lost since 1850, when the state was established, through today due to certain government practices.
The loss calculations would vary depending on type of racial harm and how long a person has lived in California. The loss estimates range from $2,300 per person per year of residence for the over-policing of Black communities, to $77,000 total per person for Black-owned business losses and devaluations over the years.
The state-appointed task force faces a July 1 deadline to make reparations recommendations to the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Task force leaders have said they expect the Legislature to come up with actual reparation amounts.
The task force is also recommending a variety of policy changes to counteract discrimination.
“It is critical that we compensate, but not just compensate. We also need to evaluate policy that continues to hold us back,” said Monica Montgomery Steppe, a San Diego city council member who is on the task force. She spoke at a “listening session” in San Diego Saturday.
Who would get reparations?
The task force documents discuss two kinds of reparations: those arising from particular instances of discrimination or harm that require an individual to file a claim, and those that involve distributing money or benefits to all eligible Black Californians for racial harm the entire community experienced.
A recent example of an individual claim was Bruce’s Beach. Where is My Land grew out of a local effort to help a Black family in Manhattan Beach seized from a Black family nearly 100 years ago. Recently, partly because of the task force, government leaders returned the land deed to descendants of the Bruce family, who re-sold it to Los Angeles County for $20 million.
It is one of the few times a Black family was restored property taken by a local government.
Eligibility for reparations continues to be a controversy. The task force in March 2022 voted to limit potential compensation to descendants of free and enslaved Black people who were in the United States in the 19th century. The group narrowly rejected a proposal to include all Black people, including recent immigrants, regardless of lineage.
Everyone in the eligible class should be compensated, the task force report says, even if they can’t prove they suffered a specific harm.
“The state of California created laws and policies discriminating against and subjugating free and enslaved African Americans and their descendants,” the report says. “In doing so, the discriminatory policies made no distinctions between these individuals; the compensatory remedy must do the same.”
The final report, much like the task force’s previous interim report, lays out the history of systemic racism and ongoing injustices in California.
Costs of racial damage
The latest batch of documents also urges eligible people to be compensated in cash, sooner rather than later. The records instruct the Legislature to begin with “down payments” rather than waiting for full loss calculations.
The final report suggests dollar figures for certain categories of racial damage:
For mass incarceration and the over-policing of Black communities, it estimates a loss per person of $115,260, or $2,352 for each year they lived in California from 1971 to 2020.
For housing discrimination, it offered two methods of loss calculation. One method based on gaps between Black and white “housing wealth” would peg losses at $145,847 per person. The other method, based on government’s “redlining” history, including discriminatory lending and zoning, would calculate Black residents’ losses at $148,099 per person – or $3,366 for each year they lived in California from 1933 to 1977.
For injustices and discrimination in health, it estimates $13,619 per person for each year lived in California, or $966,921 total for someone living about 71 years – the average life expectancy of Black residents in California in 2021.
The reparations program would be overseen by a state news agency that would determine eligibility and distribute funds, the report says. The agency also would be responsible for helping individuals document and provide evidence for specific injustices.
Eligible Black residents should not expect cash payments anytime soon. The state Legislature and Newsom will decide whether any reparations are paid, and it’s unclear what they will do with the task force recommendations.
“This is the time where we really need the voice of the public,” said Khansa T. Jones-Muhammad, also known as Friday Jones, a member of Los Angeles’ reparations advisory commission. “This is the time to get your churches together. This is the time to get your school boards together.”
Jones made the comments during the listening session in San Diego.
Non-cash reparations
Some task force members have been dismayed at the amount of attention paid to the dollar futures under discussion. The final report provides dozens of policy recommendations aimed at preventing further discrimination and harm against Black residents.
“The biggest fight is implementation of all these recommendations,” Montgomery Steppe said. “After the task force issues its final report, those recommendations need strong support in California’s Legislature and the government. It will take all hands on deck to ensure we push for a policy change from our state legislature.”
The task force is scheduled to meet again a 9 a.m. Saturday at Lisser Hall at Northeastern University, 5000 MacArthur Blvd, in Oakland. The meeting will be live streamed.
USA TODAY (via Microsoft Start) reported that members of the California Reparations Task Force are set to vote this weekend on a plan detailing recommendations for state compensation for eligible African Americans for financial losses brought on by slavery and decades of institutional racism.
If passed, the group would submit final recommendations by June 30 to the California State Legislature, where lawmakers would decide whether to follow through with reparations and whether to accept or modify the methodology proposed by the task force.
“This is necessary because it’s long overdue from a state and federal level,” said Jovan Scott Lewis, associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley. “Despite the progress that the country and state continue to make in various ways, we continue to see African Americans not benefiting from this progress.”
How are potential reparations calculated?
Earlier this week, the group issued more details, including potential payout estimates calculated by economist advisers who considered areas of harm affecting the state’s Black community and their resulting economic losses. Each was assessed over particular time frames “since different laws and policies inflected measurable injury across different periods,” the documents state.
The five areas of harm cited for consideration include health care inequities, housing discrimination, mass incarceration, and over-policing of African Americans, unjust taking of property by eminent domain, and devaluation of African American businesses.
Lewis, a member of the task force, said those areas extend beyond slavery itself, precluding arguments that California should not be responsible for reparations having not been a slave state.
According to the documents, “the state’s participation in the discriminatory denial of equal healthcare, unjust property takings and devaluation of African Americans businesses began with the founding of the state in 1850 and has continue to this day.”
As proposed by the task force, residents who can show descendant from enslaved persons and eligibility under each category could be entitled to certain amounts. For example, a Black resident who is 71 years old – the average life expectancy for the California Black population – and had lived in the state their entire life could be eligible for about $1.2 million.
“The task force is recommending a methodology, not a particular dollar amount,” Lewis said. “That’s not our responsibility. The state Legislature will have to decide whether or not they want to provide compensation to the community based on the losses we have calculated.”
A similar process was used in determination of reparations to eligible Japanese Americans affected by the injustices of World War II relocation and internment. Eligible surviving recipients received $20,000 and an apology from then-President Ronald Reagan…
…What’s the next step?
Should the Legislature pursue reparations, the task force recommends kicking off the payout process with “down payments” representing “a meaningful amount of funds” to eligible recipients. It could also recommend the state issue a formal apology for its role in enforcing the federal fugitive slave law, construction of Confederate monuments, interracial marriage bans and segregation.
According to CalMatters, implementation would require formation of a new state agency oversee fund distribution and eligibility determination, including helping residents to trace their lineage.
Some expect the plan to meet opposition from Republican and moderate Democrat legislators.
Lewis said what the task force set out to do from the start was “was to respond to the breadth of harms that this community has experienced. This is a reasonable and responsible set of recommendations, and ultimately it will be up to the state, and the California public, to decide what to do.”
June 6, 2023: As California prepares to release a report that will recommend reparations for descendants of enslaved people, federal lawmakers are pursuing their own efforts to redress the effects of slavery and the generations of discrimination that has followed for Black Americans, NBC News reported.
Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., introduced the latest federal effort to support reparations last month with H.R. 414, the Reparations Now Resolution, which seeks to advance reparations at the federal, state, and local levels.
Bush said the country has “a moral and legal obligation” to repair the “lasting harm” caused by the enslavement of millions of Africans, and by practices such as segregation and redlining on subsequent generations. The resolution indicates that a minimum of $14 trillion would be necessary to close the racial wealth gap and other inequities.
The resolution comes as the California reparations task force, established in 2020 to study and develop proposals, wraps up its work. Following a 500-page interim report last year, the group has held multiple public hearings, and will release its final report by July 1.
“I have, for the better part of two years, stated that reparations is more than just a check,” California Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, a task force member, said in a statement. “It is about removing institutional barriers in the form of laws that have and continue to marginalize Black communities in California.”
State lawmakers will need to propose policies as bills in the Legislature.
Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat who has been in Congress since 1988, is a longtime supporter of reparations. She spoke when the statewide task force convened this year and was also a co-sponsor of Bush’s resolution on Capitol Hill.
“Congresswoman Bush’s reparation resolution couldn’t come at a more important time, as my home state of California continues to progress with the work being done by their reparations task force,” Lee said through a spokesperson. “We’re hopeful that the task force’s recommendations serve as a model for the federal government and for states across the country. It is far past time for the federal government to catch up. And make no mistake: We have the pieces in place here in Congress to move forward.
Members of the California task force, for their part, have said they want the report to have national impact.
“This will be the model for everyone, whether they do it at their local level, state level, or when they finally do national reparations,” Jones-Sawyer told NBC News in March. “This will be used by others,” he added. “And the reason ours will hold up is because the foundation of it is based on data, hard core data, suitable data.”
Lee re-introduced a resolution in May calling for the establishment of the first United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation to examine the effects of slavery, institutional racism and discrimination against people of color.
Lee said the many challenges Black communities face today – from health disparities laid bare by the pandemic, to economic inequality and poverty, to environmental racism – can be traced back to what she termed “400 years of systemic government-sanctioned racism.”
While calls for reparations in America date to slavery’s abolition in the 1860’s in 1989 Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., introduced what would become H.R. 40 to study slavery, its effects and appropriate remedies. Conyers introduced the legislation at the beginning of each congressional session for nearly three decades (he died in 2019, two years after leaving Congress.)
Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee, D-Texas, has taken up the mantle in the House of Representatives by introducing an updated version of H.R. 40. It would establish a commission to study reparations and consider a national apology and other redress for the institution of slavery, as well as subsequent racial and economic discrimination against African Americans.
The previous congress voted to advance the legislation out of committee and to the House floor for full consideration. It was the first time H.R. 40 had passed a committee vote, but it did not past beyond that historic step.
Lee described the measure as a “pathway for a governmental framework that will help restore the national balanced and unity in terms of wealth, health care, education, housing and the criminal justice system.” She added that it would enable Congress to start a movement toward the national reckoning that is needed to help bridge racial divides.
Predicting that “America will truly be the beneficiary,” Jackson Lee said that “reparations are ultimately about respect, reconciliation and healing – and the hope that one day, Americans of all backgrounds can walk together toward a more just future.”
In January, Sen. Cory Booker, D, N.J., introduced S. 40, the Senate companion legislation to H.R. 40.
“Our nation must reckon with its dark past of slavery and its continued oppression of African Americans, fueled by white supremacy and racism,” Booker said in a statement. “May of our bedrock domestic principles that have ushered millions of American into the middle class have systematically excluded Black individuals.”
All total, hundreds of organizations have endorsed the various reparations legislation now pending in Congress.
“We’ve been working on it for two year, said Bush, now in her second term. “Before I entered Congress, I promised on the campaign trail that I’d this if ever given the chance”
She added: “There is momentum. It’s time.”
June 13, 2023: After more than two years of fact-finding, reports and public hearings, the California Reparations Task Force on June 29 will hand over to state lawmakers an extensive report and recommendations for compensation to eligible Black people of California for the harms of slavery NBC News reported.
The task force will hold its final meeting in Sacramento, the agenda says that members will issue final statements and make public the full report.
California was not a slave state, but more than 4,000 enslaved Black people were taken there between 1850 and 1860, typically by plantation owners, to work in the gold mines. Many settled in California after slavery ended, some creating wealth, buying land and building communities, only to face generations of discrimination, land theft or seizure, disproportionate overpricing, housing segregation, inadequate schools and other issues that have led to racial disparities in many areas of life.
In 2021, then-Assemblywoman Shirley Webber, a Democrat, authored a bill to form a task force to examine and develop reparation proposals for the harms of slavery on Black people in California. It is the most ambitious effort in the country to address redress for the impact of slavery on Black people, with task force members saying they want to create a reparations blueprint for the country.
The California Legislature will then have all the power. Lawmakers will review the recommendations and will have the authority to adopt, dismiss or adjust them. Whatever they decide must be approved by both houses before it would be presented to Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign into law.
Here are some fundamental answers to key questions about the reparations efforts for Black people in California:
For many, reparations are about money. When could those eligible expect to receive funds and how much will the task force recommend?
The task force hired four economists to develop data-based determinants for the harms of slavery like housing, education, public health and others. However, task force member Don Tamaki said the committee’s final report will not include any dollar recommendations. Although previous reports indicated that the task force would recommend $1.2 million per eligible person, in installments, Tamaki said the committee decided ti have the economists propose methodologies to calculate harm. “Neither they nor the task force has recommended that the state pay any amount,” he said.
That means it will be up to the California Assembly to determine financial compensation to those eligible after reviewing the extensive report.
Tamaki added that should the Legislature want to provide monetary payment to eligible citizens the task force has recommended that the amount be calculated based on how long such persons lived in California and other factors.
Who would be eligible for reparations?
Figuring out who would receive reparation would be a complicated process. First, they would have to trace their lineage directly to a person who had been enslaved in the United States, or to African Americans who lived in the U.S. prior to 1900. This presumes “that such persons are descendants of enslaved ancestors or free persons who ran the risk of being enslaved during the 246 years that the institution of slavery existed in American,” Tamaki said.
However, determining that lineage may be a challenge. DNA testing from companies like Ancestry.com can establish what parts of Africa someone is from and that person’s dominant gene pool. But DNA testing along may not determine if someone is a direct descendant of an enslaved African in the United States. Documents like birth certificate and census records can show a person’s lineage, but some may need a genealogist’s help – and hiring a genealogist is not inexpensive.
“But even that is not going to guarantee that someone can establish their lineage through records because the records were messy,” said psychologist Cheryl Grills, another task force member. “Records were destroyed. Buildings burned. Information was recorded incorrectly. Names were changed for various reasons. So that may be a challenge… Genealogists are going to be in high demand.”
Additionally, there would be tiers to eligibility based on the amount of time one lived in California – currently or in the past – and the calculations of the harms based on, say, the devaluation of Black businesses, financial losses due to redlining, housing discrimination, or the taking of land or property by eminent domain. “There are multiple calculations,” Grills said, meaning each eligible person would not get the same amount, if any at all.
How would California pay for financial reparations?
There are ways that the state could generate funds, Grills said, including tax programs. There’s also the opportunity for the state to pay out in installments rather than in a lump sum. “And in doing that,” Grills said, the Californian government “can stretch out the hit to the state budget.”
She added: “America is resourceful and California is a resourceful state. When it has come to a need to generate resources to handle a situation, American has found the money. When we had to come up with billions of dollars for Ukraine, nobody asked that question. The same with 9/11 victims. When we paid out reparations to Japanese Americans, nobody asked, “Where’s that money going to come from?” So, I have to ask the question, why now? It’s a veiled question that questions if Black people deserve to be compensated for what has been done to them… That’s what California has to do in this case of reparations.”
What programs will be recommended to address the harms of slavery?
The task force has recommended more than 100 programs or policies as redress for the harms of slavery. There are a dozen areas covered in the recommendations:
Racial terror
Political disenfranchisement
Housing segregation
Separate and unequal education
Racism in environment and infrastructure
Pathologizing the Black Family
Conrtrol over creative, cultural and intellectual life
Stolen labor and hindered opportunity
An unjust legal system
Mental and physical harm and neglect
The racial wealth gap
These areas are “as important as compensation for eligible individuals,” Tamaki said. Why? Because the aftereffects of slavery and racial discrimination are long-lasting and deep, leading to massive disparities for Black people in virtually every walk of life, including jobs, health care, education and housing and home ownership. For example, some formerly enslaved people who built wealth through owning land had their property taken, their descendants say, denying the creation of generational wealth.
“The task force has not recommended that individual compensation should be prioritized over any other remedy,” Tamaki said.
The committee recommended that many of these programs be run by or through the California American Freedmen’s Affairs Agency, which would establish an updated version of the Freedmen’s Bureau, the organization instituted in 1865, after the Civil War, to assist formerly enslaved people. Some opposed to the bureau say existing organizations that specialize and have established staff in specific areas should be charged with this task.
Who could be left out of receiving reparations?
Because of the complexity of establishing eligibility, there is potential for many to not receive reparations. Grills said, “our most vulnerable could be left out: children in the child welfare system who cannot trace their family heritage; our folks who are incarcerated who don’t have access to the tools to establish their lineage because they can’t hop on a computer in prison; and our folks who are suffering from mental illness, who aren’t going to have the wherewithal; and our folks who are unhoused.”
In those cases, Grills said, the freedman’s agency would be responsible for helping those who cannot establish lineage. And if that fails, “it is unclear what provision could be put in place to address this,” she added.
When will the California Legislature vote on the task force’s reparations recommendations?
No one is sure. The preliminary report was 500 pages; the final report may be double that size. So Grills said it is likely that the Assembly will digest its content over the summer and address it around September.
June 29, 2023: A task force examining reparations for Black residents in California released its final report Thursday with more than 115 recommendations for how the state should compensate those harmed by slavery and “historical atrocities.” CNN reported.
Recommendations in the landmark report comprised of more than 1,000 pages, include a formal apology on behalf of California to descendants of people enslaved in the United States and recommendations for reforms linked to health care, housing, education and criminal justice, among other areas.
The drafters of the report, which will be shared with the California State Legislature by July 1, hope it serves as a blueprint for future laws.
“We’re putting before the legislators in California the challenge to come up with a feasible way to address these issues over the years,” Don Tamaki, an attorney and task force member, told CNN. “To ignore them is just to invite not only the harm to continue, but to grow worse. We need to start this process.”
Tamaki said the task force members hope lawmakers commit to an effort that takes several years.
“These are harms that were literally centuries in the making,” said Tamaki. “So the repairs have to be long in the implementation,”
While the task force is recommending monetary compensation for those impacted, it did not provide a specific amount that should be paid. The amount should be determined by lawmakers, the task force said.
The task force hired a panel of experts, including economists, to calculate what Black Califorians have endured. Through their formula, they determined that an eligible person could be owed up to an estimated $1.2 million.
In the case of monetary reparations, only those individuals who can demonstrate that they are the descendant of either an enslaved African American in the US or free African American living in the US prior to 1900 should be eligible, the report says.
The task force also included ways to calculate reparations due to health disparities, mass incarceration and over-policing, housing discrimination and devaluation of African American businesses, according to the report.
“No, it isn’t just about a check in the mail,” Tamaki said. “It’s about everything else that’s created the disparities that we’re seeing today.”
In addition to the recommendations, the document details hundreds of years of enslavement, “racial terror and legal segregation” and discrimination that Black people in California and across the country have experienced.
The full implementation of these proposals could cost billions of dollars, according to experts. But at this point, there is no guarantee that all or any of the proposals will be passed by the California State Legislature and signed into law by the governor, nor is there a timetable.
“At its core, the task force’s finding is clear. Reparations for African Americans are appropriate. They are warranted. They are necessary. They are needed,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta during Thursday’s final meeting. “It’s time for California to begin remedying the debilitating economic, educational, and health hardships uniquely experienced by African Americans – hardships we unequivocally know are the results of centuries of slavery and discrimination.”
During the public comment portion of Thursday’s meeting in Sacramento, speaker thanked the task force members for their yearslong work, recalled memories and names of their ancestors and urged lawmakers to support the proposal.
Attendees also stood up and chanted: “What do we want? Reparations! When do we want it? Now!”.
The state’s Black population includes more than 2.5 million people.
The task force was created in 2020 after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill to establish the panel. Since then, the task force has held numerous public meetings, including more than 28 hours of public comments, and heard from 133 experts and witnesses.
Kamilah Moore, the chairperson of the panel, said she hopes their efforts reinvigorate the Black community to exercise “self-determination with a renewed spirit and energy that enables us to freely determine our political status and to pursue our economic social and cultural development.”
“We have been relegated to the bottom of the caste system in this country,” Moore said, noting that the final report also highlights the unjust treatment of other racial and ethnic groups in the state. “It is also my hope that the task force’s general efforts empowers these groups in their respective advocacy and ultimately strengthens the capacity for cross cultural allyship and movement building.”
June 29, 2023: California Reparations Task Force Issues Final Report As Black Communities Demand Action TAG24 reported.
The California Reparations Task Force on Thursday issued its final report in a hearing marked by powerful testimonies and urgent demands for legislative action.
Two years of research and community outreach came to a bold conclusion on Thursday as the first-in-the-nation California Reparations Task Force delivered its final report.
Over more than 1,100 pages, the document details the historic injustices perpetrated against Black people at every stage of California’s history.
In a powerful move, Task Force Chair Kamilah Moore listed by name many of the past and present state-sanctioned abused against Black communities in the Golden State, from chattel slavery to redlining, predatory policing, mass incarceration, and more.
“We have been relegated to the bottom of the caste system in this country. Black, African American, American Freedmen, however you want to call us, we are resiliently surviving,” Moore said to cheers and applause from the crowd.
“It is my hope that the task force’s general efforts reinvigorate the Black-American community to exercise our human right to self-determination with renewed spirit and energy that enables us to freely determine our political status and to pursue our economic, social, and cultural development via comprehensive reparatory justice policies.”
California Reparations Task Force issues dozens of policy recommendations
In addition to proving a detailed account of structural racism in California, the final report also includes more than 115 policy recommendations to address ongoing impacts of the historic harms the task force identified.
The proposals include a formula to calculate the minimum amount owed in direct financial compensation, coming out to an estimated $1.2 million for some Black Californians, though the task force said the exact amount should be determined by lawmakers.
In a controversial decision, the California Reparations Task Force in March 2022 voted to limit eligibility to those who can prove their ancestors were enslaved in America during the 19th century or were free Black people living in the US before the 20th century.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has so far refrained from saying whether he will act on the policy proposals, but task force members noted that their report makes the case for repair crystal clear.
“We can now say: America, we know what you did, and we know what you continue to do. We see you. The question is: America, do you see yourself?” said Dr. Cheryl Grills.
“This is a fight for the heart and the soul and the integrity and the authenticity of American society,” she added. “The real work begins now.”
Community members urge California lawmakers to act on reparations
During the public comment period, community members testified to the significance of the task force’s work, describing the process and final product as a turning point following generations of enslavement and disenfranchisement.
Many participants also took the mic to urge state lawmakers to act on the proposals outlined in the report without delay — especially if they want to win the Black vote in future elections.
“Gavin Newsom, you want my support — I know you do — but today, I need yours,” California resident Willie Pickett insisted. “If he’s going to run for another term, he’s going to need our support again.”
Community members overwhelmingly celebrated the blueprint laid out by the task force as a path toward a better future and expressed their determination to keep fighting for the recommendations’ implementation.
“How in the heck are we supposed to resolve the issues that stand with us currently and ahead of us if we continue to shelve problems that are from the past, from years past, continuously, over and over and over again?” asked California labor activist Scott Turner. “Today is the start of breaking that cycle.”
July 6, 2023: The California reparations task force last week concluded two years of hard work with a 1,100 page, comprehensive report that details the harms of slavery on Black people from California, recommendations of financial compensation and the creation of myriad programs and policies to redress the historical wrongs. NBC News reported.
The report – compiled through exhaustive research by politicians, historians and economists and swayed by comments from the community over 12 public hearings – is encyclopedic in size. It has been hailed by task force members as a blueprint for other sates to follow in the pursuit of reparations.
For two task force members, that was the easy part. A daunting challenge now lies ahead.
Sen. Steven Bradford and Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Saywer are also members of the California Legislature, which has been charged with digesting the report and finalizing recommendations to be submitted to Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign into law. The really hard part for Bradford and Jones-Sawyer will be garnering their colleagues’ support for reparations.
The difficulty is not lost on the two veteran politicians whose presence for two years on the task force gives them unparalleled insight for the upcoming battle.
“Absolutely, it will not be easy,” Jones-Sawyer said. “But we are up for the fight.”
Step one: Getting all the state Assembly members to read the full report – presented in hardback form – That alone could be a substantial hurdle to clear, Bradford said.
“I believe the completeness of the report will have an impact – if they read it.” he told NBC News. “And that’s the big challenge, making sure all my colleagues read it. Even in reading it, you have to believe it, you have to accept it and then you have to be willing to change your hearts and minds.”
The depth of this report called “a book of truth,” by task force member Lisa Holder, makes a thorough case for reparations as a way to make amends for California’s role in oppressing Black people through the remnants, policies, attitude and discrimination of slavery. The recommendations in the final report provide the “scholarly foundation,” task force member Don Tamaki said, to advance reforms in health care, housing, criminal justice, education and other areas “with continuing, persistent racial disparities.” Task force members believe the power of the report will be significant.
“In looking at this, you have to first admit the wrongs, and that’s the first challenge we have,” Bradford said. “And then it’s about coming up with real atonement, real policies that help address some of the harms done to Black people in California.”
He described the “appetite” for reparations among assemblymembers as “tempered at best.” He pointed out that while states such as Tennessee, Alabama and others voted last year to remove slavery and indentured servitude as penalty for crimes from their state Constitutions, the California Assembly failed to even vote on a similar measure.
Rather, state lawmakers squashed an amendment to remove “indentured servitude.”
“We still have it in our Constitution,” Bradford said. “We had colleagues who didn’t want to take that vote. So, by no stretch of the imagination do I believe this will be a cakewalk. It’s going to require some real massaging and networking, working our colleagues to get them to first read the report, accept what’s there and tackle legislation to address this.”
Task force members are championing their colleagues’ ability to get things done.
Tamaki said Bradford and Jones-Sawyer “understand they have the heavy burden of leading the process of transforming the recommendations into bills … But they are two highly experienced legislators with a lifetime of expertise in much of the subject matter addressed in the final report. Not only are they well connected with their legislative colleagues, both served as the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, which will be crucial in leading this effort.”
He pointed out that support outside of the state Assembly – from citizens and organizations – will be paramount, as well. To that end, more than 330 organizations have endorsed the work of the task force and call for reparations, including mainstream organizations such as the Bar associations for the counties of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Alameda, the California Wellness Foundation and the Weingart Foundation, the National Urban League, the NAACP and many other groups from the social services, civil rights, faith, academic and other sectors.
Because of the detail of the report and the involved discussion around it, Bradford said, an agreement on legislation for Newsom to consider likely would not come until next year. Cheryl Grills, a clinical psychologist and task force member, said that between now and then, Bradford and Jones-Sawyer will need help from the people to help influence the Legislature.
“This is a fight for the heart and soul and the integrity and the authenticity of American society,” she said. “So the real work begins now. And it’s not just up to our legislators. Community, it’s your turn at bat. We need you at bat to monitor, to inform and to impress upon your Legislature and your neighbors, your larger community that the work of retribution, the work of reparations is the work of American society – and any diminishment of recommendations for repair will not be accepted.”
July 7, 2023: The California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans delivered its final report to the California Legislature two days before the July 1 deadline, The Observer reported.
The nine-member committee submitted a 1075-page, brown-and-gold hardcover book with a comprehensive reparations plan that includes more than 115 recommendations and a survey. Published by the California Department of Justice, the report documents the harms enslaved ancestors of Black Californians experienced during chattel slavery and due to the Jim Crow laws that followed. It also details the history of discriminatory state polices in California.
Attorney Kamilah V. Moore, the task force chairperson, provided a summary of the group’s activities over the last two years leading up to the compilation of the first-in-the-nation report addressing the effects of slavery.
“As you all know, this illustrious nine-member California reparations task Force has been working diligently over a course of two years, not only to study the enumerable atrocities against the African American community with special considerations for those who are descendants of persons in slavery in the United States,” Moore said.
“Obviously, we’ve been working diligently to develop our numerous policy prescriptions to end what we consider to be lingering badges of slavery in California as well,” Moore added.
Ironically, the Task Force’s last meeting happened the day the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited the use of race-based affirmative action in college admissions. A couple of task force members addressed the decision before the meeting by stayed focused on the release of the report.
Each page of the report offers an explanation of reparations, evidence of past aggressions and systemic racism, and recommendations for restitution and atonement.
The report is 40 chapters, beginning with an Introduction; followed by evidence of Enslavement; Racial Terror; Political Disenfranchisement; Housing Segregation; Separate and Unequal Education; Racism in the Environment and Infrastructure; Pathologizing the African American Family; Control Over Creative, Cultural, and Intellectual Life; Stolen Labor; and Hindered Opportunity.
“I would like to commend Governor Gavin Newsom for making this Task Force a reality, Secretary of State Shirley Weber for authoring the legislation creating this Task Force, and each and every Member of the Reparations Task Force who have worked tirelessly over the past two years,” said Assemblywoman Lori Dr. Wilson, Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus in a statement.
“The findings are clear. Lawmakers must take direct and determinative action to address the vast racial inequality which exists in California today. The California Legislative Black Caucus looks forward to partnering with the Newsom administration and our colleagues in the Legislative as we look towards the coming Legislative Session.”
Additionally, recommendations made by the task force include a request for a formal apology from the state and acknowledgment of discrimination against the descendants of enslaved Blacks.
“This work has been relentless, has been meticulous (and) it is unsaleable,” Oakland-based civil rights attorney and task force member Lisa Holder said. “It has been a work of a collective. We partnered with their Department of Justice, we partnered with hundreds of scholars, and we partnered with the community. Public commenters and participants in listening sessions who poured out their hearts and souls told us some of the most devastating stories of racial discriminations. They shared their pain and made themselves vulnerable during this process.”
The task forces decided on March 30, 2022, that lineage will determine who will be eligible for compensation, specifically, individuals who are Black descendants of enslaved people in the United States. If reparations become law, a proposed California American Freedmen Affairs Agency would be responsible for identifying past harms and preventing future occurrences.
The specialized office, with additional branches across the state, would facilitate claims for restitution, process claims with the state, and assist claimants in proving eligibility through a “genealogy” department.
Marcus Champion, a board member of the National Assembly of American Slavery Descendants Los Angeles (NAASDLA) and the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California (CJEC), is a longtime reparations supporter and one of the activists who worked with Secretary of State Shirley N. Webber when she was an assembly member to make Assembly Bill (AB) 3121, the law that established the task force, a reality.
Speaking at a CJEC gathering in North Sacramento after the final task force meeting, Champion said now is the time to persuade the legislature to make reparations law.
“For us, on the ground as grassroots (organizations), we are about to start putting pressure on the legislators to make sure that the words are right,” Champion told California Black Media. “We’re about to make sure the community’s eligibility is right, make sure that there are cash payments, and make sure that this is not watered down and that this is real reparations.”
The 16th and final Task Force meeting was held in the First Floor Auditorium of the March Fong Eu Secretary of State Building in Sacramento in June 29. The facility was filled with an overflow of people waiting in the lobby and outside of the building.
All nine members of the task force were present as well as some of the speakers who testified before the panel over the last two years. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, members of the California Legislative Black Caucus, and Weber also spoke during the three-hour event.
“The policies and laws of this nation have affected every state and many instances beyond the state. It’s important to let people know that reparation is due whether you’re in Mississippi or you’re in California,” Weber said. “Reparation is due because the harm that has been done. And we need to begin to repair the harm and stop patching it up as we’ve done for many years.”
September 10, 2023: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted: “New Poll Finds California voters resoundingly oppose cash reparations for slavery”
California voters oppose the idea of the state offering cash payments to the descendants of enslaved African Americans by a 2-to-1 margin, according to the results of a new poll that foreshadows the political difficulty ahead next year when state lawmakers begin to consider reparations for slavery.
The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll – co-sponsored The Times, found that 59% of voters oppose cash payments compared with 28% who support the idea. The lack of support for cash reparations was resounding, with more than 4 in 10 voters “strongly” opposed.
“It has a steep uphill climb, at least from the public’s point of view,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the IGS poll.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers created California’s Reparation Task Force in 2020 with the goal of establishing a path to reparations that could serve as a model for the nation. After two years of deliberations, the task force sent a final report and recommendations this summer to the state Capitol, where Newsom and the Democratic-led Legislature will ultimately decide how the state should atone for slavery.
The group suggested providing cash payments to all descendants based on health disparities, mass incarceration and over-policing and housing discrimination that have adversely affected Black residents compared with white Californians.
The remedies recommended in the report also go far beyond cash payments and include policies to end the death penalty, pay fair market value for jail and prison labor, restore voting rights to all formerly and currently incarcerated people and apply rent caps to historically redlined ZIP Codes that disadvantaged Black residents, among dozens of other suggestions.
The conclusion of the task force’s work places political pressure on Democrats to deliver on a process they started, but the unpopularity of cash payments suggests they’ll face strong political head winds.
State Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), who served on the task force, said he wasn’t surprised by the poll results.
“It speaks to the miseducation of most Americans when it comes to slavery and the impact that it had on this country and the impact that it still has on African Americans today,” Bradford said.
The amount of cash reparations that could be paid to eligible descendants would vary greatly, but nevertheless has been the primary focus of critics.
For health disparities, the task force recommends $13,619 for each year of residency in California – a figure that was derived by comparing life expectancy between Black non-Hispanic and white non-Hispanic Californians.
To compensate for mass incarceration and over-policing, the task force recommends eligible descendants receive $2,352 for each year of residency in California during the war on drugs from 1971 to 2020.
Compensation for housing discrimination totaled $3,378 for each year between 1933 and 1977 that a descendant resided in California.
When asked about his stance on the proposal in the spring, Newsom said reparations are more than just cash payments. He reiterated that position in mid-June when interviewed by Fox News host Sean Hannity, and noted that coverage of recommendations by Fox News seized on cash payments and “ran with that over and over and over again.”
It doesn’t have to be in the frame of writing check; reparations comes in many different forms. But one cannot deny these historical facts, and I really believe very strongly we have to come to grips with what’s happened,” Newsom told Hannity.
Newsom has enjoyed broad support among Black voters and, given the overall opposition to cash reparations by most Californians, any action the governor takes on the issue could carry substantial political risk.
In the Berkeley poll, when voters who oppose reparations were asked why, the two main reasons cited most often were that “it’s unfair to ask today’s taxpayers to pay for wrongs committed in the past,” picked by 60% of voters, and “it’s not fair to single out one group for reparations when other racial and religious groups have been wronged in the past,” chosen by 53%.
Only 19% said their reason was that the proposal would cost the state too much, suggesting that money alone is not the main objection.
Among Democrats, 43% favored and 41% opposed cash reparations. Republicans were strongly against the proposal at 90% with only 5% in favor. Independents were 65% opposed and 22% in favor.
Black California voters were more likely to support cash payments than any other demographic, with 76% in favor and 16% opposed, the survey found. Almost two-thirds of white voters were opposed, the survey found. Almost two-thirds of white voters were opposed as were 6 in 10 Latino and Asian voters.
The success or failure of the reparations in California, where state government is controlled by Democrats and voters are relatively liberal compared with other states, is being watched as a potential bellwether for the movement across the country.
DiCamillo said the poll results showed a dichotomy that could suggest Californians may be open to reparations in different forms.
Despite widespread opposition to cash payments, 60% of the overall respondents said they thought that the legacy of slavery is affecting the state’s Black residents today. Another 31% said there’s no impact at all.
“The idea of cash reparations is really what’s being strongly opposed,” DiCamillo said. “There could be other solutions that could be much more warmly received.”
Members of the reparations task force previously said convincing non-Black Californians that the harms from slavery are still persisting today could be one of the biggest challenges for proponents.
Much of the testimony from academics, economists and other experts to gather evidence of the effects of slavery and to prove the ways in which government-sanctioned policies discriminated against Black people long after slavery was abolished.
Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) called the response to the question about lasting harms “a positive sign.” He also repeated the idea that the report offers many more recommendations beyond cash payments.
“I encourage all Californians to read the online report and learn about the history and conclusions made and view the historic and empirical data behind the final report,” he said in a statement. “I believe attitudes will shift when the public is fully aware of what the report has to say.”
Voters shared mixed opinions about whether the state is doing enough to ensure that is Black residents have a fair chance to succeed.
Statewide, 29% of voters said California is doing too little, while 26% said it is doing about the right amount; 22% said the state is doing too much. Nearly 1 in 4 or 23% had no opinion.
The Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll surveyed 6,030 registered California voters online in English and Spanish from Aug. 24-29.
Because the survey results are weighted to match census and voter registration benchmarks, estimates the margin of error may be imprecise; however, the results are estimated to have a margin of error of 2 percentage points in either direction for the full sample.
January 31, 2024: The Hill reported “California set to become first state to introduce series of reparation bills”
The California Black Caucus (CLBC) announced 14 reparations bills Wednesday that it plans to introduce as the first step to implement policy proposals outlined in a report released last summer by the Reparations Task Force.
In a press release, the caucus describe the “2024 Reparations Priority Bill Package” as a “multi-year effort to implement the legislative recommendations in the report.”
In introducing the 14 measures, California will become the first state to implement concrete legislative proposals to enact reparations, a movement that has been growing in recent years.
“While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more! As laid out in the report, we need a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism,” CLBC Chair Lori Wilson said in the press release.
“This year’s legislative package tackles a wide range of issues; from criminal justice reforms to property rights to education, civil rights and food justice. The Caucus is looking to make strides in the second half of this legislative session as we build towards righting the wrongs of California’s past in future sessions,” Wilson added.
Among the proposals is an amendment to the California Constitution to “allow the State to fund programs for the purpose of increasing the life expectancy of, improving educational outcomes for, or lifting out of poverty specific groups.”
Another amendment would “prohibit involuntary servitude for incarcerated persons.”
One measure addresses “property takings,” and one would allow for the restoration of “property taken during race-based uses of eminent domain to its original owners or provide another effective remedy where appropriate, such as restitution or compensation.”
The first step in laying out the package will be “a resolution that recognizes that harm and a subsequent bill that requests a formal apology by the Governor and the Legislature for the role that the State played in the human rights violation and crimes against humanity on African Slaves and their descendants.”
The 14 measures are categorized under primary topics: Education, Civil Rights, Criminal Justice Reform, Health, and Business.
Education proposals include creating grants to increase enrollment in STEM-related career and technical education programs at high school and college levels. One measure also proposes “career education financial aid for redlined communities.”
In addition to addressing poverty, the civil rights proposals would include, for example, extending the CROWN Act to prohibit discrimination based on certain hairstyles, explicitly in competitive sports.
Criminal justice reform proposals would eliminate the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) practice of banning books without proper oversight, restrict solitary confinement within CDCR detention facilities, and establish grants to fund community-driven solutions to decrease violence at the family, school and neighborhood levels.
Health measures would require advance notice to community stakeholders before grocery stores shut down in underserved or a at-risk communities, and another would “make medically supportive food and nutrition interventions, when deemed medically necessary.”
The sole business proposal would eliminate barriers to those obtaining occupational licenses for people with criminal records.
The California secretary of state praised the announcement, writing: “I am optimistic and encouraged by the work, and look forward to amazing and ground breaking outcomes. The nation is waiting for us to lead. And as California always does, we will lead in addressing a delayed justice called Reparations.”
Assemblymember and task force member Reggie Jones-Sawyer said in a statement: “We will endeavor to right the wrongs committed against black communities through laws and policies to restrict and alienate African Americans.”
January 31, 2024: California Legislative Black Caucus Introduces 2024 Reparations Legislative Package was introduced in a press release:
Today, the California Legislative Black Caucus announced the planned introduction of the 2024 Reparations Priority Bill Package. With the release of the historic Reparations Task Force Report last summer, the Caucus has announced its first step in what will be a multi-year effort to implement the legislative recommendations in the report.
“While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more! As laid out in the report, we need a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism,” said Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. “This year’s legislative package tackles a wide range of issues; from criminal justice reforms to property rights to education, civil rights, and food justice. The Caucus is looking to make strides in the second half of this legislative session as we build towards righting the wrongs of California’s past in future sessions.”
One of the most powerful aspects of the Reparations Tasks Force Report was the detailed discussion of how laws in California were crafted to directly cause harm to its Black residents. That harm touched every aspect of their lives and many of those harms are still felt by Black Californians generations later. This is why the Caucus’ first step will be to introduce a resolution that recognizes that harm and a subsequent bill that requests a former apology by the Governor and the Legislature for the role that the State played in the human rights violation and crimes against humanity on African Slaves and their descendants.”
“As a result of the historic study by the California Reparations Task Force on the negative impacts of Jim Crow-styled laws brought to California, the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) will present its first set of bills based upon the recommendations set forth in the Task Force’s final report.
We will endeavor to right the wrongs committed against black communities through laws and policies designed to restrict and alienate African Americans. These atrocities are found in education, access to homeownership, and to capital for small business startups, all of which contributed to the denial of generational wealth over hundreds of years,” said Assemblymember Reginald Bryon Jones-Sawyer, Sr. “As a member of the Reparations Taskforce, I am proud of the two-year study that resulted in two separate reports totaling over 1,600 pages. These reports contain the most comprehensive empirical data and historical evidence ever collected on the issue of chattel slavery. There is no doubt about the far-reaching negative impacts of bigoted laws born from the end of slavery in our country.
Hundreds of legislative and budgetary reparatory recommendations were made within the final report and I, along with members of the Black Caucus, look forward to working with our legislative colleagues to achieve true reparations and justice for all black Californians.”
Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Weber, responded to the release by saying, “As the author of AB 3121, I am pleased that the California Legislative Black Caucus has picked up the baton and is moving the state. forward in addressing the recommendations delivered to them seven months ago. I am optimistic and encouraged by the work, and look forward to amazing and ground breaking outcomes. The nation is waiting for us to lead. And as California always does, we will lead in addressing a delayed called Reparations.”
The following 14 measures have been or will be introduced from the noted authors with the full caucus as coauthors. This will represent the 2024 CLBC Reparation Priority Bill Package. For information on each measure, please reach out to the respective legislators’ office.
EDUCATION
AB 1929 (McKinnon) – Expand access to career technical education by creating a competitive grant program to increase enrollment of descendants in STEM-related CTE programs at the high school and college levels.
AB XXX (McCarty) – Career Education Financial Aid for redlined communities
CIVIL RIGHTS
ACA (Jackson) – Amends the California Constitution to allow the State to fund programs for the purpose of increasing life expectancy of, improving educational outcomes for, or lifting out of poverty specific groups.
ACR 135 (Weber) – Formally recognizes and accepts responsibility for all of the harms and atrocities committed by representatives of the state who promoted, facilitated, enforced, and permitted the institution of chattel slavery.
AB 1815 (Weber) – Prohibit discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles in all competitive sports by extending the CROWN Act to explicitly include competitive sports within California.
SB XXX(Bradford) – Property takings: Restore property taken during race-based uses of eminent domain to its original owners or provide another effective remedy where appropriate, such as restitution or compensation.
AB XXX (Jones-Sawyer) – Issues a formal apology for human rights violations and crimes against humanity on African slaves and their descendants.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
ACA 8 (Wilson) – Amend the California Constitution to prohibit involuntary servitude for incarcerated persons.
AB 1986 (Bryan) – Eliminate the CDCR practice of banning books without oversight and review.
AB XXX (Jones-Sawyer) – Fund community-driven solutions to decrease community violence at the family, school and neighborhood levels in African-American communities by establishing a state-funded grant program.
AB XXX (Holden) – Mandela Act: Restricts solitary confinement within CDCR detention facilities.
HEALTH
AB 1975 (Bonta) – Make medically supportive food and nutrition interventions, when deemed medically necessary by healthcare providers, a permanent part of Medi-Cal benefits in California.
SB XXX (Smallwood-Cuevas) – Address food injustice by requiring advance notification to community stakeholders prior to the closure of a grocery store in underserved or at-risk communities.
BUSINESS
AB XXX (Gipson) – Eliminate barriers to licensure for people with criminal records. Expansion of AB 2138 to prioritize African American applicants seeking occupational licenses, especially those who are descendants.
A Press Conference with full details of each proposal will occur after February’s bill introduction deadline. A Media Advisory will be issued at least 48 hours in advance of the Press Conference.
January 31: California State lawmakers introduced a slate of reparations bills on Wednesday, including a proposal to restore property taken by “race-based” cases of eminent domain and a potentially unconstitutional measure to provide state funding for “specific groups” Politico reported.
The package marks a first-in-the-nation effort to give restitution to Black Americans who have been harmed by centuries of racist policies and practices. California’s legislative push is the culmination of years of research and debate, including 111-pages of recommendations issued last year by a task force.
Other states like Colorado, New York, and Massachusetts have commissioned reparation studies or task forces, but California is the first to attempt to turn those ideas into law.
The 14 measures introduces by the Legislative Black Caucus touch on education, civil rights and criminal justice, including reviving a years-old effort to restrict solitary confinement that failed to make it out of the statehouse as recently as last year.
Not included is any type of financial competition to descendants of Black slaves, a polarizing proposal that has received a cool response from many state Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations, the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more,” Assemblymember Lori Wilson, chair of the caucus, said in a statement. “We need a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism.”
Black lawmakers are already anticipating uphill battle. They anticipate spending many hours to educate fellow legislators and convince them to pass the bills.
Some of the measures could also run into legal trouble.
Democratic Assemblymember Corey Jackson, who represents a district north of San Diego, is proposing asking voters to change California’s Constitution to allow the state to fund programs aimed at “increasing the life expectancy of, improving educational outcomes for, or lifting out of poverty specific groups based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, or marginalized genders, sexes, or sexual orientations.”
That plan could face a similar constitutional challenge like the one that ultimately dismantled affirmative action.
Other proposals include protections for “natural and protective” hairstyles in all competitive sports, and a formal apology by the governor and the Legislature for the state’s role in human rights violations and crimes against humanity on African slaves and their descendants.
The caucus will flesh out the package in the coming weeks.
February 1, 2024: California’s Legislative Black Caucus released a slate of reparations bills to implement ideas from the state’s landmark task force on the issue. The proposals include potential compensation for property seized from Black owners, but do not call for widespread direct cash payments to descendants of enslaved Black people The Associated Press reported.
If approved, the proposals would expand access to technical education, fund community-driven solutions to violence and eliminate occupational licensing fees for people with criminal backgrounds. Another proposal would pay for programs that increase life expectancy, better educational outcomes or lift certain groups out of poverty.
Some of the measures would require amending the state constitution and are likely to face opposition. In 2022, the Democratic-controlled state Senate voted down a proposal to ban involuntary servitude and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has resisted restricting solitary confinement for prison inmates.
State Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, said at a news conference Thursday that the Black caucus’s priority list does not preclude individual lawmakers from introducing additional reparations legislation. He cautioned that the journey will be long and difficult, but worth it.
“This is a defining moment not only in California history, but in American history as well,” said Bradford, who served on the nine-person state task force on reparations.
But the 14 proposals are already drawing criticism from advocates who don’t think they go far enough.
Chris Lodgson, an organizer with the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California, which pushed to create the reparations task force, said the proposals are “not reparations.”
“Not one person who is a descendant who is unhoused will be off the street from that list of proposals. Not one single mom who is struggling who is a descendant will be helped,” he said. “Not one dime of the debt that’s owed is being repaid.”
California entered the union as a free state in 1850, but in practice, it sanctioned slavery and approved policies and practices that thwarted Black people from owning homes and starting businesses. Black communities were aggressively policed and their neighborhoods polluted, according to a groundbreaking report released as part of the committee’s work.
February 1, 2024: Lawmakers in California have revealed a sweeping set of legislative proposals aimed providing reparations for state residents who are descendants of enslaved Americans CNN reported.
The California Legislative Black Caucus announced the 2024 Reparations Priority Bill Package Wednesday, which lists 14 measures, including providing a formal apology for “human rights violations and crimes against humanity on African slaves and their descendants.”
The package also proposes creating a state-funded grant program to decrease community violence in Black neighborhoods and requiring advanced notification about grocery store closures in underserved and at-risk communities.
State lawmakers said in a news release Wednesday that some of the legislation has already been introduced in the state’s General Assembly, or will be introduced during the current legislative session.
Lawmakers said some of the measures that have already been introduced include expanding the state’s CROWN Act to ban hair discrimination in sports, creating a grant program that increased high school and college enrollment in STEM-related programs, and prohibiting book bans in prisons without review and oversight from the state’s correctional facilities.
Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, said addressing reparations entails more than providing financial compensation.
“As laid out in the report, we need a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism, Wilson said in a statement.
“This year’s legislative package tackles a wide range of issues, from criminal justice reforms, to property rights, to education, civil rights and food justice. The Caucus is looking to make strides in the second half of this legislative session as we build towards righting the wrongs of California’s past in future sessions.”
Wilson said the caucus’ first step will be to introduce a resolution recognizing how California laws have harmed Black residents.
Last June, a task force examining reparations for Black residents in the state released its final report with more than 115 recommendations for how the state should make amends for slavery and “historical atrocities,” CNN previously reported.
Among the recommendations was a proposal for monetary compensations to be paid to descendants of enslaved Africans living in California. The report did not provide a specific amount that should be paid at the time the task force said the amount should be decided by lawmakers.
On Thursday, California state Sen. Steven Bradford, who was a member of the reparations task force, acknowledged that the state’s budget deficit could affect implementing the proposed measures.
“We have to have at least a placeholder in the budget for reparations,” Bradford told reporters during a news conference, adding that the state has reserves that could be designated to fund legislation.
The caucus said introducing the package was a first step in what it says will be “a multi-year effort to implement the legislative recommendations in the report.”
The list of proposed bills in the California Legislature Black Caucus wants to pass this year would do the following:
ACA 7 – Amend the California Constitution to permit the state to fund programs for specific groups of people that help to increase life expectancy, improve educational outcomes and lift them out of poverty.
ACA 8 – Amend the California Constitution to prohibit involuntary servitude for incarcerated people.
ACR 135 – Formally recognize and accept the state’s responsibility for the harms and atrocities of state representatives who promoted, facilitated, enforced and permitted slavery.
AB 1815 – Prohibit discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles in all competitive sports within California.
AB 1929 – Offer competitive grants to increase enrollment of African American descendants in STEM-related career technical education
AB 1975 – Offer medically supportive food and nutritional interventions as permanent Medi-Cal benefits in California.
AB 1986 – End the California prison system’s practice of banning books without oversight and review.
Proposals that the caucus intended to introduce in the next two weeks would seek to:
Offer career education financial aid to redlined communities.
Restore property taken under race-based eminent domain or offer other remedies to the original owner.
Issue a formal apology for human rights violations and crimes against humanity on African slaves and their descendants.
Restrict solitary confinement in correctional detention facilities.
Offer state-funded grants for African American communities to decrease violence.
Require notification to community stakeholders before the closure of a grocery store in an underserved community.
Eliminate barriers to occupational licenses for people with criminal records.
February 1, 2024: California lawmakers announced the first set of reparations bills on Wednesday, with legislation that would require the state to recognize and apologize for systemic racism against Black residents for nearly two centuries, The Guardian reported.
The 14 proposed bills tackle a wide range of areas of discrimination, from mass incarceration to housing segregation, but do not include any financial compensation for descendants of longtime Black residents affected by the legacy of slavery, the most controversial recommendation to emerge from California’s previous reparations taskforce report.
“While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations, the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more,” Lori Wilson, a state assemblymember and the chair of the California Legislative Black caucus (CLBC), said in a statement announcing the legislation. Wilson, said the reparations package offered “a comprehensive approach to dismantling the legacy of slavery and systemic racism.”
California’s reparations taskforce, formed in the wake of nationwide racial justice protests in 2020 that followed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, released a 500-page report in 2022, documenting more than 170 years of state-sanctioned racism against Black residents, and followed it with a 1,100-page final report in 2023, that included a long list of potential ways the state could redress and repair these historic wrongs, including individual cash payments.
The reports attribute the enduring wealth gap between Black and white Americans to generations of “atrocities in nearly every sector of civil society” including “segregation, racial terror, harmful racist neglect”.
THE CLBC said the “first step” of its reparations package would be a resolution, ACR 135, that recognizes “how laws in California were crafted to directly cause harm to its Black residents”, and that it would be followed by a bill requisition a formal apology by California’s governor and its legislature for the role California played in human rights violations against African slaves and their descendants.
The CLBC’s other bills include some sweeping measures and many smaller ones. Responding to the increased attention to how Black Californians’ property was repeatedly seized by local governments without proper compensation, one bill would “restore property taken during race-based uses of eminent domain to its original owners or provide another effective remedy where appropriate, such as restitution or compensation”. Another would “amend the California Constitution to prohibit involuntary servitude for incarcerated persons.”
Other bills would prohibit discrimination against natural hairstyles in competitive sports, require that grocery stores in under-served communities provide public notification before they close, block the state’s prison system from banning books without review, and create grant programs to expand access to career technical education in STEM fields and to fund “community-driven solutions to decrease community violence” in African-American communities.
The proposals, only some of which have been released with the full text of the legislation, have been met with both praise and skepticism.
Jonathan Burgess, a Sacramento firefighter who has been a prominent supporter of reparations, told CalMatters that the legislation was “phenomenal” and that “it’s a monumental, profound time.”
Erika Smith, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, called it “one of the most half-baked packages of bills that I’ve ever seen”, adding “I hope this gets better.”
California’s first-in-the-nation state reparations effort has inspired individual cities, including San Francisco, Boston, and Detroit, to form their own taskforces to consider reparations for Black residents. But it has also sparked thorny debates over who should be eligible for reparations, as well as major rightwing backlash, particularly with the 2023 taskforce recommendation that descendants of both enslaved and free Black Americans who lived in the US in the 19th century should receive financial payments as compensation for generations of discriminatory treatment.
While a majority of California voters believe the “legacy of slavery continues to impose a toll on Blacks residents”, reparations through cash payments to individuals are unpopular among most voters, according to an August 2023 poll.
The poll found that 75% of Black California voters supported reparations payments, but majorities of white, Asian and Pacific Islander and Latino voters opposed them.
February 2, 2024: The California Legislative Black Caucus on Wednesday outlined the first set of reparations for the descendants of African Americans who were enslaved in the United States, with proposals that include a call for the state to issue a formal apology, to prohibit involuntary servitude in prisons and to return property seized by governments under race-based eminent domain. Los Angeles Times reported.
The caucus is not yet calling for cash payments in a list of 14 reparations bills it hopes to pass this year that would enact wide-ranging reforms in education, civil rights, criminal justice, health and business.
The package of legislation is based on recommendations issue by California’s Reparations Task Force at the conclusion of a two-year historical process to study the effects of slavery and suggest policy changes to state lawmakers.
Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City), chair of the California Legislature Black Caucus, said the apology is the first priority on the list of bills that she hopes will begin the conversation at the Capitol about reparations as she and her colleagues launch a campaign to educate the public about the state’s legacy of racism.
The decision to forgo an immediate call for cash payments comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers struggle to offset a budget shortfall of at least $37.9 billion. Newsom has proposed dipping into the state’s rainy-day reserves, cutting $8.5 billion from climate change initiatives and reducing more than $1.2 billion for housing programs as means to reduce spending to account for the lower than expected tax revenue.
“We started realizing with the budget environment we were going to have to do more systemic policy change to address systemic racism versus big budget asks because there just wasn’t the budget for it,” Wilson said. “Our priorities centered around policy changes or creating opportunities.”
Newsom has echoed statements from the task force and Black lawmakers that reparations are about more than cash payments. In a recent interview, he said the finished reading through the task force’s report at the end of the year and his office is working on a detailed 30-page analysis of the recommendations that examines the work the state has already done and what more can be done.
When asked why his budget didn’t include reparations proposals, he said he knew the Black Caucus planned to share its own list of priorities and he didn’t want to get ahead of the group’s process.
“So, we wanted to engage them,” Newsom said. “Remember, this was initiated by the Legislature. This is a partnership, and they recognize that there are a lot of things in that report they recommended that we’ve already done and that we’re doing. This gave us time to assess all that. So, it’s been actively worked on.”
Cash payments, in particular, have struggled to earn support among Californian voters, according to recent opinion polls. Newsom disregarded the idea that reparations could be tough to pass in an election year.
“That’s not been part of my thinking,” Newsom said. “My thinking is just accountability to be honest and responsible and to take seriously the recommendations.”
Wilson described the legislative package as the first phase of a multi-year effort to pass reparations. She said she hopes educating the public about California’s role in slavery and the harm caused by racist policies will help her colleagues and Californians understand the need for the state to atone.
February 2, 2024: The California Legislative Black Caucus introduced more than a dozen reparations-related bills Wednesday, the day before the start of Black History Month. HuffPost reported.
The historic package of legislation follows the June 2023 release of a 500-page Reparation Task Force Report, which listed myriad recommendations to remedy generations of systemic harm against Black Californians, beginning during slavery.
None of the 14 bills includes cash payouts to Black residents across the board in the face of a projected state budget deficit of nearly $40 billion, the Los Angeles Times reported.
A 2023 poll by the institute of Governmental Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, co-sponsored by the L.A. Times, found that the majority of California residents do not support reparations in the form of cash.
“We started realizing with the budget environment we were going to have to do more systemic policy change to address systemic racism, versus big budget asks because there just wasn’t the budget for it,” state Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson (D) said, according to the L.A. Times. “Our priorities centered around policy changes or creating opportunities.”
The bills, known collectively as the 2024 CLBC Reparations Priority Bill Package, focus on improvements in education, health, business, prisons and civil rights. According to The Associated Press, several of the bills call for California’s Constitution to be changed, which will be a tough sell to some lawmakers.
The package also has its critics who say the bills don’t go far enough.
“Not one person who is a descendant who is unhoused will be off the street from that list of proposals. Not one single mom who is struggling who is a descendant will be helped,” Chris Lodgson, an organizer with the Coalition for a Just and Equitable California, said, according to The Associated Press. “Not one dime of the debt that’s owed is being repaid.”…
February 22, 2024: Members of California’s Legislative Black Caucus on Wednesday will detail a package of 14 reparations bills they are introducing to right historic wrongs carried out against the Black community, Reuters reported (via Microsoft Start).
The bills are meant to be the first step in a multi-year effort. Among several issues, they would compensate people whose property was taken in race-based cases of eminent domain, seek an apology from the governor and the legislature for human rights violations, and fund community-based programs to decrease violence in Black communities.
But none of the bills being proposed call for cash reparations to be paid, which has garnered criticism from some members of the Black community.
“While many only associate direct cash payments with reparations the true meaning of the word, to repair, involves much more,” Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, said in a written statement.
The 14 bills are the first legislative action from an extensive 1,100-page report delivered in June to lawmakers by the California Reparations Task Force, a group created by a state bill in 2020. The task force worked for two years on its report, which urged legislators to take action on over 100 recommendations.
Americans are divided on the issue or reparations.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey published earlier this year found that nearly 60% of respondents identifying as Democrat support reparations. Just 18% of Republicans do.
The split is even greater between Black and white Americans: the poll found that 74% of Black Americans favor reparations when compared to 26% of white Americans.
California Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer said the package of bills would address decades of laws and policies designed to restrict and alienate Black Americans.
“These atrocities are found in education, access to homeownership, and to capital for small business startups, all of which contributed to the denial of generational wealth over hundreds of years,” Jones-Sawyer said in a written statement.
Civil Rights attorney Areva Martin, the lead counsel for a group of over 1,000 survivors and their descendants whose community was taken by the city of Palm Springs in the 1950s and 1960s, praised the first legislative steps.
But Martin said cash payments need to be made to Black Californians – just as payments have been made to other wronged groups in the U.S., such as Japanese Americans interned in camps during World War Two.
“People get squirmish about cash payments – and they shouldn’t. There is only this trepidation when it comes to African Americans,” Martin said.
“I think some of that is because anti-Blackness is so pervasive. It also has to do with racist tropes around Black folks and our inability to handle money.”
April 23 2024: The Sacramento Bee (via Microsoft Start) posted: “California reparations bills clear first state Senate hearings” It was written by Darrell Smith.
Reparations bills to fund reparations policy and tackle past racially motivated eminent domain that took property from and displaced Black Californians sailed through their first hearings this week at the state Capitol.
The bills are part of the historic Reparations Priority Bill Package introduced in February by the California Legislative Black Caucus.
“This is a debt that is owed to the people who helped build this country. Reparations is a debt owed to the descendants of slavery,” said the bills’ author, state Sen. Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, vice chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus.
Bradford also sat on the first-in-the-nation California Reparations Task Force to advance the case for reparations to California descendants of enslaved Black people.
“This is not a handout or a charity of any sort,” Bradford said Tuesday. “It’s what is owed, what is promised, what is 160 years overdue.”
The historic toll of eminent domain – government’s taking of private property for public use — on California’s Black communities and Black Californians’ generational wealth is behind Bradford’s Senate Bill 1050, which passed with a 6-1 vote in the state Senate Judiciary Committee.
The bill creates a pathway to return land or provide restitution to Californians who have had their land taken by the state or local government for racially motivated reasons, Bradford said. It will also create a way for the state to review claims of abuse and determine whether compensation is warranted.
“The power of eminent domain has been repeatedly used to move Black and brown people off their land, to destroy homes and to devastate the opportunity for families to build generational wealth,” Bradford said.
Between 1949-1973, as America’s white middle class had taken flight, 992 cities displaced 1 million people through eminent domain, according to Eminent Domain and African Americans, a 2007 report for the Institute for Justice. Two-thirds were Black.
“How do we heal harm like that? We provide compensation and we give land back,” testified Kavon Ward, founder of Los Angeles-based Where Is My Land?, an organization that supports Black people in their quest to reclaim land taken through eminent domain and other racially motivated policy.
Examples abound across California’s historically Black neighborhoods in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco’s Fillmore District, to once-thriving Black and Latino communities like the East Bay’s Russel City. The city of Hayward annexed the community in the 1960s, seizing the land to make way for an industrial park, evicting its residents and demolishing their homes and businesses.
The city of Hayward formally apologized in 2021 and created a reparative justice project to work with former Russell City residents and their descendants to determine appropriate restitution for forcibly relocating Russell residents.
Jessie Johnson was a Russell City resident in 1963. “We were forced out of our land,” she testified Tuesday. “You can’t see pain, but you can feel i. It hurt and it hurt very badly.”
Johnson’s mother-in-law and grandparents also lived in Russell City. Johnson recalled her husband, a Navy sailor, returning home from sea duty to find his community gone.
“Our houses had been burned down. Our homes were devastated.” Johnson said. “Please, give us our land back. We want to be paid and compensated for the hurt and the loss.”
Roger Niello, R-Sacramento, cast the lone “no” votes on both reparations bills Tuesday; as well as Bradford’s bill last week to create the agency that would oversee reparations for Black Californians.
Senate Bill 1403 would create the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency, the body responsible for overseeing and monitoring the state agencies and departments that would implement reparations.
The agency is inspired by the 1865 federal act that create a Freedmen’s Bureau to provide food, shelter, clothing, medical services and land to African Americans newly freed from enslavement.
SB 1403, also carried by Bradford, passed out of the judiciary committee and is now on to the Senate’s government organization committee.
“This agency will be the necessary foundations for the implementation and success of reparations,” Bradford said at last week’s committee hearing. “The most important responsibility of this agency will be determining which individuals are eligible for reparations programs and services – the descendants of chattel slavery.”
On Tuesday, Niello, who also sits as vice chair of the state Senate’s Budget and Fiscal Review Committee, said the eminent domain bill would force California taxpayers to bear the costs of local jurisdictions’ injustice instead of holding local governments to account.
“My initial reaction is that this is a piece of legislation that I can support. But you made it the responsibility of all the taxpayers of California for the injustices of local jurisdictions. That seems to be to be a bit of an injustice also,” Niello said from the dais. “It’s an entirely supportable concept that I can’t support.”
Bradford said local jurisdictions will be held responsible if they played a direct role in taking land for racially motivated reasons.
“The damage is real and not only should local agencies be responsible but the state as a whole and nation as a whole because we wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the racist policies that still exist in America and here in California,” Bradford said.
A fund for reparations
Senate Bill 1331 passed out of the senate committee 5-1, with Niello opposing, and would create the Fund for Reparations and Restorative Justice.
The fund would draw 6% of state budget reserves to pay for policies to compensate descendants of enslaved Black people or descendants of a free Black person living in the country before the end of the 19th century. The number reflects the percentage of California’s Black population.
The bill also allows the fund to receive money from federal, state or local grants; or from private donations or grants.
Senate Bill 1331 was written to “recognize the financial challenges and budget deficit that the state currently faces,” Bradford said, acknowledging California’s multi-billion-dollar deficit. “It does not take funding away from any program.”
“If the (state) budget is a refection of our values, our priorities, reparations has to be funded,” Bradford said. “The cost of reparations will be high, but so was the harm done to African Americans. That harm and those disparities continue to this day.”
April 10, 2024: California Bill To Create Freedman Affairs Agency For Reparations Advances
Legislation calling for a California American Freedmen Affairs Agency to help implement reparations is one step closer to passage!
California’s SB 1403, which aims to create a government agency responsible for helping administer reparations, advanced out of the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday in an 8-1 vote. The bull now heads to the Senate Governmental Organization Committee.
If enacted, the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency would have its own Genealogy Office and Office of Legal Affairs to support reparations claims. Only African-American descendants of an enslaved person or free Black people living in the US prior to the end of the 19th century would qualify to receive compensation.
The new agency would also have the power to oversee and monitor existing state agencies and departments’ implementation of reparations measures that fall within their scope of authority.
SB 1403 emerged out of the over 115 policy recommendations in the California Reparations Task Force’s final report, issued last June after two years of research and public engagement.
Kamilah Moore, who served as the task force’s chair, testified Tuesday to the bill’s urgent necessity, saying, “This agency symbolizes a crucial stride towards reparatory justice, particularly for those whose lineage traces back to enslaved ancestors.”
California American Freedmen Affairs Agency to tackle deep-rooted disparities
In her testimony, Moore went on to provide examples of how Black Californians who trace their ancestry to the enslavement era continue to suffer stark racial disparities today.
Descendant families’ median net wealth is just a small fraction of that of white families, she said, while descendant entrepreneurs are three times more likely to be denied bank loans, limiting their potential for economic growth and innovation.
Health care access and outcomes also remain starkly unequal, with infants in descendant families two times more likely to die by their first birthday.
“These statistics are not mere numbers but reflect real lives diminished by systemic injustices, a legacy of slavery and systemic discrimination perpetuated by the State of California,” Moore said.
“This agency seeks to dismantle these barriers, advocating for and implementing measures that address these deep-rooted disparities.”
The vote on SB 1403 took place on the birthday of the late Paul Robeson, a legendary African-American athlete, singer, actor, scholar, and activist. In 1951, Robeson submitted a petition before the United Nations charging the US with genocide against Black Americans.
May 22, 2024: California Senate Advances Trio Of Reparations Bills In Significant Move (TAG 24)
California state Senator Steven Bradford has announced on Tuesday that three separate reparations bills had passed out of the upper chamber.
Senate Bill 1403 would create the California American Freedman Affairs Agency, tasked with helping administer reparations. The legislation advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in April.
If enacted, the government agency would have its own Genealogy Office and Office if Legal Affairs to support reparations claims. It would also have the power to oversee and monitor existing state agencies and departments’ implementation of reparations measures that fall within their scope of authority.
Senate Bill 1050 would establish a means of restoring property seized in race-based uses of eminent domain to the original owners or their descendants, or providing them with financial compensation.
Senate Bill 1331 would set up the Fund for Reparations and Reparative Justice in the state treasury to finance reparation initiatives approved by the legislature and governor.
Bradford introduced all three bills in the months since the California Reparations Task Force released its groundbreaking final report. The nine-member body’s 115 policy recommendations were designed to address generations of harms against Black people.
May 28, 2024: Three bills aimed at creating sources of the funding for the compensation of Black Californians passed the state’s Senate after years of groundwork. The bills, which were authored by Democratic State Sen. Steven Bradford, will create a fund for reparations, provide compensation for land taken by eminent domain for racially biased reasons, and the creation the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency. (BlackEnterprise.com)
According to USA Today, Rep. Bradford believes that the state “bears great responsibility” in addressing the injustices it perpetrated against Black people through enslavement, segregation, discrimination and stigmatizing Black Californians.
Bradford continued, “These are not a handout or charity by any measure. It is what was promised. It is what is owed and what is 160 years overdue. If you can inherit generational wealth, you can inherit generational debt,” Bradford said. “Reparations is a debt that is owed to descendants of slavery.”
The fund will also establish support for future projects designed to compensate Black people or descendants of an enslaved person who lived in California during the 19th Century. A previous version of the bill stipulated that the bill was to be funded from 6% of the state budget reserve, but that has since been eliminated, which leaves the source of the bill’s funding unclear.
The same bill establishing the Freedmen Affairs Agency also would create a Genealogy Office and an Office of Legal Affairs, while the bill that establishes compensation for eminent domain also gives the Office the authority to review, investigate, and determine the status of applications for the compensation of land taken by the practice of eminent domain.
A California Divide reports, legislators in the Senate advanced three bills and an official apology for California’s role in slavery, AB 3089. That bill, authored by Assemblymember Reggie-Jones-Sawyer, was written following his term on the state’s task force that was commissioned to study the harms the state perpetuated against its Black residents.
As Jones-Sawyer told the Assembly ahead of the vote, “We were people’s properties in this state. And it was defended by the State Supreme Court and other courts.”
Assuming the three bills are passed by the members of the Assembly, they will then head to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. Two other bills, SB 1007 and SB 1013 died ahead of the vote as the California Black Caucus did not designate them as priority bills for this year’s legislative session.
Newsom, California’s Democratic Governor, has signaled support for times that do not involve cash payments, but he has also been cutting funding from various areas, including education, to reduce California’s ballooning budget.
Ahead of the session, Bradford was critical of some of the bills advanced by the Caucus, praising them as a great start before telling the California Divide, “… there’s much more heavy lifting that will be needed to be done in the years to come.”
Jones-Sawyer also told the outlet that he believes the bills are necessary. “All of the bills are important,” Jones-Sawyer said. “Taken in totality; it’s not just inching this or inching that. All of these bills have a significant impact on moving forward with closing the wealth gap.”
June 15, 2024: California reparations bills one step closer to passage after Assembly Judiciary Vote (Via Microsoft start)
California state Senator Steven Bradford has announced on Tuesday that three reparations bills he authored had passed out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 1403 would create the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency, tasked with helping administer reparations. The government agency would have its own Genealogy Office and Office of Legal Affairs to support reparations claims. It would also have the power to oversee and monitor existing state agencies and departments’ implementation of reparations measures that fall within their scope of authority.
SB 1403 California Freedmen Affairs Agency (Revised June 11, 2024)
SB 1403, as amended, Bradford. California American Freedmen Affairs Agency.
Former law, until July 1, 2023, established the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, with a Special Consideration for African Americans Who are Descendants of Persons Enslaved in the United States. (Task Force).
Former law required the Task Force, among other things, to identify, compile, and synthesize the relevant corpus of evidentiary documentation of the institution of slavery that existed within the United States and the colonies, as specified, and to recommend the form of compensation that should be awarded, the instrumentalities through which it should be awarded, and who would be eligible for this compensation.
The bill would establish the California American Affairs Agency in state government, under the control of the secretary, who would be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The bill would require the agency to implement the recommendations of the Task Force, as approved by the Legislature and the Governor. The bill would require the agency, as part of its duties, to determine how an individual’s status as a descendant would be confirmed. The bill would also require proof of an individual’s descendant status to be a qualifying criterion for benefits authorized by the state for descendants. To accomplish these goals, the bill would require the agency to be comprised of a Genealogy Office and an Office of Legal Affairs.
The bill would further require the agency to oversee and monitor existing state agencies and departments tasked with engaging in direct implementation of the policies that fall within the scope of the existing state agencies’ and departments’ authority, including policies related to reparations.
Existing law prohibits a state agency, with certain exceptions, from employing any in-house counsel to act on behalf of the state agency or its employees in any judicial or administrative adjudicating proceeding in which the agency is interested, or is a party as a result of office or official duties, or contracting with outside counsel for any purpose.
This bill would exempt the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency from the above described prohibition...
Senate Bill 1050 would establish a means of restoring property seized in race-based uses of eminent domain to the original owners or their descendants, or of providing them with financial compensation.
SB 1050, as amended, Bradford. California American Freedmen Affairs Agency: racially motivated eminent domain.
Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2030, the Racial Equity Commission within the Office of Planning and Research and requires the commission to develop resources, best practices, and tools for advancing racial equity by, among other things, developing a statewide Racial Equity Framework that includes methodologies and tools that can be employed to advance racial equity and address structural racism in California.
The bill would require the Office of Legal Affairs, which would be established within the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency as provided by SB 1403 of the 2023-24 Regular Session, to, upon appropriation by the Legislature, review, investigate, and make certain determinations regarding applications from persons who claim they are the dispossessed owner, as defined, of property taken as a result of a racially motivated eminent domain.
The bill would define “racially motivated eminent domain” to mean when the state, county, city, city and county, district, or other political subdivision of the state acquires private property for public use and does not distribute just compensation to the owner at the time of the taking, or the failure to provide just property or just compensation is warranted, as provided, the bill would require the Office of Legal Affairs to certify that the dispossessed owner is entitled to the return of the taken property, as specified, or other publicly held property, as defined, of equal value, or financial compensation as specified, Upon a determination that the dispossessed owner is entitled to other public held property of equal value, the bill would require the Office of Legal Affairs to solicit and select, as specified a list of recommendations of publicly held properties that are suitable as compensation, as provided.
Upon a rejection of the determination of the Office of Legal Affairs by the state or local agency that took property by racially motivated eminent domain, the bill would authorize the dispossessed owner, as specified, to bring an action to challenge the taking or the amount of compensation, as provided.
Upon a determination that an applicant is not a dispossessed owner or issuing property or just compensation is not warranted, the bill would require the Office of Legal Affairs to notify the applicant of its finding and provide an appeals process, as specified. The bill would make every finding, decision, determination, or other official act of the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency subject to judicial review.
Existing law generally prohibits state agencies from employing in-house counsel to act on behalf of the agency or its employees in judicial or administrative adjudicative proceedings, but exempts specified agencies from this provision.
This bill would exempt the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency from that provision.
This bill would make related findings and declarations, including those related to a gift of public funds…
Senate Bill 1331 would set up the Fund for Reparations and Reparative Justice in the state treasury to finance reparations initiatives approved by the legislature and governor.
SB 1331, as amended, Bradford. The Fund for Reparations and Reparative Justice.
Previously existing law established, until July 1, 2023, the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, with a Special Consideration for African Americans Who are Descendants of Person’s Enslaved in the United States.
Previously existing law required the Task Force to, among other things, identify, compile, and synthesize the relevant corpus of evidentiary documentation of the institution of slavery that existed within the United States and the colonies that became the United States, as specified, and to recommend appropriate remedies in consideration of the Task Force’s findings, as specified. Previously existing law required the Task Force to submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature, as specified.
This bill would establish the Fund for Reparations and Reparative Justice in the State Treasury for the purpose of funding policies approved by the Legislature and the Governor that address the harm that the State of California has caused to descendants of an African American chattel enslaved person or descendants of a free Black person living in the United States prior to the end of the 19th century. The bill would authorize the fund to receive moneys from any other federal, state, or local grant, or from any private donation or grant, as specified. The bill would also make related findings and declarations…
Bradford introduced all three bills following the release of the California Reparations Task Force’s groundbreaking final report. The senate served on the nine-member body, which was tasked with crafting a plan to address generations of harms against Black people in the Golden State.
“Many people, again, will say California wasn’t a slave state. Yes, we were, and it’s about time that people open their eyes and understand the harms the are still in existence here in California and across this nation because of slavery,” Bradford told his colleagues in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
All three of Bradford’s bills have been approved in the state Senate. Tuesday’s vote brings them one step closer to final passage.
June 21, 2024: The California Legislative Black Caucus is hitting the road on a statewide tour to promote its slate of 14 reparation bills, while the clock is ticking on getting those proposed laws to the governor’s desk before the legislative session ends on August 31. Last weekend, the campaign kicked off in San Diego. CalMatter’s Neil Chase, Denise Amos, Deborah Brennan, and I all got to attend the event at Crawford High School. (CalMatters Network – via Sacramento Observer)
Deborah wrote a news report about a town-hall style discussion of the measures. There’s also a video of presentations made at the event, including those of Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber, Assemblymembers Akilah Webber, Corey Jackson, Mike Gipson, and State Sen. Steven Bradford. The legislators encourage community members to read a 1,000-page report that outlines the reasons for reparations and gives more than 100 recommendations to make them happen.
California became the first state in the nation to form a reparations task force three years ago and the first to introduce a comprehensive reparations package.
The six-city tour is meant to urge the public to get involved in lobbying lawmakers to pass the new legislation. Their 14 reparations measures tackle education, business, criminal justice, health care, and civil rights and include two proposed constitutional amendments that lawmakers hope to place before voters in November.
One of the amendments, ACA 8, would ban one of the last vestiges of involuntary servitude: forced labor in jails and prisons. The other, ACA 7, would authorize the state to pay for programs designed to improve life expectancy and educational outcomes of “groups based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, or marginalized genders, sexes, or sexual orientations.”
The bills to place the proposed amendments on the ballot must first pass the Senate Appropriations Committee by June 24 in order to meet a June 27 deadline to finalize ballot measures, Brennan reported.
There will be more State of Black California community listening sessions evens in five additional cities over the next five months.
June 24, 2024: A Democratic assemblyman in California went viral after tearfully defending a proposed reparations bill. A Republican lawmaker argued that nonwhite residents should not have to pay for reparations. (BlackEnterprise.com)
The bill, titled SB 1331, followed recommendations by the state’s reparations task force, per the New York Post.
Despite its advancement from a vote by the Assembly Judiciary Committee, the potential legislation still faces pushback, specifically from Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez.
Sanchez argued that minorities make up more than half of California’s population, specifically Latino and Asian. Sanchez identifies as Hispanic.
She stated they “had nothing to do with slavery, discrimination, Jim Crow laws” and did not need to pay toward reparations. According to economists, the cost of reparation for Black Californians could total over $800 billion.
“To pay for that, you’d need a major tax hike unlike anything this state has ever seen before,” explained Sanchez. “I recognize and acknowledge the painful part of our history, the pains of our past should not be paid by the people of today.”
However, Assemblyman Ash Karla teared up as he explained the necessity of reparations, especially in monetary form. Karla made history in 2016 as the first Indian-American elected to California’s state legislature.
“I understand that it’s hard to ask those of us currently sitting in the legislature to make those commitments, but no one asked Black families over generations, if it was OK to take their wealth, if it was OK to enslave them, if it was OK to…” he began to say as tears filled his eyes.
After regaining his composure, he added, “If it was OK to put their children in generations of poverty. This country became a superpower based upon the free labor of African descendants over hundred of years. We need to recognize it.”
According to its author, State Sen. Steven Bradford, the bill could extend reparations beyond monetary payments. Free healthcare and college tuition have emerged as potential measures.
It remains one of our reparations bills passed by the committee thus far.
June 25, 2024: Black advocates are in agreement following last weekend’s announcement that the state will earmark $12 million over the next year to launch reparations — the money is a good start, but not nearly enough. (The Sacramento Bee – via Yahoo! News)
“That is a lowball amount, especially given the amount of harm that was done to Black people in this state and for the amount of time that it was done,” said Kavon Ward, co-founder of Where Is My Land, a group that advocates for Black people trying to reclaim lost and stolen land.
The $12 million comes as part of the budget agreement for the 2024-25 fiscal year between Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders.
Funding will help implement reparations bills endorsed by the California Legislative Black Caucus. This year, the caucus introduced a first-in-the-nation reparations package with bills spanning education, criminal justice, business and health care. Lawmakers face an Aug. 31 deadline to pass legislation to Newsom.
Democratic Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, the chair of the Black Caucus, called the funding a “win” following the budget agreement announcement.
“In these types of environments, Black folks tend to get overlooked,” Woodson said. “But, we were glad to see that there was this down payment made toward reparations.”
Still, Woodson said the funding should be the start of “many rounds of investment to repair harm.”
“Our position has always been that the harm caused was not done overnight, and so the solutions and the investments won’t happen overnight as well,” he said.
The efforts around reparations have gained momentum in recent years, particularly in California. It became the first state in the country to form a reparations task force in 2021. Last year, the task force approved a multi-year study with more than 100 recommendations for how to undo the centuries of racism toward Black people in California.
Even then, Ward said, California still has a while to go and should “do better.”
None of the caucus’ endorsed reparation bills involve cash payments to descendants to enslaved people. And in Ward’s opinion, $12 million is what should be paid to one individual.”
“When it comes to them actually putting their money where their mouth is, I think that they’re falling short,” he said.
July 1, 2024: California plans to spend up to $12 million on reparations legislation under a budget signed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, marking a milestone in the state’s efforts to atone for a legacy of racism and discrimination against Black Californians. (The Associated Press Via Microsoft Start)
The reparations funding in the $297.9 billion budget Newsom signed over the weekend does not specify what programs the money would go towards. Lawmakers are not considering widespread direct payments to Black Californians this year.
The state Legislature is weighing proposals to issue a formal apology for California’s role in perpetuating discrimination against Black residents, to create an agency to administer reparations programs, and to identify families whose property was unjustly seized through eminent domain.
The funding comes after the federal reparations efforts have stalled for decades.
“We often say the budget is a reflection of our values and our priorities, so the fact that there’s any money for reparations should be a reason for celebrating,” said state Sen. Steven Bradford, a Los Angeles-area Democrat, noting he hoped the allocation would have been larger.
No state has gotten further along in its consideration of reparations proposals for Black residents than California, but some have made significant strides. Illinois and New York passed laws in recent years to study reparations proposals for African Americans. Florida passed a law in the 1990s creating a collage scholarship fund for descendants of Black residents who were killed in a 1923 massacre initiated by a white mob.
But some opponents of reparations proposals being considered by lawmakers in California say taxpayers should not have to pay to address policies and practices from a long time ago.
“Slavery was a stain on our nation’s history, but I don’t believe it’s fair to try to right the wrongs on the past at the expense of the people today who did nothing wrong,” Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher said in a statement. “More than a quarter of Californians are immigrants — how can we look at those people, who are struggling as it is, and say it’s on them to make up for something that happened more than 150 years ago?”
Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, a Democrat, said at an event Monday that “the $12 million is not nearly enough” but that lawmakers worked closely to secure the money during a tough budget year.
It could cost that sate between $3 million and $5 million annually to run the reparations agency, according to an estimate reported by the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. The Legislature hasn’t released an estimated cost to implement the eminent domain bill, but the Senate Appropriations Committee said it could cost the state thousands of dollars to investigate claims by families who say their land was taken because of racially discriminatory motives.
Bradford introduced proposals to give property tax and housing assistance to descendants of enslaved Black people, but those were blocked in May by a key committee.
Kamillah Moore, who chaired a first-in-the-nation reparations task force, was disappointed that lawmakers did not introduce legislation this year to provide free tuition at public colleges for descendants of enslaved Black people, which the group recommended in its final report.
But Moore said it was still “good news” to see $12 million for reparations included in the budget as a starting point.
“It means that they’re taking responsibility, and they’re acknowledging the harms and the atrocities to this particular population,” she said. “That’s a huge step that should not be overlooked.”
July 3, 2024: The State of California has allocated $12 million for reparation bills, although how the money will be distributed is still unclear. (The Hill)
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the state’s $297.9 billion budget over the weekend, but specifically around what programs would benefit from reparations money was lacking.
Lawmakers passed bills in May, sending them to the State Assembly. At the time, State Sen. Steven Bradford — an L.A.-area Democrat — said California “bears great responsibility for the past.
When will Black Californians be paid?
While Black Californians may be hoping for sweeping direct payments in 2024, that is not under consideration from lawmakers, according to The Associated Press.
After two years of study from the reparations task force — the first of its kind — on the ways in which California could atone for discrimination against African Americans, lawmakers decided against introducing a proposal for widespread payments to descendants of enslaved Black people.
What is under Consideration?
A formal apology for California’s discrimination against the Black community is still under deliberation by state legislature.
California’s legislative branch is also considering identifying Black families who had their homes unfairly seized from them through eminent domain.
An agency to administer reparation is also a possibility. An Assembly Committee on Appropriations estimate said it could cost California between $3 million to $5 million annually to operate.
What reparations weren’t included?
In addition to a lack of ubiquitous deposits, lawmakers also chose to leave out legislation that would offer free tuition to public colleges for those who descend from African Americans who were enslaved.
Despite efforts from state Sen. Steven Bradford — a Democrat — for housing and property tax assistance to be part of the reparations, lawmakers rebuked them in May.
What did Democrats and Republicans say?
Bradford was pleased with the outcome but added that he had higher hopes for the amount of money allocated.
“We often say the budget is a reflection of our values and our priorities, so that fact that there’s any money for reparations should be a reason for celebrating,” Bradford said.
Democratic Senate President Pro Temper Mike McGuire also felt the allocation was on the lower end.
“The $12 million is not nearly enough,” he remarked at a Monday event in the state.”
Gov. Newsom’s decision to sign off on the reparations budget was criticized, particularly by Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher.
“Slavery was a stain on our nation’s history, but I don’t believe it’s fair to try and right the wrongs on the past at the expense of the people today who did nothing wrong,” Gallagher said in a statement.
“More than a quarter of Californians are immigrants — how can we look at those people, who are struggling as it is, and say it’s on them to make up for something that happened more than 150 years ago?”
Kamilah Moore, who was the chair of the reparations task force, was far more pleased with the outcome than Gallagher.
“It means that they’re taking accountability and responsibility, and they’re acknowledging the harms and the atrocities to this particular population,” Moore said. “That’s a huge step that should not be overlooked.”
July 3, 2024: In California’s new state budget, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), over the weekend, $12 million has been allocated for reparations bills. (Via Microsoft Start)
While the money was allocated within the state’s $297.9 billion budget, it is not made clear what the funds will be used for or how it will be dealt out.
According to a report from the Associated Press, some programs are not being considered by lawmakers, like direct payments made directly to Black Californians. The state’s reparations task force is continuing to study how California could atone for discrimination against African Americans. As of now, no decision has been made, but several possibilities are being discussed.
One option no longer on the table is a proposal that would have seen widespread payments to descendants of enslaved Black people.
After backlash for the payment proposal, state lawmakers are working to find an agreeable answer for how to issue reparations, including a formal apology for California’s discrimination against the Black community.
California’s legislative branch is discussing the possibility of identifying Black families who had their homes unfairly seized through eminent domain.
The state is also considering creating an agency to administer reparations, though the Assembly Committee on Appropriations estimated it would cost as much a $5 million to operate annually.
Another option that was floated in May but has since been thrown aside was offering free tuition to public colleges for those who are descendants of enslaved African Americans.
Several of the ideas brought forth by state Sen. Steven Bradford (D) were shot down. Still, he is working to find an answer after the money was allocated.
“We often say the budget is a reflection and our priorities, so that fact that there’s any money for reparations should be a reason for celebrating,” Bradford shared with The Hill.
However, not all of his Democratic colleagues feel the same, as Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire shared at a state event on Monday that the “$12 million is not nearly enough.” [...]
September 27, 2023CaliforniaThe California 2022 Midterm Elections were held on two separate dates. The Nonpartisan Primary for the U.S. House was held on June 7, and the General Election for U.S. House was held on November 8, 2022.
In this blog post, I will provide information about the candidates who ran for the Midterm Elections, the winners and losers, and more.
California Governor Election – 2022
March 11, 2022: The Associated Press posted an article titled: “California cakewalk? No big-name rivals for Gov. Newsom” From the article:
Six months after winning a recall election that could have ousted him from office, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is in an enviable position as he raves up a reelection campaign that could give him a second four-year term.
No top-tier competitor has emerged to stand in his way and he’s flush with campaign cash. He had roughly $25 million in his main political committee at the end of 2021.
All of the most-recognized Republicans who ran in the recall have decided not to run again. They include conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who made his announcement a day before Friday’s deadline for candidates to enter the race…
…A certified list of candidates is not due from state election officials until later this month, but Newsom’s challengers are expected to include state Sen. Brian Dahle, a little-known Republican from rural Northern California. Dahle has called it a David and Goliath matchup.
Democratic candidates hold commanding advantages in liberal-leaning California. The party holds every statewide office, and dominates the Legislature and congressional delegation. The party also holds a roughly 2-1 advantage in voter registration over Republicans…
Newsom discouraged competition with a strong showing in last year’s recall. After appearing imperiled during the depths of the pandemic, he rebounded and defeated by a landslide margin the attempt to push him out. Instead, a field of little-known rivals will take on the incumbent in a June 7 primary election…
…The Republican Party has been withering away in California for years: statewide GOP registration has slipped under 24%, compared to 46.7% for Democrats. Most of the remainder are independents who tend to lean Democratic. In the last two U.S. Senate races, the November ballot included only Democratic candidates after no GOP candidates finished second to earn a place in the general election.
The lack of competitive GOP candidates at the top of the ticket could hurt candidates down the ballot, including those in a string of competitive U.S. House races that are expected to play into the fight to control Congress…
June 8, 2022: The Associated Press posted an article titled: “Newsom wins California primary, is big favorite in November”. From the article:
In a year when Democrats across the county have been bracing for a mid-term backlash at the polls, voters in California delivered decisive victories for the party during Tuesday’s primary, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom crushing a field of 25 other candidates less than a year after voters tried to recall him from office.
Newsom got about 59% of the votes and has more than $23 million in the bank for a November general election against Brian Dahle, a largely anonymous state senator from the sparsely populated northeast corner of the state.
Dahle is best known for his quest to get a giant new reservoir built in Northern California, had about 15% of the votes and finished second. In California’s primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election…
…His first task will be to raise money necessary to compete with Newsom statewide. It won’t be easy. Many Republican voters will be loathe to back a longshot candidate when they instead might invest in a handful of congressional races in the state that could determine control of the U.S. House…
June 10, 2022: Politico posted an article titled: “Newsom recall opponents sit out 2022 California governor’s race”. From the article:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom recall opponents have opted out of a second round.
Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s camp confirmed to POLITICO on Thursday that Faulconer would not contest Newsom’s reelection push this year. With that, every high-profile Republican who ran to replace Newsom in last year’s recall has bowed out of the 2022 contest.
In a statement Thursday night, Faulconer said it was “not the right time” to run for governor and that “the lingering effects of the circus that unfolded toward the end of last year’s recall make it extremely difficult to relaunch the type of campaign I would want to run.”
Conservative talk show and top replacement candidate vote-getter host Larry Elder removed himself from the running months ago, and businessperson Assemblymember Kevin Kiley is running for Congress. Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner has not sought a second act in California politics…
…Newsom’s 2022 opponents will include Republican state Senator Brian Dahle; GOP Navy veteran Shawn Collins; and independent Michael Shellenberger, who has gained attention for his arguments that progressive governance exacerbated San Francisco’s homeless crisis.
June 24, 2022: The New York Times reported: Gov. Gavin Newsom is overwhelmingly favored to win re-election after defeating a recall drive last year. Republicans have thrown their support behind Brian Dahle, a state lawmaker, while the author Michael Shellenberger, an independent, is hoping to rely on his large social media presence to reach the general election.
Gavin Newsom: 3,888,543 – 56.2% votes
Brian Dahle: 1,214,317 – 17.5% votes
Michael Shellenberger: – 284,664 – 4.1% votes
These results where posted with 95% of the votes recorded.
If you want to know more about the California Recall of Governor Gavin Newsom, here are a few articles I wrote about that:
Facts About the California Recall
Here’s Why Governor Newsom Won’t Be Recalled
The Republican Recall in California Failed!
Official Results of California Recall
August 23, 2022: Institute of Governmental Studies UC Berkeley posted “Release #2022-13: Newsom holds big lead in re-election bid for governor.” From the release:
Newsom holds big lead in re-election bid for governor. – His challenger Republican Brian Dahle is unfamiliar to a majority of the state’s voters –
The latest Berkeley IGS Poll finds finds Governor Newsom holding a commanding lead in his fall re-election bid against Republican challenger, state Senator Brian Dahle. The poll finds Newsom currently leading by 27 points among the state’s registered voters and 24 points among voters considered most likely to vote in the November general election.
Newsom finished first in a field of 26 candidates in the state’s June top-two primary for governor, capturing 55.9% of the vote. He will face off in the November general election against second place finisher Dahle, who received 17.7% of the primary vote.
While the incumbent Governor is nearly universally known to the electorate, a majority of voters (58%) is unable to offer an opinion of Dahle. Both candidates are viewed more positively than negatively among those offering an opinion.
The poll also finds that 53% of the state’s voters approve of the job Newsom is doing overall while 42% disapprove. This is slightly better than the last time the Berkeley IGS Poll asked voters about the Governor’s job performance in February. However, more voters continue to believe that things in the state are moving in the wrong direction than those that feel California is heading in the right direction by 52% to 40%.
Opinions about the job Newsom is doing and his re-election bid are highly partisan with Democrats offering a very positive assessment of the job performance and solidly backing his reelection. By contrast, Republicans hold a decidedly negative view of the Governor’s performance in office and overwhelmingly oppose his re-election.
Newsom holds big lead over Dahle in November gubernatorial election.
When voters are asked their voting preferences for gubernatorial in the fall general election the poll finds Newsom holding a commanding twenty-seven-points lead over Dahle (52% to 25%) among the overall electorate and leading by twenty-four points (55% to 31%) among those considered most likely to participate in the election.
Support for Newsom’s reelection is greatest among registered voters in his home region, the San Francisco Bay Area (64%) as well as voters in the state’s Central Coast region (55%), Los Angeles County (55%) and San Diego County (54%).
Newsom’s support is broad-based across the major demographic subgroups of the state electorate. Newsom holds a huge lead over Dahle among the state’s Democratic voters, who outnumber Republicans greater than two to one. Other subgroups where Newsom receives strong backing include voters registered as No Party Preference, liberals, Blacks, and college graduates.
Early vote support for Dahle is coming primarily from fellow Republicans, who back his candidacy 71% to 7%. On a regional basis, Dahle does best among voters in the sparsely populated counties of the North Coast and Sierras, his home region…
Said IGS co-director Eric Stickler of the findings, “Newsom is in a strong position for reelection, with Republicans facing an uphill climb given the huge partisan advantage that the Democrats hold over the GOP in party registration across the state.”
September 23, 2022: Merced Sun-Star posted an article titled: “He earned trust in Sacramento, but Californians still don’t know Newsom challenger Brian Dahle”. From the article:
Less than seven weeks from the November midterm election, state Sen. Brian Dahle may be better known as the highest bidder for a slaughtered goat than as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s opponent.
A Republican candidate for governor must be either a celebrity, independently wealthy, or outlandish to have a shot – at least that’s the conventional wisdom in California politics.
Yet Dahle, a conservative farmer from the state’s rural north who didn’t go to college is sticking to his nice-guy vibe…
…Dahle’s family-run campaign is being drowned out by Newsom’s money and incumbency. The governor’s decisive defeat of last September’s recall and the more than 2-to-1 registration advantage enjoyed by Democrats in California make Dahle’s mission quixotic at best…
…The governor, who recently agreed to an October debate with Dahle, is so confident in his re-election that he spent campaign dollars to buy television spots, newspaper ads, and billboards in red states like Texas and Florda to promote California as an abortion refuge…
…Whether the candidate can reach and appeal to Independents and or even Democrats is another matter. If last year’s recall election is any indication, issues promoted by a conservative like Dahle are out of step with the state’s largely liberal electorate…
…Newsom is in a commanding position. Even before turning last year’s recall, he won the 2018 governor’s race by the largest margin in half a century.
In 2022, he has the time and wherewithal to build a national profile as a Democrat unafraid to pick a fight Republican governors like Florida’s Ron Desantis. His campaign account has $20 million, more than 11 times what Dahle has raised.
At 56, Dahle has run for office eleven times, but a statewide race is a different beast. He served on the Lassen County Board of Supervisors for 16 years before being elected to the state legislature in 2012, where he served as Assembly Republican leader with policy specialties are in water, forestry, and wildlife issues. He entered the state Senate in 2018…
…This election is the first time in almost a quarter century that the California GOP has run a gubernatorial candidate with previous experience in public office, said Dan Schnur, a political science lecturer at USC and UC Berkeley. Perhaps it’s a sign…
November 8: The Hollywood Reporter posted an article titled: “Gavin Newsom Wins Second Term as California Governor”. From the article:
Democrat Gavin Newsom easily won a second term as California’s governor on Thursday, beating a little-known Republican state senator by mostly ignoring him while campaigning against the policies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, two leading Republicans who like Newsom may run for president.
Early returns showed Newsom with 61 percent of the votes in a state where there are nearly twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans.
It was the second decisive statewide victory for Newsom in barely a year. In September 2021, he easily beat back an attempt to kick him out of office that was fueled by anger over his pandemic policies. The failed recall solidified Newsom’s political power in California, leaving him free to focus on the future – which many expect will include a run for the White House…
…The GOP candidate, state Sen. Brian Dahle, could not raise enough money to run an effective campaign. Dahle, a farmer from the state’s rural northwest corner who also owns a trucking company, spent the final weeks of the campaign trying to draw attention by driving a semi truck around the state with a large campaign banner…
November 8: NPR (KCBXfm) posted an article titled: “Democrat Gavin Newsom sails to reelection as California Governor” From the article:
Gavin Newsom will get another term as governor of California after winning reelection Tuesday night, according to a race call by the Associated Press.
Newsom led Republican challenger Brian Dahle, a state senator from rural Northern California.
The incumbent governor was in a comfortable position after fending off a recall last year, with 62% of voters opting to keep him in office during the 2021 special election. Newsom spent much of this fall’s campaign season stumping for other Democratic candidates and causes, including a ballot proposition to add the right to an abortion to California’s constitution.
The governor has focused on his efforts to expand reproductive rights and to go after oil companies for earning record profits amid high fuel prices. But he’s faced criticism from opponents for the growing number of homeless people living on the streets and refusing to lower the state’s 54-cent-per-gallon gas tax.
NPR posted the following results (with 63% of votes in):
Gavin Newsom (Dem) – 58.26%
Brian Dahle (GOP) – 41.74%
Ballotpedia provide the results of the Nonpartisan primary for Governor of California:
Gavin Newsom (D): 55.9% – 3,945,748 votes
Brian Dahle (R): 17.7% – 1,252,800 votes
Michael Shellenberger (Independent): 4.1% – 290,286 votes
Jenny Rae Le Roux (R): 3.5% – 246,665 votes
Anthony Trimino (R): 3.5% – 246,322 votes
Shawn Collins (R) 2.5% – 173,083 votes
Luis Rodriguez (Green Party): 1.8% – 124,672 votes
Leo Zack (R): 1.3% – 94,521 votes
Major Williams (R): 1.3% – 92,580 votes
Robert Newman (R): 1.2% – 82,849 votes
Joel Ventresca (D): 0.9% – 66,885 votes
David Lozano (R): 0.9% – 66,542 votes
Ronald Anderson (R): 0.8% – 53,554 votes
Reinette Senum (Independent) 0.8% – 53,015 votes
Armando Perez-Serrato (D): 0.6% – 45,474 votes
Ron Jones (R): 0.5% – 38,337 votes
Daniel Mercuri (R): 0.5% – 36,396 votes
Heather Collins (Green Party): 0.4% – 29,690 votes
Anthony Fanara (D): 0.4% – 25,086 votes
Christian Morales (R): 0.3% – 22,305 votes
Lonnie Sortor (R): 0.3% – 21,044 votes
Frederic Schultz (Independent): 0.2% – 17,502 votes
Woodrow Sanders III (Independent): 0.2% – 16,204 votes
James Hanink (Independent): 0.1% – 10,110 votes
Serge Fiankan (Independent): 0.1% – 6,201 votes
Bradley Zink (Independent): 0.1% – 5,997 votes
Jeff Scott (American Independent Party) (Write-In): 0.0% – 13 votes
Guinder Bhangoo (R) (Write-In) 0.0% – 8 votes
November 8: KRCA 3 (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Republican Brian Dahle speaks after losing governor race” From the article:
Democrat Gavin Newsom easily won a second term as California’s governor on Tuesday, beating a little-known Republican state senator by mostly ignoring him while campaigning against the policies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, two leading Republicans who like Newsom may run for president…
November 10: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Californians fear the economic words + Newsom gets new second-term staff + Dahle concedes” From the article:
…DAHLE CONCEDES GUBERNATORIAL RACE
Newsom’s gubernatorial opponent conceded the race on Wednesday after news organizations announced the governor’s victory on Election Night.
Results early Wednesday showed Newsom with 58% of the vote after 41% of ballots had been counted.
In his statement, Dahle thanked his volunteers, his three children and his wife, Assemblywoman Meghan Dahle, R-Bieber.
“Thank you, California!” Dahle said. “Thank you for your incredible support, and I’m honored to have earned the trust and vote of so many Californians. Our grassroots campaign across the state was an opportunity to give a voice to so many who have felt left behind.”…
November 12: Politico posted information about the California Election Results. Here is what Politico had to say about the California Governor’s race:
Gavin Newsom (D) won the race for California Governor.
“As expected, Gov. Gavin Newsom has easily won a second term. Any potential drama evaporated when Newsom crushed last year’s recall – the Democratic governor was confident enough to divert re-election funds to ads in red states. A convincing win certainly won’t mute presidential chatter”. – Jeremy B. White, California politics reporter.
November 14: ABC7 News posted an article titled: “2022 Midterm California Election Results: Who won governor race, propositions”. From the article:
…ABC News project Gavin Newsom has been re-elected as governor of California defeating Republican challenger State Senator Brian Dahle.
It was the second decisive statewide victory for Newsom in barely a year. In September 2021, he easily beat back an attempt to kick him out of office that was fueled by anger over his pandemic policies. The failed recall solidified Newsom’s political power in California, leaving him free to focus on the future – which many expect may include a run for the White House.
Newsom and Dahle agreed to just one debate…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for Governor of California:
Gavin Newsom (D): 59.2% – 6,470,104 votes
Brian Dahle (R): 40.8% – 4,462,914 votes
California Lt. Governor Election
Ballotpedia wrote the following about Eleni Kounalakis (Democratic Party). She is the Lieutenant Governor of California. She assumed office in 2019. Her current term ends on January 2, 2023.
Kounalakis ran for re-election for Lieutenant Governor of California. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Kounalakis is a former ambassador to Hungary and a senior advisor for the Albright Stonebridge Group. During the 2016 election cycle, she was a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and part of Clinton’s foreign policy advisory team…
Ballotpedia also wrote the following about Angela Underwood Jacobs (Republican Party). She ran for election for Lieutenant Governor of California. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Underwood Jacobs was a district-level delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from California. All 172 delegates from California were bound by state party to support Donald Trump at the convention. The winner of the Republican nomination needed approximately 1,542 delegates. The winner of the Republican nomination needed the support of 1,237 delegates. Trump formally won the nomination on July 19, 2016.
September 23: LA Times posted an article titled: “California Politics: Q&A with Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis” from the article:
…The lieutenant governorship may be elusive to the average voter, but there is good reason to pay attention to Kounalakis: Both Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Gov. Gray Davis served as lieutenant governor before being elected to the top spot.
Mackenzie Mays sat down with Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat who previously served as a U.S. ambassador to Hungary under President Obama, to talk about her reelection campaign, her relationship with Newsom, and her gubernatorial aspirations…
…So what’s it like to be governor right now?
Kounalakis: I believe has a lot of bills on his desk, but he has plenty of time to sign them when he gets back. So it isn’t as though there’s anything that needs to be done in that space. I’m sure he would appreciate it if I didn’t go dip my pen in ink and start signing away.
During COVID, for 2 1/2 years, he barely left the state. He really had to be here most of the time. So in some ways, it’s kind of a new experience…
…It’s interesting, you know, the California Constitution does provide that when the governor is out of state, all the powers fall to the lieutenant governor. But the governor and I have a very positive working relationship. I would argue it’s one of the most positive in generations…
…Will you run for governor? And when?
I’m acting governor of California right now. That experience that I am getting in this job is the kind of experience that does prepare you to be governor.
We have never had a woman governor of the state of California. If I don’t try to organize a campaign to be the first, who will?
I’m on the ballot in November. I hope I will be reelected. And I hope that I will continue to show the people of California that if they want a woman governor, that four years from now, that I’m a good candidate for that…
November 3: (Updated November 7): San Diego Union Tribune posted an article titled: “Voter guide to the California lieutenant governor’s Underwood Jacobs vs Kounalakis”. From the article:
Incumbent Democrat Eleni Kounalakis and Republican Angela Underwood Jacobs are vying for the seat of lieutenant governor, a position that sits on a range of state boards and commissions and steps in when the governor is out of state.
The lieutenant governor also acts as the president of the state Senate, casting a legislative vote in the case of a tie, and can be influential on higher education policy, with a role overseeing the University of California, California State University, and community college systems.
While the elected office is often under-the-radar and ceremonial, governors of the past have used it as a steppingstone, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Who are the candidates?
Kounalakis’ campaign for reelection includes a focus on climate justice and women’s rights, while Underwood Jacobs is pushing for lower taxes and improving public safety as part of her platform.
After being sworn in as the first woman lieutenant governor of California in 2019, Kounalakis went on to become the first woman in state history to sign a bill into law to extend renter protections, stepping in for Newsom while he was traveling out of state earlier this year.
Having previously served as U.S. ambassador to Hungary under President Obama, Kounalakis’ focus in her first term has centered on the state’s international relations.
If reelected, she said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that she would focus on making college in California “more accessible and affordable” and would continue to promote legislation regarding equity issues.
Kounalakis is favored in the race: She has outraged Underwood Jacobs by more than $4.6 million; led in the primary with 53% of the vote and has the endorsement of top Democratic officials in a state where a Republican has not been elected statewide since 2006.
Underwood Jacobs is a deputy mayor for the city of Lancaster, where she previously served as a City Council member.
She declined to respond to requests for an interview with The Times, but according to her website, if elected, her primary focus would include being “tough on crime” and boosting police support.
She has also voiced to reduce taxes in California and act as a “counter” to Newsom and the Democratic-ruled state Legislature…
Where they stand on homelessness
Kounalakis said if reelected, creating more affordable housing would be a priority, calling a current shortage of options the No. 1 contributing factor to the state’s homelessness crisis.
Infrastructure would also be a priority, she said, adding that first responders and teachers need to be able to afford to live near the places they work in order for communities to thrive…
…Underwood Jacobs lists “reforms to truly solve homelessness” as a priority on her campaign website. She has called homelessness in California “out of control.”
“Providing help to those in need is necessary; however, if individuals are unwilling to take the help offered, we cannot let them ruin parks, sensitive ecological areas, and public areas like streets,” she said…
Where they stand on abortion
Kounalakis was a co-sponsor of Proposition 1, a measure on the November ballot that will let voters decide whether to guarantee access to abortions after the overturning of federal protections.
“California will continue to lead the nation to ensure that Californians, and those who come here to seek care, are able to access safe and legal abortions,” she said. “Abortion is a decision that should be between a woman or pregnant person, and their healthcare provider.”
Underwood Jacobs said in a Q&A survey administered by the San Diego Union Tribune that she supports letting voters decide on what the state should do about abortion…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for Lieutenant Governor of California:
Eleni Kounalakis (D): 52.7% – 3,617,121 votes
Angela Underwood Jacobs (R): 19.9% – 1,365,468 votes
David Fennell (R): 13.4% – 922,483 votes
Clint Saunders (R): 4.5% – 306,216 votes
Jeffery Higher Morgan (D): 3.3% – 229,216 votes
Mohammad Arif (Peace and Freedom Party): 2.7% – 183,150 votes
William Saacke (D): 2.5% – 171,800 votes
David Hillberg (Independent): 1.1% – 74,289 votes
James Orlando Ogle III (No party preference) (Write-In): 0.0% – 25 votes
November 9: KSWB-TV San Diego (Via MSN) posted an article titled: “Eleni Kounalakis re-elected as Lieutenant Governor” From the article:
California Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis has been elected for another term, defeating Republican challenger Angela Underwood Jacobs. Kounalakis was sworn in as the Golden State’s 50th lieutenant governor by Gov. Gavin Newsom in January of 2019…
…With 42% of the vote reported, Kounalakis is at 57.82% compared to Underwood Jacobs at 42.19%. Kounalakis’ win followed news of Newsom’s re-election. The governor easily cruised to a second term with AP projecting him as the winner within minutes of the polls closing Tuesday…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for Lieutenant Governor of California:
Eleni Kounalakis (D): 59.7% – 6,418,119 votes
Angela Underwood Jacobs (R): 40.3% – 4,332,602 votes
California Attorney General Election
Ballotpedia provided information about the Attorney General Primary election:
Rob Bonta (D): 54.3% – 3,756,486 votes
Nathan Hochman (R): 18.2% – 1,256,465 votes
Eric Early (R): 16.5% – 1,142,747 votes
Anne Marie Schubert (Independent): 7.7% – 539,746 votes
Daniel Kapelovitz (G): 3.2% – 219,912 votes
April 19: Cal Matters posted an article titled: “What would Nathan Hochman do as California attorney general?” From the article:
What does California’s attorney general actually do? According to Republican Nathan Hochman, who wants to be the next one, the job description is simple: Enforce the law.
That’s why during his 70-minute sit-down interview with CalMatters reporters, the longtime Los Angeles lawyer was quick to emphasize the depth of his experience as a federal prosecutor, defense attorney and tax law expert. It’s also why he was happy to speak at length about crime across the state and to lay the blame at the feet of current Attorney General Rob Bonta.
But on nearly all questions of policy preference and political point of view, he took the proverbial Fifth.
“If I want to go ahead and legislate California policy, I’d run of the state Assembly or the state Senate or maybe even for the governor,” he said. “I view the job of California attorney general as enforcing the laws on the books of the state of California, full stop.”
Hochman was also mum when he was asked for his views on the death penalty. “I’m signing up for a job that’s enforcing the law, not making the law.”
And ditto on gun control measures and additional support for out-of-state women seeking abortions in California, both under consideration by the Legislature. “That’s for the California Legislature to decide,” he said.
Did the self-described “pragmatic” Republican vote for Trump? “I’m not willing to answer that question.”
Hochman’s “just the facts, ma’am” approach could reflect his earnest belief in the nonpartisan nature of the position. But steering clear of controversy could also be his best shot at winning over a general left-of-center electorate that hasn’t put a Republican in statewide office since 2006.
Either way, he has his work cut out for him if he wants to become California’s next attorney general.
First, Hochman, who has never held elected office, will have to introduce himself to the states roughly 22 million voters. Then he’ll have to persuade the Democratic-voting majority to overlook his party affiliation and pick him over Bonta, a Democrat; Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert who is running without a political party label; or anyone else vying for the job of California’s top cop.
Finally, he’ll need to convince voters that legal experience really does matter more than partisan affiliation – and to forgive him for his silence on most of the hot-button issues of the day…
…Only the top two vote-getters in the June 7 primary will move on to the November ballot. And with most rank-and-file Democrats likely to back Bonta, Hochman will be competing most directly with Schubert…
October 12: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Your guide to the California attorney general election: Rob Bonta vs. Nathan Hochman” From the article:
Democratic incumbent Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta will face Republican Nathan Hochman in the contest for California’s top cop, a position responsible not only for increasing public safety but also defending state laws on gun control and abortion access.
Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Bonta, a former state lawmaker from Alameda, as California’s first Filipino American attorney general last year. Hochman is a former U.S. assistant attorney general and assistant U.S. attorney with an array of experience in the courtroom.
As California’s top law enforcement officer, the attorney general oversees investigations into deadly police shootings and organized crime rings and runs the state’s forensic crime labs. The office is also charged with helping the state meet its climate and housing goals by enforcing environmental regulations and holding local governments accountable to production requirements.
The state attorney general is one of the most important statewide offices in California. The role has become even more prominent in the wake of two U.S. Supreme Court decisions this summer that rolled back broad access to abortion and strict gun control policies, key issues that are likely to be top of mind for California voters as they had to the polls Nov. 8.
Who are the candidates?
Before he was elected to the state Assembly in 2012, Bonta served as a deputy city attorney in San Francisco and vice mayor for the city of Alameda. As a state lawmaker, Bonta earned a reputation for his left-leaning legislative record and support for criminal justice reform policies, which include bills to phase out private prisons and detention facilities in California and to eliminate cash bail.
Since taking the helm of the state Department of Justice, Bonta has focused on prosecuting hate crimes, launched a program last year to apprehend human traffickers and cracked down on organized retail theft.
Bonta says that public safety is “priority and job number one, two and three,” but he’s faced pushback for laws he supported that his critics blame for an increase in certain crimes and the drug addiction crisis.
Hochman said his message appeals to Democrats and independents who want an attorney general in the “hard middle” of the political spectrum and who’ve grown weary of California’s commitment to criminal justice reform efforts that he said have jeopardized public safety.
His résumé includes experience as both a federal prosecutor and defense attorney, skills he said would serve him well as California’s top law enforcement officer. Hochman has blasted Bonta’s lack of experience as a prosecutor as evidence that he’s the better fit for the job…
October 13: Cal Matters posted an article titled: “What would Rob Bonta do next as California attorney general?” From the article:
California’s attorney general is often described as the state’s top prosecutor, but that shorthand doesn’t do the position justice. At least not according to Rob Bonta, the current holder of that office.
Since Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed him to the role in March 2021, Bonta has broadened the scope and emphasis of the Department of Justice into areas of the law once considered the principal domain of local prosecutors, elected officials and private litigants.
Taking on the role of housing enforcer, Bonta has threatened lawsuits against apartment-averse cities, while issuing guidance to locals on where they can permit new construction.
With new bureaus and empowered by new laws, his office now serves as an investigative unit for discriminatory law enforcement and police shootings of unarmed civilians.
Just last month, Bonta announced the creation of a new office tasked with researching and disseminating gun violence prevention tactics. The office still only exists on paper, but the proposal itself says a lot about Bonta’s view of his office’s expansive domain. For a department known for its gun-toting officers, academic research is a unusual pivot.
And as Los Angeles weathers scandal after scandal, Bonta has stepped in in lieu of local prosecutors, announcing that his office will investigate potential voting rights violations during the local redistricting process, a subject at the center of racist conversations that forced the city council president to resign Wednesday…
…Early in his political career, he said he was told to “focus on a handful of things – maybe one, two or three – make those your signature issues, get known for those and make a difference there,” he said. “I’ve never, ever followed that advice.”
It’s a contrast with Bonta’s opponent in the Nov. 8 race for attorney general, former federal prosecutor and longtime defense attorney Nathan Hochman. A Republican from Los Angeles, Hochman has spent the campaign stressing his apolitical instincts and his emphasis on criminal enforcement.
October 18: ABC 10 News posted an article titled: “Who is Nathan Hotchman? The candidate vying for California Attorney General” From the article:
California Attorney General candidate Nathan Hochman is rolling through the state this week on a bus tour hoping to win votes.
The bus tour is called ‘Experience Matters’ because Hotchman says that’s what he’s got compared to current Attorney General Rob Bonta.
“I have 30 years of experience in criminal justice issues from being a federal prosecutor, a U.S. assistant attorney general, and a defense attorney,” Hochman says.
What’s Hotchman’s plan?
Hochman wants to eradicate the list of prohibited persons in California who are convicted of crime, but are still in possession of a gun or guns.
“On that list are people were subjected to domestic violence orders, mental health orders, who are not allowed to have guns,” Hochman said. “There’s over 26,000 people right now on that list, a list that has only grown under the last year of Rob Bonta’s stewardship than actually shrink.”
Hochman vowed to clear the list and remove guns from people who aren’t supposed to have them within 18 months of taking office.
He also wants to work with lawmakers to reform Proposition 47, which voters passed in 2014 to make anything stolen valued at under $950 a misdemeanor instead of a felony…
…Hochman said he takes issue with the cash-bail reform Bonta efforts during his time in the legislature.
“You got to look at each individual criminal history, what crime they committed, and the often overlooked impact on the victim to determine who are the true public safety threats and need to be behind bars, and who are not a first-time nonviolent offenders who can serve their debt to society in some other way.”
The Public Policy Institute of California said from 2019 to 2021, gun-related homicides and aggravated assaults surged by 52% and 64%…
…Hochman said he is a moderate Republican. He said he’s always been pro-choice, believes in climate change and has never voted for former President Donald Trump…
October 18: ABC 30 Fresno (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Nathan Hotchman challenges Rob Bonta on race for California Attorney General” From the article:
Election day is just a few weeks away and candidates are making their final push for your vote.
Democratic Incumbent Attorney General Rob Bonta is facing Republican Nathan Hochman in the race for California’s attorney general.
Tuesday, Hochman made a stop in Fresno to campaign as part of his nine-day statewide bus tour.
He’s going after Rob Bonta’s spot at as the state’s attorney general, saying he’s better qualified for the job.
In the primary election, Bonta received 54% of the vote compared to Hochman’s 18%.
But at that time, he was the only democrat in a five-way field. Now, they’re going one-on-one…
…Hochman says he’s focused on bringing back a sense of safety and security to people by combatting crime.
If elected, he wants stricter punishments for thieves and smash-and-grab robbers who are arrested multiple times within a certain time period.
“The goal is not to be putting as many people as possible in jail. The goal is to deter people from committing in the first place,” Hochman said.
For homelessness, he wants to bring back an option for judges to require mandatory substance abuse and mental health treatment instead of jail time.
To get fentanyl off the streets, Hochman says he plans to organize a federal state and local taskforce.
He wants harsher punishment if someone dies from a fentanyl overdose…
Hochman will face off against incumbent Bonta.
The Democrat was appointed by Gov. Newsom last year to fulfill Xavier Becerra’s term after Becerra was confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Bonta has also put a focus on preventing fentanyl deaths, announcing just last week more than 4 million fentanyl pills had been seized across California since April of last year.
“Every one of those represents a potential injury or death, but we are seeing a crisis and what do you do in a crisis? All hands on deck,” Bonta said.
Bonta says he’ll continue to protect civil rights and take on big polluters.
In an effort to prevent crime, in September, Bonta announced the creation of the “Office of Gun Violence Prevention”.
It brings together local, state and federal partners to reduce and prevent gun violence, firearm injury and the trauma that comes with it.
“When is the violence going to end? We’re here to help answer that question. We are in a full crisis. A full-on state of emergency and in order to fight this epidemic, it’s going to take new efforts, creative approaches and new action,” Bonta said…
November 8: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Rob Bonta Wins California Attorney General Race” From the article:
Rob Bonta won the re-election as California attorney general, NBC News projected Tuesday night.
Bonta had a big lead in early ballot returns Tuesday in his race to win a full four-year term after Gov. Gavin Newsom last year picked him to fill an unexpired term as the most populous state’s top lawman.
Bonta was outpolling Republican challenger Nathan Hochman with 61% of the votes, as expected in a state dominated by Democrats.
Because Bonta, 50, was appointed more than midway through his predecessor’s four-year-term, he’s eligible to run for two additional terms, which could allow him to serve nearly 10 years in an office that already has given him a national stage on issues as diverse as abortion, climate change, gay rights and gun control…
…Bonta took over when Xavier Becerra left to become the Biden administration’s health secretary, and Becerra succeeded Kamala Harris, who went on to the U.S. Senate and now is vice president…
…The state’s first Filipino-American attorney general is a particularly hot draw at events featuring the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, which makes up about 16% of California’s nearly 40 million residents.
Hotchman, a former federal prosecutor, tried to tap into voter anger over rising crime and homelessness, decrying what he called the state’s “spiral of lawlessness.” He had more campaign cash than all but one other GOP statewide candidate, but concentrated his TV advertising in the Los Angeles area with one commercial trying to tie Bonta to progressive LA County District Attorney George Gascón and another featuring an endorsement by a co-founder of Death Row Records.
Bonta released a single online ad two weeks before Election Day that never mentioned Hotchman but emphasized Bonta’s defense of reproductive rights. He also announced forming a California Reproductive Rights Task Force along with 14 local law enforcement officers to confront abortion restrictions in other states and protect access and privacy in California.
November 9: Omaha World Herald posted an article titled: “California Attorney General Bonta leading in early returns”. From the article:
California Attorney General Rob Bonta had a big lead in early ballot returns Tuesday to win a full four-year term after Gov. Gavin Newsom last year picked him to fill an unexpired term as the most populous state’s top lawman.
Bonta was outpolling Republican challenger Nathan Hochman with 60% of the votes after about a third of votes were counted, as expected in a state dominated by Democrats.
Bonta thanked voters for their “vote of confidence” and said he is readying to battle potentially renewed Republican influence at the federal level, much as when his predecessor filed dozens of lawsuits challenging initiatives by then-president Donald Trump…
Bonta released a single online ad two weeks before Election Day that never mentioned Hochman but emphasized Bonta’s defense of reproductive rights. He also announced forming a California Reproductive Rights Task Force along with 14 local law enforcement officials to confront abortion restrictions in other states and protect access and privacy in California.
Yet Hochman said he too favors abortion rights and supported the measure on Tuesday’s ballot that would enshrine them in California’s constitution…
November 12: Los Angeles Times (Via MSN) posted an article titled: “Democratic incumbent Rob Bonta beats Republican Nathan Hochman in California attorney general race” From the article:
Incumbent Democratic Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta won by a wide margin over Republican defense attorney Nathan Hochman in California’s race for top cop – a position that rose in importance and relevance after two U.S. Supreme Court decisions this summer rolled back laws on gun control and abortion access.
The Associated Press called the race, though official results will take longer to finalize. Bonta was leading with more than 57% of the votes counted.
Bonta, a former San Francisco Bay Area state lawmaker known for his progressive views on criminal justice, campaigned on the promise to defend California’s robust abortion laws and continue his work to end gun violence and illegal firearm ownership…
…Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Bonta last year after Xavier Becerra resigned to become U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. This was Bonta’s first run for statewide office.
During his tenure, Bonta prioritized ending an “epidemic of hate” against communities of color and other vulnerable groups and has used a new “housing strike force” within the California Department of Justice to pressure local governments into compliance with state laws.
Ballotpedia reported the results for the Attorney General of California:
Rob Bonta (D): 59.1% – 6,339,441 votes
Nathan Hochman (R): 40.9% – 4,390,428 votes
California State Controller Race
Ballotpedia reported the following information about the California Controller election:
The Controller serves on the Board of Equalization and the Franchise Tax Board. The areas of government audited and reviewed by the controller include school districts, the California State Lottery, oil and gas lease royalties, state agencies, and a multitude of local governments.
Cohen was elected to the California State Board of Equalization in 2018, representing District 2. Her professional experience included working for Power Forward Consulting and the Corporate Strategy and Communications team for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco…
Chen’s career experience included working as a Stanford University professor and researcher at the Hoover institute. Chen was nominated by President Barack Obama (D) and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2013 to serve as a member of the Social Security Board…
…As of September 24, 2022, Chen led in fundraising, having received $4.1 million in contributions to Cohen’s $2.4 million. According to The Los Angeles Times, “Most of Chen’s funds have gone toward campaign consultants and campaign workers’ salaries,” while the “vast majority of Cohen’s spending, more than $1.1 million, has been on TV or cable airtime and production.”
Malia Cohen (D) defeated Lanhee Chen (R) in the race for California controller on November 8, 2022. Incumbent Betty Yee (D) was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.
Ballotpedia stated that both candidates filled out the Candidate Connection survey:
Malia Cohen answered the following questions:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I was born and raised in San Francisco and attended public schools in the City. I earned a BA from Fisk University and a Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. In 2010, I was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors where I served on the Budget and Finance Committee. I was elected to the State Board of Equalization in 2018 and serve as Chair overseeing over $80 billion in property taxes. I’ve served as President of the San Francisco Police Commission and as President of the San Francisco Employee Retirement System. I’m currently running for Controller to build a fairer, more equitable California for all.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A:
I plan to be a watchdog over California’s tax dollars to ensure that communities across the state are getting the funding they deserve. I have the experience needed to do this job having served as the Budget and Finance Chair for the San Francisco Employees Retirement System, Chair of the San Francisco Board of Supervisor’s Budget and Finance Committee, and Chair of the State Board of Equalization. I want to work to reduce fraud and waste in the system while also modernizing our state’s technological infrastructure.
I want to bring equity and justice to the State Controller’s office to reduce historic inequalities. The Controller has the ability to spotlight issues and can produce data to inform policymakers on important decisions. I have done this throughout my career. While on the Board of Supervisors, I passed legislation requiring the San Francisco Police Department to produce quarterly reports on the use of force. I’ve also worked to make the San Francisco budgeting process more transparent to end political payouts that hinder the process. I am committed to transparency and making decisions that help build a California where everyone thrives.
I have the values to do this job. While overseeing the San Francisco Employees Retirement System, I divested the City’s pension fund from fossil fuels to reaffirm our commitment to fighting climate change. While on the board of supervisors, I cracked down on fake health center spreading false information relating to women’s reproductive health. While on the Board of Equalization, I have emphasized affordable housing and tax incentives that help minority homeowners. I am the only candidate in the race that has the values that reflect California voters.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: I am passionate about issues involving justice and equity. I want to create a fair and transparent financial system in the state that delivers on its promise to building a California where everyone thrives. This means holding corporations accountable for paying their fair share and improving state technological infrastructure to create a system that everyone can use. I have done this throughout my career and will continue to do so as the next Controller.
Lanhee Chen answered the following questions:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a leader, problem-solver and educator. I’ve built my career on tackling some of California and America’s biggest fiscal policy challenges. I was raised in Southern California and am the son of immigrants from Taiwan. After earning four degrees from Harvard University, including a law degree and doctorate in political science, I served in senior roles in both Republican and Democratic presidential administrations.
Today, I teach at Stanford University, where I also conduct research at the Hoover Institution, a public policy think tank. I have helped leaders in California and around the country develop policies to address some of our society’s most pressing problems – like improving our health care system, saving Social Security, and growing our economy. My writings have appeared in America’s biggest newspapers and I have frequently shared my ideas on television news programs across America.
I built my own small business, which provides advice on fiscal and other policy issues to leaders in the public and private sectors. I am an investor who works with entrepreneurs to help them grow their businesses and create jobs. I am currently the Chair of the Board of Directors of El Camino Health, a health care system in my community.
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A:
The Controller is California’s independent fiscal watchdog. That means that I won’t need the legislature or governor’s permission to audit state and local agencies and programs. As Controller, I will use my audit authority aggressively and frequently, particularly in examining state programs that may be ripe for fraud and abuse. Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, is just one example. The number of Californians enrolled in the program has increased by about 50 percent since 2014, but the Controller’s Office has only periodically reviewed its operations. And that’s just one example. There are many others from high-speed rail to California’s fraud-ridden unemployment insurance program, that taxpayers deserve to know more about.
As Controller, I will hold policy makers accountable for keeping the promises they make. For too long, the one-party monopoly in Sacramento has resulted in politicians protecting one another rather than being accountable taxpayers. This is particularly important as we consider the challenges that we faced during the recent pandemic. California taxpayers deserve answers to questions like how tens of billions of dollars in federal assistance during the pandemic were spent. And whether school districts are actually using the funding they’ve received to help get our kids back into the classroom safely. These are the sorts of questions that, as Controller, I will answer on behalf of taxpayers.
The Controller’s Office was unable to disclose to the public where each one of the roughly 50 million payments it made – totaling over $300 billion in 2018 alone – went. The state’s comprehensive financial reporting system, Fi$Cal, was supposed to be finished already, but is over-budget, late, and expected to lack some functions that were originally promised. As Controller, I will put an end to the Sacramento excuses and produce results. I will leverage the innovation and technology we have in our state to insure that taxpayers have access to a best-in-class system to see these payments and understand exactly how their money is being spent.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: I have a deep passion for fiscal responsibility, transparency, and government accountability. I believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant, and if we give Californians true and full transparency into how their tax dollars are spent, they will demand a more accountable and efficient state government. As Controller, I will put an end to the Sacramento excuses and produce results. I will use my audit authority to carefully examine all state and relevant local spending and leverage the innovation we have in our state to ensure that taxpayers have access to a best-in-class system to see details about all outgoing state payments.
Lanhee Chen also answered several more questions, which you can find on Ballotpedia.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for California Controller:
Lanhee Chen (R): 37.2% – 2,533,305 votes
Malia Cohen (D): 22.7% – 1,542397 votes
Yvonne Yiu (D): 15.1% – 1,024,707 votes
Steve Glazer (D): 11.1% – 756,518 votes
Ron Galperin (D): 10.1% – 690,484 votes
Laura Wells (Green Party): 3.8% – 258,053 votes
October 20: Associated Press posted an article titled: “Candidate hopes to break GOP’s California losing streak”. From the article:
In their quest to win back statewide office in deep-blue California, Republicans have set their sights – and money – on controller candidate Lanhee Chen.
The race usually attracts little attention compared to other statewide offices, but this year, without an incumbent in the running, contributions to Chen and Democratic candidate Malia Cohen have far outpaced the last election cycle.
Chen, a former policy adviser to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, has crafted himself as an independent manager who can bring order to the state’s finances. Cohen, who serves on a state tax board, says her past role leading the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ budget and finance committee makes her uniquely qualified for the job.
Chen has defied the path of recent Republican candidates in the heavily Democratic state. He’s raised more money than Cohen and his fellow Republicans seeking state office. He won the June primary against four Democrats who split their party’s vote…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for California Controller:
Malia Cohen (D): 55.3% – 5,936,856 votes
Lanhee Chen (R): 44.7% – 4,789,345 votes
November 15: CBS News Sacramento posted an article titled: “‘I’m excited to get started”: Democrat Malia Cohen wins California state controller race”. From the article:
Democrat Malia Cohen has won the race for California controller, beating out a Republican who gave his party its best shot in years to end its losing streak in statewide elections.
Cohen will become the state’s first Black controller, a role that involves disbursing state funds, auditing government agencies and serving on more than 70 boards and commissions. She says her past role leading the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ budget and finance committee makes her uniquely qualified for the job.
“As your controller, I will make sure our tax dollars address the homelessness crisis, protect our environment, and provide access to healthcare and reproductive freedom. Let’s build a California where everyone thrives,” Cohen said in a statement. “We have work to do, and I’m excited to get started.”
Cohen declared victory on election night, but the Associated Press did not call the race until the following Tuesday. Cohen was leading with 55% of the vote after more than 8 million ballots were counted…
Alameda County Municipal Elections
Ballotpedia provided information about the Alameda County District Attorney Race:
Alameda County, California, held primary elections for assessor, auditor/controller, district attorney, sheriff/coroner, treasurer/tax collector, superintendent of schools, board of supervisors, county board of election, Union Sanitary District, and superior court judges on June 7, 2022.
Candidates could win outright with a majority of the vote in the primary. If no candidate received a majority, the top two vote-getters advanced to the general election scheduled for November 8, 2022. The Alameda County Flood Board of Directors Zone 7 also held an election on June 7, 2022.
The county also held general elections for AC Transit District board of directors, water, district board, BART board, part district board, municipal utility district, healthcare district board, and community college district boards on November 8, 2022. Elections could be canceled if only one candidate filed.
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Assessor:
Phong La (Nonpartisan): 100.0% – 207,562 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda Auditor-Controller:
Melissa Wilk (Nonpartisan): 100.0% – 204,908 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County District Attorney:
Pamala Price (Nonpartisan): 43.2% – 117,280 votes – winner
Terry Wiley (Nonpartisan): 27.1% – 73,595 votes
Jimmie Wilson (Nonpartisan): 19.6% – 53,094 votes
Seth Steward (Nonpartisan): 10.1% – 27,313 votes
General election for Alameda County District Attorney:
Pamala Price (Nonpartisan): 53.1%.- 228,954 votes – winner
Terry Wiley (Nonpartisan): 46.9% – 201,827 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Sheriff-Coroner:
Yesenia Sanchez (Nonpartisan): 52.8% – 141,763 votes – winner
Gregory Ahern (Nonpartisan): 31.2% – 83,777 votes
Joann Walker (Nonpartisan): 15.9% – 42,762 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Superintendent of Schools:
Alysee Castro (Nonpartisan): 53.2% – 130,558 votes – winner
Karen Monroe (Nonpartisan): 46.9% – 114,976 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector:
Henry Levy (Nonpartisan): 100.0% – 205,044 votes
Board of Supervisors:
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 2:
Richard Valle (Nonpartisan): 100.0% – 32,313 votes
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 3:
Rebecca Kaplan (Nonpartisan): 41.0% – 20,150 votes – winner
Lena Tam (Nonpartisan): 28.1% – 13,823 votes
David Kakishiba (Nonpartisan): 18.3% – 8,970 votes
Surlene Grant (Nonpartisan): 12.5% – 6,194 votes
General election for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 3:
Lena Tam (Nonpartisan): 52.1% – 40,232 votes
Rebecca Kaplan (Nonpartisan): 47.9% – 36,978 votes
County Board of Education:
District 1 Nonpartisan primary election: The primary election was canceled. Joaquin Rivera (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
District 4 Nonpartisan primary election: The primary election was canceled. Aisha Knowles (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Board of Education Trustee Area 7:
Cheryl Cook-Kallio (Nonpartisan): 53.2% – 21,761 votes – winner
Diemha Dao (Nonpartisan): 26.3% – 10,755 votes
Eric Dillie (Nonpartisan) 20.6% – 8,418 votes
SPECIAL DISTRICTS
General election for Alameda County Flood Control Board of Directors Zone 7 (4 seats):
Dennis Gambs (Nonpartisan): 27.0% – 29,311 votes -winner
Sarah Palmer (Nonpartisan): 22.6% – 24,513 votes – winner
Olivia Sanwong (Nonpartisan): 22.5% – 24,428 votes – winner
Dawn Benson (Nonpartisan): 21.8% – 23,677 votes – winner
Todd Shinohara (Nonpartisan): 6.2% – 6,768 votes
Union Sanitary District Nonpartisan primary election: The primary was canceled. Tom Handley (Nonpartisan) and Jennifer Toy (Nonpartisan) won the election without appearing on the ballot.
AC Transit District general election 2022:
At-Large
Joel Young (Incumbent) – winner
Alfred Twu
Ward 3
Stewart Chen
Sarah Syed – winner
Ward 4
Murphy McCalley (Incumbent) – winner
Barisha Spriggs
Ward 5: The general election was canceled and this candidate was elected: Diane Shaw (incumbent)
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board:
District 2: The general election was canceled and this candidate was elected: Mark Foley (incumbent)
District 4: The general election was canceled and this candidate was elected: Robert Raburn (incumbent)
District 6:
Liz Ames (incumbent) – winner
Shyam Chetal
Lance Nishihira
There are more Alameda County elections to be found on Ballotpedia.
June 7: Oaklandside posted an article titled: “Alameda County District Attorney election results: Pamala Price leads” From the article:
Civil rights attorney Pamela Price held her lead in the field of four candidates in the Alameda County district attorney’s race, according to an updated count of ballots Friday evening.
Price, who also ran in 2018, had 40% of the vote, followed by Terry Wiley, an assistant DA, who gained 30%.
The Alameda County Registrar of Voters office on Thursday estimated that there were more than 100,000 ballots left to count. If the results continue to hold after more ballots are counted in the next few days, Price and Wiley will face off against each other in the November general election…
…County voters were asked for the first time in decades to elect a District Attorney who wasn’t an incumbent or someone appointed to the position. District Attorney Nancy O’Malley announced she was stepping down in 2021 after three terms…
…O’Malley has not faced an opponent until 2018, when Price challenged her as part of a wave of progressive candidates challenging siting DAs. Price ran again in 2022…
Oaklandside posted the results of the General Election for Alameda County District Attorney Election:
Pamala Price: 116,987 votes – 43%
Terry Wiley: 73,454 votes – 27%
Jimmie Wilson: 52,987 votes – 20%
Seth Steward: 27,253 votes – 10%
September 6: Ballotpedia posted an article titled: “All candidates for Alameda County, California, District Attorney complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey” From the article:
…Here are excerpts from candidates’ responses to the question: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Price: “Pamela Price knows that our current legal system is dysfunctional and that it disproportionately targets Black and Brown communities. Every other candidate for DA in Alameda County is a “law and order” candidate, while Pamela Price is committed to pushing away from our addiction to incarceration. A graduate of Yale and UC Berkley Law School, her outspoken leadership in support of alternatives to incarceration has pushed every candidate’s platform to the left, resulting in more conversations about diversion programs, ending the practice of charging youth as adults, and investing in community.”
Wiley: “Terry Wiley has spent 30 years in the Alameda County District Attorney’s office fighting crime. He knows how to keep our communities safe – we need to tackle crime from every direction. Terry has taken on the toughest prosecutions and he knows that we can make progress on safety – quickly – by focusing on repeat and violent offenders. Just 2,000 offenders commit the majority of crimes in Alameda County. As DA, Terry will start by focusing on these offenders. But he won’t stop there. He will make sure we focus on drug treatment, mental health, job training and excellent schools to keep kids out of the criminal justice system.”…
November 3: ABC 7 News posted an article titled: “Alameda Co. voters to make history electing 1st Black DA: Here are candidates’ stances on issues” From the article:
For the first time in nearly four decades there’s no incumbent or appointed successor in the race for district attorney in Alameda County. The race between the two candidates Terry Wiley and Pamala Price is wide open.
The two candidates offer different visions for policing, public safety and accountability.
Pamala Price is a civil rights lawyer who bills herself as a reform candidate campaigning on progressive policies like ending cash bail.
In her own words, she stands for “integrity, independence, transparency, equity and accountability.”
Terry Wiley is a 32-year veteran of the Alameda County District Attorney’s office. He now serves as a chief deputy district attorney and is serving on a more “pragmatic approach” to the job.
“I stand for a safe community. If someone should happen to come into contact with the criminal justice system I want it to be a fair and just system,” he said…
…Here’s what each candidate vows to tackle immediately if elected:
Price said she would work to immediately implement the mandates of the Racial Justice Act.
The law makes it illegal for the state to pursue a criminal conviction on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin and addresses disparities in sentencing.
She also mentioning the need to address people being prosecuted who have a mental illness…
…Wiley is distancing himself from his current boss Nancy O’Malley, who is retiring after a controversial 13-year tenure as DA.
Wiley said he wants to change the culture by diversifying the DA’s office. This includes tripling the number of Asian American prosecutors.
This is Price’s second run for office. She ran against O’malley in 2018, winning 42% of the vote.
Price also claimed more votes than Wiley in the June primary, which featured four candidates.
The two candidates do agree on some changes they would implement, like never seeking the death penalty, increasing transparency in the office by releasing more stats on who is being prosecuted and decreasing the criminalization of minors.
But there are several areas where they differ, including what to do with the crowded Santa Rita Jail in Dublin — one of the largest jails in the country with growing concerns over the treatment of people being held in custody…
…Price said she would decrease the jail population by 25% in her first term by expanding diversion programs and decreasing the use of cash bail.
Wiley agreed on limiting cash bail for non-violent property crimes, but wouldn’t commit to decreasing the jail population…
November 9: The Mercury News posted an article titled: “Alameda County DA election results: Wiley jumps out to early lead over Price”. From the article:
In the race to replace outgoing Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, Terry Wiley has jumped out to an early lead over Pamela Price.
In the early vote count, Wiley is holding his lead over Price with 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent. An untold number remain uncounted.
Neither candidate returned requests for comments on the early results…
…The June primary – where Price received 43 percent of the vote but failed to secure the majority needed for an outright victory – was seen as a silver lining by progressive justice reform advocates who were dealt a blow by the recall of Chesa Boudin in San Francisco…
…Both campaigns held election watch parties in Oakland. Wiley’s campaign party was at Mimosa Two on Grand Avenue, while Price held hers at Everett and Jones Barbecue on Broadway…
November 18: Berkleyside (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Pamela Price defeats Terry Wiley in Alameda County District Attorney race”. From the article:
Civil rights attorney Pamela Price wins tight race for Alameda County District Attorney after the registrar’s office released the completed results Friday night.
Price won 53% of the votes to defeat Terry Wiley, the county’s chief deputy district attorney.
An audit will be done to confirm the results.
Price will replace Nancy O’Malley, who decided not to seek a fourth term.
The DA is responsible for representing the people of California in criminal, civil and juvenile cases, and decades of whether or not a person should face criminal charges following an arrest by police.
They oversee an office of hundreds of lawyers who have the authority to set policies like whether or not to seek prison or jain sentences for people convicted of drug offenses or theft or to divert these people into treatment programs or other alternatives…
…The election results revealed a stark divide. Communities of color most impacted by crime and mass incarceration chose reform candidate Price, while more affluent suburban areas in the Tri-Valley and southern Alameda County voted for O’Malley…
…Price is endorsed by scholar and activist Angela Davis, actor Danny Glover, civil rights attorney Carl E. Douglas, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, Anti-Policy Terror Project co-founder Cat Brooks, and other Oakland police reform advocates and former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan.
Wiley’s endorsements include Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, civil rights attorneys including John Burris, Congressman Eric Swalwell, several labor unions including the Alameda County Prosecutors’ Association and many county elected officials.
November 20: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Alameda County Announces Pamala Price as Next District Attorney” From the article:
Alameda County voters have elected a new district attorney for the first time in 37 years.
The county’s Department of Elections confirmed that 53 percent of the votes for district attorney were in favor of Pamala Price, who will replace incumbent Nancy O’Malley.
Price, a longtime civil rights attorney, defeated Terry Wiley, a county prosecutor who was endorsed by the outgoing O’Malley.
Price makes history as the first Black woman elected to the position…
Ballotpedia posted the General Election for Alameda County District Attorney results:
Pamela Price (Nonpartisan): 53.1% – 228,954
Terry Wiley (Nonpartisan): 46.9% – 201,837
San Francisco District Attorney Recall Election – 2022
RESULTS:
San Francisco County – Proposition H (Recall Chesa Boudin)
Yes / Si – 60% – 74,336 votes (WINNER)
No / No – 40% – 49,591 votes
June 3, 2022: San Francisco Examiner posted an article titled: “Examiner poll finds voters will recall Chesa Boudin despite strong support for reform”. From the article:
It’s hardly news at this point, but San Francisco voters will almost certainly oust District Attorney Chesa Boudin next week. A new Examiner poll of 541 likely voters conducted by Change Research from May 26-29 shows 56% in favor of recalling the DA, who has a disapproval rate of 62%.
The poll is the latest public survey to show Boudin losing big. While I don’t support the recall, I’m also not a fan of poll-denialism. Barring a literal miracle, Boudin is done.
Many will interpret his defeat as a verdict against criminal justice reform, but the poll suggests the truth is more complicated. While most voters disapprove of Boudin and 66% say they feel less safe than they did 10 years ago, they continue to express strong support for reform.
They may not like Boudin, but they also don’t like the prison industrial complex.
When asked whether they supported “Expanding mental health treatment and stopping the use of jail as a mental health facility,” 85% of voters expressed support.
When asked whether they support sending low-level criminals to diversion programs instead of jail, 68% expressed support.
Even the much vilified policy of eliminating cash bail – a signature Boudin policy – has support from 50% of voters, with only 31% expressing opposition.
These voter attitudes might seem contradictory, but strong support for reform is nothing new. Last June, a David Binder Research poll found 61% of California voters favored treatment and rehabilitation over imprisonment even though 65% believed crime was getting worse…
…If anything, Tuesday’s election will deliver a resounding defeat for some of criminal justice reform’s loudest opponents. Just watch what happens to Michael Shellenberger and Anne Marie Schubert, who are running “tough on crime” campaigns focused on drugs and homelessness.
Despite their fanatical criticism of Democratic reforms and their promises to crack down, neither of these retrograde reactionaries is expected to survive the primary. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta – the state’s main reformers – will sail to victory in November…
June 5, 2022: ABC 7 News posted an article titled: “Rev. Jesse Jackson lends support to San Francisco DA Chess Boudin in recall election” From the article:
As we approach Tuesday’s election, those for and against the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin are in the final stretch.
The embattled DA now has one of the nation’s most well-known civil rights leaders on his side.
The Reverend Jesse Jackson is lending his support to fighting a recall effort that’s gained national attention.
“It’s unnecessary,” said Jackson.
Jackson believes Boudin’s work as DA must continue…
…Boudin has been district attorney since 2019 and says his goal has been reforming the criminal justice system. But those supporting the recall believe his approach to crime has led to increased crime rates.
Supporters of the recall stood in the rain on 19th Avenue, telling votes why Boudin’s got to go…
…A recent poll by the San Francisco Standard found over half of registered voters, 57% support recalling Boudin, while 22% plan to reject the recall.
Boudin’s campaign tweeted its internal polling suggests the race is tied 48% to 48%.
But no one is claiming victory until the votes are counted.
June 7, 2022: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “San Francisco Community Reacts to District Attorney Chesa Boudin Recall”. From the article:
District Attorney Chesa Boudin Tuesday became the fourth San Francisco politician to be removed from office in just the last few months.
His 18 months in office were dominated by the COVID pandemic and the outbreak of widespread property crimes, including a rash of mass retail break-ins and assaults on several members of the AAPI community.
Many of those victims complained that Boudin declined to pursue hate crime charges in those assaults and several of his former deputy prosecutors also became some of his loudest critics.
They complained about the way the district attorney, a self-described reformer, would handle prosecutions. Often opting for what they described as “lenient plea deals.”
After the results came in, he addressed his supporters saying he’s the victim of the anger voters felt because of the pandemic.
“People are angry, and they’re frustrated. And I want to be very clear about what happened tonight,” he said. “The right-wing billionaires outspent us three to one. They exploited an environment in which people are appropriately upset. And they created an electoral dynamic in which we were literally shadow boxing.”
Boudin did not take any questions from reporters, including if he plans on running again….
…Boudin’s recall now means Mayor London Breed will be appointing someone else to the DA’s office for the second time since she’s been in office…
June 8, 2022: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Voters in San Francisco topple the city’s progressive district attorney, Chesa Boudin”. From the article:
Voters in San Francisco on Tuesday put an end to one of the country’s most pioneering experiments in criminal justice reform, ousting a district attorney who eliminated cash bail, vowed to hold police accountable and worked to reduce the number of people sent to prison.
Chesa Boudin, the progressive district attorney, was removed after two and a half years in office, according to The Associated Press, in a vote that is set to reverberate through Democratic politics nationwide as the party fine-tunes its messaging on crime before midterm elections that threaten to strip Democratic control over Congress.
Early returns showed 60 percent of voters in the city approving of the recall.
Ultimately, the election was a contest between progressive Democrats who saw Mr. Boudin as a key leader of a national movement to address mass incarceration and a backlash by more politically moderate San Franciscans – a coalition of Democrats, independents and Republicans – who grew agitated by persistent property crimes and open drug use during the pandemic. The backlash won.
Locally, the resounding recall suggested that many in San Francisco’s Democratic hierarchy are out of step with – and further left than – the city’s voters, one of the most liberal electorates in the country.
In February, the Democratic County Central Committee voted 20-2 to oppose the recall of Mr. Boudin, with the two contrary votes coming from candidates who had run against him for the job. In addition, only two members of the 11-member Board of Supervisors, the city’s top legislative body, publicly supported removing Mr. Boudin; one of them was a former spokesman for the police department and the other is rumored to want Mr. Boudin’s job…
…Mr.Boudin’s replacement will be chosen by Mayor London Breed, who has made public safety a cornerstone of her tenure, including her unusual move in December to declare a state of emergency in the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood, the center of the city’s illicit drug trade…
…The vote was seen by many as an accumulation of frustration by city residents over squalid street conditions, including the illicit drug sales, homeless encampments and untreated mental illness. During the campaign, Mr. Boudin repeatedly pointed out that he was not responsible for many of the street conditions that San Francisco residents are decrying but he recognized that he had become a vessel for their anger…
…Tuesday’s vote had echos of another tectonic election in the city, the ouster of three school board members in February, a recall that reflected voters’ sour mood during the pandemic and an assertion of political power by the city’s Asian Americans.
Many of the volunteers in both recall elections were from the Chinese community, members of whom were stung by burglaries and shoplifting and who felt particularly vulnerable after a spate of attacks on Asian Americans in the city during the pandemic…
Who became the next San Francisco District Attorney?
The current San Francisco District Attorney is Brooke Jenkins, who was sworn in as San Francisco’s 31st District Attorney on January 2023. Jenkins leads the District Attorney’s office and its mission to promote public safety and advance justice for all and is committed to implementing important and vital criminal justice reforms responsibly.
A Bay Area native and Black and Latina woman, District Attorney Jenkins has seen the imbalance and disproportionate impacts of the criminal justice system firsthand. She has had family members on both sides of the courtroom and has seen and felt the impacts of police violence and misconduct. She believes reforms are necessary to ensure that justice is proportional and fairly executed for every person in San Francisco regardless of who they are or where they are from.
Since the beginning of her career in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, District Attorney Jenkins has dedicated her life and career to the pursuit of justice, to advocating for victims and striving to make San Francisco a safer place to live, work, and visit.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Race
Ballotpedia posted information on Alex Villanueva. From the information:
Alex Villanueva is the Los Angeles County Sheriff in California. He assumed office in 2018. His current terms ends December 5, 2022.
Villanueva ran for re-election for Los Angeles County Sheriff in California. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Villanueva completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Alex Villanueva is the 33rd Sheriff of Los Angeles County, and he is the first Spanish-speaking sheriff in the county. In 2018, retired sheriff’s lieutenant Villanueva defeated incumbent Sheriff Jim McDonnell, becoming the first to unseat the incumbent in over 100 years. Sheriff Villanueva also became the first Democratic Sheriff in LA County in almost 140 years.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Reduce Violent Crimes: We must end the hiring freeze and begin to get more cops and detectives on the street.
Expand Homeless Outreach Service: We must help our unhoused get the help they need while regulating public space.
Dismantle Homeless Industrial Complex: use those valuable resources to fund proven methods to treat drug addiction and mental health. If the board won’t do it, we’ll take it to the ballot.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about public service. I have dedicated my life to making the L.A. county’s sheriff department better. Four years ago I ran on a promise to Rebuild, Restore, and Reform the department. We have delivered on the promise!
Here is my record. All sheriff deputies on patrol are now equipped with body worn cameras and body cameras in county jails are coming soon. We promoted a record number of Asian, Latino, African American, female and LGBTQ+ deputies and executives. All transfers of inmates to ICE have been permanently banned.
Perhaps most important, we publicly banned deputy gangs, which led to his policy becoming state law. From day one, we have had zero tolerance of deputy misconduct, 154 individuals fired, 1,000 more disciplined.
Ballotpedia posted information about Robert Luna. From the information:
Robert Luna is the Los Angeles County Sheriff-elect in California. Luna assumed office on December 5, 2022.
Luna ran for election for Los Angeles County Sheriff in California. Luna won the general election on November 8, 2022.
Luna completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am running to restore public trust and reform the Sheriff’s Department.
I worked in law enforcement for 36 years, and was promoted through every rank of the Long Beach Police Department. For 20 years, I served in executive level positions and in 2014, was appointed to serve as the Long Beach Police Chief where I managed the second largest police department in Los Angeles County.
As Police Chief in Long Beach, I proved that you can decrease crime while increasing law enforcement accountability and transparency.
During my tenure, violent crime decreased by 6.5% and property crime decreased by 10%. During the same time, officer involved shootings decreasing 33% and citizen complaints alleging excessive force decreased by 34%.
As Sheriff, I will work to reduce crime address homelessness, restore public trust in the Sheriff’s Office, reform and modernize the Department, and improve deputy and employee wellness.
I have a reputation for listening, problem-solving and being able to work in partnership with our community, and have earned the endorsement of Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, the entire Long Beach City Council, all 5 LA County Supervisors, the LA County Democratic Party and the LA Times.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Reduce Violent Crime and Property Crime – The people of Los Angeles County are concerned about the trajectory of crime and are looking for a proven leader to keep people safe. As Police Chief in Long Beach, during my tenure violent crime decreased 6.5% in Long Beach and property crime by 10%. To address crime, law enforcement must implement a data-driven approach, be relentless in investigations, and be surgical with interventions. In addition, law enforcement must coordinate with the DA’s Office to create a plan for habitual offenders, especially for individuals accused of gun violence. We must also invest in long-term solutions to reduce crime, including prevention strategies like community engagement and social services.
Address Homelessness – Homelessness is the humanitarian crisis of our time. Los Angeles County has the largest unsheltered population in the nation and the status quo is not working. I understand the complexities of homelessness because I worked on homelessness in Long Beach. As Sheriff, I will make sure that case management and diversion programs are offered on our streets, in our jails, and also our courtrooms. I also support the creation of a multidisciplinary team to respond to non-life-threatening emergencies. These alternate responses free up our deputies to respond to crime. And, I will advocate for additional accountability and transparency of our partners who recieve public resources to address homelessness.
Restore Public Trust in the Sheriff’s Office – The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is in a crisis of leadership, accountability, and public trust. After nearly a decade of scandals, the current Sheriff was elected on the promise of reform and to clean up the department. Instead, the current Sheriff has failed to root out misconduct, rejected oversight, and destroyed public trust. Restoring public trust requires leadership experience and a proven commitment to transparency and accountability. As Sheriff, I will be transparent with all community partners, especially the Civilian Oversight Commission.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Improve Deputy and Employee Wellness – As Sheriff and senior management for more than ten thousand deputies, I will improve the working conditions within LASD by eradicating gangs and providing wellness programs to deputies and employees. With more than three decades of police experience, I have seen first-hand that the personal needs of law enforcement officers and employees go ignored too often, which leads to negative consequences. The Sheriff’s Department has been plagued by gangs and cliques for decades. As Sheriff, I will eradicate gangs and cliques within the Department by repairing the management structure, implementing protocols to stop deputies from participating in gangs, and enforcing consequences when we find staff who are involved in gang activities.
As Sheriff, I will reform LASD’s culture and policies to support the wellbeing and safety of the brave women and men who chose to serve their community. This includes being attentive to equipment and uniform needs, providing mental healthcare, and creating peer counseling and mentoring programs. And, just as importantly, I will work to reduce any stigma associated with mental health care to ensure that all deputies take full advantage of these services. Strengthening law enforcement safety and wellness are not only essential for employees, but also for public safety.
November 5: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Democrats Ushered In the Los Angeles Sheriff. Now Many Want Him Gone.” From the article:
…Elected four years ago as sheriff of Los Angeles County, Mr. Villanueva, 59, has become one of California’s most polarizing figures, his tenure punctuated with what many see as combative behavior, perplexing politics, and the antics of a cowboy lawman.
Recoiling from efforts to regulate his power, he has battled with public officials and antagonized his critics. Among them are Ms. Kuehl, who serves on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors – the governing body that oversees the sheriff’s department budget – and Ms. Giggans, who sits on the county civilian oversight commission. Both have called for the sheriff’s resignation.
Unlike police chiefs who are appointed, sheriffs in most states answer directly to voters, giving them largely unchecked powers over an array of law enforcement matters, from issuing gun permits to running the jails. Few have pushed the bounds of their authority like Sheriff Villanueva.
In his first term running the largest sheriff’s department in the nation, he has been accused of opening criminal investigations into his detractors, covering up intimate abuse and deputy misconduct, unlawfully reinstating a friend fired for alleged domestic abuse and bullying a county executive, which led to a $1.5 million settlement…
…His actions have prompted the county supervisors to place an extraordinary measure on the ballot allowing them to oust him – if he survives the election on Tuesday against a former police chief, Robert Luna, who has been endorsed by prominent Democrats and labor unions.
November 15: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Sheriff Villanueva’s chances for second term dwindle as Luna’s holds strong”. From the article:
With Robert Luna continuing to hold a commanding lead in the race for Los Angeles County sheriff, Alex Villanueva’s chances of winning a second term have all but vanished, election results show.
With 1.8 million ballots counted as of Monday evening, Luna has won 60% of the vote and Villanueva has received 40% – a gap that has remained relatively steady since the first batch of ballots were counted on election night last Tuesday.
While the exact number of outstanding ballots is not known, on Monday election officials estimated there were 655,300 ballots still left to count.
To catch up to Luna, Villanueva would need to win three out of every four of the remaining ballots. The likelihood of Villanueva mounting a comeback of that size is very low given that he has won only about four in 10 of the votes counted so far.
On Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Department announced that Villanueva planned to address the media at 2 p.m., fueling speculation that he might concede to Luna…
…Villanueva struggled to build momentum throughout the campaign. He finished first in the primary in June, but won only 31% of the vote – and underwhelming performance for an incumbent and not nearly enough to avoid a runoff against Luna, who finished in second with 26% of the vote.
Luna, who headed the Long Beach Police Department for seven years before retiring last year, positioned himself during the campaign as the level-headed alternative to Villanueva and vowed he would work with the county elected officials Villanueva has vilified. He received the endorsements of all five county supervisors, and the sheriff candidates he beat in the June primary threw their support to him.
November 15: ABC7 posted an article titled: “LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva concedes to Robert Luna, wishes ‘the incoming sheriff well'”. From the article:
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva conceded the race one week after the election, wishing Robert Luna well as the former Long Beach police chief will succeed him as head of one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the U.S.
During a Tuesday afternoon news conference, Villanueva blamed his loss on what he describes as a sweeping misinformation campaign and the use of “false narratives” focused on issued including alleged deputy gangs, his appeared resistance of oversight by the county and Civilian Oversight Commission and other allegations of internal harassment and retaliation against purported whistleblowers.
Villanueva has trailed Luna as results from last week’s election continued to be tallied.
According to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, Luna had a lead of 324,837 votes, up from 259,184 when the last update was released Saturday.
The results from last Tuesday’s election stood at 987,730 votes for Luna, or 59.8%, and 622,893 for Villanueva, or 40.2%
The next update is expected to be released Tuesday afternoon, according to election officials.
The article included the following information about the vote totals (as of November 15):
Luna – 60% – 1,040,727
Villanueva – 40% – 693,527
November 18: LAist posted an article titled: “LA Sheriff-Elect Robert Luna Promises ‘Open Arms, Ears Open'” From the article:
In his first news conference as Los Angeles County’s sheriff-elect, Robert Luna on Friday announced the members of his transition team and promised to work with community and county leaders to resolve the many controversies the Sheriff’s Department remains embroiled in.
He vowed to repair relations with the Board of Supervisors and the Civilian Oversight Commission, bodies outgoing Sheriff Alex Villanueva constantly battled throughout his four years in office…
…Luna said that over the next several months he will be working towards new policies and strategies to address crime, “repair relationships in our community and across the board,” address homelessness, modernize the department, and “improve employee wellness.”…
December 5: (published November 8:) LAist posted an article titled: “LA County Sheriff Results: Sheriff Villanueva Concedes Race to Robert Luna. What’s Next For LASD?” From the article:
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva conceded Tuesday that he had lost his bid for reelection to former Long Beach Police Officer Robert Luna.
After Tuesday’s vote update, Luna has opened up a 20-point lead over Villanueva.
In a statement on Twitter Tuesday,Luna said he is “deeply honored and humbled that you have elected me as your next sheriff.”
His full statement on Twitter said:
“Thank you, L.A. County!
I’m deeply honored and humbled that you have elected me as your next Sheriff.
With your vote, you have entrusted me with a clear mandate to bring new leadership and accountability to the Sheriff’s Department.
And that’s exactly what I will do.
I want to offer my best wishes to Sheriff Villanueva and his family.
And I look forward to working with the talented and courageous sworn and professional staff of the Sheriff’s Department who are dedicated to keeping our communities safe.”
– Sheriff Robert Luna
California Propositions 2022 Midterm Elections
CalMatters provided information about the various Propositions on the 2022 Ballot:
Proposition 1: Putting Abortion Safeguards In The California Constitution
After the news leaked in early May that the U.S. Supreme Court was planning to rule that the federal constitution doesn’t guarantee the right to an abortion – and it did reverse the five-decade-old precedent on June 24 – California’s top Democrats vowing to “fight like hell,” proposed adding the protection to the state constitution. The proposed constitutional amendment was introduced in the Legislature in early June and was passed with the overwhelming support of both chambers by the end of the month. If approved by the voters, it would bar the state from denying or interfering with a person’s right to choose an abortion and contraceptives…
CalMatters also provided the following information about Proposition 1:
This ballot measure amends the California Constitution to enshrine a fundamental right to reproductive freedom. That includes the right to choose to have an abortion and the right to choose or refuse contraceptives. Because these rights are already protected by state law, Prop. 1 is unlikely to have any financial impact on California, unless court interpreted it as expanding the government’s obligation to pay for contraception and abortion procedures, which it already does for low-income residents.
Why was it on the ballot?
There is already a right to privacy guaranteed in the California Constitution, but it is not explicitly defined. Historically, the language has been understood to preserve reproductive rights, including a decision by the California Supreme Court. Abortion and contraceptive access were later expressly protected in state law.
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade, however, has raised fears that a change in legal interpretation or partisan control of the now-overwhelmingly Democratic state Legislature could undermine those protections for Californian’s in the future.
Backed by abortion rights advocates and Gov. Gavin Newsom, lawmakers rushed to place Proposition 1 on the ballot to ensure that reproductive health care remains a constitutional right in California.
Supporters of Proposition 1 argue that Proposition 1 will prevent California from going backwards on reproductive rights. By putting the right to abortion and contraception directly into the California Constitution, they say that reproductive health care will always be a medical decision, not a political one, no matter what party controls state government.
Supporters include:
Yes on 1 committee
Abortion rights groups, including Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and NARAL Pro-Choice California
California Medical Association
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
League of Women Voters of California
SEIU California
California Democratic Party
Equality California
Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and other Democratic statewide elected officials
Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and dozens of other Democratic legislators
Hillary Clinton
Health Care for All-California
Opponents of Proposition 1 say that Prop. 1 is unnecessary to protect reproductive rights in California but is written so broadly that it could face years of protracted court battles to clear up the language, costing the state millions of dollars in legal fees. They raise particular concern that the measure would override state regulations that now limit abortions after the point when a fetus is viable on its own outside the womb, at about 24 weeks of pregnancy. These late-term abortions are currently only legal if the health or the life of the mother is threatened. Supporters say the measure does nothing to change that.
Opponents include:
No on 1 Committee
California Alliance of Pregnancy Care (a faith-based organization)
Pacific Justice Institute (a non-profit legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties)
California Catholic Conference
International Faith Based Coalition
California Republican Party
August 16: Politifact posted an article titled: California Together, No On Proposition 1″.
“With Proposition 1, the number of abortion seekers from other states will soar even higher, costing taxpayers millions more.” California Together, No on Proposition 1 on its website, Aug. 16, 2022.
Politifact’s “Truth-O-Meter” declaring that quote to be “Mostly False”.
California Together, a campaign led by religious and anti-abortion groups, is hoping to persuade voters to reject a ballot measure that would cement the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution. The group is warning that taxpayers will be on the hook for an influx of abortion seekers from out of state.
Proposition 1 was placed on the ballot by the Democratic-controlled legislature in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. If passed, it would protect an individual’s “fundamental right to choose to have an abortion,” along with the right to birth control.
California Together’s website says: “With Proposition 1, the number of abortion seekers from other states will soar even higher, costing taxpayers millions more.”
The campaign raised similar cost concerns in a voter information guide that will be mailed out to every registered voter ahead of the Nov. 8 election. One prominent argument is that Proposition 1 will turn California into a “sanctuary state” for abortion seekers, including those in late-term pregnancy – and that would be a drain on tax dollars.
We decided to take a closer look at those eye-catching statements to see how well they hold up when broken down.
We reached out to California Together to find out the basis for its arguments against the measure. The campaign cited an analysis from the pro-abortion rights Guttmacher Institute, which estimated before Roe was overturned that the number of women ages 15 to 49 whose nearest abortion provider would be in California would increase 3,000% in response to state abortion bands . The Guttmacher analysis said most of California’s out-of-state patients would likely come from Arizona because it’s within driving distance.
California Together does not cite a specific cost to taxpayers for the measure. Rather, it points to millions of dollars the state has already allocated to support abortion and reproductive services as an indication of how much more the state could spend if the proposed amendment passes.
Sources indicate that people are already coming to the state for abortion services.
Jessica Pinckney, executive director of Oakland-based Access Reproductive Justice, which provides financial and emotional support for people who have abortions in California, said the organization has experienced an increase in out-of-state calls even before the high court ruled in June. Pinckney anticipates handling more cases as more states restrict abortion – regardless of Proposition 1’s outcome.
Will it cost taxpayers millions?
In its fiscal year 2022-23 budget, California committed more than $200 million to expanding reproductive health care services, including $20 million for a fund to cover the travel expenses of abortion seekers, regardless of what state they live in. Once it’s up and running in 2023, the fund will provide grants to nonprofit organizations that help women with transportation and lodging.
However, none of this spending is connected to Proposition 1, said Carolyn Chu, chief deputy legislative analyst at the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. It’s already allocated in the budget and will be sold out next year, regardless of what happens with the ballot measure.
In the end, the Legislative Analyst’s Office found “no direct fiscal effect” if Proposition 1 passes because Californians already have abortion protections. And people traveling from out of state don’t qualify for state-subsidized health programs, such as Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program, Chu added in an interview.
“If people were to travel to California for services, including abortion, that does not mean they’re eligible for Medi-Cal- she said.
Still, Proposition 1 opponents see the cost argument playing out differently.
Richard Temple, a campaign strategist for California Together, said a “no” vote will send lawmakers a mandate to stop the support fund.
“Defeat Prop. 1, and you send a loud signal to the legislature and to the governor that you don’t want to pay for those kinds of expenses for people coming in from out or state, Temple said.
What about an influx of abortion seekers?
A key element of California Together’s argument is pegged to the idea that California will become a sanctuary state for abortion seekers. Opponents assert that Proposition 1 opens the door to a new legal interpretation of the state’s Reproductive Privacy Act. Currently, that law allows abortion up to the point of viability, usually around the 24th week of pregnancy, or later to protect the life or health of the patient.
An argument made in the voter guide against the constitutional amendment is that it would allow all late-term abortions “even when the mother’s life is not in danger, even when the healthy baby could survive outside the womb.“
Because the proposition says the state can’t interfere with the right to abortion, opponents argue that current law restricting most abortions after viability will become unconstitutional. They contend that without restrictions, California will draw thousands, possibly millions, of women in late-term pregnancy.
Statistically, that’s unlikely. The state doesn’t report abortion figures, but nationwide only 1% of abortions happen at 21 weeks or later, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Whether there will be new interpretation if Proposition 1 passes is up for debate…
…California voters will soon have their say.
Polling has found widespread support for the constitutional amendment. An August survey by the Berkeley IGS Poll found 71% of voters would vote “yes” on Proposition 1. A September survey by the Public Policy Institute of California pegged support at 69%.
Our Ruling
California Together warns voters: “With Proposition 1, the number of abortion seekers from other states will soar even higher, costing taxpayers millions more.”
Proposition 1 would protect and individual’s “fundamental right to choose to have an abortion.”
It could lead to more people going to California for abortion services, but that’s already happening, even before voters decide on the measure.
Also, Proposition 1 doesn’t allocate any new spending. So, the $20 million state fund to cover travel expenses for abortion seekers would exist regardless of whether it is adopted. Bottom line: a nonpartisan analyst found there would be no direct fiscal impact to the state and out-of-state residents don’t qualify for state-subsidized health programs.
It’s speculative that Proposition 1 would expand abortion rights beyond what’s currently allowed or that the state would allocate money for out-of-state residents.
Because the statement contains some truth but ignores critical facts to give a different impression, we rate the statement Mostly False.
November 12: The New York Times reported the following results on Proposition 1:
Yes – 65.7%
No – 34.4%
This count was tallied with 69% of the votes in. CalMatters declared Proposition 1 as “Passed”.
Proposition 26: Legalize Sports Betting At Tribal Casinos
CalMatters reported that Proposition 26 would have allowed tribal casinos and the state’s four horse race tracks to offer in-person sports betting. At race tracks, sports betting could only be offered to people 21 or older. Age restrictions on sports betting at tribal casinos would need to be negotiated by California’s governor and each tribe, and written into each tribe’s compact with the state.
The proposition would also have allowed tribal casinos to begin offering roulette and dice games, including craps.
It taxes sports bets placed at horse race tracks. It doesn’t tax tribes, which are sovereign nations, but it requires tribes to reimburse the state for the cost of regulating sports betting.
The proposition also would have created new ways of enforcing some gaming laws, allowing anyone to bring a lawsuit if they believe the laws are being violated and the state Justice Department declines to act. Any penalty and settlement money that results would go to the state.
State analysts say the proposition could generate as much as tens of millions annually for the state. It’s difficult to know the exact amount for a few reasons. New tribal-state compacts might require tribes to pay more to local government, for example, and it’s unclear how much money will result from the new private lawsuits. The revenue would first be spent on education spending commitments and regulatory costs. If there’s any money left over, it would go to the state’s discretionary fund, as well as to problem gaming and mental health research, and the enforcement of gaming rules.
Why was it on the ballot?
Tribes have long had the exclusive right to offer certain forms of gambling in California, including slot machines and certain card games, such as 21 and baccarat. But sports betting – besides horse racing – isn’t legal in California currently.
Since the Supreme Court ruled that states could legalize sports betting in 2018, 35 states plus Washington D.C. have made the leap. In California, lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work it out in time to get a measure on the ballot.
Elsewhere it’s proven popular – and lucrative. Americans bet more than $57 billion on sports in 2021. The massive expansion has also concerned advocates, who say that gambling addiction will increase, and that research into long-term effect of legalizing sports betting has fallen short.
Two different sports betting measures made it onto the ballot for the 2022 election. Prop. 27 would allow sports betting across the state, while Prop. 26 would allow in-person betting only at tribal casinos and horse race tracks. If both pass, both could go into effect, but all likelihood a court would decide.
Supporters of Proposition 26 argue it will increase tribal self-sufficiency by bringing more business to tribal casinos. Tribal casinos create jobs, and help tribes pay for services like health care and education. Supporters also say it will protect against underage gambling by requiring people to be physically present to make bets, and by prohibiting advertising to people under 21. They also say it will generate money for the state of California.
Supporters include:
27 tribes and tribal organizations, led by tribes with casinos, including Federated Indians of Groton Rancheria, Pechanga Band of Indians, Mocha Dee Wintun Nation
NAACP, California-Hawaii state conference
Labor leader Dolores Huerta, and Communications Workers of America
Lieutenant Gov. Eleni Kounalakis
Treasurer Fiona Ma
California Young Democrats, and many local Democratic committies
California District Attorneys Association
Opponents of Proposition 26 argue the new gaming law enforcement mechanism will be used by tribal casinos to sue competing card rooms and drive card rooms out of business. If that happens, they argue, it will lead to lost jobs and tax revenue, often in communities of color. Some casinos allow 18 year olds to gamble, so opponents argue the initiative could lead young people to develop gambling addictions. They also argue it will revive the shrinking horse racing industry, which they say endangers horses.
Opponents include:
No on 26 committee
Cities including Clovis, Commerce, Compton, and Huntington Park
California Republican Party
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees California
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chapters and local humane societies
California Black Chamber of Commerce and California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
CalMatters reported that voters resoundingly rejected Proposition 26, with nearly 70% against in early returns. Proposition 26 failed.
What did California Tribes Think About Proposition 26?
November 4: 23ABC Bakersfield posted an article titled: “Tejon Tribe of California weighs in on Propositions 26 and 27, tribal gaming rights, and gambling restrictions”. From the article:
Propositions 26 and 27 are both aimed at sports betting and have to do with California tribes’ exclusive rights to offer certain types of games.
Prop 26 would give the green light for tribes to offer in-person sports betting at their casinos. It would also empower officials to crack down on non-native businesses that illegally offer games that are supposed to be exclusive to tribes.
The Tejon Indian Tribe of California is the only federally recognized tribe in Kern County, and tribal leaders are currently looking forward to their first commercial venture, the creation of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino that would be built near Mettler.
23ABC spoke with Councilwoman Sandra Hernandez about the tribe’s stances on two California ballot measures when it comes to gambling and tribal rights.
“I think all it does is really put those wardrooms that are operating illegally in check. And it will bring those parameters into place that you’re not allowed to game in this manner,” Hernandez said. “And while it’s maybe already existing and happening now, that it would be something that would become a little bit more regulated with this.”
She says Prop 27, which legalizes mobile sports betting and is funded by large companies including casino groups in Las Vegas, doesn’t respect tribal sovereignty, as tribes who make deals with these groups would have to give up certain rights that were passed by voters.
“It gives these out-of-state corporations the same ability to game that the California tribes received through California’s voters,” Hernandez said. “And I think that that’s something that’s very important to California and the state, and that recognition of realizing where gaming stands right now with California tribes.”
More than 50 tribe are in support of Proposition 26, including The Tejon Indian Tribe of California. Hernandez says tribe officials believe the measure strengthens the gambling system that’s already in place here in California, and is the best option to help everyone regardless of tribal affiliation…
CalMatters wrote that Proposition 26, with nearly 70% against in early returns – Failed.
Proposition 27: Allow Online Sports Betting
CalMatters reported that Prop. 27 would have allowed licensed tribes and gaming companies to offer mobile and online sports betting for adults 21 and older outside Native American tribal lands. Gaming companies – such as FanDuel and DraftKings – could only offer sports betting if they made a deal with a tribe.
The measure creates extremely high thresholds for gaming companies to do business in California, making it all but impossible for smaller companies to compete.
The proposition would have created a new division within the state’s Justice Department to regulate online sports wagering. That division could also decide whether to approve new forms of gambling, such as betting on awards shows and video games. It also gives the Justice Department additional powers to address illegal sports betting.
Tribes and gaming companies would pay fees and taxes to the state that could total several hundred million dollars a year, state analysts estimate. The actual amount is uncertain, in part because gaming operators are allowed to deduct certain expenses to reduce their tax bill.
After covering the state’s new regulatory costs, most of the money would be used to address homelessness and for gambling and addiction programs, while 15% would go to Native American tribes that aren’t involved in sports betting.
Why was it on the ballot?
Sports betting – other than on horse racing – isn’t legal in California currently.
The U.S. Supreme Court allowed states to legalize sports betting in 2018. Since then, 35 states plus D.C. have made the move. It’s proven to be big business: Americans bet more than $57 billion on sports betting in 2021. The explosion of sports betting has also concerned advocates, who say that gambling addiction will increase, and that research into the long-term effects of legalizing sports betting has fallen short.
California lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work one out in time to get a measure on the ballot. Then came a rush of groups trying to qualify their own sports betting initiatives for the 2022 election. Ultimately, two different measures made it onto the ballot. Prop. 27 would allow online sports betting only at tribal casinos and horse race tracks. If both pass, both could go into effect, but in all likelihood, a court would decide.
Supporters of Prop. 27 say it would create a permanent source of funding to reduce homelessness and will allow every tribe to benefit – including tribes that decide not to offer sports betting. it would protect against underage gambling with fines for violators and would prohibit betting on youth sporting events.
Supporters include:
Yes on Prop 27 committee
FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and four other gaming companies, which are funding the measure
Three Native American tribes: Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, and Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Mayors of Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, and Long Beach
Some homeless advocates including Bay Area Community Services and Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness
Major League Baseball
Opponents include:
Opponents say that Prop 27 would turn every cellphone and computer into a gambling device. They say it would escalate the risks of underage and problem gambling. They also say it would drive business away from tribal casinos and threaten tribal sovereignty because tribes would have to give up some of their rights in order to offer sports betting. And they argue that most of the money would go to companies in other states.
Opponents include:
No on Prop. 27 committee
50 Native American tribes and tribal organizations
California Democratic Party
California Republican Party
Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis
Gov. Gavin Newsom
California Teachers Association, Communications Workers of America, United Food and Commercial Workers, labor leader Dolores Huerta
Homelessness and housing advocates, including Coalition on Homelessness San Francisco and California Coalition for Rural Housing
CalMatters reported that “voters didn’t just reject Proposition 27, they are headed to defeating it by one of the largest margins for initiatives, with more than 80% opposed in early returns.” CalMatters marked Proposition as “Failed”.
Proposition 28: Guarantee Funding For Arts And Music Education
CalMatters reported that Proposition 28 easily passed, with more than 60% of the vote in early returns.
What will it do?
Proposition 98 requires the state to spend a certain percentage of its general fund on public education. This measure will require the state to add an amount equal to 1% of Prop. 98 funding – money guaranteed for public schools and community colleges in the state budget – for music and arts educations. That’s estimated to be a $1 billion annual set aside. This measure would not raise taxes, so the additional money would have to come from elsewhere in the state’s general fund. Proponents say the state’s recent surplus should cover the cost. Schools with high proportions of students from low-income households would get more funding. School districts will be required to spend 80% of the new funding on hiring arts and music instructors, and they will have to publish annual reports on how they spend the money.
Why was it on the ballot?
State law requires instruction in visual and performing arts for grades 1-6. For grades 7-8, schools must offer arts classes either during or after school. High school students must take either a year of art, a foreign language or career and technical education to graduate. But most California high schools require students to take art to align with the admissions requirements for the California State University and University of California systems.
But when school district budgets are cut during economic downturns, arts and music programs are often the first to be downsize. So former Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner said he launched the Prop. 28 campaign to turn the arts into a core subject along with math, science and reading.
He said the push for more arts education was inspired by conversations he had with educators during his time leading the state’s largest school district. Citing a 2021 study by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Beutner said giving students the space to express themselves creatively leads to a sense of belonging, which in turn helps them in math and reading.
“Math has rules. Grammar has rules. Art is unbounded,” Beutner said. “And if you think about preparing students for critical thinking, art isn’t just the sprinkles on an ice cream sundae. It’s an essential piece.”
Arguments For Prop. 28
Beutner, who donated more than $4 million to the campaign, and other supporters also say that arts and music instruction could help address the mental health crisis facing California’s youth as they recover from the pandemic.
Along with Beutner, supporters include Sylvester Stallone and other Hollywood stars and musicians such as Andersan Paak, and Barbara Streisand. Prop. 28 also has strong support from teachers unions, as the arts funding is expected to generate jobs for educators.
Fender Musical Instruments donated more than $1 million to the campaign. Fender CEO Andy Mooney said the company has donated more than 10,000 guitars to Los Angeles Unified and hopes Prop. 28 will allow Fender to donate instruments to other districts.
Supporters for Prop 28 include:
Vote Yes on 28 committee
SEIU California
California Democratic Party
Local arts organizations
Local music and arts education groups
CalMatters wrote that no opposition filed. But critics, including some newspaper editorial boards, call it “ballot box budgeting” that locks in even more spending for schools and that could force cuts to other important programs in the next recession. [...]
September 27, 2023CaliforniaPart of the California 2022 ballot included a series of Propositions that voters could vote for, or against. CalMatters provided information about the various Propositions.
Proposition 1: Putting abortion safeguards in the California constitution:
After the news leaked in early May that the U.S. Supreme Court was planning to rule that the federal constitution doesn’t guarantee the right to an abortion – and it did reverse the five-decade-old president on June 24 – California’s top Democrats, vowing to “fight like hell,” proposed adding the protection to the state constitution.
The proposed constitutional amendment was introduced in the Legislature in early June and was passed with the overwhelming support of both chambers by the end of the month. If approved by voters, it would bar the state from denying or interfering with a person’s right to choose an abortion and contraceptives.
California has long been a safe haven for abortion access. In 1969 the state Supreme Court ruled that the California’s constitution’s right to privacy implies the right to an abortion. Reproductive access is also protected by statute. Supporters hope this amendment will reiterate that policy more explicitly and render it harder to reverse in the future, though some legal scholars say the language is still too ambiguous.
Ballotpedia reported about the results of Proposition 1:
Proposition 1: Provide a state constitutional right to reproductive freedom, defined to include abortion and contraceptives.
Yes Votes: 7,176,883 (67%) – Approved
No Votes: 3,553,561 (33%)
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
CalMatters reported: There is already a right to privacy guaranteed in the California Constitution, but it is not explicitly defined. Historically, the language has been understood to preserve reproductive rights, including through a decision by the California Supreme Court. Abortion and contraception access were later expressly protected in state law.
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade, however, has raised fears that a change in legal interpretation or partisan control of the now-overwhelmingly Democratic state Legislature could undermine those protections for Californians in the future.
Backed by abortion rights advocates and Gov. Gavin Newsom, lawmakers rushed to place Proposition 1 on the ballot to ensure that reproductive health care remains a constitutional right in California.
Proposition 26: Legalize sports betting at American Indian gaming casinos and licensed racetracks in California
After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law banning state-regulated sports betting, two big spending interests stepped up with California legalization proposals.
CalMatters reported that Prop. 26, supported by some of the state’s tribal governments, would only legalize sports betting in-person at tribal casinos and designated horse tracks. The measure, which would also allow tribes to offer roulette and other dice games, would raise potentially tens of millions of dollars for the state budget, most of which would be spend at the discretion of the governor and Legislature.
Ballotpedia provided information about Proposition 26:
Proposition 26: Legalize sports betting at American Indian gaming casinos and licensed racetracks in California
Yes Votes: 3,514,593 votes (33%)
No Votes: 7,129,122 votes (67%) – Defeated
CalMatters wrote about what Proposition 25 would have done:
Proposition 26 would have allowed tribal casinos and the state’s four horse race tracks to offer in-person sports betting. At race racks, sports betting could only be offered to people 21 or older. Age restrictions on sports betting at tribal casinos would need to be negotiated by California’s governor and each tribe, and written into each tribe’s compact with the state.
The proposition would also have allowed tribal casinos to begin offering roulette and dice games, including craps.
It taxes sports bets placed at horse race tracks. It doesn’t tax tribes, which are sovereign nations, but it requires tribes to reimburse the state for the cost of regulating sports betting.
The proposition would also have created a new way of enforcing some gaming laws, allowing anyone to bring a lawsuit if they believe the laws are being violated and the state Justice Department declines to act. Any penalty and settlement money that results would go to the state.
State analysts say the proposition could generate as much as tens of millions annually for the state. It’s difficult to know the exact amount for a few reasons. New tribal-state compacts might require tribes to pay more to local governments, for example, and it’s unclear how much money will result from the new private lawsuits. The revenue would first be spent on education spending commitments and regulatory costs. If there’s any money left over, it would go to the state’s discretionary fund, as well as to problem gaming and mental health research, and the enforcement of gaming rules.
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
Tribes have long had the exclusive right to offer certain forms of gambling in California, including slot machines and certain card games, such as 21 and baccarat. But sports betting – besides horse racing – isn’t legal in California currently.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could legalize sports betting in 2018, 35 states plus Washington D.C. have made the leap. In California, lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work it out in time to get a measure on the ballot.
Proposition 27: Legalize Online and Mobile Sports Betting In California
Proposition 27: Legalize online and mobile sports betting in California
Yes: 1,906,339 (18%)
No: 8,849,200 (82%) – Defeated
CalMatters reported: Voters didn’t just Proposition 27, they defeated it by one of the largest margins for initiatives, with 82% opposed.
WHAT WOULD IT HAVE DONE?
CalMatters reported: Prop 27 would have allowed licensed tribes and gaming companies to offer mobile and online sports betting for adults 21 and older outside Native American tribal lands. Gaming companies – such as FanDuel and DraftKings – could only offer sports betting if they made a deal with a tribe.
The measure creates extremely high thresholds for gaming companies to do business in California, making it all but impossible for smaller gaming companies to compete.
The proposition would have created a new division within the state’s Justice Department to regulate online sports wagering. That division could also decide whether to approve new forms of gambling, such as betting on awards shows and video games. It also gives the Justice Department additional powers to address illegal sports betting.
Tribes and gaming companies would pay fees and taxes to the state that could total several hundred million dollars a year, state analysts estimate. The actual amount is uncertain, in part because gaming operators are allowed to deduct certain expenses to reduce their tax bill.
After covering the state’s new regulatory costs, most of the money would be used to address homelessness and for gambling addiction programs, while 15% would go to Native American tribes that aren’t involved in sports betting.
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
Sports betting – other than horse racing – isn’t legal in California currently.
California lawmakers tried to negotiate a deal on sports betting in 2020, but weren’t able to work one out in time to get a measure on the ballot. Then came a rush of groups trying to qualify their own sports betting initiatives for the 2022 election. Ultimately, two different measures made it onto the ballot. Prop. 27 would allow online sports betting across the state, while Prop. 26 would allow in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and horse race tracks. If both passed, both would go into effect, but in all likelihood a court would decide.
Proposition 28: Require funding for K-12 art and music education
Proposition 28: Require funding for K-12 art and music education
Yes: 6,924,613 votes (64%) – Approved
No: 3,827,964 votes (36%)
CalMatters provided information about Proposition 28: Set aside school funding for arts and music:
Sponsored by former Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Beutner, this measure would require the state to set aside a share of its revenue – likely between $800 million to $1 billion per year – for arts and education classes. The new money would be disproportionately reserved for schools with many low-income students to hire new arts staff.
Ballotpedia provided information about Proposition 28:
What did Proposition 28 do?
Proposition 28 required a minimum source of annual funding for K-12 public schools, including charter schools, to fund arts education programs. The annual minimum amount established by the law was equal to, at minimum, 1% of the total state and local revenues that local education agencies received under Proposition 98 (1988) during the prior fiscal year. The minimum under the proposed law was in addition to the funding required by Proposition 98. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the ballot initiative would result in increased spending of $800 million to $1 billion each fiscal year.
How did Proposition 98 relate to school funding?
In 1988, Californians approved Proposition 98 by a margin of 50.7% to 49.4%. Proposition 98 amended the state constitution to require a minimum percentage of the state budget to be spent on K-14 education (kindergarten through two-year community college), which is referred to as the minimum guarantee.
Proposition 98 established two formulas or tests to determine the minimum guarantee, which is the highest funding level produced by Test 1 or Test 2. Test 1 links the minimum guarantee to about 40% of the state General Fund, which is equal to California’s 1986-87 funding level of public education. Test 2 calculates the minimum guarantee by adjusting the prior year’s minimum guarantee by student attendance and changes in the cost of living.
Who supported and opposed Proposition 28?
Yes on 28 – Californians for Arts and Music in Schools led the Vote Arts and Minds campaign in support of the initiative. The campaign received endorsements from former Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District Austin Beutner, former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (D), the California Teachers Association, and several celebrities and musicians.
Beutner and Duncan said in a joint statement, “Only 1 in 5 public schools in California has a dedicated teacher for traditional arts programs like music, dance, theater and art, or newer forms of creative expression like computer graphics, animation, coding, costume design and filmmaking… This initiative is timely as our country seeks to create a more just and equitable future for all children. A boost in arts and music education will help ensure the future workforce in media and technology properly reflect the diversity of the children in our public schools.”
The campaign reported receiving over $10.6 million in contributions according to its latest campaign finance filings. Ballotpedia has not identified any committees registered in opposition to the initiative.
Proposition 29: Enact staffing requirements, reporting requirements, ownership disclosure, and closing requirements for chronic dialysis clinics
Proposition 29: Enact staffing requirements, reporting requirements, ownership disclosure, and closing requirements for chronic dialysis clinics
Yes: 3,364,404 (32%) votes
No: 7,281,196 (68%) votes – Defeated
CalMatters reported: Proposition 29: Kidney clinic rules, third time’s a charm?
This measure slaps dialysis clinics with a host of new restrictions, including a requirement that a doctor, nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant be on side during all treatment hours. Centers would also be required to get state approval before reducing services and to publicly list any doctors who have at least a 5% ownership stake in a clinic.
Sound familiar? That’s because the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, the union supporting this measure, has tried and failed to persuade voters to support new dialysis center regulations twice before, in 2018 and 2020, over vehement and very costly industry opposition.
CalMatters provided additional information about Proposition 29:
This is the third time since 2018 that a measure similar to Proposition 29 failed, with 68% voting “no” this year.
WHAT WOULD IT HAVE DONE?
This measure would have required kidney dialysis clinics to have at least one physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with six months of relevant experience available on site or, in some cases, via Telehealth. It would also have required that clinics report infection data to the state, a well as publicly list physicians who have ownership interest of 5% or more in a clinic. The measure also would have prohibited clinics from closing or reducing services without state approval and from refusing treatment to people based on their insurance type.
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
This is the third time a labor union, Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, goes after dialysis clinics via the ballot process. The union says it wants to reform the booming industry and increase transparency, while dialysis companies that spent millions to defeat the two prior measures say it’s a union ploy to pressure clinics and organize dialysis workers.
There are about 650 dialysis clinics across the state and about 80,000 Californians receive the life-saving treatment. State analysts estimate that the clinics have total revenue of about $3.5 billion a year and that two private, for-profit companies – DaVita Inc. and Fresenius Medical Care – own or operate about. three-fourths of the clinics.
Proposition 30: Create a 1.75% tax on personal income above $2 million and allocate revenue for zero-emissions vehicle and wildfire programs.
Proposition 30: Tax on Income Above $2 Million for Zero-Emissions Vehicles and Wildfire Prevention Initiative (2022)
Yes: 4,560,483 votes (42.37%)
No: 6,203,806 votes (57.63%) – Defeated
CalMatters posted information about Proposition 30:
Millionaires paying for electric cars: This measure would impose a new 1.75% tax on any individual’s income of more than $2 million per year to raise between $3 billion to $4.5 billion each year to fund a collection of greenhouse gas reducing initiatives. Most of the money would go toward new incentives for Californians to buy zero-emission vehicles and to build new electric charging or hydrogen fueling stations. (Lyft, which is required to move toward ZEV’s is a major funder). A quarter of the new money would go toward wildfire fighting and prevention efforts.
Ballotpedia provided information about Proposition 30:
What would Proposition 30 have done?
Proposition 30 would have increased the income tax by an additional 1.75% on income over $2 million for individuals. At the time of the election, income above $2 million for individuals was taxed at the rate of 13.3% in California. The additional tax would have taken effect on January 1, 2023. The initiative provides that the tax would have ended on the earliest of the following dates:
January 1, 2043, or
January 1 after three consecutive calendar years after January 1, 2030, of statewide emissions reduced by 80% of 1990 levels.
Revenue from the increased income tax would have been appropriated into the Clean Cars and Clean Air Trust Fund (CCCAFT). It would then have been allocated to the following three sub-funds: Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Investment Plan Sub-Fund (35% of revenue), Zero-Emission Vehicle and Clean Mobility Sub-Fund (45% of revenue), and Wildfire Green House Gas Emissions Reduction Sub-Fund (20% of revenue). The sub-funds would have funded zero-emission vehicles, charging stations, and infrastructure, as well as hiring training firefighters.
Who supported and opposed Proposition 30?
Yes on 30: Clean Air California led the campaign in support of Proposition 30. It received endorsements from the California State Association of Electrical Workers and California Environmental Voters. Two other committees also registered in support of Proposition 30: Yes on 30: Working Families and Environmental Voters to Expose Greedy Billionaires and CEOs, and California Environmental Voters Issues Committee. Together the committees reported $48.1 million in contributions.
Lyft was the top contributor with $45.2 million in contributions. Bill Magavern, one of the authors of the initiative, said, “We need to protect the health of Californians. California needs to step up to protect its own. The state is doing a lot to reduce harmful emissions but the budget, even with the governor making the commitment he has, is insufficient to address these problems.”
There are two committees registered in opposition to Proposition 30: No on 30 and No on 30 – Educators Opposed to Corporate Handouts. The committees reported $31.9 million in contributions. Proposition 30 has received opposition from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), the California Teachers Association, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Gov. Newsom (D), said, “Prop. 30 is a special interest carve-out – a cynical scheme devised by a single corporation to funnel state income tax revenue to their company… Californians should know that just this year our state committed $10 billion for electric vehicles and their infrastructure.”
Proposition 31: Flavored Tobacco Products Ban Referendum (2022)
Proposition 31: Flavored Tobacco Products Ban Referendum
Yes: 6,803,425 (63.42%) – Approved
No: 3,923,383 (36.58%)
CalMatters provided information about Proposition 31: Reconsidering a flavored tobacco ban:
In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill banning the sale of all flavored tobacco products, whether smoked, chewed or vaped. The tobacco industry gathered enough signatures to ask voters to overturn the law with this referendum. (A reminder: Voting “yes” is to keep the law; voting “no” is to get rid of it.)
CalMatters reported about the Flavored Tobacco Products Ban Referendum
WHAT WILL IT DO?
The referendum decided whether to overturn a 2020 law that prohibits the sale of some flavored tobacco products. A “yes” vote upheld the current law; a “no” would have struck down the law and allow the sale of flavored tobacco products.
The approval of Prop. 31 will impact the state budget because the state could lose as much as $100 million in annual tobacco tax revenue from the sale of flavored tobacco.
WHY WAS IT ON THE BALLOT?
In 2020, the Democratic-controlled Legislature passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law to ban the sale of certain flavored tobacco products – including those made to taste like cotton candy, honey, and mango – as well as menthol cigarettes, both in stores and vending machines.
The ban includes flavored cigarettes, e-cigarettes, pods for vape pens, tank-based systems and chewing tobacco. The law does not affect premium handmade cigars, loose leaf tobacco and hookah tobacco sold by certain hookah tobacco retailers and used at the store.
The law was intended to keep flavored tobacco away from kids and teens, who report in high numbers that they often started smoking with a flavored product. According to Tobacco Free Kids, youth smokers 12 to 17 use menthol cigarettes more than other age groups. At least 60 cities and counties across California have already banned the sale of some flavored tobacco products and menthol cigarettes.
The law has not yet gone into effect because tobacco companies funded and qualified this referendum. After Prop. 31 passed, R.J. Reynolds sued the state over the ban.
Ballotpedia provided information about the Post-Election lawsuit that took place after Prop. 31:
On November 9, 2022, R.J. Reynolds filed a lawsuit in federal court arguing that the approved ban violated the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clauses. The lawsuit says, “The ban falls under the TCA’s express preemption clause, ‘which preempts’ any requirement’ that is ‘different from, or in addition to’ a federal requirement about a tobacco product standard. A flavor ban is a paradigmatic tobacco product standard.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said in a statement, “Time and time again, Big Tobacco has attempted to steam roll state efforts to protect our youngest residents from the damaging effects of tobacco use. While we have not yet been formally served with the lawsuit, we look forward to vigorously defending this important law in court.”
On November 29, 2022, R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco companies filed a request with the U.S. Supreme Court to ask the court to order an emergency stop on the state from enforcing the flavored tobacco ban.
On December 12, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously to not issue an emergency order stopping the ban.
Ballotpedia provided an Overview about Proposition 31:
Opponents of Proposition 31 sought to overturn Senate Bill 793 (SB 793), which was signed into law on August 28, 2020. SB 793 was designed to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products and tobacco product flavor enhancers, with exceptions for hookah tobacco, loose leaf tobacco, and premium cigars. The bill was designed to fine retailers $250 for each sale violating the law.
The California State Legislature passed SB 793 in August 2020. The Legislation received support from most legislative Democrats (84 of 89) and a quarter of legislative Republicans (8 of 30). One legislator voted against the bill, and the remaining legislators were absent or abstained.
State Sen. Jerry Hill (D-13), the legislative sponsor of SB 793 said, “Using candy, fruit and other alluring flavors, the tobacco industry weaponized its tactics to beguile a new generation into nicotine addiction while keeping longtime uses hooked. SB 793 breaks Big Tobacco’s death grip.”
The California Fuels & Convenience Alliance, which opposed SB 793, described the flavored tobacco ban as “misguided policy that will do more harm than good” and “hurt small businesses, eliminate necessary tax revenue, and perpetuate dangerous and avoidable police interactions in our communities.”
No on Prop 31 – Californians Against Prohibition is campaigning for the veto referendum to repeal SB 793. Through October 27, 2022, the campaign had received over $23.2 million, including $9.7 million from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and $9.5 million from Philip Morris USA.
SUPPORT FOR THE “YES” VOTE
Yes On Proposition 31, Committee to Protect California Kids led the campaign in support of a ‘yes’ vote on Proposition 31, which upheld the legislation.
SUPPORTERS
Officials: Governor Gavin Newsom (D)
Political Parties:
Democratic Party of California
Peace and Freedom Party of California
Unions:
California Teachers Association
SEIU California State Council
Organizations: League of Women Voters of California
ARGUMENTS
Lindsey Freitas, advocacy director for Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: “We know Big Tobacco has hidden behind smoke and lies for years to hook generations of young people on deadly tobacco products, and this referendum is just one more tactic to continue the status quo.”
State Sen. Gerald Hill (D-13): “California fought Big Tobacco and won. This shameless industry is a sore loser and it is relentless. It wants to keep killing people with its candy-, fruit-, mint-, and menthol-flavored poison. The adults who are hooked on nicotine aren’t enough for Big Tobacco; it wants our kids too.”
Jim Knox, managing director of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Inc.: “The tobacco industry has always shown it will go to any length to decide the public about its deadly product. We are too confident that if it gets the ballot, that California voters will see through this despicable tobacco industry ploy to continue to lure kids into a lifetime of tobacco addiction.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D): “Big Tobacco has been targeting our kids, trying to hook our kids on tobacco products, killing literally a generation. It’s time for us to stand up and protect our kids and to push back against Big Tobacco, not just in terms of their efforts to go after our kids but their racist marketing. Enough’s enough, this is about as easy a question that we’ll be asked this November.”
The official argument in support of Proposition 31 found in the Official Voter Information Guide:
Official Voter Information Guide: YES ON 31. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung Association in California, and the American Heart Association support YES on 31 because it will save lives. Yes on 31 protects kids by ending the sale of candy-flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and minty-menthol cigarettes. Big Tobacco uses candy-flavored products to target kids – including cotton candy, chocolate, strawberry, and minty-menthol – and lure them into a lifelong addiction to nicotine. In fact, 4 of 5 kids who have used tobacco started with a flavored product. Get the facts at VoteYesOn31.com.
YES ON 31 PROTECTS KIDS FROM GETTING HOOKED ON HIGHLY ADDICTIVE NICOTINE Tobacco companies use candy flavors to hide strong hits of nicotine, a highly addictive drug that is especially dangerous for kids, harming brain development and impacting their attention, mood, and impulse control. With a Yes on 31 vote, we can stop Big Tobacco from using flavors to get kids hooked on nicotine and profiting from addiction, disease, and death.
In California, almost all high school e-cigarette users prefer flavored products. Today – over 2 million middle and high school students nationwide use e-cigarettes. The American Lung Association in California says, “Using candy flavors to trick kids into trying nicotine is the cornerstone of Big Tobacco’s deadly business model. Yes on 31 will save lives – protecting kids from ever getting hooked on tobacco in the first place.”
YES ON 31 SAVES LIVES AND TAXPAYER MONEY Tobacco is the #1 preventable cause of death in California, where tobacco-related diseases kill 40,000 people each year. Smoking kills more than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. Of all the kids who become new smokers each year, almost a third will ultimately die from it. Every time Big Tobacco addicts another generation of kids, they put taxpayers, whether they smoke or not, on the hook for billion of dollars in tobacco-related healthcare costs.
YES ON 31 PREVENTS BIG TOBACCO FROM CAUSING MORE HARM TO BLACK COMMUNITIES Big Tobacco preys on Black neighborhoods, spending billions to lobby, advertise and market minty-menthol cigarettes – the original candy-flavored cigarette. In the 1950s, fewer than 10% of Black Americans who smoked used minty-menthols. Today, 85% do.
The NAACP says, “Tobacco companies use minty-menthol to mask the harsh taste of tobacco, which makes smoking easier to start and harder to quit. After targeting African Americans for decades, Big Tobacco is turning an enormous profit – while rates of tobacco-related heart disease, stroke and cancer skyrocket. Yes on 31 will take Big Tobacco’s candy-flavored tools of addiction out of our communities, saving lives and improving public health.”
PROTECT KIDS. VOTE YES ON 31 will protect kids from ever trying tobacco and help users quit – saving hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars annually, and saving countless lives. If we can save even a few lives by ending the sale of candy-flavored tobacco, it will be worth it. — Karmi Ferguson, Executive Director, American Academy of Pediatrics, California; Kathy Rogers, Executive Vice President, American Heart Association; and Jose Ramos, National Board Member, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
SUPPORT FOR THE “NO” VOTE:
The No on Prop 31-Californians Against Prohibition led the campaign in support of a ‘no’ vote on Proposition 31, which would have repealed the legislation.
OPPONENTS
Political Parties: Republican Party of California
Corporations:
ITG Brands, LLC
Philip Morris USA, Inc
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
Swedish Match North America LLC
Organizations
National Association of Tobacco Outlets
Arguments
California Coalition for Fairness: “We agree that youth should never have access to any tobacco products, but this can be achieved without imposing a total prohibition on products that millions of adults choose to use. This law goes too far and is unfair, particularly since lawmakers have exempted hookah, expensive cigars, and flavored pipe tobacco from the prohibition. Moreover, a prohibition will hurt small, local businesses and jobs as products are pushed from licensed, conscientious retailer to an underground market, leading to increased youth access, crime and other social or criminal justice concerns for many California residents.”
Joe Lang, managing partener at Lang, Hansen Giroux & Kidane: “It’s already illegal for anyone under 21 to use any tobacco product flavored or not. Prop 31 is not a ban on flavored tobacco for children – that’s already illegal. It’s a ban on legal regulated sales to adult customers.”
Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association: “Although the law bans the sale of flavored tobacco products to all customers regardless of age, lawmakers named it the “Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement Act.” They claimed it was needed to stop underage tobacco use – because only kids, apparently, like flavor. To be sure, no one wants children smoking or vaping, but it’s already illegal in California to sell or give tobacco and vapor products to anyone under the age of 21. If prohibition worked, then we wouldn’t have a problem.”
The official argument in opposition to Proposition 31 found in the Official Voter Information Guide:
Official Voter Information Guide: The politicians who wrote Proposition 31 say it will reduce underage tobacco use – but it’s already illegal to sell any tobacco product to anyone under the age of 21 in California, with big penalties for breaking the law.
PROP. 31 IS ADULT PROHIBITION Prop. 31 enacts a sweeping new ban on menthol cigarettes, flavored smokeless tobacco, and other flavored non-tobacco nicotine products for adults over the age of 21. Prohibition has never worked – it didn’t work with alcohol or marijuana, and it won’t work now. And Prop. 31’s prohibition will impact minority neighborhoods more than any other, criminalizing the sale of menthol cigarettes which are primarily the choice of adult tobacco consumers in these communities.
PROP. 31 WILL INCREASE CRIME Almost half of all cigarettes in California are sold in the underground market, smuggled in from other states or countries like China and Mexico. Prop. 31 will drive even more sales underground from licensed neighborhood retailers to gangs and organized crime. What’s worse, Proposition 31 does not add a single penny to law enforcement to fight the violent crime that will follow.
“Proposition 31 is practically unenforceable. It will put criminals in charge and convert a highly regulated tobacco market into an unregulated criminal market, creating unnecessary and potentially dangerous police interactions.” – Edgar Hampton, Retired California Police Officer.
PROP. 31 WILL COST TAXPAYERS A legislative analysis found that Prop. 31 will lead to “significant revenue losses” that will exceed $1 billion in the next four years. That means less money for healthcare, education, programs for seniors and law enforcement.
PROP. 31 Bans FDA AUTHORIZED REDUCED HARM PRODUCTS AND COULD INCREASE CIGARETTE USE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE The Food and Drug administration (FDA) now has regulatory authority over tobacco and vapor products and already has banned many flavored tobacco products, but Prop. 31 goes too far – banning the sale of flavored reduced-risk, smoke-free products authorized by the FDA “appropriate for the protection of public health” for adults 21 and over.
When adult consumers are denied access to potentially less harmful products authorized by the FDA, they continue with traditional cigarettes that produce second-hand smoke. San Francisco’s flavor ban is a perfect example of the impact on youth as well: a Yale University study found there was a significant INCREASE in cigarette smoking among high school students – the exact opposite result the politicians promised.
PUBLIC EDUCATION IS BETTER THAN PROP. 31 California led the nation in raising the age to purchase tobacco to 21, has among the toughest anti-tobacco laws in the country, and spends over $140 million a year to help people quit tobacco and stop kids from starting. The results are clear: Youth vaping is down 59% in the last three years, and youth smoking is at an all-time low of just 1.9% according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
California should not abandon what is clearly working and replace it with a failed policy of the past – prohibition – that will increase crime, cost taxpayers, and backfire on the communities we are trying to protect. Please join us and vote NO on Prop 31 — Michael Genest, Former Director, California Department of Finance; Julian Canete, President, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce; and Tom Hudson, President, California Taxpayer Protection Committee. [...]
September 27, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has a unique voting system, which includes a Top Two Primary system. This blog post provides information about what it is like to vote in California.
TOP TWO PRIMARY SYSTEM
The first thing to know is that California uses a Top Two Primary System. California voters approved this system for statewide offices in June of 2010. With the Top Two Primary, all candidates running for an office are listed on one ballot, regardless of party preference. A candidate’s party has no impact on how the election is conducted or who is allowed to advance to the General Election. Instead, candidates go on to a run-off election based solely on how many votes they receive in the Primary.
It does not matter if one candidate receives a majority of the votes cast: the top two vote getters advance to the general election.
Even if only one or two candidates are running for a Top Two office, there will still be a primary election for that office.
Because candidates are not appearing on the ballot representing a party, it is possible for two candidates from the same party to be the top two vote-getters and advance to the General Election.
The Top Two Primary applies to the following offices:
United States Senators
Congressional Represenatives
State Senators
Assembly members
Governor
Lt. Governor
State Treasurer
Secretary of State
State Attorney General
On June 6, 2022, @CASOSVote tweeted: “As of May 23, there were 21,941,212 registered voters in California, which is 81.53% of eligible Californians, the highest percentage of Californians registered heading into a Gubernatorial Primary in 68 years…”
Voting Rights in California
Californians Experiencing Homelessness Can Vote
June 2, 2022: CapRadio posted an article titled: “Californians experiencing homelessness have the right to vote. Here’s how it works:” From the article:
Eligible Californians of all backgrounds – including those experiencing homelessness – can vote in the June 7 primary election.
Election officials and advocates for unhoused people say it’s not well known that people without a permanent address can register and cast a ballot. But over the past four decades, state and federal courts have ruled that homeless people cannot be denied the right to vote simply because they lack a roof over their head.
The courts have found unhoused residents can register by listing a shelter, landmark, park or street corner close to where they sleep as their address.
Despite the rulings, as few as 10% of homeless people vote in elections, compared with 54% of the country’s voting-age population, according to an article by Dora Kingsley Vertenten, a professor of public policy at the University of Southern California…
…Here is how the process works
In Sacramento County, election officials are encouraging homeless residents to take advantage of their rights.
“We just want to make sure that people know that this option exists,” said Janna Haynes, a spokesperson for Sacramento County, which recently issued a news release explaining how the process works. “We want to do everything we can to give them the opportunity to vote.”
Relatively few unhoused residents are registered to vote in the county compared with their overall numbers. The county’s most recent count in 2019 found 5,500 people were experiencing homelessness, though those number are expected to increase after this year’s count.
But election officials have mailed only about 450 ballots to unhoused residents, mainly those who live at shelters or use a service provider’s address, Haynes said. Officials are encouraging unsheltered homeless people to register and vote at any county voting center by submitting a general location such as a park or nearby intersection as their address…
…The same process applies in Yolo County where elections staff provided this guidance for unhoused residents:
“If you are unsheltered or homeless, you only need a description of where you live,” the county’s election website states. “If you do not have a street address, provide an exact description, including cross streets. If applicable, identify the corner or area where you live. For instance: ‘Northwest corner of 1st St. and Court St.'”…
September 20, 2022: CBS News posted an article titled: “Yolo County pushes voter registration ahead of midterms”. From the article:
…In West Sacramento, Yolo County officials held a voter registration drive…
…Voting advocates also say Californians who are being supervised by probation or parole or serving a jail sentence are eligible to vote. An exception is for anyone currently incarcerated due to a felony.
The Center for Inclusive Democracy released a report highlighting the barriers formerly incarcerated people face in the state.
“If you are unsheltered or homeless, you only need a description of where you live,” the county’s election website states. “If you do not have a street address, provide an exact description, including cross streets. If applicable, identify the corner or area where you live. For instance: ‘Northwest corner of 1st St. and Court St.'”…
September 20, 2022: CBS News posted an article titled: “Yolo County pushes voter registration ahead of midterms”. From the article:
…In West Sacramento, Yolo County officials held a voter registration drive…
…Voting advocates also say Californians who are being supervised by probation or parole or serving a jail sentence are eligible to vote. An exception is for anyone currently incarcerated due to a felony.
The Center for Inclusive Democracy released a report highlighting the barriers formerly incarcerated people face in the state.
September 26, 2022: Redding Record Searchlight posted an article titled: “Shasta County elections office warns of potential voter intimidation ahead of 2022 midterms”. From the article:
Shasta County residents are being warned about the potential for voter intimidation after reports of people canvassing neighborhoods and contacting voters at their homes.
The reports of alleged voter intimidation come six weeks before the Nov. 8 election.
County Clerk and Register of Voters Cathy Darling Allen said she has been contacted four times since Sept. 17 by four different voters about people wearing reflective vests who claim they are part of a “voter task force.”
“They are questioning who lives at the address, who is registered at the address and who voted at the address,” Darling Allen said.
Darling Allen said she was told the questioners were, “very aggressive”.
Department will not come to your home and question you. People who preform this kind of activity are violating the law and intimidating voters,” Darling Allen said in a news release…
…Darling Allen has contacted the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, Redding Police Department and Anderson Police Department, the Secretary of State, and the U.S. Department of Justice, which launched a task force to combat threats against election workers in June 2021…
Mail-In Ballots
Every registered voter in California received a mail-in ballot. This gives voters the option to take their time to look up information about candidates, propositions, and more from the comfort of their own homes. It is also especially good for people who have disabilities that would make it hard for them to stand in a line for a long time.
There is also the option to go to a polling place and vote in-person. Either way will do – so long as people chose ONE way to vote.
The mail-in ballot envelope included a pamphlet with helpful information:
Every registered voter in California received a mail-in ballot. This gives voters the option to take their time to look up information about candidates, propositions, and more from the comfort of their own homes. It is also especially good for people who have disabilities that would make it hard for them to stand in a line for a long time.
There is also the option to go to a polling place and vote in-person. Either way will do – so long as people chose ONE way to vote.
The mail-in ballot envelope included a pamphlet with helpful information:
WARNING: CORRUPTING THE VOTING PROCESS IS PROHIBITED!
VIOLATIONS SUBJECT TO FINE AND/OR IMPRISONMENT
WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE PROHIBITED:
DO NOT commit or attempt to commit election fraud.
DO NOT provide any sort of compensation or bribery to, in any fashion by any means induce or attempt to induce, a person to vote or refrain from voting
DO NOT illegally vote
DO NOT attempt to vote or aid another to vote when not entitled to vote
DO NOT engage in electioneering; photograph or record a voter entering or leaving a polling place; or obstruct ingress, egress, or parking.
DO NOT challenge a person’s right to vote or prevent voters from voting; delay the process of voting; or fraudulently advise any person that he or she is not eligible to vote is not registered to vote.
DO NOT attempt to ascertain how a voter voted on their ballot.
DO NOT possess or arrange for someone to possess a firearm in the immediate vicinity of a polling place, with some exceptions.
DO NOT taper or interfere with any component of a voting system.
DO NOT forge, counterfeit, or tamper with the results of an election.
There was also a VOTER BILL OF RIGHTS, which states the following:
You have the right to vote if you are a currently registered voter. You are eligible to vote if you are a U.S. citizen living in California, at least 18 years old, registered where you currently live, not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony, and not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
You have the right to vote if you are a registered voter even if your name is not on the list. You will vote on a provisional ballot. Your vote will be counted if elections officials determine that you still have the right to vote.
You have the right to vote if you are still in line when the polls close.
You have the right to cast a secret ballot without anyone bothering you or telling you how to vote.
You have the right to get a new ballot it, prior to casting your ballot, you believe you made a mistake. You can ask an election official at a polling place for a new ballot, exchange your vote-by-mail ballot for a new one at an elections office, or at your polling place, or vote with a provisional ballot.
You have the right to get help casting your ballot from anyone you choose, except from your employer or union representative.
You have the right to drop off your completed ballot at any polling place in California.
You have the right to get election materials in a language other than English if enough people in your voting precinct speak that language.
You have the right to ask questions to elections officials about election procedures and watch the election process. If the person you ask cannot answer your questions, they must send you to the right person for an answer. If you are disruptive, they can stop answering you.
You have the right to report an illegal or fraudulent election activity to an elections official or the Secretary of State’s office.
Voting in the 2022 Midterm Elections
November 5: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Levi’s Stadium to Serve as One of the Biggest Polling Centers in Bay Area”. From the article:
Levi’s Stadium will be playing a big role in the upcoming midterm elections.
The stadium is opening Saturday as one of the biggest polling centers in the Bay Area.
Voters will have a chance to go there and vote early starting 9 a.m. Saturday through Monday afternoon.
On Election Day, the polling center at Levi’s Stadium will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
November 5: KCRA 3 posted an article titled: “El Dorado County reports low early voting turnout, prepares for upcoming severe weather”. From the article:
With the oncoming threat of rain and snow in the forecast, El Dorado County officials are doing what they can to make sure every vote is counted come Election Day.
The elections office is working with the sheriff’s department as well as the road crews in case roads get bad on Tuesday. Generators are also being dropped off at polling places as a backup if the power goes out.
“Primarily in South Lake Tahoe the amount of snow they’re talking about is two to three feet that could end up closing down some of the areas up there and make it really difficult for people to get to vote centers or drop boxes,” said Bill O’Neill, the registrar of voters for El Dorado County.
Weather can have a major impact on voter turnout and with snow and rain in the forecast people should be prepared to stand outside.
“Wear a nice warm jacket and umbrella and just be patient. We’re going to move people through as quickly as we can,” O’Neill said.
Ahead of the storms, the elections office said they haven’t seen quite the turnout they wanted for early voting.
“Both in-person voting, as well as mail, has been pretty low. We’re at about 24% right now. It’s a low turnout for the general elections. So far out of 138,000 voters, we have just over 32,000 ballots back,” O’Neill said.
Despite the low turnout, they say hundreds of people are calling the office daily trying to figure out how to vote…
November 6: 10 News San Diego posted an article titled: “Early voting in San Diego County by the numbers” From the article:
The San Diego County of Registrar of Voters released early voting data ahead of the midterm Election Day this upcoming Tuesday…
Expected turnout: 60% to 65%
Historical Turnout for Gubernatorial General Elections:
Sept. 14, 2021: California Gubernatorial Recall Election – 59.93%
Nov. 6, 2018: Gubernatorial General Election – 66.42%
Registered Voters (as of close of registration, Oct. 24)
Total Registered Voters: 1,925,738
Democratic: 799,375
Republican: 519,234
Nonpartisan: 487,197
Other: 119,932
Mail Ballots:
Number issued: Over 1.9 million
Number already returned: Over 480,000
141 Ballot Drop Box locations, including Registrar of Voters office
Number of drop-offs: Over 106,000 (as of Nov. 5)
Early Voting at the Registrar of Voters
Over 7,000 voters (as of Nov. 5) – Centers open Oct. 29 through Nov. 7…
November 7: ABC 10News San Diego posted an article titled: “Thousands already casts votes in Midterm Election” From the article:
Democracy is at work even ahead of Election Day in San Diego County.
“Incredibly easy, in fact, I’ve had this in my car for a few days and I work just around the corner so I had to get it done today. I love mail-in balloting,” said Buddy Voit, a voter.
“It’s easy. It’s so easy. There’s no reason why we can’t, but I really hope that everyone does their research,” said Gabriel Adona, a voter.
More than 1.9 million people are registered to vote in San Diego Country.
As of Sunday morning, more than 480,000 voters have dropped off their ballots.
Voters that ABC 10News spoke to said the future was top of mind.
“It’s what we want for our kids and for our families,” said Jessica Peter, a voter.
Voit agreed.
“A lot of the propositions – there’s so much advertising and it’s just all negative not informative, but its just telling you don’t do this so you really have to take some time to read it,” expressed Voit.
Voters say educating yourself is also important.
This midterm election has proven to be heated across the country with other states seeing armed people outside of ballot drop-off areas and people making threats.
But the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department tells ABC 10News in a statement there is a there have been no threats so far.
“We believe we have adequate staffing on duty and have additional resources available if needed. The Registrar of Voters has been working very hard to ensure a safe and secure election process. We have been working and collaborating with our local, state, and federal partners and are ready to respond appropriately to any incident. As of this moment, we have no intelligence or information of any threats to the County of San Diego.”
November 7: KTLA 75 posted an article titled: “Los Angeles Metro offers free Election Day rides on all busses, trains, and more” From the article:
Anyone can get free Election Day rides on Los Angeles County Metro buses, trains and more to encourage people to get out and vote Tuesday.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority voted in 2019 to permanently offer free rides on federal and statewide election days to make it easier for people to travel to and from local polling places…
…Free rides will run from midnight to 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 8 and will also include free access to Metro’s Bike Share and Metro Micro options…
…Metro Bike Share users will receive a free 30-minute ride with fees costing $1.75 per 30 minutes after the first half hour. Riders trying to access the deal will need to enter code 110822.
Metro Micro users will need enter code Vote2022 for unlimited free ride in all Metro Micro zones Nov. 8.
November 7: CBS News posted an article titled: “UC Davis report studies political violence ahead of midterms” From the article:
Sacramento – What is on the minds of voters as Election Day approaches?
In California, there is inflation, economy, crime, abortion, and homelessness. But the issue most pressing to some voters is not even on the ballot.
This election cycle, America’s democracy seems fragile to some voters…
…It is not merely a feeling.
A new UC Davis report examined supporters of the former president to see how likely they are to support violence to advance political objectives.
According to researchers, respondents believed another U.S. civil war is likely and that it’s more important to have a strong leader than democracy in America.
“However, they are not more likely to say that they would engage in that violence themselves,” said Dr. Garen Wintemute, an emergency physician and director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis.
With the visibility of acts and threats of political violence, is it possible to reverse course?
Researchers believe dialing down the rhetoric is a start and people need to sound the alarm…
…Threats of political violence, skyrocketing costs and quality-of-life issues have people stressed.
A poll shows more than a quarter of adult Americans are so stressed, they cannot function.
But experts believe there are ways around stress, especially with elections…
November 7: Bakersfield.com posted an article titled: “Polls open in Kern County Tuesday”. From the article:
The polls are open Tuesday, Kern County, and another election cycle is here.
Voters in the Central Valley, across California and the country will return to polls on Tuesday, be it in person or by mail, to consider a host of candidates and issues that will determine, in many respects, the nation’s trajectory.
From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, more than 100 poll sites and 17 official drop boxes in Kern County are open to registered voters who will decide the fate of a tightly contested midterm election, with many seats attracting national attention.
“I think the most important thing is for us to vote for local elections, where we get to call the shots,” said Cathy Abernathy, a prominent Kern County Republican strategists. Statewide, they have more impact. But we can make a difference on the City Council and Board of Supervisors.”
Races include two U.S. congressional elections, state legislative offices, Kern County Board of Supervisors seats, and Bakersfield City Council, among others. There are also several critical ballot measures for voters to consider.
According to county statistics, Kern has approximately 426,000 registered voters, a slight increase from 2018 numbers. In line with past elections, 36 percent label themselves Republican, barely edging a 35 percent Democratic base. Past races in the Central Valley have come down to the sway of moderates, which means a victory may likely come by a couple of hundred votes.
“When T.J. Cox defeated David Valadao, it was by a couple dozen votes. Many of these elections could be decided by a couple dozen votes.”…
…Kern County election officials reported receiving 73,000 ballots through Saturday. According to Kern County Registrar Mary Bedard, officials are rushing to process early votes quickly to better be prepared for election night.
“Elections are extremely important in our civic life, since it is the time when all citizens can make their voices heard,” she said.
Historically, midterm years usually see a lower turnout and less interest compared to presidential elections…
November 7: KCRA posted an article titled: “Political Data Inc. exec breaks down California ballot returns, forecasts for 2022 midterm elections” From the article:
As of Monday, Nov. 7, 20% of ballots sent our to registered voters in California have been returned, according to Political Data Inc. That’s 4.3 million out of more than 21 million sent out.
KCRA spoke with the vice president of Political Data Inc. to go through who is voting early, how it compares to past elections and the forecast results.
“In 2018, we only had 20 million voters. Now we have 22 million voters. So it is kind of like apples to oranges,” PDI Vice President Paul Mitchell said. “We can look more at the recall election.”
the returns are lower so close to the deadline for this election.
“The ballot we got this year is a lot more complicated than the recall,” Mitchell said. “So, a lot of people might be waiting to vote and kind of figuring out the judges or propositions before they turn in the ballot.”
November 7: Fox 5 posted an article titled: “San Diego County Registrar of Voters assure election and voting security” From the article:
San Diego County Registrar of Voters, Cynthia Paes said they are staying prepared as they continue welcome more voters to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. This includes making sure security features are in place.
“Get out there exercise your right to vote,” said Paes.
Voting securely, while being safe is a top priority for the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office. Paes said their election officials or workers have not received any threats, violence or intimidations.
San Diego County Registrar of Voters, Cynthia Paes said they are staying prepared as they continue welcome more voters to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. This includes making sure security features are in place.
“Get out there exercise your right to vote,” said Paes.
Voting securely, while being safe is a top priority for the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office. Paes said their election officials or workers have not received any threats, violence or intimidations.
November 7: KCRA 3 posted an article titled: “Control of the House is primary focus for California Democrats, Republicans ahead of Election Day” From the article:
California voters on Tuesday will help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives, the top priority for the Democratic and Republican parties in California.
“We’re working to make sure we hold the house and holding the house runs through California,” said California Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks.
Democrats are on defense after having majority control over Congress over the last two years. Party leaders say protecting abortion access and democracy is part of the party’s key messaging ahead of Tuesday.
“Given what we saw in 2020 and on Jan. 6, I think we all recognize the race for 2024 is on here and now, and ensuring the preservation and protection of our democracy includes holding the house, Hicks said.
The California Democratic Party has five must-win races, according to campaign emails sent to supporters this week. These races are:
District 9: Josh Harder (D) vs Tom Patti (R)
District 13: Adam Gray (D) vs John Duarte (R)
District 26: Julia Brownley (D) vs Matt Jacobs (R)
District 47: Katie Porter (D) vs Scott Baugh (R)
District 49: Mike Levin (D) vs Brian Maryott (R)
The California Republican Party has several get-out-the-vote events in those districts this weekend ahead of Election Day.
“Californians are absolutely feeling it, whether that’s the economy of inflation, the cost of everything from gas to groceries or the crime we see on our streets,” said California GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson.
The party said it feels confident about picking up at least the five seats needed to take back the House…
…Gov. Gavin Newsom is also getting involved.
Newsom’s campaign Friday announced he would spend the day in Southern California on Sunday to rally for congressional candidates in tight races, including Katie Porter and Christy Smith.
Newsom has raised $6 million this election cycle for causes and candidates outside of his own campaign for reelection.
November 7: Ventura County Star posted an article titled: “Ventura County voters get a last chance to cast ballots in the midterm election Tuesday”. From the article:
Voters get their last chance to cast a ballot in California’s midterm election on Tuesday as a winter storm sweeps into Ventura County.
After some showers Monday, the bulk of the rain and snow will hit Southern California on Election Day, said Kristen Stewart, meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office. Heavier rain is expected to reach the county just after dawn – likely in time for the morning commute and vote centers opening – and last throughout the day, she said.
In all, the storm is expected to drop 1 to 3 inches of rain in coastal and valley areas, and 2 to 5 inches in the foothills and mountains.
How the store affects voter turnout remains to be seen, said county elections chief Mark Lunn. The good news is that voters have a lot of ways to turn in their ballots, he said.
Ballots may be turned in at one of the county’s dozens of drop boxes or 51 vote centers. They also may be mailed for free, but Lunn recommended against using the Post Office so close to Election Day.
All ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 8 and received at the elections division by Nov. 15 to be counted…
…As of Monday morning, the elections devision had received roughly 130,000 ballots or 25% of the more than 505,000 sent to registered voters. That figure includes ballots received by mail, dropped off at the vote centers or left in drop boxes.
Earlier this year, the county switched to the state’s Voters Choice Act election model that requires mail-in ballots for all registered voters and extended in-person voting days but reduces the number of voting locations.
Instead, hundreds of polling places, a smaller number of vote centers are open for additional days. Voters also can cast ballots at any center in the county, not just those closest to them…
November 7: San Francisco Examiner posted an article titled: “New poll shows S.F. not buying false claims of illegal voting”. From the article:
Amid overwhelming evidence illegal voting is rare, not nearly pervasive enough to sway elections and persistent false claims to the contrary, fewer Bay Area voters identify it as a threat to American democracy than their statewide peers in a new poll.
The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies Poll asked registered voters a number of questions late last month about the state of U.S. democracy, including the potential dangers it faces, ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Asked whether “people voting or casting ballots illegally in elections” poses a major threat, a minor threat, or no threat at all to American democracy, 48% of registered Bay Area identified voter fraud as no threat. That was at least nine percentage points higher than every region of the state, including Los Angeles, where 34% of voters said the same.
Forty-eight percent of registered voters in the Bay Area’s nine countries identified illegal voting as a threat of some kind to democracy in the U.S. Twenty-nine percent said it was a major threat, while 19% said it was a minor one.
“Some vague feelings that voter fraud is a problem are not unusual,” Jason McDaniel, an associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University who specializes in voting behavior and urban politics, told The Examiner in an interview on Monday…
…Statewide, a higher percentage of voters (39%) said that illegal voting was a major threat than those who said it wasn’t at all (34%) even though it is, in actuality, far from widespread in American elections.
The Associated Press in July found that the expanded use of ballot drop boxes in the 2020 presidential election led to no associated fraud cases that could have affected the results, seven months after finding just 475 cases of voter fraud out of more than 25 million votes in six battleground states that President Joe Biden won…
…Yet, as conspiracy theories about election results continues to spread, perceptions of illegal voting also persist.
Former President Donald Trump has falsely and repeatedly claimed that voter fraud was widespread in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections, the latter of which was echoed by rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 2021 in an effort to halt the certification of Biden’s electoral college victory…
…False voter fraud claims have become widespread within Trump’s party. Ninety percent of registered Republican voters in California polled by Berkeley IGS identified illegal voting as a threat of some kind to democracy, compared to just 45% of Democrats…
November 7: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “‘We want election integrity.” The life cycle of a Sacramento County ballot”. From the article:
If Sacramento County Elections Manager Karalyn Fox could tell voters one thing, it would be this: “If you have questions, come observe the process. Get your answers here.”
It seems like a simple request. But in the post-2020 era of skepticism so severe it’s metamorphosed into wild conspiracy theories and occasional violence, the work that officials like Fox are doing to make elections more transparent matters.
“We are really hard workers,” she said. “We want election integrity.”
The Voter Registration and Elections Office has taken just about every imaginable step to detail for voters what happens to their ballot – especially since more people than ever are mailing them or using drop boxes before the election. One such step is a thorough tour of the county elections office and follow-up Q&A sessions.
For those unable to attend in-person, The Sacramento Bee went for you.
The Process
If you didn’t use the U.S. Postal Service and took your ballot instead to a voting center or drop box, its journey begins with a team of two election staffers – everything is done in pairs, no one goes alone, in an AirTagged county vehicle. They collect them and drive to an unassuming office building in an unassuming part of South Sacramento, just off off Florin Road, around the corner from the Walmart Supercenter.
The county elections office is as anodyne as any other county facility, only on the inside, its employees are doing some of the most important work they’ll do all year.
Ballots are sorted by precinct and run through an industrial mail sorter called the BlueCrest machine. It scans the bar code on the ballot envelope and captures the signature, too. Election staff compare the signatures with those on voter registration forms to make sure they match.
The Duplication Team looks for potential damage to, or writing on, the ballot that might cause problems when it’s tabulated – like tearing, or use of red pen – that may warrant a duplication. If necessary, the team will put the information on a clean ballot so that it can be tabulated.
In a separate room with a 24/7 livestream available to anyone, ballots are put through the tabulator machine. If something is unclear – a vote is crossed out and re-done, for example – a team of adjudicators will assess the ballot for voter intent.
Ballot tabulators are used in over 90% of election jurisdictions in the United States and are widely regarded as both accurate and efficient. This has not stopped conspiracy theories – reinforced by former President Donald Trump and those who believe the 2020 election was stolen from him – from spreading. Namely, Trump and his supporters thought that the machines were rigged.
No credible evidence of such tampering has surfaced…
November 8: The San Luis Obispo Tribune posted an article titled: “What we will – and won’t – know on election night in California midterms”. From the article:
…What Will You Know On Election Night In California?
You won’t know official election results on election night. For those, we’ll all be waiting for the counties and Secretary of State to certify the count.
How does California Count Ballots?
You won’t know official election results on election night. For those, we’ll all be waiting for the counties and Secretary of State to certify the count.
The Secretary of State then will receive a certified statement of the election by county officials.
By the 38th day after the election, the Secretary of State must determine the winners, certify the results, and deliver certificates of election to the elected candidates.
Official results will be posted by Dec. 16 to the Secretary of State’s website.
November 8: Cal Coast Times posted an article titled: “Poll workers accused on misconduct in San Luis Obispo County”. From the article:
After poll workers at multiple polling places in San Luis Obispo County refused to provide ballots to voters, several voters contacted both the SLO County Clerk Recorder and the FBI regarding workers’ failures to follow election laws.
Voters are permitted to vote at the polls, and many exchange their mail-in ballots for poll ballots. However, multiple poll workers are telling voters to fill in their mail-in ballots and drop them in the box without the envelope, which disqualifies their votes.
Voters are required to use poll ballots at the polling places, unless they place their mail-in ballot in the envelope provided, which then must be signature approved at the clerk recorder’s office, and will not be counted on election night…
Poll workers argued that there was no reason to give her another ballot and told her to fill out the mail-in ballot and drop it in a box without the envelope, which would invalidate her vote.
then called County clerk Recorder Elaina Cano who agreed that mail-in ballots dropped without envelopes at polling places would be disqualified. Cano said she would resolve the issue, said…
January 27: Reuters posted “Fact Check – 10.8 million ‘unaccounted for’ ballots in 2022 midterm in California not an indication of fraud”. From the article:
The state of California automatically sends ballots to all registered voters, who are then permitted either to vote by mail or in person. During the 2022 midterm elections in California, 21.9 million ballots were sent out and 11.1 million people voted, leaving around 10.8 million ballots sent to voters who did not cast them.
Posts on social media are sharing this figure alongside claims that it is indicative of election fraud. However, there has been no evidence presented that those uncast ballots were used for fraud. Several other U.S. states and foreign countries also mail ballots toll voters, a practice that always implies that a percentage of ballots sent out will not be used. The office of California’s Secretary of State said there were ample fraud protection measures in place.
A Facebook user shared the claim that 10.8 million mail ballots were “Unaccounted For” in 2022 and wrote “A CLEAN ELECTION RIGHT? NOTHING HERE RIGHT? NO EVIDENCE OF FRAUD RIGHT? TRUMP SUPPORTERS ARE DENIERS HOW SILLY RIGHT? DEMOCRATS 1001 WAYS TO CHEAT THE 2022 MID TERM ELECTION!!!”
(NOTE: Facebook added a Missing Content label to that post. “Independent fact-checkers say this information could mislead people.”)
Some of the claims link to a Breitbart article that says 10.8 million midterm ballots were “unaccounted for” in California. The article cites data and text from the conservative elections group Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) that says “there were more than 10 million ballots left outstanding, meaning election officials do not know what happened to them.”…
…Joe Kocurek, a spokesperson for the CA Secretary of State’s office, described measures to prevent fraud. Voters can track their own ballots (voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/). The tracking includes being able to check “when it has been mailed to them, whether it was returned to their election official, whether it was counted, and if it wasn’t counted the reason for not counting it,” Koucurek said.
“If a voter does not receive their ballot, they can request a replacement ballot through Election Day. This replacement ballot is subject to verification that the missing ballot was not cast,” Kocureck said. A unique number is assigned to each ballot and voters’ signatures are verified.
Several voting rights groups told Reuters that the safeguards in California’s system, as in other states, are designed to prevent fraudulent voting, such as attempts by voters to cast more than one ballot…
...VERDICT
Misleading. Nearly 10.8 million mail-in ballots were sent to voters who did not vote in the 2022 general election, but there has been no evidence that this represents fraud, as said by social media posts. All California registered voters receive ballots, and the percentage of those ballots that were cast were similar to turnout in past midterms… [...]
September 25, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia was not the only state that held Senate Elections during the 2022 election. California decided to hold two Senate elections concurrently on November 8, 2022. One was for a special election, and the other was for a general election full term.
Wikipedia provided information about the 2022 United States Senate elections in California:
Two 2022 United States Senate elections in California were held concurrently on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of California. There were two ballot items for the same Class 3 seat: a special election to fill the seat for the final weeks of the 117th United States Congress (ending on January 3, 2023), and a general election for a full term (beginning on the same day), starting in the 118th United States Congress.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Alex Padilla was appointed in 2021 by Governor Gavin Newsom to fill the vacancy created by Kamala Harris’s election to the vice presidency in 2020, and he sought a full term.
A jungle primary: is a primary election in which all candidates for the same elected office run against each other at once, regardless of political party. In most cases, two winners advance to the general election, in which case it is called a top-two primary. If more than two candidates are selected for the general election, it may be known as a top-four primary or top-five primary. It is also known as a jungle primary. It took place on June 7, 2022.
The top two candidates in each primary, regardless of party, advanced to the special and regular general elections in November. With his advancement out of the primary, Mark. P. Meuser became the first Republican since 2012 to advance to the general election, as both the 2016 and 2018 Senate elections solely featured Democrats at the top two candidates.
This race was a rematch between the two, as both had previously run for the Secretary of State in 2018. Padilla ultimately won both elections. Padilla became the first Latino elected to the U.S. Senate from California, and the first male elected to the Senate from California since Pete Wilson was re-elected in 1988.
Ballotpedia provided information about the United States Senate election in California, 2022:
Voters in California elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on November 8, 2022. The primary was scheduled for June 7, 2022. The filing deadline was March 11, 2022.
The election filled the Class III Senate seat held by Alex Padilla (D), who first took office in 2021 after Kamala Harris (D) was elected vice president.
There was also a special election to fill the remainder of the term Harris won in 2016, ending in January 2023. According to Ballotpedia, the special election became necessary after Kamala Harris (D) was elected Vice President of the United States.
The outcome of this race affected the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate in 2022. Democrats retained their majority and gained one net seat, with the Senate’s post-election partisan balance at 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans.
Thirty-five of 100 seats were up for election, including one special election. At the time of the election, Democrats had an effective majority, with the chamber split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) having the tie-breaking vote. Of the seats up for election in 2022, Democrats held 14 and Republicans held 21.
Ballotpedia provided information about California’s Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate in 2022:
Ballotpedia provided information about Alex Padilla:
Alex Padilla (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from California. He assumed office on January 20, 2021. His current erm ends on January 3, 2029.
Alex Padilla (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Alex Padilla also ran in a special election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He won in the special election on November 8, 2022.
On December 22, 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Padilla to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created by Sen. Kamala Harris becoming vice president of the United States. He was sworn in on January 20, 2021. Padilla will serve the remaining two years of Harris’s term.
Padilla previously served as the California Secretary of State. He was first elected 2024 and was re-elected in 2018. He left office on January 18, 2021, in order to be sworn in as a member of the United States Senate.
Padilla is a former Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing District 20 from 2006-2014. He was ineligible to run for re-election in 2014.
Prior to serving in the California Senate, Padilla was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1999-2006, serving as its president from 2001-2006.
Alex Padilla earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994 and graduated from the Coro Fellowship Program in Leadership and Public Affairs in 1995. Padilla’s career experience includes working as a staffer, political director, or campaign manager for several Democratic politicians in California, including Dianne Feinstein, Richard Alarcon, Gilbert Cedillo, and Tony Cardenas. He serve as the president of the League of California Cities and as a member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mark P. Meuser:
Mark Meuser (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Mark Meuser also ran in a special election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the special election on November 8, 2022.
Mark Meuser was a 2012 Republican candidate for District 7 of the California State Senate.
Ballotpedia provided information about Cordie Williams:
Cordie Williams (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the primary on June 2022.
Cordie Williams served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1998 to 2022.
Cordie Williams completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions they answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Dr. Cordie Williams is a husband, father, Marine Veteran, and doctor. When the government began its response to COVID in early 2020, Dr. Cordie felt the rights of Americans were being violated. He knew he had to be the man to stand up. Dr. Cordie picked up a megaphone and began speaking up in defense of liberty and protests all across California.
Dr. Cordie Williams is a strong advocate for personal freedoms which are enshrined in our Constitution. In the United States Senate, he will uphold the foundational belief that the citizens of California, and all Americans, are at their best when they decide what it is in their own best interest. Faith, family, and freedom are at the very core of who Dr. Cordie is. He is unashamed to put his values, shared among most Californians, on full display.
After serving in the United States Marine Corps, the American dream of entrepreneurialism came to fruition for Dr. Cordie as he and his wife Dr. Tania Williams started, and continue to operate today, a successful chiropractic practice in Southern California. Dr. Cordie has put all the he has worked for on the line to ensure that all Californians remain free from government control over their daily lives.
Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Parental Rights
Personal Freedom
Election Integrity
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Through his unshaken faith, raising a family, service to Country, and business experience, Dr. Cordie Williams has witnessed the greatness of this Country. He believes that through limited government, personal responsibility, and individual liberty, we can and will restore the American spirit. In 1998, Dr. Cordie took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. He is running for the U.S. Senate to continue upholding this oath.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jonathan Elist:
Jonathan Elist (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jonathan Elist also ran in a special election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the special primary on June 7, 2022.
Jonathan Elist was born in Los Angeles. California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton in 2007, a graduate degree from Stanford in 2012, and a graduate degree from Harvard in 2013. His career experience includes working as a CEO of a medical device company. Elist has served on the board of directors for the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles.
Elist completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am an experienced government advisor, successful businessman, and upset parent who is determined to bring a fresh perspective to DC. As the son of Iranian immigrants, I was determined to make the most of the American Dream, earning international affairs and business degrees from Princeton, Stanford, and Harvard.
I’ve had a diverse blend of professional experience in both the public and private sectors: the Small Business Administration, the US Department of Commerce, and in government consulting with international, federal, state, and local government entities. I launched a successful urology medical device company. Alongside my professional experience, I have volunteered my time with major philanthropic organizations with a leadership role.
As a dedicated father and husband, I am concerned about my family’s future. This was the driving force behind my candidacy; America gave the opportunity to my parents and me, and now it is time that I continue to fight for our future generations. Politicians like Alex Padilla, George Gascon, and Gavin Newsom do not represent us. It is time we bring common sense leaders back to our nation.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Vibrant Economy -What do out-of-control inflation, record gas prices, and a housing crisis have in common? They are caused by tone-deaf politicians who refuse to pass sensible legislation to provide relief to Americans. With 64% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, it is critical that we address the silent tax of inflation.
Safe Communities – Violent crime is skyrocketing, and our communities feel less safe by the day. Our “leaders” have failed us because they refuse to prosecute crime. I would help direct resources to hire more police officers, provide them with dignified compensation, and bolster efforts to prosecute criminals.
World-Class Education – The educational system is failing our children. As a father, I’ve watched California consistently rank at the bottom of education, even with all of the resources we have expended. We need to strengthen our educational institutions by pushing for accountability and transparency while incentivizing competition in the market. Most importantly, we need to ensure that parents have a seat at the table when it comes to major curriculum decisions for their children.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I believe I have the necessary experience and passion in the policy areas of health, economics, and foreign affairs. I have served as a government efficiency consultant with major public sector entities, and as a successful medical device CEO, I understand the necessity of market-driven solutions to help make government more efficient. Finally, as the son of Iranian immigrants, former employee of the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, and a strong supporter of Israel, I acknowledge the importance of our interconnected world and the need for strong leadership.
Ballotpedia provided information about Chuck Smith:
Chuck Smith (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the primary won June 7, 2022.
Chuck Smith was born in Sacramento, California. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1968-1973. He earned an associate degree from American River College in 1974. His career experience includes working in law enforcement.
Chuck Smith completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a Conservative, Christian, Republican. I am married to my wife, Linda, for the past 30 years. We have 3 grown children and 3 grandchildren. I served in the US Marie Corps for 5 years and am a combat Vietnam Veteran. I am a retired Sacramento Police Officer. Combined with my time as Yolo County Deputy Sheriff, I spent 13 years as a graveyard street cop on patrol until I retired in 1990 due to an on the job injury. I also worked at the Sacramento Federal Courthouse for 25 years as a Court Security Officer. Currently I have been retired for the past 5 years. I have volunteered for the Trauma Intervention Program in Sutter County and volunteered for 2 years on the Sutter County Grand Jury. As you can see by my background, I am not a politician. However, I am a Patriot, Warrior and a Fighter and I promise that I will do my best and fight for the people of California and this Greatest Nation on Earth. God Bless America.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I stand for: Our Constitution, strong Law Enforcement and Military, Robust Economy, Secure Borders, 2nd Amendment, Smaller Government, Term Limits, Less Taxes.
I am not a politician so I don’t have any allegiance to Big Money, Big Pharma, or Lobbyists. My only allegiance is to our Constitution and the people of America.
The American Dream is being destroyed by Corrupt politicians and their personal Agendas. I believe in America First Policies and that the American Citizens are our first priority.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
If we continue on this Administrations Economical Policies, America and its Citizens will become bankrupt. America will become a Socialist Nation and a Third World Country.
If our crime way is not stopped, there will be anarchy throughout our Nation.
Our Nation is being overrun by illegal Immigrants from around the globe. Many are bringing diseases into the country. Many are Cartel members and they are bringing in illegal and deadly drugs, sex and human trafficking rings and are attempting to take over and control our city’s with their criminal activities.
All of these issues, and more, have to be addressed and fixed or changed before its too late.
Ballotpedia provided information about James P. Bradley:
James P. Bradley (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
James P. Bradley received his MBA in financial management and international business from National University. His professional experience includes serving as a chief financial officer and chief operating officer, beginning in 2015. Bradley also served in the United States Coast Guard from 1981-1986.
Ballotpedia provided information about Douglas Howard Pierce:
Douglas Howard Pierce (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Thompson Parker:
John Thomas Parker (Peace and Freedom Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost as a write-in in the special primary on June 7, 2022.
John Thomas Parker also ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
John Thomas Parker was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. His career experience includes working as a coordinator for the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice.
John Thomas Parker completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
John Parker is the coordinator of the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice and leading board member of the Socialist Unity Party. He accompanies former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark on many anti-war delegations abroad. Parker was only 18 when he organized his first union election – at a small steel plant in New Jersey. An African American, he has worked at a variety of other jobs, including teaching at a public school in Newark.
After moving to Los Angeles with his family in 1998, he became a leader in the anti-war movement. Parker sparked the minimum wage increase proposals in Los Angeles by being the first to author and initiate the Los Angeles $15 minimum wage ballot initiative in 2013 that would have taken effect immediately upon voter approval.
Parker recently attended the inauguration of socialist President Xiomara Castro at the invitation of the Libre Party, due to his solidarity work with Honduras after the 2009 U.S. supported coup.
Legislative/Legal Struggles:
Initiator and author of $15 Minimum Wage Ballot Initiative of 2014
Leading current lawsuit against Kroger’s for closing Ralphs grocery store in South Central Los Angeles, on behalf of plaintiff: Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Los Angeles
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Call for an immediate cessation of U.S. wars and proxy wars and the funding of wars and occupations; divert the funding to vital social programs and for use in programs to reverse environmental damage, prioritizing global warming.
Immediately call for a state of emergency in Black and Brown neighborhoods to address police murder with the initial step of ceasing the use of deadly force by police in communities where a majority of residents are Black or Latinx.
Institute a referendum calling for the conversation of privately owned vital industry into public ownership.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
It has become crystal clear during this pandemic and the current push by the U.S. -led NATO for World War III, that the institutions in this country, and those who support them and enable them, can no longer be trusted to provide even the most basic protections of life, and increasingly threaten the existence of others beyond its borders. It is therefore time to take a sober look at our world and the rapidly deteriorating effects this systemic incompetence is having on our communities, our workplaces, and our families.
The two-party system in the U.S. of Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same coin, funded by and serving the same corporate masters. Their politicians, in general, will continue to make decisions of war, climate change, growing economic impoverishment and racist and sexist state repression based on the sole motivation of maximizing profits for their masters – who have ultimate control over the use of those profits. It’s our work, day in and day out that make those profits possible, yet this system does not allow us any real say in the consistent decision to spend trillions on war and relative pennies on social necessities. This will only change when corporate and financial monopoly ownership of the industries of production and finance are transferred to the majority – to those who it oppresses and exploits. This campaign is about building a movement to make that systemic change possible.
May 20: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “A socialist, a billionaire, a podiatrist: Alex Padilla’s Senate Challengers in California” From the article:
…Twenty-three candidates are on the California secretary of state’s certified list to run for a full, six-year term. Of those, eight are also running to fill the remainder of his current term and thus will appear on the ballot twice.
Sen. Alex Padilla, the Democratic incumbent, is running both to finish this term and serve the next one. He is strongly favored to win both.
California’s first Latino U.S. senator, Padilla, was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the remainder of Vice President Kamala Harris’ unexpired term. He previously served as California’s Secretary of State.
Under California law, the governor must call for an election during the regularly-scheduled primary and general election to fill a vacated Senate seat. The governor appoints someone to serve in the interim.
Since joining the Senate in January 2021, Padilla, 49, has worked on COVID-19, wildfire, water and housing relief. He has also spearheaded bills on immigration reform called to end the filibuster rule and pushed for voting rights legislation.
“I’m seeking a full term as Senator to continue delivering for Californians and to continue fighting for the critical issues at stake for our country – the fundamental right to choose, the right to vote, immigration reform and the protection of our democracy,” he said in a statement sent to The Bee…
...DEMOCRATS
Among Padilla’s Democratic challengers is Dan O’Dowd, a billionaire tech entrepreneur who is running for both the remainder of this term and the next one. His mission is to “make computers safe for humanity,” including by bolstering cybersecurity and taking Tesla’s full self-driving car technology off the market until it is safer.
“We need to stop putting lives at risk with bad software, poorly designed software that’s going to fail,” he told The Bee.
Timothy J. Ursich Jr. a chiropractor and sports medicine specialist, will also be on the ballot for both terms.
Three Democrats are seeking only the full term: Akinyemi Agbede, a mathematician; Douglas Howard Pierce, a missing children’s advocate, and Obaidul Huq Pirjada, an attorney.
Pirjada told The Bee his priorities would be tamping down on inflation, enhancing the child tax credit and aiding seniors and veterans, among other groups. He said that, although his campaign might not gain the backing of top-dollar donors, his background helps him connect on a personal level with immigrants, communities of color and families.
“I speak for the community of the common people,” he said.
REPUBLICANS
Four Republicans are contending for both the remainder of this term and the next one.
Jon Elist is founder and chief executive officer of a medical device company. He has the most campaign cash on hand of any of Padilla’s challengers.
Elist is focused on the economy, immigration reform, crime and parental choice in their children’s education. Most of his solutions involve bipartisan compromise, such as better pathways to citizenship for those seeking it.
“I’m a very independent-minded candidate. I certainly lean conservative, but at the end of the day, I’m a pragmatist,” he told The Bee. “Even on a personal level, having a personal relationship with people across the aisle.”
James P. Bradley once worked in search and rescue for the Coast Guard and the health care business. In a poll of voters by iSideWith, a non-partisan political discussion and polling platform, Bradley ranks second to Padilla with 14% of the vote. Padilla sits at 50%.
Bradley told The Bee that tax holidays to help small business owners and entrepreneurs were among his priorities for the economy, housing and education.
“The big one is the future of our children. There are many bills being passed into law eroding parental rights and their ability to do proper parenting,” Bradley said.
Mark P. Meuser is an attorney who focuses on election and constitutional law. He advocated against prolonged remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and was an attorney in a lawsuit against California leaders over the policy.
Dr. Myron L. Hall is a podiatrist and former naval officer who opposes pandemic mandates, is pro-life and backs the Second Amendment. In response to a query for an interview, a representative for Hall simply responded, “The goal is to win.”
Six Republicans are running just for the full term.
Pastor Sarah Sun Lew, a businesswoman and non-profit director, is running to support small business owners, students, those with temporary worker visas and health care leaders.
“We have to make them street smart,” she said of students. “There are not enough internships. They wouldn’t have all those college loans if we were to support those connections as entrepreneurs and students work together.”
Robert George Lucero Jr., a consultant, prioritizes preventing nuclear war, solving the homeless crisis and boosting jobs.
Enrique Petris is a businessman and former federal worker calling for tighter border security free community college for students and infrastructure jobs…
May 20: KCRA 3 posted an article titled: “It’s not a mistake. California voters will vote for the same U.S. Senate seat twice” From the article:
…June 7 is something of a checkpoint for most races, where the top two vote-getters regardless of political affiliation will advance to the November Election. If you’ve already received your ballot, you might have noticed that the office of U.S. Senate is on your ballot twice.
It’s not a mistake; its not a typo.
It’s something more of an anomaly stemming from when then-Sen. Kamala Harris became vice president of the United States. That created a vacancy that Gov. Gavin Newsom filled with the appointment of then-California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. But that appointment is only temporary because of a California law signed shortly after Padilla’s appointment that gives votes the chance to decide whether an official appointed to a U.S. Senate seat should serve out the remainder of the term.
Newsom has faced criticism stating the U.S. Senate seat is an office chosen by the people, and that an appointee could not fill out the rest of the term without competing in an election.
So, this year, voters will cast their choice for U.S. Senate twice. The first race is a special one to fill the remainder of the term – it ends Jan. 3, 2023 – that Padilla is currently holding. The winner of that race advances to November. From there, the victor in November will fill out the rest of the term through Jan. 3…
May 25: CalMatters posted an article titled: “Two elections for the same seat” From the article:
When you get your November 2022 ballot, it might feel as though you’re seeing double: For the first time in history, a race for the same California seat in the U.S. Senate will likely appear twice.
That’s because lawmakers are rushing to tweak a piece of California’s election law that experts say could violate the U.S. Constitution. The problem became apparent when Kamala Harris resigned from the Senate to become the vice president, and Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Alex Padilla to fill the seat through the end of Harris’ term in January 2023.
That apparently put the state in danger of contradicting the U.S. Constitution, which says governors’ temporary appointees can hold their positions only “until the people fill the vacancies by election.” And there’s an election in November 2022 – two months before Harris’ term ends.
To address the constitutional snag, the state Assembly on Monday passed a bill that calls for an election whenever a Senate seat becomes vacant. It also generally requires that election to be held the same day as a regularly scheduled statewide election, “to ensure the greatest participation” and “to avoid the costs and disruptions of standalone statewide special elections whenever possible,” according to the bill’s author, Menlo Park Democratic Assemblymember Marc Berman.
Therefore, if the state Senate also passes the bill, your November 2022 ballot will contain two elections for the same U.S. Senate seat: One of the remainder of Harris’s term running from November 2022 to January 2023, and one of the new six-year term beginning January 2023.
But Assemblymember Kevin Kiley, the Rocklin Republican who flagged the constitutional issue for the Legislature’s lawyers, told me the bill solves the problem in “the most undemocratic way possible” and argued Newsom should have called a separate election for Harris’ seat much earlier. The latter point was echoed by Christine Pelosi, chair of the California Democratic Party Women’s Caucus, in a November San Francisco Chronicle op-ed.
Ballotpedia provided information about the U.S. Special Election in California 2022:
On November 8, 2022, there was a special election to fill the rest of the six-year term that Kamala Harris (D) was elected to in 2016. A primary was scheduled for June 7, 2022. The filing deadline was March 11, 2022.
The special election became necessary because after Kamala Harris (D) was elected Vice President of the United States.
Ballotpedia provided information about the Special Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. Senate California:
Alex Padilla (D): 55.0% – 3,740,582 votes
Mark Meuser (R): 22.1% – 1,503,480 votes
James P. Bradley (R): 6.9% – 472,052 votes
Jonathan Elist (R): 5.9% – 403,722 votes
Timothy Ursich Jr. (D): 3.3% – 226,447 votes
Dan O’Dowd (D): 2.8% – 191,531 votes
Myron Hall (R): 2.1% – 143,038 votes
Daphne Bradford (Independent) 1.6% – 112,191 votes
John Thompson Parker (Peace and Freedom Party) (Write-in): 0.1% – 9,951 votes
Irene Ratliff (No Party Preference) (Write-in): 0.0% – 12 votes
Ballotpedia provided information about the Special General Election for U.S. Senate California:
Alex Padilla (D): 60.9% – 6,559,308 votes
Mark Meuser (R): 39.1% – 4,212,450 votes
Ballotpedia provide the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate California:
Alex Padilla (D): 54.1% – 3,725,544 votes
Mark Meuser (R): 14.9% – 1,028,374 votes
Cordie Williams (R): 6.9% – 474,321 votes
Jonathan Elist (R): 4.2% – 289,716 votes
Chuck Smith (R): 3.9% – 266,766 votes
James P. Bradley (R): 3.4% – 235,788 votes
Douglas Howard Pierce (D): 1.7% – 116,771 votes
John Thompson Parker (Peace and Freedom Party): 1.5% – 105,477 votes
Sara Sun Liew (R): 1.1% – 76,994 votes
Dan O’ Dowd (D): 1.1% – 74,916 votes
Akinyemi Agbede (D): 1.0% – 70,971 votes
Myron Hall (R): 0.8% – 58,349 votes
Timothy Ursich Jr. (D): 0.8 votes – 58,358 votes
Robert Lucero (R): 0.8 votes – 53,398 votes
James Henry Conn (Green Party): 0.5% – 35,983 votes
Eleanor Garcia (Independent): 0.5% – 34,625 votes
Carlos Guillermo Tapia (R): 0.5% – 33,870 votes
Pamela Elizondo (Green Party): 0.5% – 31,981 votes
Enrique Petris (R): 0.5% – 31,883 votes
Obaidul Huq Pirijada (D): 0.4% – 27,889 votes
Daphne Bradford (Independent): 0.4% – 26,900 votes
Don Grundmann (Independent): 0.1% -10,181 votes
Deon Jenkins (Independent): 0.1% – 6,936 votes
Mark Ruzon (No Party Preference) (Write-In): 0.0% – 206 votes
Lilly Zhou (R) (Write-In): 0.0% – 58 votes
Irene Ratcliff (No Party Preference) (Write-In): 0.0% – 7 votes
Marc Roth (No Party Preference) (Write-In): 0.0% – 1 vote
June 7: CBS News reported brief a description of the California Senate Midterm elections for District 20:
Alex Padilla (Democrat) advances to November general elections for U.S. Senate in California for both the short-term and full-term elections. A short term election will fulfill the term initially intended for current Vice President Kamala Harris, while the long would put Padilla in place for a six-year term at the end of the short-term.
Alex Padilla (Democrat) got a total of 391,297 votes (53%). Mark P. Meuser (Republican) got a total of 120,008 votes (16%). Cordie Williams (Republican) got 42,584 votes (6%).
The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote the following about Senator Alex Padilla:
…The future of Alex Padilla – the son of Mexican immigrants and an MIT engineering graduate – has been a source of speculation since 1999, when the political wunderkind joined the Los Angeles City Council at age 26 and the became that council’s youngest president two years later. High expectations were met on a career arc that took him from state Senate in 2006 to his 2014 election as California Secretary of State to his 2021 appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill the U.S. Senate seat Kamala Harris vacated when she became vice president. Padilla became the first Latino senator in California, where four out of 10 residents are Latino.
It was no surprise that Padilla fit in quickly in Congress with an unusually productive first 100 days as senator. He emerged as a studious, effective lawmaker who pushes his longtime causes of STEM education, voting access, immigration reform and reducing gun violence. And as he said in a May zoom interview with The San Diego Tribune Editorial Board, he’s felt particularly compelled as a former elections official to take on those who spread the “Big Lie” that Biden stole the 2020 election from Trump. He’s also become an even more forceful advocate of reproductive rights in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Given this history, Padilla was already likely to be elected this Nov. 8 both to fill out the final two months of Harris’s term – in a quirky election required by state law – and to a full, six-year term of his own. His victory was made all the more certain by the fact that in both races, his opponent is Mark Meuser, a Bay Area lawyer and Donald Trump admirer making his latest bid for elected office. In his Q&A with The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board, Meuser took radical stands on issues like the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and the climate emergency and – like far to many others seeking office – showed zero familiarity with what life is like at the San Diego-Tijuana border. The contrasts with Padilla are striking.
Now, just 49, Padilla may be a senator for decades. We were eager to discuss many issues with him, only starting with the twin threats of Trump’s continuing 2020 election lies and potential 2024 candidacy – and the failure of Padilla and others in Congress to do more about cross-border sewage spills and long border wait times. Unfortunately, Padilla’s aides declined the request last month, saying he was “unavailable due to scheduling constraints” and then didn’t respond to a follow-up email expressing surprise and disappointment that someone who has so often stressed the importance of well-informed voters couldn’t find one hour in three months to discuss his priorities over Zoom. The choice in the race is clear, but so is the fact that Padilla shouldn’t avoid questions with so much at stake in the San Diego-Tijuana region and for democracy.
The Union-Tribune Editorial Board endorses Alex Padilla for Senate and hopes to connect soon.
Cal Matters provided a Professional Profile of Mark Meuser:
Mark Meuser is a career lawyer whose work has never strayed far from conservative politics. Born in Huntington Beach, Meuser got a law degree at Oak Brook Christian, a correspondence college. After a brief detour working for a Republican state senator in Missouri, he set up his own private practice in the East Bay before landing a job at a law office perhaps best known for waging legal war against California’s liberal laws.
This isn’t the first time Meuser has run for office. It’s not even the first time he’s run against Alex Padilla. In races for state senator to Secretary of State, the Republican hasn’t been deterred by the long odds of pitching his red policies to mostly blue voters. Now, he’s seeking his highest office yet. Could this time be different? The June 7 primary results aren’t encouraging. On both U.S.Senate elections on the ballot (yes, there are two), he trailed Padilla by more than 30 percentage points…
Experience:
Lawyer: 2005 – present
Took a job at Dhillon Law Group, the law office of California Republican National committee woman Harriet Dhillon, where he worked on cases challenging the states COVID public health restrictions in churches, Gov. Newsom’s executive order to mail every voter a ballot, and the state’s voter registration system, which he argued, without evidence, enables non-citizens to illegally vote.
Out if his private practice in Walnut Creek, Meuser won an airline passenger the right to sue United Airlines for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and defended a far-right blogger who was subpoenaed amid a legal battle between the National Abortion Foundation and anti-abortion activists.
...Candidate and political activist
In 2018, an election year that would retrospectively be dubbed the year of the GOP-crushing “blue wave,” Meuser ran to be California’s top election administrator on the specter of voter fraud. He lost to incumbent Alex Padilla by 29 percentage points.
In 2012, it was the Battle of the Marks: Meuser, then 38, ran in the state Senate district that included his hometown of Walnut Creek on a conservative platform against Democrat Mark DeSaulnier. Meurcer lost. When DeSaulnier hopped over to Congress two years later, Meuser announced that he would run to take his seat, but decided against it at the last minute.
Co-led the unsuccessful 2008 anti-abortion campaign to change the Colorado state constitution to define a fertilized human egg as a legal person.
June 8: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “California primary: Padilla to face GOP’s Mark Meuser in November election for U.S. Senate” From the article:
Heavy favorite and incumbent Democrat Alex Padilla and Republican attorney Mark Meuser have advanced to the November general election for U.S. Senate in California, Associated Press said Tuesday evening.
With 100% of the precincts reporting, Padilla and Meuser were outdistancing the 23-person field by enough votes to declare them the two winners who will now square off in November, not once, but twice.
Padilla has 53.5% of the vote, while Meuser was well behind him at 14.3% of the vote, but no one else in the field had more than 6.7% of the vote.
In Tuesday’s primary, Padilla’s seat was the subject of two different votes, which may have caused some confusion for voters…
…In 2021, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris became vice president. This gave Gov. Gavin Newsom the opportunity to appoint Padilla, who was then California’s Secretary of State. The 17th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says Senate appointees should serve “until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.”
So, in Tuesday’s primary, one of the votes was for a special election for someone to fill the 56 or so days (from when election results are certified in November until Jan. 3, 2023) that will be left on Harris’ original term. Eight people were competing for that position. And the second vote was for the full six-year term beginning in January.
Padilla (51.3%) and Meuser (21.6%) advanced as the candidates in the short stint race as well.
Padilla, who has the backing of the Democratic establishment in the state, was the odds-on favorite. Meuser has been a critic of some of the state’s coronavirus health restrictions and has slammed Padilla for the state of the current economy in California.
Meuser, who is from Pasadena, issued a statement Tuesday night.
“I am beyond grateful for the support of the people of California for giving me the opportunity that a Republican hasn’t received in 10 years: to be on the ballot in the general election for one of California’s U.S. Senate seats,” said Meuser.
“The fact that this is happening is a telling sign of a shift in the minds of California voters and their excitement for this campaign. They are tired of the continued one-party rule that has dominated this state for over a decade and the continued representation in Washington from rubber stamp politicians from the same party. 2022 will be a red wave year and California is going to be a part of it.”…
Ballotpedia provided information about the General Election for U.S. Senate California:
Alex Padilla (D): 61.1% – 6,621,621 votes
Mark Meuser (R): 38.9% – 4,222,029 votes
Wikipedia provided information about Shirley Weber:
The Secretary of State of California is the chief clerk of the U.S. state of California, overseeing a department of 500 people. The Secretary of State is elected for four year terms, like the state’s other constitutional officers; the officeholder is restricted by term limits to two years.
The current Secretary of State is Shirley Weber, who assumed the role following the resignation of Alex Padilla, who as appointed to become the U.S. senator for California following Kamala Harris’ resignation to become the vice president of the United States. [...]
September 24, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia is a very large state and has more congressional districts than most other states do. This blog post focuses on districts 51-53. These are the last districts in California (including one that disappeared after the 2020 census.)
California’s 51st Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 51st congressional district:
California’s 51st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Sara Jacobs. The district currently includes central and eastern portions of San Diego, as well as eastern suburbs such as El Cajon, La Mesa, Spring Valley, and Lemon Grove.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 51st congressional district is located in Southern California. It is almost entirely within the San Diego Metropolitan Area of San Diego County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 50th district, the 48th district, and the 52nd district. The 51st and 48th are partitioned by Sabre Springs Openspace, Scripps Miramar Openspace, Beeler Canyon Rd, Sycamore Canyon Openspace, Weston Rd, Boulder Vis, Mast Blvd, West Hills Parkway, San Diego River, Highway 52, Simeon Dr, Mission Trails Openspace, Fanita Dr, Farmington Dr, Lund St, Nielsen St, Paseo de Los Castillos, Gillespie Air Field, Kennedy St, San Vincente Freeway, Airport Dr, Wing Ave, W Bradley Ave, Vernon Way, Hart Dr, E Bradley Ave, 830 Adele St-1789 N Mollison Ave, Peppervilla Dr/N Mollison Ave, Pepper Dr, Great St/Cajon Green Dr, N Mollison Ave/Buckley Dr, Denver Ln, Broadway Channel, N 2nd St, Flamingo Ave/Greenfield Dr, Dawnridge Ave/Cresthill Rd, Groveland Ter/Camillo Way, Sterling Dr, Kumeyaay Highway, E Madison Ave, Granite Hills Dr, E Lexington Ave, Dehesa Rd, Vista del Valle Blvd, Merritt Ter, E Washington Ave, Merritt Dr, Dewitt Ct, Emerald Heights Rd, Foote Path Way, Highway 8, Lemon Ave, Lake Helix Dr, La Crux Dr, Carmichael Dr, Bancroft Dr, Campo Rd, and Sweetwater River.
The 51st and 50th are partitioned by Camino del Norte, Highway 15, Carmel Mountain Rd, Ted Williams Parkway, Del Mar Mesa Openspace, Los Penasquitos Creek, Inland Freeway, Governor Dr, Pavlov Ave, Stetson Ave, Milikin Ave, Regents Rd, Ducommun Ave, Bunch Ave, Branting St, Streseman St, Pennant Way, Highway 52, San Diego Freeway, Sea World Dr, Friars Rd, Kumeyaay Highway, and Highway 805.
he 51st and 52nd are partitioned by Cajon Blvd, 58th St, Streamview Dr, College Ave, Lemarand Ave, Highway 94, Charlene Ave, 69th St, Imperial Ave, Larwood Rd, Taft St, Lincoln Pl, Glencoe Dr, Braddock St, Carlisle Dr, Carlsbad Ct/Osage Dr, Potero St, Carlsbad St, Innsdale Ave, Worthington St/Innsdake Ln, Brady Ct/ Innsdale Ln, Parkbrook Way/Alene St, Tinaja Ln/Bluffview Rd, Highway 54, Sweetwater Rd, and Bonita Rd.
The 51st district takes in the cities of El Cajon, Lemon Grove, La Mesa, and National City, as well as the census-designated place La Presa. It also encompasses the San Diego neighborhoods of Paradise Hills, Mira Mesa, Miramar, San Carlos, Sorrento, Clairemont, Normal Heights, Allied Gardens, Grantville, Balboa Park, Linda Vista, and Serra Mesa.
Ballotpedia provided information about Sara Jacobs:
Sara Jacobs (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 51st Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Sara Jacobs (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 51st Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Sara Jacobs was a candidate for California’s 49th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Jacobs lost the primary on June 2018.
Sara Jacobs was born in San Diego, California. Jacobs earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University. Her career experience includes working as a policy advisor with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign; in policy positions with the U.S. State Department, UNICEF, and the United Nations; and the CEO of Project Connect. Jacobs founded San Diego for Every Child: The Coalition to End Child Poverty and served as the CEO of Project Connect.
Ballotpedia provided information about Stan Caplan:
Stan Caplan (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 51st Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Stan Caplan lives in San Diego, California. Caplan’s career experience includes owning a business.
Stan Caplan did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Stan Caplan’s campaign website.
REDUCE GAS PRICES AND LOWER ENERGY COSTS:
Stop tax and regulation policies that punish everyday Americans
Produce more U.S. oil and natural gas
Restore energy independence
Increase reliable and affordable renewable resources
EASE INFLATION AND LOWER FOOD PRICES:
Shrink government and reduce spending
Decrease taxes on low and middle wage earners
Reduce supply chain regulations
Use private enterprise, not government, to grow the economy
HELP SMALL BUSINESSES:
Incentivize small business creation
Reduce taxes, regulation, and bureacracy
Ensure fair competition with big business
EDUCATE CHILDREN:
Stick to practical STEM learning
Teach honest and constructive U.S. History and Civics
Cultivate values of individual character, not decisive race-based constructs
GIVE PARENTS SCHOOL CHOICE:
Encourage educational competition between schools
Reward innovative and effective teachers
Provide wide range of learning opportunities
Let parents tailor education to their children’s individual needs
GIVE PARENTS A VOICE:
Let parents decide cirruculum
Give parents authority over all sexuality teaching
Protect parents from being characterized as terrorists
You can read more of Stan Caplan’s views on Ballotpedia.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jose Cortes:
Jose Cortez (Peace and Freedom Party of California) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 51st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jose Cortez was born in Lakewood, California. Cortes’ career experience includes working as a healthcare and benefits administrator.
Jose Cortez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a proud socialist who grew up in East County San Diego. I identify as Chicano or Latino. I am very close with my parents and extended family, most of whom also live in San Diego County. As I studied at the University of Buffalo, I began to think critically about U.S. foreign policy. I also worked various blue collar jobs including as a security guard and a night janitor, where I experienced the alienation and exploitation of capitalism firsthand.
I remember hearing that El Cajon PD shot an unarmed Ugandan refugee named Alfred Olango. The murder occurred right in the parking lot of my dentist’s office. At that time, I was working as an aide for children with special needs at a school, and supervised the after-school care program as well. We had just finished studying and learning about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights era with the kids, so I felt compelled to join the protests. That was where I met the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and became a revolutionary organizer.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Housing and healthcare should be Constitutionally guaranteed human rights
We must end the endless wars and bring all the troops home. We should use the money to pay for important social services, and pay reparations to all nations affected by imperialism and colonialism.
Full rights for all immigrants, abolish ICE/DHS. Defund and demilitarize the police. Jail killer cops!
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
We need socialism, a system where the workers are empowered to make the most important decisions affecting their lives, and human needs and the long-term wellbeing four planet come before corporate profits.
In 2020, the number of people who became homeless for the first time in San Diego County more than doubled. We need to take immediate action to ensure access to housing for everyone in our community. This is not an issue of supply and demand: in 2020 there were an estimated 5 thousand people living on the streets of San Diego, and about 57,000 housing units sitting empty on any given night. This level of inequality and inefficiency in our economic system is absurd, inhumane and unacceptable; we need socialism.
When the costs of food, housing, and medication go up, people find a way to pay for them, because we have no other option. We need to dispel the myth that a capitalist “free market” will make essentials of life like housing or healthcare less expensive. This has been proven false time and time again. Housing and healthcare should not be profit-making ventures.
Capitalism drives our government to engage in endless wars for political influence and profit, corrupts our political system, hurts our communities. It is causing the destruction of our environment and climate catastrophe and we urgently need to transition to a socialist economy so we can use centralized planning to address climate change.
Ballotpedia provided information about Barrett Holman Leak:
Barrett Holman Leak (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 51st Congressional District. She lost as a write-in in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Barrett Holman Leak completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a multiethnic Black Jewish woman who is a lifelong Democrat. University educated (master degree) and in the United States of America and Europe, I flipped burgers and packed fries at Burger King, was a freelance journalist and served as a federal government employee for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, during college to pay my tuition. Over the last 20+ years, I have worked as a fulltime professional journalist, small business owner and a children’s author. My platform includes (but is not limited to) small business support, Medicare For All, expanded voting rights, climate action/justice, women’s rights (from healthcare to wage equity), LBGTQ+ rights, labor rights, affordable housing and effective solutions for houseless people, eliminating child poverty and rebuilding American manufacturing (infrastructure).
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your time in office?
The time is now for change. We have had the same types of representatives of 172 years. Representation matters. We deserve and need a diverse, working class representative for our divers (45%+POC) district. We need a leader with solid work and life experience who focuses on all segments of our district. I bring more than 2 decades of life and work experiences that make me able to relate well to all people.
Voting for me is voting for a person of integrity who will not, as our representative had done, take foreign business lobbyist money and junkets to other countries: Voting for me means having a representative who does not make stock investments that profit from the pain of other people. Voting for me means choosing a representative who has the common sense, compassion, vision, and resilience. I know through personal experience what it is to got through hard times and what it takes to come through the struggles.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am personally passionate about voting rights, affordable housing, small business support, equitable wage laws, healthcare and criminal justice reform.
December 21, 2021: Times of San Diego posted an article titled: “Reps. Jacobs, Issa to Seek Reelection in New 51st, 48th Congress Districts in 2022” From the article:
First-term Rep. Sara Jacobs announced Tuesday that she will seek re-election to the House of Representatives in the new 51st District in 2022. Hours later, Republican Darrell Issa said he’d seek the new 48th District seat.
The announcements follow the release of the final redistricting maps by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
The new district in San Diego includes much of Democrat Jacobs’ current 53rd District, but also parts of the county previously represented by Reps. Scott Peters, Issa, and Juan Vargas…
…”It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of California’s 53rd Congressional District, and with these new maps, I am excited to continue to serve so many of my current constituents and a number of new communities that mean so much to San Diego in the 51st District,” Jacobs said.
January 15: Liberation News posted an article titled: “Socialist Jose Cortes announces run in new California 51st Congressional District” From the article:
Jose Cortes, a socialist candidate for U.S. Congress in 2022, filed to run in California’s new 51st Congressional District (CA51) on Jan. 3. After previously running as a Peace and Freedom Party candidate in CA50, the change comes after redistricting in California following the 2020 U.S. census. Cortes’ 2020 campaign earned more votes than any other independent or third party candidate in the race.
Cortes’ 2022 House of Representatives campaign is already endorsed by South Bay Union School District president and candidate for state superintendent of public instruction Marco Amaral, the Peace and Freedom Party, the Green Party of San Diego County and others. Cortes is a longtime member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation and a leader in local struggles against war, racists police terror and housing injustice.
Instead of facing off against incumbent far-right Republican Darrell Issa, Cortes will now be running against billionaire heiress and current CA53 representative Sara Jacobs. The statewide midterm primary elections are on June 7.
For working class representation in power
Through the campaign has its sites set on winning the seat, Cortes and volunteers say their main goal is to intervene in the electoral sphere by exposing the current system and showing voters that a socialist, working-class alternative to the two political parties exists.
During a campaign volunteer orientation on Jan 8, Cortes said: “I’m running because as a former Qualcomm janitor and current health insurance worker I see people being ground up like meat by this capitalist system. We say no more! Now is the time to build a movement demanding basic human dignity for all workers.”
Right now, campaign volunteers are gathering signatures to get Cortes on the ballot. They have from Jan. 3 to Feb. 9 to gather some 1,300 signatures. When Liberation News asked about the scale of this challenge, Cortes’ 2020 campaign manager Juliana Musheyev replied, “I absolutely think it can be done. I’m pretty confident that it will be done because I know how dedicated and organized our volunteers are.”
Mushevey continued, “Since we don’t receive funding from wealthy donors and corporations, we depend on these signatures to offset the cost of getting on the ballot. Each signature chips away at the fee. Many of the campaign volunteers have full time jobs and family obligations, but we are dedicating our evenings and weekends to going door-to-door and standing outside busy shopping centers…
…The Cortes for Congress campaign is fighting for the end of imperialism, poverty, and all forms of oppression and exploitation. Rather than proposing economic or military war on people, thousands of miles away, Cortes advocates friendship with workers around the world and works to build a united front against fascism and positive social change.
May 19: Fox 5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Meet the congressional candidates running to represent San Diego County” From the article:
…The 51st Congressional District map covers the heart of urban San Diego, from the College Area to Normal Heights and Kensington, Linda Vista and Clairemont, Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch and more. This solid blue district is home to San Diego’s youngest member of Congress and a conservative businessman hoping to unseat her.
Sarah Jacobs (D) (Incumbent)
Rep. Sara Jacobs, a Democrat, was elected in 2020 and serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. A member of the powerful local family behind Qualcomm, Jacobs was a policy expert who worked at the United Nations and UNICEF before her election.
In an April interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jacobs touted her role in temporarily expending the child tax credit, and vowed to continue fighting to make that benefit permanent. She also highlighted pieces of the Build Back Better COVID-19 recovery plan that she co-authored, including sections on environmental measures. Jacobs called for a transition to a “clean energy economy,” driven by major investments in new infrastructure.
Jacobs advocates for a complete overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, a pathway to citizenship for “Dreamers” and an immediate increase in the number of federal immigration judges available to process a backlog of asylum requests and other cases.
Stan Caplan (R)
Republican Stan Caplan is a small business owner. He highlights his personal experience as a longtime San Diego resident and a single parent who can speak for “common sense solutions” instead of “political nonsense.”
Caplan lists reducing gas prices and overall energy costs as a top priority, saying the U.S. should produce more of its own oil and natural gas. He also calls for lifting taxes and regulations related to energy. Caplan says he can help ease inflation and lower expenses for consumers by shrinking government spending and decreasing taxes on low- and middle-wage earners.
The candidate claims that tax laws in California encourage crime, and calls for harsher penalties for criminal offenses. He also supports stricter enforcement of immigration law…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 51:
Sara Jacobs (D): 60.5% – 91,329 votes
Stan Caplan (R): 37.2% – 56,183 votes
Jose Cortes (Peace and Freedom Party of California) 2.2% – 3,343 votes
Barrett Holman Leak (D): (Write In): 0.0% – 55 votes
June 8: NBC San Diego posted an article titled: “California Primary Election: Sara Jacobs Leads 51st Congressional District Race” From the article:
Democratic Congressmember Sara Jacobs took a big early lead in her bid to represent California’s 51st Congressional District.
By 10 p.m. on Election night, with 54% of the vote counted, Jacobs was in the lead with 63% of the vote. Republican challenger Stan Caplan was in position to advance to November’s General Election with 35% of the vote.
“I first ran for Congress because I knew we needed a new generation of leaders who will do things differently, listen to everyone, respect everyone, and actually get things done for the community,” Jacobs said in a statement sent Tuesday night. “I’m looking forward to meeting more of the vibrant CA-51 community, hearing from you, and earning your support in November.”
Caplan, a small business owner, told NBC 7 he’s happy it appears he’ll be going head-to-head with Jacobs in November.
“My hope is people will see the issues and what’s important their constitutional rights are in jeopardy and they’ll start saying I don’t want the structure of our government to change to Socialism so it’s not that I’m so pretty it’s just said they’ll vote against what’s there.”…
November 1: NBC SanDiego posted an article titled: “What’s the Scoop on Congressional Races in San Diego?” From the article:
…The 51st District spans most of San Diego and is currently represented by the most junior member of San Diego’s congressional delegation, Democrat Sara Jacobs. Her challenger is Republican business owner Stan Caplan.
“It’s a very blue district. She faces a Republican opponent, but Sara Jacobs has that name recognition, a. track record and a district that should be safe for a number of elections going forward,” Thad Kousser said…
November 9: Fox 5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Jacobs wins reelection in 51st Congressional District” From the article:
Rep. Sara Jacobs, a Democrat incumbent, has won reelection in the 51st Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
Jacobs, San Diego’s youngest member of Congress, has garnered 59% of the vote compared to her Republican challenger Stan Caplan’s nearly 41%, elections results showed as of Wednesday afternoon…
…Jacobs was first elected in 2020 and serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees. A member of the powerful local family Qualcomm, Jacobs was a policy expert who worked at the United Nations and Unicef before her election.
In an April interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jacobs touted her role in temporarily expanding the child tax credit, and vowed to continue fighting to make that benefit permanent. She also highlighted pieces of the Build Back Better COVID-19 recovery plan that she co-authored, including sections on environmental measures. Jacobs called for a transition to a “clean energy economy,” driven by major investments in new infrastructure.
Jacobs advocates for a complete overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, a pathway to citizenship for “Dreamers” and an immediate increase in the number of federal immigration judges available to process a backlog of asylum requests and other cases.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 51:
Sara Jacobs (D): 61.9% – 144,186 votes
Stan Caplan (R): 38.1% – 88,886 votes
California’s 52nd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 52nd congressional district:
California’s 52nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Juan Vargas.
The district currently includes south western portions of San Diego County. Cities in the district include National City, Chula Vista and most of Imperial Beach.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 52nd congressional district is located in Southern California. It encompasses the South Bay region of San Diego County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 50th district, and the 48th district. The 52nd and 49th are partitioned by San Miguel Rd, Proctor Valley Rd, Camino Mojave/Jonel Way, Highway 125, Upper Otay Reservoir, Otay Lakes Rd, Otay Valley Regional Park, Alta Rd, and Otay Mountain Truck Trail.
The 52nd and the 50th are partitioned by Iowa St, University Ave, Inland Freeway, Escondido Freeway, Martin Luther King Jr Freeway, John J Montgomery Freeway, and San Diego Bay.
The 52nd and the 51st are partitioned by El Cajon Blvd, 58th St, Streamview Dr, College Ave, Meridian Ave, Lemerand Ave, Highway 94, Charlene Ave, 69th St, Imperial Ave, Larwood Rd, Taft St, Lincoln Pl, Glencoe Dr, Braddock St, Carlisle Dr, Carlsbad Ct/Osage Dr, Potero St, Carlsbad St, Innsdale Ave, Worthington St/Innsdale Ln, Braddock St, Carlisle Dr, Carlsbad Ct/Osage Dr, Potero St, Carlsbad St, Innsdale Ave, Worthington St/Innsdale Ln, Brady Ct/Innusdale Ln, Parkbrook Way/Alene St, Tinaga Ln/Bluffview Rd, Highway 54, Sweetwater Rd, and Bonita Rd.
The 52nd district takes in the cities of Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach, as well as the census-designated place Bonita. It also encompasses the San Diego neighborhoods of Paradise Hills, Logan Heights, Encanto, Mountain View, Barrio Logan, Shelltown, Lincoln Park, Nestor, Otay Mesa, and South San Diego.
Ballotpedia provided information about Juan Vargas:
Juan Vargas (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 52nd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Juan Vargas (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 52nd Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
In 2018, Vargas defeated Republican Juan Hidalgo Jr. (R) by a vote of 71 percent to 29 percent.
Vargas is a former Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing District 40 from 2010 until his resignation on January 2, 2013. Prior to his election to the California State Senate, Vargas served in the California State Assembly from 2001 to 2006. He was also a member of the San Diego City Council.
As of 2019, Vargas served on the Committee on Financial Services, including the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
Juan Vargas earned his B.A. in political science from the University of San Diego in 1983. He went on to receive his M.A. in humanities from Fordham University. He then earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Vargas worked for Luce, Forward, Hamilton and Scripps as an Associate Attorney.
Ballotpedia provided information about Tyler Geffeney:
Tyler Geffeney (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 52nd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Tyler Geffeney was born in California. Geffeney earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1995 and a graduate degree from Biola University in 2010. His career experience includes owning a mortgage finance business and working as a minister.
Typer Geffeney completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I believe wholeheartedly in the American dream as my life is a testimony to it. Raised by a single mother and then later with my stepfather, our family subsisted at times on food stamps until I eventually worked my way through high school and college, graduated from U.C.Berkeley Hass School of Business in just over 3 years, and then launched and ran several mortgage finance companies while at the same time serving as a minister and pastor on behalf of the church.
Yet our coveted American dream is under assault by an insidious leftist agenda coming out of the Democratic Party whose intentions are clear; destroy Western culture and everything that formed the foundation to American exceptionalism. So now I seek to go to our capital to stop the leftist insanity and restore the original biblical foundations of our government. My plan will oppose the Democrats via (1) the reestablishing free-market economics policies (2) fix election integrity (3) abolish government overreach in all its forms (4) uphold individual and family rights (5) abolish the slaughter of innocent babies in the womb,… and much more. Together we will once again restore our constitutional republic which once made America exceptional – and will do so again!
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Restore faith in God. John Adams wisely state “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” He was and is right. And today we are seeing the utter breakdown of society on account of having lost site of this vital foundation for American governance. We are at a watershed moment in our nation’s history where we are experiencing large-scale corruption of our government, dishonest media, the moral breakdown of families, rampant dishonesty in business, evil indoctrination in government schools, and an increasingly enticed populous. If we are to flourish as a nation we must restore biblical virtue to our country.
Skyrocketing crime under Democratic policies are fueling the meltdown of society. Defunding the police is true idiocy. Pitting races against each other as “oppressors and the oppressed” via CRT curriculum is not the solution. Relaxing sentencing and changing laws to decriminalize what we all recognize as wrong is not the solution. We need to revers the work of the Democratic party initiatives and empower the police and the prosecutors to do their jobs and restore law and order. Tying the hands of law enforcement and passing ridiculous criminal “reform” that decriminalizes felonies will of course decrease crime stats while increasing actual crime. No sane person wants the anarchy of the Democratic policies. We must reverse course.
Inflation cripples the poor hardest. Rising gas, food, and home prices are the direct result of numerous Democratic derelictions: Consider gas 1) CA has a special blend of gas that the rest of the nation does not use and drives our prices up. 2) CA has the highest gas tax in the nation. 3) Continuing to print money for “free stuff” leads to the collapse of a currency and shutting down businesses during covid cuts supply and together leads to inflation. We must reverse the Democratic policies which included inflation and bring back the economy of the former Republican administration.
What areas of public policy are you personally interested about?
You can see what I am most passionate about by visiting my website at www.tyler4congress.com
Ballotpedia provide information about Joaquín Vázquez:
Joaquín Vázquez (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 52nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Joaquín Vázquez was born in San Diego, California. He earned an associate degree from San Diego City College in 2012, a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from the University of California at Davis in 2016, and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from Northwestern University in 2018. Vázquez’s career experience includes founding Organizing For Progress and working as its executive director, as an analyst with the Housing Rights Center, as a financial regulatory compliance consultant, in public policy with the Obama Administration, and as a community engagement director at Border Angels. Vázquez has been affiliated with Organizing For Progress; Obama’s Organizing For Action, and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
Joaquín Vázquez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
You are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m a son of working-class Mexican immigrants, born and raised in City Heights, San Diego. I overcame childhood family separation and homelessness after my father’s deportation, which led to my family’s eviction. I have lived a transborder life since then, crossing often between San Diego and Tijuana to be close to my parents. My life experience is what has driven me to give back to the community as an organizer, empowering working-class and marginalized families to be civically engaged.
I served in the federal government in Washington, DC during the Obama Administration, working on economic, labor, and environmental policy within the Department of Commerce and then the Executive Office of the President.
Internationally, I saved the UN Refugee Agency, and worked on development policy in Geneva for the UN Conference on Trade and Development, helping least developed countries get a seat at the table at the United Nations & World Trade Organization. I hold a Bachelor’s in Political Science & International Relations focused on Poverty & Economics from UC Davis and a Master’s in Public Policy & Administration from Northwestern University. During COVID-19, I founder Organizing For Progress, a national nonprofit dedicated to building civically engaged grassroots leaders, assisted governments via the Housing Rights Center to provide emergency rental assistance funds to impacted tenants and landlords, and helped migrants as Border Angels’ Community Engagement Director.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We need policies like a Green New Deal and Medicare For All to transform the economy into a just one, leveling the playing field to guarantee economic opportunity for all, fight the climate crisis, and a federal jobs guarantee that secures good paying jobs with livable wages for everyone.
I am fighting to end homelessness through enacting a national homes guarantee. I am fighting for immigration reform to ensure that we finally provide a pathway to citizenship for the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in America,. I am also fighting to pass sensible gun laws to protect our communities, keep children safe, and ensure that we end the gun violence epidemic the avoidable massacres we’ve seen at schools no longer happen.
Protect Democracy: We must get greed and corrupt money out of politics through campaign finance reform, and establish term limits so that politicians work for the people and not for their corporate donors and special interests in Washington, while they sit in these seats of power for a life time once elected.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
The economy, immigration, healthcare, gun laws, environment, jobs, small businesses, education, criminal justice, equality, ending corruption, protecting voters and democracy, justice for veterans, mass transit, financial systems reform and ensuring the wealthiest of our country pay their fair share of taxes.
January 31: Patch San Diego, CA posted an article from City News Service titled: “Vazquez Announces Candidacy For 52nd Congressional District Seat” From the article:
Community organizer Joaquin Vasquez has announced plans to run in the June primary in the reapportioned 52nd Congressional District, facing Rep. Juan Vargas, a fellow Democrat.
Vazquez was born and raided in City Heights. During the coronavirus pandemic, he has advocated for housing rights and worked with the San Diego area non-profit Border Angels. He is the executive director for Organizing For Progress.
“(Vasquez) is eager to ring a new approach to local politics, with experience, a voice of conscience, and empathy to get the necessary resources for working families to bounce back from the global pandemic through legislation that helps them retake control of their lives,” a campaign news release said.
Vasquez finished 11th in a field of 15 in the 2020 primary in the 53rd Congressional District, receiving 3,078 votes, 1.5%, for the seat won by Sara Jacobs.
Vagas, D-San Diego, announced Jan. 7 that he would seek reelection in the 52nd District.
May 2: Patriots for Freedom PAC posted an release titled: “PATRIOTS FOR FREEDOM PAC ENDORSES TYLER GEFFENEY CA-CONGRESS DISTRICT 52” From the release:
Today May 2, 2022, Patriots for Freedom PAC announced its official endorsement of Tyler Geffeney for Congress District 52.
Tyler Geffeney is a husband, father, and a Pastor since 2009. Tyler’s devotion to God and love of humanity brings a solid reprieve to his district. He recognizes the unlawfulness in legislature, the over taxation that has led businesses to flee California marking us the 50th in rank as worst state to own a business in. Tyler plans to address congress and hold them accountable for unlawful actions against the people and our U.S. Constitution. Tyler’s actions are to fight for meaningful immigration reform as our current process creates chaotic border policies, violent crime, trafficking, drug addiction and a troubling environment for all. His focus is to restore common sense law and remove tyrannical rule.
Tyler stands for the following: Education, Safe, Legal Immigration, Right to Life, Family, Freedom and Liberty, Economic Opportunity, Housing and Homelessness, Upholding Constitution Protections and Faith in God. Geffeney is running to restore American exceptionalism for our children, future, and the world. It’s no surprise that Tyler is the one for the job. He focuses on Election Integrity, education, currency stability, lowering taxes, balanced budget, resolve government debt, free market with decreased government regulation combined with incentives to invigorate the economy and expansion that will solve problems. His knowledge, understanding, resolutions, strategic measures and community involvement will serve his district well.
Patriots for freedom wholeheartedly endorses Tyler Geffeney for Congress District 52…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 52:
Juan Vargas (D): 59.1% – 56,827 votes
Tyler Geffeney (R): 30.5% – 29,348 votes
Joaquín Vázquez (D): 10.4% – 9,965 votes
October 24: FOX 5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Meet the congressional candidates running to represent San Diego County” From the article:
The 52nd Congressional District map encompasses San Diego County’s South Bay, with Chula Vista and National City along with Imperial Beach and the border communities of San Isidro and Otay Mesa. The same Democratic congressman has represented parts of those communities since 2013 and is vying to continue…
…Juan Vargas (D) (Incumbent)
Rep. Juan Vargas, a former San Diego City council member, serves on the House Financial Services and Foreign Affairs committees. Issues specific to border communities have often Benn central to his work in office.
Vargas lists tackling climate change among his top priorities, saying he supports the Green New Deal framework that calls for massive investments in clean technology, strict cuts to carbon emissions, and to specifically address the way “underserved communities and people of color are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change.”
Vargas also highlights his support for U.S. military veterans, calls for comprehensive immigration reform and anti-discrimination laws that protect people’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
Tyler Geffeney
Tyler Geffeney is a minister and pastor who has run several mortgage finance companies, according to his campaign website.
On his website, Geffeney, who is anti-abortion, calls for the expansion of pregnancy support centers and CalWORKS programs. He also calls for safe and legal immigration, saying “we need to close off our porous border while making the pathway to legal citizenship achievable.”
In the education sphere, Gefenney is a proponent of school choice. When it comes to the economy, Geffenney vows to “reinvigorate the economy of the 52nd district through decreased regulations” and incentives that are business-friendly.
Ballotpedia provided information about the General Election for U.S. House California District 52:
Juan Vargas (D): 66.7% – 100,686 votes
Tyler Geffeney (R): 33.3% – 50,330 votes
November 9: Fox5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Vargas wins reelection in 52nd Congressional District” From the article:
Incumbent Rep. Juan Vargas has won reelection in the 52nd Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
Results in the California General Election as of Wednesday afternoon showed Vargas, a former San Diego County Council member, had garnered 64% of the vote compared to his Republican challenger, Tyler Geffeney’s nearly 36%…
…The Cook Political Report and other non-partisan analysts rate the 52nd a “solid Democratic” district, indicating it would be an uphill climb for a Republican candidate to win there.
Vargas serves on the House Financial Services and Foreign Affairs committees. Issues specific to border communities have often been central to his campaigns and work in office.
Vargas lists tackling climate change among his top priorities, saying he supports the Green New Deal framework that calls for massive investments in clean technology, strict cuts to carbon emissions and to specifically address the way “underserved communities and people of color are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change.”
Vargas also highlights his support for U.S. military veterans, calls for comprehensive reform and anti-discrimination laws that protect people’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
California’s 53rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 53rd Congressional District:
California’s 53rd congressional district was a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It was last represented by Sarah Jacobs, who succeeded Susan David following the 2020 election. It was eliminated during the 2020 United States redistricting cycle.
The district was recently in San Diego County. It included eastern portions of Chula Vista, western portions of El Cajon, central and eastern portions of the city of San Diego, as well as eastern suburbs such as Bonita, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and Spring Valley in their entirety.
The district was abolished following the 2022 United States census. It was the first congressional seat to be lost after a census in California’s history. [...]
September 20, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more districts than most states. Here is the outcome of the California U.S. House Elections in 2022. This blog focuses on Districts 41 – 50. Many of these districts are connected to Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego county.
California’s 41st Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 41st Congressional District:
California’s 41st congressional district is a congressional district in Riverside County, in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Republican Ken Calvert.
It includes the cities of Palm Springs, Menifee, Calimesa, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, and most of Corona. The representative for the 41st is Ken Calvert, who was redistricted from the 42nd district. It contains most of the western part of the Palm Springs Area with the exception of Cathedral City, as well as commuter towns in the Greater Los Angeles area, and exurban and rural areas in South-Western Riverside County.
Now that the district contains the heavily Democratic cities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert, along with the swing city of Corona and conservative areas in western Riverside County, such as Norco, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Wildomar, and Calimesa. The district is considered a swing seat, rated as a “Toss Up” by the Cook Political Report.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 41st congressional district is located in the Inland Empire in Southern California. It is located entirely within Riverside County.
Riverside County is split between this district, the 25th district, the 39th district, and the 48th district. The 41st and 25th are partitioned by Terwillinger Rd, Bailey Rd, Candelaria, Elder Creek Rd, Bonny Ln, Tule Peak Rd, Eastgate Trail, Goldfish Rd, Rule Valley Rd, Laura Ln, Dove Dr, Lago Grande, Barbara Trail, Valley Dr, Foolish Pleasure Rd, Highway 371, Gelding Way, Puckit Dr, Indian Rd, Wellman Rd, El Toro Rd, Burnt Valley Rd, Cahuilla Rd, Highway 74, Bull Canyon Rd, Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, Fred Waring Dr, Washington St, Highway 10, Davall Dr, Dinah Shore Dr, Plumley Rd, Gerald Ford Dr, E Ramon Rd, San Luis Rey Dr, San Joaquin River, Stetson Ave, Hemet St, Cornell St, Gerard St, E Newport Rd, Domenigoni Parkway, Leon Rd, Grand Ave, State Highway 74, California Ave, W Devonshire Ave, Warren Rd, Ramona Expressway, San Jacinto River, Highway 79, Oak Valley Parkway, Champions Dr, Union St, Brookside Ave.
The 41st and 39th are partitioned by Corona Freeway, River Trails Park, Redley Substation Rd, Arlington Ave, Alhambra Ave, Golden Ave, Doheny Blvd, Bolivar St, Campbell Ave, Pierce St, Quantico Dr, Collett Ave, Buchanan St, Highway 91, 12397 Doherty Way-Magnolia Ave, BNSF Railroad, N McKinley St, N Temescal St, E 16th St, S Neece St, Indiana Ave, Skyridge Dr, Fillmore St, 2969 Fillmore St-La Sierra Ave, Cleveland Ave, McAllister Parkway, Corsica Ave, Hermosa Dr, John F. Kennedy Dr, Wood Rd, Colt St. Dauchy Ave, Van Buren Blvd, Bobbit Ave, Chicago Ave, Krameria Ave, 16510 Sendero del Charro-Mariposa Ave, Barton St, Cole Ave, Rider St, Greenwood Ave, Kabian Park, Goetz Park, Ethanac Rd, McLaughlin Rd, Sherman Rd, Tumble Rd, Watson Rd, Escondido Expressway, Mapes Rd, Ellis Ave, Antelope Rd, Rico Ave, San Jacinto River, Ramona Expressway, Lake Perris State Recreation Area, Gilman Springs Rd, Moreno Valley Freeway, Quincy St, Cloud Haven Dr, Holly Ct, Reche Vista Dr, Reche Canyon Rd, and Kessel Rd.
The 41st and 48th are partitioned by Ortega Highway, Tenaja Truck Trail, NF-7506, Tenaja, San Mateo Creek, Los Alamos Rd, Und 233 S Main Dv, Wildomar, Grand Ave, Rancho Mirlo Dr, Cooper Canyon Park, 42174 Kimberly Way-35817 Darcy Pl, Escondido Expressway, Scott Rd, Warren Rd, Summitville St, Indian Knoll Rd, E Benton Rd, Rancho California Rd, Overhill Rd, Green Meadow Rd, Crossover Rd, Exa-Ely Rd, Denise Rd, Wiley Rd, Powerline Rd, Wilson Valley Rd, Wilson Creek, Reed Valley Rd, Centennial St, Beaver Ave and Lake Vista
Dr. The 41st district takes in the cities of Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Menifee, Palm Springs, La Quinta, Lake Elsinore, Norco, and Corona, as well as the census-designated places Cherry Valley, Nuevo, Homeland, Sage, Idyllwild-Pine Cove and Woodcrest.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ken Calvert:
Ken Calvert (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 41st Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Calvert (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. He declared his candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Calvert was first elected to the U.S. House in 1992 to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. He was elected to California’s 44th Congressional District in 2002 and served until his election to California’s 42nd Congressional District.
From 1992 to 2018, Calvert captured an average of 58.5 percent of the vote in each general election. The percentage of the vote he captured was lowest in his first election in 1992 where he garnered 46.7 percent of the vote. It was the highest in 2000 when he faced a Libertarian Party and Natural Law Party candidate in the general election and garnered 73.7 percent of the vote.
Ken Calvert was born in Corona, California. Calvert graduated from Corona High School in 1971. He earned an A.A. from Chaffey College in 1973 and a B.A. from San Diego University in 1975.
Calvert’s experience includes owning a business and working as a restaurant manager. He served as the chair of the Riverside County Republican Party.
Ballotpedia reported that Ken Calvert did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Ken Calvert’s campaign website from 2012:
Calvert’s campaign website listed the following issues:
Economy
Excerpt: “I began working in our family business in Corona at a young age. Before long, I started and ran my own business, learning valuable lessons about small businesses along the way. With an economics degree from San Diego State University and decades of community leadership and business experience, I understand what it means to sign the front of a payroll check, and what that paycheck means to families.”
Education
Excerpt: “Communities across our country must constantly ask themselves if our children are getting the best possible education. It is not often that I agree with President Obama, but I do share his support for using meaningful performance pay systems to improve teacher quality and effectiveness. If we are going to give our students the best education, we must reward teachers who excel and give an extra effort.”
Energy
Excerpt: “I believe the best way to confront our country’s energy challenges is by adopting an “all of the above” energy policy that takes aggressive steps towards reducing our dependance on foreign sources of energy. Federal incentives and coordinated research in developing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies are a critical component of solving our energy problems.”
Healthcare
Excerpt: “I voted against ObamaCare and I believe it should be repealed. The process Washington Democrats used to produce the health care law was fraught with sweetheart deals, special interests carve outs, and forced on America under undemocratic rules. I believe Congress should repeal and replace the health care law with a renewed focus on the health care reform elements most Americans agree on.”
Immigration
Excerpt: “As most Americans know, our immigration policies are broken. The worst step we can take is to grant amnesty to people who entered our country illegally. I oppose amnesty because it sends a horrible message to those who entered our country legally and to those thinking about immigrating to America in the future.”
Ballotpedia provided information about Will Rollins:
Will Rollins (Democratic Party) is running for election to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Will Rollins was born in Torrance, California. Rollins earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in 2007 and a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 2012. His career experience includes working as an assistant U.S. attorney.
Will Rollins completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Will Rollins is a former federal prosecutor who focussed on counterterrorism and counterintelligence cases in Southern California. He’s running for Congress because the attack on the U.S. Capitol underscored why America needs a new generation of leaders to end the toxic divisions that threaten our democracy and prevent us from solving problems together. After helping to prosecute some of the insurrectionists who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, Will decided to challenge Republican Congressman Ken Calvert, who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Coming of age at at time when being gay was a crime in some states, Will and his partner Paolo know that government-sponsored discrimination has lasting effects on all Americans, our economy, and our national security. That has motivated Will to improve the lives of others who face discrimination. Will’s mother and father, a public defender and a journalist, stressed the importance of justice and free speech at a young age. His parents taught him that although the system may not be perfect, every generation has a responsibility to improve it. With this in mind, Will is running for Congress to serve the 41st district of California and bring justice and accountability back to Washington.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your time in office?
I became a national security and terrorism prosecutor because of 9-11. I wanted to help keep America safe. But over my career, I’ve seen the threats to our country change. Today, some of our biggest threats are right here at home, as people become radicalized by conspiracy theories and QAnon lies that spread across social media and echo on Fox News. This is a systemic problem. Extremists, Big Tech and media outlets are profiting from spreading division based on lies, even as they erode our democracy and make it easier for adversaries like China and Russia to exploit us.
If Americans can start agreeing on basic facts again, we can start working together to tackle the big issues of our generation: reforming our criminal justice system, improving access to health care, growing our economy, and protecting our planet.
Let’s kick out extreme politicians like Ken Calvert who spread the big lies and elect a new generation of leaders willing to save our democracy.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Fixing our broken information system, lowering costs on working families, expanding access to healthcare, and protecting the planet.
Ballotpedia provided information on Shrina Kurani:
Shrina Kurani (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shrina Kurani was born in Riverside, California. Kurani earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Riverside in 2013. Her career experience includes working as the vice president of business and the chief of staff of the financial services company Republic, the CEO of FoodNest, and an engineer.
Shrina Kurani completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Growing up in Riverside County, I saw the lack of quality career opportunities. I’m a first-generation American and learned the value of hustle from my parents, who didn’t take a day off in 10 years as the family worked together to build a successful pool supply business.
Those opportunities are still out of reach for far too many people and career Washington politicians are too busy helping themselves, their political parties, and their corporate donors.
I’m an engineer, entrepreneur, and fact-based problem solver, not a politician. I’ve spent my career building businesses that reduce waste and create quality jobs. I’m running for Congress to make things work better in Washington so we can develop a sustainable future and build an Inland Empire where people feel safe, healthy, and have opportunities to succeed in fulfilling careers.
Please list below key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I’m an engineer, entrepreneur, and fact-based problem solver, not a politician
I’ve spent my career building businesses that reduce waste and create quality jobs.
I’m running for Congress to make things work better in Washington so we can develop a sustainable future and build an Inland Empire where people feel safe, healthy, and have opportunities to succeed in fulfilling careers.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about (1) creating economic opportunity, including expanding quality jobs that support families by investing in training for skilled trades and technology jobs, and provide direct relief to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) making living more affordable by reducing prices for goods and repairing our supply chain so we produce critical supplies and medicines here at home, and cracking down on corporations that are taking advantage of the pandemic and inflating prices for their own profit, and (3) protecting our environment by taking bold, immediate action to tackle climate change, pushing for initiatives that increase the use of renewable energy, and prioritizing access to clean air, water, land and parks for everyone.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I grew up in my parents small business, a swimming pool and spa supply store. I learned learned the values of hard work, hustle, and resourcefulness from my parents while they worked seven days a week, with my brother and I helping after school and in the summers. The seed of entrepreneurship was planted for me as I saw my parents work together to grow the business to over 14 locations throughout the Inland Empire, with my mother managing the accounting and my father overseeing the employees and also engaging in the local community through the Chamber of Commerce and as a planning commissioner.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Michael Lucio
John Michael Lucio (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. Lucio lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
John Michael Lucio was born in Long Beach, California. Lucio served in the U.S. Navy. He earned a B.A. and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University in 2008 and 2011, respectively.
Ballotpedia provided information about Anna Nevenic
Anna Nevenic (Independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Anna Nevenic earned a B.S. in political science from San Francisco State University. Nevenic’s career experiences includes owning OAKS Nurses Registry and working as a nurse. She founded and has served as the director of United Children’s Network.
Ballotpedia provided information about Brandon Mosely
Brandon Mosely (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Brandon Mosely was born in California.
Mosely completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A life-long resident of Riverside County, Brandon grew up the working-class son of a pastor and public-school bust driver. His parents moved there to start their family, escaping gang violence in Compton after his mother was nearly the victim of a drive-by shooting. The church helped Brandon’s parents find a better path forward, and it helped a young Barndon discover his passion: helping others. Brandon has been leading his community for practically his entire life – he preached his first sermon at 6 and was immediately hooked on the transformative power of service. After graduating from Vista del Lago High School in 2005, Brandon became the first in his family to attend college, matriculating into Cal State Dominguez Hills. Brandon likes to say he attends college on a “hope scholarship” – he always hoped he’d find a way to pay for it. With little support to fall back on, he had to pay his own way working full time; he’s still paying the loans off. Today, Brandon is a proud teacher and chair of the Rancho Verde High School Social Science Department. His work with ethnic studies has led to Val Verde Unified School District adopting the subject as a graduation requirement. He is the co-founder of People United Servicing Hope (PUSH), a non-profit that is helping disenfranchised communities throughout the Inland Empire. As an AVID teacher, Brandon is personally responsible for dozens of kids going to college every year.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
As an educator and pastor, I have assisted countless children to get the skills, preparation and mentorship needed to go on to attend and graduate College. Support that so many young people in the Inland Empire don’t have today.
As a non-profit leader, I continue to work every day to fight injustices in our communities. We deserve a leader that is going to fight for a more just future and deliver families: affordable healthcare, a quality education and more pathways to reach the middle class.
Ken Calvert has neglected working people for three decades and has spent his time cozying up to high-powered lobbyists and corporations to raise millions of dollars in special interest money.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
No American should have to make the choice between paying for their prescription drugs or the rent. In Congress, I’ll do everything in my power to expand access to quality and affordable healthcare and bring down the soaring costs of prescription drug pricing. I’ll push back against the insurance and pharmaceutical companies that put profits ahead of people. I’ll fight to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and ensure that those with preexisting conditions can’t be denied coverage.
Our COVID-19 crisis has further demonstrated how far out of reach access to basic healthcare is for so many Inland Empire residents. As we work to pull ourselves out of the pandemic, it has never been more imperative that we bring equity to our healthcare system.
We have seen during our Covid-19 crisis how the economy is stacked against working people. Too many hard-working people in the Inland Empire continue to be left behind. Our poverty rate in Riverside County is still higher than the national average. It’s imperative that we invest in quality job training and apprenticeship programs and provide small businesses with the relief them need to hire workers and pay a fair wage.
I support a national paid family leave program that provides workers with adequate protections when suffering from an illness or injury and focuses on strengthening our families. We need to ensure that hard-working people don’t lose their jobs for looking after their own wellbeing and those in their family.
February 22: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Meet the three Democrats vying to challenge incumbent Ken Calvert for Congress” From the article:
In what could be one of the more competitive congressional races in California, a trio of Democrats are vying to be the main challenger against long-time GOP Rep. Ken Calvert, who will be seeking re-election in a new district that includes parts of Coachella Valley.
California’s once-in-a-decade redistricting process, which wrapped up in December, guaranteed that much of the valley will be represented by a new person in Congress. Democratic Rep. Raul Ruiz, who has represented the entire valley since 2013, is running in a district that includes Indio, Coachella, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs, as well as Imperial County and a sliver of San Bernardino County.
Calvert has comfortably won re-election races over the past decade, but the state’s redistricting process resulted in him now running in a district with a fairly even ideological split: Republicans comprise 36.7% of voters in the new district, while Democrats make up 36.2% of the electorate, according to Political Data Inc., a statewide voting analytics firm.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also has targeted the district as one to flip, adding it to its nationwide list of “districts in play” in January.
Each of the Democrats running in the district – Will Rollins, Brandon Mosely and Shrina Kurani – are seeking victories that would mark historic milestones.
Rollins, a former federal prosecutor, would be the first openly gay man to represent the Cochella Valley in Congress, while Mosely, a teacher and nonprofit founder, is seeking to be the state’s first Black man sent to Congress in more than two decades. At 29, Kurani would be the youngest U.S. representative currently serving from California…
…At the local party’s pre-endorsement meeting in mid-February, none of the candidates garnered the requisite 70% threshold to gain the nomination, but Rollins led the pack with 57% of the vote, while Mosely got roughly 33% and Kurani had about 9% of the members’ support.
Rollins, the former federal prosecutor, is the only Democrat seeking the congressional seat who lives in the Coachella Valley, after moving with his partner from Canyon Lake to Palm Springs earlier this year…
…While working as a federal prosecutor in the Central District of California, a post he held until starting his campaign, Rollins says he saw a steady rise in domestic extremism and hate crimes that culminated with the Jan 6. 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol – an event that he says drove him to run for office.
“I think that seeing Ken Calvert vote to overturn the election after 140 police officers were injured in that attack – five officers died as a result of that attack – I think that’s what prompted me to (run),” Rollins said. “I didn’t want to look back on my life and regret not trying to unseat a Republican who undermined our democracy at a moment that is critical in the country’s history.”…
…Rollins also said he wants to serve in Congress by “improving the lives of the people who actually live here.” The 37-year-old criticized Calvert for supporting a GOP tax bill in 2017 that slashed rates for corporations and lowered individual rates at each income level.
“That’s a product of Calvert’s votes,” Rollins said.
Calvert responded to the criticism by pointing to the country’s 2019 unemployment rate, which was at its lowest level since 1969, as evidence of Republicans’ successful approach toward the economy…
…Since launching his campaign, Rollins has accrued several endorsements from larger organizations, including Equality California and the LGBTQ Victory Fund, as well as local officials, such as Palm Springs council members Geoff Koss and Christy Holstege. He also received the endorsement of the Desert Stonewall Democrats in mid-February…
…At 29, Kurani would be one of the youngest members of Congress if elected, and she believes her scientific background as a mechanical engineer – which led her to consult on environmental projects for Sempra Energy, NASA and a few international companies – would serve her will in helping craft federal climate policies.
“(Climate change) is a big part of what we need to get done in Congress, because that intersects with the economy, the cost of climate change – what we’re seeing, for example, with increased wildfire risk here, and what that does to debris falls and mudslides that are effecting residents,” Kurani said. “Often, everyday Americans end up footing the bill because we don’t have the proper insurance mechanisms in place.”
“If we’re going to protect our environment for future generations, for my future children and my future grandchildren, then we’re going to need to vote out the biggest enemies to climate legislation in Congress,” she added…
…Kurani, who also attended the United Nations climate negotiations in Glasgow last year, took aim at Calvert for his record on climate change, noting he has a lifetime voting score of 7% from the League of Conservation Voters.
In response, Calvert said he views climate change as an issue, but he criticized President Biden’s approach toward energy production, arguing the federal government should pursue policies that promote natural gas, which emits about half as much carbon dioxide as coal and 30% less than oil, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions…
…Mosley, a teacher and chair of the social sciences department at Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, was the first Democrat to announce his campaign to unseat Calvert, and he argues the work of Congress will improve if more working-class people win election to some of its seats.
“If we can send people who actually care about the average person to Congress, anything is possible,” Mosley said. “We keep saying: Can we get Medicare for All? Can we get student debt forgiveness? Can we get the Green New Deal? We can, if we change the people we send to Congress.”
Mosley, 35, considers himself to fall on the “progressive” end of the Democratic Party’s political spectrum, though he is wary of using labels that can cause people to “throw out” ideas…
…Mosley, who also directs a local non-profit focused on community-based mentoring and policing reforms, said he would continue to push for components of the Democrats’ roughly $2 trillion Build Back Better proposal, which as stalled in the Senate after passing the House in November.
“The (expanded) child tax credit, I think we don’t do enough messaging on that, and understand that we need to get that permanent and push for that,” Mosely said, adding that Democrats also “cannot give up” on paid family and medical care.
Calvert opposed the Build Back Better bill during the House vote in November, later telling The Desert Sun that the proposal would “be like pouring gas on a fire” for the country’s high inflation rates.
In seeking the seat, Mosely – who has picked up endorsements from Riverside County Democratic Party Chair Tisa Rodriguez and state Assemblymenber Sabrina Cervantes, D-Corona, – also hopes to break a decades-ling streak: A Black man has not represented California in Congress since 2000…
Ballotpedia provided information about Melissa Melendez
Melissa Melendez (Republican Party) was a member of the California State Senate, representing District 28. She assumed office on May 18, 2020. She left office on December 5, 2022.
Melendez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 41st Congressional District. She did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Melendez attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. She earned her B.A. in history and political studies and her M.B.A. in June 2008. She served in the United States Navy for ten years.
March 8: News Channel 3 KESQ.Com posted an article titled: “Senator Melissa Melendez files paperwork to run for 41st Congressional District” From the article:
Republican State Senator Melissa Melendez has filed papers to run in the newly drawn 41st Congressional district. The new district includes most of the Coachella Valley.
Melendez won a special election for the State Senate in May 2020. She is not able to seek reelection due to term limits.
Melendez is a U.S. Navy veteran who moved to California and started a small business. She served on the Lake Elsinore city council and eventually became mayor. A rising star within the party, Melendez was then elected to represent the 67th district state assembly in 2012, a position she held until being elected to the state senate in May.
The race for the 41st district is shaping up to be one of the most competitive congressional races in California.
Democrat Will Rollins and longtime Republican Congressman Ken Calvert have already announce their plans to run. Calvert would be seeking re-election…
March 8: The Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Republican state Sen. Melissa Melendez to run for Congress against GOP incumbent Ken Calvert” From the article:
…State Sen. Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, filled paperwork Monday with the Riverside County Registrar of Voters to run for California’s 41st congressional district, entering the fray in a race that already includes incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, one of the longest serving members of Congress, and three Democrats.
The 41st District was created last year in California’s latest round of redistricting, including Palm Springs, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert, along with Menifee, Norco, and Corona in western Riverside County.
For the past decade, the entire Coachella Valley has fallen within a single congressional district, the 36th, represented since 2013 by Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-La Quinta. Ruiz is now seeking re-election in the newly drawn 25th District, which includes Indio, Coachella, Cathedral City, and Desert Hot Springs, as well as Imperial County and a sliver of San Bernardino County.
Melendez, a Navy veteran who has represented the Coachella Valley in the State Senate since winning a special election in May 2020, cannot seek re-election due to term limits, and is inspired to seek a seat in Congress.
“I have immense support for my opponent; however, when Ken Calvert was first elected to Congress, I was in the military serving my country during Operation Desert Storm,” Melendez told the Desert Sun. “Since then, two of my five children have gone on to serve in the U.S. Navy, yet our representation in Washington has remained the same.”
“This is a clear indication to me it’s time for fresh ideas when it comes to representing Riverside County in our nation’s capital,” she continued. “I’ll have further comments once the filing deadline closes on Friday.”…
…”I’m running for re-election because I have the experience and seniority that enables me to deliver results for Riverside County, as I have done for many years,” Calvert said.
Melendez, a former mayor of Lake Elsinore, previously represented the 67th District in California’s Assembly for eight years before winning election to the Senate in 2020. During her tenure in the Legislature, she has heavily criticized Democrats’ approach on issues such as homelessness and criminal justice.
She has also been a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, meeting with the president in May of 2018 at the White House alongside other state Republicans.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Melendez has been an outspoken critic of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s policies. In late 2020, she introduced a proposal that would end Newsom’s declared state of emergency and thereby terminate the governor’s COVID-19 emergency powers. That resolution is now set for a Senate hearing on March 15…
…The new district features a fairly even partisan split, with Republicans comprising 36.7% and Democrats making up 36.2% of its registered votes, according to Political Data Inc., a statewide voting analysis firm…
March 15: News Channel 3 KESQ.Com posted an article titled: “Melissa Melendez misses filing deadline to run for Congress” From the article:
Republican State Senator Melissa Melendez will not be running for Congress. On Tuesday, News Channel 3 learned that Melendez missed the filing deadline to run in the newly drawn 41st congressional district.
The new district includes most of the Coachella Valley and is currently held by longtime Republican Congressman Ken Calvert…
May 18: Idyllwild Town Crier posted an article titled: “Anna Nevenic seeks Congressional seat” From the article:
Anna Nevenic is a No Party Preference candidate in the race for the 41st Congressional seat. However, many voters may recognize her as the frequent Democratic candidate in elections for state steps over the past decade.
In 2010, she entered the race that former Sen. Bill Emerson won to replace John Benoit as the state Senate member. She ran again for that office in 2014 and 2018 against Sen. Jeff Stone and in the 2020 election to replace him, which Sen. Melissa Melendez won.
Nevenic should be familiar to Hill voters despite her notoriety of unsuccessful efforts to gain elected office. However, she doesn’t find it discouraging.
“Thinking you can pull people out of misery, that is a sufficient force for me,” she believes.
Born in Yugoslavia, where she earned a nursing degree, at a young age in 1976 she immigrated to the United States. Eventually, she settled down in San Francisco, earned a degree from San Francisco State University in political science and German, married and raised a son who is a doctor. Divorced, she eventually moved to the desert where she now lives, to enjoy the warmer climate…
…”If I am elected, maybe I can help change consciences,” she believes. “I’ve worried about human suffering since I was a little child.”
Nevenic’s priorities and issues she favors starts with comprehensive, universal health care with major emphasis on preventative care. She advocated education reforms and emphasizes increasing literacy, job training for the new economy, after school programs and building healthy lifestyles. And infrastructure is a part of her platform. She would increase investments in renewable energy and expand all modes of public transportation…
May 26: The Desert Sun posted an article titled: “41st Congressional District: Candidates discuss views on inflation, Roe v. Wade, climate” From the article:
…In congressional and legislative races, the top two finishers in the primary election – regardless of party – will advance to the state’s general election Nov. 8.
With voting underway in California’s primary election that concludes on Election Day June 7, here are the written responses to questions posed by The Desert Sun from Calvert, Kurani, Rollins, Nevenic and Lucio.
Editor’s note: Responses have not been edited for spelling or grammar. (The Desert Sun)
What drove you to run for election in California’s 41st Congressional District?
Ken Calvert: The main reason I’m running is because we need to get our country back on track. Under President Biden and one-party Democrat rule in Washington we have seen one crisis after another. Recent polls show only 2 in 10 Americans think our country is on the right track. The Democrats in this race will be a rubber stamp for the Biden/Pelosi agenda that Americans are suffering under.
I’m also running because I want to continue delivering results for Riverside County. I have experience and seniority, especially on the House Appropriations Committee, that puts me in a unique position to ensure our region’s priorities are met. I am the only major party candidate who has lived in this district all their life. As a former small business owner, I also understand how difficult the times are for people trying to stay afloat right now and will work to relieve the inflationary pressures on businesses that translate into higher costs for consumers.
Shrina Kurani: My parents immigrated her in the ’80s, and they came to the United States seeking opportunity. I was born and raised in Riverside, and I grew up in my parents’ small business. They worked seven days a week, and I spent my summers and days after school playing amongst the pool filters and pumps, until I stared helping myself, sweeping floors and testing water for chlorine and alkalinity.
I graduated from US Riverside as a mechanical engineer and I’ve focused my career on how to make things work better. I’ve facilitated $2 million to small businesses in the area and over half a billion dollars across the nation, including to women-owned, LGBTQ-owned, and veteran-owned businesses, which has been critical throughout the pandemic.
If you look at Ken Calvert’s track record for the past three decades, he’s consistently voted against the interests of our community. Even during the pandemic, he voted against the American Rescue Plan which would bring $479 million to Riverside County, and is now voting against women’s rights and addressing the baby formula shortage…
Will Rollins: I became a national security and terrorism prosecutor because of 9/11. But over my career, I’ve seen the threats to our country change. Today, some of our biggest threats are right here at home, as people become radicalized by far-right conspiracy theories and disinformation. I have been on the front lines in the fight against extremism, helping to prosecute those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6th and QAnon conspiracy theories.
This is systemic problem. Extremists, Big Tech, and media outlets are profiting from spreading division based on lies, even as they erode democracy and make it easier for adversaries like China and Russia to exploit us. We might not agree on who’s to blame for partisan disinformation, but we should agree that this level if divisiveness is unhealthy for our democracy and our communities. We need to end this cycle of division-for-profit by updating our laws to break down information bubbles and propaganda networks, to require transparency in advertising, and to create a modern Fairness Doctrine that protects the public’s right to be informed. And we need to get rid of politicians like Ken Calvert who believe service to one party – and one president – matters more than service to America itself.
If Americans can agree on basic facts again, we can stop fighting each other and start working together on issues like our economy, infrastructure, and climate change. That’s why I’m running for Congress.
Anna Nevenic: We need a change of direction in Washington. Most elected officials are too tied up to special interest and Super PAC’s to make progress on the issues that affect average Americans. I care deeply about the future of our country. As a nurse, volunteer and community activist, I worked and conversed with thousands of people from all walks of life. Those roles have prepared me, to be an effective advocate for schools, seniors, veterans, homeless people, and all residents in the district. I will support a plan that works for seniors instead of drug companies. There are economic, social, and conservation solutions based on successful programs. We must focus on our common goals, a better future for our children and grandchildren.
John Michael Lucio: Compared to other candidates who have been planning on running against the incumbent for a while, it was the January 6th insurrection on the Capitol and then how Calvert participated in trying to overturn the election that go me interested in running. Looking at Calvert’s 30-year history, Democrats were never able to competitively challenge Calvert. My seriousness in running originally was to try and pull Republican votes away from Calvert.
After seeing multiple Democratic candidates running in an open primary, there was no way my original plan would work. At that point, I decided I had to be in it to win it. What the 41st needs is an option besides right-leaning and left-leaning candidates. Candidates who only see the district as red or blue.
Besides the events of January 6th, the period after has been full of rhetoric, name calling, misinformation, and lies. I, like many other people, are just tired of the bullshit in politics. We need politicians who are about working together, doing what is right, and being transparent. Not anymore who are primarily swayed by party politics. That’s why I’m running to win…
June 7: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “41st Congressional District: Calvert, Rollins set to face off in November general election” From the article:
Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, the incumbent in California’s newly drawn 41st Congressional District, and Democrat Will Rollins are set to face off in the general election, after easily outpacing the three other candidates in the primary race to represent the district.
With 100% of the precincts reporting, Calvert led the five candidates with 34,002 votes – or 43.6% – according to results posted by the California Secretary of State’s office.
Rollins, who has won the endorsement of several Democratic members of Congress, came in second behind Calvert, with 27,733 votes, or 35.6%…
…Election night vote counting is complete but results are not final, according to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. Approximately 150,000 vote-by-mail and 2,000 provisional ballots still must be processed. Ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day also remain to be counted. The updated results are expected at 6. p.m.
The Secretary of State must certify the results by July 15.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan Primary Election for California District 41:
Ken Calvert (R): 48.2% – 72,700 votes
Will Rollins (D): 30.4% – 45,923 votes
Shrina Kurani (D): 15.6% – 23,483 votes
John Michael Lucio (R): 4.6% – 6,880 votes
Anna Nevenic (Independent): 1.2% – 1,862 votes
November 14: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Results: Republican Rep. Ken Calvert defeats Democrat Will Rollands in California’s 41st Congressional District election” From the article:
Republican Rep. Ken Calvert eked out a narrow victory against Democratic challenger Will Rollins in California’s 41st Congressional District.
Polls closed in the state at 8 p.m. local time, or 11 p.m. EST.
Calvert is a senior member of the House Committee of Appropriations. First elected to the US House in 1992 to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District, Calvert is the longest-serving Republican of the state’s congressional delegation and one of the most senior members serving in the legislative body.
Prior to his time in Congress, the Riverside County Republican served in leadership roles with several local community volunteer organizations, including the Corona Chamber of Commerce, the Corona Rotary, and the Corona-Norco Family YMCA.
Calvert, who clinched former President Donald Trump’s endorsement along with endorsements from the California Republican Party and the state’s entire Republican House delegation, previously opposed same-sex marriage but joined 46 of his GOP colleagues to vote in support of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify the right to same-sex marriage in federal law.
Rollins, Calvert’s challenger, is a former federal prosecutor who focused on counterterrorism and counterintelligence cases in Southern California. He decided to run for Congress after witnessing the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and working on some of the insurrection cases. A gay man, Rollins lives and campaigns with his partner.
Rollins trailed behind Calvert in the nonpartisan primary, securing 30.4% of the vote to Calvert’s 48.2%. Both men advanced to the general election. A month after the primary, Rollins was added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program, which pumps resources into tight races that national Democratic Party leaders believe can be flipped from Republican to Democrat…
…According to OpenSecrets, Calvert raised more than $3.3 million, spent $3 million, and had $730,000 on hand, as of October 19. His opponent, Rollins, raised more than $3.3 million, spent more than $2.5 million, and had $755,000 cash on hand.
As of late October, more than a dozen super PAC’s, national party committees, politically active nonprofits, and other non-candidate groups together spent more than $900,000 to advocate for or against candidates in this race, including during the race’s primary phase. Most of the spending was in support of Rollins…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 41:
Ken Calvert (R): 52.3% – 123,869 votes
Will Rollins (D): 47.7% – 112,769 votes
California’s 42nd Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 42nd Congressional District
California’s 42nd congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Robert Garcia.
The 42nd district is located entirely within Los Angeles County, and is centered around Long Beach and its surrounding suburbs.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California 42nd congressional district has been geographically shifted to the South Bay region of Los Angeles Country. This district also takes in 2 of the Channel Islands, Santa Catalina and San Clemente, in the Southern California Bight.
Los Angeles County is split between this district and the 34th district, the 37th district, the 45th district, the 44th district, the 47th district and the 43rd district. The 42nd, 34th, and 38th are partitioned by S Gerhart Ave, Simmons Ave, Dewar Ave, W Beverly Blvd, Repetto Ave, Allston St, S Concourse Ave, Ferguson Dr, Simmons Ave/S Gerhart Ave, Highway 72, Goodrich Blvd, Telegraph Rd, S Marianna Ave, Noakes St, S Bonnie Beach Pl, Union Pacific Ave, S Indiana St, Union Pacific Railroad, Holabird Ave, S Grande Vista Ave, AT & SF Railway, Harriet St, and E 25th St.
The 42nd, 37th, and 43rd are partitioned by S Alameda St, E Slauson Ave, S Central Ave, Firestone Blvd-E 90 St, S Central Ave, E 103rd St, Success Ave, E 92nd St, Croesus Ave, and E 97th St.
The 42nd, 38th, 45th, and 47th are partitioned by Yates Ave, E Acco St, 6866 E Washington Blvd-2808 Vail Ave, S 14th St, AT & SF Railway, Church Rd, Telegraph Rd, Rio Hondo River, Veterans Memorial Park, Suva St, Guatemala Ave, Shady Oak Dr, Coolgrove Dr, Gallatin Rd, Samoline Ave, Paramount Blvd, Arrington Ave, Suva St, Charloma Dr, Lubet St, Highway 5, San Gabriel River, Palo Verde Ave, South St, Del Amo Blvd, Pioneer Blvd, Coyote Creek, Centralia Creek, Hawaiian Ave, Verne Ave, Bloomfield Park, Highway 605, 226th St, Dorado Cir, Cortner Ave, E Woodson St, Bloomfield Ave, Lily Ave, Marna Ave, Los Almos Channel, and the San Gabriel Bike Path.
The 42nd and 44th are partitioned by S Alameda St, Southern Pacific Railroad, Ardmore Ave, Long Beach Blvd, Pacific Blvd, Cudahy St, 2622 Cudahy St-3211 Santa Ana St, Santa Ana St, Salt Lake Ave, Patata St, 7038 Dinwiddle St-10112 Karmont Ave, Imperial Highway, Old River School Rd, Union Pacific Railroad, Gardendale St, Century Blvd, Highway 19, Laurel St, Clark Ave, Beach St, Bellflower Blvd, E Carson St, Woodruff Ave, Gonda Ave, E Wardlow Rd, N Los Coyotes Diagonal, McNab Ave, E Spring St, E Harvey Way, Faculty Ave, E Carson St, Norse Way, Lakewood Golf Course, Cover St, E 36th St, Cherry Ave, Atlantic Ave, W 25th St, W Willow St, Middle Rd-East Rd, 2300 E Pacific Coast Highway-W Anaheim St, E Anaheim St-Cerritos Channel, Piers S Ave, Highway 47, and Navy Mole.
The 42nd district takes in the cities of Downey, Huntington Park, Bell, Bell Gardens, Maywood, Signal, south Long Beach, east side Lakewood, and most of Bellflower.
Ballotpedia provided information about Robert Garcia:
Robert Garcia (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 42nd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Garcia (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. He declared his candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Garcia served as mayor of Long Beach, California, from 2014 to 2022. Before becoming mayor, Garcia served on the Long Beach City Council from 2009 to 2014, representing District 1. During his last two years on the city council, he served as vice-mayor.
Robert Garcia was born in Lima, Peru. Garcia earned a B.A. in communication studies from California’s State University at Long Beach, an M.A. in communication management from the University of Southern California, and an Ed.D. in higher education from California State University at Long Beach. His career experience includes working as a professor of public policy and communications at the University of Southern California, California State University at Long Beach. His career experience includes working as a professor of public policy and communications at the University of Southern California, California State University at Long Beach, and Long Beach City College.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Briscoe:
John Briscoe (Republican Party) was a member of the Ocean View Board of Education At-large in California.
Brisco (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
John Briscoe was born in Altadena, California. Briscoe earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and speech communication from California State University at Long Beach, a master’s degree in public administration from California State University at Long Beach, and a master’s degree in business administration from Claremont Graduate University in 1989. His career experience includes working as a broker and a property asset manager with Crestview Property Management. Briscoe has served as the vice president of the Ocean View School District Board of Education.
Ballotpedia provided information about Cristina Garcia:
Cristina Garcia (Democratic Party) was a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 58. She assumed office on December 3, 2012. She left office on December 5, 2022.
Garcia (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
On February 9, 2018, Garcia announced that she was taking unpaid leave from her position in the Assembly due to an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. On May 17, she was stripped of her committee assignments after the State Assembly investigation into her actions concluded.
Cristina Garcia lives in Los Angeles, California. Garcia earned a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a master’s degree and secondary teaching credential from Claremont Graduate University.
Ballotpedia provided information about Peter Mathews:
Peter Mathews (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Peter Mathews earned a bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree from University of North Texas in 1973 and 1989, respectively. Mathews’ career experience includes working as a professor of political science and international relations at Cypress College. He is affiliated with the Progressive Democratic Club, California Teachers Association, and Progressive Democrats of America.
Peter Mathews completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Peter Mathews has spent 30 years as a College and University Professor. Peter Mathews is a full-time Professor of Political Science at Cypress College, an adjunct Professor of Sociology at Long Beach City College, has taught at California State University, Fullerton, and is currently featured as a Political Analyst and Commentator on several television and radio programs.
During 2012 and 2013, Peter Mathews served as a Political Analyst on KTLK Progressive Talk Radio’s popular “The David Cruz Show” in Los Angeles. Since 2003, Peter has been serving as a Political Analyst on CNN, CNN International, KNBC-TV, KCBS-TV, KTLA-TV, Sky News TV, Al Jazerra English TV, TRT World News TV, CNN radio, KPFA radio and guest host on KPFK radio, guest on NPR stations, and as a commentator on KNX News Radio and other venues.
On several occasions during 2014, Peter Mathews was a guest host on Pacifica Radio’s KPFK 90.7. FM with the theme of “Standing Up for Economic and Social Justice.” He was a contributing columnist for the Long Beach Register and on-line Orange County Register. and other publications.
He has been a guest op-ed writer in the Long Beach Press Telegram. Having lived, traveled, taught and conducted research in 27 countries including Britain, France, Denmark, Germany, Canada, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, India, and elsewhere, Peter Mathews has gained first-hand knowledge of public policy issues such as healthcare, education, economic development, international relations…
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
The Green New Deal to Combat Climate Change and Create High-Paying Jobs, with Full Employment and a Federal Jobs Guarantee In order to combat global climate change, Peter Mathews strongly supports the transition to a 100% renewable energy system that is carbon-free.
Reduce Income Inequality to help the Working Poor and the Working Middle Class achieve the American dream. Skyrocketing income and wealth inequality is destroying democracy in America and dismantling the working middle class. There is something profoundly wrong with the income distribution in the United States Right now. It allows the top 1% to control the lives of the 99%. To help achieve this goal Peter Mathews believes we must guarantee tuition free college/Univerisyt and cancel student debt.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Reduce Income Inequality to help the Working Poor and the Working Middle Class do better and achieve the American Dream
Medicare for All, Single Payer Healthcare
Cancel Student Debt
Fully and Equally Funded Public Schools K-12
$20 Minimum Wage with Lower Taxes and Increased Federal Funding for Small Businesses to help pay their employees the minimum wage
Tuition Free College, Technical, Trade and Arts Schools for All
Women’s Rights / Gender Equity
Full Reproductive Freedom for Women
Get Corporate Money Out of Politics / Establish Public Financing of Elections
Fully Fund and Support Programs for Seniors (Expand Social Security)
Support LGBTQIA+
(You can read the rest of the list on Ballotpedia.)
Ballotpedia provided information about Nicole López:
Nicole López (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Nicole López’s career experience includes working as an organizer and advocate.
Ballotpedia provided information on Julio Cesar Flores:
Julio Cesar Flores (Green Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. Flores lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Julio Cesar Flores was born in Los Angeles, California.
Ballotpedia provided information about William Summerville:
William Summerville (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
William Summerville was born in Champaign, Illinois. Summerville served in the U.S. Air Force from 2001 to 2008. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Henderson University in 2000 and a graduate degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in 2003. Summerville’s career experience includes working as a pastor and a hospice and hospital chaplain. Summerville has been affiliated with the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, American Baptist Churches of Rochester/Genesee Region, Feel the Bern Democratic Club Orange County, Association of Professional Chaplains, and Boy Scouts of America.
Summerville completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Reverend William Moses Summerville has a background in public service as far back as being in the Boy Scouts, a commissioned officer in the US Air Force Reserve as a Chaplain Candidate (2nd Lieutenant), and currently serves as a Pastor and Hospice/Hospital Chaplain. Politically, he was a top elected delegate for the 48th CA congressional district at the 2016 and 2020 DNC Convention, supporting Senator Bernie Sanders. He also served as a top elected 73rd Assembly District delegate for the CA State Democratic Party from 2017 through 2019. For his current run for congress, he has recruited a campaign staff that reflects the diversity of our country and the 42nd district. Reverend Summerville’s career as a chaplain and pastor, informed by his past struggles of financial and personal hardships, is what inspires him to fight for an America committed to justice. A justice that includes economic, racial, social, health care, and environment justice for us all. “I believe America should be a beacon of hope for humanity and the world. I am running on a simple platform: to “Serve the People.”
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We need Medicare for All. Our health care system is in shambles and hurts the poor and struggling. We need a system where people don’t have to choose between putting food on the table or paying for the medication their children need. We need a system that emphasizes preventative health care to reduce overall costs and lighten the load on emergency rooms and urgent care clinics. We need to fully fund mental health services for wellness, social services, and spiritual care services. And we need a system that doesn’t put profit over people’s lives and stop electing officials that are indebted to health insurance companies. We need to pass healthcare legislation that will actually serve the people.
We need Climate Justice. This is more than just fighting climate change. It’s being aware of how policy choices disproportionally impact deprive and disenfranchised communities. We need clean water, environmentally conscientious food production, and clean air for all. We have to redirect our efforts into re-inventing our energy and transportation systems to focus on clean energy instead of fossil fuels, leading to a better environment and millions of good-paying jobs. We have to preserve and protect national parks and lands from predatory corporate mining and lumber companies that destroy the environment. We need to invest in alternative clean construction resources that are cost effective and do less harm to the environment.
We need Comprehensive Reparations. We fix racism, we fix America. We must root out systemic racism that is built into our political, financial, educational, and law enforcement institutions through meaningful policy change. Descendants of US chattel slavery need to be identified as a protected class and financially compensated for their enslaved ancestors on whose backs the wealth of our nation was built. The purpose of Comprehensive Reparations benefits everyone by correcting the wrongs of American history and creating a system of equality and egality for all.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
1. We need Campaign Finance Reform that takes corporations of dirty money out of the process. They have too much influence on candidates and expect quid-pro-quo from elected officials that end up putting the needs of a few wealth/corporate donors over the needs of the constituency. This includes reversal of Citizens United.
2. We need Voter Rights protections for all Americans. This means national standards that prevent gerrymandering and political bias that targets specific groups to disenfranchise them. Outlawing states from creating laws or government positions that allow public officials to overturn the popular vote. This also means making election day a national holiday so that the working classes can vote. In addition, we need to incorporate non-partisan civic organizations/programs for oversight of voting procedures and vote counting.
3. We need Public Education Reform. Increase federal and state funding for early childhood education, child care, public schools, educators, community schools, and after-school programs. Free public financing for public community colleges, universities, and vocational training schools. Cancel student debt. Seat a higher minimum salary that adjusts with the rate of inflation to attract and keep the best public school teachers. Invest in the right of teachers and their unions to collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Ballotpedia provided information on Joaquín Beltrán:
Joaquín Beltrán (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District. Beltrán lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Joaquín Beltrán was born in Los Angeles, California. Beltrán’s career experience includes working as an engineer. He co-founded a public-private partnership.
Joaquín Beltrán did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Joaquín Beltrán’s campaign website:
“COVID SAFETY
CREATE JOBS AND GROW SMALL BUSINESSES
AFFORDABLE HOMES AND RENT
QUALITY, AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE
ADVANCING EDUCATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
CONSERVATION AND ANIMAL PROTECTIONS “
February 22: Latino Rebels posted an article titled: “Young Latina Running to Represent Her Hometown in California” From the article:
Nicole López is running for Congress like her life and her family’s lives depend on it.
“When I first started running for Congress, people said I needed to get my narrative right about why. So I boiled it down to one sentence: because of the pandemic. But the real story is more nuanced, says López, 27, a candidate in California’s newly redrawn 42nd congressional district, which will include parts of Southeast Los Angeles and Long Beach after the election.
“The part of the district I’m running for has been my home since birth. My dad grew up there. My grandmother and grandfather came here through the bracero program and set down roots in L.A., López tells Latino Rebels. “My district has a lot of heart. We work really hard.”
A half-century ago, López’s grandfather left his hometown in Michoacán, México to start a small business in Los Angeles transporting migrants from the border to Yakima, Washington, a family enterprise that has grown over the generations but was threatened by the pandemic.
“Like a lot of immigrant families, mine didn’t know how to fill out the applications for PPP loans,” recalls López. “As I spoke to the community members, they didn’t even know who their congressperson was. But people needed help. They needed to be kept safe during the pandemic. They needed to know how to reach out to their government for help. No one was helping them. Elected officials who claimed to represent our communities were not.”
López faces an uphill battle to win a seat in Congress after her hometown was redistricted last year. The districts currently represented by Reps. Lucile Roybal-Allard (40th) and Alan Lowenthall (47th) were combined following the 2020 census, and both California Democrats joined the wave of retirements their party faces this year, leaving the 42nd district with no incumbent…
April 12: Political Life posted an article titled: “Other than Robert and Cristina Garcia, who else is running for the 42nd Congressional District?” From the article:
…Joaquin Beltrán, Engineer/Community Organizer, Democrat
According to his website, Beltrán was born in East L.A., and grew up in Downey. He is the son of a seamstress and a machine operator. He states that his family has had their own small business, and that he has advocated for small businesses before the City Council.
On Twitter, Beltrán says he was on the Biden-Harris 2020 team, as well as Obama 2008. Facebook pictures show him many other elected officials, including Downey and East L.A.’s current Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Supervisor Hilda Solis, Governor Gavin Newsom, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Beltrán’s major policy headlines include “job creation,” “quality, affordable, accessible health care,” “make homes more affordable”, “action on climate change”, and “conservation and animal protections.”…
…Julio Cesar Flores, Education Administrator/Entrepreneur, Green
Julio Cesar Flores is the only candidate in the race who is not running in the two-party system. His website asks voters to support his “independent, third party candidacy.” In his bio, Flores says he was born in East L.A. and grew up in Huntington Park, and that his family faced many challenges. He narrates being homeless during his community college years, living out of his car, and eventually transferring to UCLA.
Flores previously ran for the 33rd State Senate seat, to represent much of the same area in the 42nd Congressional District. His campaign Facebook shows that he was active in the anti-war movement during the Trump era; he appears in pictures with Amy Martin, host of the anti-war Empire Files.
On the policy front, Flores is calling for Medicare for All, Gasoline Under $2, Housing the Veterans and Homeless, Publicly Owned Utilities, Green New Deal, and Immediate Citizenship for 14 million…
…Peter Mathews, Professor, Democrat
Peter Mathews is a Professor of American Government at Cypress College. On his teaching website, he quotes the late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone for, “Politics is not about money and power games, it’s about improving people’s lives.”
Alongside his academic and teaching work, Mathews has been a guest on many platforms, including The Young Turks, CNN, and KTLA. He is the author of Dollar Democracy On Steroids, With Liberty and Justice for Some, How to Reclaim the Middle-Class Dream for All. Past interviews show that he is passionate on issues ranging from immigration to single-payer healthcare.
On his website, Mathews brands himself as “People powered, not corporate bought!” His policy headlines include the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, Tuition Free College, and Cancel Student Debt. On Twitter, Mathews currently has a pinned post showing him with a sign that reads “Protect Students Not Guns.”
Williams Moses Summerville, Pastor/Hospice Chaplain, Democrat
According to Summerville’s website, he grew up in the Chicago area, and settled in California after serving in the Air Force. He is a pastor and a hospice chaplain in Long Beach. He endured many personal hardships, including homelessness, and says he draws strength in overcoming past barriers.
Summerville has been involved in local protest movements, such as the caravan to Bruce’s Beach – a movement that called for racial justice. On the campaign trail, his Facebook shows that he is part of the #BankBlack movement.
He was involved in the Bernie Sanders movement, and voices support for many of the same policies advocated by the Senator, including “$15 living wage, free education from kindergarten through college, reparations, undocumented immigrant justice, ending forever wars, and health care as a human right in the form of Medicare for All”.
May 12: Long Beach Post News posted an article titled: “Amid scandal and legislative wins Cristina Garcia sees freedom in fearlessness” From the article:
Assemblymember Cristina Garcia has left no doubt that she’s positioning herself as the most left-wing candidate in the race for the 42nd Congressional District.
During a recent party at her Huntington Park campaign office, she showed a video of legendary farm workers labor organizer Dolores Huerta endorsing her bid…
…A host of local officials from throughout Garcias Southeast Los Angeles district praised her for her achievements, including a bill that required education of the history of (forced Mexican) deportations – which Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in 2015.
A prolific legislator perhaps known for her unabashed efforts to dispel taboos surrounding women’s menstruation, the former math teacher gained prominence during the Bell corruption scandal, took on a family dynasty to win her seat in the 58th Assembly District – and later had to fight for her political life amid allegations of sexual harassment and mistreatment of employees.
She is now taking on a fellow Democrat, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, for a newly drawn congressional seat in a rare intra-party race that features two prominent politicians with much different political styles…
…As 2018 began, Garcia questioned whether she should run again. She was chair of the Women’s Caucus, and had enjoyed significant legislative victories.
In addition to AB 617, Brown had signed Garcia’s AB 302, which mandated safe, clean lactation rooms in high schools across California, and AB 701, which rewrote the state’s antiquated definition to rape to finally include all forms of non-consensual sexual assault.
“I thought it would be my last year,” Garcia recalled. “Should I leave at the top?”
As it happened, Garcia spent much of 2018 fighting to salvage her career and reputation.
The allegations against her were serious. A staffer working for Assemblyman Ian Calderon (the nephew of Tom Calderon) told Politico that Garcia had squeezed his buttocks during an Assembly baseball game in 2014. Four other staffers sent a letter to Speaker Anthony Rendon saying Garcia’s workplace was “toxic” and included a lot of talk of alcohol and talk of sex, according to Politico.
Politico also reported that in 2014, she had used anti-gay slurs when referring to then-Assembly Speaker John Perez and had used anti-Asian language. Garcia has said she apologized for doing so.
On Feb. 2, 2018, Garcia issued a statement on the allegations against her, which contained both a denial and acceptance of responsibility….
…Garcia ended up taking an extended leave of absence from the Assembly that year, and Rendon removed her from all her committee assignments. Rendon, who had endorsed Garcia’s congressional campaign, denied multiple requests for an interview.
In May 2018, legislative investigators found that Garcia had violated the Assembly’s sexual harassment policy by “commonly and pervasively” using vulgar language when talking to her staff. They also concluded that Garcia asked employees to perform personal tasks and had disparaged elected officials, according to CalMatters…
Ballotpedia provided an article about Cristina Garcia titled: “Removal from committees following sexual misconduct investigation (2018)” It provides more information about what happened.
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 42:
Robert Garcia (D): 46.7% – 43,406 votes
John Briscoe (R): 26.1% – 24,319 votes
Cristina Garcia (D): 12.6% – 11,685 votes
Peter Mathews (D): 3.7% – 3,415 votes
Nicole López (D): 3.4% – 3,164 votes
Julio Cesar Flores (G): 2,7% – 2,491 votes
William Summerville (D): 2.5% – 2,301 votes
Joaquín Beltrán (D): 2.4% – 2,254 votes
June 7: PRESS-TELEGRAM posted an article titled: “Election 2022: Long Beach Mayor Garcia takes large lead in 42nd House district; Republican Briscoe in 2nd”
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia appeared to take a commanding lead in the race for California’s newly formed 42nd Congressional District – with Republican John Briscoe trailing second, potentially setting up a two-party face off in the Nov. 8 general election.
The new district covers much of Long Beach and southeastern LA County.
Mayor Garcia had about 45% of the votes, as of 2:07 a.m. Wednesday, June 8, according to the LA county registrar. Briscoe, trailing behind, had secured 29%.
“Honored and proud to be your Democratic nominee for Congress tonight,” Garcia Tweeted on Tuesday night. “Thank you!”
Cristina Garcia, longtime State Assemblywoman, was shockingly well behind in third place, with about 13% of votes cast in her favor. The assemblywoman declined to comment on the early election results.
“I’ve been in front of the voters in Long Beach and Lakewood four times,” Briscoe said Tuesday evening. “I think the election will come out with Robert Garcia in front, and John Briscoe in second.”
The other candidates were well off the pace of the leaders. Democrats Peter Matthews, a longtime political science teacher at Cypress College, had about 4%; political organizer Nicole Lopez had about 3%; with hospice chaplain Rev. William Moses Summerville and political advocate Joaquin Beltran both securing around 2%.
Green Party member Julio Cesar Flores also had about 2% of the vote…
…The top two, as of Tuesday evening, were somewhat surprising, considering Cristina Garcia and Robert Garcia have been considered the likely frontrunners since they announced their respective campaigns for the newly formed District 42…
…Both Garcias expected strong support from different areas within the new district – though it appear Robert Garcia’s base, mostly comprised of his supporters in Long Beach, has shown up in larger numbers so far.
Long Beach is LA County’s second-largest city and the town in which Robert Garcia has proven to be a popular elected leader.
Cristina Garcia, meanwhile, portrayed herself as a natural successor to Roybal-Allard; much of her Assembly district, covering South and East Los Angeles, is in the new district, including Bell and Downey.
John Briscoe – a longtime elected board member of the Ocean View School District, in Huntington Beach, who ran and lost against incumbent Lowenthal for the 47th District in 2020 – also positioned himself as a natural candidate for the new district, positioning himself as the conservative voice for Californians in those areas.
District 42 is entirely in Los Angeles – and is overwhelmingly Democratic. Nearly 55% of the district’s registered voters are, in fact, Democrats, according to the California Secretary of State’s website. Only 16% are registered as Republicans…
June 8: Long Beach Post News posted an article titled: “Robert Garcia, John Briscoe frontrunners in race for 42nd Congressional seat” From the article:
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and businessman John Brisco are leading the race for the 42nd Congressional District, according to early returns.
Robert Garcia has claimed 45% of the vote while Briscoe has 29%. As for other candidates, Assemblymember Cristina Garcia has 13%, Peter Mathews has 4%, Nicole Lopez has 3 percent, William Summerville has 2%, Joaquin Beltran has 2% and Julio Flores also has 2%.
The votes counted so far include all of the vote by mail ballots received by county election officials before Election Day, as well as the in-person votes cast during the early voting period that began on May 29…
…If elected to Congress this fall, Garcia said he plans to tackle major issues including immigration, gun laws, reproductive rights and climate change.
Garcia, in an interview with the Post, said his first focus would be on the current threat to democracy.
“The single biggest issue right now in front of us is making sure that we actually have democracy in our country for the foreseeable future,” he said. “There’s extreme forces trying to destroy voting rights, trying to make sure people don’t have access to vote. These are things that we have to take on immediately.”…
…”Long Beach is my city, I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I live here and I’m going to make sure this city is well-represented and also make sure the other cities north of us have equal and good representation.”
Robert Garcia’s campaign raised about $1.04 million – which is more than the other six candidates in the race combined, according to OpenSecrets. The money came from a wide range of interests, including real estate ($80,000), law firms ($30,346) and construction ($25,980), according to OpenSecrets.
Long Beach’s mayor also benefited from more than $2.3 million in spending from super PACs, of which $1.6 million was spent for him and the remaining $769,000 went towards negative ads and mailings against Cristina Garcia, according to OpenSecrets.
Briscoe, a real estate broker and Ocean View School District trustee, raised a little more than $252,000, virtually all of it from his own funds. Briscoe previously ran for Congress in 2018 and 2020 against Rep. Lowenthal, losing each time by nearly 30 percentage points…
…Cristina Garcia countered by leaning heavily on hometown support and her liberal credentials, which include a long list of legislative victories in environmental cleanup, good government and gender equity. Her endorsements includes a long list of Southeas L.A. County officials as well as famed political organizer Dolores Huerta.
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon had endorsed Cristina Garcia back in January, but suddenly endorsed Robert Garcia on June 5 for unclear reasons…
Ballotpedia provided information about the General election for U.S. House California District 42:
Robert Garcia (D): 68.4% – 99,217 votes
John Briscoe (R): 31.6% – 45,903 votes
November 8: ABC7.com posted an article titled: “Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia projected to win congressional seat over John Briscoe” From the article:
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia was well ahead in early results and projected to win the race for California’s 42nd congressional district.
Garcia, a Democrat who served 8 years as mayor, had a 2-1 lead over Republican John Briscoe in initial results.
Garcia was the first Latino and first openly gay mayor in the history of Long Beach.
He lost his mother to COVID and dedicated his win to her in his speech to supporters.
“That hard-working woman who worked in clinics, who cleaned houses, who was a true immigrant in every sense if the word, is why I am here today,” Garcia told the crowd. “Why my brother is here today. Her fight and love for this country is what made us today.”
Garcia will fill the seat of Rep. Alan Lowenthal, who is retiring.
November 8: NBC Los Angeles posted an article titled: “California’s Robert Garcia Heading to DC as First LGBTQ Immigrant to Serve in US Congress” From the article:
Robert Garcia, the Democratic mayor of Long Beach, California, is heading to Washington, D.C., as the first LGBTQ immigrant to serve in U.S. Congress.
Born in Peru, his mother immigrated with him to the United States when he was 5 years old. According to his campaign website, Garcia’s proudest moment is becoming a U.S. citizen and the reason he went into public service.
Garcia’s married to California State University, Long Beach, professor Matthew Mendez Garcia – making him not only the latest Hispanic immigrant to serve in the U.S. Capitol but also the first to do so as a member of the LGBTQ community.
“Hispanics are a community that loves our families, and that includes trans and LGBTQ people, but we must understand that if the Republicans win more seats in Congress, they will have the power to take away rights from women and gay people,” Garcia said in an interview with Telemundo. “And that is not what we want for this great country that must always go forward”…
California’s 43rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 43rd congressional district:
California’s 43rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that is currently represented by Democrat Maxine Waters. The district is centered in the southern part of Los Angeles County, and includes portions of the cities of Los Angeles (including LAX) and Torrance. It includes the entirety of the cities of Hawthorne, Lawndale, Gardena, Inglewood, and Lomita. From 2003 to 2013, the 43rd district was based in San Bernardino County. The Hispanic-majority district encompassed the southwestern part of the county, and included San Bernardino and Rialto.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 43rd congressional district is located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County. This district includes Los Angeles International Airport.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 36th district, 37th district, 44th district, and the 42nd district. The 43rd and 36th are partitioned by W Florence Ave, Arbor Vitae St, Westchester Parkway, La Tijera Blvd, W 91st St, Cum Laude Ave, W 92nd St, Waterview St, Napoleon St, Vista Del Mar, W Imperial Highway, Aviation Blvd, Del Aire Park, E Sl Segundo Blvd, S Aviation Blvd, Marine Ave, Inglewood Ave, Highway 91, Redondo Beach Blvd, Hawthorne Blvd, and Sepulveda Blvd.
The 43rd, 37th, and 42nd are partitioned by E 91 St, McKinley Ave, E 88th Pl, Avalon Blvd, E Manchester Ave, S Normandie Ave, W 94th PL, S Halldale Ave, W Century Blvd, La Salle Ave/S Denker Ave, W 104th St, S Western Ave, W 108th St S Gramercy Pl, S Van Ness Ave, W 76th St, 8th Ave, W 79th St, S Victoria Ave, W 74th St, West Blvd, W 64th St, S La Brea Ave, 6231 S La Brea Ave-Flight Ave, W 64th St, 6403 S Springpark Ave-W Fairview Blvd, W Centinela Ave, Ave, S Central Ave, Firestone Blvd-E 90 St, S Central Ave, E 103rd St, Success Ave, E 91st, Croesus Ave, and E 97th St.
The 43rd and the 44th are partitioned by Alameda St, E 103rd St, Mona Blvd, E 107th Pl, 108th St, S Alameda St, Highway 105, Mona Blvd, Santa Fe Ave, E Stockton Ave, N Bullis Rd, Palm Ave/E Killen Pl, N Thorson Ave, McMillian St, Waldorf Dr/N Castlegate Ave, S Gibson Ave, Wright Rd, E Rosecrans Ave, Highway 710, Somerset Blvd, Myrrh St, Hunsake Ave, Alondra Blvd, E Greenleaf Blvd, Main Campus Dr, S Susana Rd, Highway 91, Highway 47, Calle Anita, 2605 Homestead Pl-266 W Apras St, 225 W Victoria St-18300 S Wilmington Ave, W Victoria St, Central Ave, Lincoln Memorial Park, 2600 W Billings St-2973 W Caldwell St, Malloy Ave/S Clymar Ave, W Alondra Blvd, S Figueroa St, W 182nd St, Electric St, and S Western Ave.
Ballotpedia provided information about Maxine Waters:
Maxine Waters (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 43rd Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Waters (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Waters has served in the U.S. House since 1991 – serving California’s 29th Congressional District from 1991 to 2013, and the 43rd District since 2013. Waters served in the California State Assembly from 1977 to 1991.
In her 2018 re-election bid, Waters defeated Omar Navarro (R) by a vote of 77.7 percent to Navarro’s 22.3 percent. Waters has never garnered less than 71 percent of the vote in every general election she has run in since 1990.
Ethics Charges
In 2010, the Office of Congressional Ethics charged Waters with improper requests for a meeting with Treasury officials for OneUnited Bank. Waters’ husband owned stock in the bank and served as a director until a few months before Waters requested those meetings. OneUnited reportedly got an infusion of TARP money, which could have protected an estimated $200,000 in bank stock owned by Waters’ husband.
On June 6, 2012, the House Ethics Committee announced they would go ahead with the investigation, which had been delayed due to charges by Waters that lawyers for the committee were biased and violated House rules. In June 2011, Billy Martin, a former Justice Department prosecutor, was brought in to act as outside counsel. His inquiry corroborated some of Waters’ allegations, but concluded that a fair hearing was not denied.
The committee announced on September 21, 2012, that Waters did not violate House rules.
Ballotpedia provided information about Omar Navarro:
Omar Navarro (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Navarro was a Republican candidate for California’s 43rd Congressional District in the U.S. House. Navarro lost in the general election on November 6, 2018, after advancing from the primary on June 5, 2018.
Navarro was a 2016 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 43rd Congressional District of California.
Omar Navarro earned a B.A. in criminal justice from ITT Technical Institute. Navarro’s career experience includes owning a business and working for Sony, Samsung, and Amazon. He founded the South Bay Young Republicans.
Omar Navarro did not complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Navarro’s campaign website:
Some Ideas Motivating Omar’s Campaign
Places a high value on our nation’s Military personnel, Homeland Security and our First Responders
Help find/hunt down/destroy and defeat terror cells here in our country.
Lower the Crime Rate
Make our Borders Safe and enforce our current immigration policies
Enact legislation for high scrutiny of refugees
Lower our Taxes
Sustain and create more jobs
Local control of education and the right of Parents to control their children’s education
Less Regulations on small businesses and bring businesses back to our country.
Better Educational Opportunities for all citizens
Balance the nation’s budget, decrease the national debt and keep our government open.
Be a Pro-Life Candidate
Defund Planned Parenthood
Federal Funding for Mental Health programs
Ballotpedia provided information about Allison Pratt:
Allison Pratt (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. Pratt lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Allison Pratt was born in Los Angeles, California. Pratt’s career experience includes working as a youth advocate.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jean M. Monestime:
Jean M. Monestime (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 43rd Congressional District. Monestime lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
February 2: Newsweek posted an article titled: “Maxine Waters Tells GOP Opponent They ‘Got Tricked’ Into Running Against Her”. From the article:
Representative Maxine Waters has told her Republican opponent in the upcoming midterm elections that he “got tricked” into running against her in a district she’s won since 2012.
Republican Omar Navarro shared a video to Twitter on Tuesday of an encounter with Waters at the election filing office as he registered to run in California’s 43rd congressional district.
The GOP is hoping to take back the House of Representatives and the Senate in November’s elections but Waters, a Democrat, will likely be safely reelected as she won 71.7 percent of the vote in 2020.
Navarro tweeted: “I ran into Maxine Waters at election filing office and saw the preferential treatment she received from county employees.”
In the video attached to that tweet, Navarro can be heard greeting Waters. The congresswoman recognized and asked him if he was running again.
Navarro has been a perennial candidate in California’s 43rd district, losing to Waters in 2016, 2018, and 2020…
June 1, 2021: The Mary Sue posted an article titled: “Noted Homophobe Omar Navarro Complains That Cruella Ruined His Childhood” From the article:
…The latest case of aggrieved Republicans against hints of queerness comes from failed politician and Twitter pundit Omar Navarro.
Navarro tweeted, “The new Disney Cruella with Emma Stone just ruined my childhood with an openly flamboyant gay in the movie. Disney persist shoving the LGBT agenda down our throat.” (The tweet was posted on May 30, 2021.)…
…But who is Omar Navarro, and why does he feel the need to broadcast his homophobia on Twitter? Navarro is currently running for the seat of California’s 43rd Congressional district, which has been held by staunch Democrat and beloved meme queen Rep. Maxine Waters since 1991. Navarro has previously tried to unseat Waters in 2016, 2018, and 2020, and is running against her in 2022…
…But “no” isn’t in Navarro’s vocabulary, as evidenced by his 2019 arrest for violating a restraining order from his former girlfriend. He pled guilty to one stalking charge and served six months in prison. Navarro had previously been convicted for planting a tracking device on his ex-wife’s car in 2016…
June 2, 2021: Media Matters posted an article titled: “Here are the QAnon supporters running for Congress in 2022” It was updated on November 29, 2022. From the article:
Omar Navarro (lost general election)
Omar Navarro was a Republican candidate who ran in California’s 43rd Congressional District; He came in second in the nonpartisan blanket primary on June 7, which means under California election law, he appeared on the ballot in November’s general election. He was subsequently defeated in the general election. Navarro unsuccessfully ran for Congress in California’s 43rd Congressional District in 2020. Navarro has tweeted the QAnon slogan, and he later told Insider “that he believes in ‘some things’ that ‘Q’ says, including the human trafficking trope.” He also told Grid News that “my relationship with this movement is to expose dark human trafficking agenda in Hollywood and D.C.” He has also pushed the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory.
On October 3, 2022, Omar Navarro tweeted: “Where we go one, we go all!”
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 43:
Maxine Waters (D): 74.3% – 55,889 votes
Omar Navarro (R): 11.9% – 8,927 votes
Allison Pratt (R): 7.3% – 5,489 votes
Jean M. Monestime (D): 6.6% – 4,952 votes
June 27, 2021: Insider posted an article titled: “A Trump-loving insurrectionist and a convicted stalker are among 36 QAnon supporters running for Congress in 2022”. From the article:
…Another congressional candidate who believes in the human trafficking theory is Omar Navarro, a convicted stalker running for California’s 43rd congressional district.
Navarro, who also features in HBO’s “Q: Into the Storm” documentary series, is one of the more recognizable faces of the QAnon world.
The California native, who last year spent six months in jail after pleading guilty to a stalking charge, told Insider in an interview that he believes in “some things” that “Q” says, including the human trafficking trope.
“I do believe that there’s human trafficking going on right now. I do believe that Hollywood has participated in some of this with pedophilia on and it’s something obviously we can’t ignore,” he said.
Navarro, who has gone viral multiple times on Twitter for his far-right and homophobic views, has previously pushed the debunked Pizzagate theory. He told Insider: “I feel like there are certain things going on. There’s something shady in that pizza shop.”
The California also defended using the popular QAnon slogan WWG1WGA (“Where we go one, we go all”) in a tweet posted on October 3, 2020, saying he ended up deleting it because he didn’t want Twitter to ban him…
October 22: The List posted an article titled: “Obstacles Maxine Waters Had To Overcome To Get Where She Is” From the article:
…Waters currently serves as the U.S. representative for California’s 43rd congressional district and chairs the House Financial Services Committee – the first woman and first African American women to do so (via New York Amsterdam News). In addition, Waters was named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in 2018,” in which she was described as being “adored and admired by people who care about social justice” and for showing “that she is not here for any nonsense.”
The congresswoman has stood in the face of numerous obstacles throughout her political career, letting nothing stand in her way to be the voice for the people and communities that are rarely heard…
Waters made strides as a member of the California State Assembly
In 1976, Maxine Waters successfully ran for the California State Assembly. For 14 years, she passed integral pieces of legislation in the state, including the first Child Abuse Prevention Training Program and the “prohibition of police strip searches for nonviolent misdemeanors”… As a Democratic Party Leader, she has served on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) since 1980 and was “instrumental” in creating the National Development and Voting Rights Institute.
During the 1980s, Waters co-founded the Black Woman’s Forum, a non-profit organization in Los Angeles (via Iowa State University).
In 1990, Waters branched nationally, winning a seat for the 29th District of California in 1990 (via AAREG). Then in 1992, she won a seat in the 35th district, which she held until 2013. Since then, she’s been the U.S. representative for California’s 43rd congressional district. During her tenure in each district, Waters “spearheaded health care, child care, education, and welfare reform”, as noted by Black Past…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 43:
Maxine Waters (D): 77.3% – 95,462 votes
Omar Navarro (R): 22.7% – 27,984 votes
California’s 44th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 44th congressional district:
California’s 44th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is centered in South Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Harbor Region. It is currently represented by Democrat Nanette Barragán. The 44th district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 Census.
The 44th district is composed of these cities and communities: Carson, Compton, East Compton, East Rancho Dominguez, Lynwood, North Long Beach, San Pedro, South Gate, Watts, Walnut Park, West Rancho Dominguez, Willowbrook, and Wilmington.
The congressional district is located in the southern portion of the state and includes part of Los Angeles County. The district’s current borders are delineated by the 110 freeway in its western border and takes an inward right following the 105 Freeway. Following S. Central Avenue north, it then zig-zags its way to Florence Ave at its apex. It’s eastern border runs mostly along the 710 Freeway until reaching the Pacific Ocean.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 44th congressional district is located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.
Southern Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 36th district, the 43rd district, and the 42nd district. The 44th and 36th are partitioned by Sepulveda Blvd, Normandie Ave, 253rd St, Belle Porte Ave, 256th St, 1720 256th St-1733 256th St, 1701 257th St-1733 257th St, 1724 257th St-W 262nd St, Ozone Ave, 263rd St, 26302 Alta Vista Ave-26356 Alta Vista Ave, Pineknoll Ave, Leesdale Ave, Highway 213, Palos Verde Dr N, 26613 Leesdale Ave-Navy Field, S Western Ave, Westmont Dr, Eastview Park, Mt. Rose Rd/Amelia Ave, 1102 W Bloomwood Rd-1514 Caddignton Dr, N Western Ave, W Summerland St, N Enrose Ave/Miraleste Dr, Miraleste Dr, Martin J Bogdanovich Recreation Center and Park, and Shoreline Park.
The 44th and 42nd are partitioned by S Alameda St, Southern Pacific Railroad, Ardmore Ave, Long Beach Blvd, Pacific Blvd, Cudahy St, 2622 Cudahy St-3211 Santa Ana St, Santa Ana St, Salt Lake Ave, Patata St, 7038 Dinwiddie St-10112 Karmont Ave, Imperial Highway, Old River School Rd, Union Pacific Railroad, Gardendale St, Century Blvd, Highway 19, Laurel St, Clark Ave, Beach St, Bellflower Blvd, E Carson St, Woodruff Ave, Gonda Ave, E Wardlow Rd, N Los Coyotes Diagonal, McNab Ave, E Spring St, E Harvey Way, Faculty Ave, E Carson St, Norse Way, Lakewood Golf Course, Cover St, E 36th St, Cherry Ave, Atlantic Ave, W 25th St, W Willow St, Middle Rd-East Rd, 2300 E Pacific Coast Highway-W Anaheim St, E Anaheim St-St-Cerritos Channel, Piers S Ave, Highway 47, and Navy Mole Rd.
The 44th and 43rd are partitioned by Alameda St, 103rd Blvd, E 107th Pl, E 108th St, S Alameda St, Highway 105, Mona Blvd, Santa Fe Ave, E Stockton Ave, N Bullis Rd, Palm Ave/E Killen Pl, N Thorson Ave, McMillan St, Waldorf Dr/N Castlegate Ave, S Gibson Ave, Wright Rd, E Rosecrans Ave, Highway 710, Somerset Blvd, Myrrh St, Hunsade Ave, Alondra Blvd, E Greenleaf Blev, Main Campus Dr, S Susana Rd, Highway 91, Highway 47, Calle Anita, 2605 Homestead Pl-266 W Apras St, 255 W Victoria St-18300 S Wilmington Ave, W Victoria St, Central Ave, Lincoln Memorial Park, 2600 W Billings St-2973 W Caldwell St, Maloy Ave/S Clyman Ave, W Alondra Blvd, S Figueroa St, W 182nd St, Electric St, and S Western Ave.
Ballotpedia provided information about Nanette Barragán:
Nanette Barragán (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 44th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2017. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Barragán (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 44th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 5, 2024.
Barragán’s campaign website features endorsements from Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT). She has also been endorsed by the California Democratic Party, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the Sierra Club, and more.
Ballotpedia provided information about Paul Irving Jones:
Paul Irving Jones (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 44th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Paul Irving Jones did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Paul Irving Jones’s campaign website.
INFLATION:
“Henry Kissinger wrote: Control Oil and you Control Nations.
Control Food and you Control the People.
The names have changed from Carter to Biden, Biden was a Senator when Carter was in office 40 years ago, and he was taking lessons for his turn to destroy our Country. In this same period of poor management and over spending (for some reason democratic governments continue to this day to believe they can spend their way out of inflation), Carter proved then it didn’t work and still doesn’t work, But here we are again with Biden, who has has just been names worst President in History not something to be proud of. in the Carter years another common factor was rapid energy and food cost, in 1973 the Arab-Israeli war the Arabs imposed an embargo on oil shipments to the U.S. that lasted into late 1974, what is common is that the Carter and Biden administration caused the energy shortage with poor management, drivers in 1973/1974 were hit with a 69% increase plus limited supplies, then as now they relied on foreign energy, there are some things in history that we have learned from and some we haven’t. This time based on what I have learned from history the difference between Carter and Biden, Carter was inept as well as the people in his administration and at the time were “Maybe” stupid, but in contrast between the two Biden knew and planned to do just what he said he would as Candidate Biden…
(NOTE: His views get much worse from there.)
Ballotpedia provided information about Morris Griffin:
Morris Griffin (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 44th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Griffin was a 2016 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 44th Congressional District of California.
Morris Griffin was born in Newark, New Jersey. Griffin graduated from Dwight Morrow High School. He earned a B.A. from Washington State University. Griffin’s career experience includes working as a community activist.
June 1: Daily Breeze posted an article titled: “Harbor area Rep Nanette Barragán seeks reelectionagains newcomers” From the article:
South Los Angeles and Harbor area residents will decide whether they want a new congressional representative this month.
Rep Nanette Barragán, D-Los Angeles, is seeking reelection to California’s 44th Congressional District, which she’s led since 2017. But Rev. Paul Jones, a Republican, and Democrat Morris Griffin, an activist and L.A. County maintenance technician, are seeking to unseat her…
…About 56% of registered voters list their party preference as Democratic, according to the most-recent data from the California Secretary of State’s office. About 15% are registered Republicans…
…Barragán, who could not be reached to comment for this story, is the likely frontrunner, in terms of name recognition, legislative experience and campaign cash.
Barragán, a former Hermosa Beach City Council member, was first elected to Congress in 2016 and has run reelection twice, most-recently in 2020…
…Barragán is the vice chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. She is also on the House Committee on Homeland Security and chairs its subcommittee on border security, facilitation, and operations. She has also been a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce since 2019; when she was first appointed, she became the first Latina in a decade – and only second ever – to serve on that committee, according to her congressional website.
June 7: Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 44:
Nanette Barragán (D): 68.8% – 58,594 votes
Paul Irving Jones (R): 24.1% – 20,569 votes
Morris Griffin (D): 7.2% – 6,110 votes
June 7: Long Beach Post News posted an article titled: “Rep. Nanette Barragán takes early lead in 44th Congressional Race” From the article:
Early results in the race to represent the 44th Congressional District show incumbent Democrat Nanette Diaz Barragán in a lead over her challengers Morris Falls Griffin, a Democrat, and maintenance technician Paul Jones, a Republican minister.
Barragán has claimed 70% of the vote, or 23,740 votes, while Jones has 22% (7,623 votes) and Griffin has 8% (2,546 votes).
The votes counted so far include all of the vote by mail ballots received by county election officials before Election Day, as well as the in-person votes cast during the early voting period that began on May 29.
Barragán, who was first elected in 2016, was widely expected to win reelection this year.
Redistricting changed the borders of the 44th District, giving it a larger share of Long Beach. The district now includes parts of the city west of Signal Hill and north of Pacific Coast Highway to the city’s boundaries in North Long Beach…
…Griffin, who lives in Inglewood, called himself a problem solver during a recent interview.
He’s worked for the county for 33 years, Griffin said. And in 2000, while serving as a shop steward with the Local 721 chapter of the Service Employees International Union, secured $300 year-end bonuses for all Los Angeles County custodial workers for as long as they are in the position.
“I feel like I’m a voice for the voiceless,” Griffin said.
Seeing Rodney King getting beaten by LA police led Griffin, a former Washington State University basketball player, to want to solve various community issues, including police brutality, he said.
Jones, originally from Chicago, has served in the U.S. Marine Corps, is a Vietnam War veteran and has worked as a computer instructor at multiple LAUSD elementary schools – including in Carson. He called himself a hands-on person who leads by example.
His time in the Marine Corps taught him how to organize folks toward positive outcomes, Jones said. It also taught him how to listen to others and help them find their own leadership skills, he said.
Housing and Homelessness
The biggest issue in the 44th District, Griffin said, is homelessness.
There should be rent control policies, he said, to restrict landlords from raising rents beyond a tenant’s means.
“We have have a rent control infrastructure in place based on the number of rooms in a dwelling and whether (the person is) on Social Security benefits,” Griffin said. “You can’t just start evicting people because they can’t afford” a rent hike…
…Jones, meanwhile, said the state’s efforts to build more housing for those without permanent shelter has not worked.
“Short term solutions (to homelessness) have not and will not work,” Jones said.
Building more housing for people who are homeless, he said, “does nothing but make it easier to continue drug abuse and add to mental illness with no incentive to get off the streets.”
Jones said income taxes should be suspended for one year to allow lower income households to keep more in their pockets. Seniors older than 65 who are have fixed incomes should not pay state or federal taxes, he added, as well as veterans and people who are living with disabilities that prevent them from working…
Barragán, as a member of the Congressional Homelessness Caucus and an advocate for public housing residents, has worked to ensure everyone in her district has access to affordable housing, according to her website.
“Families spend an increasing amount of their income just to keep a roof over their heads,” Barragán said. “I support legislation to protect seniors from foreclosures (and) make Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance more affordable.”…
Ballotpedia posted the results for the General election for U.S. House California District 44:
Nanette Barragán (D): 72.3% – 100,160 votes
Paul Irving Jones (R): 27.8% – 38,554 votes
California’s 45th Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 45th Congressional District:
California’s 45th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California currently represented by Republican Michelle Steel. It was one of 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican.
The 45th district was created as a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 Census.
The district is based in Orange and Los Angeles counties and includes all of Garden Grove, Westminster, Cerritos, Buena Park, Placentia, Hawaiian Gardens, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Artesia, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, and La Palma, as well as parts of Brea, Lakewood, and Fullerton…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 45th congressional district is located in Southern California. It takes up western Orange County and east Los Angeles.
Orange County is split between this district, the 40th district, the 46th district, and the 47th district. The 45th and 40th are partitioned by Orange Freeway, E Lambert Rd, Sunrise Rd, Foothill Ln, Wandering Ln, N Associated Rd, E Birch St, S Valencia Ave, La Plaza Dr, La Floresta Dr, La Crescent Dr, Highway 90, 1053 E Imperial Highway-343 Tolbert St, Vesuvius Dr, Rose Dr, Wabash Ave, 6th St, Golden Ave, Carbon Canyon Creek, E Yorba Linda Blvd, Jefferson St, 1401 Zion Ave-N Van Buren St, Buena Vista Ave, 17225 Orange Blossom Ln-1480 E Howard Pl, 17511 Pine Cir-Orchard Dr, Mariposa Ave, Lakeview Ave, E Miraloma Ave, Fee-Ana St, Sierra Madre Cir, E Orangethorpe Ave, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Kensington Ave, N Kramer Blvd, Carbon Creek, and E La Jolla St.
The 45th and the 46th are partitioned by Santa Ana River, W Lehnhardt Ave, Gloxinia Ave, Lilac Way, Edinger Ave, Pebble Ct, 10744 W Lenhardt Ave-10726 Kedge Ave, 724 S Sail St-5641 W Barbette Ave-407 S Starboard St, Starboard St/S Cooper St, Taft St, Hazard Ave, N Euclid St, Westminster Ave, Clinton St, 14300 Clinton St-1001 Mar Les Dr, Mar Les Dr, 2729 Huckleberry Rd, N Fairview St, Fairview St, 13462 Garden Grove Blvd-13252 Marty Ln, Townley St/Siemon Ave, W Garden Grove Blvd, S Lewis St, W Chapman Ave, E Simmons Ave, S Haster St, Ascot Dr, W Orangewood Ave, S 9th St, 2209 S Waverly Dr-11751 S Waverly Dr, Euclid St, Haven Ln, W Dudley Ave, S Euclid St, Katella Ave, Dale St, Rancho Alamitos High School, Orangewood Ave, Barber City Channel, Arrowhead St, Del Ray Dr, Westcliff Dr, Lampson Ave, Fern St, Garden Grove Blvd, Union Pacific Railroad, 7772 W Champman Ave-Bently Ave, Highway 39, Western Ave, Stanton Storm Channel, Knott Ave, 6970 Via Kannela-6555 Katella Ave, Cerritos Ave, 10490 Carlotta Ave-Ball Rd, John Beat Park, S Knott Ave, Solano Dr, Monterra Way, Campesina Dr, Holder Elementary School, W Orange Ave, 6698 Via Riverside Way-Orangeview Junior High School, W Lincoln Ave, 195 N Western Ave-298 N Western Ave, 3181 W Coolidge Ave-N Dale St, W Crescent Ave, N La Reina St, W La Palma Ave, Boisseranc Park, 1-5 HOV Lane, Orangethorpe Ave, Fullerton Creek, Whitaker St, Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles County Metro, W Malvern Ave, W Chapman Ave, E Chapman Ave, S Placentia Ave, Kimberly Ave, E Orangethorpe Ave, and 2500 E Terrace St-Highway 57.
The 45th and 47th are partitioned by Highway 405, Old Ranch Parkway, Seal Beach Blvd, St Cloud Dr, Montecito Rd, Rossmore Center Way, 12240 Seal Beach Blvd-Los Alamitos Army Airfield, Bolsa Chica Channel, Rancho Rd, Harold Pl, Springdale St, 6021 Anacapa Dr-Willow Ln, Edward St, Bolsa Ave, Goldenwest St, McFadden Ave, Union Pacific Railroad, 15241 Cascade Ln-15241 Cedarwood Ave, Highway 39, Edinger Ave, Newland St, Heil Ave, Magnolia St, Warner Ave, Garfield Ave, and the Santa Ana River.
The 45th district takes in the cities of Cypress, Brea, Placentia, Westminster, Garden Grover, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, and northern Fullerton, as well as the census-designated place Rossmoor.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 38th district, and the 42nd district. The 45th and 42nd are partitioned by San Gabriel River, Palo Verde Ave, South St, Del Amo Blvd, Pioneer Blvd, Coyote Creek, Centralia Creek, Hawaiian Ave, Verne Ave, Bloomfield Park, Highway 605, 226th St, Dorado Cir, Cortner Ave, E Woodson St, Bloomfield Ave, Lilly Ave, Marna Ave, and Los Almost Channel.
The 45th and the 38th are partitioned by Valley View Ave, Southern Pacific Railroad, Alondra Blvd, 15917 Canyon Creek Rd-12371 Hermosura St, Norwalk Blvd, 166th St, and Cerritos College Child Development-Alondra Blvd. The 45th district takes in the cities of Cerritos, Artesia, and Hawaiian Gardens.
Ballotpedia provided information about Michelle Steel:
Michelle Steel (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 45th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Steel (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 5, 2024.
Steel served on the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 2015 to 2021.
Michelle Steel was born in Seoul, South Korea, and lives in Surfside, California. Steel earned a bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California in 2010. She served on the California Board of Equalization.
Balllotpedia provided information about Jay Chen:
Jay Chen (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Jay Chen has served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and reached the rank of lieutenant commander. Chen’s career experience includes owning a real estate business. He earned a degree from Harvard University in 2001.
Jay Chen completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Luitenant Commander Jay Chen is a Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer, small businessowner, and a father of two. Jay is running for Congress to help working families in Orange County get ahead.
Jay Chen is the son of immigrants from Taiwan who came to America for a chance to live the American Dream. Jay learned the value of hard work by helping his parents’ small business. As a small businessowner himself, Jay knows firsthand the challenges facing local businesses. In Congress, he will ensure American small businesses get the help they need to stay open, work to lower taxes on the middle class, and he will take on big corporations that are price-gouging consumers and causing inflation.
Every child deserves a quality education. Jay Chen went to public schools, worked hard, and earned a scholarship to attend Harvard. He served on the School Board and is a Community College Trustee for Mount San Antonio Community College – helping students afford college and obtain skills training to get a good job. Local teachers support Jay Chen because they trust him to strengthen local schools.
Lieutenant Commander Jay Chen joined the Navy to serve his country, and holds a Top Secret security clearance. Jay has defended our freedoms, leading an intelligence team in the counterterrorism fight against ISIS in the Middle East and countering communist North Korean threats in Asia. Veterans groups back Jay because they know he will always put American first.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Jay’s top priority is talking inflation and improving our economy by fixing our supply chains and bringing manufacturing back to the United States. Jay knows that maintaining roads and bridges and modernizing transit and railway systems creates good local jobs and is a critical investment in our future. Investing in America’s infrastructure is the best way to improve and create sustainable, clean transportation options for millions of Americans who commute daily while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gridlock. Jay will work to improve transportation options and tackle traffic bottlenecks so that Southern California residents can spend more time with their families and less time on the road.
As a community college trustee and former school board member, Jay is committed to expanding educational opportunities for all. In Congress, Jay will work to ensure that local public schools receive the resources and funding they need to reduce class sizes, invest in STEM programs, and hire exceptional teachers. He knows we can do better by investing in neighborhood schools to guarantee all children have equal access to a quality education. Jay will also support the expansion of early childhood education. A child’s future prospects should not depend upon the zip code that they grow up in. Jay is committed to creating safe and supportive school environments for students and educators.
As a Lieutenant Commander in the US Naval Reserves, Jay understands the importance of supporting our veterans, those currently serving, and their families. The men and women who have fought for our country deserve the best healthcare and support services. That’s why in Congress Jay will work to streamline the VA, make it easier for younger veterans to enter the system, and make sure that all veterans can access the health care they deserve. One homeless veteran is one too many. We must support and fund programs that ensure housing for the men and women who have given so much to serve and protect our country. Jay supports expanding mental health and suicide prevention services for all those who served.
Ballotpedia provided information about Long Pham:
Long Pham (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Pham was an unsuccessful 2014 Republican candidate for District 34 of the California State Senate. He ran unsuccessfully for District 72 of the California State Assembly in 2012.
Long Pham’s career experiences includes owning a business and working as an engineer.
Ballotpedia provided information about Hilaire Fuji Shioura:
Hilaire Fuji Shioura (No party preference) (write-in) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. He lost as a write-in in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shioura (RepublicanParty) also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. He did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shioura (Independent) also ran for election for Governor of California. He did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shioura was elected to the Placentia Library board of trustees in 2020.
May 4: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Roe v. Wade: Here’s where Orange County House member, challengers stand on abortion rights”. From the article:
…45th District
Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach: “I believe in the right to live and I believe we need to protect the rights of unborn children. Life is sacred, and no one should have the power to unilaterally end it. I believe there are some exceptions to protect the life of the mother.”
Jan Chen, D-Hacienta Heights: “Reproductive rights should be protected at all costs and health care decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor, without interference from politicians. Attacks on Roe v. Wade and the right to an abortion endangers the health and safety of women across the country.
Long Pham, R-Fountain Valley: “I am opposed to abortion except for the case of rape and when the health of the mother is in danger”…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 45
Michelle Steel (R): 48.2% – 65,641 votes
Jay Chen (D): 43.1% – 58,721 votes
Long Pham (R): 8.6% – 11,732 votes
Hilaire Fuji Shioura (No part preference) (Write-in): 0.0% – 6 votes
October 5: VietFact Check posted an article titled: “Is Congressional Candidate Jay Chen a Communist?” From the article:
Claim: Congreswoman Michelle Steel is currently running for reelection, she serves California’s 45th District, which includes Little Saigon. Steel recently released fliers of her opponent Jay Chen, who is a Democrat, claiming that he is a Communist sympathizer.
Rating: This claim is FALSE. Jay Chen is a member of the U.S. military, he is a Lieutenant Commander of the Navy Reserve, and he is also the son of Taiwanese immigrants who fled Communist China – it’s highly unlikely that Chen is a Communist. Steel also said that in 2010, Chen supported the Confucius Institute which is funded by the Chinese government. But at the time, that was a program supported by President George W. Bush and President Obama, as a way for American students to learn Mandarin.
Congresswoman Michelle Steel, who is a Republican, is currently running for reelection. She represents California’s 45th District, which contains Little Saigon. Recently, Steel released campaign fliers featuring a false image of her opponent Jay Chen, who is a Democrat, holding a copy of The Communist Manifesto. The text in the flyer says, “Jay Chen invited China into our children’s class,” and that “Jay Chen voted in favor of the Confucius Institute, an organization funded by the Chinese state, to the Hacienda La Puente school district to teach.”
The image in Steel’s campaign flier was doctored, and is not a real image of Chen. And Steel’s claim is an exaggeration…
…In 2010, the school board of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, which Chen was a part of, voted in favor of creating a new program to teach Mandarin to its students, funded by the Confucius Institute.
Funded by the Chinese government, the Confucius Institute was created in 2004 to promote Chinese language and culture through programs at schools and universities. Said Chen at the time, “From Oregon to Rhode Island, public schools have implemented the same program. As far as I can see, nothing sinister is going on.” At the time, there were around 200 Confucius Institute language classed in K-12 schools, including in Los Angeles and San Diego, and the school districts had to approve the materials taught in those classrooms…
…It was later discovered that the Confucius Institute also acted as propaganda for the Chines government, and many of those programs in the U.S. were ordered closed by the U.S. State Department in 2020…
…Chen has called the fliers “ridiculous.” He told the Los Angeles Times, “I thought it was really absurd and, beyond that, really dangerous the way she is exploiting fears within the immigrant community for political gain,” he said…
…Steel’s fliers have been criticized for red-baiting, when candidates accuse their opponents of being Communists in order to undermine their credibility. “This is red-bating, since it entails a Taiwanese American being accused of bringing Maoist thought into American classrooms,” Long T. But, a professor of global and international studies at University of California, Irvine, told the Los Angeles Times. “None of this is part of Chen’s educational platform.
Steel also has a history of falsely accusing her opponents of being Communists. In 2020, she falsely accused then Congressman Harley Rouda of being pro-Ho Chi Minh…
November 5: Fox 11 Los Angeles posted an article titled: “Protesters call for Rep. Steel to Resign over “hurtful” campaign ad”. From the article:
There are just days until the polls close for the 2022 midterms, and one California representative running for reelection is facing calls to resign, over an ad that demonstrators say pushes harmful stereotypes about Asian Americans.
Michelle Steel is a Republican candidate who is running for reelection in California’s 48th Congressional District, which serves Orange County, against Democrat Jay Chen. In one of Steel’s campaign ads, a clip of her opponent is shown, implying that he wants to force Chinese propaganda on schoolchildren, with a voiceover saying that Steel is, “fighting to ban communist propaganda in our schools.”
Protesters gathered outside her office over the weekend, demanding an apology from Steel for the rhetoric pushed in the ad…
…Jake Tapper, who called it, “the most dishonest TV campaign ad, perhaps we’ve ever seen.”
Experts say not only is the ad dishonest, but it’s hurtful to an Asian-American community that’s been suffering recently from a rise in anti-Asian hate.
“It really is outrageous, in terms of, frankly how dangerous it is,” said Christian Dyogi Phillips, assistant professor of political science at USC. “Asian-Americans as a national group are very supportive of expanding healthcare, access to abortion, affirmative action. All of these issues that don’t really line up with Michelle Steel’s record.”
Phillips said the strategy might not be surprising from a white, male, GOP candidate, but it is from Steel, a Korean-American…
…In the end the demonstrators didn’t prompt Steel to resign or apologize. Her supporters even countered protesters with signs that read, “Jay Chen is a racist.”
“Michelle Steel and Jay Chen are both AAPI leaders. We respect them both,” said Charley Lu from I – Chinese American Political Action Committee. “But this continued rhetoric, we need to stop it.”
November 9: KCBX posted an article titled: “Why a Southern California congressional race hinges on Asian American voters”. From the article:
Little Saigon in Orange County, Calif., boasts the largest concentration of Vietnamese people outside Vietnam. Democrat and congressional hopeful Jay Chen showed up one day in September, dressed in his uniform from the U.S. Navy Reserves. He was there to visit the Museum of the Republic of Vietnam, a one-room collection of artifacts donated by veterans and refugees of the country’s civil war, tucked in the back corner of one of the shopping centers…
…Candidates come to such local highlights – and make a point of commemorating their visits in the press – because Vietnamese Americans make up the largest Asian American voting bloc in the area, a constituency that can swing an election. In the newly drawn congressional district of CA-45 that Chen is running in, they comprise 16% of all voters. Other key AAPI groups in the area include people of Korean, Chinese and Indian descent – together accounting for a third of all registered voters. Chen is Taiwanese American, and he is running against Republican incumbent and Korean American Michelle Steel. The election is a truly California affair: intersectional and immigrant, where race and political identity meet.
The fight for Orange County underscores the complexity of the Asian American vote. Demographics are not destiny here – both Republican and Democratic strategists can pull data suggesting an AAPI swing one way or the other. It has become one of the most closely watched congressional races this election cycle, and will likely trigger a rethink for politicos on how they’ve traditionally surveyed Asian Americans…
…Nationally, Asian Americans are one of the fastest-growing groups of the U.S. electorate, with record voter turnout in 2020. Experts say the voting block cares about the same domestic issues as other voters. But with overseas connections still strong for many, especially first-generation voters, U.S. foreign policy ends up playing an unusual role in Asian American voter choice, a phenomenon known as homeland politics.
The term describes how the political choices of immigrants are influenced by their attachments and concerns about their home country…
For many Americans who have fled authoritarian states, there is often a preference for the party they believe has a tougher approach to non-democratic states…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 45:
Michelle Steel (R): 52.4% – 113,960 votes
Jay Chen (D): 47.6% – 103,466 votes
November 14: CBSNews posted a short article titled: “Republican Michelle Steel wins reelection”. From the article:
AP projects Republican Michelle Steel has been reelected to represent California’s 45th Congressional District. The contentious campaign led to a neck-and-neck race between Steel, the incumbent, and her competitor Jay Chen.
The newly redrawn 45th District Representative represents Cerritos to Buena Park and South to Westminster, Garden Grove and Fountain Valley – it is the largest Vietnamese community in the nation.
Michelle Steel (Republican) – 96,114 votes – 53.8%
Jay Chen (Democrat) – 82,447 votes – 46.2%
November 15: LAist posted an article titled: “45th Congressional District Results, Michelle Steel Beats Jay Chen In Contentious Race”. From the article:
Republican Michelle Steel has secured a second term in Congress after a pitched battle for the 45th House district that drew national attention because of her anti-Communist ads targeting opponent Democrat Jay Chen.
While votes are still being counted, the AP called the race for Steel late Monday.
In a statement released on social media Monday night, Steel said: “I have been firm in my commitment to deliver for Southern California, and will continue to work to lower taxes, stop inflation, and keep the American Dream alive for working class families.”
The Chen campaign has not yet responded to a request for comment.
November 16: LAist posted Live results of the 45th Congressional votes:
Michelle Steel (Republican) – 101,958 votes – 53.82%
Jay F. Chen (Democrat) – 87,486 votes – 46.18%
California’s 46th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 46th Congressional District:
California’s 46th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California.
It has been represented by Democrat Lou Correa since 2017, when he succeeded Loretta Sanchez, who retired to run for the U.S. Senate. This district is based in Orange County and includes the communities of Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Stanton, as well as parts of Orange and Fullerton. It is both the most Democratic-leaning and most Latino congressional district in Orange County.
The congressional district contains the theme park Disneyland and Angel Stadium.
From 2003 to 2013 the district covered part of Los Angeles County and Orange County. It included Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Rancho Palos Verdes.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 38th congressional district is located in Southern California. It is entirely within western Orange County.
Orange County is split between the district, the 40th district, the 45th district, and the 47th district. The 46th and 40th are partitioned by E La Palma Ave, E Jackson Ave, E Frontera St, Santa Ana River, Riverside Valley, Costa Mesa Freeway, N Tustin St, E Meats Ave, N Orange Olive Rd, Garden Grove Freeway, 16909 Donwest-16791 E Main St, E Chestnut Ave, 16282 E Main St-717-S Lyon St, E McFadden Ave, Warner Ave, and Red Hill Ave.
The 46th, 45th, and 47th are partitioned by Red Hill Ave, E Alton Parkway, Costa Mesa Freeway, Sunflower Ave, Harbor Blvd, MacArthur Blvd, Santa Ana River, W Lehnhardt, Gloxinia Ave, Lilac Way, Edinger Ave, Pebble Ct, 10744 W Lehnhardt Ave-10726 Kedge Ave, 724 S Sail St-5641 W Barbette Ave-407 S Starboard St, Starboard St/S Cooper St, Taft St, Hazard Ave, N Euclid St, Westminister Ave, Clinton St, 14300 Clinton St-1001 Mar Les Dr, 2729 Huckleberry Rd, N Fairview St, Fairview St, 13462 Garden Grove Blvd-1352 Marty Ln, S Lewis St, W Chapman Ave, E Simmons Ave, S Haster St, Ascot Dr, W Orangewood Ave, S 9th St, 2209 S Waverly Dr-11751 S Waverly Dr, Euclid St, Haven Ln, W Dudley St, S Euclid St, Katella Ave, Dale St, Rancho Alamitos High School, Orangewood Ave, Barber City Channel, Arrowhead St, Del Rey Dr, Westcliff Dr, Lampson Ave, Fern St, Garden Grove Blvd, Union Pacific Railroad, 7772 W Chapman Ave-Bently Ave, Highway 39, Western Ave, Stanton Storm Channel, Knott Ave, 6970 Via Kannela-6555 Katella Ave, W Orange Ave, 6698 Via Riverside Way-Orangeview Junior High School, W Lincoln Ave, 195 N Park, 1-5 HOV Lane, Orangethorpe Ave, Fullerton Creek, Whitaker St, Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles County Metro, W Malvern Ave, W Chapman Ave, E Chapman Ave, S Placentia Ave, Kimberly Ave, E Orangethorpe Ave, and 2500 E Terrace St-Highway 57.
The 46th district takes in the cities of Santa Ana, Stanton, Anaheim, southern Fullerton, and western Orange.
Ballotpedia provided information on Lou Correa:
Lou Correa (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 46th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2017. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Correa (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Correa was elected to the seat in 2016. In his 2018 re-election bid, Correa defeated Republican Russell Lambert by a vote of 69 percent to 31 percent.
Coreea represented District 34 in the California State Senate from 2006 to 2014. Prior to joining the state senate, Correa was a member of the California State Assembly from District 69 from 1998-2004 and served on the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 2004-2006.
Correa earned his B.A. in economics from California State University-Fullerton, his MBA from UCLA and his Juris Doctor from UCLA. His professional experience includes working as a teacher in the Rancho Santiago Community College District and as an investment banker and real estate broker.
Ballotpedia provided information on Christopher Gonzales:
Christopher Gonzales (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Christopher Gonzales graduated from Irvine High School. Gonzales served in the U.S. Army and reached the rank of first lieutenant. He earned bachelor’s degrees in social ecology and political science from the University of California at Irvine and a juris doctor from the University of California at Los Angeles. Gonzales’ career experience includes owning a law firm and working as a lawyer.
Christopher Gonzales did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Christopher Gonzales’s 2022 campaign website:
AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIVE
Enhance the ability to provide for your family
Reduce household living costs and gas prices
Provide more educational opportunity including school choice
Create better and higher paying jobs
AN ENRICHED COMMUNITY
Restore funding of the police
Ensure safer streets
Continue community improvements
Reduce small businesses regulators
Improve schools and education options
Promote independent healthcare decision making without government intervention and mandates
A STRONGER NATION
Support tax policies that put more money in your pocket
Advocate for a strong military
Promote energy independence
Fight for personal freedoms and Constitution rights
Ballotpedia provided information from Michael Ortega:
Michael Ortega (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Michael Ortega was born in Chicago, Illinois, and lives in Anaheim, California. Ortega earned a degree from the Southern California in 2013. His career experience includes working as a biomedical engineer and educator. Ortega has been associated with the Orange County Democratic Socialists of America.
Ortaga completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Collection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Mike is a lifelong organizer that has worked the ground to fight for his community, and in the lab to save lives as a biomedical engineer. Through his work, he has seen how low-income families are denied opportunities reserved for the wealthy and powerful few.
Mike, the youngest of 8, was born to immigrant parents from Ecuador and Puerto Rico. They struggled to get by, but his parents took care to provide him with every opportunity. From their perseverance and sacrifice, Mike learned how to fight for a better world in his schools, workplaces, and country.
Mike now lives in Anaheim with his wife and soon-to-be firstborn son. Through his organizing career, he has mentored underprivileged student, championed efforts to unionize, and led campaigns to protect our undocumented workers. He is running now to act on the issues that matter most to his community that can’t wait for tomorrow: affordable housing, Medicare for All, protecting our immigrant neighbors, and enacting a Green New Deal.
Please list 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Today, Lou Correa, the Democrat representing our district, fights to keep prescription drug prices high. Every year we send Lou to Washington to focus on the profits of the pharmaceutical industry that funds his campaigns…and every year more people are exploited by price gouging. It’s clear to me that our district deserves better than this level of conservatism and self-serving opportunism.
There is no time to wait for a hero to save us. Impending crises like climate change will wait for no one. We have to work together in our communities, on the ground, to battle big monied interests. My district – the people of Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Orange – are ready for change today. We need: Medicare for All, affordable housing, a strengthened education system, and to abolish ICE. We need a Green New Deal to bring sustainable union jobs to Orange County – making our district a hub where we can learn the skills necessary to protect our planet. We understand the stakes, and are ready to work to turn the tide right here in our hometowns. Because when we work together, we win.
Today, Lou Correa, the Democrat representing our district, fights to keep prescription drug prices high. Every year we send Lou to Washington to focus on the profits of the pharmaceutical industry that funds his campaigns…and every year more and more people are exploited by price gouging. It’s clear to me that our district deserves better than this level of conservatism and self-serving opportunism.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Single-payer healthcare to modernize a broken healthcare system that funnels working people’s money into insurance corporations.
A Green New Deal resolution and Civilian Climate Corps to combat the climate emergency before us. This includes union jobs and retraining programs to bolster the America working force with good-paying jobs.
Amnesty for all undocumented workers to stop deportations. Abolish ICE to stop the immoral cruelty towards our immigrant neighbors. Provide a path to citizenship with less red tape.
Strengthen our education system through federal programs to provide funding. We know our children and teachers deserve the best, so let’s do everything we can do deliver.
Create a federal program for students to attend college tuition-free, expand access to trade schools and apprenticeship programs.
Strengthen the American family through programs like Universal Child Care and Pre-K,
Institute a federal National Rent Control program.
Strengthen labor laws, tie the minimum wage to inflation, and set a fair tax rate similar to what our nation’s Greatest Generation instituted.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Nguyen:
Mike Nguyen (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. Nguyen lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Nguyen also ran for election to the Orange Unified Board of Education to represent Trustee Area 7 in California. Nguyen lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Mike Nguyen was born in Vietnam. Nguyen’s career experience includes working as an engineer.
Ballotpedia provided information about Felix Rocha:
Felix Rocha (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Felix Rocha was born in San Antonio, Texas. Rocha served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1972. He earned an associate degree from Golden West College in 1998. Rocha’s career experience includes working as a federal senior special agent.
Felix Rocha completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a retired Federal Special Agent. I worked for the U.S. Department of Justice (INS) for over 33 years. I am also a Christian. My views and my standards are conservative. I am a Christian Conservative.
My priorities are: BORDER SECURITY – Two to three million illegal aliens have invaded our Nation and President Biden is totally responsible for this He has encouraged them to enter the United States illegally. He stop the construction of the Wall on our Southern Border. He totally jeopardized our National Security and the Democrats went along with his stupid idea;
CRIME/DRUGS – By stopping construction of our Border Wall, President Biden openly permitted an entry of violent criminals and drugs to be smuggled to America. Our Borders were secured before he became President. He ruined our National Security and flaunted his power with disregard to the safety of our Citizens and the Democrats went right along with his stupid idea also;
ENERGY CRISIS – President Biden caused our nation to suffer the worst energy crisis in the history of the United States. Two years ago, a gallon of gasoline costed $2.00 and now a gallon of gasoline cost us $6.00 or more. Our Congress must immediately restart the Keystone pipeline that President Biden shut down. Our President made a horrible mistake when he shut down the Keystone pipeline for no reason and the Democrats went along with his stupid idea again.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Border Security
Energy Crisis
Crime and Drugs
NOTE: Felix Rocha also answered a question titled: “What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? After reading what he wrote, it decided not to post his answer to that question because it was extremely racist.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ed Rushman:
Ed Rushman (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 46th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ed Rushman was born in Covina, California. Rushman earned an associate degree from Long Beach City College, bachelor’s degree in business from Kaplan University, and master’s degree in business administration from Long Beach State University. His career experience includes working as a technical manager, project manager, and professional services leader.
Ed Rushman completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’ve made a career of doing what needs to be done, raising a family here while doing it. I’ve done every job there is in information technology, in many kinds of businesses, small and large. In the past couple of decades, I’ve specialized in the recovery or failed or falling projects, drawing on my experience in people, process, and technology, and earned a couple of degrees on the way so I’d understand the business better, as well as economics conferences and other events to learn more about how everything works, not just information systems. I’ve listened to, and learned from, a lot of people from all over the country, and the world.
When no one is really fixing a problem, I look for someone with a real solution and if I can’t find anyone, I ask a lot of questions and develop a solution with everyone’s perspectives taken into account. I’ve done this a lot, and most of the time it works. When I fail, I figure out why and carry that lesson forward.
I’ve run twice before. It’s tough without a party to do the legwork, doing the door-to-door myself, but it’s a great experience and nearly everyone I meet encourages me.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Free Congress from big money and Party politics, starting with the 46th district
Represent the people so well that voters will reject partisan politics
Bring respectful discourse, real teamwork in the office and with all I encounter
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Legislation should be entirely about what is good for the Nation and not about obligations to special interests or Party. It should not be about personal gain in wealth or power. It is a sacred duty to the people, and should be pursued with that as the highest principle. People in our district struggle to reconcile protections for the poor with protections for unborn children, and the response from Democrats was to back abortion to birth.
Money drives elections, and neither the wealthy Democratic nor Republican donors understand the values of the common people. Our district has a lot of hard-working people, many are immigrants, who Brough ancient values with them that they thought America respected, only to be told their values are backward and wrong.
The Dream Act – Congress has put this off for nearly two decades, and this is a prime case of partisan politics. This is a humanitarian necessity, and 800,000 Dreamers serve in our military, pursue education, and work, paying taxes and living like the rest of us. We must resolve this while developing a more sustainable immigration policy that will not put us in this position again. There is massive public support, but Congress will not act.
Above all, I am passionate about government working for all the people, not just serving the most powerful, those who can pay to have their ideals promoted. Government should not be a tool for domination.
April 20: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Elections 2022: Get to know Rep. Lou Correa, five more candidates in 46th District primary” From the article:
Three-term Democratic incumbent faces challenges from the left and the right in redrawn 46.
There’s ultra-conservative former border patrol agent Felix Rocha Jr. and biomedical engineer Mike Ortega, who’s a former member of the Socialist Party.
There’s Republican Mike Nguyen, an aerospace engineer-turned real estate developer, and there’s attorney Christopher Gonzales, who got the backing of the State GOP.
Then there’s project manager Ed Rushman, who’s the only independent running in the House race.
Those five candidates are challenging three-term Rep. Lou Correa, D-Anaheim, in the June 7 primary to represent the newly 46th District in Orange County. The two candidates who get the most votes in June advance to the decisive November election.
Meet the CA-46 candidates
Lou Correa (D)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
There is a housing shortage. Although this is a local issue, I would encourage building more affordable housing. At the federal level, I will continue to support Section 8 vouchers, but the reality is that there is a shortage of housing units.
When it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and government policy, which do you support?
Limited mandates
What would you do to address rising inflation?
To address rising inflation, I would reduce energy prices and fix the supply chain.
Christopher Gonzales (R)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
I would address the rising household living costs and inflation. People need to keep the money they earn and not have it taken for increased taxes and higher costs. We need to reduce government spending, eliminate spending, eliminate bloated bureaucracies and stop wasting resources.
Do you support increasing the number of the seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
No.
What is your stance on abortion rights?
I am Pro-Life from conception to natural death.
Mike Nguyen (R)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
Energy independent, less regulations, creating more friendly work environments, less taxes, more incentive for low housing builders.
Do you support increasing the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
No.
When it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and government policy, which do you support?
No mandates
Mike Ortega (D)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents in your district?
I would fight to pass a National Rent Control bill, which is a cap on rent increases: 3% or 150% of consumer price index, whichever is higher. We must ensure that housing authorities and tenant associations are funded to their needs and end backdoor privatization schemes on housing developments.
Do you support increasing the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
Yes
What is your stance on abortion rights?
The state has no place in controlling a woman’s agency over her reproductive system. These decisions are not easy for American women and families, so we should not have barriers in place that make those decisions even harder. Therefore, we must ensure that the right to abortion is protected on a federal level.
Felix Rocha (R)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
Provide working families and veterans in the 46th District with a one-time housing loan for them to buy a home.
Do you support increasing the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
No
What is your stance on abortion rights?
I do not agree with abortion; except in the case of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is endangered.
Ed Rushman (NPP)
What’s one thing you would do to make housing more affordable for residents of your district?
Not take money from Real Estate donors as the incumbent does. Making decisions based on achieving affordable housing instead of pleasing those who helped create the problem would be an excellent start. Ending partisanship would help the national economy, not just the district.
Do you support increasing the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court?
No
What’s your stance on abortion rights?
According to the Guttmacher Institute: Oregon, Vermont, Colorado, New Hampshire, DC, Alaska, New Jersey and New Mexico currently have no 24-week, or even viability prohibitions on abortion, and that other states are going that way. Doe v Bolton permits this and Congress cannot override a Supreme Court decision. I won’t vote to fund abortions.
June 7: The Orange County Register posted: “2022 Election Updated 46th District primary results show Lou Correa, Chris Gonzales out front”. From the article:
While Correa is heavily favored to win the seat, it’s been tough to predict who might join him on the ballot in November.
Democratic Rep. Lou Correa and attorney Christopher Gonzales, who got the backing of the state GOP, took the No. 1 and No. 2 spots as early results posted Tuesday night in the six-man primary contest for the 46th House District race in central Orange County.
“I’m honored,” Correa said by phone from Washington, D.C. as initial results posted. “I’m homegrown. I love Orange County, I love my community and I work for them day in and day out.”
In third place was Republican Mike Nguyen, an aerospace engineer-turned real estate developer. Trailing behind were biomedical engineer Mike Ortega, a progressive Democrat who’s a former member of the Socialist Party; conservative Republican Felix Rocha Jr., who’s former border patrol agent; and project manager Ed Rushman, who’s the only independent running in a local House race…
…The two candidates who get the most votes in today’s primary will advance to the decisive November election, which will decide who will spend the next two years representing residents in Anaheim and Santa Ana along with portions of Orange, Fullerton and Stanton…
…The first round of results tonight will come from ballots that were mailed before Election Day. Those returns expected to skew in favor of Democrats, since Trump and the other GOP leaders sowed distrust in mail-in ballots. As in-person votes from today are added to the mix, vote count may shift a bit more to the right…
Ballotpedia posted information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 46:
Lou Correa (D): 49.1% – 37,311 votes
Christopher Gonzales (R): 15.6% – 11,823 votes
Michael Ortega (D): 12.3% – 9,211 votes
Mike Nguyen (R): 12.1% – 9,162 votes
Felix Rocha (R): 9.3% – 7,084 votes
Ed Rushman (Independent): 1.7% – 1,264 votes
October 4: The Orange County Register posted “Christopher Gonzales, CA-46 candidate, Election 2022 questionnaire” From the article:
Ahead of the November elections, The Orange County Register compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below, with responses only edited for grammar and punctuation.
…The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that could give state legislatures greater influence over federal election rules. What do you see as the role states play in elections, even federal contests, and should there be a limit to that power?
State and local government are best at creating and enforcing law. However, I would like the federal government to enact some nationwide laws that ensure that all elections in our country are fair and honest. I would like to see laws that provide that only citizens can vote, that one produces proper identification, and I would eliminate ballot harvesting which is very suspect of fraud.
Do you support additional mandates to force businesses and residents to move toward cleaner energy? If so, what’s one such mandate you would support? And if not, what would be your plan to help accelerate the move to cleaner energy?
I do not favor mandates. I like business and personal incentives for cleaner energy. Science and technology are the keys to cleaner energy. With encouragement and assistance from government and a free market, our nation and industry will create the desired energy goals.
…One question that has been raised post-Roe is whether women who reside in states that have outlawed abortions could be prosecuted for getting the procedure done out of state – or whether someone who helps a woman go out of state for abortion should/could be held liable. Where do you stand on this? If you believe there should be repercussions, why and for who? If you don’t, should there be stronger federal protections for women and those who aid them?
I am 10,000% pro-life. I believe every life has great value from the womb to the tomb. I want your babies to live. Please do not destroy them. I am about saving lives, not criminalizing abortion. I want to change hearts and have people love and respect one another…
October 5: The Orange County Register posted: “Lou Correa, CA-46 candidate, Election 2022 questionnaire” From the article:
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that could give state legislatures greater influence over federal election rules. What do you see as the role states play in elections, even federal contests, and should there be a limit to that power?
Every legally registered American citizen must be given the opportunity to vote. Elections across the country should have a baseline set of standards to provide all American citizens the opportunity to vote. States should not have the opportunity to enhance access to the ballot box.
Do you support additional mandates to force businesses and residents to move toward cleaner energy? If so, what’s one such mandate you would support? And if not, what would be your plan to help accelerate the move to cleaner energy?
Some mandates do work, such as mandating minimum “miles per gallon” standards. Moving to cleaner energy must continue with a balanced approach that invests in R&D and renewables while keeping “prices at the gas pump” affordable to working families.
…One question that has been raised post-Roe is whether women who reside in states that have outlawed abortions could be prosecuted for getting the procedure out of state – or whether someone who helps a woman go out of state for an abortion should/could be held liable. Where do you stand on this? If you believe there should be repercussions, why and for whom? If you don’t, should there be stronger federal protection for women and those who aid them?
This is a personal and private decision that should be left to the woman, her doctor, and her God – and not a decision made by the government. If a person decides to travel to another state, that is their right to do so. They should not be prosecuted…
November 8: The Orange County Register posted: “Rep. Lou Correa on track for reelection in California’s 46th House District” From the article:
Rep. Lou Correa appears to be poised to win a fourth term representing voters in central Orange County.
Early vote counts released late Tuesday, Nov. 8, by the Orange County Registrar of Voters, showed Correa, D-Santa Ana, with a strong lead over his Republican challenger, Christopher Gonzales, in the race for the 46th congressional district.
Though more votes will be counted in coming days, most experts have pegged Correa, 64, as a safe bet to win reelection. The recently redrawn CA-46 – which covers Santa Ana and Anaheim with slices of Orange, Fullerton and Stanton – is deeply blue, with county data showing Democrats accounting for 49.3% of the district’s registered voters, versus 21.6% who are registered Republican and 23.3% who have no party preference.
Since first winning a seat in the House in 2016, Correa, a former Orange County Supervisor, has voted with congressional Democrats on most big issues, including abortion access, climate, gun control and the economy. Correa is a member of the Blue Dog caucus, a group of 19 House Democrats who push for what they view as fiscal responsibility.
This year, Correa has campaigned on the Biden administration’s track record on issues such as the Inflation Reduction Act, infrastructure spending and job growth. In the Register’s candidate questionnaire, Correa ads said he wants the Biden administration to do more than help immigrants, particularly DREAMers, become citizens…
Ballotpedia provided information about the General election for U.S. House California District 46:
Lou Correa (D): 61.8% – 78,031 votes
Christopher Gonzales (R): 38.2% – 48,257 votes
California’s 47th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 47th Congressional District:
California’s 47th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California.
Following 2020 redistricting, the district shifted to Orange County to contain Irvine, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Seal Beach. It is currently represented by Democrat Katie Porter.
Competitiveness: The district, a Democratic-leaning swing district with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+3, includes the heavily Democratic city of Irvine, and Republican-leaning coastal cities such as Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 38th congressional district is located in Southern California. It covers the South Coast Metro Area of Orange County.
Orange County is split between this district, the 45th district, the 46th district, the 40th district, and the 49th district. The 47th, and 45th and 46th are partitioned by Highway 405, Old Ranch Parkway, Seal Beach Blvd, St Cloud Dr, Montecito Rd, Rossmoor Center Way, 12240 Seal Beach Blvd-Los Alamitos Army Airfield, Bolsa Chica Channel, Rancho Rd, Harold Pl, Springdale St, 6021 Anacapa Dr-Willow Ln, Edward St, Bolsa Ave, Goldenwest St, McFadden Ave, Union Pacific Railroad, 15241 Cascade Ln-15241 Cedarwood Ave, Highway 39, Edinger Ave, Newland St, Heil Ave, Magnolia St, Warner Ave, Garfield Ave, the Santa Ana River, MacArthur Blvd, Harbor Blvd, Sunflower Ave, Costa Mesa Freeway, E Alton Parkway, and Red Hill Ave.
The 47th, 40th and 49th are partitioned by Barranca Parkway, Jamboree Rd, Warner Ave, Harvard Ave, Myford Rd, Loma Ridge Nature Preserve, Bee Canyon Access Rd, Portola Parkway, Highway 133, Highway 241, Bake Parkway, San Diego Freeway, Ridge Route Dr, Moulton Parkway, Santa Maria Ave, Via Vista, Alta Vis, Santa Vittoria Dr, Avenida del Sol, Punta Alta, Galle Azul, Bahia Blanca W, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Highway S18, Aliso & Wood Canyons, Vista del Sol, Highway 1, Stonington Rd, Virginia Way, 7th Ave, and Laguna Beach.
The 47th takes in the cities of Costa Mesa, Irvine, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach.
Ballotpedia provided information about Katie Porter:
Katie Porter (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 47th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Katie Porter (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Katie Porter was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Porter earned a B.A. from Yale University in 1996 and a J.D. from Harvard University in 2001. Her career experience includes working as a law professor with the University of California at Irvine; a consumer and bankruptcy attorney with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the World Bank, the Federal Judicial Center, and the Uniform Law Commission; and a law clerk to Judge Richard S. Arnold of the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ballotpedia provided information about Scott Baugh:
Scott Baugh (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 47th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Scott Baugh lives in Huntington Beach California. Baugh earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Liberty University and a J.D. from the Universally of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. His career experience includes owning a business and working as a lawyer. Baugh has served as chairman of GRIP (Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership), a board member of the George T. Pfleger Foundation, a founding board member of Angel Force USA, a founding trustee of Pacifica Christian High School, a board member of the Orange County Classical Academy, and the founding chairman of the OC Marathon Foundation.
Ballotpedia provided information about Amy Phan West:
Amy Phan West (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 47th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Amy Phan West was born in Da Nang, Vietnam. West earned an associate degree in business from Orange Coast College and a bachelor’s degree in education from California State University at Long Beach. Her career experience includes co-owning an independent rental car consortium. West has been associated with Concerned Woman for American (CWA).
NOTE: Wikipedia provided information about Concerned Women for America (CWA), a social conservative, evangelical Christian non-profit women’s legislative committee in the United States. Headquartered in Washington D.C., the CWA is involved in social and political movements, through which it aims to incorporate Christian ideology. The group is primarily led by well-funded anti-feminist interests.
The group was founded in San Diego, California in 1978 by Beverly LaHaye, whose husband Timothy LaHaye was an evangelical Christian minister and author of The Battle for the Mind, a well as a coauthor of the Left Behind series.
Ballotpedia provided information about Brian Burley:
Brian Burley (Republican Party) is running for the U.S. House to represent California’s 47th District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Brian Burley was a candidate for at-large member of the Huntington Beach City Council in California. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Brian Burley earned a bachelor’s degree in political economy and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Southern California. Burley’s experience includes owning an information technology consulting company. He has been affiliated with the Orange County Central Committee for the Republican Party in California.
Ballotpedia provided information about Errol Webber:
Erroll Webber (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 47th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Webber also ran for election for Governor of California. He did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Erroll Webber was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Webber earned an undergraduate degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2008. His career experience includes working as a documentary film producer and cinematographer. Webber has served as a member of the Legacy Republican Alliance and the South Los Angeles-Inglewood Republican Assembly.
May 4: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Roe v. Wade: Here’s where Orange County House members, challengers, stand on abortion rights”. From the article:
Among the 28 candidates running for one of the six House seats that include portions of Orange County, the eight Democrats all support upholding national safeguards on abortion access created half a century ago by a now-endangered Supreme Court ruling in the case of Roe v. Wade.
No local Republican running for Congress is speaking in support of such protections, with most instead endorsing limited or complete bans on abortion rights…
…Here’s how local candidates summed up their stance on abortion rights in written responses of 50 words or less:…
…47th District
Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine: “All Americans should be free to decide for themselves if and when to start a family. There is no economic security without bodily autonomy – the ability to control our own bodies. The right to seek an abortion is protected by the Constitution, and federal law should respect this right”.
Scott Baugh, R-Huntington Beach: “Life begins and conception. Others may disagree as to precisely when life begins, but there should be no disagreement as to whether it’s OK to abort children who have reached the point of viability. We need to promote a culture of life in America – not a culture of termination.”
Brian Burley, R-Huntington Beach: Did not respond. (In 2020, he said, “I am pro-life but I believe in exceptions).
Errol Webber – R-Costa Mesa: “We must protect all life at all stages of life, including those in the womb”
Amy Phan West – R-Huntington Beach: “I am staunchly pro-life.”…
August 4: NBC News posted an article titled: “In a key swing district, Katie Porter clashes with GOP opponent over inflation and ‘Orange County values”. From the article:
In a rough year for Democrats, Republican Scott Baugh is trying to bring this Orange County swing district back to its GOP roots after it abandoned his party.
But he’s navigating a culturally changing region, now wary of a Republican Party transformed by Donald Trump, and a rising Democratic star in two-term Rep. Katie Porter, who, as one Republican operative lamented, “has more money than God.”
“I wouldn’t be running if I didn’t think it was winnable,” Baugh said in an interview at his campaign office in Newport Beach. “Yeah, we can return it.”…
…California’s new 47th District sits at the nexus of cross-currents shaping the 2022 election. While economic pain and President Joe Biden’s unpopularity threatens Democrats’ hold on power, cultural issues like abortion, as well as Trump’s enduring grip on the party, could put a ceiling on GOP prospects in the suburbs.
A Porter defeat would be a harbinger of a red wave. Conversely, a Republican failure here could indicate that voters who have left the GOP in well-educated and suburban districts aren’t coming back, limiting the party’s gains. The race is a top Republican target in the battle for House control, and Democrats’ campaign arm has listed Porter as a “front-liner” in defending their majority…
…The Republican strategy is to make this and other Orange County races a referendum on an unpopular president and rising prices, but Porter argues her rival doesn’t have a plan to combat rising gas and grocery prices, other than hurling “epithets.”
“Look, I live here. I’m raising my kids here. I drive my minivan around here, and I’m filling up those same gas tanks. I’m walking to those same grocery stores,” Porter told NBC News during an interview in Huntington Beach. “It’s a major problem, and we have to fight it on several fronts.”
The answer to rising costs, Porter said, is to pass the recent deal between Democrats empowering Medicare to negotiate drug prices, invest in U.S. manufacturing through the recent chips law and fight “price gouging, including by big oil companies.”
To lower prices, Baugh said, lawmakers should boost the supply of goods, “quit spending so much money” and balance the budget.
“You have to reform entitlements” like Social Security and Medicare, which have too many “unfunded liabilities,” he continued, and he said raising the retirement age should be “one of the tools you have to use” as part of a legislative compromise to cut safety net spending…
Recently, Porter has voted with her party to codify federal protections for legal abortion in the Women’s Health Protection and same-sex marriage in the Respect for Marriage Act. She also voted for legislation that would ban assault weapons.
Baugh said he’d vote against all those bills if he were a congressman…
Ballotpedia posted the results for the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 47:
Katie Porter (D): 51.7% – 86,742 votes
Scott Baugh (R): 30.9% – 51,776 votes
Amy Phan West (R): 8.3% – 13,949 votes
Brian Burley (R): 7.1% – 11,952 votes
Erroll Webber (R): 2.0% – 3,342 votes
November 5: ABC7 posted an article titled: “Race for Congressional District 47 in Orange County heats up”. From the article:
The race for California Congressional District 47 between incumbent Katie Porter and business owner Scott Baugh is heating up.
Both are caught in a tight race to see who will represent residents living in parts of Orange County.
“I’ve had an amazing time getting to know hundreds of thousands of new voters, showing them through my actions that I will listen to them and fight for them in Washington,” said Porter.
Due to redistricting, the candidates would represent communities along the coast from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach as well as Costa Mesa and Irvine.
“Our campaign is strong,” said Baugh. “We have hundreds of volunteers. We’re walking thousands of doors. We’re making thousands of phone calls.”
Porter said she wants to continue to fight for her constituents and said inflation plus the rising cost of living is impacting every one.
“I’m in the grocery stores, I’m at the gas pumps, and I feel it too,” she said. “What I did in Congress was to show that about half of every extra dollar that we are paying this year is going to line the pockets of the biggest corporations in the world. Corporate profits are at 70-year record high.”
However, Baugh said voters want change.
He believes Porter has hurt the middle class by supporting bills that spend too much money and don’t allow production to take place.
“She’s out of touch and she needs to be replaced,” Baugh said. “The Democrats address it by spending more and taxing more. They call it the Inflation Reduction Act, but only in Washington and D.C. would you have a spending and tax problem and solve it with a spending and tax solution.”
While District 47 is equally split between Republicans and Democrats, Baugh and Porter each believe they have the momentum on their side heading into Election Day.”
“Republicans have a lot more enthusiasm,” Baugh said. “A lot of the Independents are leaning towards the Republican view of life, the American way of life. They don’t want socialism in this country, and I think the coast of Orange County rejects socialism in this country. They’re more conservative and they’ll vote for me on Election Day.”
Porter thinks otherwise.
“I don’t think Orange County is red or blue,” she said. “I think Orange County shared some common values about wanting to make sure they can take care of their family, valuing safe communities, wanting to make sure that someone’s watching out for their tax dollars and standing up to government waste. That’s exactly what I’ve done in my time in Congress and that’s what I promise to continue doing.”…
November 8: Business Insider (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Live Results: Democratic Rep. Katie Porter faces off against Republican Scott Baugh in California’s 47th Congressional District election”. From the article:
California’s 47th Congressional District candidates
Porter is running for her third term in the House and sits on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Prior to being elected to Congress in 2018, she taught bankruptcy law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law and served as a consumer and bankruptcy attorney for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the World Bank, the Federal Judicial Center and the Uniform Law Commission. She also clerked for Judge Richard S. Arnold of the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals.
The 48-year-old Irvine Democrat has a massive campaign war chest – she ranks in the top five among congressional fundraisers.
Porter was elected to the House in 2018, flipping the seat held by former Republican Rep. Mimi Walters to become the first Democrat in history to flip the 45th Congressional District, a longtime Republican stronghold. In 2020, she retained her seat against Republican Greg Raths.
She is a strong supporter of abortion rights and helped pass the Women’s Health Protection Act in the House, which would codify Roe v. Wade abortion protections if enacted.
Baugh, Porter’s challenger, is an attorney who owns the business law firm, Scott Baugh & Associates. Prior to running for Congress, Baugh represented Orange County in the California Assembly, served as its Republican leader, and chaired the Orange County Republican Party for 11 years.
This is Baugh’s third time running for the 47th Congressional District seat. In 2018, Caught came in fourth in a crowded nonpartisan primary, which put him out of the general election. And in 2020, he withdrew from the primary.
Baugh came in second to Porter in the 2022 nonpartisan primary, bringing in 30.8% of the vote to Porters 51% – enough to qualify him for the general election…
…California’s 47th Congressional District is an affluent coastal district that covers a large swath of Orange County. It includes the city of Irvine, where Porter taught consumer law at the University of California, Irvine, as well as the coastal cities of Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, and Newport Beach.
After the district lines were finalized, Porter announced she would switch districts to run in the new 47th District, a coastal district that encompasses her hometown of Irvine.
…According to OpenSecrets, Porter has raised $22.7 million, spent $24.1 million, and has about $8.9 million on hand, as of October 19. Her opponent, Baugh, has raised $2.7 million, spent nearly $2.6 million, and has $130,000 cash on hand, as of October 19…
November 10: AP (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Notable uncalled House races include Boebert and Katie Porter”. From the article:
…CALIFORNIA’S 47th DISTRICT
Two-term Rep. Katie Porter, part of the 2018 class of freshman women who helped Democrats capture the House, was locked in a competitive fight with Republican Scott Baugh in a Southern California district Republicans had high hopes of capturing.
Porter was facing Baugh, a former state representative, in a district that includes Orange County, where Republicans once held sway but that has become more Democratic.
President Joe Biden carried the district in 2020, but Republicans placed it in the heart of their target list this year, expecting low approval for Biden to help lift Baugh. Though still hopeful here, Republicans failed to defeat 2018 Democrats running in seats Biden won in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas and elsewhere…
November 14: CBS News reported on California’s District 47 Election:
Two-term Rep. Katie Porter, part of the 2018 class of freshman women who helped Democrats capture the House, was locked in a competitive fight with Republican Scott Baugh in a Southern California district Republicans had high hopes of capturing.
Incumbent Rep. Katie Porter, famous for her attacks on the CEOs of massive corporations while armed with her “Whiteboard of Justice,” jumped to a huge lead early on in the race against her competitor in attorney Scott Baugh.
However, a redrawn district and an apparent swing in favor of a “red wave” throughout Orange County, Porter’s lead has diminished to just a few thousands votes.
CBS News reported these results:
Katie Porter (Democrat): 51% – 93,400 votes
Scott Baugh (Republican): 49% – 90,430 votes
November 16: The New York Times posted the following information about California’s 47th Congressional District Election Results:
Representative Katie Porter, a powerhouse fund-raiser and a popular figure for the activist left, is being challenged by the Republican Scott Baugh, the former leader of the California Assembly, in a newly drawn district that leans slightly Democratic.
Katie Porter (Democrat): 129,463 votes – 51.4%
Scott Baugh (Republican): 122,543 votes – 48.6%
93% of votes were in
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 47:
Katie Porter (D): 51.7% – 137,374 votes
Scott Baugh (R): 48.3% – 128,261 votes
November 18: NBC News posted an article titled: “Progressive favorite Katie Porter wins re-election after days of counting” From the article:
Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., the whiteboard-wielding lawmaker and progressive star, won her re-election race, NBC News projected on Friday.
After days of vote counting, Porter staved off a challenge from former state Assemblyman Scott Baugh, a Republican, to win a third term in Congress.
President Joe Biden called Porter on Wednesday night to congratulate her on the victory.
Porter, 48, is best known for viral videos of her sharp questioning of witnesses testifying before Congress. The former law school professor often used a dry-erase board to list user-friendly facts and figures to help make her point.
She has served in the House since 2019, representing the 45th Congressional District, and is deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
In the 2022 midterm election cycle, Porter raised more than $23 million compared to Baugh, who raised more than $2 million, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Baugh, 60, served as an assemblyman in California’s Legislature from 1995 to 2000. During his last year in the statehouse, he was the assembly’s GOP leader. More recently, Baugh was chairman of the Orange County Republican Party from 2004 to 2015.
The 47th Congressional District in coastal Orange County between Long Beach and San Clemente was once been dominated by Republicans but now is more mixed.
The race for the new 47th Congressional District seat has been listed as a “toss up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
California’s 48th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 48th Congressional District:
California’s 48th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in San Diego County in Southern California. It is currently represented by Darrell Issa.
From 2013 to 2023, the district includes Costa Mesa, Emerald Bay, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niquel, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, and parts of Garden Grove, Midway City, Aliso Viejo, Santa Ana and Westminster.
It was very competitive and had recently been won by each of the two main parties. In the 2018 House elections, Democrat Harley Rouda became the district’s representative, defeating incumbent Republican Dana Rohrabacher. Road was then defeated by Republican Michelle Steel in the 2020 elections.
From 2003 to 2013, the district included the cities of Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest (formerly known as El Toro), parts of Irvine and parts of Newport Beach and San Juan Capistrano.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 48th congressional district is located in Southern California. The district encompasses some of the East Country and all of the Mountain Empire areas of San Diego County, and part of south western Riverside County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 49th district, the 50th district, the 51st district and the 52nd district. The 48th and 49th are partitioned by Gavilan Mountain Rd, Sandia Creek Dr, De Luz Rd, Marine Corps Base Pendleton, Sleeping Indian Rd, Tumbleweed Ln, Del Valle Dr, Highland Oak St, Olive Hill Rd, Via Puerta del Sol, N River Rd, Highway 76, Old River Rd, and Little Gopher Canyon Rd.
The 48th and 50th are partitioned by Gopher Canyon Rd, Escondido Freeway, Mountain Meadow Rd, Hidden Meadows, Reidy Cyn, N Broadway, Cougar Pass Rd, Adagio Way, Calle Ricardo, Tatas Place, Rue Montreux, Jesmond Dene Rd, Ivy Dell Ln, N Centre City Parkway, Highway 15, Richland Rd, Vista canal, Woodland Parkway, W El Norte Parkway, Bennet Ave, Elder Ln, Nordahl Rd, Calve Dr, Deodar Rd, Highway 78, Barham Dr, 2315-2339 Meyers Ave, Hill Valley Dr, Country Club Dr, Auto Park Way, Highway 56, N Centre City Parkway, W Valley Parkway, N Juniper St, Highway 78, N Hickory St, E Mission Ave, Martin Dr, E Lincoln Ave, N Ash St, E Grand Ave, Bear Valley Parkway, Old Guerjito Rd, San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, San Pasqual Trails Openspace, San Dieguito River Park, Bandy Canyon Rd, Santa Maria Creek, Highland Valley Rd, West Ridge Trail, Palmer Dr/Summerfield Ln, Pomerado Rd, and Caramel Mountain Ranch Openspace.
The 48th and 51st are partitioned by Sabre Springs Openspace, Scripps Miramar Openspace, Beeler Canyon Rd, Sycamore Canyon Openspace, Weston Rd, Boulder Vis, Mast Blvd, West Hills Parkway, San Diego River, Highway 52, Simeon Dr, Mission Trails Openspace, Fanita Dr, Farmington Dr, Lund St, Nielsen St, Paseo de Los Castillos, Gillespie Air Field, Kennedy St, San Vicente Freeway, Airport Dr, Wing Ave, W Bradley Ave, Vernon Way, Hart Dr, Greenfield Dr, E Bradley Ave, 830 Adele St-1789 N Mollison Ave, Peppervilla Dr/N Mollison Ave, Pepper Dr, Greta St/Cajon Greens Dr, N Mollison Ave/Buckey Dr, Denver Ln, Broadway Channel, N 2nd St, Flamingo Ave/Greenfield Dr, Dawnridge Ave/Cresthill Rd, Groveland Ter/Camillo Way, Sterling Dr, Kumeyaay Highway, E Madison Ave, Granite Hills Dr, E Lexington Ave, Dehesa Rd, Vista del Valle Blvd, Merrit Ter, E Washington Ave, Merrit Dr, Dewitt Ct, Emerald Heights Rd, Foote Path Way, Highway 8, Lemon Ave, Lake Helix Dr, La Cruz Dr, Carmichael Dr, Bancroft Dr, Campo Rd, and Sweetwater Rd.
The 48th and 52nd are partitioned by San Miguel Rd, Proctor Valley Rd, Camino Mojave/Jonel Way, Highway 125, Upper Otay Reservoir, Otay Lakes Rd, Otay Valley Regional Park, Alta Rd, and Otay Mountain Truck Trail. The 48th district takes in the cities of Santee, Poway, and northern Escondido, as well as the census-designated places Ramona, Rancho San Diego, Winter Gardens, Bostonia, Alpine, Campo, Hidden Meadows, Fallbrook, Valley Center, and Bonsall.
Riverside County is split between this district and the 41st district. They are partitioned by Ortega Highway, Tenaja Truck Trail, NF-7506, Tenaja, San Mateo Creek, Los Almost Rd, Und 233, S Main Dv, Wildomar, Grand Ave, Rancho Mirlo Dr, Copper Canyon Park, 42174 Kimberly Way-35817 Darcy Pl, Escondido Expressway, Scott Rd, 33477 Little Reb Pl-33516 Pittman Ln, Keller Rd, Menifee Rd, Clinton Keith Rd, Max Gilliss Blvd, Highway 79, Borel Rd, Lake Skinner, Warren Rd, Summitville St, Indian Knoll Rd, E Benton Rd, Rancho California Rd, Overhill Rd, Green Mountain Rd, Crossover Rd, Exa-Ely Rd, Denise Rd, Wiley Rd, Powerline Rd, Wilson Valley Rd, Wilson Creek, Reedy Valley Rd, Centennial St, Beaver Ave, and Lake Vista Dr. The 48th district takes in the cities of Temecula and Murrieta.
Ballotpedia provided information about Darrell Issa:
Darrell Issa (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 48th Congressional District. He assumed office on January, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Issa (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 48th Congressional District. He declared his candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Issa is a former Republican member of the U.S. House representing California’s 49th Congressional District from 2001 to 2019. On January 10, 2018, he announced that he would not seek re-election to the 49th Congressional District in 2018. “While my service to California’s 49th District will be coming to an end,” he said, “I will continue advocating on behalf of the causes that are most important to me, advancing public policy where I believe I can make a true and lasting difference and continuing the fight to make our incredible nation an even better place to call home.” In the 115th Congress, Issa served as the Chair of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
On September 19, 2018, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Issa to head the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
In 2003, Issa was a contributor to the recall election of then-Governor Gray Davis. In October 2007, Issa announced that he was supporting the Presidential Electoral Reform Act, a ballot measure that would have changed how California selects its representatives to the presidential electoral collage.
Darrell Issa was born in Cleveland Ohio. Issa served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1980. He earned a B.A. from Siena Heights College in 1976 and reached the rank of captain. Issa’s career experience includes founding and working as the CEO of Directed Electronics.
Ballotpedia provided information about Stephan Houlahan:
Stephen Houlahan (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 48th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Stephen Houlahan lives in Santee, California. Houlahan earned a bachelor’s degree from San Diego in 2003. His career experience includes working as a nurse.
Stephen Houlahan completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
MEET STEPHEN HOULAHAN Stephen lives and breathes California’s 48th congressional district. Raised in Santee, he has traveled the U.S. as a nurse, catching sight of the Rockies and vast beauty of Alaska, but always returned home to the Golden State. Raised by a hardworking single mom, Stephen knows what families in California are going through. His mom worked two jobs to make ends meet, while Stephen slept in the family living room and helped raise his younger sister.
Working since he was 13 years old, Stephen is full of grit and determination. He attends the university of San Diego, earning both a Masters in Nursing and an MBA. He went on to serve his neighbors on the City Council and as Vice Mayor. Working across party lines with four Republicans as the lone Democrat, he stopped a power plant and pipeline from threatening the air and water quality in his community and the health of his neighbors. He has protected his community from corruption by fighting for and passing term limits and took on the entire council to call for inclusionary housing policies in the face of corporate development.
Before serving on the frontlines of COVID, Stephen ensured that emergency responders were paid a fair wage and had the resources they needed do their jobs. Dismayed and angry about the mismanagement of the COVID crisis and the failures of elected officials – Stephen is running to protect his family, friends, and neighbors.
Please list 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
COVID-19 National Recovery – COVID-19 is personal for me. In the early days of the pandemic, I was called by the ICU to help triage patients and prepare for crisis standards of care. The possibility of my decisions impacting who got critical care and who didn’t is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. COVID-19 moved fast; our response must be stronger than ever before: Make suer everyone who wants to be vaccinated is able to. California is one of the most vaccinated states, and because of that, we have some of the lowest infection and mortality rates from COVID in the country.
Healthcare – The US spends the most money per capita on healthcare in the world, but we rank among the lowest when it comes to health outcomes. I know how painfully inefficient our healthcare system is – I work in it every single day. Medicare and Medicaid As your congressman, I will expand medicare to 55+, streamlining healthcare for folks who are most likely to use it. I will also propose “Medikid” to help cover the more than 4 million uninsured children in our country. Big Pharma Big Pharma is placing a huge burden on millions of Americans every year. I know because my own medicine cost $42,000 per year. As your congressman, I will stand up to Big Pharma and make sure every American can access the medication they need.
Energy and Climate – The US subsidizes fossil fuels to the tune of tens or hundreds of billions of dollars every year. This subsidy comes out of your pockets and goes straight into the pockets of fossil fuel CEOs and shareholders. Meanwhile, the market is moving away from fossil fuels – coal fired power plants are closing left and right, the price of solar and wind power is dropping every day, and if we don’t jump on this train, it’s going to leave without us (with China at the helm). California can be the global leader in solar energy. Early investments here can lead to huge returns. As a clean energy champion, I led the way to establish Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) in California’s 48th.
Ballotpedia provide information about Matthew Rascon:
Matthew Rascon (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 48th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Matthew Rascon was born in San Diego, California. Rascon earned an associate degree from Grossmont Community College in 2017. His career experience includes working in security. Rascon has been affiliated with the Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, and Alliance for peace building.
Matthew Rascon completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m Matthew Rascon, a life-long California, Catholic, and proud San Diegan.
Like many in my generation, I’ve grown up living through an endless stream of “unprecedented times.” From the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, the 2008 market crash, constant wars, ever increasing political divide and even a global pandemic, there hasn’t been a lull for decades and our politicians seem to be actively working against doing what needs to be done to fix the issues our Nation faces instead, embracing the status quo and taking actions to protect their own vested interests.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
TERM LIMITS: work with members from both sides of the isle to push for a joint resolution imposing much needed term limits on the house and senate.
MANDATORY DIVESTITURE: tirelessly fight for laws requiring elected members of Congress to divest from financial interests by date of inauguration, removing conflicts of interest before they can compromise the legislature.
CONSEQUENCES: I will work to try and bring true consequences to members of Congress who would break from established guidelines and laws. Those in elected office should be held to a hire standard and face more than mere fines for betraying the public trust.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I’m dedicated to pursuing proper representation and government accountability.
I’m also very passionate about tribal sovereignty and repairing damage done to America’s first peoples, the pursuit of improved infrastructure and US agriculture and Economic independence.
As representative of CA 48th, I would fight for the issues that matter most to my fellow citizens that call this district home. And push for policies and laws that will help CA-48 and the whole nation flourish.
Ballotpedia provided information about Lucinda Jahn:
Lucinda Jahn (independent) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 48th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 4, 2024.
Lucinda Jahn was born in Oceanside, California and lives in Ramona, California. Jahn served in the U.S. Air Force from 1982 to 1985. Jahn’s career experience includes working as an entertainment industry professional.
December 21: Times of San Diego posted an article titled: “Reps. Jacobs, Issa to Seek Re-Election in New 51st, 48th Congress Districts in 2022” From the article:
First-term Rep. Sara Jacobs announced Tuesday that she will seek re-election to the House of Representatives in the new 51st District in 2022. Hours later, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said he’d seek the new 48th District seat.
The new district in central San Diego County includes much of Democrat Jacob’s current 53rd District, but also parts of the county previously represented by Scott Peters, Issa, and Juan Vargas.
California lost one seat in Congress after the 2020 Census, but population growth in San Diego County ensured that five districts remain, even though their boundaries and numbers have shifted…
May 26: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Interview with Lucinda Jahn, 48th Congressional District candidate” From the article:
Lucinda Jahn doesn’t want your money, she wants a voice.
Jahn is one of four candidates on the June 7 primary ballot to represent California’s redrawn 48th Congressional District. Following the November election, the district’s new boundary lines extend from the U.S.-Mexico border to Temecula, encompassing communities such as Poway, Santee, Lakeside, Alpine, Ramona and parts of Escondido…
…No single incident sparked Jahn’s desire to run for office. As a mother of two, she wants to work toward a representative government body for future generations.
“I want them to live in a country under the protection of the Bill of Rights,” Jahn said. “It’s there for a reason to limit the abuse of power from a government that doesn’t need to be micromanaging your life.”
Her platform encourages conservative fiscal responsibility, as well as civic responsibility and economic independence. She’s running on term limits, blended health care, and simplifying the tax code. Jahn calls herself the “Zero Donate Candidate.”…
…Jahn believes that certain things need to be addressed at the border. When asked about her views on immigration, particularly for migrants entering the United States through Mexico, she said there needs to be change.
“Not regulating that border and not accounting for these people is not humane,” Jahn said. “We’ve had people dying to say I need water for fear of being deported. If you’re going to be in this country, I think you should be able to participate in the rights and responsibilities and the other protections under the law.”
She would also like to redefine the term “asylum” in U.S. immigration policy. She is not opposed to people entering the United States but would rather not be a haven for every “social problem,” she said…
…She said she believes that the government should not impact personal choice, speaking on behalf of gay marriage and pro-choice.
The Founding Fathers “were trying to limit the power of government to those things that impacted the public order,” she said. “So your personal choice … does not impact the broad public order.”…
May 26: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Interview with Matthew Rascon, 48th Congressional District candidate” From the article:
The youngest candidate for the 48th Congressional District seat to The Coast News he’s making government reform his top priority.
Community volunteer Matthew Rascon is one of four candidates on the June 7 primary ballot seeking to represent California’s 48th Congressional District, which now extends from the U.S.-Mexico border to Temecula, encasing communities such as Poway, Santee, Lakeside, Alpine, Ramona and parts of Escondido.
Fiftieth District incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa will face Rascon, Stephan Houlahan (registered nurse) and Lucinda Jahn (entertainment technician).
Rascon, 27, has his eyes set on cleaning up regulatory framework and to “bring some actual change” to Congress.
“In order for us to have better representation, real representation,” Rascon said, “first and foremost, we need to be better laws in place and regulations within the Congress itself.
Rascon continues, illustrating that, like construction project, “you need a solid foundation or nothing will last.
“I feel like the foundation is really what’s lacking right now with government, he said.
Rascon and his three opponents are vying for he two-candidate ballot on November 8. He hopes to sway voters with his policies on term limits and mandatory divestiture – and hold lawmakers accountable for those who don’t comply.
Rascon proposes a two-term limit for senators and a six-term limit in the House of Representatives – calling for a maximum cap of 20 years in Congress.
To Rascon, this goal prevents one person from choke-holding office and redirects political parties from incumbent-driven efforts to ones that focus on the issues…
June 3: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Interview with Stephen Houlahan: 48th Congressional District candidate” From the article:
Depending on who you ask, Stephen Houlahan is “that guy” in the 48th California Congressional District.
Walking door-to-door with Houlahan, homeowners may recognize him as their former councilman or th guy who helped stop a power plant from breaking ground in Santee. Or, he was just a man knocking on their door.
“Most people are interested if you start talking about issues that apply to them,” Houlahan said, who grew up in Santee.
Houlahan, who tries to canvas several times a week to reach possible constituents, is one of three candidates challenging incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa (CA-50) on the June 7 primary ballot to represent California’s redrawn 48th Congressional District…
…Issa, who currently represents the 50th District, will face Houlahan, a Democrat and registered nurse; Democrat and community volunteer Matthew Rascon, and independent candidate Lucinda Jahn, an entertainment technician…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 48:
Darrell Issa (R): 61.5% – 101,280 votes
Stephen Houlahan (D): 27.8% – 45,740 votes
Matthew Rascon (D): 9.1% – 14,983 votes
Lucinda Jahn (Independent): 1.6% – 2,614 votes
November 8: Fox5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Issa wins election in 48th Congressional District” From the article:
Republican Darrell Issa has won reelection in the 48th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
As of Wednesday morning, Issa had garnered 60% of the vote compared to his Democratic opponent Stephen Houlahan’s nearly 40%…
…The Cook Political Report and other non-partisan analysts rated the new 48th a “solid Republican” district, indicating it could be an uphill climb for a Democratic challenger.
Issa is a familiar face in both the San Diego region and in Washington, where he serves on the powerful House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees. He is a retired U.S. Army captain and former CEO who has served as a lawmaker in various districts since 2000.
Issa has long made border security and immigration central issues in his campaigns, saying “we can’t keep our country safe if we don’t secure the border.” The congressman promotes greater funding for resources for Border Patrol, harsher penalties for smugglers and rejecting the concept of “sanctuary cities.”
A conservative who aligned himself closely with former President Donald Trump when he was in office, Issa has been a fierce critic of President Joe Biden’s administration.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 48:
Darrell Issa (R): 60.4% – 155,171 votes
Stephen Houlahan (D): 39.6% – 101,900 votes
California’s 49th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 49th Congressional District:
California’s 49th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Mark Levin.
The district currently covers the northern costal areas of San Diego County, including Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad, and Encinitas, as well as a portion of southern Orange County, including San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Ladera Ranch, and Coto de Caza. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is in the district.
In the 2016 election, Darrell Issa won by a margin of less than 1%. In the 2018 election, this district was considered to be a major battleground. Rep. Issa announced that he would not seek reelection. Following the November 6, 2018 election, Democrat Mike Levin became the district’s congressman.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 49th congressional district is located in Southern California. It covers the North County region of San Diego County, and south east Orange County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 48th district and the 50th district. They are partitioned by Gavilan Mountain Rd, Sandia Creek Dr, De Luz Rd, Marine Corps Base Pendleton, Sleeping Indian Rd, Tumbleweed Ln, Del Valle Dr, Highland Oak St, Olive Hill Rd, Via Puerta del Sol, N River Rd, Little Gopher Canyon Rd, Camino Cantera, Corre Camino, Tierra del Cielo, Elevado Rd, Vista Grande Dr, Warmlands Ave, Queens Way, Canciones del Cielo, Camino Loma Verde, Alessandro Trail, Friendly Dr, Edgehill Rd, Catalina Heights Way, Deeb Ct, Foothill Dr, Clarance Dr, Highway S14, Smilax Rd, Poinsettia Ave, W San Marcos Blvd, Diamond Trail Preserve, S Rancho Santa Rd, San Elijo Rd, Rancho Summitt Dr, Escondido Creek, El Camino del Norte, San Elijo Lagoon, Highland Dr, Avocado Pl, Jimmy Durante Blvd, San Dieguito Dr, 8th St, Nob Ave, Highway S21, and the San Diego Northern Railway.
The 49th district takes in the cities of Carlsbad, Oceanside, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Vista.
Orange County is split between this district, the 40th district, and the 47th district. They are partitioned by Alicia Parkway, Pacific Park Dr, San Joaquin Hills Trans Corridor, Cabot Rd, San Diego Freeway, Via Escolar, Arroyo Trabuco Creek, Oso Parkway, Thomas F Riley Wilderness Park, and Ronald W Casper’s Wilderness Park, Aliso & Wood Canyons, Vista del Sol, Highway 1, Stonington Rd, Virginia Way, 7th Ave, and Laguna Beach.
The 49th district takes in the cities of San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, and Laguna Nigel, as well as the census-designated place Ladera Ranch.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Levin:
Mike Levin (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 49th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2019. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Levin (Democratic Party) us running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Levin defeated Diane Harkey (R) by a vote of 56.4 to 43.6 percent.
Mike Levin ran on progressive campaign themes including abortion access, gun policy reform, and Medicare for all.
Levin’s campaign website featured endorsements, among others, from the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Democracy for America, the Human Rights Campaign, NARAL, League of Conservative Voters, Everytown for Gun Safety, and planned Parenthood Action Fund. Levin was also endorsed by President Barack Obama (D) and U.S. Senators Kamala Harris (D), Diane Feinstein (D), and Elizabeth Warren (D), among others.
Mike Levin was born in Inglewood California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 2001 and a J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 2005. His career experience includes working as an attorney specializing in environmental and energy regulation compliance and governmental affairs. Levin previously served as the executive director of the Democratic Party of Orange County and as a board member for the Center for Sustainable Energy.
Ballotpedia provided information about Brian Maryott:
Brian Maryott (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Bryan Maryott was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and lives in San Juan Capistrano, California. Maryott earned a bachelor’s degree from American International College in 1986. His career experience includes working as a certified financial planner professional, the senior vice president of a company, and a staff director in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Brian Maryott completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a conservative businessman, Certified Financial Planner professional, former Mayor, and founder of a non-profit. I am also a husband, and a father to three children. As a local elected official and former management executive, I have proven that I can work with anyone who has good ideas, and I will bring that exact same approach to Congress. I have spent the majority of my career helping hundreds of individuals and families save for a rainy day, send their kids to college, retire with dignity, and invest in their future. I am accustomed to seeing the issues through the eyes of parents, elderly Californians, business owners, and working people from every walk of life. I am not going to DC to become a political celebrity or increase my twitter followers, I am going to bring a strong voice for fiscal conservatism and back to basics government.
Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We have an obligation to secure our sovereign border, and make it safe and manageable for everyone. It is time to end the chaos, crime, and human misery.
80% of Americans support term limits and they are right. Our founders never intended for service in Congress to be a life long career and it’s time we limited service. I will be a vocal proponent of term limits.
We need more people in Congress with a strong and extensive business background. Our country us currently being mismanaged and we are loading debt on our children and future generations at an alarming rate. It is time we started striving for concrete results, and restored confidence in our federal government.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
We must get our nation’s financial house in order. I am eager to collaborate and lead on efforts to re-evaluate the role of federal government, and prioritize areas for reform. The CBO did a recent study and concluded that at the current rate of borrowing and spending increases – in twenty years over half of our annual tax revenues will be spent just servicing our debt. That is outrageous, and this kind of management is imperiling the quality of life for future generations.
I am passionate about helping to from a strong wall of opposition to the idea of government taking over healthcare. We can do so much better with healthcare – affordability, access, and innovation. However, none of this will be possible if we succumb to the disastrous idea of letting government run it. We are a warm and caring nation, and we can see to it that nobody does without care, but nationalizing the industry is not the way to do it. I am anxious to join the efforts to enhance every area of healthcare.
Ballotpedia provided information about Lisa Bartlett:
Lisa Bartlett was a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors in California, representing District 5. She assumed office in 2015. She left office on January 2, 2023.
Bartlett (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Lisa Bartlett was born in Culver City, California. Bartlett has served on the board of directors of the National Association of Counties, Orange County Transportation Authority, Orange County Fire Authority, Transportation Corridor Agencies, and South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Lisa Bartlett completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am running for Congress because, like many of you, I believe our country and state are headed in the wrong direction, and we desperately need an honest change in leadership to reverse course.
I was born and raised in Southern California and a resident of South Orange for over 30 years. As an executive and businesswoman, I spent decades leading teams, delivering results, and always setting the highest standards of excellence for myself and those around me.
I am going to Congress to fight to fight for American families. I am going to Congress to fight for you. We are under attack, whether you are talking about rising inflation, skyrocketing crime, failing education, and weak foreign policy. I’ll take my years of experience as a business executive Mayor, and County Supervisor of the 6th largest county in the United States to help renew California and America, so we prosper for future generations. I will listen to you and ensure your voice is heard in the 49th District and in Washington D.C.
I would be honored to earn your trust and your vote. I look forward to working together to fix our country.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for you time in office?
Oppose Mandates
Secure the Border
Address Homelessness
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Border Security
Parental and Student Rights
Combating Inflation
Election Integrity
Addressing Homelessness
Opposing Mandates
Ballotpedia provided information about Christopher Rodriguez:
Christopher Rodriguez is a member of the Oceanside City Council in California, representing District 2. He assumed office on January 1, 2019. His term ended in 2022.
Rodriguez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rodriguez ran for election to the Oceanside City Council to represent District 2 in California. He won the general election on November 6, 2018.
Christopher Rodriguez served in the United States Marine Corps from 2002 to 2006. Rodriguez’s career experience includes working as the president and CEO of a real estate and mortgage company.
Christopher Rodriguez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Christopher Rodriguez is a decorated combat Marine, small businesses, City Councilman, husband, father of 7, and Republican candidate for Congress in CA-49th. Nothing was ever handed to Christopher in life, but his “no excuses” attitude drove him to overcome poverty, violence, and street life to be a successful family man, business leader, and decorated Marine in service to our country.
He served two combat tours in Iraq – he was among the first marines to push into Baghdad at the start of the war, and then in a second combat tours in Iraq – he was among the first marines to push into Baghdad at the start of the war, and then in a second combat tour received the Purple Heart in Fallujah due to injuries sustained when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his platoon.
Returning to California after military service, Christopher entered the real estate business. He learned quickly, opened his own office, and was recognized as one of the top Hispanic Realtors in the U.S. Christopher also fights for his community serving as an Oceanside City Council Member where he has pushed for lower taxes, and common-sense solutions to fix the homeless crisis plaguing California cities.
The Rodriguez family is a busy household with Christopher and his wife Sarah, 7 kids, 4 dogs, and a pot-bellied pig named Bacon. A man of faith, he credits all his success to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Secure Our Borders – Democrats have created a border crisis all by themselves by promising free healthcare and benefits for anyone who comes to this country illegally. That’s wrong. The border crisis has created nightmare scenarios of child trafficking, human sex trafficking, drugs and even terrorists who have been apprehended at the southern border because of a liberal’s desire to create a crisis that will allow them to open up the borders to anyone. A country without borders is not a country and in Congress I’ll fight for secure borders that treat people with dignity, while respecting our laws. As someone of Hispanic heritage I can tell you firsthand that people like me are among the staunchest advocates of our strong border policies.
Stop the Spending Death Spiral – We’ve got to stop printing money. Our monetary policy is completely out of control. The amount of new money that has been created out of thin air in the past year alone is staggering and it’s causing an inflationary spiral that is a hidden tax on regular folks. The cost of gas, food, groceries, every day items is rising – we all can see it. That’s a direct result of our government printing far too much money to pay for ridiculous spending. Meanwhile, our government continues to pay people not to work while plenty of jobs are available. In Congress I’ll work to cut spending and incentivize people to work again. The dignity of work and living independent of others is part of the American Dream.
Promote America as a Leader of the World Stage – whether it’s caving to China, Russia, Iran or Hamas – American has to lead. We can’t let the WHO or the United Nations tell us what to do. As a combat Marine I know exactly what it means to lead. We outing to be ashamed of the way China has manipulated the WHO in covering up their culpability in the COVID-19 pandemic. All of this is about leadership. I’ll fight for an American that puts its own interests first and that means putting all the interests of freedom-loving people around the world first.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As a Hispanic Combat Marine, my campaign is about fighting for the promise of the American Dream. That promise is not a guarantee but an opportunity. I believe that the American Dream is at risk if we don’t immediately. My campaign theme is simple: No Excuses. Too many D.C. politicians like my opponent Mike Levin make excuses for why they can’t get something done. All they do is blame. They don’t lead. I’m a Marine. I’ve led men in combat, and in the private sector, I’ve built a successful small business out of nothing – no excuses. Nothing was handed to me in life, and nothing will be handed to me in Washington DC should I have the honor of serving in Congress. I tell my sons that ‘men make plans, boys make excuses’ – we need strong men and women leaders in DC who refuse to back down, who stand up for what they believe, and who don’t apologize for fighting for America a country they love.
Ballotpedia provided information on Josiah O’Neil:
Josiah O’Neil (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. O’Neil lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Josiah O’Neil served in the U.S. Army. O’Neil’s career experience includes working as a police officer, a deputy sheriff, and a special agent with the United States Department of State.
Ballotpedia provided information on Nadia Smalley:
Nadia Smalley (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Nadia Smalley was born in Flint Michigan. Smalley’s career experience includes working as a nurse and businesswomen.
Nadia Smalley completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
NADIA B. SMALLEY political agenda includes solar development for public utilities budget resolutions for district 49 job development food programs elementary to college homeless displacement advocacy rule developments CBD recreational and medical marijuana advocacy. Ms. SMALLEY has remained the CEO of Phyllis Wheatley Inc, a nonprofit organization that deals with the California homeless and displaced Ms. SMALLEY is also the CEO of American security and Janice Elizabeth’s soul Food kitchen in Oceanside. Ms. SMALLEY is a local blues vocalist a skilled hospice nurse a mother of 4 and grandmother of 11 Ms. SMALLEY has dedicated the past 20 years being a vocalist and a skilled hospice nurse a mother of 4 and a grandmother of 11 Ms SMALLEY has dedicated the past 20 years being a voice and a advocate in the democratic political arena.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Homeless Advocate
PreK to College nutrition
Hospice nurse Alzheimer’s Geriatric health
What areas of public policy are you personally invested about?
Gun control and safety measures
Homeless research and awareness
Food regulations toxic additives
Public works and sanitation
Ballotpedia provided information about Renee Taylor:
Renee Taylor was a member of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District in California, representing District 1. Taylor assumed office in 2012. Taylor left office in 2016.
Renee Taylor (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 49th Congressional District. Taylor lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Renee Taylor has served in the U.S. Air Force and California Air National Guard. Taylor’s career experience includes working as an information technology and cybersecurity manager. She has served on the Orange Country Veteran’s Advisory Council (OCVAC).
January 3: San Clemente Times posted an article titled: “OC Supervisor Lisa Bartlett Announces Run for 49th District Seat” From the article:
Orange County Board Supervisor Lisa Bartlett announced last week her candidacy to represent California’s newly-drained 49th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Bartlett will run as a Republican against incumbent Rep. Mike Levin, a Democrat, as well as fellow Republicans Brian Maryott, the previous district challenger and former San Juan Capistrano council member and Christopher Rodriquez.
Bartlett serves as a supervisor for the county’s Fifth District, which encompasses Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and other cities south of Irvine, had been on the board since 2014.
“Never in my lifetime can I remember a point where Congress was this far out of touch with the everyday experience of working-class Americans and families,” Bartlett said in her announcement. “Much like California, our country is headed in the wrong direction and in desperate need of new and common-sense leadership.”
“At a time when families are struggling to pay for gas, put food on the table, and deal with the cost of inflation, Mike Levin is literally cheering on trillions of dollars in government spending, much of which is for pet projects,” Bartlett added, referring to Levin’s support of the Build Back Better Act, a $2 trillion bill that passed the House in November and awaits a Senate vote.
Bartlett pledged to focus on the issues of quality of life, the economy, education, and public safety…
March 29: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Maryott changes ballot designation following Bartlett complaint” From the article:
49th Congressional District candidate Brian Maryott has officially changed his ballot designation after a complaint filed by Republican primary challenger Supervisor Lisa Bartlett alleged the former San Juan Capistrano mayor misled voters about his professional employment status.
Per documents published online by the California Secretary of State’s Office, Maryott changed his job title from “Certified Financial Planner” to “Businessman/Nonprofit Executive” for the June primary ballot.
In a statement issued Monday, Bartlett claimed state officials had forced Maryott to change his ballot designation as a result of a complaint her campaign had filed last week.
“The decision by the Secretary of State to force Brian Maryott to change his ballot designation only further confirms what we already knew – Maryott is deliberately misleading voters and pretending to be someone he’s not,” Bartlett said in a statement.
However, Maryott’s campaign has denied Bartlett’s allegation sand said he voluntarily made the change as a result of issues unrelated to the complaint.
“We recently and pro-actively amended our ballot title with the Secretary of State’s office, making a change unrelated to any threats from desperate candidates,” said Megan House, Maryott’s campaign manager in a statement. “The CFB Board of Standards does not allow Certified Financial Planner professionals to advertise our credentials without the trademark, and the Secretary’s office does not allow these trademarks.”
In response to a request for comment, the Secretary of State’s Office issued the following statement regarding its decision to change Maryott’s ballot designation, clarifying that the agency made its decision independently and not specifically based on Bartlett’s request.
“We don’t approve/disapprove a ballot designation based on 3rd party complaints. We do receive them, but we don’t base our review on them,” said Joe Kocurek, a representative for the state office. “We review the ballot designation worksheet and any accompanying materials provided by each candidate, then we reach out to a candidate if there is an issue of any sort with their proposal. We spoke with this candidate and we came up with a ballot designation that was acceptable for him and us,”…
June 8: The Coast News Group posted an article titled: “Lawsuit against Oceanside councilman Rodriguez headed to jury trial” From the article:
A lawsuit against Oceanside City Councilman Chris Rodriguez will go to a jury trial in October after the 49th Congressional District candidate was accused of failing to repay nearly half a million in loans to a former business partner.
Mary Harper, a San Diego real estate investor, originally filed the lawsuit in 2019, alleging that Rodriguez owns her and her family almost $500,000 that they loaned him to work on properties in Vista, Temecula and El Cajon.
Harper claims that instead of repaying the loans, Rodriguez sold the properties and used some of the money to improve his personal residence on Puerta de Lomas in the Morro Hills area at the border of Oceanside and Fallbrook.
The case will go on trial on Oct. 7 in San Diego County.
Brian Maryott, one of Rodriguez’s opponents in the Republican primary, seized on the news of the lawsuit, arguing the nature and credibility of the accusations against Rodriguez should be a disqualifying factor for his candidacy…
…Rodriguez wholly denies the claims made in the lawsuit and suggested that Maryott is trying to utilize allegations against him to score political points.
“One hundred percent of the allegations are false, this lawsuit is frivolous,” Rodriguez said. “Establishment candidate Brian Maryott is throwing out last-minute desperate attacks. Why? Because he’s losing. Polls show us leading. What does Maryott do? He panics. Yes, I’ve been named in lawsuits before, most people in business have. There’s not an elderly woman owed $500,000, this type of nonsense is right out the Democrat playbook. I will not stoop to Maryott’s level.”…
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 49:
Mike Levin (D): 48.9% – 92,211 votes
Brian Maryott (R): 19.0% – 35,805 votes
Lisa Bartlett (R): 10.7% – 20,163 votes
Christopher Rodriguez (R): 9.6% – 18,248 votes
Josiah O’Neil (R): 7.8% – 14,746 votes
Nadia Smalley (D): 2.5% – 4,804 votes
Renee Taylor (R): 1.4% – 2,597 votes
October 22: Times of San Diego posted an article titled: “GOP Congress Hopeful Maryott Didn’t Keep Promise on FEC Filings, Group Says” From the article:
A Democratic-aligned watchdog group is calling out Republican congressional candidate Brian Maryott for not fulfilling a promise to amends financial disclosures.
In August, End Citizens United found public Venmo records that suggest Maryott and his committee – with him as treasurer – made payments via that mobile app to campaign staffers. The group filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
Maryott – challenging 49th District incumbent Rep. Mike Levin for a second time – assailed ECU as a “liberal activist group” but vowed to correct “a handful of honest reporting mistakes” made before the campaign was in full swing.
Two months ago, the former San Juan Capistrano mayor said: “We will work quickly and proactively to take the common step of amending our filing, if that turns out to be necessary.”
This week, in End Citizens United said it found no record of amended FEC filings…
…According to the poll-watching website fivethirtyeight.com, Levin’s chances of winning re-election are 84 in 100. In 2020, Levin defeated Maryott 53.1% to 46.9%.
Levin also leads in the money race. According to filings as of September 30, Levin has raised $4.45 million and spent $3.93 million – compared with Maryott taking in $3.66 million and spending $3.12 million.
Levin listed having $2 million cash on hand, and Maryott nearly $500,000.
It isn’t known whether Maryott is still paying staff via Venmo, however…
November 3: CBS8 posted an article titled: “President Biden visits San Diego, first campaign stop in Oceanside” From the article:
…On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Todd Gloria welcomed Biden to San Diego at MCAS Miramar.
Biden’s first stop on his two-day visit to San Diego started with a campaign event supporting incumbent Rep. Mike Levin who is facing a tight Congressional race for California’s 49th District against Brian Maryott.
More than a thousand people packed the gym at MiraCosta College to hear the president’s remarks on Thursday…
…The president’s return to heavily Democratic California in the run-up to Election Day speaks to the looming threat for his party in a turbulent midterm election year when Republican appear poised to take control of the House, a grim prospect for Biden heading into the second half of his term, the Associated Press reported.
Biden’s visit Thursday is centered on safeguarding two-term Rep. Mike Levin in a district with a slight Democratic tilt that cuts through San Diego and Orange counties and which Biden carried by double digits in the 2020 presidential election.
Levin defended his seat with a 6-point win in 2020, and the district remained largely intact after the once-in-a-decade adjustment of boundary lines after the census. This year, his race is considered a toss-up as Levin and other Democrats face historical midterm headwinds that typically punish the party in the White House, while soaring prices at the supermarket and gas pump have contributed to make once-safe incumbents vulnerable…
November 3: CBS8 posted an article titled: “Brian Maryott holds opposing rally to President Biden visit in Oceanside”
The Republican candidate challenging Incumbent Rep. Mike Levin in the tight Congressional race for California’s 49th District held a rally, just a few miles from where President Biden was speaking Thursday.
The opposing rally was hosted by Reform California and urged attendees to support to Republican candidate Brian Maryott who is running for the seat.
“While Joe Biden is in town he should apologize that’s what he should be here for. A failed president trying to prop up a failed congressman,” said Brian Maryott.
The 49th District includes the cities of Oceanside, Encinitas, and portions of Orange County. Back in 2020 Maryott was defeated by Levin but he believes this time the election will be different.
“Everyday people are saying to me I voted for Levin last time. People sense something is screwed up and they are losing their piece of mind about their personal finances and personal safety and health circumstances,” Maryott said.
Republicans see the midterms as an opportunity to pickup the 49th District. Tonight, inflation, schools and crime were hot topics…
November 11: San Diego Tribune (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Rep. Mike Levin’s lead widening in 49th Congressional District” From the article:
Rep. Mike Levin’s narrow lead in the close race for his coastal North County and Orange County seat widened to 4.2 percentage points after additional vote counts were released by San Diego and Orange County election official Friday evening.
The change reflected the latest update on ballot returns for the seat, one of a handful that could decide control of Congress and shape Southern California’s position on energy, environment and the economy.
With a total of 211,021 votes counted between the two counties, Thursday’s figure was up a point point from his tentative lead Thursday evening, but fall smaller than the wide lead he initially appeared to hold in early returns on election night.
Only a portion of the projected votes have been counted, and it will likely take a week or more before final results are known. Ballots counted so far reflect a little under 40 percent of registered voters in each county, and San Diego County official have said they expect turnout of about 60 percent after all mail ballots are received and tabulated.
On Tuesday night, when early election returns showed him leading by a wider margin, the Democratic congressman from San Juan Capistrano declared confidence, saying “when all is said and done, we will prevail.” Although his lead had diminished by Wednesday morning, as ballots continued to be counted, he said in news interviews that hew as still hopeful of victory.
His Republican opponent Bryan Maryott warned supporters Tuesday that early election returns would likely favor Democrats and could be disappointing. On Wednesday, as leaders of his party regarded disappointing results in congressional races nationwide, he appeared buoyed by the tightening race.
“We expect that as more votes are counted, we will close the 2% gap and that the voters of (the 49th Congressional District) will send a financial planner to Congress,” he said in a statement…
Ballotpedia provided information about the General election for U.S. House California District 49:
Mike Levin (D): 52.6% – 153,541 votes
Brian Maryott (R): 47.4% – 138,194 votes
November 16: KPBS posted an article titled: “Democrat Mike Levin wins reelection in California’s 49th Congressional District” From the article:
Incumbent Mike Levin, a Democrat, won reelection to U.S. House in California’s 49th Congressional District, according to a race call from The Associated Press. Levin, was challenged by Republican candidate Brian Maryott.
“With the vast majority of votes tabulated and the race called in our favor, it is with great honor and humility that I will return to serve California’s 49th District in the United States House of Representatives again,” Levin said in a statement…
…Mike Levin’s background is in environmental law and energy regulatory compliance. He has served two terms as the 49th District representative. Since the start of his term in 2019, Levin has worked on legislation to transition towards zero-emission vehicles, more sustainable power generation, climate action, and cleaner energy. Levin is the vice chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee where he has jurisdiction over veteran housing, homelessness, G.I. bills, and transition assistance.
Brian Maryott’s background is in finance as a certified financial planner. This is his third attempt at the 49th district seat. He considered himself a conservative businessman who has spent his career helping families save money and invest in their future. After growing his financial planning business, he managed hundreds of employees and billions in client assets. He was formerly mayor of San Juan Capistrano. In December 2020, Maryott launched non-profit PlanIT Kids, to provide free financial planning services to families…
November 17: Times of San Diego (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Democrat Levin Wins Re-Election in North County as Republicans Take House Majority”. From the article:
Rep. Mike Levin, a Democrat representing coastal North San Diego and Orange County, was assured victory Wednesday in the 49th Congressional District, defeating Republican Brian Maryott 52.6% – 47.4% in a key battleground race for control of the House of Representatives.
“With the vast majority of votes tabulated and the race called in our favor, it is with great honor and humility that I will return to serve California’s 49th District in the United States House of Representatives again,” Levin said in a statement….
…Meanwhile Republicans were projected to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting the stage for two years of divided government as President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party held control over the Senate.
The victory gives Republicans the power to rein in Biden’s agenda, as well as to launch potentially damaging probes of his administration and family, though it falls short of the “red wave” the party had hoped for.
The final call came after more than a week of ballot counting, when Edison Research projected Republicans had won the 218 seats they needed to control the House Republican victory as California’s 27th Congressional district took the party over the line.
The party’s current House leader, Kevin McCarthy, may have a challenging road ahead as he will need his restive caucus to hold together on critical votes, including funding for the government and military at a time when former President Donald Trump has launched another run for the White House…
…Even though the expected “red wave” of House Republicans never reached shore, conservatives are sticking to their agenda.
In retaliation for two impeachment efforts by Democrats against Trump, they are gearing up to investigate Biden administration officials and the president’s son Hunter’s past business dealings with China and other countries – and even Biden himself…
California’s 50th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 50th congressional district:
California’s 50th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California and encompasses parts of the Mid-Coast and northeastern parts of San Diego County. Scott Peters is currently the U.S. representative for California’s 50th congressional district.
The district is currently in San Diego County. It includes costal and central portions of the city of San Diego, including neighborhoods such as Caramel Valley, La Jolla, Point Loma and Downtown San Downtown San Diego; the San Diego suburbs of Poway and Coronado; and the campuses of schools such as the University of California, San Diego (partial), Point Loma Nazarene University, the University of San Diego, and various colleges of the San Diego Community College District. Much of this territory was in the 52nd district from 2013 to 2023.
From 2003 through 2013, California’s 52nd consisted of many of San Diego’s northern and eastern suburbs, including Santee, Lakeside, Poway, Romona, La Mesa, Alpine, Winter Gardens, Both this area is now part of the 50th district.
As of the 2020 restricting, California 50th congressional district is located in Southern California. It encompasses most of the South Bay region of San Diego County.
San Diego County is split between this district, the 48th district, the 49th district, the 51st district, and 52nd district. The 50th and 48th are partitioned by Gopher Canyon Rd, Escondido Freeway, Calle Ricardo, Tatas Place, Rue Montreux, Jesmond Dene Rd, Ivy Dell Ln, N Centre Parkway Highway 15, Richland Rd, Vista Canal, Woodland Parkway, W El Norte Parkway, Bennet Ave, Eisner Ln, Nordahl Rd, Calavo Dr, Deodar Rd, Highway 78, Barham Dr, 2315-2339 Meyers Ave, Hill Valley Dr, Country Club Dr, Auto Park Way, Highway 56, N Centre City Parkway, W Valley Parkway, N Juniper St, Highway 78, N Hickory St, E Mission Ave, Martin Dr, E Lincoln Ave, N Ash St, E Grand Ave, Bear Valle Parkway, Old Guerjito Rd, San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, San Pasqual Trails Openspace, San Dieguito River Park, Bandy Canyon Rd, Santa Maria Creek, Highland Valley Rd, West Ridge Trail, Palmer Dr/Summerville Ln, Pomerado Rd, and Caramel Mountain Ranch Openspace.
The 50th and 49th are partitioned by Gopher Canyon Rd, Camino Cantera, Corre Camino, Tierra del Cielo, Elevado Rd, Vista Grande Dr, Warmlands Ave, Queens Way, Canciones del Cielo, Camino Loma Verde, Alessandro Trail, Friendly Dr, Friendly Dr, Edgehill Rd, Catalina Heights Way, Deeb Cr, Foothill Dr, Clarance Dr, Highway S 14, Smilax Rd, Poinsettia Ave, W San Marcos Blvd, Diamond Trail Preserve, S Rancho Santa Rd, San Elijo Rd, Rancho Summit Dr, Escondido Creek, El Camino del Norte, San Elijo Lagoon, Highland Drive, Avocado Pl, Jimmy Durante Blvd, San Dieguito Dr, 8th St, Nob Ave, Highway S21, and the San Diego Northern Railway.
The 50th and 51st are partitioned by Camino del Norte, Highway 15, Carmel Mountain Rd, Ted Williams Parkway, Del Mar Mesa Overspace, Los Penasquitos Creek, Inland Freeway, Governor Dr, Pavlov Ave, Stetson Ave, Milikin Ave, Regents Rd, Ducommun Ave, Bunch Ave, Branting St, Streseman St, Pennant Way, Highway 52, San Diego Freeway, Sea World Dr, Friars Rd, Kumeyaay Highway, and Highway 805.
The 50th district takes in the cities of Coronado, San Marcos, and Southern Escondido as well as the San Diego neighborhoods of San Pasqual, Rancho Bernardo, La Jolla, Point Loma, University City, Torrey Pines, Mission Beach North Park, Hillcrest, South Park, Golden Hill, Pacific Beach, Caramel Valley, Pacific Highlands Ranch, and Black Mountain Ranch.
Ballotpedia provided information about Scott Peters:
Scott Peters (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 50th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Peters (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Peters was first elected to the seat on 2012, defeating Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray. In his 2014 bid for re-election, Peters defeated Republican Carl DeMaio by 3.2 points. That year, California 52nd Congressional District was rated a battleground district by Ballotpedia.
In 2016, Peters defeated Republican Denise Gitsham in the general election by 13 points. California’s 52nd Congressional District race was rated as safely Democratic in 2016. He won re-election in 2018, defeating Republican Omar Qudrat in the general election by 27.6 points.
He has served on the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Judiciary Committee and the Science Space, and Technology Committee.
Ballotpedia provided information about Corey Gustafson:
Corey Gustafson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. Gustafson lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Corey Gustafson was born in San Diego, California. Gustafson graduated from San Pasqual High School. He earned a degree from San Diego State University. Gustafson’s career experience includes owning a business and working as an educator.
Corey Gustafson completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Corey Gustafson is a conservative businessman, university lecturer, and native San Diegan who is running for Congress to restore common-sense representation to the 50th Congressional district. Too much power and influence have shifted to Washington D.C. and Corey will redirect it back to where it belongs – with the people of San Diego.
Corey was born in San Diego and raised in Escondido. He graduated from San Pasqual High School and San Diego University while working for his parents’ small business.
He learned about hard work and entrepreneurship by working in small businesses, whether it meant getting up early for prep work or mopping bar floors.
In 2019, Corey cofounded Dogleg Brewing Co. in Vista with his business partners. Dogleg Brewing aimed to bring together two of San Diego’s iconic industries: golf and craft beer. Not coincidentally, they are also two of Corey’s favorite pastimes. Dogleg opened just months before the pandemic starts, but the Dogleg team persevered to make it through the pandemic.
Corey’s other passion is university teaching. Since 2014, he serves a the director of the Oxford Study Abroad International Relations program. During the course, he lectures in American foreign policy and the national security process.
From 2016 to 2019, he was a lecturer in American Government at California State University-San Bernardino.
Corey is currently engaged to his fiancé, Kathryn, a small business owner and native San Diegan.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Lower Taxes-Washington DC has a spending problem and politicians continue to spend by the trillions. How are they planning to pay for it? More tax hikes on American families who are already dealing with record inflation. Corey believes San Diego families deserve to keep more or their hard-earned money. He’ll fight to cut taxes and he’ll put a stop to reckless spending.
Stop inflation- Inflation is a tax on all of us. It’s never been harder to make ends meet in California, with skyrocketing gas prices, housing costs and prices for everyday items like groceries. The inflation unleashed by trillions of dollars in spending by DC politicians has put our families and business on the brink. Corey will fight to stop reckless spending and lower taxes.
Fight Crime- San Diego is experiencing an unprecedented rise in crime. It’s no mystery why: understaffed law enforcement, failed leadership, and politicians who were unwilling to stand with our first responders when they needed it the most. While others support defunding the police, Corey will always be a proud supporter of law enforcement. He believes we must be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Fighting for the American Dream, empowering the individual and providing opportunity to all Americans.
Ballotpedia provided information about Kylie Taitano:
Kylie Taitano (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Kylie Taitano was born in Tamuning, Guam. Taitano earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at San Diego in 2014. Her career experience includes working as a software engineer. Taitano is a co-founder and CEO of Code with Her.
Kylie Taitano completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Kylie Taitano is a San Diego based women-in-tech who has been an active resident of the 50th district for the past 11 years. She studies Computer Science at USCD before becoming a software engineer at Intuit San Diego and graduated from UCSD with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Science. She is also the co-founder of Code With Her, a San Diego based non profit whose mission is to close the gender and diversity gap in tech by providing real-world coding experiences to students within San Diego County and across the nation.
Born on the beautiful US island territory of Guam, her Filipina and Indigenous Chamorro heritage and upbringing taught her that community is built on respect, reciprocity and taking care of each other. These values are core to who Kylie is and is the driving force behind why she puts community first.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
San Diego deserves un-bought leaders who put community first
Kylie accepts no corporate money
San Diego deserve a progressive leader who represents them
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
The Green New Deal: The scientific community says we have 11 years to transform our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. The climate crisis is already damaging our coastline and our way of life and we must act badly and with urgency to combat its devastating impacts. Read here on the big impact to San Diego county where insurance companies are dropping coverage for homes because of increasing fire risk.
Healthcare for All: The United States has by far the most expensive and one of the least effective healthcare systems compared with our international peers. It prioritizes excessive profits by healthcare, pharmaceutical, and insurance corporations above all else, and leaves too many people price-gouged when needing care. It’s past time for us to catch up to other modern nations in embracing and rapidly moving towards Medicare For All, a single-payer universal healthcare system with no premiums, co-pays, deductibles, surprise bills, confusing networks, or enrollment periods.
Democracy Reform: What is damaging to our democracy is the influence of big money in politics from well-funded corporations and special interest groups. As a member of Congress I will support laws that reduce the influence of big money in politics, including overturning Citizens Unites which currently allows corporations and other special interest groups to spend unlimited amounts of money on our elections.
Ballotpedia provided information about David Chiddick:
David Chiddick (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. Chiddick lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
David Chiddick served in the U.S. Navy. Chiddick’s career experience includes co-owning a coffee shop.
Ballotpedia provided information about Adam Schindler:
Adam Schindler (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 50th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Adam Schindler was born in Paterson, New Jersey. Schindler earned a bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University in 1994, a graduate degree from George Mason University in 2002, and a Ph.D from the University of California at Berkeley in 2008. His career experience includes working as a science and medical writer. Schindler served in the first class of the AmeriCorps NCCC, a national service program.
Adam Schindler completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a scientist who has committed my career to advancing knowledge and improving people’s lives. I received a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, and performed research at the National Institutes of Health, Duke University, and UC San Diego. I and am an author on 12 scientific publications. I currently work as a science and medical writer in the pharmaceutical industry, where I develop documents that translate scientific discoveries into clinical treatments.
Prior to entering science, I served in the first class of AmeriCorps NCCC, a national service program, where I lived in army barracks at Aberdeen Proving Grounds (MD). My team helped build a park In Baltimore and a day care center in West Virginia, and I fought fires in Idaho.
I live in San Diego with my wife, a professor of Biology at Scripps Institute of Oceaography, and two children.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Congress Should Serve the People. Congress should make decisions with the public good as the top priority. A Congress that is primarily concerned with raising money is not a Congress that can serve the people. The influence of money on Congress is something that I will call attention to and fight against. I will seek to reverse permissible campaign finance laws, and will advocate for greater transparency so that we know what our representative are doing and who they are meeting. To ensure that I avoid conflicts of interests, I will not take money from corporate PACs, hold private fundraisers, or own individual stock.
The Time for Action is Now. We face threats to our democracy and our environment that can no longer be ignored. The future of our country depends on the actions of our leaders, yet Congress does not seem to appreciate the urgency of the moment. I will fight for action to protect our democratic freedoms, especially our right to vote, and to stop global warming so that the beauty of our country is protected for my kids and future generations.
We Need Better Scientific Leadership. It has been frustrating as a scientist to see how we responded to the pandemic. Decisions were made without clear reason or adequate communication with the public. Worse still, we made decisions that were not in the best interests of the public health, and people suffered. A major reason for our poor response is that we have few scientists in Congress, and lack the expertise to provide oversight of our scientific agencies to ensure that the government fulfills its obligation to protect people’s well-being in the future, I will work to improve our scientific infrastructure and leadership
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As a biological scientist, I am especially interested in issues related to science and medicine. I will work to improve our healthcare system and provide affordable, comprehensive care to people. I am also interested in the environment, particularly becoming carbon neutral as soon as possible to stop climate change and protect the country. I also want to change the way things are done in Congress because it is not working for the American people.
December 22, 2021: Scott Peters posted news titled: “NEWS: Rep. Scott Peters Will Run for Re-election in the New CA-50” From the news:
Rep. Scott Peters to Run for Re-election in the New CA-50
San Diego – Today, Scott Peters for Congress campaign confirmed that Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) will run for re-election in the newly drawn San Diego coastal district identified as California 50.
“As the region and nation fight to overcome the devastating health and economic impacts of COVID, the ability to continue to bring federal resources home is what we need to recover,” Peters said. “My growing seniority in Congress puts me in a position to deliver, as does my track record of being able to work with everyone to solve problems.”
“I’ll continue to fight for a strong, diverse economy where every person and family has a shot at opportunity, prosperity and security. I’ll continue to stand up for middle class families, for clean air and water, for our veterans and active-duty men and women, and for our children and grandchildren who are counting on us to save the planet from the perils of climate change,” he said.
Peters added that in 2022, he’ll continue to represent the people of California’s 52nd congressional district with the same energy and commitment he’s always brought to the job. He will also introduce himself to the people of the new California 50 who he’s not yet had the honor to represent; he hopes to earn their support.
Scot Peters is a Democrat who has served in the House of Representatives since 2013. He was the first Democrat to represent San Diego City Council District 1 and defeated a 12-year Republican incumbent in 2012 to turn San Diego’s congressional delegation to a democratic majority for the first time in County history. He is a member of the powerful House Energy & Commerce committee, Vice Chair for Policy of the new Democratic Coalition, which is the largest ideological caucus in the House, and he is a Vice Chair for the Western Region of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
February 1: San Diego Jewish World posted an press release titled: “Jewish Congressional Candidate Adam Schindler: “I Want to Fight for People'” From the press release:
Scientist and public health advocate Adam Schindler announced on January 12 that he is running for U.S. House of Representatives in California’s 50th Congressional District. Schindler, a San Diego resident and father, is challenging incumbent Scott Peters because Peters receives campaign contributions from corporations and opposed legislation that would have made prescription drugs more affordable and combatted global warming.
“I am running for Congress because I want to fight for people,” Schindler said. “Corporations have too much power and its is hurting our country. We will only be able to make the change we need protect our environment and improve our healthcare system when we stand up to corporations and the politicians like Scott Peters that side with them.”…
…Adam pledges to be an honest politician who will work for the best interests of the people he represents. He will not accept money from PACs or hold private fundraisers and will disclose his activities. He will advocate for greater transparency, accountability, and integrity from our government.
February 6: Pacific Daily News posted an article titled: “Filipina-CHamoru politician Kylie Taitano runs for Congress in San Diego” From the article:
Kylie Taitano would be the first Filipina-CHamoru woman in Congress if she wins the congressional race in California’s 50th district.
Although one of two opponents on the Democratic ticket include incumbent Scott Peters, she feels she has a good shot at winning. That’s because the 50th district was redrawn after the 2020 Census, tilting the area toward a more progressive constituency.
“Although I’ll be elected to represent the people in my San Diego district, my job as a congresswoman will be to create laws that will impact the entire nation, including our territories,: Taitano said.
“I will be able to lend my voice and advocate for Guam on national issues,” she continued. “I can’t do this alone. I need the help of my community within San Diego, on Guam and beyond, to help us get to Washington.”
Because she is not taking a penny from corporations or lobbyists, she is counting on everyday working people to support her on her campaign – whether that’s through making a donation in any amount, volunteering their time to knock on doors or making phone calls and sending text messages to constituents. But the most important support comes from a vote on Election Day…
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 50:
Scott Peters (D): 52.3% – 89,894 votes
Corey Gustafson (R): 29.9% – 51,312 votes
Kylie Taitano (D): 9.4% – 16,065 votes
David Chiddick (R): 5.4% – 9,333 votes
Adam Schindler (Independent): 3.0% – 5,168 votes
Ballotpedia provided information about the General election for U.S. House California District 50:
Scott Peters (D): 62.8% – 168,816 votes
Corey Gustafson (R): 37.2% – 99,819 votes
November 9: Fox 5 San Diego posted an article titled: “Peters wins reelection in 50th Congressional District” From the article:
Rep. Scott Peters has won reelection in the 50th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.
Peters, a Democrat, had garnered 60% of the vote compared to his Republican opponent Corey Gustafson’s 40%, election results showed as of Wednesday afternoon…
…The Cook Political Report and other non-partisan analysts rate the 50th a “solid Democratic” district, indicating it could be an uphill climb for a Republican candidate to win there… [...]
September 4, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more Congressional Districts than most states. Here is the outcome of the California U.S. House Elections in 2022. This blog focuses on Districts 31 – 40.
California’s 31st Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 31st Congressional District:
California’s 31st congressional district is a congressional district in Los Angeles County, in the U.S. state of California. The district is located in the San Gabriel Valley.
From January 3, 2023, following the 2020 redistricting cycle, the district is currently represented by Democrat Grace Napolitano.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 31st congressional district is located in Southern California. It takes up part of eastern Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 28th district, the 34th district, and the 38th district.
The 31st and 28th are partitioned by Rio Hondo River, Garvery Ave, Highway 19, Highway 10, Eaton Wash, Temple City Blvd, Valley Blvd, Ellis Ln, Lower Azusa Rd, Grande Ave, Santa Anita Ave, Lynrose St, Flood Control Basin, Peck Rd, Randolph St, Cogswell Rd, Clark St, Durfree Ave, Santa Anita Wash, S 10th Ave, Jeffries Ave, Mayflower/Fairgreen Ave, Alta Vista/Fairgreen Ave, El Norte Ave, S 5th Ave, Valencia Way/N 5th Ave, Hillcrest Blvd, E Hillcrest Blvd, Grand Ave, E Greystone Ave, N Bradoaks Ave, Angeles National Forrest, W Fork Rd, Highway 39, Cedar Creek, Iron Fork, Glendora Mountain Rd, Morris Reservoir, W Sierra Madre Ave, N Lorraine Ave, E Foothill Blvd, E Caroll Ave, Steffen St, S Loraine Ave, AT and SF Railway, E Route 66, N Cataract Ave, San Dimas Canyon Rd, Clayton Ct, Live Oak Canyon, Rotary Dr, Highway 30, Williams Ave, Highway 210, Gary Ave, and Summer Ave.
The 31st, 35th, and 38th are partitioned by Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, N Lexington-Gallatian Rd, N Durfree Ave, E Thienes Ave, E Rush St, N Burkett Rd, Cunningham Dr, Eaglemont Dr, Oakman Dr, Arciero Dr, Grossmont Dr, Workman Mill Rd, Bunbury Dr, Fontenoy Ave, Ankerton, Whittier Woods Circle, Union Pacific Railroad, San Gabriel Freeway, N Peck Rd, Mission Mill Rd, Rose Hills Rd, Wildwood Dr, Clark Ave, San Jose Creek, Turnbull Canyon Rd, E Gale Ave, Pomona Freeway, Colima Rd, E Walnut Dr S, Fairway, E Valley Blvd, Calle Baja, La Puenta Rd, S Sentous Ave, N Nogales St, Amar Rd, Walnut City Parkland, San Bernardino Freeway, Fairplex Dr, Via Verde, Puddingstone Reservoir, McKinley Ave, N Whittle Ave, Arrow Highway, Fulton Rd, and Foothill Blvd.
The 31st district takes in the cities of El Monte, West Covina, Baldwin Park, Azusa, Monrovia, San Dimas, La Verne, Duarte, South El Monte, and the south side of Glendora.
Ballotpedia provided information about Grace Napolitano:
Grace Napolitano (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 31st Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Napolitano (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 31st Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Napolitano represented California’s 38th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2003 to 2013, and California’s 34th Congressional District from 1999 to 2003.
Ballotpedia provided information About Daniel Bocic Martinez:
Daniel Bocic Martinez (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 31st Congressional District. Bocic Martinez lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Ballotpedia provided information about Rocco Anthony De Luca:
Rocco Anthony De Luca (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 31st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
De Luca completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am just a regular hardworking guy, that is tired of government making our lives more difficult, and not easier. It should be a government of the people, not the corporations and oil companies.
Please list 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Healthcare should be for everyone
Everyone should have access to housing without having nothing left at the end of the month
Everyone should feel safe
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Housing. Housing is way too expensive. I want to help people to not just get into a home, but to own one.
Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?
It is necessary. If congress can’t agree, then they must compromise. If they don’t compromise, the American people suffer.
Ballotpedia provided information about Erskine Levi:
Erskine Levi (No party preference) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 31st Congressional District. Levi lost as a write-in in the primary on June 7, 2022.
May 10: PRESS-TELEGRAM posted an article titled: “Challenging Rep. Grace Napolitano are Democrat Rocco Anthony De Luca, a construction project manager from Azusa, and Republican Daniel Bocic Martinez, an attorney and high school teacher from Monrovia.” From the article:
The last time Rep. Grace Napolitano had a close race for Congress was in 1998 when she defeated attorney Jamie Casso in the 1998 Democratic primary election. And it remains to be seen if this year’s June 7 election will be any different.
This year’s race features Democrat Rocco Anthony De Luca, a construction project manager from Azusa, and Republican Daniel Bocic Martinez, an attorney and high school teacher from Monrovia. (Erskine Levi, a social studies teacher from Glendora, who designates no party, is trying to qualify as a write-in candidate.)…
…There are some key differences between the three candidates running for the top two spots that will be on the Nov. 8 general ballot.
The challengers in telephone interviews last week don’t necessarily blame Napolitano specifically but all seek change.
“I have nothing against Grace,” Martinez said. “The system is broken.”
DeLuca complained that “nothing is getting done in Washington.”
“You need to compromise,” he said. “You need to have bipartisanship, working with the other team. Sometimes, you need a new person who can make a difference.”
Napolitano, however, said her nearly 24 years in Congress better empower her to help the district, regardless of the divided DC politics.
“With my experience and my seniority, I’ve delivered for the district,” said pointing to the millions of dollars in projects she has brought to the district.”
One example is the $412 million that will be used to repair the Whittier Narrows Dam, she said…
…Napolitano said homelessness is a complex problem.
“It’s the drugs, mental health, and the fact that people can’t afford housing any more because prices have gone up,” she said.
Martinez called for federal tax code changes to make it easier to build homes. He also called for building 100 new shelters in each district.
De Luca said the federal government needs to make housing more affordable by offering first-time buyers, who can otherwise pay the mortgage, a loan plan with no down payment…
Daniel Bocic Martinez had “Dan Martinez for Congress” website. Here are some parts of that website:
MEET DAN: Progressive dreamer grounded in Libertarian reality, and criminal/immigration attorney, Southern California local, Daniel Martinez has spent more than a decade serving the San Gabriel Valley, and advocating for our military veterans, and removing the legal/regulatory/bureaucratic barriers that stand between them and life-saving treatments for PTSD/suicide mitigation.
IMMIGRATION REFORM
The majorities on both the left and the right can agree that the issue of immigration reform needs to be addressed. The problem then arises from the implementation of a solution, which is where the blame lies entirely at the feet of congressional leadership of both parties…
HOMELESSNESS
My district is a suburb of Los Angeles, a city whose reputation for the exponential growth of its homeless population is known the world over. The City and County of Los Angeles are far more likely to actively interfere with proposed solutions than be of assistance.
As representative, I would use the inherent subpoena power of the ofice to demand answer on where the billions of tax dollars that have been spent on the problem have disappeared, yet the problem grows worse.
Additionally, non-profit community groups and community churches need to be empowered to implement programs that attempt to address any of a set category of defined issues (homelessness, addiction, veteran suicide, education, etc.) This should include regulatory relief from abusive local zoning and ordinance rules that too often add tens of thousands in costs and an unquantifiable amount of uncertainty on when, or even if, they will be allowed to attempt their solution to the problem…
VETERAN SUPPORT
On veteran suicide, for several years I have worked actively with a community that assists veterans with PTSD/suicide mitigation and re-integration into society. Twenty-two veterans take their lives each day. This is an unacceptable failure of those who lead our country to fulfill the social contract we made with each of those young people when they put their bodies, minds, and spirit on the line for their country…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 31:
Grace Napolitano (D): 52.9% – 25,499 votes
Daniel Bocic Martinez (R): 39.7% – 19,174 votes
Rocco Anthony De Luca (D): 7.4% – 3,552 votes
Erskine Levi (No party preference) (Write-in): 0.0% – 17 votes
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 31:
Grace Napolitano (D): 55.0% – 47,071 votes
Daniel Bocic Martinez (R): 45.0% – 38,509 votes
California’s 32nd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 32nd Congressional District
California’s 32nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based on Los Angeles County. The 32nd district takes in the city of Malibu and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Beverly Glen, Bel Air, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, West Hills, Canoga Park, Brentwood, North Hills as well as the south side of Granada Hills.
The district is currently represented by Democrat Brad Sherman.
The 32nd and 30th are partitioned by Lankershim Blvd, Fredonia Dr, Cahuenga Blvd W, Broadlawn Dr, Multiview Dr, Mulholand Dr, Lauren Canyon Blvd, W Sunset Blvd Ozeta Tea, and Doheny Rd
The 32nd and the 36th are N Hillcrest Rd/La Collina Dr, N Hillcrest Road/ Sierra Mar Pl, Crescent Dr, Walker Dr/Lindacrest Dr, Lago Vista Dr, N Beverly Dr, Tower Grove Dr/Tower Rd, W Sunset Blvd, Veteran Ave, Wilshire Blvd, Malcolm Ave, Glendon Ave, Santa Monica Blvd, Pontius Ave, Cotner Ave, Butler Ave, Centinela Ave, Centinela Ave/S Carmelina Ave, Montana Ave, 26th and Adelaide Dr.
Ballotpedia provided information about Brad Sherman:
Brad Sherman (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 32nd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2025.
Sherman (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Sherman represented California’s 27th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2003 to 2013 and California’s 24th Congressional District from 1997 to 2003.
Sherman graduated from Harvard Law School with a J.D. in 1979.
Brad Sherman did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022 or 2021. Ballotpedia provided information from Brad Sherman’s 2012 campaign website:
Fixing the Economy
Excerpt: “When the recession hit, Brad Sherman made job creation his top priority. He voted for legislation that saved or crated more than 3 million jobs. As a result, construction was accelerated on transportation projects in the San Fernando Valley, like the 405-Sepulveda Pass freeway widening project.”
Standing Up to Wall Street
Excerpt: “As a CPA and tax policy expert, Brad Sherman led the effort to oppose the Bush Administration’s TARP bailouts of Wall Street. He successfully fought to prevent future bailouts. He helped author the legislation to protect consumers from credit and mortgage fraud, increase capital requirements for banks, and end conflicts of interest for bond rating agencies.”
Protecting Social Security and Medicare
Excerpt: “Top Republican leaders are proposing privatizing Social Security and Medicare, cutting benefits, and raising the retirement age to 70. Brad Sherman strongly opposes all efforts to replace Social Security with private accounts that will place retirees at the mercy of Wall Street.”
Protecting the Environment
Excerpt: “Brad Sherman has been a strong environmental leader, providing critical support for the protection and expansion of park lands in the Santa Monica Mountains. He has worked to improve the Sepulveda Basin recreation area, and to build more local playgrounds, sport fields, and bike lanes.”…
Ballotpedia provided information on Lucie Lapointe Volozky:
Lucie Lapointe Volozky (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to Represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Lucie Lapointe Volozky was born in Canada. Lapointe Volotzky’s career experience includes owning retail stores and working as an esthetician, in accounting, and in real estate.
Ballotpedia stated that Lucie Lapointe Volozky did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from her 2022 campaign website:
IMMIGRATION
Illegal immigration brings crime, drugs, and human trafficking to our neighborhoods. We need to close the border so they can come in the right way, the legal way.
ECONOMY
We have the highest inflation in 40 years. It was caused by printing too much money, and that devalues the dollar, which gives us the higher cost of goods, foods, and health care. We need to bring back the corporation from overseas and create jobs.
HOMELESSNESS
Homelessness encourages tents on our sidewalks and pathways. We need more shelters and rehabilitation groups. Some religious groups are doing their part, but we need more.
EDUCATION
Our parental rights are under attack in our schools. The government has no business determining our children’s futures.
Parents know what’s best for educating their children. Let’s fight for School Choice.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Public Safety has been hurt by defunding the police. Criminals have been released, and more and more men and women in uniform been murdered. I say don’t defund the police, defend the police! We have to stand with our men and women in uniform to protect our cities, state, and country.
SMALL BUSINESS
In the last 40 years, we have lost so many small businesses, and one reason is the trade imbalance with China. In 1990, the census reported the imbalance was $10 billion dollars. In 2012, it was $355 billion dollars.
Let’s bring back business from China.
WOMEN’S SPORT
No transgender should participate in our women’s sport!
2ND AMENDMENT
Given the current environment with misguided justice policies which have released thousands of individuals into our neighborhoods, who are violent, mentally ill and or who are chronic offenders, the right and responsibility for my safety, my family and yes, your family depends on our commitment to protecting our 2nd Amendment Rights.
Ballotpedia provided information on Melissa Toomim:
Melissa Toomim (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. Toomim lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Melissa Toomim’s career experience includes working as an investigative journalist.
Melissa Toomim completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am an investigative journalist who spent many years reporting on Afghanistan and Pakistan. I have an MA in International Policy Management – Nonproliferation and Terrorism. I also have a background in entertainment as a writer-producer-actress. I am currently a senior advisor with Operation Freedom Birds, which provides humanitarian relief and evacuation to America’s Afghan allies who are being hunted by the Taliban.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals in office?
Rights of Parents – School Choice
Border Sanity
Energy Independence
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am a passionate Constitutionalist. I look forward to loudly and proudly taking the oath to defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
I support health freedom and have developed a proposal to lift tens of thousands of homeless former foster care kids and former prison inmates off the streets by utilizing excess office space for post-prison halfway houses with supervised living, mental healthcare and life-skills classes; and excess college dormitory space with scholarships to help foster kids obtain the education and skills necessary for them to succeed in life.
Of course, improving our nation’s foreign policy is high on my priority list. I know that, were I already serving in Congress, there would be no holocaust in Afghanistan now. I am also very active in advocating for military veterans and protecting the West Los Angeles Soldiers Home from real estate predators.
I am passionate about the economy of Los Angeles County and California by creating a business friendly environment. We need to attract manufacturing and technology industries and restore LA as the Entertainment Capitol of the World.
I am passionate to rebuild the economy of Los Angeles County and California by creating a business friendly environment. We need to attract manufacturing and technology industries and restore LA as the Entertainment Capitol of the World. LA was built on creativity, and I believe that freedom of speech is key to a vibrant entertainment industry, and strong industries are key to re-establishing small businesses and our middle class.
We have so many serious problems these days, but together we can reinvigorate our bird of paradise, Los Angeles.
Ballotpedia provided information about Shervin Aazami:
Shervin Aazami (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shervin Aazami was born in Bologna, Italy. Aazami earned a bachelor’s degree in the University of California at Lost Angeles in 2013, a graduate degree from George Washington University in 2019, and a graduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020. His career experience includes working as the legislative director of the National Indian Health Board, a national indigenous healthcare nonprofit organization.
Shevrin Aazami completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am an Iranian American, an immigrant, and a public health activist that grew up here in the West San Fernando Valley (Canoga Park and Chatsworth). Born in Bologna, Italy, I am the son of two asylum seekers who fled religious persecution in Iran during the time of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. I grew up watching my mom work long hours, nights, weekends, and holidays at a department store to make ends meet for her family, while my dad took the bus to and from California State University Northridge and studied to become a family doctor. From an early age, I learned the power of responsibility from my mother and the power of service from my father.
As I grew up, I thrust himself into public service and the fight for social justice through the lens of public health. While in college I joined student groups advocating for climate justice by addressing the impact of the city’s toxic urban runoff on low-income Black and Latinx neighborhoods, and later worked for a residential treatment facility where I witnessed how our broken healthcare system criminalizes mental health and substance use issues, and fails to meet people where they are at. Before deciding to run for office in my hometown (CA-30), I worked on Capitol Hill as the legislative director for a national Indigenous healthcare non-profit fighting to ensure the federal government honors its Treaty obligations to Tribal Nations. My wife and I are expecting our first child in 2021.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for you time in office?
Guarantee Housing for All as a human right
Enact single-payer Medicare for All to ensure everyone has zero-cost comprehensive health care
Immediately transition to 100% renewable energy economy and create millions of union jobs with a Green New Deal
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As a public health professional, I see the intersectionality of our issues. It’s impossible to separate the impact of access to basic necessities like housing, education, living-wages, and clean air and water on our community health. That is why I am so passionate about enacting the structural reforms necessary to uplift and empower working people, and end corporate welfare. As a healthcare policy analyst, I have a deep understanding and passion for fixing our broken and expensive healthcare system. Healthcare comprises a fifth of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and costs us over $11,500 per person – yet millions of Americans remain uninsured or under-insured.
The injustices in our nation are the rotten fruits borne out from the generational impacts of institutional racism, classism, and unfettered capitalism – rotten fruits cultivated by broken leadership in Congress. Our elected leaders – both Democratic and Republican – have been financed and controlled by corporations who lobby for legislation that improves their bottom line at the direct expense of working people. Here in the San Fernando Valley, our community has directly experienced the destructive impact of corporate welfare on housing affordability, rates of poverty, and access to healthcare, to name a few. We are the wealthiest nation in the world, and there is zero reason why we cannot guarantee the basic necessities we all need to survive – especially housing and healthcare. What we lack is the political will.
Ballotpedia provided information about Aarika Rhodes:
Aarika Rhodes (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Aarika Rhodes was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rhodes earned a bachelor’s degree and graduate degree from California State University at Northridge in 2011 and 2015, respectively. Her career experience includes working as an elementary school teacher.
Aarika Rhodes completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself
Aarika has devoted her life to children and education. In 2013, Aarika received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Los Angeles Clippers for her achievement in constructing an effective science curriculum. She has also been published in the Journal for Multicultural Education for an article she co-authored with Dr. Shartriya Collier and Betty Burston entitled: Teaching STEM as a Second Language: Utilizing SLA to Develop Equitable Learning for All Students.
In 2018, Aarika was invited to the Better Together Teachers’ Summit at California State University Northridge to speak to dozens of educators about helping every child access curriculum by creating individual connections with each student. Aarika has taught students from diverse backgrounds in public and private schools. She understands the importance of closing the disparity in academic performance between groups of students.
Aarika attended public schools her entire life and was often the only student of color in the classroom. But she used it as motivation to be an honor roll student and break stereotypes. This is how she learned to stand against injustice and inequality and acquired her work ethic. She brought her capacity for hard work and her commitment to equality into the classroom as a teacher. Aarika went on to study at California State University Northridge where she earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on Science and an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction.
Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
The Economy
Education Reform
Social Justice and Equality
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
The jobs of today require collaborative workers who can create innovative solutions to problems. The old model of education, based on memorization and rote learning, is outdated. As a teacher, I am passionate about creating an educational system that prepares every child for success in a 21st century economy.
While at school, kids should have the opportunity to participate in real-world experiences and leave the classroom inspired every day. Our current educational system is filled with disparities that prevent every child from receiving the quality education they deserve.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has made these educational inequalities even more glaring. Our struggling and underserved students have fallen even further behind during online instruction. Many of our most vulnerable students have been struggling to learn online without a stable internet connection or a reliable computer. This is an injustice. We need to meet this moment with robust, innovative legislation to rebuild our educational system.
Ballotpedia provided information about Raji Rab:
Raji Rab (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He declared his candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 5, 2024.
Raji Rab’s career experience includes working as an aviator, an educator, and an entrepreneur.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jason Potell:
Jason Potell (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 32nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jason Potell earned a masters degree in economics from Johns Hopkins University. Potell’s career experience includes founding a performing arts business.
May 26: DailyNews posted an article titled: “Election 2022: San Fernando Vally Rep. Brad Sherman gets midterm challenge from Democrats and Republicans” From the article:
Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, is getting an election fight from several challengers from both sides of the political spectrum this year.
The congressman, first elected in 1997, is up against four Democratic and two Republican opponents for a seat representing the newly formed 32nd Congressional District in the June 7 primary election…
…Sherman’s Democratic opponents are Shervin Aazami, a non-profit legislative director, Jason Potell, a consultant/community organizer; Raji Rab, an aviator, educator and entrepreneur; and Aarika Samone Rhodes, a teacher.
Republican opponents are business owner Lucie Lapointe Volotzky and Melissa Toomim, a writer…
…Sherman, whose campaign war chest as of March 31 was $1,780,000, is endorsed by political notables like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the California Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood.
But his eager challengers believe it’s time for him to be replaced.
Volotzky is among them, hoping to defeat the odds and unseat Sherman in a highly Democratic district and against a longtime incumbent.
She believes that besides addressing obvious growing homelessness and resolving issues related to the SolCalGas leak in Aliso Canyon, food and gas prices are top priorities to tackle.
She wants to see accountable regulations in the public sector because of their “abuse of power and poor performance continues unabated.”
Volozky immigrated from Canada in 1984, got married and started a business at a local flea market, which grew into a multi-store company. She believes small business is under attack and bureaucracy has grown tenfold. Her campaign receipts as of March 31 total $14,500…
…”I’m hoping voters see that it is time for a change,” Volotzky said. “Same party, same people have not even produced status quo, but a deterioration of our communities and the quality of life for the people of our great state.”
…An opening line on Aazami’s campaign website reflects he is not bashful about his challenge from Sherman’s left.
“For too long, our seat in Congress has been occupied by a corporate, Wall Street Democrat who refuses to fight for economic justice and racial equity,” it reads, accompanied by a slew of local progressive grassroots organization endorsements.
“As a former legislative director working on Capitol Hill, I (ushered through) more bills in two years as an advocate than the incumbent has in 26 years as a legislator,” said Aazami, a Democrat. “These include cancelling copays and deductibles for veteran populations, securing long-term funding for community health centers and delivering over $10 billion to frontline communities for COVID-19 response, maternal health, and drug overdose prevention.”
Aazami has not held an elected position but touts his grasp of the legislative process…
He said he has a progressive vision, which includes single-payer Medicare for all, the Green New Deal, universal childcare benefits and the elimination of medical and student loan debt…
…Sherman stands by his record.
While in Congress, he supports strong environmental standards, federal aid to education, healthcare reform and the protection of Society Security and Medicare. And he supports policies to expand U.S. exports, prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and promote “a just” U.S. foreign policy.
“These national issues are so intense,” Sherman said. “I don’t have to tell you politics is intense, partisanship is intense but everything form the Ukraine, January 6, to tax proposals, the national issues are certainly on people’s minds.”
Sherman is mindful that this year’s midterms could be a referendum on President Joe Biden and his policies, a prospect that doesn’t bode well for Democrats across the country in danger of losing their slim majorities in Congress.
Sherman said that tension is showing up in his race, too.
“Our polling showed it was a two-way race early and it continues to be, and my record best epitomizes what the district wants, but people are saying this is going to be a good Republican year,” he said. “Those people who don’t like what (President Joe) Biden is doing, that helps Volotzky.”
Rab, a Democrat and entrepreneur, has never held elected office, but he hasn’t shied away from trying to get there.
When he ran for L.A. City Council three years ago, he told The Daily News his life’s passion is to understand and tackle “bread and butter” issues facing the San Fernando Valley.
That has fueled his challenges against Sherman in 2016, 2018, and 2020. And it’s fueling him now, when he cites homelessness, the Aliso Canyon gas leaks, Santa Susana Field Lab contamination cleanup, and increased cost of gas and groceries as pressing issues facing district voters…
…Democratic candidate Rhodes says her fight is to support the unhoused, fix public education, bolster small businesses and reform the criminal justice system. She supports Medicare for All, the Green New Deal and a Universal basic income.
She hasn’t held an elected position and is a first-time congressional candidate. Her campaign receipts as of March 31 were $269,000.
“I didn’t decide to run for Congress just to replace the current incumbent Brad Sherman,” said Las Vegas-born Rhodes, who graduated from Cal State Northridge with a graduate degree. “I’m running to make a difference in our economy and to work hard to pass meaningful legislation that will solve the increases in homelessness, improve our education system and fix our foster care system.”
Potell, a Democrat and a consultant and community organizer with a Master’s degree in economics, was born and raised in the district and comes form a Mexican Catholic and European Jewish family.
His campaign receipts as of March 31 was $50,600 of which he personally donated $33,700.
Potell is focused on immigration, refugees and border security along with homelessness, jobs, the economy, climate change, the Green New Deal, water supplies, innovation, and cryptocurrency…
…Melissa Toomim, a writer and Republican candidate had $22,000 in campaign receipts as of March 31. Her platform includes securing the southern border to stem the tide of illegal immigration and trafficking, and she wants industry jobs returned. She also supports Israel.
But, she adds, her policies are anchored by a devotion to the First Amendment, which she says “political correctness” and “cancel culture” are eroding…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 32:
Brad Sherman (D): 54.3% – 55,011 votes
Lucie Lapointe Volozky (R): 21.1% – 21,247 votes
Melissa Toomim (R): 9.5% – 9,668 votes
Shervin Aazami (D): 7.2% – 7,304 votes
Aarika Rhodes (D): 4.3% – 4,376 votes
Raji Rab (D): 1.8% – 1,859 votes
Jason Potell (D): 1.8% – 1,788 votes
November 11: Daily Sundial posted an article titled: “Brad Sherman wins reelection to U.S. House” From the article:
Democratic incumbent Rep. Brad Sherman won the election for California’s 32nd Congressional District against Republican opponent Lucie Lapointe Volotsky, according to the Associated Press. The race was called at 9:09 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Sherman currently represents California’s 30th Congressional District, but his district will change to the 32nd District next year based on redistricting as a result of the 2020 census.
Sherman will now represent sections of Northridge, Canoga Park, Reseda, North Hills, Chatsworth, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Tarzana, Topanga, West Hills, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, Bel Air, Bell Canyon, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Beverly Glen and Brentwood according to his website…
…Sherman has historically voted for firearm legislation, including an assault weapons ban that passed the House of Representatives this summer. He has also repeatedly sponsored climate change legislation during his time in office, including the Green New Deal.
The Congressman has been a vocal supporter of the Armenian people, including on his government website. He has advocated for economic assistance to Armenia as a result of their conflict with Azerbaijan, while pushing for suspension of U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, according to a Time magazine article from Oct. 3.
Sherman will begin representing the 32nd District on Jan. 3, 2023. This will be his 14th term in the House.
Ballotpedia provided the results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 32:
Brad Sherman (D): 64.8% – 87,260 votes
Lucie Lapointe Volotzky (R): 35.2% – 47,450 votes
California’s 33rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 33rd Congressional District
California’s 33rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Pete Aguilar.
California’s 33rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Pete Aguilar.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 33rd congressional district is located in Southern California. The 33rd, 23rd and 28th districts are partitioned by Carnelian St, Highway 30, Amethyst Ave, Highland Ave, Foothill Freeway, Day Creek Blvd, Vintage Dr, Saddle Tree Pl, Creek Channel, Wardman Bullock Rd, Dawnridge Dr, Summit Ave, 14509 Saddlepeak Dr – 14560 Labrador Ave, Ontario Freeway, Union Pacific Railroad, Highway 15, Highway 215, W Meyers Rd, Ohio Ave, Pine Ave, Bailey act, Highway 206, Devils Canyon Rd, Cloudland Truck Trail, Cloudland Cutoff, Hill Dr, W 54th St, E Hill Dr, Bonita Vista Dr, Sterling Ave, Argyle Ave, E Marshall Blvd, Rockford Ave, Lynwood Dr La Praix St, Orchid Dr, Denair Ave, Highland Ave, S Wabash Ave, E Citrus Ave, N Church St, Southern California Regional Rail A, Tennessee St, Highway 10, California St, E Washington St, and S Barton Rd.
The 33rd and 35th districts are partitioned by San Bernardino Rd, Orangewood Dr, Estacia St, Lion St, Highway 66, Helms Ave, Hampshire St, Archibald Ave, N Maple Ave, Randall Ave, Alder Ave, Union Pacific Railroad, Clover Ave, Tamarind Ave, Jurupa Ave, 11th St, and Locust Ave.
The 33rd district takes in San Bernardino, northern Redlands, Bloomington, Highland, Colton, Grand Terrace, Rialto and central Rancho Cucamonga, as well as the census-designated places Bloomington and Muscoy.
Ballotpedia provided information about Pete Aguilar:
Pete Aguilar (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 33rd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2025.
Aguilar (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Aguilar was first elected to the seat in 2014, where he defeated Republican Paul Chabot in the general election by a vote of 51.7 percent to 48.3 percent.
In his 2016 re-election, Aguilar defeated Republican Paul Chabot in the general election. California’s 31st Congressional District was rated as safely Democratic in 2016.
Aguilar also ran in 2012 but was defeated in the blanket primary.
Aguilar first entered public service in 2001 as Deputy Director and then Interim Director for the Inland Empire Regional Office of the Governor. He was appointed to Redlands City Council in 2006 and won election the next year. Aguilar previously served as the Mayor of Redlands.
Ballotpedia provided information from Pete Aguilar’s 2014 campaign website:
Building An Economy That’s Strong And Fair: “With one in 10 people in the Inland Empire unable to find work, and many families earning less than they need to afford the basics, strengthening our economy and creating jobs is my top priority. We can do that by building an economy that’s fair to middle-class families and small businesses.”
Improving Public Education: “As a product of public schools and the father of two young boys I know that quality education is vital to our future. In recent years, funding for early childhood education has been slashed, class sizes have ballooned and our teachers face greater challenges than ever. We must improve our public education system at all levels so that every child has the opportunity to succeed.”
A Sound Approach To Energy And The Environment: “As Mayor of Redlands, I’ve fought for more sustainable development and programs to reduce the effects of climate change. I led efforts to encourage greater energy efficiency and conservation, including green buildings and climate-friendly purchasing, and strongly support a new passenger rail line to help reduce heavy traffic and pollution.”
Protecting Our Seniors: “Medicare and Social Security are vital to the health and welfare of older Americans in San Bernardino County and throughout our nation. I will fight tooth and nail to protect and strengthen these programs in Congress.”
Fixing Our Immigration System: “We need comprehensive immigration reform that makes sense for workers, businesses, and families, including a path to citizenship for those who play by the rules and live up to American ideals. This will strengthen our economy and expand our tax base. Notably, the Congressional Budget Office reports that passing immigration reform would cut the federal deficit by $200 billion over the next 10 years.”
Ballotpedia provided information about John Mark Porter:
John Mark Porter (Republican Party) ran for reelection to the U.S. House to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District. Porter lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
John Mark Porter did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Porter’s campaign 2022 website stated the following:
People, freedom, and capitalism, drive our economy. The government is often a powerful actor – so much that it can easily become an impediment to prosperity and individual independence. Governments should remove economic barriers and excessive subsidies that inhibit growth. Inflation will self-correct if the government does not act to make it worse; we created this problem with excessive trillions of dollars of spending and prolonged inhibitions of markets. Our government should be expected to be able to balance a budget, but we have developed an unhealthy expectation of deficits and acceptance of an ever-accumulating national debt.
Violent crime and lawlessness are degrading communities around the country, especially in our big cities. We have the laws already on the books, but are they being properly enforced? We need to give law enforcement the support and resources they need to deter and prevent crime, ensure prosecutors are not neglecting their duty to punish all criminals, and reduce the possibility of chronic repeat offenses by keeping people behind bars who deserve it.
We cannot allow illegal immigration to continue, it degrades sovereignty, creates vulnerability and undermines unity. America has always benefitted from our incredible mix of cultures, ideas, and backgrounds. We should continue to welcome new immigrants from around the world who share our values and commit to contribute to our great American experiment. We can also have a robust foreign worker program with eventual repatriation and protections from exploitation. However, coming to the United States unlawfully as an adult should be disqualification to ever becoming a citizen.
Americans should not be burdened with mask mandates, vaccine mandates, or further shut-downs at this point. The federal and local governments have shown to be incapable of “shutting down” COVID-19. Beyond making vaccines, testing, and treatments available, government intrusion into how we live our lives with this virus should be curtailed. Most of us have moved on from a quarantine mentality to gather, travel, and get back to work; our government should reflect and respect that.
Children should have the opportunity to go to a good school regardless of income level. Parents want a say as to where and when their children are taught. The market for charter schools has increased steadily over the years which suggests an appetite for school choice and the possibility of a robust consumer-driven educational system. I am interested in learning more about these innovative ideas.
Ballotpedia provided information about Rex Gutierrez:
Rex Gutierrez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District. Guiterrez lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rex Gutierrez was born in Biloxi, Mississippi. Gutierrez’s career experience includes working as an investment executive with PaineWebber.
Rex Gutierrez did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Rex Gutierrez’s 2022 campaign website:
THE ISSUES…..
THE MONEY YOU GAINED FROM STIMULUS CHECKS IS BEING WIPED OUT BY SKYROCKETING PRICES! GASOLINE, FOOD, CARS…. EVERYTHING IS GOING UP. WE MUST FIGHT INFLATION WITH SOUND ECONOMIC POLICIES.
KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AND HOME VALUES HIGH BY MAINTAINING AND INCREASING FUNDING FOR POLICE.
STOP FOCUSING ON THE COLOR OF A PERSON’S SKIN – INSTEAD FOCUS ON THE CONTENT OF A PERSON’S CHARACTER.
STOP THIS INSANE DIVIDING OF AMERICA INTO GROUPS: RACES, COLORS, NATIONALITIES, GENDERS, RICH, POOR. WE ARE ONE PEOPLE – ALL AMERICANS. A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND!6
SAN BERNARDINO IS A DISCRASE! ERADICATE HOMELESSNESS, CRIME AND DRUGS. FOCUS ON DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. THE HOMELESS NEED TREATMENT IN SHELTERS, NOT ON THE STREETS!
SECURE OUR BORDERS. SAY ‘NO’ TO THE CARTELS, DRUG PUSHERS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS.
REWARD PEOPLE WHO WORK AND CONTRIBUTE, NOT ONLY THOSE WHO TAKE.
SAVE A LOST GENERATION OF YOUNG MEN WHO NEED TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FATHERHOOD SERIOUSLY AND BECOME ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, OR LACK THEREOF
PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH
CUT TAXES, REGULATIONS, AND EXCESSIVE SPENDING
SUPPORT SMALL, FAMILY BUSINESSES – THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY.
EXPAND (AND EXPLODE) ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL!
I DO NOT BELEIVE IN DEFUNDING THE POLICE
I believe in keeping the 10 Commandments and the Golden Rile. I believe in non-violent protest. You can’t destroy other people’s property by looting, plundering and setting another’s property on fire. We need morality and common decency. MURDER RATES ARE JUMPING HIGHER! When bad actors are looting and robbing all over our cities, the police cannot respond to our calls. With fewer police and longer response times, we need our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms to protect our families and our property. I do NOT support defunding the police. We need MORE police. Want to keep your home values high? then KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY SAFE! I do NOT believe in gun control. When our right to bear arms is taken away, only the criminals will have access to guns.
RACISM HAS NO PLACE IN AMERICA
Racism is wrong. But I do NOT believe America is a racist nation. We have come a long, long way in the fight for equality and fair opportunity for all. There are still racist people out there. Too bad! Don’t give them the underserved credit. Unfortunately, there will always be stupid people. But they are few. That’s not your problem. Be the best person you can be. Martin Luther King asked us to judge others by the CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER, NOT THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. I am SICK of identity politics and this silly obsession with race and color. I am colorblind. I don’t care about color. Don’t let the politicians divide us.
MEDICARE FOR ALL?
Giving Medicare to every human in our country isn’t feasible, and will destroy Medicare for those who need it most – those over 65 and the disabled.
NATIONAL DEFENSE
I believe in PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. When you are King of the hill, your enemies are less likely to threaten you. It’s easier to defend the hill when you sit atop of it.
(NOTE: skipping ahead a little bit)
THE SANCTITY OF LIFE – WE CAN DO BETTER!
“For can a woman forget her suckling child? That she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?” The unborn child is entitled to sanctuary while vulnerable in the womb of its mother. Violence against the unborn is a terrible tragedy. Too many pregnancies are the result of bad decisions by two people. They are not the fault of the child. Inconvenience is a poor excuse to kill an unborn child. We need tougher policies that would require men to take financial responsibility for the pregnancies they cause, and policies that support young women to bring these little ones into the word. I believe in freedom, but not the freedom to take human life…
Ballotpedia provided information about Ernest Richter:
Ernest Richter (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 33rd Congressional District. Richter lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
May 2022: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “How the mayor of a small Inland Empire town because one of Congress’s most powerful Democrats”. From the article:
Rep. Pete Aguilar felt the threat rising.
As the House prepared to continue to confirm Joe Biden as the nation’s president on January 6, 2021, and put an end to Donald Trump’s false claim that the election was rigged, Agular had a great view of the doors Capitol security would barricade to ward off the rioting insurrectionists.
Just before he left the chamber floor and fled for safety with the rest of the House leadership, Aguilar scratched a little red notebook he had picked up on a trip to Peru something that many members and congressional staff felt that day.
“I’m a little scared.”
The Yucaipa native already was a rising star in the Democratic Party and climbing up the leadership ranks. That infamous day supercharged his assent, first with an appointment to the House committee formed to investigate the attack on the Capitol and then with his election as chair of the House Democratic Caucus. Aguilar is now the third-highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives.
How the former Redlands mayor became Congress’ highest-ranking Latino stems from why then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose him for the Jan. 6 committee, which lead one of the highest-profile inquiries since the Watergate scandal took down President Nixon. Friends and foes alike note his tranquil demeanor, openness to differing viewpoints, and reputation for offering counsel of colleagues expressing complaints, concerns and compliments.
Partially because of his demeanor and the decidedly moderate part of the state he represents, Aguilar is far from an ideological warrior ducking it out over culture-war issues. Instead, he’s part of a House coalition known for its pro-business bend and recently was the highest ranking Democrat to join Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley…
…Along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Aguilar is part of a newer, younger vanguard of Democratic leaders who replaced septuagenarian and octogenarian counterparts…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 33:
Pete Aguilar (D): 59.9% – 40,484 votes
John Mark Porter (R): 17.6% – 11,899 votes
Rex Gutierrez (R): 15.3% – 10,360 votes
Ernest Richter (R): 7.1% – 4,795 votes
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 33:
Pete Aguilar (D): 57.7% – 30,949 votes
John Mark Porter (R): 42.3% – 22,695 votes
November 30: NBCNews posted an article titled: “Pete Aguilar, No. 3 Democrat in the House, makes history as he aims to keep the party ‘united'” From the article:
Rep. Pete Aguilar, a California Democrat, is taking on the highest-level job ever held by a Latino in the House, the party’s No. 3 position, with a promise that his party will take back the majority in 2024.
Aguilar was elected by his colleagues Wednesday to serve in the next Congress as chair of the House Democratic Caucus, a role bumped up to No. 3 position in the House leadership, from No. 4. Aguilar, 43, has been serving as caucus vice chair…
…Aguilar’s job will be to help steer the House Democrats, now in the minority, as they try to push their legislative promises, keeping members united on issues, conveying the party message and working to take back the majority in 2024. Messaging is an issue that Democrats were seen to struggle with in recent elections.
“We are going to do everything we can to stay united, to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Americans, lower everyday costs at the pump. Those are the things the House Democratic Caucus is going to stand for, as well as implementing the legislation we’ve already passed, bipartisan infrastructure bill to create good paying jobs in our communities,” he said.
Aguilar said if they can do that and stay united and focused, “we’re not going to be in the minority long. The path is in front of use for the majority in 2024.”…
California’s 34th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 34th Congressional District:
California’s 34th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. Located in Los Angeles County, the district is represented by Democrat Jimmy Gomez. Its previous U.S. representative, Democrat Xavier Becerra of Los Angeles, resigned January 24, 2017, to become the attorney general of California. Representative Gomez won a special election on June 6, 2017, beating fellow Democrat Robert Lee Ann to replace Becerra. He was later sworn in as the district’s U.S. representative on July 11, 2017.
The district is almost entirely within the City of Los Angeles and includes the following neighborhoods in Central, East, and Northeast Los Angeles: Boyle Heights, Chinatown, City Terrace, Cypress Park, Downtown Los Angeles, Eagle Rock, El Sereno, Garvanza, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Koreatown, Little Bangladesh, Little Tokyo, Lincoln Heights, Montecito Heights, Monterey Hills, Mount Washington, and Westlake.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 34th congressional district is located in Southern California. The district is entirely within the city of Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 28th district, the 30th district, the 37th district, and the 42nd district. The 34th and 28th are partitioned by Colorado Blvd, Lantana Dr, Church St, Adelaide Pl, Highway 110, N Huntington Dr, S Winchester Ave, Valley Blvd, Laguna Channel, Highway 710, I-10 Express Ln, Rollins Dr, Floral Dr, E Colonia, Belvedere Park, Highway 60, S Atlantic Blvd, and Pomona road.
The 34th, 37th, and 30th are partitioned by S Alameda St, Harbor Freeway, Highway 10, S Normandie Ave, W Pico Blvd, Crenshaw Blvd, Wilshire Blvd, S Van Ness Ave, S Wilton Pl, N Wilton Pl, Beverly Blvd, N Western Melrose Ave, Hollywood Freeway, Douglas St, Lilac Ter, N Boylston St, Academy Rd, Pasadena Freeway, Highway 5, Duvall St, Black Ave, Fernleaf St, Crystal St, Blake Ave, Meadowvale Ave, Glendale Freeway, Roswell St, Delay Dr, Fletcher Dr, Southern Pacific Railroad, S Glendale Ave, Vista Superba Dr, Verdugo Rd, Plumas St, Carr Park, Harvey Dr, and Eagle Rock Hillside Park.
The 34th, 38th and 42nd are partitioned by S Gerhart Ave, Simmons Ave, Dewar Ave, W Beverly Blvd, Repetto Ave, Allston St, S Concourse Ave, Ferguson Dr, Simmons Ave/S Gerhart Ave, Highway 72, Goodrich Blvd, Telegraph Rd, S Marianna Ave, Noakes St, S Bonnie Beach Pl, Union Pacific Railroad, S Indiana St, Union Pacific Railroad, Holabird Ave, S Grande Vista Ave, AT & SF Railway, Harriet St, and E 25 St. The 34th district takes in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Naud Junction, El Sereno, Highland Park, Glasswell Park, Mount Washington, Eagle Rock, and Garvanza, as well as the census-designated place East Los Angeles.
Ballotpedia provided information on Jimmy Gomez
Jimmy Gomez (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 34th Congressional District. He assumed office on July 11, 2017. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Gomez (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 34th Congressional District. He won the election on November 8, 2022.
Gomez was first elected to the seat in 2017. The election replaced Xavier Becerra (D), who was appointed as California’s attorney general. Gomez won re-election to the seat in 2018, defeating Green Party candidate Kenneth Mejia in the general election by a vote of 72.5 percent to 27.5 percent.
Gomez represented District 51 in the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2017. He served as State Assembly Majority Whip from 2013 to 2014.
Gomez earned his B.A. in political science from University California, Los Angeles and his master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Gomez is the political director for United Nurses Associations of California.
Jimmy Gomez did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. He did complete Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am the son of two hard-working immigrants from Mexico and am so proud of my parents and the challenges they overcame to give their children a better life. Their example guides me every day as a member of the United States Congress. As a working-class progressive, I am helping lead a new generation of Democrats, fighting for and delivering change. That’s why I have stood up to Trump to protect all who are threatened by his agenda of fear and division. It is why I fight for affordable health care for everyone and have worked to help those who have become sick or lost their jobs because of COVID-19. I owe it to my family and community.
I am a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, the Rent Relief Act, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and the American Dream and Promise Act. In Congress, I have been leading efforts to expose corruption in the Trump Administration, and to eliminate police abuse. That’s why I have been endorsed by Vice President Joe Biden, the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, End Citizens United, and most recently, Bernie Sanders’ Our Revolution.
I am the son of two hardworking immigrants from Mexico and am proud of my parents and the challenges they overcame to give their children a better life. Their example guides me every day as a member of the United States Congress.
As a working-class progressive, I am helping to lead a new generation of Democrats, fighting for and delivering change.
That’s why I have stood up to Trump to protect all who are threatened by his agenda of fear and division. It is why I fight for affordable health care for everyone and have worked to help those who have become sick or lost their jobs because of COVID-19. I owe it to my family and community.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Healthcare / Medicare for All: I have been a cosponsor of the Medicare for All Act since I got elected in 2017, and am a founding member of the Medicare for All Caucus. I grew up without health insurance and know first-hand the burden a family experiences when they don’t have access to quality affordable healthcare. I don’t want anyone to go through what my family went through. That’s why I am fighting with Senator Bernie Sanders and the Progressive Caucus to make Medicare for All a reality. I am the only candidate endorsed by the United Nurses Associations of California and the National Union of Healthcare Workers.
Combatting Climate Change & the Green New Deal: I believe that climate change poses an existential threat to humanity and that bold legislative actions are required to reverse the environmental, health, and economic damage caused by global warming. I am a cosponsor of the Green New Deal with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Additionally, in Congress, I helped secure over $300 million to clean up a polluted river in California and sponsored the Climate Solutions Act of 2019 to reduce green gas emissions and transition to a 100 percent renewable energy future by 2035. I am an environmental champion and received the Green Leadership Award for “bold environmental leadership” from Green California, and I am endorsed by the Sierra Club.
Ending Police Brutality & Criminal Justice Reform: I believe ending police brutality and criminal justice reform must be a top priority for Congress. I am a cosponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (H.R. 7120). This bill will hold police officers and departments accountable, increase transparency, make structural changes to our justice system, ban chokeholds and eliminate qualified immunity. As a member of the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee, I am leading efforts to investigate and expose aggressive policing tactics committed by “cliques” of affiliated deputies within the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. I am endorsed by Representative Karen Bass, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Immigration Reform: As a son of immigrants, I know that immigration and diversity contributes to the fabric of this country and makes us better. That’s why I have fought against Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda, including efforts to ban immigrants based on religion, splitting up families to deport parents of U.S. citizens and separating families at the border.
In Congress, I was only 1 of 19 Democrats who voted against legislation to fund Donald Trump’s border wall, his demand for more detention beds, and increased funding for ICE. I support banning the use of private prisons by ICE and co-sponsored the Justice is Not For Sale Act by Rep Raul Grijalva to do just that. I am also fighting to allow unannounced visits by Members of Congress to ICE and Custom Border Patrol Facilities to provide greater oversight and accountability.
I will always stand up and fight for all of us by protecting immigrants through the passage of the Dream and Promise Act, implementing comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together, and bringing undocumented persons out of the shadows with a path to citizenship. I am the only candidate endorsed by the United Farm Workers of American, and Civil Rights Leader Dolores Huerta.
Ballotpedia provided information about David Kim:
David Kim (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 34th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
David Kim was born in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California at Berkeley in 2006 and a Juris Doctor from the Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2010. His career experience includes working as an immigration litigation attorney and a juvenile dependency attorney and founding The Hollywood Lawyer. Kim has served on the MacArthur Park Neighborhood Council and has been a member of the Los Angeles Tenants Union.
David Kim completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey for 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
As a son of immigrants and as a community organizer, I am an attorney who has worked in a wide range of fields, all tied to seeking justice for those less fortunate. I have served as an elected neighborhood council board member who was privileged to serve the needs of my people. I have investigated corruption, worked on labor cases, defended the most vulnerable parents in Los Angeles County from having their children removed from them in children’s court, and, in my current job as an immigration attorney, defended those whose only “crime” is wanting to be American. Through my experience working multiple jobs to make ends meet and serving as an activist, elected neighborhood council board member and legal advocate, I understand our community’s financial suffering and empathize with people experiencing hardship.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Everyone deserves the right to live, to have housing, to have healthcare, to have a sustainable job, to have money to pay for food and basic expenses, to legally live here and work, to apply for U.S. permanent residency/ citizenship, to have responsive representation by their government leaders and to be fairly treated despite skin color, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and religion.
None of us should feel like the floor can be ripped out from under us. All of us should be able to pursue our dreams and truly live the one life we’ve been given, and be able to fully experience and live life, not just survive it. If the government is suppose to be of, for and by the people, then its priority should be to allow us, the people, to THRIVE.
With the 2022 campaign in CA-34, we have a chance to help uplift everyone in our communities. In November 2020, our 100% people-powered grassroots campaign came close to winning with 47.1 of the total votes cast in the General Election for CA34’s congressional seat despite going up against an incumbent who raised 10x more money by pocketing more corporate PAC and special interest money than a majority of members in Congress. It’s clear that people in our district want and need transformative change, but that transformative change won’t happen if we continue re-electing the same career politicians. It’s time to put an end to the corporate influence of politics.
Ballotpedia provided information about Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck:
Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 34th Congressional District. Torrado VonBuck lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck’s career experience includes owning a business.
Ballotpedia posted results from the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 34:
Jimmy Gomez (D): 50.7% – 45,376 votes
David Kim (D): 39.0% – 34,921 votes
Clifton Rio Torrado VonBuck (R): 10.2% – 9,150 votes
October 26: The Occidental posted an article titled: ‘Chosen’ documentary brings eyes to the story of David Kim, a CA-34 candidate” From the article:
“Chosen” is a documentary featuring five Korean Americans, with varied backgrounds and beliefs, who ran for U.S. Congress in 2020. Before the 2020 election, only two Korean Americans had been elected to the U.S. Congress since 1903.
“Chosen” focuses on attorney David Kim, who runs to represent California’s 34th District in the House of Representatives – CA-34 includes neighborhoods such as Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Downtown LA and Koreatown. Kim lost his race in the 2020 election, but he is currently campaigning again for the same position against the CA-34 incumbent, Jimmy Gomez.
“Chosen” screened at Oxy Arts Oct. 20 and there was also a Q&A after the screening with Kim. The director of “Chosen,” Joseph John, said Kim signifies many different tension points that are complex in nature within the Korean American community.
“Some of which include maybe intergenerational tension,” Juhn said. “Also, I think he represents the ideological tension, religious tension and, most importantly, LGBTQ tension – how people of the queer community are shunned in a very conservative evangelical Christian community.
Kim said he came out as gay to his conservative parents in February 2019, and he did not talk to his parents for 20 months after that because it became so toxic.
“It was super traumatic,” Kim said. “My mom said to me during that traumatic ‘How can you do this to me? Why are you taking vengeance on us by being gay? What did I do to you?’ And I remember her saying those words and weeping so heavily because it was the end of the world for her.”
The 20 months of silence ended, Kim said, because he did not want his mom to hear that he was running for Congress from someone else..
November 2: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “A battle over who is the true progressive defines L.A. congressional race” From the article:
As the recording of a racist conversation between Los Angeles labor and political leaders plunged the city into a political crisis unlike any other, David Kim and Jimmy Gomez took different paths.
Gomez, an incumbent congressman, sat next to mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass and former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a room at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, calling for unity.
Kim, an immigration and child dependency attorney running against Gomez, stood in a crowd of protestors in front of city hall. With profanity, he decried how special interests are corrupting the city and called for continued demonstrations.
“We need a moral revolution in Los Angeles,” Kim yelled, holding a microphone. In the leaked conversation, Latino leaders mocked people in racist terms and plotted to undermine Black political power.
Whether Gomez or Kim prevails in the midterm election, California’s 34th Congressional District, which includes Koreatown, downtown L.A., Eagle Rock and Boyle Heights, will have a Democratic congressman.
What the election – a rematch of the 2020 race that Gomez won by 6% – comes down to a battle of what it means to be a progressive and what style of politics voters prefer…
…To avoid being the first incumbent Democratic congress member to lost to a same-party challenger in Southern California in 10 years, Gomez, 47, must persuade enough voters that working inside the party is still effective. To pull off a win, his rival, Kim, 38, must sell enough voters across racial lines on “co-governing” with activists.
Last month, Kim was endorsed by Eunisses Hernandez, a community activist who has called for abolishing the police and who unseated Councilmember Gil Cedilloin June. Kim has put up billboards showing him with Hernandez…
…The district is majority Hispanic – once home to Edward R. Roybal and Xavier Becerra, two well-known Latino politicians – but has a sizable and influential Asian American and white population. About 80% of the districts homes are valued at more than $500,000 and about 20% are valued with more than $1 million.
Nearly 80% of the district’s residents are renters. Roughly 20% live in poverty…
Ballotpedia provide result of the General Election for U.S. House California District 34:
Jimmy Gomez: (D): 51.2% – 62,049 votes
David Kim: (D): 48.8% – 59,025 votes
November 19: ABC News posted an article titled: “Democratic U.S. Rep. Gomez triumphs in California district” From the article:
Democratic U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez defeated rival Democrat David Kim on Saturday in a Los Angeles district after a battle on the party’s progressive flank.
With nearly all the ballots counted, Gomez had 51.3% to 48.7% for Kim, or a margin of about 3,000 votes.
The race was a rematch from 2020 when Gomez defeated Kim, an immigration lawyer. Under California’s primary rules, only the top two finishers advance to the November election, which set up the fight between two Democrats.
The heavily Democratic 34th District is a diverse, urban mishmash of neighborhoods that cuts across income, racial and ethnic groups. It includes Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, and heavily Latino Boyle Heights.
Fewer than 1 in 10 voters in the district are Republicans, over 60% are Democrats and most of the remainder are independents who lean Democratic.
Earlier this week, Republicans regained overall control of the House by reaching the 218 seat threshold for a majority. The outcome in the Los Angeles district doesn’t sway the balance of control since both candidates were Democrats.
Counting is not yet finished in a handful of other undecided races.
California’s 35th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 35th congressional district:
California’s 35th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Norma Torres.
The district is based in the Inland Empire, including the communities of Chino, Eastvale, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 35th congressional district is located in Southern California, with the Inland Empire. The district covers east Los Angeles County, southwest San Bernardino County, and a small part of riverside county.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 28th district, and the 31st district. They are partitioned by Highway 60, Phillips Ranch Rd, E Village Loop Rd, Quail Creek Ln, Falcon Ridge Dr, Hidden Valley Rd, Cliff Dr, Willowbrook Ln, Westbrook Ln, La Sierra Dr, Avenida Rancheros, Rancheros Navato Dr, Serra Dr, Alta Mira Pl, Rancho Laguna Dr, W Mission Blvd, W Temple Ave, Pomona Blvd, Valley Blvd, San Bernardino Freeway, Walnut City Parkland, San Bernardino Freeway, Fairplex Dr, Via Verde, Puddingstone Reservoir, McKinley Ave, N Whittle Ave, Arrow Highway, Fulton Rd, Foothill Blvd, Towne Ave, Harrison Ave, Carnegie Ave, W Arrow Highway, Mountain Ave, and E American Ave. The 35th district takes the city of Pomona.
San Bernardino County is split between this district, the 28th district, the 33rd district, and the 40th district. The 35th, 28th, and 33rd are partitioned by W 16th St, E 15th St, Grove Ave, Foothill Blvd, Vineyard Blvd, San Bernardino Rd, Orangewood Dr, Estancia St, Lion St, Highway 66, Helms Ave, Hampshire St, Archibald Ave, N Maple Ave, S Maple Ave, Randall Ave, Alder Ave, Union Pacific Railroad, Slover Ave, Tamarind Ave, Jurupa Ave, 11th St, Hazelwood Dr, Pipeline Ave, Los Serranos Blvd, Country Club Dr, Soquel Canyon Parkway, Elinvar Dr, Sapphire Rd, Onyx Rd, Slate Dr, Butterfield Ranch Rd, Pine Ave, and Chino Valley Freeway. The 35th district takes in Chino, Montclair, Ontario, and the south sides of Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana and Upland, as well as the Los Serranos neighborhood of Chino Hills.
Riverside County is split between this district and the 41st district. They are partitioned by Chino Creek, Santa Ana River, Chandler St, Archibald Ave, Schleisman Rd, Scholar Way, Citrus Way, Hamner Ave, Corona Freeway, and E Philadelphia St. The 35th district takes in the north side of Eastvale.
Ballotpedia provided information about Norma Torres
Norma Torres (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 35th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2015. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Torres (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Torres defeated Christian Valente (R) in the 2018 general election by a vote of 69.4 percent to 30.6 percent.
Torres represented District 32 in the California State Senate from 2013 to 2024. She previously served in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2013.
Legislative scorecard
Capitol Weekly, California’s major weekly periodical covering the state legislature, publishes an annual scorecard to pin down the political or ideological leanings of every member of the legislature based on how they voted on an assortment of bills in the most recent legislative session. The 2009 scores were based on 19 bills, but did not include how legislators voted on the Proposition 1A (2009). On the scorecard, “100”, is a perfect liberal score and “0” is a perfect conservative score.
On the 2009 Capitol Weekly legislative scorecard, Torres ranked as an 85.
Norma Torres did not fill out ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided the following from Norma Torres’s website:
COVID-19 Relief: Delivering Relief Throughout This Pandemic
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Torres has worked to ensure the needs of Inland Empire families are prioritized in federal stimulus packages. She championed key food assistance, rent relief, unemployment and small business assistance, and direct payment provisions in the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan. She continues to collaborate with the Biden-Harris administration to help our community recover from this once-in-a-generation public health crisis.
To date, Congresswoman Torres has secured over $3 billion in COVID-19 relief for the Inland Empire.
Health Care is a Human Right
Congresswoman Torres strongly believes that health care is a human right. The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and no one should go without affordable and comprehensive health insurance. During her tenure in Congress, she has fought to strengthen the Affordable Care Act, expand community health centers in the Inland Empire, and eliminate the barriers preventing Americans from accessing the care they deserve.
Closing the Gender Gap
When women get ahead, America thrives. As the only woman of Central American descent in Congress, Congresswoman Torres champions legislative solutions to make equal pay for equal work a reality and protect a woman’s right to her own reproductive health care. Currently, she is focused on lowering the cost of child care, empowering women in the workplace, and making our government look like those it represents.
Serving Our Nation’s Veterans
As the mother of an Air Force veteran, Congresswoman Torres’ priority in Congress is serving those who so courageously served us. From assisting our local veterans receive the benefits they’re owed to expanding their access to education and health care, she is dedicated to improving available resources for current and former servicemembers…
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Cargile
Mike Cargile (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Mike Cargile was born in Fort Hood, Texas. Cargile served in the U.S. Army from 1990 to 1991. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Columbus State University in 1987. Cargill’s career experience includes working as the president of Big Event Pictures, a filmmaker, and a crossing guard. He has been a CYAA coach and a booster club parent.
Mike Cargile completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am Pro-God, Pro-Family, Pro-Jobs, Pro-Law enforcement and always America First!
As an Army veteran, businessman, filmmaker, father, and a Christian, I see great potential for the communities of our district.
But at a time when our educators have abandoned our children, our doctors have violated their oaths and our political leadership are shredding our Constitutional Rights on a daily basis, we need someone to stand against this Communist onslaught.
We need an advocate to protect our families, our jobs and our communities.
We need an advocate to protect our families, our jobs and our communities. We just want to go back to our jobs and schools without restrictions. We want our lives to return to normal!
The cost of our gas is the highest in history, our store shelves are increasingly bare, homelessness, drugs and crime plague our neighborhoods. Our children have lost precious classroom time, and many small businesses have closed because of mistaken COVID policies.
We need a representative who will support law enforcement and make our District safe and prosperous again. We need a representative who understands our problems and has solutions for them.
This district is where my wife and I have raised our kids. This is our home. We have invested our lives here. Our church family is here. I want all of us to feel safe and secure. Our God given rights are not negotiable. This is the time for choosing. Will it be freedom and opportunity or fear and hate?
Please allow me to represent our communities in Congress.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We must have fair and transparent elections. This issue is the cornerstone of our Republic. https://www.cargileforcongres/voter-fraud
I am “The Family Man”. Support for the nuclear family unit is the cornerstone of our society. https://www.cargileforcongress.com/family
Jobs, jobs, jobs! The solution to our economy is, and has always been, lower taxes, less fess and fewer government regulations. https://www.cargileforcongress.com/jobs-and-economy
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
IMMIGRATION – We need a new plan. The Cargile Plan. Please take a moment and review it here: https://www.cargileforcongress.com/immigration
LAW ENFORCEMENT – I will always DEFEND the police and will never support DEFUNDING them! https://www.cargileforcongress.com/safety
Ballotpedia provided information about Rafael Carcamo
Rafael Carcamo (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rafael Carcamo was born in Managua, Nicaragua. Carcamo’s career experience includes working as a family practice physician.
Rafael Carcamo completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Dr. Rafael Carcamo, a life dedicated to HEALTH. Dr. Rafael Carcamo is a family physician who has practiced in Inland Empire, California, since 2001. Dr. Carcamo is governed by a comprehensive philosophy based on the fact that physical, emotional and financial well-being are fundamental principles for a healthy community. Both in his professional practice and in his civic commitment, Dr. Carcamo has had the constant company and support of his wife Cecilia, with whom he has been married for 29 years, and his daughters, Mara and Mia. His wife and daughters share Dr. Carcamo’s dream of helping his patients and fellow citizens be productive, provide for their families, and promote a free and democratic society. Dr. Carcamo is a graduate of the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, receiving a doctorate in medicine and surgery. Upon leaving Nicaragua in 1992, Dr. Carcamo arrived in Pomona, California, where he worked and studied at the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE). After passing the three stages of the USMLE examinations, Dr. Carcamo did his residency from 1997 to 2001 at Hospital Regional de Cagua and at Hospital de la Universidad Ramón Ruiz in Puerto Rico. Dr. Carcamo returned to the Inland Empire, and began his family practice in Azusa, California. Since then he has cared for thousands of patients and their families. In addition to his Azusa practice, Dr. Carcamo opened another in Pomona which he later transferred to La Puente.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Economic Growth and Lower Taxes: I will introduce and support legislative actions that strengthen and promote a healthy, vigorous, and sustainable economy predicated on growth, including lowering taxes for our families and small businesses.
Standing up for parents and School Choice, returning state dollars and local power to Parents giving them the ultimate say as to where a child goes to school.
Security: As your representative in Congress, I will seek to obtain federal funding and grants that support our local law enforcement agencies.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Creating pathways for better health that leads to more prosperity. Developing health programs that will keep our citizens and Veterans healthy and strong and lower health costs, while being respectful of the basic principles of individual freedom and democracy.
Ballotpedia provided information about Bob Erbst
Bob Erbst (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. Erbst lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Bob Erbst’s career experience includes working as a world history teacher.
Bob Erbst did not complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Erbst’s campaign website.
Platform
Border Security:
Bob believes America deserves a secure border which eliminates Human Trafficking and Fentanyl importation. He also supports the need for common sense immigration policy that rewards people who follow our laws, coupled with a refugee policy that safely expands our citizenry.
Energy:
Bob believes that Americans deserve policies that enrich America through good paying energy sector careers thereby assisting friendly nations in supplying energy to America and avoiding dependence on Russia and OPEC. He believes we must continue improving our Green Energy technology and continue to strive to manufacture wind and solar technology here in the USA.
Education:
Bob believes that parents deserve an education policy that stresses rigor in the classroom. He believes education is a team sport, and that schools should focus on education that meets the needs of the students and the community. He also believes we must reward, attract, and retain good teachers who are the backbone of education. Furthermore, we must respect these educators and work to eliminate the restraints that unions and school districts place upon them.
Police funding:
Bob believes that the Government’s main job is the protection of ALL its citizens. Consequently, he asserts that police need more tools and training to continue to preform the difficult tasks we demand of them.
Government:
Bob believes that the pandemic enlightened and reminded us of how governments of the past have used fear and power to eliminate the rights & freedoms of their citizens. It is his belief that to lose members of the military, firefighters, and teachers due to mandates only weakens America.
Ballotpedia provided information about Lloyd Stevens:
Lloyd Stevens (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 35th Congressional District. Stevens lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Lloyd Stevens’ career experience includes working as a system analyst.
January 13: Newswires posted a press release titled: “U.S. CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE DISCOVERS NEW TECHNOLOGY TO END THE PANDEMIC” From the press release:
Mike Cargile (California District 35), has discovered within his district, a company with a solution to effectively end the pandemic around the globe.
While campaigning, Mike encountered ClearWorldUSA, a company with a unique technology (ClearCloud) to deploy, in aerosol form, a saltwater solution (HOCL) that kills the Covid virus in under a minute. This non-toxic liquid is organic, is 100x more effective than bleach, is harmless to people, and can be used against a host of other harmful virus and bacteria.
Mike Cargile believes “Our immediate focus should be on covering schools, hospitals and first responders. This should happen quickly since our National and State governments have already designated billions and billions to this end.”
get ahead of whatever is unleashed next.”
Cagile urges all Federal and State leaders to “Please, let us put aside the rancor of partisan politics and galvanize the might of US manufacturing behind a global effort to end the pandemic.”
Cargile plans to pursue a further expansion of our USMCA Agreement in this fight. “I would like to invite all of our Central American neighbors to join us in this historic effort as well. The greatest security measure we can ever have at our Southern border would be a safe, successful and self-reliant Mexico and Central America. I would love to see our USMCA Agreement become our USMCAC Agreement.”
Mike Cargile is a Congressional Candidate for California’s 35th District running against Rep. Norma Torres…
April 24: Patriots For Freedom Endorse Mike Cargile – from the post:
Today, April 24, 2022, Patriots for Freedom PAC announced its official endorsement of Mike Cargile for the 35th Congressional District.
Mike Cargile’s background in community involvement from coaching, film industry, a Ways and Means Chairman and deacon at his church. Mike has always been at the ground level to witness the rapid changes within our school system, government shifts and the over taxation it was creating.
Mike Cargile has is a husband, father and family man. Family is the most important to him. He is a devout Christian who is pro-life, law enforcement and is involved in election integrity. He has been extremely important within the grassroots movement. He actively provides podcasts that inform his community about unlawful bills, regulations and what actions are being taken to stop or remove them. Mike also joined forces to sue Gavin Newsom for his unconstitutional overreach and stripping away our freedoms and rights.
Mike’s key issues: jobs, and the economy, safe neighborhoods, lower taxes, election integrity, education, seniors and healthcare, veterans, life, 1st and 2nd Amendment, border crisis and has a resolution for immigration. Mike Cargile also signed the “Death Tax Pledge” October 5, 2020.
Patriots for Freedom is proud to endorse Mike Cargile for the 35th Congressional District in California. PFF has complete confidence in his ability to respect and work for his community to protect the rights of the unborn and born, protect full parental rights, fight against tyranny and government overreach…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 35:
Norma Torres (D): 53.7% – 33,921 votes
Mike Cargile (R): 24.6% – 16,151 votes
Rafael Carcamo (R): 11.3% – 7,156 votes
Bob Erbst (R): 5.1% – 2,756 votes
June 9: SFGATE posted an article titled: Multiple QAnon candidates on verge of advancing in California primary election” From the article:
Three separate California congressional candidates who have voiced support for the long-debunked QAnon conspiracy theory are on the verge of advancing to November’s general election.
None of the primary races have been called by the Associated Press, but as of 9:30 a.m. Thursday, all three were in second place behind Democratic incumbents.
Two of the three Republican candidates – Alison Hayden and Mike Cargile – advanced in the 2020 general election as well, but lost to their Democratic opponents. The third, Omar Navarro, lost in the 2020 primary but was a general election candidate in 2016 and 2018. Hayden, Cargile and Navarro are running against the same Democratic opponents from 2020, although the districts look slightly different following the redistricting process after the 2020 census.
The good news for voters who would prefer that they not be represented by a QAnon fan is that the three districts in question are still deeply Democratic, meaning that Hayden, Navarro and Cargile are likely to get trounced again. Neither the national nor California Republican parties have endorsed any of the three, with Cargile even boasting in his Twitter bio, “Mike is the only candidate in the nation who was actually UN-ENDORSED by the Republican Party in the 2020 General Election for being TOO CONSERVATIVE!”
Cargile is running in California’s 35th District against incumbent Norma Torres. Results as of Thursday morning show Torres in first place with 55% of the vote, and Cargile in second with 22.9%. The next-closest candidate is at 11.8%…
…According to screenshots from Media Matters for America, Cargile has retweeted a popular QAnon slogan and replied “Absolutely!!!!!” to a user who wrote it is “time to get On Board” with QAnon. In the lead-up to the 2022 primary, his Twitter feed was considerably less Q-heavy, but he did baselessly allege widespread election fraud in California. Beyond QAnon and election denialism, he has other controversies.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 35:
Norma Torres (D): 56.2% – 43,052 votes
Mike Cargile (R): 43.8% – 33,602 votes
California’s 36th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 36th Congressional District:
California’s 36th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. The 36th district is located primarily in the South Bay and Westside regions of Los Angeles. It takes in the cities of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, the west side of Culver City, Hermosa Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, El Segundo, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, and the west side of Torrance, as well as the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Venice, Playa del Rey, Palms, Cheviot Hills, Westwood Village, West Los Angeles, Mar Vista, Westchester, Marina Peninsula, and west side Harbor City.
The district is represented by Democrat Ted Lieu.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 32nd district, the 30th district, the 37th district, the 43rd district, and the 44th district. The 36th and 32nd are partitioned by Adelaide Dr, 602 Kingman Dr-800 Woodacres Rd, The Riviera Country Club, 26th St, Montana Ave, S Bristol Ave, Wellesley Ave/Centinela Ave, 1009 Centinela Ave/1165Centinela Ave, Highway 2, Butler Ave, Purdue Ave, Cotner Ave, Pontius Ave, Santa Monica Blvd, Glendon Ave, Malcolm Ave, Wilshire Blvd, Veteran Ave, W Sunset Blvd, Tower Rd, Franklin Canyon Reservoir, Lago Vista Dr, Monte Cielo Dr, 1280 Coldwater Canyon Dr-1210 Coldwater Canyon Dr, Greystone Park, Ridgecrest Dr, Schuyler Rd, Cherokee Ln, Loma Vista Dr, 400 N Evelyn Pl-1966 Carla Ridge, Ridgemont Dr, Crescent Dr, 410 Martin Ln-1016 N Hillcrest Rd, Sierra Mar Dr, and La Collin Dr.
The 36th, 30th and 37th are partitioned by Phyllis Ave, N Doheny Dr, N Oakhurst Dr, Burton Way, N Robertson Blvd, 8733 Clifton Way-201 S Le Doux Rd, N San Vicente Blvd, La Cienga Park, S Le Doux Rd, Gregory Way, S Robertson Blvd, Whitworth Dr, Beverly Green Dr, 1271 Beverly Green Dr-1333 Beverly Green Dr, Heath Ave, S Moreno Dr, Highway 2, Century Park W, W Pico Blvd, Patricia Ave, Lorenzo Pl, Monte Mar Dr, Beverwill Dr, Castle Heights Ave, Club Dr, McConnell Dr, National Blvd, Palms Blvd, Overland Ave, Venice Blvd, Highway 405, W Havelock Ave, S St Nicholas Ave, Ballona Creek, and Centinela Creek Channel.
The 36th, 43rd and 44th are partitioned by W Florence Ave, Arbor Vitae St, Westchester Parkway, La Tijera Blvd, W 91st St, Cum Laude Ave, W 92nd St, Waterview St, Napoleon St, Vista Del Mar, W Imperial Highway, Aviation Blvd, Del Aire Park, E Sl Segundo Blvd, S Aviation Blvd, Marine Ave, Inglewood Ave, Highway 91, Redondo Beach Blvd, Hawthorne Blvd, Sepulveda Blvd, Normandie Ave, Frampton Ave, 253rd St, 255th St, Belle Porte Ave, 256th St, 1720 256th St-1733 256th St, 1701 257th St-1733 257th St, 1734 257th St-W 262nd St, Ozone Ave, 263rd St, 26302 Alta Vista Ave-26356 Alta Vista Ave, Pineknoll Ave, Leesdale Ave, Highway 213, Palos Verde Dr N, 26613 Leesdale Ave-Navy Field, S Western Ave, Westmont Dr, Eastview Park, Mt Rose Rd/Amelia Ave, 1102 W Bloomwood Rd-1514 Caddington Dr, N Western Ave, W Summerland St, N Enrose Ave/Miraleste Dr, Miraleste Dr, and the Martin J. Bogdanovich Recreation Center and Park.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ted Lieu:
Ted Lieu (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 36th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3rd, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Lieu (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Lieu won election to the seat in 2014. In the 2018 general election, Lieu defeated Kenneth Wright (R) by a vote of 70 percent to 30 percent. Lieu represented District 28 in the California State Senate from 2011 to 2014.
Lieu was also a Democratic member of the California State Assembly, representing the 53rd District from September 2005 to 2010. On February 12, 2019, he announced his candidacy for the statewide office of attorney general, the seat being vacated by Democrat Jerry Brown, who won election as governor in November 2010. He went on to lose the Democratic nomination to San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris on Tuesday, June 8, 2010, after placing fourth with nearly 11 percent of the vote.
Lieu was one of 75 superdelegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from California. Lieu supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.
Lieu has received numerous military honors and awards, including many Legislator of the Year awards.
Legislative scorecard
Capitol Weekly, California’s major weekly periodical covering the state legislature, publishes an annual legislative scorecard to pin down the political or ideological leanings of every member of the legislature based on how they voted on an assortment of bills in the most recent legislative session. The 2009 scores were based on 19 bills, but did not include how legislators voted on Proposition 1A (2009). On the scorecard, “100” is a perfect liberal score, and “0” is a perfect conservative score.
On the 2009 Capitol Weekly legislative scorecard, Lieu ranked as an 89.
Ballotpedia provided information about Joe Collins:
Joe Collins (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Joe Collins was born in Los Angeles, California. Collins served in the U.S. Navy from 2004 to 2017. He earned a B.S. in accounting from the University of Phoenix in 2021. Collins’ career experience includes owning the government contracting company JT Acquisitions and working as an accountant and military recruiter. He has served as a certified counselor for victims of rape and sexual assault.
Joe Collins completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Joe Edward Collins III is a 13 1/2-year Navy Veteran from South Central LA. He’s the CEO of a contracting and development company and also sits on the board of a private development company. He’s a licensed financial professional and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Phoenix. He is the former host of KABC’s show New Black Republican and a current Congressional candidate for California’s 36th district.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I will be focused on rebuilding our economy.
I will support and enforce public safety
I will stop this reckless government spending that has us in a recession and increasing inflation
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Energy, Education, Natural Resources, and Economy
Ballotpedia provided information on Derrick Gates:
Derrick Gates (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Derrick Gates’ career experience includes working as a filmmaker and an author.
Derrick Gates did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Derrick Gates’ campaign website:
PRO-LIFE
I believe that life happens at conception and I have championed this cause for 20 years.
PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION
Today, the leftist culture is pushing to eliminate the Constitution as we know it. They call our Constitution and the Bill of Rights archaic and out of date. We must push to preserve the foundation of our Nation. It is the only way to ensure our 1st and 2nd Amendments stay at the forefront of who we are.
SCHOOL CHOICE
As a parent, we have the right to raise and educate our children the way we see fit. We need to take back our education system. We must stop dangerous curriculum like CRT from endangering our children. Our kids are being taught that minorities will always be victims and whites should feel shame for being born white. This is dangerous to our future. We are all born equal.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime is at an all time high. Criminals are empowered by liberal D.A.’s and support from the left. Smash and grabs, murders, rapes, riots, carjackings and assaults are skyrocketing. We must support the police and get them all back to work. We also need to protect our borders from violent crime and drug trafficking….
Ballotpedia provided information about Ariana Hakami:
Ariana Hakami (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. Hakami lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ariana Hakami earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University at Dominguez Hills in 2010. Hakami’s career experience includes working as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch.
Ballotpedia provided information about Claire Ragge:
Claire Ragge (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. Ragge lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Claire Ragge was born in Freeport, New York, and lives in Los Angeles, California. Ragge earned a B.A. from the University of Southern California. Her career experience includes owning The GasLite.
Claire Ragge posted information about herself on her Congressional website:
“As a small business owner for the past two decades, I have provided employment opportunities to hundreds of individuals in our district, dealt with government bureaucracy on all levels, and hosted town hall meeting where neighbors could share their views with local mayors, city council members, and other community leaders.
I have watched as our beautiful community of oceans, mountains, and wonderfully diverse cultures has been badly damaged by crime, homelessness, and political indifference. I have witnessed first-hand the eroding of the standards we hold so dear – free speech, parental involvement in schools, a thriving middle class, and the basic concept that the American dream is attainable for all. With these values in mind, I have left the Democratic Party and am now a moderate Republican.
It is clear that change is needed. Together, we can make our communities safe once again by funding police and locking up violent criminals. We can control inflation by becoming energy self-sufficient once again, and we can ensure national security by manufacturing the essential items upon which we rely with our clean environmental standards. We can create an educational system that teaches children of all colors and faiths that they can achieve the American dream. We can, and we must, take the reins. We along must fix the problems our leaders have created. Together, we can get back to basics and revive the American dream. ‘The Time is NOW!”
Please elect me to Congress. I am ready to serve.
Ballotpedia provided information about Colin Kilpatrick Obrien:
Colin Kilpatrick Obrien (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. Kilpatrick Brian lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Colin Kilpatrick Obrien’s career experience includes working as a writer.
Ballotpedia provided information about Steve Williams:
Steve Williams (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Steve Williams completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A non-partisan progressive conservative whose mission is to disrupt Washington D.C.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I am a Non-Partisan Progressive Conservative.
I take a non-ideological scientific approach to politics and governance.
I advocate for a government of the people, by the people, and for the people!
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about all areas of public policy because all areas of public policy matter.
Ballotpedia provided information about Matthew Jesuele:
Matthew Jesuele (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 36th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Matthew Jesuele was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Jesuele earned a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in 2011. His career experience includes working as a software manager.
Matthew Jesuele completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
My name is Matt Jesuele and I’m running for Congress as an independent in the 36th district of California, against establishment Democrat Ted Lieu. I’m a member at the Lighthouse Church in Santa Monica, a software engineer, a proud patriot, and a humble servant of God.
The United States Constitution is probably the single greatest political document in human history. It affirms in its first three words – we the people – that the government of the United States exists to serve the American people, and not the other way around.
But a ruling elite has formed which treats the people like subjects instead of sovereigns, and which runs the country for its own pleasure and enrichment.
The freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution are infringed upon further by big government working hand-in-glove with big business.
And at the highest levels, threats, violence, bribery, blackmail, cheating and deception ensure that the biggest bully and the highest bidder have their way, while the rest of us pay the price.
This must end, and it will only end if moral and courageous people rise up and reclaim control over our government and our country. Moral leadership, more than any political solution is the only thing that can save America.
I am not motivated by fame or riches. I only care about truth and freedom. I am willing to live for them, and if necessary, to die for them.
Send me to Washington and that is precisely what I will fight for.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for you time in office?
I will fight fearlessly to expose government corruption and coverups, and beat back the overreach of the intelligence agencies and national security state. I will also oppose imperialism and unnecessary foreign interventions, like our current funding of the conflict in Ukraine. We need to make sure that we take care of Americans first, and reject ridiculous proxy wars that only serve to enrich the military industrial complex.
As a true believer in limited government, I am completely opposed to medical mandates of any kind. I believe that individuals are capable of making their own medical decisions for themselves and their families, and that they don’t need to be forced into considering their communities.
I’m also concerned about what we’ve been seeing in the realm of education. I believe the government needs to stop inserting itself between parents and their schoolchildren, and to get out of the way so that communities can make their own decisions about how to educate their kids.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Foreign affairs, campaign finance reform, education, criminal justice (especially the War on Drugs).
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary election:
Ted Lieu (D): 67.1% – 122,969 votes
Joe Collins (R): 13.4% – 24,553 votes
Derrick Gates (R): 5.6% – 10,263 votes
Ariana Hakami (R): 5.3% – 9,760 votes
Claire Ragge (R): 4.0% – 7,351 votes
Colin Kilpatrick Obrian (D): 3.4% – 6,221 votes
Steve Williams (Independent): 0.6% – 1,180 votes
Matthew Jesuele (Independent) 0.5% – 976 votes
November 22: Ted Lieu posted a Press Release titled: “Rep Lieu Statement On Being Re-Elected To The U.S. House of Representatives” From the Press Release:
Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after being re-elected to serve California’s 36th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 118th Congress.
“Today I express my sincerest gratitude to the residents of Los Angeles County who have continued to trust me as their representative in Congress. Serving my constituents in the House of Representatives is the honor of my lifetime. Each day, I am immensely proud to represent our beautiful, vibrant community and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to carry that honor forward in the 118th Congress. I also want to thank my family for allowing me to serve.
“Democrats are laser-focused on lower costs, safer communities, and better-paying jobs. We are fiercely committed to upholding our democracy, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and creating a brighter and safer future for all Americans. Democrats have and always will put People Over Politics.
“Thankfully, the Republican agenda to criminalize women’s health, end Social Security and Medicare, and attack democracy has not been well received. I’m pleased that we are seeing support for stopping the extreme MAGA GOP following the Supreme Court’s radical decision overturning Roe v. Wade this summer. From Kentucky to Vermont and Michigan to California, voters have shown their desire to reaffirm and protect critical access to reproductive health care. I’m pleased to see voters rejecting the absurd notion that politicians should be involved in what is a deeply personal decision that should rest with the woman and her doctor.”
Ballotpedia provided the results for the General election for U.S. House California District 36:
Ted Lieu (D): 69.8% – 194,299 votes
Joe Collins (R): 30.2% – 84,264 votes
California’s 37th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 37th Congressional District:
California’s 37th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California based in Los Angeles County. It includes many neighborhoods west and southwest of Downtown Los Angeles.
The district includes: Culver City, Inglewood, the City of Los Angeles neighborhoods of Mid City, Century City, Beverlywood, View Park-Windsor Hills, Pico-Robertson, Exposition Park, University Park, Vermont Knolls, West Adams, Leimert Park, Jefferson Park, Vermont Square, Ladera Heights, Hyde Park, Crenshaw, and Baldwin Hills.
The district is highly diverse ethnically. Approximately 40% of the district’s residents are Hispanic, while African Americans and whites make up nearly a quarter each.
The district is currently represented by Democrat Sydney Kamlager-Dove; she was elected to the seat in the 2022 midterm elections and took office on January 3, 2023.
As of the 2022 redistricting, California’s 37th congressional district is located in the South Los Angeles region.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 30th district, the 34th district, the 42nd district, and the 43rd district. The 37th, 30th, and 36th are partitioned by Phyllis Ave, N Doheny Dr, N Oakhurst Dr, Burton Way, N Robertson Blvd, 8733 Clifton Way-201 S Le Doux Rd, N San Vicente Blvd, La Cienga Park, S Le Doux Rd, Gregory Way, S Robertson Blvd, Whitworth Dr, Beverly Green Dr, 1271 Beverly Green Dr-1333 Beverly Green Dr, Heath Ave, S Moreno Dr, Highway 2, Century Park W, W Pico Blvd, Patricia Ave, Lorenzo Pl, Monte Mar Dr, Beverwill Dr, Castle Heights Ave, Club Dr, McConnel Dr, National Blvd, Palms Blvd, Overland Ave, Highway 405, W Havelock Ave, S St Nicholas Ave, Ballona Creek and Centinela Creek Channel.
The 37th, 34th, and 42nd, are partitioned by Crenshaw Blvd, W Pico Blvd, S Normandie Ave, Highway 10, Harbor Freeway, E 7th St, S Alameda St, S. Alameda St, E Slauson Ave, S Center Ave, Firestone Blvd-E 90 St.
The 37th and 43rd are partitioned by E 91st St, McKinley Ave, E 88th Pl, Avalon Blvd, E Manchester Ave, S Normandie Ave, W 94th Pl, S Halldale Ave, W Century Blvd, La Salle Ave/S Denker Ave, W 104th St, S Western Ave, W 108th St, S Gramercy Pl, S Van Ness Ave, W 76th St, 8th Ave, W 79th St, S Victoria Ave, W 74th St, West Blvd, W 64th St, S La Brea Ave, 6231 La Brea Ave-Flight Ave, W 64th St, 6404 S Springpark Ave-W Fairview Blvd, and W Centinela Ave.
The 37th district take the city of Culver City, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Jefferson Park, Hyde Park, Ladera, and the north side of Century City.
Ballotpedia posted information about Sydney Kamlager-Dove:
Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 37th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Kamlager (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. She won in the U.S. House to represent California 37th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Kamlager represented California State Assembly District 54 from 2018 to 2021. She won the State Assembly seat in the special primary election on April 4, 2018.
Sydney Kamlager-Dove was born in Chicago, Illinois, and has lived in View Park, California. Kamlager-Dove earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in arts management and public policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Her career experience includes working as the district director for former State Senator Holly J. Mitchell and in the nonprofit, entertainment, education, and government fields. Kamlager-Dove served as the president of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jan Perry:
Jan Perry was a member of the Los Angeles City Council in California, representing District 9. Perry assumed office in 2001. Perry left office in 2013.
Perry (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. Perry lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Jan Perry’s career expertise includes working as the executive director of the infrastructure Funding Alliance and the general manager of the Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD).
Ballotpedia provided information on Daniel Lee:
Daniel Lee (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
California Air National Guard. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California in 2000, a master’s degree in social welfare from the University of California at Los Angeles in 2015, and a doctorate from the University of California in 2021. Lee’s career experience includes working as a project director with the James Lawson Institute, a filmmaker, and an actor. He has served as a mayor and as a board member of Move to Amend, Backbone Campaign, Mockingbird Incubator, and Clean Power Alliance.
Daniel Lee completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Daniel Lee doesn’t take money from corporate PACs, polluters, police, or insurance companies.
If, as so many politicians have said, a budget is a statement of values what then is a donor list? A campaign’s donors should reflect the values that the campaign represents. Too often politicians speak the words of the people while doing the bidding of corporations and moneyed interests.
Daniel is a true progressive who believes in aggressively addressing Environmental Racism and the Climate Crisis with a Just Transition for workers and a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, Reproductive Justice, Diplomacy Focused Foreign Policy, Ending Qualified Immunity, Comprehensive Immigration Reform and implementing a Universal Basic Income.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
We must aggressively address the Climate Crisis while making sure that the legacy of decaying fossil fuels and fossil fuel infrastructure does not endanger the lives of family, friends, and neighbors. Addressing Climate Change should be our #1 priority. Failing to do so will make issues around housing, immigration, income inequality and other issues more difficult to deal with.
Reproductive Justice (RJ) means the human right to control our sexuality, our gender, our work, and our reproduction. That right can only be achieved when all women and girls have the complete economic, social, and political power and resources to make healthy decisions about their bodies, our families, and our communities in all areas of our lives.
Decades of deliberately racist immigration policies by Republicans and Democrats alike have resulted in an utterly broken system that consistently fails asylum seekers and immigrants, both documented and undocumented. We need comprehensive immigration reform NOW.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Addressing the Climate Crisis and Income Inequality are top of mind because failing to do so makes working on other issues harder and exacerbates their effect on US residents. These issues imperil democracy itself. Protecting a person’s right to choose, police reform, protecting voting rights, etc. All of these very worthy policy goals would be undermined by an unlivable world where the anemic economy prevents US residents from fully participating in democracy and generally enjoying life.
Ballotpedia provided information on Sandra Mendoza:
Sandra Mendoza (Democratic Party) ran for election to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. Mendoza lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Mendoza was a special election candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 34th Congressional District of California.
Mendoza was a 2016 Democratic candidate for District 53 of the California State Assembly. She ran unsuccessfully for the same seat in 2014.
Ballotpedia provided information on Chris Champion:
Chris Champion (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. Champion lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Chris Champion’s career experience includes owning a business.
Ballotpedia provided information about Baltazar Fedalizo:
Baltazar Fedalizo (Republican Party) (also known as Bong) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. Fedalizo lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Baltazar Fedalizo lives in Los Angeles, California. Fedalizo served in the U.S. Navy. His career experience includes working as an entrepreneur.
Ballotpedia provided information about Michael Shure:
Michael Shure (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 37th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Michael Shure lives in Los Angeles, California. Shure’s career experience includes working as a journalist.
Michael Shure completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Having covered major news and political events as a respected journalist, Michael Shure deeply understands the inner workings of government, the people who make it work, and what actually doesn’t work.
But this isn’t just about understanding Washington – it is about so much more than that – Michael’s passion for protecting our democracy has led him to take the unusual step of going from reporting the news to running for Congress.
After first moving to L.A. in 1992, Michael has witnessed the struggles and triumphs of the area through the years. Central Los Angeles is incredibly diverse, and his work and life here have helped him to understand the common priorities of all residents.
He has worked as a National Correspondent covering politics and everyday stories for CNN, i24, Cheddar News, Al Jazeera America, News Nation, and Al Gore’s Current TV. As a founding member of the L.A. based Young Turks, Michael became known as “Epic Politics Man” for his deep knowledge of government and politics.
Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Addressing the Homeless Crisis Radical action is needed in this crisis, and it is needed right now. Everyone’s quality of life is being challenged. We must immediately reverse the trends and get our unhoused brothers and sisters off the streets and into places that will provide for their and everyone’s safety, security, and stability. It will take involvement from all levels of government to finally achieve meaningful change. Mental health desperately needs to be elevated to a societal priority needing renewed attention. I will commit to tackling the other root causes of homelessness with immediate actions to ensure everyone in Los Angeles can live a life with safety and dignity.
Protecting Democracy and Voting Rights: January 6th was the tip of the iceberg – I know this because my work has taken me across the country for years, listening to Americans about this growing crisis and telling those stories. In Congress, I will support the work of the January 6th Committee and hold accountable anyone who. threatens our democratic rights. Our democracy faces a clear and present existential threat – I can’t stress enough about how dangerous this moment is in our nation’s history. For young voters, for the elderly, for minorities, and for our newest citizens, we must fight for strong protections. In Congress, I will fight tirelessly to make sure the John Lewis Voting Rights Act becomes law.
Establishing Affordable Housing and a Fair Cost of Living: The people of this District work hard, yet all over Los Angeles, we know that the cost of housing and living must become more affordable. Inflation is a major concern in our communities, so in Congress, I will work to bring down the cost of gas and groceries to relieve the pressure on our families. My Small Business Infrastructure bill will have measures to strengthen our local jobs market, and more jobs mean better wages for everyone. I will work with all levels of government to support the immediate construction of affordable housing and ensure that L.A’s homelessness crisis is treated as the national issue it is.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Michael Shure is a leader who knows how to listen. As a reporter, he’s heard what is important to Central L.A. and now he’s ready to take your story to Congress and fight for a better future for all of us.
Michael is committed to ending homelessness, defending our democracy and our voting rights, and ensuring District 37 has the jobs and prosperity needed for affordable housing and a fair cost of living. In Congress he will fight for a woman’s right to choose, and urgent action for climate justice.
June 7: KFI posted an article titled: “Kamlager, Perry, Culver City Mayor Seeking to Succeed Bass in Congress” From the article:
Sen. Sydney Kamlager, former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry and Culver City Mayor Daniel W. Lee are among the five Democrats in Tuesday’s 37th Congressional District primary seeking the two spots on the general election ballot in the race to succeed Rep. Karen Bass.
Bass, D-Los Angeles, opted to run for mayor of Los Angeles instead of running for a seventh term representing the predominantly Democratic district that stretches from South Los Angeles to Culver City. She has endorsed Kamlager.
Kamlager said she is focused on “expanding voting rights,” “reproductive justice,” “health care for all,” “criminal justice reform focused on diversion, redemption and rehabilitation,” “job creation to create economic justice and opportunities for all communities” and “innovative investment in housing.”…
Kamlager said she is focused on “expanding voting rights,” “reproductive justice,” “health care for all,” “criminal justice reform focused on diversion, redemption and rehabilitation,” “job creation to create economic justice and opportunities for all communities” and “innovative investment in housing.”…
Perry pledged that, if elected, her top priorities as a congresswoman would be “preserving the environment, improving education, stopping an alarming increase in violent crime, expanding access to affordable, quality health care, and ensuring that America pursues a foreign policy that is sane, just, and maintains our strong support for our allies.”
Perry served on the Los Angeles City Council from 2001-13. She unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2013 after being prohibited from running for re- election and the Second District seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2020.
Perry was general manager of the Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department from 2013-2018.
Perry’s endorsements includes Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and former Rep. Diane Watson, D-Los Angeles, who represented the district from 2001 -11.
Lee describes himself as “a true progressive who believes in aggressively addressing environmental racism and the climate crisis with just a transition for workers and a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, reproductive justice, diplomacy focused foreign policy, ending qualified immunity, comprehensive immigration reform and implementing a universal basic income.”
Lee became the first Black elected to the Culver City Council in 2018 and became mayor in 2021 in the rotation system among the five council members. He has a doctorate in social work from USC and a master’s degree in social welfare from UCLA…
June 8: ABC7 posted an article titled: “Election 2022: From mayor to sheriff, here are latest results in SoCal’s key local races” From the article: ABC7 posted an article titled: “Election 2022: From mayor to sheriff, here are latest results in SoCal’s key local races” From the article:
…Jan Perry served on the Los Angeles City Council for 12 years before being termed out of office. In her current campaign, the accomplishments she touts include her leadership on projects such as LA Live, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, and the new Police Administrative Building.
She is hoping to fill the congressional seat of Rep. Karen Bass, who is running for mayor of Los Angeles.
Perry’s opponents include state Sen. Sydney Kamlager, who last year received two-thirds of the vote in a seven-candidate field to win the special election for the then-vacant 30th Senate District seat…
Bass endorsed Kamlager, who also won the backing of other prominent House Democrats, including Rep. Adam B. Schiff of Burbank. Perry has been endorsed by Rep. Maxine Waters, a powerhouse in Black politics in Los Angeles.
Given the two district’s overwhelming Democratic tilt, neither contest is expected to be a major focus of the national parties in the general election…
Kamlager, D-Baldwin Hills, was elected to the state Senate in a 2021 special election to succeed Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, after serving in the Assembly since 2018. Kamlager was a member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees from 2015-18.
Kamlager has also been endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, Mitchell and fellow Supervisor Shelia Kuehl and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank.
Perry, also a Democrat, pledged that, if elected, her top priorities as a congresswoman would be “preserving the environment, improving education, stopping an alarming increase in violent crime, expanding access to affordable, quality health care, and ensuring that America pursues a foreign policy that is sane, just, and maintains our strong support for our allies.”
June 10: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Garcia, Kamlager and Mahmood advance to general election in three California House races” From the article:
…Kamlager is expected to compete with former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, a fellow Democrat, in the fall to represent one of three California congressional districts represented by Black politicians.
The 37th Congressional District, which includes South Los Angeles, Leimert Park, Ladera Heights and part of Culver City, is an open seat because Rep. Karen Bass opted to run for mayor of Los Angeles. The district is solidly blue: Democrats have a 59-percentage-point voter registration edge over Republicans.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 77:
Sydney Kamlager (D): 43.7% – 42,638 votes
Jan Perry (D): 18.5% – 17,993 votes
Daniel Lee (D): 17.9% – 17,414 votes
Sandra Mendoza (D): 8.2% – 8,017 votes
Chris Champion (R): 5.6% – 5,469 votes
Baltazar Fedalizo (R): 3.6% – 3,520 votes
Michael Shure (R): 2.5% – 2,469 votes
November 5: KFI posted an article titled: “Kamlager, Perry Square Off in Race to Succeed Bass in Congress” From the article:
State Sen. Sydney Kamlager and former Los Angeles Councilwoman Jan Perry will face off Tuesday in a bid to replace Los Angeles mayoral candidate Karen Bass representing the 37th Congressional District.
Kamlager topped a field of seven candidates in the June primary to punch her ticket to Tuesday’s general election, with Perry narrowly besting Culver City Mayor Daniel W. Lee to claim the second spot.
Bass has endorsed Kamlager to represent the predominantly Democratic district that stretches from South Los Angeles to Culver City.
Kamlager said she is focused on “expanding voting rights,” “reproductive justice,” “health care for all,” “criminal justice reform” focused on diversion, redemption and rehabilitation,” “job creation to create economic justice for all communities” and “innovative investment in housing.”
November 11: Daily Trojan posted an article titled: “Kamlager wins 37th congressional district” From the article:
Sydney Kamlager won the election for the U.S. Representative of California’s 37th congressional district, which includes the area surrounding USC. The Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune and the New York Times called the race around noon Thursday – 40 hours after the polls in California had closed on Election Day. Kamlager defeated fellow Democrat Jan Perry in a “top two” general election by winning approximately 61.4% of the district vote, though at time of publication, only 44% of votes had been tallied…
..Kamlager’s office did not respond to the Daily Trojan’s request for comment. Her Twitter account posted in celebration Thursday, referencing the Associated Press calling the race.
“This just popped up on my feed…” the account wrote. “Looks like the Associated Press has called the race for CA’s 37th Congressional District. We have a . y’all… and are heading to Congress!”
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 37:
Sydney Kamlager (D): 64.0% – 84,338 votes
Jan Perry (D): 36.0% – 47,542 votes
California’s 38th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 38th District:
California’s 38th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in suburban eastern Los Angeles County and Orange County, California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Linda Sánchez.
The district covers several cities in southeastern Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley areas including the cities of: Diamond Bar, Industry, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Walnut, and Whittier.
As well as the unincorporated communities of: Rowland Heights, Hacienda Heights, Los Nietos, East Whittier, North Whittier, and South Whittier.
A small portion of Pomona and the Orange County city of La Habra are also included in the district. The major cities generally reflect a Hispanic majority, while Diamond Bar and Walnut have an Asian-American majority.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 38th congressional district is located in Southern California. It takes up part of Southeast Los Angeles County and the city of La Habra in Orange County.
Eaglemont Dr, Oakman Dr, Arciero Dr, Grossmont Dr, Workman Mill Rd, Bunbury Dr, Fontenoy Ave, Ankerton, Whittier Woods Circle, Union Pacific Railroad, San Gabriel Freeway, N Peck Rd, Mission Mill Rd, E Walnut Dr N, Nogales St, E Walnut City Parkland, San Bernardino Freeway, Fairplex Dr, Via Verde, Puddingstone Reservoir, McKinley Ave, N Whittle Ave, Arrow Highway, Fulton Rd, and Foothill Blvd.
The 38th, 34th, and 42nd are partitioned by Simmons Ave, W Beverly Blvd, Via Corona St, Repetto Ave, Allston St, W Northside Dr, Yates Ave, E Acco St, 6866 E Washington Blvd-2808 Vail Ave, S 14th St, AT & SF Railway, Church Rd, Telegraph Rd, Rio Hondo River, Veterans Memorial Park, Suva St, Guatemala Ave, Shady Oak Dr, Coolgrove Dr, Gallatian Rd, Samoline Ave, Paramount Blvd, Arrington Ave, Suva St, Charloma Dr, Lubet St, Highway 5, and the San Gabriel River.
The 38th district takes in the cities of Whittier, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Diamond Bar, La Mirada, Walnut, Santa Fe Springs, as well as the census-designated place Hacienda Heights.
Ballotpedia provided information about Linda Sánchez:
Linda Sánchez (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 38th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Sánchez (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 38th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
She served California’s 39th Congressional District from 2003 to 2013 and California’s 38th Congressional District from 2013 to present.
Linda is a co-founder of the Labor and Working Families Caucus and serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means. Sánchez also served on the Select Committee on Benghazi.
Sánchez was born in Orange, California as the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She earned her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1995.
Linda Sánchez did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. On October 5, 2022, she answered questions that The Orange County Register compiled. Here are some of the questions she answered:
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that could give legislatures greater influence over federal election rules. What do you see as the role states play in elections, even federal contests, and should there be a limit to that power?
States play a critical role in protecting access to the ballot box and ensuring free and fair elections. State courts act as a nonpartisan check and balance when state legislatures attempt to exert undue power over federal elections. Without the court’s oversight, state legislatures would be free to politicize the American electoral process, even if doing so violates voters’ constitutional protections. The decision could open the door for state legislatures across the country to change eligibility requirements for federal elections and dismantle protections against partisan gerrymandering.
Do you support additional mandates to force businesses and residents to move toward cleaner energy? If so, what’s one such mandate you would support? And if not, what would be your plan to help accelerate the move to cleaner energy?
We are already witnessing the devastating effects of climate change, which is why I am fighting in Congress for policies that encourage businesses to move towards clean energy. As a senior member of the Ways and means Committee, I am fighting for a tax code that makes clean energy as affordable and accessible for working families and small businesses as it is for multinational corporations.
What is one specific piece of legislation you would introduce or support in 2023 to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which I am fighting to pass in the House of Representatives, would represent the single largest climate investment in our nation’s history by incentivizing electric vehicles and clean energy for working families and businesses, reducing carbon emissions, by roughly 40% by 2030. To build on this foundation, I will work to reduce local pollution by supporting the deployment of clean renewable fuels for heavy-duty vehicles and ensure the federal government has the authority to meet our international commitment to reduce our carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Meeting this commitment is critical to achieving the international cooperation needed to avert the worst scenarios of climate change.
(Note: Congresswoman Linda Sánchez submitted her questionnaire on August 10. The president signed the Inflation Reduction Act on Aug. 16.)…
Ballotpedia provided information on Eric Ching:
Eric Ching (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 38th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Eric Ching was born in Taipei Taiwan. He earned a high school diploma from Alhambra High School and a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Los Angeles in 1995. His career experience includes working as an IT professional. He has been associated with the Waynu Foundation, Pastor Prayer Network, and City Blessing Church.
Eric Ching completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
While we may all have different political, religious, or social views, we all share a common interest to pursue a better future.
As a first-generation immigrant, successful businessman, father, and man of faith, I have a proven track record as Mayor and council member, making the City of Walnut one of the best cities to live in.
As your congressman, I will improve the economy, secure the border, protect our unborn, advocate for education, and defend our constitution. Because God and you come first.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about you goals for your time in office?
You First, I serve God and I serve you. Your interests come first.
Safety, Economy, and Education are the fundamentals to a better future, and I will ensure these keys for all.
As a first-generation immigrant, America is my country and I want all to have their American Dream!
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am personally passionate about defending The Constitution and our civil rights.
Ballotpedia posted information about John Sarega:
John Sarega (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 38th Congressional District. Sarega lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
John Sarega’s career experience includes owning a business and working as a pastor.
April 18: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Elections 2022: Get to Know Linda Sánchez, two more candidates in 38th District race” From the article:
Democratic Rep. Linda Sánchez is the heavy favorite to win an eleventh term in Congress this year, representing a solidly blue district that’s mostly in east Los Angeles County plus a slice of Orange County.
But first, she’s facing two Republican challengers in the June 7 primary who each have some local name recognition. Walnut Mayor Eric Ching has one election in his city three times. And business owner Ion “John” Sarega has made at least three failed bids for office and remains politically active in his hometown of La Mirada, where his son sits on the City Council.
Because the two candidates with the most votes in the primary will advance to the general election, one of those challengers is likely to face Sánchez in November, when voters will decide who represents the 38th District for the next two years.
The district isn’t as Democrat-heavy as it used to be. During recent redistricting, CA-38 picked up likely GOP voters, losing Cypress and Cerritos to the south while picking up most of La Habra, Walnut, and Diamond Bar to the east. But the center of the district remains Sánchez’s hometown of Whittier, and Democrats still hold a 26 point voter registration advantage over Republicans. That, combined with the name recognition and financial strategies Sánchez brings to the table, has forecasters calling her seat safe.
Sánchez, 51, was born in Orange to parents who immigrated from Mexico. She worked as a bilingual aide as she put herself through law school at UCLA. Before she was elected to office in 2022 to represent what was then the 39th District, Sánchez’s legal practice was focused on working with organized labor. She’s now in her 10th term in Congress, having easily won re-election in 2020 against one Democratic challenger.
Sánchez was in the running to become House Democratic Caucus chair in 2018. But she withdrew her name after learning after her husband, James Sullivan, had been indicted over allegations that he and former colleagues on the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative had diverted more than $1 million in federal funds for pricey golfing excursions and trips to the Kentucky Derby. Sánchez was a guest on at least one of those trips, while her husband was also accused of using some of the funds to visit her…
…Sánchez filed for divorce from her husband late last year, per her staff. In December Sullivan was convicted of theft of federal funds. He’s appealing the ruling but facing up to 10 years in prison…
…Ching, 55, has managed a telecommunications business for more than 30 years. Asked to sum up his career and personal highlights, Ching said: “Christ Follower, father, public servant, victim’s advocate, entrepreneur.”
His wife died in a car accident in 2017, and Ching has been raising their teenage daughters.
He got his start in politics in 2012 when he first ran for Walnut City Council. He’s now in his 10th year on the council, including two stints as mayor of the east L.A. County city. Ching also served as president of the Chinese American Association of Walnut and regularly volunteers for local churches and nonprofits.
Ching’s CA-38 campaign is focused on border security, the right to bear arms, being tough on crime, opposing affirmative action and supporting parent choice in education. When asked how he’d measure his success in office, he pointed to his time on the Walnut City Council as an example…
During a 2018 bid for state Senate, Sarega finished in fifth place, with 9.7% of the vote.
The commercial property owner and pastor came in fifth among seven candidates for three seats on the La Mirada City Council in 2015, when he campaigned on plans to be business friendly, make meetings more accessible and improve public property. He’s also touted that he’s “not a politically correct guy,” with that brash style regularly on display at La Mirada City Council meetings.
November 8: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Early return shows Rep. Linda Sanchez poised for reelection in California’s 38th congressional district” From the article:
Rep. Linda Sánchez appears to be heading back to congress.
Ballot counts released late Tuesday, Nov. 8, show the 10-term Democrat from Norwalk with a significant lead over challenger Eric Ching, R-Walnut, in the race for California’s 38th congressional district. Votes counted over the next few days will alter the final outcome, but they’re unlikely to change the early result…
…State data shows the seat is deeply blue, with Democrats accounting for 48.5% of all the district’s registered voters, versus 23.5% who favor no party and slightly less, 22.1% who choose the GOP.
During her 20-year stint in Congress, Sanchez has become one of the more powerful Latinas in American politics, sitting on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which helps guide tax legislation.
Her stances on most issues match up with progressive Democrat policies. In July, she voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2022, which sought to legalize abortion nationally. Previously, she has supported gun control, clean energy and expanding family leave, among other things…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 38:
Linda Sánchez (D): 58.7% – 58,586 votes
Eric Ching (R): 30.5% – 30,436 votes
John Sarega (R): 10.8% – 10,768 votes
June 8: San Gabriel Valley Tribune posted an article titled: “2022 Election: Updated 38th District primary results show Linda Sánchez, Eric Ching in lead” From the article:
Ten-term Democratic Rep. Linda Sánchez and GOP challenger Eric Ching, who’s mayor of Walnut, predictably held onto first and second place as vote counts were updated Wednesday for the 38th District race.
Republican business owner Ion “John” Sarega trailed in third place in early results…
…Sánchez, of Whittier, is heavily favored to ultimately win an 11th term in a district where Democrats have a 26-point advantage in voter registration. She’s a member of the influential Ways and Means Committee and has been a leader on immigration reform. And she’s raised nearly $1 million this cycle with a campaign focused on issues such as reproductive rights, worker rights, and affordable healthcare.
Ching has raised just under $100,000. His campaign has focused on border security, the right to bear arms, being tough on crime and supporting parent choice in education.
Sarega hasn’t reported any fundraising and didn’t respond to requests for information about his platform.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 38:
Linda Sánchez (D): 58.1% – 101,260 votes
Eric Ching (R): 41.9% – 73,051 votes
California’s 39th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 39th Congressional District
California’s 39th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California. The district includes parts of Riverside County, including Jurupa Valley, Riverside, Moreno Valley, and Perris. The district has been represented by Democrat Mark Takano ever since he was redistricted from the 41st congressional district in 2022.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 39th congressional district was geographically shifted to the Inland Empire in Southern California. Its is within the western region of Riverside County.
Riverside County is split between this district and the 41st district. They are partitioned by the Corona Freeway, River Trails Park, Redley Substation Rd, Arlington Ave, Alhambra Ave, Golden Ave, Doheny Blvd, Bolivar St, Campbell Ave, Pierce St, Quantico Dr, Collett Ave, Buchanan St, Highway 91, 12397 Doherty Way-Magnola Ave, BNSF Railroad, N McKinley St, N Temescal St, E 16th St, S Neece St, Indiana Ave, Skyridge Dr, Filmore St, 2969 Filmore St-La Sierra Ave, Cleveland Ave, McAlister Parkway, Corsica Ave, Hermosa Dr, John F. Kennedy Dr, Wood Rd, Colt St, Dauchy Ave, Van Burn Blvd, Bobbit Ave, Chicago Ave, Krameria Ave, 16519 Sendero del Charro-Mariposa Ave, Barton St, Cole Ave, Rider St, Greenwood Ave, Kabian Park, Goetz Park, Ethanac Rd, McLaughlin Rd, Sherman Rd, Tumble Rd, Watson Rd, Escondido Expressway, Springs Rd, Moreno Valley Freeway, Quincy St, Cloud Haven Dr, Holly Ct, Reche Vista Dr, Reche Canyon Rd, and Keissel Rd.
The 39th district takes in the cities of Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley, Perris, and Riverside, as well as thecensus-designated places Mead Valley.
Ballotpedia posted information about California’s 39th congressional District:
Mark Takano (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 39th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2025.
Takano (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Takano was first elected to the seat in 2012. Takano has served on the Board of Trustees of the Riverside Community College District since 1990.
In his 2018 re-election bid, Mark Takano defeated Republican Aja Smith by a vote of 65 percent to 35 percent. From 2021 to 2018, Takano consistently captured between 56.6 and 65 percent of the vote in each general election he ran in.
As of 2019, Takano was a co-chair of the Equality Caucus, and vice chair of the Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Ballotpedia posted information about Aja Smith:
Aja Smith (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Smith was a Republican candidate for the same seat in 2018. She lost the general election on November 6, 2018.
Aja Smith served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree from the California Baptist University in business administration and management in 2005.
Ballotpedia posted information about Bill Spinney:
Bill Spinney (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Hoise to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. Spinney lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Bill Spinney lives in Jurupa Valley, California. Spinney earned a degree in electrical engineering. His career experience includes working as an engineer and business manager in the tech industry.
Ballotpedia posted information about Tony Moreno:
Tony Moreno (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. Moreno lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia posted information about Art Peterson:
Art Peterson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Art Peterson was born in Glyndon, Minnesota. Peterson served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1947 to 1995. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University in 1947, a graduate degree from the University of Southern California in 1948, and a PhD. from the University of Minnesota in 1962. Peterson’s career experience includes serving as the president of the Thunderbird Global School of Management. He has been affiliated with the Rotary and Kiwanis organizations.
Art Peterson filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself?
My extensive career of public service has been centered in higher education and in elected and appointed government office. Taught a wide variety of Political Science courses for a period of 20 years and subsequently spent a similar amount of time as a college dean and president in such institutions as Ohio Wesleyan University, Eckert College and Thunderbird: The Global School of Management. I served as an elected member of the Wisconsin and Montana State legislatures for multiple terms and accepted numerous appointments from mayors, governors ans presidents (such as the Chair of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and The National Council on the Humanities).
I served as an enlisted man in U.S. Navy during World War II and as a combat U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Captain, during Korea after which I became an Atomic Bacteriologist, Chemical Weapons Officer. I was privileged to help hundreds of underprivileged young people in the Riverside County area who had become involved in gangs and drugs transform themselves into successful professionals in the Aviation industry. Some of these young people I personally commissioned as Marine Corps Officers.
I am very proud of my son who was named the “American Autism Parent of the year” and of my daughter who has served for 20 years as a teacher of “Special Needs” children. I have been lay-minister in my own church and worked for three years as Dean In the Buddhist University of the West in Rosemead.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
To reverse raging inflation, gas-groceries;
To effectively manage chaotic southern border crossing;
Understand and effectively deal with threats to our national interests from China, Russia and Iran.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Foreign policy, civil rights and economic policy.
Ballotpedia posted information about John Minnella:
John Minnella (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
John Minnella was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. Minnella served in the U.S. Army from 1964 to 1970. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1970 and a Juris Doctor from Western State University College of Law in 1975. Minnella’s career experience includes owning JL Minnella & Associates Consultancy.
John Minnella completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
40+ years: significant local, federal & foreign government experience. Strong, principled, clear, consistent, honest, conservative, patriotic, and dedicated to school choice and parental education control, US Constitution, Judeo-Christian values & conservative Republican principles.
Owner: JL Minnella & Assocs. Consultancy. Past Dean: ILA Polytechnic Institute; Law Instructor: UC Irvine; LAUSD HS Civics, History, Government Teacher. 40+ years international refugee, immigration and business experience (especially Nigeria, Cambodia, Mexico/Central America, Balkans, Iran).
Persistant/indefatigable advocate for protection of local communities as President, Residents Assoc. of Greater Lake Mathews (RAGLM).
Army veteran. Commander, American Legion District 29. Member: American Legion Post 132, American Veterans United. United Mexican American Veterans Association, Association of the US Army, National Republican Lawyers Association, Bar of Attorneys of Nicaragua, International Bar Association, National Italian American Bar Association, St. James the Less Church, Knights of Columbus, St. Thomas More Society, Latin American Studies Association (past), Minority Business Council of O.C. (past V.P.) Admitted: Supreme Court of Nicaragua.
Married, father of 6, grandfather of 2. Homeowner. Spanish Fluent, rusty Italian & German.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Reverse inflation, crime & homelessness. Unlimited government spending must be ended. Return to the economic growth & employment opportunities of the prior Administration. Support law enforcement financially & publicly. Better allocate Homeless funding efforts & programs from overpriced “housing” to mental health facilities.
Secure our borders. Complete the border fence. Enforce current immigration laws. Provide more immigrant visas for non-priority, ordinary immigrants. Deport criminals only after they have completed their USA prison terms.
Restore & ensure parental rights & control of the education of their children. Advocate for understanding & appreciation of Western Civilization & American system of government. Oppose advocacy of critical race in schools. Advocate for school choice/voucher systems. Support parental efforts to control child education.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
1)Support our US Constitution, especially the First (free speech) & Second (right to bear arms & self-defense) Amendments. 2) Restoration of USA energy self-sufficiency by restoring energy production & drilling & ending the Democrats’ war on fossil fuel & oil & gas producers. 3) Advocacy of tribal self-sufficiency. 4) Protect senior citizens from inflation. 5) Expansion of VA Health Care (especially traumatic rehabilitation) Education & Other Benefits for Veterans, including National Guard. 6) Ensure international peace by the projection of USA power & determination. 7) Advocate for America First policies in foreign relations & affairs. 8) Advocate for emergency/priority Power Grid Protection from EMP attack. 9) Advocate for improved health care coverage & affordability including dental & mental health benefits. 10) Honor, respect & protect law enforcement & military service profession & work. Work to remove “woke” prosecutors. 11) Advocate for required Voter Photo Identification. 12) Oppose partisan use of FBI, DEA & US Justice Dept. 13) Stop political purge & “woke” purification of Armed Forces. 14) Oppose federalization of police & of voting. 15) Support presumption of innocence of accused local law enforcement officers 16) Encourage USA manufacturer of prescription drugs. 17) Support & defend border patrol officers. 18) Bar deportation of non-violent honorably discharged veterans. 19) Complete border wall & end illegal entry.
Ballotpedia posted information about Emmanuel Suarez:
Emmanuel Suarez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 39th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Emmanuel Suarez was born in Fontana, California. Suarez earned an associate degree from Chaffey Jr. College in 2000. His career experience includes working as a pool man as a caretaker.
Emmanuel Suarez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
My name is Emmanuel L Suarez. I’m a Third generation Hispanic American born in the United States. I’m blessed to be married to my wife of 27 years, who immigrated from Mexico. I have two children, 25 and 17. I have a degree from Chaffey Community College and have certificates in Electronics and computers. I worked various trades from Electronics, computers, federal service as an officer for 13yrs, ran a pool service business, and caretaker for our Autistic son. I know the hard road many Americans have to take, from the 70+ hours work week just to make a living, to leave a job for an uncertain direction, or staying put when everything seems helpless. I understand having to sleep in your car waiting for your shift or saving small amounts of change hoping it will last until the next paycheck. Through hard times it was my faith and family that carried me. Life experiences from childhood through adulthood taught me to take what you are given and fight back. I gained the determination to stand and fight for my faith, my family, my values, and my country. Freedom is not free, life can be tough, I know firsthand the greatness that boils inside the great Melting pot we call the United States of American. I am blessed for the opportunities America has offered my family. I was raised to speak up when something’s not right it’s time to say something. to learn more about me go to http://www.poolmanforcongress.com
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Overspending is overburdening our country; we are putting our kids and grandchildren in debt forever. Rather than make tough decisions, Washington insists on Taxing and spending its way out of the problems rather than refusing to fix the problem while showing little care and discipline in spending taxpayer money. Spending in the economy is best left to the private sector and businesses. Businesses are more efficient in spending than governments. They need to show profits or face the tangible outcome of bankruptcy. Wasteful spending weakens economic growth and the burden on the shoulders of hard-working Americans and small businesses in the form of higher taxes.
Law Enforcement has been an intricate part of keeping our communities strong and safe. I support our Law Enforcement to protect our communities and reject the notion of ‘De-funding the police’. Our communities are overwhelmingly safer with police than without them. De-funding, dissolving or drastically reorganizing our police forces Have led to huge increases in crime. People and business communities are now hostages as crime has increased significantly. High crime has contributed to a considerable loss of jobs. As businesses have packed up and left, people have moved to other states. I will work so first responders have the support and tools to keep our communities safe while peacefully protecting the right to assemble.
America was considered energy independent on his first day in office; Joe Biden canceled the Keystone XL Pipeline’s building. He stopped the drilling on energy-rich federal land; the result was a loss of tens of thousands of jobs, and Gas prices have been increasing ever since. In the wake of the Russian war with Ukraine, Democrats have credited the continued increases in fuel prices Americans have to pay to the Russian invasion. Rather than re-establish the once Keystone Project and opening up federal land again for drilling, Biden has sought to purchase oil from other countries, such as Venezuela, to was the price at the gas pump. Democrats continue their push their Green New Deal, which will only add to the federal debt.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I strive for California to become the state it was when I was a child. the hub of technological innovation, A place people enjoy, can raise a family, A place where people see opportunity to become greet rather than having to flee to other states. A place where you can buy a home without the fear of losing it to because of taxes. A place where you can find a job and make a living enjoying life rather than being able to barley just survive. I will work to stop government overreach as regulating business suffer from overregulation and crippling taxes. we need to see that Our children’s education needs are met, parents need to have school choice to ensure the future of our country secure through our children. We need to fight to ensure every American whether born or unborn rights are protected, I am against the use of as politicians say reproductive health care which is a nice way of saying murder of innocent children’s lives, American needs to protect those who cannot speak for themselves. As crime is increasing we need to ensure our 2nd amendment rights are protected, with each passing day we come closer to losing those rights. it is the 2nd amendment that helps to ensure our other rights are not taken from us.
I strive for California to become the state it was when I was a child. the hub of technological innovation, A place people enjoy, can raise a family, A place where people see opportunity to become greet rather than having to flee to other states. A place where you can buy a home without the fear of losing it to because of taxes. A place where you can find a job and make a living enjoying life rather than being able to barley just survive. I will work to stop government overreach as regulating business suffer from overregulation and crippling taxes. we need to see that Our children’s education needs are met, parents need to have school choice to ensure the future of our country secure through our children. We need to fight to ensure every American whether born or unborn rights are protected, I am against the use of as politicians say reproductive health care which is a nice way of saying murder of innocent children’s lives, American needs to protect those who cannot speak for themselves. As crime is increasing we need to ensure our 2nd amendment rights are protected, with each passing day we come closer to losing those rights. it is the 2nd amendment that helps to ensure our other rights are not taken from us.
Mark Takano (D): 57.1% – 44,067 votes
Aja Smith (R): 12.6% – 9,741 votes
Bill Spinny (R): 9.6% – 7,421 votes
Tony Moreno (R): 7.2% – 5,527 votes
Art Peterson (R): 6.6% – 5,081 votes
John Minnella (R): 4.7% – 3,662 votes
Emmanuel Suarez (R): 2.1% – 1,600 votes
Aja Smith posted information about herself on her Aja Smith Veteran For Congress website:
TSgt. Aja Smith (Vet) has dedicated her career to serving he country. Following in the footsteps of her family, Aja decided at a young age that she wanted to help preserve the great freedoms that our country was founded upon.
Aja grew up in Moreno Valley, California and was raised by both her mother and grandmother who worked long hours as nurses, providing for Aja and ensuring she had every opportunity that her peers had. Both of Aja’s Grandparents served in the U.S. Military. Her Grandfather was a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Her great uncle was a Tuskegee Airman pilot.
In 2002, Aja joined the United States Air Force Reserve. In 2007, she was deployed to Qatar and stationed at Al-Udeid Air Force Base during Operation Enduring Freedom.
The 41st district consists largely of blue-collar workers. March Air Force Base long fueled the local economy and provided jobs for local residents. After base realignment, cities like Moreno Valley were devastated economically when March became a Reserve Base. Aja Smith will fight to ensure that March Air Reserves Base does not close down and suffer the horrible economic effects. It is essential that we find employment for our veterans and continue to bring jobs back to the Inland Empire.
If elected, Aja would become the first African-American female Republican to serve in Congress from California.
Mark Takano posted his Biography on his House.gov website:
For more than twenty years, Mark Takano has worked to improve the lives of Riverside County residents, both as an elected official and as a teacher at Rialto High School.
Born and raised in Riverside, Mark’s commitment to public service began at an early age. His family roots in Riverside go back to his grandparents who, along with his parents, were removed from their respective homes and sent to Japanese American Internment camps during World War II. After the war, these two families settled in Riverside County to rebuild their lives.
Mark attended La Sierra High School in the Alvord Unified School District, and in 1979 he graduated as the school’s valedictorian. Mark attended Harvard College and received his bachelor’s degree in Government in 1983. As a student, he bussed tables to help make ends meet. During his senior year, he organized a transcontinental bicycle ride to benefit the international development agency Oxfam America.
Upon graduation, Mark returned home to Riverside and began teaching in the Rialto Unified School District in 1988. As a classroom teacher, Mark confronted the challenges in our public education system daily.
In 1990, Mark was elected to the Riverside Community College District’s Board of Trustees. At RCC, Mark worked with Republicans and Democrats to improve higher education for young people and job training opportunities for adults seeking to learn a new skill or start a new career. He was elected Board President in 1991 and helped the Board and the District gain stability and direction amid serious fiscal challenges.
In 2012, Mark became the first openly gay person of color to be elected to Congress.
Mark Takano represents the people of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Jurupa Valley and Perris in the United States House of Representatives. He serves as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and as a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee.
As former Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Mark authored the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or the Honoring of our PACT Act, comprehensive toxic exposure legislation that addresses the full scope of issues affecting toxic-exposed veterans’ access to VA care and benefits. The Honoring our PACT Act expanded VA healthcare eligibility for over 3.5 million veterans exposed to burn pits, established a presumption of service connection for over 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers, and also eliminated the requirement that veterans prove exposure to toxic substances – a requirement that has often prevented many from accessing the care and benefits they have earned and deserve.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the U.S. House California District 39:
Mark Takano (D): 57.8% – 75,896 votes
Aja Smith (R): 42.3% – 55,701 votes
California’s 40th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 40th Congressional District:
California’s 40th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. Sate of California, encompassing Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. The district is currently represented by Republican Young Kim. It was one of the 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican in 2022.
The district includes Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Orange, Chino Hills, Tustin, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Villa Park, Lake Forest, the unincorporated communities of North Tustin and Coto de Cana, and parts of Brea and Corona.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 40th congressional district is located in Southern California. It takes up the majority of northern and eastern Orange County, and parts of San Bernardino and western Riverside Counties.
Orange County is split between this district, the 38th district, the 45th district, the 46th district, the 47th district, and the 49th district. The 40th and 45th are partitioned by Orange Freeway, E Lambert Rd, Sunrise Rd, Foothill Ln, Wandering Ln, N Associated Rd, E Birch St, S Valencia Ave, La Plaza Dr, La Floresta Dr, La Crescent Dr, Highway 90, 1053 E Imperial Highway-343 Tolbert St, Vesuvius Dr, Rose Dr, Wabash Ave, 6th St, Golden Ave, Carbon Canyon Creek, E Yorba Linda Blvd, Jefferson St, 1401 Zion Ave-N Van Burn St, Buena Vista Ave, 17225 Orange Blossom Ln-1480 E Howard Pl, 17511 Pine Cir-Orchard Dr, Mariposa Ave, Lakeview Ave, E Miraloma Ave, Fee-Ana St, Sierra Madre Cir, E Orangethorpe Ave, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Kensington Ave, N Kraemer Blvd, Carbon Creek, and E La Jolla St.
The 40th and 46th are partitioned by E La Palma Ave, E Jackson Ave, E Frontera St, Santa Ana River, Riverside Freeway, Costa Mesa Freeway, N Tustin St, E Meats Ave, N Orange Olive Rd, Garden Grove Freeway, 16909 Donwest-16791 E Main St, E Chestnut Ave, 16283 E Main St-717 S Lyon St, E McFadden Ave, and Warner Ave.
The 40th, 47th, and 49th are partitioned by Barranca Parkway, Jamboree Rd, Warner Ave, Harvard Ave, Myford Rd, Highway 5, Loma Ridge Nature Preserve, Bee Canyon Access Rd, Portola Parkway, Highway 133, Highway 241, Bake Parkway, San Diego Freeway, Ridge Route Dr, Moulton Parkway, Santa Maria Ave, Via Vista, Alta Vis, Santa Vittoria Dr, Avenida del Sol, Punta Alta, Galle Azul, Bahia Blanca W, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Highway S18, Aliso & Wood Canyons, Alicia Parkway, Pacific Park Dr, San Joaquin Hills Trans Corridor, Cabot Rd, San Diego Freeway, Via Escolar, Arroyo Trabuco Creek, Oso Parkway, Thomas F Riley Wilderness Park, and Ronald W Caspar’s Wilderness Park. The 40th takes in the cities of Tustin, Yorba Linda, Lake Forest, Laguna Woods, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, and eastern Orange, as well as the census-designated place North Tustin.
San Bernardino County is split between this district and the 35th district. They are partitioned by Chino Valley Freeway, Eucalyptus Ave, Peyton Dr, Highway 142, Tupelo Ave, Hazelwood Dr, Pipeline Ave, Los Serranos Blvd, Country Club Dr, Soquel Canyon Parkway, Elinvar Dr, Sapphire Rd, Onyx Rd, Copper Rd, Slate Dr, Butterfield Ranch Rd, and Pine Ave. The 40th district takes in the city of Chino Hills.
Ballotpedia posted information about Young Kim:
Young Kim (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 40th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Kim (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 5, 2024.
Kim was a 2018 candidate for California’s 39th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Kim lost the general election on November 6, 2018, after advancing from the primary on June 5, 2018.
Kim is a former Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing District 65 from 2014 to 2016.
Young Kim was born in Incheon, South Korea, and lives in La Habra, California. Kim earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California in 1985. Her career experience includes owning a business and working as the director of community relations and Asian affairs for former U.S. Representative Ed Royce and as a financial analyst.
Ballotpedia posted information about Asif Mahmood:
Asif Mahmood (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. He lost in the general election.
Asif Mahmoud’s career experience includes working as a pulmonologist.
Ballotpedia posted information about Greg Raths:
Greg Raths (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Greg Raths was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Raths served in the United States Marine Corps from 1972 to 2004 and reached the rank of colonel. He earned an associate degree in political science from Saddleback College in 2009, a bachelor’s degree in business from Arizona State University in 1975, a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from California State University at Fullerton, and a master’s degree in national resource strategy from National Defense University in 1996. Raths’ career experience includes working at the president of an auto parts firm, the chief of staff of the White House Military Office from 1996 to 1999, and a liaison between the Pentagon and White House.
Greg Raths completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Colonel Greg Raths USMC (RET) served our nation for 30 years in the United States Marine Corps. He is a highly decorated combat fighter pilot of Operation Desert Storm, Southern Watch & Restore Hope. He flew 75 combat missions. He was an F/A-18 Hornet Fighter Squadron Commanding Officer aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. He also served as the Chief of Staff for the White House Military Office in the late 90s.
Colonel Raths holds multiple college degrees including a Master’s Degree from the National Defense University. He holds a BS from Arizona State University in Business and a BA Degree from California State University, Fullerton in History and Political Science.
Since retiring from the United States Marine Corps, Colonel Raths continued his service and dedication to those who have served. He served as Vice-Chairman of the Orange County Veterans Advisory Council for the Board of Supervisors for several years, and was president of the executive board for the non-profit, Patriots and Paws.
Greg flew as a commercial airline pilot for JetBlue Airways, and most recently was president of a local business in Anaheim, CA.
He was first elected to the Mission Viejo City Council in 2014, and re-elected in 2018. He was unanimously appointed as Mayor of Mission Viejo by his Council colleagues for 2019. On March 3, 2020 he won the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representative CA45th Congressional District but lost to Congresswoman Katie Porter in November 2020.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals in your time in office?
Restore America’s Energy Independence
Border Security
Work to reduce the current runaway inflation
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Budget, Immigration, National Security, Veterans Affairs, International Affairs
Ballotpedia posted information about Nicholas Taurus:
Nicholas Taurus (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 40th Congressional District. Taurus lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
November 24, 2021: Congresswoman Young Kim posted on her official website news titled: “Congresswoman Young Kim Announces Reelection Bid in New CA-40” From the news:
Today, Congresswoman Young Kim announced she will be seeking reelection in California’s newly formed 40th Congressional District. Kim is the endorsed candidate of the Republican Party of Orange County and has also received support from the California delegation including local area colleagues Rep. Michelle Steel, Rep. Ken Calvert, former Rep. Ed Royce, and former Rep. Mimi Waters.
A prolific fundraiser, Kim ended FEC’s 3rd quarter with $2 million cash-on-hand.
“From day one, I have been committed to serving Southern California and that commitment does not change with updated district lines. The out-of-touch policies we see from Nancy Pelosi and Washington politicians are hurting our communities and I’ll continue to fight to combat inflation, lower taxes on Californians, and bolster our national security,” said Rep. Young Kim. “I look forward to continuing to represent this community in Congress and running a strong campaign to earn reelection.”
The new 40th congressional district includes much of Kim’s current district including Yorba Linda, Chino Hills, and Anaheim Hills.
“As a member of Congress, Young Kim has already established a proven track record of
fighting to improve the quality of life for all Californians by holding the administration and House Democrats accountable,” added consultant Sam Oh. “Congresswoman Kim is a dynamic and accomplished campaigner and our team is ready, prepared, and has a track record of winning difficult races. We welcome any and all challengers for what will be a spirited campaign.”
January 20: Dr. Asif Mahmood posted news on his official website titled: “Dr. Asif Mahmood Launches His Campaign To Flip CA-40 & Unseat Congresswoman Young Kim” From the news:
Dr. Mahmood: “I am running for Congress because CA-40 needs leaders who wake up every day to solve problems and actually help families in our district.”
A physician with more than two decades of experiencing serving Southern California families, Dr. Mahmood understands the challenges our families face.
Dr. Mahmood is a proven fundraiser and enters the race with endorsements from 11 members of California’s congressional delegation & 4 statewide officeholders.
ORANGE COUNTY – Dr. Asif Mahmood, a physician and philanthropist, announced today he is running for Congress today in the newly drawn CA-40.
“I became a doctor because my parents taught me that helping others is our highest calling,” said Dr. Mahmood. “For more than twenty years, I have helped patients overcome their health challenges and go on to lead richer lives. I am running for Congress because CA-40 needs leaders who wake up every day to solve problems and actually help families in our district.”
Dr. Mahmood has treated thousands of patients over the last twenty years: patients in the ER, critical care, inpatients, and as they leave the hospital. Asif has made it a rule in his practice – if a patient doesn’t have insurance, his office won’t ask for payment.
Dr. Mahmood enters the race with 12 congressional endorsements and the support of 4 California statewide office holders, as well as the endorsement of Irvine’s mayor. In 2018, he ran for insurance commissioner, raising more than $2.3 million for the race. Dr. Mahmood is in a strong position to take on Congresswoman Young Kim.
Dr. Mahmood enters the race with 12 congressional endorsements and the support of 4 California statewide office holders, as well as the endorsement of Irvine’s mayor. In 2018, he ran for insurance commissioner, raising more than $2.3 million for the race. Dr. Mahmood is in a strong position to take on Congresswoman Young Kim.
“Families in the new 40th district work hard. We put our heads together to solve problems. When our neighbors face hard times, we help each other,” said Dr. Mahmood, “But politicians like Congresswoman Young Kim aren’t lifting a finger to help families here at home. Our country has big problems, but Congresswoman Kim is fighting against common-sense solutions that have broad bipartisan support.”
Just days before the Orange County oil spill, Congresswoman Kim voted against billions in disaster aid for our communities. She has taken thousands of dollars in Big Oil contributions, and even after the spill, she isn’t doing a thing to stop drilling off our coasts. Dr. Mahmood believes in science and climate change and I will fight to end our addiction to Big Oil.
Congresswoman Kim wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act. And as the Supreme Court looks to reverse Roe V. Wade, Congressman Kim supported repealing a woman’s right to choose. In his own practice, Dr. Mahmood has seen how families struggle to afford care and knows the importance of reproductive health care. In Congress, he will fight to make healthcare more affordable and will protect a woman’s right to choose.
Congresswoman Kim voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill to fix our roads and bridges. Dr. Mahmood will fight to improve California’s roads and bridges.
In addition to his work as a physician, Asif has been a leader in non-profit and philanthropic organizations across Southern California. He is a leader for UNICEF and volunteers at a free clinic. He also serves on the California Medical Board and on the board of the Valley Rescue Mission, the largest homeless shelter in Southern California. He is the chair of the Organization for Social Media Safety, which works to fight cyber-bullying and cyber-exploitation of Children.
April 13: The Orange County Register posted an article titled: “Elections 2022: Get to know Rep. Young Kim, three more candidates in 40th District race” From the article:
…The field of challengers for the newly drawn 40th congressional district isn’t very deep. Three candidates – Democrat Asif Mahmood, and Republicans Greg Raths and Nick Taurus – hope to beat the other two in the June 7 primary. Whoever does that will appear on the decisive November general election ballot, for an almost guaranteed face-off with incumbent GOP Rep. Young Kim.
But the small field clearly offers a wide range of backgrounds and policy ideas.
Among California’s Congress members, few got dealt a happier hand in redistricting than Kim, noted Marcia Godwin, a professor of public administration at the University of La Verne who tracks local elections. When district lines were redrawn and incumbents shuffled around, Kim, 59, went from representing a district that leans solidly blue and favored Biden by more than 10 points to campaigning in a district where Republicans have a 5-point advantage in voter registration and Biden would have scored only a narrow win.
Kim also has the backing of the national GOP and benefits of incumbency, with a relatively productive and drama-free first term underway…
…Raths, 69, – who was a fighter pilot in the Marines for 30 years and has been a Mission Viejo councilman since 2014 – garnered 45.6% of the vote in 2020 when he made it to the general election against another incumbent Democrat Rep. Katie Porter in a district that largely overlaps with the new CA-40. (Porter is running this cycle in a new costal district that includes her Irvine home.) When asked how he’d measure his success as an office holder, Raths pointed to his work in Mission Viejo, where he said they have a balanced budget, “no homeless” and high-quality amenities.
Taurus, 30, taught English in Hungary for a year after college and now works as a junk hauler. This is the Laguna Hill resident’s first run for public office. He was in the news last year for leading a group involved in a confrontation at a Porter town hall that ended with punches thrown, and again earlier this year for being escorted out of an Orange County GOP meeting. Taurus says he’d measure his success as a Congress member by his ability “to pass the most important program in my platform, a 25-year immigration moratorium.”
That’s by far the most extreme immigration proposal from the GOP candidates in the CA-40 race. However, none of the Republicans support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, with both Kim and Raths also mentioning the need for more border security in their platforms.
But while Kim and oaths recognized Joe Biden as the true winner of the 2020 presidential election, Taurus said Biden did not win…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 40:
Asif Mahmood (D): 40.9% – 74,607 votes
Young Kim (R): 34.7% – 63,346 votes
Greg Raths (R): 23.2% – 42,404 votes
Nicholas Taurus (R): 1.2% – 2,193 votes
November 15: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Results: Republican Rep. Young Kim defeats Democrat Asif Mahmood in California’s 40th Congressional District election” From the article:
Republican Rep. Young Kim won her bid for a second term in office against Democrat Asif Mahmood in California’s 40th Congressional District.
Polls closed in the state at 8 p.m. local time, or 11 p.m. EST.
In 2020, Kim, fellow California Republican Rep. Michelle Steel, and Democratic Rep. Marilyn Strickland of Washington, made history as the first Korean American women ever elected to Congress. In a close contest, Kim defeated incumbent Democrat Gil Cisneros by just over 1 percentage point, flipping back the House seat she conceded to Cisneros in 2018.
Taking a page from the GOP playbook, Kim’s campaign focused on inflation and border security. On abortion, an issue she has consistently voted against, Kim told the Los Angeles Times she was “pro-life,” but that she respected the Supreme Court’s decision and believed abortion should be largely left to the states…
…According to OpenSecrets, Kim raised $8.4 million, spent $8 million, and had $769,000 cash on hand, as of October 19. Her challenger, Mahmood, raised about $3.3 million, spent $3.2 million, and had $147,000 left to spend, as of October 19.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 40:
Young Kim (R): 56.8% – 161,589 votes
Asif Mahmood (D): 43.2% – 122,733 votes [...]
September 1, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more Congressional Districts than most states. Here is the outcome of the California U.S. House Elections in 2022. This blog focuses on Congressional Districts 21 through 30. It also includes a 22nd District Special Election.
California’s 21st Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 21st Congressional District:
California’s 21st congressional district (or CA-21) is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It is located in the San Joaquin Valley and includes Kings County and portions of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties. The district is currently represented by Democrat Jim Costa.
Following redistricting in 2022, the 21st district is in Fresno County and Tulare County. The new 21st district includes the majority of Fresno, the north side of Visalia, and all of Sanger, Selma, Kingsburg, Parlier, Reedly, Orange Cove, Dinuba, Orosi, Cutler, Farmersville, Woodlake and Exeter.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jim Costa:
Jim Costa (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 21st Congressional District. He assumed office January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2025.
Costa (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Costa served in the California State Assembly from 1978 to 1994 and in the California State Senate from 1994 to 2002.
Jim Costa was born in Fresno, California. Costa earned a B.A. in political science from California State University at Fresno in 1974. His career experience includes working as a farmer.
Jim Costa did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Jim Costa’s 2020 campaign website:
Issues & Legislation
Fighting for Water
The San Joaquin Valley needs water to survive. Our Valley’s jobs and way of life are at stake, and it is my top priority to ensure that our farmers, workers, and communities receive the water we need to get our economy going again.
We are making progress, and each day is a new opportunity to secure more water and take on the critics of our Valley. This page will provide you with background on the water crisis, along with news and updates on my ongoing efforts to increase the flow of water to our Valley.
Producing Results
boosting the water allocation to Valley farmers over the past two years and continue to push for more. I fought hard for better science to be used so that we take a look at all the factors affecting the decline of the Delta, not just the pumps. Our Valley has been winning that fight and now the federal agencies are going back to the drawing board. I also worked with my colleagues in Congress to secure funding for the Valley and expedite water infrastructure projects like the California Aqueduct/Delta Mendota Canal Intertie project, which had been backlogged for more than 25 years. Last Congress, I also introduced H.R. 1251 the More Water for Our Valley Act, which continues my efforts to find commonsense solutions to California’s broken water system…
…Improving Education
Education is the key to the future success of our children and promoting long-term economic opportunity across the Valley. Providing access to a high quality and affordable education is essential for our children to compete in today’s ever-evolving workforce and to ensure that they can make the kind of living our parents fought to provide our generation. To make good on these goals, our students must have the resources, schools and teachers they need in order to graduate high school prepared for college or career.
A good education begins early on. As a result, I’ve fought to support programs like Head Start and Early Head Start in our Valley. For instance, I’ve worked to secure nearly $14 million for the Head Start program operated by the Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission. I also supported $3.3 million to strengthen Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Kings County…
Ballotpedia provided information about Michael Maher:
Michael Maher (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Maher also ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Michael Maher was born in California. Maher has served in the U.S. Navy since 2020. His career experience includes owning a business and working as an FBI special agent.
Michael Maher did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Michael Maher’s website:
Maher’s campaign website stated the following:
DEFEND OUR WATER RIGHTS
REDUCE TAXES ON OUR FAMILIES
SECURITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY
PRO-LIFE”
Ballotpedia provided information on Matt Stoll:
Matt Stoll (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. Stoll lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Stoll also ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. Stoll lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Stoll completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a small business owner of 20 years in Visalia, and a former Navy fighter pilot.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A: Balancing the budget and keeping America strong
Ballotpedia provided information about Eric Garcia:
Eric Garcia (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special primary April 5, 2022.
Garcia also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Garcia registered with the Democratic Party following the 2020 election. He previously ran as a candidate with no party preference.
Eric Garcia was born in Fresno, California. Garcia served in the United States Marine Corps from 2005 to 2012. He earned his B.S. from the University of Phoenix in 2017. Garcia’s career experience includes working as a therapist.
Eric Garcia did not complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Ballotpedia provided information from Eric Garcia’s campaign website:
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL
“With over 45,000 Californian’s lost to COVID-19 in under a year, defeating the devastating pandemic clearly must be Congress’s number one priority. First and foremost, the federal government must speed up the delivery of the vaccine in a fair manner, first to those most vulnerable.
Once we defeat the virus, we need to address our broken healthcare system. The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the inequalities in our system and exposed what had been clear to many of us: healthcare should be a human right. But due to the endless profiteering in our system, healthcare is more expensive in America than anywhere else in the world.
This is why Eric is a passionate supporter of Healthcare for All and will fight for its implementation in Congress to ensure that everyone can affordably access the care they need. Just like almost every democracies throughout the world, America must ensure cost is never a barrier for someone getting the treatment they need…
December 21, 2021: GVWire posted an article titled: “Costa Will Run for Re-election in New Fresno-Centric District” From the article:
Congressman Jim Costa announced he is running for his 10th term in 2022, this time in the newly-drawn district centered in Fresno.
“I’ve spent my career working to ensure everyone has a chance to be part of a strong middle-class and has what they need to raise their families in safe, healthy communities,” Costa said Tuesday afternoon in a news release.
December 21, 2021: GVWire posted an article titled: “Costa Will Run for Re-election in New Fresno-Centric District” From the article:
Congressman Jim Costa announced he is running for his 10th term in 2022, this time in the newly-drawn district centered in Fresno.
“I’ve spent my career working to ensure everyone has a chance to be part of a strong middle-class and has what they need to raise their families in safe, healthy communities,” Costa said Tuesday afternoon in a news release.
ural and underserved communities, delivering cleaner air and protecting critically needed access to water for our families and farmers requires steady, battle-tested leadership.”
Costa will run in California’s 21st District, which covers most of the city of Fresno, western Fresno County, and parts of Tulare County – including Dinuba, and the northern half of Visalia…
February 8: Jim Costa’s website posted news titled: “California Governor Gavin Newsom Endorses Jim Costa for Congress”. From the news:
Today, Congressman Jim Costa’s campaign for re-election announced that California Governor Gavin Newsom has endorsed Congressman Costa.
Governor Newsom said: “Congressman Costa and I have always worked well together for the people of the San Joaquin Valley and California. From investing in the state’s infrastructure to building a much needed medical school, we’re focused on building a better, brighter future for the people of the valley and our great state.”
Gavin Newsom was first elected Governor in 2018 and has helped navigate California through an unprecedented series of crises, including devastating wildfires, an economic downturn, and the worst pandemic in 100 years. Prior to his election as Governor, Newsom served as Lieutenant Governor of California.
Congressman Jim Costa said: “I am incredibly honored to receive the support of Governor Gavin Newsom. I know that together, we can continue ensuring our Valley’s families and all Californians have the tools and resources live in thriving neighborhoods, send their children to safe schools, and have access to clean air and water. I am looking forward to another term in Congress and delivering even more for our Valley.”…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S.House California District 21:
Jim Costa (D): 46.9% – 32,490 votes
Michael Maher (R): 26.5% – 18,334 votes
Matt Stoll (R): 16.6% – 11,520 votes
Eric Garcia (D): 10.0% – 6,903 votes
The New York Times posted California 21st Congressional District Primary Election Results:
Jim Costa (Democrat): 33,331 votes – 46.9%
Michael Maher (Republican): 18,830 votes – 26.5%
Matt Stoll (Republican): 11,804 votes – 16.6%
Eric Garcia (Democrat): 7,127 votes – 10.0%
Total reported: 71,092 votes – 95% reported
October 4: Fresno Bee posted an article (via MSN) titled: “Costa and Maher didn’t see eye to eye in Fresno. Here’s what happened with a debate” From the article:
A miscommunication led to the cancellation of a debate on Monday night between Congressman Jim Costa and Republican challenger Michael Maher.
The Central Valley Veterans Action Alliance late on Monday night voted to endorse Maher for the November election.
On Monday afternoon, Maher’s campaign released a statement saying the retired U.S. Navy serviceman and former special FBI again had been informed on Sunday night that Costa, D-Fresno, wouldn’t be “showing up” to the debate.
The debate had been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 509 in Fresno. It was organized by the Central Valley Veterans Political Action Alliance, which has organized multiple debates in prior years.
“This debate has been put off and pushed back far too many times, and my campaign was given no justifiable reason for Costa’s absence,” Maher said in a statement. “Congress is currently out of session, and Costa’s schedule should allow him to appear before his constituents and my fellow veterans.”
However, Alfreda Sebasto, consultant for Costa’s campaign, late on Monday said there was no debate.
“It’s hard to imagine the Congressman was not aware of this,” he told The Bee.
Dan Payne, a retired U.S. Marine officer and director of the Central Valley Veterans Political Action Alliance, was able to clarify what transpired. He said he didn’t want to make Costa’s office look bad.
Payne said he called Sebasto about three weeks ago, and left a voicemail with all the details for the debate, asking her to call back with any questions, but he says he never heard from her. He said he figured she was fine with all the details.
“In Jim’s defense, I did not follow up with a second phone call or an email,” he told The Bee late Monday.
Payne recently learned that Costa had a previous engagement that had been planned for the past six weeks, and that Costa knew nothing of Monday’s debate…
November 10: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Rep. Jim Costa leads race in newly drawn Fresno-area congressional district” From the article:
Rep. Jim Costa is well on his way to a 10th term in the U.S. House of Representatives, as he leads his Republican challenger by almost 10 percentage points in Fresno’s newly drawn district.
A moderate “Blue Dog” Democrat, Costa, 70, has represented Fresno area in Congress since 2005.
Costa almost 55% of the votes in the newly drawn 21st Congressional District, according to the Associated Press, with more than 73% of the votes counted. His challenger, businessman and veteran Michael Maher, gathered 45.1%.
The Fresno native is part of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group that looks for common ground. He is also a prominent member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a collection of moderate Democrats who press for “fiscally responsible” legislation…
Ballotpedia posted that results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 21:
Jim Costa (D): 54.8% – 56,118 votes
Michael Maher (R): 45.3% – 46,281 votes
Total votes: 102,399
California’s 22nd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 22nd Congressional District
California’s 22nd congressional district is a district in California. It is represented by David Valadao, who formerly represented California’s 21st congressional district from 2013 to 2019 and 2021 to 2023. It was one of 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being held by a Republican in 2022
Following redistricting in 2021, the district is still in the San Joaquin Valley. It includes most of Kings County and parts of Tulare and Kern Counties. It includes the east side of Bakersfield; the west and south sides of Tulare, the south side of Hanford; and all of Porterville, Lindsay, Shafter, Wasco, Delano, McFarland, Arvin, Lamont, and Corcoran. The new 22nd is a majority-Latino district.
Ballotpedia provided information about David G. Valadao:
David G. Valadao (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 22nd Congressional District. He assumed office January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Valadao (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Valadeo served in the California State Assembly, representing the 30th District from 2010 to 2012.
Candidate Profile: David G. Valadao
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
U.S. House (2013-2019)
California State Assembly (2010-2012)
Biography: Valadao was born and raised in California, and his parents came to the U.S. from Portugal. Valadao received his diploma from Hanford High School and attended the College of the Sequoias. He worked as regional leadership council chairman for Land O’ Lakes Inc. As of the election, Valadao worked on his family farm.
KEY MESSAGES
The following messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more information on how we identify key messages, click here.
Valadao’s campaign ads said he was ranked one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and was an independent problem-solver. They said he worked with both parties to bring water to the valley and make healthcare more accessible. Valadao’s ads said he stood up to his own party to protect DREAMers.
Valadao’s campaign website said, “We need to protect our water, make health care more affordable and accessible, work to bring new jobs and new job training to the Central Valley, and stand up for seniors and veterans to ensure they get the benefits they deserve.”
Valadao’s ads said Cox was the most corrupt member of Congress. They said Cox used his office to hide a conflict of interest and didn’t pay taxes he owed.
Ballotpedia provided information about Rudy Salas:
Rudy Salas (Democratic Party) was a member of the California State Assembly, representing District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Salas (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Rudy Salas earned a degree in political science and history from the University of California at Los Angeles in 2000.
Ballotpedia provided information about Chris Mathys:
Chris Mathys (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Mathys was previously a 2018 candidate for New Mexico Public Regulation Commission District 5. Mathys lost the primary on June 5, 2018.
Chris Mathys was born in San Diego, California, and grew up in Sanger, California. He graduated from Fresno State in 2015 and received his graduate degree from the University of the Southwest in 2018. Mathys served in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1995. His career experience includes working in commercial real estate and cattle ranching. He has been associated with the National Rifle Association, American Legion, Valley Taxpayers Coalition Inc., and the Knights of Columbus.
Mayths completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m a Conservative Republican running for California’s 21st Congressional District against David Valadao who voted to impeach President Trump. I support President Trump 100 percent and believe he worked hard to make American a better place.
I grew up on a farm in Sanger near Fresno, Ca where my parents instilled my love of God, family, country, and the value of hard work. My education includes graduating from Fresno State and then I received an MBA from the University of the Southwest located in Hobbs, New Mexico.
My proudest achievement is serving in the army in the Southern Command in Panama. My experience in the military has taught me as Americans we have the right to keep and bear arms, that freedom is not free, and for America to be strong, we must enforce our borders. And make sure immigrants come to America legally to work and not to take advantage of our benefits.
As part of my training in the Army and college education, I learned to speak Spanish fluently which has been very useful as I campaign throughout the district.
My business background is in commercial real estate and lending with Oro Financial of Ca. Inc. in Fresno and cattle ranching at Mercey Ranch in Firebaugh which was founded 100 years ago by
(Ballotpedia posted a box here that says “Spanish-basque settlers.” It is unknown what, exactly Chris Mathys wrote.)
I have been involved in government as a conservative member of the Fresno City Counsel and with the Valley Taxpayer’s Coalition, Inc. which monitored wasteful government spending. I would be honored to have your vote.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
1 Defend our conservative values by making sure republicans in name only like David Valadao and Liz Cheney who voted to impeach President Trump do not represent us in congress.
2 Voter integrity is vital in holding free and fair election. We must stop voter fraud and make sure that only American citizens vote.
3 Building more water storage projects like the Temperance-Flat dam so farmers and ranchers have a stable water supply instead of releasing water into the ocean.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Government mandates including executive orders are adversely impacting our freedoms and liberties. We should not be told by the government that we have to be vaccinated, cannot go to church, or forcing our children to stay at home. This is not who we are as free Americans. We have always been a nation founded by Judeo-Christian values as Americans, we are capable of making our own decisions without government interference. I am most passionate about reducing government mandates and regulations. Farmers and ranchers can’t get enough water and the government uses the Delta Smelt as a reason to reduce the flow of surface water. We can build a high speed rail project but don’t have the resources to build a new dam.
(Ballotpedia posted a box here that says “My position has always been, less government and fewer regulations.” It is unknown what Chris Mathys wrote.)
Ballotpedia provided information about Adam T. Medeiros:
Adam Thomas Medeiros (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Adam T. Medeiros was born in Sao Miguel Island, Azores. His professional expertise includes owning and operating a hair salon. Medieros has served as a board member of the King’s County Office of Education. He has also volunteered with his local church and with youth sports. Medeiros is affiliated with the Sons of Liberty and Full Gospel Businessmen.
Adam T. Medeiros completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a family man, businessman, and public servant. I immigrated from the Azores Islands of Portugal when I was a child and grew up on a dairy farm where my father milked cows. My wife and I have been married for nearly 40 years and we have three grown children and seven grandchildren (with one more on the way). As a small business owner, I am self-employed and own and operate a salon in Hanford. I served on a local school board for many years and in 2018, was elected to the Kings County Board of Education, where I currently serve as Vice President. I have been an active member in my community and have been involved in youth ministry and prison ministry, and have coached youth soccer, football, and basketball. I am a Christian conservative and feel that I can represent the farms, families, and business in this district and want to do my part to ensure a stable country for our future generations.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. I support the Constitution, civil liberties, and law and order.
Water and Energy. We must ensure proper water storage and allocation, as a nation become more energy dependent.
Parents Rights. Parents (not the Government) are responsible for the upbringing of their children. Parents must be allowed to protect their children’s health and education and I support the School Choice Initiative.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Currently, we are seeing an emerging trend of communist and socialist agendas growing in our country. We are a free nation and We the People must keep government accountable to uphold our Constitutional rights. I am passionate about helping Congress restore the group we have lost and will fight for increased liberties and decreased government mandates.
June 10: The Fresno Bee posted an article titled: “California Republican who voted to impeach Trump Falls behind Democrat in election returns”. From the article:
A competitive midterm election in California’s San Joaquin Valley came into focus Tuesday night with a Democratic state lawmaker taking on one of the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress.
The Associated press said that the Democratic Assemblyman Rudy Salas of Bakersfield would advance to the primary to the November general election in the 22nd Congressional District at 11:00 p.m. Pacific Time Tuesday.
They had yet to call it for incumbent Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, as of 6:06 a.m. Wednesday. Salas, 45, had 48.3% of the votes then. Valadao, also 45, had 25.6%.
Fewer than 30% of the votes have been counted.
Analysts say the election in the Central Valley’s new 22nd, which captures Hanford to Shafter, is a toss up…
…The party of the president historically does worse in midterm elections. And with Biden’s approval rating slipping in the wake of inflation and pandemic issues, experts predict more of a “red wave” in 2022…
…Adam Thomas Medeiros, a businessman and a member of the Kings County Board of Education, and Chris Mathys, a pro-Trump conservative who was on the Fresno City Council, are both running as Republicans in the 22nd district…
The Fresno Bee posted an updated view of the vote count on June 24:
Rudy Salas (D): 24,092 votes – 45.4%
David Valadao (incumbent) (R): 13,583 votes – 25.6%
Chris Mathys (R): 12,273 votes – 23.1%
Adam Medeiros (R): 3,150 votes – 5.9%
The AP estimated the 96.9% of the votes were counted.
June 26: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled:”California Republican Rep. David Valadao, who voted to impeach Trump, survives primary” From the article:
GOP Rep. David Valadao, one of the most endangered Republican congressional incumbents in the nation, has survived the California primary and will advance to the November ballot.
Valadao, of Hanford, will face Assemblymember Rudy Salas, a moderate Democrat, in the contest to represent the 22nd Congressional District in the general election. The Central Valley district includes parts of Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties.
Valadao, one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, faced challengers from is right. But Trump didn’t publicly attack Valadao. And former Fresno City Councilman Chris Mathys and Kings County Board of Election Trustee Adam Medeiros were not able to secure Trump’s endorsement or raise significant campaign funds.
Mathys came surprisingly close to Valadao after Democrats spent six figures on television ads boosting his candidacy because they believed he would be a weaker foe in the general election.
Now Valadao will face significant challenges in the general election. The district already tilted blue, but after redistricting, Democrats have a 17-point voter registration edge…
October 11: Washington Examiner (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Rep. David Valadao’s Democratic challenger drops out of debate at eleventh hour” From the article:
California GOP Rep. David Valadao is slated to be the only candidate in attendance at Wednesday’s scheduled debate after Democratic state Assemblyman Rudy Salas unexpectedly pulled out of the event, saying he would not appear onstage with the California Republican due to his frustrations over a campaign ad alleging he had supported raising prescription drug prices.
Salas told KGET 17 News, the Bakersfield-based NBC affiliate station that was set to hold the debate, he felt Valadao should apologize for a National Republican Congressional Committee ad that targets his vote on a bill placing a few on opioid manufacturers prior to him participating, arguing that the criticism is misleading, despite having agreed to the debate two months ago.
Valadao, a leading centrists Republican who defeated T.J. Cox (D-CA) in 2020 after losing the seat he held for three terms in 2018, declined to apologize, blasting Salas for opting not to debate ahead of Election Day…
“My argument is, well, no, you’re taxing people who need this drug for quality-of-life issues, cancer patients and others, and you’re taxing them to pay for other people’s mistakes, and that’s not appropriate,” he told the Washington Examiner.
“We were offered other debates, and every time, as soon as we get to the point where we say ‘yes’ to a debate , within hours, his team would be, like, “OK, no, we’re not going to do it.” It’s almost like they are waiting for use to say, they’re hoping we would say no first.”
In lieu of the initial debate plans, the station is now scheduled to hold a 30-minute discussion with the GOP congressman, with the station leaving the door open for Salas to change his mind…
November 8: Bakersfield.com posted an article titled: “Valadao takes early lead over Salas” From the article:
Rep. David Valadao pulled ahead of his Democratic challenger, Assemblyman Rudy Salas, in early results Tuesday night in the hard-won race for California’s 22nd Congressional District.
In a contest seen as one of the tightest and most important in the nationwide battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Hanford Republican was ahead of the Bakersfield Democrat, 50.6 percent to 49.4 percent, with 60.9 percent of districts reporting.
“I always knew this race was going to be tight,” Valadao said by text message at 9:13 p.m. “I’m optimistic about our start but we still have a long way to go.”
The race was notable for the money it attracted from across the country as it was for the negative campaign ads that proliferated on television and the internet. It was, in a sense, a repeat from two years prior, when Valadao narrowly defeated former Rep. T.J. Cox, the Democratic incumbent, in the race for what was then the 21st Congressional District.
Redistricting gave the district more of a Democratic advantage, with 43.4 percent of voter registrations to 26 percent Republican and 22.7 percent stating no party preference…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 22:
David G. Valadao (R): 51.7% – 52,065 votes
Rudy Salas (D): 48.3% – 48,709 votes
Rep. David Valadao, (R-Calif.) is projected to win in California’s 22nd congressional district, keeping his political life alive for another term despite voting to impeach former President Trump following the Capitol riot.
The Associated Press called the race on Monday, nearly two weeks after Election Day.
Valadao, who currently represents the Golden State’s 21st Congressional District, bested Democrat Assemblymember Rudy Salas in a contentious contest that was rated a “toss up” by Cook Political Report. He moved to the 22nd following redistricting…
…The race for the 22nd district came under scrutiny this cycle after Democrats poured money into the GOP primary, propping up Valadao’s Trump-aligned candidate Chris Mathys. Trump himself, however, never endorsed Mathys…
…Similarly, Salas in-part tried to sell himself as independent on the campaign trail. One of his ads tout a vote he took in 2017 against a transportation plan that would have raised gas taxes. He was the only Democrat in the state Assembly to oppose the measure, which led to him losing a committee chairmanship…
…According to California news outlet CalMatters, the state’s 22nd district trends toward the middle: That 43.4 percent of its residents are registered Democrats, 26 percent are registered Republicans and 22.6 percent do not have a party preference.
The bulk of the election, however, focused on issues important to voters in the Central Valley district, including agriculture, water issues and the economy. The candidates’ differences on the issue of abortion were also highlighted – Salas is in favor of allowing the medical procedure, and Valadao is opposed…
November 21: The New York Times posted an article titled: “David Valadao, a Republican Who Voted to Impeach Trump, Wins Re-election” From the article:
Representative David Valadao, Republican of California, won re-election on Monday, according to The Associated Press, managing to survive politically after his vote to impeach former President Donald J. Trump, a move that cost some of his Republican colleagues their seats.
Mr. Valadao defeated Rudy Salas, a Democratic state assemblyman, in a competitive district in the Central Valley that became more difficult for Republicans after newly drawn boundaries tilted it more to the left. The outcome was decided nearly two weeks after Election Day, with Mr. Valadao leading by more than three percentage points…
…Mr Salas had drawn about 20 points more votes than Mr. Valadao in the open primary – which included candidates of any political affiliation – but the Republican was able to beat two Republican challengers. The race was always going to be tight; Mr. Valadao, who first represented the district from 2013 to 2019, had narrowly won back the seat in 2020 by less than a point over Representative T.J. Cox, a Democrat.
By the final month of the campaign, Republican political action committees, including the Congressional Leadership Fund, which is aligned with Representative Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader, spent more than $11 million in advertising for Mr. Valadao, according to the nonpartisan political tracking organization California Target Book…
November 22: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Republican who voted to impeach Trump re-elected to US House”. From the article:
A Republican who voted to impeach Donald Trump in the House of Representatives has won re-election in California, making him only the second of the 10 to do so still in Congress.
David Valadao was called the winner of his competitive race with Democrat Rudy Salas late on Monday, almost two weeks after Election Day.
With his party having already secured control of the House, albeit narrowly, his result was significant only for the survival of his political career after turning on the former president…
…Valadao released a statement on Monday night thanking his campaign staff and acknowledging his opponent, but not mentioning Trump, or his vote for his impeachment.
“I am once again humbled by the Central Valley’s support and faith in me,” the statement said.
“I commend Rudy Salas for running a strong campaign and his service to our community in the state assembly.”…
California’s 22nd District Special Election
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 22nd Congressional District Special Election:
The 2022 California’s 22nd Congressional District special election took place on June 7, 2022, with the primary election on April 5, 2022. California’s 22nd Congressional District became vacant when Republican Devin Nunes resigned on January 1, 2022, to become the CEO of the Trump Media & Technology Group.
Governor Gavin Newsom scheduled the special election for June 7, 2022, with the primary election on April 5, 2022. The election was held using a nonpartisan blanket primary, a system where all candidates ran in the same primary, and if no candidates receives a majority of votes, the top-two candidates then advance to the general election. No candidate received a majority in the primary, so Republican Connie Conway and Democrat Lourin Hubbard advanced to the runoff.
Ballotpedia provided information about Connie Conway:
Connie Conway (Republican Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 22nd Congressional District. Conway assumed office on June 14, 2022. Conway left office on January 3, 2023.
Conway (Republican Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. Conway won in the special general election on June 7, 2022.
Conway was a Republican member of the California State Assembly, representing District 26 from 2012 to 2014 and District 34 from 2008 to 2012. Conway served as Minority Leader from 2011 to 2014.
Connie was born in Bakersfield, California, and lives in Tulare, California. Conway graduated from San Joaquin Memorial High School. Her career experience includes working as the California executive director of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. Connie served as a state president of the Cities, Counties, and Schools Partnership and as president of the California State Association of Counties.
Ballotpedia provided information about Lourin Hubbard:
Lourin Hubbard (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special general election on June 7, 2022.
Lourin Hubbard was born in Bakersfield, California. Hubbard graduated from Bakersfield High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University at Fresno in 2013. Hubbard’s career experience includes working as an operations manager and racial equality officer with the Central Valley Quality Control Board.
Lourin Hubbard completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I was born and raised in the Central Valley. I was raised by a single mother and lots of unofficial aunts and uncles, so I know the importance of community to the success of our future. I am an activist for environmental justice and racial equity in the community and as such I understand firsthand the issues and challenges facing the people of this district. I am guided by the principle that everyone, not just the privileged and affluent, deserve access to opportunity and the freedom to pursue their own happiness. My experiences have taught me the importance of speaking truth to power and garnering community attention so we can push our elected officials to act on fixing the environment, expanding SNAP benefits, and access to healthcare. If given the opportunity I will never stop fighting for the people I represent. Change only happens when people with big ideas, integrity, and the backbone to fight for what they believe step forward.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Healthcare is a fundamental human right. No one should have to choose between buying food, medicine, or the health of their family. Yet we are forced to make those choices every day. We must ensure every American has health coverage and access to the highest quality healthcare.
Rather than leading the world’s climate and energy policy, the U.S. has fallen behind not only our developed-world allies, but even rising powers such as China and Brazil. The Central Valley can become the leader of renewable energy for the country and leading the green Industrial Revolution and create the jobs of the future.
In oder to begin to address the inequities in our communities, we must have equitable access to quality education. From early education through adult education, we must build and maintain an affordable, quality education system accessible to all residents.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: I was born and raised in the Central Valley. I was raised by a single mother and lots of unofficial aunts and uncles, so I know the importance of community to the success of our future. I am an activist for environmental justice and racial equity in the community and as such I understand firsthand the issues and challenges facing the people of this district. I am guided by the principle that everyone, not just the privileged and affluent, deserve access to opportunity and the freedom to pursue their own happiness. My experiences have taught me the importance of speaking truth to power and garnering community attention so we can push our elected officials to act on fixing the environment, expanding SNAP benefits, and access to healthcare. If given the opportunity I will never stop fighting for the people I represent. Change only happens when people with big ideas, integrity, and the backbone to fight for what they believe step forward.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Healthcare is a fundamental right. No one should have to choose between buying food, medicine, or the health of their family. Yet we are forced to make those choices every day. We must ensure every American has health coverage and access to the highest quality healthcare.
Rather than leading the world’s climate and energy policy, the U.S. has fallen behind not only our developed-world allies, but even rising powers such as China and Brazil. The Central Valley can become the leader of renewable energy for the country and leading the green Industrial Revolution and create the jobs of the future.
In order to address the inequities in our communities, we must have suitable access to quality education. From early education through adult education, we must build and maintain an affordable, quality education system accessible to all residents.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about the healthcare reform and expanding access to care for every single American. Healthcare is an area of policy that affects all of us and can directly lead to improving our quality of life. I have lived without consistent healthcare and I have seen the impacts of lack of healthcare. We have all witnessed the meteoric rise to the cost of healthcare. The lack of access continue to drive individuals, families, and businesses past their breaking point all while insurance companies continue to gain billions of dollars in profits. We have had a healthcare system in this country that provided guaranteed health care for millions of seniors for more than 51 years, called Medicare. I believe it is past time we expand Medicare to include everyone in our health system. So that we can end health disparities. We can reign in out of control costs, guarantee that everyone has access too quality care and that no family in the US goes bankrupt because a family member got sick.
Ballotpedia provided information about Matt Stoll:
Matt Stoll (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. Stoll lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Stoll also ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. Stoll lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Matt Stoll lives in Visalia, California. Stoll served in the U.S. Navy. His career experience includes owning a business and working as a fighter pilot.
Matt Stoll completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a small business owner of 20 years in Visalia, and a former Navy fighter pilot.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Keep America strong
Fight for water
Balance the Budget
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Balancing the budget and keeping America strong.
Ballotpedia provided information about Eric Garcia:
Eric Garcia (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Garcia also ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Garcia registered with the Democratic Party following the 2020 election. He previously ran as a candidate with no party preference.
Eric Garcia was born in Fresno, California. Garcia served in the United States Marine Corps from 2004 to 2012. He earned his B.S. from the University of Phoenix in 2017. Garcia’s career experience includes working as a therapist.
Eric Garcia did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Balloted provided information from Eric Garcia’s campaign website:
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL
With over 45,000 Californians lost to COVID-19 in under a year, defeating the devastating pandemic clearly must be Congress’s number one priority. First and foremost, the federal government must speed up the delivery of the vaccine in a fair manner, first to those most vulnerable.
Once we defeat the virus, we need to address our broken healthcare system. The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the inequities in our system and exposed what has been clear to many of us: healthcare should be a human right. But due to the endless profiteering in our system, healthcare is more expensive in America than anywhere else in the world.
That’s why Eric is a passionate supporter of Healthcare for All and will fight for its implementation in Congress to ensure that everyone can affordably access the care they need. Just like almost every democracies throughout the world, America must ensure cost is never a barrier for someone getting the treatment they need.
Additionally, Eric is committed to lowering skyrocketing prescription drug prices and boosting funding for mental health services as well as incentivizing medical healthcare providers to work in underserved and rural communities by an increased student loan forgiveness program.
ECONOMY
The economic ramifications of the pandemic have also put a spotlight on the devastating inequities in our economy.
At a time when millions of working and middle-class families throughout the country are struggling to put food on the table, and falling further behind on paying their bills, millionaires and billionaires have been getting richer and richer, aided by tax cuts and gigantic loans from the federal government.
This cannot continue. That’s why Eric is committed to building an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.
That starts with providing aid to the working families and small businesses that have been devastated over the course of the past year and are in dire need of help. In Congress, Eric will be committed to rebuilding and promoting small and new businesses, including tax credits for small businesses so they can pay fair wages and build for the future.
Additionally, we must past a comprehensive infrastructure package that provides desperately-needed funding to transportation, water, and energy projects in underserved communities like the 22nd District. To fund these programs, and restore equity in our tax system, we must also repeal the Trump tax hike on working and middle-class families, and raise taxes on the highest earners…
Ballotpedia provided information on Michael Maher:
Michael Maher (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Maher also ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. He lost in the special primary on April 5, 2022.
Michael Maher was born in California. Maher has served in the U.S. Navy since 2020. His career experiences includes owning a business and working as an FBI special agent.
Michael Maher did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Michael Maher’s website:
“GROW OUR ECONOMY
DEFEND OUR WATER RIGHTS
REDUCE TAXES ON OUR FAMILIES
PRO-LIFE”
Ballotpedia provided information on Elizabeth Heng
Elizabeth Heng (Republican Party) ran in a special election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on April 5, 2022.
Heng also ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. She did not appear on the ballot for the primary on June 7, 2022.
Elizabeth Heng was born in Fresno, California. Heng earned a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Yale University. Heng’s career experience includes working as the CEO of The New Internet, a deputy campaign manager to former U.S. House Representative Ed Royce, an event coordinator with the Republican National Committee, the chief of protocol and member outreach with the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the director of congressional staff volunteers for former President Donald Trump’s (R) inauguration ceremony.
February 18: The Sun Gazette posted an article titled: “Former fighter pilot Stoll ready to fight for the Valley in Congress” From the article:
Retired Navy fighter pilot Matt Stoll said he wants to continue fighting for America but this time he’ll be doing it from the ground instead of in the air.
Stoll is among six candidates and four Republicans vying to serve out the rest of the year in the 22nd Congressional District, vacated by longtime Representative Devin Nunes in January, before new, redrawn districts take effect in December. An F-18 Hornet fighter pilot, Stoll retired from military service in 2019 after 20 years including flying 44 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Stoll said he is pro-Trump yet pro-Choice and believes entrepreneurial innovation, a capitalist economy and hard work are the bedrocks of the country and things worth fighting to preserve.
“I’m here to battle for our Constitution, our way of life, champion the capitalist system, and protect our liberties,” Stoll said.
Stoll said he was not interested in running for election until the last few years of being a business owner employing 18 people. Stoll owns a property management business, Visalia Landscape and Tree Company, Inc., and runs a retail shop, Garden World, in Visalia.
“I often say that I have combat experience in the military, which is evidenced by my record, but I think the next combat experience I have is the most relevant an that is my war in the business community, because its is its own battle,” Stoll said.
He said California has some of the most stringent regulations on private businesses, a huge bureaucracy to enforce them, yet few people dedicated to helping businesses navigate the government to find answers to their questions and sees the same things happening at the federal level…
…Stoll understands finishing out Nunes term before new districts take effect doesn’t give him much time in Washington, possibly as little as two months, which is why he said he will also be running in the June 7 primary for the new 13th Congressional District in California. Stoll had not filed for the office as of press time, but the nomination period does not end until March 11. He says he wants to be part of a “red tsunami” of Republicans he thinks will be taking back the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm election this November…
March 14: GV Wire posted an article titled “These 6 Want to Replace Devin Nunes in Congress. Where do They Stand?” From the article:
This is Heng’s second run for Congress. She lost to Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, in 2018.
Heng, 37, grew up in Fresno and attended Sunnyside High School before earning degrees at Stanford and Yale. She worked as a congressional staffer in Washington, DC before returning home and launching The New Internet, a web browser geared toward privacy.
“I am a conservative, I’m a constitutionalist, but I’m very pragmatic,” said Heng. “At the end of the day, having anybody on far extremes, I think, is bad for the country. I think the majority of the population is in that 80 percent in the middle range and they just want to see things done for our government to begin functioning again,” she said.
“I’m fiscally conservative and I believe that all the policies that I will work on is moving the bar so that we can get work done for the Central Valley here, moving water policies, immigration bills, and then helping with our education system and alleviating kind of the challenges with our business climate.”
The daughter of Cambodian refugees, Heng believes in immigration reform.
“Both parties, I believe, have failed at creating an immigration policy that actually works. We need more agricultural workers here in the Valley and we need to increase H2-A visas. We need increase H1B visas for DACA children that are here in the United States. This is no fault of their own,” Heng said…
…Garcia Making Second Run
Eric Garcia, 34, is a Marine veteran who rose to the rank of sergeant. He previously ran for the CD 22 seat in 2020 but did not advance beyond the primary.
Garcia grew up in a farming family in the Central Valley. He is a trained therapist but said he is waiting until after election to start a practice.
“If I had to give myself any kind of label, I would say (I am a ) progressive (Democrat) because I have these ideas to make things better, I want to move forward. I don’t want to stay in the past or stay stagnant because once you’re stagnant in nature, you start to die, so you always have to evolve for the environment. Things change, so you have to change with them. Otherwise, you’ll be left, get left behind,” Garcia said.
GV Wire scheduled an interview with Maher, who later canceled, citing a scheduling conflict…
April 5: Ballotpedia posted the results of the Special nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 22:
Connie Conway (R): 35.2% – 30,248 votes
Lourin Hubbard (D): 19.4% – 16,636 votes
Matt Stoll (R): 16.2% – 13,882 votes
Eric Garcia (R): 14.4% – 12,401 votes
Michael Maher (R): 8.7% – 7,466 votes
Elizabeth Hung (R): 6.2% – 5,284 votes
June 2: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Meet the young, ambitious Black man who wants Nunes’s old House Seat” From the article:
…Hubbard is competing in a special election runoff on June 7 to serve the remainder of Devin Nunes’s term, which ends in early January. The 33-year-old Democrat faces an uphill climb for several reasons, not least the tiny share of Black voters in a district that historically voted Republican.
Hubbard is also trailing the favored GOP candidate in fundraising. And he is trying to pull off a win where even seasoned Democratic politicians haven’t succeeded in more than two decades…
…”He definitely has the odds stacked against him,” said Thomas Holyoke, a political science professor at Fresno State University. “This is still a Republican-leaning district.”
Political analysts had predicted that someone with a familiar name would advance to the runoff with front-runner Connie Conway, a Republican endorsed by former President Trump. But Hubbard managed to place second in April’s special election, garnering 16,905 votes from Fresno and Tulare counties’ voters in the district…
…The California Democratic Party endorsed Hubbard in the spring election. But he said that the “conversation I had with the party after… confirmed there is no calvary that is coming.”
“I learned and I saw it early on were busy fighting among themselves, that they couldn’t – they weren’t – going to help me,” the Fresno resident said.
He voted for Barack Obama that fall and in 2012, but didn’t officially become a Democrat until years later when, as he said, the state Department of Motor Vehicles prompted him to update his voter registration.
He voted for Barack Obama that fall and in 2012, but didn’t officially become a Democrat until years later when, as he said, the state Department of Motor Vehicles prompted him to update his voter registration.
The Washington Post posted “California 22nd District special election results” From the article:
According to The Washington Post: Republican Connie Conway and Democrat Lourin Hubbard are running to fill the congressional seat opened by former congressman Devin Nunes (R), who retired from Congress at the end of last year to join Trump Media and Technology Group. The district was eliminated in the redistricting process this year, so the winner will only serve for the remainder of Nunes’s term, which ends in January.
Connie Conway: (Republican) 70,985 votes – 62.2%
Lourin Hubbard: (Democrat) 43,297 votes – 37.8%
Rep. Connie Conway (R) was sworn into office on Tuesday, one week after she won a special election in California to finish out former Rep. Devin Nunes’s (R) term in the House.
Nunes, who was first elected to the House in 2002, announced in December that he was resigning from Congress to become the CEO of former President Trump’s new media and technology company, Trump Media & Technology Group. He officially departed the lower chamber in January.
Conway, who previously served as a county supervisor and the Republican leader of the California State Assembly, won the special election last week to represent the Golden State’s 22nd Congressional District. She bested Democrat Lourin Hubbard.
With an estimated 76% of votes counted, Conway led Hubbard by more than 20,000 votes, according to The Washington Post.
Democrats have an 11-seat majority in the House, 200-209.
Conway’s time in the House will be short, as she was elected to finish Nunes’s term. Under the new congressional lines, her current district will be split into neighboring areas, and the latest 22nd District will be heavily Democratic.
Conway has already decided she will not run for a full term, saying, “I’m term-limiting myself right from the start,” according to Roll Call.
In 2019, Trump chose Conway to serve as California executive director of the Farm Service Agency at the Department of Agriculture. In addition to working in politics and government, Conway was previously a businesswoman and was involved in the health care industry…
California’s 23rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 23rd Congressional District
California’s 23rd Congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is represented in the 118th United States Congress by Jay Obernolte.
Following the 2020 United States redistricting cycle, the district is anchored in San Bernardino County, and also includes parts of Kern and Los Angeles counties. It is mostly within the Mojave Desert. Cities in the new 23rd district include Victorville, Hesperia, Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Twentynine Palms, Big Bear Lake, California City, Loma Linda, Yucaipa, southern Redlands, and small portions of Highland and San Bernardino.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 23rd congressional district is located in the region in the region of the state covering the Mojave Desert. It encompasses the majority of San Bernardino, and parts of Kern and Los Angeles Counties.
San Bernardino County is split between this district and the 25th district, the 28th district, the 33rd district, and the 40th district. The 23rd 28th and 33rd are partitioned by San Bernardino National Forest, Manzanita Rd, Highway 15, Cajon Blvd, W Kenwood Ave, Highway 215, W Meyers Rd, Ohio Ave, Pine Ave, Bailey act, Highway 206, Devils Canyon Rd, Cloudland Truck Trail, Cloudland Cutoff, Hill Dr, W 54th St, E Hill Dr, Bonita Vista Dr, Sterling Ave, Argyle Ave, E Marshall Blvd, Rockford Ave, Lynwood Dr, La Praix St, Orchid Dr, Denair Ave, Highland Ave, Orchard Rd, Arroyo Vista Dr, Church St, Greensport Rd, Florida St, Garnet St, Nice Ave, Crafton Ave, 5th Ave, Walnut St, 6th Ave, S Wabash Ave, E Citrus Ave, N Church St, Southern California Regional Rail A, Tennessee St, Highway 10, California St, E Washington St, and S Barton Rd.
The 23rd and 25th are partitioned by Power Line Rd, Telephone Pole Line Rd, Cadiz Rd, Arizona & California Rail, San Bernardino National Forest, East Mojave Heritage Trail, Sunflower Springs Spur, Sunflower Springs Rd, Needles Freeway, Mountain Springs Rd, Goffs Rd, and Walter Rd.
The 23rd district takes in the cities of Victorville, Barstow, Twentynine Palms, Adelanto, Yucaipa, Loma Linda and Apple Valley, as well as the town of Yucca Valley.
Kern County is split between this district and the 20th district. They are partitioned by the Mojave-Barstow Highway, Treescape Rd, Oak Creek Rd, Anajanette Avenue, 70th St W, Highway 58, Homer Hansen Private Rd, Aerospace Highway, Redrock Randsburgs Rd, Garlock Rd, Iron Canyon, and Union Pacific. The 23rd district takes in the city of California City.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 27th district and the 28th district. They are partitioned by the Angeles National Forest, Linda Mesa Rd, San Gabriel Mountains, Fort Teton Rd, 121st St E, 123rd St E, 126th St E, Highway N6, Highway 138, 136th St E, Longview Rd, E Avenue S, 140th St E, Avenue S, 140th St E, Avenue H, 120th St E. The 23rd district takes in the census-designated place Lake Los Angeles.
Ballotpedia posted information about Jay Obernolte
Jay Obernolte (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 8th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Obernolte (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 23rd Congressional District. He won the general election on November 8, 2022.
Jay Obernolte was born in Chicago, Illinois, and lives in Big Bear Lake, California. Obernolte graduated from Edison High School in 1988. He earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering and applied science from the California Institute of Technology in 1992, a masters degree in artificial intelligence from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1997, , and doctorate in public administration from California Baptist University in 2020.
Obernolte’s career experience includes owning a video game development studio and working as a video game developer. He served on the Big Bear California, airport board of directors.
Jay Obernolte did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Obernolte’s 2014 campaign website:
Make Government Work
Excerpt: “We need to stop funding programs that have outlived their usefulness and eliminate wasteful spending on projects that don’t deliver a return on investment.”
Bring Innovation To Government
Excerpt: “I understand that there are functions only government can provide, but if we don’t bring innovation to government, we risk losing our ability to provide those functions, along with extinguishing the strong economy we need to pay for them.”
Return Local Control
Excerpt: “I’m a strong believer in local control, and in Sacramento, I’ll fight to protect our local governments.”
Overcome Economic Challenges
Excerpt: “I understand that greater regulation fundamentally threatens economic growth, and that if government plays a role in our economy — which it clearly does — we must reform our regulatory process.”
Ballotpedia posted information about Derek Marshall
Derek Marshall (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 23rd Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Derek Marshall was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Marshall earned bachelor’s and graduate degrees from American University in 2005 and 2006, respectively. His career experience includes working as a community organizer with the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, as a director of internationalization for web-based travel company Kayak, and in international relations.
Derek Marshall completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Derek Marshall is an openly gay progressive Democrat, community organizer, and longtime LGBTQ+ rights activist. Marshall is the co-founder of a global research initiative supporting the United Nations, Making Commitments Mater, which developed a framework to hold countries accountable to the various UN conventions and resolutions to which they had committed. From there, he joined the online travel agency KAYAK as Director of Internationalization. Marshall has since leveraged his skills and experience in order to focus on community building and electing progressive candidates to public office. He has organized for many campaigns, most notably those of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Alex Morse. Marshall spent much of the 2020 cycle in Nevada as a staffer for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential bid. He currently resides in Victorville, CA, where his 2022 campaign is based.
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Real Relief For Everyday People
A Green New Deal To Empower Rural America
Freedom & Justice For All
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
-Green New Deal – Medicare for All – Jobs Guarantee – Racial Justice – Housing Justice – Ending Homelessness – Ending the War on Drugs – Taxing the Rich
Ballotpedia provided information on Blanca Gomez
Blanca Gomez (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 23rd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Blanca Gomez was born in Orange County, California. Gomez earned an associates degree from Victor Valley Community College and a bachelor’s degree in English composition/applied linguistics. Her career experience includes working as an American Sign Language interpreter and as a teaching associate with California State University at San Bernardino. Gomez has been affiliated with Catholic Charities.
Blanca Gomez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m a former foster woman who got elected into a local municipal office in 2016 (city of Victorville) and a standing public servant working on her doctorate in public administration currently to provide accessibility to justice, transparency, accountability and equality to the political system on behalf of humanity. I have two adult children and a minor child working to create a better situation for the least disadvantaged in our real in all manners and fashion. Call or text me for questions at 760-912-3190 I’m currently attending California Baptist University for my post graduate degree in this political realm.
Blanca Gomez also translated the above paragraph into Spanish.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Homelessness and housing
Job security and stability
Educational access o our communities through partnerships and collaborations
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: I’m passionate about equal access to justice and the transparency and accountability of public sectors to our systems in gov or more inclusion of our voters and taxpayers, stake holders, stake seekers, businesses, and other entities.
Blanca Gomez translated the above paragraph into Spanish.
March 7: CISON posted a press release titled: “Progressive Candidate Derek Marshall Official Files for Candidacy for California’s 23rd Congressional District”. From the press release:
The first time candidate feels energized looking ahead to the primary on June 7.
On Tuesday, March 1, 2022, Derek Marshall filed his candidacy to represent California’s new 23rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a political candidate who refuses to take money from special interest groups, Marshall feels motivated to work tirelessly for his constituents if elected.
“I’ve spoken to so many people in my community, and what’s been communicated to me is that we must fight for Medicare-for-All, a Green New Deal, and good-paying, local jobs right here in the Inland Empire,” says Marshall. “When voters see my name on the ballot, I hope they trust me to go to DC and fight for exactly that.”
Grassroots campaigning and small-dollar donations have pushed Marshall ahead of his fellow Democratic primary challengers, indicating that his progressive platform is resonating with citizens. He is currently the leading candidate to take on Republican incumbent Jay Obernolte come November.
“Unlike the incumbent, I won’t leave money on the table for my district. He voted against the INVEST in America Act, which would have provided federal aid to fix our highways and improve our infrastructure. Our district would have benefited from this bill,” Marshall says…
April 27: Yahoo! Finance posted a press release from CISON titled: “Democratic Challenger Derick Marshall Outraises Republican Incumbent in California Congressional Race” From the article:
The Progressive Candidate Raised Approximately $40,000 More than Jay Olbernote During This Fundraising Quarter
In California’s new 23rd District, Democratic challenger Derek Marshall has outraised Republican incumbent Jay Obernolthe in the first quarter of 2022. Marshall’s campaign raised about $137,000 while (R) Jay Obernolte’s campaign raised about $96,000. Small-dollar individual donations, with an average amount of $103, pushed Marshall ahead of Obernolte, who is one of the wealthiest members of Congress.
“I think it’s safe to say that voters have had enough of Jay Obernolte’s inaction on economic hardships, climate change, infrastructure improvements, and crushing medical and student debt in our district,” said Derek Marshall, the leading Democratic challenger. “The numbers show that the valley is ready for a new representative that will be a real voice for them in Washington.”
According to the Federal Election Commission, Obernolte has received $526,305 in donations to date since the start of January 2021. Marshall’s campaign is closing the gap, having raised $502,131.
Marshall has received endorsements from prominent organizations including:
The California Democratic Party
Progressive Turnout Project
The SIX PAC
Ground Game LA
the Stonewall Democratic Club
Desert Stonewall Democrats
California High School Democrats, and
PDA Antelope Valley
California’s new 23rd District, formerly CA-8, includes Victorville, Redlands, Twentynine Pines, among other communities. It stretches from the southern edge of Death Valley National Park in the north to Joshua Tree National Park in the south. The eastern boundary is the California / Nevada state line, and the west reaches the outskirts of the Inland Empire, up the hill from Los Angeles.
June 8: Victorville Daily Press (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Jay Obernolte’s November opponent still too close to call as votes are counted in House race” From the article:
Rep. Jay Obernolte will move on to the November general election, but his opponent in that race is too close to call.
But his two Democratic opponents, Derek Marshall and Victorville Councilwoman Blanca Gomez, are separated by only 1,000 votes with only 48% of the votes counted at 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The 23rd District was created after redistricting and covers most of San Bernardino County, along with parts of Kern and Los Angeles counties.
The district is one of seven right-leaning seats in California and is considered a “Solid R” district, according to the website FiveThirtyEight.com.
Obernolte, a Trump-backed Republican, is the incumbent congressman for California’s old 8th District, which was larger geographically and covered Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino counties.
He is a former state Assembly member and founder of a video game developer, FarSight Studios.
In response to Daily Press questions, Obernolte touted his business experience and 17 years in public service as to why he was the most qualified candidate.
“With our economy such a critical issue, we need leaders who understand the role government plays in either helping or hindering our prosperity,” he said.
If elected for a second term, Obernolte said he would lean toward increasing law enforcement resources at the California-Mexico border and help get control of “runaway inflation.”
If elected for a second term, Obernolte said he would lean toward increasing law enforcement resources at the California-Mexico border and help get control of “runaway inflation.”
He believes a background in working internationally has set him up to be a successful congressman.
“In my experience living and working amongst other countries across the world, all with less money than the US, I have seen how guaranteeing people health care, affordable housing, and removing the financial shackles of medical and student loan debt can lead to a happier and healthier community,” Marshall said.
“In my experience living and working amongst other countries across the world, all with less money than the US, I have seen how guaranteeing people health care, affordable housing, and removing the financial shackles of medical and student loan debt can lead to a happier and healthier community,” Marshall said.
“In my experience living and working amongst other countries across the world, all with less money than the US, I have seen how guaranteeing people health care, affordable housing, and removing the financial shackles of medical and student loan debt can lead to a happier and healthier community,” Marshall said.
Gomez did not return messages from the Daily Press about the race.
June 8: Daily News posted an article titled: “Election 2022: Here are updated results for the congressional races that include LA County” From the article:
There was no shortage of fascinating candidates and subplots in the 17 congressional races that involved Los Angeles County – either partly or wholly – during Tuesday’s statewide primary.
Here’s how those races for the U.S. House of Representatives shook out, as of 3:16 am. Wednesday, June 8, according to the California Secretary of State’s website:
District 23: Incumbent Rep. Jay Obernolte had about 59% of the vote in his bid to represent a new district that encompasses the desert between the Antelope Valley and the Nevada border (only grazing L.A. County). The Republican’s two Democratic challengers were closer to each other than to Obernolte. Community organizer Derek Marshall had about 22% and Victorville Councilwoman Blanca Gomez had about 19%…
Ballotpedia provided information about the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 23
Jay Obernolte (R): 60% – 56,432 votes
Derek Marshall (D): 21.8% – 20,220 votes
Blanca Gomez (D): 17.3% – 16,001 votes
July 6: The Press Enterprise (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Here’s who won the major San Bernadino County races in the June 7 primary” From the article”
…23rd District
When congressional district lines were redrawn in December, they looked especially good for sitting members of the House of Representatives in the Inland Empire.
They certainly looks to be true for Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Big Bear Lake. He picked up 60.9% of the vote in the June 7 primary, followed by Democrats Derek Marshall, who got 21.8% of the vote, and Blanca A. Gomez, who received 17.3% of the vote. He and Marshall will will face off in the Nov. 8 general election.
The district covers Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, Big Bear City, Hesperia, Twentynine Palms, Victorville, Yucaipa, and Yucca Valley, parts of Colton, Highland Loma Linda, Redlands and San Bernardino…
Ballotpedia provided information for the U.S. House California District 23
Jay Obernolte (R): 60.6% – 53,437 votes
Derek Marshall (D): 39.4% – 34,687 votes
November 9: Victorville Daily Press (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Election results: Jay Obernolte leads race for California’s House seat; Lackey ahead in Assembly” From the article:
As expected, Jay Obernolte, a Republican and the High Desert’s current U.S. House of Representatives, is easily defeating Democratic challenger Derek Marshall in the newly drawn District 23.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Obernolte garnered 60.1% and led Marshall, a community organizer who formerly worked for several of his party’s campaigns, with 39.1%..
California’s 24th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 24th Congressional District
California’s 24th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California. The district is currently represented by Salud Carbajal. It contains all of Santa Barbara County, most of San Luis Obispo County, and part of Ventura County. Cities in the district include Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, and Ojai.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 24th congressional district is located on the southern edge of the Central Coast. It encompasses Santa Barbara County, most of San Luis Obispo County and part of Ventura County. The district also takes in six of the Channel Islands.
San Luis Obispo County is split between this district and the 19th district. They are partitioned by Highway 1, Cayucos Creek Rd, Thunder Canyon Rd, Old Creek Rd, Santa Rita Rd, Tara Creek, Fuentes Rd, Highway 41, San Miguel Rd, Palo Verde Rd, Old Morro Rd, Los Osos Rd, San Rafael Rd, Atascadero Ave, San Antonio Rd, N Santa Margarita Rd, Santa Clara Rd, Rocky Canyon Truck Trail, Highway 229, Lion Ridge Rd, O’Donovan Rd, Highway 58, Calf Canyon Highway, La Panza Rd, Upton Canyon Rd, Camatta Creek Rd, San Juan Creek, and Bitterwater Rd. The 24th district takes in the cities of San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Morro Bay, and Grover Beach, as well as the census-designated places Nipomo and Los Osos.
Ventura County is split between this district and the 26th district. They are partitioned by Highway 150, Los Padres National Park, Highway 33, Cozy del, Cozy Oaji Rd, Shelf Road Trail, Gridley Rd, Thatcher Creek, Boardman Rd, Sulphur Mountain Rd, Canada Larga Rd, Highway 33, Shell Rd E, Manuel Canyon Rd, Aliso St, Willoughby Rd, Aliso Canyon Rd, Foothill Rd, N Wells Rd, Highway 126, Highway 118, Brown Barranca, Montgomery Ave, Telephone Rd, Ramlin Ave, Harmon Barranca, Johnson Dr, S Victoria Ave, Highway 101, E Harbor Blvd, and Olivias Park Dr. The 24th district takes in the city of Ventura.
Ballotpedia provided information about Salud Carbajal:
Salud Carbajal (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 24th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2017. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Carbajal (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 24th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the primary scheduled March 5, 2024.
Carbajal first one election to the seat in 2016 where he defeated Justin Fareed (R) by a vote of 53.4 percent to 46.6 percent. He defeated Fareed again in 2018 by a vote of 58.6 percent to 41.4 percent.
During the 2016 election cycle, Carbahal was one of 161 candidates endorsed by President Barack Obama.
Ballotpedia provided information on Brad Allen:
Brad Allen (Republican Party) rancor election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 24th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Brad Allen was born in New York, New York. Allen earned a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College in 1976 and an M.D. from Chicago MedicalSchool in 1991. His career includes working as a pediatric heart surgeon and visiting adjunct clinical professor of surgery at the USC Keck School of Medicine.
Brad Allen completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am a surgeon who has worked at major universities for 40 years, specializing in pediatric heart surgery. I am also a medical researcher with almost 100 scientific papers and 7 book chapters, a member of the medical honor society, won numerous teaching and research awards, and lectured all over the world. I have set up surgery centers, intensive care units, and research laboratories from scratch, so I know how to work with people to bring complex ideas to completion. I am a small business owner, so I understand the problems small businesses face, and how to fix them. I have spent my life solving complex problems using data and not politics to find solutions.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
As a pediatric heart surgeon, I’ve trained my entire life in the art and science of solving problems and helping people live better lives. This problem-solving approach is needed in Washington. Democratic politicians have worsened California’s daily lives in more ways than I can count. I want to work with leadership to bring common sense back to Congress. Instead of more politics, or a particularly ideology, I want to provide actual solutions to these problems by using the pragmatic problem-solving approach. I learned it as a doctor to improve American’s daily lives.
Inflation is at a 40-year high, with surging gas, food and housing costs. Supply chain issues have led to shortages in just about everything. We have gone from energy independent, to begging other countries to produce more oil. The growing federal bureaucracy and is punishing small businesses. Congress just keeps printing money as though it has no consequences, but it does. It is one of the major causes of inflation, and it has increased the national debt to over $30 trillion. I want to restore financial sanity and stop spending money we don’t have by just printing more. As a small business owner I understand we need to cut the regulatory burden on small businesses to allow them to flourish and reduce supply chain issues.
I will bring “real” life experience to Washington. The problem in Washington is not that we don’t have enough politicians, it’s that we have too many. I have spent my life explaining complex topics like pediatric heart surgery to people in simple terms so they could understand the problem, and what was needed to fix it. With so many problems facing our country, this is approach is needed. So if you have finally “had enough” of Washington as usual, then vote for someone who brings life experience and a pragmatic problem-solving approach to Washington instead of a bureaucrat.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
With so many problems facing our county, the list is almost endless. There’s Law Enforcement, Education, Immigration, Homelessness, and Healthcare just to name a few. And as a doctor I can’t sit by and watch these hurt so many people, when practical solutions are possible. I am passionate about helping people live better lives. That has been my live’s work.
But having worked as a doctor for 40years I am particularly passionate about healthcare. And having worked at major universities in the United States and Canada, as well as Veteran’s hospitals, I understand how healthcare works, and how it can be improved. We need real people to fix our healthcare, not politicians.
As a medical researcher I understand research. I understand the data and science of COVID and how best to manage this disease. Democrats one-size-fits-all approach to Covid-19 has failed miserably. They stopped following the science ages ago. Their reliance on lockdowns inflicted enormous economic and societal costs while providing little to no health benefit, and imposing them on children caused severe damage, including mental and social anguish. I can’t just let the politicians continue to mismanage Covid and healthcare.
Ballotpedia provided information about Michele Weslander Quaid:
Michele Weslander Quaid (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 24th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Michele Weslander Quaid was born in California. Quaid earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and engineering science from Seattle Pacific University in 1991 and a graduate degree in optics from the University of Rochester in 1994. Her career experience includes founding and working as the president of Sunesis Nexus. Quaid served on the board of directors in Providence, A Santa Barbara Christian School, and on the board of trustees of National Flight Academy.
Michele Weslander Quaid completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: My run for Congress is a continuation of the oath of office I took 20 years ago.
Raised in Santa Barbara by a single mom with an income below the US-defined poverty level, I worked hard to get a good education and earn a better standard of living. After graduating as the valedictorian of my high school, I earned a B.S. in Physics and Engineering Science and a M.S. in Optics. This led to a 25-year national security career in the Washington D.C. area.
In 2002, I was recruited into government service to lead innovation and sworn in as a senior executive in defense intelligence. I voluntarily traveled to the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan to better support our troops and served as the first Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Director of National Intelligence. As a senior policymaker, I worked with Congress and successfully managed large offices and budgets. After government service, I became Google’s Chief Technology Officer for Public Sector and then started my own business, Sunesis Nexus. In 2016, I returned to Santa Barbara.
I appreciate our military and am the widow of a veteran who served our country honorably for over 22 years. Our daughter is an American patriot.
Having lived the American dream, I want to preserve it for future generations. In Congress, I will act with integrity, stand for truth and liberty, and use my expertise in executive leadership, strategic planning and coalition building to effectively represent California’s 24th District.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Individual Liberty, Equal Justice, Constitutionally Limited Government. The Declaration of Independence states that every human is “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights and a just government secures those rights. Our legal system follows natural law, which acknowledges individuals’ rights come from their Creator, not the government, and therefore no human authority can reduce these rights. There must be liberty and justice for all. Today, our government is operating outside of its legal authority as articulated in the U.S. Constitution. and trying to dictate every aspect of our lives. I will support legislation that maximizes the opportunity for people to thrive, and work to restore our constitutional republic.
National Security, Secure Border, First Responders, Military, Veterans. America is an experiment in self-government where “We The People” are the sovereign. We elect people to represent us and they derive their power from our consent. The Preamble to the Constitution articulates the role of government, “to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty.” A government’s first responsibility to its citizens, and a sovereign nation must have secure borders. I will put the interests of America and its citizens first and support those who serve on the front lines risking their lives for us at home and abroad.
Fiscal Responsibility, Lower Taxes, Free Market Economy, Excellence in Education. Our government has not demonstrated fiscal responsibility and is over-taxing We The People to pay for its spending habits and engaging in crony capitalism in an attempt to control the economy. This has has disastrous results. The government is overspending and printing money, devaluing the dollar. Inflation has risen to a 40 year high (March 2022), impacting every aspect of our lives. We send large amounts on education but too many schools are failing our students. I will work to cut spending and taxes, lift unreasonable burdens for employers and employees to help our businesses to prosper, and ensure parents have school choice for their students to thrive.
Q: What areas of policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Our national debt is an economic issue, national security issue, and moral issue. The government’s lack of fiscal responsibility is burdening our children with a debt that cannot be repaid, harming their future and the sovereignty of our nation.
Our education system is failing our children. Instead of being taught the fundamentals – reading, writing, arithmetic, true American history, and citizenship – and how to learn, students are being told what to think and subjected to indoctrination with radical ideologies. We must preserve parental rights and ensure that each child receives an educational foundation that enables them to be lifelong learners and thrive.
Our military and first responders deserve our unwavering support. My husband was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor (glioblastoma) on his first day of retirement from the military. He qualified for maximum benefits but it was a constant battle with the Department of Veterans Affairs to get them to provide the benefits to which he was entitled and he died at age 47. Those who risk their lives for our freedom deserve the best care in their time of need.
We must be good stewards of the earth and apply common-sense environmental policies that enable sustainable agriculture and forest-management practices that protect our communities.
We need to return to being energy independent, with a combination of renewable energy and fossil fuels, for the good of American citizens and our national security.
Ballotpedia provided information on Jeff Frankenfield:
Jeff Frankenfield (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 24th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jeff Frankenfield was born in Seattle, Washington, and lives in Santa Barbara, California. Frankenfield served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Washington in 1998. Frankenfield’s career experience includes working as the director of global accounts with OFS and a global account manager with Viavi Solutions.
Jeff Frankenfield completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: Jeff has served his country and community in some capacity for most of his adult life. His service to the country began in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as a non-commissioned officer (NCO).
He began serving his local community as a police chaplain and continues to serve by volunteering his time coaching high school football. He believes there may be no bette way to improve our local communities, and our society, than to do everything we can to help our youth become successful adults.
Jeff graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is a current candidate for a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). For the past 23 years, Jeff has had a successful sales and management career in the telecommunications industry, and currently works with the world’s largest high-tech companies. Seeing firsthand how fast these companies move, and the creativity with which they problem-solve, inspires Jeff to bring these same characteristics to Congress. He also thrives in relationship building, strategic thinking, and effective negotiations, which are all skills desperately needed in Congress right now.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A priority on government accountability. Congress has given authority and resources to federal agencies that impact American citizens, yet unlike Congress, these agencies do not have direct accountability to the people of this country, and that is a fundamental problem with bloated federal government. I want to see this changed.
A priority on national security. I believe the federal government’s most important function is protecting the country from its enemies, both foreign and domestic, so that people in each of the 50 states can carve out their lives with the right and freedoms our country was founded on. It is paramount that our military can respond with overwhelming and incomparable force, and this ever-constant capability ensures the greatest level of peace for us as a country. We also need to ensure the latest technologies are being utilized to protect Americans on our own soil, which includes combating cyber-attacks, preventing acts of terrorism, managing border security, and protecting our power grid and water lines to name a few.
I am committed to finding solutions that help take care of our citizens and our land. this includes a focus on good healthcare solutions, a better educational system, job opportunities with a healthier economy, affordable housing solutions, immigration reform and the protection of our natural environment…
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Energy and the Environment; Educational Reform; Economic Health; Government Accountability; Healthcare; Housing; Immigration Reform; National Security; Support for our Veterans
May 10: Santa Barbara Independent posted an article titled: “Three Challengers Take On Salud Carbajal for California’s 24th Congressional District” From the article:
California’s 24th Congressional District has four candidates facing off in the June 7 primary, with three challengers on the ballot attempting to unseat the incumbent Democrat Salud Carbajal, who first won the position in 2016 and was reelected every two years since…
…As a state representative, Carbajal has advocated for environmental legislation like the California Clean Costal Act, which bans future offshore oil and gas drilling along the coast, as well as sitting on a number of state committees on agriculture, armed services, transportation and infrastructure.
Republican Brad Allen is a pediatric heart surgeon who ran for the same position in 2014, where he finished fifth out of nine candidates with 7 percent of the vote. Allen does not have an updated campaign website for the 2022 election, but a YouTube video interview published on April 22, he describes his motivations for running again, saying he could no longer “sit on the sidelines” while the country’s “problems are piling up.” In 2014, Allen was a fierce critic of Obamacare, saying in a campaign statement at the time that “Congress needs more people who can bring professional experience to bear on complex issues, rather than career politicians who are out of touch with what people need.”
Independent Jeff Frankenfield is a “telecommunications and global accounts director,” who, according to a campaign statement, hopes to use his expertise in “relational negotiations” to “improve bipartisan cooperation within Congress.” His website addresses a number of issues, from inflation in the economy to “the environment, education reform, government accountability, healthcare, housing, immigration, national security, and support for not only our veterans but also our active duty personnel…
…Also running as an independent is Michele Weslander Quaid, who is listed on the ballot as an “entreprenur/coach/educator. Her website lists a lengthy background in defense intelligence, including an appointment as Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Director of National Intelligence.
Weslander Quaid represents the conservative-leaning spectrum of Independent political candidates who focus on issues like securing the borders, limiting the role of government, lowering taxes, and what she calls a “failing educational system,” which “indoctrinates youth.” She advocates for a turn back to “true American history” and away from “racial ideology.”…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 24:
Salud Carbajal (D): 64.9% – 57,055 votes
Brad Allen (R): 27.5% – 24,140 votes
Michele Weslander Quaid (Independent): 6.2% – 5,437 votes
Jeff Frankenfield (Independent): 1.4% – 1,229 votes
October 24: VC Star posted an article titled: “Election 2022: What you need to know about Rep. Salud Carbajal v. Dr. Brad Allen race for Congress”. From the article:
A three-term incumbent who prides himself on bipartisanship faces a celebrity-linked heart surgeon pushing for change in a redrawn congressional district that now includes more of Ventura County.
The 24th Congressional District was changed in redistricting to include less of San Luis Obispo County and gain 80,000 voters in Ventura and Ojai. Rep. Salud Carbajal, a Democrat who grew up in Oxnard, is vying to keep the seat against the challenge of Republican Dr. Brand Allen, married to actress Jacklyn Smith of “Charlie’s Angels” television fame.
Voters will decide who will represent them at the polls Nov. 8.
The candidates disagree on the battle to curb inflation, Roe v. Wade, the Jan. 6 hearings and nearly everything else. They concur the biggest divide is their background with Allen pointing at Carbajal’s nearly six years in Congress; 12 years serving on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors; and another 11 years working for Naomi Schwartz, the former county supervisor.
“I believe we keep electing the same type of person – the career politician,” Allen said. “My concern is they don’t solve problems. They only look at things one way.”
Carbajal said the “career politician” dig is an oft-used strategy by challengers without experience. If they succeed in winning the election, they almost invariably run for reelection, he said.
“They try to become what they malign others with,” he said, comparing his resume with Allen who has not held elected office. “I think the difference is that I have a record of effective accomplishments, a record of service, a record of working across the aisle.”
Carbajal is the front runner in a district where 46% of the registered voters as of early September were Democrats compared to 26% Republicans. Carbajal received 60% of the votes in the primary with Allen gaining 31% and advancing to the November election over two other challengers.
…”I (Allen) went into this with my eyes wide open. I knew my chances in this race were not good,” he said, asserting his campaign relies on convincing voters the path to change comes from his nearly 40 years practicing medicine where he identifies problems and solves them.
He’s a pediatric heart surgeon and also helps run a business line of skin care products named for his wife. They own homes in Los Angeles and Summerland.
Allen, 67, ran for Congress in the 24th District in 2014, pushing for changes to the Affordable Care Act. He finished fifth in a field of nine…
…”The debt’s like a national credit card,” he said, contending lawmakers try to solve problems by throwing money at them.
…Carbajal, 57, of Goleta, said the economic crisis was exacerbated by the COVID-19 lockdown and the impact of Russia’s war with Ukraine on oil prices. He said inroads are being made through legislation that focuses on removing barriers from the supply chain, lowering prescription drugs costs and investing in businesses and industries…
…Carbajal comes from poverty. Born in the Guanajuato region of Mexico, he immigrated with his family to Arizona at age 5. His father worked in the mines, then as a farmworker after they moved into public housing in Oxnard. Carbajal spent summers working in the fields and graduated from Oxnard High School in 1983.
A former marine reserve, he won a seat on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors in 2004. He has served in Congress since 2016, advocating for environmental protections and serving on several bipartisan caucuses…
November 9: The Tribune posted an article titled: “Salud Carbajal, Jimmy Panetta, win reelection to represent SLO County in Congress” From the article:
Two Democratic incumbents cruised to reelection to represent San Luis Obispo County in Congress, according to a final Election Night ballot count.
The Associated Press called both races after U.S. Rep Jimmy Panetta built a strong lead for District 19 and Congressman Salud Carbajal did the same in District 24.
The incumbents held onto their seats in their newly redrawn districts…
…SALUD CARBAJAL REELECTED IN DISTRICT 24
With 100% of precincts partially reporting as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Carbajal won the race with 60.7% of the vote, 21 points above challenger Dr. Brad Allen, who trailed with 39.3%.
“I’m feeling ecstatic,” Carbajal told The Tribune Thursday night. “I feel that the voters of the Central Coast are reaffirming the work I’ve done on their behalf.”
“I’m feeling ecstatic,” Carbajal told The Tribune Thursday night. “I feel that the voters of the Central Coast are reaffirming the work I’ve done on their behalf.”
“They want me to continue fighting for these things in Congress, and there’s a lot of work to be done,” Carbajal said…
November 10: VC Star (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: Election 2022: Carbajal wins fourth term in 24th Congressional District” From the article:
U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal has won a fourth term in the race for the 24th Congressional District.
As of an update Thursday, Carabajal, D-Goleta, had 61% of the vote to 39% for Dr. Brad Allen, a Republican physician who owns a home in Summerland. Carbajal had 87,035 votes to 56,072 for the challenger.
The Associated Press called the race for Carbajal who declared victory Tuesday night.
“I am humbled to have again earned the confidence and support of Central Coast voters in today’s election, and I look forward to serving our communities in next Congress,” he said in a statement.
Allen conceded Wednesday morning.
“I am, of course, saddened by last night’s results,” he said in a written statement. “Being a pediatric heart surgeon, I still feel we need to start sending people with real life experience to Washington, instead of continuing to send career politicians who seem only to follow their party’s ideology.”
Carbajal, 57, prides himself on his advocacy for the environment and his efforts to work with Democrats and Republicans alike. He graduated from Oxnard High School and served on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors before running for Congress…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 24:
Salud Carbajal (D): 60.7% – 84,506 votes
Brad Allen (R): 39.3% – 54,682 votes
California’s 25th Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 25th Congressional District:
California’s 25th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Raul Ruiz.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 25th congressional district is located in the Mojave Desert. It encompasses Imperial County, most of Riverside County, and the eastern edge of San Bernardino. The district covers the entirety of the Arizona-California border.
Riverside County is split between this district and the 41st district. They are partitioned by Terwillinger Rd, Bailey Rd, Candelaria, Elder Creek Rd, Bonny Ln, Tule Peak Rd, Eastgate Trail, Goldrush Rd, Rule Valley Rd, Laura Ln, Dove Dr, Lago Grande, Barbara Trail, Valley Dr, Foolish Pleasure Rd, Highway 371, Gelding Way, Puckit Dr, Indian Rd, Wellman Rd, El Toro Rd, Burnt Valley Rd, Cahuilla Rd, Highway 74, Bull Canyon Rd, Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, Fred Waring Dr, Washington St, Highway 10, Davall Dr, Dinah Shore Dr, Plumley Rd, Gerald Ford Dr, E Ramon Rd, San Luis Rey Dr, San Joaquin Dr, Clubhouse View Dr, Mount San Jacinto State Park, Azelea Creek, Black Mountain Trail, Highway 243, North Folk San Jacinto River, Stetson Ave, Hemet St, Cornel St, Girard St, E Newport Rd, Domenigoni Parkway, Leon Rd, Grand Ave, State Highway 74, California Ave, W Devonshire Ave, Warren Rd, Ramona Expressway, San Jacinto River, Highway 79, Oak Valley Parkway, Champions Dr, Union St, Brookside Ave.
The 25th district takes in the cities of Coachella, Banning, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, San Jacinto, Hemet, Beaumont, and Blythe, as well as the census-designated places Valle Vista and East Hemet.
Ballotpedia provided information about Raul Ruiz:
Ruiz (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Ruiz graduated magna cum laude from UCLA. He earned three degrees from Harvard University – a Medical Doctorate, a Master’s in Public Policy and a Master’s in Public Health.
Raul Ruiz was born in Zacatecas, Mexico. Ruiz graduated from Coachella Valley High School in 1990. He earned a B.S. from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1994, an M.D. and M.P.P. from Harvard University in 2007. Ruiz’s career experience includes working as a physician and an associate dean with the University of California at Riverside School of Medicine.
Raul Ruiz did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Raul Ruiz’s 2014 campaign website:
Jobs and the Economy: “Reduce the deficit in a way that protects working families, retirees, and people who have lost their homes, jobs, and security during the last few years.
Breaking Gridlock: “As an Emergency Room physician, I’m trained to focus on solving problems and getting things done. When a patient is in the emergency room, it doesn’t matter whether they’re a Democrat or Republican, or who gets credit for solving the problem; all that matters is fixing the problem. That’s the approach I’ll bring to Congress.”
Education: “Prepare all our children for success by making college affordable, investing in preschool and vocational training, and fully funding after school programs.”
Medicare and Social Security: “Always protect Social Security and Medicare from attempts to slash the guaranteed benefits California seniors have paid and planned on.”
Standing Up For What’s Right: “The executive order to stop deporting young people who were brought here through no fault of their own is very important to me. Congress should stop playing politics and recognize that everyone has an interest in immigration reform.”
Ballotpedia provided information about Brian Hawkins:
Brian Hawkins (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Brian Hawkins was born in San Diego, California. Hawkins’ career experience includes working as a pastor. He has served as a councilman for San Jacinto, California.
Brian Hawkins completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m a Pastor, Father, Husband and a public servant. I’m currently elected to San Jacinto City Council. I have always had a people first approach to everything I have ever done. Im an unselfish person with a desire to get things done. I have advocated for human rights from my pulpit. Im a former felon who is endorsed by local law enforcement, sheriffs and District Attorney Mike Hestrin. My story of turning my life around is amazing. I’m a strong supporter of fixing the education system and making sure or children grow up in a safe environment. I believe we should finally address our nations immigration problems by building stronger borders with bigger doors. We should build bridges with nations that need our help. Every person who comes to America is a dreamer. People dream of a better life for their future generations. I will fight for every citizen to have equal access to the rights that our founding fathers believed we should have.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I don’t care if you are liberal or conservative, you deserve to have your voice heard in Washington D.C.
If we fix the educational system, we fix homelessness and mass incarceration. Knowledge is power and 75% of inmates are high school drop outs.
People don’t know what they don’t know and we are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Fix education
Allocate money for small businesses
Provide better resources for our boarder patrol
change laws and make homeless a mental health crisis
provide an easier path way to citizenship.
every inmate that parole have a degree or trade (give access to FASFSA)
Fix allocation of welfare aide. fathers should be included in 50/50 working together to create health child environment.
Fix the crisis with the salton sea
Ballotpedia provided information on Brian Tyson:
Brian Tyson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2020.
Brian Tyson was born in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Tyson’s career experience includes owning urgent care centers and working as an emergency room physician.
Brian Tyson did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Brian Tyson’s 2022 campaign website:
COVID & MANDATES
“Over the past two years, much of the American economy was essentially shutdown under the guise of “science.” It has been proven these lockdowns provided more harm than help, mandates did not work, and Washington’s suppression of proven COVID treatments based on partisan bias was simply wrong.
Dr. Tyson ignored Washington’s dysfunctional approach and instead provided early COVID treatments to over 10,000 patients with impeccable results. He knows its time to end the mandates, let doctors be doctors, and protect the fundamental relationship between the patient and their physician.
WATER
The Colorado River runs the length of the 25th congressional district and its importance to both farmers and residents cannot be understated. The Salton Sea sits in the middle of the District as well as poses a substantial health risk. With every year that passes, the exposed playa becomes increasingly harmful and a growing public health risk; this challenge must be met with a proactive approach that works toward ongoing mitigation efforts.
Dr. Tyson knows that water is the elixir of life. He will work tirelessly to protect water rights, ensure public health, and maintain access to fresh, clean water to always meet the needs of District farmers, and the agricultural industry.
PROMOTE AMERICAN JOBS
As Congress pushes trillions of dollars in new spending, debt ceiling suspensions, and a laundry list of middle-class tax hikes, we are seeing current leadership run amok. Inflation is above five percent, with free money flooding the economic system. Millions of Americans refuse to work, content with government handouts that undermine small business job creation.
Dr. Tyson will promote American job growth stopping endless handouts that are harmful, blocking wasteful and reckless spending to reduce our national debt and protect our economy and future generations…
Ballotpedia provided information on James Francis Gibson:
James Francis Gibson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
James Francis Gibson was born in Oceanside, California. Gibson earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from California State University at Chico in 1983. His career experience includes owning a manufacturing business and working as a farmer, a real estate developer, and a stock broker.
James Francis Gibson filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m a Southern California native. My family is from Ohio. I went to Villa Park High and graduated with a degree in finance from Chico State. I was a stock broker, a banker, a farmer, a manufacturer, a real estate developer. A small business owner. A taxi driver. I was married. I have three children. I love people. I’m running for Congress. We have the greatest country in the world and I want to make it even better.
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Get our Country back!
Flat tax
Term limits.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: National Debt. Water. Free Healthcare for Veterans. Term limits. Smaller less intrusive government. Farmers. Small and medium sized businesses. Homelessness/crime/Cure addiction. Freedom.
Ballotpedia provided information about Burt Thackur:
Burt Thakur (Republican Party) ran ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Burt Thacker was born in New Delhi. He served in the U.S. Navy from 2000 to 2006. His career experience includes working as an engineering project manager, a nuclear reactor operator for the U.S. Navy, and a power plant operator and manager.
Burt Thacker completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I am an immigrant, a U.S. Navy veteran and now, I am a project manager.
I was spurred into action, and decided to run for Congress, after witnessing the way in which our leaders take away freedoms while demonstrating obscene hypocrisy. Instead of working on ideas that advance our country, our world, and all of mankind, they instead, choose to be myopic and raise the political temperature to remain in power.
My intention is not to be a career politician – it is to be someone who solves major issues and then gets out of the way for someone new to take over.
Our office will do everything possible to suture the wounds of division. I will work diligently to pass bi-partisan ideas and reach across the aisle to help remind people that we serve the people – we are servant leaders, and we must put forth policies that benefit Americans, not just the individual parties.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
As opposed to just raising minimum wage, we must raise minimum skill.
Let’s start debating the efficacy of solutions as opposed to the morality of issues.
The only deficit I see is one if inertia, and together we will be the force to get the ball rolling.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Raising minimum skill. From trade schools to manufacturing to providing grants for STEM degrees,, we must prepare the next generation for an ever evolving technological world.
The border/immigration. Shoring up the border with smart technology & drones. Call stations on the border for those fleeing traffickers as well as water. Signs which show the closest legal entry. A new visa for seasonal/migrant workers – we have an economy of illegal immigrants who are being used for effectively slave labor – forget politics for a second, this is inhumane.
The Salton Sea & New + Alamo Rivers. Let’s end this ecological nightmare by action. Let’s build desalination plants, waste treatment, pipelines and geothermal power plants. Not only would this provide fresh water, but will create thousands of jobs, mitigate the ecological disaster and will give us access to 25-40% of the world’s supply of lithium.
40,000 Homeless veterans. Completely unacceptable. I will work hard to ensure we have rehabilitation as well as mental health counseling and job placement for veterans.
Healthcare. Our district has a need for healthcare centers as well as specialists. In addition, getting funding for research for public hospitals. Affordable health care for not just acute but long term/ chronic conditions. Lower priced medication.
Lowering the deficit and balancing the budget.
Getting out of foreign wars.
CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT
Ballotpedia provided information on Ceci Truman:
Ceci Truman (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ceci Truman did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection Survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Ceci Truman’s campaign website:
I am a pro-life, constitutional conservative who will fight!
America must return to being self reliant!
America is experiencing an inflation rise and paying more for gas at the pump. After promising many thousands of Keystone Pipeleine workers that they would not close, Biden in fact shut down all systems with a stroke of a pen, day one, in office! Instead of America being a self-reliant and an exporter of our own natural resources, we have been purchasing gas from Russia. Now that sanctions are being put in place against Russia, the Biden administration is reaching out to terrorist nations such as Venezuela and Iran, begging for them to supply us with oil. This is pathetic! I will legislate to re-open our Keystone Pipeline so that we will once again be energy self productive.
We Need Order At The Border!
An issue plaguing our nation is the open border policy under the current regime. I am a Mexican American who believes we need “Order At The Border!”. We need a LEGAL migration system (not an invasion), that will be enforced. The Biden administration will be lifting Title 42 this coming May. This not only jeopardizes America economically but is a national security crisis! It is incentivizing the cartels to take full control of our borders. Most of use are aware of the human smuggling and sex trafficking that is occurring at the border which is extremely disturbing. Children have been the prime target. Fentanyl is being funneled at unprecedented rates through these open borders and killing Americans by the thousands. These are travesties I will fight against!We are currently witnessing atrocious policies being implemented at our southern borders. As a result, an invasion (not a migration) is taking place of unvetted, illegal aliens. In addition, the current administration wants to reward those coming with unprecedented priveileges and benefits. This must end immediately!
Stop Critical Race Theory and The Sexualization Our Children!
I am a wife and mom on a mission, fighting against the vile and graphic material our children are being exposed to! I will fight against the indoctrination of CRT in our schools! We must put an end to this race devision and marxist ideologies!
We must fight for the innocent and defenseless!
We must fight for the unborn who cannot defend themselves. We are to be a shelter and protector of our children. We must put an end to these “Woke” and Marxist ideologies that are cancer in our communities and states. We must put God in the forefront of our nation once again and stop caving to these leftist, who are destroying this great country.
Ballotpedia provided information on Johnathan Reiss:
Jonathan Reiss (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 25th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jonathan Reiss was born in New York, New York. Reiss earned a degree in government and international relations from Dartmouth College in 1978.
Jonathan Reiss completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Campaign Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m running for Congress to make a difference in helping to restore and protect our fundamental core beliefs and principles that have made America such a great Country. This is a task I look forward to and I’m the most qualified person to accomplish that goal. For 25 years I have resided in our District. While earning an honors degree in both Government and International Relations from Darthmouth College, I studied in Europe, interned for a longtime Senator in Washington D.C., for the Federal Community Action Program in Hawaii, and at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Post graduate studies were in Media Production at New York University. We face major problems, from ineffective regulation, excessive often inappropriate taxes, to debilitating bottlenecks, all of which are getting worse with extreme political fighting in Congress. Spending accelerates in the face excessive waste, over inflation hurts everyone, parental rights are needlessly threatened, public safety dangerously compromised, our borders are chaotic instead of historically secure environments, and America’s international relations are more fragile than ever. Local business and jobs are not being sufficiently supported and our essential Constitutional freedoms are threatened on a daily basis.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Vote Jonathan Reiss US Congress 2022
Let’s Move America Forward
We can build a better future
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Most of them.
May 24: News Channel 3 posted an article titled: “Meet the Candidates in newly drawn 25th U.S. Congressional District” From the article:
…Sitting Congressman Raul Ruiz decided to run in District 25, which includes his hometown of Coachella. He is being challenged for the seat by six Republican candidates.
“There’s so much more that we need to do to help improve the lives of the people that I serve here in the desert,” Ruiz said.
San Jacinto councilmember Brian Hawkins is endorsed by the state GOP.
“People are watching the gas tank, people are wondering if their child is going to have a great future,” Hawkins said. “I’m more focused on things that can actually bring us together.”
Retired farmer James Gibson said he is closely watching California issues like the drought.
“Our state’s in trouble. We need water bad,” Gibson said. “I understand farmers; I watched my water bill quadruple in 202 years.”
Media consultant Jonathan Reiss said the newly drawn district lines reaching to the U.S. – Mexico border are renewing immigration as a critical issue for the region.
“I think its a question of how it’s going to be done in a way that’s most safe and effective for both the immigrants and the Americans that live in the district,” Reiss said.
Engineer Burt Thakur said he wants to increase skilled work in the district.
“Let’s incentivize S.T.E.M. degrees by the use of federal grants so we can get a next generation of entrepreneurs and scientists and engineers that are actually building infrastructure,” Thakur said.
After multiple attempts, News Channel 3 could not interview candidates Ceci Truman and Bryan Tyson for this story…
June 8: Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Ruiz has large lead over Republican challengers in 25th Congressional District primary race” From the article:
A longtime congressman – Rep. Raul Ruiz, a Democrat who has represented the Coachella Valley since 2013 – has a large lead over the six Republicans seeking to challenge him in the primary race
While thousands of vote-by-mail ballots are still being counted in Riverside County, Ruiz has garnered 29,720 votes, or 60% of the total so far, according to preliminary results posted by the California Secretary of State’s office.
San Jacinto city councilmember Brian Hawkins, who was endorsed by the California GOP, is a distant second place, with 7,745 votes, or 15.6%. Brian Tyson, an El Centro physician, sits in third, with 5,489 votes, or 11.1%, while retired farmer James Gibson is in court, with 3,226 votes, or 6.5%…
…Results are not yet final, according to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. Approximately 150,000 vote-by-mail and 2,000 provisional ballots still must be processed. Ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day also remain to be counted. The updated results are expected at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The Secretary of State must certify results by July 15…
…”I am humbled by the incredible support this grassroots campaign has received from every corner of the district,” Ruiz said in a statement Tuesday night. “It’s a testament to the tireless efforts of our volunteers and I am grateful to everyone who cast a ballot. I look forward to continuing to fight every day on behalf of veterans, seniors, and working families.”…
…Incumbent Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, picked up 56.4% of the vote, followed by San Jacinto Council member Brian Hawkins, a Republican who picked up 16.4% of the vote. They will now advance to the Nov. 8 general election, leaving behind the rest of the all-Republican field, including Brian M. Tyson (14.5%), James Francis Gibson (6.2%), Burt Thacker (3%), Ceci Truman (1.9%) and Jonathan Reiss (1.6%).
Ruiz is on the National Republican Congressional Committee’s list of vulnerable Democratic members of Congress, so the race may potentially see a lot of spending – and ads – over the coming months.
The district covers Banning, Beaumont, Blythe, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, part of Hemet, Indio, Needles and San Jacinto.
Ballotpedia reported the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 25:
Raul Ruiz (D): 56.4% – 55,142 votes
Brian Hawkins (R): 16.4% – 16,026 votes
Brian Tyson (R): 14.4% – 14,126 votes
James Francis Gibson (R): 6.2% – 6,040 votes
Burt Thacker (R): 3.0% – 2,977 votes
Ceci Truman (R): 1.9% – 1,844 votes
Jonathan Reiss (R): 1.6% – 1,601 votes
November 3: (updated November 9) Desert Sun posted an article titled: “Election results: U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz defeats GOP challenger easily” From the article:
Democratic U.S. Rep Raul Ruiz was comfortably defeating a Republican challenger, holding a 14,000-vote lead. Vote counting was continuing, but The Associated Press declared Ruiz the winner Wednesday afternoon.
His margin over Brian Hawkins was 61% to 39%, with updated vote totals scheduled to be released later Wednesday by the registrars in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties…
…Ruiz will continue representing many Coachella Valley residents in Congress. But this time around, he had to convince many new voters. His opponent, Hawkins, is a San Jacinto city councilmember and pastor who defeated a crowded field of Republicans in the primary to advance to the general election…
…In an interview as the first results came in Tuesday, Ruiz said he was excited about the results in his race and nationwide, with Democrats faring better than expected.
“I think the initial prognosis of a lot of Democratic losses throughout the nation has not come to fruition,” he said. “A lot of tossup races are going toward Democrats.”
Ruiz also said he was looking forward to continuing bipartisan and “pragmatic” work to strengthen Medicare and Social Security; lower costs for basics like groceries and gas; and expand health care access.
Ruiz’s platform also includes more funding to protect the environment. His website highlights his vote to bar insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions and a successful effort he led to provide benefits to veterans affected by burn pits.
Ruiz’s website also says he prioritizes women’s economic security and has fought for equal pay for equal work, expanding paid family leave and sick leave, and increasing affordable childcare.
Those priorities have little overlap with the six listed by Hawkins on his website, which include school safety and the border.
Hawkins wrote that he proposes automatic life sentences for anyone who “uses a gun in violence towards another human being.” He also says illegal immigration is harming the nation’s economy and fueling drug smuggling and human trafficking, so immigration agencies need to have “as much support and updated technology as possible.”…
Ballotpedia reported the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 25:
Raul Ruiz (D): 60.6% – 42,622 votes
Brian Hawkins (R): 39.4% – 27,687 votes
California’s 26th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 26th Congressional District:
California’s 26th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. State of California currently represented by Democrat Julia Brownley.
The district is located on the South Coast, comprising of most of Ventura County as well as a small portion of Los Angeles County. Cities in the district include Camarillo, Oxnard, Santa Paula, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Moorpark, and part of Simi Valley. In 2022, the district lost Ojai and most of Ventura and added Calabasas, Agoura Hills, and the sparsely populated northern half of Ventura County.
From 2003 to 2013, the district spanned the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley from La Cañada Flintridge to Rancho Cucamonga. David Dreier, a Republican, represented the district during this period.
From 2003 to 2013, the district spanned the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley from La Cañada Flintridge to Rancho Cucamonga. David Dreier, a Republican, represented the district during this period.
Ballotpedia provided information about Julie Brownley
Julia Brownley (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 26th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Brownley (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
She was first elected to the seat in 2012. Brownley is a former member of the California State Assembly, representing District 41 from 2006 to 2012. Brownley was ineligible to run for re-election to the California State Assembly in 2012 due to term limits.
Brownley endorsed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election…
…Brownley served on the Santa Monica-Malibu School Board from 1994-2006. She is a member of the California Commission on the Status of Women, Legislative Liaison for the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and Legislative Participant in the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy State Allocation Board.
Ballotpedia provided information on Matt Jacobs:
Matt Jacobs (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Matt Jacobs lives in Westlake Village, California. Jacobs graduated from Thousand Oaks High School. He earned a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University and a law degree from New York University. Jacobs’ career experience includes working as a federal prosecutor.
Matt Jacobs completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: As the grandson of a World War II veteran and two Holocaust survivors who came to this country as refugees, Matt has always been deeply proud and grateful to be an American. That pride and gratitude led Matt to pursue a career as a federal prosecutor, where he investigated and prosecuted some of America’s worst enemies and most dangerous criminals – including al-Qaeda terrorists, child sex traffickers, mafia bosses, street gang members, opioid traffickers and many others. Born and raised in Ventura County, Matt graduated from local public schools and earned merit scholarships to UCLA and Princeton. Matt and his wife Julie are blessed to be the parents of three children. They live in Westlake Village, just miles from Matt’s childhood home in Thousand Oaks. Like his grandparents and so many others who’ve come to this country in search of freedom and opportunity, Matt is a passionate believer in the American Dream. In Congress, Matt will fight to make sure our neighborhoods are safe, our economy is strong, and all our schools are world-class so that everyone has the opportunity to make their American Dream a reality.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Safe Neighborhoods – Government’s first duty is to protect us. As a federal prosecutor, Matt worked tirelessly to keep our country and our community safe. In Congress, Matt will support law enforcement while fighting policies – like defunding the police – that make the people of Ventura County less safe.
A Strong Economy that Rewards Hard Work – Prosperity means good jobs and high wages for the hardworking people of Ventura County. To achieve prosperity, we must lower taxes, reduce regulations, and end Big Government policies that hurt job creators, small businesses and the middle class. In Congress, Matt will fight to make America’s economy what it once was – the greatest engine of prosperity in human history.
World-Class Education for Every Child – For America to remain the land of opportunity, every child must receive a world-class education. In Congress, Matt will support public school teachers – like his mother – who put children first, while embracing charter education and school choice, and fighting to end policies that trap our most vulnerable children in failing schools.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A: As a federal prosecutor, Matt’s mission was to prosecute America’s enemies. In Congress, his mission will be to defend the American Dream. He’ll do that by standing up for fundamental American values, such as individual liberty, limited government, free enterprise, and equality of opportunity. And by championing commonsense policies that give everyone the opportunity to fulfill their potential — including policies that ensure that our neighborhoods are as safe as possible, that our economy is as strong as possible, and that every child receives a world-class education.
Ballotpedia provided information about Paul Nathan Taylor:
Paul Nathan Taylor (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. Taylor lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Paul Nathan Taylor was born and lives in Thousand Oaks, California. Taylor graduated from Westlake High School. He earned a B.A. in political science from Brigham Young University and a J.D. from Pepperdine University in 1998. Taylor’s career experience includes working as an attorney, a landlord, and a consultant.
Paul Nathan Taylor did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Paul Nathan Taylor’s campaign website:
Energy
Increased Energy Independence
Support of laws for clean air and water
Support of clean alternative fuels, increased nuclear power, as well as fuels such as ethanol, as a way of helping the U.S. achieve energy independence.
Gasoline
Repeal of taxes on Gasoline.
Support the continued construction of the Keystone Pipeline; Which would connect the Athabasca oil sands in Canada to refineries in the United States.
Decrease Taxation
Decrease taxation on the poor and middle class.
Support of tax benefits to make health insurance more affordable.
Decrease inflation by doing my part to vote against reckless government spending.
Healthcare
Support of increased health insurance portability.
Support of laws promoting coverage of pre-existing conditions
Support of tax benefits to make health insurance more affordable for the uninsured and to promote universal access.
Education
Support of funding for Pre-K Programs
Opposed to critical race theory indoctrination of children
Support of Student Loan Extensions
Basic Freedoms
Support for freedom of the press and speech. Social platforms should support the Constitutional Right to free speech.
Support of free and fair elections and voter identification to prevent fraud.
Support Term Limits for Senate and Congress. Two terms for Senate and five terms for Congress.
Women’s Rights
Governmental assistance to mothers with infants and dependent children.
Equal pay and benefits to women.
Support of better access to Child-care programs.
Opposed to late term abortion and partial birth abortion.
Business
Support all small businesses and start-ups.
Free markets and individual achievement are the primary factors behind prosperity.
(You can read the rest on Ballotpedia.)
Ballotpedia provided information about David Goodman:
David Goodman (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. Goodman lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
David Goodman lives in Oxnard California. Goodman graduated from the Rio Mesa High School. He earned an MBA from the University of East London. Goodman’s career experience includes owning local businesses and working as a police officer with the Port Hueneme Police Department.
David Goodman did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from David Goodman’s campaign website:
ELECTION INTEGRITY
As your Representative, I will fight to ensure the election process is fair, safe, and secure so that everybody can have confidence in the election process. If there is anything in the last two presidential elections have taught us, it is that Americans on both sides of the isle have lost faith in the process. I will use the full faith and power of my office to fight for election integrity, free of outside influence or tampering, so that we can get back to being the hallmark of democracy that we once were.
TERM LIMITS
As your Representative, I will fight for implementation of term limits of five terms (10 years) for members of Congress, and two terms (12 years) for members of the Senate. Our Founding Fathers never intended representatives of the people to morph into a life-long ruling class. Everybody knows that career politicians are a fundamental problem in Washington – yet no one is willing to set up anything about it. Until now. And if the House and Senate won’t follow my Term Limit program, then I will take it directly to the people in the form of a “Convention of States” (see article 4 of the U.S. Constitution). We Can do this, we Must do this and together, we Will do this!
LAW ENFORCEMENT
I have a thought…instead of defunding the police, how about we defund politicians, through term limits! Enough is Enough! I am sick of hearing the cries of the liberal left “Defund The Police!” Democrats like Julia Brownly have jumped on the Defund the police bandwagon and have carried the torch. Sadly, we have seen these effects of these actions in the form of skyrocketing crime rates and civil unrest.
NATIONAL DEFENSE
Ronald Regan called it “Peace Through Strength,” One only has to watch the evening news any given day to see the negative effects of Biden’s lack of commitment to our armed forces. As the Biden administration softens on military strength to appease the extreme left, the world is starting to unravel as a result. Russia bullying their neighbors, Chinese aggression toward Taiwan, and the Fiasco associated withdrawal in and the surrender of military equipment to the Taliban in Afghanistan, not to mention the abandonment of American’s left behind. The United State’s Navy is the largest employer in Ventura County, and is the basis for our economic engine. While the trend of the current administration is to downsize our military, I will fight to keep our bases open, and in doing so, ensure continued employment by our largest employer.
2nd AMENDMENT
National crime statistics show, over and over that gun control creates more crime. The more restrictive the gun laws, the higher the crime rate. One only has to look at the violent crime rate in cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Dayton, and D.C. Cities with the strictest gun control laws also have the highest homicide and other violent crime rates in the country. It’s the elephant in the room.
(You can read more from David Goodman’s website on Ballotpedia.)
Ballotpedia provided information on Fadde Mikhail:
Fadde Mikhail (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 26th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Fadde Mikhail was born in Los Angeles, California. Mikhail’s career experience includes working as an NFL sports and music agent at TopDawg Entertainment. He has been affiliated with the California Republican Assembly, the Oxnard Republican Federation, and the Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Simi Valley.
Fadde Mikhail completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
home for 19 years. In that time, I’ve seen poverty grow, education decline, the impacts of drought, and that state I love decay in a way that makes me very concerned – not only for my children – but for yours as well. I didn’t have much growing up, and as the son of immigrants, I’ve always felt a huge responsibility to honor my parents’ sacrifices by working hard, setting an example, and taking care of people. While the life I’ve built with my wife is comfortable, I’m not comforted by the issues affecting Americans today, and I wouldn’t be upholding my parents’ commitment to achieving the “American Dream” if I didn’t try to fix what’s broken. I’ve faced early criticism for having no political experience, but I have to ask, is America “better” with “professional politicians” at the helm? With the way things are going, we owe it to future generations to think very carefully about that.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
School Choice and Education Reform – It is time that parents get to have a say in their child’s education. For far too long, education has been controlled by many of whom use our children as pawns on a chess board. California ranks 40th in the country in Education. In congress, I will push to implement Trade School Programs into the High School system. This will also bring more Federal Funding to our schools that will be appropriately be used on every child and not the “system.”
(NOTE: U.S. News reported that California is #20 in Education.)
America First – Every person in the United States of America is here because the U.S. is the greatest country in the world. We should focus all our energy and resources on the people in the United States. We need to bring back manufacturing to America. We also need to once again be Energy independent. Buying foreign oil will continue to hinder every person at the Gas pump, until we stop buying buying oil abroad.
I am a successful businessman, an NFL Sports agent, thats negotiated over $700 Million worth to contracts. Look at the landscape of our Federal Government, how can they relate to us? Have they ever ran a business? Have they ever worked a 9-5? Have they ever had to balance a checkbook? The answer is No. Government needs to be “By the people, For the people.”
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: Education, climate change (desalination), tax reform, small business, military and veterans issues, and initiatives that prioritize American interests.
March 11: VCDSA posted an article titled: “VCDSA ENDORSES MATT JACOBS FOR CONGRESS (CA-26)” From the endorsement:
VENTURA COUNTY NATIVE AND FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, JACOBS, IS PREPARED TO LEAD AND UNDERSTANDS THE LAW FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT WILL ELEVATE THE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR CIVILIANS AND POLICE ACROSS CA-26
With almost a decade worth of experience as a federal prosecutor removing some of the most dangerous criminals off the streets, the Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Association (VCDSA) Board of Directors asks Ventura constituents to take into consideration its recommendation of Matt Jacobs for Congress in the Primary Election on June 7, 2022.
Jacob’s support and demonstrated advocacy to law enforcement includes fighting policies that would pose a significant threat to the safety of Ventura County, which is an important consideration in the VCDSA endorsing him in the midterms this year.
Jacob’s support and demonstrated advocacy to law enforcement includes fighting policies that would pose a significant threat to the safety of Ventura County, which is an important consideration in the VCDSA endorsing him in the midterms this year.
“It is an honor for the Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Board of Directors to announce our endorsement of the former federal prosecutor, Matt Jacobs for Congress (CA-26). Jacobs is adept at understanding the needs of our first responders and community in the form of policy and legislation, which can ultimately boost the public safety and quality of life for the people in Ventura County and beyond.” – Nick Odenath, Venture County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association President.
The Ventura County Sheriffs’ Association (VCDSA) is the recognized bargaining unit for approximately 775 sworn peace officers in Ventura County.
Odenath extends that the Board of Directors of VCDSA is proud to endorse Matt Jacobs for Congress in 2022 because of his passion for public service, commitment to fighting for a safe community, and his dedication to the citizens of Ventura County.
When Jacobs says that no one will work harder for CA-26 than him, we believe it, as he has kept his word on continuing to fight for a safer community and we serve his hometown of Ventura County…
May 4: Congresswoman Julia Brownley posted a press release titled: “Brownley Statement On Leaked Supreme Court Opinion” from the press release:
Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) released the following statement on media reports of a draft Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade:
“On Monday night, press sources obtained a leaked draft opinion in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, which appears to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
“While this draft decision is deeply alarming, it is very important to be clear: Right now, Roe v. Wade is still the law of the land. Abortion is legal.”
“Sadly, this leaked draft decision shows us what we already knew: the conservative, Republican-appointed Justices on the Supreme Court have once again shown their utter disregard for the rights of people who need abortions, and they are bowing down to the demands of extremists. If finalized, this court opinion overruling Roe would effectively allow states to ban access to safe and legal abortion entirely, as well as allowing Mississippi’s 15-week ban to go into effect.
“Decades of attacks have left abortion rights hanging by a thread in the United States. We have seen a flurry of bans in recent weeks, and anti-abortion state lawmakers are already trying to prohibit people from accessing abortion across state lines. These laws must be stopped.
“Anti-choice activists have made it clear they aren’t stopping with Roe – they’re committed to a future where abortion is outlawed in every state in the country, showing there is no limit to their cruel attempts to control people’s personal health care decisions.
The House has already taken action by voting to codify the right to abortion access into federal law. As a member of the Pro Choice Caucus, I am proud to have voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act, and I will continue fighting until every person – no matter where they live, no matter their socio-economic status, and no matter the circumstance – has the freedom to make their own decisions about their lives and futures.
“This issue could not be more urgent. The House has done its job and passed a bill to codify Roe into law. Now, the Senate needs to do its job and pass that same bill. The leaked opinion makes it clearer than ever that we cannot rely on the courts to protect our rights.
“Abortion bans affect everyone, but the impacts of this decision, whenever it comes, will fall hardest on people who already face discriminatory obstacles to health care – particularly Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, people with disabilities, people in rural areas, young people, and those having difficulty making ends meet.
Every American should be able to make the personal health care decisions that impacts their life, their health, and their future. We must – and we will – continue to fight to protect and expand abortion access across the United States.”
VC STAR posted: “What to know about candidates for 26th Congressional District seat”
Editor’s Note: This story is one in a series on the June 7 primary….
A Democrat who has represented Ventura County’s interest for more than a decade in Congress faces three challengers in a race targeted by Republican leaders.
Rep. Julia Brownley of Westlake Village is seeking re-election to the 26th Congressional District seat she first one in 2012.
Her challengers are Matt Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor and Westlake Village resident; Paul Nathan Taylor, a businessman who lives in Thousand Oaks; and Independent Dave Goodman of Oxnard, a retired law enforcement officer. Republican Fadde Mikhail, a sports agent rom Agoura Hills, has suspended his campaign, according to a representative.
The top two finishers in the June primary will face off in the November general election.
The district encompasses much of Venture County and a sliver of Los Angeles County. Redistricting has changed boundaries to include Simi Valley, where a majority of registered voters are Republican, while Ventura and Ojai are out. The changes added more Republicans to the district, but Democrats still make up 43% of the voters, compared with 29% for the GOP…
…The Star sent out questionnaires to the candidates. Here are their responses.
Julia Brownley
…What is your top priority and what are you committed to doing to make that happen?
If re-elected, I’ll work to make sure the new local VA clinic I worked to fund provides the world class care our veterans deserve; fight to lower gas prices and the cost of living for working families; make sure women veterans receive equity in benefits and care; and continue to support our community’s small businesses. I’m also proud that I’ve been able to fund close to $30 million in local priorities, including to reduce crime, provide cleaner water, and improve our priorities, including reduce crime, provide cleaner water, and improve our local infrastructure. I will continue to fight for resources for Ventura County’s priorities.
How does redistricting affect the 26th Congressional District race and what does it mean for your candidacy?
The new district includes 80% of my current district, so I’ll be doing much of the same work I’ve done to move Ventura County forward since I was first elected to Congress. With the inclusion of all Simi Valley and more of the Conejo Valley, I’ll certainly be working closely with local stakeholders to make sure I understand their priorities even better. I believe the values and priorities of my new district will be similar to those of my current district: improving the lives of families, seniors and veterans, and supporting small businesses.
What will you do to help bridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
In Congress, I serve on two of the most bipartisan committees: the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Through that work, I’ve been able to improve the lives of millions of our nation’s veterans. I plan to continue to do the work necessary to pass meaningful legislation that will impact and improve the lives of the American people, and to do that, I’ll need to continue to work with my colleagues from both parties.
Dave Goodman
What is your top priority and what are you committed to doing to make that happen?
Day one, I will propose a constitutional amendment for term limits for members of the House and Senate. Should that fail, I will use the full power of my office to support a “Convention of States” (to bring term limits). Other pressing issues that I will immediately address include the homeless epidemic, immigration policy and runaway inflation.
How does redistricting affect the 26th Congressional District race and what does it mean for your candidacy?
Redistricting had very little effect on the 26th District.
Redistricting had very little effect on the 26th District.ridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
As an independent candidate, without any loyalty to either political party, I am uniquely positioned to bridge the divide between both parties.
Matt Jacobs
What is your top priority and what are you committed to do to make this happen?
I’m running for Congress to make sure that everyone in Ventura County – and across the country – has the freedom and opportunity to make their American dream a reality. That requires supporting law enforcement so that our neighborhoods are as safe as possible; reining in out-of-control government spending that has led to rampant inflation and record-hight gas and food prices; and ensuring that every child has access to a world-class education where they’re taught how to think, not what to think.
Redistricting had very little effect on the 26th District.ridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
Redistricting has made CA-26 highly competitive. In 2014, when Democrats held the presidency, CA-26 was a consensus “toss-up” seat and the Republican challenger lost by only 4,500 votes. Our polling, publicly released, shows a virtual tie on the generic ballot. In recognition of CA-26’s competitiveness, the National Republican Congressional Committee added CA-26 to its national target list and national prognosticators have moved CA-26 to more competitive footing.
What will you do to help bridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
As a federal prosecutor, I devoted my career to serving our community and country. The values I believe in – like individual liberty and limited government, free enterprise and equality of opportunity – are American values, not partisan values. In Congress, I’ll work with anyone, regardless of party, who believes in those core values and who hold sacred, as I do, their oath to the Constitution. If we work together on this basis, America will remain that “shining city upon the hill” as President Reagan described it, a place where everyone has the freedom and opportunity to achieve their American Dream.
Paul Nathan Taylor
What is your top priority and what are you committed to doing to make that happen?
Lower gas prices by supporting of the continued construction of the Keystone pipeline, which would connect the Athabasca oil sands in Canada to refineries in the United States. Decrease inflation by doing my part to vote against reckless government spending.
How does redistricting affect the 26th Congressional District race and what does it mean for your candidacy?
It creates a more conservative district by including the city of Simi Valley, which includes more public safety officials and families.
What will you do to help bridge the partisan divide nationally and in Congress?
I am for the freedom of choosing a partisan that matches your personal values.
May 25: VC Reporter posted an article titled: “JUNE 7 SPOTLIGHT | Redistricting shakes up congressional races in Dist. 24, 26” Here is what was written about the 26th District:
Matt Jacobs of Thousand Oaks is a former federal prosecutor running for office for the first time, and believes the addition of Simi Valley to the 26th Congressional District gives him a realistic chance of defeating Brownley.
He described himself as a proud American who wants to give everyone the “freedom to realize their American dream,” and believes the country is moving in the wrong direction under Democratic leadership.
“I started to feel like our country was becoming more and more polarized, even tribalized, and that we were headed in the wrong direction. This district, in Ventura County in particular, is a very middle-of-the-road, common-sense place where we should have independent leadership that does what’s in the best interest of the country. And it’s a seat where someone like me, a common-sense, right-of-center person, can not only do well, but should win,” he said.
Jacobs said he feels like is message is resonating with voters.
“I’m focusing on issues that people in the community care about. I’m talking about inflation and record-high gas and food prices, safe neighborhoods and schools that teach kids how to think not what to think,” he said.
Goodman is a retired law enforcement officer from Oxnard running for office for the first time, who said he wants to see congressional term limits.
“I say that knowing full well that Congress is not going to implement term limits, but I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen,” he said.
Goodman said he’s been registered as a Democrat and Republican at various times in his life and recalls voting for Jimmy Carter. While he’s more recently worked for Republican candidates, Goodman said he’s disappointed in the party’s leadership.
“We need to get back to being loyal to our country ahead of being loyal to a political party and that’s why I have no party preference,” he said.
Taylor did not respond to interview requests by the Ventura County Reporter but his website says he supports repealing gasoline taxes and is opposed to “critical race theory indoctrination of children.”
Brownley said she’s proud of her congressional record on issues such as combatting global warming and securing federal funding to improve Ventura County’s water infrastructure and construction at the Port of Hueneme.
She said she’s especially proud of her work on behalf of veterans. “I think I’ve worked extremely hard to improve services for our veterans and certainly our veterans at home, especially for our women veterans. I created the Women Veterans Task Force.”
June 7: Ballotpedia provided the results for the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 26:
Julia Brownley (D): 54.3% – 91,535 votes
Matt Jacobs (R): 38.4% – 64,834 votes
Paul Nathan Taylor (R): 3.3% – 5,612 votes
David Goodman (Independent): 2.3% – 3,950 votes
Fadde Mikhail (R): 1.6% – 2,775 votes
Total votes: 168,707
October 23: VC Star posted an article titled: “Brownley, Jacobs square off in volatile race in the 26th Congressional District” From the article:
…In a fiery 26th Congressional District race where inflation, abortion, partisanship and the timing of public rebukes spawn bitter divide, even scheduling a debate creates, well, debate.
Republican Matt Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor who has outraged his opponent, has repeatedly challenged the five-term incumbent Julia Brownley to a series of live showdowns on the issues. He has called her out for her refusal.
“I think it’s indefensible. I think it’s incredibly undemocratic,” he said. “I think it’s incredibly insulting to voters.”
Brownley said it’s not true. The Democrat from Westlake Village who has built a reputation as an advocate for veterans, climate change and women’s rights said she agreed to an online debate scheduled for earlier this month by the League of Women Voters of Ventura County.
Jacobs said he turned it down because the virtual format allows candidates to receive off-camera coaching and is “not a real debate.”
Brownley said she turned down a live debate set for the same day as the league event, which was eventually canceled, and doesn’t plan to do other showdowns.
“Quite frankly, at the end of the day, I think the voters of the 26th District know my position on all of the issues,” she said. “… I didn’t need the debate. He might have needed the debate.”
Anything is fair game in a gloves-off race for a remapped district that now includes all of Simi Valley, where 37% of the voters are Republican and 35% are Democrats. Jacobs said the changed boundaries favor his campaign. The challenger had raised $2.26 million in the campaign as of the end of September, compared to Brownley’s $2.02 million – through the Democrat has far more money on hand with $2.8 million $592,000 for Jacobs.
Jacobs also cited endorsement from law enforcement unions and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
“This is a jump ball race,” he said. “(Republican) polling shows we’re in a dead heat.”
Others challenge the assessment. Districtwide, 43% of the voters are Democrat and 29% are Republicans. National prognosticators, including Sabato’s Crystal Ball and FiveThirtyEight said Brownley remains the front runner…
… supported by Republicans, including House party leader Kevin McCarthy and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He characterized Brownley as “far left,” targeting a voting record that has consistently been in sync with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“We’ve been represented by someone who literally votes 100% of the time with her leadership,” he said.
Brownley’s endorsements include the California Labor Federation, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and the California Teacher’s Association. She characterizes herself as a moderate who votes for her district’s best interests. She said she votes in sync with party leaders because she shares many of their values.
“I think calling me a liberal is what he wants people to believe,” she said…
…As Jacobs targets her voting record, Brownley focused on Jacobs’ connections to McCarthy, Gingrich and others opposed to abortion rights. She contended the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade turned reproductive rights into a vital Election Day issue.
“If Republicans are in charge of the next Congress, one of the first acts of business will be to ban abortions nationally. Mark my words,” she said.
Jacobs said he would not vote for a federal abortion ban and also opposes efforts to enshrine Roe v. Wade in federal law.
He described the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as constitutionally sound. He declined to talk about his personal stance on abortion, noting the ruling changes the jurisdiction for decisions.
“It’s a state issue constitutionally,” he said. “It’s something for people to decide through state representatives.”
He said Brownley focuses on reproductive rights to “distract voters” from other issues, including inflation. Rising prices have spiraled out of control because Democrats didn’t acknowledge the economic crisis quickly enough, he said…
November 1: Julia Brownley posted a thread on Twitter:
“Matt Jacobs is a danger to reproductive freedom.” Below those words is a photo. Julia Brownley is in the center of the photo, with her arms crossed, looking out at the viewer. Behind her are six women, each of whom are holding bright pink signs that say “Planned Parenthood – Act No matter what. Planned Parenthood Action Fund”
“He supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and if he goes to Congress, Jacobs will strengthen the extremist anti-abortion leadership that is pursuing a nationwide ban on abortion – even in cases of rape, incest, and life and health of the woman.
“It is crucial that Californian’s support Rep. Brownley, who would continue to be a steadfast champion for reproductive rights if re-elected to the House” – Alexis McGill Johnson, President of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
November 8: Ballotpedia provided the results for the General election for U.S. House California District 26
Julia Brownley (D): 54.3% – 82,094 votes
Matt Jacobs (R): 45.7% – 69,673 votes
Total votes: 152,577
November 9: The New York Times posted California 26th Congressional District Election Results:
Julia Brownley (Democrat): 134,575 votes – 54.5%
Matt Jacobs (Republican): 112,214 votes – 45.5%
Total reported: 246,798
November 10: Ventura County Star (Via MSN) posted an article titled: “Incumbent Brownley holds lead over Jacobs in 26th Congressional District” From the article:
Incumbent Julia Brownley held a nearly eight-point lead Wednesday over challenger Matt Jacobs in a nationally watched 26th Congressional District race that remained undecided.
Brownley, D-Westlake Village, had 53.9% of the vote. Jacobs, a Republican from Westlake Village, had 46.1%. Brownley gained 72,588 votes and Jacobs had 62,177. Elections officials are not saying how many votes remain to be counted but both campaigns speculated that the number is large.
An update from Ventura County elections officials is expected Thursday and one covering the small portion of Los Angeles County is expected Friday.
Brownley, 70, is vying for her sixth term in office. Jacobs, 38, is a former federal prosecutor making his first run for office.
The race was one of many singled out by both parties in the battle to gain a majority in the House. Prognosticators who once characterized the district as “solid Democrat” labeled it as “lean Democrat” amid a flurry of fundraising and reports of polling that showed a tight race – the first for Brownley since she beat Republican Jeff Gorell by less than three percentage points in 2014…
…Jacobs said he was not surprised by the initial returns consisting of mail-in ballots and early voters provided a lead for Brownley but predicted the gap will continue to narrow as in-person votes are tabulated.
“We could be in for a long process here,” he said. “I encourage patience, hard as that is.”
Brownley characterized her lead over Jacobs as “healthy.”
“I feel confident. I feel good. You know there are still more votes to be counted,” she said…
November 12: Julia Brownley posted “Brownley Statement on Election Victory” on Twitter
Thousand Oaks, CA – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley issued the following statement after national media outlets called the race for California’s 26th Congressional District in her favor.
“I am humbled and honored by the voters’ decision to elect me once again to represent our community in Congress. This was a race about values, about the economy and the economic prosperity of America’s working families, and about our future. I deeply understand that families are struggling with inflation, and I am determined to continue to support policies that will lower costs for my constituents. I will continue to support efforts to lower the cost of health care, child care, and education. I support investing in our nation’s economic resilience by prioritizing federal spending on strengthening the middle class, investing in a clean energy economy, strengthening our domestic manufacturing, rebuilding our infrastructure, and enacting the tax policies that lift up families and small businesses, while ensuring ultra-wealthy and massive corporations pay their fair share.
“While the Republican Party focused solely on inflation, with no plan to address it, they failed to understand that protecting a woman’s right to choose is not only a moral issue, but an economic one. Having politicians dictate what a woman can and cannot do with her own body is profoundly wrong. Extremists on the right also failed to understand that being able to plan when to have a family is the most profound economic decision a woman can make. While Republican politicians failed to understand this fundamental right, voters did not.
“Voters also resoundingly rejected the Republican Party’s approach to our current and future energy needs. While the United States is the world’s largest oil producer, we cannot drill our way out of an energy crisis. Our only path toward true energy security and energy independence from malign foreign oil producing nations, while taking the necessary action to combat the climate crisis, is creating a clean energy economy of the future. It is also one of the best opportunities to create high-paying energy-related jobs. I was proud to have played a part in the Democrats’ historic investments in a clean energy economy by passing the Inflation Reduction Act, and I will continue to fight for the resources and policies we need to succeed.
“Finally, I believe the voters resoundingly affirmed that we succeed as a nation when our democracy is at its strongest. Our economy, our security, and our future are all intertwined with the rule of law, free and fair elections, and the ideal of equality for all. While I hope Republican leaders, for the sake of our nation, change their course, I am pleased voters continue to participate in the democratic process and play a significant role in building ‘a more perfect union.’
I want to personally thank every voter for showing up to cast their vote. It is my greatest privilege to represent the people of California’s 26th Congressional District. I will continue to work to move our country forward and to do all that I can to improve the lives of all of my constituents and to ensure our community remains a safe, beautiful, and vibrant place to live, work, and raise a family.”
November 15: Matt Jacobs posted his statement on Twitter:
Today, I called Julia Brownley to congratulate her on her victory after a hard-fought campaign. The election was fair, the result is legitimate, and I sincerely wish Congresswoman Brownley and her family all the best, both personally and as our representative in Congress.
As a Federal Prosecutor, I had the privilege of introducing myself to juries saying, “Ladies and gentleman, my name is Matt Jacobs, and I represent the United States of America.” That statement always filled me with tremendous pride, and I felt the same sense of pride campaigning over the past 22 months. Simply put, running for this Office was the honor of my lifetime.
Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for our incredible supporters, volunteers, staff and everyone else who believed in our campaign. Thank you for your tireless efforts and your devotion to our community and country. I am especially grateful for the support of my family and friends, particularly my superwoman wife Julie, whose many sacrifices over the past two years made it possible for me to put my heart and soul into this campaign.
My mission in running for Congress was simple: to make sure everyone in our community, and across the country, has the freedom and opportunity to make their American Dream a reality. We stood – and still stand – for safer neighborhoods, an economy that rewards hard work, and the very best schools for every child. I couldn’t be prouder of the positive, issue-based campaign we ran.
Although we came up short, I’m humbled by the tremendous support we received – including from so many Independents and Democrats who put country before party and embraced our commonsense agenda.
Nearly two years of campaigning has only served to reinforce my belief that the bonds that unite us as Americans are infinitely stronger than the differences that divide us. Don’t listen to the peddlers of anger and division who claim Americans with different political views are somehow fascists, communists, or extremists. Their voices may be loud, but they’re wrong.
The overwhelming majority of Americans believe in the goodness of our country and the greatness of our people. They know that the American Dream is alive and well, and that America remains the one indispensable nation on Earth. So, as we move past this midterm season, I encourage everyone not to focus on our differences. Instead, let’s unite behind our shared pride in America and our commitment to the principles and freedoms that this exceptional country has always stood for.
Thank you all, and God bless America.
November 17: VC Star | Ventura County Star (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Julia Brownley wins House race as lead grows to nearly double digits; Jacobs concedes” From the article:
U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley has won a sixth term in Congress.
The Democrat from Westlake Village declared victory in her race on Saturday and Republican challenger Matt Jacobs conceded on Tuesday. Election updates two days later left Brownley with 54% of the votes to 46% for Jacobs.
Districtwide, Brownley received 117,609 votes as of the latest tally. Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor who lives in Westlake Village, had 100,018 votes.
“I am humbled and honored by the voters’ decision to elect me once again to represent our community in Congress,” she said in a victory statement issued Saturday after CNN, NBC, and ABC declared her the winner. Several hours later, the Associated Press also called Brownley the winner.
Election officials estimated about 79,000 votes are still to be processed across Ventura County though some are from outside of the district, which does not include Ventura or Ojai. It’s unclear how many ballots are still to be counted in the small part of the district in Los Angeles County.
In her victory statement and in her campaign, Brownley focused on abortion rights.
“While the Republican party focused solely on inflation with no plan to address it, they failed to understand that protecting a woman’s right to choose is not only a moral issue but an economic one,” she said…
…Redistricting brought all of more conservative Simi Valley into the 26th but Democrats still accounted for 43% of the registered voters across the district as of late October, compared to 28% for Republicans.
California’s 27th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 27th Congressional District
California’s 27th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Republican Mike Garcia. It was one of 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican 2022.
The district includes most of Los Angeles County, including the cities of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, and Lancaster, and parts of the northwestern San Fernando Valley in the city of Los Angeles. Prior to redistricting in 2022, the district was located in San Gabriel Valley.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 27th congressional district is located in Southern California. It encompasses most of northern Los Angeles County, including the cities of Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and Palmdale, California; the neighborhoods of Porter Ranch and Granada Hills in the city of Los Angeles, along with the Sierra Pelona Mountains and the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Garcia:
Mike Garcia (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 27th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Mike Garcia was born in Granada Hills, California. Garcia graduated from Saugus High School in 1994. He earned a B.S. in political science from the United States Naval Academy in 1998 and an M.A. in national securities studies from Georgetown University in 1998. Garcia served in the U.S. Navy from 1999 to 2009 and the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2009 to 2012. Garcia’s career experience includes owning Rebecca Rollins Interiors and working as an executive with Raytheon Technologies.
Mike Garcia did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection for 2022. Ballotpedia provided information from their Candidate Connection that Mike Garcia filled out in 2019.
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: First-generation American citizen, Mike Garcia is a highly decorated United States Naval Officer whose record-setting flying performance earned the honor of becoming one of the first Super Hornet strike fighter pilots in the Navy. He flew over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Accruing over 1400 hours of operational flight time during his nearly 20 years of military service to our country, Garcia decided to separate from the US Navy with an Honorable Discharge to focus on his family. Garcia moved back to the 25th District in 2009 and began to work for the Raytheon Company.
During his now 10 years as an executive at Raytheon, Garcia has been responsible for the generation of billions of dollars of revenue and the creation of hundreds of jobs for his company and our district.
Garcia is the husband to Rebecca Garcia, the owner of the Rebecca Rollins Interiors in Santa Clarita, and the father of Preston (age 13) and Jeff (age 3).
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Garcia will make it a priority to ensure our men and women in uniform have the necessary funding and tools necessary to keep America safe, and only send them into battle when it is absolutely necessary.
Garcia supports term limits because it’s time to get rid of the career politicians in both parties. Washington, DC truly is a swamp, filled with career politicians who are more concerned with their next election than making tough decisions.
Mike Garcia is a first-generation American citizen whose family came to the United States legally for more opportunity and for a shot at the American Dream. Garcia knows what’s at stake, and he’ll fight against Democrats’ dangerous socialist agenda and restore our country’s guiding principles, most importantly freedom, that he protected in his 20 years as a Naval Officer.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: National Security, Term Limits, National Debt, Taxes, Socialism, Economy & Jobs
Ballotpedia provided information about Christy Smith:
Christy Smith (Democratic Party) was a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 38. She assumed office on December 3, 2018. She left office on December 7, 2020.
Smith (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 27th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Prior to serving in the legislature, Smith served two terms as a governing board member of the Newhall School District.
Smith received her bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA. Her professional experience includes working as an analyst at the U.S. Department of Education and founding the Valencia Valley Technological Foundation.
Christy Smith did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Christy Smith’s campaign website.
EXPANDING ACCESS TO QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE
Healthcare is a human right and while the Affordable Care Act was a tremendous step in that direction, Christy believes we need to do more to reduce costs, ensure that every American has access to affordable healthcare, and protect those with pre-existing conditions.
Additionally, Christy believes we need to have the same consumer protections in the healthcare system as we do in any consumer market, which includes transparency when it comes to the real cost of healthcare treatments. She will work to shed light on pricing that for too long has been negotiated in the dark.
Congress needs to do the work of controlling the skyrocketing cost of healthcare, including the rising costs of prescription drugs, only to pay more for them than people who live in Europe, Japan, and Canada. Cristy will also fight to protect Medicaid and Medicare, women’s reproductive healthcare rights, and funding for Planned Parenthood.
In the California State Assembly, Christy Smith:
Secured $700,000 for the Free Clinic of Simi Valley
Wrote and passed the bill to help community colleges recruit and retain nursing faculty
Authored legislation to increase affordable access to mental health services, particularly in rural areas
Defending reproductive freedom and expanding access to reproductive health services
During a historic pandemic, Christy was a leader in the State Assembly fighting for life-saving health and safety measures as well as economic assistance for struggling Californians…
IMPROVING PUBLIC EDUCATION & ENSURING SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT
Christy believes that a great education levels the playing field and creates more opportunity for all of our young people. That’s why she has dedicated her career, particularly as a federal education policy expert and a member of her local school board, to improving schools and giving every student a fair chance through a world-class education, including:
Ensuring charter school accountability and transparence by authoring and passing the first significant regulation on California’s charter school industry in 27 years.
Chairing the successful Measure E Prop 39 bond campaign for the Newhall District, which provided $60 million in resources for faculty and technology upgrades
Making school sexual harassment resources accessible on school campuses
Expanding the California ScholarShare program to pay for expenses associated with college such as rent, textbooks and rent, expanding college affordability.
In Congress, she will work to support every student from preschool to grad school. Christy will work to invest in local public classrooms so that we can hire more teachers and reduce class sizes, and pay teachers livable middle class wages.
We must ensure students have options after K-12, without going into a lifetime of debt. Christy will work to increase the affordability and availability of options like job training, apprenticeships, technical school, and more affordable public colleges and universities.
DEFENDING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
With abortion rights under attack, Christy has been a steadfast defender of the right to choose, which is why she has a 100% scorecard from Planned Parenthood. She’ll push back against Republican efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade and end funding for Planned Parenthood, protect abortion rights in federal law, and protect the ability to buy contraceptives.
During Christy’s first pregnancy, she experienced eclampsia, and endured multiple seizures that threatened her life. When she became pregnant a second time, she had to make the tough decision to continue her pregnancy, knowing she may leave her daughter without a mother should complications occur. This experience solidified for Christy that no politician can make these private and difficult decisions for women and families. That’s why Christy will always defend access to reproductive care and protect safe, legal abortion…
Ballotpedia provided information about John Quaye Quartey:
John Quaye Quartey (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to Represent California’s 27th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Quartey received his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis and his masters degree in business management from Stanford University. His professional experience includes founding Safiyah Partners, an entrepreneurial investment firm. He served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy.
John Quaye Quartey did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ruth Luevanos:
Ruth Luevanos (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 27th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ruth Luevanos did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mark Pierce:
Mark Pierce (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 27th Congressional District. Pierce lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.Ballotpedia posted the results for the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 27:
June 8: Ballotpedia posted an article titled: “Garcia and Smith advance from top-two primary in CA-27” From the article:
Incumbent Mike Garcia (R) and Christy Smith (D) advanced from a seven-candidate top-two primary for California’s 27th Congressional District on June 7, 2022. Based on unofficial returns, Garcia received 49.6% of the vote and Smith received 35.4%. John Quaye Quartey (D) finished third with 5.9%. Garcia and Smith will run in the general election on November 8, 2022…
…Also running in the primary were Ruth Luevandos (D), Mark Pierce (R), David Rudnick (R), and Fepbrina Keivaulqe Autiameineire (I).
June 8: Ballotpedia reported the results of the Nonpartisan Primary election for District 27:
Mike Garcia (R): 49.6% – 33,653 votes
Christy Smith (D): 35.4% – 24,007 votes
John Quaye Quartey (D): 5.9% – 4,037 votes
Ruth Luevandos (D): 5.3% – 3,599 votes
David Rudnick (R): 2.5% – 1,692 votes
Mark Pierce (R): 1.3% – 913 votes
Orange County Register (via MSM) posted an article titled: “Notable midterm losses across Southern California” MSN did not post the date of this article. From the article:
Christy Smith in L.A. County
Four years ago, Democrat Christy Smith ousted Republican Assemblymember Dante Acosta in the Santa Clarita area.
One year and a vote-for-Assembly-Bill-5 later, Smith was in the running to fill the vacant congressional seat left by Congresswoman Katie Hill in 2019 after a sex scandal.
In what may have been a sign of things to come, I remember Smith’s fellow Democrats in the race, talk show host Cenk Uyghur and Aníbal Valdez-Ortega, complaining that Smith’s campaign was “big-timing” candidate forums and debates, acting like Smith was the walk-on favorite to win.
What also made that first run significant was its overlap with the very beginning of the world as we all knew it falling apart.
The special election was held on March 3, 2020, which led to a runoff between Smith and Republican Mike Garcia that May. In a political surprise, Garcia trounced, 54.9% to 45.1% in the runoff election.
Because it was a special election to fill out the term of Katie Hill, Garcia and Smith rematched again just a few months later, in November 2020. Garcia this time barely edged out Smith 169,638 votes to 169,305 votes.
Two years later and convinced it was all a COVID-era fluke, Smith ran once again against Garcia in a newly drawn district that gave Democrats an advantage.
What happened? As of this writing, Mike Garcia defeated Smith 53.3% to 46.7%.
Smith took to Twitter to complain, “Our campaign got next-to-zero outside resources to fight this battle. In fact, I was fighting the institutional power of my own party from the outset of this race.”…
September 27: Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Jan. 6 still has the power to shock. But will it move California voters?” From the article:
In a competitive Los Angeles-area congressional district, the campaign playbooks are well-defined. Republican Rep. Mike Garcia is relying on voter discontent about the economy. His Democratic challenger, Christy Smith, wants abortion rights to be the top of mind.
One issue, though, is far less prominent than many anticipated: Garcia’s vote to block the results of the 2020 presidential election. It was a perplexing move by the Santa Clarita Republican who had just won his swing district on a whisper-thin margin…
…In the battle over Garcia’s district, as well as in the national political landscape, the Capitol siege on Jan. 6 has been a minor subplot. There have been efforts – notably by President Biden and the congressional panel investigating the attack – to elevate it in the public’s consciousness as a do-or-die moment for democracy.
Still, there is little sign that the riot, along with the continued denialism about Donald Trump’s 2020 loss and the precarity of future elections, will mobilize people Still, there is little sign that the riot, along with the continued denialism about Donald Trump’s 2020 loss and the precarity of future elections, will mobilize people.
…Garcia was destined to be a top target for Democrats the moment he was sworn in for his first term. He had won the northern Los Angeles County seat the previous fall by just 333 votes, and his district grew less Republican after redistricting. His objection to the electoral votes of Arizona and Pennsylvania gave is foes a line of attack.
The congressman, in a lengthy explanation of his actions, asserted his intention was not to overturn the 2020 election – although that would have been the result if the GOP’s efforts succeeded…
November 13: CBS News Los Angeles posted an article titled: “Mike Garcia declares victory in 27th congressional district race encompassing Santa Clarita, Lancaster” From the article:
Mike Garcia has declared victory Wednesday in the race for the 27th Congressional District seat that encompasses Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster and Granada Hills.
Garcia, the Republican incumbent in the newly configured district, defeated Democrat challenger Christy Smith for the second time in a row.
“The people of CA-27 have spoken, and I’m honored to be reelected to serve another two years in Congress,” Garcia said in a statement.
“To my family, my team, the voters and the volunteers who supported our campaign, I am humbled by your efforts that led to this massive victory, and I look forward to continuing to fight for you.”
Garcia won 57.58% of the vote as of Wednesday morning to Smith’s 42.42%. He had 65,545 votes to Smith’s 48,285.
“I applaud Christy Smith for jumping in the ring again. It was another effective and well-run campaign,” Garcia said…
…”To all the voters of CA-27: Thank you. It’s an honor to be your Congressman, and whether you voted for me or not, I’ll continue working every day to serve you and your interests in Washington D.C. and here in the district – fighting inflation, lowering costs, keeping California families safe, and ensuring the United States remains the greatest nation the world has ever seen,” Garcia said.
The race has not been called yet, as votes are still tallied for California.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 27:
Mike Garcia (R): 54.2% – 89,550 votes
Christy Smith (D): 45.8% – 75,704 votes
November 15: Business Insider posted an article titled: “Results: Rep. Mike Garcia defeats Democrat Christy Smith in California’s 27th Congressional District election” From the article:
Republican Rep. Mike Garcia defeated Democrat Christy Smith for the third time in California’s 27th Congressional District.
Polls closed in the state at 8 p.m. local time, or 11 p.m. EST.
…Garcia is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations. Prior to his time in Congress, he served in the US Navy for 14 years, flying over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom after graduating from the United States Naval Academy. In 2009, he went on to work for defense contractor Raytheon Technologies.
The former Navy pilot was first elected to office in a May 2020 special election after former Rep. Katie Hill resigned after reports of an inappropriate relationship with a congressional staffer.
The top-two finishers, Garcia and Smith, went on to a runoff, in which Garcia emerged victorious…
Smith, Garcia’s challenger, was a Department of Education policy analyst during the Clinton administration and a former California state assemblywoman. When Hill resigned, Smith received a number of prominent endorsements including those of Vice President Kamala Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom…
…According to Open Secrets, Garcia raised $6.6 million, spent $5.7 million, and had $1.2 million of cash on hand, as of October 18. His opponent, Smith, raised $3.5 million, spent $3 million, and had $624,978 of cash still left to spend, as of October 19…
November 16: Cal Today posted an article titled: “Democrat Christy Smith knows she’ll lose her congressional race. She blames her own party” From the article:
The race for a hotly contested Los Angeles-area congressional district had not been called, but Democrat Christy Smith sensed she would end up on the losing end. And she felt there was a clear reason why.
“Our campaign got next-to-zero outside resources to fight this battle. In fact, I was fighting the institutional power of my own party from the outset of this race,” Smith said in a scathing series of remarks on Twitter. With no help on the airwaves and little elsewhere from Democratic Party committees and PACs, “we didn’t stand a chance.”
Smith is no different from scores of other candidates who believe victory would’ve been theirs if not for stingy support from Washington. But her unusually blunt remarks Sunday highlighted the stark turn of events in the campaign for California’s 27th district – a contest in which Democrats were expected to mount an all-out effort to oust incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia after he barely eked out a win two years earlier.
“This is a massive screw-up on their end,” said political consultant Brandon Zavala, who ran Smith’s 2020 campaign but did not work on this year’s race. “We’re looking here at a Biden plus-12 that we’re about to hand to Republicans.”…
…Smith, in an interview, said she lacked the money to tell voters about Garcia’s record, a message that she believes could have topped the race.
“Absolutely it would have made a difference,” Smith said, adding that as she was getting “hammered” on television by outside GOP groups. “There was plenty to communicate if we had the resources to communicate.
With the possibility that the district would be “the tipping point to hold the House,” Smith said on Twitter “the utter lack of investment made no sense.”…
…While Smith has not conceded, she acknowledges that her likelihood of overcoming Garcia’s lead is unlikely. She said in an interview that she felt it was important to speak out before the race is called…
November 16: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! Sports) posted an article titled: “GOP Rep. Mike Garcia wins northern L.A. County race, giving Republicans control of the House” From the article:
Republican Rep. Mike Garcia has won reelection to his northern Los Angeles County seat, dashing Democrats’ hopes they could reclaim a district where they had a sizable registration advantage. His win pushed Republicans to the majority in the next Congress.
Garcia defeated Christy Smith, a Democratic former state lawmaker whom he had bested in a 2020 special election race and again later that year, when he won by just 333 votes. The Associated Press called the race Wednesday, though official results will take longer.
“It will be an honor for me to represent you in the majority,” Garcia said in a written statement. “I look forward to delivering all forms of security for our district and our nation, whether you voted for me or not.”
Smith thanked donors and volunteers, and said on social media: “There is so much more work to be done to reach voters here who no longer see the value of their vote. I know that work will continue in the hands of very dedicated local Democrats.”
Going into the midterm cycle, California’s 27th Congressional District was a tantalizing pickup opportunity for Democrats. Republicans had represented the area, which includes the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita, for decades before the 2018 blue wave broke the GOP’s streak.
Though Garcia flipped the seat back to Republican control after the Democratic incumbent resigned, redistricting and changing demographics made the area appear friendlier for Democrats. The party has a double-digit registration advantage in the redrawn seat, which backed Joe Biden over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election race by 12 points.
Despite the Democratic tilt of the district, however, residents’ frustrations with climbing gas prices and the high cost of living gave Garcia the edge. He also touted his background as a Navy pilot, which resonates in this region with long ties to the military and aerospace industry.
Garcia, 46, puzzled many political observers when, on Jan. 6, 2021, he objected counting the electoral college votes in Arizona and Pennsylvania, joining 146 other House Republicans. The vote occurred just hours after a mob of Trump’s supporters overran the U.S. Capitol and assaulted police officers in an attempt to block Biden’s win. While Garcia had plenty of company in the House GOP conference, few others were in competitive districts…
His allies spent more than $7 million on television and digital advertising, while Smith spent just shy of $1 million.
…Mark Gonzales, chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, partially blamed redistricting under former President Donald Trump that pushed the 27th District southward.
“Considering the demographics of that area (a democratic stronghold) and the fact that Garcia won only by 333 votes (against Smith) in the last election, it was surprising,” Gonzales said. “If you look at voters from the last race, they are different, and feeling different today, than they did versus two years ago”…
…This district is the sole Republican-held congressional seat in L.A. County and a nail-biter that has attracted national attention because it had the potential to play a role in altering the current Democratic edge in the House, according to politicos…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 27:
Mike Garcia (R): 54.2% – 89,550 votes
Christy Smith (D): 45.8% – 75,704 votes
California’s 28th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 28th Congressional District:
California’s 28th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. sate of California, in Los Angeles County. The district is regarded as a Democratic stronghold and has been held by the Democratic Party since 2003 and is currently represented by Democrat Judy Chu.
Following redistricting ahead of the 2022 election cycle, the 18th district was relocated to the San Gabriel Valley.
Formerly, from 2003 to 2013, the district included about half of the San Fernando Valley, including North Hollywood, in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Due to redistricting after the 2010 United States Census, the district shifted east within Los Angeles County and includes portions of Burbank and Glendale.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 28th congressional district is located in Southern California. It encompasses most of north eastern Los Angeles County, and part of the eastern border of San Bernardino. A majority of the district is taken up by Angeles National Forest.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 23rd district, the 30th district, the 31st district, the 34th district, the 35th district and the 38th district. The 28th and 23rd are partitioned by Angeles National Forest and Juniper Hills Rd.
The 28th and 30th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, Big Tujunga Creek, Big Tukunga Canyon Rd, Silver Creek, Markridge Rd, Pennsylvania Ave, Northwoods Ln, Ramsdell Ave, Fairway Ave, La Crescenta Ave, Mayfield Ave, Rosemont Ave, Florencita Ave, Thompson Ct, Park Pl, Verdugo Blvd, La Tour Way, Descanso Gardens, Norham Pl, Wendover Rd, Linda Vista Ave, Oak Grove Dr, Yucca Ln, W Montana St, Vermont St, Forest Ave, Wyoming St, Lincoln Ave, Anderson Pl, Canada Pl, Highway 210, W Hammond St, Glen Ave, W Mountain St, Manzanita Ave, N Orange Grove Blvd, and Ventura Freeway.
The 28th and 31st are partitioned by Rio Hondo River, Garvey Ave, Highway 19, Highway 10, Eaton Wash, Temple City Blvd, Ellis Ln, Lower Azusa Rd, Grande Ave, Santa Anita Ave, Lynrose St, Flood Control Basin, Peck Rd, Randolph St, Cogswell Rd, Clark St, Durfree Ave, Santa Anita Wash, S 10th Ave, Jeffries Ave, Mayflower/Fairgreen Ave, N Bradoaks Ave, Angeles National Forest, W Fork Rd, Highway 39, Cedar Creek, Iron Fork, Glendora Mountain Rd, Morris Reservoir, W Sierra Madre Ave, N Lorraine Ave, E Foothill Blvd, E Carroll Ave, Steffen St, S Lorraine Ave, AT and SF Railway, E Route 66, N Cataract Ave, San Dimas Canyon Rd, Clayton Ct, Live Oak Canyon, Rotary Dr, Highway 30, Williams Ave, Highway 210, Garey Ave, and Summer Ave.
The 28th and 34th are partitioned by Colorado Blvd, Lantana Dr, Church St, Adelaide Pl, Highway 110, N Huntingdon Dr, S Winchester Ave, Valley Blvd, Laguna Channel, Highway 710, 1-10 Express Ln, Rollins Dr, Floral Dr, E Colonia, Belvedere Park, Highway 60, S Atlantic Blvd, and Pomona Blvd.
The 28th and 35th are partitioned by Towne Ave, Harrison Ave, Carnegie Ave, W Arrow Highway, Mountain Ave, and E American Ave.
The 28th and 38th are partitioned by E Pomona Blvd, Potero Grande Dr, Arroyo Dr, Hill Dr, Montebellow Blvd, N San Gabriel Blvd, and Walnut Grove Ave. The 28th takes in the north side of the cities of Glendora and Monrovia, the cities of Pasadena, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Arcadia, Glendora, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Claremont, Temple City, and La Cañada Flintridge, as well as the census-designated place Altadena.
San Bernardino County is split between this district, the 23rd district, the 33rd district, and the 35th district. They are partitioned by San Bernardino National Forrest, Manzanita Rd, Highway 15, Cajon Blvd, W Kenwood Ave, Highway 215, W Meyers Rd, Ohio Ave, Pine Ave, Bailey Ct, Highway 206, Devils Canyon Rd, Cloudland Truck Trail, Cloudland Cutoff, Hill Dr, W 54th St, E Hill Dr, Bonita Vista Dr, Sterling Ave, Argyle Ave, E Marshall Blvd, Rockford Ave, Lynwood Dr, La Praix St, Orchid Dr, Denair Ave, Highland Ave, Orchard Rd, Arroyo Vista Dr, Church St, Greensport Rd, Florida St, Garnet St, Nice Ave, Crafton Ave, 5th Ave, Walnut St, 6th Ave, E Citrus Ave, N Church St, Southern California Regional Rail A, Tennessee St, Highway 10, California St, E Washington St, and S Barton Rd. The 28th district takes in the north side of the cities of Upland and Rancho Cucamonga.
Ballotpedia provided information about Judy Chu:
Judy Chu (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 28th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Chu (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 28th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Chu began her political career in the California State Assembly, where she served from 2001 to 2006. She represented California’s 32nd Congressional District from 2009 to 2013.
Judy Chu was born in Los Angeles, California. Chu earned a B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1974 and a Ph.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology in 1979. Her career experience includes working as a professor with Los Angeles City College and East Los Angeles College. Chu served as the mayor of Monterey Park, California.
Judy Chu did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Ballotpedia provided information from Judy Chu’s website (from 2014):
Jobs and the Economy
Excerpt: “Since being elected to Congress in the midst of one of the worst economic crises in our nation’s history, Judy Chu has maintained a laser-like focus on creating jobs, stimulating economic development and assisting small businesses not only to survive, but to thrive as we emerge from the Great Recession.”
Healthcare
Excerpt: “Judy Chu is proud to cast her vote in favor of the historic Affordable Care Act, the most sweeping reform to our nation’s health care system since the passage of Medicare in the 1960s.”
Education
Excerpt: “Having taught for twenty years in the Los Angeles Community College system before coming to Congress, Judy Chu knows firsthand about the challenge every schoolteacher faces while balancing quality education with shrinking budgets.”
Transportation
Excerpt: “The San Gabriel Valley has six major freeways cutting through its geographical boundaries. And because of the area’s tremendous population growth, most of those freeways have reached their capacity and are jammed with commuters during peak hours.”
Environment and Clean Energy
Excerpt: “Congresswoman Chu continues to fight to protect our environment by supporting clean-up efforts of our local air and water resources. She is standing up against attempts by the majority in Congress to undo the Clean Air and Water Acts, and is a big proponent of clean and renewable jobs.”
Ballotpedia provided information about Wes Hallman:
Wes Hallman (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 28th Congressional District. Hallman lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Wes Hallman did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection Survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Wes Hallman’s 2022 campaign website:
SECURING OUR NATION AND OUR COMMUNITIES
Just as a strong national defense is the foundation of our freedom and of our leadership in the world, establishing law and order in our communities is crucial to our prosperity.
RETURNING COMPETENCE TO GOVERNMENT
Excellence should be expected from all those who serve our institutions, including Congress. We need to return local control and real representation to Washington so we can unleash America’s and its people’s vast potential.
INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE
Seizing America’s opportunities for all should be our priority. When united, Americans are unstoppable. Our nation’s brightest days are ahead.
Ballotpedia provided information about Dorothy Caronna:
Dorothy Caronna (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to Represent California’s 28th Congressional District. Caronna lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Dorothy Caronna did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information about Giuliano DePaolis:
Guiliano DePaolis (Independent) (also known as Gio) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 28th Congressional District. DePaolis lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Giuliano DePaolus’ career experience includes working as an IT specialist and a film and television editor.
Giuliano DePaolus did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from DePaolus’ campaign website.
1 Single Payer Medical Insurance
Over 72% of all Democrats, and over 50% of Republicans now support a single-payer health care option, and yet we have a government that refuses to entertain the idea, much less put it to a House vote, mainly due to the influence of Big-Pharma and the for-profit health insurance industry.
Since medical bankruptcy is the primary cause of homelessness in the U.S., solving the issue of the uninsured would resolve the key factor in the creation of the unhoused.
A Single Payer Option would offer an alternative to the profit health care system that, in the near future, will be financially untenable, and contribute to the collapse of the healthcare market.
2 Cannabis Legislation Reform
Since it’s legalization or decriminalization in 37 states and the District of Columbia, the cannabis industry has generated billions of dollars of revenue for state and local governments annually and provides millions of above-market employment opportunities.
However the Federal Government insists on classifying cannabis as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, claiming that it is more dangerous than Fentynal and Oxicotin, opioids that are responsible for hundreds of thousands of overdoses in the U.S.
This Schedule 1 classification excludes all cannabis industry profits from appropriate Federal Taxation, prohibits research into the possible medical benefits of cannabis, and prevents cannabis from being a viable alternative to the climate change issue.
3 “Common Sense” Climate Change
Speaking of climate change,
Bio-sequestration, and carbon capture are two technologies that can reduce and remove billions of tons of CO2 emissions from the environment annually.
And yes, the cannabis industry can play a vital role here as well. One hectare of cannabis can absorb 15 tons of CO2, and is carbon negative to produce. Hemp’s rapid growth makes it one of the fastest CO2-to -biomass conversion “technologies” available, more efficient than agro-forestry.
In Canada and Europe, governments are embracing cannabis as a cheap, and low-impact solution to reducing their carbon emission footprint. But, the current U.S. is focused on how to impose “Carbon Taxes” and wasteful “Climate Justice” initiatives.
No one asked for an $0.8 per mile usage tax.
4 Reduction in Military Spending Waste
It is my intent to introduce a bill that aims to reduce the cost of the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act, by %03 per year over a period of 5 years. Our current bill for the defense of our nation stands at $777.7 billion.
As we spend more on defense than the next 10 global militaries combined, the focus of this legislation will be to eliminate waste in the military spending budgets, while seeking to maintain, or improve military capability.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 28:
Judy Chu (D): 66.5% – 38,701 votes
Wes Hallman (R): 25.4% – 14,766 votes
Dorothy Coronna (D): 6.2% – 3,631 votes
Guiliano DePaolis (Independent): 1.8% – 1,059 votes
Wes Hallman posted the following on his About Us page of his “Make California Gold Again” website:
Make California Gold Again is about taking back the beautiful state of California and making it more beautiful than it has ever been before! Make California Gold Again is about redeeming every aspect of this state – spiritually, financially, educationally, socially – and turning it GOLD – prosperous & thriving!
Sarah Stephens ran for Governor in the recall election in 2021 and through the support of her husband Daniel, former police officer and veteran, the vision for Make California Gold Again was birthed! This couple has served together on the front lines for freedom and would give up anything for this Nation.
The Make California Gold Again website is specifically designed for the Californian, the patriot, who wants to take a stand for God & freedom and connect with others who believe the same! This site serves as a hub for patriots so they can connect with candidates, churches, businesses, non-profits, media outlets, communities and more!
Find your place at Make California Gold Again and become part of the MCGA family! Together we will Make California Gold Again! Let’s make history and turn California once again – into the most desired state in the Nation!
The New York Times stopped updating these forecasts at 4 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, Nov 9, as the bulk of the remaining races will be decided by mail ballots that take days to count.
June 24: Politico posted an article titled: “Roe has fallen. Rep. Chu has a plan.” From the article:
The Recast: We’re speaking just hours after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, meaning there’s no longer constitutional protections to abortion in this country. What are your initial thoughts on this ruling?
Chu: It is outrageous!
This is a Supreme Court where the majority of the justices value guns more than women’s lives. They are making women second-class citizens in this country and they are setting women back 50 years.
This is just one step in the extremist Republican agenda. We know that their ultimate goal is to ban abortion across the United States. Already we know that 26 states are poised to quickly ban abortion. There are 13 states with trigger laws already.
That means 36 million women could soon lose abortion access. That means millions of women will immediately lose the ability to make decisions over their own bodies. And in fact, the decision will be taken away from them. And instead, it’ll be made by the Washington D.C. politicians like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
The Recast: This ruling did not surprise you, right? Because we have the draft opinion that came out more than a month ago. What does this mean moving forward as far as how Democrats can use this in the midterm elections?
Chu: I was outraged then, but I’m even more outraged now.
I think that it will immediately impact women who were raised in this country, always under the protection of Roe v. Wade – they’ve never know a life where they didn’t have access to abortion. And, suddenly, women will find themselves in a state where abortion is not allowed at all.
It will be a wake-up call. It will be a huge shock. And I think they will go to the ballot box…
…The Recast: As you alluded, this ruling now creates a patchwork of states that either still have abortion on the books or states that are moving to outlaw it. So your state of California will still have access to abortion, but Texas will not. What are the dangers of this patchwork system and how does this impact women of color?
Chu: Wealthy women will always have access to abortion.
Those who will be the most impacted are low-income women who may not have the money to travel across state lines or to take off work or to hire a babysitter. That is what I fear, that these women will not have the freedom to make decisions about their own future.
I do think though that there are states that are stepping up to the plate, my state certainly is. California is getting ready for an influx of women coming in. The Planned Parenthood in my area of the state just told me about a woman in Texas. She already has three children and she knew she could not have more at that particular time. The woman called around all states and found an open slot in my area, Pasadena, and just packed up her three kids and husband and drove 20 hours to California to get her abortion.
This is what we will hear repeated across the United States…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 28:
Judy Chu: (D): 63.2% – 74,398 votes
Wes Hallman (R): 36.8% – 43,250 votes
June 30: NBC News posted an article titled: “Congresswoman who wrote abortion rights bill arrested at rally new Supreme Court”. From the article:
The House Democrat who introduced a bill last year to enshrine abortion rights into federal law was among more than 180 protesters who were arrested Thursday at a pro-abortion rights rally near the Supreme Court.
Rep. Judy Chu of California was participating in a civil disobedience rally on Capitol grounds, “where she was subsequently arrested alongside other activists,” her office said in a news release.
A spokesperson for Chu, describing the demonstration as a “sit-in,” said she was arrested around 1 p.m., adding that sh was the only member of Congress at the rally.
Chu tweeted: “The decision to march today was easy – I came out to march for the young rape survivor, the woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, the mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger. I came out to march for all of us.”
The tweet included the following message: “When I first heard Roe was overturned, I immediately thought of who would be most harmed by this decision: a young girl who is a survivor of rape, a woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, an expecting mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger because she cannot have an abortion. So, when I think of all these women – and more – the decision to join in a peaceful demonstration to make clear we will not allow the clock to be rolled back on abortion rights was was easy. We are in this together and we will not back down or be silenced. I am ramping up my calls to abolish the Senate filibuster – and actively exploring every option to ensure we pass my bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act, which establishes a federal right to abortion care, and have it signed into law. Lives are at stake and this fight is far from over.
According to NBC News, U.S. Capitol Police said on Twitter that they arrested 181 people for illegally blocking an intersection near the Capitol and the Supreme Court…
…Chu introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act in September after the Supreme Court allowed a new Texas law banning most abortions to remain in place…
…The House passed the bill in September in a 218-211 vote, with one Democrat joining all Republicans in opposing the measure. In a 46-48 Senate vote in February, the bill failed to clear the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a Republican-led filibuster…
November 9: The Associated Press reported “Democrat Judy Chu wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 28th Congressional District”.
California’s 29th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 29th Congressional District:
California’s 29th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in the north central San Fernando Valley. The district is represented by Democrat Tony Cárdenas.
It includes the city of San Fernando, as well as the Los Angeles communities of Van Nuys, Tacoma, Arleta, Panorama City, Sylmar, and parts of Sun Valley and North Hollywood.
As of the 2020 redistricting, half of California’s 29th congressional district is within Los Angeles County, and half is in northern Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 27th district, the 30th district, and the 32nd district.
The 29th and 27th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, Soledad Canyon Road, Little Tujunga Canyon Rd, Santa Clara Truck Trail, Veterans Memorial Park, Golden State Freeway, Devonshire Street, Blue Creek, Chatsworth Street, Balboa Boulevard, Kingsbury Street, Genesta Avenue, Aliso Canyon Wash, and Ronald Reagan Freeway.
The 29th and 30th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, NF-4N35, Gold Creek Road, Big Tujunga Canyon Road, Little Tujunga Road, Longford Street, Clybourne Avenue, Foothill Freeway, Kagel Canyon Street, Osbourne Street, Terra Bell Street, Glennoaks Boulevard, Montague Street, San Fernando Road, Bradford Street, Tujunga Wash, Wentworth Street, Sheldon Street, Tuxford Street, Sunland Boulevard, Golden State Freeway, Cohasset Street, Sherman Way, Vineland Avenue, Southern Pacific Railroad, Ledge Avenue, West Clark Avenue, North Clybourne Avenue, and the Los Angeles River.
The 27th and 32nd are partitioned by San Diego Freeway, Roscoe Boulevard, Reseda Boulevard, Saticoy Street, Lull Street, Garden Grove Avenue, Valerio Street, Etiwanda Avenue, Gault Street, Victory Boulevard, Oxford Street, Hazeltine Avenue, Burbank Boulevard, Tujunga Wash, Ventura Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, Whipple Street, and Lankershim Boulevard.
The 27th district takes the city of San Fernando and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Vay Nuys, Panorama City, Sylmar, Valley Village, Sun Valley, westside North Hollywood. and central Lake Balboa.
Ballotpedia provided information about California’s 29th Congressional District:
California’s 29th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives is represented by Tony Cárdenas (D).
As of the 2020 Census, California represented an average of 761,091 residents, After the 2010 Census, each member represented 704,566 residents.
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Tony Cárdenas:
Tony Cárdenas (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 29th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 2013. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Cárdenas (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Cárdenas first won election to the seat in 2012. Prior to his service in the U.S. House, Cárdenas served in the California State Assembly from 1996 to 2002. He was then a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 2004 to 2012.
Cárdenas was mentioned during the wave of sexual assault and misconduct allegations in 2018. A lawsuit filed April 27, 2018, alleged that Cárdenas sexually abused a 16-year-old girl in 2007. Cárdenas denied the accusations, Ballotpedia reported.
Ballotpedia stated that Tony Cárdenas did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection Survey. He also did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection Survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Tony Cárdenas’ 2016 campaign website:
Creating Jobs in the Valley: “Congressman Tony Cárdenas is committed to finding ways to attract businesses to open up shop in the Valley and train our workforce for the next generation of jobs. He is working to find opportunities to bring more manufacturing jobs to the Valley.”
Paying our Nation’s Bills: “Congressman Cárdenas believes in a balanced approach to our debt and deficit. This means investing in the middle class, making smart, targeted reductions in spending, closing tax loopholes and reducing subsidies to profitable industries.”
Reforming Our Juvenile Justice System and Reducing Crime: “As a child growing up in Pacoma, Congressman Cárdenas saw firsthand the effects gangs have on our community. Having that background, he has made gang prevention and juvenile justice a top priority, with a proven track record of enacting legislation to keep kids safe,”
Fair, Balanced Comprehensive Immigration Reform. “Our country has always been a nation of immigrants and the current system is in desperate need of reform. Eleven million people currently work and raise families in our communities without the possibility of one day becoming citizens of the United States. Now that bipartisan legislation has passed the Senate, we have finally begun to carve out a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and create common sense solutions to fix our broken immigration system.”
Ensuring Access to Healthcare: “In 2019, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law. This law, often called “Obamacare” is the strongest, most robust improvement made into our nation’s healthcare system since Medicare was passed in 1965. More than 40 million Americans will finally have the opportunity to purchase affordable health insurance coverage.”
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Angélica María Dueñas
Angélica María Dueñas (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Dueñas was elected as a member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee on March 3, 2020.
Dueñas previously ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. She lost in the primary election on June 5, 2018.
Cárdenas earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration from California State University at Los Angeles in 2007 and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Woodbury University in 2013. Dueñas’ career experience includes working as the Southern California campaign coordinator for Jill Stein’s presidential campaign, a human resource manager with Gravity Defyer, and a human resources specialist. She served as president and vice president of the Sun Valley Area Neighborhood Council and a member of the Bernie Sanders Delegation to the 2016 and the 2020 Democratic National Conventions.
Angélica María Dueñas did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection survey. Angélica María Dueñas did fill out the May 20, 2018 Candidate Connection Survey.
Angélica María Dueñas did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia’s 2020 Candidate Connection survey. Angélica María Dueñas did fill out the May 20, 2018 Candidate Connection Survey.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
Ending All Wars Universal Healthcare
Tuition Free Education/Federal Education
Loan Forgiveness
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
Getting big money out of politics – Ending Citizens United. Addressing the homelessness issue – Universal Rent Control, Municipal Seizing of Bank Owned Homes and house homeless through HUD and Section 8.
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Angelica Dueñas answered the following:
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else that best describes your political philosophy?
She wrote out the lyrics of Michael Jackson’s song “We Had Enough”
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Honesty, Integrity and a Strong Moral Compass.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
To listen to the needs of their community and to write, champion and support legislation that addresses those needs. We need to be vocal and to be afraid to make a stand.
Ballotpedia provided information about Margarita Maria Carranza
Margarita Maria Carranza (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. Carranza lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Margarita Maria Carranza was born in Calexico, California. Carranza graduated from John H. Francis Polytechnic High School. Her career experience includes working as an office manager.
Ballotpedia provided information about Andy Miranda
Andy Miranda (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 29th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Andy Miranda was born in North Hollywood, California. Miranda served in the U.S. Navy from 2004 to 2008. He earned a bachelor’s degree from DeVry University in 2013.
Miranda completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022.
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am Andy Miranda, the actual congressional candidate. If elected, every decision I make in congress will be decided by the voters of my district.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
No more government control, every decision I make will be decided on by the voters.
No more waiting or begging elected leaders to make obvious changes or fixes.
Any change that the people need and vote on will be implemented and not what your government tells you.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am passionate about supporting our local law enforcement and decreasing criminal activities and behaviors. I am passionate about getting rid of the homeless and cleaning up our streets so they’re safe for all of us. I am passionate about the law-abiding citizen’s and hard working tax payer’s rights and property and how they should always come before any criminal or vagrant, period!
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Jesus Christ.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
Iraqi war, I was about 8 years old.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
K-Mart.
What is your favorite book? Why?
The Bible.
What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?
The ability to propose and make laws.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?
No. In fact, the more government experience the more corrupt, generally speaking.
What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?
China and our dependency on them.
Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?
Yes.
What are your thoughts on term limits?
Limits should be set.
What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?
The ability to propose and make laws.
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?
No. In fact, the more government experience the more corrupt, generally speaking.
Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Jim Jordan, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Lauren Bobert, Matt Gaetz
Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?
Absolutely as it is for everything else in life.
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Rudy Melendez:
Rudy Melendez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 28th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 29:
Tony Cárdenas (D): 57.5% – 37,269 votes
Angélica María Dueñas (D): 20.4% – 13,278 votes
Margarita Maria Carranza (R): 9.0% – 5,879 votes
Andy Miranda (R): 6.6% – 4,227 votes
Rudy Melendez (R): 6.5% – 4,186 votes
May 26: The Valley Star News posted an article titled: “Angelica Dueñas is “ready to seize the moment in the San Fernando Valley” From the article:
More than a year after her campaign launched, former Valley College student Angelica Dueñas is confident about the road ahead as she prepares for the midterm election on June 7.
Running for U.S. Congress, Dueñas is looking to unseat Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), who has held office for almost a decade. California’s 29th District, the constituency that spans Sylmar to Van Nuys, is also home to Valley, where the grassroots challenger attended before transferring to California State University, Los Angeles. After losing in a tighter than expected race two years ago, Dueñas is ready for a different battle in bringing her people-powered campaign to Capitol Hill.
“Compared to 2020, things are looking great,” said Dueñas. “This year, it’s just Tony and I in the race with three republican candidates. With the top-two primary, thing are looking solid that it will be Tony and I once again in November. We’re ready to seize the moment in the San Fernando Valley.”
The 2020 election, which coincided with the presidential election that brought the highest turnout in American history, saw Rep. Cárdenas face his closest challenge since the district was established in 2010, as only 13 percent separated him from the mother of five…
…A delegate and volunteer for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, the former Monarch is not afraid to battle the status quo. Frustrated with what she explains as nepotism that has controlled the San Fernando’s political landscape for “too long,” Dueñas has taken action in her disappointment by running for higher office and has also performed in roles within her community, serving terms as both president and board member on the Sun Valley Neighborhood Council…
…Election Day is June 7, the top-two candidates in the primary for California’s 29th District will square off against each other on November 8, alongside the candidates for the other seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 29:
Tony Cárdenas (D): 62.0% – 38,034 votes
Angélica María Dueñas (D): 38.0% – 23.281 votes
California’s 30th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 30th Congressional District
California’s 30th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The 30th district takes in the Linda Vista neighborhood of Pasadena, and the Los Angeles area communities of Tujunga, Burbank, Glendale, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Edendale, Park La Brea, Hancock Park, and westside Echo Park. The district is currently represented by Democrat Adam Schiff.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 30th congressional district is located in Southern California. Two sections of the district are within Los Angeles County, and the other two sections cover parts of northern Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 27th district, the 28th district, the 32nd district, the 34th district, the 36th district, and the 37th district. The 30th and 27th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, B.P. and L Rd, Mt Emma Rd, BPL Rd, Angeles Forest Highway, NF-3N17, Moody Canyon, NF-4N53, Soledad Canyon Rd, Indian Canyon Rd, and Santa Clarita Divide Dr.
The 30th and 28th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, Big Tujunga Creek, Big Tujunga Canyon Rd., Silver Creek, Markridge Rd, Pennsylvania Ave, Northwoods Ln, Ramsdell Ave, Descanto Gardens, Norham Pl, Wendover Rd, Linda Vista Ave, Oak Grove Dr, Yucca Ln, W Montana St, Vermont St, Forest Ave, Wyoming St, Lincoln Ave, Anderson Pl, Canada Pl, Highway 210, W Hammond St, Glen Ave, W Mountain St, Manzanita Ave, N Orange Grove Blvd, and Ventura Freeway.
The 30th and 29th are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, NF-4N35, Gold Creek Rd, Big Tujunga Canyon Rd, Little Tujunga Rd, Longford St, Clybourne Ave, Foothill Freeway, Kagel Canyon St, Osborne Street, Terra Bella St, Glenoaks Blvd, Montague St, San Fernando Rd, Branford St, Tujunga Wash, Wentworth St, Sheldon St, Tuxford St, Sunland Blvd, Golden State Freeway, Cohasset St, Sherman Way, Vineland Ave, Southern Pacific Railroad, Ledge Ave, W Clark Ave, N Clybourn Ave, and the Los Angeles River.
The 30th and 32nd are partitioned by Lankershim Blvd, Fredonia Dr, Cahuenga Blvd W, Broadlawn Dr, Multiview Dr, Mulholland Dr, Laurel Canyon Blvd, W Sunset Blvd, Ozeta Tea, and Doheny Rd.
The 30th and the 32nd are partitioned by Lankershim Blvd, Fredonia Dr, Cahuenga Blvd W, Broadlawn Dr, Multivuew Dr, Mulholland Dr, Laurel Canyon Blvd, N Western Ave, Melrose Ave, Hollywood Freeway, Douglas St, Lilac Ter, N Boylston St, Academy Rd, Pasadena Freeway, Highway 5, Duvall St, Blake Ave, Fernleaf St, Crystal St, Blake Ave, Meadowvale Ave, Los Angeles, Benedict St, N Coolidge Ave, Glendale Freeway, Roswell St, Delay Dr, Fletcher Dr, Southern Pacific Railroad, S Glendale Ave, Vista Superba Dr, Verdugo Rd, Plumas St, Carr Park, Harvey Dr, and Eagle Rock Hillside Park.
The 30th, 36th, and 37th are partitioned by Phyllis Ave, N Doheny Dr, N Oakhurst Dr, Burton Way, N Robertson Blvd, 8733 Clifton Way-201 S Le Doux Rd, N San Vicente Blvd, La Cienga Park, W Olympic Blvd, San Vicente Blvd, S Cochran Ave, Edgewood Pl, S Cloverdale Ave, S La Brea Ave, and S Sycamore Ave.
Ballotpedia provided information about Adam Schiff:
Adam Schiff (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 30th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Schiff (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent California. He declared candidacy tor the primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.
Schiff represented California’s 29th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2003 to 2013 and California’s 27th Congressional District from 2001 to 2003.
Prior to his career in the U.S. House, Schiff served in the California State Senate from 1996 to 2001.
In the 2018 general election, Schiff defeated Johnny Nalbandian (R) by a vote of 78.4 percent to 21.6 percent.
Schiff was considered a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Barbara Boxer in 2016. However, he announced on May 12, 2015, that he would stay out of the race.
Schiff endorsed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Ballotpedia provided information about Maebe A. Girl:
Maebe A. Girl (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ronda Kennedy:
Ronda Kennedy (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Nevada. She declared her candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on June 11, 2024.
Kennedy earned a B.A. in political science and government and a master’s degree in public administration from Ashford University. She also earned a J.D. from the American Heritage University School of Law. He professional experience includes working a an attorney.
Ballotpedia provided information on Patrick Gipson:
Patrick Gipson (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. Gipson declared his candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia provided information on Johnny Nalandian:
Johnny Nalbandian (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Nalbandian was a Republican candidate to represent California’s 28th Congressional District in 2018. He lost the general election on November 6, 2018.
Ballotpedia provided information on Paloma Zuniga:
Paloma Zuniga (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia provided information on Sal Genovese:
Sal Genovese (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Genovese sought election to the same seat in 2012, 2014, and 2016, and 2018.
Ballotpedia provided information on William Meurer:
William Meurer (Green Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. Meurer lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia provided information on Tony Rodriguez:
Tony Rodriguez (American Independent Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 30th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rodriguez completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
My name is Tony Rodriguez. I am running for this office because I know it takes non politicians like myself to make a difference. The biggest issue I see is that neither side is interested in doing what is best for the many, instead they want to do what is best for specific groups. I am a firm believer that we all have to reach ACROSS PARTY LINES in order to effectively do what is best for all. Just like any relationship where there has to be give an take and compromises must be made. If I am elected I do not want to caucus with any specific party. I want to be the liaison between both major parties and bring some kind of teamwork mentally versus what we have now. This election in the 30th District of California in 2022 is not about left or right, Democrat or Republican, it is about protecting and defending the rights of the People under the Constitution of the United States, and bringing this country back into an era of competition and a dynamic future for the generations who will follow our lead.
Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I am against Critical Race Theory Indoctrination. There should be a law that mandates that this should not be taught. This only fuels the fire and causes more division. It is about parents deciding what is best for their children, and keeping parental rights intact under the Constitution while holding government to task for poor performance in the classroom.
Protecting our First Responders. The security, peace and dignity of our communities and our country depends on our first responders. In an era where the debate is about defunding police, I support increased funding for better training and tools for our men and women in uniform.
Protecting our Jobs and Businesses. Especially small businesses, workers comp cost especially in California are extremely high. There is a lot of fraud especially in California. This fraud and high taxes can ruin a small business.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Critical Race Theory Indoctrination/Parental Rights. Government overreach should be kept at a minimum.
Protecting our Families. I believe that family is our greatest national resource. As a result, we need to do more to defend our families. All families are different. Regardless of how your family is structured – whether you are a man or a woman, two men, or two women – our children need family and love. I will work to protect the family regardless of race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.
January 4: MyBurbank.com posted a press release titled: “Congressman Schiff Announces Re-election Campaign for 30th Congressional District” From the press release:
Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) announced his campaign for re-election in California’s 30th congressional district:
“It has been an honor to represent California’s 28th congressional district in Congress. And together, we’ve made important progress in 2021. But there is so much more to be done.
“We passed a major relief package that cut child poverty in half nationwide and helped more than 66,000 families in our community put food on the table. We achieved a bipartisan infrastructure package that will bring significant investment in roads, bridges, transit, airports, clean water, and clean air and fire prevention to our state and nation. The House also approved a major package to lower prescription drug costs, provide family leave, help lower childcare costs, and fight climate change – all of which will help support working families here at home. We now need to get that bill passed in the Senate.
“We helped behind-the-scenes workers server the fair wages and conditions all workers have a right to, and freelancers and contractors receive unemployment during the pandemic. We finally saw the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the sitting U.S. President and pushed the U.S. government to condemn Azeri atrocities. And amid a devastating wildfire season, we ensure that firefighters have the most advanced tools available to help combat the blazes.
“But there are still enormous challenges ahead, with the pandemic and the economy, and dangerous threats to our democracy that must be overcome.
“This is why I’m running for re-election to Congress in California’s 30th congressional district – a district that will include familiar neighborhoods and faces, but a few new communities as well. All of whom I’m excited to speak to over the course of this campaign and to represent in Congress.
“I’m running to make real progress on the big issues: Ending the pandemic. Making the economy work for everyone, Making health care universal. Fighting climate change. Lowering costs for all families, and keeping us safe. And on local issues like ensuring everyone has a roof over their head, preserving open space for generations to come, and investing in new greener infrastructure and mass transit.
“And I’m running because there remains a grave threat to our democracy, Across the country, Republicans are assaulting voting rights, undermining our elections, and attempting to break down the pillars of our democracy. We cannot take our democracy for granted and need champions pushing back against these assaults on our institutions. I will continue to fight to protect champions pushing back against these assaults on our institutions. I will continue the fight to protect the fundamental right to vote and to secure our cherished legacy as a democracy.”
February 8: CISON PR Newswire posted a press release titled: “Ronda Kennedy, Republican Activist and Self-Made Attorney, Descendent of Slaves, Will Challenge Adam Schiff for Congress” From the press release:
Ronda Baldwin Kennedy has filed as a Republican Congressional candidate for California’s 30th District and will oppose Rep. Adam Schiff. “Schiff is one of the most powerful Leftists in Congress and by far the most duplicitous and dishonest… and I’m thrilled to be the lady who finally kicks him out of Washington,” said Kennedy, an attorney and mother of six.
Schiff led the second contrived Trump impeachment ‘investigation,’ leaked classified documents, and lied DAILY about the now discredited Russia hoax,” she said.
“More recently Schiff was caught red-handed selective editing text messages between Trump aides in the bogus, partisan January 6th investigation,” said Kennedy. “I’m literally Adam Schiff’s worst nightmare, as I intend to hold him responsible for his litany of lies and crimes,” she said.
Ms. Kennedy is a fighter. When the County of Ventura closed gun stores during COVID, Ms. Kennedy was the attorney that filed the federal lawsuit that forced them open and on January 20, 2022, won that case, when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in her favor.
When Ventura County closed businesses a second time, business owners came to Ms. Kennedy because of her work for gun stores and their owners. She successfully defended 8 businesses against the county including Mrs. Olsons, the Pizza Cookery and Cronies in Agoura Hills.
Ms. Kennedy is a constitutionalist and will defend the Constitutional rights of any American regardless of political party. She, along with 12 others, is a plaintiff for a lawsuit filed by the Election Integrity Project of California, which is also before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
She is the great Grand-daughter of Wisconsin’s first black State Assemblyman (Le Roy Simmons). Ms Kennedy gives credit to her great-great grandfather for joining the Republican Party at age 18. He was a run-away slave who joined the Union Army as a water boy. Ms. Kennedy’s great-great aunt started the first Black bank in Wisconsin (Columbia Savings and Loans).
Ms. Kennedy worked in the entertainment industry for many years which includes five years with the Jackson family. Prior to that Ms. Kennedy was a City of Milwaukee Building inspector where she broke many glass ceilings. Ms. Kennedy is married to Michael Kennedy, is a mother of 6 including 9-year-old triplets, and a grandmother of four. In her spare time, she loves music, enjoys the company of family and friends, and is passionate about fighting for the freedom of all Americans.
June 7: Ballotpedia reported the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 30:
Adam Schiff (D): 62.5% – 102,231 votes
Maebe A. Girl (D): 12.8% – 21,025 votes
Ronda Kennedy (R): 8.5% – 13,942 votes
Patrick Gibson (R): 6.4% – 10,520 votes
Johnny Nalbandian (R): 4.7% – 7,684 votes
Sal Genovese (D): 1.6% – 2,609 votes
William Meurer (G): 1.0% – 1,596 votes
Tony Rodriguez (American Independent Party): 0.9% – 1,456 votes
June 7: The Associated Press reported: Democrat Adam Schiff advances to November general election in California’s 30th Congressional District.
August 5: NBC News posted an article titled: “California candidate seeks to be the first transgender, nonbinary member of Congress” From the article:
Two members of the U.S. Senate are gay or bisexual. Nine members of the U.S. House are openly gay. And more than 100 LGBTQ+ people have run or are currently running for Congress this year, including 13 seeking to become the first transgender or nonbinary members ever elected.
Maebe A. Girl is one of them.
Maebe, who uses she/they pronouns and identifies as trans nonbinary, currently serves as a Democrat on the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles and is running against incumbent Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
Schiff (who got 62% of the primary vote) and Maebe (nearly 13%) advanced to the general election in May under California’s Top 2 primary system, under which the Top 2 vote-getters, regardless of party, move on to the general election.
When NBC News asked her why she decided to run against Schiff, Maebe, who is also a drag queen, said that she was “dissatisfied with current representation” and believes it is time for new leadership.
“He’s a centrist,” she said of Schiff. “He’s one of the most well-funded Democrats and he’s been in office for over 20 years. And he keeps tweeting about how we need this, and we need that, and we have to do this, and we have to do that, you’re already in office. You’ve been in office for over 20 years. And if you can’t get these things does by now, then it’s time for new, fresh leadership. And I think that if there’s any place where a progressive , especially a trans nonbinary person can get elected, it’s Los Angeles.”
Maebe’s campaign is centered on issues like health care for all, abolishing ICE and ending all wars. Its grassroots campaign with about 70 volunteers and spending almost $24,000 compared to Schiff’s $11.4 million…
…Annise Parker, the former mayor of Houston who identifies as a lesbian, says that it takes time for LGBTQ+ candidates to win at the highest levels of American politics.
“There are more than 100 LGBTQ candidates running for Congress this year… but in order to win at the highest levels of politics, you have to have built a track record. And the most important way to do to enter the pipeline at another level,” said Parker, who now serves as president and CEO of Victory Fund, a PAC working to elect LGBTQ+ leaders across the country…
September 30: SpectrumNews 1 posted an article titled: “Maebe A. Girl seeks to be first openly trans, nonbinary member of Congress” From the article:
LOS ANGELES – A drag queen, an ordained minister, a Silver Lake Neighborhood Council woman and a U.S. Congressional Candidate.
What You Need To Know
Maebe A. Girl became the first trans nonbinary person to advance to a general election for a House seat, securing 12.8% of the vote in the crowded race to represent California’s 30th District.
In keeping with the theme of firsts, November will be the first time Rep. Adam Schiff will face off with a Democratic challenger in his 11-terms holding the seat.
Girl is campaigning on an intersectional humanitarian platform, advocating for universal health care, housing and education for all, environmental and racial justice, LGBTQ and reproductive rights, among others.
Girl recognized her run is an “uphill battle,” taking on a successful incumbent with more money and connections, and the experience of incumbency.
Maebe A. Girl became the first trans nonbinary person to advance to a general election for a House seat, securing 12.8% of the vote in the crowded race to represent California’s 30th District.
While gay and trans people are at the heart of political discourse this year – with state lawmakers introducing a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills in 2022 – there are still very few LGBTQ people in elected office. Girl is almost certainly going to lose in November, but she is one of a historic number of LGBTQ candidates running for office this year. She is facing off with a major power player in the Democratic party – and doing so in drag.
But when it comes to political ideologies, Girl says she doesn’t want to be pigeonholed.
“I know people have varying ideas about identity politics,” Girl said. “And the thing is, I’m not running to be a drag queen in Congress. I’m not running to be the trans person in Congress. But they do happen to be parts of myself that I will bring with me, and that I do think should be known within this process.”
She understands the tabloid element of her unlikely profession and even uses it as a tool to promote her campaign. Girl is the host and producer of a weekly Sunday drag brunch and also performs in at least a few shows a week, introducing herself to new faces in the vrowd and sharing about her platform.
Girl doesn’t want her role as a drag queen to overshadow her identity as a trans person.
“Drag is what I do, trans is who I am,” Girl said, adding that she chose to run for office in drag because it was how she was known in the community.
Girl is a 10-year resident of the district, which includes West Hollywood, Glendale, Burbank and her neighborhood of Silver Lake. The boundaries hold a diverse area and constitutency.
The nonconformity of the district, Girl says, makes it even more apt that she is running to represent them – a person who doesn’t conform, representing a constituency that can’t necessarily be defined as one thing.
In keeping with a theme of firsts, November will be the first time Rep. Adam Schiff will face off with a Democratic challenger in his 11-terms holding the seat. California’s top-two primary system allows the top two vote getters to advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation.
Girl recognizes he run is an “uphill battle,” taking on a successful incumbent with more money and connections, and the experience of incumbency.
Schiff handedly won the June primary with about 63% of the vote. The congressman is a chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and was tapped by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be the lead manager of the 2019 impeachment inquiry against former President Trump.
He remains popular among Democrats as he is serving a second impeachment trial as a member of the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6. Capitol insurrection and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Despite his prominence, longevity and favorability, Girl believes Schiff to be a “moderate and a centrists: and said his representation “serves to the status quo.”
Despite his prominence, longevity and favorability, Girl believes Schiff to be a “moderate and a centrists: and said his representation “serves to the status quo.”
November 8: The Associated Press reported: Democrat Adam Schiff wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 30th Congressional District
Ballotpedia reported the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 30:
Adam Schiff (D): 72.1% – 78,812 votes
Maebe A. Girl (D): 27.9% – 30,569 votes
November 9: Daily Caller posted an article titled: “Thousands Of Voters Choose Drag Queen ‘Maebe A. Girl’ Over Adam Schiff” From the article:
Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff, who won reelection in his race with 72% of the vote, was trailed by a drag queen candidate who came in second place at 27.9%
Democratic House candidate G. “Maebe A. Girl” Pudlo brought in more than 30,000 votes in the California District 30. Pudlo’s platform included LGBT rights, racial justice, the Green New Deal and universal basic income. LGBT issues were featured prominently on Pudlo’s website.
“Transgender individuals, particularly trans women of color, are being assaulted and murdered at an alarmingly disproportionate rate,” Pudlo’s site reads. “As a trans/non-binary person, I am fully committed to defending and advocating for all LGBTQIA people … as someone who has experienced discrimination first-hand on both a personal and political basis, I intend to do everything in my power and through the power of the community to ensure that we protect LGBTQIA folks and gain full equality under the law.”
Pudlo was elected to the Silver Lake neighborhood council in Los Angeles in 2019, becoming the first drag queen in public office in the U.S… [...]
August 26, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more congressional districts than other states. In 2022, all of the districts in California held an election. Here is what happened in congressional districts 11 through 20.
California’s 11th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s District 11th Congressional District:
California’s 11th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California and is represented by Nancy Pelosi.
Before redistricting, the 11th district consisted of most of Contra Costa County. Mark DeSaulnier, a Democrat, represented the district from January 2015 to January 2023. Cities and CDPs in the district included Alamo, Bay Point, Blackhawk, Clayton, Concord, Diablo, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, San Pablo, Richmond, and Walnut Creek; most of Danville; and parts of Antioch and Martinez.
Following redistricting in 2021 by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission, the 11th district is entirely in San Francisco, and includes most of the city with the exception of the Excelsior District, Visitacion Valley, Portola, and Ocean View on the city’s southern edge. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will represent the new 11th District.
Ballotpedia provided the following information on Nancy Pelosi:
Nancy Pelosi (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 11th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends January 3, 2025.
Pelosi (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. She won the general election on November 8, 2022.
Pelosi is the first and only woman to serve as speaker of the House. Pelosi was first elected to the U.S. House in a special election in 1987 to represent California’s 5th Congressional District, in which she represented until her election to California’s 8th Congressional District in 2012. In 2022, she was elected minority leader, becoming the highest-ranking congresswoman of either party in U.S. history. When Democrats took control of the House in 2007, Pelosi made history again with her election of speaker of the House.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Dennis:
John Dennis (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
John Dennis was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and lives in San Francisco, California. Dennis earned degree in business administration from Fordham University in 1985. His career experience includes working as a real estate developer.
Our Campaigns posted information about John Dennis. The most recent update of the page was on July 22, 2022. From the website:
Contributor: Patrick
Tags: Caucasian – Married – NRA – Straight
John Dennis is a father, husband, and entrepreneur. John is running a campaign that highlights the failed policies of Nancy Pelosi, which have impacted all San Franciscans. These include Pelosi’s ineffective economic stimulus programs that have added over one trillion dollars to America’s growing debt and have done little to lower high unemployment in San Francisco and around the country. He opposes the aimless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that have resulted in thousands of casualties and a total cost of over one trillion dollars. He opposes her failure to protect individual rights and privacy; for example, the failure to repeal either “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” or the Patriot Act.
To address the trillions in growing U.S. debt, as well as current deficits, he supports cuts in the budget. These cuts include foreign military spending, notably savings achieved by ending the wars and returning the troops to the U.S. He advocates protecting personal liberties and privacy as it applies to orientation, drug consumption, and domestic intelligence surveillance.
John Dennis has garnered support from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents and has been endorsed by former Vice Presidential candidate Matt Gonzalez and activist groups like the Log Cabin Republicans. John and his wife Heather live and work in San Francisco.
Ballotpedia provided information about Shahid Buttar:
Shahid Buttar (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Shahid Buttar was born in London, England. Buttar earned a B.A. from Loyola University Chicago and a J.D. from Stanford University Law School in 2003. His career experience includes working as a legal advocate and the director of grassroots advocacy of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. He is affiliated with the Bill of Rights Defense Committee (now Defending Rights and Dissent), Muslim Advocates, and the American Constitution Society for Law & Policy.
Shahid Buttar filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Shahid has been building social movements and speaking truth to power for two decades. He’s an immigrant of Pakistani descent from the United Kingdom and the youngest of four children who grew up in the midwest. Since graduating from Stanford Law School in 2023, Shahid has worked in both San Francisco and Washington as a legal advocate, a non-profit leader, a grassroots organizer, and a poet & musician.
His wide-ranging work reflects a commitment to intersectional feminism, international human rights, and the future we all share. His passions have long been aligned around a common purpose: building the movement to put human rights and human needs before corporate profits.
An early advocate for marriage equality for same-sex couples and a national leader in the movement to end warrantless government surveillance, Shahid also built a national grassroots network for the Electronic Frontier Foundation as the organization’s Director of Grassroots Advocacy.
In addition to LGBTQ rights, privacy, and the right to encryption, Shahid’s work has also advanced immigrant rights, campaign finance reform, government transparency, international human rights, and police accountability. His writing has explored issues from the right-wing attack on reproductive freedom to the erosion of voting rights, and from effective counter-terrorism strategies to examples of counter-cultural activism promoting progressive politics at the intersection of art and organizing.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
The corporate corruption of Congress is outrageously bipartisan, has infected every are of federal policy, and will run the future off a climate cliff unless we force change from the bottom up.
San Francisco’s voice in Congress is a poster child of corporate corruption. The overdue controversy over insider trading is just one example.
Human rights to healthcare and climate justice are more important than Wall Street profits. A Congress of millionaires is not poised to make the changes we need.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Establishing human rights to all basic human needs, including healthcare and housing.
Securing climate justice, including not only a Green New Deal but also nationalizing the fossil fuel sector.
Checking and balancing right wing costs by ending judicial life tenure to force turnover on the bench.
Restoring freedom of conscience and association by ending mass surveillance
Restoring the right to trial in the face of predatory mass incarceration and industrialized slavery.
Ballotpedia provided information about Eve Del Castello:
Eve Del Castello (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. Castello lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Eve Del Castello’s career experience includes working as a business consultant.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jeffrey Phillips:
Jeffrey Phillips (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Jeffery Phillips was born in Walnut Creek, California. Phillips earned a bachelor’s degree from the California Institute of Technology in 2007.
Jeffrey Phillips completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m not a millionaire, a lawyer, or a career politician. I grew up in the Bay Area, attended public schools in a middle class suburb, made it to Caltech. I met geniuses, and I’m not one; I’m just a regular guy. I struggled through the recession, stuck close to home caring for parents, working odd jobs and eventually gig work, which has paid less and less. I see my dreams of marriage, family, and home ownership fading away in the horizon, and I know I’m not the only one just barely getting by, stuck between low wages and rising rents.
And I’ve looked up at my representative, and I don’t see the urgency. I don;’t even hear the recognition that we NEED living wages, reliable health care, affordable housing, recognition of citizenship, voting protections, a shift to wealth taxes, and a generational investment in clean, renewable power.
This policy agenda is not new. It’s not unique or creative. But what we need to make it happen are the numbers in the House and Senate. I am here to stand as a part of that groundswell to finally make the dreams of progress born in the last century a reality in this one.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Medicare for All. Having multiple insurance companies taking money from off the top to deny claims is the number one reason our health care is twice as expensive as any national system. And beyond administrative savings, decoupling health care from wages allows workers the freedom to work where they want, as much as they want, without worrying about benefits. Businesses will no longer have to provision payroll to benefits either. This common sense shift is half a century overdue, and every progressive in office brings it closer. We can, and we won’t stop until we do pass this. And with health care settled, we can focus on bargaining on the next step: RAISING MINIMUM WAGES on an automatic, annual schedule, indexed to inflation.
Housing is key to the growing inequality in this country. We created incentives to overbuild, oversell, over invest in the wrong types of construction; some people ask if building will even help anymore. The middle ground runs through an acknowledgement that each property is unique, and hits a different spot in the market. Building more Bentleys won’t do much for the price of a used Civic. We must incentivize modest, minimal housing that sells NEW for less than the current middle prices. And to unlock federal funds, we need to rewrite the Faircloth act. I look forward to local California state progressives rewriting the Costa-Hawkins bill. We can provide a place for new working families to thrive; we have to be smart and strategic about how.
Think about voting rights, house bill #1 – supposed to be important to safeguard the next election cycle, ensuring that all voters had every opportunity to make their voices heard. Likewise, immigration reform was supposed to bring a pathway to citizenship to the table, giving “Dreamers,” once children, already building family of their own, a chance to enjoy the freedoms, rights and protections due any American. These were the foundational pieces of a promising rights agenda, cast to the side because of the interests of a few Senators. These don’t go away. We have not forgotten. And the time is now to take the fight directly to the Senate, disrupt the stately order as much as necessary to haller these things trough the less-representative chamber.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Wealth taxes may be the most important tool we have to redirect the rapidly growing inequality in this country. And for most Americans, a focus on wealth rather than income will mean a lower tax bill, particularly in those years when people are growing families and livelihoods. Instead of a skin-in-the-game tax on your first paycheck, taxes should be borne by those who have “made it”, at a level where investment is more about accumulation than survival.
Many Americans never get there, but some were born there, live there, and will never pass beyond that comfortable bubble of vast, untouchable wealth. And those billionaires have been working for a hundred years to shield that wealth, and enshrine the notion that income is taxable, but the income on your income is somehow different, no mater if its an extra dollar or an extra billion.
Regular Americans have been left out in the cold in the wake of the pandemic, with stimulus that amounts to less than a few months’ rent. When so many Americans are starting over, rebuilding their lives, and often healing after irreplaceable losses, there is no moral course than to shift the burden to those who can bear it – to those who have asked regular workers to bear it for so long. We have so much more to gain from a strong, vigorous, thriving nation making half a billion decisions about where to put our money, than we would leaving the wealth of our nation to a few dozen wealth-hoarders to distort markets in million dollar tokens.
Ballotpedia provided information about Bianca Von Krieg:
Bianca Von Krieg (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 11th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Bianca Von Crei was born in San Francisco, California. Von Krieg earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a master’s degree in systems engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her career experience includes working as an actress and systems engineer.
December 13: People posted an article titled: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Is Reportedly Planning to Run for Reelection in 2022”. From the article:
Rep. Nancy Pelosi plans to run for reelection in 2022.
The House Speaker, who will turn 82 in March, is very likely to keep the seat representing her San Francisco district and may also stay in a leadership role when the next Congress convenes after the midterm elections, CNN reports.
An election win in 2022 will precede an 18th full term for Pelosi, who was first elected House Speaker more than a decade ago. She held the position until Republicans claimed a majority in the House in 2012 and returned to the leadership role after the 2018 midterm elections. She’s the only woman to hold the Speaker’s gavel.
Pelosi was reelected Speaker this year despite five Democratic colleagues not voting for her.
After securing the Democratic caucus’ nomination to lead the House in 2020, Pelosi suggested it would be her last term as Speaker, saying she would abide by an agreement to put limits on leadership roles and committee chairs…
…After a vote in favor of Biden’s COVID stimulus package in march, the president called Pelosi “the finest and most capable speaker in the history of our nation.”…
January 25: Huffpost posted an article titled: “Nancy Pelosi Announces Run for Reelection in 2022” From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced her bid for reelection in the 2022 midterms.
“While we have made progress, much more needs to be done to improve people’s lives,” Pelosi said in a post on Twitter. “This election is crucial: nothing less is at stake than our Democracy.”
Pelosi, 81, who has been in Congress for over three decades, did not announce a run for speaker. The California Democrat previously indicated that this current term would be her last time in the leadership post…
…The midterms may prove to be a challenge for Democrats to hold their majority in the House, where they only outnumber Republicans by a relatively slim margin of 222-212.
During Pelosi’s latest term as speaker, the House has passed significant legislation, such as providing stimulus checks and other aid to U.S. households during the coronavirus pandemic…
Ballotpedia provided the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 11:
Nancy Pelosi (D): 71.7% – 133,798 votes
John Dennis (R): 10.7% – 20,054 votes
Shahid Buttar (D): 10.4% – 19,471 votes
Eve Del Castello (R): 3.9% – 7,319 votes
Jeffery Phillips (D): 1.9% – 3,595 votes
Bianca Von Krieg (D): 1.3% – 2,499 votes
October 28: San Francisco Examiner posted an opinion piece titled: “Among 291 election ‘deniers’ is San Francisco’s John Dennis”. From the opinion piece:
The front page of last week’s Washington Post screamed out a warning about the future of American democracy. “A majority of GOP nominees deny or question the 2020 election results,” read the headline.
The analysis that followed claimed 291 Republicans – a majority of those running in November for a House, Senate or key statewide seat – are “election deniers.” The story quoted experts cautioning that Republicans have “institutionalized” the practice of rejecting election results they don’t like, posing a grave threat to the country’s democratic principles.
One of the 291 is San Francisco’s own John Dennis, a Republican who is fighting a quixotic battle to unseat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, something he has done four previous times and failed.
I reached out to Dennis to find out what autocratic madness he was up to. Did he really believe that Congress should have overturned the will of the people on Jan. 6 2021, heeding President Donald Trump’s insistence that members refuse to certify the election results?
The short answer is no.
Like many Republicans, he questions the outcome. Dennis says he has spoken to “lawyers on the ground” who lead him to believe that there were enough “shenanigans” to have changed the election’s outcome, a suspicion multiple investigations have failed to validate.
“I find it really hard to believe that this guy (Biden), who didn’t campaign, who was clearly not at his best – and his best wasn’t great – and is now in serious cognitive decline … had the attraction to get people to go out and vote in numbers to beat Trump,” Dennis said.
However – and it’s a big however – Dennis doesn’t deny the outcome. He does not believe Congress had reason or the authority to deny Biden the presidency…
…It is important to distinguish between the willfully ignorant fringe of the Republican Party, who, stoked by Trump, are willing to abandon democratic norms, and disappointed conservatives such as Dennis who can’t believe Biden could legitimately win an election…
What makes Trump and his closest supports so dangerous is their refusal to accept an election they’ve lost no matter the facts nor the outcome of multiple appeals…
…Dennis acknowledges he is skeptical of the 2020 vote, but that doesn’t make him the sort of zealot who threatens the future of the Republic…
…It is a distinction not only lost on most readers, but even the Post’s own headline writers who labeled a chart showing 291 candidates as “Republican election deniers.”
Dennis took no umbrage to the characterization.
However, the candidate, who has lost by an average of 66 percentage points to Pelosi in his previous four efforts, said he took exception to the Post’s characterization of his race as uncompetitive…
November 9: CNN posted a short article titled: “CNN Projection: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wins reelection in California’s 11th Congressional District” From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has won reelection, CNN projects, defeating her GOP opponent in the midterm race.
Pelosi, a towering figure in Democratic politics, won out against long shot Republican challenger John Dennis in the race for California’s 11th Congressional District.
Over the years, Pelosi, 82, has become one of the most prominent faces of the Democratic Party. As speaker, she has earned a reputation as a powerful and formidable leader to House Democrats who exerts significant influence and a tight grip over members of her caucus.
Pelosi has also been a fierce adversary to Republicans and has become a highly polarizing figure in Washington as a result…
November 17: CNBC posted an article titled: “Nancy Pelosi to step down as House Democratic leader after two decades, with GOP set to take the narrow majority”. From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday she will not seek reelection to her congressional leadership role, ending a two-decade streak as the top House Democrat that saw her become the first woman to lead the chamber.
Pelosi, speaking on the House floor, said she will remain a member of Congress and serve out the term to which she was just elected.
“With great confidence in our caucus, I will not seek reelection to Democratic leadership in the next Congress,” Pelosi said between rounds of applause throughout the 14-minute speech.
“For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic Congress that I so deeply respect,” Pelosi said. “And I am grateful that so many are ready and willing to shoulder this awesome responsibility.”
The announcement came a day after news outlets projected that Democrats would narrowly lose their House majority to Republicans following the midterm elections…
November 8: Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 11:
Nancy Pelosi (D): 84.0% – 220,848 votes
John Dennis (R): 16.0% – 42,217 votes
December 18: The New York Times posted the results of the California 11th Congressional District Election Results:
Nancy Pelosi (Democrat): 220,848 votes – 84.9%
John Dennis (Republican): 42,217 votes – 16.0%
California’s 12th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 12th congressional district:
California’s 12th congressional district is a congressional district in northern California. Barbara Lee, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2023. The district was also once represented by Richard Nixon, at a time when the district encompassed Pasadena, Pomona, and Whittier.
Currently, the 12th district is located in Alameda County and includes the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Alameda, Albany, Piedmont, San Leandro, and most of San Lorenzo. The 12th district is the most Democratic district in the United States, giving nearly 90% of its vote to Democrats in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
Prior to redistricting in 2021, the 12th district was entirely within San Francisco, encompassing most of the city. The remainder of the city was included in the 14th district…
…Due to the 2020 redistricting, California’s 12th district has effectively been shifted to the former geography of the 13th district. It encompasses the coastal section of Alameda, and is anchored by Oakland. This district borders the 13th district, and Alameda County is partitioned between them by Grant Ave, Beatty St, Fleming St, Highway 880, Floresta Blvd, Halcyon Dr, Hesperian Blvd, Thornally Dr, Highway 185, 150th Ave, Highway 580, Benedict Dr, San Leandro Creek, and Lake Chabot Regional Park. Alongside Oakland, the 12th district takes in the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and San Leandro.
Ballotpedia provided information about Barbara Lee:
Barbara Lee (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 12th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 2, 2025.
Lee (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House from 1998 to 2013.
In her two decades in the House, Lee has chaired several caucuses, including the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus. After unsuccessfully running to be the Democratic Caucus Chairwoman in 2018, Lee was appointed to co-chair the Steering and Policy Committee in the 116th Congress.
Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization for the use of military force following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Lee began her political career in the California State Assembly, where she served from 1991 to 1997. She then served in the California State Senate from 1997 to 1998.
Wikipedia provided the following information about Barbara Lee:
…As president of the Mills College Black Student Union, Lee invited Representative Shirley Chisholm to speak on campus and went on to work on Chisholm’s 1972 presidential campaign, serving as one of her delegates at the 1972 Democratic National Convention. Also, while a student, Lee volunteered at the Oakland chapter of the Black Panther Party’s Community Learning Center and worked on Panther co-founder Bobby Seale’s 1973 Oakland mayoral campaign…
May 17: Post News Group posted an article titled: “California ’22 Primary Election: Black Candidates Running for U.S. House of Representatives” Here is what they wrote about the two Black candidates who were running in District 12:
…Two Black candidates are in the competition to represent District 12 (Oakland). Democrat Barbara Lee is a current member of Congress representing District 13 (Oakland). Democrat Eric Wilson is a nonprofit organization Employee. Five candidates are on the ballot. This is a solidly Democratic district.
Ballotpedia posted the following information about Stephen Slauson:
Stephen Slauson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 12th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Stephen Slauson’s career experience includes working as an electrical engineer.
Voter’s Edge also provided some information about Stephen Slauson:
Stephen Slauson is an electrical engineer.
My Top 3 Priorities
Lower cost of living – lower food prices, lower power gas prices, lower utility prices
Reduce crime-criminals must pay for their crime, increase security by adding more people, resurrect citizen patroles
Rebuild the business community
Biography
Born, raised and still live in Alameda. Graduated from Alameda High and U C Berkeley. Owner of triple S electric Co. for 47 years and still in business. Installed electrical work on many products for the Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland, San Lorenzo, Hayward School Districts, BART, EBMUD, Port of Oakland, City of Alameda, City of Berkeley, single family homes and other.
Who supports this candidate?
California Republican Party
Who gave money to this candidate?
Alameda County Republican Party – $1,000
Political Philosophy
I am a conservative candidate campaigning for lower taxes, holding government bureaucracies accountable, increasing business in California, supporting a womans right to mamage her body, holding criminals accountable for their crimes, keeping single family neighborhoods in tact eliminating illegal aliens, cleaning up the air and water and lowierng the cost of living.
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Glenn Kaplan:
Glenn Kaplan (No Party Affiliation) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 12th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Glenn Kaplan was born in San Antonio, Texas. Kaplan earned an associate degree in philosophy from the University of Oxford in 1997, a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and history from Oberlin College in 1999, and a master’s degree in social studies from Columbia University in 2009. His career experience includes owning businesses and working as an editor and reporter with The Monitor, a travel editor with The Rough Guides, and a contract reporter with Sports Illustrated.
Kaplan completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Our government is failing us every single day. The ultrafiche get tax cuts while the rest of us can barely afford healthcare and a decent education. Our infrastructure crumbles, the right to vote is under siege, yet our so-called representatives do nothing, listening only to wealthy donors – their only true constituency.
I grew up here, went to high school in Oakland, taught at public schools, and worked as a journalist before starting a business here, turning an abandoned space into a successful community hub. I saw firsthand the failure of the federal bureaucracy in response to small businesses during the pandemic.
I’m running as an independent because both parties are failing us. Our entrenched leaders have proved that they’re not up to the job. They don’t play by the same rules as the rest of us. They waste time on divisive identity politics and symbolic legislation while real people, neighborhoods and businesses languish. The acrimony and gridlock are breaking our country. People who work for a living need actual solutions: fair taxation, increased funding for education and scientific research, single-payer healthcare, real support for neighborhood businesses.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Both Parties are Broken
Do More!
We need try our best to find our past unity.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Single-payer healthcare with affordable rates and fair compensation – Medicare for all.
Trim our bloated military budget to fund major investments in science and education.
The government should not pilot a program that provides Universal Basic Income (UBI) to all Americans below a certain income and/or net worth.
Ban equity trading by any elected or appointed government official.
End subsidies to fossil fuels. Reinvest in sustainable, renewable and green energy solutions.
I’m pro-choice and I believe in the right of a woman to make her own decisions concerning her own body and health.
I oppose the death penalty and stand against corporal punishment.
Citizens United was wrongly decided. Corporations are not people. We need to remove as much money from political campaigning as possible.
End the Electoral College. Reapportion representation in the Senate in line with population. (How fair is it that the vote of someone in Wyoming or Alaska is substantially more than a Californians.
We need to move away from divisive identity politics (like the debacle that was the San Francisco School Board) to focus on our shared experiences and unite toward common goals.
Simplify the tax code and eliminate tax avoidance loopholes and workaround deductions for the wealthy.
The U.S. should not engage in war unless attacked first.
Ballotpedia provided information about Eric Wilson:
Eric Wilson (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 12th Congressional District. Wilson lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Eric Wilson’s career experience includes working for a nonprofit organization.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ned Nuerge:
Ned Nuerge (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 12th Congressional District. Neurge lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ned Neurge’s career experience includes working as a driving instructor.
June 16: The New York Times reported the results of California’s 12th Congressional District Primary Election:
Barbara Lee (Democrat): 135,549 votes – 87.7%
Stephen Slauson (Republican): 8,258 votes – 5.3%
Glenn Kaplan (Independent): 5,129 votes – 3.3%
Eric Wilson (Independent): 3,734 votes – 2.4%
Ned Nuerge (Republican): 1,898 votes – 1.2%
November 8: The Associated Press reported: Democrat Barbara Lee wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 12th Congressional District.
Ballotpedia posted the results of California’s 12th Congressional District General Election:
Barbara Lee (D): 87.1% – 66,285 votes
Stephen Slauson (R): 12.9% – 9,826 votes
California’s 13th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 13th Congressional District:
California’s 13th congressional district a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. John Duarte, a Republican, has represented this district since January 2023.
The 13th district no longer consists of the northwestern portion of Alameda County. Cities in the district included Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Piedmont, and San Leandro.
In the 2022 redistricting cycle, the district was moved to the San Joaquin Valley, while the old 13th district was renumbered as the 12th. The new 13th district includes all of Merced County; most of the population of Merced County; and parts of Stanislaus, Fresno, and San Joaquin Counties. It includes the cities of Merced, Madera, Ceres, Patterson, Lathrop, Chowchilla, Atwater, Coalinga, and Mendota; as well as the southern parts of both Modesto and Turlock.
The new 13th district is considered a Democratic-leaning swing district. Despite that, Duarte was narrowly elected to represent it in 2022. As a result, it was one of 18 districts that voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election while being won or held by a Republican in 2022…
…Due to the 2020 redistricting, California’s congressional district has been moved geographically to the San Joaquin Valley. It encompasses Merced County, and parts of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Madera, and Fresno Counties.
San Joaquin County is split between this district and the 9th district. They are partitioned by Union Pacific, Highway 380, S Tracey Blvd, the California Aqueduct, S Banta Rd, Highway 5, Paradise Cut, S Manthey Rd, Walthall Slough, E West Ripon Rd, Kincaid Rd, Hutchinson Rd, and Stanislaus River. The 9th district takes the city of Lathrop.
Stanislaus County is split between this district and the 5th district. They are partitioned by S Golden State Blvd, Highway J14, Union Pacific, Highway 99, N Golden State Blvd, Faith Home Rd, Rohde Rode, Moore Rd, Tuolumne River, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Lateral No 2 Park, Viola St, Roble Ave, N Conejo Ave, N Carpenter Rd, Kansas Ave, Morse Rd, and Stanislaus River. The 5th district takes in the southern halves of the cities of Modesto and Turlock, and the cities of Ceres, Patterson, and Newman.
Madera County is split between this district and the 5th district. They are partitioned by Road 35, Road 36, Road 38, Madera Equalization Reservoir, River Rd, Avenue 21, Road 23, Avenue 27, Road 22 1/2, and Berenda Slough. The 13th district takes in the cities of Chowchilla and Madera.
Fresno County is split between this district and the 21st district. They are partitioned by N Dickerson Ave, Highway 180, S Garfield Ave, W California Ave, S Grantland Ave, W Jensen Ave, S Chateau Fresno Ave, S Cornelia Ave, W South Ave, W American Ave, S Westlawn Ave, S Sunnyside Ave, E Clemenceau Ave, S Fowler Ave, E Elkhorn Ave. The 13th district takes in the cities of Coalinga, Mendota and Kerman.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Duarte:
John Duarte (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. Duarte was on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022. He is a farmer.
John Duarte completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
The grandson of immigrants, John is proud to call the Valley home. John is rolling up his sleeves and running for Congress because his experience has taught him that when a problem needs to be solved, you solve it. He sees what’s happening to the Valley and has decided quit complaining and be part of the solution. Basic necessities are becoming unaffordable for our Valley’s working families – John sees his friends and colleagues unable to afford gasoline, groceries, and rent because of Washington’s out-of-control, spending and anti-American energy policies. Our canals are running dry and our farmers are suffering because career politicians are flushing the water we need out to the ocean. Our communities are less safe every day as deadly drugs and gangs steal precious lives across our small towns.
John loves the Valley and knows what a blessing it is to live in a beautiful and hardworking community. He has had enough of career politicians – who don’t understand our values and way of life – leaving us behind. He is tired of elected leaders who view the Valley as a ticket to greener pastures rather than as their home. John wants to see every family in the Valley reach its full potential and our Valley to be a place of abundance for all of us.
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Lower Cost of Living
Protect our Water and Farms
Secure the Border
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Lowering the cost of living, protecting our water and farms and securing the border.
Ballotpedia wrote that Adam Grey (Democratic Party) is a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 21. He assumed office on December 3, 2012. His current term ends on December 5, 2022.
Gray (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Ballotpedia provided information about Phil Arballo:
Phil Arballo (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Phil Arballo lives in Fresno, California. Arballo earned a B.A. in political science and government from California State University at Fresno in 2008. His career experience includes owning a business.
Ballotpedia provided information about David Giglio:
David Giglio (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
David Giglio was born in Connecticut and lives in Madera, California. Giglio earned bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Scranton in 2011 and a master’s degree in secondary education and teaching from Sacred Heart University in 2023. His career includes owning CaliCards & More, co-owning FrontRowSports, and working as a teacher.
Giglio completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Here are the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a former public school teacher turned small business owner who resides in Madera with my wife Linda, a nurse practitioner. After my teaching tenure, I opened a small business where I sell sports collectibles. I believe it has never been more important to stand up against the rise of the radical politics spewing from Democrats in Washington.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Water
Jobs
Education
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Our Valley Farmers and Farmworkers deserve a stable supply of water which depends on building above ground storage. American Workers deserve to keep more of their paychecks and live in a Free-Market Economy with less government overreach. Teaching the next generation of American Leaders and Innovators should be our priority for students.
Ballotpedia provided information about Diego Martinez:
Diego Martinez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 13th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Diego Martinez was born in Uruguay. Martinez’s career experience includes owning a business and working as a fugitive recovery agent and bail bond agent.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S. House California District 13:
John Duarte (R): 34.1% – 22,830 votes
Adam Grey (D): 30.7% – 20,579 votes
Phil Araballo (D): 17.5% – 11,644 votes
David Giglio (R): 15.1% – 10,124 votes
Diego Martinez (R): 2.7% – 1,781 votes
October 27: CBS News Sacramento posted an article titled: “John Duarte and Adam Grey face off for a seat in Congress ahead of Election Day.” From the article:
Election Day is less than two weeks away, and a race for a seat in Congress in the Central Valley is considered a toss-up.
A Republican win could help the party win back control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The 13th Congressional District includes Merced County and parts of Madera, Fresno, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties.
President Biden largely carried the district in the 2020 election, securing an 80% point margin of victory. However, that was before redistricting that now includes larger portions of Stanislaus and Fresno counties, where data shows many voters trend more conservative.
Democrat Assemblyman Adam Grey and Republican farmer and businessman John Duarte are battling for the open seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Both label themselves as moderates who grew up in the Central Valley…
…Gray was elected to the California State Assembly in 2012 and hopes to take nearly ten years of state service to the nation’s capital…
…Duarte, a fourth-generation farmer in Stanislaus County, runs his family’s Duarte Nursery. They also farm walnuts, almonds, and pistachios…
…If Republicans gain six seats in the midterm election on Nov. 8, they will retake majority control from Democrats…
…In the nonpartisan primary election, out of 5 candidates, Duarte narrowly topped Gray, winning 34.2% of the votes to Gray’s 31.1%…
…On abortion, candidates differ.
Gray says he voted in the assembly to put Prop 1 on the ballot to protect a woman’s right to choose.
“I’m absolutely gonna be pro-choice, have been pro-choice, and will be pro-choice when I’m elected to Congress,” said Gray.
Duarte said he is glad the right to regulate abortion law is back in the hands of states. He supports abortion in the early stages of pregnancy but believes restrictions should be in place after the first three months.
“I will vote against any effort to nationalize abortion policy,” said Duarte…
November 8: Business Insider, via MSN posted an article titled: “Live Results: Adam Gray vs. John Duarte: California’s 13th District House Election” From the article:
…Duarte is a farmer and businessman who grows almonds, pistachios, and grapes in his family nursery, Duarte Nursery, located in Stanislaus County. The Central Valley, where California’s 13th Congressional District is located, supplies 8% of US agriculture output and produces a fourth of the nation’s food.
Gray is a member of the California State Assembly representing District 21, a position he has held for the past nine years. He was one of five California Democrats added in July to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program, designed to bolster their campaigns in attempts to flip the district from Republican to Democratic control. The Merced Democrat is a proponent of water access for farmers and the suspension of California’s gas tax, but drew attention after failing to cast a vote.
Prior to being elected to state assembly, he found work as a legislative aide in the California State Legislature and later as a lecturer at the University of California, Merced. Gray also formed the bipartisan California Problem Solvers Caucus last February, along with seven of his colleagues.
And on a similar note to Gray, Duarte was endorsed by Rep. Kevin McCarthy and named to the “On the Radar” list as part of the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Young Guns program.
The Modesto Republican narrowly edged Gray in a five-way nonpartisan primary for the open district, securing 34.2% of the vote to Gray’s 31.2%. As the top two candidates in the primary, both advanced to the general election under California’s election rules…
November 9: ABC 30 posted an article titled: “Adam Gray and John Duarte in very close race for the 13th Congressional District” From the article:
Democrat Adam Gray and Republican John Duarte are fighting for California’s 13th Congressional District…
…ABC 30 posted the results of the Congressional District 13 race (updated November 16):
Duarte (Republican): 50% – 60,084 votes
Gray (Democrat): 50% – 59,121 votes
November 9: CBS News posted an article titled: “Every single vote counts”: U.S. House race maintains razor thin margin between Duarte, Gray in CA 13″. From the article:
Election Day is over, but ballot counting is picking up speed. Especially in California’s 13th Congressional District, where a toss-up race for the U.S. House of Representatives remains just that.
A razor-thin margin separates Republican farmer John Duarte and Democrat Assemblymember Adam Gray. The latest numbers as of the publishing of this story show the race is about 50/50, with the AP reporting 50% of the votes have been counted.
The consequential race will impact the balance of power in the U.S. House. The prediction of a “red wave” where analysts thought Republicans would run away with a deep majority in the U.S. House did not happen.
As of Wednesday night, Republicans are still fighting to even get a majority in the House. The latest numbers show Republicans taking 210 seats, and Democrats taking 200.
The goal is 218 seats, so Republicans need then more close races to recalled in their favor, which is likely to happen.
When it comes to District 13 in California’s Central Valley, there really is no predicting the race…
…Around half of District 13’s votes are still being counted. Vote by mail ballots postmarked by Election Day could take a week to count…
…And if the margins remains within a few hundred votes?
“Both candidates have the right for a recount. If that happens, it certainly could drag out for a long time, said Dietrich …
November 15: Merced Sun-Star posted an article titled: “Adam Gray clings to lead over John Duarte in toss-up California congressional race” From the article:
A California Democratic Assemblyman clung to a thin lead over a Republican farmer in one of the nation’s few remaining toss-up congressional elections Tuesday.
The race between Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, and John Duarte of Modesto in California’s 13th Congressional District is one of a handful of uncalled elections that could limit a GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
It will take days, or weeks, to know who won.
Gray, 45, had 50.3% of the votes with almost 86% of them counted, according to the Associated Press after more returns were released Tuesday night. Duarte, 56, trails by six-tenths of a point, or 600 votes.
The new 13th formed through redistricting, the once-a-decade redrawing of legislative lines, covers all of Merced County in a stretch from Lathrop past Coalinga, taking in half of Modesto and Turlock. Registered Democrats have an edge over Republicans…
…Republicans did not match analysts’ expectations of a “red wave” on Tuesday night. But they are still expected to take control of the House – and chose House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, as speaker.
The race here was considered a toss-up but independent analysts leading up to the November midterms…
…A moderate Democrat, Gray has represented much of the are in the Assembly for a decade, focusing on water issues, infrastructure and bolstering Central Valley Health care, such as through the creation of a medical school program at UC Merced.
Duarte operates Duarte Nursery in Hughson. He is similarly concerned with water access as well as curbing inflation and increasing American drilling.
Gray pulled ahead of Duarte for the first time since election night on Monday. Before that, when the AP said Duarte had been up by 84 votes, Gray’s campaign filed a Federal Election Commission committee to raise funds for a recount…
November 15: The Fresno Bee updated their post titled: “Adam Gray clings to lead over John Duarte toss-up California Congressional Race” From the article:
A California Democratic Assemblyman clung to a thin lead over a Republican farmer in one of the nation’s few remaining toss-up congressional elections Tuesday.
The race between Assemblymember Adam Gray, D-Merced, and John Duarte of Modesto in California’s 13th Congressional District is one of a handful of uncalled elections that could limit at GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
It will take days, or weeks, to know who won.
Gray, 45, had 50.3% of the votes with almost 86% of them counted, according to the Associated Press after more returns were released Tuesday night. Duarte, 56, trails by six-tenths of a point, or 600 votes.
The new 13th formed through redistricting, the once-in-a-decade redrawing of legislative lines, covers all of Merced County in a stretch from Lathrop past Coalinga, taking in half of Modesto and Turlock. Registered Democrats have an edge over Republicans.
The race here was considered a toss-up by independent analysts leading up to the November midterms.
Republicans did not match analysts’ expectations of a “red wave” on Tuesday night. But they are still expected to take control of the House – and chose House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, as speaker.
As of Tuesday night, Democrats were projected to win 209 seats. Republicans, 217. A party needs 218 to hold the majority.
November 15: Turlock Journal posted an article titled: “California’s 13th Congressional District still up for grabs” From the article:
California’s new 13th Congressional District, which includes half of Turlock, has become one of the battleground races across the country that will determine if the GOP is taking over the chamber.
Democrat Adam Gray, who represents the 21st Assembly District, is locked in battle with Hughson business man Jon Duarte, a Republican, to represent the 13th Congressional District…
…Gray took an early lead on Election Night, 52.2% to Duarte’s 47.8%. But by Thursday, Duarte had overtaken Gray with a lead of 50.1% to 49.9%.
Before Duarte could even think about a victory speech, however, Gray was once again leading and as of 4:25 p.m. Tuesday, the Democrat was up by 761 votes…
…In the more recent results, Gray was ahead of Duarte in Merced County, 52.2% to 47.80%, I Stanislaus County 52.17% to 47.83% and in San Joaquin County 53.61% to 46.39%. But Duarte was in the lead in Fresno County 56% to 44% and in Madera County 56.88% to 43.12%…
November 16: The Sacramento Bee (via MSN) posted an article titled: “John Duarte takes slim lead over Adam Gray in House race, latest Valley ballot counts show”. From the article:
Madera County’s first election update in six days offered another tilt in a see-saw battle for the 13th Congressional District in central California – a race in which neither candidate has held a lead of even one percentage point since Election Night on Nov. 8.
Republican contender John Duarte, a farmer and businessman from Hughson, regained a slim advantage Wednesday night over longtime Assemblymember Adam Gray D-Merced, with the latest returns.
Duarte now has 60,084 votes from across Fresno, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties, to take a 963-vote lead over Gray, who has garnered 59,121.
By percentages, Duarte’s has a 50.4% advantage to Gray’s 49.6% – a gap that remains subject to more change as other counties continue to process their remaining ballots.
The 13th District is one that has been closely watched by national political observers as Republicans sought to regain control of the House of Representatives. On the airwaves, the race was one of the most hotly contested and vitriolic Congressional elections in California and perhaps in the U.S….
November 23: The Ceres Courier posted an article titled: “Duarte still ahead” From the article:
More and more it’s looking like Republican John Duerte will represent Ceres in Congress.
The Hughson nursery businessman has held his lead over Democrat Adam Gray in the latest 13th Congressional District election count, which has yet to be finalized. That lead has been shrinking but holding fast. Last week, Duarte was ahead of Gray by 599 votes. As of Wednesday, Duarte led with 66,871 votes (50.2 percent) over Adam Gray’s 66,273 vote count, or 49.8 percent. Additional ballots are still being counted.
Gray is currently terming out of the 21st Assembly District.
Gray took an early lead on Election Night, 52.2 percent to Duarte’s 47.8 percent. But by Nov. 19, Duarte had overtaken Gray with a lead of 50.1 percent to 49.9 percent.
Underscoring the tightness of the contest, Gray’s campaign formed a committee to begin raising money to finance a possible recount. Those costs, which hare paid to county election officials, fall on the campaign committee or voter that requested a recount. Generally, such requests cannot be made until a month after the election.
Ballotpedia provided the results of the U.S. House California District 13 election:
John Duarte (R): 50.2% – 67,041 votes
Adam Gray (D): 49.8% – 66,476 votes
Total votes: 133,517
December 3: CNN posted an article titled: “Republican Duarte wins open House seat in California after Democrat concedes” From the article:
Democrat Adam Gray conceded on Friday night to Republican John Duarte in the open-seat race to represent California’s 13th Congressional District, the final House race of the 2022 midterms to be called.
“While I had hoped for a different outcome, I accept the results and have called to congratulate my opponent, John Duarte,” Gray, a state assemblyman said in a statement posted to Twitter.
With Duarte’s win in the Central Valley district, Republicans are projected to hold a slim majority in the House of Representatives next year with 222 seats.
Democrats are projected to win 213 seats in this year’s midterms, but the recent death of Virginia Democrat Donald McEachin just weeks after he won reelection means they are expected to start the new Congress with one fewer seat. McEachin’s seat will remain vacant until a special election is held…
…Republicans now hold 12 House seats from California next year, up one from their current 11 seats. California Democrats will hold 40 seats, down two from their current total. The state lost a seat in reapportionment following the 2020 census.
Five of the 12 California districts Republicans will hold next year would have backed now-President Joe Biden in 2020. They include the sat won by Duarte, which Biden would have carried by 11 points.
California’s 14th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 14th Congressional District:
California’s 14th congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2023.
Currently, the 14th district is in Alameda County and includes the cities of Hayward, Pleasanton, Livermore, Union City, Castro Valley, and parts of Dublin and Fremont. Prior to the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections, the district included most of San Mateo County and the southwest side of San Francisco…
…Due to the 2020 redistricting, California’s 14th congressional district has been shifted geographically to the East Bay. It encompasses most of Alameda County, except for the Oakland Area and the Tri-City Area, which are taken in by the 12th district and 17th district, respectively.
The district and the 12th are partitioned by Grant Ave, Union Pacific, Lewelling Blvd, Wicks Blvd, Manor Blvd, Juniper St, Dayton Ave, Padre Ave, Fargo Ave, Edgemoor St, Trojan Ave, Beatty St, Fleming St, Highway 800, Florets Blvd, Halcyon Dr, Hesperian Blvd, Thornally Dr, Highway 185, 150th Ave, Highway 580, Benedict Dr, San Leandro Creek, and Lake Chabot Regional Park.
This district and the 17th are partitioned by Mission Peak Regional Park, Witherly Ln, Mission Blvd, Washington Blvd, Farallon Cmn, Paseo Padre Parkway, Grimmer Blvd, Blacow Rd, Omar St, Butano Park Dr, Farina Ln, Nimitz Freeway, Highway 84.
The 14th district takes in the north side of the city of Fremont, cities of Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton, Union City, and Dublin, as well as the census-designated places Ashland, San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Fairview and Castro Valley.
Ballotpedia posted information about Eric Swalwell:
Eric Swalwell (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 14th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 2, 2025.
Swalwell announced on April 8, 2019, that he was running for president of the United States in 2020. He suspended his presidential campaign on July 8, 2019.
Swalwell was first elected in 2012 after defeating incumbent Rep. Pete Stark (D), who had been in office since 1973. He served on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was the ranking member of Subcommittee on the CIA in the 115th Congress. Before serving in Congress, Swalwell was a member of the Dublin town council and served as the deputy district attorney for Alameda County, California.
Swalwell was raised in Dublin, California.
Swalwell was first elected in 2012 after defeating incumbent Rep. Pete Stark (D), who had been in office since 1973. He served on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was the ranking member of Subcommittee on the CIA in the 115th Congress. Before serving in Congress, Swalwell was a member of the Dublin town council and served as the deputy district attorney for Alameda County, California.
Ballotpedia posted information about Alison Hayden:
Alison Hayden (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Hayden was a 2020 candidate for the election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Alison Hayden earned a B.A. in political economy of industrialized societies from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.S. in development management from the London School of Economics. Hayden’s career experience includes owning Blade Education Services and working as an educational therapist and special education teacher.
Voter’s Edge provided the following information about Alison Hayden:
Alison Hayden is a Special Education Teacher.
My Top 3 Priorities
Election Integrity – Our sovereignty and control over elected officials happens through the vote and must be assured. Only then can we vote out the jokers that put US in this position!
Financial & Economic Stability – Stop the inflation -> end the unelected, money-printing Federal Reserve Bank. Bring back production, manufacturers/jobs to stabilize the economy.
Sovereignty of parents rights, borders (trafficking fentanyl, humans, arms, killing Americans and stealing US jobs), and medical choices, tech privacy.
Experience
Profession: Special Education Teacher, Small Business Owner
Special Education Teacher: Teacher; Education Therapist, Self (2001-current)
Member (2018 and in 2020), Alameda county Republican Party – Elected position (2016 – current)
Peace Corps Director/Volunteer, Business Development Group in Plovdiv, Bulgaria; national Director of alternative Women’s Associations – Appointed position (1994-1997)
Officer (Investments and Lending) – Appointed Position (1994 -1997)
Community Activities
Activist, Alameda County Committee of Restoration (to the Constitution); making officials accountable to their Oaths of office (2022 – current)
Delegate to RNC Convention to endorse Donald J Trump, Alameda county Republican Party (2016-2016)
Captain/Coordinator, Dr. Ben Carson presidential campaign in Alameda county (2015-2016)
Ballotpedia provided information about Tom Wong:
Tom Wong (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Wong completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I was born & raised in a sparse home & very modest living situation in San Francisco Chinatown, but one that was rich in character, tradition, & love. My family values, from immigrant parents who rushed to the Bay Area to achieve the American Dream, were those of character, dedication, hard work & compassion.
My story blessed me with the chance to gain a great education in our public schools, graduate & work hard in entry level jobs – jobs that included security guard, janitor, ride-share drive & truck driver – while putting myself through school. My hard work earned me the chance to be come a first-time entrepreneur & resulted in the establishment, ownership & daily operation of a successful small business. This earned me the chance to become a first-time homeowner, right here as your neighbor, in Hayward. I feel equally proud & blessed to have my small, modest piece of the dream & to be part of this great community.
I work hard & long hours. I earn my pay every day. Like you, I feel pressure & concern. The Washington elites have abandoned us. By electing me to Congress, Washington will not do business as usual.
Tom Wong completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
In 1776, our Founding Fathers created a document that forever changed the face of this nation. A great battle was fought, lives were lost & hope was born. The people who fought in the battle were not soldiers. They were villagers, fathers & sons – everyday people you saw on the streets, in the markets & restaurants. These brave souls sacrificed themselves so we as a nation could live in peace – free from a tyrannical government. Their sacrifice was for all people who live in this great nation to be free – free to pursue life, liberty, property & happiness. It is time for use to remember our past. We are not a nation of monsters. We are descendants of fallen heroes. The only way our freedom can be lost is by destroying ourselves.
The American people are burdened with skyrocketing inflation. At the same time, personal income & small & medium size businesses income is stagnant. As a result, taxes are now an extreme burden to the middle class and working poor; taxes should not be. My bill will provide relief with a 1 year federal income tax holiday. With tax savings, businesses will invest in workers, equipment & inventory, increasing production. People will have more money to spend on essentials. The tax holiday is better than handouts because it allows people to keep the money they earn. It avoids printing money, inflation & dollar devaluation.
Quality education is essential to one’s quality of life & American competitiveness. By investing in the American people to gain valuable, marketable skills, we will promote industry, ingenuity & fulfillment among ourselves. In my Education Partnership Bill, the federal government will partner with trade schools & colleges to drive students into high demand skills and degrees. Criminals have taken over our sanctuary, destroying our homes, businesses & community. My Criminal Capture Bill will give local police the tools & resources to hunt down & capture criminals, then send the accused to federal courts for additional prosecution. This bill will not increase the size of the federal government or allow unlimited access to federal resources.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
My Education Partnership Bill provides people the opportunity to succeed in life, support themselves & provide for their families. The federal government reimburses tuition 100% / 50% / 0% for students earning an A / B / C in classes. Funding will be provided by companies hiring foreign skilled workers on H-1B visas. For each H-1B visa, companies will pay $10-$50k into the Education Partnership. This would raise $850 million – $4.25 billion, encouraging companies to hire Americans.
Our representatives must support local law enforcement & provide tools & resources to capture criminals. Local agencies will receive training on sending criminal complaints to the federal level for additional prosecution. If your local district attorney is soft on crime, the federal government is not. I will coordinate with the US attorney general, FBI & all agencies to apprehend & prosecute criminals to stomp out crime in your neighborhood. Local agencies will have access to more forensic services, cyber resources, crime stats, investigators & authority to pursue leads crossing state lines. This will send fear into the hearts & minds of criminals.
Criminal Consequences:
Bum rush to empty out a store – charged with organized crime
Terrorize neighborhoods – prosecuted as a terrorist
Smash & grab & steal packages – prosecuted for tax evasion, a potential felony
The $950 threshold will have a new meaning – 950 years in prison
Ballotpedia provided information about Steve Iyer:
Steve Iyer (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Steve Iyer was born in Bangalore, India. Iyer earned a graduate degree from the University of Kentucky in 1988. His career experience includes working as the CEO for the Asia-Pacific region of a European energy company.
Steve Iyer completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I immigrated from India 36 years ago as an engineer and am now the CEO of a solar power company. My values are rooted in family, faith, patriotism and humility. I shall be eternally grateful to this country for letting me achieve my true potential and to realize the American dream.
If I am elected, it is my goal to enable current and future generations to reach their full potential as well. Unfortunately, Democrats have made that impossible by penalizing success and by enacting an ideology driven by guilt and self-hate.
I bring a pragmatic, common sense perspective to this district because I am not a career politician and bring over 35 years of professional experience to this role. I promise to uphold the high level of independence, integrity and honesty that helped me achieve success in my career.
I strongly believe that being a self-sufficient country, with an upwardly mobile population, plentiful opportunities, and equal access to opportunity for all (collectively the ‘America First’ platform) is not only achievable but also essential to ensure stability and prosperity.
I also believe that a strong adherence to law and order and protecting the sovereignty of our nation are essential to providing a secure environment for Americans to flourish.
Lastly, having worked in energy and environment for over 30 years, I can guarantee that there is a pathway to be both energy independent and reduce waste and emissions sensibly.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages for your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Security, Stability and upward mobility for all Americans
Common sense solutions that put Americans first
A sincere, in-depth candidate with a knowledge base deeper than bumper stickers
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
My decades of business experience has given me 360-degree view and understanding of numerous topics, and I can leverage this in many public policy areas.
My experience in energy and environment enables me to put the US on the path to energy independence while sensibly reducing our emissions and waste. I can guarantee that we can do this while reducing energy costs to American consumers, which helps small businesses and industries compete in the global marketplace.
I am also passionate about reducing barriers to existing and new businesses. Many industries in our country are burdened with excessive regulation; I believe I can innovatively preserve standards while reducing the regulatory burden on our businesses.
I will bring a high level of fiscal discipline and prudence to enacting new legislation. I will always ask ‘why do we need additional legislation?’ and ‘How much is already being spent to solve this problem?’ before I lend support to any new legislation.
I will strive to ensure that America continues to be a country that welcomes legal immigrants, and will work to reduce wait times and reunite families.
Lastly, after having done business internationally for over 20 years, I understand world trade, and how our products don’t receive fair treatment abroad. I will strive to create a level playing field of American goods and services.
Ballotpedia posted information about James Peters:
James Peters (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
James Peters was born in Fremont, California. Peters earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2013 and a graduate degree from the Universität Hamburg in 2014. His career experience includes working in recruiting operations and as a waiter, an actor, and a bartender.
James Peters completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
James is dedicated to calling all American’s who are unhappy with a tax system that favors the rich and powerful, unhappy with a predatory student loan and healthcare system that leaves people in crippling debt, and Americans who demand accountability on the climate crisis to arms to fight for our future. I am a native son of California’s 14th congressional district, the son of a middle class family, and an advocate for equal rights and opportunities for all Americans regardless of where you started in life.
By joining the fight for our future, you are joining a movement that prioritizes the human rights and civil liberties of all Americans regardless of skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or age. Together, we will fight to regain control of our own American Dream: free from the taint of corporate greed, free from the fear of the planet becoming unlivable, and free from the fear of the erosion of our democracy. By standing united, the agency of our voices cannot be denied and the fight for our future us a fight we can win.
My name is James Andrew Peters and I am a gay millennial running for office to fight for a pragmatic and progressive solution to the challenges facing our country. I am a grassroots candidate who will not accept dark money. There is too much at stake for our people, our democracy, our economy, and our planet. We need action now from politicians ready to do the hard work. Will you joint the fight for our future?
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
It’s time to invest in the American people. We need to cancel student loan and medical debt. The system is rigged against the middle-and-working-class America and I want to lead the fight to give all American’s a shot at the American Dream. America needs to invest in the Human Capital of this country, that means educating the next generation of innovators, artists, and leaders while keeping our workers healthy. Student debt is an artificial construct that widens the wealth gap, stops first time owners from buying homes, inhibits the start of new businesses, and delays retirement. We need to invest in the wellbeing of our workers. That means investing in Medicare-for-All and limiting the cost of prescription drugs.
We need to strengthen the foundations of our democratic institutions and Republic. That means restoring the public trust in the federal government, and I have a plan for getting there. We need term limits the cap the number of terms in the House at nine and the Senate at three; 18 years per chamber. We need to resolve the Fairness Doctrine to break the echo-chambers polarizing the country. Next, we need to shore up the Voting Rights Act, introduce public financing of federal elections, and introduce more democratic methods of counting votes fairly. I support a change to multi-member districts with proportional representation voting, rank-choice voting for statewide and presidential elections, and universal voter registration at 18.
I am going to fight for the future of California and America by voting to pass a Green New Deal paid for by passing a wealth tax and taxing the profits of large companies like Amazon that pay next to nothing in taxes. I represent the American’s who are angry with a system that gives Jeff Bezos a tax break while slashing tax write-offs that many middle-class Americans depend on to lower their federal tax bill. By reforming the tax system, we can invest in a Green New Deal that will create thousands of new jobs. We can invest in desalination for California and put federal dollars behind a nationwide High Speed Electric Rail system. There is no Planet B. We must take action on climate change now to protect tomorrow.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am most passionate about fighting for the future of America. That means passing Medicare for all, forgiving student debt, expanding the right to vote, getting dark money out of politics, rooting out corruption in Washington, and restoring the American people’s faith in our democratic system of self-governance. In order to fight for the future of America, we need to act now to solve for many of the issues facing us today.
Equality – All Americans deserve a chance to pursue the American dream. But when we saddle people with thousands of dollars in student debt instead of investing in the human capital of the country, or when we force families to choose between live saving medicines or the mortgage, we are failing as a country. I am passionate about investing in American workers to ensure that all Americans have the chance to buy houses, start businesses, and keep the best jobs in the world here in America.
Accountability – Democracy only works when people believe it does. It’s time for term limits in Congress, making sure every voter feels like their vote counted despite their district’s or state’s partisan lean. That means proportional representation and rank-choice voting. We also need to heal the polarization of the country, and the first step to healing the divide is to re-instate the Fairness Doctrine, stop demonizing the other side, and electing leaders who put their country before their party. Our experiment in democracy will only last if we can keep it.
Ballotpedia posted information about Major Singh:
Major Singh (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Major Singh was born in Punjab, India. Singh earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in 1989 and a master’s degree in computer science and operations research from North Carolina State University in 1991. His career experience includes working as a software engineer and the vice president of engineering with Zine One.
Ballotpedia posted information about Liam Miguel Simard:
Liam Miguel Simard (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 14th Congressional District. Simard lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 14:
Eric Swalwell (D): 63.6% – 77,120 votes
Alison Hayden (R): 10.3% – 12,503 votes
Tom Wong (R): 9.4% – 11,406 votes
Steve Iyer (R): 8.9% – 10,829 votes
James Peters (D): 5.1% – 6,216 votes
Major Singh (Independent): 2.1% – 2,495 votes
Liam Miguel Simard (Independent): 0.5% – 667 votes
June 7: Associated Press reported: Democrat Eric Swalwell Advances to November general election in California’s 14th Congressional District.
October 16: Pleasanton Weekly posted an article titled: “Swalwell faces familiar opponent Hayden in reelection bid” From the article:
Pleasanton and the rest of the southern Tri-Valley are deciding for the sixth time whether Eric Swalwell should be their district representative in Washington, D.C. — and of the second general election in a row, the opposing choice is the same challenger, Alison Hayden.
Swalwell (D-Livermore) defeated Hayden for reelection in 2020 by a margin of 70.9% to 29.1%.
Hayden, a special education teacher from Hayward, returned among five other challengers against Swalwell in the June 2022 primary election for the newly redrawn District 14 and finished in second place with 10.2% of the vote (with Swalwell in first at 63.6%) to book a spot on the Nov. 8 congressional runoff. She is listed on the ballot as a Republican, but she told the Weekly on Tuesday she has rejected the Republican Party’s endorsement.
Swalwell, a former Dublin City Council member and Alameda County prosecutor, continues to be one of the more recognizable members of the U.S. House of Representatives, helped by his visible presence on social media and national news interview, especially as a critic of Congressional Republicans.
Swalwell cited federal Community Project Funding he helped secure for nine projects in his district, which included $2 million for design of an Iron Horse Regional Trail overdressing in San Ramon, $1 million for Veterans Park in Livermore, and $450,00 for the Axis Bridge mental health urgent care pilot program…
…”House Democrats have been laser focused on bringing down costs — at the pharmacy, grocery, and gas pump. But we can only do that if Democrats are reelected with strong majorities in both chambers,” Swalwell said.
“Next Congress, I’ll push for the passage of the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act in both chambers,” Swalwell said.
“In addition, I would ensure that all women have the ability to make their own decisions about their bodies and their families,” he added. “As extreme Republicans are passing abortion bans throughout the country, Congress would step in to protect this constitutional right to privacy and ensure that all women have access to choice and freedom.”…
…For her part, Hayden also casts this election through the lens of big-picture national issues.
“I will immediately address the safety concerns … and the financial instabilities and risks the threaten families economically as well as bring new vision and opportunities, Hayden told the Weekly.
“America/n culture and society is under siege; we are at a crucial moment in our evolution,” she continued. “We must unite to save marriages, families, and communities in order to save the country. It is not the time to vote for party politics. We must build bridges on our commonalities and restore the bedrock of society, the family.”…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 14:
Eric Swalwell (D): 65.7% – 48,659 votes
Alison Hayden (R): 34.3% – 25,283 votes
December 18: The New York Times posted the results of California’s 14th Congressional District:
Eric Swalwell (Democrat): 137,612 votes – 69.3%
Alison Hayden (Republican): 60,853 votes – 30.7%
California’s 15th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 15th congressional district:
California’s 15th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Kevin Mullen.
Currently, the district includes most of San Mateo County and the southeast side of San Francisco. Cities in the district include Daly City, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Foster City, San Carlos, Belmont, Redwood City, and East Palo Alto.
Prior to the 2022 United States House of Representative elections, the district covered most of eastern and southwestern Alameda County as well as parts of Contra Costa County. Cities and CDPs in the district included Castro Valley, Dublin, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton, Sunol, and Union City; most of San Ramon; and parts of Danville and Fremont. The new 15th district roughly corresponds to the old 14th district and vice versa.
As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 15th district is part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It encompasses the east coast of San Mateo, which is split between this district and the 16th district. They are partitioned by the San Fransisquito Creek, Menalto Ave, Willow Rd, S Perimeter St, W Perimeter Rd, Bay Rd, Marsh Rd, Middlefield Rd, Highway 82, Highway 84, Alameda de las Plugas, Woodhill Dr, Farm Hill Blvd, The Loop Rd, Jefferson Ave, Summit Way, California Way, Junipero Serra Freeway, and Highway 35.
The 15th takes in the cities of San Mateo, Daly City, South San Francisco, Redwood City, Burlingame, San Bruno, Millbrae, East Palo Alto, San Carlos, Foster City, and Belmont, the town of Hillsborough, as well as the census designated place North Fair Oaks.
Along with San Mateo County, the 16th district also takes in the San Francisco neighborhoods of Crocker Amazon, Excelsior, Little Hollywood, Mission Terrace, Oceanview, Outer Mission, Portola, and Visitatcion Valley.
Ballotpedia posted information about Kevin Mullen
Kevin Mullin (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 15th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Mullin (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Mullin previously served in the California State Assembly, representing District 22.
Kevin Mullin lives in San Francisco, California. Mullin graduated from Junipero Serra High School. He earned a B.A. in communications from the University of San Francisco and an M.P.A. from San Francisco State University. Mullin’s career experience includes founding KM2 Communications.
Ballotpedia posted information about David Canepa
David Canapa (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
David Canapa earned a degree from the University of San Francisco.
Ballotpedia provided information about Gus Mattammal
Gus Mattammal (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Gus Mattammal was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Mattammal earned a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College in 1994 and a graduate degree from Yale University School of Management in 2000. His career experience includes working as the director of a national private tutoring group and TV advertising sales, consulting, and operational finance.
Gus Mattammal completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I’m an educator and a small businessman, and I’ve built a successful business throughout the Bay Area and around the country by working with individual families, listening to them to understand their goals and the obstacles they face, and helping them achieve those goals. I look forward to listening to you to understand your dreams and challenges, and I want you to know: I am willing to work with anyone and everyone to help make our government work better for you, no matter who you are.
One strength I bring to the table is a diverse background, both racially and economically. My father was an immigrant to this country, and he and my mom started at the bottom of the ladder. Through education and hard work, they built a middle-class life for themselves and their children, and they instilled those same values of education and hard work in me and my siblings. Because of my parents’ sacrifices, my own efforts, and the opportunities this country offers, I’ve gone on to achieve the American dream. I’m excited to go to Congress to work hard to make it easier for others to do the same.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Republicans and conservatives: I want to bring the focus of our party back to problem-solving. All too often, our energy as a party is directed at criticizing what the Democrats do rather than offering our own solutions. Conservative policies centered on personal choice, free markets, and careful scrutiny of spending will appeal to voters across the political spectrum and would be a clear path to electoral success in red, blue, and purple states. In addition, by emphasizing a more constructive vision, our party will lead the way in making politics less emotionally fraught and in reminding everyone that through we may be conservatives, or liberals, or independents, we are, above all, Americans.
Democrats/liberals/independents: this election offers an opportunity to help me refocus my party on constructive problem-solving. A world in which the Republican party is focused on problem-solving is a world that’s better for all Americans, including you. If we come to the table with our own good-faith plans for healthcare, education, climate change, and economic opportunity, then we have a basis for negotiation and compromise. Policies developed through negotiation and compromise are more lasting and stable; policies developed by one side alone (e.g. “Obamacare”), are far more likely to be torn down when the government changes hands. Winning this election will help me show my party the appeal of a constructive vision.
I chose “Faith in People, Faith in America” as my campaign slogan because, over the last 25 years, I’ve watched people increasingly lose their faith in capitalism and markets, in democracy and elections, and, most tragically, in each other and in this great country of ours. That won’t happen overnight – it will take a lot of hard work. But it can be done. Our district is perfect to lead this effort. We can show America what healthy politics look like, and, in doing so, restore people’s faith in this country and in each other. Vote Gus on June 7th and November 8th. Send me to Washington, and let me show you what we can accomplish – together.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I’m a policy geek, so I’m excited about almost every area of policymaking.
Healthcare: I will develop a healthcare plan that achieves universal coverage through health savings accounts that follow you. You make the decisions, and you don’t have to worry about what happens if you lose your job.
Education: I will develop a comprehensive education reform proposal that creates education savings accounts that follow the student, so that students have greater freedom to choose their education and aren’t forced to stay in failing schools.
Entrepreneurship: My pat from inner-city St. Louis to a middle-class life on the coast involved entrepreneurship, and I want to work with Republicans and Democrats, economic development organizations and business leaders, to identify ways to make it easier for people to start businesses, especially in immigrant and lower-income communities.
Climate change: I will design a plan that combines the power of the private sector with targeted federal investments to develop new technologies to address climate change. I’ll work with environmental groups, established industries, and local communities to ensure the we address the challenges of a changing climate in a way that strengthens our economy and our ability to lead on the world stage.
I’m also interested in getting everyday people more involved in generating policy. The ideas shouldn’t all be coming form corporations and think tanks financed by billionaire donors.
Ballotpedia provided information about Emily Beach
Emily Beach (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 15th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Emily Beach earned a B.A. in government and Spanish from the University of Notre dame in 1996. Beach served in the U.S. Army from 1996 to 2000 and reached the rank of captain. She served as the chair of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority Board of Directors and as a member of the state board of directors of the League of California Cities. Beach’s career experience includes working as a nonprofit executive.
Emily Beach’s campaign website stated the following:
Emily’s Priorities In Congress:
Climate action
Affordable housing and homelessness
Mental health
Women’s reproductive freedom
Education
Fairness, equity, and civility
January 7: The Skyline View posted an article titled: The coast side is out but Mattammal remains in” From the article:
Republican hopeful Gus Mattammal will remain in the race to replace retiring congressional representative Jackie Speier. This comes after recent redistricting has placed him outside of the newly formed CA-15 congressional district…
…The newly formed 15th district was created by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The majority of San Mateo County and a section of southern San Francisco will make up the district. The new configuration will add Redwood City and East Palo Alto but cut out the County’s coastal communities, including Mattammal’s home residence.
“While I was dismayed to see that the part of the coast-side where I live was carved out of the 15th district, I nevertheless enthusiastically support the idea of nonpartisan commissions managing the redistricting process,” Mattammal said.
While Mattammal may not be living in the new district, there are no rules saying he cannot run to represent CA-15. The three main requirements include being 25 or older, a United States citizen for at least seven years and a California resident for at least one year. Mattammal checks all three boxes.
Mattamammal believes he can reach voters through a solutions-oriented campaign campaign posing the question of who will be the most accountable to voters.
“Who do you think will be more accountable to the voters?” Mattammal said. “A Democrat representing this very blue district, or a Republican like me, who would always be in danger of losing his seat if he didn’t focus very acutely on listening to the voters?”…
January 22: Palo Alto Daily Post posted an article titled: “Complaint says candidate’s Christmas card violated finance rules” From the article:
The opponent of a candidate for Jackie Speier’s seat in Washington, D.C., is saying a Christmas card was a piece of illegal campaign literature.
San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa announced yesterday that South San Francisco resident Michael Harris filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission, or FEC, complaining that his opponent, state Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, had used money from his assembly campaign account to send two mailers – a card and a flyer – that bolstered his congressional campaign.
The FEC complaint says both constituted improper campaigning for a House seat they are both seeking.
The first mailer is a card with a photo of Mullin’s family saying, “Happy Holidays to you and yours – the Mullin Family.” On the back of the card, Mullin says he’s been honored to serve the region in Sacramento over the past nine years.
“We have accomplished so much for San Mateo County together. I look forward to working with you to keep our country and our state moving forward to a brighter future as we come through this pandemic,” the note says.
The second mailer is a flyer that says “Our Accomplishments Together” one a photo of the San Mateo Bridge. The backside lists some of Mullin’s accomplishments in Sacramento in 2021, including getting over 60 bills passed into law, such as including increasing access to child care and improving transparency around campaign monies.
But the complaint points out that since Mullin had already announced he is running for Speier’s seat, he was breaking the law. The complaint cites the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which says federal candidates are prohibited from spending money from a non-federal campaign to a federal campaign.
Mullin’s team called the complaint “dirty politics,” and said this is a distraction technique from Canapa’s camp…
…Canepa’s announcement of the complaint against Mullin includes the claim that Mullin’s campaign is performing poorly, with Mullin being “out raised $247,000 to $419,000” by Canepa…
…Speier announced her retirement from Congress in November after 14 years in D.C
April 29: VoteVets posted an article titled: “VoteVets Endorses Emily Beach For Congress” From the endorsement:
VoteVets Pac is today endorsing Emily Beach for Congress, in the 15th Congressional District in California.
“In these unprecedented times, we need people like Emily in Congress,” said Jon Soltz, Chair of VoteVets. “Emily’s experience and commitment of service is exactly what we need in Washington right now. She will be a tireless fighter for veterans, service members, and all Californians in Congress. Put simply, Emily knows how to get things done. We are proud to endorse her.”
Emily Beach developed strong leadership and team-building skills during her military service in the U.S. Army. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame as an ROTC scholarship student, Emily was stationed in Saudi Arabia, Korea, and Texas, rising to the rank of Captain and earning the U.S. Army Airborne parachutist badge.
Before becoming an elected member of the City Council in Burlingame, Emily fought for immigrants’ rights and organized volunteers to fundraise for local K-8 public schools and access to preschool. She also had a successful career as a business executive, bringing practical private sector experience to her work as an elected official.
May 2: New Politics posted “Endorsement: Emily Beach for Congress (CA-15). From the endorsement:
New Politics today endorsed US Army veteran and public servant Emily Beach for Representative in California’s 15th Congressional District. Emily Cherniack, Founder and Executive Director of New Politics, released the following statement:
“Emily Beach is exactly the kind of leader our country needs right now because she understands that public service isn’t about power or politics but about people. From her service in uniform to her tireless efforts on behalf of working families in Burlingame, Emily has demonstrated time and again that she’s willing to take tough stances in order to solve our toughest problems. That’s why New Politics is proud to endorse this courageous servant leader. Because we know that in Congress, she’s going to get big things done on behalf of her Bay Area neighbors.”
About Emily Beach
A tireless and relentless advocate for the Peninsula, Emily Beach has dedicated her life to public service. She is known for taking on tough conversations, tough problems and tough votes. She honed her leadership team-building skills during her military service in the U.S. Army. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame as an ROTC scholarship student, Emily served in Saudi Arabia, Korea, and Texas, rising to the rank of Captain and earning the U.S. Army’s Airborne parachutist badge. Before holding elected offices, Emily fought for immigrants’ rights and organized volunteers to fundraise for local K-8 public schools and access to preschool. She also had a successful career as a business executive, bringing practical private sector experience to her work as an elected official.
Emily was elected to the Burlingame City Council in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. As Mayor of Burlingame during the pandemic, Emily led the successful effort to increase the minimum wage and expanded investment in bike lanes and public transit to better serve the Peninsula’s working families. She champions shoreline protections, open space, affordable housing, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color. To address the significant challenges our community faces during the most difficult period of the pandemic, Emily founded The Burlingame Collaborative, brining diverse stakeholders together to find local solutions to our toughest issues, combating isolation for seniors and expanding access to the local food bank for the most vulnerable…
June 7: Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 15:
Kevin Mullin (D): 41.7% – 46,462 votes
David Canepa (D): 23.9% – 26,594 votes
Gus Mattammal (R): 16.6% – 18,539 votes
Emily Beach (D): 14.0% – 15,653 votes
Jim Garrity (Independent): 2.1% – 2,375 votes
Andrew Watters (D): 1.1% – 1,243 votes
Ferenc Pataki (Independent): 0.5% – 561 votesThis is with 79.00% precincts reporting
June 8: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Mullin, Canapa Appear Headed To Runoff For Congress Seat to Replace Speier” From the article:
California Assembly Speaker Kevin Mullin and San Mateo County Supervisor David Canapa appear headed for a runoff in November to replace U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.
Mulllin, who Speier endorsed in December for the primary, has 23,413 votes, just over 40.1 percent of the tally. The totals are unofficial, with 291 of 291 district partially reporting as of early Wednesday morning, according to the California Secretary of State’s primary election website.
Canapa is a distant second with 14,357 votes at 24.6 percent. Both Mullin and Canepa are Democrats.
Republican candidate Gus Mattammal and Democrat Emily Beach trailed with 17.9 and 13.5 percent, respectively…
…If the results hold, Mullin and Canepa will face each other in a runoff election on the Nov. 8 ballot.
November 3: Kron4.com posted an article titled: “Two pols duke it out to replace ‘icon’ in Congress”. From the article:
Two San Mateo County politicians are vying to replace Rep. Jackie Speier as the Peninsula’s representative in the House.
Kevin Mullin, Speaker of the California State Assembly, has the endorsement of Speier, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (who represents the neighboring district to the north), Gov. Gavin Newsom, and the State Democratic Party…
…David Canepa, a San Mateo County supervisor, is running an underdog campaign. He has the endorsement of several Democratic clubs and current and former elected officials, such as Shamann Walton, the president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and the mayors of Brisbane, Pacifica, and East Palo Alto.
Canapa has made health care a key issue in his campaign…
…The district is changing, too; a district that once covered the western Peninsula, such as Half Moon Bay and El Grenada, and San Francisco’s Park Merced neighborhood has shrunken, through San Francisco’s Excelsior and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods are still within the district’s boundaries, meaning that Pelosi isn’t the only representative in Congress’s lower chamber for the City By The Bay…
November 8: Ballotpedia posted the results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 15:
Kevin Mullen (D): 56.1% – 67,247 votes
David Canapa (D): 43.9% – 52,639 votes
November 9: NBC Bay Area posted an article titled: “Kevin Mullin to Replace Rep. Jackie Speier with Congressional Win” From the article:
California Assembly Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin appears to be headed to Congress, holding a sizable lead in the initial results of Tuesday’s election to replace long-time Democratic stalwart Jackie Speier in her District seat representing the Peninsula and parts of San Francisco.
Mullin had nearly 58% of the vote compared to about 42% for San Mateo County Supervisor David Canapa, according to initial unofficial results Tuesday night.
Mullin, 52, was elected to the Assembly in 2013 after serving on the South San Francisco City Council and is the son of former state Assemblymember Gene Mullin.
Speier, who is retiring after nearly 15 years in Congress, endorsed Mullin, who worked for her when she was in the state Senate.
Canepa, who served eight years on the Daly City City Council before joining the county Board of Supervisors six years ago, congratulated Mullins following the release of the official results Tuesday…
November 9: SFIST posted an article titled: “Meet Kevin Mullin, Who Just Won Jackie Speier’s Longtime Congressional Seat” From the article:
As Rep. Jackie Speier leaves Congress after 15 years, her Peninsula and South Bay seat has been won by her endorsed candidate and former state Senate staffer Kevin Mullin.
As some of you may realize, Nancy Pelosi is not the congressional representative for all of San Francisco. Rep. Jackie Speier has represented some parts of southwest San Francisco for years, and the new redistricted map of what is now California’s 15th District keeps that dynamic pretty much in place. What will no longer be in place is Rep. Speier herself, as the survivor of a shooting at the Jonestown massacre announced last year she would be retiring at the end of this term…
…The current numbers from the Associated Press have Mullin up by a 56%-44% margin. There are still plenty more votes to be counted…
…Speier seemingly handpicked Mullin, and she’s a longtime Dem congressional stalwart, so it is little surprise that Spier’s pick for her successor would succeed. She appeared by his side at points during the campaign, as well as Tuesday night when election results rolled in…
California’s 16th Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 16th Congressional District
California’s 16th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California, which as of the most recent general election was located in the Central San Joaquin Valley. The district is currently represented by Democrat Anna Eshoo.
On 20 December 2021, the state redistricting commission unanimously approved a new map of congressional districts, under which the new District 16 overlaps largely with the old District 18. The primary election of June 2022 was the first to feature the new districts; however sitting representatives will reflect the old district boundaries until the general election in November 2022.
Prior to the 2020s redistricting, the district included Merced County, most of Madera County, and part of Fresno County. During this time, cities in the district included Los Banos, Madera, Merced, and most of Fresno. The new 16th district is in San Mateo County and Santa Clara County and includes Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Atherton, Palo Alto, Saratoga, Campbell, Woodside and Los Gatos, and the south-central and southwestern parts of San Jose. Most of the old 16th district is now part of the 13th and 21st districts…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 16th congressional district is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. It encompasses the west coast and San Mateo County, and the western border of Santa Clara County.
San Mateo County is split between this district and the 15th district. They are partitioned by the San Francisquito Creek, Menalto Ave, Willow Rd, S Perimeter Rd, W Perimeter Rd, Bay Rd, Marsh Rd, Middlefield Rd, Highway 82, Highway 84, Alameda de los Pulgas, Woodhill Dr, Farm Hill Blvd, The Loop Rd, Jefferson Ave, Summit Way, California Way, Junipero Serra Freeway, and Highway 35. The 16th district takes in the cities of Pacifica, Menlo Park, and Half Moon Bay, California.
Santa Clara County is split between this district, and the 17th district, the 18th district, and the 19th district. The 16th and 19th are partitioned by Old Santa Cruz Highway, Aldercroft Hts Rd, Weaver Rd, Soda Springs Rd, Love Harris Rd, Pheasant Creek, Guadalupe Creek, Guadalupe Mines Rd, Oak Canyon Dr, Coleman Rd, Meridian Ave, Highway G8, Guadalupe River, W Capitol Expressway, Senter Rd, Sylvandale Ave, Yerba Buena Rd, Silver Creek Rd, and E Capitol Expressway.
The 16th and 18th are partitioned by Annona Ave, Santiago Ave, Tully Rd, Highway 101, S King Rd, Valley Palms Apts, Story Rd, Senter Rd, E Alma Ave, S 7th St, Monterey Rd, Barnard Ave, Highway G8, Highway 87, W Alma Ave, Belmont Way, Belmont Ave, Minnesota Ave, Prevost St, Atlanta Ave, Fuller Ave, Riverside Dr, Coe Ave, Lincoln Ave, Paula St, Highway 280, and Highway 880.
The 16th and 17th are partitioned by Stevens Creek Blvd, Santana Row, Olsen Dr, S Winchester Blvd, Williams Rd, Eden Ave, Lexington Dr, Valley Forge Way, Gleason Ave, Moreland Way, Payne Ave, Saratoga Ave, Doyle Rd, Highway G2, Royal Ann Dr, Wisteria Way, Rainbow Dr, Highway 85, S De Anza Blvd, Prospect Rd, Fremont Older Open Space, Permanente Creek, Highway 280, N Foothill Blvd, Homestead Rd, Stevens Creek, We EL Camino Real, Magritte Way, Highway G6, Highway 101, and Enterprise Way.
The 16th district takes in the west central section of the city of San Jose, the cities of Campbell, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Mountain View, and the census-designated place Stanford, which includes Stanford University.
Ballotpedia provided information about Anna Eshoo
Anna Eshoo (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 16th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Eshoo (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 16th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Eshoo was first elected to the seat in 2012. Before representing the 18th Congressional district, Eshoo represented in California’s 14th Congressional District from 1993 to 2013.
Eshoo endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S presidential election.
Anna Eshoo was born in New Britain, Connecticut. Eshoo earned a A.A. from Canada College in 1975. Her career experience includes working as the chief of staff to the speaker pro tempore of the California State Assembly. Eshoo served on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and as a Democratic National Committeewoman from California.
Anna Eshoo completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is a trailblazer, proven problem solver, and national leader with an extensive record of achievements and critical subject matter expertise. For the past three decades, she has served the people of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties with great distinction.
As a member of Congress, Anna has been a health pioneer, a champion of new medical research and groundbreaking cures, a human rights and consumer advocate and a staunch proponent of clean energy innovation and the environment. She is the first woman in the history of the U.S. Congress to Chair the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee and in that role has worked to end the COVID-19 pandemic and produced legislation to lower the price of prescription drugs.
Anna is also recognized as a national leader on technology policy and has led the way on safeguarding personal information, holding companies accountable for violating individual privacy, and combatting the spread of disinformation and extremism on social media platforms.
Like many of her constituents, Anna is a proud first generation American. She is a proud mother of Karen and Paul and a devoted aunt.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Protect Our Democracy. Today, our democracy, the rule of law, and the democratic ideals of equality and justice for all are under assault. As a member of Congress, Anna has consistently offered bills and voted for legislation that protects the integrity of our elections, increases transparency, and expands voting rights access, especially for minorities.
Heal Our Nation. Our nation is deeply divided and this division is mirrored in Congress. Last year, a vicious mob, incited by the former president, attempted to stop the counting of the Electoral ballots and upend the peaceful transition of power, a hallmark of our democracy. In the case of the Covid-19 pandemic, political polarization has resulted in a deadly “pandemic of the unvaccinated.” Our nation’s ability to heal and recover from these crisis is hindered by partisanship and fake news. Anna is the leader we need now. She is a highly effective legislator who believes in and has a long record of bipartisanship.
Strengthen Our Economy. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on our economy and taken a disproportionate toll on small businesses and essential workers for whom remote work is not an option. It has exposed and exacerbated inequalities with an over-reliance on foreign manufacturers. Anna is focused on tackling these issues to improve the lives of all her constituents. She has advocated and voted for critical emergency aid, funding to expand broadband access, rapid vaccine development and deployment, and increased coronavirus testing. Anna has done this with an eye to protecting the most vulnerable among us – leaving no one behind…
Anna is a national leader and currently serves as the Chair of the Health Subcommittee in the House. Anna supports universal healthcare. She knows the burdens of the high costs of pharmaceutical drugs, and with her leadership, Medicare will now be able to negotiate costs directly, just as the VA does today. She has increased funding for mental health services, opioid treatment, and medical research.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Anna’s efforts have produced cutting-edge legislation, such as the nation’s Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act which helped to produce life-saving Covid vaccines and the bill to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). ARPA-H would create an independent health agency that would incubate and foster biomedical innovation to transform how we detect, treat, and cure the deadliest, most aggressive diseases like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and pancreatic, liver, lung and ovarian cancer.
Anna is a staunch defender of human rights, civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, privacy rights – and the right to live a dignified life with equal opportunity to pursue the American dream. She believes that we owe it to future generations to protect the planet and ensure that our workplaces, neighborhoods and schools are safe from gun violence. Anna has a long record of fighting for equality and justice, not only when it is popular or widely accepted.
Ballotpedia provided information about Rishi Kumar.
Rishi Kumar (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 16th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Rishi Kumar earned an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1994. Kumar’s career experience includes working as a business executive. He has served as an executive board member of the California Democratic Party and a delegate of the California Democratic Party.
Rishi Kuman completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
It is an honor to be back again running in this race. In the November 2020 election, we won 127,000 votes, more than any other challenger in the last 30 years against the incumbent. We are back for a win! Our August polling shows my opponent’s support has sunk to just 35% – there are no republicans in this race. Our neighbors are calling for new blood and for the torch to be passed. We can’t address our challenges today if we keep sending the same people back who have failed for decades. Here are more reasons to vote for Rishi Kumar:
I am the only candidate in this race who is running an Ethics-in-Politics campaign and who has taken a pledge to accept no corporate campaign money.
I’m the only one fighting for the people with a getting-things-done bipartisan approach
I’m the only tech savvy candidate – a critical skill for Silicon Valley representation.
I was honored to be reelected with the most votes in 64 years of my city for delivering results. I have rejected 9 of San Jose Water’s rate increases
I will be honored to have your vote by Nov. 8.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
As the first tech-savvy representative from this district, I will grow our economy, bring American jobs back to restore our supply chain integrity and ensure that our innovation economy thrives as the world’s innovation hub..America needs leaders with integrity. I operate at the behest of the People and no one else. Here are my priorities https://risihumar.com/priorties. With 127,000 votes received in the November 2022 election, I’m back to win. I am ready to step in, take charge and get things done to address the pending challenges of America and our district. I’m the only candidate running an ethics-in-politics, corporate money free campaign.
I will leverage the extraordinary technical and financial resources of the richest, most innovative congressional district in America to act on our burning issues. I’m the only candidate in this race who fights to reduce drug prices, who protects Medicare for seniors – pushes to expand it – and who supports Medicare for All. https://rishikumar.com/medicare I will champion reproductive rights, climate change, and stopping the senseless death of our children at school. I will defend our democracy, reduce crime, inflation and the exodus. I’ll establish an additional congressional office at the coastside to prioritize coastal issues. I will get more done in my first two years than you have seen done in decades and NEVER sell out.
I will push for a cleanup of Washington with term limits, ban congressional insider trading, establish a collaborative problem-solving approach, not divisive partisan politics, with a people-centric agenda, not lobbyist-centric. Check out my stories as a maverick at RishiKumar.com
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Purge dark money from American politics: I will always reject tainted PAC & Special Interest Group money and will fight to overturn Citizens United that allows the insertion of Super PAC money into American politics. Time for politicians to serve the people and not the lobbyists.
Protect Women’s Reproductive Rights: I will legislate Roe and get it done once and for all. RBG once said that Congress should have acted to enshrine women’s equal justice under law decades ago. It tragically didn’t, and we should question those in Congress who failed.
Diligent action with climate and coastal protection.
Fiscal responsibility, reduce America’s deficit and expand the economy: It is essential that the nation’s deficit is reduced through new fiscal approaches grounded in economic principles. I am against tax & spend. We need to alleviate this energy crisis by actively encouraging and innovating with new energy sources to grab market share.
Stop the exodus: We need a plan to address the valley’s challenges with rising crime, housing, traffic, and homelessness. I sincerely believe that the push for high-density housing is flawed and without a managed growth plan. These policies do not address infrastructure support such as water, sewers, roads, schools and recurring droughts.Ballotpedia provided information about Peter Ohtaki
Ballotpedia provided information about Peter Ohtaki
Peter Ohtaki (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 16th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Peter Ohtaki was born in Menlo Park, California. Ohtaki graduated from Woodside Hight School. He earned a B.A. in economics from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. Ohtaki’s career experience includes working as the vice president of enterprise incident management of a bank and as the executive director of the California Resiliency Alliance. He served as the board president of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District Board of Directors.
Ballotpedia provided information on Richard Fox.
Richard Fox (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 16th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Richard Fox’s career experience includes working as a physician and attorney.
May 4: Palo Alto Online posted an article titled: “Eshoo faces rivals from left, right, and center in bid to retain Congress seat” From the article:
The seven candidates vying to replace U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo in a newly redrawn Silicon Valley congressional district know they face an uphill climb.
Since she was first elected in 1992, Eshoo has been cruising to reelection in the heavily Democratic district, routinely picking up about 70% of the vote. California’s switch to a top-two primary has barely blunted her political fortunes.
Kumar, a tech executive who serves on the Saratoga City Council, is hoping for better luck this time around. He is one of seven candidates hoping to replace Eshoo in the new District 16, which stretches along the coast from Pacifica to northern San Jose and which encompasses large sections of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, including the cities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Woodside, Portola Valley, and portions of Menlo Park and Atherton.
On Tuesday night, Eshoo and six of her challengers tried to make a case for their respective candidates at a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters (Kumar was the only candidate who did not participate in the event). While Eshoo recalled her recent accomplishments in the House of Representatives, each of her opponents made the case that it’s time for a change and that they are the best option for representing the dynamic Silicon Valley district.
Among the challengers was Palo Alto City Council member Greg Tanaka, a Democrat who over the years has stood out on the council for repeatedly voting against the city budget and, more recently, for his staunch opposition to the city’s proposed business tax. A fiscal conservative whose jeremiads about decline of innovation in Silicon Valley have been a staple of council meetings, he rejected on Thursday of voting along a party line…
Ajwang Rading, an attorney at the Palo Alto-based firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, is also vying to represent the district. Unlike Tanaka or Kumar, who opposes Sacramento’s housing mandates and who pledges not to increase taxes, Rading leans blue all the way. He embraces an ambitious Democratic platform that revolves around issues of social justice, climate change and universal health care…
…Eshoo is also facing a challenge from the right, with three Republicans hoping to win a seat in the heavily Democratic district. The most politically moderate of the three is former Menlo Park Mayor Peter Ohtaki, whose campaign calls for resisting unfunded housing mandates, fighting inflation and seeking more federal dollars for transportation projects. Ohtaki, who grew up in Menlo Park and spent eight years on the council, said his experience as both an elected official and as a chief financial officer at a tech firm make him well qualified for the seat…
…The other two Republicans in the race position themselves further on the right of the political spectrum. Richard Fox, who leans libertarian and who has been a vocal opponent of vaccine mandates, is characterizing his candidacy as a battle not only against Eshoo but also against President Joe Biden’s Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci and the pharmaceutical industry.
Benjamin Solomon is running as a pro-business candidate who wants to lower taxes. He also has, however, embraced in his campaign the national Republican Party’s opposition to “critical race theory,” an intellectual movement that emphasizes the role of race in shaping American institutions such as criminal justice and education. And like Fox, he is a skeptic when it comes to climate change.
When asked about the topic on Tuesday, Fox suggested that government-funded research “usually reaches the conclusions the government wants it to reach,” while Solomon rejected the international consensus about the threats of climate change and suggested that “global alarmists scientists” are not telling people the full truth…
…The only candidate on the list who is not affiliated with either major party is John Karl Friedrich, a Palo Alto resident and retired government teacher who has made several unsuccessful bids for the City Council, most recently in 2016. Fredrich supports the “Medicare for All” plan, is skeptical about American military intervention and wants to abolish the Electoral College and pass the Equal Rights Amendment, which was introduced in 1923 but never ratified. The act aims to guarantee equal rights to all Americans, regardless of sex…
May 12: Palo Alto Online posted an editorial titled: “Editorial: Our election recommendations” From the editorial:
With California’s open primary rules, established when voters approved Prop. 14 in 2010, the top two vote-getters in all partisan races, regardless of party affiliation, will face off in the November general election. For non-partisan county offices such as district attorney, sheriff and assessor, however, there won’t be a runoff in November if one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the primary.
For Palo Alto voters, that means there will automatically be a runoff election In November for the congressional seat held by Democrat Anna Eshoo and the state Assembly seat held by Democrat Mark Berman, and it’s highly likely in the Santa Clara County sheriff’s race, where four major candidates are running with no incumbent.
In the county district attorney and accessor races, it is likely that incumbents Jeff Rosen and Larry Stone will exceed the 50% mark.
We are concerned that two incumbents, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo and County Assessor Larry Stone, have been in office for 30 and 27 years respectively. These two have been reelected by overwhelming margins of the years, because they are competent, hardworking and have served their constituents well. They are all but assured of being reelected again this year, in part because their continued service discourages others from running because of the advantages of incumbency, especially in fundraising.
But at ages 79 and 81, they should be creating opportunities and encouraging new candidates to follow in their footsteps and allow a new generation of leaders to represent us. If reelected, we hope that each will announced after the election their intention to retire when their new terms end so that there is plenty of time for good an diverse candidates, including women and people of color, to step forward to run for these important positions.
As noted above, Anna Eshoo has been one of the most popular and successful elected officials ever to serve this region. In 14 reelection campaigns since her initial election in 1992, she has never faced a serious challenge. That is a tribute to both her excellent service and attentiveness to her constituents and the close alignment of her views with her Democratic district.
This year, perhaps because of an increasing belief that it may be time for her to step aside, or that she will do so in two years, Eshoo has seven challengers – three Republicans, three Democrats and an independent. With Eshoo almost certainly set to be the top-vote getter, the second-place finisher who will compete against her in November could get as little as 15% to 20% of the vote in the primary depending on how evenly spread out the voting is.
We hope Eshoo’s opponent in November is Ajwang Rading, a Democrat and attorney at the Palo Alto-based firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati who has sparked a strong local following in support of his bid for public office. Rading, 30, embraces a liberal Democratic platform that revolves around the issues of social justice, climate change, and universal health care…
…A general election campaign between Eshoo and Rading would be an inspiring match-up between an accomplished representative nearing the end of her career who has paved the way for countless other women to seek higher office and an idealistic and passionate young man of color just starting his political journey…
June 24: The New York Times reported Calfornia’s 16th Congressional District Primary Election Results:
Anna Eshoo (Democrat): 81,047 votes – 47.9%
Rishi Kumar (Democrat): 26,415 votes – 15.6%
Peter Ohtaki (Republican): 21,332 votes – 12.6%
Richard Fox (Republican): 13,175 votes – 7.8%
October 8: The Mercury News Editorial Board posted an editorial titled: “Eshoo, seeking 15th term in Congress, still knows her stuff” From the editorial:
In 1992, when Anna Eshoo ran for Congress, we noted that she “has worked diligently on health care as a (San Mateo County) supervisor, and she knows her stuff.”
Thirty years later, as she runs in the Nov. 8 election for a 15th term in Congress, that’s still true. Eshoo’s understanding of health care, voting rights, biotechnology and women’s issues far surpass that of her challenger, Saratoga City Councilman Richi Kumar.
At some point, Eshoo, who turns 80 on Jan. 3, will retire and give way to a successor to carry on her work protecting our democracy and advancing Silicon Valley’s needs. Kumar is not up for the task. He has had a hard time just getting along with his colleagues on the Saratoga City Council and would be ineffective in Washington.
Regardless of whether Democrats retain control of the House and Senate following the midterms, the challenges facing Congress will be immense. The region needs smart, respected and experienced leaders to set us on the right course.
Voters in the 16th District should send Eshoo back to Washington. The newly drawn district stretches from Pacifica at the north end to Los Gatos at the south. It includes Campbell, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and a slice of San Jose.
Eshoo is chair of the House Subcommittee on Health. But it’s not the number of bills she has passed that tells whether she is a successful leader. It’s in what actually gets passed and what gets rejected. She authored portions of the Affordable Care Act and the bill that played a major role in the rapid development of vaccines to combat COVID-19.
If reelected, she would continue advocating for universal health care and fighting for her bill to create the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to foster biomedical innovation for fighting deadly diseases.
Kumar, a mechanical engineer, is a progressive Democrat. He advanced to the general election by garnering 16% of the vote, edging out Republican Peter Ohtaki, in the June primary in which Eshoo received 48%.
When Kumar ran against Eshoo in 2020, we said it was questionable whether he deserves another term on the Saratoga City Council, much less a seat in Congress. He has done nothing since then to change our minds. If Human has been unable to develop a working relationship with his fellow council members in eight years of office, we don’t see how he can develop the necessary support to get any of his ambitious promises passed in Congress.
Kumar pledges to expand Medicare, rein in Pentagon spending and crush “big money in politics.” Those are worthy goals. But Kumar also has a habit of taking credit for the work of others. For example, he still maintains that he stopped eight different San Jose Water rate hikes. But it is the California Public Utilities Commission that has the authority to accept or reject rate hike requests – not a Saratoga city councilman.
The 16th District needs a respected, experienced member of Congress for the tasks at hand. That candidate is Anna Eshoo. Voters should reelect her.
October 25: Los Altos Online posted an article titled: “Congressional candidates Eshoo & Kumar debate who is really getting things done” From the article:
Longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo faces the most serious challenger of her career in the race for the newly drawn 16th Congressional District seat, which covers a large portion of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Her opponent, Saratoga City Councilmember Rishi Kumar, also a Democrat, has a clearly drawn platform, alleging Eshoo has ties to the pharmaceutical industry and has been ineffective in her 30 years of office.
One of the cornerstones of Kumar’s campaign is that he pledged not to accept donations from super PACs, a point he often flaunts in comparison to the hundreds of dollars Eshoo has received from pharmaceutical companies over the course of her political career, playing on a long-standing critique of Eshoo that in her career as a Congress member and chairperson of the Health Subcommittee, she has not done enough to further the progressive goal of making health care more affordable.
Kumar, though still early on in his political career, is not without his own controversies. Last election cycle, residents of the congressional district found lawn signs promoting Kumar they did not consent to being placed in their yards, and alleged that the candidate had rude campaign volunteers who didn’t like taking “no” for an answer. In December 2020, Kumar was denied his ceremonial turn as mayor for 2021 on the Saratoga City Council (which rotates annually among council members, as in Los Altos), with a fellow council member remarking that he was unsuitable for the job. In May 2019, Kumar was confronted during a city council meeting by a group of activists asking him to answer for the enthusiastic support he showed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a key member of the Bharatiya Janata Party in India, who has been accused of eroding Muslims’ human rights in India and condoning violence during the 2002 Gujarat riots.
In stark contrast to Kumar’s campaign marketing, Eshoo has highlighted her own accomplishments rather than attempting to deconstruct any of Kumar’s arguments. In a recent Town Crier interview, Eshoo made little mention of him, but she did refute some of his claims…
December 18: The New York Times reported the results of California’s 16th Congressional District Results:
Anna Eshoo (Democrat): 139,235 votes – 57.8%
Rishi Kuman (Democrat): 101,772 votes – 42.2%
California’s 17th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 17th Congressional District:
California’s 17 congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that is currently represented by Ro Khanna. It is located in the South Bay and East Bay regions of San Francisco Bay Area.
The district includes parts of Alameda County and Santa Clara County. It encompasses the cities of Sunnyvale, Cupertino, and Santa Clara County. It encompasses the cities of Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Newark, the majority of Fremont, and the northernmost and westernmost parts of San Jose. The district includes the campus of Santa Clara University and the corporate headquarters of Apple Inc, Intel Corp., and Yahoo. It is the only majority-Asian district in the contiguous United States. It is also the wealthiest Congressional district in the United States.
From 2003 to 2013, the district covered all of Monterey and San Benito counties, as well as part of Santa Cruz County. It included all of the coastal communities surrounding Monterey Bay, the city of Salinas, and the vast majority of the Salinas Valley. The district was mostly unchanged during the 2021 redistricting…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 17th congressional district takes up the Tri-City area of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes up the western borders of Alameda and Santa Clara Counties.
Alameda County is split between this district and the 14th district. They are partitioned by Mission Peak Regional Park, Witherly Ln, Mission Blvd, Washington Blvd, Farallon Cmn, Paseo Padre Parkway, Grimmer Blvd, Blacow Rd, Omar St, Butano Park Dr, Farina Ln, Nimitz Freeway, Highway 84. The 17th district takes in the south side of the city of Fremont, and the city of Newark.
Santa Clara County is split between this district, the 16th district, and the 18th district. The 17th and 16th are partitioned by Stevens Creek Blvd, Santana Row, Olsen Dr, S Winchester Blvd, Williams Rd, Eden Ave, Lexington Dr, Valley Forge Way, Gleason Ave, Moreland Way, Payne Ave, Saratoga Ave, Doyle Rd, Highway G2, Royal Ann Dr, Wisteria Way, Rainbow Dr, Highway 85, S De Anza Blvd, Prospect Rd, Fremont Older Open Space, Permanente Creek, Highway 280, N Foothill Blvd, Homestead Rd, Stevens Creek, W EL Camino Real, Magritte Way, Highway G6, Highway 101, and Enterprise Way.
The 17th and 18th are partitioned by Steven’s Creek Blvd, Di Salvo Ave, Bellerose Dr, Forest Ave, Wabash Ave, W San Carlos St, Race St, The Alameda, University Ave, Elm St, Highway 82, Newhall St, Morse St, Idaho St, Alameda Ct, Sherwood Ave, Hamline St, Highway 880, Highway 101, McKee Rd, Toyon Ave, Penitencia Creek Rd, Canon Vista Ave, Crothers Rd, Alum Rock Park, Sierra Rd, Felter Rd, Weller Rd. The 17th district takes in the north side of the city of San Jose, the cities of Milpitas, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Cupertino.
Ballotpedia provided information about California’s 17th Congressional District:
California’s 17th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives is represented by Ro Khanna (D).
As of the 2020 Census, California representatives represented an average of 760,350 residents. After the 2010 Census, each member represented 702,904 residents.
Ballotpedia provided information about Ro Khanna:
Ro Khanna (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 17th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2017. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Khanna (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 17th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022…
…Khanna first ran for the seat in 2014, where he lost the election to incumbent Mike Honda (D) by 4,714 votes. In 2016, Khanna won election to the seat, beating eight-term incumbent Mike Honda (D) by 51,344 votes. Khanna was re-elected to the seat in 2018 after beating Republican Roy Cohen in the general election by a vote of 75 percent to 25 percent, capturing over 107,000 more votes than Cohen.
Khanna is a former U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary.
Khanna accepts donations solely from individuals and proposed the No PAC Caucus in the House of Representatives.
As of 2019, Khanna listed the following as his priorities:
Banning PAC & lobbyist money
Creating technology & manufacturing jobs across America
Providing debt free college
Supporting apprenticeships & vocational training
Standing up for women’s rights
Investing in new industries & clean technologies
Ballotpedia provided information about Ritesh Tandon:
Ritesh Tandon (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 17th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Tandon completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: The grandson of a freedom fighter, Ritesh Tandon, was instilled with an appreciation for freedom and independence. This would lead him to The United States of America at age 28, where he attended Santa Clara University to pursue a Master’s degree in Computer engineering. Later, Ritesh Tandon completed his second Master’s in Business Administration from the same university. While attending Santa Clara University, Ritesh met Zurich Dhar, a fellow computer engineer. They were married in 2001 & made the Bay Area their home.
Professionally, Ritesh Tandon worked on unified communications products for Cisco, starting with engineering and continuing with technical marketing. Then, he managed global strategic alliances for Jabra. Currently, Ritesh is the CEO of the Kricel Corporation.
Ritesh is a Research Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business; his research topic is “How to Revive California’s Economy Using Open Innovation”.
Ritesh worked for two decades for non-profit organizations & served as an executive member of the Sankara Eye Foundation, President of UPMA, & Alliance lead for the Smart Village Movement, helping the underprivileged/common people to live better lives.
After two decades in the Silicon Valley, Indian-American engineer, philanthropist, and businessman Ritesh Tandon run for Congress in the South Bay. He has built a successful career in technology while simultaneously being a leader by helping others through his work with non-profits.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
At this time, our public policies are in absolute chaos. In my opinion, the current elected Congressman works for rich people and has no experience seeing how common people suffer. These career politicians have no idea what the common people’s needs are, and many times, they create bills that fund them, ignoring the common people’s needs.
Economy – inflation, supply chain, domestic manufacturing & exports. We are stuck in one of the worst inflation cycles in the last 40 years. The gas prices are the culprit, like in the late 70. The bad energy policy of Mr. Biden has been at the root of this inflationary cycle, not the Putin war. Lockdown philosophies & unfettered monetary stimulus created inflation. Interest rate hikes are meant to destroy demand. Supply-side economics policies do work. I will vigorously put those together to avoid impending recession & avoid losing domestic and export purposes. The US must balance its trade deficits worldwide.
Security/Hate Crimes – Defunding the police policies & fewer punishments for crimes have escalated crime rates all over. There are more hate crimes against Asians. It is time that progressive elements of the Democrat party do not play with people’s lives & property. The death of George Floyd was wrong! However, rioting & defunding the police are equally wrong! We need safety in our neighborhoods. Poor foreign policies & untimely responses have resulted in the dishonorable withdrawal from Afghanistan & Russian aggression. We could have avoided today’s war situation in 2014 when Russia took over Crimea. We ignored Russian amassing large forces on the Ukrainian border last year. We need to stop reacting & start thinking practical peace!
Education – Children are the largest & most precious investment for parents. STEM education should be the prime focus of schools. Parental participation is a prerequisite to good education. Family values, cultural backgrounds & religious sentiments are essential & institutions must be sensitive to that completely. No race-based discrimination bills (Prop16). School choice has many benefits, where tax dollars go with the students to institutions meeting defined standards. Competition between public & private schools would allow us to measure performance per dollar. Additionally, the association of good schools with richer neighborhoods will change. We need all communities to exceed in giving their precious children the best education they can.
Also, they make false promises of tuition forgiveness, free healthcare, and much more. These are all empty talks just about getting elected. My opponent raised more than $4.2 Million in the last two years and more than $10 million in the last six years; think who funds him? Six years, nothing is done, how long will you wait for change?
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
At this time, our public policies are in absolute chaos. In my opinion, the current elected Congressman works for rich people and has no experience seeing how common people suffer. These career politicians have no idea what the common people’s needs are, and many times, they create bills that fund them, ignoring the common people’s needs.
Also, they make false promises of tuition forgiveness, free healthcare, and much more. These are all empty talks just about getting elected. My opponent raised more than $4.2 Million in the last two years and more than $10 million in the last six years; think who funds him? Six years, nothing is done, how long will you wait for change?
February 16: Washington Monthly posted an article titled: “Ro Khanna’s Plan to Make Big Tech Better” From the article:
BILL SCHER: Much of Joe Biden’s legislative agenda is stalled now. Do you think progressives should heap blame on Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema for their resistance? Or do Biden and congressional progressives deserve some of the blame?
RO KHANNA: There could be an alternative, not mentioned in the hypothetical.
I wouldn’t heap blame on Senators Manchin or Sinema. I don’t think anything constructive comes out of that. What we must do is figure out what can pass. I believe you can get $400 to $500 billion in addressing climate change, and preschool for every three and four-year-old in America. That’s a huge deal. And expand Medicaid.
What is to blame for us not being able to get there? We have some of the slimmest majorities that a president has had. We have one of the most polarized countries. So, if you have very slim majorities and no Republican votes, it’s hard to thread the needle. I think Biden has done quite well in that circumstance to get the American Rescue Plan and infrastructure passed. And if we are willing to compromise, we can do something very big for climate and social investment…
…BILL SCHER: It seems to me that Democrats proceeded with the American Rescue Plan on the notion that if we deliver economically, who cares if it’s technically bipartisan or not. If we slip in this child tax credit, and we send these checks out, it’s going to be so popular that everyone’s gonna love us for it. I’m curious whether amongst you or other progressives, is there any kind of introspection about that plan not working out.
RO KHANNA: To me the child tax credit was not just about popular policy. To me that was about justice. It was about cutting child poverty. I’m not sure that was seen as a political winner, though I think it’s more positive than not. But I think it was more of a sense of, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to do the right thing.”…
…BILL SCHER: Let me end with a political, midterms question. It seems to me that both parties right now are in some degree of circular firing squad. With the Republicans tied up in knots over January 6, and Democrats frustrated with how Manchin and Simon have stalled Build Back Better. What needs to happen for progressives and moderates to get on the same page and maximize their chances for beating the odds and having a good midterm?
RO KHANNA: First, let’s stop making every disagreement an issue of questioning a person’s integrity and motives. You can have a philosophical disagreement and not be corrupt.
And then I think we must be proud of what we’re achieving and have a clear vision of what we’re going to do to give people economic opportunity.
And finally, we must be patriotic and tell a story of patriotism. I think the biggest challenge is when you hear every Democratic speech, and it lists all the things wrong with America. And I guess as aa son of immigrants, I marvel at all the things that are still right about America. And people don’t need their leaders to remind them of everything wrong. They want leaders telling them why their nation can lead the 21st century.
It’s like if you have a football coach, and the coach keeps giving speeches about everything wrong with their team. No, they want to know, how are you going to take the team to the Super Bowl? What’s your plan? We need more of that.
April 20: Harvard Politics posted an article titled: “An Interview with Ro Khanna” From the interview:
Harvard Political Review: In the digital age, politics itself has been digitized: campaigns have gone online, fact-checkers have to be more swift, and freedom of speech is often equated with freedom to tweet. Yet, in terms of campaigns and messaging in a Politico article, dated April 9, you mentioned that it’s Biden’s messaging, not the message, that you disagree with. So, by what means do you think the PR wing of the Biden administration could maximize its potential and exploit technology and social media to empower its messaging?
Ro Khanna: Well, the first thing is old-fashioned, which is that I think the President getting out more into communities outside of Washington is important. You know, for example, when Intel is investing $20 billion into Ohio, instead of announcing that from Washington, announce it with Governor DeWine in Columbus, have people who are going to be getting these new jobs there know about it. But I also think that we have an aggressive strategy of winning the news cycle every day. You know, Trump would wake up and say something outrageous and try and win the news cycle every day. I think having an aggressive strategy on social media with cable news and saying – so, how are we going to set the tone for the week? For the day? Being foremost in driving the news and driving our message, that action of being aggressive is really important.
HPR: But, many high-level politicians have been really concerned about the role of Big Tech, especially in politics, after January 6th, the use of which has often been attributed to the excessive spread of fake news on Facebook. Many have also called for breaking down the monopolies: Elizabeth Warren, for instance, has called for breaking up Big Tech, Senator Sanders voiced concerns about the monopolization of Big Tech, et. al. Therefore, as someone who represents Silicon Valley, what are your views on this debate about breaking up Big Tech?
Khanna: We do need stronger antitrust enforcement. But I don’t think we can just reflexively break up companies in ways that will hurt our innovation, nor do I think antitrust is always the solution to privacy issues or deliberation issues. But, I think the antitrust is important – the antitrust issue was that a company shouldn’t be able to squash competitors, they shouldn’t be allowed to privilege there own platforms, and we can have strong regulations, strong legislation that addresses that, without saying he have to break up Apple into three companies or Google into three companies. Now, maybe it’s justified in some cases, maybe Facebook should be unwound but those have to be fact-based determinations, not just pronouncements from Congress…
Ballotpedia posted the results of Nonpartisan Primary for the U.S. House California District 17:
Ro Khanna (D): 67.3% – 33,244 votes
Ritesh Tandon (R): 23.3% – 11,497 votes
Stephen Forbes (D): 5.7% – 2,808 votes
Rao Ravul (D): 2.2% – 1,083 votes
Joe Dehn (L): 1.6% – 767 votes
June 24: Ro Khanna posted a press release on his congressional website titled: “STATEMENT: KHANNA ON SUPREME COURT DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE” From the press release:
Today, Rep Ro Khanna (D-CA), Deputy Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe V. Wade.
“Today’s Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade strips Americans of their basic freedom and endangers the health and safety of millions. It strips women of the right to make their own decisions about their bodies and their futures. It hits low-income women, women of color, and women living in rural areas particularly hard. It defines not only 50 years of legal precedent, but also the will of the American people.
It is heartbreaking to watch our country go backwards and see our hard-fought progress eroded. But we cannot give up. Now, we must mobilize and do everything possible to save the right to an abortion. That means rallying a wave of public support, ending the filibuster and passing legislation in the Senate to codify Roe v. Wade. It also means addressing the polarization of the Supreme Court that paved the way for this decision. It is time to end lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court to restore judicial independence and trust in the highest court in the land.
We are a party that stands for freedom, and that includes a person’s ability to make decisions about their own body, their own family, and their own healthcare. We’ll keep fighting for freedom until this egregious decision can be reversed.”
October 12: Progressive Voters Guide posted information about Ro Khanna titled: “Reelect Congressional Representative Ro Khanna to keep CD-17 on the right track for progress”. From the information:
Rep. Khanna’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-17 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Khanna has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Environmental Voters, Sierra Club, Equality California, and Planned Parenthood, as well as publications like the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, and the Oakland Tribune, and labor unions, like the California Nurses Association, National Nurses United, California Labor Federation, and SEIU. He is also endorsed by federal, state, and local elected officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Padilla, and many mayors, city councilmembers, and school board members.
Top issues: Rep. Khanna is a longtime supporter of labor and environmental causes, and advocates for more green jobs. He has also paid special attention to digital security and modernization.
Priority Bills: This year, Rep. Khanna’s priorities for CD-18 have included 26 bills about taxing corporations, technological innovation, public health, 21st century jobs, and labor conditions. Of these, two have successfully been passed by the House. He has sponsored and passed legislation to improve accessibility and user experience on government websites and to create digital “centers for excellence” to guide cyber-security decisions in federal IT systems.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes.
Committee leadership/membership: Ro Khanna currently sits on three committees, including the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Oversight and Reform. On the Oversight and Reform Committee, he chairs the subcommittee on the Environment.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Khanna has served in this congressional seat since 2016, when he was elected with over 60% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 43 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Khanna served in the Obama administration as deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Commerce and as an attorney. He is a longtime supporter of labor and environmental causes, and advocates for investment in green jobs and digital infrastructure. He has also worked to increase and transform manufacturing jobs. In the House, he has been dedicated to digital security and modernization. He was tapped by Speaker Pelosi to draft an Internet Bill of Rights, which described the rights that digital citizens should have in terms of privacy access, and equity online.
Other background: Rep. Ro Khanna, a former lawyer, university lecturer, and member of President Obama’s cabinet, is from Philadelphia, PA, and now lives in Fremont, CA. He graduated from Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago, and then earned a law degree from Yale University…
Ballotpedia posted the results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 17:
Ro Khanna (D): 69.6% – 65,528 votes
Ritesh Tandon (R): 30.4% – 28,212 votes
California’s 18th Congressional Distric
California’s 18th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 18th Congressional District:
California’s 18th congressional district is a cngressional district located in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Zoe Lofgren. It includes portions of Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties, extending from the southwestern San Francisco Bay Area through the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Pacific coast. Since the 2022 election, the district is landlocked and includes the Salinas Valley and downtown and eastern San Jose.
Due to the presence of Silicon Valley, the disict had a median household income of $149,375, the second highest of any congressional district in the country.
Following the 2020 census and the subsequent 2020 United States redistricting cycle, California lost a congressional district, leading to significant changes across California’s districts. Most of the area previously part of the 18th district was splintil the new 16th district and 19th district. The 18th district was moved to cover the Salinas Valley in Monterey County and the downtown and east side of San Jose. With the changes, the 18th became a Latino majority district…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 18th congressional district was shifted geographically to cover the Salinas Valley. It encompasses San Benito, the southernmost point of Santa Cruz County, and the interiors of Santa Clara and Monterey Counties.
Santa Cruz County is split between this district and the 19th district. They are partitioned by Pajaro River, Highway 129, W Beach St, Lee Rd, Highway 1, Harkins Slough Rd, Old Adobe Rd, Corralitos Creek, Varin Rd, Green Valley Rd, Casserly Rd, Mt Madonna Road. The district takes in the city of Watsonville.
Santa Clara County is split between this district, the 19th district, the 16th district, and the 17th district,. The 18th, 16th and 19th are partitioned by Bella Vista Ln, Bodfish Creek, Burchell Rd, Bluebell Dr, Day Rd, Highway G8, W San Martin Ave, Santa Teresa Blvd, Sunnyside Ave, Morgan Hill City Limits, Hale Ave, Tilton Ave, Monterey Rd, Highway 101, Coyote Rd, Anderson Lake, Las Animas Rd, Metcalf Rd, Yerba Buena Creek, Old Yerba Buena Rd, Aborn Rd, Quincy Rd, Norwood Ave, Murillo Ave, Pleasant Acres Dr, Westview Dr, Pleasant Knoll Dr, Guluzzo Dr, Flint Ave, Marten Ave, Goldwater Dr, Ocala Ave, Wonderama Dr, Cunningham Ave, Swift Ave, Highway 101, Story Rd, Monterey Rd, Highway 87, Highway 280, Highway 880.
The 18th and 17th are partitioned by Steven’s Creek Blvd, Di Salvo Ave, Bellerose Dr, Forest Ave, Wabash Ave, W San Carlos St, Race St, The Alameda, University Ave, Elm St, Highway 82, Newhall St, Morse St, Idaho St, Alameda Ct, Sherwood Ave, Hamline St, Highway 880, Highway 101, McKee Rd, Toyon Ave, Penitencia Creek Rd, Canon Vista Ave, Crothers Rd, Alum Rock Park, Sierra Rd, Felter Rd, Weller Rd. The 18th district takes in the center of the city of San Jose and the San Jose district of Alum Rock. It also takes in the cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy.
Monterey County is split between this district and the 19th district. They are partitioned by Union Pacific, Highway G12, Elkhorn Rd, Echo Valley Rd, Maher Rd, Maher Ct, La Encina Dr, Canyon Rd, San Juan Grade Rd, Highway 101, Espinosa Rd, Castroville Blvd, Highway 156, Highway 1, Tembladero Slough, Highway 183, Cooper Rd, Blanco Rd, Salinas River, Davis Rd, Hitchcock Rd, Highway 68, E Blanco Rd, Nutting St, Abbott St, Highway G17, Limekiln Creek, Likekiln Rd, Rana Creek, Tularcitos Creek, Highway G16, Tassajara Rd, Camp Creek, Lost Valley Creek, Lost Valley Conn, N Coast Rdg, 2 Central Cod, Cone Peak Rd, Nacimiento Fergusson Rd, Lost Bueyes Creek, and the Monterey County Southern Border. The 18th district takes in the cities of Salinas, Soledad, Greenfield, King City, and the north side of the census-designated place Prunedale.
Ballotpedia provided information about Zoe Lofgren:
Zoe Lofgren (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 18th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Lofgren (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 18th Congressional District. She won the general election on November 8, 2022.
Lofgren represented California’s 16th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 1995 to 2013. From 1994 to 2018, Lofgren captured between 65% and 73.9% of the vote at general elections.
Lofgren was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from California. Lofgren supported Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.
January 18: San Jose Inside posted an article titled: “Lofgren Builds Support in New Congressional District that Stretches from San Jose to Salinas” From the article:
Three weeks after the California Citizens Redistricting Commission solidified its new state and federal district lines, Congresmember Zoe Lofgren of San Jose is tasked with convincing the mostly Latinx voters in Salinas, Pajaro, and San Juan valleys that the paring with downtown San Jose can indeed work in their favor.
Lofgren, who has been in Congress since 1994, took her first step in trying to accomplish that task on Jan. 15. She met with local politicians from across the region in Salinas and secured two key endorsements from Congressmember Jimmy Panetta of Carmel and Assemblymember Robert Rivas of Holister, whose team organized the press conference.
The current representative for the 19th Congressional District, Lofgren will run for a 15th term in the new 18th Congressional District this year. That new district Paris parts of San Jose, including the downtown area, with a region of the state that is known for its strong agricultural base and growing Latinx population.
It will be a massive shift for Lofgren, who started her career in politics on the board of San Jose City College before moving up to Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Though she called the new district “unusual,” Lofgren sad that she is not completely unfamiliar with the area, as she’s worked on immigration reform with people in the agriculture industry over the years.
But, she admitted, “the voters here don’t know me yet.”
“So I need to introduce myself,” she said. “And I don’t know them yet, so I’m here listening and learning. But it’s kind of exciting.”…
February 7: The Intercept posted an article titled: “Poll Shows Silicon Valley Rep. Zoe Lofgren At Odds With Her District Over Big Tech Reforms” From the article:
A new poll by Data for Progress shows that Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a key opponent of tech antitrust reforms, is widly out of step with constituents in her Silicon Valley district. The poll, which was provided exclusively to The Intercept, shows that despite living in the belly of the tech beast, voters in California’s 19th Congressional District are worried about tech giants’ economic power and lack of accountability as the rest of Americans.
Among a number of eye-catching findings, the poll’s 610 respondents – who were weighted to match the demographics of likely voters in the district – supported the bipartisan American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which is picking up momentum on Capitol Hill, by a 46-point margin, 58 percent to 12 percent, after being presented with arguments for and against the bill. Pollsters also found that two-thirds of respondents agreed with the argument that the economic power of companies like Amazon, Facebook, and Google is a problem for the U.S. economy.
The findings call Lofgren’s continued opposition top measures that would increase competition in the technology sector into question. With liberals and conservatives both becoming increasingly focused on addressing the power large technology companies hold, a rare bipartisan effort to increase competition in the sector has been gaining traction in both chambers of Congress. Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee vote to advance the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which seeks to prevent tech companies from using their platforms to give preferential treatment to their own products, with a vote of 16-6. (Five Republicans voted with the 11 Democratic members of the committee.)..
…”Some of the ‘tech antitrust’ bills in Congress are poorly-drafted, extreme, and go beyond legitimate, real-word concerns,” Lofgren wrote in a statement to The Intercept. “They target four tech companies, but don’t actually prevent the disinformation, privacy violations, and abusive consumer manipulation by algorithms that so many of my constituents and I decry.”
As an alternative, Lofgren pointed to the Online Privacy Act, a bill she introduced with California Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo, which “would actually be effective in dealing with problems in the tech sector by preventing the abusive collection and retention of personal information,” according to Lofgren. “If companies can’t collect data, they can’t use that data to manipulate Americans for profit.” While the Online Privacy Act would restrict data brokering, it would play no role in antitrust regulation of tech…
April 15: BenitoLink posted an article titled: “Primary Election 2022: 18th Congressional District” From the article:
…There are three candidates for the 18th Congressional District seat: Luis Acevedo-Arreguin, Peter Hernandez, and Zoe Lofgren. BenitoLink sent all three candidates questions and requested responses in their own words.
Luis Acevedo-Arreguin was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, raised in Queretaro, and currently lives in Castorville. He studied chemistry at the University of Queretaro and environmental engineering at the National University of Mexico. He obtained graduate degrees in education, applied mathematics, and statistics at the UC-Santa Cruz.
BenitoLink: San Benito County lacks affordable and adequate broadband service, how can you effectively advocate for funding for equitable internet in this area?
Acevedo-Arreguin: When the pandemic started in 2020, giant corporations like Google offered to bring the internet to the rural zones of California. Another giant tech entrepreneur offered to build a satellite-based system to bring the internet to any place in the world. The lack of internet service in rural areas made school instruction for children extremely difficult. It was also very difficult for children who did not have internet at home, if they were not able to afford internet. As a lawmaker, I will advocate for families lacking fast-speed internet or living in rural areas to get access to this essential service at affordable prices. No student should have their instruction delayed or stopped by the lack of technological tools or services.
Gavilian College serves San Benito County and is in a financial crisis. What can you do to ensure there is access to higher education opportunities within the county?
Acevedo-Arreguin: I was a community student at some point in my life and I currently hold an adjunct position at a community college where I teach mathematics. I understand how I will also be vigilant that our natural resources will be an important factor of the equation when new residential developments are under study. Water is a limiting resource for our communities’ survival and just establishing more rental units or building new huge apartment structures in our communities already struggling for better services would complicate our housing problem. We need more affordable housing for homeless, low-income and middle-income families in the right places without detriment of more and better services for our established neighborhoods.
San Justo Reservoir is an important issue for residents. Other than advocating funding for the zebra mussel eradication plan (over $6 million), what else can you do to help reopen it?
Congressman Jimmy Panetta has worked hard to obtain funds to eradicate the invasive zebra mussel. However, people who used to go fishing at the reservoir feel that his work goes very slowly. it is important to know that many people go fishing not just for pleasure but to feed their families. I know from a fishing businessman that there are a lot of fishermen who often fish to help feed their families.
It is important to focus on an experimental treatment for that water such as using potassium chloride. There have been previous experiences showing how this reactant has helped remove those mollusks from bodies of water in other states. Since the difference is just that San Justo Reservoir is an open system compared to the closed system where the potassium chloride treatment was effective, then we need to adapt the procedure for this variable. The experimentation would be a good opportunity to link a local project with our community college and other actors in the region. Through a community effort (which I would like to participate in), we can help solve the water quality problem of San Justo Reservoir…
…Peter Hernandez, 47, was born and raised in San Benito County. He lives in Hollister. He us a small business owner and San Benito County Supervisor. He graduated from San Benito High School.
BenitoLink: San Benito County lacks affordable and adequate broadband service, how can you effectively advocate for funding for equitable internet access in this area?
Hernandez: As a San Benito County Supervisor I serve on the Broadband Ad-Hoc. We have worked with our member organization RCRC (Rural Counties Rural Cities) to extend support for “final mile” broadband projects where access to rural areas, as an example, are limited. In order to best advocate for equal access we must address the looming debt and inflation through putting forward cost-cutting regulations and increasing advocacy for our low-access regions.
Gavilan College serves San Benito County and is in a financial crisis. What can you do to ensure there is access to higher education opportunities within the county?
Hernandez: Government’s greatest strength is facilitating success by opportunity, access and creation. Higher education would be best at responding to shifting market needs by ensuring education is consistent with those needs. I would help facilitate a process to support economic development and job creation with supporting institutions of higher learning and enticing them to my district with education that meets our district’s needs.
San Justo Reservoir is an important issue for residents. Other than advocating funding for the zebra muscle eradication plan (over $6 million), what else can you do to help reopen it?
I have been lobbying the federal government for the last four years to get this problem addressed and resolved. The last contact was with Connie Conway, who was the state executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in hopes that she can help acquire the funding. This has officially been a politicized element at the federal level. We at the Board of Supervisors level have brought the Bureau of Land Management to the table many times with very generalized and weak responses. The mention of a $6 million zebra mussel eradication has been known to be the solution but there has not been any political will to get it done. One of the first things I would do is sit down with the BLM and ask for transparency, a timeline, and expectation for ongoing reporting (time) to report back to the community via town hall, and let them answer directly to the people. Light, like transparency, will clear a path to opening our San Justo Reservoir. Parallel to that, I will lobby my colleagues for the money to get it done…
…Zoe Lofgren, 75, was born, raised and still lives in San Jose. She attended public K-12 schools locally and was the first in her family to graduate from college, receiving a BA from Stanford University on a California State Scholarship, and a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law on another scholarship. Early in her career, she served as a member of staff for Rep. Don Edwards (her predecessor in Congress) for more than eight years in both his San Jose and Washington, D.C., offices. She spent a few years practicing immigration law at the firm Webber and Lofgren and taught immigration law at the University of Santa Clara School of Law. Her first election position was a member of the San Jose Evergreen Community College Board in 1979. That same year, she became the first executive director of the San Jose nonprofit Community Housing Developers. In 1980, she was elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors as part of the first ever female-majority board. She served as supervisor for 14 years. She was first elected to Congress in 1994 as the only freshman Democrat from west of the Rocky Mountains.
BenitoLink: San Benito County lacks affordable and adequate broadband service, how can you effectively advocate for funding for equitable internet access in this area?
Lofgren: Since the early days of the internet, I have prioritized the expansion of broadband services as it impacts local communities and plays an important role in maintaining and growing America’s competitiveness globally. I have consistently advocated and voted for increased federal funding for broadband in Congress. Additionally, I have supported targeted bills to expand high-speed broadband for specific populations, such as bills to ensure there’s plentiful access for first responders and bills to improve access in all public schools (including those in rural and harder-to-reach areas).
Since the COVID pandemic, I have voted in favor or three major pieces of federal legislation that made significant investments in broadband expansion: 1) The CARES Act (which passed in March 2020 at the outset of the pandemic) included a $100 million federal infusion; 2) The American Rescue Plan included more than $350 million for broadband; and 3) The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill provided around $10 million for California alone for a new Affordable Connectivity Program to help low-income households afford broadband internet. As a senior member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I have always made my voice heard on expanding broadband, and plan to continue to do so for the 18th District in the future.
Gavilan College serves San Benito County and is in a financial crisis. What can you do to ensure there is access to higher education opportunities within the county?
Lofgren: Most decisions about allocating school funding, for both K-12 and higher education, are made at the state or local level. However, the federal government provides additional education funding through the annual appropriations process, and I have always been an advocate for increasing education funding during my time in Congress. I believe education is the most important investment we can make. My career and life have been shaped by access to affordable education opportunities and I never take that for granted.
San Justo Reservoir is an important issue for residents. Other than advocating funding for the zebra mussel eradication plan (over $6 million), what else can you do to help reopen it?
In addition to advocating for funding for the zebra mussel eradication plan, I plan to use my experience of brining people together to advance movement on the reopening. Over the years, I have learned just how important it is to bring federal, state and local stakeholders together to collaborate.
For example, for the past few years, I have been leading inter-agency, cross-government meetings on the Anderson Dam reservoir project. That reservoir is located between San Jose and Morgan Hill, and in 2019 I learned there were significant delays on a key improvement project for the dam. I Brough every involved party together in the same room to address miscommunications and to ensure there was a cohesive path for moving forward. That first in-person meeting led to a series of meetings (the most recent one held on March 31) and the public safety project is now on track.
We’re no longer encountering the types of delays we saw before we started the inter-agency meetings. It can be extremely valuable to come together at all levels of government to see progress, and that seems necessary for the San Justo Reservoir protect…
June 1: Progressive Voters Guide posted information titled: “Reelect Congressional Representative Zoe Lofgren to keep CD-18 on the right track for progress” From the information:
The Position: Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district…
…The District: California’s 18th Congressional District includes parts of Santa Clara, Monterrey, San Benito, and and Santa Cruz Counties. Democrats typically hold this district. Of the registered voters in this district, 18% are Republican and 51% are Democrat, and the district’s demographic breakdown is 51% Latino, 14% Asian, and 3% Black. This district is considered to be a strong Latino seat in the California congressional delegation. After the 2021 redistricting process, CD-18 is 3% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle. The most recent election results show that CD-18 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 42 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 39 points.
The Race: There are four candidates running for this seat, including Democratic Incumbent Zoe Lofgren and Republican Challenger Jeff Gorman. Lofgren’s campaign has raised more than $900,000 and is not funded by police money. Rep. Lofgren’s campaign has also received donations from tech firms, such as Amazon, Facebook, and Google, even as polls have shown that voters in the district are concerned about tech companies’ economic power and lack of accountability. Gorman is a Republican whose platform is copied from the California GOP’s overall platform.
The Recommendation: …Rep. Lofgren’s priorities for CD-19 this year have included 26 bills about civil liberties, gun control, and women, all of which have successfully passed the House. She currently chairs the Committee on House Administration. This year, Rep. Lofgren has voted 100% of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 96% of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez…
…As the representative for the heart of Silicon Valley, she has been active on internet and technology issues. She fought the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the NSA surveillance of Americans, and recently introduced the Online Privacy Act. However, she has been criticized for not taking a stronger stance on holding Big Tech more accountable, even on antitrust bills that have bipartisan support and despite strong support from her constituents. Lofgren has been a strong supporter of women’s rights, abortion protections, and LGBQTIA+ equity, and has led the implementation of the House of Representatives’ mandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination trainings…
June 2: San Benito.com posted an article titled: “Meet the candidates: 18th U.S. Congressional District” From the article:
The race for the newly drawn 18th U.S. Congressional District features two challengers to the incumbency of Congressmember Zoe Lofgren, who is vying for her 14th consecutive term.
But Lofgren has not yet represented San Benito County in Congress, as her district lines were redrawn earlier this year based on the 2020 U.S. Census data. She has previously served in the 19th Congressional District.
Challenging her in the 18th District are U.S. Citizenship Instructor Luis Acevedo-Arrguin and San Benito County Supervisor Peter Hernandez…
…The Free Lance reached out to all three candidates with a list of questions so our readers could get to know a little more about them. However, only Lofgren responded.
Lofgren is a former partner in an immigration law firm, has served on the board of San Jose Evergreen Community College and as Executive Director of Community Housing Developers. She was first elected to Congress in 1994.
Acevedo-Arreguin in the past 20 years has held several jobs, including as a lab technician for an agricultural company and a teacher, according to his candidate statement posted on the registrar of voters website. He currently helps immigrants become U.S. citizens by obtaining temporary legal status.
“I want to represent you in the U.S. Congress to work with other lawmakers so we can accomplish immigration reform, to attain more affordable health care for low and middle class families, and to ensure that our rights and freedoms in the Constitution will always be protected,” his candidate statement says.
Hernandez, a Hollister business owner, is currently serving the final year of a four-year term on the county’s board of supervisors. He previously served on the Hollister School District Board of Education.
“Our costs of living are skyrocketing. We are paying too much for gas, food, and all other daily needs,” Hernandez said in his candidate statement. “Crime is increasing in our neighborhoods. When elected to Congress, I will support policies/sponsor bills that will reduce inflation and put criminals in jail…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 18:
Zoe Lofgren (D): 56.3% – 47,843 votes
Peter Hernandez (R): 31.3% – 26,599 votes
Luis Acevedo-Arreguin (Independent): 12.4% – 10,513 votes
June 19: CBS News posted a transcript titled: “Transcript: Rep. Zoe Lofgren on “Face The Nation,” June 19, 2022″ From the transcript:
Margaret Brennan: We now want to go to Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren from California. She is in San Jose. Good morning to you. You’re one of the investigators on this Select Committee, and I think one of the most powerful moments was when the retired conservative judge Judge Lutting said that he sees a clear and present danger today. He said there could be further attempts to subvert American democracy in 2024. What exactly is the threat you see?
Representative Zoe Lofgren: Well, I think Judge Luttig said it very well. And by the way, he is a very conservative man once considered by Republicans for the Supreme Court. I think his concern and I share it is that the former president is continuing to campaign to undercut confidence in the election system. They are installing a loyalist who say that the election was stolen and states were going to count the votes. They clearly tried to get the Vice President to throw the actual votes out and replace electors with the losing candidate. And it looks like that’s in the works for the next election as well. It’s a great concern.
Margaret Brennan: So to be clear, there are about 100 Republican candidates for office right now who are repeating that they are election deniers they’re repeating some of what President Trump still claims. At least five of them have won their primaries. Have you found any direct links between any of those candidates and the grift that you have been tracking?
Rep. Lofgren: Well, we are going to release additional information. I’ve got the staff working on it right now. Obviously the hearings are a couple of hours each and you can’t lay out all the information that’s been compiled. So I know there’s been substantial interest in the – the big rip off and we will provide additional information to the public soon…
Ballotpedia provided information about Peter Hernandez:
Peter Hernandez (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 18th Congressional District. Hernandez lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Peter Hernandez’s career experience includes owning Ohana Shave Ice.
Ballotpedia provided information from Peter Hernandez’s campaign website:
Renew. Public Safety
The Rule of law & bring back safe communities.
Decriminalization laws, defund the police movements, and an intentional weakening of our rule of law has made our communities unsafe. To address the need. Congress like the local government have deferred their authority for too long. Between the divisive top down policies and the deferral of local authority we have been riper loss of freedom.
Restore. Parents rights to educate their children
Parents should have the right to educate their children. It’s time for parents to get what they paid for, an education for their children they can control. In 2014 as a School board member i saw a change in ED code where the term Pupil which defined the parent and student as one, changed to student, and the dangerous policies followed. Fast forward to today, where mandates and lockdowns forced their children into a lose, lose situation.
Revive. The middle class
The middle class is the muscle of our economy * As a small business owner deeply connected to the business community we have felt the pain of not just the lockdowns but increasing regulatory burdens * 40,000 businesses closed during the pandemic, half of them never to open again. * Small businesses – 20 employees yet bear largest regulatory burdens. This reality makes the individual a key piece of the American economy, playing a critical role in its success and growth.
The official website of Peter Hernandez has the following information on its about page:
Peter Hernandez is a first generation Mexican-American. He was born and raised in San Benito County, California, by parents who worked the fields, and he grew up in the agricultural community. He bought his first bike after working as a laborer in the Apricots Orchards as a young boy. His parents instilled in him a strong work ethic, a love for God, and a deep respect for the American dream and American exceptionalism.
As a small business owner today, Peter understands firsthand the dedication and creativity required for a small business to thrive. And as a Hispanic man, Peter is dedicated to encouraging Hispanic families in the civic and electoral process, and looks forward to serving as their voice and representative in US Congress.
Peter currently holds office as a County Supervisor for San Benito County. He is passionate about restoring representative government as originally intended – local people representing and enriching local communities – as opposed to government serving and enriching itself. During the pandemic shutdowns, Peter stood against the overreaches of the state, believing the local communities should decide for themselves how to best care for and protect their constituents. He worked to keep businesses open, knowing how vital they are to the health of the local economy.
Peter is an America First candidate who stands against the harmful progressive policies of the Biden administration and the current Democrat Congress…
Ballotpedia provided information about Luis Acevedo-Arreguin:
Luis Acevedo-Arreguin was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. Acevedo – Arreguin’s career experience includes working as a high school teacher, a college instructor, and a U.S. citizenship instructor.
Ballotpedia provided information about Luis Acevedo-Arreguin’s campaign website:
IMMIGRATION REFORM
We need to fight for an immigration reform that grants a permanent lawful residence status for all DACA dreamers and for all essential workers, who despite their immigration status, have helped our communities survive the most terrible pandemic of our century.
We need to fight for a permanent legal status for all our agricultural workers who, despite severe working conditions, continue to work every single day in the fields of the Salinas valley to cultivate and pick the vegetables that our families need at their tables. Our agricultural workers constantly work very long hours in extremely hazardous working conditions, such as working through the pandemic, being exposed to toxic air quality due to fires, heatwaves and heavy rain. Farmworkers feed our nation and we need to protect them.
We need immigration reform now – one that offers a pathway to citizenship for as many undocumented immigrants as possible. We also need to be realistic when we work towards a comprehensive immigration reform bill. An all-or-nothing immigration reform bill generally only favors the political groups that are opposed to immigration reform since it will take much longer for undocumented immigrants to become citizens. We need to come to an agreement with all parties so that we can help as many undocumented immigrants as possible. While we may not be able to guarantee a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants immediately, we need to work towards a pathway for all undocumented immigrants by breaking down our long term immigration reform plan into smaller, more attainable goals. As we make progress and are able to create a pathway to citizenship for more undocumented immigrants, then we can work on encouraging as many new citizens to vote. It is my hope that these new citizens will also empower and educate others in their communities to vote. Through a collective community effort, we will be able to continue working towards our long term plan for a comprehensive immigration reform. Through smaller and more consistent victories, we can increase our electoral influence so that we can attain permanent legal status for all. We are stronger together.
MORE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR LOW-INCOME & MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES
The economic impact that the pandemic left in our communities made our middle class families more vulnerable to health care struggles. Long before the pandemic, many families were going bankrupt due to unexpected medical bills from emergencies. The pandemic only worsened our country’s health care inequalities. As COVID-19 spread rapidly, more and more families were finding themselves in debt from medical expenses. Certainly, some stimulus checks helped those families cope with the everyday basic expenses but some medical bills were still too high.
We need to pursue legislation that will allow low income and middle class families to deal with the costs of unexpected medical expenses without putting at risk all their savings – that under different circumstances may have been used to pay rent or for their children’s education. During these past two years, many middle class families have transitioned from middle class to low income due to the financial impact of the pandemic.
Access to affordable healthcare should not be a privilege. Our families should not have to go bankrupt in order to pay for medical expenses after an emergency. We need a more humane, just, and affordable healthcare system that works for ALL – not just the very few.
MORE AFFORDABLE COLLEGE FOR LOW-INCOME & MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES
We live in a district where many of our children’s parents work in the agricultural fields. Oftentimes, many children are not able to graduate high school or pursue a higher education because they drop out of school in order to start working and supporting their families financially. If higher education was affordable, it would encourage more parents and families to view pursuing a higher education as a more viable investment into not only the future of their families, but also the future of their communities.
Keeping higher education unaffordable is an injustice that continues to target low and middle class families.
If our country is able to support other countries in times of need, such as in times of war or during the pandemic, then our country should be able to support its own people by providing access to affordable higher education.
The community colleges in every region where poverty levels are high should receive government support so their students from low-income and middle class families can pursue a degree that will allow them to break the poverty cycle in which they live. Our country is missing the value and the economic impact new graduates from community colleges can bring to their own communities. College education should be free. If not free, we need to make it affordable. Students should at the very least have access to work-study programs at their college or university. Participating in a work-study program helped me tremendously in finishing my graduate degree.
DEFENDING OUR CONSTITUTION
In difficult times and when democracy is at risk in other countries we have to be ready to defend our Constitution and our basic rights and freedoms. The unalienable rights outlined in our Bill of Rights are the cornerstone to why so many of us have immigrated to this beautiful country.
We should not succumb to the constant pressures put in place by various powerful special interest groups aimed at confusing and dividing our nation, leading us to easily give up our freedoms in the name of survival. These are the times to review the history of the United States and recognize that our Constitution is the vigorous stem from which all our freedoms branch from. We have to remind ourselves during every crisis that we immigrated to this country because of the rights that allow low-income families to pursue a better life, for the idea of achieving our American dream. Don’t forget that, “en los Estados Unidos sí se puede!” and that future generations depend on our resolution to defend our Constitution. You can count on me to be persistent and vigilant in defending our Constitution from any attempts to subvert or damage the freedoms that have allowed minorities to have a voice and succeed in America.
August 14: BenitoLink posted an article titled: “Monterey County Farm Bureau endorses Peter Hernandez for Congress” From the article:
Peter Hernandez for Congress announced received an endorsement from the Monterey County Farm Bureau.
According to the statement from the Farm Bureau in the news release, Hernandez interviewed with the directors of the Farm Bureau and stated he believes in policies that support law enforcement and community safety, talking inflationary pressures due to overspending by government, and support improving immigration policies and the farm employment sector.
“Farmers and their families who grow the food we depend on are being threatened with closure due to overarching government reach on traditional fertilization practices in the name of the environment,” Hernandez said in the news release. “The policies being pushed upon them are threatening their ability to maintain production and make ends meet threatening closure. I will fight to maintain farmers autonomy and support farmer’s choice policies.”
The release added that Monterey County Farm Bureau was founded in 1917 and represents farmers and ranchers in the interest of promoting and protecting agriculture throughout Monterey County.
“We strive to improve the ability of those engaged in production agriculture to provide a reliable source of food and fiber through reasonable stewardship in our local resources,” the Farm Bureau said in the release…
October 14: Monterey Herald posted an article titled: “Congress: Lofgren, Hernandez face off in District 18; Panetta, Gorman in District 19” From the article:
In November’s general election for the House of Representatives, Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren will go head-to-head with Republican Peter Hernandez in the District 18 race, while Democratic Rep. Jimmy Panetta will face Republican challenger Jeff Gorman to represent District 19.
Monterey County voters will be among those deciding who will lead the two newly defined congressional districts in what used to be District 20 led by Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, now made up of Districts 18 and 19.
District 18, which covers an area from San Jose to South Monterey County, will see either incumbent Lofgren, D-San Jose, who received 46.51% of the vote in the June primary, or challenger Hernandez, R-Hollister, who tallied 35.43% of the vote, named the House representative for the district.
Lofgren has been a member of the U.S. House for 27 years, currently representing the 19th District. She is a lifelong Bay Area resident, and a graduate of Stanford University and the Santa Clara University School of Law. She currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, and the Committee on House Administration. Lofgren is a chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, and a former immigration attorney and immigration law professor.
Hernandez is a first-generation Mexican American, business owner and lifelong resident of San Benito County. He has served on the Hollister School District Board and is currently serving his first term on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, a partnership with the city of Hollister brought about the Downtown Revitalization Project and a lease agreement with the Hollister High School for the building of Riverview Regional Park…
November 8: Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 18:
Zoe Lofgren (D): 64.9% – 48,049 votes
Peter Hernandez (R): 35.1% – 25,954 votes
November 18: The New York Times posted the results of California’s 18th District:
Zoe Lofgren (Democrat): 99,776 votes – 65.9%
Peter Hernandez (Republican): 51,737 votes – 34.1%
California’s 19th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 19th Congressional district:
California’s 19th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California currently represented by Democrat Jimmy Panetta.
Following redistricting in 2021, the district includes most of Santa Cruz County and parts of Santa Clara County, Monterey County and San Luis Obispo County. The new 19th district includes the south side of San Jose and the entire cities of Santa Cruz, Monterey, Seaside, Paso Robles and Atascadero…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 19th district is located on the Central Coast. It encompasses most of Santa Cruz County, the interior of Santa Clara County, the north of San Luis Obispo County, and the coast of Monterey County.
Santa Clara County is split between this county, the 16th district, and the 18th district. The 19th and 16th are partitioned by Old Santa Cruz Highway, Aldercroft Hts Rd, Weaver Rd, Soda Springs Rd, Love Harris Rd, Pheasant Creek, Guadalupe Creek, Guadalupe Mines Rd, Oak Canyon Dr, Coleman Rd, Meridian Ave, Highway G8, Guadalupe River, W Capitol Expressway, Center Rd, Sylvandale Ave, Yerba Buena Rd, Silver Creek Rd, and E Capitol Expressway.
The 19th and 18th are partitioned by Pajaro River, Highway 129, W Beach St, Lee Rd, Highway 1, Harkins Slough Rd, Harkins Slough, Old Adobe Rd, Corralitos Creek, Varin Rd, Pioneer Rd, Green Valley Rd, Casserly Rd, Mt Madonna Rd, The 19th district takes in the south west section of San Jose.
Monterey County is split between this district and the 18th district. They are partitioned by Union Pacific, Highway G12, Elkhorn Rd, Echo Valley Rd, Maher Rd, Maher Ct, La Encina Dr, Crazy Horse Canyon Rd, San Juan Grade Rd, Highway 101, Espinosa Rd, Castroville Blvd, Highway 156, Highway 1, Tembladero Slough, Highway 183, Cooper Rd, Blanco Rd, Salinas River, Davis Rd, Hitchcock Rd, Highway 68, E Blanco Rd, Nutting St, Abbot St, Highway G7, Limekiln Creek, Likekiln Rd, Rana Creek, Tularcitos Creek, Highway G16, Tessajara Rd, Camp Creek, Lost Valley Creek, Lost Valley Conn, N Coast Rdg, 2 Central Coa, Cone Peak Rd, Nacimiento Fergusson Rd, Los Bueyes Creek, and the Monterey County Southern border. The 19th district takes in the cities of Monterey, Seaside, Pacific Grove, and Marina, as well as most of the census -designated place Trundle.
San Luis Obispo County is split between this district and the 24th district. They are partitioned by Highway 1, Cayucos Creek Rd, Thunder Canyon Rd, Old Creek Rd, Santa Rita Rd, Tara Creek, Fuentes Rd, Highway 41, San Miguel Rd, Palo Verde Rd, Old Morro Rd, Los Osos Rd, San Rafael Rd, Atascadero Ave, San Antonio Rd, N Santa Margarita Rd, Santa Clara Rd, Rocky Canyon Rd, Highway 229, Lion Ridge Rd, O’Donovan Rd, Highway 58, Calf Canyon Highway, La Panza Rd, Upton Rd, Camatta Creek Rd, San Juan Creek and Bitterwater Rd. The 19th district takes in the cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles.
Ballotpedia provided information about Jimmy Panetta:
Jimmy Panetta (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 19th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
Panetta (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 19th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 7, 2022.
Panetta first won election to the seat in 2016 where he defeated Casey Lucius (R) in the general election by more than 160,000 votes. In the 2018 general election, Panetta defeated Independent Ronald Paul Kabat by more than 141,000 votes.
Panetta started his legal career in 1996, working as a prosecutor for the Alameda County District Attorney’s office in Oakland. Panetta served as the deputy district attorney of Monterey County, where he was responsible for prosecuting violent gang members. In 2007, Panetta served on active duty with a Special Operations task force in Afghanistan and was awarded a Bronze Star for his combat service.
Jimmy Panetta did not fill out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection for 2022 or 2020.
Ballotpedia provided information from Jimmy Panetta’s website (from 2016):
Comprehensive Immigration Reform: He believes that the time has come for Congress to stop playing politics and get serious about passing common sense immigration reform. America must recognize that children of immigrants born in this county – the so called “dreamers” – should have the chance to earn their way to citizenship in this country
Education: Jimmy is committed to making sure the Every School Succeeds Act (ESSA) achieves its goals of providing opportunity to every child, reducing the overreliance on standardized testing, and bringing educators into the decision-making process.
Economy and Job Creation: Expanding the local economy, investing in innovation and clean energy, raising wages, supporting workers through job training programs, and helping small businesses grow will be top priorities for Jimmy.
Protecting Our Environment: Jimmy knowns that collaboration is the key to getting competing interests to work together for common good because our local economy, tourism, and agriculture are all dependent upon protection of our water, farmland, and forests.
Affordable Health Care: Jimmy believes that everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care. California is helping lead the nation by enrolling eligible individuals and families through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Ballotpedia provided information about Jeff Gorman:
Jeff Gorman (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 19th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Jeff Gorman was born in Monterey, California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Berkeley in 1992.
Jeff Gorman did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection Survey. Ballotpedia provided provided the answers he gave to the 2020 Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions Jeff Gorman responded to:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself?
As a life-long resident of the Monterey Peninsula, I appreciate the beauty and community we enjoy in the 20th Congressional District of California. Serving the community as Representative to the National Capitol would be a tremendous honor. I believe in the power of America. And my belief in a healthy private economy has grown to be a passion.
From early in life, I recall pondering the totalitarian politics manifest during World War II by socialist governments in Italy and Germany. How could that happen? Through my childhood, we lived for years under threat of nuclear war with organized International Communism under the Soviets. How could they think Communism would work? And now, we face another tremendous challenge to the American Way of Life: the current state-run Corporatism of today’s China.
America is the leader of the Free World. We must accept that mangle. We must not appease malicious threats to navigation of trade. We must not accede to terrorism. And we must identify the threat of state-led industrial espionage by powers who are not our friends.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A strong economy helps all of our other priorities.
National security is the primary reason for having a Federal Government.
The US economy is great because of our industrious people and our freedoms, especially to keep private property. Local, State and Federal government must be reminded to respect our rights!
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Industrial Policy National Security
Ballotpedia provided information on Dalila Epperson:
Dalila Epperson (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 19th Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Dalila Epperson was born at Camp LeJuene, North Carolina. Epperson’s career experience includes owning and operating two businesses and working as a vocational nurse at a mentally ill lockdown facility for the institutionally insane.
Dallia Epperson completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions she answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I understand this is no longer about political affiliation, it’s about our freedoms being taken away. Besides being a grassroots leader/organizer, I am the proud wife of a firefighter and Navy Veteran, mom of 3 adult children and 2 beautiful grandchildren. I am Italian and Sicilian- and Italian was my first language. I was born at Camp LeJeune (my father is USMC) and have lived in a couple of countries and several states. I have worked since I was 15 and have owned and operated two small businesses alongside several careers. Most recently before retiring, I was a Nurse at a mentally ill locked-down facility for the institutionally insane.
I am and have been standing and fighting for the freedoms that are being stripped away from us daily through these mandates and shutdowns with mine and other grassroots groups – we must always have the choice to choose what’s best for our children.
I have actively and publicly fought Central Coast public issues: Critical Race Theory, the extreme Sex Ed taught in our schools, defending and supporting law enforcement, protecting local farmers, supporting our small businesses, and attending Supervisor meetings to oppose all mask and vaccination mandates. (not anti-vax, anti-mandate) Everyone is fed up with RINOs! We need real people to lead. People who want our nation back in the direction our Founding Fathers envisioned through our Constitution. Send this Patriotic Freedom Fighter to Congress!
Q: Please list below 3 messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voter to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Enough! It’s no longer about politics or parties, race or religions, it’s about our freedom. I am not a politician. And I am sick of the RINO’s (Republican In Name Only.) I will represent you and I will fight for our freedom because that is what is most important about being an American.
America was built on freedom! Stop all Mandates, No Forced Critical Race Theory or Explicit Sex Ed Teachings to Our Children, Voter ID is a Must, Support our Police and Protect Our Border!
Government has become a huge monster in all of our lives. Our Constitution is in place to protect Individual Sovereignty as well as State Sovereignty. Let’s get this monster in check and bring our freedoms back. Let Freedom Reign!
Q: What areas of public policy are you passionate about?
1) As a mom and grandmother, I am especially passionate about our public schools. We need to replace the schoolboards with parents! My team has been working on promoting and teaching parents to run for schoolboard and we’ve been very successful. 2) The Second Amendment is especially precious. Without it, we will be bullied and coerced to do as the government dictates. It is a must to protect and I will happily continue to fight for it to be completely unfringed. 3) Voting ID Legislation to protect the integrity of our votes: We will become a 1 Party Rule if our votes cease to count. The fraud that has been taking place for decades must once and for all be stopped. 4) Protect Our Borders- We will no longer be America without the protection of our borders. Illegal immigrants are not immigrants, they are illegal. I am a first generation on my mother’s side so I understand this more than some. 5) Fund and protect our Police. Our police is what stops the chaos in our neighborhoods. They serve us, let’s serve them by keeping them well funded. 6) We will be prosperous if our economy is stable. And that can happen if our taxes are lowered and we stop printing money. It happens naturally when Small Businesses are allowed to thrive and we middle class Americans can work and thrive alongside policies that create this environment. It’s not a difficult feat to achieve. But the Federal Government must be stopped in printing money and spending as it sees fit.
Ballotpedia provided information about Douglas Deitch:
Douglas Deitch (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 19th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Douglas Deitch was born in San Francisco, California. Deitch earned a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in 1971 and a degree from Stanford University Law School in 1974. His career experience includes founding and working as the CEO of Monterey Bay Conservancy.
Douglas Deitch filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Douglas Deitch: Born San Francisco, December 12, 1948… Dia de La Virgen de Guadalupe
Education: Stanford BA /wDistinction Political Science (1967-70), Stanford Law School JM/1974 (received both BA and Law JM in record 5 year time).
In 1970 at 21 years of age, my high school sweetheart Elaine and I eloped to Mazatlan from Stanford and then moved into our present mountain home he in the absolute corner of Aptos Rancho in 1974, where we have been ever since. We now include our children Alisha 42, her husband Clay, Dakota 18, Hudson 15, and our son Jake 40, all Monterey Bay natives.
I am very concerned about our Monterey Bay regional water and numerous other unaddressed Federal issues here.
I have unsuccessfully been trying for well over 24 years (http:www.samfarr.info) to meet with my Congressman about our regional 19th District wide groundwater commons overdraft seawater intrusion tragedy http://www.begentlewiththeearth.org, disaster, and food security concern, and solutions and other pressing issues like immediate DACA and other immigration/safety legislation. Expansion of USCS to Watsonville, NDAA, EMP-CME, Oroville possible Golden Gate dams issues, twin tunnels, Monterey Bay Estuarine National Monument. http://.www.thebestthatmoneycantbuy.com http:/.www.dougdeich.com
My only special interest group is you…
I need your vote and help.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voter to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Mahatma Ghandi: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
March 4: NBCUniversal (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Rep. Jimmy Panetta: U.S. ‘leading by example’ putting forward bill to ban Russian energy imports” From the article:
1 Community Safety/Law and Order2 Sustainable 19th District and California Water Policy and Law and Economic Development3 Immediate DACA and all Immigration and Law and Policy Reform
Q: Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?
Mahatma Ghandi: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
March 4: NBCUniversal (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Rep. Jimmy Panetta: U.S. ‘leading by example’ putting forward bill to ban Russian energy imports” From the article:
Armed Services Committee member Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Foreign Affairs Committee member Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) join Garrett Haake to discuss the heightened urgency for U.S. lawmakers to pass an emergency aid package to Ukraine as Russian attacks become more deadly and dangerous. “I do believe we will quickly get this through Congress to provide the support, humanitarian and lethal aid to Ukraine that they need,” says Representative Spanberger. Representative Panetta also shares the importance of a bill that would “cut off Russian oil coming into the United States.” He explains that “by putting forward this bill which bans these imports, we’re leading by example. Hopefully, Europe will follow soon.”
Ballotpedia provided the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 19:
Jimmy Panetta (D): 70.2% – 54,023 votes
Jeff Gorman (R): 21.8% – 16,741 votes
Dalia Epperson (R): 5.1% – 3,889 votes
Douglas Deitch (D): 2.9% – 2,269
October 10: KEYT.com posted an interview with Jimmy Panetta. From the interview:
Why are you running for office?
Jimmy Panetta: I am running for reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives so that I can continue to serve the people of our home and fight for our Central Coast values. Although the shape of our congressional district changed, it does not change my dedication and desire to enhance the lives of my constituents. Through my casework for individual constituents, I have helped provide opportunities for numerous people that have had a variety of issues with federal bureaucracies. Through my federal legislation, I am creating policies to protect our environment, provide more affordable housing and accessible healthcare, lower drug prices, support our agriculture industry and small businesses, enhance our national security, and invest in our infrastructure. Having been raised on the Central Coast, I understand the obligation to give back to our communities and country. That is why I hope to continue to have the honor and privilege of representing our home and fighting for our values in Washington D.C.
What makes you qualified for the job?
I have served in the U.S. House of Representatives for just over five years. In that limited amount of time, I have proven that I can get things done in Congress for our home on the Central Coast. I have authored and had signed into law several pieces of federal legislation that supported our men and women in the military and their families, enhanced the lives of homeless veterans, helped manage our federal forests, and ensured security for those in hospice care.
I have fought and secured millions in federal funding for affordable housing, farmworker protections, and infrastructure investment. I also helped author the Farm Bill and the USMCA trade bill to protect and promote our speciality crops and wine industry at home and abroad.
I led the effort to successfully revers the previous Administration’s harmful environmental regulations in order to sustain coastal and ocean resources. I secured compensation for restaurants, small businesses, farmers, farmworkers, and hospice care providers to offset losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. I co-authored the House passed bipartisan Farm Worker Modernization Act to provide opportunities for earned citizenship for essential workers.
Recently, I secured funds in the bipartisan infrastructure law that could be invested in key Central Coast projects including water resources, wildfire resiliency, energy grids, and supply chain solutions. In recent House-passed legislation, I secured key funds for agricultural resources and conservation and tax credits for investments in micrograms and linear generators and purchases of electronic buses and e-bikes to help reduce carbon emissions…
What are your two main priorities if you win?
Affordable housing is a leading issue in the new 19th Congressional District. Fortunately, I have proven my ability to provide solutions and assistance for such a troublesome problem on the Central Coast. In my limited time in Congress, I fought for and secured over $100 million for housing and homelessness programs in my current congressional district. During the pandemic, I obtained $23 million in housing relief and an additional $16 million for rental assistance for Central Coast residents. I am also fighting for more low-income housing tax credits for the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing. I authored and passed a tenant bill of rights for residents of privatized military housing in the annual defense bill. Moreover, I have consistently supported increased in housing allowances for farmworkers, seniors, and people with disabilities, as well as energy efficient and climate resilient upgrades to federally assisted housing…
October 14: Monterey Herald posted an article titled: “Congress: Lofgren, Hernandez face off in District 18; Panetta, Gorman in District 19” From the article:
In November’s general election for the U.S. House of Representatives, Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren will go head-to-head with Republican Peter Hernandez in the District 18 race, while Democratic Rep. Jimmy Panetta will face Republican challenger Jeff Gorman to represent District 19.
Monterey County voters will be among those deciding who will lead the two newly defined congressional districts in what used to be District 20 led by Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, now made up of Districts 18 and 19…
…District 19 covers an area starting north of Santa Cruz inland to San Jose then southward along the coast including the Monterey Peninsula, the Big Sur area and to northern San Luis Obispo County, including Paso Robles and Atascadero. The upcoming election will decide if incumbent Panetta, who received 70.13% of the June primary vote, or Gorman, R-Monterey, who got 23.18% of the vote, will be the next House representative for the district.
Panetta has represented the current 20th Congressional District since 2017 and grew up on the Monterey Peninsula. He has worked as a prosecutor for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office in Oakland, as deputy district attorney in Monterey County and the U.S. military with a special operations task force in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. He currently sits on the House Committee on Ways and Means, the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Armed Services.
Gorman is a Monterey native who earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. He is a financial businessman and entrepreneur who holds two degrees and various security licenses…
October 17: KEYT.com posted an article titled: “Panetta vs. Gorman for Congress in District 19, including Northern SLO County” From the article:
Democrat Congressman Jimmy Panetta and Republican challenger Jeff Gorman have divergent views on the role they should play in Washington D.C. Both men are running to represent parts of Northern San Luis Obispo County in U.S. Congress District 19.
“I’m not here to brag about what I’m going to do for other people,” Gorman said. “I think that’s a terrible trap that people are hungry for power set in order to get people into a subjective mindset where they are dependent on the government for things. I want the American people to be independent of the need for a Federal Government handout.”
Panetta is seeking a fourth term in Congress.
“In this job, you really can affect people’s lives,” Panetta said. “You can do that through case work. You can do that through Federal legislation, and you can do that through Federal funding. Obviously, I’ve seen it in the tens of thousands of people that we’ve worked with and helped with that personal government issue.”
Panetta represents District 20 in Congress. With district lines being redrawn after the most recent census, he is now running to represent District 19.
October 24: KSBY posted an article titled: “Jimmy Panetta, Jeff Gorman face off for District 19″ From the article:
The race for the U.S. House District 19 seat is down to two candidates.
Democrat Jimmy Panetta and Republican Jeff Gorman are facing off in the November General Election.
The district was just redrawn, now including northern San Luis Obispo County.
“The goal right now is to make sure that the 55 percent new voters of the 19th Congressional District get to know me,” said Democratic candidate Jimmy Panetta.
“We want working people to be able to get the fuel they need to work. We want our kids well-educated, and we want to know that smart people are in charge of our national security,” said Republican candidate Jeff Gorman.
Panetta currently represents District 20.
“As someone who was raised here, I believe that I understand the obligations we have not just to live here, but to serve here,” Panetta said. “I think that’s proven based on my service as a prosecutor, service in the U.S. Navy as an Afghanistan war vet, and then looking at my past six years as a representative for the Central Coast.”
Gorman is a Monterey resident serving as a financial adviser.
“My first job out of college was dealing with restructuring and helping Latin America get out of bankruptcy,” Gorman said. “My grandmother taught me as a little kid about fairness and about understanding and conceiving of a God that’s watching injustice in it from a heavenly perspective.”
Both candidates say their goal is to preserve the Central Coast, assisting with the physical and financial landscape.
“I am making sure our beauty is protected, our bounty, and our agriculture is protected,” Panetta said. “We have military bases and bedrooms, making sure affordable housing is available for people.”
“All of us have an interest in the federal government balancing its budget, which the current and the current Congress have utterly failed to do,” Gorman said. “That is why we have inflation.”…
…”I’ve made it a point to get down here in many of the communities here in the northern part of San Luis Obispo County,” Panetta said.
“Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, and Gavin Newsom have taken this country and the state in the wrong direction,” Gorman added…
…Because of redistricting, Panetta is considered the incumbent for the new District 19…
Ballotpedia provided the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 19:
Jimmy Panetta (D): 67.3% – 91,936 votes
Jeff Gorman (R): 32.7% – 44,596 votes
California’s 20th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 20th Congressional District:
California’s 20th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. sate of California. Serving much of southern and southeastern part of the state’s Central Valley, the district is currently represented by Republican Kevin McCarthy, the current House Speaker.
Redistricting in 2022 returned the district to the San Joaquin Valley. The new 20th includes parts of Kern, Tulare, Kings, and Fresno counties. It includes the southern Sierra Nevada and western Mojave Desert, with three “fingers” extending west into the valley. Cities in the district include Clovis, Tehachapi, Ridgecrest, Taft, Lemoore, the west and northeast sides of Bakersfield, the south side of Visalia, the northeast side of Tulare, the north side of Hanford, and a sliver of northeastern Fresno including California State University, Fresno. The new 20th district is the most Republican-leaning district in California, according to the 2022 Cook Partisan Voting Index.
Prior to 2022, it encompassed much of the Central Coast region. The district included Monterrey and San Benito counties, most of Santa Cruz County, and portions of Santa Clara County.
Prior to redistricting on 2011, the 20th district was located in San Joaquin Valley. It covered Kings County and portions of Fresno and Kern counties, including most of the city of Fresno. That area is now largely divided between the 21st and 16th districts, while most of the current 20th was within the former 17th.
Ballotpedia provided information about Kevin McCarthy:
Kevin McCarthy (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 20th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.
McCarthy (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
McCarthy was selected to be the House minority leader in the 116th Congress. On January 7, 2023, McCarthy was elected speaker of the U.S. House in the 118th Congress.
McCarthy represented California’s 22nd Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2007 to 2013. He began his political career in the California State Assembly, serving from 2002 to 2007. He was Assembly Minority Leader from 2004 to 2006.
McCarthy endorsed Donald Trump for the Republican primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.
Kevin McCarthy did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Kevin McCarthy’s 2018 campaign website:
Executive Overreach: The Constitution is clear: the structure and stability of our democratic system depends on the President executing the laws passed by Congress – not unilaterally rewriting them. The separation of powers and its checks and balances are designed to protect individual rights and we must continue to act to ensure they are preserved for future generations.
Water: Though we can’t legislate rain, we can overcome federal and state policies that are exacerbating our historic water shortage. Even as El Nino storms provided much needed rain and snow, out-of-touch activists and regulators have idly let water flush out into the ocean instead of capturing it for our communities. By increasing pumping, investing in infrastructrure, and making meaningful changes to our water management regulations we will be able to deliver our communities a reliable water supply.
Enhancing Competitiveness: To produce a business-friendly environment, create jobs, and allow American businesses to compete in a global marketplace, we must keep burdensome taxes low and reduce unnecessary and duplicative regulator red tape.Taxes: There are some in Congress who wish to increase taxes on American families and businesses, so that more money can be spent on Washington programs. We must fight against irresponsible indulgence; taking more from taxpayers does not create jobs or grow prosperity.
Taxes: There are some in Congress who wish to increase taxes on American families and businesses, so that more money can be spent on Washington programs. We must fight against irresponsible indulgence; taking more from taxpayers does not create jobs or grow prosperity.
Securing our Borders: It’s time to secure the border, enforce our laws, and find a real solution. We are a nation of immigrants, but also a nation of laws. Securing the border has to be the first step in developing a realistic solution to our country’s broken immigration system.
Ballotpedia provided information about Marisa Wood:
Marisa Wood (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Marisa Wood was born in Danville, California. Wood’s career experience includes working as a public school English teacher.
Marisa Wood did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Marisa Wood’s 2022 campaign website:
FOSSIL FUEL PLEDGE
I have proudly signed the pledge to not accept any donation from the Fossil Fuel Industry.
PROMISE TO CONSTITUENTS
Every vote I make; every piece of legislation I advance will be grounded this question – am I meeting the needs of the constituents who depend on me?
EDUCATION
As an educator for over 25 years, I know the foundational value of equitable education and the positive impacts on our Central Valley families and students. Education is the great equalizer. Regardless of where a student starts, their opportunities are limitless through education. I have been inspired by my students, who are the first in their family to go to college. I have been inspired by my students living with their whole family in a small trailer but still, show up with their homework done. Their academic success is a beacon of hope for us all.
In Congress, I will continue my job of educating but will focus on teaching politicians in Washington about the importance of investing in our students, from worker training programs and making college more affordable.
From leading Restorative Practices on campus to teaching high achieving students and English learners, my vision has been clear – students come first! Today’s students are our brightest hope for the future! We must prepare them to meet that future with intelligence, integrity, and compassion.
HEALTHCARE
As a teacher for the past 21 years in the Fairfax school district, I have seen my students and their families struggle accessing affordable quality healthcare. We must find a fiscally responsible plan that meets the diverse needs of our families who have limited access to the essential healthcare they and their families need while not sacrificing the quality of care. Individuals and families’ needs are different in terms of their healthcare to include public buy-in options that are affordable and accessible to all which would include expanding Medicare coverage to allow people to buy-in. No one should have to choose between putting food on the table, going to the doctor, or taking their medication. We see today with the COVID-19 pandemic, how the nation came together to solve one of our most pressing public health emergencies. This is proof that we can meet our healthcare needs when we can put people and their healthcare first…
…REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
I will adamantly defend a person’s right to safe, accessible reproductive healthcare. Ultimately, decisions about whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child MUST be left to the patient, in consultation with their family, their Faith, or healthcare provider if they choose. It is essential that abortion remain a safe and legal medical procedure for a person to consider when and if they need it. This is a deeply personal decision that can not be made for someone else. Patients must have accurate medical information about their options and be supported in their decisions. Politicians should NOT be involved in the personal medical decisions of a pregnancy. The decision rests solely with the individual and not the politician…
Ballotpedia provided information about Ben Dewell:
Ben Dewell (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Ben Dewell was born in Burbank, California. He earned bachelor’s degree from the California State University at Fresno in 1976 and a graduate degree from the University of California at Davis in 1986. His career experience includes working as the director of the Stallion Springs Community Service District, the director of the Variance Hearing Board for the Eastern Kern Air Pollution District, and the chief meteorologist with WEATHERx.
Ben Dewell completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: The people of the 20th Congressional District deserve a representative who lives in the 20th – not in the Washington Beltway, understands that needs of its residents from a very personal perspective – not the moneyed positions of the wealthy elite, and who will uphold their solemn oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States – not the whims of any authoritarian wannabe.
I am an 11th generation American and native Californian, raised in the San Joaquin Valley. I hold a Master of Science in Atmospheric Science from the University of California, Davis and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from California State University, Fresno. I’ve forecasted weather as a meteorologist for the specific needs of the world’s most productive agricultural economy, offering the first privately computer accessible forecast prior to the existence of the world wide web. I currently serve as Director the Hearing Board of the Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District, inclusive of mining interests and aerospace industries. I am also a Director with the Stallion Springs Community Service District. I am a fiscal conservative, social progressive centrists, always looking for ways to solve the unsolvable.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I am running in the 20th CD to restore democratic principle an accountability and fidelity to the Constitution of the United States to the seat.
I grew up and have lived within the present boundaries of the 20th CD from Kern to Fresno Counties for most of 50 years and know it intimately, understand its complex issues from Ag to immigration, not from an absent seat in Washington, but modest rural residence within the 20th.
Integrity, compassion, independence – I am with you because I am one of you.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: DEMOCRACY: Paramount to any other issue at this moment in time is the future of our Democracy. The survival of our American Democracy, humanity’s first and most durable democracy and the light of the world’s oppressed, must be protected against all enemies, foreign or domestic. The right of self determination and the principle that those who lead do so only by the authority of those led must be held sacrosanct.
THE ECONOMY: From the price of gas to the cost of milk and eggs, inflation is eating away at American’s incomes at a startling rate. Nobody knows this better than those of us on fixed incomes, and families. I am with you because I am one of you.
CLIMATE CHANGE: Anthropogenic (man made) climate change is settled science – as much as gravity is. What man hath wrought, man can correct. Although fossil fuels will continue to be an important resource, the continued transition to renewable alternatives must be encouraged and supported if further warming is to be avoided.
IMMIGRATION: In America, unless we are Native American, we all come from somewhere else. Immigration and citizenry demands accountable and orderly policies so the both citizens and immigrants understand their responsibilities and obligations. The dignity of work and family must be upheld for those willing to come to this nation to do the jobs that Americans won.
AMERICA’S WILDLANDS: America’s wildlands, the envy of the world, are our heritage. We protect them because our children have a r
Ballotpedia provided information about James Macauley:
James Macauley (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
James Macauley was born in San Francisco, California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University in 1977. Macauley’s career experience includes working as an accountant.
James Macauley completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: I’m a retired accountant. I received a BS Degree from San Jose State University in 1977: Double Major: Finance & Economics. I worked in the Hi-Tech industry for 10 years before starting my own consulting practice, providing Financial, Operational, Administrative and Sales Services.
Father of three, I believe America’s missions still about building a culture of Self-Governance for ordinary people. Freedom, Faith, Family, Fraternity, Fidelity – Funded by American Capitalism. These are the values that historically bound us together… and I believe can still unite us today … as one people and one nation under God. And for my money, that’s all intakes to be a “True American” … of every race, gender, color or creed.
Having heard my views on the Tax Structure, people often ask me if I’m a Republican or a Democrat. My response is always the same, “Does it matter?” I’m a registered Republican and Conservative. But more importantly, I’M A TRUE AMERICAN with a “Hopeful Vision of what America can still become” …a vision that one day in our near future we can drop all the qualifiers that were created by political interest groups to divide us… and simply say “I’m an American” … and that will say all that needs to be said.
How about you? Are you also a True American with a hopeful vision of a far better future? If not, maybe I can help you with that. If so, perhaps my Business Plan.. “The 70/70 Proposition” is just the plan to get us there.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Consistent with the Taxation Agreement made with the American people in 1913, every worker, Rich or Poor, effective 1/1/23 shall receive $120,000 of their income federally tax-free. This reduces the taxes of 43 million taxpayers to “0″
Consistent with 1913 Tax Agreement, effective 1/1/23 workers may convert 15.3% Employer/Employee Payroll Tax on up-to $120,000 of income into “Mandatory Tax-Free Savings” increasing the Investment Capital for 70% of workforce by up-to $18,360.
Consistent with the 1913 Taxation Protocols, as intended all federal faxes on income beginning 1/1/23 shall be paid by the top 20% of American income earners. “Noblesse Oblige”: With great wealth comes great responsibility… beginning with taxes.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
While I have well developed views on the steps, both strategically and tactically, that America’s political leadership should be taking today at the Federal, State and/or Local level to address the issues of… Inflation, Public Safety, Education, Homelessness, Term Limits, Trading Bans, Net Worth Disclosures, Student Debt, Immigration, National Sovereignty, Border Security, Energy/Resource Independence and the Recalibration of our National/Global Interests particularly as they pertain to China and Russia…
…as your Congressman… “To Right This Ship Domestically”
I believe our first priority as a nation “MUST BE” to reduce the taxes paid by working Americans in-order-to:
1 increase their Disposable Income by reducing whenever possible the taxes they are forced to pay at the Federal, State and Local Level
2 increase their rightful share of the growth and prosperity of the country these working Americans are in fact responsible for building and maintaining… by doing what?
…by simply giving every worker in America from a very young age another “Choice” about how and where … THEIR MONEY … their Payroll Taxes… their “Mandatory Retirement Savings” is invested throughout their career.
My Goal: Turn every worker in America at the age of 16 into a “Working Capitalist” so they then have the opportunity by the time they retire to also be Financially Independent and living the American Dream.
Ballotpedia also reported that James Davis (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 20th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022. Ballotpedia has no further information about James Davis.
March 24: KGET.com posted an article titled: “A closer look at Kern’s candidates: Marisa Wood” From the article:
This June and November, voters in Kern will face a slate of options. 17 News is sitting down with Kern’s candidates so the county can make informed decisions.
We are turning to Kern’s 20th congressional district which stretches from Bakersfield to the Fresno suburb of Clovis. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) is the incumbent in this race. He is facing a slate of challengers in Marisa Wood (D), Jim MacCauley (R), James Davis ‘The Deviant’ and Ben Dewell.
A Closer look at Marisa Wood
Middle school teacher and first-time congressional candidate, Marisa Wood, entered politics with the hope of taking down one man.
“I have the courage to stand up to the bully Kevin McCarthy, career politician,” she said. “I ask my students every day, I’m like be the one, be the one to stand up to the bully and now, ironically, I’m being called to do just that.”
The daughter of a teacher, Wood grew up in California’s Bay Area. She met her husband, John – who works in agriculture – while in college at California Polytechnic State University. Together, they moved to Bakersfield where they raised three kids on an apple farm…
…Now in her 60s, Wood has taught English at Fairfax Junior High for the last two decades. That’s where she says she saw she could make a difference.
“Eight eight percent of my students receive free and reduced lunch, 10% are from migrant families, 13% are homeless, so I have faces and hearts that I’ve seen that are struggling,” she said.
It could be an uphill battle for Wood, a Democrat, in a deep-red district in which Republicans out-register Democrats by a margin of about 21 percent. Not to mention, an area where McCarthy has never lost a congressional election…
…Wood says she wants to be involved in legislation addressing education and labor, specifically mentioning she supports President Biden’s infrastructure bills and the farmers modernization act, which she says ensure the agriculture industry can have a sustainable workforce.
“The folks here, they don’t need a handout,” she said. “The folks here in California 20, they just need a hand. A hand in those kitchen table issues that matter most to them.”
Among those issues, Wood cites the rising prices of groceries, housing, healthcare and gas prices as some she wants most to tackle. Wood ran through a list of people in the district: single parents, veterans, the working class, seniors, women, people of color, LGBTQ community.
For them, she says she has one message: “I will be your voice,” Wood said…
May 14: Bakersfield.com posted an article titled: “McCarthy’s challengers in new 20th District share goal of replacing him” From the article:
Leave it to politicians: The only consensus among all four underdogs in the race for California’s new 20th Congressional District is that they all see themselves, individually, as the best alternative to eight-term incumbent Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield.
Most everything else in their platforms differs from one to the next, ranging from a tax-focused pitch to a mainstream Democratic agenda. The question is, which message has enough voter appeal to place second in the June 7 primary election, and thereby qualify for November’s inevitable runoff?
There would seem to be little risk for McCarthy, even as he recently faced a series of crises in Washington D.C. related to his communications with former President Donald Trump about the Jan. 6 2020, Capitol riot. No candidate in the primary approaches his profile, support and name recognition.
McCarthy’s chances of qualifying for the November runoff – and potentially going on to become second in line to the presidency, if the GOP retakes control of the House – are even better after a redistricting process that extended the former 23rd District northwest to the Millerton area in Madera County and left the new 20th with a significantly higher ratio of Republicans to Democrats…
…One of his challengers has the benefit of high-profile endorsements by the state Democratic Party and major labor unions. The other three have their own reasons for running against McCarthy, and endorsements or not, they present unique arguments for why they deserve to take office.
Bakersfield Democrat Marisa Wood grew up in Danville and has taught for 25 years, all but four of them at the Fairfax School District. She has the support of her party and the state’s unions.
She said she would give voice to forgotten or ignored constituents, including those in working middle class, veterans, single parents, the poor, people of color, the LGBTQ community, seniors and public servants of every stripe.
With a team of consultants, most of them in Washington, she said she hopes to defeat McCarthy by pushing out voter registration and spending time in the community, as well as phone banking, a postcard campaign and the help of local Democrats.
“Those are going to be my warriors who are going to be doing canvassing with me,” Wood said.
…Tehachapi ag meteorologist Ben Dewell, a director on the Stallion Springs Community Service board since 2018, is running for office for the first time against an opponent. He said he considered himself a strong candidate because of his independence and willingness to compromise in order to make progress.
Dewell said McCarthy hasn’t done enough for his constituents, though is primary motivation for running was his disappointment with the congressman’s actions related to the Capitol riot.
“His support of a known insurrectionist and his groveling at the feet of that insurrectionist provoke me into no other action,” Dewell said.
Another of McCarthy’s challengers, James “The Deviant” Davis, has returned after running unsuccessfully against the House minority leader in 2016.
After growing up in South Carolina, Davis moved to Bakersfield and became a title researcher and archivist. Also a sound and systems engineer, and a skeptic of COVID-19 vaccines, he said he worries about inflation and the economy.
“You want recession, vote for Kevin McCarthy,” he said.
James “Jim” Macauley is a retired accountant from Northern California who said he’s move to the 20th District from the Sacramento area if he wins the election. He said he hopes to finish second in the primary so he can “continue the conversation” about his proposal to fix the nation by privatizing Social Security and Medicare while taxing only incomes greater than $120,000 per year.
He also wants stricter term limits, though his primary message is that changing the way the government collects money will close the wealth gap.
“I’m running because that message needs to get out,” he said.
McCarthy’s campaign did not respond to a request for an interview but it did provide written information and comments The Californian requested by email…
…McCarthy said he will ensure neighborhoods are safe and stand up for law enforcement, strengthening the military and halting deficit spending he said have run up inflation. He said he continues to push for manufacturing and production in critical industries like oil and gas, while working to improve U.S. economic independence, promoting investment in water infrastructure and bringing attention and resources to valley fever.
June 7: Bakersfield.com posted an article titled: “McCarthy, Wood well ahead of third place in 20th District contest” From the article:
Republican incumbent Kevin McCarthy and Democratic challenger Marisa Wood, in early voting results Tuesday, were comfortably head of three other candidates running for California’s 20th Congressional seat.
With 44,828 votes counted as of about 10:15 p.m., House minority leader McCarthy led with 53.3 percent of the vote, as compared with Wood’s 29.2 percent. Tehachapi ag Ben Dewell was running third at that time with 8.9 percent.
Under state election rules, the top two finishers will advance to the general election.
McCarthy is an eight-term congressman who switched over to the 20th District because of a redistricting process that changed his former 23rd District. If he prevails, and if Republicans win back control of the House of Representatives, McCarthy is a leading contender for Speaker of the House.
He declared victory at 9:20 p.m.
“I want to thank the voters of the new 20th District for their support in our shared vision to make the Central Valley more prosperous, safer, and affordable for our families and communities,” he said in a news release.
Wood, a Danville native and Bakersfield resident who has taught for 25 years, mostly in the Fairfax School District, has the support of her party and the state’s unions.
She said Tuesday evening she was excited, inspired, and encouraged, looking forward to “setting the stage for a historic victory.”
“I’m focused on my opponent, which will be Kevin, and the fact that integrity matters and this community will always be my No. 1 priority,” Wood added…
Ballotpedia posted the results for the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 20:
Kevin McCarthy (R): 58.7% – 45,191 votes
Marisa Wood (D): 25.1% – 19,399 votes
Ben Dewell (D): 7.3% – 5,609 votes
James Davis (R): 4.9% – 3,737 votes
James Macauley (R): 4.0% – 3,115 votes
June 13: KLTA5 posted an article titled: “McCarthy, Wood move on to California’s 20th Congressional District general election” From the article:
The Associated Press is projecting incumbent Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R) will move forward to California’s 20th Congressional District and face Democratic challenger Marisa Wood.
The Associated Press called the second spot for Wood on Friday.
McCarthy currently holds the seat for California’s 23rd Congressional district and is running in the new 20th Congressional district. He was born in Bakersfield, Calif.,and graduated from California State University, Bakersfield.
Only an hour and 20 minutes after the polls closed Tuesday night, McCarthy declared his victory. He sent out a statement via email.
That statement read:
“I want to thank the voters of the new 20th District for their support in our shared vision to make the Central Valley more prosperous, safer, and affordable for our families and communities. I also want to personally thank my family, staff and volunteers for their tireless work and commitment. It is my greatest honor to represent you in Congress, and I will continue to fight to stop the rising cost of inflation in our stores and at the pump, keep our neighborhoods safe, and bring more water to our farms and communities.”
Wood is a teacher at Fairfax Junior High School. According to her campaign website, Wood was born in Danville, Calif., and has been in Kern County for 35 years. She attended California Polytechnic State University…
July 24: Los Angeles Times (via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “As Kevin McCarthy’s California district gets redder, discontent brews on his right” From the article:
In Washington, Kevin McCarthy is the ultimate party-line Republican, one of former President Trump’s most loyal congressional foot soldiers and leading the charge in the GOP’s quest to regain control of the House in November.
But back in his district, Cora Shipley is skeptical.
“I do not believe that he is a true conservative,” said Shipley, 78, owner of an ice cream shop in Clovis, which was drawn last year into the new 20th Congressional District, where McCarthy is seeking reelection.
Shipley’s shop is a staple of Old Town Clovis, where American flags line antique stores and country music plays over a loudspeaker. She said she is waiting to see how McCarthy will lead the GOP should he become House Speaker next year.
“He’s been on both sides of a lot of issues,” she said from a table in the back of the shop, with photos of Elvis on the walls and a “thin blue line” flag hanging outside.
McCarthy is tasked with introducing himself to more than 200,000 new voters in a district where the GOP’s registration advantage has grown to almost 20 percentage points, the largest in the state. But even in an area that red, McCarthy faces mistrust from voters on his right flank – including some who have supported him in the past.
“When you hear people talk about the swamp, he’s part of that system,” said Eric Rollins, 57, of Clovis. “He’s a long-term politician.”…
…Only two hours north of Los Angeles, Bakersfield is the gateway to the red island that some Californians view as flyover country. Here, agriculture and oil dominate the culture and, in turn, the conservative politics. It’s a region that is “more west Texas than Texas,” said Mark Arax, a journalist who has written extensively about it for The Times and others.
McCarthy, 57, is generally popular in Bakersfield, thanks in part to his deep roots in the city: He ran a small sandwich shop after graduating from the public high school, and his father was assistant fire chief. Supporters say McCarthy has a strong conservative record in Congress, and many are excited about the possibility of one of Kern County’s own serving as speaker.
“I don’t know one issue that Kevin McCarthy has voted on in Congress that a conservative wouldn’t respect,” said Cathy Abernathy, 71, a Kern County Republican consultant. When she was chief of staff GOP then-Rep. Bill Thomas, she hired McCarthy as an aide…
…Others in the area back him based on his good reputation. He’s known as “a first-name-basis kind of guy,” said Jan Scurlock, a 70-year-old former financial consultant who moved here four years ago. She plans to vote for McCarthy in November.
But the low level of trust conservatives have in institutions and government is palpable in the district – and its manifestation isn’t always friendly to McCarthy, who has served in Congress since 2006…
“I think he’s kind of a marshmallow,” said Scott Cross, 65, a music instructor. “I used to like him a whole lot. But he’ll back this, and then when its unpopular to back this, he’ll back that. And when it’s unpopular to back that, he’ll back this.”…
…Dale Pitstick, 60, a lifelong Republican whom Trump turned into an independent, winced when asked whether he’d voted for McCarthy in the past. “An error,” he said.
In Bakersfield, “people are still entrenched in Trump world,” said Pitstick, who works for an insurance company.
To him, McCarthy’s continued embrace of Trump after the Jan. 6 attack “uncovered who Kevin McCarthy really was.”
“He’s a power-hungry individual who’s out for himself,” Pitstick said, “not for the citizens”…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General election for U.S. House California District 20:
Kevin McCarthy (R): 67.6% – 68,562 votes
Marisa Wood (D): 32.4% – 32,809 votesTotal votes: 101,371 [...]
August 26, 2023CaliforniaCalifornia has more congressional districts than other states do. In 2022, all of the districts held an election. Here is what happened in the first 10 congressional districts.
California’s 1st Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 1st Congressional District:
California’s 1st congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. Doug LaMalfa, a Republican, has represented the district since 2013.
Currently, it encompasses the northeastern part of the state. Since the 2022 election, it includes the counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, and Tehama and most of Yuba County. The largest cities in the district are Chico, Redding, and Yuba City.
Prior to redistricting in 2021, it included Butte County, Lassen County, Modoc County, Plumas County, Shasta County, Sierra County, Siskiyou County, Tehama County, most of Nevada County, part of Glenn County and part of Placer County. In the 2020 redistricting, it added the Yuba-Sutter area and removed most of its share of the Sierra Nevada.
LaMalfa began his political career as a member of the California State Assembly, where he represented the 2nd District from 2002 to 2008. He served in the California State Senate from 2010 to 2012, becoming the Senate minority whip.
Ballotpedia reported that Doug LaMalfa did not fill out their Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information about Max Steiner:
Max Steiner (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to Represent California’s 1st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
A: Forest Management: We need to adopt best practices to manage our forests to create resiliency in the face of climate change.
Fire Management: We need to return to a strategy of aggressive initial attack. We also need a more flexible way to manage woodland firefighters through pre-trained, part-time, reserve crews that the government can activate as needed.
National Security: The US faces an international environment that requires active diplomatic engagement with a military that stands ready. However, we don’t need armchair generals. We need fighters in Congress that know the stakes.
Q: What area of public policy are you personally passionate about?
A: We have a fire problem in the North State because we have a forest management problem, and the crux of the problem is that there is too much biomass in our forests.
We need to cut down many of the small-and medium-sized trees to create space. This space will facilitate tree growth and fire safety while generating responsible, renewable revenues for property owners. Our forests are a resource, but they are also an increasingly a risk: we can manage that risk better through better policies. Public discourse on this topic has too often been ruined by simplistic, sound-bite ready policies on both sides of the political aisle. We can’t solve forestry with soundbites. My brother lost his house in Redding to the Carr fire: I have skin in the game, and I know that the status quo is unacceptable.
Policy Proposals:
Transition the Forest Service from USDA to the Department of the Interior – where it would join the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service in managing our natural resources.
Subsidize the start-up costs and streamline regulations for greater mill capacity and responsible logging in the North State. This will include market interventions to make American timber more competitive. We have too much biomass in our forests and we need to incentivize the market to thin the small, crowded trees that threaten our communities.
Q: What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
A: My first real job was as a U.S. Army Infantryman. It transformed me from a shy and nerdy co-captain of the school math team into an assertive and extroverted soldier. I took immense pride in wearing the American flag on my sleeve but, at the same time, I could tell the Iraq War was going poorly. I decided to become a diplomat and attended the University of California, Berkeley after finishing my second tour. The Army was, and continues to be, a huge influence on my life. It certainly has its downsides, and is often difficult, but it is a job I take great pride in.
Ballotpedia provided information about Tim Geist:
Tim Geist (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 1st Congressional District. He lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Tim Geist was born on Midway Island. Geist earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1986. His career experience includes working as a caregiver, a science writer, and a published researcher with the University of California at Santa Barbara Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Geist has been a sustaining member of the Republican National Committee.
Tim Geist completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: Tim Geist is prepared to represent the First Congressional District of California, because he does represent the First Congressional District of California.
Straight from the heart, this is who I am:
I have dug ditches and washed dishes all the while for poverty wages. I drove trucks for a few bucks and built houses all through their stages. After youthful acts of defiance, I discovered science and published research judged worthy by sages.
My greatest achievement preceeded my greatest bereavement, faithfully serving my mother each day through Alzheimer’s rages. I helped my mother make her last stand. I held my mother’s hand as she passed on into what heaven now engages.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about you goals for your time in office?
Strong Borders: Build the Wall and make it tall. We must know who is crossing our international borders, to protect our economy and our security.
Strong Economy: Capitalistic innovation makes US great, keeps US great. Over-regulation stiffles innovation. Strong Unions built a strong middle class that propelled our economy forward in the 20th Century. In the 21st Century, Artificial Intelligence is coming for our jobs, and coming fast. We must anticipate the massive economic upheaval which is inevitable due to the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence. Due to AI, with our current policies, most of the economy will be in hands of very few families by the end of the 21st Century.
Strong Democracy: Without democracy, we are nothing to those in power, nothing! For common people, there is no freedom without democracy and no democracy without the truth. A democracy that elects leaders because of their lies, is not a democracy. It is a rebuilt of the betrayed, led by its traitors. I have a problem with that! Don’t you?
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I propose a law, a new check and balance, to address our greatest internal threat against the American Democracy
Today, there is booming business model that spreads heat with vicious lies, for power and profit. This malignancy grows out from a well known phenomenon in the science of Sociology.
The Phenomenon: Groups become more cohesive when they perceive, OR THINK, they perceive an external threat. Leaders can LIE for the same effect!
Ballotpedia provided an edit to the first point in this section:
Individuals in this group pay closer attention to group authorities that speak about these “threats.” Advertisers love audiences that pay close attention and pay well $$$ for access to these anxious audiences. This text replaces whatever it was that Tim Geist wrote.
Individuals in this group are more willing to contribute their own resources $$$ to leaders after the “threatened” group. Donald Trump received about one quarter BILLION $$$ in donations, AFTER the November 3, 2020 presidential election and before January 6, 2021 attack against our democracy. These lucrative donations came from frightened victims of President Trump’s assertion that the election was stolen. President Trumps claim of massive election fraud was evaluated as “B–S—” by his otherwise completely loyal Attorney General, William Barr, whom investigated all of the allegations.
Individuals in the “threatened” group are less likely to question authorities. Indeed. a Yerkes Dodson graph reveals that individuals that become too anxious, can not think at all. Dictators love that!
Ballotpedia provided information on Rose Penelope Yee:
Rose Penelope Yee (independent) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 1st Congressional District. Lee lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
Rose Penelope Yee earned a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of San Agustín and a M.B.A. from the Asian Institute of Management. Yee’s career experience includes co-founding and working as the CEO of Green Retirement, Inc.
April 7: KRCR Chico-Redding (Via MSN) posted an article titled: “KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES: Max Steiner (D), CA’s 1st Congressional district.” From the article:
…Doug LaMalfa (R) is running for his sixth term as a congressman, having first been elected in 2013. In the past two election cycles (2018, 2020), LaMalfa, a Richville resident, easily defeated his Democratic challenger Audrey Denney.
Now, it’s 36-year-old Army veteran Max Steiner that will look to defeat the Republican incumbent this November. Steiner identifies as a “centrist democrat” and is running his campaign around two core American values: patriotism and constitutional democracy. Steiner, who fought in Iraq, hopes that voters will agree that it’s time for a change in the Northstate; that it’s time to elect someone younger, with a fresh perspective.
KRCR sat down with Steiner on Thursday morning, in his brother’s backyard in west Redding. Why that location? Because his brother’s house burnt down in the Carr Fire and Steiner believes the state (and our region in particular) is not doing enough to limit fire risk.
“I want to be the rep. that goes to Congress and says “I’m going to bring back billions of dollars to solve fire.”
Specifically, Steiner said he wants to focus more attention on thinning forests. “We need to have subsidies to do thinning and to do prescribed fire on public land.”
Steiner wants to work with the forest service and logging companies to make sure fire-prone areas are maintained, and that logging companies in particular can receive funds from the government to ensure they trump down land to a certain, safe standard.
In regards to holding public utility companies accountable if they spark fires, Steiner didn’t hold back. “Unlike my opponent, who gets campaign donations from PG&E, I think PG&E needs to get slammed. I think they should not exist as a private company anymore…
June 7: Ballotpedia posted the results of the Primary for U.S. House California District 1:
Doug LaMalfa (R): 51.3% – 34,504 votes
Max Steiner (D): 38.4% – 25,823 votes
Tim Geist (R): 6.5% – 4,366 votes
Rose Penelope Yee (Independent): 3.9% – 2,613 votes
July 1: North State Public Radio posted an article titled: “Interview: District 1 congressional hopeful Max Steiner on Roe v. Wade” From the article:
Max Steiner, the Democratic candidate for California’s 1st Congressional District, which encompasses multiple North State counties, says the U.S. Supreme Court should not be paid “empty respect that it does not deserve.”
Steiner’s comments came after the court’s decision June 24 overturning Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed the right to an abortion for five decades.
“It will take many years and probably a comprehensive change in personnel – just as judges retire and new ones are appointed – to restore the faith that Americans had in the Supreme Court 20 years ago,” said Steiner, who supports restoring Roe v. Wade by federal legislation.
Steiner, a Chico resident who served four years of active duty in the Army and two years in Iraq, bills himself as a “moderate” Democrat and is challenging Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa in the November general election. NSPR interviewed Steiner, June 27, covering his candidacy, reproductive rights and the institution of the Supreme Court.
LaMalfa’s staff did not respond to an interview request on the Supreme Court’s ruling.
…On the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade
The decision itself is a disaster. It’s a disaster for the court because it makes it clear that we now have a very politicized court. A court that is going to try to implement Republican policy objectives through the judicial review system, and that is an activist court. It is something I opposed when the right wing was claiming that the left wing was doing it – even though we’ve had a Republican majority Supreme Court for 40 years? Since Reagan. And now they have a 6-3, and now they’re ramming through very extreme policy.
So, No. 1, disaster for the four the court. And No. 2 – and obviously more important – it’s a disaster for the American people. Half of Americans are now at risk of losing their abortion rights, depending on where they live. So, we’re safe here in California, but many women woke up Friday morning to a world that has changed. This is not how America is supposed to work. We have never had a Supreme Court roll back rights like this one on a massive scale. Such a massive overturning of precedent and a rolling back of individual liberties is not how I want my government to function…
…On whether the electorate should still have respect for the institution of the Supreme Court
No, I don’t, and I don’t think many people should. I think the Supreme Court has shown itself to be a very partisan branch of the government. I don’t support getting rid of it, but I don’t think we should pay it empty respect it does not deserve. It will take many years and probably a comprehensive change in personnel – just as judges retire and new ones are appointed – to restore the faith that American had in the Supreme Court 20 years ago.
…On Priorities on reproductive rights if elected:
We need to legislate Roe v. Wade into law. That is something that we had 49 years of precedent. I think there’s broad acceptance in the American public about that, and I think it is politically achievable. So, No. 1, you can make it happen.
One of the big problems that I have with politicians on both sides of the aisle is that they tell their supporters what they want to hear and not what is politically reasonable. So, we can accomplish Roe v. Wade, and therefor it’s a good target. Because that’s No. 2, it is a good target. It was a good balance. I am a pro-choice Catholic. I have reservations about, especially, many third-trimester abortions. I think Roe v. Wade was a good enough precedent…
November 8: Ballotpedia posted the results for the General Election for U.S. House California District 1
Doug LaMalfa (R): 59.4% – 81,945 votes
Max Steiner (D): 40.9% – 55,979 votes
November 9: Redding Record Searchlight (Via Yahoo! News) posted an article titled: “Election results: LaMalfa wins reelection over Steiner in Congressional District race”. From the article:
Unofficial election results show Republican incumbent Doug LaMalfa cruising to victory in the race for 1st Congressional District.
LaMalfa will serve for a sixth two-year term after garnering almost 60% of votes over his Democratic opponent Max Steiner, according to ballot counts posted by the California Secretary of State.
The Associated Press called the race for LaMalfa on Tuesday, four hours before polls closed.
He earned the approval of two-thirds of voters in conservative-leaning Shasta County.
He was less favored in Siskiyou County, but is still the clear winner reported in the county’s unofficial results.
A staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, LaMalfa said he’ll work to “repeal the Biden Executive Orders that cut off low-cost domestic energy production,” opting for building biomass power plants, using hydro-electric dams and keeping natural gas flowing in the North State.
While campaigning, LaMalfa came under attack from Steiner for the latter’s support of election fraud claims and his “seditious embrace of conspiracy theories,” saying Congress needs to pass legislation that ensures “malicious actors cannot undermine the peaceful transfer of power by lying about election results whenever they lose.”
LaMalfa, who disputed the 2022 presidential election results, voted against certifying President Joe Biden’s victory in two states.
He also supported the repeal of Roe vs. Wade in the U.S. Supreme Court, issuing a statement that said repealing blanket abortion protection was “a win for the right to life, for the unborn, and the constitution.”…
November 9: Chico Enterprise-Record posted an article titled: “Doug LaMalfa seals victory over Max Steiner for US Congress” From the article:
Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) is heading back to Washington D.C. for another two years.
LaMalfa easily defeated his latest challenger, Democrat Max Steiner of Chico, and won his sixth consecutive term representing District 1 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Voting totals through Wednesday afternoon showed LaMalfa with 83,989 votes, far outdistancing Steiner with 56,249. The 59.9 percent garnered by LaMalfa, if it holds, would be his largest percentage of votes received since 2014…
…In Butte County, the vote was almost evenly split, with LaMalfa holding a 25,191 – 24,717 edge.
California’s 2nd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 2nd Congressional District:
California’s 2nd congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. Jared Huffman, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013. Currently, it encompasses the North Coast region and adjacent areas of the state. It stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, and includes all of the portions of Highway 101 within California that are north of San Francisco, excepting a stretch in Sonoma County.
The district consists of Marin, Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity Counties, plus portions of Sonoma County. Cities in the district include San Rafael, Petaluma, Novato, Windsor, Healdsburg, Ukiah, Fort Brag, Fortuna, Eureka, Arcata, McKinleyville and Crescent City.
From 2003 until the redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission that took effect in 2013, the 2nd district encompassed much of the far northern part of the state, from the Central Valley north of Sacramento to the Oregon border. It consisted of Colusa, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, and Yuba counties, plus portions of Butte and Yolo counties.
The district had a dramatically different political history than its current incarnation. While the 2nd is one of the most Democratic districts in California, the old 2nd had been a Republican stronghold for almost three decades. Much of this territory is now the 1st district, while most of the current 2nd had been split between 1st and 6th districts from 2003 to 2013.
October 20: Northern California Public Media posted an article titled: “ELECTION 2022: Huffman and Brower on ballot for congressional District 2” From the article:
For our ongoing election coverage, we’re speaking to candidates in key local races. One of those is for the representative for California’s second congressional district.
Spanning from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, Jared Huffman has represented the roughly 700,000 residents of the second district in US Congress since 2013.
Here’s what Huffman had to say about his challenger on this year’s general election ballot:
“It’s always interesting, every cycle, the kind of opponents I get,” Huffman told KRCB News in a virtual interview this week. “Sometimes they actually run campaigns and other times it’s like they’re in the witness protection program and you never hear from.”
Huffman is talking about Douglas Brower, the other candidate on the ballot. Brower did not respond to requests from KRCB News for an interview. His website says he and his family don’t feel their values are being represented in Congress, and that Brower aims to bring “biblical principles to governance.”
In his candidate statement, Brower says “Enough is enough! Electing the same people over and over again expecting different/better results is insanity.”…
…Huffman says he considers his work in the area of climate change to be among his top accomplishments.
“I contributed in a major way on the two committees I serve on: Transportation and Infrastructure and the Natural Resources Committee as well,” Huffman said. “But I’m also on the select Committee for the Climate Crisis, and we had a major hand in shaping some of the climate actions that we’re finally beginning to see at the federal level.”
KRBC News asked Huffman to give a concrete example of those actions.
“Well, the tax credits, but also some of the resiliency provisions, the grid modernization and upgrades, the electrification of transportation and incentives to really drive the sort of industrial policy that we need to shift in this country in order to decarbonize. All of that was in the climate action plan that the select committee I serve on crafted last year actually, and it very much laid the groundwork for some of these provisions.”
In the June primary, Douglas Brower narrowly beat out three other Republican candidates and a Democrat to get nine percent of the vote in District 2, which includes Sonoma and five other Northern California counties. Huffman received 69% of the vote.
Ballotpedia provided information about California’s 2nd Congressional District election:
Jared Huffman (D): 68.7% – 145,245 votes
Douglas Brewer (R): 8.6% – 18,102 votes
Chris Coulombe (R): 8.3% – 17,498 votes
Ballotpedia provided the following information about Jared Huffman:
Jared Huffman (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 2nd District. He assumed office January 3, 2012. His current term ends on January 2023.
Huffman (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 2nd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
He was first elected to the seat in 2012. In 2018, Huffman won the general election, beating Dale Mensing (R) by a vote of 77 percent to 23 percent.
Huffman previously represented District 6 of the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012. He was ineligible to run for re-election to the California State Assembly in 2012 due to term limits…
Douglas Brower’s website provided the following information about him:
As the parents of 4 daughters, 2 granddaughters, and a grandson, my wife Bonnie and I feel that our family values are not currently being represented by our District 2 U.S. Congressman.
Having a Bachelor Degree in Business from UOP, a Masters of Divinity Degree from IWU, as well as being an Indiana Wesleyan Seminary graduate and an Ordained Reverend, I feel I have been uniquely prepared to represent our district with core Biblical principles and sound business decisions.
As a public servant, I have served on the City of Ferndale Design Review Committee, the Planning Commission, as an elected City Councilman, an educator at local drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs as well as various other committees. I feel that I have a finger on the pulse of our district with regards to major issues like homelessness, economics, wildfires, drought, Covid-19, gas prices, taxes, and infrastructure.
I would like to ask each of you, no matter what side of the isle you are on to pray for me, to vote for me and to support my campaign financially if you can…
None of the candidates in this race filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey.
California’s District 2 General election results:
Jared Huffman (D): 71.9% – 95,812 votes
Douglas Brower (R): 28.1% – 37,424 votes
California’s 3rd Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 3rd Congressional District:
California’s 3rd congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. John Garamendi, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Effective January 2023, California’s 3rd congressional district will include much of the Sierra Nevada and many of the northeastern suburbs of Sacramento, stretching south to Death Valley. It encompasses Alpine, Inyo, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, and Sierra counties, as well as parts of El Dorado, Sacramento, and Yuba counties. The largest city in the district is Roseville. It also includes the mountain resort cities of South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and Mammoth Lakes.
Prior to redistricting in 2020, the 3rd district encompassed most of the Sacramento Valley north and west of Sacramento. It covered all of Colusa, Sutter, and Yuba counties, most of Glenn, Lake, Solano, and Yuba counties and a portion of Sacramento County.
Prior to redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission of 2011, the 3rd district consisted of Alpine, Amador, and Calavaras counties plus portions of Sacramento and Solano counties…
…As of the 2020 redistricting, California’s 3rd congressional district is located in the Sierra Nevada region. It encompasses Alpine, Inyo, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, and Sierra Counties, as well as parts of El Dorado, Sacramento, and Yuba Counties.
El Dorado County is split between this district and the 5th district. They are partitioned by Scott Creek, Perry Creek, Perry Creek Rd, Grizzly Flat Rd, Happy Valley Rd, Canon Creek, E16 Highway, Pleasant Valley Rd, Cedar Ravine Rd, Woodland Dr, Weber Creek, Highway 50, Chili Bar Reservoir, South Form American River, Marshall Rd, Hastings Creek, Highway 49, Pilot Creek, North Fork, American River, and the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. The 3rd district takes in the city of South Lake Tahoe.
Sacramento County is split between this district and both the 6th district and 7th district. The 6th and 3rd districts are partitioned by Latrobe Rd, Scott Rd, Deer Creek, Carson Creek, Nimbus Rd, E3 Highway, Illinois Ave, Madison Ave, Kenneth Ave, Wachtel Way, and Old Auburn Rd. The 3rd district takes in the city of Folsom and the census-designated place of Orangevale.
Yuba County is split between the 1st district. They are partitioned by State Highway 70, Ellis Rd, and Union Pacific. The 3rd district takes in the city of Wheatland, and the census-designated places of Linda, Olivehurst, and Plumas Lake.
Ballotpedia reported that Kevin Kiley did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia also reported that Kermit Jones did fill out Ballotpedia’s 2021 Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the many questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
A: A doctor, Navy veteran, and lawyer, I was raised on a small farm in South Haven, where I learned the importance of family, community, and hard work.
As a practicing physician,I have put my health care expertise to work, treating over 20,000 patients in rural areas, inner cities, and overseas. After our nation was attacked on September 11th, I joined the Navy where I served as a Navy Physician for a Marine helicopter squadron, caring for U.S. Service Members and ensuring that injured troops returned home safely. After returning from Iraq, I served as a White House fellow where I had the opportunity to work on veterans’ health issues and make our healthcare system more accessible to everyone.
For me, it’s not about partisan politics, it’s about helping people. Far too many D.C. politicians have forgotten what I have learned from many years working alongside nurses, fellow U.S. service members, and community leaders: that American democracy means we’re all in this together. In Congress, I plan to lead the same way I practice medicine – by listening, making evidence-based decisions, and putting people – and California’s district – first.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Our health is our Freedom. If you can’t afford insulin and have to worry every day if you’ll be able to maintain your blood sugar, you are not free. If you are stuck in a job that doesn’t pay what you are worth, but cannot get health care coverage elsewhere, you are not free. Affordable, quality health care should be a right of the district becomes increasingly inaccessible for hardworking folks, In Congress, I will fight to lower insurance and prescription drug prices, bring more primary care physicians to the district faces a mounting crisis as healthcare in rural areas of the district becomes increasingly inaccessible for hardworking folks. In Congress, I will fight to lower insurance and prescription drug prices, bring more primary care physicians to the district, protect Medicare, and improve Medicaid. Our health is our freedom. It’s time to take it back.
One of the best ways to invest in our economy and our future is to invest in our infrastructure, from our roads and bridges to improving broadband access for rural communities. Too often though, rural communities are overlooked by Washington politicians. Right now, thousands of households throughout the Sierras have no access to high-speed internet. That’s unacceptable. As part of a larger infrastructure package that will ensure all our roads, along with Highway 50, 49, and I-80 are repaired and maintained, I will also work to secure funding for complete broadband coverage for and makes sure it is affordable for all Americans.
Climate change threatens ever aspect of our lives. Each year, wildfires destroy homes and natural habitats alike. They spew toxic smoke into the air, effecting the health of our communities in California, and across the West. Our local communities is also threatened by climate change. The ski industry in our mountain towns brings more than half a billion dollars and thousands of jobs to our district each year. That won’t happen without snow. Likewise, our district’s agriculture and recreation continues to be harmed by dry winters and burning hot summers. The climate crisis is at our doorstep. In Congress, I’ll fight to combat climate change while creating millions of high-quality jobs by investing in American-made clean energy.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Healthcare: A few years ago, my mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. It is only because she had a son who was a doctor that she is alive today. Our system is not one we should be proud of. From my medical training in the military to my health policy fellowship in the Obama administration, I have seen the contours of healthcare system and know the improvements it needs. In Congress, I will fight for a transparent and accessible system that anyone can navigate, without having to be a doctor or lawyer.
Veterans Issues: During my tours in Iraq as a Navy flight surgeon, I served beside Americans who risked their lives to promote security and peace. Too many veterans that I served with have not been protected by the American they fought for. It is imperative that we provide veterans the care they need to recover from the physical and mental wounds of war. In Congress, I will fight for our veterans that same way they fought for us.
Veterans Issues: During my tours in Iraq as a Navy flight surgeon, I served beside Americans who risked their lives to promote security and peace. Too many veterans that I served with have not been protected by the American they fought for. It is imperative that we provide veterans the care they need to recover from the physical and mental wounds of war. In Congress, I will fight for our veterans that same way they fought for us.
May 17: Post News Group posted an article titled: “California ’22 Primary Election: Black Candidates Running for U.S. House of Representatives” Here is what they wrote about Kermit Jones:
…Democrat Kermit Jones is a Navy veteran and an internal medicine doctor who has a law degree. He is running to represent District 3 (Yuba). He is running against three opponents in a district that leans Republican. No current member of Congress is on the ballot for this race.
Ballotpedia posted the results of California’s 3rd Congressional Primary:
Kevin Kiley (R): 39.7% – 93,552 votes
Kermit Jones (D): 38.7% – 91,217 votes
Scott Jones (R): 16.2% – 38,299 votes
David Peterson (D): 5.4% – 12,675 votes
November 22: The New York Times posted an article titled: “Kevin Kiley, a Republican, Wins a Tight House Race in Eastern California”. From the article:
Kevin Kiley, a Republican state legislator whose dogged criticism of California’s governor earned former President Donald J. Trump’s endorsement, won a tight race for House district northern and eastern California on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
Mr. Kiley, a Sacramento-area assemblyman who highlighted his conservative bona fide, defeated Kermit Jones, a Democrat who pitched himself as a pragmatic centrist. Mr. Jones, a Navy veteran and physician, was a political newcomer making his first run for office in a newly redrawn and Republican-leaning district, the Third Congressional, that extends for 450 miles from the Mojave Desert to the shore of Lake Tahoe and the southern Cascade Range.
The race was called after two weeks of counting votes. As of Tuesday evening, Mr. Kiley led Mr. Jones by more five percentage points…
November 23: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Kevin Kiley, backed by Donald Trump, heading to Congress as he defeats Kermit Jones.” From the article:
Republican Kevin Kiley, a conservative firebrand supported by former President Donald Trump, topped Democrat Kermit Jones to win the new 3rd Congressional District seat to an Associated Press projection.
With 84% of the vote counted as of Tuesday afternoon, Kiley had about 53% to Jones’ 47%.
…Kiley will represent the newly drawn 3rd District, which stretches 450 miles from Plumas County, through the Sacramento suburbs and parts of El Dorado County, and South to Inyo County…
Kiley, an Assemblyman from Rocklin, argued that California was a mess, plagued by rising crime, runaway inflation and excessive government spending. He was critical of the election counting system, a slow count that made his race one of the last to be decided in California.
Kiley got a boost this spring when Trump announced his support, backing Trump reiterated earlier this month when he said Kiley had provided victory that gave Republicans the House majority. Trump was wrong: Kiley had not yet been declared the winner at that time. Kiley himself said last week he won the race.
Jones, a Navy veteran and physician, vowed to improve access to health care, make higher education more affordable, and provide more help for small businesses.
They fought over abortion rights. Kiley opposes abortion, but does… support a woman’s right to abortion in cases involving instances of rape and incest and when the life of the mother is at risk.
Jones backs a law providing a right to abortion that “entrusts a physician to provide the necessary medical care to save lives,” Jones told The Bee.
“The idea that a politician knows what is better for my patients than I do is absurd,” he said…
…Kiley, an assemblyman since 2016, drew statewide notice last year when he helped lead the fight to recall Gov. Newsom. The effort was rejected overwhelmingly; among those who wanted Newsom replaced, Kiley got 3.5% of the vote.
But he gained a strong following among conservatives, and quickly pivoted to a House race in the newly drawn district that seemed to tilt Republican. The governor remained his favorite target…
The New York Times reported the results of California’s 3rd District General Election:
Kevin Kiley (Republican): 181,438 votes – 53.6%
Kermit Jones (Democrat): 156,761 votes – 46.4%
Ballotpedia reported the results of California’s 3rd District General Election:
Kevin Kiley (R): 53.3% – 156,459
Kermit Jones (D): 46.7% – 137,009
California’s 4th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 4th congressional district:
It is a U.S. congressional district in California. Tom McClintock, a Republican, has represented the district since January 2009.
Currently the 4th district encompasses the Sierras from Truckee to the Sequoia National Forest, as well as a largely suburban area on the edge of Sacramento Valley in southwestern Placer County. It consists of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, and Tuolumne counties plus most of Placer County and portions of Fresno, Madera and Nevada counties.
Redistricting before the 2022 election shifted the district to the northwestern Sacramento Valley and Wine Country, including all of Lake County and Napa County, most of Yolo County, and parts of Solano County and Sonoma County. Major cities in the district include Santa Rosa, Davis, Woodland, Napa, and Vacaville. The new 4th district is solidly Democratic.
Ballotpedia posted information about Matt Brock:
Matt Brock (Republican Party) lives in Vacaville, California. Brock’s career experience includes working as an operations and maintenance supervisor with the Contra Costa Water District.
Ballotpedia reported that Matt Brock did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia provided information from Matt Brock’s campaign website. It is unclear when he posted this information.
COVID-19
“I feel that COVID has been used by politicians and others in power to push narratives and ideas. All jobs are essential! No person should be forced to wear a mask, get a vaccine, or be excluded from employment or activities of a personal choice. Teacher unions have hijacked the classrooms and School Boards have shown their cards. Parents are rallying together and are sick of it. We need to continue fighting for the protection of parental rights, gender specific sports, and the prevention of CRT curriculum.”
National Security/Military
“Without secure borders and a powerful military, we as a country are vulnerable to bad actors. We need secure borders to prevent illegal immigrants from entering our country and putting a strain on our resources. We must move our military forces back in the direction of precision and superiority and away from the woke narrative currently on display. Election integrity is needed in the form of voter ID laws and elimination of mass mailing ballots. Perhaps a no fee passport to all U.S. Citizens?”
Energy
“The left has been pushing the green narrative for years now and it’s beginning to show its colors. We have shut down vital projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline and many others. We have oil in this country and should be using our own resources, not importing. We also need to explore the use of nuclear energy as it is reliable, safe, and clean.”
Infrastructure
“The infrastructure of this country is slowly failing due to mismanagement of your tax dollars. California is ground zero for this as evidenced by the falling roads and utility systems. Many of these structures and networks are far beyond their useful life and need to be repaired or replaced NOW. We need to ensure that funds are directed where they should be and that projects are not held up for years due to environmental and permitting burdens. Funding for projects such as the high speed rail in California needs to be ceased immediately.”
2nd Amendment
“I believe that the Second Amendment is a God given right that shall be protected at all costs.”
Matt Brock’s campaign website (2022).
February 18: Mike Thompson posted a press release on his official congressional website titled: “Rep. Mike Thompson Files for Reelection to Represent Newly Drawn Fourth Congressional District” From the press release:
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson announced that he has filed to run for reelection in the newly numbered Fourth Congressional District. The district includes all of Lake and Napa Counties and portions of Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo Counties.
“I’m excited to run for reelection in the newly drawn 4th Congressional District,” said Rep. Mike Thompson. “I was born, grew up and have lived my entire life in our district and I consider it the honor of my life to represent our beautiful region in Congress.
“Families here want a fair shake: well-paying jobs, affordable health care, a clean environment, quality education, and dignity in retirement. They want to know that if they work hard and play by the rules, they can leave more for their children than they themselves had – that the American Dream is alive and well. Folks here want to put food on the table and gas in the car, cover their mortgage payment and provide an education for their kids without going broke.
“From my first day in Congress, I’ve made these shared priorities the focus of my work. I will continue pushing for sensible, responsible policy solutions that bolster the middle class, create jobs, lower the cost of housing and health care, and strengthen Medicare and Social Security for future generations. I will continue working to empower young people by advancing bold policies that protect our environment and invest in education. And, as Chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I will not stop until H.R. 8, my Bipartisan Background Check Act, is enacted into law to help prevent senseless gun violence and save lives.
“In the current Congress, I also authored the most sweeping climate policy ever to pass the House of Representatives. It is the flagship climate policy of President Biden’s agenda. As chairman of the Select Revenues Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, I advanced the Child Tax Credit, a tax cut for working families with children that has already significantly reduced child poverty in the months since it was first enacted.
“The past two years have been challenging for all of us. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented test, one that has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, has repeatedly pushed our health care system to the brink, and has disrupted our economy in every conceivable way. Know that as we continue to battle the virus, I will always place our community at the forefront.
“For all of these reasons, I have earned the endorsement of mayors, supervisors, sheriffs, and district attorneys from every county in our district as well as hundreds of business owners, farmers, educators, community leaders and countless other hardworking men and women in our district.
“We have a shared commitment to our great country: because we share the responsibility of building and maintaining a great nation, we share in its challenges and we share in its successes. We are in this together, and I will continue to fight for our district in Congress.”…
May 17: Post News Group posted an article titled: “California ’22 Primary Election: Black Candidates Running for U.S. House of Representatives”. Here is what they wrote about Jimih Jones:
…Republican Jimih L. Jones is a parts advisor for a car dealership. He is running to represent District 4 (Napa). He has five opponents in a solidly Democratic district. Rep. Mike Thompson (D) is running in this race.
Ballopedia posted the results of California District 4 Primary Election:
Mike Thompson (D): 67.0% – 107,592 votes
Matt Brock (R): 15.8% – 25,417 votes
Scott Giblin (R): 9.5% – 25,417 votes
Andrew Engdahl (D): 9.5% – 15,234 votes
Jason Kishineff (Independent): 1.4% – 2,233 votes
Jimih Jones (Republican): 1.3% – 2,142 votes
June 9: Davis Enterprise posted an article titled: “Thompson leads field of District congressional candidates”. From the article:
As of Thursday, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa, was out to a wide lead in the primary election to represent California’s 4th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. With 69% of the votes tallied, Thompson had 56,901 votes, or 67.5%, and the race had been called for him.
Matt Brock, a Republican of Vacaville, ranked a distant second, with 13,665 votes, or 16.2%. Scott Giblin, also a Republican, had 7,440 votes, or 8.8%. As of Thursday, the second place on the November ballot had not yet been called…
…Prior to this year’s elections, Davis was moved from District 3 into the new District 4 created during the redistricting process that happens once every 10 years following a census. The new 4th district includes all of Napa and Lake counties, and part of Solano and Sonoma counties.
After the new district lines were drawn, Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, who has represented Davis and much of Yolo County since 2009, announced he would seek re-election in the newly created 8th congressional district of California, which covers parts of Solano County and Contra Costa County…
June 10: Rep. Mike Thompson posted a press release on his official congressional website titled: “Rep. Mike Thompson Releases Statement On Top Placing In 4th District Primary” From the press release:
U.S Rep Mike Thompson released the following statement on his first-place finish in the primary election for California’s 4th Congressional District. Under California’s primary system, the two top vote getters advance to the general election.
“The outpouring of support I received last night is humbling. I was born, grew up, and still live in our district and I consider it the honor of my life to represent our beautiful region in Congress,” said Rep. Mike Thompson.
“We are moving into the general election now and I will continue to work every day with local, state, and federal leaders on the pressing challenges facing the people of our district and our country. This includes advocating for policies that bolster the middle class, lower the cost of housing and health care, address our climate crisis, and help keep our communities safe.
“We live in the greatest district in the greatest country and I am committed to do all I can to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their dream of a well-paying job, affordable health care, a clean environment, quality education, and dignity in retirement. We are in this together and I will continue to work hard for our district in Congress.
“My sincere thank you to the voters of our district for the confidence in our partnership.”
October 27: Northern California Public Media posted an article titled: “Thompson, Brock spar on vision for 4th Congressional District and the nation”. From the article:
Redistricting after the 2020 US Census changed a number of local districts.
Mike Thompson is running for re-election in what is now California’s 4th Congressional District, the new district closely mirroring the current 5th District which Thompson represents.
His opponent is Matt Brock, a water district operations supervisor based in Solano County.
Brock has a straightforward question for voters in the area Thompson has represented since 1988.
“Has your family live gotten easier or worse in the last few years?” Brock asked. “And then overall in the last 20 years? We’re kind of in a status quo position right now, and we’re doing the same thing. I hear everyone complain about how bad it is in California, and you know, I often ask, Why don’t you change the leadership up?”
Thompson simply pointed to his record.
“We are continually making sure that the folks who interface with the federal bureaucracy are treated fairly,” Thompson said. “We are constantly doing work for veterans, for social security receipts on immigration, on taxes. We just settled a car for one constituent who was owed seven and a half million by the IRS.”
Brock said he feels otherwise about Thompson’s local focus.
“He’s basically become a rubber stamp for Pelosi, for Biden, and for basically anyone pushing certain agendas,” Brock said. “He’s huge on the climate change issue. Those are kind of things that I would take a step back from.”
Thompson noted his local support.
“I’m supported by every member of the board of supervisors, every sheriff, every district attorney, school board members, school superintendents, every mayor, council member, state legislator,” Thompson said. “And that’s because I have been able to deliver for my district.”…
December 18: The New York Times posted information about California’s 4th District General Election:
Mike Thompson (Democrat): 176,900 votes – 67.8%
Matt Brock (Republican): 84,007 votes – 32.2%
California’s 5th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 5th Congressional District
California’s 5th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. Mike Thompson, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Currently, the 5th district encompasses much of California’s Wine Country and portions of the East Bay. It consists of Napa County plus portions of Contra Costa, Lake, Solano, and Sonoma counties. Cities in the district include Cotati, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Napa, American Canyon, Vallejo, Benicia, Hercules, and most of Martinez.
Starting in the 2022 midterm elections, the district is located in the northern San Joaquin Valley and central Sierra Nevada. It includes Amador, Calaveras, Tuolomne, and Mariposa counties, most of Stanislaus County, and parts of El Dorado and Fresno counties. The new 5th district is strongly Republican and includes most of both Modesto and Turkock, much of northern Fresno, the southern part of Gold County, and Yosemite and Kings Canyon national parks.
Ballotpedia provided information about Tom McClintock
Tom McClintock (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 4th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2009. His current term ends on January 3, 2023.
McClintock (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 5th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Tom McClintock did not fill out Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Tom McClintock’s 2016 campaign website
Economic Growth: We know how to fix an economy because we have done so many times before. Whenever we have reduced the tax and regulatory burdens on the economy, it has thrived and expanded. And whenever we have increased those burdens, the economy has withered and declined.
National Defense: Our modern military should have the latest technology and best equipment our nation can produce. It should have the trained manpower necessary to repel an attack from wherever it may come, launch retaliatory strikes and make hot pursuit in response to provocations.
The Iran Nuclear Agreement: I believe history will look to the Iran nuclear agreement as a mistake as significant as the Munich Accords were to World War II. It gave Iran’s Islamic-Fascist dictators $150 billion in frozen assets with which to pursue their military and terrorist activities and to finance their nuclear arms program.
Healthcare and Obamacare: It is, in short, an unmitigated disaster that I have opposed every step of the way. There is no substitute for its complete repeal.
Water Policy: We will not solve our water shortages until we start building more dams, and we won’t build new dams until we overhaul the environmental regulations that are making their construction cost-prohibitive.
Ballotpedia provided information about Mike Barkley
Mike Barkley (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 5th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Barkley was a Democratic candidate for California’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Barkley lost the primary on June 5, 2018.
Barkley ran for the seat in 2016, finishing third in the open primary. He also sought election to the same seat in 2014 and 2012 as well.
Mike Barkley did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Barkley’s campaign website stated the following:
Summary/high points:
Strengthen Federal wildfire suppression; develop Federal post-disaster homeowners insurance support.
Advocate the formation of a Congressional Natural Disaster and Casualty Insurance Caucus: Wildfires, Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes,Tornados.
Adopt the Labor Bill of Rights
Bring jobs back from overseas
Humanize personal income
Upgrade infrastructure
Fund Greyhound
Solve climate change
Nationalize the right to vote and protect the voting system
Replace impeachment
Fix California’s flooding risk and water shortages
Enlarge the New Melones spillway to handle Great Flood flows
Adopt U.S. balanced budget
Halt the confiscation of taxpayer trust fund deposits
Humanize immigration
Fund education
Black Lives Matter
Repeal the right to keep and bear arms
January 6: The Fresno Bee posted an article titled: “Republican Tom McClintock will run in new California congressional district”
Rep. Tom McClintock, the outspoken conservative who could play a major role in immigration policy next year if Republicans control the House, will seek reelection in a newly drawn district that largely covers territory south of his current seat.
The new 5th Congressional District captures parts of Modesto and Fresno along with the western Sierra Nevada, combining parts of districts currently held by McClintock and former Rep. Devin Nunes.
It is staunchly Republican: Voters there would have backed former President Donald Trump in 2020 with a 12% margin of victory, according to several election-tracking organizations, a strong signal they’re likely to favor a Republican candidate in the 2022 midterms.
Nunes, a Republican, resigned from his seat this week to lead former President Donald Trump’s social media venture. On the way out, he backed McClintock for the 5th Congressional District…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 5:
Tom McClintock (R): 42.7% – 41,997 votes
Mike Barkley (D): 38.3% – 37,686 votes
Nathan Magsig (R): 11.1% – 10,676 votes
Steve Wozniak (Independent): 3.5% – 3,420 votes
June 7: Associated Press reported that Republican Tom McClintock advances to November general election in California’s 5th Congressional District.
June 14: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Mike Barkley has run for Congress six times. Is this the year he beats Tom McClintock?” From the article:
Mike Barkley has no consultants and no paid staff. He’s received $1,091 in campaign contributions. His centerpiece issue, as a Democrat running in a new congressional district drawn for a Republican, is a call for repealing the right to bear arms…
…So far, he has about 36% of last Tuesday’s primary vote in the 5th Congressional District, while a seven-term incumbent, Rep. Tom McClintock, has 44%. Barkley will be the November challenger to the veteran Republican conservative…
… has run for Congress six times. In 2020, he sought the 10th District against Rep. Josh Harder, a Democrat, and finished fourth in the primary with 3.5% of the vote. He ran in the seventh in 2018 against Republican Jeff Denham. His best showings came in 2014 and 2016, when he received 14% each time against Denham.
On Tuesday, he was aided by being the only candidate listed as a Democrat and was endorsed by the California Democratic Party and California Labor Federation. There were four Republicans, who collectively won 60.5%, Freelance writer Steve Wozniak, who had no party preference, won 3.3%. The district was rated solid Republican by three independent House analysis groups…
…Barkley’s chief issue is guns. He wants to repeal the Second Amendment right to bear arms…
…Passing any sort of gun restrictions in Congress has proven nearly impossible. Repealing the Second Amendment is even more unlikely. But Barkley takes a long view…
…Barkley’s challenge now, and it’s a big one, is trying to topple McClintock, who has a strong following in a district that former President Donald Trump won with 55% in 2020. Earlier this week, Trump endorsed McClintock, whose House votes last year earned him a perfect rating from the American Conservative Union…
August 24: Kaiser Health News posted an article titled: “Congressman’s Wife Died After Taking Remedy Marketed for Diabetes and Weight Loss” From the article:
The wife of a Northern California congressman died late last year after ingesting a plant that is generally considered safe and used as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments, including diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol, KHN has learned.
Lori McClintock, the wife of Rep. Tom McClintock, died from dehydration due to gastroenteritis – an inflammation of the stomach and intestines – that was caused by “adverse effects of white mulberry leaf ingestion, according to a report from the Sacramento County coroner that is dated March 10 but was not immediately released to the public. KHN obtained that report – in addition to the autopsy report and an amended death certificate containing an updated cause of death – in July.
The coroner’s office ruled her death as an accident. The original death certificate, dated Dec. 20, 2021, listed the cause of death as “pending”…
…McClintock’s death underscores the risks of the vast, booming market of dietary supplements and herbal remedies, which have grown into a $54 billion industry in the United States – one that both lawmakers and health care experts say needs more government scrutiny…
October 7: Calaveras Enterprise posted an article titled: “Tom McClintock discusses campaign, policies ahead of general election” From the article:
Tom McClintock, U.S. representative for California’s 4th Congressional district since 2009, gave the Enterprise an update via email on his campaign ahead of the Nov. 8 general election. McClintock, a Republican, is running against Democrat Mike Barkley.
“I think this election – here and across the country – is going to be a resounding reputation of the woke policies that have utterly wrecked our economy, opened our borders, and unleashed an unprecedented spike in crime,” said McClintock. “People clearly understand how quickly inflation, energy shortages, and crime are destroying their quality of life, and well understand the policies that are causing them.”
McClintock says that much of his reelection campaign is familiar territory since he has represented seven of the eight counties in the expanding District 4 for a decade…
Ballotpedia posted the results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 5:
Tom McClintock (R): 60.1% – 105,398 votes
Mike Barkley (D): 39.9% – 69,961 votes
California’s 6th Congressional District
WikiWand posted information about California’s 6th Congressional District
California’s 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Doris Matsui, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Currently, the 6th district is entirely in Sacramento County and includes the north side of the city of Sacramento and its suburbs of Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, Rio Linda, Elverta, Arden-Arcade, Antelope, Foothill Farms, North Highlands, and most of Fair Oaks.
Prior to redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission of 2021, the district included the entire city of Sacramento and some of its suburbs.
Sacramento is split between this district and both the 3rd district and 7th district. The 6th and 3rd districts are partitioned by Latrobe Rd, Scott Rd, Deer Creek, Carson Creek, Nimbus Rd, E3 Highway, Illinois Ave, Madison Ave, Kenneth Ave, Watchel Way, and Old Auburn Rd.
The 6th and 7th districts are partitioned by the Sacramento River, American River, Fair Oaks Blvd, Watt Ave, Kiefer Blvd, Highway 16, Bradshaw Rd, Highway E2, and Stonehouse Dr. The 6th district takes in the north side of the city of Sacramento, the cities of Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova, and the census-designated places Antelope, Arden-Arcade, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, North Highlands, La Rivera, and Rio Linda.
Ballotpedia posted information about Ami Bera
Ami Bera, (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 7th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2013. His current term ends on January 3, 2023.
Bera (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 6th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Bera first won election to the United States House of Representatives in 2012, defeating Republican incumbent Dan Lungren in the newly redrawn District 7 by 3.4 points. He won re-election in 2014 in a race rated by Ballotpedia as a battleground election, defeating Republican Doug Ose 0.8 points.
Bera defeated Republican Scott Jones in his bid for re-election in 2016. California’s 7th Congressional District race was rated as a battleground in 2016. He won re-election in 2018, defeating Andrew Grant…
Ami Bera did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Ami Beta’s 2016 campaign website:
Economy: We need a vibrant economy that preserves the jobs we have while creating new ones through job training, especially in clean energy technologies. We can build the strengths of our local communities by helping small businesses grow and rewarding companies that create good jobs here in Sacramento County.
Health Care: A Health Care system that provides compassionate and essential coverage that puts patients ahead of profits. The new health care law is a step towards increasing access to basic medical coverage.
Education: In order to prepare our kids to compete in the global economy and win the best jobs of tomorrow, we have to continue investing in education.
Social Security: We must do more to protect this vital program – which is why I’ve signed a pledge to protect Social Security, and fight all efforts to privatize this program and gamble with our future in the stock market. Protecting Social Security also means keeping government’s hands off the Social Security Trust Fund.
Equal Pay for Equal Work: I support the Lilly-Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and the Paycheck Fairness Act to protect employers from gender based wage-discrimination.
Ballotpedia posted information about Tamika Hamilton
Tamika Hamilton (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 6th Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Tamika Hamilton was born in Calvert County, Maryland. Hamilton served in the United States Air Force and has served in the United States Air Force Reserve.
Ballotpedia reported that Tamika Hamilton did not complete Ballotpedia’s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Ballotpedia provided information from Tamika Hamilton’s campaign website:
ECONOMY: Record inflation has eaten into the paychecks of working class people. The cost of food, everyday goods, and vital services also continue to rise. It’s time for a new direction on the economy. As your congresswoman I will fight to:
Reduce inflation
Make the middle-class tax cuts permanent
Reduce regulations on small businesses
Expand opportunity zones in urban areas
PUBLIC SAFETY: Major cities across America have seen an increase in violent crime. Victims of crime should expect justice and hardened career criminals should not be able to exploit the compassion of our justice system. As your congresswoman I will:
Ensure your 2nd Amendment rights are protected
Encourage cooperation between the justice department and local law enforcement
Review federal sentencing guidelines to ensure fairness
Work to provide law enforcement with the tools and analytical resources to keep communities safe
EDUCATION: The public education system should not be used to indoctrinate students. I support the rights of parents to choose the best educational path for their children and will look for opportunities to expand school choice and promote curriculum that is inclusive, not divisive…
…HEALTHCARE: Americans should be able to choose affordable healthcare options that work best for them. As your congresswoman, I will support legislation that allows residents to buy insurance and fulfill prescription services across state lines…
May 3: Post News Group posted an article titled: “California ’22 Primary Election: Black Candidates Running for U.S. House of Representatives” Here is what they wrote about Tamika Hamilton:
…Tamika Hamilton, a former Air Force sergeant, is running to represent District 6 (Fair Oaks). She has six opponents in a solidly Democratic district. Rep. Ami Bera (D) is running in this race.
June 3: The Sacramento Bee posted an editorial titled: “Rep. Ami Bera deserves reelection to Congress in Sacramento region’s 6th District” From the article:
Sacramento area Rep. Ami Bera clawed through bitter campaigns, a fund-raising scandal, and a series of close elections to secure his seat in Congress. This year, thanks to a solid record in office, a favorable new district and less convincing opposition, Bera appears to face more danger from the wildlife of Capitol Holl, where he was recently attacked by a rabid fox, than he does from his opponents.
An Elk Grove Democrat, Bera is running to represent Sacrament County’s new 6th Congressional District, which does not include his hometown but does encompass Rancho Cordova and other parts of the old 7th District, which he currently represents. The new district, which also includes Citrus Heights and part of the city of Sacramento, decisively favored Joe Biden in the last election.
The fifth-term congressman is facing another district-hopping hopeful in Tamika Hamilton, a Republican Air Force veteran from Dixon, in Solano County. Hamilton had success raising funds and mounting an unexpectedly vigorous challenge to another local Democratic congressman in a relatively safe district, Rep. John Garamendi, whom she was expected to challenge again before district lines were redrawn…
…A physician and a former chief medical officer for Sacramento County, Bera has articulated a middle ground on the polarizing subject of pandemic management, focusing on the potential of vaccination and other precautions to speed the recovery of the economy and public education. He’s introduced legislation to encourage development of vaccines, improve tracking and sequencing of viruses, and ease health care access on several fronts…
Ballotpedia reported about the Nonpartisan Primary for U.S House California District 6:
Ami Bera (D): 53.6% – 66,608 votes
Tamika Hamilton (R): 18.1% – 22,531 votes
Bret Daniels (R): 11.6% – 14,352 votes
Chris Bish (R): 7.5% – 9,366 votes
September 29: Public Radio for Central Florida WMFE posted an article titled: “After being bitten by a rabid fox, a congressman wants cheaper rabies treatments” From the article:
Rabies deaths are rare in the U.S. A lot of that is thanks in part to vaccines, but it’s also because of the effective treatment available to those who have been exposed to the viral, deadly disease.
But that lifesaving treatment is expensive, especially for those without health insurance, and can leave people saddled with thousands of dollars of debt.
After his own encounter with a rabid fox on Capitol Hill in April, Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., is trying to change that. He introduced legislation on Wednesday that would lead the creation of a government program that would reimburse health care providers who administer the treatment to people who are uninsured.
The introduction of the legislation, the Affordable Rabies Treatment for Uninsured Act, coincided with World Rabies Day, which aims to raise awareness about the disease worldwide…
…In an interview with The Bee’s Editorial Board, Bera, who has cultivated a centrist profile with his caucus, showed impressive energy and thoughtfulness on finding paths to progress on gun violence, climate change and other issues that Republicans have been particularly loath to address…
…Bera bears the scars of a series of hard-fought contests for Congress, but he deserves to win this one easily.
Ballotpedia posted the results for the General Election for U.S. California District 6:
Ami Bera (D): 56.6% – 68,907 votes
Tamika Hamilton (D): 43.4% – 52,943 votes
California’s 7th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 7th Congressional district:
California’s 7th congressional district is a United States congressional district in California. Ami Bera, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Currently, it encompasses southern Sacramento County, part of Yolo County, and a tiny portion of Solano County. It includes all of Sacramento south of the American River, including Downtown Sacramento, the suburban cities of West Sacramento and Elk Grove, and the rural city of Galt.
It is a heavily Democratic district. Prior to redistricting in 2021, it was entirely in Sacramento County and included the eastern and southern suburbs of Sacramento.
The old 7th had been a solidly Democratic district, like most districts in the Bay Area. However, the new 7th is one of the more competitive districts in California. When it was created, it was rated “EVEN” by the Cook Partisan Voting Index.
As of 2023, California’s 7th congressional district is located in the Sacramento Valley, and encompasses most of Sacramento County and parts of Yolo.
Sacramento County is split between this district and both the 3rd district and 6th district. The 7th and 3rd districts are partitioned by Latrobe Rd. The 7th and 6th districts are partitioned by the Sacramento River, American River, Fair Oaks Blvd, Watt Ave, Kiefer Blvd, Highway 16, Bradshaw Rd, Highway E2, and Stonehouse Dr. The 7th district takes in the south side of the city of Sacramento, the cities of Galt and Elk Grove, and the census-designated places Florin and Parkway.
Yolo County is split between this district and 4th district. They are partitioned by Highway 84 and Elkhorn Slough on the southern border, and by County Rd 126, Tule Canal, Toe Drain Canal, Highway 84, Babel Slough Rd, and Pumphouse Rd. The 7th district takes in the city of West Sacramento, and most of Ryer Island.
Ballotpedia provided information about Doris Matsui
Doris Matsui (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California 6th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2013. Her current term ends January 3, 2023.
Matsui (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 7th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Doris Matsui first won election to United State House of Representatives in 2005, in a special election to United States House of Representatives in 2005, in a special election in California’s 5th Congressional District. The special election was called after the incumbent, Matsui’s husband Rober, died on January 1, 2015.
Ballotpedia provided information about Max Semenenko
Max Semenenko (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 7th Congressional District. Semenenko lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Max Semenko lives in North Highlands, California. Semeneko earned an associate degree in psychology from Stanford University. His career experience includes owning a business and working as the CEO of Maximus Development Inc. (MDI). Semenenko served as a park commissioner for the North Highlands Recreation and Park District Board.
April 6: Sacramento News Review posted an article titled: “Matsui’s next generation of opponents in Sacramento’s District 7” From the article:
…Sacto Politico: What was your main motivation for running?
Jimmy Fremgen: I am running because people are struggling. They’re not getting the same kind of support as big businesses, and we are being pushed out of the middle class. As the wealth gap is widening, we have inflation increasing and corporations posting record profits. But none of the costs that are increasing with inflation are affecting corporate profits, but it is hitting the wallets and pocketbooks of teachers and bartenders and shift workers. Our current representative doesn’t understand what that is like. She’s far to disconnected from our lives here…
…One of the problems we have with Congress as a whole – and with Sacramento’s current representatives – is because campaigns have become so expensive, members of Congress have been captured by their corporate donors. These are the very same organizations our Congressional representatives are supposed to be regulating. But if you ask somebody for thousands of dollars to run your campaign but then are expected to hold them in the sunlight and ask hard questions, at some point selfishness is going to win out and you’re going to take it easy on your donors who are invested in keeping you …
…S/P but to finish in the top 2, you must get more votes than the one Republican in the race, Max Semenenko. That means even with the CA-7 solidly Democratic, 25% to 30% may still go by default to a Republican. What are you hoping for to help you make the Top 2?
JF: You are always going to have people who vote just because of the letter after the candidate’s name. But we have entered a new era of politics in our country when it is no longer about party. Party is the side show. It’s about the extremely wealthy versus everybody else. If you are somebody who wants to see corporations held to account; if you are somebody that wants to see homelessness addressed with actual solutions, then you should vote for me. I have a plan to address those things…
…Sacto Politico: What top issues inspired you to run for Congress?
Max Semenenko: There are a lot of issues that inspire me. The top issue is the economy. People in this district are feeling the real impact of record inflation. Rising housing costs and everyday goods are more and more expensive. So I will fight for my district to give a break to our people.
I feel the main way to lower costs right now involves sustainable energy. Right now, we are purchasing all of these fossil fuels from other countries, but I would encourage Administration and our people to be energy independent again. Even as a builder and a business owner, as soon as the prices and materials and gas go up, costs go up for everyone.
S/P: What is your background?
MS: My parents received refugee status and emigrated from Ukraine. We arrived in 1997 at Sacramento airport in the middle of the night. I was 14 1/2, and driving on the freeway after arriving, I was fascinated by all the street lights. I was like, “Wow, how can these Americans handle all those battery replacements?” on those lights. I knew America was great, but not that great. It was like a Disneyland for me. In Ukraine at that time, street lights at night and water was a luxury outside the cities…
…I grew up in Oak Park near Fruitridge and Stockton, right there on 56th Street, and I graduated from Hiram Johnson High School. And I wish to thank everyone for helping me and my family become free Americans. Now it’s my time to give back.
…S/P: Why are you a Republican?
MS: This is very interesting. I was brought up as a non-party person in Ukraine. For us, it was a sin to be part of any party, to carry any kind of firearm, to reflect any of the government positions. But when I came here, I was looking for ways to be involved in American society, and I decided to run for office in 2020. When I was looking through the parties, the Republican Party was closer to my beliefs and perspective of life.
For me, everybody is an American, and everybody is fighting to protect this country like I am. They are pro-family like I am. They start meetings with prayers and the Pledge of Allegiance. They feel a little bit better world can exist. This is the best country, but there is going to be another, I hope, another big country like America. We call it heaven. My main purpose on this Earth is to serve and show I have a little bit better dream, and I think Republicans have that bigger philosophy that is motivating them…
…S/P What are your main thoughts about your main opponent, Rep. Doris Matsui?
MS: I know her story. I respect her. I know she is doing everything she can to help the district, but people are saying, “You know Max, we never see her. She doesn’t live anywhere near here. She has already been too long in office. Her husband was in office too long. We want something different, and we believe that you can bring the difference.”…
June 8: Elk Grove Citizen posted an article titled: “Matsui holds early lead in Congressional D-7 primary election” From the article:
U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, experienced much success in the first day of the Congressional District 7 primary election…
…According to her congressional web page, Matsui is focused on improving the economy and health care, preventing gun violence, protecting women’s rights, bringing clean energy technology to Sacramento, assisting veterans and seniors, improving education systems, and reversing the effects of climate change…
…On his campaign website, Semenko refers to four of his top issues as reviving the economy, defending the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, reforming the immigration system to be fair and safe and “loosen(ing) big Pharma’s grip on our health care system.”
Fremegen, former intern for Matsui, told the Citizen last March that he decided to run for Congress after observing many “regular people” getting left behind, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His top campaign issues include homelessness, assisting people to obtain access to health care, bringing federal resources back to local “communities that are hurting,” and “getting the corrupt influence of corporate money out of politics.”
According to Elk Grove Citizen, these were the primary election results for California’s 7th Congressional District:
Doris Matsui (D): 27,066 votes – 66.6%
Max Semeneko (R): 10,506 votes – 25.8%
Jimmy Fremgen (D): 3,057 votes – 7.5%
Ballotpedia posted the following information about California’s 7th 2022 Congressional District election:
Doris Matsui (D): 65.2% – 51,137 votes
Max Semenenko (R): 27.5% – 21,549 votes
Jimmy Fremgen (D): 7.5% – 5,771 votes
October 10: The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board posted an editorial titled: “Sacramento, Elk Grove voters should give this representative another term in Congress” From the editorial:
Among the bills Congress has passed in a fit of accomplishment this summer was legislation to subsidize the domestic semiconductor chip industry to shore up domestic manufacturing, prevent supply chain disruptions and protect national security. Despite its bipartisan origins, the legislation survived a cynical attempt by Republicans to hold it hostage in a tantrum over another legislative achievement, the Democratic majority’s sweeping bid to address climate change, lower prescription drug costs and increase corporate taxation.
President Joe Biden’s signing of the semiconductor legislation last month was a victory for the productive pragmatism of the Democratic majority and particularly one of its members, Sacramento Rep. Doris Matsui, one of a bipartisan group of four who kicked off the effort to bolster the sector in 2020. “Since we shared this effort, the global chips shortage has only grown more severe and the need for legislation more pressing,” Matsui said in the House floor.
The achievement was the latest example of why the Democratic stalwart deserves reelection to Congress.
Recent years have also seen Matsui become a compelling and outspoken opponent of anti-Asian racism amid its pandemic-era resurgence and, before that, Donald Trump’s prohibition of immigration from predominantly Muslim countries. Born amid a grim expression of racism turned federal policy, in an Arizona internment camp for Japanese Americans, the Sacramento Democrat herself is a striking example of prejudice overcome.
Elected to Congress after the 2005 death of her husband, Rep. Robert Matsui – who was an infant when his own family was interned – she has been handily reelected eight times, extending a family legacy in Congress dating to 1979.
After last year’s redistricting split Sacramento and rearranged representation of its suburbs, Matsui, currently in the 6th Congressional District, announced a run for reelection in the new 7th. Expected to be safely Democratic, the district encompasses about half of Matsui’s old district, including downtown Sacramento and other city neighborhoods, along with adjacent suburban and Delta territory outside the old 6th, including Elk Grove, West Sacramento and Isleton.
In her current term, Matsui has championed legislation to document and combat anti-Asian American hate crimes and increase awareness of internment. She also supported Biden’s decision to stop barring asylum seekers from the country on public health pretexts, which divide her caucus.
Testifying about the hate crime bill to a House subcommittee last year, Matsui drew a parallel between her parents’ experience of mass race-based federal imprisonment and the stoking of anti-Asian bigotry at the highest levels of government during the pandemic. “We’ve seen the consequences when we go down this path,” she said. “My family has lived through these consequences. This is what we are working to root out from the deepest place in our social conscience.”
A member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which conducts oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Department, Matsui has also backed measures to increase social media transparency, encourage modernization of mental health care and local vehicle emissions. Her record has earned voters’ continued confidence.
The New York Times reported the following results of California 7th Congressional District:
Doris Matsui (Democrat) (incumbent): 150,618 votes – 68.3%
Max Semenenko (Republican): 70,033 votes – 31.7%
Ballotpedia posted the following results of the General Election for U.S. House California District 7:
Doris Matsui (D): 65.7% – 44,953 votes
Max Semeneko (R): 34.3% – 23,473 votes
California’s 8th Congressional District
Wikipedia posted information about California’s 8th congressional district
California’s 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. As of 2021, Republican Jay Obernolte represents the district. Currently, the 85th district encompasses most of the eastern desert regions of the state. It stretches from Mono Lake to Twentynine Palms. It consists of Inyo and Mono counties, plus most of the land in San Bernardino County. The largest city is Victorville.
Redistricting before the 2022 election moved the district to the northeastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area. The new district includes parts of Contra Costa County and Solano County including the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, Richmond and parts of Martinez. Unlike the old 8th district, the new 8th is heavily Democratic.
As of 2023, California’s 8th congressional district was significantly changed, now being located between the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. It encompasses part of Contra Costa and Solano Counties.
Contra Costa County is split between this district and the 10th district. They are partitioned by Grizzly Peak Blvd, Seaview Trail, Camino Pablo, Bear Creek Rd, Bear Creek, Brianes Reservoir, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Highway 4, Alhambra Ave, Pacheco Blvd, Grandview Ave, Central Ave, Imhoff Dr, Bares Ave, Mount Diablo Creek, Union Pacific, Contra Costa Canal, 4WD Rd, Bailey Rd, James Donlon Blvd, Cambridge Dr, Reseda Way, S Royal links Cir, Carpenteria Dr, Barmouth Dr, Hillcrest Ave, Highway 4 and Highway 160. The 8th district takes in the north side of the cities of Antioch and Martinez, the cities of Pittsburg, Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Pinone, and Hercules.
Solano County is split between this district and the 4th district. They are partitioned by Soda Springs Rd, Union Pacific, Alamo Dr, Leisure Town Rd, Hawkins Rd, Bay Area Exxextric, Shilo Rd, Collinsville Rd, and Montezuma Slough. The 8th district takes in the cities of Vallejo, Fairfield, and Suisun City.
Ballotpedia provided information about John Garamendi
John Garamendi (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California’s 3rd Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2013. His current term ends on January 3, 2023.
Garamendi (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 8th Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Garamendi represented California’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2009 to 2013. Garamendi began his political career in 1974, serving in the California State Assembly until his election to the California State Senate in 1976. Prior to his election to the U.S. House, Garamendi also served as lieutenant governor of California from 2007 to 2009…
Ballotpedia provided information about Rudy Recile
Rudy Recile (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California’s 8th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Recile completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Here are some of the questions he answered:
Q: Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
Hello, fellow Americans! I am a proud Retired US Army Major, former US Department of Agriculture employee and owner of a small web design company. After retiring, my wife and I liked California so much that we decided to stay. My main platform issues include energy independence for America, supporting the Bill of Rights, accountability of our tax dollars, support for veterans, California’s environmental-water issues and quality education. I support successful public schools and I believe in equality of opportunity for all.
I’m developing a non-profit veterans’ support center providing services to veterans and serve as treasurer for a Veterans-of-Foreign-Wars Post. I served as a logistics officer at the Pentagon in Washington DC. I became savvy with the inner workings of agencies, and how to successfully accomplish the mission. Looking back on the 2020 election cycle, I was not pleased with what I witnessed. I decided my 33 years of experience working in Federal government was better put to becoming part of the solution instead of sitting on the sidelines. I volunteered with community organizations at monthly meetings, voter registration drives and other events. I am on a mission to restore our country with new blood and fresh ideas.
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
I am on a Mission to Restore Our Country with New Blood and Fresh Ideas
I want Accountability for our Tax Dollar spending so Americans are able to see what and where our money is spent.
We need to restore our Bill of Rights for all Americans
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Reducing repetitive regulatory inspections for agricultural goods and livestock
Securing our border and enforcing current immigration laws
Ensuring good schools for the children of the USA
Supporting our Service Members by ensuring they have the means necessary to defend our country
Supporting Veterans providing services in underserved areas and reducing un-necessary bureaucratic processes
Accountability for our Tax Dollar spending so Americans are able to see what and where our money is spent
Restoring faith and support in our Judicial system and First Responders and Law Enforcement
Ballotpedia posted the results of the Primary election for U.S.House California District 8:
John Garamendi (D): 63.2% – 71,157 votes
Rudy Recile (R): 20.5% – 23,143 votes
Cheryl Sudduth (D): 9.8% – 11,091 votes
Christopher Riley (D): 3.4% – 3,831 votes
October 21: KCRA 3 posted an article titled: “Congressional District 8: KCRA 3 sits down with candidates John Garamendi & Rudy Recile” From the article:
…Democratic incumbent John Garamendi will face off against his Republican challenger, Rudy Recile, a former U.S. Army Major and former Department of Agriculture employee.
KCRA 3 asked both candidates what they think of their chances in the November election.
Congressman Garamendi said he was confident, despite redistricting. The only overlap with the former Congressional District 3, which Garamendi currently represents, is the Fairfield area. But Congressional District 8 is heavily Democratic, and Garamendi secured more than 63% of the vote during the June primary.
Recile, who has never held public office before, said he has his work cut out for him – but is working on knocking on as many doors as possible.
Recile told KCRA 3 that his top priority is accountability in government,
“Where is our money going? We’re printing money left and right in the government at the present time. Where is that money going?” Recile said.
A lot of those dollars in California are geared toward tackling climate change. Garamendi told that is one of his top priorities. His plan to deal with drought is what he calls, “A Water Plan for All California.”
“First of all, conservation everywhere – urban, agricultural, industrial conservation of water. Secondly, recycling. Recycle our water. Thirdly, we have to have storage,” Garamendi said…
…Recile said his other top priorities are working with veterans and making sure kids are educated properly. According to Recile’s policy platform on his website, he said curriculums created by teachers’ unions and school boards are “emasculating our sons.” KCRA3 asked Recile what he is specifically referring to.
“We’re trying to treat them more softly than what they should be doing,” Recile said. “In the schools, we’ve taken away a lot of the art classes, for example, woodworking, auto shop, things of that nature.”…
November 13: Congressman John Garamendi posted a statement on his official website: “Congressman John Garamendi is Re-Elected”. From the post:
Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) issued the following statement after being re-elected to Congress in California’s 8th Congressional District:
“I am deeply grateful and humbled by this vote of confidence from the voters in Contra Costa and Solano Counties. This decisive victory gives us an opportunity to continue the critically important work that’s before us,” Garamendi said.
“In the last two years, we have accomplished so much for the American people in the face of unprecedented challenges. The United States has led the world in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring economic recovery through the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Chips Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act,” Garamendi continued.
“These bills have capped the out-of-pocket costs of prescription drugs for seniors, provided the single largest investment to combat climate change in history, lowered the federal deficit, helped rebuild our infrastructure using American materials and workers, and grown our economy at a record pace while ensuring American’s inflation rate is one of the lowest in the world,” Garamendi continued.
“When the new Congress is sworn in, I will build upon this legislation to promote economic and environmental justice throughout Solano and Contra Costa counties. We will invest in the incredible businesses and people right here in our backyard to lift up the communities that have historically been left behind. This is critically important work that I am more determined than ever to accomplish on behalf of California’s 8th Congressional District,” Garamendi continued.
“Next week I will return to Washington to finish the work this Congress has before it. Nothing is more important than passing ironclad legislation to support our democracy. Our democracy is under attack. With the January 6th Insurrection and the ensuing calls from GOP leaders to ban things like mail-in voting and other safe and necessary electoral tools that provide the fulcrum to our democracy, it is clear that immediate action must be taken by Congress to pass electoral reform and protect American democracy,” Garamendi continued.
“We have outwork cut out for us, and I couldn’t be more thankful to everyone who participated in this election. I will take your voice with me to Washington and continue working on your behalf. I am incredibly hopeful for the days ahead. Together, we will create a prosperous future for all,” Garamendi concluded.
Ballotpedia reported the results of California’s General Election for District 8:
John Garamendi (D): 74.5% – 81,256 votes
Rudy Recile (R): 25.5% – 27,878 votes
California’s 9th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided the following information about California’s 9th congressional district:
California’s 9th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Jerry McNereny, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013.
Prior to redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission of 2011, the 9th district encompassed part of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Cities in the district included Oakland, Berkley, and Castro Valley. Most of that area became parts of the 13th district, while the 9th district in 2012 through 2022 was primarily made up of portions of the 18th and 11th districts from the 2002 through 2012.
Since the redistricting, prior to the 2012 election, the 9th district centered on Stockton. It consisted of most of San Joaquin County and portions of Contra Costa and Sacramento counties. Cities in the district include Antioch, Galt, Oakley, Lathrop, Lodi, Mountain House, and Stockton.
While redistricting in advance of the 2022 election in California, the 9th district is still centered on Stockton. However, Tracey, Manteca, and Ripon, which were formerly in California’s 10th congressional district, are now part of this district, while Antioch, Lathrop and Brentwood are no longer in the district. Antioch and Brentwood are part of the new 10th district, which is now west of the 9th district (as opposed to the south). As of the 2022 elections, Lathrop will be part of the new 13th district.
October 24: (Updated October 27, 2022) KHOU 11.com posted an article titled: “Meet the candidates for California’s 9th Congressional district: Josh Harder, Tom Patti.” From the article:
One of the most contentious races this November election season pits incumbent Josh Harder against Tom Patti.
The election will happening the newly redrawn 9th Congressional district, centered in San Joaquin County.
At 36 years old, Josh Harder seeks his third congressional, two-year-term.
The Turlock democrat says he has moved to Tracy, but his roots have always been in the San Joaquin Valley.
“I’m a fifth-generation resident of this community” said Harder. “My great-great-great grandfather started with a peach farm in Manteca in 1850. Now I’m raising my seven-month old daughter Lilian with my wife Pam in Tracy.”
Harder faces Republican Tom Patti, a long-time county resident, and current San Joaquin County Supervisor.
He’s also the owner of a crane-operating business.
“First and foremost local businessman, community activist, and most importantly a father in the community I grew up in, in the community that I’ve owned businesses, I’ve employed,” said Patti.
Patty says he is running in part to “bring common sense back to Washington” and to help unite lawmakers in Washington.
Harder says he’s running because there’s a lot more work left to do.
We’re in the midst of a drought in California and is still planning to ship Northern California here to Southern California,” Harder said. “We’re dealing with the cost of living. San Joaquin County has grown exponentially. People are paying five, six, dollars for a gallon of gas.”…
A look at the race
However, the race has become contentious and nasty.
In a political ad in favor of Harder, it alleges “Tom Patti took all that money for his own business.”
Patti doesn’t deny taking over $30,000 Paycheck Protection COVID cash to keep his business running, but Harder has criticized Patti as the only county supervisor that abstained from distributing more than $33 million in COVID-related American Rescue Plan funds in August last year.
Why did he abstain?
“Because I’m not certain this later stage of dollars and allocation to people is as necessary as being talked about and the necessity for allocation,” Patti said…
…ABC10 asked both candidates, How do you convince voters who are on the fence to vote for?
“Ya know, we’ve been very clear about our values,” said Harder. “Nobody is going to agree with me 100% of the issues, but we’re focused making sure we’re making the right decision independent of party line.”
“I’m working for the people where I live,” said Patty. “I’m working for the people that I currently serve. I’m working for the people that for decades I’ve done work. I’ve employed and I’ve done commerce with my community for decades.
The race is considered close despite a big difference in campaign fundraising…
November 15: Los Angeles Times (via MSN) posted an article titled: “Rep. Josh Harder defeats GOP challenger in Central Valley district.” From the article:
Democratic Rep. Josh Harder won election Tuesday to a Stockton-centered congressional district, beating Republican Tom Patti, a San Joaquin County supervisor and businessman.
Harder, who represents a neighboring district, stressed his independence from his party in the Central Valley race, which despite the area’s blue tilt was among California’s most competitive congressional contests.
“I’m incredibly honored our community has put their faith in me once again,” Harder said in a written statement. “There’s a huge amount of work that needs to get done, and I truly believe if we focus on common sense solutions we can get prices down, protect our water, and keep our community safe. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I won’t let you down.”
Patti noted that he was exponentially outspent and accused Democrats of lying about his record, but he said he accepted the election result.
…Though the Associated Press called the race Tuesday night, official results will take longer.
Both candidates tried to paint their rivals as beholden to the extremes of their respective parties, but their behavior and messaging often reflected the moderate views of many of the regions voters.
Patti, a former amateur boxer who trained with Mike Tyson, had said he is not “a Trumpeter.” Harder highlighted his disagreement with the Democratic Party on issues such as gas taxes and water. On the ballot, the title he listed with was “Agriculture Committeeman,” not a member of Congress.
The 9th Congressional District, altered in the map redrawing following the census, includes much of San Joaquin County, with small bits of Contra Costa and Stanislaus counties.
After the incumbent who lives there decided not to seek reelection, Harder ran in the friendlier electoral terrain. Democrats have about a 15-percentage-point voter-registration advantage over Republicans…
November 15: The Sacramento Bee posted an article titled: “Congressman Josh Harder wins California midterm in key clinch for House Democrats.” From the article:
Rep. Josh Harder will return to the U.S. House of Representatives after prevailing in a must-win district for Democrats in their bid to reduce a Republican majority.
Harder, D-Tracey, beat San Joaquin County supervisor Tom Patti, a Republican, in California’s new 9th Congressional District. The congressman had earned more than 56% of the votes when the Associated Press declared his win. More than 79% of the votes had been counted…
…The win comes as Republicans are on the cusp of taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2023. As of Tuesday evening, Democrats won 209 seats; Republicans 217.
A party needs 218 seats to hold the majority…
…Prior to the midterms, analysts weren’t entirely confident that Democrats would keep the 9th amid a predicted “red wave.” But that wave never came into fruition…
San Luis Obispo Tribune posted an article titled: “Congressman Josh Harder wins California midterm in key clinch for House Democrats”. From the article:
Rep. Josh Harder will return to the U.S. House of Representatives after prevailing in a must-win district for Democrats in their bid to reduce a Republican majority.
Harder, D-Tracy, beat San Joaquin County supervisor Tom Patti, a Republican, in California’s new 9th Congressional District. The congressman had earned more than 56% of the votes when the Associated Press declared his win. More than 79% of the votes had been counted.
New York Times reported the results of California 9th District:
Josh Harder (Democrat): 95,598 votes – 54.8%
Tom Patti (Republican): 78,802 votes – 45.2%
Ballotpedia reported the final results of California 9th District:
Josh Harder (D): 56.3% – 74,966 votes
Tom Patti (R): 43.7% – 58,182 votes
California’s 10th Congressional District
Wikipedia provided information about California’s 10th Congressional District:
California’s 10th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Currently, the 10th district encompasses parts of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. It is currently represented by Democrat March DeSaulnier.
The district previously included all of Stanislaus County and part of San Joaquin County. It was centered in Modesto. Cities in the district included Oakdale, Manteca, Modesto, Tracey, and Turlock.
Redistricting before the 2022 elections moved the district to the San Francisco Bay Area. It includes the cities Concord, Walnut Creek, Danville, San Ramon, Brentwood, and southern Antioch in Contra Costa County, and eastern Dublin in Alameda County. The redistricting transformed the 10th from a competitive district to a heavily Democratic one.
…After 2022, the 10th district was redrawn in time for the 2022 election, being divided up between California’s 5th Congressional district (which now includes eastern portions of Modesto and eastern portions of Turlock), California’s 9th district (which is centered on Stockton, California and includes Tracey), and California’s 13th district (which includes western Modesto and western Turlock). Current 10th district incumbent Josh Harder is running for reelection in the new version of California’s 9th congressional district.
December 20, 2021: Antioch Herald posted an article titled: “Rep. DeSaulnier Announced Re-Election Campaign For California’s New 10th Congressional District” From the article:
The DeSaulnier for Congress Campaign announced the launch of the congressman’s re-election effort for California’s newly drawn 10th Congressional district, as approved by the California Citizens’ Redistricting Commission (CCRC) on Monday, Dec. 20th. Mark DeSaulnier has represented Concord and Contra Costa County in Congress since 2015 and vows to continue to work hard for his constituents, fighting for working families.
The 10th District encompasses most of Contra Costa County, including Lamorinda, the San Ramon Valley, Concord, Clayton, Clyde, Pacheco, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and portions of Martinez in Central County, and in East County, Brentwood, Oakley, Bethel Island, Knightsen and portions of Antioch, plus portions of Dublin in Alameda County. DeSaulnier currently represents portions of Antioch and will continue to do so if re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
“Throughout my time in Congress, my guiding principle has always been this: I work for you,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “It’s been my honor to represent this area for nearly three decades, on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, in the California State Legislature, and for the past six years as a Member of Congress. My priority has always been serving the people of Contra Costa and making our voices heard during the tough fights, when it matters most .”
DeSaulnier lives in Concord where he raised his two sons, Tristan and Tucker, and opened and operated a small business, TR’s restaurant.
He’s also spent three decades as a public servant: representing his community on the Concord City Council, as Mayor of Concord, as a three-term Contra Costa County Supervisor, in the California State Legislature, and currently as a Member of Congress…
Ballotpedia reported that Michael Ernest Kerr (Green Party) was the only candidate who filled out Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. Here are some of the answers he provided:
Q: Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?
Military Industrial Complex control of media and the two main political parties and censorship of alternative information from their profit driven narratives.
Our government and media are not treating climate change like the serious crisis it has become.
The Military Industrial Media Complex has split the country into extreme hatred between Republicans & Democrats despite both having similar basic needs and wants.
Q: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am a 9/11 truther! Since the release of the 9/11 Commission report in 2005 which I consider a flat-out confession by my government, I have offered an unclaimed reward of $100,000 to the first person who can prove or at least demonstrate that my government did not plan, manage, execute and cover-up the events around the September 11, 2021, attacks. My website is http://www.911reward.org.
I have been arrested over a dozen times protesting against the U.S. Drone Assassination program at either Beale AFB or Creech AFB for close to 10 years. These drone attacks have killed thousands of civilians, terrorized millions more in countries we are not at war. These drone attacks are in violation of our U.S. Constitution and International Law.
It is insane that the U.S. does not have Single Payer Medicare for All like most of the nations in the industrial developed world. Millions of Americans have died and tens of millions have suffered from the lack of affordable quality healthcare. Although Democrats had total control of California for years and their platform calls for Medicare for All, the corporate beholden Democratic Party always finds a reason not to pass Medicare for All during the past ten years despite supposedly progressive Governors. When Arnold Schwarzenegger was Governor, he twice vetoed in 2006 and 2008 the Democratic legislature passed Medicare for All bills…
…Q: What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I have been a Peace and Social Justice Advocate most all of my adult life. This has been my vocation, my purpose in life. I have never been paid for my vocation. I have contributed my own money and time to my vocation. I have primarily acted independently, but often in coordination with other groups or organizations. I would qualify as an active member.
I am a problem solver and always try to engage in active research and study before taking a position especially concerning controversial issues. Yet my positions are always open to change based on new information and facts.
I will be a bullhorn in exposing corruption in congress, all our government agencies and in our corporate world! I always do my best toward creating a better world for people and all living things!
May 18: East County Today posted an article titled: “Oakley Woman to Run as Official Write-In Candidate for Congress Against DeSaulnier”. From the article:
Oakley resident Katherine Piccinini announced that she has filed paperwork with the Contra Costa Elections Division and is certified as an official Write-In Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, 10th District race in the June 7th Primary Election.
The 10th Congressional District was recently changed due to re-districting and now includes much of Contra Costa County, including Oakley, Brentwood, parts of Antioch and Central Contra Costa County as well.
If she gets enough voters to write her name on the June ballot, it will appear on the November ballot.
“I am a mother, a grandmother, and a Constitutionalist,” Piccinini stated. “I am concerned about the direction of our great nation.”
She said she was concerned that no viable challenger had filed paperwork to run against incumbent, liberal Congressman Mark DeSaulnier in the Primary.
“DeSaulnier has voted yes to budget after budget where America has overspent beyond our means, incurring 10’s of trillions in debt that our children and grandchildren will be forced to pay back,” Piccinini said as one of her reasons for the challenge. She also discussed other parts of DeSaulnier’s voting record, noting he even voted non on the ‘Infants Born Alive Protection Act’ H.R. 4712 which would have required health care professionals to provide life-saving care to babies born during botched abortions…
…Piccinini outlined several of her platform issues, including financial accountability, such as reigning in our $30.4+ trillion dollar national debt by auditing, reducing spending and advancing a balanced budget amendment, support for the Bill of Rights, including the Freedom of Speech, Religion, and our Right to Bear Arms, as well as supporting federal voucher efforts for school choice, closed borders and stopping the federal funding of Planned Parenthood…
June 8: The New York Times posted the result of California’s 10th Congressional District Primary Election Results:
Michael Kerr (uncontested)
Mark DeSaulnier (uncontested)
Ballotpedia reported the results of the Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 10:
Mark DeSaulnier (D): 84.9% – 60,471 votes
Michael Ernest Keer (G): 12.9% – 9,159 votes
Katherine Piccinini (R) (Write-in): 2.3% – 1,638 votes
November 8: Associated Press posted “Democrat Mark DeSaulnier wins reelection to U.S. House in California’s 10th Congressional District”. [...]
April 15, 2022CaliforniaPhoto by Hannah Busing on Unsplash
I wrote a thread on Twitter that started with a quote-tweet of an article from Teen Vogue. The article was titled: “What Does Workplace Retaliation Look Like?” and it was written by Rainesford Stauffer. It reminded me of the workplace retaliation I was subjected to in a previous job.
My intent was to leave the thread up for a couple of hours, and then turn it into a blog post. I started by quote-tweeting the Teen Vogue article, and tweeting: “This article provides important information that I wish I had known about years ago.” (I’ve added it additional information in this blog post that I felt was too much to stick in a Twitter thread).
Years ago, I was working as a teacher’s aide in… I’m going to say a “difficult classroom”. There were three teacher’s aides, and one teacher. My degree in Education didn’t count because I moved to a new state. So, I was a teacher’s aide.
In the state I was working in, teachers get paid more than teacher’s aides. So, I started with a lot of teaching experience, but less pay than my degree called for. As such, there was no way I could afford to re-do my degree in Education.
We were given two unpaid 15 minute breaks and one 30 minute lunch break. In “regular” classrooms, someone would come in to relieve the teacher and/or teacher’s aide. Teacher got their breaks. Teacher’s aides got their breaks.
But that didn’t happen in my “difficult classroom”. Some of the children in that classroom had been through terrifying experiences and were emotionally scarred from it. Violence occurred often. All teachers and aides were taught ways to safely stop the violence.
Learning how to do that was traumatizing for me. It required more than one day learning how to do “holds”, which we practiced on each other. We took turns doing the holds and being the one who had the holds done on them.
The training was intense. We started in a classroom and paired up with someone else. The purpose was to mimic some of the things we had seen the children in our classroom do. It involved yelling at the person we were paired with (including swearing), and play-acting the violence escalating. (For example, I mimicked a student who started by kicking things by pretending to kick my own bag that was on the floor).
I was paired up with a person who was a counselor – who immediately picked out which student I was mimicking. She mimicked talking me down. The purpose was so I could learn what to do and say when violence was escalating in my classroom, and what NOT to do or say.
We took a break after that, which I needed because I was absolutely not ok. I have PTSD, in part because I grew up in a violent household. All that yelling – and having to mimic it – was not helpful. I remember pacing back and forth across the back of the classroom during the break, trying not to freak out.
The second day, we moved to a larger room and were taught how to do “holds”. We were paired up with a small group of other teachers and teacher’s aides. I had briefly met one of the people in my group because I was sent to their classroom to observe one day. The rest were strangers.
I had not yet recovered from being traumatized the day before. The second day was worse because we had to take turns physically trying to put other people in holds – or being the recipient of the hold. Over and over again. Towards the end of the second day, each group was to demonstrate how to do holds. I am very small, so I was selected as the person to have the hold done on them.
My arms were pulled back behind me and I was tipped forward. I knew this would happen, as we all had been practicing this. From memory, I think I had this done twice, to swap out the first people so the others in the group could show they had learned how to do this.
Somewhere in there, one of them (unintentionally) pulled my hand too hard and caused an old injury to return. None of them knew about that injury, and it wasn’t anyone’s fault that I got hurt. I spent the next day with an arm brace on, hoping that this would prevent the old injury from getting worse.
Oddly enough, the original injury happened at an entirely different workplace and in another state. Long story short, I was working in a daycare at a hospital. I had to spend my lunch break waiting to be seen in the Emergency Room. My director insisted I sign a form before going to the ER, but I refused because I was in pain and could see that the form would not benefit me.
That particular workplace didn’t have any information about unions posted anywhere.
The type of training I went through – learning holds – is obviously not what most teachers or teacher’s aides are typically required to do. Most classrooms have students who do not present a need for an adult to learn those skills. That said, it was well known that the children in our classroom could become violent. We were the only classroom that had to carry walkie-talkies to communicate with each other. The only classroom where some of our students would run away to some other part of the school when stressed.
As such, we could not get anyone to come to our “difficult classroom” so we could take our breaks. I spoke about this with the Principal, multiple times. The Principal didn’t really listen to me and didn’t make any changes.
The rest of the teachers and aides took their lunch break while their class was having lunch. We couldn’t do that, as the Principal required all of us to sit with the kids during lunch – which should have been our 30 minute paid break.
There was another problem with this school. Teacher’s aides in this school were treated sort of like contractors. You had to get through three (positive) reviews in order to keep your job. I had passed through the first two reviews. Principal dragged their feet on the third.
Eventually, I got tired of working through what should have been my breaks. The state I lived in had set rules in place regarding breaks. I remember managers at a job I held previous to this one making a huge effort to ensure workers took their breaks on time. Failure to do so would result in serious consequences.
I started asking who the union representative was. A teacher connected me with that person, who contacted the union on my behalf. Got the ball rolling, despite the fact that I had not yet joined the union.
Not long after that, the Principal came to the door of our classroom while the students were eating lunch inside it. The Principal yelled at me for talking to the union. They did this within earshot of the students in the classroom – some of whom had a tendency to become terrified when they heard adults yelling.
The Principal yelled at me about getting involved with a union (without actually saying the word union). The Principal complained, “Why didn’t you come to me first?” At the time, I didn’t understand that this was gaslighting.
What I did know (and quickly made clear) were the number of times I specifically asked them to give me my (now overdue) third review. I reminded them that I had come to talk to them about not being able to take my breaks – several times – and that they chose to do nothing to make changes.
The Principal then yelled, “I thought you knew better than that!” More gaslighting, but I didn’t realize it at the time. I responded by making it clear that I had come from a state with the strongest teacher’s union in the nation, and that I knew exactly what I was doing. The Principal didn’t have a response to that, and walked away.
Another thing I didn’t realize at the time was that the Principal coming to yell at me in front of my fellow teacher’s aides, the teacher I worked under, and the students we helped, was likely a form of workplace retaliation. The Principal was making a scene with me in the hopes of scaring my co-workers away from trying to talk to the union so they could get their breaks.
This inappropriate incident made it clear that the union had heard me and had likely contacted the Principal about it. Shortly after the Principal’s outburst, I was allowed to start taking my (unpaid) 15 minute breaks and my (paid) 30 minute break.
The teachers in the teacher’s lounge expressed surprise to see me there, since none of the other people who worked in my “difficult classroom” had ever taken their breaks. They welcomed me in and it was nice to have a half-hour to eat and relax.
Unfortunately, my fellow teacher’s aides, and the teacher we worked under, were still not allowed to take their breaks. The union told me that they could only secure my breaks. The others had to contact the union themselves, and then the union could fight for them.
Earlier in this blog post, I mentioned that the teachers and teacher’s aides in other classrooms had a person swap in to give the teacher and their aides their breaks. My understanding from the emails the union sent me (on my personal email account – not the school’s email) was that the Principal would start sending in a person to swap me out. I shared that news with my coworkers.
Unfortunately, the Principal blew that off. This left my coworkers short-handed, which could be really bad if violence broke out while I was not there. I didn’t understand it at the time, but now I recognize this as another form of workplace retaliation.
My perception was that the Principal was trying to make things difficult for my coworkers, in the hopes that they would turn on me. I was the only one (so far) that talked to the union. I was getting my breaks. They were not getting their breaks. To make things worse, the Principal refused to send in a person to swap me out, leaving my coworkers shorthanded, and at risk if violence broke out while I was on break.
Working in that type of environment made us all form very strong bonds with each other. It was vital that we had each other’s back. There is something about experiencing trauma that pulls people together. It bothered me that the Principal was making my coworkers jobs harder – instead of giving them the breaks they were legally entitled to.
In California, there are laws regarding meal periods. In short, the law requires employees to be provided with no less than a thirty-minute meal period when the work period is more than five hours. The meal period shall be considered “on duty”, counted as hours worked, and paid for at the employee’s regular rate of pay.
In general, for employers to satisfy their obligation to provide a meal period, an employer must actually relieve employees of all duty, relinquish control over their activities, permit them a reasonable opportunity to take an uninterrupted 30-minute break (in which they are free to come and go as they please), and must not impede or discourage employees from taking their meal period.
The California Supreme Court has noted, “The wage orders and governing statute do not countenance an employer’s exerting coercion against taking of, creating incentives to forego, or otherwise encouraging the skipping of legally protected breaks.”
If your employer is not allowing you to take a meal period, there are repercussions. If your employer fails to provide the required meal period, you are able to be paid one hour of pay at your regular rate of compensation (this is referred to as meal period premium pay) for each workday that the meal period is not provided. If your employer fails to pay the additional one-hour’s pay, you may file a wage claim with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.
I wish I knew about this when I was working as a teacher’s aide! The information from the California Department of Industrial Relations states that this law was revised in 2012. Which means it might have been in effect while I was working at the school.
Not long after I had been allowed to take my (rightfully owed) breaks, I got a letter in the mail. It informed me that I had failed my third review. That was a surprise, because I was not given a third review. The letter also said that I was fired.
I decided to show up for work the next day and confront the Principal. I arrived early, went directly to their office and knocked on the door. When the Principal opened the door, I held up the letter.
“Oh. You weren’t suppose to get that yet,” they said.
I asked how it was possible to fail a third review when the review never happened. The Principle responded, “You lack specific skills”. When I asked what skills they were referring to, the answer was “specific skills”.
Looking back, this was both gaslighting, and workplace retaliation, wrapped together in a toxic bundle. The Principal refused to provide any more clarity on the specific skills, which left me to guess what those might be. The Principal fired me in retaliation for talking to the union – which required the Principal to give me my breaks.
I remember leaving in tears, which happens when I’m so irate that my system overloads. One of the janitors was coming into the school as I was leaving.
He asked if I got fired, and I nodded. The janitor said something indicating that the Principal does this all the time. “Don’t worry, you’ll be back soon.” That indicates there was a history of the Principal breaking laws by actively preventing some workers to take their breaks.
To their credit, the union continued fighting for me, even though I had not joined it. This didn’t result in getting my job back, but by then I didn’t want the job anymore.
My purpose in writing this blog post was to provide clear examples of what a toxic workplace looks like. Employers (in California, at least) are not allowed to prevent employees from taking their breaks. The Principal engaged in gaslighting me, and in workplace retaliation against myself and my coworkers.
It’s not easy to recognize when those things are happening in the heat of the moment. That’s the point. Bad bosses want to make workers feel confused (gaslighting) or threatened (workplace retaliation) in order to prevent workers from talking to a union or attempting unionization.
This is why unions are so important. A union can help workers to require their employers to comply with labor laws, to improve problems in the workplace, and to raise wages. And this is why I retweet when workers start unionizing for better workplace conditions.
Why Unions are Necessary is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. [...]
February 7, 2022CaliforniaPhoto by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
Unfortunately, California lawmakers keep finding excuses to prevent that from happening.
How It Started
In 2017, California Assembly Member Anthony Rendon (Democrat) blocked SB 562. If passed, the bill would have given Californian’s access to single-payer health care. Here are some key paragraphs from the bill:
…This bill, the Healthy California Act, would create the Healthy California program to provide comprehensive universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system for the benefit of all residents of the state. The bill, among other things, would provide that the program cover a wide range of medical benefits and other services and would incorporate health care benefits and standards of other existing federal and state provisions, including, but not limited to, the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medi-Cal, ancillary health care or social services covered by regional centers for persons with developmental disabilities, Knox-Keene, and the federal Medicaid program. The bill would seek all necessary waivers, approvals, and agreements to allow various existing federal health care payments to be paid to the Healthy California program, which would then assume responsibility for all benefits and services previously paid for with those funds……The bill would prohibit health care service plans and health insurers from offering health benefits or covering any service for which coverage is offered to individuals under the program, except as provided. The bill would authorize health care providers, as defined, to collectively negotiate rates of payment for health care services, rates of payment for prescription and nonprescription drugs, and payment methodologies using a 3rd-party representative, as provided…California Legislative Information website
Blocking the bill sparked an attempt to oust Anthony Rendon via a recall effort in 2017-2018. Ballotpedia provides the following information:
…The recall effort was launched by single-payer proponents after Rendon, who serves as speaker of the California State Assembly, blocked SB 562 – a bill that would have established a single-payer healthcare system in California. It passed the California State Senate on June 1, 2018. Rendon announced on June 23, 2017, that SB 562 would be held in the state Assembly’s rules committee until further notice…… In the statement, Rendon said that while he supports a single-payer system, he opposed SB 562 because it did not address issues related to funding, delivery of care, or cost controls. Moreover, he said it did not consider the role that the administration of President Donald Trump (R) would have to play for a single-payer system to be implemented. He also said that the bill could be brought back during the 2018 session if the state Senate addressed the issues he identified…Ballotpedia
The recall effort against Rendon failed. The proponents had until February 20, 2018, to collect the 22,963 signatures needed to trigger a recall election. They announced the end of the effort on February 8, 2018.
Where it Went
On January 10, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) proposed a plan that would offer universal health care to Californians. His proposal would have made California the first in the nation to offer universal access to health care coverage. The plan was described on “The California Blueprint”, Newsom’s list of five things he intended to take on as a state.
From The California Blueprint (under the Tackling The Cost of Living part):
…Create Universal Access to Healthcare Coverage: Governor Newsom’s Blueprint will make California the first state in the nation to offer universal healthcare coverage for all state residents, regardless of immigration status…The California Blueprint
According to Paso Robles Daily News, (in an article posted on January 12, 2022), the California Blueprint would provide a full expansion of Medi-Cal (the state’s Medicare system) to all eligible Californians regardless of immigration status, including an estimated 764,000 undocumented immigrants. In 2016, California’s Medi-Cal covered all eligible undocumented low-income children regardless of immigration status.
In 2019, Medi-Cal was extended to cover all eligible undocumented young adults up to the age of 26. And in 2021, California became the first in the nation to expand full-scope Medi-Cal eligibility to low-income adults age 50+, regardless of immigration status. Newsom’s blueprint would expand full-scope eligibility to individuals 26-49, making Medi-Cal available to all income-eligible Californians, again, regardless of immigration status.
On January 18, 2022, Cal Matters posted an article titled: “Newsom backs away from single-payer health care pledge”. It was written by Dan Walters. From the article:
…While running for governor in 2018, Newsom pledged to create a single-payer system for California, making the state the sole supplier of coverage……That pledge won Newsom the support of single-payer advocates. The California Nurses Association decked out a bus that toured the state with a picture of Newsom’s face and the words: “Nurses Trust Newsom. He shares our values and fights for our patients.”However, once elected, Newsom did virtually nothing to implement the promise. Instead, as the state’s finances allowed, he extended Medi-Cal coverage incrementally to undocumented immigrants and others lacking private or public coverage……The differences between universal coverage and single-payer are more than semantic. The former includes a wide variety of public and private health insurance plans, many of which have coverage limits and patient co-pays, while the latter would provide unlimited benefits free of out-of-pocket costs, much like Great Britain’s National Health Service.Providing universal coverage, as Newsom defines it, is doable by spending a few additional billion dollars in the state budget. Single-payer, on the other hand, would require the federal government to give the state the $200-plus billion is now spends on Californian’s health care and the state to raise taxes more than $150 billion a year…Cal Matters
What the Bill Included:
On January 24, 2022, AB-1400, the Guaranteed Health Care for All bill, was presented to the California Assembly. The bill was introduced by Assembly Members Ash Kalra (Democrat). Alex Lee (Democrat), and Miguel Santiago (Democrat).
Here are some interesting parts of AB-1400:
Every resident of the state shall be eligible and entitled to enroll as a member of CalCare.A member shall not be required to pay a fee, payment, or other charge for enrolling in or being a member of CalCare.A member shall not be required to pay a premium, copayment, coinsurance, deductive, or any other form of cost sharing for all covered benefits under CalCare.A college, university, or other institution of higher education in the state may purchase coverage under CalCare for a student, or a student’s dependent, who is not a resident of the state.An individual entitled to benefits through CalCare may obtain health care items and services from any institution, agency, or individual participating provider.The board shall establish a process for automatic CalCare enrollment at the time of birth in California
The CalCare Board would govern CalCare. The board would be made up of 9 voting members with demonstrated and acknowledged expertise in health care, plus the Secretary of California Health and Human Services or their designee as a nonvoting, ex officio member. The bill would provide the board with all the powers and duties necessary to establish CalCare, including determining when individuals may start enrolling into CalCare, employing necessary staff, negotiating pricing for covered pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, establishing a prescription drug formulary, and negotiating and entering into necessary contracts.
The bill would also provide for participation of health care providers in CalCare, including the requirements of participation agreement between a health care provider and the board, provide for payment for health care items and services, and specify program participation standards. The bill would prohibit a participating provider from discriminating against a person by, among other things, reducing or denying a person’s benefits under CalCare because of a specified characteristic, status, or condition of the person.
On or before July 2024, the board shall conduct and deliver a fiscal analysis to determine both of the following:
Whether or not CalCare may be implementedWhether revenue is more likely than not to be sufficient to pay for program costs within eight years of CalCare’s implementationThe board shall contract with one or more independent entities with the appropriate expertise to conduct the fiscal analysis.After the board has determined whether or not CalCare may be implemented and if program revenue is more likely than not to be sufficient to pay for program costs within eight years of CalCare’s implementation, CalCare shall not be further implemented until the Senate Committee on Health, Assembly Committee on Health, Senate Committee on Appropriations, and Assembly Committee on Appropriations consider, and the Legislature approves, by statute, the implementation of CalCare.
What Happened?
CBS8 posted an article on February 1, 2022, titled: “Why single payer died in the California Legislature, again”. It was written by Alexi Koseff (CalMatters). From the article:
Despite, or perhaps because of, an aggressive last-minute push by progressive activists ahead of a crucial deadline, legislation to create a government-run universal health care system in California died Monday without coming up for a vote.
The single-payer measure, Assembly Bill 1400, was the latest attempt to deliver on a longtime priority of Democratic Party faithful to get private insurers and profit margins out of health care. Because it was introduced last year, when it stalled without receiving a single hearing, it needed to pass the Assembly by Monday to continue through the legislative process…
…After several tense hours Monday afternoon, during which a scramble of meetings took place just off the Assembly floor, Assemblymember Ash Karla, the San Jose Democrat carrying AB 1400, announced that he would not bring up the measure for a vote…
National United Nurses (California Nurses Association) posted a statement regarding AB 1400:
“…Today, elected leaders in California had the opportunity to put patients first and set an example for the whole country by passing AB 1400, the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act, in the State Assembly. Instead, Assembly Member Ash Kalra, the main author of the bill, chose not to hold a vote on this bill at all, providing cover for those who would have been forced to go on the record about where they stand on guaranteed health care for all people in California.“Nurses condemn this failure by elected representatives to put patients above profits, especially during the worst surge of Covid-19 yet, at a time when it’s more clear than ever before that health care must be a right, not just a privilege for those who can afford it…”National Nurses United
Bloomberg Quint posted an article that was updated on February 1, 2022, titled: “Single-Payer Health Bill Fails to Get California Assembly Vote”. It was written by Laura Mahoney. From the article:
…Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D) and Speaker Anthony Rendon (D) acknowledged they didn’t have enough votes to form a majority of members to pass the bill (A.B. 1400) despite Democrats holding more than two-thirds of seats in the legislature’s lower chamber. The system, called CalCare, would have made California the single payer for health insurance for state residents and take the place of employer-provided plans……The proposal faced stiff opposition from business groups and legislative Republicans, but its failure Monday was because of a lack of support from within the Democratic Party. Opponents objected to the tax increases that would be necessary to fund the system – an estimated $163 billion in new taxes that would require voter approval through a separate measure…Bloomberg Quint
Where Do We Go From Here?
Californians need to keep pushing our legislature to enact single-payer health care. One of the ways to do that is to contact you California Senator and/or Representative and make it abundantly clear that you are in favor of single-payer health care.
As mentioned in the article from CalMatters, single-payer health care would provide unlimited benefits free of out-of-pocket costs, much like Great Britain’s National Health Service. Universal health care includes a wide variety of public and private health insurance plans, many of which have coverage limits and patient co-pays – and that could turn out to be too expensive for many Californians to afford.
California Needs Single Payer Heath Care is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. [...]
October 23, 2021CaliforniaPhoto by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash
Governor Gavin Newsom won the California Recall election. No one should be surprised by this outcome in a state where the vast majority of registered voters are Democrats.
On September 14, 2021, the California Secretary of State’s website provided partial reporting of the outcome of the California Recall election. As of the night of September 14, 2021, the YES votes totaled 3,298,988 (36.1%). The NO votes totaled 5,841,689 (61.9)%
The official results of the recall election were released on October 22, 2021, after being certified by Dr. Shirley N. Weber, California’s Secretary of State. On October 22, 2021, the YES votes totaled 4,894,473 (38%) and the NO votes totaled 7,944,092 (61.9%). It should be noted that these totals included all of the ballots that were cast in the recall election. The California Secretary of State’s website clearly shows that every ballot, from every county, had been counted and that there were zero left to count.
There were two questions on the ballot.
Question 1: “Shall GAVIN NEWSOM be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?”
A “YES” vote meant the voter wanted Governor Newsom removed. A “NO” vote meant the voter wanted Governor Newsom to remain as Governor of California.
Question 2: “Candidate to succeed GAVIN NEWSOM as Governor if he is recalled:”
The California Secretary of State’s website shows not only the official total vote count, but also the long list of “Recall Election Gubernatorial Replacement Candidates”. There were a total of 53 candidates who wanted to be chosen by voters to replace Governor Gavin Newsom. The majority of those candidates were Republicans. There were also some Democrats, a few Libertarians and Green Party candidates, and several “No Party Preference”.
SFGate reported (on September 15, 2021) that Governor Gavin Newsom “implored Democratic voters to leave the second question of the recall ballot blank.”
…This strategy was deployed in order to paint the recall as a choice between Newsom and replacement frontrunner Larry Elder, a firebrand conservative radio host whose decision to enter the race late has since been blamed for Newsom’s landslide victory.SFGate
Voters who voted “YES” and wanted Governor Gavin Newsom to be removed from office could select ONE of the candidates on the list as his replacement. That said, there was a threshold to be met before Governor Newsom could be replaced.
Some voters decided to fill in the second question with their choice of replacement candidate. According to the Statement of Vote Summary Pages on the California Secretary of State’s website, the top five were:
Larry A. Elder (Republican) – 3,563,867 votes (48.4%)
Kevin Paffrath (Democrat) – 706,779 votes (9.6%)
Kevin L. Faulconer (Republican) 590,346 votes (8.0%)
Brandon M. Ross (Republican) 392,029 votes (4.1%)
John Cox (Republican) 305,095 votes (4.1%)
CalMatters reported information about the California recall election that might be unique to California:
…If more than 50% of voters had said yes on the first question, Newsom would have been removed from office. Then whoever had the most votes among the 45 active candidates listed on the second question and seven write-in candidates – no matter how few and even if they didn’t win a majority – would have become governor in late October for the rest of Newsom’s term.CalMatters
Fortunately, the results showed that 61.9% of voters voted “NO” (because they wanted to keep Governor Gavin Newsom). That left the “YES” side (that wanted to remove Governor Gavin Newsom) with only 36.1%. That number is much lower than the 50% that it would have taken to remove Governor Newsom.
The Modesto Bee reported about the impact of mail-in ballots:
…Mail-in ballots also could have contributed to the higher turnout. Over the last decade, the number of California voters casting ballots by mail has grown substantially.In 2018, 65.3% of votes were cast by mail. California in 2020 sent mail ballots to all voters because of the coronavirus pandemic. The percentage of mail-in ballots cast rose to 86.72% in the general election.Counties sent all California registered voters mail-in ballots for the recall, too. Weber’s office on Friday reported 91.01% of voters used mail ballots in that election.Under a new law signed by Newsom last month, vote by mail will now be automatic for all voters in all elections.The Modesto Bee
Mail-in ballots are wonderful because they make it easier for people who are disabled to vote. A person with a disability might not be capable of standing in a long line while waiting to cast their vote. People who low-vision might not be able to see the small print on the ballot that is offered at a polling place. Mail-in ballots are also great for people who work more than one job, and do not have the time to cast their vote in person because doing so could make them late for their second (or third) job.
How much did the Republican-led California Recall cost?
The best source I could find was the California Department of Finance. On July 1, 2021, the Department posted information about the cost of this recall election:
…On June 10, 2021, Finance notified the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that the estimated costs reported by counties to administer a statewide special recall election were $215.2 million. Finance gathered these estimated costs to support legislative consideration for inclusion in the budget, as requested by a coalition of county organizations and the Legislature.Subsequently, Chapter 34, Statutes of 2021 (SB 152) made changes to how the 2021 gubernatorial recall election will be held, including requiring it to be held as a regular election. As a result, Finance requested updated cost estimates from counties to administer the recall election under the provisions of SB 152. The updated estimated costs provided by counties are $243.6 million, an increase of $28.4 million from the previous estimate submitted to the Legislature. In addition, the Secretary of State estimates costs of $32.4 million to administer the recall election……Therefore, the total estimated state and county costs to administer the recall election under this scenario is $276 million. Of this amount, a total of $250.2 million has been appropriated in 2021-22 for this purpose – $215.2 million in section 16.00 of the Budget Act of 2021, Chapter 21, Statutes of 2021 (AB 128), and $35 million in SB 152. The Legislature determined the appropriation in AB 128 to be reasonably necessary to conduct the recall election and designated those funds for that purpose…California Department of Finance
Personally, I think the money that the State of California was forced to spend on the recall election was a waste. That money could have been used for so many more important things like: raising the minimum wage, helping people pay off student loans, affordable childcare for workers, funding to enable the state to switch to clean energy, building more affordable housing (including housing for unhoused people), adding additional resources to fight fires and to assist people who lost their homes due to catastrophes, and statewide single payer health care.
Instead, that money goes towards a bogus election, started by disgruntled Republican voters, who wanted to steal an election. Gavin Newsom won his gubernatorial election against Republican John Cox fair and square. These proponents of the recall received extra time than typical to obtain the necessary amount of signatures (due to COVID-19 and a willing judge) and still failed.
It seems incredibly unfair that the small minority of registered Republican voters can force the State of California to spend money on an recall election that the majority of registered Democratic voters did not want. If the Republicans want to win the next gubernatorial election, they are going to have to find a candidate that Democrats will be interested in voting for. Somehow, I don’t think they will find a Republican candidate that fits that description.
Official Results of California Recall is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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October 3, 2021CaliforniaPhoto by Josh Olalde on Unsplash
Governor of California Gavin Newsom signed bills that are intended to increase California’s housing supply and fight the housing crisis. These bills were signed on September 16, 2021. They are part of California’s Comeback Plan.
Senate Bill 9 was sponsored by California State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). According to the Los Angeles Times, this bill would require cities to approve up to four housing units on what was a single-family lot. They would also have to approve splitting single-family lots so they could be sold separately.
Atkins included ways that local governments can block construction that might harm public safety or public health or benefit housing speculators. Property owners seeking to split a lot would have to agree to have one of the housing units as their principle residence for at least three years.Los Angeles Times
A Simple Explanation of Senate Bill 9
The title of SB 9 is the “California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act”. The website of the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom pointed out that the HOME Act “facilitates the process for homeowners to build a duplex or split their current residential lot, expanding housing options for people of all incomes that will create more opportunities for homeowners to add units on their existing properties. It includes provisions to prevent the displacement of existing renters and protect historic districts, fire-prone areas and environmental quality.”
Why Senate Bill 9 Matters
The Turner Center for Housing Innovation stated that the passage of SB 9 is significant “given that nearly two thirds of zoned land in California is reserved for single-family homes, which drastically limits where new development can take place.” This law will take effect on January 1, 2022.
According to the Turner Center for Housing, SB 9 will not solve California’s housing deficit on its own. The Turner Center’s recent analysis “shows that just 5.4% of single family parcels would be financially capable of supporting new housing as a result of SB 9.”
Still, its passage is significant for many reasons. Single-family-only zoning is rooted in exclusion, and unwinding the vestige of racial segregation is long overdue. The parcel subdivision provision of SB 9 has the potential to open up new financing options and wealth-building opportunities for low- and moderate-income homeowners. While legislation predating SB 9 expanded the ability of homeowners to add an accessory dwelling unit on their single-family property, our research has found that the wealth-building benefits are generally only available to affluent homeowners who have access to cash savings or home equity. SB 9 opens up the option of traditional construction financing to build the additional homes on a property.Terner Center for Housing Innovation
CapRadio provided a more detailed explanation regarding single-famliy zoning.
Single-family zoning, which SB 9 seeks to eliminate, has deeply racist roots. Originally introduced in Berkeley in 1916, the designation was used to block a Black-owned dance hall from moving into a primarily white neighborhood. The zoning not only precluded the dance hall, but also multifamily units more commonly occupied by people of color. CapRadio
In other words, SB 9 is going to make it easier for low-income, and moderate-income, people in California to afford a home. The change in zoning, from one plot with a single-family home on it, to a plot with more than one home on it, could make housing more affordable. This change helps to undo the racial segregation that led to plots of land to be zoned as single-family, only.
Senate Bill 10 was sponsored by California State Senator Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco). This bill would require a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development within its boundaries that includes, among other things, a housing element. The Los Angeles Times reported that this bill would ease the way for local governments to rezone their neighborhoods near mass transit for up to 10 housing units.
A Simple Explanation of Senate Bill 10
The website of the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom points out that SB 10 “creates a voluntary process for local governments to access a streamlined zoning process for new multi-unit housing near transit or in urban infill areas, with up to 10 units per parcel. The legislation simplifies the CEQA requirements for upzoning, giving local leaders another tool to voluntarily increase density and provide affordable rental opportunities to more Californians.”
In a signing message regarding Senate Bill 10, Governor Newsom wrote the following:
“I am signing Senate Bill 10, a bill that will allow jurisdictions to pass an ordinance to zone any parcel for up to ten residential units if located in transit-rich and urban infill areas. Adoption of the ordinance, or a resolution to amend a general plan consistent with the ordinance, would be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act …
“…While the benefits of this bill are promising, certain provisions may have unintended impacts on affordable housing projects that use density bonuses, as well as possible Fair Housing implications based on how jurisdictions may choose to implement its provisions.
“Therefore, I am directing the Department of Housing and Community Development’s newly established Housing Accountability Unit to vigilantly monitor the implementation of this bill at the local level, and if needed, work with the Legislature to proactively address any unintended consequences, should they arise…”
Why Senate Bill 10 Matters
The sponsor of SB 10, Senator Scott Weiner, said: “California’s severe housing shortage is badly damaging our state, and we need approaches to tackle it.” He continued, “SB 10 provides one important approach: Making it dramatically easier and faster for cities to zone for more housing. It shouldn’t take five or 10 years for cities to re-zone, and SB 10 gives cities a powerful new tool to get the job done quickly….”
The Terner Center for Housing Innovation provided this information:
…Senate Bill 10, a bill introduced by Senator Scott Wiener that allows cities to bypass the typical environmental review process when rezoning areas for up to ten new homes. Senate Bill 478, authored by Senator Wiener, also passed the legislature as well. The bill would limit Floor Area Ratio (FAR) requirements for small-scale housing, essentially removing a tool some cities have used to stymie housing production. Our analysis of an earlier version of this bill shows that FAR is not used widely in residential land use regulations, but where it is, these new limits could be impactful…Terner Center for Housing Innovation
The California Department of Housing and Community Development, who did research on the housing crisis in a study titled: “California’s Housing Future: Challenges and Opportunities,” provided the following information:
Production averaged less than 80,000 homes annually over the last 10 years, and ongoing production continues to fall far below the projected need of 180,000 additional homes annually.
Lack of supply and rising costs are compounding growing inequality for younger Californians.
One-third of renters pay more than 50% of income toward rent.
Homeownership rates are at their lowest in California since the 1940s.
California accounts for a disproportionate 22% of the nation’s homeless population.
Continued sprawl will decrease the affordability and quality of life while increasing combined housing and transportation costs on families.
In other words, SB 10 (and SB 478) are designed to prevent cities from flat out refusing to re-zone because the NIMBY groups are throwing a fit in opposition to a proposed development plan in their area. Instead, it gives the cities tools to implement what is really needed – the building of more affordable housing.
In regards to the NIMBYs, the California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, won a case against the NIMBYs in an appellate court decision (on September 13, 2021). The case was California Renters Legal Advocacy and Education Fund v. City of San Mateo.
According to a press release on the Attorney General’s website, the appellate court upheld “the constitutionality and statewide applicability of the California Housing Accountability Act (HAA).
…The HHA protects housing availability and affordability by imposing limits on the abilities of cities to reject proposals for housing developments that otherwise satisfy general plan and zoning requirements. The California Department of Justice intervened in the case last year. As part of the decision, the appellate court highlighted the critical need for HAA and reverse the trial court’s erroneous decision that threatened to undermine key state protections aimed at increasing the availability of housing…California Attorney General website
The press release on Governor Gavin Newsom’s website, regarding housing laws he signed, refers to the law that the appellate court upheld as (the “anti-NIMBY law”).
Governor Newsom Signed Bills To Build More Housing in California is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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September 16, 2021CaliforniaPhoto of I Voted stickers by Element5Digital on Unsplash
It is such a huge relief that the California Republican recall failed! We get to keep Governor Gavin Newsom. The counting of the votes isn’t over yet. However, the percentage of votes from people who voted NO (on recalling Governor Newsom) are too high for his opponent to overcome with whatever amount of votes are still to be counted.
On September 14, 2021, FiveThirtyEight stopped updating their statistics on the California Recall election. The latest data showed that 57.3% of votes came from people who wanted to keep Governor Newsom. It also showed 41.5% who wanted to remove him from office. The information came from a number of polls.
On September 14, 2021, the California Secretary of State’s website provided partial, reporting of the outcome of the election. The question voters were asked was: “Shall Gavin Newsom Be Recalled (Removed ) From the Office of Governor?”
As of the night of September 14, 2021, YES votes totaled 3,298,988 (36.1%).
As of the night of September 14, 2021, NO votes totaled 5,841,689 (63.9%).
It should be noted that the official results will be certified by October 22, 2021. This is to allow vote-by-mail ballots, provisional ballots, and other ballots to continue to be processed and counted after Election night.
Geoffrey Skelly, reporter for FiveThirtyEight provided this explanation:
Early on, the vote results will generally be those from mail-in ballots that were received and counted before election day. According to Political Data Inc., which tracks the ballot returns, about 8.7 million ballots had been returned up through yesterday, and another million of so have been added today. But remember that as long as a ballot was mailed by Election Day, it can be accepted up through a week from now, Sept. 21, so some mail votes will be counted later on. After the initial wave of mail ballot results, the next set of results later on tonight will be mostly in-person votes…FiveThirtyEight
On September 14, 2021, The Associated Press (AP) posted an article titled: “California Gov. Gavin Newsom beats back GOP-led recall”. From the article:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday emphatically defeated a recall aimed at kicking him out of office early, a contest the Democrat framed as part of a national battle for his party’s values in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and continued threats from “Trumpism”……With an estimated two-thirds of ballots counted, “no” on the question of whether to recall Newsom was ahead by a 30-point margin. That lead was built on votes cast by mail and in advance of Tuesday’s in-person balloting, with a strong showing by Democrats. While likely to shrink somewhat in the days ahead as votes cast a polling places are counted, Newsom’s lead couldn’t be overcome…Associated Press
Why does California have a recall election?
In the 1911 session of the California legislature, a section was added to California’s constitution. It was called “California Proposition 8: Recall of Elected Officials Amendment“. The purpose was to enable the people of California to have a means to “prevent the misuse of power” by means of the initiative, the referendum, and the recall”, Governor Johnson explained in his 1911 inaugural address.
Ballotpedia reported that California Proposition 8 was approved on October 10, 1911. The YES vote was 178,115 (76.82%) and the NO vote was 53,755 (23.18%).
The majority of recall efforts fail
In March of 2021, The Guardian reported the following:
…Republicans had already tried and failed five times to get Newsom recalled, when their sixth try, led by the retired sheriff’s deputy Orrin Heatlie, began to gain momentum last year. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a judge gave Heatlie and his supporters more time to collect signatures. As Newsom enacted restrictions last winter in an attempt to quell the deadliest wave of the pandemic, recallers were able to rally an anti-lockdown base and win over other Californians struggling to cope with the pandemic’s protracted, devastating economic toll. It didn’t help Newsom’s case that around the same time, the governor met up with a dozen of his closest friends and lobbyists for a lavish dinner at Napa’s French Laundry restaurant……More than a serious effort to unseat Newsom, the recall effort is probably more of a strategy to rally Republican voters, boost Republican candidates, and raise funds…The Guardian
On September 13, 2021, NPR reported the following:
…Californians have been legally able to recall their governors since 1911. Every governor in the past 60 years has faced a recall attempt, though only two, including this one, have qualified for the ballot. Newsom has faced at least five attempts.Newsom’s opponents got 1.7 million signatures to get this recall on the ballot, higher than the 1.5 million needed, but they also had more time than usual. Normally, recall petitioners get a little over five months to turn in signatures. This effort was extended four months beyond that because of the pandemic…NPR
Some interesting things to know about the recall election:
On August 20, 2021, San Francisco Chronicle posted: “Fact Check: “No, California’s recall ballot was not designed to help Gavin Newsom and cheat Larry Elder”. From the article:
Supporters of recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom, including conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, the leading candidate to replace him, spread false claims this week that the mail ballot was designed to facilitate fraud and rig the election in favor of the governor……But the design elements that recall supporters pointed to as evidence of a conspiracy – including a pair of small holes punched into the return envelope – are standard and, in some cases, were added to ensure accuracy and accessibility for all voters……These holes are actually a tool to help voters who are visually impaired tactility find where to sign their envelope, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, which oversees elections in California. They also serve as a visual check for elections officials to ensure that a ballot has not been left inside an envelope uncounted…San Francisco Chronicle
In addition, San Francisco Chronicle also reported the following:
…A second false claim, based on a photo of a ballot from Lake County, alleges that the field of 46 replacement candidates was ordered so that a fold would run through Elder’s name, which could cause him not to count.The order of the ballot is determined by a random drawing and rotates in each of California’s 80 Assembly districts, giving every candidate at least one chance to appear at the top. Each county designs its own ballot. Elder’s name consequently does not appear on a fold for every voter……Elder shared an article promoting both of these conspiracies on his Twitter account Thursday evening…San Francisco Chronicle
On September 12, 2012, NBC Los Angeles 4 posted an article titled: “Woodland Hills Voters Experience Glitch at Check-In Just Days Ahead of Election Day”. From the article:
…In this last weekend before the big day, voters in Woodland Hills experienced a glitch at check-in. Some voters were told they had already voted, when they hadn’t. A spokesman with the LA County Registrar’s office says voting never stopped at the two locations with this glitch.Provisional ballots were offered to those affected and people were still able to drop off their ballots, and he says there were some voters checking in without issues……The LA County Registrar office confirmed that some voters who were trying to check in at this location and at the El Camino Real Charter High School Vote Center were told the system showed they had already voted, so they were offered a provisional ballot instead.Provisional ballots are regular ballots that are processed and counted after verifying the voter’s eligibility……The registrar’s office says the problem was with the settings on some electronic poll book devices used to check in voters…NBC Los Angeles 4
To be clear, neither NBC Los Angeles 4, nor I, are saying that this glitch was a shenanigan. That said, several people tweeted as if it was an intentionally done glitch. Those people were spreading misinformation.
Los Angeles County-Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk @LACountyRRCC tweeted (in response to people who were asking): “Voters who experienced this issue early yesterday were offered provisional ballots – the failsafe option to ensure no one is turned away from voting. After troubleshooting, the issue was resolved and the check-in equipment at the location was replaced. Voting has continued.”
On September 13, 2021, NBC News reported the following claims made by (Republican) Larry Elder. He was the person who was getting the highest percentage of votes on question 2 on the ballot, which asked voters who should replace Governor Newsom. From the article:
…Republican Larry Elder appealed on Monday to his supporters to use an online form to report voter fraud, which claimed it had “detected fraud” in the “results” of the California recall election “resulting in Governor Gavin Newsom being reinstated as governor”.The only problem: On Monday when the link was live on Elder’s campaign site, the election hadn’t even happened yet. No results had been released. And Elder was still campaigning to replace Newsom as governor……The site added on Monday afternoon a disclaimer saying it was “Paid For Larry Elder Ballot Measure Committee Recall Newsom Committee,” with major funding from Elder’s gubernatorial campaign……There has been no evidence of voter fraud in California…NBC News
Also from NBC News, Senior Digital Politics Reporter for @NBCNews Alex Seitz-Wald tweeted a thread that takes a closer look at the misinformation Larry Elder’s website had posted. One of the tweets in the thread pointed out that Larry Elder’s campaign website “suggests that voters will have to open their ‘ammo box’ if they can’t trust elections…”
Jacob Soboroff, reporter for NBC News and MSNBC tweeted: “NEW: GOP frontrunner Larry Elder would not commit to accepting the results of tomorrow’s California recall election when I asked him this morning.” The tweet was posted on September 13, 2021, and it includes a short video of exactly what Jacob Soboroff tweeted.
On September 14, 2021, The Los Angeles Times reported that a poll worker in a West Hollywood poling place was photographed by a person who came in to cast his vote.
…The man handing him his ballot was wearing a baseball cap with the words “Trump 2020”. The words “All Aboard the Trump Train” could be seen on his face mask, underneath an image of an actual train.And the poll worker’s T-shirt featured the phrase “Where’s Hunter?” – a reference to the son of President Biden, a frequent target of Republicans…Los Angeles Times
In California, political attire is not allowed inside poling places. This rule must be followed not only by poll workers, but also by anyone who wants to come inside to vote.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the man who took the photo of the poll worker called the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, asking whether the poll worker’s clothing violated any rules about polling places. Eventually, a spokesman for the registrar-recorder confirmed that the poll worker “had been relieved of his duties”.
In addition, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Twitter account responded to other people who posted a similar photo of the poll worker. @LACountyRRCC tweeted: “This worker was contacted after this was reported and advised that the attire was not appropriate. He is no longer serving as an election worker.”
Where to find the official California Gubernatorial Recall Election results
The best source of information is the California Secretary of State’s official website. The website says the results will be certified by October 22, 2021. This is not unusual. California has a huge population, and it took a long time to record the results of the 2020 election.
The most recent information I could find on the Secretary of State’s website about the number of registered voters in California was from November 6, 2019. At the time, Alex Padilla was California’s Secretary of State. From the news:
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla released the latest statewide report of voter registration showing that 80.65 percent of eligible Californians are registered to vote – the highest percentage since June 1952. As of October 1, 2019, there were 20,328,636 Californians registered as of this report……This report of registration reflects data 154 days before the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election…California Secretary of State website
I was paying close attention to the news regarding the California Recall election. It honestly stressed me out! My biggest worry was that Larry Elder would win, and take away things that Californians need (including protections to help prevent the spread of COVID).
It was a huge relief to know that Governor Gavin Newsom will remain the Governor of California. We need a governor who actually has a background in politics. We certainly don’t need a person who has a background in talk radio as governor!
The Republican Recall in California Failed! is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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September 12, 2021Californiamail in ballot by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash
California deserves a governor who has political experience. Larry Elder is a talk radio host.
Let’s compare the qualifications of Governor Gavin Newsom and the qualifications of Larry Elder. One actually has a background in politics, having won at least three key political positions. The other is a talk radio host with no background in politics.
Governor Gavin Newsom is qualified to be California’s Governor
Governor Gavin Newsom has a background in politics. He was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. He received 41.92% of votes, and got 52.81% of votes in the run-off election.
One of the things he is best known for as Mayor of San Francisco, was his 2004 decision to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The Los Angeles Times reported the following in 2018:
Newsom’s decision to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples – just a month into his term – was at once slapdash and choreographed. Almost immediately it spun out of his control. What was meant to be a short-lived act of civil disobedience on Feb. 12, 2004, turned into a 29-day saga during which more than 4,000 couples wed, catapulting Newsom into the national fray.The Los Angeles Times
It wasn’t until 2012 that the Supreme Court of the United States chose to hear a case called Windsor v. United States. In short, Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer were legally married in Canada. They had been together as a couple for 44 years. Thea died two years after the couple got married. The United States federal government refused to recognize their marriage, which prevented Edie from receiving the spousal benefits she had a right to.
On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the “Defense of Marriage Act” was unconstitutional. Same-sex marriage was now legalized. Clearly, (then Mayor of San Francisco) Gavin Newsom was ahead of his time when he decided to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004.
In February 2010, Gavin Newsom ran for the office of California’s Lieutenant Governor. He got 50.1% of the vote. Abel Maldonado (Republican) got 38.9%, and Pamela Brown (Libertarian) got 5.9%. Gavin Newsom won the election, and became the Lieutenant Governor of (then) Governor Jerry Brown.
In 2014, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom ran for a second term. He got 57.2% of the vote. His opponent, Ron Nehring (Republican) got 42.8% of the vote.
In 2018, Gavin Newsom ran for Governor of California. Ballotpedia reported that (then) Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) defeated businessman John Cox (Republican) in the general election on November 6, 2018 for governor of California. Gavin Newsom got 61.9% of the votes. John Cox got 38.1% of the vote.
Newsom’s victory preserved California’s Democratic trifecta. At the time of the general election, California had been a Democratic trifecta since 2011, when Gov. Jerry Brown (D) took office. California last elected a Republican Governor in 2006, when Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was re-elected to a second term. Newsom’s 61.9% share of the vote was greater than any Democratic candidate for governor in state history, surpassing the 59.7 percent record set by Jerry Brown (D) in 2014…Ballotpedia
Larry Elder is not qualified to be California’s Governor
Larry Elder is host of The Larry Elder Show. According to the information posted on The Larry Elder Show website, Larry Elder graduated from Michigan University Law School and later practiced law, before starting his talk radio show.
The show’s website claims that Larry Elder “is a New York Times best-selling author of four books”. His most recent book (published in 2018) is titled: “A Lot Like Me: A Father and Son’s Journey to Reconciliation“. However, The New York Times Nonfiction Best Sellers list of 2018 (which Wikipedia redirected from The New York Times Non-Fiction Best Sellers list of 2018) – does not include that title. The book is does not appear on any of The New York Times Non-Fiction Best Sellers lists from any week between May of 2018 and the last week of December 2018. (Scroll back from there to view the previous weeks list of non-fiction)
The Larry Elder show’s About Page also states that Larry Elder had a national TV show called “Moral Court”. That’s true. According to Wikipedia, “Moral Court” was intended to be a sister show to “The People’s Court”. The show first aired on October 2, 2000, and the last episode was released on May 23, 2001. In it, Larry Elder was to be the judge. He would hear cases that would never been accepted to a real court. Instead of plaintiffs and defendants – there were an accuser and the accused. Larry Elder would give money to the winner.
On September 23, 2000, Los Angeles Times has this to say about “Moral Court:
…Although sold to TV stations reaching nearly 90% of U.S. homes, “Moral Court” isn’t getting much respect in Elder’s backyard, either. KCAL-TV, which features Elder daily discussing an issue on his radio show during its afternoon newscast, bought the program but has scheduled it at 1 a.m., a time slot mostly relegated to informercials and reruns.According to Billett, part of the problem was that KABC only agreed to allow Elder to host the show if it didn’t play opposite his radio program — between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m. — in Los Angeles…Los Angeles Times
The Larry Elder Show About page says: “He won a Los Angeles Emmy for “Best News Show” in 1999…” The implication is that The Larry Elder Show was what he won the Los Angeles Emmy for — but that’s not true. In an undated post on KFSA News Talk Radio it says:
…Elder was the subject of profiles by both “60 Minutes” and “20/20”. In 1999 he received a Los Angeles area Emmy for “Best News Special.” He was the reporter for several episodes of the groundbreaking PBS “National Desk” series, including “Redefining Racism: Fresh Voices from Black America.” KFSA News Talk Radio
The Larry Elder Show website states that he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015. That’s true.
How does one get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? There is a process involved:
Nominations are accepted online only.
The Walk of Fame includes six categories: Motion Pictures, Television, Radio, Recording, Live Theatre/Performance, Sports Entertainment.
All Nominations must include these documents: Photo of the nominee, Brief bio of nominee (no more than 2 pages), Nominee’s qualifications, List of contributions to the community and civic-oriented participation of the nominee, Letter of agreement from the nominee or his/her management.
The criteria for receiving a star consists of the following: professional achievement, longevity in the category of five years or more, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the celebrity will attend the dedication ceremony if selected.
Posthumous awards require a five-year waiting period.
It is important to note that the person who is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame must pay a fee. According to the Hollywood Walk of Fame website, the current fee is $50,000 after selection. The money is used to pay for the creation and installation of the star, as well as maintenance of the Walk of Fame. (Price subject to change).
In 2015 (the year Larry Elder got his star) Insider posted an article with the following information:
…If a person’s application gets accepted, whoever did the nominating needs to pony up: a star costs $30,000. The Chamber of Commerce claims that half goes to building the star, while the other half is used for upkeep…Insider
You may have noticed that none of the above involves a background in politics. Larry Elder is a talk radio host. He is unqualified to become Governor of California.
If you are a registered voter in California — it is vitally important that you vote NO on the recall. Voting NO will help us to keep Governor Gavin Newsom. We need a real governor, one who has a history of holding a variety of political offices. We don’t need a talk show host.
Larry Elder is Unqualified is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 12, 2021Californiaphoto by Leon Wu on Unsplash
One of the biggest problems with attending a college or university is figuring out how to pay for it. California found a way to help with that. It starts with a bill called AB 132. The title of this bill is “Postsecondary education trailer bill”, and it amends an existing educational law.
On July 15, 2021, AB 132 passed the California Senate floor with a vote of 32 AYES to 4 NOES (and 4 Senators not voting). The California Assembly passed AB 132 with 63 AYES to 9 NOES (and 7 Assembly Members not voting. Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) signed AB 132 into law on July 27, 2021.
What does the amended “Postsecondary education trailer bill” provide?
According to a news release on Governor Gavin Newsom’s official website, AB 132 “implements expansion of Cal Grant program, improvements to Middle Class Scholarship program and dual admissions pathway to UC or CSU for eligible community college students.” From the news release:
Governor Gavin Newsom today signed the higher education budget trailer bill implementing significant California Comeback Plan investments in college affordability and access – including expanded student financial aid, education and training grants for workers displaced by the pandemic, transfer pathways for community college students and college savings accounts for low-income and underrepresented public school students.
The Governor’s California Comeback Plan provides an unprecedented level of investment in the state’s world-class public higher education system, with $47.1 billion for the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), California Community Colleges (CCC) and student financial aid.…
Here are more details about what AB 132 includes to make college more affordable:
Making college more affordable, AB 132 implements the California Comeback Plan’s expansion of the Cal Grant program for community college students by eliminating age and time-out-of-high-school requirements, with awards that follow the students to UC and CSU upon transfer.
Starting in 2022-23, AB 132 also revises the Middle Class Scholarship program to provide scholarships intended to cover up the difference between a student’s total cost of attendance and other sources of aid, including student and family contributions, depending upon available resources each year.
It makes summer financial investments for UC and CSU students permanent and includes $155 million for Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree grant programs and open educational resources at CCCs, helping address the rising costs of textbooks.
The bill establishes a Learning-Aligned Employment program at UC, CSU, and CCC to help underrepresented students with financial need gain relevant work experience, promoting long-term employment opportunities.
Establishes the Golden State Education and Training Grant Program to provide grants for education or high-quality training for workers displaced by the pandemic.
Establishes a dual admissions program that provides eligible first-time freshman applicants the opportunity for guaranteed admission to UC or CSU campus of their choice following completion of an Associates Degree for Transfer or another pathway at a CCC.
Requires school districts and other educational agencies to confirm that high school seniors who have not opted out complete FAFSA or California Dream Act applications for financial aid.
AB 132 expands the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) to provide $500 base deposits to seed college savings accounts for public school students from low-income families, English learners and foster youth, with supplemental deposits for foster youth and homeless students.
AB 132 establishes the governance and operational structure for the state’s Cradle to Career data system, which will connect education, workforce, and social services data to better inform parents, educators, and policymakers.
Here is another paragraph from the news release on Governor Newsom’s official website:
The California Comeback Plan will create more slots for in-state students who wish to attend a CSU or UC school; sets aside $2 billion to address housing and space needs at the UC, CSU, and CCCs, contingent upon future legislation, which will help drive down the cost of student housing; provides $50 million for Guided Pathway programs to help community college students graduate on time; and includes investments to support equity-focused programs at community colleges and Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships programs at UC campuses, helping to bridge equity gaps.
Why is this legislation necessary?
The simplest explanation is that AB 132 is necessary because it helps students to afford to attend college. Without this legislation, students would either find it impossible to attend college because of the cost – or will have to take out expensive student loans that will follow them the rest of their lives.
The Consumer Financial Protection Board (which is part of the U.S. government) provided information about how long it takes to pay off a student loan. The information was last reviewed in August of 2017.
Standard Repayment: This is the standard repayment schedule, unless you arrange for a different schedule with your servicer. Payment Term: 120 months (10 years).
Graduated Repayment: This plan is for borrowers who expect their incomes to rise over time. Payment Term: Up to 10 years (up to 30 years for consolidation loans).
Extended Repayment: This plan is available to borrowers with more than $30,000 in federal student loans. Payment term: Up to 25 years.
Income-Driven Repayment Plans: If you repay your loan under an income-driven repayment plan, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments, or even as few as 10 years, if you work in public service.
Private Student Loans: Unlike federal student loans, there is no standard schedule for private student loans. Generally speaking, many private student loans give 120 months (10 years) to repay. However, some private student loan terms have you repay of 25 years.
The University of California posted the estimated average costs for California residents for 2022-21. It includes the cost of tuition and fees, books and supplies, health insurance allowance fee, room and board, and “personal/transportation”. If a student lives on campus it will cost $36,700 for one year of education. If the student lives off campus, it will cost $34,100 for one year of education.
Legislators caused the price of a college education to increase:
CalMatters posted an explainer in 2019 titled: “The soul-crushing cost of college in California, explained”. It was written by Felicia Mello. From the article:
Think free college is a recent idea? It’s right in the University of California’s 1868 charter: “as soon as the income of the University shall permit, admission and tuition shall be free to all residents of the State.”
When California lawmakers created the 1960 Master Plan that would guide the future of the country’s most prestigious public higher education system, residents enrolled at UC were paying just $60 per semester in “incidental fees.”
But beginning in the late 1960s, politicians pushed to increase the amount students contributed to their education. The stated reasons were both ideological and financial: Ronald Reagan, who as governor prided himself of slashing government spending, said the state should not “subsidize intellectual curiosity”. Later, the dot-com bust in the early aughts prompted tuition increases under both Democratic and Republican administrations…
The article includes information that shows that student debt is growing:
3,791,200 – Number of student loan borrowers in California
$141.9 billion – Outstanding student debt in California
$37,428 – Average student loan balance for California borrowers
119% – Growth in student loan debt across California 2008-2018
$7.6 billion – increase in loan debt across California in 12 months
317,427 – Older Americans across California who owe student loan debt
1 in 3 – California millennials with student loan debt
California legislators took a good thing – incredibly inexpensive college – and screwed it up for every student who wanted to attend school after 1960. It makes perfect sense that today’s California legislators should be the ones to fix the problem handed down to them by their predecessors.
#Blaugust2021
California Made College More Affordable is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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August 6, 2021Californiaphoto by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash
The state of California will be holding a recall election in September. The first question asks voters if they want to recall (in other words, remove) Governor Gavin Newsom. The choices are: Yes or No. The recall effort is run by Republicans in a state that has an overwhelming majority of registered Democratic voters.
All registered voters in California will receive a mail-in-ballot for the recall election. You may have seen a whole lot of misinformation about this on Twitter. For some reason, people believe that this was a rapid decision in an effort to prevent people from catching the Delta strain.
Others, who are less in touch with reality, think the purpose of mail-in-ballots are being issued so that Governor Gavin Newsom can cheat. My best guess is that people spreading this sort of misinformation are the kind of Republicans who believe everything they see on Fox News and who fell for the former president’s lie about mail-in-ballots resulting in fraud.
The reality is that the decision to send mail-in-ballots to registered voters was not made by Governor Gavin Newsom. The California Legislature made that decision earlier this year.
Senate Bill No. 29 is titled: “Elections: vote by mail ballots”. It amends an existing law regarding mail-in-ballots. The bill was sponsored by Senator Thomas Umberg (Democrat).
Here is one of the newly added portions of the law:
Section 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
a) To maintain a healthy democracy in California, it is important to encourage eligible voters to vote and ensure that residents of the state have the tools needed to participate in every election.
b) When California conducts an election in 2021, it is unknown to what degree the COVID-19 pandemic will still pose a threat to public health. The state and its counties need to begin taking action now in order to ensure that elections are held in a manner that is accessible, secure, and safe.
c) Consistent with paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 2226 of the Elections Code, and with the longstanding interpretation by state and local elections officials of Sections 4000 to 4108, inclusive, of the Elections Code governing the conduct of all-mailed ballot elections and of Section 3005 of the Elections Code governing mailed ballot precincts, nothing in this act is intended, and shall not be construed, to mean that a voter with an inactive voter registration status shall receive a vote by mail ballot for an election in 2021.
Here are two more of the newly added portions of the law:
Sec. 4. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
Sec. 5. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
To ensure that county elections officials have sufficient time to ensure that elections are held in a manner that is accessible, secure, and safe, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.
I would also like to point out part of the law that was not amended. It says: The distribution of vote by mail ballots to all registered voters does not prevent a voter from voting in person at a polling place, vote center, or other authorized location.
On January 28, 2021, the California Senate voted 28 AYES to 7 NOES (with three Senators not voting).
On February 16, 2021, the California Assembly voted 55 AYES to 15 NOES (with three people not voting).
On February 19, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the newly amended legislation into law.
Intelligencer reported the following:
The Delta variant has quickly become the dominant strain in the U.S., overtaking the Alpha variant, which has been the most prevalent COVID strain in the States for months. By July 31st, it accounted for more than 93 percent, up from 1.3 percent in early May and 9.5 percent in early June.
Reuters did a fact-check on the claim that the mail-in-ballots for the recall election were being sent “due to the new delta variant”. Here is their verdict:
False. A California bill from Feb. 2021 extended the requirement to send mail in ballots to all registered voters for all elections throughout this year, months before the Delta variant was prevalent in the U.S.
It is also worth pointing out that California sent mail-in-ballots to every registered voter for the 2020 General Election. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to send every registered voter a ballot ahead of the November General Election. The purpose was to prevent people from having to stand in line to vote – and risk their health – by potentially catching COVID-19.
Mail-in-ballots are not new to California. Previous to COVID-19, any registered voter who wanted to vote by mail could request a mail-in-ballot. It makes it easier for people who are disabled (like me – and my husband) to vote. It also gives people who cannot get off of work to cast their vote in person a way to vote in an election.
#Blaugust2021
California Recall Will Use Mail-In-Ballots is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 28, 2021CaliforniaPerson in blue shirt signing papers by Scott Graham on Unsplash
Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) signed Senate Bill 272 into law on July 23, 2021. The title of this law is “State government: gender-neutral term: California Conservation Corps.” The purpose of this law is to update gender-specific references in various code sections to reflect gender-inclusive language.
Senate Bill 272 was authored by Senator John Laird (Democrat – District 27). It was sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (Democrat). Here is what Senate Bill 272 says:
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
SB 272, Laird. State government : gender-neutral terms: California Conservation Corps.
(1) Existing law establishes the California Conservation Corps in the Natural Resource Agency and requires the corps to implement and administer the conservation corps program. Under existing law, the California Conservation Corps is authorized to certify nonprofit conservation corps if they meet specified criteria, including, but not limited to, the requirement that the community conservation corps consists of an average annual enrollment of not less than 50 corpsmembers between 18 and 25 years of age.
This bill would instead require a community conservation corps to consist of corpsmembers who are between 18 and 26 years of age in order to be certified.
(2) Existing law regulates the business of insurance in this state. Existing law enacts provisions related to public resources, including forestry. Existing law places the Department of the California Highway Patrol under the control of a civil executive officer known as the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol who is appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, as specified. Existing law directs the commissioner to take specified actions, including establishing a school for the training and education of members of the California Highway Patrol and creating districts for the administration and enforcement of laws regarding the use of highways, as specified.
This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions to use gender-neutral language.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
What follows is a section of the law that involves the state’s Insurance Code. It is very long, and detailed, and much of it appears to be the contents of everything that was already in the law. There are minor changes, such as the change of age required to be a California Conservation Corps member (now up to age 26).
The easiest way to understand what else changed is to read the “Today’s Law As Amended” section.
Here are a few relevant changes:
SECTION 1. Section 1635 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
1635. No A license is not required under the provisions of this chapter for a person to act in the following capacities or to engage in the following activities, providing a no a commission is not paid or allowed, directly or indirectly, by the insurer, creditor, retailer, or other person for acting in those capacities or engaging in those activities….
The rest of the changes removes the gendered pronouns in the law and replaces them with wording that is gender-neutral. For the purpose of this blog post, I’m going to list portions of the law that were changed.
… As an officer or salaried representative of a life insurer if his or her activities the activities of the officer or salaried representative are limited to direct technical advice and assistance to a properly licensed person and his or her the officer or salaried representative’s activities and do not include effecting, soliciting, or negotiating insurance except as a part of and in connection with the business of a property broker-agent, casualty broker-agent, or life agent licensed under this chapter…
…The completion or delivery of a declaration or certificate of coverage under a running inland marine insurance contract evidencing thereunder and including only those negotiations as are necessary to the completion or delivery if the person performing those acts or his or her the person’s employer has an insurable interest in the risk covered by the certificate or declaration….
…That of a salesperson who devotes substantially all of his or her that salesperson’s activities to selling merchandise whose solicitation of insurance is limited only to the quoting of a premium for insurance to be included in the purchase price covering the interest retained in the merchandise by the seller…
SEC. 2. Section 1638 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
…A person is a resident of this state if either of the following applies:
(1) He or she A person occupies a dwelling in this state and intends this state to be his or her that person’s domicile.
(2) He or she maintains his or her A person maintains that person’s principal place of business in this state.
(b) A person licensed under this chapter may designate only one state as his or her that person’s resident state.
SEC. 3. Section 1638.5 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
1638.5 Unless denied licensure pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 1666), a nonresident person shall receive a production agency license if he or she that nonresident person meets the following requirements:
(a) The person is currently licensed and in good standing with the state, territory of the United States or province of Canada in which he or she the person is licensed as a resident producer…
SEC 4. Section 1639.1 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
1639.1 (a) The class or classes of insurance which a nonresident person is licensed to transact under his or her that nonresident person’s resident license shall be determined according to the definitions of classes of insurance in Sections 101 to 120, inclusive….
SEC. 5 Section 1651 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
1651. The commissioner shall at all times retain full property rights in any document evidencing any license issued pursuant to Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 of this part. He The commissioner may require the surrender of said document for any proper reason.
There are a few other sections where his or her is replaced by the commissioner or the commissoner’s.
SEC. 8 Section 1666.5 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:
…Any A deputy, agent, clerk, officer, or employee of the commissioner, or any former officer or employee or other individual individual, hereafter “employees,” who in the course of his or her the employees’ employment or duty has or has had access to the information required to be furnished under this section, shall not disclose or make known in any manner that information, except as provided in this section.
You probably get the idea of what the changes are to this law. Other parts swap out his or her with either the applicant’s or the commissioner’s. There are parts that remove he or she and replaces it with that licensee.
There’s a piece in SEC. 35 that says: (b) If any person sells or persons sell insurance in connection with, or incidental to, self-service storage rental agreements, or holds himself or herself or hold themselves or an organization out as a self-service storage agent without obtaining the license required by this article, the commissioner may issue a cease and desist order pursuant to Section 12921.8.
SEC. 39 includes the following paragraph:
737. (a) No A member of the board shall not participate in any a board action pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 4601) or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4621 of Chapter 8 of Part 2 of Division 4 which involves himself or any person with which he that involves the board member or a person with whom the board member is connected as a director, officer, or employee, or in which he the board member has a direct personal financial interest within the meaning of Section 1120 of the Government Code.
SEC. 58 includes the following:
4165. Every person is guilty of a misdemeanor who, at a forest fire, does any of the following:
(a) Disobeys the lawful orders of any a public officer or fireman. firefighter.
(b) Offers any resistance to, or interferes with the lawful efforts of any fireman a firefighter or company of firemen firefighters to extinguish the fire.
How did the California Legislature vote on this bill?
On July 12, 2021, the Assembly voted 75 AYES to 0 NOES. There were four Assembly members who voted NVR (which likely means “not voting”).
On July 15, 2021, the Senate voted 39 AYES to 0 NOE, with one Senator who voted NVR (“not voting”).
Senator John Laird posted a press release about these changes on his official website. The press release was titled: “Governor Newsom Signs Gender Neutral Legislation Updating Archaic References In State Law”. From the press release:
Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 272, authored by State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz). Senate Bil 272, Sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, will immediately update gender-specific references in various code sections to reflect gender-inclusive language. References pertaining to the CHP Commissioner, CALFIRE firefighters, insurance licensing, and California Conservation Corps members will now be gender neutral.“California is at the forefront of efforts to promote inclusion and diversity of all people, no matter what their sex, social gender, or gender identity,” said State Senator Laird. “Our laws must reflect the diverse leadership of our state and promote the inclusion of all people. California leads by example and Governor Newsome’s signature today affirms the fact that our state welcomes and respects all Californians’ identities.”“Language matters and it’s about time we update our laws to reflect the diversity of our state, and its current and future leaders,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “Embracing gender-neutral language in our laws reflects the hard work that so many are doing for a better, more inclusive society.”The introduction of Senate Bill 272 was originally inspired by the historic appointment and confirmation of CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray, the first woman and second African American to lead the agency in its 91-year history. Commissioner Ray’s distinguished career within the agency and appointment to the highest rank should not be lost in outdated code sections. Instead, the bill was introduced to reflect the current and future leader of the agency and values of California.“With the Governor’s signature on SB 272, we as a state are continuing to make California for all,” stated Laird.Senate Bill 272 takes effect immediately.
The changes to Senate Bill 272 are significant. Not only does this clean out the archaic language that the bill was written in, it also replaces it with updated non-gendered language. This is important because it sets a precedent in California law.
Other bills may need some updating as well. There will likely be more laws that were written at a time when it was assumed that a person who held a certain office or title would be a man. Today, that person could be of any gender. It’s nice to see the government of California recognizing that.
Governor Newsom Signs Gender Neutral Legislation is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 19, 2021CaliforniaCalifornia flag by OpenClipArt Vectors on Pixabay
California Governor Gavin Newsom is the target of the Republican recall election. It is obvious that he is the top person running in the election. A long list of people are running against him. Here are a few more noteworthy ones.
Governor Gavin Newsom
Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) was elected in 2018 with 61.9% of the vote. His opponent, John Cox (Republican) got 38.1% of the vote. Governor Newsom’s term ends in 2023, and he can run again if he chooses to do so.
There was a bit of drama over the recall ballot. ABC News provided a good explanation about what happened in an article titled: “Judge: Newsom can’t be listed as Democrat on recall ballot”. From the article:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom can’t put his Democratic Party affiliation on the ballot voters see when they decide whether to remove him, a judge ruled Monday.Newsom’s campaign missed a deadline to submit his affiliation to the California Secretary of State Shirley Weber for the Sept. 14 recall election. Newsom’s campaign said it was inadvertent and asked Weber, who was appointed by Newsom, to allow the affiliation to appear.She said the issue needed to go to a judge, so Newsom filed a lawsuit. Newsom’s Republican opponents criticized the move as an attempt to change rules everyone else must follow……Sacramento County Superior Court Judge James Arguelles said his decision Monday came down to whether there are reasons to look beyond the Newsom-approved law that required the governor to submit his party affiliation to the state’s top election official by February 2020.He determined that the law “unambiguously precludes party information from appearing on a recall ballot where the elected officer fails timely to make the designation.” …
It is worth pointing out that Judge James Arguelles previously was the judge who ruled in November of 2020 to give the recall proponents 160 extra days to collect signatures. This was done because the lawyer of the recall proponents claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic made it harder for them to collect signatures under the usual deadline.
I might have been willing to believe that because the COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone pretty hard. However, I changed my mind when Los Angeles Times reported that the lawyer for the recall proponents, Bradley Benbrook, and Judge James P. Argulles, worked at the same law firm together and served as co-counsel on at least two cases. Sounds very sketchy to me!
Overall, it likely doesn’t matter whether or not Governor Newsom is listed as a Democrat on the recall ballot. Everyone in California who is a registered Democrat knows that Governor Newsom is a Democrat. Most, if not all, registered Democrats voted for him in 2018. Everyone in California who is a registered Republican also knows that Governor Newsom is a Democrat.
How does the Recall Election work?
The recall election will take place on September 14, 2021. The filing deadline for candidates to run in this election was July 16, 2021. As of July 12, 2021, 70 individuals had filed to run in the recall election.
San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Field of candidates in Newsom recall election shrinks by half in new state list”. It was posted on July 18, 2021. From the article:
Only half of the candidates who filed their intention to challenge Gov. Gavin Newsom in the Sept. 14 recall election are eligible to run, according to a new list released by the Secretary of State’s Office late Saturday. More than 80 people filed statements of intent to run for governor as of late Friday, but only 41 were included on a notice to candidates released the next day. Participants must meet a number of qualifying criteria, including being a U.S. citizen, being registered to vote in California and never having been convicted of certain felonies related to public corruption.They are also required to submit between 65 and 100 nomination signatures, a $4,194.94 filing fee (or 7,000 signatures in lieu of paying that) and five years of federal income tax returns, among other requirements…
The list of candidates who qualified for the recall ballot is on the California Secretary of State’s website. It shows each candidate’s name, their party (or no party preference), and whether or not they accept the spending limits for this election.
John Cox
Those who have lived in California for their entire lives, or who moved to California before the 2018 election, would recognize the name John Cox. He was the person who lost to Governor Gavin Newsom in the 2018 election. I figure that most people who do not live in California have no idea who John Cox is.
John Cox is on the recall ballot. He is from the Republican party, and did not accept the spending limits for the recall election. Why not? Cal Matters reported an answer to that question in an article (updated on May 28, 2021), titled: “Who’s bankrolling the Newsom recall campaigns?” It was written by Ben Christopher. From the article:
…John Cox, known for losing badly to Newsom in 2018, and campaigning alongside a Kodiak bear named Tag in 2021, has raised more than $5 million for his bid – though most of it has come from his own bank account……The Fair Political Practices Commission later confirmed that candidates can also use money from their 2022 campaign accounts, if they have one… Cox has at least $2.5 million ……Unlike the general pro- or anti-recall committees, which can raise and spend unlimited sums of money, candidates can’t receive more than $32,400 from a single donor. That means they’re more reliant on small-donor dollars…
You read that right – John Cox actually did campaign with a Kodiak bear. NBC Los Angeles local posted an article titled: “John Cox Campaigns for California Governor Alongside a 1,000-Pound Kodiak Bear”. From the article:
The race to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom took on a circus-like feel this week.Caitlyn Jenner added some celebrity sparkle to the race with her announcement last month, so it was no surprise Tuesday when a Republican rival John Cox trotted out a Kodiak bear named Tag to relaunch his campaign in Sacramento. Cox was defeated by Newsom in a 2018 landslide. The 65-year-old businessman also released a video calling himself “the beast.” He repeatedly labeled Newsom a “pretty boy” who lacks the substance to run state government.Cox spent $5 million to air a 30-second version on television statewide, his campaign said, underscoring his need to raise his profile.The stunt was aimed at drawing eyes to his campaign, but he promised to discuss “serious issues” – like bringing down the cost of housing, boosting the state’s water resources and preventing special interests from influencing the government…
The California State Animal is the California grizzly bear (Ursus californicus). It is a brown bear, and it is on the state’s flag. John Cox brought a Kodiak bear with him on his campaign. He brought the wrong type of bear with him. I’m not sure how he got that wrong. I’m also confused that in his campaign video he referred to himself as “the beast” (and not the bear).
NBC San Diego posted an article titled: “John Cox Campaign Being Investigated For Bringing a 1K-Pound Bear to San Diego”. The article was updated on May 16, 2021. From the article:
California Gubernatorial candidate John Cox’s campaign is being investigated for bringing a wild animal to a campaign rally in San Diego, which is prohibited by the city’s code, according to officials.The San Diego Humane Society’s law enforcement division confirmed on Wednesday the use of a 1,000-pound Kodiak bear named Tag at Cox’s campaign stop on Shelter Island the day prior may have violated San Diego municipal code 44.03.05.The code makes it illegal for anyone to bring wild animals like lions, bears, monkeys, wolves, and more into the city. A violation could result in a misdemeanor charge……Tag has appeared on TV shows, comes from Working Wildlife in Frazier Park, a business that rents out wild animals for entertainment purposes. It was the bear’s second campaign stop with Cox; his first appearance was Cox’s campaign launched in Sacramento, and was quickly met with outrage from animal rights groups and at least one politician…
On May 25, 2021, Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Cox campaign bear is subject of animal-rights lawsuit”. From the article:
…A group of San Diego animal activists has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order Cox to immediately suspend any further public appearances with the animal through the duration of the campaign to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.Lawyers for the Animal Protection and Rescue League claim that Cox’s campaign stop in San Diego earlier this month violated a city ordinance and that ongoing appearances are illegal under federal law……The nonprofit wrote to Cox after the San Diego campaign event, demanding the candidate to stop using the bear and claiming it was drugged, but the group never received a reply, the lawsuit states……Cox campaign officials Tuesday denied that the bear was drugged or abused. They pledged to continue displaying the bear at political events – at least until a judge intervenes…
While I’m not certain exactly what happened with the lawsuit regarding the Kodiak bear, I can verify that John Cox found a different gimmick. It was, quite literally, a “giant, 8-foot tall ball of trash“. The Sacramento Bee posted an article on June 29, 2020. It provides more explanation:
…Republican businessman and recall election hopeful John Cox, who you might remember as the guy with the bear, debuted his new roadshow sidekick on Monday afternoon to go along with his four-step homelessness problem. The 8-foot ball of trash is meant to symbolize the “damage done by homelessness in California,” Cox’s team said in a release. He will continue to campaign with the ball of trash throughout his tour of California, discussing homelessness…Cox’s plan would prioritize treatment for mental health and addiction before housing, then increase the enforcement of public camping laws (a strategy he calls “Compliance Born of Compassion.”) He also wants to focus on spending on solutions, and lower the cost of housing…
Some of Cox’s plan regarding homelessness might sound good, at first. But, he screwed up when he said in a video that “California’s homeless problem is a threat to public safety and sanitation.” That description of unhoused people doesn’t feel very compassionate.
Kevin Kiley
Kevin Kiley is a California lawmaker who represents California’s 6th district in the California State Assembly. He is from the Republican party, and he agreed to accept the campaign spending limits.
According to Wikipedia, Kevin Kiley, and James Gallagher (a Republican who represents California’s 5th district), sued Governor Gavin Newsom. Kiley and Gallagher acted as their own attorneys, and won a trial against Newsom with the superior court ruling that Newsom had abused his emergency powers.
What emergency powers did Kiley and Gallagher think Governor Newsom abused? It turns out they were angry because he allowed the entire population of registered voters to vote by mail-in-ballot in the 2020 election. This decision was made in an effort to prevent people from catching COVID-19 while trying to cast their vote. (Keep in mind that vaccines were not yet available.)
On November 14, 2020, KRCTV.com posted an article titled: “Judge rules Gov. Gavin Newsom abused authority with vote-by-mail ballot order”. From the article:
A California State Superior Court has ruled that Gov. Gavin Newsom abused his authority by issuing an executive order that required vote-by-mail ballots be sent to all registered voters, according to documents. Sutter County Superior Court Judge Sarah Heckman’s ruling places a permanent injunction against the Governor that prevents him from changing existing state law, even during a pandemic.The ruling does not affect the results of the 2020 general election…
The 2020 presidential election was held on November, 7, 2020. The judge’s ruling was on November 14, 2020 – after Election Day. That means the vote-by-mail ballots went out and were used by registered voters before the Judge made a decision. It doesn’t sound like Kiley and Gallagher won this case after all.
The Wikipedia article also stated that Kevin Kiley “would later become a prominent voice in the campaign to recall Governor Newsom, and in January 2021, published a book titled “Recall Gavin Newsom: The Case Against America’s Most Corrupt Governor”.
A quick look at Amazon.com shows that the book was published by BookBaby, on January 10, 2021. It is a self-publishing company that is located in the United States. They will accept “Anyone involved with book publishing, including editors, designers, writing coaches, publicists, and small publishers. Even if you’re brand new to BookBaby, or just a friend of an author, we’ll pay you a commission on their first project. Partners must be US residents.”
ABC News 7 described Kevin Kiley this way:
…Kiley, a 36-year-old lawyer and former prosecutor from the Sacramento suburb of Rocklin, is known in the Legislature for fighting for access to charter schools and was one of the Republican lawmakers who filed a court challenge to Newsom’s far-reaching policies during the coronavirus pandemic……In a statement earlier this month referenced by Kiley, recall organizer Orrin Heatlie said volunteers behind the effort were disappointed with the field of potential replacement candidates and predicted Kiley, should he enter the race, would unite those backing the drive to remove Newsom.However, Kiley is little known statewide outside of GOP circles, and he enters a race in which some of the leading candidates have been campaigning for months.
I live in California, and I’ve never heard of Kevin Kiley.
Kevin Faulconer
There are at least two Republicans named Kevin who are hoping to become the next Governor of California. I wonder if that would make things confusing for voters who are registered as Republicans.
Kevin Falconer was the 36th Mayor of San Diego from 2014 to 2020. He is a member of the Republican party, and he accepted the recall spending limits.
On June 29, 2021, Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Newsom recall rival Kevin Faulconer unveils plan to address homelessness”. From the article:
…Under his plan, Faulconer would use an executive order to form a state-run network of temporary shelters on state property and push for a “right to shelter” law that could allow local governments to bar people from sleeping in streets, parks and other public spaces once they have been offered a shelter bed.He also proposes extensive clearing of homeless encampments, facilities by homeless outreach workers and local law enforcement who would encourage unhoused people to accept shelter and services. Those who refuse would face citations and arrests.The six-page document does not provide cost estimates but calls for a mix of federal and local funding, and an ongoing stream of state dollars. Permanent housing would be prioritized for the state’s 11,000 homeless veterans, and government-run mental health programs would receive an audit……An estimated 160,000 people are homeless in California according to point-in-time counts, a population that has grown by over 39% over the last five years and disproportionately affects low-income Black and Latino Californians.Last week, Newsom finalized an agreement to spend a record $12 billion to address homelessness, in part to expand a program to convert vacant motels and other buildings into permanent housing. It also includes a flexible funding stream to local governments at a cost of $1 billion a year.Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, Project Homekey created nearly 6,000 new units of housing at roughly half the per-unit costs of new construction. Last year, the governor also called for a constitutional amendment that would force cities and counties to house homeless Californians…
On July 19, 2021, Times of San Diego reported: “Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer on Monday challenged Gov. Gavin Newsom to a television debate and threatened a lawsuit over his description on the recall ballot.” The article also stated that Faulconer described himself as “the leading candidate.”
I don’t think Kevin Faulconer will attract many voters. In an article posted on September 5, 2019, San Francisco Chronicle reported the following:
Kevin Faulconer is the pro-choice, pro-same-sex marriage, climate-change acknowledging, Mexico-embracing, Spanish-speaking mayor of San Diego who didn’t vote for President Trump.In other words, he’s the embodiment of everything the California Republican Party isn’t…
Data shows that the vast majority of registered voters in California are from the Democratic Party. Those voters are extremely likely to vote to keep Governor Gavin Newsom. I highly doubt that the registered voters from the Republican Party are going to choose a candidate who is “the embodiment of everything the California Republican Party isn’t”.
Caitlyn Jenner
Caitlyn Jenner is a Republican. She accepted the spending limits of the recall.
Biography.com provides some information about Caitlyn Jenner. In short, Jenner was an Olympic athlete who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany, and placed third in the Olympic trials and tenth at the Olympic games. In the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Jenner won a gold medal and set a new world record, scoring 8,634 points in the decathlon.
Caitlyn Jenner is also known for being on the Keeping Up with the Kardashians TV show, with some members of her family. The show premiered in 2007.
On June 1, 2015, Caitlyn Jenner tweeted: “I’m so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me.”
To the best of my knowledge, Caitlyn Jenner is the only woman who is transgender to have qualified for the recall ballot. She is a celebrity, which could be a asset. However, she does not have a background in politics, and I think that could work against her.
There is precedent for a celebrity becoming governor as the result of a recall election. History.com reported that in 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) was elected governor of California. He replaced Gray Davis (Democrat) who was struggling to fix an electricity crisis that caused rolling blackouts.
I think that part of what helped Arnold Schwarzenegger to win the recall election was his popularity. He played Conan the Barbarian in the 1982 movie, and as The Terminator in 1983. Those roles were memorable, and I think people liked the idea of swapping out a governor who couldn’t fix an energy crisis with “The Terminator”.
That said, Caitlyn Jenner probably doesn’t have the same “clout” as Arnold Schwarzenegger did when he ran in the Gray Davis recall election.
On April 23, 2021, Equality California tweeted: “Make no mistake: we can’t wait to elect a #trans governor of California. But @Caitlyn_Jenner spent years telling the #LGBTQ+ community to trust Donald Trump. We saw how that turned out. Now she wants us to trust her? Hard pass. @StopRepRecall” This started a thread of tweets.
“After Trump banned transgender troops from serving in the military, attacked transgender students and even tried to allow homeless shelters to turn away trans women, @Caitlyn_Jenner STILL hired his former inner circle to run her campaign.”
“Californians – and #trans Californians, in particular – understand all too well the risk of electing another reality star who cares more about fame and money than civil rights, healthcare and the safety of our communities.”
“We can’t let that happen. Governor @GavinNewsom is a pro-equality champion who has spent his career fighting for @LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice. He’s been there for us, time and time again. Now it’s our turn to be there for him. @StopRepRecall.”
On July 16, 2021, Vanity Fair posted an article titled: “Caitlyn Jenner Reportedly Pauses Her Governor Campaign to Film Celebrity Big Brother in Australia”. From the article:
California’s special election to recall current governor Gavin Newsom is just two months away, but Caitlyn Jenner apparently has no qualms with putting her gubernatorial campaign on pause in order to shoot another season of reality television.The former Olympian landed in Sydney, Australia, this week, according to local Adelaide tabloid The Advertiser, where she will now have to quarantine for two weeks before filming for the new season of Celebrity Big Brother begins. While the show has yet to confirm Jenner’s casting on the program, according to the outlet she is still expected to be paid roughly $372,500 for the appearance.…If reports of her casting are true, it’s unclear if Jenner will make it back to the state in time to do a final campaign push or even to vote for herself in person. In addition to quarantining for two weeks in Australia, Daily Mail reports that the filming of Big Brother has also typically taken two months to complete, which would place her return well past the September 14 election date…
I think registered voters in California will have a hard time taking Caitlyn Jenner seriously as a viable candidate. She has no background in politics, and appears to have gone to Australia to be on a reality TV show.
Who is Running in California’s Recall Election? is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 16, 2021CaliforniaAmerican flag with Ballot envelope by Joshua Woroniecki on Unsplash
The vast majority of voters in California are registered with the Democratic Party. There aren’t enough registered Republican voters in the state to compete with them – even if some Independents vote with the Republicans.
A Little History
Governor Gavin Newsom was elected governor in 2018, and his term started in 2019. California has a top-two primary, which means that the two candidates who got the most votes for a specific office have to run against each other. The top two candidates could potentially be: two Democrats, two Republicans, one Democrat and one Republican, or one candidate from a major party and one from a small one, or two candidates from small parties.
In the 2018 California primary election, Gavin Newsom (Democrat) got 2,343,792 votes (33.7%) and John Cox (Republican) got 1,766,488 (25.4%). None of the other candidates who were running for governor of California got more than those two people did.
Newsom and Cox faced each other in the General election. This time, Newsom got 7,721,410 votes (61.9%) and Cox got 4,742,825 votes (38.1%). The majority of voters in California chose Gavin Newsom to be their governor.
The Republicans in California are trying to steal an election. The complaints about Governor Newsom that the Republicans put on their recall ballot include phrases like “against the will of the people.” They should realize that “the will of the people” was very clearly shown when Governor Gavin Newsom won his election.
California has a much larger number of Democratic Voters than Republican Voters
The California Secretary of State website reported on October 30, 2020, that a record 22 million Californians registered to vote heading into the General election. The website contains a chart that shows statewide trends in voter registration from 1996 through 2020. The numbers are split up by political party (or no party preference).
A quick glance at the chart of percentage of voters by party shows that the Democratic party consistently had a higher percentage of voters than did the Republican party (and also than did the No Party Preference group). This holds true from 1996 right up to the 2020 election.
For the purpose of this blog post, I’m going to focus on the voter registration data from the two most recent presidential elections.
2016: Democratic (44.9%), Republican (26.0%)
2020: Democratic (46.1%), Republican (25.2%)
The number of Democratic registered voters increased between 2016 and 2020. The number of Republican voters decreased between 2016 and 2020. Based on this data, it seems that the outcome of the recall will result in Governor Newsom keeping his job. It would take an overwhelming number of registered Democrats to vote against Newsom in order for the Republicans to get their way.
That’s not just my opinion. ABC News posted an article in March of 2021 titled: “EXPLAINER: Why is California Gov. Newsom facing a recall?” It was written by Michael R. Blood. From the article:
…If petition numbers hold up, it appears the recall will easily qualify for the ballot. If that happens, Newsom would be forced to fend off rivals in the midst of a pandemic that has cost the state millions of jobs and shaken life for residents. But time could be on his side and the turbulent public mood could shift by fall. If schools, restaurants, gyms and other businesses continue to reopen. California also is one of the most heavily Democratic states in the country: Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by nearly 2-to-1, and the party controls every statewide office while dominating the Legislature and congressional delegation.
What has Governor Newsom Changed Since the Recall Election Qualified for the Ballot?
Reopened bars, hotels, gyms, offices, and other businesses
On May 17, 2021, San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “California is set to reopen on June 15: What will change?” It was written by Carolyn Said and Erin Allday. From the article:
State officials say it will be a return to business as usual for scores of sectors – including restaurants, gyms and movie theaters – that have been forced to limit capacity under California’s color-coded blueprint. Bars will be able to reopen indoors in every county. Private gatherings like weddings can resume with larger guest lists……The four-tiered color-coded blueprint, in place since last August, mandates certain restrictions based on how prevalent the virus is in a county. In the least restrictive yellow tier, which only San Francisco and San Mateo counties have reached in the Bay Area, almost every sector can be open at 25% to 50% capacity.The state will retire that blueprint on June 15, assuming it meets two criteria for broadly reopening: making vaccines easily available to anyone who wants them, and keeping COVID-19 hospitalizations low. At the moment California is easily meeting those goals. Individual counties may, however, choose to retain certain restrictions after that date.With Gov. Gavin Newsom facing a recall election, may public health and business leaders say they can’t imagine he’ll back away from the June 15 reopening unless there’s an unexpected new pandemic threat. Newsom said last week that there is no backup plan if the state falls off course: “Plan A is the only plan we need,” he said…
Opened restaurants
On May 24, 2021, Eater posted an article titled: “California Says No More Restaurant Capacity Limits or Physical Distancing Starting June 15″. It was written by Mona Holmes. From the article:
California is approaching a milestone moment since the COVID-19 pandemic began over a year ago. On May 21, California officials announced the state would fully reopen without restrictions on June 15. As the first state to officially shelter-in-place, California will convert back to zero restrictions on indoor and outdoor capacity limits and physical distancing at restaurants and bars within the next three weeks.California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly stated that California will no longer require any pandemic-related constraints, which moves the state into a full reopening, reports the L.A. Times. With half of Californians fully vaccinated and COVID-19 infection/death rates remarkably low, Ghaly believes the state is ready. The color-coded system used to track the pandemic will no longer be used……More changes will come after the Division of Occupational Safety and Health or Cal/OSHA updates California’s workplace rules in early June. LAist reports the state agency – which determines safety regulations for employers throughout California – could all vaccinated workers without COVID-19 symptoms to no longer wear masks if workers did not display symptoms. After June 15, expect to see the following in restaurants and bars across the state:
Bars, restaurants, concert venues, and grocery stores can operate at full indoor and outdoor capacity.California will utilize CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people who will not be required to wear masks except for public transit, flights, and when visiting health facilities.Physical distancing requirements will not be required at public and private events.Large venues, like sports arenas and performance stages, will no longer have capacity limits. But a vaccine verification or a negative test will be required for indoor events with more than 5,000 people, and the vaccine verification or negative test will be recommended for outdoor events with 10,000 people or more.People traveling into the state will not be required to isolate or quarantine.
Created a plan for opening schools next over the summer and next fall for full-time in-person instruction
On June 7, 2021, Governor Newsom shared his plan to reopen the schools in the fall. The information was posted on his official website, and titled: “California Releases New Summer Programming and School Reopening Data, Launches Parental Engagement Campaign”. From the press release:
Today, California launched a new series of interactive data visualizations at the Safe Schools for All Hub to continue tracking the progress of school reopening efforts while highlighting school districts’ plans for summer program offerings to support students’ learning needs. Of the data submitted:
89 percent of school districts submitting data will offer learning opportunities over the summer, including learning acceleration (e.g., high-dose tutoring), enrichment and mental health services.99 percent of public school districts submitting data plan to fully reopen for in-person instruction for the school year beginning Fall 2021.
…Additionally, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is launching a new campaign throughout the summer to build confidence with parents and students about the safety of returning to school full-time in Fall 2021. The campaign will reach out to parents in the hardest hit by the pandemic – especially Latinix, African-American, Asian American and Pacific Islander parents of school aged children – with $25 million from AB 86 to support the safe opening of schools during the next fiscal year. These monies will: fund a campaign to reach parents ($1 million), build on-the-ground local collaborations between local public health departments ($10 million) and county offices of education ($10 million) and provide ongoing statewide technical assistance and encourage two-way communication through enhanced technology ($4 million).The Governor’s California Comeback Plan proposes to permanently expand summer and after-school programs at all schools serving the highest concentrations of vulnerable students, beginning with $1 billion in the 2021-22 school year and growing to $5 billion by 2025. The plan also proposes a return to full-time in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year…
Recall Elections Have a Tendency to Fail
It is worth pointing out that recall elections that are intended to remove an elected governor in California have a tendency to fail. The California Secretary of State website provided some information. I filled in the gaps with more details from various sources.
1939: A recall against Governor Culbert L. Olson. It failed to qualify for the ballot. Two other recalls of the Governor were attempted that year, one filed by Olson Recall Committee, and the other by Citizens of Olson Recall Committee. Both of those failed to qualify for the ballot.
1940: More recalls against Governor Culbert L. Olsen were filed. Each one was filed by the Olsen Recall Committee. Both of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
1960: A recall against Governor Edmund G. Brown (Democrat) was filed by Roderick J. Wilson (also a Democrat). The recall failed to qualify for the ballot.
1965: A recall against Governor Edmund G. Brown was filed by C. Fain Kyle.
According to information on the Internet Archive, C. Fain Kyle was Executive Director of Dedicated Independent Society Committee Against Racial Demonstrations, Inc. He also founded the Christian Conservative Churches of America. In 1965, C. Fain Kyle announced the formation of Recall Brown Committee. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
Also in 1965, a second recall against Governor Edmund G. Brown was filed – this time by L.J. Beauchamp. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1967: A recall against Governor Ronald Reagan (Republican) was filed by Nancy L. Parr. Getty Images has a photo of her holding a petition seeking the recall of Governor Ronald Reagan. According to Getty Images, Nancy L. Parr thinks Gov. Reagan is “inept and incompetent” and that he’s riding roughshod over the desires of both the legislature and California. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1968: A recall against Governor Ronald Reagan was filed by Joyce A. Koupal and James E. Berg. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1972: A recall against Governor Ronald Reagan was filed by Margaret Bullard. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1977: A recall against Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (Democrat) was filed by Patricia Dolbeare. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1979: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (Jerry Brown). One was filed by Frank James Compton. The other was filed by Cecil Gibson. Both of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
1980: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (Jerry Brown). Both were filed by Cecil Gibson – one of April 16, 1980, and the other on October 18, 1980. Both of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
1983: Three recall efforts were filed against Governor George Deukmejian (Republican) was filed by Michael Greenspan and Charles Brookey. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
The second was filed by M.P. Baltzer, George Baltzer, Johnny Van Pelt, and Cynthia Van Pelt. It failed to qualify for the ballot. The third was filed by R. Ahl. It also failed to qualify for the ballot.
1985: Another recall effort was filed against Governor George Deukmejian. It was filed by Michael Bogatirev. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot. Los Angeles Times reported the following:
…A Pacific Grove man, Michael Bogatirev, has filed with the secretary of state’s office a petition to recall Gov. George Deukmejian for allegedly failing to adequately represent environmental concerns. The petition must be signed by 945,204 registered voters, which represents 12% of all of the votes cast for the office in 1982, by next Jan. 30. If the recall drive qualifies, a special election would be set. A spokesman for the governor had no immediately official comment on the petition but said, “We certainly aren’t nervous about it.”…
1986: A recall effort was filed against Governor George Deukmejian. It was filed by Michael Bogritev, Timothy Grady, and Harry Snell. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
Michael Bogaritev also filed a recall effort against Governor George Deukmejian – one on February 2, 1986, and another on February 21, 1986 (with Timothy Grady.) Both of those recall efforts failed to qualify for the ballot.
1987 and 1989: A recall effort was filed against Governor George Deukmejian by Michael Bogatriev and Douglas Cupp Sr. It failed to qualify for the ballot. Michael Bogatriev also filled two more recall efforts against Governor George Deukmejian. Both those efforts failed to qualify for the ballot.
1991: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Pete Wilson (Republican). One was filed by Deborah Murray, Teresa S. Squier, Herbert C. Redlack, Sharon Moad, and Corinne Lavorico. The other was filed by Lorna G. Fowler, Emily L. Powell, Patricia Williams and Elmer E. Powell. Both of these recall efforts failed to qualify for the ballot.
1992: Four recall efforts were filed against Governor Pete Wilson. One was filed by Peter James. Another was filed by Gordon Reynolds, Joseph DeSiata, Deborah Murray, A. Lee Sanders, and Janice L. Tracey. The third was filed by Gary Karnes and Ralph White. The fourth was filed by Barbara Brammer, Mary Reyna, Patrick Hill, and Robert Cunha. All of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
1995: A recall effort was filed against Governor Pete Wilson. It was filed by Jayne Liera and 101 others. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
1999: A recall effort was filed against Governor Gray Davis (Democrat). It was filed by Glenn J. Spencer and 73 others. The recall effort failed to qualify for the ballot.
2003: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Gray Davis. One was filed by Edward L. Nicholson and 9 others. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
Another recall effort was filed by Edward J. Costa and 98 others. It qualified for the ballot, and the recall election was held on October 7, 2003. The recall succeeded with 55.4% in favor and 44.6% opposed. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) was elected to be the successor of Gray Davis.
Wikipedia provided some information about why Gray Davis was removed by a recall election:
…According to the subsequent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s investigation and report, numerous energy trading companies, many based in Texas, such as Enron Corporation, illegally restricted their supply to the point where the spikes in power usage would cause blackouts. Rolling blackouts affecting 97,000 customers hit the San Francisco bay area on June 14, 2000, and San Diego Gas & Electric Company filed a complaint alleging market manipulation by some energy producers in August 2000. On December 7, 2000, suffering from low supply and idled power plants, the California Independent System (CAISO), whioch manages the California power grid, declared the first statewide Stage 3 power alert, meaning power reserves were below 3 percent. Rolling blackouts were avoided when the state halted two large state and federal water pumps to conserve energy.On January 17, 201, Davis declared a state of emergency in response to the electricity crisis. Speculators, led by Enron Corporation, were collectively making large profits while the state teetered on the edge for weeks and finally suffered rolling blackouts on January 17 and 18. Davis stepped in to buy power at highly unfavorable terms on the open market, since California power companies were technically bankrupt and had no buying power. California agreed to pay $43 billion for power over the next 20 years. Newspaper publishers sued Davis to force him to make public the details of the energy deal……Gray Davis critics often charge that he did not respond properly to the crisis, while his defenders attribute the crisis solely to the corporate accounting scandals and say that Davis did all he could…
2004: A recall effort against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) was filed by Henry F. Ramsey Jr. and 64 others. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2005: Two recall efforts against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger were filed. One was filed by Kevin Matsumura and 121 others on October 7, 2005. The other was filed by Kevin Matsumura and 105 others on November 16, 2005. Both failed to qualify for the ballot.
2008: A recall effort was filed against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was filed by Mike Jimenez and 84 others. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2009:Three recall efforts were filed against Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. One was filed by John D. Fusek and 110 others on March 20, 2009. The second one was filed by ET Snell and 112 others on March 23, 2009. The third one was filed by John D. Fusek and 119 others on April 17, 2009. All of them failed to qualify for the ballot.
2012: Two recall efforts were filed against Governor Jerry Brown. One was filed by Edgar Origel and 9 others on May 17, 2012. The other was filed by James D. Smith and 9 others on November 1, 2012. Both failed to qualify for the ballot.
2013, another recall effort was filed against Governor Jerry Brown. It was filed by James D. SMith and 90 others on October 23, 2013. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2015: A recall effort was filed against Governor Jerry Brown. It was filed by Lauren Stephens and 74 others on October 29, 2015. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2017: A recall effort was filed against Governor Jerry Brown. It was filed by Rachel Gunther and 197 others on November 16, 2017. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2019: A recall effort was filed against Governor Gavin Newsom. It was filed by Erin Cruz and 69 others on March 15, 2019. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
2020: Three recall efforts were filed against Governor Gavin Newsom. One was filed by Orrin E. Heatlie and 124 others on February 3, 2020. It failed to qualify for the ballot. Another was filed by Carla Canada and 9 others on June 3, 2020. It failed to qualify for the ballot.
In between those two was another recall effort filed by Orrin E. Heatlie and 124 others on February 21, 2020. This one qualified for the ballot. There will be a recall election on September 14, 2021.
Los Angeles Times reported that the recall effort proponents are Orrin Heatlie, Mike Netter, and the California Patriot Coalition.
According to the Recall Gavin Newsom website, Orrin Heatlie is the Lead Proponent. Mike Netter is the Coalition Founding Member. He describes himself as a veteran working in sales and marketing, and states that he has worked in senior executive roles at Corporate Express and Staples. Robin McCrea is a veteran budget officer/analyst. Los Angeles Times also identified the California Patriot Coalition as having something to do with the recall.
Recall Proponents Got Extra Time to Collect Signatures
CNBC reported information about why the proponents of the recall got more time than they should have gotten to collect signatures. From the article:
…After receiving approval from the secretary of state in June 2020, organizers of the effort had 160 days to collect petition signatures equal to 12% of the voter turnout in the last election for governor, or 1,495,709 signatures, in accordance with state recall laws.But state health orders that closed nonessential businesses and enforced social distancing became a hurdle for collecting signatures, which led to a Sacramento judge to approve a 120-extension for the organizers in November.The recall effort continued to struggle in collecting signatures until photos leaked of a maskless Newsom attending a dinner at a Napa Valley restaurant on November 6, with people from several households. Californians were outraged, especially since Newsom’s actions contradicted stay-at-home orders…
In other words, a judge decided to give the recall proponents an extra 120 days to collect signatures. Why would a judge decide to do that? Los Angeles Times provides some answers:
The Sacramento County Superior Court judge whose ruling in November was pivotal to the recall campaign against Gov. Gavin Newsom, providing supporters extra time to gather the necessary petition signatures to trigger a special election, was once a law partner with the attorney hired by the effort’s proponents to plead their case.Judge James P. Arguelles and Bradley Benbrook were attorneys at the Sacramento law firm of Stevens, O’Connell & Jacobs before 2010 and, according to federal court records, the two served as co-counsel on at least two cases……Benbrook represented recall proponents Orrin Heatlie and the California Patriot Coalition in the case before Arguelles last fall. The judge on Nov. 17 agreed with Benbrook’s argument that California’s COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions had limited the recall campaign’s ability to circulate petitions.Arguelles gave them an additional five months to gather and submit 1.49 million petition signatures from California voters, the number required by state law to qualify the recall for the ballot, and they did so successfully by March 17. Were it not for that extra time, the recall would have failed to qualify……Benbrook also worked for an independent expenditure committee that backed Newsom’s Republican opponent in the 2018 gubernatorial election, John Cox. Cox is currently running to replace Newsom if he is recalled…
A Closer Look at How Each County Voted in the 2020 Election – by Party
NBC Los Angeles posted data about how California voted, by county, in the 2020 Presidential election. As you may recall, the most well known candidates were Joe Biden (Democrat) Donald Trump (Republican) and Jo Jorgensen (Libertarian).
The final outcome – statewide – in California was:
Joe Biden (Democrat) 11,110,250 (63.5%)Donald Trump (Republican) 6,006,429 (34.3%)Jo Jorgensen (Libertarian) 187,895 (1.1%)
To get a closer look, I decided to put in the data about how each county in California voted. NBC Los Angeles color coded each county when the final votes were tallied. The Republican leaning ones were red, and the Democratic leaning ones were blue.
Red Counties:
Del Norte: 6,461 votes for Trump (56.4%) / 4,677 votes for Biden (40.8%)Suskiyou: 13,290 Trump (56.7%) / 9,593 Biden (40.9%)Modoc: 3,109 Trump (71.7%) / 1,150 Biden (25.5%)Trinity: 3,188 Trump (50.9%) / 2,852 Biden (45.6%)Shasta: 60,789 Trump (65.4%) / 30,000 Biden (32.3%)Lassen: 8,970 Trump (74.8%) / 2,799 Biden (23.4%)Tehama: 19,141 Trump (66.6%) / 8,911 Biden (31.0%)Plumas: 6,445 Trump (57.3%) / 4,561 Biden (40.5%)Glenn: 7,063 Trump (62.5%) / 3,995 Biden (35.4%)Sierra: 1,142 Trump (59.2%) / 730 Biden (37.8%)Colusa: 4,559 Trump (57.3%) / 3,239 Biden (40.7%)Sutter: 24,375 Trump (57.2%) / 17,367 Biden (40.7%)Yuba: 17,676 Trump (59.3%) / 11,230 Biden (37.7%)Sierra: 1,142 Trump (59.2%) / 730 Biden (37.8%)Placer: 122,488 Trump (52.1%) / 106,869 Biden (45.5%)El Dorado: 61,838 Trump (53.2%) / 51,621 Biden (44.4%)Amador: 13,585 Trump (60.9%) / 8,153 Biden (36.6%)Calaveras: 16,518 Trump (60.8%) / 10,046 Biden (37.0%)Tuolumne: 17,689 Trump (58.2%) / 11,978 Biden (39.4%)Mariposa: 5,950 Trump (57.9%) / 4,088 Biden (39.8%)Madera: 29,378 Trump (54.7%) / 23,168 Biden (43.1%)Tulare: 77,579 Trump (52.8%) / 66,105 Biden (45.0%)Kings: 24,072 Trump (54.9%) / 18,699 Biden (42.6%)Kern: 164,484 Trump (53.9%) / 133,366 Biden (43.7%)
Blue Counties:
Humbolt: 21,770 Trump (31.6%) / 44,768 Biden (65.%)Mendocino: 13,267 Trump (30.6%) / 28,782 Biden (66.4%)Butte: 48,730 Trump (47.8%) / 50,426 Biden (49.4%)Nevada: 26,779 Trump (41.4%) / 36,359 Biden (56.2%)Lake: 13,123 Trump (45.6%) / 14,941 Biden (51.9%)Sonoma: 61,825 Trump (23.0%) / 199,938 Biden (74.5%)Napa: 20,676 Trump (28.7%) / 49,817 Biden (69.1%)Yolo: 27,292 Trump (28.1%) / 67,598 Biden (69.5%)Sacramento: 259,405 Trump (36.1) / 440,808 Biden (61.4%) – State CapitolAlpine: 224 Trump (32.9%) / 476 Biden (64.2%)Alameda: 136,309 Trump (17.7%) / 617,659 Biden (80.2%)Solano: 69,396 Trump (33.7%) / 131,639 Biden (64.0%)Contra Costa: 152,877 Trump (26.3%) / 416,386 Biden (71.6%)San Joaquin: 121,098 Trump (42.0%) / 161,137 Biden (55.9%)Mono: 2,513 Trump (37.3%) / 4,013 Biden (59.6%)Stanislaus: 104,145 Trump (48.5%) / 105,841 Biden (49.3%)San Mateo: 75,584 Trump (20.2%) / 291,496 Biden (77.8%)Santa Cruz: 26,937 Trump (18.6%) / 114,246 Biden (78.9%)Santa Clara: 214,612 Trump (25.2%) / 617,967 Biden (72.7%)Merced: 39,397 Trump (43.5%) / 48,991 Biden (54.1%)Inyo: 4,630 Trump (48.7%) / 4,634 Biden (48.9%)San Benito: 10,590 Trump (36.7%) / 17,638 Biden (61.2%)Fresno: 164,464 Trump (45.1%) / 193,025 Biden (52.9%)Monterey: 46,299 Trump (28.3%) / 113,942 Biden (69.5%)San Luis Obispo: 67,436 Trump (42.2%) / 88,310 Biden (55.3%)Santa Barbara: 65,736 Trump (32.8%) / 129,963 Biden (64.9%)Ventura: 162,207 Trump (38.4%) / 251,388 Biden (59.5%)Los Angeles: 1,145,530 Trump (26.9%) / 3,028,885 Biden (71.0%)San Bernadino: 366,257 Trump (43.6%) / 455,859 Biden (54.2%)Riverside: 449,144 Trump (45.0%) / 528,350 Biden (53.0%)Orange: 676,498 Trump (44.5%) / 814,009 Biden (53.5%)San Diego: 600,094 Trump (37.5%) / 964,650 Biden (60.2%)Imperial: 20,847 Trump (36.8%) / 34,678 Biden (61.1%)Marin: 24,512 Trump (15.8%) / 128,288 Biden (82.3%)
The numbers of voters, by political party, show that the majority of voters in California are registered Democrats. It also shows that some of the smallest counties – with the smallest populations, have a disproportionate percentage of Republican voters.
It doesn’t make sense for them to try and overturn the results of the 2018 election (where Governor Newsom won against his opponent John Cox) by initiating a recall. It feels like the registered Republicans are attempting to steal an election.
Which counties had the highest percentage of support for the recall?
The California Secretary of State website posted information about the number of signatures received and the number of signatures that were withdrawn – by county. Ballotpedia reported that the recall effort needed more than 1,495,970 valid signatures in order to pass. California Secretary of State found 1,719,943 to be valid. She also stated that 43 signatures were removed during the removal period, leaving 1,719,900 valid signatures. This is more than enough to trigger a recall election.
What makes a signature valid? The signature has to come from a registered California voter. To make a long story short, the California Secretary of State must confirm that each signature is valid. Those that are invalid are removed.
Los Angeles Times posted an article on April 29, 2021, titled: “Who wants to recall Gov. Newsom? Signatures point to Trump’s California”. It was written by Sweltha Kannan and Sandhya Kambhampati. From the article:
…A Times analysis of data released by Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber shows where support was the strongest. Though petitions were signed all across the state, the highest concentrations of signatures were found in the rural northeast, areas with low coronavirus case counts and where voters heavily favored former President Donald Trump……Newsom’s critics say his strict COVID-19 pandemic policies were a leading factor on the effort to recall the governor, arguing that these restrictions cost thousands of jobs and shuttered businesses.The Times found, however, that coronavirus caseloads alone were not enough to predict which areas would provide the most signatures.Many Republican-leaning counties that favored the recall had low case rates. But counties with predominantly Democratic voters that experienced similar caseloads, such as those in the Bay Area, were less supportive of the effort……Among the areas most supportive of recalling Newsom were rural, right-leaning counties to the north and east of Sacramento. Those areas had high signature rates and low case rates, with the exception of Lassen County, where a surge in cases hit several state prisons. Those counties also voted to reelect Trump in 2020.These areas are home to 5% of the state’s population but more than 10% of the total signatures gathered.The highest concentrations of signatures are in the rural northeast.Still, the massive effort to force a recall relied largely on the state’s densely populated urban centers where Democrats win most elections. Los Angeles County, home to one-quarter of the state’s population, provided 264,409 signatures, or 16% of the total so far……The question will be settled later this year at the ballot box. To remove Newsom from office, more than 50% of voters will need to cast their ballot in favor of the recall…
California News Times posted an article titled: “Recall Gavin Newsom petition has enough signatures: Map shows where in California there’s most support”. It was posted on April 27, 2020. From the article:
…In raw numbers, the maximum number of verified signatures is from Los Angeles County, which is about 264,000. But that’s not a big surprise, as Los Angeles County is also the largest in the state. In neighboring Orange and Ventura counties, more and more voters are signing petitions to recall Newsom as a percentage of their population…
The article include a link to a map of California counties which were designated as supporting the recall, or not supporting the recall, based on the color the county was given. White, light blue, and shades of gray marked counties that did not support the recall. Darker shades of blue indicated counties that supported the recall.
Which counties had the most support for the recall?
The counties with the highest percentage of registered voters who signed the recall petition are:
Kings: 12.12% – Trump (54.9%) / Biden (42.6%) – in 2020 electionSiskiyou: 11.28% – Trump (56.7%) / Biden (40.9%)Calaveras: 11.03% – Trump (60.8%) / Biden (37.0%)Placer: 10.84% – Trump (52.1%) / Biden (45.5%)Lassen: 10.77% – Trump (74.8%) / Biden (23.4%)Madera: 10.04% – Trump (54.7%) / Biden (43.1%)Tulare: 9.91% – Trump (52.8%) / Biden (45.0%)Glenn: 9.75% – Trump (62.5%) / Biden (35.4%)Modoc: 8.64% – Trump (71.7%) / Biden (25.5%)Del Norte: 7.87% – Trump (56.4%) / Biden (40.8%)
The data shows that the top ten counties with the highest percentage of signatures of registered voters (per county) all just so happened to vote for Trump over Biden in the 2020 election. This is a Republican recall election.
Data Indicates Governor Newsom NOT Being Recalled
On March 30, 2021, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) posted information titled: “Four in Ten Support Newsom Recall, Job Approval Holds Steady”. From the information:
With signature-gathering complete for potentially placing a gubernatorial recall on the ballot, four in ten likely voters say they would vote yes on removing Governor Newsom in a special recall election. Just over half of Californians approve of the governor’s job performance, similar to ratings in January. Three in four Californians now say the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is behind us……If a special election to recall Governor Newsom were held today, 40 percent of likely voters say they would vote yes on removing Newsom, while 56 percent would vote no and 5 percent are unsure. Views break along party lines: Republicans (79%) are far more likely than independents (42%) and Democrats (15%) to say they would vote yes. Across regions, support for removing Newsom is highest in the Central Valley (49%) and Inland Empire (47%) and lowest in the San Francisco Bay Area (27% Orange/San Diego 40% Los Angeles)……Newsom’s approval rating has held steady so far in 2021. Just over half of Californians (54% adults, 53% likely voters) approve of how he is handling his job as governor essentially unchanged since January. This is similar to the share approving in February 2020, before the governor issued COVID-19 stay-at-home orders (53% adults, 52% likely voters). Peak approval for Governor Newsom was in May of 2020, when 65 percent of adults and 64 percent of likely voters said they approved of his performance…
On May 25, 2021, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) posted information titled: “Support for Governor’s Recall Still Falls Short; Outlook for COVID-19 Improves, though Some Groups Lag in Vaccines”. From the information:
With Governor Newsom likely facing a recall election this year, four in ten likely voters say they would vote yes to remove the governor, with views breaking along party lines……If the recall election were held today, 40 percent of likely voters say they would vote yes to remove Newsom from office, while 57% would vote no and 3 percent don’t know. Support for the recall is unchanged from March (40%). Views on the recall break along partisan lines, with Republicans (78%) far more likely than Independents (47%) and Democrats (11%) to say they would vote to remove Newsom. Support for the recall is higher in inland regions (56% Inland Empire, 49% Central Valley) than coastal areas (42% Orange/San Diego, 32% Los Angeles, 32% San Francisco Bay Area.)“The remarkably stable opposition to the recall of Gavin Newsom is driven by a large and consistent partisan divide that favors the Democratic governor,” said Mark Baldassare, PPIC president and CEO.Fifty-five percent of adults and 54 percent of likely voters approve of the governor’s job performance, similar to March (54% adults, 53% likely voters) and January (54% adults, 52% likely voters). Newsom continues to have majority approval for his handling of the pandemic (64% adults, 61% likely voters)…
On June 11, 2021, CNBC posted an article titled: “California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing a recall – here’s what to know and why he’ll likely win”. It was written by Annika Kim Constantino. From the article:
…Californians will decide whether or not to recall the Democratic governor in a special election on Sept. 14, California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis announced July 1…
…Prior to Newsom, the first governor to face a recall election was then-Gov. Gray Davis, a Democrat, who lost to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2003 recall election.Unlike Davis,however, experts and recent polling indicate that Newsom will likely survive the recall and defeat the nearly 60 candidates running against him……”At this point, it would be shocking if the recall succeeded,” said GOP consultant Rob Stutzman, who served as former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s communications director.“Covid has waned, the economy is resurging and there are far more Democrats than Republicans in this state that will vote in favor of him. I think Newsom should be in good shape,” Stutzman said.A poll conducted in early May by the Public Policy Institute of California, or PPIC, found that 57% of likely voters would support Newsom in the election while 40% would vote to recall him.The poll also found that Newsom’s job approval rating among likely voters is 54%, which is almost double Davis’ approval rating in 2003, according to to PPIC President Mark Baldassare.To explain this data, Baldassare cites “two important indicators” of Newsom’s standing that dramatically improved between January and May of this year. This includes Californians’ perceptions about the U.S. economy and Covid, which are both data points recorded in the poll as well.“These indicators have evidently improved in the last few months, putting Gov. Newsom in a relatively strong position as he faces a recall,” Baldassare said…
Given what the data shows – that voters who are registered as Democrats vastly outnumber both voters who are registered as Republicans, and voters who are registered as Independent – means that the Democratic voters are likely to vote to keep Governor Newsom. They will vote that way because they like what he is doing.
As such, we should expect that after the votes of the recall election are counted – Governor Newsom will still be the Governor of California.
Here’s Why Governor Newsom Won’t be Recalled is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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July 14, 2021CaliforniaImage by Paul Brennan from Pixabay
If you have to keep moving the goalposts – your cause is invalid.
This blog post is an update about the California recall election, which was pushed by Trump supporters and/or Republicans. The group behind the recall, and all who signed it, are trying to steal an election. They keep moving the goalposts about why they want Governor Newsom to face a recall election. That’s a huge sign that their cause is invalid – and they know it.
The Republicans Behind the Recall Keep Moving the Goalpost
The first goalpost:
On April 1, 2021, Desert Sun reported that the man behind the push to Recall Newsom is Orrin Heatlie. According to the article, Orrin Heatlie found a video of California Gov. Gavin Newsom instructing immigrants in the country illegally not to open their doors to law enforcement unless the officers had a warrant.
In the article, Orrin Heatlie was described as a Republican who had a 25-year career in law enforcement, and who was a police sergeant.
The filing deadline for this recall was March 17, 2021 – but a judge gave the recall proponents an extra 120 days to collect signatures.
The second goalpost – throw it against the wall and see what sticks
Here are some of the reasons put on the ballot by the recall proponents:
“Laws he has implemented laws which are detrimental to the citizens of this state and our way of life.”
There isn’t any clear information about what laws the proponents are referring to, or how those laws are detrimental to their way of life. Personally, I think this is in there just to rile people up. It is unclear what, exactly “detrimental to our way of life”. means.
“Laws he endorsed favor foreign nationals, in our country, illegally, over that of our own citizens.”
There is no clarification about what laws the proponents are referring to. We know that Orrin Heatlie was angered after watching a video of Governor Newsom instructing immigrants in the country illegally not to open their doors to law enforcement unless the officer had a warrant.
However, people who are citizens of the United States are also allowed to refuse to open the door to law enforcement unless the officer had a warrant. Both groups can do that. No one is being favored.
If I had to guess, the proponents could be referring to information on HealthCare.gov titled: “Health coverage for immigrants”. It says:
Immigrant families have important details to consider in the Health Insurance Marketplace. You’ll find information on rules and options for immigrants on these pages.Most people in the following groups are eligible for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace: U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, Lawfully present immigrants.Undocumented immigrants aren’t eligible to buy Marketplace health coverage or premium tax credits and other savings on Marketplace plans. But they may apply for coverage on behalf of documented individuals.
“People in this state suffer the highest taxes in the nation, the highest homelessness rates, and the lowest quality of life as a result.”
Sacramento Bee posted an article on February 20, 2020, titled: “Here’s how long Californians have to work to pay off taxes – and how other states compare”. From the article:
“California’s tax burden is higher than most states – but a lot of other states have it worse.That’s the finding of a report from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. It assigns each state a “Tax Freedom Day”, the day when residents of a state have collectively earned enough money to pay their total tax bill for the year.Californians in theory had to work until April 20 last year to pay those bills, four days longer than the national average. The state is in a 38th place tie for highest tax burden, along with Maine and Washington…
California is in a tie with 38 other states for the highest tax burden. That means California does not have a higher tax burden than most states. It has the same tax burden as 37 other states.
50 states – minus the 38 states who have the same tax burden as California – leaves 13 states. The petitioners are wrong about this claim. The 13 states with lower tax burdens than California do not constitute “most states”.
California has “the highest homeless rates…”
National Alliance to End Homelessness posted a “State of Homelessness: 2020 Edition”. It includes a map that people can scroll over in order to see the number of homeless people in each state.
New York: 92,091 people experiencing homelessness – 47 homeless people per 10,000 California: 151,278 people experiencing homelessness – 38 homeless people per 10,000Oregon: 15,876 people experiencing homelessness – 38 homeless people per 10,000Washington: 21,577 people experiencing homelessness – 29 homeless people per 10,000Massachusetts: 18,479 people experiencing homelessness – 27 homeless people per 10,000
The important part to look at is the number of homeless people per 10,000. Looking only at the population of a state – and the number of homeless people in that state – will give you incorrect results. This is because each state has its own population, which varies from state to state. The number of homeless people per 10,000 in each state gives a clearer view.
New York has the highest number of homeless people per 10,000. California and Oregon are tied for second place. Washington has the next highest number, followed by Massachusetts. The data, when read correctly, does not say that California has the highest homeless rate in the United States.
“He has imposed sanctuary state status and fails to enforce immigration laws”
That is false. TIME reported an article in 2017 titled: “California Just Became a ‘Sanctuary State.’ Here’s What That Means.”
…California Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed a so-called “sanctuary state” bill that will limit cooperation between local officials and federal immigration enforcement. The measure is one of the most high-profile ways that Democrats in the state have sought to push back against the Republican agenda, as President Donald Trump has taken an hard line and other issues that are significant to Golden State lawmakers…
Clearly, it wasn’t Governor Gavin Newsom who “imposed” so-called ‘sanctuary state’ laws. Those laws went into affect while Governor Jerry Brown was in office. The proponents of the recall are angry at the wrong governor.
“He has unilaterally over-ruled the will of the people regarding the death-penalty.”
Politico posted an article on March 12, 2019, titled: “Newsom to sign moratorium on executions in California”. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom, arguing that the death penalty overwhelmingly discriminates against racial minorities and the poor, will sign an order Wednesday placing a moratorium on executions in California, according to his office. The move serves as an immediate reprieve for hundreds of prisoners currently housed on the nation’s largest Death Row.Newsom’s executive order, to be signed Wednesday morning, withdraws California’s lethal injection protocol and immediately mandates the closure of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison, in Marin County. While the governor’s order will be a reprieve for 737 prisoners sentenced to death – including 24 who have exhausted all appeals – Newsom’s office stressed that his order would not provide for the release of any inmates or alter their convictions or sentences……California has not executed a prisoner since 2006, when a federal judge ruled that the state’s three-drug lethal injection protocol was unconstitutional and represented cruel and unusual punishment.The state produced new lethal injection regulations in early 2018, but the process for reinstatement has been left tangled in the courts, facing challenges by the American Civil Liberties Union……As a basis for Newsom’s executive order, sources in the governor’s office offered statistics to suggest that the death sentence is overwhelmingly applied to people of color — who represent six in 10 people on California’s Death Row — and to those who have suffered from severe developmental disabilities, brain damage and childhood trauma……“Here is the bottom line: Our death penalty system has been — by any measure — a failure,’’ Newsom said in his statement. “It has discriminated against defendants who are mentally ill, black and brown, or can’t afford expensive legal representation. It has provided no public safety benefit or value as a deterrent. It has wasted billions of taxpayer dollars.”“But most of all, the death penalty is absolute, irreversible and irreparable in the event of human error,” Newsom said….
Wikipedia has more information about Capital Punishment in California. Here are some key points:
A coalition of death penalty opponents, including law enforcement officials, murder victims’ family members, and wrongly convicted people launched an initiative campaign for the “Savings, Accountability, and Full Enforcement for California Act,” or SAFE California, in the 2011-2012 election cycle. The measure, which became Proposition 34, would replace the death penalty with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, require people sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole to work in order to pay restitution to victims’ families, and allocate approximately $30 million per year for three years to police departments for the purpose of solving open murder and rape cases. Supporters of the measure raised $6.5 million, dwarfing the $1 million raised by opponents of Proposition 34. The proposition was defeated with 52% against and 48% in favor.
Those numbers, 52% against, and 48% in favor, is really close for a ballot initiative. This data clearly shows that almost half of California voters were in favor of Proposition 34, and just a tiny bit more than half of California voters were against Proposition 34. That tiny margin between the two groups is not enough to define what the “will of the people” actually was.
After Governor Gavin Newsom placed a moratorium on the death penalty, by executive order, the state closed the Death Chamber at San Quentin State Prison. The Death Chamber was subsequently dismantled by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Although some pro-death penalty advocates have stated otherwise, no person sentenced to death in California was released or had their conviction or sentenced altered due to the promulgation of the Executive Order. (Emphasis mine.)
“He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: removing the protections of Proposition 13…”
Ballotpedia has some information about Proposition 13. The first one was called “Tax Limitations Initiative”. It was on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment in California on June 6, 1978. It was pushed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a California based non-profit lobbying and policy organization that advocates against raising taxes in California.
The ballot initiative was designed to:
require that properties be taxed at no more than 1 percent of their full cash value shown on the 1975-1976 assessment rolls and limit annual increases of (taxable) value to the inflation rate or 2 percent, whichever was less.upon the transfer of properties, allow them to be reassessed at one percent of their sale price and reset the limit on annual increases of assessed value.prohibit the state legislature from enacting new taxes on the value or sale of propertiesrequire a two-thirds vote of the state legislature to increase non-property taxes.require local governments to refer to special taxes to the ballot and require a two-thirds vote of electors.make the state government responsible for distributing property tax revenue among local governments.
This ballot initiative passed with 65.79% of voters saying YES, and 35.21% of voters saying NO.
In 2010, there was another Proposition 13 titled: “Seismic Retrofitting Reassessment Exemption Amendment”.
Here is what this Proposition 13 was designed to do:
Provides that construction to seismically retrofit existing buildings will not trigger reassessment of property tax value, regardless of the type of building.Sets a statewide standard for the types of seismic retrofit improvements exempt from reassessment.Limits the exemption from reassessment to specific components or construction or reconstruction that qualify as seismic retrofit improvements, as defined by the Legislature.
In short, this was about making buildings safer from earthquakes by adding structures that would work in ways that would prevent the building from collapsing. It was also about ensuring that homeowners (or building owners) wouldn’t end up with a higher tax rate because of the retrofitting.
This Proposition 13 passed with 85.97% of voters saying YES and 15.03% of voters saying NO.
Wikipedia has information about the 2020 Proposition 13 which was titled: “Public Preschool, K-12, and College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2020”. It was on the March 2020 ballot.
Here’s what this Proposition 13 would have done:
Allowed the state to borrow $15 billion by selling general obligation bonds, and would allocate $9 billion for K-12 facilities statewide as well as $2 billion for the state’s community college system, $2 billion for the University of California, and $2 billion for the California State University.Of the $9 billion earmarked for preschool and K-12 schools, $5.2 billion would have gone towards renovating existing facilities. $2.8 billion would have gone towards new school construction, and the remaining $1 billion would have been evenly split between career technical sites and charter schools. Smaller preschool and K-12 schools would have received priority for funding.The measure would have funded asbestos removal, seismic retrofitting and other capital improvements on various California preschool, K-12, and college campuses.The measure contained provisions that would have eliminated school impact fees on multifamily housing development within half a mile of train and bus stations.The measure would have loosened limits on local school district borrowing. High school and elementary school districts would have been allowed to borrow 2 percent of the assessed value of nearby properties, up from 1.25 percent. Unified school districts, along with community college districts, would have been able to borrow 4 percent of the assessed value of nearby properties, up from 2.5 percent. School districts that were less able to raise funding for construction projects with underserved student populations (being determined by the percent of low-income students, foster youth, or English language learners in the district) would have been eligible for matching state funds, for upwards of 55 to 65 percent of the total project cost. This initiative required unionized labor for these projects.
This proposition 13 failed to pass. 53.0% of voters said NO. 47% of voters said yes. There was only a small percentage of difference between the NO group and the YES group.
Why do the proponents of the recall think that Governor Gavin Newsom “removed the protections of Proposition 13?” There is no clear answer to that question to be found in the recall ballot information. As such, I decided to do a little digging to see what they could possibly mean with that claim.
On January 14, 2021, the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom website posted a press release titled: “Governor Newsom Launches Transparency, Accountability and Assistance Measures in the State’s Safe Schools for All Plan.” From the press release:
Governor Gavin Newsom announced the launch of transparency, accountability, and assistance measures related to the Safe Schools for All Plan. The Safe Schools for All Hub… was launched as a one-stop shop for information about safe in-person instruction, and will be updated frequently……Today’s announcement follows on the December unveiling of the Safe Schools for All Plan, and reflects on the best available science regarding safe in-person instruction, which the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recently summarized. The Plan is built on four pillars (1) funding; (2) safety & mitigation; (3) oversight & assistance; and (4) transparency & accountability.The four pillars of the Governor’s Safe Schools for All Plan advance a comprehensive, multi-faceted strategy to ensure that, as transmission rates decrease, the first priority for California communities is to resume in-person instruction. Schools should reopen safely according to a phased-in approach that prioritizes our youngest students and students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including students with disabilities.FundingThe Governor’s 2021-22 State Budget proposed a historic level of funding for schools – nearly $90 billion, including $3.8 billion above the Proposition 98 Guarantee, fulfilling a long-term commitment to treat the Guarantee as a floor, not a ceiling.The Budget proposes early action to provide relief to schools managing the pandemic:
Expanded Learning ($4.6 billion). The Governor proposes $4.6 billion for schools to expand educational opportunities, including summer school, prioritizing students from low-income families, homeless youth, and others disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. In-Person Instruction ($2 billion). The Governor also proposes immediate action on $2 billion for schools to safely resume in-person instruction, prioritizing schools that are safely open now or plan to safely reopen in February and March…
These proposed investments build in existing state and federal funds to support school responses to COVID-19, including $5.3 billion from California’s 2020-21 State Budget, $1.8 billion from CARES Act I and $6.7 billion from CARES Act II. For example, by February 2021, Los Angeles Unified School District will have received an average of more than $2 million per school to support quality distance learning and to safely resume in-person instruction…
My best guess is that because the Safe Schools for All Plan requires money to be spent on schools – and because the most recent Proposition 13 also involved funding for schools – that is why the proponents of the recall election are against it. They think that funding for schools – especially schools that are woefully underfunded – somehow “removes the protections of Proposition 13.”
“He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: … rationing our water use…”
On July 8, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom posted a press release titled: “As Drought Conditions Intensify, Governor Newsom Calls on Californians to Take Simple Actions to Conserve Water”. From the press release:
Amid intensifying drought and record-breaking temperatures across the Western United States, Governor Gavin Newsom today added nine counties to the regional drought state of emergency and called on Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent with simple measures to protect water reserves if drought conditions continue and to help maintain critical flows for fish and wildlife whenever possible……The Governor today signed an Executive Order calling on all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent compared to 2020 levels through simple actions such as reducing landscape irrigation, running dishwashers and washing machines only when full, finding and fixing leaks, installing water-efficient showerheads and taking shorter showers. These voluntary efforts complement specific local conservation goals already in place in some communities experiencing acute water shortage conditions this summer.State officials estimate that an additional 15 percent voluntary reduction by urban water users from 2020 levels could save as much as 850,000 acre-feet of water over the next year for future use, or enough to supply more than 1.7 million households for a year…
The key word in this press release is voluntary. No one is being forced to comply with the executive order. As such, saying that Governor Newsom is “rationing our water use” is misinformation. People are being asked to do that themselves, voluntarily. People who are selfish can ignore the executive order and face no penalty. There are no “additional burdens” in this situation.
“He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: …increasing taxes…”
Ballotpedia has some background on what taxes were increased, why they were increased, and what the higher taxes would be used on. Here is some key information:
The California Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (RRAA), also known as Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) was enacted into law on April 28, 2017. The RRAA increased transportation-related taxes and fees, including the gas tax, diesel excise tax, and diesel sales tax, and was designed to dedicate the revenue to transportation infrastructure. The increased taxes went into effect on November 1, 2017. According to the state Senate Appropriations Committee, the RRAA was expected to generate an estimated $5.2 billion per year or $52.4 billion between 2017 and 2027.Most Democrats in the California State Legislature supported the RRAA. Most Republicans in the California State Legislature voted against it. Governor Jerry Brown signed the legislation into law, saying, “Safe and smooth roads make California a better place to live and strengthen our economy. This legislation will put people to work.”
Once again, the proponents of the recall are angry at the wrong governor. Governor Jerry Brown signed the RRAA into law. Governor Gavin Newsom was not elected until 2018.
In 2018, California Proposition 6 “Voter Approval for Future Gas and Vehicle Taxes and 2017 Tax Repeal Initiative (2018)” was placed on the ballot in California as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 6, 2018. Ballotpedia has more details:
A YES vote supported this initiative to:
repeal fuel tax increase and vehicle fees that were enacted in 2017, including the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (RRAA) andrequire voter approval (via ballot propositions) for the California State Legislature to impose, increase, or extend fuel taxes or vehicle fees in the future.
A NO vote opposed this initiative, thus:
keeping the fuel tax increases and vehicle fees that were enacted in 2017, including the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (RRAA) in place, andallowing the state legislature to continue to impose, increase, or extend fuel taxes or vehicle fees through a two-thirds vote of each chamber and without voter approval.
A total of 43.18% of voters said YES. A total of 56.82% of voters said NO. California Proposition 6 failed.
CBS Los Angeles reported the following:
…The push to repeal the gas tax was spearheaded by former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio, and funded in part by Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, who co-authored a ballot argument that dismissed contentions that the tax hike was critical to fixing the state’s roads and improving transportation in the state.Opponents, among them Gov. Jerry Brown, had blasted the proposition and dismissed it as a “Republican stunt to get a few of their losers returned to Congress”.
Governor Newsom was elected in 2018, but his term did not start until 2019. He defeated his Republican opponent, John Cox. Governor Jerry Brown was still in office when California Proposition 6 was on the ballot. It would be incorrect to blame Governor Newsom for the results. I suppose the proponents of the recall election would be correct to blame the voters – but that probably wouldn’t be as “flashy” as some of their other claims.
It would also be incorrect to blame Governor Newsom for the effects of a bill that a previous legislature voted for, that a previous Governor signed into law, and that survived an attempt to remove it via Proposition before he became Governor.
The RRAA was designed to incrementally increase the tax on gas, over years. CBS Los Angeles provided some information about this in an article that was posted on July 1, 2021. From the article:
Californians going to the pump will likely notice another increase in gas prices Thursday, as a new state gas tax hike takes effect.The new tax will increase the price of regular six-tenths of a cent, which will bring the state gas excise tax to 51.1 cents per gallon. The tax on diesel will increase by four-tenths of a cent to 38.9 cents.The hike is part of Senate Bill 1, the Road Repair & Accountability Act, which the California Legislature passed in April of 2017 and includes increases in gas taxes and vehicle registration fees. The money raised by the gas tax goes towards paying for bridge and road repairs.The tax increases annually based on the California Consumer Price Index.When it took effect in November of 2017, it increased the gas tax by 12 cents. It then went up another 5.6 cents in July of 2019., to 47.3 cents per gallon. It went up another 3.2 cents in July of 2020 to 50.5 cents……The average price of gas in Los Angeles County Thursday was $4.31 a gallon. Southern California gas prices are currently at their highest rate since 2015…
It is understandable that people would be angry about the cost of gas going up. This is especially true for people who didn’t bother to get online to find out why the cost was getting higher. Claiming that Governor Gavin Newsom caused this is not only incorrect, it is also misinformation.
“He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: …restricting parental rights.”
This is an incredibly vague claim. We are left to guess what parental rights the proponents of the recall were referring to. That leaves this claim open to changing what rights it refers to, again and again, if the proponents want to stir up like-minded people.
On July 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom posted a press release titled: “Governor Gavin Newsom Lays Out Pandemic Plan for Learning and Safe Schools”. From the press release:
…Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his plan for learning and safe schools ahead of the 2020-2021 school year, as the California Department of Public Health issued a framework for when and how schools should reopen for in-person instruction……The Governor’s plan centers on five key areas:1 Safe in-person school based on local health dataThe California Department of Public Health today issued updated school guidance that includes using existing epidemiological metrics to determine if school districts can start in-person instruction. CDPH currently uses six indicators to track the level of COVID-19 infection in each California county as well as the preparedness of the county health care system – data that includes the number of new infections per 100,000 residents, the test positivity rate, and the change in hospitalization rate, among others. Any county that does not meet the state’s benchmarks is put on the County Monitoring List.Schools located in counties that are on the Monitoring List must not physically open for in-person instruction until their county has come off the Monitoring List for 14 consecutive days. Schools in counties that have not been on the Monitoring List for the prior 14 days may begin in-person instruction, following public health guidance. School community members – including parents, teachers, staff and students – can track daily data on whether and why their county is on the Monitoring List…The Department also issued updated guidance for when schools must physically close and revert to distance learning because of COVID-19 infections. Following a confirmed case of a student who was at school during his or her infectious period, other exposed students and staff should be quarantined for 14 days. The school should revert to distance learning when multiple cohorts have cases or 5 percent of students and staff test positive within a 14-day period. The district should revert to distance learning when 25 percent or more of its schools have been physically closed due to COVID-19 within 14 days. Closure decisions should be made in consultation with local health officers. After 14 days, school districts may return to in-person instruction with the approval of the local public health officer.2 Strong mask requirements for anyone in the schoolIn the updated guidance, all staff and students in 3rd grade and above will be required to wear a mask or face covering. Students in 2nd grade and below are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering. Students should be provided a face covering if they do not have one. The state has delivered over 18 million face coverings to schools to support them to reopen and ensure all students can participate in learning.3 Physical distancing requirements and other adaptationsIn the updated guidance, CDPH requires that all adults stay 6 feet from one another and 6 feet away from children, while students should maintain 6 feet of distance from one another as practicable. Anyone entering the school must do a health screen, and any student or staff exhibiting a fever or other symptoms will be immediately sent home. The guidance also provides that if anyone in a student or staff member’s household is sick, they too should stay home.4 Regular testing and dedicated contact tracing for outbreaks at schoolsThe public health guidance recommends staff in every California school be tested for COVID-19 periodically based on local disease trends and as testing capacity allows. The Governor also announced today that the state will provide resources and technical assistance for COVID-19 investigations in school settings.5 Rigorous distance learningOver the course of the pandemic, most schools will likely face physical closure at some point due to COVID-19. The Legislature and Governor Newsom enacted a budget that provided $5.3 billion in additional funding to support learning, and set requirements to ensure schools provide rigorous and grade-appropriate instruction. Under newly enacted state law, school districts are required to provide:
Devices and connectivity so that every child can participate in distance learning.Daily live interaction for every child with teachers and other students.Class assignments that are challenging and equivalent to in-person instruction.Targeted supports and interventions for English learners and special education students.
On August 8, 2020, CBS Los Angeles posted an article titled: “Southern California Parents Sue Gov. Newsom Over Restrictions On In-Person Schooling”. From the article:
Parents across Southern California are suing Governor Gavin Newsom over restrictions on in-person schooling, alleging that those restrictions have deprived children across the state of the opportunity for meaningful education…
On August 13, 2020, NBC News posted an article titled: “California parents sue Gov. Gavin Newsom to open schools for in-person learning.” It was written by Elisha Fieldstadt. From the article:
Parents who are suing the governor of California to allow schools to open for in-person learning said Thursday that their children are suffering academically and psychologically……California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last month that all schools – both public and private – in counties that are on the list for rising coronavirus cases could not resume in-person classes when school restarts, and would have to meet strict criteria before reopening.At the time, 32 of the state’s 58 counties were on the list, including the majority of California’s population and its biggest cities – Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, according to NBC Bay Area.The state serves 6.7 million students are many of the state’s 1,000 school districts are set to start back up in mid-to-late August……The week Newsom announced his plan to mostly delay opening schools for in-person learning, California reported its second-highest one-day total in infection rates and deaths since the start of the pandemic. The following week, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in California surpassed New York’s total for the most in the United States……The California Teachers Association, which represents 310,000 members, agrees with Newsom.“The health and safety of all students and staff must be first priority and guiding principle in opening public schools and colleges for the 2020-21 school year,” the association said. “When we physically return to school campuses, it needs to be planned and deliberate with safety and public health at the forefront of all decision-making and with the involvement of educators and parents.”
I was unable to find a lawsuit that was against Governor Gavin Newsom. Instead, I found a few lawsuits that were against a specific California county, or a specific California school district.
To me, this multitude of complaints given by proponents of the recall sound like a “throw everything against a wall and see what sticks” effort. Some of them are so vague that it would enable a person to fill in the blanks with whatever they wanted to. Some were against actions taken by previous governors.
The Third goalpost
On November 13, 2020, San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Newsom attended French Laundry party with more households than California advises during the pandemic.” It as written by Alexi Koseff. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom attended a birthday party for a political adviser last week that included people from several households, the type of gathering his administration has discouraged during the coronavirus pandemic.The dinner the night of Nov. 6 at the famed French Laundry in Yountville in Napa County brought together at least 12 people to celebrate the 50th birthday of Jason Kinney, a longtime friend and adviser to Newsom who is also a partner at the lobbying firm Axiom Advisors. In addition, to the governor, his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was in attendance.State guidelines limit gatherings, defined as “social situations that bring together people from different households at the same time in a single space or place,” to no more than three households. Representatives for Kinney and Newsom declined to specify how many households the diners represented, but did not dispute that it was more than three.Nathan Click, communications director for Newsom, initially defended the birthday celebration because it took place outdoors at a restaurant, which must follow separate coronavirus safety regulations developed by the state for the dining industry. That guidance is silent on whether people from more than three households can dine together.After The Chronicle published a story online about the dinner, Newsom issued an additional statement acknowledging the party was an error in judgement.“While our family followed the restaurant’s health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” the governor said…
What is the French Laundry? According to Wikipedia, The French Laundry is a French and American restaurant located in Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley. The chef and owner of the French Laundry is Thomas Keller. The restaurant building dates from 1900 and was added to the list of National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
On November 16, 2020, Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Newsom apologizes for French Laundry dinner amid COVID-19”. It was written by Taryn Luna and Phil Wilson. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom apologized Monday for visiting a Napa Valley restaurant with people from other households, saying his behavior contradicted the spirit of the safety guidelines and precautions he asked Californians to adhere to during the COVID-19 pandemic.“I want to apologize to you because I need to preach and practice, not just preach and not practice, and I’ve done my best to do that,” Newsom said. “We’re all human. We all fall short sometimes.”Newsom acknowledged that the faux pas may result in a loss of his moral authority on the coronavirus as California experiences a major surge in cases. The governor discussed his own behavior on the same day that he announced a reversal of his reopening plans and ordered 28 counties to return to the purple tier – 94% of Californians will be under the state’s most restrictive guidelines as of Tuesday……Newsom and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, attended a birthday party for his political advisor Jason Kinney, a registered lobbyist, at the Michelin-starred French Laundry restaurant in Yountville on Nov. 6, first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. The governor visited the restaurant with more than three other households at the same time that he and his administration were warning Californians not to gather with their own families during Thanksgiving.California’s COVID-19 safety guidelines limit the number of households at a private gathering, but do not explicitly impose those same rules on restaurant patrons. State guidelines updated in November allow private gatherings of no more than three households at a park or outdoor space. Rules for dining say restaurants should “limit the number of patrons at a single table to a household unit or patrons who have asked to be seated together,” without stating any limits on the number of households that can sit at a table…
On November 23, 2020, Politico posted an article titled: “French Laundry snafu reignites longshot Newsom recall drive”. It was written by Carla Marinucci. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pandemic group outing to the French Laundry and his decision to send his kids to in-person private school are reigniting talk of a recall that was once relegated to the fringes of conservative groups in deep blue California.In a collision of unfortunate events for Newsom, conservative activists last week won a 120-day court extension to continue gathering recall signatures, and they’re hoping to capitalize on events so damaging for the governor that he has avoided reporters for a week despite an escalating pandemic crisis……Before Newsom’s foibles, the governor had strong approval ratings in October, approaching 60 percent overall, while Democrats enjoy nearly a 2-to-1 registration advantage over Republicans in the state. But party activists are betting that a new round of business closures and a curfew during a fast-moving coronavirus spread – and the flurry of damaging French Laundry stories – will help them with another longshot bid that worked spectacularly in 2003……The order by Sacramento Superior Court Judge James P. Arguelles last week gives recall proponents – which include GOP donors, activists, and electeds – a 120-day extension until March 17 to gather signatures because he agreed they were unfairly limited by the Covid-19 pandemic……The bar is extremely high. Organizers would need to collect nearly 1.5 million valid signatures – which means they’d actually need closer to 2 million to feel confident because of the generally high share of invalid signers for any petition. And they would have to find all of these supporters during a pandemic, when voters are less accessible in person and uncomfortable interacting with signature gathers. Qualifying for a recall could take several million dollars, far more than 17 years ago…
The Fourth Goalpost
On March 16, 2021, Governing posted an article titled: “Why Gavin Newsom Is Likely to Survive Recall Threat”. It was written by Alan Greenblatt. From the article:
…Republicans complain that Newsom has botched the health response, keeping schools and businesses closed, while the state’s unemployment system was bilked for billions of dollars in fraudulent payments. “This historic recall movement is becoming a reality because millions of Californians are ready for change,” says Kevin Faulconer, a former San Diego mayor and Republican candidate for governor. “It’s time to turn the page on the failures of Gavin Newsom’s failed administration.”In addition to the recall, Newsom faces a lawsuit from parents angry about schools still closed to in-person learning. The issue has trapped the governor between two important constituencies……Governors of most states that allow recalls either are facing or have faced recall attempts over the past year. During the pandemic, its become a common way for people to express dissatisfaction, whether they’re mad because restrictions are too severe or not sever enough. Newsom — the first governor to issue a stay-at-home order last year and one of the first to impose a statewide mask mandate — has faced a half-dozen recall attempts during his short time in office……So why are so many people signing? It doesn’t matter what the original impetus might be. Anyone with a grudge against the governor – over gun control or taxes, say – might sign. In Newsom’s case its clearly COVID-19 that’s the main driver.“The big factor is pandemic fatigue,” says Kim Nalder, a Sacramento State University political scientist. “Psychologically, people want to have someone to blame. Anyone who was in this position at this time would be targeted”…
What was the EDD thing about?
On July 30, 2020, CBS San Francisco posted an article titled: “California Lawmakers Slam EDD for Slow Payouts During COVID-19 Pandemic”. From the article:California lawmakers accused the leader of the state’s unemployment department of failing the pubic in a tense hearing Thursday that featured the stories of people waiting weeks or months to receive their benefits after losing their jobs because of the pandemic.More than 1.2 million claims, about a fifth of all applicants, haven’t been paid out, either because the applicants haven’t taken the right steps or because they are ineligible, said Sharon Hillard, head of the Employment Development Department. It will take until September to process about 239,000 of those that are mostly ready to go but are backlogged……The coronavirus pandemic caused millions of Californians to lose their jobs starting in March, and the state paid out $55 billion, including federal dollars, across 9.3 million claims, Hillard said. Applications skyrocketed by more than 3,000% from March to May compared to January and February, according to the agency.The hearing came a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new “strike team” to improve the department. The agency has already spent millions contracting with outside vendors to improve its technology and provide more call center workers. By October, it plans to contract to completely redo its information technology system, a timeline lawmakers said wasn’t nearly quick enough……The strike team Newsom created will have 45 days to produce a report on how to make the agency more digital and consumer friendly. The agency will also begin weekly outreach to applicants who need to send in more information or certify their claims, which must be done every two weeks.In other words, there are people who already didn’t like Governor Newsom who signed the petition because they were tired of the pandemic. The goalpost has been moved again.
This mess wasn’t caused by Governor Gavin Newsom, but some people are blaming him anyway. Eventually, it was discovered that there were a whole lot of people who obtained EDD benefits through fraud. Here’s a brief look at some of the fraud, which was posted on CBS San Francisco:
A state prison inmate suspected of involvement in a COVID-19 unemployment fraud ring across inmates pleaded no contest to charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, San Mateo County prosecutors said.From March to August, more than 35,000 inmates were named in claims filed with the California Employment Development Department, with more than 20,000 being paid, according to Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert. At least 158 claims were filed for 133 death-row inmates, resulting in more than $420,000 in benefits paid.Five suspects were arrested in connection with bilking approximately $1 million from the California Employment Development Department (EDD), the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety announced Thursday. The department said it identified at least 100 potential victims of EDD fraud and there could be thousands more after officers discovered a treasure trove of evidence in the hotel room of a burglary suspect.
There are more stories about the EDD fraud, but this will do for the purposes of this blog.
In other words, there are people who already didn’t like Governor Newsom who signed the petition because they were tired of the pandemic and/or frustrated by the failures of the EDD. The goalpost has been moved again.
California Recall Update is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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April 25, 2021CaliforniaPhoto by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash
California is one of the states that allows residents to attempt to remove a Governor through a recall. There is a specific process that must be followed in order to initiate a recall. In other words, it takes quite a bit of effort to force a recall, and there is no guarantee that it will succeed.
Why does California allow a recall?
Ballotpedia provides a detailed explanation of how the recall process works in California. Article 2, Sections 13-19, of the California Constitution grants the citizens of California the authority to perform a recall election. This section was added by California’s legislature to California’s Constitution in October of 1911, via California Proposition 8: Recall of Elected Officials Amendment. The purpose was to create a process by which Californians could remove elected officials through a recall. At the time, a two-thirds vote was required in each legislative chamber to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot.
In 2013, siécles posted a paper titled: “The People versus the Octopus: California Progressives and the Origins of Direct Democracy”. It was written by Glen Gendzel. From the paper:
The 1911 session of the California legislature ranks as the single most important session ever held in the history of the state. Besides passing landmark legislation to regulate the railroad, and other major reforms of state government, the progressives also acted to permanently increase the power of California voters. Governor Johnson and his fellow progressives believed that more democracy was the best way to prevent a return of political corruption and corporate rule in the future. Confident in the people’s wisdom, the progressives assumed that more power in the people’s hands would mean less power for the Southern Pacific or any other wealthy interest that might try to dominate state government in the future…
…As Governor Johnson said in his 1911 inaugural address:
“How best can we arm the people to protect themselves hereafter… We can give the people the means by which they may accomplish such other reforms they desire, the means by which they may prevent the misuse of the power… The first step in our design to preserve and perpetuate popular government shall be the adoption of the initiative, the referendum, and the recall.”
To put this in context, the paper explains that there was a lot of corruption happening with the railroads. The state’s agriculture, industry, and commerce depended upon the railroad, which was also the state’s biggest employer and biggest private sector landowner. The problem was the owners of the railroad “insisted on controlling California’s growth and development for its own benefit while reaping an unfair share of the profits.”
The railroad “routinely blackmailed California towns and cities into handing over taxpayer subsidies and land grants in exchange for the privilege of a rail connection”. Farmers, merchants, and manufacturers found themselves priced out of national markets due to transportation costs. There was also some blackmailing happening by a co-owner of the Central Pacific railroad who told the Los Angeles City council in 1872 that if they did not pay a ransom, “I will make the grass grow in the streets of your city.”
Ballotpedia reported that California Proposition 8 was approved on October 10, 1911. The YES vote was 178,115 (76.82%) and the NO vote was 53,755 (23.18%).
What is the process to recall a Governor in California?
Ballotpedia is an unbiased source of political information. Here is information specific to the Republican’s attempt to recall Governor Newsom (Democrat):
First, organizers must collect 1,495,709 valid signatures to put the recall measure on the ballot. Once a month, organizers must file signature status reports with the secretary of state. The secretary of state processes signatures and validates the signatures according to state law. Invalid signatures do not count towards the total required to put the recall election on the ballot.
Why is the required number 1,495,709? For the actual petition to start a recall, signatures must equal a percentage of the total number of votes most recently cast for the targeted office – 12% for executive officials and 20% for state legislators and judges. The recall petition must also include signatures from each of at least five counties equal in number to 1% of the last vote for that office in that county.
In 2018, Gavin Newsom (Democrat) ran against John Cox (Republican). Newsom received 7,721,410 votes (61.9%). Cox received 4,742,825 votes (38.1%). The total number of votes cast in that election was 12,464,235. The math works out like this: 12% of 12,464,235 = 1,495,709.4
Here is the data regarding the signature reports:
First: June 10-July 3 – 35,083 signatures receivedSecond: July 4-August 3 – 19,600 signatures receivedThird: August 4-September 3 – 352 signatures receivedFourth: September 4-October 6 – 308 signatures receivedFifth: October 7-November 5- 230 signatures receivedSixth: November 5-December 7 – 442,148 signatures receivedSeventh: December 8-January 6 – 226,004 signatures receivedEighth: January 7-February 5 – 370,716 signatures receivedNinth: February 6-March 11 – 740,320 signatures receivedTotal: 1,834,770 signatures received.
It is important to know that the above data is simply a count of how many signatures the organizers of the recall sent to the secretary of state. The next step is for the secretary of state to process the signatures and validate the signatures according to state law.
The Cumulative Statewide Summary as of March 22, 2021 was:
Number of signatures received: 1,824,770Number of signatures verified: 1,454,710Invalid signatures: 266,637Total valid signatures: 1,188,073
As of March 22, 2021, the organizers of the recall did not have enough valid signatures to get the recall on the ballot. The county signature verification deadline is April 29, 2021.
Here’s how the math works out: 1,495,709 (valid signatures required) – 1,188,073 (total valid signatures submitted) = 307,636 (valid signatures missing). I will update this blog post if the final signature report changes the data that is already known.
But wait, there’s more! The secretary of state is required to notify all county election officials within 10 days of verifying a sufficient number of signatures, and must also release a calendar of specific dates for these steps:
Within 30 days after the secretary of state notifies the counties: Any voter that signed the petition may withdraw his or her name from the petition. Obviously, this could change the number of valid signatures that the petition received.
Within 10 days of the withdraw window: the secretary of state must determine whether sufficient signatures remain for the recall to move forward. If it lacks sufficient signatures, the recall effort dies here. If it has sufficient signatures, the department of finance must provide a cost estimate of the recall election to the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and chair of the legislative budget committee.
Within 30 days of that, the budget committee must review and comment on the estimate.
After the review period, the secretary of state certifies the recall petitions to the governor and lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor is required to call a recall election between 60 and 80 days after the certification of signatures.
Assuming that the organizers of the recall submit enough valid signatures to hit the mark, and that all of the counties are able to somehow verify them all on the same day, the soonest the recall election could happen would be June 21, 2021. However, the secretary of state has up to 80 days after the certification of signatures to schedule the recall election.
On April 19, 2021, the Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Essential Politics: The Newsom recall effort’s big week ahead”. It was written by John Myers. From the article:
…Registrars in the state’s 58 counties must submit a new tally of recall petition signatures on Monday, in advance of the final signature verification deadline April 29……The report from California Secretary of State Shirley Weber in a few days should confirm that the Democratic governor’s critics will succeed in triggering the state’s second gubernatorial recall since 2003 and only the fourth in U.S. history. Newsom, who has already conceded that the recall election will happen, is busily raising money from donors for a campaign to fight back……The earliest Weber could certify a special statewide recall election would be mid-to late August, after voters who signed the petitions are given time to withdraw their signatures and state officials crunch the numbers on the cost to conduct the election. Combined, those steps could take up to three months to complete. Only then can Weber issue her official certification, triggering action by Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis to call an election within 60 to 80 days.Add it all up, and a gubernatorial recall election would be held no earlier than Nov. 2 and as late as Nov. 30, just five days after Thanksgiving…
Who is behind the effort to recall Governor Newsom?
Orrin Heatlie, a resident of Folsom, filed the recall petition against Newsom, on November 17, 2020. To put this in perspective, that was eleven days after (then) President Trump encouraged people who attended his “Stop the Steal” rally to storm the U.S. Capitol. The purpose was to prevent the U.S. House, and the U.S. Senate, from certifying the Electoral votes. (NOTE: I have not found anything that indicates that Orrin Heatlie took part in either that rally or the siege that followed.)
Who is Orrin Heatlie? Desert Sun posted an article about him titled: “Meet Orrin Heatlie, the ex-cop leading the push to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom”. It was posted on April 1, 2021. From the article:
Orrin Heatlie was recovering from a back procedure and browsing social media in 2019 when he found a video of California Gov. Gavin Newsom instructing immigrants in the country illegally not to open their doors to law enforcement unless the officers had a warrant.The 52-year old retired county sheriff’s sergeant was incensed, believing the Democrat’s message was an insult to his profession. It was an unsurprising reaction for a Republican who built a 25-year career in law enforcement……As a police sergeant, he was adept at managing people and supervising operations. And as a member of the Yolo County Sheriff Department’s crisis negotiating team, he had experience in convincing people to do things.He reached out to veterans of the 2003 recall and eventually recruited 58 county coordinators, 27 regional leaders and more than 150 social media managers……Newsom ignored the effort until early March, and then came out swinging. He highlighted a Facebook post that Heatlie wrote in 2019 that said “Microchip all illegal immigrants. It works! Just ask Animal control!” It was posted the same day as Newsom’s social media video that sparked Heatlie’s anger, according to a screenshot of the post from Capital Public Radio.Heatlie said it was hyperbole meant to generate discussion and that he does not support forced microchipping of anyone. Facebook disabled Heatlie’s account; he says he doesn’t know why……Heatlie said he does not support the Proud Boys, a far-right, anti-immigrant men’s group that has engaged in violent clashes at political rallies, or the QAnon conspiracy theory that believes former President Donald Trump was fighting a “deep state” and child sex trafficking ring affiliated with prominent Democrats. But he does not turn away participants based on their personal affiliations……He’s skeptical that President Joe Biden rightfully won the election, citing a debunked theory about rigged voting machines. But he’s glad Trump hasn’t spoken about the recall, saying it would be a distraction…
On April 19, 2021, San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Facebook banned Gavin Newsom recall organizer during 2020 crackdown”. It was written by Dustin Gardiner. From the article:
Orrin Heatlie, the primary leader of the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, was banned from Facebook last year after the company concluded that he had violated its community standards.Heatlie said Facebook never told him exactly why he was removed, though he said he was part of two groups he later found “questionable.” He said one was a militia-type group of which he was briefly and administrator, and that the other promoted misinformation about vaccines and masks. His profile is still removed from the social media platform.A spokesperson for Facebook confirmed Heatlie’s profile was removed in September and said the ban was unrelated to the Newsom recall. Facebook would not elaborate, but the spokesperson pointed to a company policy stating that it removes “pages and groups for a variety of reasons including hate speech (and) incitement to violence,” and group administrators whose pages pose “a risk to public safety.”Heatlie suggested Facebook’s action was part of a pattern of censorship aimed at proponents of the recall and other conservative activists……Facebook ramped up its misinformation policing efforts last summer ahead of the November election. Facebook said it removed 6,500 pages and groups tied to “militarized social movements” in August and September, around the time it banned Heatlie.Thousands more groups and conservative activists had their pages and profiles removed after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.Heatlie said he has no affiliation with any militia groups that took part in the riot. He added, “It should be noted that my profile was deleted months and months before what took place in Washington D.C., and I have only advocated for peaceful activism.”……He is the leader of the California Patriot Coalition – Recall Governor Gavin Newsom, one of two groups that submitted a total of 2.1 million signatures supporting the recall to election officials. The groups needed just short of 1.5 million valid signatures of registered voters to put the recall on the ballot this fall. Officials are still checking signatures, but both sides expect the recall to qualify…
The following groups and individuals expressed support for the recall campaign:
2018 gubernatorial candidate John Cox (Republican)Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (Republican)Former San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio (Republican)Former State Senator John Moorlach (Republican)Chamath Palihapitiya – According to The Sacramento Bee, Chamath Palihapitiya is a 44-year-old billionaire who was an early executive at Facebook, who donated $100,000 to Rescue California in February of 2021. Rescue California is the committee supporting the Newsom recall.California Republican PartyRepublican National Committee
On what grounds did the supporter of the recall specify?
From Ballotpedia:
“…The grounds for this recall are as Follows: Governor Newsom has implemented laws which are detrimental to the citizens of this state and our way of life. Laws he endorsed favor foreign nationals, in our country illegally, over that of our own citizens. People in this state suffer the highest taxes in the nation, the highest homelessness rates, and the lowest quality of life as a result. He has imposed sanctuary state status and fails to enforce immigration laws. He unilaterally over-ruled the will of the people regarding the death penalty. He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: removing the protections of Proposition 13, rationing our water use, increasing taxes and restricting parental rights…”
That’s a lot to unpack! Here’s the short explanation:
“People in this state suffer the highest taxes in the nation” – False
The Sacramento Bee reported on February 20, 2020, (months before the recall petition was submitted) an article titled: “Here’s how long Californians have to work to pay off taxes – and how other states compare”.
California’s tax burden is higher than most states – but a lot of other states have it worse. That’s the finding of a report from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. It assigns each state a “Tax Freedom Day”, the day when residents of a state have collectively earned enough money to pay their total tax bill for the year.Californians in theory had to work until April 20 last year to pay those bills, four days longer than the national average. The state is in a 38th place tie for highest tax burden, along with Maine and Washington…
California has the highest homelessness rates – misleading
The New York Times posted an article titled: “How Does Homelessness in California Compare With Other States?” It was posted on October 17, 2019. From the article:
…No matter how you look at it, the answer is bleak. California has a staggering number of homeless people compared with the rest of the country.California’s homeless population last year was almost 130,000, nearly a quarter of the national total, federal data showed. Homelessness is also a more visible part of life in California. A vast majority of its homeless people are unsheltered, living under freeways, in parks and on the street.However, if you look at the rate of homelessness in the United States, taking into account the population of the state or region, Washington, D.C., ranks first, followed by New York, Hawaii, and California…
He has imposed sanctuary state status and fails to enforce immigration laws – False
TIME posted an article titled: “California Just Became a ‘Sanctuary State.’ Here’s What That Means”. It was posted on October 5, 2017. From the article:
California Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed a so-called “sanctuary state” bill that will limit cooperation between local officials and federal immigration enforcement. The measure is one of the most high-profile ways that Democrats in the state have sought to push back against the Republican agenda, as President Donald Trump has taken a hard line on immigration and other issues that are significant to Golden State lawmakers…
He has unilaterally over-ruled the will of the people regarding the death penalty – misleading
Politico posted an article on March 12, 2019, titled: “Newsom to sign moratorium on executions in California”. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom, arguing that the death penalty overwhelmingly discriminates against racial minorities and the poor, will sign an order Wednesday placing a moratorium on executions in California, according to his office. The move serves as an immediate reprieve for hundreds of prisoners currently housed on the nation’s largest Death Row.Newsom’s executive order, to be signed Wednesday morning, withdraws California’s lethal injection protocol and immediately mandates the closure of the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison, in Marin County. While the governor’s order will be a reprieve for 737 prisoners sentenced to death – including 24 who have exhausted all appeals – Newsom’s office stressed that his order would not provide for the release of any inmates or alter their convictions or sentences……California has not executed a prisoner since 2006, when a federal judge ruled that the state’s three-drug lethal injection protocol was unconstitutional and represented cruel and unusual punishment.The state produced new lethal injection regulations in early 2018, but the process for reinstatement has been left tangled in the courts, facing challenges by the American Civil Liberties Union…
The organizers of the recall effort are misleading because they ignored that the courts were part of the reason why the death penalty had been put on hold in California. Governor Newsom is not part of the court system.
He seeks to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: removing the protections of Proposition 13 – misleading
The Legislative Analyst’s Office provided information about Proposition 13. It was posted on September 19, 2016. Governor Newsom was not elected until 2018. From the information:
Proposition 13 was a landmark decision by California’s voters in June 1978 to limit property taxes. Today, there are many questions about the impacts of these changes. This report examines some of these questions and which of them can be answered by the data available…
…Changes made by Proposition 13:
Property taxes capped at 1 percentProperty taxes based on purchase priceSpecial taxes require two-thirds voter approval
The Los Angeles Times posted an article on September 11, 2020, titled: “Newsom backs effort to limit Prop. 13 property tax rules”. From the article:
…Newsom announced his support for Proposition 15 in an email to supporters, calling the proposal “a fair, phased-in and long-overdue reform to state tax policy.” “It’s consistent with California’s progressive fiscal values, it will exempt small businesses and residential property owners, it will fund essential services such as public schools and public safety, and, most importantly, it will be decided by a vote of the people,” the governor said in a written statement released by his political advisors.If approved by voters in November, Proposition 15 would result in separate tax rules for commercial and residential property. Since the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, the value of all property has been based on what it sold for when last purchased. That initiative capped property tax rates at 1% of the assessed value with annual increases of no more than 2%. Californians who hold on to their property for large periods of time end up paying significantly less in taxes than those who have bought similar property more recently.Proposition 15 would require commercial and industrial properties, excluding those zoned as commercial agriculture, to be taxed based on current market value. It would not change the low-tax provisions of Proposition 13 for homeowners. The new ballot measure exempts some commercial property owners whose holdings are valued at $3 million or less……The effort to put Proposition 15 on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot was well underway when Newsom became governor in 2019. Just days after taking office, he said he would try to broker a deal between labor and business – one that would examine a number of issues regarding the state’s tax structure…
On November 11, 2020, ABC News reported: “Proposition 15, a ballot measure that seeks to increase commercial property taxes to fund education in California, failed Tuesday night, the Associated Press reports.”
The organizers of the recall effort are misleading when they said that Governor Newsom was seeking “to impose additional burdens on our state by the following: removing the protections of Proposition 13.” He endorsed Proposition 15, which, if passed, would have overturned Proposition 13 for commercial property (but NOT on people’s homes). The voters did not choose to support Proposition 15. Governor Newsom may have influenced some voters regarding Proposition 15, but even so, he had no control over the outcome of the ballot initiatives.
I could not find any explanation about the following claims made by the organizers of the recall effort:
He has implemented laws which are detrimental to the citizens of this state and our way of life.Laws he endorses favor foreign nationals, in our country illegally, over that of our own citizens.He seeks to impose burdens on our state by rationing our water use (he recently declared a drought emergency in two counties, but not the entire state)… and restricting parental rights.
In April of 2021, CAL MATTERS updated their article titled: “Recalling a California governor, explained”. It was written by Laurel Rosenhall. From the article:
…Its hard to fathom in this deep blue state where Newsom clobbered his 2018 GOP opponent, although his job approval among voters plunged from its high in the early months of the pandemic. But the coronavirus pandemic shifted California’s political landscape in two significant ways: It prompted a judge to give recall supporters more time to collect signatures – keeping their campaign alive long enough to gain momentum – and it led Newsom to enact a slew of new restrictions to curb the spread of the virus that have frustrated some Californians and energized the recall backers.The recall petition doesn’t say a word about the pandemic – it was written before the virus upended normal life. But it gained a surge of new signatures after news broke in November that a maskless Newsom joined lobbyists for a dinner party at the posh French Laundry restaurant, even though he was telling Californians to mask up and avoid socializing. The count grew as the state’s unemployment system paid out billions of dollars to fraudsters, and its chaotic COVID vaccine distribution left people scrambling for shots. With many schools, churches, and businesses closed by Newsom’s stay-at-home orders, the recall that began as a conservative rebuke of his progressive policies has morphed into a referendum on his pandemic response……Republican activists have been trying to recall Newsom since shortly after he was inaugurated in January 2019. Five attempts have failed to get enough signatures. But a sixth try, led by a retired sheriff’s deputy named Orrin Heatlie, gained momentum after a judge granted supporters extra time to collect signatures due to the stay-at-home order at the start of the pandemic…
What does The French Laundry have to do with the recall?
According to Wikipedia, The French Laundry is a French and American restaurant located in Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley. The chef and owner of the French Laundry is Thomas Keller. The restaurant building dates from 1900 and was added to the list of National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
On November 13, 2020, San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Newsom attended French Laundry party with more households than California advises during pandemic.” It was written by Alexi Koseff. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom attended a birthday party for a political adviser last week that included people from several households, the type of gathering his administration has discouraged during the coronavirus pandemic.The dinner the night of Nov. 6 at the famed French Laundry in Yountville in Napa County brought together at least 12 people to celebrate the 50th birthday of Jason Kinney, a longtime friend and adviser to Newsom who is also a partner at the lobbying firm Axiom Advisors. In addition, to the governor, his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was in attendance.State guidelines limit gatherings, defined as “social situations that bring together people from different households at the same time in a single space or place,” to no more than three households. Representatives for Kinney and Newsom declined to specify how many households the diners represented, but did not dispute that it was more than three.Nathan Click, communications director for Newsom, initially defended the birthday celebration because it took place outdoors at a restaurant, which must follow separate coronavirus safety regulations developed by the state for the dining industry. That guidance is silent on whether people from more than three households can dine together.After The Chronicle published a story online about the dinner, Newsom issued an additional statement acknowledging the party was an error in judgement.“While our family followed the restaurant’s health protocols and took safety precautions, we should have modeled better behavior and not joined the dinner,” the governor said…
On November 18, 2020, Politico posted an article titled: “Newsom’s cozy ties with top lobbyist showcased by French Laundry Dinner party”. It was written by Jeremy B. White and Debra Kahn. From the article:
…California Gov. Gavin Newsom is weathering a ferocious backlash for his decision to attend a celebration for Kinney on Nov. 6 at the French Laundry, a bucket list-level dining icon in Napa County. After the private dinner was exposed by the San Francisco Chronicle, Newsom said that while the outdoor meal did not violate coronavirus restrictions, he showed poor judgement in attending. He reiterated that point in a public apology on Monday, saying it went against the spirit of state rules as coronavirus cases surge across California.While the meal amplified criticism of Newsom’s coronavirus management, with the governor parrying accusations of hypocrisy, it also cast a bigger spotlight on Kinney and the dual clout he wields in the insular world of California politics……The governor and Kinney have a relationship extending back decades. In apologizing for attending, Newsom referred to Kinney on Monday as “a friend that I have known for almost 20 years.”But the fact that Kinney, a registered lobbyist, got an intimate audience with Newsom immediately raised questions about conflict of interest. Newsom said he paid for his meal, so it did not qualify as a lobbying payment…
On November 23, 2020, Politico posted an article titled: “French Laundry snafu reignites longshot Newsom recall drive”. It was written by Carla Marinucci. From the article:
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s pandemic group outing to the French Laundry and his decision to send his kids to in-person private school are reigniting talk of a recall that was once relegated to the fringes of conservative groups in deep blue California.In a collision of unfortunate events for Newsom, conservative activists last week won a 120-day court extension to continue gathering recall signatures, and they’re hoping to capitalize on events so damaging for the governor that he has avoided reporters for a week despite an escalating pandemic crisis……Before Newsom’s foibles, the governor had strong approval ratings in October, approaching 60 percent overall, while Democrats enjoy nearly a 2-to-1 registration advantage over Republicans in the state. But party activists are betting that a new round of business closures and a curfew during a fast-moving coronavirus spread – and the flurry of damaging French Laundry stories – will help them with another longshot bid that worked spectacularly in 2003……The order by Sacramento Superior Court Judge James P. Arguelles last week gives recall proponents – which include GOP donors, activists, and electeds – a 120-day extension until March 17 to gather signatures because he agreed they were unfairly limited by the Covid-19 pandemic……The bar is extremely high. Organizers would need to collect nearly 1.5 million valid signatures – which means they’d actually need closer to 2 million to feel confident because of the generally high share of invalid signers for any petition. And they would have to find all of these supporters during a pandemic, when voters are less accessible in person and uncomfortable interacting with signature gathers. Qualifying for a recall could take several million dollars, far more than 17 years ago…
Has a California Governor ever been removed as the result of a recall?
The short answer is: yes. Ballotpedia reported: Between 1921 and 2020, four gubernatorial recall efforts have qualified for the ballot: 1921 (North Dakota), 1988 (Arizona), 2003 (California) and 2012 (Wisconsin). Of those, two resulted in the sitting governor’s removal from office (Lynn Frazier in North Dakota and Gray Davis in California). In the 1988 Arizona recall, the recall election was canceled after the governor’s impeachment.
Ballotpedia went on to say: Governors of 11 other states have faced recall campaigns in 2020. None of those campaigns made it to the ballot.
What are the chances that the recall will succeed?
It appears to be possible that the recall election could end up on a ballot. Voters will be asked two questions: Do you want Governor Gavin Newsom to be recalled? If he is recalled, who do you want to replace him? The questions are simple, but determining the outcome is hard because of a variety of factors. It appears that the recall proponents have a slim chance (at best) of getting what they want.
The Guardian reported on March 14, 2021, the following:
…In 2020 alone, 11 recalls of various officials went to a vote, and eight officials were removed from office as a result… Recall petitions have been launched against every California governor in the last 61 years – though they are almost never successful. Gray Davis, the only California governor who has ever been recalled, was in a far more precarious position in 2003, at the heels of an electricity crisis, facing a $38bn budget deficit. He lost the recall to Arnold Schwarzenegger, who entered the race with a higher profile than any of the Republicans set to face off against Newsom this year.Republicans had already tried and failed five times to get Newsom recalled, when their sixth try, led by the retired sheriff’s deputy Orrin Heatlie, began to gain momentum last year. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a judge gave Heatlie and his supporters more time to collect signatures. As Newsom enacted restrictions last winter in an attempt to quell the deadliest wave of the pandemic, recallers were able to rally an anti-lockdown base and win over other Californians struggling to cope with the pandemic’s protracted, devastating economic toll. It didn’t help Newsom’s case that around the same time, the governor met up with a dozen of his closest friends and lobbyists for a lavish dinner at Napa’s French Laundry restaurant……More than a serious effort to unseat Newsom, the recall effort is probably more of a strategy to rally Republican voters, boost Republican candidates, and raise funds….…But in a deep blue state where less than a quarter of registered voters are Republicans, recall proponents’ far-right, anti-immigrant, anti-housing for homeless people, anti-sex education and anti-gun control platforms is likely to alienate most voters, political experts said…
On March 19, 2021, The Hill posted an article titled: “What’s next in the California recall”. It was written by Reid Wilson. From the article:
Supporters of an effort to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have turned in the last of the more than 2.1 million signatures they collected over the past year, almost certainly setting up what will be the most expensive and most competitive election of 2021……The ball is now in the hands of electoral administrators in each of California’s 58 counties. They have until April 29 to verify the signatures the recall committee turned in.Recall organizers need just under 1.5 million of those signatures to be valid to force an election. They collect many more than that figure in anticipation that some will be deemed invalid……But this won’t be a traditional election in which voters head to the polls. The state legislature earlier this year approved a measure that will send mail-in ballots to every registered voter in any jurisdiction that holds an election in 2021, a holdover from the coronavirus pandemic – and something of a boon to Newsom’s team, who can use Democrats’ voter registration advantage to hunt down potential supporters who might not otherwise be motivated to vote……Newsom has already previewed his message, lauding the economic boom likely to emerge as the pandemic subsides and lambasting what he calls a Republican-driven power grab funded by allies of former President Trump.He needs voters to vote against the recall itself, the first question they will encounter on their ballot. To succeed, he needs to convince those voters that he has handled his job well enough – there are some signs that is approval rating may be slipping…
On April 23, 2021, Caitlyn Jenner announced her run for California governor in the recall election.
I’m going to end this blog post with some information posted by Politico on April 23, 2021, titled: “Why California’s 2021 recall isn’t the same as the 2003 version”. It was written by Carla Marinucci and Jeremy B. White. From the article:
…California is much more Democratic: The state has trended evermore blue since 2003. Every statewide elected official is now a Democrat, along with more than two-thirds of the Legislature and the vast majority of the congressional delegation…. Democrats also account for 46 percent of the registered electorate versus just 24 percent for Republicans – a difference of nearly five million voters. That gap has widened significantly since Schwarzenegger was on the last recall ballot: back then, Democrats had a much smaller advantage of about 8 points, or about 1.3 million voters.Poll Position: Recent polling shows clear majorities of voters to approve of Newsom’s performance and don’t want to oust him – a position he owes to solid support among independents and the overwhelming backing of his own party. Newsom was elected in 2018 in a resounding victory over Republican businessperson John Cox – the largest landslide for a non-incumbent since 1930…Gov. Gray Davis, in the wake of a nasty 2002 reelection campaign against Republican Bill Simon, entered office with shaky approval ratings, and was flailing in the polls and losing the confidence of Democrats on the eve of getting recalled…Arnold Appeal: Jenner may be known to fans of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and as a 1976 Olympic gold medalist decathlete, but her role in California politics is a blank slate. She has had little involvement in the Republican Party or ballot measures, and she has reported no major political contributions based on state and federal campaign records……That’s a far cry from Schwarzenegger, who entered the 2003 recall with not only one of the most universally recognizable names in show business but with a long-running resume of political activity. Adding to his credibility, he was married to Maria Shriver, a nationally known journalist, as well as a member of American political royalty, the Kennedys…
What’s my take on this?
There is no doubt in my mind that the recall effort is definitely Republican-led. I think that the recall organizers made a mistake when they abruptly stopped talking about the issues that they felt were important enough to recall Governor Newsom when they started the recall in favor of pushing the French Laundry incident. To me, that kind of switching indicates that their original arguments were not effective at convincing people to recall Newsom.
Based on the data and the numbers, (as of the time I am writing this blog post) I don’t think the recall proponents have a good chance of getting the outcome they want. They do not have enough verified signatures to trigger a recall. It seems more likely that the counties will identify more invalid signatures than that they would find additional valid ones.
I think that governor Gavin Newsom shouldn’t have gone to The French Laundry when he did. He did apologize after the news reported it, but he should have known better than to do that in the first place. To me, this is a minor incident that has been blown out of proportion. That one mistake pales in comparison of his huge effort to get shots in arms and to prevent people from catching the coronavirus in the first place.
UPDATE
On April 26, 2021, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced that the threshold of verified signatures reported by counties has been met for the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom. The valid signatures in the tenth, and final, report are 1,626,042, which exceeds the total of 1,495,709 valid signatures required.
This does not mean that Governor Gavin Newsom is no longer governor. According to the Secretary of State, counties still have until April 29, 2021, to verify the validity of any remaining signatures. On April 26, 2021, @CASOSvote (the official statewide election news from the office of the California Secretary of State) tweeted a thread.
@CAOSvote tweeted: “On 4/26 the CA Secretary of State’s Office notified counties that the required signatures for a potential recall were reached – what does that mean? [2/8]”
@CAOSvote tweeted: “That notification triggers a ‘signature withdrawal period’ where those who signed the recall petition have *30 business days* to request the removal of their signatures (then Counties have 10 business days after that to notify the SOS if any signatures have been removed)! [3/8]”
@CAOSOSvote tweeted: “If after the and the there’s still enough signatures to qualify, the Secretary of State’s Office will notify the Department of Finance (DOF). [4/8].
It is not unusual for people to sign a petition and later have regrets about doing so. The California Secretary of State website provides the following information for those who want to remove their signatures:
Pursuant to Elections Code section 11108(b), any voter who has signed the recall petition may provide a written request to their county elections official to have their signature removed from the petition between today, April 26, 2021, and June 8, 2021.
There is no specific format required; however, the withdrawal must include the following:
Voter’s nameResidence address (at the time of signing the recall petition)Voter’s signature
The California Secretary of State’s website has a list of county elections offices and their contact information. It includes the address of each county’s registrar of voters/county clerk office. Those who want to remove their name from the recall petition can easily find where to send their withdrawal letter.
Facts About the California Recall is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Thank you! [...]
October 15, 2020CaliforniaImage by Wokandapix from Pixabay
There are 12 propositions on the 2020 Presidential General Election Ballot. In addition, there is a local tax initiative. By the time I got to this part of the ballot, I was out of “spoons”. Honestly needed a break before embarking on the research required to figure all of this out.
Proposition 14
This one is “Stem Cell Research Institute Bond Initiative (2020)”. I have no problem with stem cells being used in order to keep people healthy or help those who have currently incurable health conditions to live a healthier life. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) wants $5.5 billion in general obligation bonds.
I see some problems with this proposition. First of all, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine received billions of dollars in 2019. It doesn’t make sense to give them more money during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The thing that really bothers me, though, is CIRM wants to use stem cell research for treatments for autism. Something about that seems wrong. People who have autism don’t need to be “cured”. Instead, we need society to be more accepting of people who have autism.
Proposition 14 feels really icky, and I voted NO.
Proposition 15
This one is controversial, and there has been a lot of misinformation spread about it. Some politicians used this proposition to frighten people.
Proposition 15 would amend the California State Constitution to require commercial and industrial properties (except those zoned as commercial agriculture) to be taxed on their market value. Right now, they are being taxed based on their purchase price.
Obviously, this means that a commercial or industrial property that was purchased decades ago is getting away with not paying the amount of taxes that they should be. That’s a big problem, and it affects California’s economy.
Let me make one thing clear: Proposition 15 DOES NOT AFFECT HOMES. It does affect commercial and industrial properties with combined values of $3 million or more. The change from the purchase price level of taxes to the market value level of taxes would be phased in beginning in fiscal year 2022-2023.
If Proposition 15 passes, the money would go public schools, community colleges, and local government services. As a former teacher, I believe we need more money placed in public schools, community colleges, and local government services.
I voted YES on Proposition 15.
Proposition 16
In my opinion, Proposition 16 is a mess because people are intentionally obfuscating what it does and does not do. Don’t attempt to research this one by looking for it on Twitter or Facebook. I tried that, and found way too much misinformation about it. I recommend looking at Ballotpedia instead.
In short, Proposition 16 is an attempt to put back the Affirmative Action Amendment, which was repealed in 1996 when Proposition 209 passed. This changed the California Constitution’s Declaration of Rights with Section 31 which states:
“The State shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.”
Here is some information about Affirmative Action from Britannica:
Affirmative Action is an active effort to improve employment or educational opportunities for members of minority groups and for women. It began as a remedy to the effects of long-standing discrimination against such groups and has consisted of policies, programs, and procedures that give limited preferences to minorities and women in job hiring, admission to institutions of higher education, the awarding of government contracts, and other social benefits. The typical criteria for affirmative action are race, disability, gender, ethnic origin, and age.Affirmative action was initiated by the administration of President Lyndon Johnson in order to improve opportunities for African Americans while civil rights legislation was dismantling the legal basis for discrimination. The federal government began to institute affirmative action policies under the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 and an executive order in 1965. Businesses receiving federal funds were prohibited from using aptitude tests and other criteria that tended to discriminate against African Americans.Affirmative action programs were monitored by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Subsequently, affirmative action was broadened to cover women and Native Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities and was extended to colleges and universities and state and federal agencies.By the late 1970s the use of racial quotas and minority set-asides led to court challenges of affirmative action as a form of “reverse discrimination.” The first major challenge was Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5–4) that quotas may not be used to reserve places for minority applicants if white applicants are denied a chance to compete for those places. Although the court outlawed quota programs, it allowed colleges to use race as a factor in making admissions decisions. Two years later a fragmented court upheld a 1977 federal law requiring that 10 percent of funds for public works be allotted to qualified minority contractors…
According to Ballotpedia, Ward Connerly, a member of the University of California Board of Regents, led the campaign behind Proposition 209. “Affirmative Action was meant to be temporary,” wrote Connerly, “It was meant to be a stronger dose of equal opportunity for individuals, and the prescription was intended to expire when the body politic had developed sufficient immunity to the virus of prejudice and discrimination.”
In 2020, Ward Connerly is listed on the official information about the propositions that are on the 2020 Presidential Election ballot as being against Proposition 16. He is involved with a group called Californians for Equal Rights.
Ballotpedia explains what type of Affirmative Action would be allowed if Proposition 16 passed:
Proposition 16 would remove the ban on affirmative action involving race-based or sex-based preferences from the California Constitution. Therefore, federal law would define the parameters of affirmative action. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that race-based affirmative action in higher education and government contracting must be reviewed under strict scrutiny. In the U.S., strict scrutiny is a form of judicial review that requires a law, policy, or program to serve a compelling state interest and be narrowly tailored to address that interest. Courts have ruled that strict racial quotas and racial point systems in higher education admissions are unconstitutional but that individualized, holistic reviews that consider race, when tailored to serve a compelling interest (such as educational diversity), are constitutional.
The group that is for Proposition 16 is called Yes on 16. Here is why they support this proposition:
Our shared values and communities are under attack in America today. White supremacists are on the march, Black people are being shot, Latino immigrants are demonized on a daily basis, COVID-19 is ravaging Native communities, hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise, and many of us fear for our safety because of who we are.There is something we can do. By supporting Proposition 16, we can push back against Trump and the racism he promotes and build a better future in California. There has never been a more critical time to reinstate affirmative action in California – as we chart a path forward to a stronger economic future for women and communities of color, and to a California where Black lives matter and our systems are just
According to SFGate, those who are in favor of Proposition 16 include: The University of California Board of Regents, Senators Kamala Harris and Diane Feinstein, and various Black Lives Matter-related advocacy groups.
SFGate also reported that those who are against Proposition 16 include: A number of Asian American groups and Republicans in the California state Assembly.
I find the argument from Yes on 16 to be way more compelling than the argument from Californians for Equal Rights. Based on the multitude of news articles I have read, and the videos I’ve seen, we definitely do need Affirmative Action.
I voted YES on Proposition 16.
Proposition 17
Proposition 17 is the Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment. The information in the Voters Guide describes it this way:
Restores voting rights upon completion of a prison term to persons who have been disqualified from voting while serving a prison term. Annual county costs: likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars statewide for voter registration and ballot materials. One time state costs: likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for voter registration cards and system.
Ballotpedia explains that Proposition 17 is a constitutional amendment that would allow people on parole for felony convictions to vote in California.
Currently, the California Constitution disqualifies people with felonies from voting until their imprisonment and parole are completed. The ballot measure would amend the state constitution to allow people with felonies who are on parole to vote; therefore, the ballot measure would keep imprisonment as a disqualification for voting but remove parole status.
A YES vote means people on state parole who are U.S. citizens, residents of California, and at least 18 years of age would be able to vote, if they register to vote.
A NO vote means people on state parole would continue to be unable to vote in California.
Those who support Proposition 17 include:
Free the Vote CAU.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D)State Senators Steven Bradford (D), Holly Mitchell (D), and Scott Weiner (D)Assemblymembers Rob Bonta (D), Wendy Carrillo (D), Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D), Mike Gipson (D), Ash Kaira (D), Kevin McCarty (D), Kevin Mullin (D), Mark Stone (D), Shirley Weber (D)Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D)California Democratic PartyACLU of California, ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, Brennan Center for Justice, League of Women Voters of California
Here is an argument for Proposition 17 from Free The Vote CA:
Nearly 50,000 Californians who have returned home from prison can’t vote even though they are raising families, holding jobs, paying taxes, and contributing to society in every other way. They should be encouraged to reenter society and have a stake in their community, not be punished by having their voting rights denied. Prop 17 will right this injustice and restore voting rights to Californians returning home from prison.
I believe that everyone who is an American citizen, who lives in California, who is age 18 (or older) and who registers to vote should have the right to vote.
I voted YES on Proposition 17.
Proposition 18
Proposition 18 “Amends California Constitution to Permit 17-Year-Olds to Vote in Primary and Special Elections if They Will Turn 18 by the Next General Election and be Otherwise Eligible to Vote”. It is a Legislative Constitutional Amendment.
A YES vote supports this constitutional amendment to allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primary elections and special elections.
A NO vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thereby continuing to prohibit 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primary elections and special elections.
Ballotpedia states that as of June 2020, 18 states, along with Washington, D.C., allowed 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the time of the general election to vote in primary elections.
The Official Voter Information Guide says:
Proposition 18 will allow those who will be 18 years of age by the time of the general election to participate in the primary election of that year if they are 17 at the time of the primary. This important election reform will not only allow first-time voters to participate in the full election cycle, but also has the potential to boost youth participation in our elections. We need youth voices to be represented at the ballot box. Allowing some 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if, and only if, they will be 18 by the time of the general election is a simple way to amplify the voices of young voters throughout California and will lead to a more inclusive election process for our state overall.California is behind the curve when it comes to this issue. Nearly half of all states in the U.S. already allow 17-year-olds to participate in primaries and caucuses. If an individual plans to participate in a general election as a first-time voter, it is only reasonable that they be afforded the opportunity to shape the choices that appear on the general election ballot by participating in the primary.Proposition 18 links this 17-year-old participation to the age of majority by requiring that the individual be 18 by the time of the general election. According to research conducted by the California Civic Engagement Project, in the 2020 primary election in California, youth voters (those between 18 and 24) made up 14.5% of the population eligible to vote, however only about 6% of those who actually voted in the election. Youth are extremely underrepresented in our electoral process despite the fact that they are heavily impacted by the policies created by those elected.Not only does research indicate that the youth population has the lowest turnout levels of any age demographic, but studies show that voting is habit forming – once an individual votes in an election, they are more likely to do so again. Early involvement in the electoral process for first-time voters should be a high priority for this reason…
People who are 17-years-old are not legally considered to be adults. But, that doesn’t mean they should be treated as though they were five years old. Here’s a quick list of thing that 17-year-olds can do in California without parental consent:
No parental involvement required in order to get an abortionAre explicitly allowed to consent to contraceptive servicesCalifornia law permits minors 12 years and older to consent to confidential medical services for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) without parental consent (including the HPV vaccine for the prevention of human papillomavirus)California minors can consent to the hepatitis B vaccineA pregnant minor in California can consent to placing their child up for adoption. Can take the GED test if they are within 60 days of their 18th birthday; are within 60 days of when they would have graduated from high school if they remained in school and followed the usual course of study; or are 17 years of age and have been out of school for at least 60 consecutive days, and provide a letter of request for the test from the military, a postsecondary education institution or a prospective employer.Can get a work permit from their school and can work four hours on school days and eight hours on non-school days or days preceding a non-school day.Can legally sign a lease as a college student without parental permission (but many landlords will require a parent or guardian to guarantee the lease).
From this, it is clear that 17-year-olds are considered able to do plenty of important things in California without parental consent. It makes sense for the 17-year-olds who will turn 18 before the next general election to cast a vote in a primary or special election.
I voted YES on Proposition 18.
Proposition 19
Proposition 19 “Allows homeowners who are over 55, disabled, or wildfire/disaster victims to transfer primary residence’s tax base to replacement residence. Changes taxation of family property transfers. Establishes fire protection services fund.
“Fiscal impact: Local governments could gain tens of millions of dollars of property tax revenue per year, probably growing over time to a few hundred million dollars per year. Schools could receive similar property tax gains.”
As you may recall, California had a ton of wildfires this year. Some were sparked by lighting. Others were sparked by power lines, equipment failures, car accidents and campfires. There was a “firenado”. Most of the fires were sparked by humans. Many families lost their homes (and everything in them) and had to start all over again.
Ballotpedia provided the following information:
The ballot measure would change the rules for tax assessment transfers. In California, eligible homeowners can transfer their tax assessments to a different home of the same of lesser market value, which allows them to move without paying higher taxes. Homeowners who are eligible for tax assessment transfers are persons over 55 years old, persons with severe disabilities, and victims of natural disasters and hazardous waste contamination.
How would this ballot measure affect inherited properties?
In California, parents or grandparents can transfer primary residential properties to their children or grandchildren without the property tax assessment resetting to market value. Other types of properties, such as vacation homes and business properties, can also be transferred from parent to child or grandparent to grandchild with the first $1 million exempt from re-assessment when transferred.The ballot measure would eliminate the parent-to-child and grandparent-to-grandchild exemption in cases where the child or grandchild does not use the inherited property as their principle residence, such as using a property as rental house or a second home. When the inherited property is used as the recipient’s principle residence but is sold for $1 million more than the property’s taxable value, an upward adjustment in assessed value would occur. The ballot measure would also apply these rules to certain farms. Beginning on February 16, 2023, the taxable value of an inherited principle residential property would be adjusted each year at a rate equal to the change in the California House Price index.
If this ballot measure passes, the money that comes from it would create the California Fire Response Fund (CFRF) and County Revenue Protection Fund (CRPF). It would require the California Director of Finance to calculate additional revenues and net savings resulting from the ballot measure.
The California State Controller would be required to deposit 75 percent of the calculated revenue to the Fire Response Fund and 15 percent to the County Revenue Protection Fund. The County Revenue Protection Fund would be used to reimburse counties for revenue losses related to the measure’s property tax changes. The Fire Response Fund would be used to fund fire suppression staffing and full-time station-based personnel.
The way I see it, this is a “take from the rich and give to the poor” kind of proposition. It gives people who lost their homes in a fire the ability to transfer their tax assessments to a different home of the same or lesser market value. That means the person or family would be able to buy a home without struggling to pay for a higher tax assessment. It gives them time to rebuild.
The proposition also takes away a “loophole” that rich people are using to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. A parent or grandparent who transfers ownership of a home to a child or grandchild – who does not and will not live in that transferred home – is not about making sure the younger person will avoid being homeless. It is simply so the parent or grandparent can pay a lower amount of taxes on that home.
We live in a society, and that means that rich people need to pay their fair share of taxes, too.
I voted YES on Proposition 19.
Proposition 20
According to SFGate, Proposition 20 adds several crimes to the list of violent felonies for which early parole is restricted. It would undo a series of reforms enacted in 2011 and 2016 aimed at reducing California’s prison population.
Ballotpedia explains a YES vote supports this initiative to add crimes to the list of violent felonies for which early parole is restricted; recategorize certain types of theft and fraud crimes as wobblers (chargeable as misdemeanors or felonies); and require DNA collection for certain misdemeanors.
A NO vote opposes this initiative to add crimes to the list of violent felonies for which early parole is restricted; recategorize certain types of theft and fraud crimes as wobblers (chargeable as misdemeanors or felonies); and require DNA collection for certain misdemeanors.
Here’s a summary of what sentencing laws this proposition would change (if it passes):
Would make specific types of theft and fraud crimes, including firearm theft, vehicle theft, and unlawful use of a credit card, chargeable as misdemeanors OR felonies, rather than misdemeanors.Would establish two additional types of crime in state code – serial crime and organized retail crime – and charge them as wobblers (chargeable as misdemeanors OR felonies)Would require persons convicted of certain misdemeanors that were classified as wobblers before 2014, such as shoplifting, grand theft, and drug possession, along with several other crimes, including domestic violence and prostitution with a minor, to submit to the collection of DNA samples for state and federal databases.
Proposition 20 is scary. I really don’t like the idea of making people who convicted of a crime before 2014 to now have to submit their DNA to state and federal databases.
I also hate the idea that a person who was convicted of something as non-violent as shoplifting and charged with a misdemeanor before 2014, to suddenly have that charge increased to a felony all these years later. It seems incredibly unfair.
The new categories of crimes that this proposition would add (if it passes) “serial crime” and “organized retail crime” seem to be designed to target protestors who may or may not have “looted” stores during a protest.
Put all of this together, and it sounds like the police in California want to use Proposition 20 to get around the state legislature – who might or might not enact laws that would curtail some of the worst behaviors that (some) police officers have been doing. It also sounds like it gives police more ability to target people that (some police) are already enacting violence on or outright murdering.
The part that would make drug possession a felony is also disturbing. Many people who are convicted of drug possession had a small amount of marijuana on them. In 2016, California voters passed Proposition 64 which legalized recreational pot. The people who are currently convicted of having a small amount of marijuana on them before Proposition 64 passed should be released. They should not suddenly have their status changed from misdemeanor to felony.
Another really frightening thing about Proposition 20 is that the police are trying to use it to overturn several existing laws that the state legislature is not willing to overturn. It would also overturn a Supreme Court decision. The police don’t have the power to do that.
In 2011, NPR posted an article titled: “High Court Rules Calif. Must Cut Prison Population”. It was written by Nina Totenberg. From the article:
A bitterly divided U.S. Supreme Court ordered California on Monday to reduce its prison population by some 33,000 prisoners within the next two years.By a 5-to-4 vote, the high court ruled that severe overcrowding in state prisons has resulted in extreme suffering and even death, a deprivation of the inmates’ rights that violates the Constitution and the 1995 federal Prison Litigation Reform Act, as well.California’s 33 prisons, designed to house 80,000 inmates, housed twice that many prisoners by 2009.“The California state prison system is the worst overcrowded system I have seen in my experience,” says Wayne Scott, who headed the Texas prison system under then-Gov. George W. Bush.Scott was one of many expert witnesses called in to look at the California system after 20 years of litigation and failure by the state to achieve reforms that it had agreed upon. Scott and other prison experts told a special three-judge court that overcrowding was the primary cause of the state prison’s problems. The court then ordered the state to reduce the prison population to 137 percent of capacity, more than the 130 percent recommended by the Federal Bureau of Prisons…The state appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and it lost on Monday. Writing for the five-member court majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy noted that the court has long held that prisoners are, in essence, wards of the state since they cannot provide for themselves. “Just as a prisoner may starve if not fed, he or she may suffer or die if not provided adequate medical care.” Moreover, said Kennedy, a prison system that fails to provide basic medical care is “incompatible with the concept of human dignity and has no place in a civilized society.” California, he said, by virtue of its overcrowding, violates the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment, and the courts “must not shrink from their constitutional obligation to ‘enforce the rights of all persons, including prisoners.’ “In a 48-page opinion, Kennedy laid out some of the facts of the case. Prisoners are not only doubled and tripled up in 6-by-9 cells but are stacked in bunks in areas meant to be gymnasiums, classrooms and even clinics. As many as 54 prisoners use one toilet, breeding disease, and medical care is so deficient that one prisoner dies needlessly every six to seven days. On the mental health side, prisoners awaiting care are often housed in “tiny, phone-booth sized cages,” with some inmates falling into hallucinations and catatonic states, and suicides well above national norms.Justice Kennedy pointed out that the state had repeatedly agreed to fix these conditions by building more prisons, but the Legislature didn’t provide the money, and the overcrowding just grew worse. Given California’s ongoing budgetary crisis, Kennedy observed, there is no possibility the state can “build itself out of” its overcrowding problem, so the state will have to choose a combination of other methods, even perhaps release of nonviolent prisoners to reduce the state prison population. Joining Kennedy in the majority were Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Dissenters were Justices Antonin Scalia, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas in one dissenting opinion, and Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts in another.
Ballotpedia provides context to Proposition 20:
The ballot initiative was designed to make changes to AB 109 (2011), Proposition 47 (2014) and Proposition 57 (2016) – three measures that were intended to reduce the state’s prison inmate population. According to Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-9), the goal of the initiative is to “reform the unintended consequences of reforms to better protect the public. Former Gov. Jerry Brown (D) disagreed with Cooper’s assessment, saying the initiative is the “latest scare tactic on criminal justice reform”.Before Proposition 47 and Proposition 57, and a month after the passage of AB 109, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that overcrowding in the state’s prisons resulted in cruel and unusual punishment and affirmed a lower court’s order to reduce the prison population. AB 109 shifted the imprisonment of non-serious, non-violent, and non-sexual offenders, as defined in state law, from state prisons to local jails. AB 109 also made counties, rather than the state, responsible for supervising certain felons on parole. Proposition 47, which voters approved in 2014, changed several crimes, which the measure considered non-serious and non-violent, from felonies or wobblers to misdemeanors. Former Gov. Brown (D) developed Proposition 57, which voters approved in 2016. Proposition 57 increased parole chances for felons convicted of nonviolent crimes, as defined in state law, and gave them more opportunities to earn sentence-reduction credits for good behavior.
It is worth noting that U.S. Representative Devin Nunes (R-California) is among the supporters of Proposition 20. He makes bad decisions. Here is one example:
Los Angeles Times reported in 2019 that Rep. Devin Nunes sued Twitter, demanding $250 million in damages, for Twitter failing to police the accounts of parody accounts @DevinCow and @DevinNunes Mom, and also a political activist named Liz Mair.
…In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Virginia, Nunes complained that all three defamed him in hundreds of tweets over several months last year. It also seeks $350,000 in punitive damages, through legal experts say the suit has little chance of moving forward.Nunes, a close ally of President Trump says in his complaint that he endured what “no human should ever have to bear and suffer in their whole life.”…
There is no good reason for the police, who already have a lot of power, weaponry, and military gear, to have the power to change people’s sentencing years after the sentence was given. There is absolutely no good reason to allow police to overturn a Supreme Court decision.
I voted NO on Proposition 20. I really hope it does not pass.
Proposition 21
Proposition 21 is the Local Rent Control Initiative. SFGate reported that this proposition would allow local governments to enact rent control on housing that was first occupied over 15 years ago.
The information in the Quick Reference Guide says:
Allows local governments to establish rent control on residential properties over 15 years old. Local limits on rate increases may differ from statewide limits. Fiscal Impact: Overall, a potential reduction in state and local revenues in the high tens of millions of dollars per year over time. Depending on actions by local communities, revenue losses could be less or more.
A YES vote supports this ballot initiative to allow local governments to enact rent control on housing that was first occupied over 15 years ago, with an exception for landlords who own no more than two homes with distinct titles or subdivided interests.
A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative, thereby continuing to prohibit rent control on housing that was first occupied after February 1, 1995, and housing units with distinct titles, such as single-family homes.
Ballotpedia provides the following context about what this ballot measure would change about rent control in California:
The ballot measure would replace the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Costa-Hawkins), which was passed in 1995. Prior to the enactment of Costa-Hawkins, local governments were permitted to enact rent control, provided that landlords would receive just and reasonable returns on their rental properties. Costa-Hawkins continued to allow local governments to use rent control, except on (a) housing that was first occupied after February 1, 1995, and (b) housing units with distinct titles, such as condos, townhouses, and single-family homes.The ballot measure would allow local governments to adopt rent control on housing units, except on (a) housing that was first occupied within the last 15 years and (b) units owned by natural persons who own no more than two housing units with separate titles, such as single-family homes, condos, and some duplexes, or subdivided interests, such as stock cooperatives and community apartment projects.Under Costa-Hawkins, landlords are allowed to increase rent prices to market rates when a tenant moves out (a policy known as vacancy decontrol). The ballot measure would require local governments that adopt rent control to allow landlords to increase rental rates by 15 percent during the first three years following a vacancy.
Supporters of Proposition 21 include:
Renters and Homeowners United to Keep Families in Their Homes (also known as Yes on 21)Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent) and U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (Democrat)California Democratic PartyDelores Huerta, Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers and Michael Weinstein, President of the AIDS Healthcare FoundationAFSCME California, California Nurses Association, and SEIU California State CouncilACCE Action, ACLU of Southern California, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Democratic Socialists of America, Los Angeles, Eviction Defense Network, National Lawyers Guild, Los Angeles
Business Wire posted a press release on September 17, 2020, titled: “Bernie Sanders Backs Rent Control, Slams Greedy Landlords in New ‘Yes on 21’ Spot”. From the press release:
The ‘Yes on 21’ campaign is releasing a new :15 second video spot featuring United States Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), one of the most most-trusted voices for the rights and needs of working families, reiterating his support for rent control and slamming greedy landlords. The spot will be deployed on ‘Yes on 21’ social media platforms and air later on cable and broadcast TV outlets.In the spot, Sanders, who officially endorsed Proposition 21 in November 2019, says “… rent control is an appropriate tool to tell landlords that they cannot jack up their rents to any rate that they want.”“The No on 21 campaign will try to convince voters that they are the ones fighting against homeless and for affordable housing. But Bernie knows that the billionaires who are funding the ‘No’ campaign are greedy billionaires who care nothing about the people, but only about their enormous profit margins,” said Susie Shannon, director of policy for the Yes on 21 campaign and former California political director for Senator Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign. “Proposition 21 is a practical measure that will help keep families in their homes.”..
Yes on 21 points out that Proposition 21 will limit rent increases and preserve affordable housing to keep CA families in their homes. If passed, the measure would allow local communities to:
Limit Annual Rent IncreasesPreserve Currently Affordable HousingIncentivize the Construction of New HousingExempt Single-Family HomeownersGuarantee Landlords a Fair Profit
Yes on 21 also points out the following information:
More than half of all renters statewide – more than 3 million households – spend more than 30% of their income on rent, meeting the federal government’s definition of “rent-burdened.” Worse still, nearly a third of renters spend at least half of their income on rent.Prop 21 was written to target corporate landlord billionaires, not mom and pop landlords who are a staple of our communities. Prop 21 codifies the right of landlords to make a fair return on their investment.Prop 21 also protects groups of people who have historically (and today) are discriminated against when it comes to renting. This group includes Black Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, Transgender individuals, LGBTQ Youth, LGBTQ Seniors, Veterans, people with disabilities, and the unhoused.
Those who oppose Prop 21 include:
The No on Prop 21 website, which was paid for by Californians to Protect Affordable Housing – a coalition of housing advocates, renters, businesses, taxpayers and veterans. Committee major funding from California Business Roundtable, California Association of Realtors, Apartment Association of Orange County.California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Republican Party of CaliforniaCalifornia Conference of Carpenters, California District of Iron Workers, California State Association of Electrical Workers, California State Pipe Trades Council, State Building and Construction Trades Council of CaliforniaAlavonbay Communities, Inc., Equity Residential, Essex Property Trust, Inc., Invitation Homes, Prometheus Real Estate GroupAMVETS Department of California, American Legion, Department of California, California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, California Chamber of Commerce, California Council of Affordable Housing, California NAACP State Conference, California Seniors Advocates League, California Taxpayers Association, Congress of California Seniors, Howard Jarvis Taxyapers Association
Most of the groups listed as opposed the Prop 21 are those who are making their living by building or selling homes/rentals. This strikes me as very suspicious and self-serving. The Republican Party, who has a history of putting the amount of money they can make over the well-being of their constituents, also opposes Prop 21.
Curbed San Francisco posted an article in October of 2019 titled: “California governor to sign statewide rent control bill in Oakland”. It was written by Adam Brinklow. From the article:
At a ceremony in Oakland today, Gov. Gavin Newsom will sign into law California’s “anti-rent gouging” bill, Assembly Bill 1482, which, starting next year, will cap annual rent increases and extend de facto rent control protections across the state.The governor calls AB 1482 the “nation’s strongest statewide renter protections.”Newsom, Assemblymember David Chiu, who authored the bill, and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins will appear at the West Oakland Senior Center for today’s signing. The appearance marks the beginning of what the Governor’s office calls a “statewide rent and housing tour,” with stops in multiple California cities to sign bills that the administration hopes will address the escalating state housing crisis.The new law will restrict landlords from raising rents more than five percent in one year, plus the local cost of inflation, a formula that comes out to approximately seven percent in most cities.The bill also seeks to help tenants by requiring landlords to have “just cause,” such as failure to pay rent, when terminating a lease.AB 1482 does not override SF’s current, more aggressive rent control laws. However, it does apply to thousands of units not covered under existing local rent control protections; starting in 2020, units built in 2005 or before will fall under the purview of the rent cap.In 2021, circa 2006 homes will also be affected, and so on. The law will sunset in 2030.Before today’s signing, the California Rental Housing Association, a group representing over 22,000 rental property owners, sent out a missive stating its opposition to the bill…
My best guess is that Governor Gavin Newsom is opposed to Prop 21 because he prefers the rent control bill he signed in 2019? I don’t understand why he isn’t taking the same side as the Democratic Party is on this proposition.
I voted YES on Proposition 21.
Proposition 22
Proposition 22 is extremely controversial and a huge mess. There has been a lot of misinformation spread about what it is and what it will do. In short, this proposition is opposed by two big ride share companies, Uber and Lyft, who refuse to provide their workers with the pay and benefits of full employees.
To fully understand what this proposition is about, you need to know about AB5. It went into affect in California on January 1, 2020 (which feels like at least ten years ago). It required employers to provide “gig workers” with the same benefits that they offer to their employees.
The conditions in which an employer must classify a “gig worker” as an employee included:
The worker is free to perform services without the control or direction of the company.The worker is performing work tasks that are outside the usual course of the company’s business activities.The worker is customarily engaged in an independent established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as that involved in the work performed.
On September 4, 2020, AB2257 passed the California Senate floor and became a law. It made changes to AB5 that would protect several groups of freelancers from the limitations that were imposed by AB5. For example, freelance writers were limited to a total of 35 paid articles per year. That limitation was removed by AB2257.
Proposition 22 is the App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative (2020) proposition.
A YES vote supports this ballot initiative to define app-based transportation (rideshare) and delivery drivers as independent contractors and adopt labor and wage policies specific to app-based drivers and other companies.
A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative, meaning California Assembly Bill 5 (2019) could be used to decide whether app-based drivers are employees or independent contractors.
It is important to know that Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have been fighting against having to give their workers – who do the primary tasks that those companies are built on – as employees.
On August 10, 2020, The Guardian posted an article titled: “Uber and Lyft must classify driers as employees, judge rules, in blow to gig economy”. It was written by Kari Paul. From the article:
A California judge has issued a preliminary injunction that would block Uber and Lyft from classifying their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.The move on Monday came in response to a May lawsuit filed by the state of California against the companies, which alleged they are misclassifying their drivers under the state’s new labor law.That law, known as AB5, took effect on 1 January. The strictest of its kind in the US, it makes it more difficult for companies to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees who are entitled to minimum wage and benefits. The lack of workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits for drivers has become increasingly urgent during the coronavirus pandemic, as ridership plunges and workers struggle to protect themselves.California is the largest market in the US for Uber and Lyft and the state where both companies were founded.The lawsuit, and Monday’s injunction, are the most significant challenges to the ride-hailing companies’ business model thus far. Judge Ethan Schulman of the San Francisco superior court delayed enforcing his order by 10 days to give the companies a chance to appeal.The court has provided a 10-day stay during which Uber can file an appeal – which the company plans to do immediately, a spokesman told the Guardian. This means the injunction will not have effects on Uber or Lyft’s services, for now…
On August 22, 2020, Business Insider posted an article titled: “Uber and Lyft have poured millions of dollars into a November ballot measure to keep California driver paid as independent contractors”. It was written by Katie Canales. From the article:
A California court in August granted Uber and Lyft a stay in their appeal of a court ruling that said drivers must be classified as employees, not contractors. If they weren’t given the extra time, the companies were threatening to shut down their business throughout California. And if the companies had shut down, riders would have been cut off from booking rides on the apps – which likely would have incentivized Californians to back Proposition 22, a measure that will appear on the ballot in the November election.Prop 22 strives to exempt ride-sharing and food-delivery companies from Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) gig worker law that was passed in September 2019, meaning Uber and Lyft could continue classifying – and paying – drivers as contractors, not employees. Uber and Lyft have built their business models around doing so, reserving full-time employee status for corporate roles to keep costs low. Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Postmates and Instacart have poured a total of $110 million into support for the measure, according to the San Francisco Chronicle…
It should be noted that the same San Francisco Chronicle article says:
…Uber, Lyft and DoorDash have each put up $30 million to promote the measure; Postmates and Instacart each put up $10 million…
Here is who supports Proposition 22:
Yes on 22 – Save App Based Jobs & ServicesRepublican Party of CaliforniaCalifornia Peace Officers Association, California Police Chiefs Association, California State Sheriffs’ AssociationDoorDash, InstaCart, Lyft, Postmates, UberCalAsian Chamber of Commerce, California Black Chamber of Commerce, California Chamber of Commerce, California Farm Bureau Federation, California NAACP State Conference, California Small Business Association, California State National Action Network, California Taxpayers Association, Crime Victims United of California, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Taxpayers Union
Here is who opposes Proposition 22:
No on Prop 22U.S. Senators Kamala D. Harris (D), Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Massachusetts U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D)U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D)State Senators Marie Elena Durazo (D), Nancy Skinner (D), Scott Weiner (D)Assemblyperson Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D)Speaker of the State Assembly Anthony Rendon (D)State Assemblyperson Buffy Wicks (D)Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs (Nonpartisan)State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (D)State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond (Nonpartisan)State Controller Betty Yee (D)Former Vice President Joe Biden (D)Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert ReichCalifornia Democratic PartyAmerican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, California Labor Federation, California Professional Firefighters, California State Council of Laborers, California Teachers Association, SEIU California State Council, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, Transport Workers Union of America, Unite HERE, United Food and Commercial Workers Westerns States CouncilACLU of Southern California, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California League of Conservation Voters, Gig Workers Rising
I am always inclined to vote against the wishes of large companies that spend $30 million (or more) on Propositions that would benefit them, save them money, and cause harm to their gig workers. That $30 million could have been used to pay their workers like they do the rest of their employees and to give them the proper benefits.
I voted NO on Proposition 22 because I oppose this ballot measure.
Proposition 23
Proposition 23 is the Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative. There has been some misinformation spread around about this proposition. If you live in California, then you probably got some propaganda about it in your mailbox.
A YES vote supports this ballot initiative to require chronic dialysis clinics to have an on-site physician while patients are being treated; report data on dialysis-related infections; obtain consent from the state health department before closing a clinic; and not discriminate against patients based on the source of payment for care.
A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative. Voting NO means you think it is fine for dialysis clinics to NOT have an on-site physician while patients are being treated; to NOT report data on dialysis-related infections; to NOT obtain consent from the state health department before closing a clinic; and to go ahead and discriminate against patients based on the source of payment for care.
It really is that simple. But the misinformation about what Proposition 22 is about has obscured how simple it truly is.
Ballotpedia provides the following information about Proposition 22:
The ballot measure would require chronic dialysis clinics to:
Have a minimum of one licensed physician present at the clinic while patients are being treated, with an exception for when there is a bona fide shortage of physicians;Report data on dialysis-related infections to the state health department and National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN);Require the principal officer of the clinic to certify under penalty of perjury that he or she is satisfied, after review, that the submitted report is accurate and complete; andProvide a written notice to the state health department and obtain consent from the state health department before closing a dialysis clinic.Prohibits chronic dialysis clinics from discriminating with respect to offering or providing care or refusing to offer to provide care, on the basis of who is responsible for paying for a patient’s treatment.
Ballotpedia also provided this background:
In 2018, 59.9 percent of voters rejected California Proposition 8, which would have required dialysis clinics to issue refunds to patients (or patients’ insurers) for profits above 115 percent of the costs of direct patient care and healthcare improvements. Proposition 8 (2018) and the Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative (2020) were designed to enact policies related to dialysis clinics, but the specific policies are different. Proposition 8 would have capped profits and required refunds, whereas this year’s initiative would address minimum physician staffing, data reporting, and clinic closures.Proposition 8, like this year’s dialysis-related ballot initiative, had the support of the SEIU-UHW West, a labor union for healthcare workers. Proposition 8 established a new front in the conflict between the SEIU-UHW West and the state’s two largest dialysis businesses, DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care. The SEIU-UHW West said workers at dialysis clinics have been attempting to unionize since 2016, but that their employers were retaliating against pro-union employees. Kent Thiry, CEO of DaVita, argued that “Proposition 8 puts California patients at risk in an effort to force unionization of employees.” Sean Wherley, a spokesperson for the SEIU-UHW West, contended that dialysis workers “want these reforms regardless of what happens with their union efforts.”
Supporters of Proposition 23 include: California Democratic Party, and SEIU-UHW West
Opponents of Proposition 23 include:
Republican Party of CaliforniaDaVita, Inc.,and Fresenius Medical CareAMVETS Department of California, American Legion, Department of California, California Medical Association, California NAACP State Conference.
It seems to me that DaVita and Fresenius Medical Care are motivated to convince people to vote NO on Proposition 23 because doing so will enable them to keep making a profit in the way that they currently are. That’s awfully suspicious, and makes me concerned about how they have been treating their dialysis patients.
Yes on 23 posted this on their website:
The two corporations that dominate the industry — DaVita and Fresenius — have done everything possible to keep their huge profits flowing by stopping patients and workers from making improvements to dialysis care. In 2018 the “Big Dialysis” corporations spent $111 million just to defeat Proposition 8, which would have required dialysis clinics to invest more of their revenues into improving direct patient care. Those same corporations are fighting Prop 23 and have already put $100 million into defeating the initiative.
I voted YES on Proposition 23 because I want dialysis patients to have really good care, from actual physicians, in a clean environment. I want them to not have to worry that the dialysis center will refuse to treat them because they are using Medicaid or Medicare.
Proposition 24
Proposition 24 is the Consumer Personal Information Law and Agency Initiative (2020).
A YES vote supports this ballot initiative to expand the state’s consumer data privacy laws, including provisions to allow consumers to direct businesses not to share their personal information, remove the time period in which businesses can fix violations before being penalized; and create the Privacy Protection Agency to enforce the state’s consumer data privacy laws.
A NO vote opposes this ballot initiative to expand the state’s consumer data privacy laws or create the Privacy Protection Agency to enforce the state’s consumer data privacy laws.
Ballotpedia provides the following overview:
Proposition 24, also known as the California Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act of 2020, would expand and amend the provisions of the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), create the California Privacy Protection Agency, and remove the ability of businesses to fix violations before being penalized for violations. The ballot initiative would require businesses to do the following:
not share a consumer’s personal information upon the consumer’s requestprovide consumers with an opt-out option for having their sensitive personal information, as defined in law, used or disclosed for advertising or marketingobtain permission before collecting data from consumers who are younger than 16obtain permission from a parent or guardian before collecting data from consumers who are younger than 13 andcorrect a consumer’s inaccurate personal information upon the consumer’s request
Those who support Proposition 24 include:
Yes on 24U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D)State Senator Ben Allen (D), State Senator Robert Hertzberg (D) State Senator Nancy SkinnerAssemblymember David Chiu (D)State Controller Betty Yee (D)Andrew Yang (D) – Former 2020 presidential candidateAFSCME California, California Professional Firefighters, State Building and Construction Trades Council of CaliforniaCalifornia NAACP State Conference, Common Sense, Consumer Watchdog
Those who oppose Proposition 24 include:
No on Prop 24Green Party of California, Libertarian Party of California, Republican Party of CaliforniaDolores Huerta – Co-Founder of the United Farm WorkersCalifornia Nurses AssociationACLU of California, ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, California Alliance for Retired Americans, California Small Business Associations, Center for Digital Democracy, Color of Change, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of California, Council on Islamic American Relations – California, League of Women Voters in California, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Media Alliance
To me, the most compelling argument about why voters should support Proposition 24 comes from Andrew Yang:
“Other proposals simply do not match the strength and thoughtfulness of Prop 24. Alternatives would require all online businesses to offer their services for “free,” even if the business doesn’t have any alternative model to create revenue. This is unsustainable. As we’ve seen for years, if a service is free, the user is the product. Requiring this type of digital system would further marginalize privacy and data rights and make it nearly impossible to provide consumers with meaningful control over their information… But most importantly, Prop 24 provides Californians greater control over their data: If they don’t like a business or don’t trust its privacy protections, consumers can tell it that it can’t sell their personal information, and businesses are prohibited from unfairly punishing consumers for exercising these rights. This is a strong new protection, and puts control where it belongs: with the consumer.”
During the primaries, I spent a lot of time reading about Andrew Yang’s policies and ideas. He is a very smart man. He is in favor of Prop 24, and explained exactly why that is so.
I voted YES on Proposition 24.
Proposition 25
Proposition 25 is the “Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum (2020)” Proposition.
A YES vote is to uphold the contested legislation, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), which would replace cash bail with risk assessments for detained suspects awaiting trials.
A NO vote is to repeal the contested legislation, Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), thus keeping in place the use of cash bail for detained suspects awaiting trials.
Personally, I don’t understand why this is on the on the 2020 ballot at all. SB 10 was signed into law by (then Governor) Jerry Brown in 2018. That was two years ago! It seems very strange that someone felt the need to get this two-year-old law on the 2020 ballot.
Ballotpedia provided information titled: “How did the veto referendum get on the ballot?”
In the California State Legislature, most Democrats (67 of 81) supported SB 10, while one (of 39) Republican supported the legislation. California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed SB 10 on August 28, 2018, and the veto referendum to overturn the bill was filed on August 29. Sen. Robert Hertzberg (D-18), the bill’s lead sponsor, described SB 10 as a “transformational shift away from valuing private wealth and toward protecting public safety.” He also said that upholding the legislation “is ground zero in the fight over criminal justice reform.”The American Bail Coalition, a nonprofit trade association, organized the political action committee Californians Against the Reckless Bail Scheme to lead the effort to repeal SB 10 through a veto referendum. Jeff Clayton, the coalition’s executive director, stated, “The only debate we’re having right now is: Is the current system worse than the alternative? And the answer is, no, it’s not.” The top ten donors to the committee were bail bond businesses, owners of bail bond businesses, or companies that provided services or insurance to bail bond businesses. David Quintana, a California Bail Agents Association lobbyist, said, “You don’t eliminate an industry and expect those people to go down quietly.”California’s three ACLU affiliates opposed SB 10, issuing a joint statement that said: “SB 10 is not the model for pretrial justice and racial equity that California should strive for.” The statement called for new legislation to “address racial bias in risk assessment tools.” ACLU of North California executive director Abdi Soltani said the group would not, however, align with bail bond businesses to overturn SB 10. Soltani stated, “Make no mistake, the bail industry is not interested in equal justice or equal protection under the law, they are seeking to turn back the clock to protect their bottom line.
How does bail work in California?
As of 2019, California utilized a cash bail system to release detained criminal suspects before their trials. Suspects paid a cash bond to be released from jail pending trial with the promise to return to court for trial and hearings. The cash bond was repaid to suspects after their criminal trials were completed, no matter the outcome. The Judicial Council of California, which is the rule-making department of the state’s judicial system, described bail as a tool to “ensure the presence of the defendant before the court.” The state’s countywide superior courts were responsible for setting cash bail amounts for crimes, and judges were permitted to adjust the cash bail amounts upward or downward. Suspects could post bail with their own money or through a commercial bail bond agent, who pays the full bail amount in exchange for a non-refundable premium from suspects. In California, there was no law setting or capping premiums on bail bonds. According to the California Department of Insurance, agents typically charged around 10 percent.
Those in support of Proposition 25 include:
Yes on Prop 25U.S. Representative Karen Bass (D) and U.S. Representative Ted Lieu (D)Governor Gavin Newsom (D)State Senate President Toni Atkins (D)State Senator James Beall Jr. (D), Senator Bill Dodd (D), Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D), Senator Steve Glazer (D), Senator Robert Hertzberg (D), Senator Gerald Hill (D), Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D), Senator Connie Leyva (D, Senator Holly Mitchell (D), Senator Bill Monning (D), Senator Bob Wieckowski (D), and Senator Scott WeinerAssemblymembers David Chiu (D), Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D), Todd Gloria (D), Reginald Jones-Sawyer (D), and Sydney Kamlager (D)Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon (D)Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg (Nonpartisan)Former State Senate President Kevin de Leon (D)California Democratic PartyCalifornia Teachers Union, SEIU California State CouncilAction Now Initiative, California Medical Association, League of Women Voters of California, NextGen California
Here is a quote from the Orange County Register Editorial Board showing support for Proposition 25:
“The problem with the current system is that people who are innocent can suffer life-destroying consequences if they are arrested and eligible for bail, but lack the financial resources to pay thousands of dollars for a bail bond. While locked up for months before a trial, people can lose their jobs, fall behind on payments for housing, and plunge into an even deeper financial hole. Those who are able to borrow money for a bail bond can suffer ongoing harm from the added debt burden. Poverty is not a crime, but for people who are arrested and can’t afford bail, it is punished as if it were.”
Those opposed to Proposition 25 include:
No on Prop 25 (also known as Californians Against the Reckless Bail Scheme)Republican Party of CaliforniaOrange County Board of SupervisorsACLU of Southern California, American Bail Coalition, California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, California Bail Agents Association, California Black Chamber of Commerce, California Business Roundtable, California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, California NAACP State Conference, California Small Business Association, Crime Victims United of California, Golden State Bail Agent’s Association, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Personally, I’ve always believed it is unfair and unjust to lock people up who have not yet been convicted of a crime. The rich people can afford to pay their way out of jail, but poor people cannot and so they are stuck there. Some of them are likely innocent.
I also don’t like propositions that appear to be put on the ballot simply to line the pockets of businesses who benefit by preying on poor people.
I voted YES on Proposition 25.
You may want to read How I Voted in the Presidential General Election 2020.
How I Voted on the Propositions in the 2020 California General Election is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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September 6, 2020CaliforniaPhoto by Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash
AB5 went into effect in California on January 1, 2020. The purpose was to require employers to provide “gig workers” the same benefits that they offer to their employees. At first glance, it sounded like it had the potential to provide protections to freelance writers. Unfortunately, there were some problems with this law.
On September 4, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB2257 to fix some of the problems with AB5. The changes made by AB2257 took effect immediately.
I am a freelance writer who lives in California. When AB5 went into affect, I was scared. The law placed a limit of 35 “content submissions” per year. It was unclear to me whether that meant 35 submissions to one client – or 35 submissions total for the year.
I’ve been working as a freelance writer since 2010. It is how I make my living. It felt like AB5 was going to take away my ability to continue working as a freelance writer.
Fortunately, as I read more about what AB5 included, I realized my fears were unfounded. The reason is because the law makes it clear the conditions in which an employer must classify a “gig worker” as an employee.
1. The worker is free to perform services without the control or direction of the company.
2. The worker is performing work tasks that are outside the usual course of the company’s business activities.
3. The worker is customarily engaged in an independent established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as that involved in the work performed.
Based on these rules, the freelance writing work I did was exempt from the effects of AB5. All of my clients could, if required to, prove that I was “performing work tasks that are outside of the usual course of the company’s business activities.” I was one of the lucky ones who was able to continue to earn a living despite AB5.
That wasn’t true for all California writers who are freelancers or contract workers, though. SB Nation wrote that it would end contracts with most of their California-based writers because of the 35 written content submissions part of AB5. A few of those contractors were going to be offered full or part-time employment, but the rest were let go.
The American Society of Journalists and Authors sued the State of California in federal court in an effort to stop AB5 from “violating the Constitution and devastating the careers of freelance journalists such as writers and photographers”. The National Press Photographers Association joined this lawsuit.
On September 4, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB2257 into law. It took effect immediately. The main purpose of this law was to function as a cleanup measure to address criticisms about how AB5 treated contractors and freelancers.
Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a Democrat who represents California’s District 80, authored AB2257. A quote by her was posted in an press release on her official website about AB2257 becoming a law:
“Workers shouldn’t have to be tied up in litigation for years on end before they can access their basic labor rights,” Assemblywoman Gonzales said. “AB 2257 strikes a balance and continues to provide protections for workers against misclassification that had previously gone unchecked for decades under the old rules.”
AB2257 passed the California Senate floor with 39 AYES and 0 NAYS. It passed the Assembly Floor with 74 AYES and 0 NAYS.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, AB2557 includes major exemptions (from AB5) for the music industry, as well as freelance writers and photographers. The new law eliminates the “35 submissions a year” cap for any publication.
In addition, the new law protects musicians (with some exceptions), translators and interpreters, still photographers, photojournalists, videographers (with some exceptions), photo editors, graphic designers, web designers, tutors, consultants, youth sports coaches, caddies, wedding or event planners and vendors, handypeople, movers, dog walkers and groomers, pool cleaners, insurance underwriters, manufactured housing salespeople, competition judges, landscape architects, performers teaching master classes, foresters, real estate appraisers and home inspectors, and feedback aggregators.
As for me, I’m happy that AB2257 has become a law. I no longer have to worry that my freelance gigs could suddenly end through no fault of my own – but due to the restrictions in AB5. Some of you, who are also freelance workers in California might feel the same way.
Changes to California’s AB5 Protect Freelance Workers is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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November 30, 2018CaliforniaImage from Pexels
The Hill reported that current Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ryan (Republican — Wisconsin) said that the California election system “just defies logic to me.”
Here is an explanation of how California’s election system functions.
Voter Registration in California
Ballotpedia states that to vote in California, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and California resident. A voter must be at least 18 years of age on Election Day.
On October 10, 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown approved Assembly Bill No.1461.
It is called “Voter Registration: California New Motor Voter Program”.
Here are a few key points of this bill (which is now a law):
This bill would require the Secretary of State and the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish the California New Motor Voter Program for the purpose of increasing opportunities for voter registration by any person who is qualified to be a voter. Under the program, after the Secretary of State certifies that certain enumerated conditions are satisfied, the Department of Motor Vehicles would be required to electronically provide to the Secretary of State the records of each person who is issued an original or renewal of a drivers license or state identification card or who provides the department with a change of address, as specified.The person’s motor vehicle records would then constitute a completed affidavit of registration and the person would be registered to vote, unless that person affirmatively declined to be registered to vote during a transaction with the department, the department did not represent to the Secretary of State that the person attested that he or she meets all voter eligibility requirements, as specified, or the Secretary of State determines that the person is ineligible to vote. The bill would require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to implement the program, as specified.
The bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide the Secretary of State the following information about the person who has been determined to be eligible for voter registration and voting:
NameDate of birthEither their residence, mailing address, or bothDigitized signatureTelephone number (if available)Email address (if available)Language preferencePolitical party preferenceWhether the person chooses to become a permanent vote-by-mail voterWhether the person affirmatively declined to become registered to vote during a transaction with the Department of Motor VehiclesA notation that the applicant has attested that they meet all voter eligibility requirements, including United States citizenship
California allows for online voter registration. To register online, a person must first visit the California Secretary of State’s official Online Voter Registration website. The person needs to provide the following information:
Their California drivers license or California identification card numberThe last four digits of their social security numberTheir date of birth
A California identification card is often used by people who do not drive. It is a commonly used form of identification for people who are disabled and whose disabilities prevent them from being able to drive.
To apply for a California identification card, a person must provide:
Acceptable identity documentTrue full nameSocial security numberProof of California residencyFingerprint image (to be taken at the Department of Motor Vehicles)Photograph (to be taken at the Department of Motor Vehicles)Prior ID card(s) in their possession, if any.
Individual states make their own rules about whether or not convicted felons can vote.
In California, a person with a criminal history can register to vote if they are:
In county jail: serving a misdemeanor sentence (a misdemeanor sentence never affects a person’s right to vote); Because jail time is a condition of probation (misdemeanor or felony); Serving a felony jail sentence; or Awaiting trialOn probationOn mandatory supervisionOn post-release community supervisionOn federal supervised releaseA person with a juvenile wardship adjudication
In California, a person with a criminal history cannot register and vote if they are:
Currently imprisoned in State prison or Federal prisonCurrently serving a state prison felony sentence in a county jail or other correctional facilityCurrently in county jail awaiting transfer to a state or federal prison for a felony convictionCurrently in county jail for a parole violationCurrently on parole with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The California Secretary of State website says: “Once you are done with parole your right to vote is restored, but you must re-register online at the California Secretary of State’s website or by filling out a paper voter registration card.”
In 2016, California’s “Pre-register at sixteen. Vote at eighteen.” rule went into effect. It does not lower the voting age to sixteen-years-old. The purpose is to make sure that teenagers are ready to vote when they turn eighteen.
Here is some more information about that from the California Secretary of State’s website:
Who can pre-register to vote?
You can pre-register to vote in California if you are 16 or 17 years old and meet the following requirements:
A United States citizen and a resident of California.Not currently in state or federal prison or on parole for the conviction of a felonyNot currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court
How do I pre-register?
To pre-register to vote you must complete a voter registration application online or on paper.
Can an iPad, tablet, or smartphone be used to fill out California’s online voter registration application?
Yes.
What happens after I pre-register to vote?
After you pre-register to vote you will receive a postcard confirmation notifying you that your application was received and processed.
What happens when I turn 18?
When you turn 18 years old, the county elections office will mail a confirmation postcard to you stating that your voter registration is now active. At the time of the next election, your county elections official will automatically mail your election related materials to your registered address. If your confirmation postcard is returned undeliverable, possibly because you have moved, the county elections office may inactivate your record until a new Voter Registration Application is submitted.
How to Vote in California
One way to vote is to visit your assigned polling place on Election Day. Ballotpedia states that, in California, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. — 8:00 p.m.
The most reliable way to find your polling place is to visit the California Secretary of State website. There is a box where a registered voter can enter their registered voting address. It will reveal where that person’s polling place is located.
Polling places in California are required to open at exactly 7:00 a.m. Poll workers must announce loudly “The polls are open.”
Polling places must remain open continuously until closing time at 8:00 p.m. At that time, workers must loudly proclaim, “The polls are closed.” No voters who arrive after the polls close may cast a vote. However, as Business Insider reported in 2016, many (if not all) states have laws on the books requiring every person in line when the polls close to be able to vote.
The California Secretary of State website
requires California employers to provide employees up to two hours off
to vote if they do not have enough time to do so during non-work hours.
Workers can take up to two hours off without a loss of pay. The law requires workers to give their employers two working days’ notice before the election if they will need to take time off to vote.
Another option is early voting. Some counties in California offer early voting at a few locations before Election Day. An eligible voter should contact their county elections office to see if they offer early voting.
Early voting looks just like voting on Election Day. The voter arrives at the designated polling place and casts their vote in person.
California also offers a vote-by-mail option. It is a good option for people who don’t want to try and get off work in order to vote, and who do not live in an area where they can do early voting.
All
vote-by-mail ballots are counted. In general, the total vote — or
outcome of an election — that is declared in the news is done before the vote-by-mail ballots have been tallied. This
is why the winner of an election may change between election night and
…. however long it takes to count the vote-by-mail ballots.
California does not offer the following voting options:
Voters cannot cast their vote online in CaliforniaVoters cannot cast a vote by text in California
California Primary
In June of 2012, California started using the Top Two Candidate Open Primary system for statewide offices. All candidates for a given state or congressional office will be listed on a single Primary Election ballot. Voters can vote for the candidate of their choice for these offices. The top two candidates, as determined by the voters, will advance to the General Election in November.
The two candidates who receive the most votes qualify for the general election. It does not matter if one candidate receives a majority of the votes cast; the top two vote-getters always advance to the general election. Even if only one or two candidates are running for a Top Two office, there will still be a primary for that election.
Because candidates are not appearing on the ballot representing a party, it is possible for two candidates from the same party to be the top two vote-getters — who advance to the general election.
In short, the results of a Top Two system could potentially result in: one Republican and one Democrat; two Republicans; two Democrats, one candidate from a major party and one from a smaller party; two candidates from smaller parties.
Top Two Primaries in California are held for these offices:
United States SenatorsCongressional RepresentativesState SenatorsAssembly membersGovernorLt. GovernorState TreasurerSecretary of StateState Attorney General.
Top Two primaries are not held for elections of President and Vice President or Political Party County Central Committees or County Counsels.
California General Election
In the California General Election, voters can vote for the following offices:
U.S. SenateU.S. HouseState SenateState AssemblyGovernorCalifornia Statewide OfficesOther Statewide OfficesLocal GovernmentPresident / Vice President (if the General Election is not a Midterm Election)Various ballot measures
A change was made for 2020 that will make California’s voting in a primary election play a larger role than it did in the past. California’s 2016 primary election was held on June 7, 2016. The 2020 California primary will be held on March 3, 2020. That means California will be among the states voting on “Super Tuesday”.
This blog was originally posted on Medium on November 30, 2019.
The California Election System – Just the Facts is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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October 13, 2017CaliforniaOn October 9, 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 17. This law requires pharmaceutical companies to give notice before raising prices. It protects consumers from greedy pharmaceutical companies that choose to raise the price of their drugs for no good reason. SB 17 makes it easier for the people of California to be able to continue to afford the medications that they need.
The information on the Governor of California’s official website says:
“Californians have a right to know why their medication costs are out of control, especially when pharmaceutical profits are soaring,” said Governor Brown.
SB 17 requires manufacturers to provide a 60-day notice if prices are raised more than 16 percent in a two-year period. The bill applies to drugs that have a wholesale price of more than $40 for a 30-day supply. SB 17 also requires health plans and insurers to file annual reports outlining how drug costs impact health care premiums in California.
SB 17 amended sections of an existing Health and Safety code. In other words, it is not a brand new law – it is an improvement upon the previously existing Health and Safety code. The section is very long, and many parts were amended by SB 17. Rather than list everything that changed, I will focus on some of the most significant portions of the amended Health and Safety Code.
Chapter 9. Prescription Drug Pricing for Purchasers
127675. (a) This chapter shall apply to a manufacturer of a prescription drug that is purchased or reimbursed by any of the following:
(1) A state purchaser in California, including, but not limited to, the Public Employees’ Retirement System, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of General Services, and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or an entity acting on behalf of a state purchaser.
(2) A licensed health care service plan.
(3) A health insurer holding valid outstanding certificate of authority from the Insurance Commissioner.
(4) A pharmacy benefit manager as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 4430 of the Business and Professions Code.
(b) for the purposes of this chapter, the term “office” shall mean the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
127676. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the State of California has a substantial public interest in the price and cost of prescription drugs. California is a major purchaser through the Public Employees’ Retirement System, the State Department of Health Care Services, the Department of General Services, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and other entities acting on behalf of a state purchaser. California also provides major tax expenditures through the tax exclusion of employer sponsored coverage and tax deductibility of coverage purchased by individuals, as well as tax deductibility of excess health care costs for individuals and families.
(b) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to provide notice and disclosure of information relating to the cost and pricing of prescription drugs in order to provide accountability to the state for prescription drug pricing.
(2) It is further the intent of the Legislature to permit a manufacturer of a prescription drug to voluntarily make pricing decisions regarding a prescription drug, including any price increases. It is further the intent of the Legislation to permit purchasers, both public and private, as well as pharmacy benefit managers, to negotiate discounts and rebates consistent with existing state and federal laws.
127.677. (a) A manufacturer of a prescription drug with a wholesale acquisition cost of more than forty dollars ($40) for a course of therapy shall notify each purchaser described in Section 127675 if the increase in the wholesale acquisition cost of a prescription drug is more than 16 percent, including the proposed increase and the cumulative increases that occurred within the previous two calendar years prior to the current year. For purposes of this section, a “course of therapy” is defined as either of the following:
(1) The recommended daily dosage units of a prescription drug pursuant to its prescribing label as approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for 30 days.
(2) The recommended daily dosage units of a prescription drug pursuant to its prescribing label as approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for a normal course of treatment that is less than 30 days.
(b) The notice required by subdivision (a) shall be provided in writing at least 60 days prior to the planned effective date of the increase.
(c) (1) The notice required by subdivision (a) shall include the date of the increase, the current wholesale acquisition cost of the prescription drug, and the dollar amount of the future increase in the wholesale acquisition cost of the prescription drug.
(2) The notice required by subdivision (a) shall include a statement regarding whether a change or improvement in the drug necessitates the price increase. If so, the manufacturer shall describe the change or improvement.
(d) The notice required by subdivision (a) shall be provided to each state purchaser described in paragraphs (2) to (4), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 127675 if a purchaser registers with the office for the purpose of this notification. The office shall make available to manufacturers a list of registered purchasers for the purpose of this notification.
(e) If a pharmacy benefit manager receives a notice of an increase in wholesale acquisition cost consistent with subdivision (a), it shall notify its large contracting public and private purchasers of the increase. For the purposes of this section, a “large purchaser” means a purchaser that provides coverage to more than 500 covered lives.
127679. (a) On a quarterly basis at a time prescribed by the office and in a format prescribed by the office, commencing no earlier than January 1, 2019, a manufacturer shall report to the office all of the following information for each drug for which an increase in wholesale acquisition cost is described in Section 127677:
(1) A description of the specific financial and non financial factors used to make the decision to increase the wholesale acquisition cost of the drug and the amount of the increase, including, but not limited to, an explanation of how these factors explain the increase in the wholesale acquisition cost of the drug.
(2) A schedule of wholesale acquisition cost increases for the drug for the previous five years if the drug was manufactured by the company.
(A) The wholesale acquisition cost of the drug at the time of acquisition and in the calendar year prior to acquisition.
(B) The name of the company from which the drug was acquired, the date acquired, and the purchase price.
(C) The year the drug was introduced to market and the wholesale acquisition cost of the drug at the time of introduction.
(4) The patent expiration date of the drug if it is under patent.
(5) If the drug is a multiple source drug, an innovator multiple source drug, a non innovator multiple source drug, or a single source drug, as defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (7) of subdivision (k) of Section 1396r-8 of Title 42 of the United States Code.
(6) A description of the change or improvement in the drug, if any, that necessitates the price increase.
(7) Volume of sales of the manufacturer’s drug in the United States for the previous year.
(b) The manufacturer may limit the information reported pursuant to subdivision (a) to that which is otherwise in the public domain or publicly available.
(c) The office shall publish the information provided to it pursuant to this section on its Internet Web site on no less than a quarterly basis. The information shall be published within 60 days of receipt from a manufacturer. The information shall be published in a manner that identifies the information that is disclosed on a per-drug basis and shall not be aggregated in a manner that would not allow identification of the drug.
(d) The office shall be responsible for the enforcement of this section.
(e) A manufacturer of a prescription drug subject to this chapter that does not report the required pursuant to this section is liable for a civil penalty of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day for every day after the reporting period described in this section that the required information is not reported.
(f) A civil penalty shall be assessed and recovered in a civil action brought by the office in the name of the people of the State of California. Assessment of a civil penalty may, at the request of the manufacturer of a prescription drug subject to this section, be reviewed on appeal, and the penalty may be reduced or waived for good cause.
(g) Any money received by the office pursuant to this section shall be paid into the Managed Care Fund.
(Skipping ahead a bit here…)
127686. (a) By January 1, 2022, the California Research Bureau shall report to the Legislature on the implementation of this chapter, including, but not limited to, this chapter’s effectiveness in addressing the following goals:
(1) Promoting transparency in pharmaceutical pricing for the state and other payers.
(2) Enhancing understanding about pharmaceutical spending trends.
(3) Assisting the state and other payers in management of pharmaceutical drug costs.
(Skipping ahead a bit here…)
10123.205. (a) (1) A health insurer that reports rate information pursuant to (certain sections of the legislation) shall report the information described in paragraph (2) to the department no later than October 1 of each year, beginning with October 1, 2018.
(2) For all covered prescription drugs, including generic drugs, brand name drugs, and specialty drugs dispensed at a plan pharmacy, network pharmacy, or mail order pharmacy for outpatient use, all of the following shall be reported:
(A) The 25 most frequently prescribed drugs.
(B) The 25 most costly drugs by total annual plan spending.
(C) The 25 drugs with the highest year-over-year increase in total annual plan spending.
(b) The department shall compile the information reported pursuant to subdivision (a) into a report for the public and legislators that demonstrates the overall impact of drug costs on health care premiums. The data shall be aggregated and shall not reveal information specific to individual health insurers.
(c) For the purpose of this section, a “specialty drug” is one that exceeds the threshold for a specialty drug under the Medicare Part D program (Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173)).
(d) By January 1 of each year, beginning January 1, 2018, the department shall publish on its Internet Web site the report required pursuant to subdivision (b).
(e) After the report required in subdivision (b) is released, the department shall include the report as part of the public meeting required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 10181.45.
(f) Except for the report required pursuant to subdivision (b), the department shall keep confidential all of the information provided to the department pursuant to this section, and the information shall be protected from public disclosure.
(Skipping ahead a bit here…)
(4) (A) For covered prescription generic drugs excluding specialty generic drugs, prescription brand name drugs excluding specialty drugs, and prescription brand name and generic specialty drugs dispensed at a pharmacy, network pharmacy, or mail order pharmacy for outpatient use, all of the following shall be disclosed:
(i) The percentage of the premium attributable to prescription drug costs for the prior year for each category of prescription drugs as defined in this subparagraph.
(ii) The year-over-year increase, as a percentage, in per-member, per-month total health insurer spending for each category of prescription drugs as defined in this subparagraph.
(iii) The year-over-year increase in per-member, per-month costs for drug prices compared to other components of the health care premium.
(iv) The specialty tier formulary list.
(B) The insurer shall include the percentage of the premium attributable to prescription drugs administered in a doctor’s office that are covered under the medical benefit as separate from the pharmacy benefit, if available.
(C) (i) The insurer shall include information on its use of a pharmacy benefit manager, if any, including which components of the prescription drug coverage described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) are managed by the pharmacy benefit manager.
(ii) The insurer shall also include the name or names of the pharmacy benefit manager, or managers if the insurer uses more than one.
What Does This Mean in “Plain English”?
The Hill reported the following on October 9, 2017, in an article titled “California governor signs drug pricing transparency measure”:
…The new law requires drug manufacturers to notify insurers before they raise the price of a prescription drug by more than 16 percent over a two-year period. Drug companies would also have to explain why the price is increasing.
The LA Times reported the following on October 9, 2017, in an article titled “Californians will get more information on what’s driving prescription drug prices law signed by governor”:
Gov. Jerry Brown approved a measure Monday to increase disclosure on prescription drug prices, the focal point of growing efforts to clamp down on climbing pharmaceutical costs.
Supporters call the law the nation’s most sweeping effort to make prescription drug pricing more transparent. The measure would require drugmakers to provide notice to health plans and other purchasers 60 days in advance of a planned price hike if the increase exceeds certain thresholds.
The measure, SB 17 by state Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-Azusa), will also require health plans to submit an annual report to the state that details the most frequently prescribed drugs, those that are most expensive and those that have been subject to the greatest year-to-year price increase….
…This disclosure, backers say, would help shed light on how prescription drugs are contributing to overall health care costs.
Los Angeles Daily News reported the following on October 12, 2017, in an article titled “New California state law challenges Pharma giants’ profits”
California Gov. Jerry Brown defied the drug industry by signing a sweeping drug price transparency bill that will force drugmakers to publicly justify big price hikes….
…The new law will require drug companies to give 60 days’ notice to state agencies and health insurers anytime they plan to raise the price of a drug by 16 percent or more over two years on drugs with a wholesale cost of $40 or higher. They must also explain why the increases are necessary.
The advance notification provisions take effect Jan. 1, while the other reporting requirements don’t kick in until 2019.
Brown said the bill is part of a larger effort to correct growing income inequality in the United States. He called on top pharmaceutical leaders to consider doing business in a way that helps Americans who are spending large sums of money for lifesaving medications.
“The rich are getting richer. The powerful are getting more powerful.” he said. “We’ve got to point to the evils, and there’s a real evil when so many people are suffering so much from rising drug profits.”…
…The bill drew support from a diverse coalition, including labor and consumer groups, the hospital industry and even health insurers, who agreed to share some of their own data. Under the new law, they will have to report what percentage of premium increases is related to drug prices….
The Sacramento Bee reported the following on October 9, 2017, in an article titled: “Why are prescription drugs so expensive? Californians may find out.”
California Gov. Jerry Brown moved to shed light on escalating prescription drug prices on Monday, signing heavily lobbied legislation requiring insurers to break down and provide drug costs to the state.
Senate Bill 17, which drew millions in opposition spending from the powerful pharmaceutical industry, is designed to arm the state with data on the percentage of health insurance premiums and premium increases that can be attributed to prescription drug costs.
Brown, in a signing ceremony in his office, said Californians have a right to know why their medical costs are “out of control, especially when pharmaceutical profits are soaring.”
“That’s the takeaway message,” Brown said, lamenting the growing inequities in California and throughout the country….
…SB 17 was viewed as a test of drug company influence at the state Capitol, yet it drew on a larger, more diverse list of supporters – from Health Access California, to the California Labor Federation, and business groups to key health care providers like Kaiser Permanente.
THIS BLOG IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED.
Pharmaceutical Companies Must Give Notice Before Raising Prices is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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June 25, 2017CaliforniaAssembly Member Anthony Rendon,
Please stop blocking SB 562 – the bill that could enable Californians to have access to single payer health care. It is extremely important, now more than ever, that the State of California take steps to protect people’s access to health care.
I’m sure you are aware of how detrimental the health care bills being passed in the United States House of Representatives, and going through the United State Senate, will be to people who are poor, who are disabled, who are elderly, who have chronic incurable illnesses, who need (or will need) nursing home care, who have preexisting conditions, who have cancer, or who will someday potentially be faced with a serious illness. If California enacted single payer health care – it would prevent the federal government from taking away the access to health care from the neediest Californians.
If I understand what I read in the news correctly, your position is that you believe that SB 562 is too expensive. Please allow me to refer you to an article posted in the Los Angeles Times on June 21, 2017, titled: “Single-payer healthcare is, in fact, very doable”. It was written by Robert Pollin, who cites research he and colleagues conducted regarding single payer health care in California.
Here is a link to the article.
Here are a few key paragraphs from the article:
“Enacting Healthy California would entail an overhaul of the state’s existing healthcare system, which now constitutes about 14% of California’s GDP. In particular, it would mean replacing the state’s private health insurance industry with government-managed insurance. Our study – which was also commissioned by the California Nurses Assn. – concludes not only that the proposal is financially sound, but that it will produce greater equity in the healthcare sector for families and businesses of all sizes.
“California will spend about $370 billion on healthcare in 2017. Assuming the state’s existing system stayed intact, the cost of extending coverage to all California residents, including the nearly 15 million people who are currently uninsured or underinsured, would increase healthcare spending by about 10%, to roughly $400 billion.
“That’s not the full story, though. Enacting a single-payer system would yield considerable savings overall by lowering administrative costs, controlling the prices of pharmaceuticals and fees for physicians and hospitals, reducing unnecessary treatments and expanding preventative care. We found that Healthy California could ultimately result in savings of about 18% bringing healthcare spending to about $331 billion, or 8% less than the current $370 billion.
How would California cover this $331-billion bill? For the most part, much the same way it covers healthcare spending right now. Roughly 70% of the state’s current spending is paid for through public programs, including Medicare and MediCal. This funding – totaling about $225 billion – would continue, as is required by law. It would simply flow through Healthy California rather than existing programs.”
Robert Pollin, the writer of the article, then goes on to give details about how California can raise the remaining $106 billion a year to cover the cost of replacing private insurance.
Assembly Member Rendon, I have friends who live in countries that have single payer health care. They are absolutely astounded by the ruthlessness of the American health insurance industry.
One person I know had a major surgery – which was covered for free in the UK – because they have single payer health care. If she lived in the United States she would be setting up a GoFundMe to cover the costs that health insurance refused to cover.
Another person I know recently had an elderly family member have need to be in the hospital due to a series of medical issues. The elderly family member was in the hospital for weeks. This family is in Australia – and the hospitalization, and all that went with it – was entirely covered because Australia has single payer health care. If my friend and his relative lived in the United States – they would be in debt from the medical bills, and unable to afford the next time the elderly relative needed to go to the hospital.
A friend who lives in Canada has had severe health issues taken care off for free – thanks to Canada’s single payer health care system. If this person was an American, he would likely not be able to see a doctor and get the care he needed for those health issues.
My friends outside of the United States are honestly saddened to the point of tears when they hear about what Americans are struggling with because of our current health care system. Please, Assembly Member Rendon, stop blocking single payer. Give Californians a chance to have the type of excellent care, and incredibly affordable care, that my friends in other countries are given. It’s the right thing to do.
As for me, to be honest, I’m terrified about what the federal government is trying to do in regards to repealing the Affordable Care Act. I have four chronic illnesses – none of which can be cured – and one of which WILL get worse as I age.
I’m in my 40’s now, and my rheumatoid arthritis is already painful enough to prevent me from being able to work as much as I did when I was younger. I applied for disability assistance, but was turned down, because I am able to occasionally write online articles for pay. If the federal government makes access to health care unaffordable for me, I honestly don’t know what I will to to prevent my rheumatoid arthritis from getting worse. I cannot imagine the amount of pain I will be in, or how I will cope with it.
My story is unique to me, but is similar to other Californians’. We need your help, Assembly Member Rendon. Please stop blocking single payer health care. This issue is so vitally important to me that I’m typing this email to you despite having stiff, aching, joints in my hands and wrists.
Please take the time to consider what I have written,
Thank you
An Open Letter to Assembly Member Anthony Rendon Regarding Single Payer Health Care is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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Trump Lawsuits
December 19, 2023a closeup of a blue suit and a red tie by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
The Colorado Supreme Court posted information about an appeal from a district court proceeding under the Colorado Election Code. The entirety of the information is approximately 200 pages long, and can be found and read on SCRIBD.com.
Here are some key parts of the information decided upon by the Colorado Supreme Court:
“In this appeal from a district court proceeding under the Colorado Election Code, the Supreme Court considers whether former President Donald J. Trump may appear on the Colorado Republican presidential primary ballot in 2024. A majority of the court holds that President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Colorado Secretary of State to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot. The court stays its ruling until January 4, 2024, subject to any further appellate proceedings.”
The Colorado Supreme Court begins with:
More than three months ago, a group of Colorado electors eligible to vote in the Republican presidential primary – both registered Republican and unaffiliated voters (“the Electors”) – filed a lengthy petition in the District Court for the City and County of Denver… asking the court to rule that former President Donald J. Trump (“President Trump”) may not appear on the Colorado Republican presidential primary ballot.
Invoking provisions of Colorado’s Uniform Election Code of 1992, the Electors requested that the district court prohibit Jena Griswold, in her official capacity as Colorado’s Secretary of State (“the Secretary”), from placing President Trump’s name on the presidential primary ballot. They claimed that Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (“Section Three”) disqualified President Trump from seeking the presidency. More specifically, they asserted that he was ineligible under Section Three because he engaged in insurrection on January 6, 2021, after swearing an oath as President to support the U.S. Constitution.
After permitting President Trump and the Colorado Republican State Central Committee (CRSCC) to intervene in the action below, the district court conducted a five day trial. The court found by clear and convincing evidence that President Trump engaged in insurrection as those terms are used in Section Three. But, the district court concluded, Section Three does not apply to the President. Therefore, the court denied the petition to keep President Trump off the presidential primary ballot.
The Colorado Supreme Court provided the following conclusions:
The Election Code allows the Electors to challenge President Trump’s status as a qualified candidate based on Section Three. Indeed, the Election Code provides the Electors their only viable means of litigating whether President Trump is disqualified from holding office under Section Three.
Congress does not need to pass implementing legislation for Section Three’s disqualification provision to attach, and Section Three is, in that sense, self-executing.
Judicial review of President Trump’s eligibility for office under Section Three is not precluded by the political question doctrine.
Section Three encompasses the office of the Presidency and someone who has taken an oath as President. On this point, the district court committed reversible error.
The district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting portions of Congress’s January 6 Report into evidence at trial.
The district court did not err in concluding that the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, constituted an “insurrection”.
The district court did not err in concluding that President Trump “engaged in” that insurrection through his personal actions.
President Trump’s speech inciting the crowd that breached the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, was not protected by the First Amendment.
The sum of these parts is this: President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three; because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Secretary to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot.
We do not reach these conclusions lightly. We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.
We are also cognizant that we travel in uncharted territory, and that this case presents several issues of first impression. But for our resolution of the Electors’ challenge under Election Code, the Secretary would be required to include President Trump’s name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot.
Therefore, to maintain the status quo pending any review by the U.S. Supreme Court, we stay our ruling until January 4, 2024 (the day before the Secretary’s deadline to certify the content of the presidential primary ballot). If review is sought in the Supreme Court before the stay expires on January 4, 2024, then the stay shall remain in place, and the Secretary will continue to be required to include President Trump’s name on the 2024 presidential ballot, until receipt of any order or mandate from the Supreme Court.
The Guardian reported the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday declared Donald Trump ineligible to hold office again under the US constitution’s insurrection clause.
In a historic decision, the justices ordered that he be removed from the state’s presidential primary ballot, after determining that he engaged in insurrection on 6 January 2021. The ruling sets up a likely showdown in the nation’s highest court to settle whether the January 6 attack on the Capitol amounted to an insurrection, and whether Trump’s involvement disqualifies him from running for office.
According to The Guardian, the 4-3 decision by the Colorado Supreme Court marks the first time a presidential candidate has been deemed unqualified for office under a rarely used provision that bars insurrectionists from holding office.
The Hill reported that the Trump campaign vowed Tuesday to swiftly appeal a Colorado court ruling to kick him off the ballot over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, putting the matter on track to be decided by the Supreme Court of the United States.
Campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung (incorrectly) claimed “Democrat Party leaders are in a state of paranoia over the growing, dominant lead President Trump has amassed in the polls. They have lost faith in the failed Biden presidency and are now doing everything they can to stop the American voters from throwing them out of office next November.”
It appears that either spokesperson Cheung hadn’t read what was written on SCRIBD, or is intentionally telling a lie. It wasn’t Democrats who brought this case to the Colorado Supreme Court – it was registered Republicans and unaffiliated voters.
If I were to take a guess, I would say that the Colorado Supreme Court is setting a precedent that would allow other states to prevent former President Trump from appearing on the Republican ballot in 2024. If that holds true, it would mean that former President Trump would have a very difficult time gathering votes from states that ejected him from their 2024 ballots. [...]
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August 28, 2020Image by succo from Pixabay
Judge Robert Broadbelt III, of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California, has ordered Donald Trump to pay Stormy Daniels $44,100 to cover legal fees in the battle over her nondisclosure (NDA) agreement. This was reported by The Guardian, as well as several other news outlets.
Former Governor of California, Jerry Brown, appointed Judge Robert Broadbelt III to the Superior Court of Los Angeles in 2012. Judge Broadbelt III ran for re-election for judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in 2014. No one decided to run against him, so he was automatically re-elected.
In 2020, Judge Broadbelt III was the only candidate to file. He won the position by default when the election was canceled. His current term ends in 2027.
Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is a pornographic film producer, director, and actor. She has claimed that she had an affair with Donald Trump from 2006 until 2007.
To put this in perspective, Donald Trump married his third wife, Melania Knauss, in January of 2005. Melania gave birth to Barron Trump (the only child of Donald and Melania) in March of 2006. Donald Trump’s affair with Stormy Daniels reportedly started four months later, in July of 2006. She has claimed the affair continued into 2007. Donald Trump denies it.
This most recent court battle is, in part, about the non-disclosure agreement that Stormy Daniels signed in October of 2016. It was titled: “Confidential Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release; Assignment of Copyright and Non-Disparagement Agreement” in Judge Broadbelt III’s ruling.
Strangely, Stormy Daniels is referred to by the pseudonym “Peggy Peterson” in the NDA, but the person referred to by the pseudonym “David Dennison” is redacted in the copy the judge was given.
The ruling clarifies that Stormy Daniels alleges that “David Dennison” is Donald Trump. This appears to be backed up by Michael Cohen, who was Trump’s personal attorney at the time. Both Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen signed the NDA. But, “David Dennison” did not. Judge Broadbelt III wrote that there was a large amount of evidence showing that Michael Cohen chose “David Dennison” as a pseudonym for Trump.
This case has gone back and forth in court for a while. On August 14, 2020, the Superior Court of Los Angeles held a hearing on Stormy Daniels’ motion for an award of attorney’s fees and costs in the amount of $64,440.65, pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure section 1717 and 28 United States Code section 1447, subdivision (c). Defendant Donald Trump, and his lawyers, opposed that motion.
In short, Judge Broadbelt III reviewed the claims made by Stormy Daniels, and the claims made by Donald Trump, and came to a conclusion. He ruled that Plaintiff Stormy Daniels achieved her main litigation objective when Defendant Donald Trump (and presumably his lawyers) filed their Covenants Not to Sue.
Judge Broadbelt III noted that the District Court also stated that Plantiff Stormy Daniels “primarily sought declaratory relief stating that the Agreement should be declared unenforceable against her”. It also declared that “Because Plaintiff received this relief through Defendants’ Covenants, there is no further controversy for the Court to address.”
There is a lengthy explanation by Judge Broadbelt III that can be summarized in a few sentences. First, the judge stated that Defendant Donald Trump would have to be either a party to the Agreement, or a third party beneficiary of the Agreement.
Second, the judge determined that there is support that the parties to the agreement intended Defendant Donald Trump to be the person referred to as “David Dennison” in the agreement.
“Based on the evidence discussed above and the reasonable inferences the court has drawn from that evidence, the court finds that Defendant is the intended third-party beneficiary of the Agreement.”
On August 17, 2020, Judge Broadbelt III ruled that Plaintiff Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) would be granted her motion for attorney’s fees – but not for her request for costs. In addition, Judge Broadbelt III ordered that Plaintiff Stormy Daniels “shall recover $44,100 in attorney’s fees against defendant Donald J. Trump in this action.”
All of this could have been avoided if Donald Trump simply chose not to have an affair with Stormy Daniels. It is clear that Trump did not want that affair to become public knowledge. He brought this problem upon himself, and it makes sense that the court decided he is financially obligated to pay $44,100 to Stormy Daniels.
Trump Must Pay $44,100 to Stormy Daniels is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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December 3, 2019Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash
Many people who experience mental health issues seek out help. In general, the person sees a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist who can assess the problem and determine a diagnosis. One thing is absolutely certain – a person seeking mental health care will never be diagnosed with Trump Derangement Syndrome (also referred to as TDS) because it simply does not exist.
A mental health assessment is a process that a psychologist or psychiatrist follows in order to determine a diagnosis. It involves a physical exam (which is provided by a doctor). This is done because there could be something physical happening in a person’s body that could mimic the symptoms of certain mental health conditions.
The mental health assessment also can involve blood work, a urine test, a brain scan, or other tests. These are intended to help rule out any physical condition that could be causing what may appear to be mental health issues. A person might be asked about their drug and alcohol use as well.
In addition, the person will be asked about their mental health history. This includes the symptoms they are experiencing, their personal history with mental illness, their family history regarding mental illness, and any psychiatric treatment the person may have had.
A personal history involves the psychologist or psychologist asking the person questions about their lifestyle. What was their childhood like? Are they experiencing significant stress? Are they married? Have they experienced major or minor trauma?
The psychologist will also ask the person about their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The person will be asked about their symptoms in great detail, focusing on how those symptoms are affecting a person’s life. Conversation will be had about what the person does to try and manage those symptoms. The psychologist will also note the person’s appearance and behavior, including how they appear as compared to others of their age.
A cognitive evaluation is a test that assesses the person’s ability to think clearly, recall information, and use mental reasoning. It can involve math problems, remembering short lists, recognizing common objects, and questions about caring for themselves.
It is only after a psychologist collects and assesses this data that they can determine a diagnosis. From there, a plan can be made about therapy, treatment, medication, goals, and whatever else is relevant considering the diagnosis. A treatment team may involve a family or primary care doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, pharmacist, social worker, and/or the person’s family members.
Real psychologists refrain from making a diagnosis of a person whom they have not done a mental health assessment on. This is because a diagnosis cannot be made without the data that comes from that assessment.
In 2018, Bandy Lee, an assistant professor in forensic psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine briefed some members of Congress on President Trump’s mental state. She made it clear that she was not making a diagnosis, but was instead “assessing dangerousness.” Bandy Lee could be considered an expert on identifying dangerousness because she has spent more than 20 years studying, predicting, and preventing violence.
In short, a mental health diagnosis cannot be made until a psychologist gathers data from a mental health assessment.
When you see a person on social media attempting to label someone with the diagnosis of Trump Derangement Syndrome, (or TDS), be aware that the person making the diagnosis has absolutely no credibility. It is extremely unlikely that the person who is insisting that someone else has Trump Derangement Syndrome is actually the targeted person’s psychologist.
On January 9, 2018, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) called for an end to “Armchair” Psychiatry.
Today, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) reiterates its continued and unwavering commitment to the ethical principle known as “The Goldwater Rule”. We at the APA call for an end to psychiatrists providing professional opinions in the media about public figures whom they have not examined, whether it be on cable news appearances, books, or in social media. Armchair psychiatry or the use of psychiatry as a political tool is the misuse of psychiatry and is unacceptable or unethical.
From this, it is clear that the people who are attempting to diagnose others with Trump Derangement Syndrome are not the psychologist of the person they are targeting. Real psychologists would not behave that way on social media (or on television, or in a book they published) because doing so is unethical.
The APA wrote that armchair psychiatry “undermines the credibility and integrity of the profession and the physician-patient relationship”. The APA can enforce ethical guidelines on its members. It also urges all psychiatrists, regardless of membership, to abide by the APA’s guidance in respect of patients and the profession. A psychologist who publicly makes a mental health diagnosis of a person they have not treated could face consequences from the APA (if they are a member). If they are not a member, that doesn’t prevent them from facing consequences from others in their profession.
From this, it is clear that the people who attempt to diagnose others with TDS on social media should be ignored. They have no data to work with, are highly unlikely to be a psychiatrist or psychologist, and they are attempting to diagnose a syndrome that does not exist.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the handbook that is used by health care professionals in the United States (as well as in other parts of the world). It was updated to the newest version – the DSM – 5 – which was published on May 18, 2013.
The original DSM was published in 1952. The DSM-IV was published about 20 years ago. The DSM-5 was revised to include a wealth of new research and knowledge about mental health disorders.
APA’s goal in developing DSM-5 is an evidence-based manual that is useful to clinicians in helping them accurately diagnose mental disorders. Decisions to include a diagnosis in DSM-5 were based on a careful consideration of the scientific advances in research underlying the disorder, as well as the collective clinical knowledge of experts in the field. Advances in the science of mental disorders has been dramatic in the past decades, and this new science was reviewed by a task force and work group members to determine whether diagnoses needed to be removed or changed.
You won’t find Trump Derangement Syndrome in the DSM-5. That is because it is not a real mental health disorder. There are no academic papers published in credible journals about Trump Derangement Syndrome. This is why, no matter the reason a person decided to seek help with their mental health issues, the person will never be diagnosed with Trump Derangement Syndrome.
You may have noticed that Trump did not become president until 2017, and that the DSM-5 was published in 2013. Those two facts cannot be used to turn Trump Derangement Syndrome into a real mental health diagnosis.
Why not? The answer to that question is simple. Previous versions of the DSM did not include Obama Derangement Syndrome, which may have been coined by Jason Arvak, Managing Editor of the Post Gazette. Previous versions of the DSM also did not include Bush Derangement Syndrome, which was coined by a Charles Krauthammer, a conservative columnist, in 2003. None of those so-called syndromes actually exist.
Trump Derangement Syndrome Does Not Exist was posted on Medium on December 3, 2019.
Trump Derangement Syndrome Does Not Exist is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
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November 8, 2019Image by Maret Hosemann from Pixabay
As you may recall, (then) New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced on December 18, 2018, that the Trump Foundation had signed a stipulation agreeing to dissolve under judicial supervision.
On November 7, 2019, The Associated Press reported that New York state Judge Saliann Scarpulla ordered President Donald Trump to pay $2 million dollars to an array of charities as a fine for misusing his own charitable foundation to further his political and business interests.
Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood was succeed by Leticia James, who became the New York Attorney General as a result of the 2018 election. Judge Saliann Scarpulla’s decision provides more details about the stipulation between the Attorney General and the Trump Foundation, in which several things were agreed upon on October 1, 2019.
Here are some key points from Judge Saliann Scarpulla’s decision:
In the Final Stipulation, Mr. Trump agreed to reimburse $11,525 to the Foundation for the Foundation’s payment of auction items at a charitable benefit, and to pay any additional amount that may be owed in connection with this proceeding. (The judge made it clear that the amount to be paid will be determined by her.)As stated above, I find that the $2,823,000 raised at the Fundraiser was used for Mr. Trump’s political campaign and distributed by Mr. Trump’s campaign staff, rather than by the Foundation… However, taking into consideration that the Funds did ultimately reach their intended designations, I. e. charitable organizations supporting veterans, I award damages on the breach of fiduciary duty/waste claim against Mr. Trump in the amount of $2,000,000, without interest, rather than the entire $2,823,000 sought by the Attorney General. Further, because the parties have agreed to dissolve the Foundation, I direct Mr. Trump to pay the $2,000,000, which would have gone to the Foundation if it were still in existence, on a pro rata basis to the Approved Recipients.
New York Attorney General Letitia James posted a press release about this case. Here is a quote from it:
“The Trump Foundation has shut down, funds that were illegally misused are being restored, the president will be subject to ongoing supervision by my office, and the Trump children had to undergo compulsory training to ensure that this type of illegal activity never takes place again,” said Attorney General James. “The court’s decision, together with the settlements we negotiated, are a major victory in our efforts to protect charitable assets and hold accountable those who would abuse charities for personal gain. My office will continue to fight for accountability because no one is above the law — not a businessman, not a candidate for office, and not even the President of the United States.”
The Trump children that Attorney General James is referring to are Trump’s three eldest. The lawsuit was against Donald J. Trump, Donald J. Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric F. Trump, and the Donald Trump Foundation. Donald Trump was the president of the Trump Foundation from the start, until January 23, 2017 (three days after he was inaugurated as President of the United States.) Ivanka Trump stepped down from her position on the Trump Foundation’s board of directors. Both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump remained members of the board.
The press release on the New York Attorney General’s website states that the $1.78 million in assets currently being held by the Trump Foundation, along with the $2 million in damages to be paid by Mr. Trump, will be dispersed equally to eight charities.
Those charities are:
Army Emergency Reliefthe Children’s Aid SocietyCitymeals-on-WheelsGive an HourMartha’s TableUnited Negro College FundUnited Way of National Capital Areathe U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Politico reported that in 2016, Trump was feuding with then Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, and was refusing to participate in the network’s final Republican presidential primary debate before the Iowa caucuses. Instead, Trump held a rally at the same time as the debate. He called on people to donate to veteran’s charities. Politico reported that the Trump Foundation acted as a pass-through for those contributions.
The
decision by Judge Saliann Scarpulla said: “…Mr. Trump’s fiduciary duty
breaches included allowing his campaign to orchestrate the Fundraiser,
allowing his campaign, instead of the Foundation, to direct distribution
of the Funds, and using the Fundraiser and distribution of the Funds to
further Mr. Trump’s campaign.”
The press release on the Attorney General’s website states: “…Additionally, Mr. Trump admitted an number of key facts about the other self-dealing transactions he initiated as chair — specifically that he used Foundation funds to settle legal obligations of companies he controlled, and that the Foundation paid for a portrait of Mr. Trump that cost $10,000. As a separate piece of the settlement, Donald Trump Jr. reimbursed the Foundation for the cost of the portrait. The settlement also requires the Foundation to be reimbursed $11,525 for sports paraphernalia and champagne purchased at a charity gala.”
This news was released approximately a week after the U.S. House of Representatives took its first major step towards starting an impeachment inquiry on President Donald Trump. The House voted 232–196 in favor of the measure, which establishes rules for open hearings and the questioning of witnesses by members of staff.
At the time I am writing this blog, we do not know what the outcome of the impeachment process will be. No one can possibly know that until it is over. That said, the decision of Judge Saliann Scarpulli makes it perfectly clear that a sitting president can be held accountable for his illegal actions.
UPDATE: On December 10, 2019, New York Attorney General Letitia James posted on the official NY Attorney General website that Donald J. Trump has paid the $2M in court-ordered damages.
This blog was originally posted on November 8, 2019 on Medium.
Trump Fined $2M for Misusing Trump Foundation Charity Funds is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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February 12, 2019Image from Pexels
It all depends on whether or not a deal can be made before the end of Friday, February 15, 2019.
The 2018–2019 partial government shutdown lasted 35 days.
Here’s what happened before Friday, February 15:
February 10, 2019: The Hill posted an article titled: “Key GOP senator: Border wall talks are stalled”. From the article:
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), a key negotiator on President Trump’s demand for a border wall, said on Sunday that congressional talks are stalled, raising the prospect of another government shutdown at week’s end…
…Democrats have told GOP negotiators that they won’t agree to spend more than $2 billion on border barriers, well below the $5.7 billion that Trump has called for.
In addition, a new issue has roiled the talks: a dispute over the number of beds at immigrant detention centers.
Democrats want to limit the number of people detained at the border, while Republicans oppose restricting the capacity of detention centers…
February 11, 2019: The Guardian posted an article titled: “Party leaders reach deal to avoid fresh US government shutdown”. From the article:
Democratic and Republican leaders announced late Monday that they had reached a deal to avoid a government shutdown when funding under a stopgap agreement expires at midnight on Friday.
The proposal would require the signature of Donald Trump to avert a new shutdown.
The agreement would allocate far less money for Trump’s border wall than the White House’s $5.7bn wish list, settling for a figure of nearly $1.4bn, according to congressional aides. The funding measure is through the fiscal year, which ends 30 September.
The agreement means 55 miles of new fencing — constructed through existing designs such as metal slats instead of a concrete wall — but far less than the 215 miles the White House demanded in December. The fencing would be built in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas…
…Negotiators have been trying to reach a deal to fund nine government departments that partially closed for 35 days in December and January. Trump and congressional Democrats agreed on 25 January to temporarily fund the departments and negotiate a funding solution by 8 February.
Talks most recently broke down on Sunday, reportedly over a disagreement about the maximum number of undocumented immigrants who might be detained at any one time…
…The shutdown cost the economy $11bn and reduced growth forecasts by almost half a percentage point, the congressional budget office estimated…
…The negotiators at work in Washington on Monday included four Democrats and four Republicans. They are a cut-out of a larger group of 17 members of Congress assigned to seek a deal after the historic shutdown ended on 25 January…
February 11, 2019: Politico
posted an article titled: “‘It will create a firestorm’: Mulvaney’s
border wall cash grab sparks dissent in White House”. From the article:
The White House is firming up plans to redirect unspent federal dollars as a way of funding President Donald Trump’s border wall without taking the dramatic step of invoking a national emergency.
Done by executive order, this plan would allow the White House to shift money from different budgetary accounts without congressional approval, circumventing Democrats who refuse to give Trump anything like the $5.7 billion he has demanded. Nor would it require a controversial emergency declaration.
The emerging consensus among acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and top budget officials is to shift money from two Army Corps of Engineers’ flood control projects in Northern California, as well as from disaster relief funds intended for California and Puerto Rico. The plan will also tap unspent Department of Defense funds for military construction, like family housing or infrastructure for military bases, according to three sources familiar with the negotiations…
…But the strategy is far from a cure-all for a president with no good options, and it has already sparked debate within the White House. Moving funds by executive order is virtually certain to draw instant court challenges, with opponents, including some powerful members of Congress, arguing the president is encroaching on the legislative branch’s constitutional power to apporpriate funds…
February 12, 2019: BBC posted an article titled: “US border security deal reached to avert new shutdown”. From the article:
Democrats and Republicans have reached an agreement in principle over border security to fund the US government and avert another partial shutdown.
The agreement contains only a fraction of the money President Donald Trump wants for his promised border wall and does not mention a concrete barrier.
The deal still needs to be approved by Congress and signed by the president…
…The Democrats — who now control the House of Representatives — have refused to approve the $5.7bn …for Mr Trump’s wall on the border with Mexico, one of his key campaign pledges.
Lawmakers have expressed optimism that a bill would be approved by Friday when funding runs out for some federal agencies…
February 12, 2019: The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump criticizes border wall deal: ‘Can’t say I’m happy’”. From the article:
President Trump on Tuesday knocked a bipartisan deal to avert a government shutdown, but suggested he could still get his long-desired border wall built and expressed confidence the government would remain open.
“I’m not happy about it. It’s not doing the trick,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
“I’m adding things to it, and when you add whatever I have to add, it’s all going to happen where we’re going to build a beautiful, big, strong wall,” the president continued.
The government will enter another partial shutdown on Saturday if Trump does not sign the agreement, which was struck by Capitol Hill negotiators just one day earlier and contains only a fraction of the money he demanded for a wall along the U.S. — Mexico border.
Trump predicted there would not be a shutdown but added: “if you did have it, it’s the Democrats fault.”
“I would hope that there won’t be a shutdown,” he said. “I am extremely unhappy with what the Democrats have given us. It’s sad. They’re doing the country no favors.”…
…A bipartisan committee reached the deal on Monday night after talks appeared to have reached a stalemate over the weekend amid an intense fight over whether the number of detention beds should be capped. Negotiators cast the deal as the best solution to avert a shutdown…
February 12, 2019: President Donald Trump tweeted:
“Was just presented the concept and parameters of the Border Security
Deal by hard working Senator Richard Shelby. Looking over all aspects
knowing that this will be hooked up with lots of money from other
sources…”
February 12, 2019: President Donald Trump followed that tweet with another tweet: “…Will be getting almost $23 BILLION for Border Security. Regardless of Wall money, it is being built as we speak!”
February 12, 2019: PBS News Hour posted an article titled: “The latest border security deal, explained”. From the article:
…Key Highlights:
Border Barriers: $1.375 billion. That will fund the construction of 55 miles of barriers in the Rio Grande valley. Democrats say this will be “bollard” or steel-slat construction.
Detention space: Funding for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain an average of 45,274 people a day for the rest of this fiscal year.
Unknown amount of funding for new immigration judges: Final terms have not yet been made public…
…Will Trump use executive power for more wall funding? Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, has said that Trump will look at using his executive power to find other money for the wall that would supplement the funding approved by the House and Senate. As Mulvaney said Sunday on Meet the Press: “Whether or not he gets $1.6 billion from Congress, whether or not he gets $2.5 or $5.7, he’s going to do whatever he legally can to secure that border.” Mulvaney has not specified exactly where the funds might come from. Trump has also been adamant that he will build the wall no matter what happens in Congress, a promise he repeated Monday at a campaign rally in El Paso, Texas.
What’s next: If Trump maneuvers to get more wall money, it could end up in court, since it’s likely an attempt to redirect funds for a wall that would face legal challenges.
February 12, 2019: The Hill posted an article titled: “McConnell: Trump should sign funding deal”. From the article:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday he hopes President Trump will sign a deal struck this week to prevent a second government shutdown.
“I have recommenced that if it becomes what we think it is, I do recommend he sign it,” McConnell told reporters. “I think he’s got a pretty good deal here.”
McConnell’s comments come as Trump is waffling over whether he will support the deal…
…The agreement in principle reached on Monday night would fund roughly a quarter of the government for the remainder of the 2019 fiscal year and provides $1.375 billion for physical barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“I think he’s done just fine. I hope he’ll conclude that because he’s got to sign the bill,” McConnell said Tuesday about Trump. “I’m hoping that he will sign this agreement.”…
February 13, 2019: President Donald Trump tweeted: “I want to thank all Republicans for the work you have done in dealing with the Radical Left on Border Security. Not an easy task, but the Wall is being built and will be a great achievement and contributor toward life and safety within our Country!”
February 13, 2019: NBC News posted an article titled: “Trump blocking contractor back pay in gov’t funding deal, lawmaker says”. From the article:
President Donald Trump is blocking a measure to give back pay to federal contractors affected by last month’s government shutdown as part of a bipartisan agreement to avert another federal closure, a Republican lawmaker says.
“I’ve been told the president won’t sign that,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., told reporters Wednesday. He added, “I guess federal contractors are different in his view than federal employees.”
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers were furloughed or required to work without pay during the spending impasse that led to the 35-day shutdown. In past shutdowns, Congress has agreed to provide back pay to government workers, but that generally has not extended to federal contractors.
Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are pushing the provision, which has the support of many Republicans. Lawmakers argue there should be some relief for contractors affected by the shutdown, which was the longest in history. A number of Republicans have pointed to precedent, however, saying they have never given back pay to contractor after previous shutdowns…
February 13, 2019: Al Jazeera News posted an article titled: “Trump hints at backing funding deal to dodge gov’t shutdown”. From the article:
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday edged toward backing a deal in Congress on funding for a barrier on the Mexican border, on funding for a barrier on the Mexican border, but left open the possibility that disputes over the wall could still cause a partial government shutdown by the weekend…
…But the Republican president fell short of committing himself to backing the congressional deal, which would keep the government open but not give Trump the $5.7bn he seeks for the wall.
“I don’t want to see a shutdown. A shutdown would be a terrible thing. I think a point was made with the last shutdown. People realized how bad the border is, how unsafe the border is, and I think a lot of good points were made,” Trump told reporters.
Congress, which faces a tight deadline to pass legislation to avert another US government shutdown, is considering a compromise measure that does not deliver all the funds Trump had demanded to build the wall…
February 13, 2019: New York Magazine posted an article titled: “Trump Has Willed the Wall Into Existence With His Mind”. From the article:
…The U.S.-Mexico border runs for nearly 2,000 miles. Early in his campaign, Trump conceded that natural barriers cover half that length. He inherited 654 miles of border fencing, and promised a wall covering the full 654 miles. This would mean upgrading most or all of the additional fencing to “wall” status — making it taller, stronger, or wallier — and adding another 350 miles or so of new wall.
He has so far added zero to that total. Yet the wall was never a material infrastructure project, but instead a symbol of defiance and order. Trump is clearly signaling a new stage in which he is abandoning its physical manifestations and conjuring it into reality.
In his speech Monday night in El Paso, Trump responded to the familiar chants of “build that wall!” by assuring the crowd the project was well underway. “Now, you really mean ‘finish that wall,’ because we’ve built a lot of it. It’s ‘finish that wall.’ We have,” he said. “The wall’s being built. It’ll continue. It’s going at a rapid pace.”…
…In a speech to police officers on Wednesday, Trump elaborated on this imaginary wall. “The wall is very very on its way,” he promised. It is extremely tall — “You’re gonna have to be in extremely good shape to get over this one,” he informed his audience…
February 14, 2019: Burgess Everett (POLITICO congressional reporter) tweeted: “Chuck Grassley asks the Senate to pray that Trump will sign the spending bill”
February 14, 2019: Sahil Kapur (National political reporter for Bloomberg News) tweeted:
“News: Democrats @ AyannaPressley @ AOC @ RashidaTlaib @ IlhanMN say
they’ll vote NO on the bipartisan deal to avert a shutdown because DHS
“does not deserve an increase in funding.”’
The tweet included a screenshot of a Joint Statement from Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib on the FY 2019 Government Funding Package. It said:
Today, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) issued a statement in response to the FY2019 government funding package released this morning:
“In this country, our diversity is our greatest strength. Immigrants fuel our nation’s economy, enrich our nation’s culture, and enhance our social fabric. Quite simply, we are a better nation because of our immigrants.
“And yet, this Administration continues to threaten the dignity and humanity of our immigrant population. The Department of Homeland Security has separated thousands of children from their parents, denied asylum to those fleeing danger, and used taxpayers dollars as a slush fund to incite terror in immigrant communities. The efficacy of a government agency must be determined by assessing ‘outcomes.’ By any reasonable measure, Donald Trump’s weaponization of ICE and CBP has been a failure. The Department of Homeland Security does not deserve an increase in funding, and that is why we intend to vote no on this funding package.
“The funding bill on the floor today does not address any of our concerns, and instead gives more money to these abusive agencies:
This bill gives $14.9 billion to CBP, nearly $950 million above current funding level.
This bill gives $7.6 billion to ICE, an increase of more than $500 million.
The bill provides $1.37 billion for 55 miles of a border wall.
This bill includes funding for an 11% increase in detention beds-an average of more than 45,000 per day, providing ICE the ability to detain 5,000 additional people per day.
“We want to be abundantly clear: This is not a rebuke of federal workers or those who depend on the services they provide, but a clear rejection of the hateful policies, priorities, and rhetoric of the Trump Administration.”
February 14, 2019: President Donald Trump tweeted: “Reviewing the funding bill with my team at the @ WhiteHouse!”
February 14, 2019: Kaitlan Collins (Covers the White House for CNN) tweeted: “News — President Trump’s aides now say they are less certain he will sign the bipartisan spending compromise, a major shift from earlier this week when they indicated privately he would. He is increasingly concerned about what’s in the 1,100-page legislation. W @Kevinliptakcnn”
February 14, 2019: The Guardian posted in its live feed about the potential 2019 government shutdown: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell just announced on the Senate floor that President Donald Trump will sign the government funding bill but will also immediately declare a national emergency in order to build a border wall at the same time.”
February 14, 2019: The Guardian posted in its live feed about the potential 2019 government shutdown: “House majority leader Steny Hoyer just weighed in on the announcement that Trump would declare a national emergency in an interview with MSNBC.” Steny Hoyer said:
“I think declaring a national emergency where there is no national emergency is not good for the president to do and not good precedent for future presidents.”
February 14, 2019: Sarah Sanders (White House Press Secretary) tweeted: “President Trump will sign the government funding bill, and as he has stated before, he will also take other executive action — including a national emergency — to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border. The President is Once again delivering on his promise to build the wall, protect the border, and secure our great country.” Sarah Sanders”.
February 14, 2019: The Guardian reported in its live feed about the potential 2019 government shutdown: “Sarah Sanders was just asked by reporters about potential legal challenges to a national emergency declaration.” Sarah Sanders said:
“We’re very prepared, but there shouldn’t be . The president’s doing his job. Congress should do theirs.”
February 14, 2019: Senate Press Gallery tweeted: “83–16 #Senate ADOPTED the Conference Report to Accompany H.J. Res. 1, Appropriations Package.”
The
tweet included a list of Senators voting “NO”: Cory Booker (D-New
Jersey), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Tom Cotton (R-Arizona), Ted Cruz
(R-Texas), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), Kamala Harris (D-
California), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee
(R-Utah), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), Ben
Sasse (R-Nebraska), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Pat Toomey
(R-Pennsylvania), and Elizabeth Warren (D- Massachusetts).
One senator did not vote: Richard Burr (R-North Carolina).
The Guardian noted in its live feed about the potential 2019 government shutdown: “The Senate just passed the government funding by a lopsided margin of 83–16. The 16 against were a mix of ardent conservatives and Democrats running for President.”
February 14, 2019: Speaker Nancy Pelosi posted a joint statement
with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on the Speaker of the House
website. The statement was titled: “Pelosi, Schumer Joint Statement On
the Possibility of President Trump Declaring a National Emergency”. From
the statement:
… “Declaring a national emergency would be a lawless act, a gross abuse of the power of the presidency and a desperate attempt to distract from the fact that President Trump broke his core promise to have Mexico pay for his wall.
“It is yet another demonstration of President Trump’s naked contempt for the rule of law. This is not an emergency, and the president’s fearmongering doesn’t make it one. He couldn’t convince Mexico, the American people or their elected representatives to pay for his ineffective and expensive wall, so now he’s trying an end-run around Congress in a desperate attempt to put taxpayers on the hook for it. The Congress will defend our constitutional authorities.”
February 14, 2019: Senator Marco Rubio posted a statement on his official website. The statement was titled: “Rubio Statement on 2019 Omnibus Spending Bill and Potential National Emergency”. From the statement:
“Three weeks ago, Senate Republicans voted overwhelmingly to help Florida communities devastated by Michael,” Rubio said. “But now congressional negotiators failed to include disaster funding in this package so they can use it as leverage in an upcoming effort to lift spending caps. I will not support using devastated communities in Florida as pawns for some future legislative deal.”
“We have a crisis at our southern border, but no crisis justifies violating the Constitution,” Rubio continued. “Today’s national emergency is border security. But a future president may use this exact same tactic to impose the Green New Deal. I will wait to see what statutory or constitutional power the President relies on to justify such a declaration before making any definitive statement. But I am skeptical it will be something I can support.”
February 14, 2019: Representative Jerrold Nadler posted a statement on his official website. The statement was titled: “Chairman Nadler Statement On Trump Preparing to Declare a National Emergency”. From the statement:
“The President’s declaration of a national emergency would be an abuse of his constitutional oath and an affront to the separation of powers. Congress has the exclusive power of the purse, and the Constitution specifically prohibits the President from spending money that has not been appropriated. Congress has just finished a weeks-long budget negotiation. The result agreed to by both parties includes limited funds to construct barriers — but it does not include a medieval border wall. The President has now announced that he will ignore Congress’s express wishes by inventing a so-called ‘emergency.’ This is a gross abuse of power that cannot be tolerated.
“Congress entrusted the president with authority to reallocate funds during unforeseen and urgent situations, such as wars and natural disasters. No sensible person believes there is a emergency at the southern border. Illegal immigration is at record lows, and families with children who lawfully seek asylum are not foreign invaders. Moreover, the law that the President reportedly plans to invoke applies only in situations where the military must be called on for national defense purposes. But the military is prohibited from enforcing the nation’s immigration laws — and the President’s intent to subvert the separation of powers and the rule of law.
“I will fully support the enactment of a joint resolution to terminate the President’s emergency declaration, in accordance with the process described in the National Emergencies Act, and authority to hold the Administration to account and determine the supposed legal basis for the President’s actions.
February 14, 2019: The House of Representatives voted on the bill titled: “Making further continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes.” The vote was 300 YEAS to 128 NAYS. The bill has passed the House.
213 Democrats voted YEA and 19 Democrats voted NAY.
87 Republicans voted YEA and 109 Democrats voted NAY.
A
total of four Representatives did not vote at all: Collin Allred
(D-Texas), Ted Deutch (D-Florida), Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois), and
Michael Quigley (D-Illinois).
Both the House, and the Senate have passed the appropriations bill. It now goes to President Trump who can either sign it, or veto it.
February 15, 2019: ABC News posted an article titled: “Trump will sign border bill, McConnell says, and declare national emergency”. From the article:
…ABC News has learned that the president plans to announce on Friday his intention to spend about $8 billion on the border wall with a mix of spending from Congressional appropriations approved Thursday night, executive action and an emergency declaration.
A senior White House official familiar with the plan told ABC News that $1.375 billion would come from the spending bill Congress passed Thursday; $600 million would come from the Treasury Department’s drug forfeiture fund; $2.5 billion would come from the Pentagon’s drug interdiction program; and through an emergency declaration: $3.5 billion from the Pentagon’s military construction budget.
Many Republicans, including McConnell, had advised the president against declaring a national emergency, which is a challenge to Congress; “power of the purse” — the power to decide how and where taxpayer money is spent. However, McConnell, in announcing the president’s decision Thursday afternoon, said he now supported the move…
February 15, 2019: Representative Ruben Gallego (Democrat-Arizona) tweeted: “As a member of the Armed Services Committee we authorize billions of dollars to improve our bases every year. That money is to build facilities to recruit, train and retain the worlds best military. A fake national emergency takes money from that mission.”
February 15, 2019: Reuters posted an article titled: “Trump declares emergency for border wall, House panel launches probe.” From the article:
President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency in a bid to fund his promised wall at the U.S.-Mexico border without congressional approval, an action Democrats vowed to challenge as a violation of the U.S. Constitution…
…Hours after Trump’s announcement, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee said it had launched an investigation into the emergency declaration.
February 15, 2019: The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump signs border deal, averting shutdown”. From the article:
President Trump on Friday signed a spending package to avert another government shutdown, his top spokeswoman said.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that Trump approved the measure on Friday afternoon in the executive mansion. Reporters were not on hand to witness the bill signing.
The move came hours after Trump announced during a freewheeling, 50-minute news conference that he is declaring a national emergency to bypass Congress and obtain $8 billion for his long-desired border wall, a move that triggered a major legal showdown with Democrats.
Lawmakers authorized $1.375 billion to build 55 miles of new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, far short of the $5.7 billion Trump demanded at the outset of spending talks.
The result marked a significant defeat of Trump, who pledged during the 2016 campaign that he would build a wall across the entire length of the southern border…
President Trump has signed the spending bill. This bill funds the government until sometime in September of 2019. The United States government is not about to go into a (second) shutdown. (But there could potentially be a shutdown in September of 2019.)
February 15, 2019: Josh Einiger (reporter for ABC NY WABC-TV Eyewitness News at 11) tweeted: “NOW: Protesters block #CentralParkWest in front of @ TrumpHotels NYC. #abc7ny #emergencydeclaration #trump” The tweet includes a photo of protestors gathering outside of Trump Tower. Some are carrying signs.
Will there be Another Partial Government Shutdown? was originally posted on Medium on February 12, 2019. It was periodically updated until the shutdown ended.
Will there be Another Partial Government Shutdown? is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
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January 19, 2019Photo by Marco Bianchetti on Unsplash
The 2018–2019 partial government shutdown has now gone into its fifth week. There doesn’t seem to be any sign that it will end.
What happened before Week Five? You may want to take a look at my blog post about Week One, Week Two, Week Three, and Week Four.
I am hoping that the shutdown ends soon.
January 19, 2019: Day 29 of the Partial Shutdown
The Hill posted an article titled: “Shutdown reaches a month: Here’s what you need to know”. From the article:
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is set to reach a new milestone on Sunday when it hits the one-month mark…
…Roughly 800,000 federal missed their first full paycheck on Jan. 11, and they are set to miss a second consecutive paycheck Friday. While Trump signed a bill guaranteeing workers will be paid in full for when the shutdown ends, an increasing number of employees are finding it hard to pay their bills…
Contractors who have been furloughed have been harder hit in some ways since they are not guaranteed any back pay once the government fully reopens. Senate Democrats introduced a bill that would provide back pay to low-wage contractors, up to a certain amount, but that measure has not advanced either.
The Transportation Security Administration has reported a spike in employees not showing up for work. On Thursday, TSA said 6.4 percent of its workforce was absent, most of them citing financial hardship. That’s almost double the 3.8 percent that called out at the same time last year. Ever since TSA officers missed their first paycheck, the number of absentee agency workers has hovered close to 7 percent…
Mashable posted an article titled: “Pornhub reports bump in traffic amid government shutdown”. From the article:
…In data released Thursday, the adult video platform reports that traffic showed an average daily increase of 5.94% during the week of Jan. 7 (the shutdown’s third week) over traffic in the weeks before the shutdown, which started on Dec. 22…
The Wall Street Journal posted an article titled: “Trump to Support DACA Protections for More Wall Funding”. From the article:
President Trump is planning on Saturday to support protections from deportation for some undocumented immigrants in the U.S. in exchange for $5.7 billion to build the southern border wall, said White House officials familiar with the decision.
Mr. Trump is scheduled to make his announcement at 4:00 pm. Aides cautioned that the announcement has already been delayed once by an hour, and that the president may still change his approach.
To offer to codify protections for young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, known as Dreamers, is seen as a major concession inside the White House.
The offer is designed to move negotiations forward with a view to ending the impasse over the partial government shutdown, with both sides dug in over the wall. Mr. Trump says extending existing border barriers is needed to curb illegal immigration and Democrats say it is an ineffective and expensive measure…
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Trump Expected to Offer Deportation Reprieves in Exchange for Wall Funding”. From the article:
President Trump is expected to announce on Saturday his support for extending reprieves in exchange for $5.7 billion in funding for a wall along the southern border with Mexico, as Republican lawmakers and White House aides have pressured him to end the shutdown.
Mr. Trump is expected to support extending the legal status of those holding temporary protected status, according to a White House official. The president is also expected to indicate support for the Bridge Act, bipartisan legislation that would allow about 740,000 immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children, known as Dreamers, to keep their work permits and deportation reprieves for three more years if they are revoked. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, however, cautioned that the president was quick to change his mind and that his remarks could still shift before his planned announcement from the White House at 4 p.m…
…Democratic lawmaker, however were skeptical of the proposal and signaled that they would not negotiate until the government was reopened. One Democratic aide noted that lawmakers in the party had not been consulted about Mr. Trump’s announcement and in the past had rejected similar overtures…
…On Saturday, Mr. Trump was also expected to host a naturalization ceremony at the White House, a move to underscore the notion that he supports legal immigration.
Senator Dick Durbin (Democrat — Illinois) tweeted: “My response to reported White House offer to end President Trump’s government shutdown in exchange for the border wall and DACA:”
The tweet included a screenshot of a statement titled: “Durbin Response to Reported White House Offer to End Trump Shutdown in Exchange for Border Wall and DACA”.
“First, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader McConnell must open the government today. Second, I cannot support the proposed offer as reported and do not believe it can pass the Senate. Third, I am ready to sit down at any time after the government is opened and work to resole all outstanding issues.”
Senator Ted Lieu (Democrat — California) tweeted: “Dear @realDonaldTrump: Thank you for your concessions. Democrats look forward to working with you on a comprehensive immigration bill that includes DACA. But we can’t do that in a shutdown. We will never allow a shutdown as a negotiating tactic. Need to reopen government first.”
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a statement on the Speaker of the House website. From the statement:
“Democrats were hopeful that the President was finally willing to re-open government and proceed with a much-needed discussion to protect the border.
“Unfortunately, initial reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people’s lives. It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter. For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports.
“Democrats support smart, effective border security solutions:
Increased infrastructure investments at our ports of entry including additional ports and roads;
Advanced technology to scan for drugs, weapons and contraband where the vast majority of drugs come into our country and advanced technology to detect unauthorized crossings;
More customs personnel including filing the more than 3,000 customs and border patrol vacancies; and
More immigration judges.
“Next week, Democrats will pass a package of six bills agreed to by House and Senate negotiators and other legislation to re-open government so that we can fully negotiate on border security proposals…
HuffPost posted an article titled: “Government Shutdown Hiking Rent For Hundreds Of Low-Income Tenants”. From the article:
Hundreds of low-income tenants at housing complexes in four states now face rent hikes thanks to the government shutdown.
A property management company told the tenants in a letter this week that because of the shutdown, the federal government is no longer subsidizing their rent…
…The company, Tri-State Management, confirmed it sent the letter to tenants at 28 building in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Mississippi. Altogether, the apartments have 758 units, but it’s not clear if all the unites received the letter.
An official with Tri-State told HuffPost that eviction proceedings could begin if the shutdown continues past February…
…The buildings are subsidized by a U.S. Department of Agriculture rental assistance program that supports 282,000 households nationwide, most of them with elderly residents. The agency said last week that rental assistance is funded through January.
The federal government’s bigger housing programs, run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, are funded only through February. Those programs support more than 3 million households…
ABC News posted an article titled: “Trump will extend ‘Dreamers’ and TPS protection in exchange for full border wall funding”. From the article:
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that in exchange for the border wall funding, he would extend temporary protections for so-called “Dreamers” and those with Temporary Protected Status — two key issues for congressional Democrats who nevertheless appeared to hold their ground on refusing the president’s demand for $5.7 billion in wall funding.
“Our plan includes the following $800 million in urgent humanitarian aid, $805 million for drug detection technology to help secure our ports of entry, an addition 2,750 border agents and law enforcement professionals, 75 new immigration judge teams to reduce the court backlog…”
Additionally, Trump promised “critical measures to protect migrant children from exploitation and abuse” and “a new system to allow Central American migrants to apply for asylum in their countries.”
In return, Trump said he wants his $5.7 billion in border funding, which he said would be “a strategic deployment of physical barriers, or a wall.”…
…The continuing shutdown — which could head into it’s second month this week — affects about a quarter of the federal government. Trump has said he will keep the government shut down until and unless the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives heed his demand for $5.7 billion to build more than 200 miles of walls between the U.S. and Mexico borders. Democrats recently offered about $1.3 million for border barrier funding…
PayPal posted information titled: “Are you a U.S. federal government employee impacted by the U.S. federal government shutdown? PayPal is here to help.” From the article:
We understand that the current U.S. federal government shutdown is impacting many of our fellow citizens. To assist during this time of uncertainty, we are offering an interest-free one-time cash advance, up to your available credit line for a maximum of $500 (with a minimum amount of $250) to existing or new PayPal Credit customers who are U.S. federal government employees impacted by the shutdown…
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Federal Employees Turn to Pawnshops Amid Shutdown’s Financial Pinch”. From the article:
…About 800,000 federal workers have missed a paycheck during the nearly monthlong shutdown. Thousands have filed for unemployment. Private businesses, banks and charitable organizations are offering help in the form of suspended fees and food banks.
Pawnbrokers said they were essentially providing another form of assistance…
TSA tweeted: “. @ TSA in collaboration with airport authorities & servicing airlines will be exercising a contingency plan at @ BWI_Airport due to excessive callouts. Checkpoint A will be closing at 5:35pm. Passengers should arrive early for evening flights. Contact airport & airlines for updates.
The tweet mentioned the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, which is located between Baltimore and Washington D.C.
January 20, 2019: Day 30 of the Partial Shutdown
President Donald Trump tweeted: “Nancy Pelosi and some of the Democrats turned down my offer yesterday before I even got up to speak. They don’t see crime & drugs, they only see 2020 — which they are not going to win. Best economy! They should do the right thing for the Country & allow people to go back to work.”
Robert Reich wrote an opinion piece for The Guardian titled: “The shutdown has exposed the disaster that is Trumponomics”. From the opinion piece:
One of the least talked-about consequences of the partial shutdown of the US government — courtesy of Donald “I’m proud to shut down the government” Trump — is its negative effect on the US economy.
Federal spending accounts for just over 20% of the total economy. When that spigot is turned halfway off, as it is now, demand for goods and services necessarily drops. The result is less investment and slower growth.
Right now some 800,000 government employees aren’t collecting paychecks, Nor are hundreds of thousands of government contractors being paid. None of them can buy as much as before.
It’s just another aspect of Trumponomics, which stands for the highly dubious proposition that prosperity comes from cutting taxes on corporations and the wealthy, while squeezing American workers — the people who do most of the buying…
President Donald Trump tweeted: “No, Amnesty is not part of my offer. It is a 3 year extension of DACA. Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else. Likewise, there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally — but be careful Nancy!”
Bloomberg posted an article titled: “A Top House Democrat Offers a Path to a Deal Ending Shutdown Fight”. From the article:
The No. 3 House Democrat on Sunday offered a path for a deal to end the almost month-long partial government shutdown, focused on a permanent solution for so-called “Dreamer” rather than the three-year reprieve offered by President Donald Trump.
“Let’s go back and forth on this and see where we can find common ground,” House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn of South Carolina said on “Fox News Sunday.” He spoke a day after Trump made his offer, which was rejected even before he presented it by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats.
Clyburn said Democrats would love “to have a permanent fix” fo the undocumented individuals in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, as well as people from various countries at risk of losing Temporary Protected Status — just as Trump “wants a permanent wall”…
…But Clyburn said Trump should first agree to open up the government to give lawmakers several weeks to negotiate a deal that would include more money for a wall on the southern U.S. border. Trump is demanding $5.7 billion, which the Democrats have flatly rejected…
…The Senate plans a vote as early as Tuesday on a package that would fund the shuttered parts of the federal government to Oct. 1 and provide $12 billion in disaster aid while enacting Trump’s compromise on immigration offer.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will attempt to amend a House-passed spending bill with the text of the new legislation on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the plan. If he cannot get consent from Democrats to do that, the vote on the bill would be pushed to Thursday, the person said.
The vote would come just before about 800,000 federal workers are set to miss their second paychecks on Friday from the shutdown. The House also plans votes this week on a package containing six of the same seven spending bills…
An article from CNBC, posted on November 8, 2018, provides some context to President Trump’s tweet. The article is titled: “US appeals court rules against Trump on DACA immigration program”. From the article:
A U.S. appeals court in California ruled on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s administration must continue a program that began under former President Barack Obama that protects hundreds of thousands of immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children.
The decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals preserves the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program introduced in 2012 that has shielded from deportation a group of immigrants dubbed “Dreamers” and has given them work permits, though not a path to citizenship….
…The three-judge panel rejected the administration’s claim that the decision to end DACA was not reviewable by the courts…
An article from NBC News, posted on January 18, 2019, provides more context. The article is titled: “Supreme Court unlikely to Hear Trump DACA appeal”. From the article:
The U.S. Supreme Court took no action on Friday on the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. It now appears likely that the court will not take up the issue during its current term, which would require the government to keep the program going for at least ten months…
CNN posted an article titled: “Voice of America’s journalists aren’t getting paid. But they’re still reporting the news”. From the article:
Voice of America has been busy for the past month covering the partial government shutdown.
But unlike other major news outlets, many of Voice of America’s reporters are working without pay, victims of the shutdown themselves.
The VOA is part of the US Agency for Global Media, which was known until recently as the Broadcasting Board of Governors. The agency is funded by the government, and beams news coverage around the world through networks like VOA, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Martí and on the web.
The offices of the Agency for Global Media are closed. But the newsrooms are open and its reporters are navigating furloughs and lack of pay to keep the news going…
The Hill posted an article titled: “GOP rep suggests congressional pay should be revoked during shutdown”. From the article:
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y) suggested revoking congressional pay during the partial government shutdown could help expedite negotiations to reopen the government.
“I really do believe that you should lock every member of Congress in a room, bring the president in, no phones, no pay. You’re not leaving until there’s white smoke,” he said on John Catisimatidis’ radio show. “You need to negotiate, compromise with each other, with the president. I think you’d have a deal within maybe 45 minutes.”…
The white smoke that Rep. Lee Zeldin is a reference to how a new Pope is chosen. In short, a Cardinal electors vote on who should become the new Pope (after the previous Pope has died — or retired). They need 77 votes, or a two-thirds majority. If the vote fails to reach two-thirds majority, black smoke comes from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel. If the vote gets two-thirds, white smoke comes from the chimney — signaling that a new Pope has been selected.
The Hill posted an article titled: “GOP senator calls Trump immigration offer a ‘straw man proposal’ not meant to become law”. From the article:
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) on Sunday called President Trump’s proposal to extend protections for some immigrants in exchange for wall funding a “straw man proposal” that is not meant to become law.
Lankford said on ABC’s “This Week” that he and other Republicans encouraged the White House to “put out a proposal”.
“They’ve listened to a lot of Democrat and Republican members for the last month. They’ve heard all the demands. They know the background on it. Put out a straw man proposal. Get something out there the president can say ‘I can support this,’ and it has elements from both sides, put it on the table, then open it up for debate,” he said.
“The vote this week in the Senate is not to pass the bill,” Lankford continued. “It is to open up and say, ‘Can we debate this? Can we amend it? Can we make changes?’ Let’s find a way to be able to get the government open because there are elements in this that are clearly elements that have been supported by Democrats strongly in the past.”…
CNN posted an article titled: “Federal prisons feel the effects of the shutdown”. From the article:
Conditions behind the walls of the nation’s federal prisons are degrading under the government shutdown, where some correctional officers are being forced to work extended shifts, inmate programs are being canceled, and medical and maintenance workers are being asked to fill in for guards.
Those who are on the job are sometimes held to work 16-hour shifts to fill in the gaps, according to several prison workers and a union president who spoke with CNN.
The situation could put inmates and front line prison workers in danger, said Eric Young, national president of the AFGE Council of Prison Locals…
…Correctional officers, like hundreds of thousands of federal employees, have been working for four weeks without paychecks.
They were already among the lowest-paid federal law enforcement officials, Young said, and the union believes the nation’s prisons are significantly understaffed by around 7,100 positions.
That means when the paychecks stop, the situation is especially dire…
Admiral Karl Schultz, the 26th Commandant of the USCG, tweeted: “Today, the 418-foot @ USGC Cutter Bertholf departed for a multi-month deployment in support of a @ DeptofDefense Combatant Commander. Our #USCG members sail around the world to protect U.S. national interests while their loved ones cope w/ financial challenges & no pay at home.”
January 21, 2019: Day 31 of the Partial Shutdown
GoFundMe posted a press release on PRNewswire titled: “GoFundMe Launches Government Shutdown Direct Relief Fund”. It was written by GoFundMe CEO Rob Solomon. From the press release:
Today we partnered with Deepak Chopra to launch a GoFundMe providing relief for government workers impacted by the shutdown.
Your donation will be distributed to several nonprofit organizations across the country offering direct assistance to government workers. These nonprofits are doing important work, providing hot meals, necessary counseling, and housing relief. I encourage everyone to support them.
Some of the first nonprofits to receive support include José Andrés and his team of #ChefsForFeds, who are serving thousands of meals in Washington D.C. The line is literally out the door. And in addition to food supplies, the National Diaper Bank Network is providing diapers to parents impacted by the shutdown. We will add more nonprofits as the GoFundMe continues…
…I’m choosing to take action. Deepak Chopra donated $10,000. We’ve matched his $10,000…
NBC News posted an article titled: “TSA calls in backup officers as shutdown drags on”. From the article:
The Transportation Security Administration has been calling in officers that usually help with staffing shortages during natural disasters to compensate for a rise in the absences of airport screeners, who have been working without regular pay since the partial government shutdown began more than four weeks ago.
The TSA said unscheduled absences on Saturday reached 8 percent of its 51,000 officers, compared with 3 percent a year ago. The TSA officer are among some 420,000 government employees who have been deemed essential, and have been ordered to work during the shutdown. That group also includes air traffic controllers.
Members of TSA’s National Deployment Force have been sent to several major airports, including at Newark Liberty International airport, LaGuardia airport, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport, said agency spokesman James Gregory…
…The shutdown, now in its 31st day and the longest ever, has been playing out across the U.S. travel industry, where staffing shortages have led to longer airport security lines and delays in government approval for new aircraft and routes…
NPR posted an article titled: “Martin Luther King Jr. National Park Reopens For Holiday, Thanks To A Private Grant” From the article:
Atlanta’s Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park has reopened for the first time since the partial government shutdown began on Dec. 22, thanks to a grant from Delta Air Lines. The deal allows the park to avoid the awkward possiblity that it would be closed on the federal holiday honoring King.
“Without the assistance provided by The Delta Air Lines Foundation, it would have remained closed during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend,” a National Park Service spokesman told NPR…
…The 35-acre park, which draws more than 670,000 visitors to Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood each year, reopened Saturday. With an $83,500 grant from Delta and money from National Park Service recreation fees, it now has enough funds to operate until Feb. 3.
Feb. 3 is also when Atlanta hosts the Super Bowl, and the King park could receive thousands of visitors in town for the game and related events around Mercedes-Benz Stadium, less than 3 miles away…
NBC Washington 4 posted an article titled: “Trump, Pence Make Unannounced Visit to Martin Luther King Memorial” From the article:
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence made a brief surprise visit Monday to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The president and vice president arrived at the monument off the National mall and helped move a wreath covered with red, white and blue flowers closer to the statue of King
Both wearing overcoats amid below-zero wind chills, Trump and Pence stood somberly and left about three minutes after they arrived.
Neither Trump nor Pence spoke about their visit nor responded to reporters’ questions about the government shutdown, which hit 31 days on Monday…
Boston.com posted an article titled: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Government shutdown is Trump’s fault”. From the article”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ramped up her criticism of President Donald Trump on Monday faulting him for the partial federal government shutdown during remarks at the 49th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast in Boston.
“As we speak, our government is shut down for one reason: So that the president of the United States can fund a monument to hate and division along our southern border.” the Massachusetts Democrat said during a 10-minute speech. “This is the old divide-and-conquer strategy. The goal is to turn hardworking people against other hardworking people. The intent is to promote fear and hatred.”
During the event, Warren also responded to Trump’s offer to Democrats on Saturday to open the government in exchange for temporary protections for young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children and those fleeing disaster zones. Warren said Trump must open the government immediately.
“If the president wants to negotiate over immigration reform, I’m all for it,” Warren said after the speech. “But open the government and open it now.”…
CNN posted an article titled: “Jon Bon Jovi offering free meals to federal workers during government shutdown”. From the article:
Jon Bon Jovi is the latest celebrity to help out government workers who are not being paid during the government shutdown.
The rocker’s New Jersey restaurant announced in a Facebook post over the weekend that federal worker are welcome to a free meal. JBJ Soul Kitchen, which is operated by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, is a non-profit restaurant where customers can dine regardless of whether they are able to pay a suggested donation. They can also volunteer in lieu of paying…
…New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has also partnered with Bon Jovi to provide free meals…
The Washington Post posted and article titled: “Senate Republican all but surrender to Trump on wall despite shutdown’s toll”. From the article:
One month into a historic government shutdown, Republican senators are standing staunchly behind President Trump’s demand for money to build a border wall, even as the GOP bears the brunt of the blame for a standoff few in the party agitated for, according to interviews this past week with more than 40 Republican senators and aides.
Under pressure from conservatives to help Trump deliver on a signature campaign promise and unable to persuade him to avert the government shutdown, these lawmakers have all but surrendered to the president’s will. Their comments show how the cracks in the 53-member Republican majority that emerged at the outset of the shutdown have not spread beyond a handful of lawmakers.
Asked about the pressure from constituents and some of the 800,000 affected federal workers to end the impasse, GOP senators insisted they are facing equal — if not more — insistence to stand behind Trump and his call for $5.7 billion for a U.S. — Mexico border wall, especially from conservative voters…
…Led by McConnell, most GOP senators argue there is little utility in contemplating solutions to the shutdown that don’t have Trump’s blessing…
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Shutdown’s Pain Cuts Deep for the Homeless and Other Vulnerable Americans”. From the article:
…One month after the government shutdown began, its effects have begun to hurt some of the most vulnerable Americans: not just homeless people, but also those who are one crisis away from the streets. And nonprofit groups dedicated to helping low-income renters are already scrambling to survive without the lifeblood payments from HUD that began being cut off Jan. 1.
That has left a small but growing number of tenants… in limbo. Landlords, especially smaller management companies operating on narrow margins, have begun pressuring poor, disabled, and elderly tenants who cannot afford to make up the difference.
On Friday afternoon, a TriState Management employee in Newton, Ark., taped notices on the doors of 43 federally subsidized tenants, demanding that they cover the gap between what they typically pay and the full rent…
…A TriState Management employee hung up the phone when asked about the policy on Friday. But lawyers for the poor say that renters can fight evictions in court, and many organizations, including the Fair Housing Center of Maryland, have begun distributing flyers informing tenants of their rights under local law…
…Most other social safety net programs are facing a similar, if less imminent, emergency. The Department of Agriculture has announced that funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Program, which provides food stamps and other aid to almost 40 million poor and working-class Americans, will run out March 1, and other nutrition programs are facing the same fate.
The Department of Health and Human Services was largely exempt from the shutdown and Medicaid and Medicare are not affected by the funding lapse. But Congress failed to reauthorize one of its main programs, the $16.5 billion Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which provides states with block grants for a range of services, cash welfare and childcare. States are likely to pick up the tab for most programs, but a protracted shutdown lasting into the Spring could result in cutbacks, according to analysts…
…HUD, which funds most of these programs, has been hit not only by the furloughing of 95 percent of its work force, but also by a recent exodus of top staff members. Just days before the shutdown began, the department’s deputy secretary, Pam Patenaude, resigned in what one person with knowledge of the situation described as a forced exit after clashing with the housing secretary, Ben Carson…
CBS News posted an article titled: “Shutdown’s damage to economy could exceed $5.7 billion cost of Trump’s border wall”. From the article:
The government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — is estimated in 31 days to have cost the American economy almost as much as the $5.7 billion President Trump has demanded for his proposed southern border wall.
Average weekly direct and indirect costs of the partial shutdown, which began Dec. 22, currently add up to $1.2 billion, according to Beth Ann Bovino, S&P Global’s U.S. chief economist. Monday marked the start of the shutdown’s fifth week, and the closure will have cost roughly $6 billion in damage to the economy if the government does not reopen by the end of the week, Bovino estimated in a recent research note…
ABC Eyewitness News Channel 7 posted an article titled: “KISS members offer free meals to TSA employees impacted by government shutdown”. From the article:
Two members of the legendary rock band KISS are offering TSA employees a free meal.
Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley made their announcement through their Rock and Brews Restaurants’ Facebook page.
TSA employees, impacted during the government shutdown, can get a free pulled pork sandwich or strawberry fields salad at all stand-alone Rock and Brews locations…
January 22, 2019: Day 32 of the Partial Shutdown
Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted: “This week, @HouseDemocrats will vote on more bipartisan bills to re-open government, and act to bolster funding for border security solutions that work. @realDonaldTrump & @senatemajldr need to stop holding Americans hostage, stop blocking these bills and #EndTheShutdown now.
The Guardian posted an article titled: “Senate Republicans announce bill to end shutdown on Trump’s terms”. From the article:
Senate Republicans have released a measure designed around Donald Trump’s proposal for breaking a budget impasse, its centerpiece his demand for a $5.7bn to build a southern border wall, which all but guarantees Democratic opposition and no foreseeable end to a partial government shutdown.
As the shutdown dragged into its 32nd day, a clear record, another missed paycheck loomed for hundreds of thousands of workers. Voting in Congress was not expected to unfold until later in the week. Even then it seemed doubtful that the 1,300-page Senate measure, the “End the Shutdown and Secure the Border Act”, had any chance of passing swiftly.
Senate Republicans hold a 53–47 majority but would need Democrats to reach the usual 60-vote threshold for bills to advance. Not a single Democrat publicly expressed support for Trump’s proposal since he announced it over the weekend. Democratic leadership rejected it before he spoke.
Details of the measure released late Monday highlight the trade-off of border wall funding or temporary protection from deportation for some immigrants. The Republican package would reopen the shuttered parts of the government and boost some spending. To try and draw more bipartisan support, it adds $12.7bn in supplemental funding for regions hit by hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters…
…House Democrats this week are pushing ahead with voting on their own legislation to reopen the government and add $1bn for border security — including 75 more immigration judges and infrastructure improvements — but no funding for the wall…
Chad Pergram tweeted: “Senate now meeting. Expect McConnell to try to start debate on bill to re-open gov’t & fund wall. If he doesn’t get clearance, he likely has to file cloture to try and cut off the filibuster on the motion to proceed. That requires 60 yeas. No vote until Thursday if by the bk”
Chad Pergram’s bio on Twitter says he wan an Edward R. Murrow Award and the Joan Barone Award for his reporting on Capitol Hill.
The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) released a long report titled: “Voices From the Field: FBI Agent Accounts of the Real Consequences of the Government Shutdown”. From the report:
…For Agents and the FBIAA, the fight for funding is not political. It is a matter of completing our mission and protecting the Constitution and the people of our nation. Agents will continue working to thwart all plots and investigate all incidents, whether child trafficking and exploitation, cyber intrusion, or terrorist attack…
… If the FBI and Department of Justice (“DOJ”) are not funded, the Agents will continue to face challenges in carrying out our mission to protect the nation. Some of the specific ways the shutdown affects our Agents and operations were highlighted in the FIBAA’s petition:
FBI Special Agents are subject to high security standards that include rigorous and routine financial background checks… Missing payments on debts could create delays in securing or renewing security clearances, and could even disqualify Agents from continuing to serve in some cases.
The operations of the FBI require funding. As the shutdown continues, Special Agents remain at work for the American people without being paid, and FBI leadership is doing all ti can to fund FBI operations with increasingly limited resources — this situation is not sustainable.
Pay uncertainty undermines the FBI’s ability to recruit and retain high-caliber professionals… The ongoing financial insecurity caused by the failure to fund the FBI could lead some FBI Agents to consider career options that provide more stability for their families…
The Hill posted an article titled: “McConnell urges Dems to ‘take yes for an answer’ on funding offer”. From the article:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is trying to ratchet up pressure on Democrats to support President Trump’s government funding proposal ahead of a key test vote later this week.
McConnell, speaking from the Senate floor on Tuesday, said he is giving the White House offer a vote because it is the only one that “can be signed by the president and immediately reopen the government.”…
…McConnell separately told reporters that he expects a key test vote on the legislation on Thursday, when Democrats are expected to block the bill from getting 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster…
The Guardian did a live feed of the shutdown that included a post by Lauren Gambino titled: “Senate to vote on Thursday”. From that post:
The Senate will vote on Thursday on a pair of bills that would end the partial shutdown of the government now in its fifth week.
The first bill, a Republican-backed measure, would meet the president’s demand for a $5.7bn wall along the southern border in exchange for temporary protections for young undocumented immigrants and the second would extend funding for the agencies that are currently closed through 8 February.
The compromise, reached by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, is the first sign of progress after a 32-day stalemate over the partial shutdown, which has left as many as 800,000 government workers without pay…
In another post from The Guardian’s live feed, Lauren Gambino continued:
It’s far from certain whether either bill can garner enough support to pass the chamber. Democrats, who are opposed to a wall, likely have the votes to block Trump’s proposal. The Democratic proposal would have to win the support of at least 13 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold…
Speaker Nancy Pelosi posted a statement on the Speaker of the House website. It was titled: “Pelosi Statement on Senate Vote on House-Passed Bill to Re-Open Government”.
Speaker Pelosi issues this statement in advance of the scheduled Senate votes, first on the President’s unacceptable, radical immigration and border demands, and the second, on legislation to re-open the government with a House-passed package consisting of a continuing resolution through February 8 in addition to the disaster supplemental legislation:
“On Thursday, the Senate will have the oppertunity to put a bipartisan bill on the President’s desk to re-open government and end this senseless shutdown.
“Families across the nation have been suffering under the shutdown for more than a month. There is no excuse for Senate Republicans not to pass this legislation, which contains the funding proposal that they have already supported.
“ Senate Republicans need to re-open government, not continue their complicity in the Trump Shutdown with a vote for the President’s unacceptable border and immigration schemes that only increase the chaos and suffering at the border.
“The Senate GOP and President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, and re-open government immediately.
CNN posted an article titled: “Email: TSA makes plea for backup as shutdown drags on”. From the article:
The Transportation Security Administration is making a plea for 250 people to bolster its workforce of backup officers, the latest sign the agency is straining under the pressure of the shutdown, according to an internal email sent Monday morning from a TSA executive obtained exclusively by CNN.
The email, sent to TSA officials in more than 10 states with more than 100 airports, asks for employees to move from their home airports to those airports struggling with low staffing, an indication the agency is bracing for even more callouts…
…This is the second such request for more backup screeners to help fill gaps, according to the email and a TSA official familiar with its contents.
All members of the agency’s National Deployment team, a rapid response team comprising of TSA officers can be sent to airports across the country to help fill the staffing gaps, have already been dispatched, according to the email. The team has been used to patch up gaps at airports in Atlanta, New York, Chicago, and elsewhere as the partial government shutdown extends into its fifth week…
January 23, 2019: Day 33 of the Partial Shutdown
Morning Consult posted an article titled: “Trump’s Disapproval Hits Record High Amid Government Shutdown”. From the article:
As the partial government shutdown entered its second month Monday, the share of voters disapproving of President Donald Trump’s job performance reached its highest point in his first two years in office.
According to the latest Morning Consult/Politico poll, conducted Jan. 18–22, 57 percent of registered voters disapprove of Trump’s job performance — more than any other survey in Trump’s two years in office — while 40 percent approve. The 17-percentage point deficit matches two previous lows of the Trump presidency: in the first weekend of the shutdown, which began on Dec. 22, and in the wake of his comments regarding the fatal riots in Charlottesville, Va., in August 2017…
…When it comes to his plans for the border, nearly half of voters (49 percent) oppose construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, up 2 points (the polls’ margins of error) since a Jan. 4–6 Morning Consult/Politico poll. Forty-three percent of voters support construction of the wall, the same share of voters as the poll conducted earlier this month…
Alex Moe (NBC News Capitol Hill Producer and off-air reporter) tweeted: “NEW: House GOP retreat scheduled for next week in West Virginia has been POSTPONED to date TBD because of shutdown, per two sources. Announcement was made in closed conference meeting this morning.”
Forbes posted an article titled: “IRS Workers, Called Back to Work, Are Asking To Stay Home Instead, Raising Questions About Tax Season And Refunds”. From the article:
Less than a week before tax season is slated to open for the new filing season, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doors remain largely closed. However, as part of the IRS Shutdown Contingency Plan, 46,052 employees have been designated as “exempted/exempt,” sending tens of thousands of IRS employees back to work without pay. However, some are fighting back by asking for permission to stay home. Those absences are throwing the tax season open into question and raising concerns about whether the IRS will be able to process tax returns and issue taxpayer refunds on time…
…IRS employees who are asking to stay home are using a clause in their union contracts that offers an exemption for an economic hardship. The exemption is based on financial circumstances and is not limited to the shutdown.
That union, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), represents 150,000 employees at 33 federal agencies and departments including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food & Drug Administration, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture…
…Employees have already missed one paycheck due to the shutdown. IRS employees will skip a second paycheck next week if the government does not reopen. That’s a tough situation for many workers, especially since nearly 80% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck…
White House Press Secretary Sara Sanders tweeted: “President Trump’s letter to Speaker Pelosi on the State of the Union”. The tweet included an image of the letter, which said:
Dear Madam Speaker,
Thank you for your letter of January 3, 2019, sent to me long after the Shutdown began, inviting me to address the Nation on January 29th as to the State of the Union. As you know, I had already accepted your kind invitation, however, I then received another letter from you dated January 16, 2019, wherein you expressed concerns regarding security during the State of the Union Address due to the Shutdown. Even prior to asking, I was contacted by the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Secret Service to explain that there would be absolutely no problem regarding security with respect to the event. They have since confirmed this publicly.
Accordingly, there are no security concerns regarding the State of the Union Address. Therefore, I will be honoring your invitation and fulfilling my Constitutional duty, to deliver important information to the people and Congress of the United States of America regarding the State of the Union.
I look forward to seeing you on the evening of January 29th in the Chamber of the House of Representatives. It would be very sad for our Country if the State of the Union were not delivered on time, on schedule, and very importantly, on location!…
Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to President Trump’s letter with a letter of her own. That letter was posted on the Speaker of the House website. From the letter:
Dear Mr. President:
When I extended an invitation on January 3rd for you to deliver the State of the Union address, it was on the mutually agreed upon date, January 29th. At that time, there was no thought that the government would still be shut down.
In my further correspondence of January 16th, I said we should work together to find a mutually agreeable date when government has re-opened and I hope that we can still do that.
I am writing to inform you that the House of Representatives will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber until government has opened.
Again, I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened…
USA Today posted an article titled: “Trump abandons plans to give State of the Union in the House, says he will look for another site”. From the article:
President Donald Trump has abandoned his push to deliver the State of the Union address in the House chamber next week and says he will look for another location…
Trump’s decision to scout out an alternative site for the speech followed another round of salvos between him and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the annual address…
…Republican officials in Michigan and North Carolina have invited Trump to give his speech in their states…
The Hill posted an article titled: “McConnell blocks bill to reopen most of government”. From the article:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blocked legislation on Wednesday that would reopen most of the government currently closed during the partial shutdown.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) went to the Senate floor to ask for consent to take up the House-passed bill that would fund every agency and department impacted by the partial shutdown, except the Department of Homeland Security, through Sept. 30.
McConnell, however, objected. It’s the forth time he’s blocked the bill to reopen most of government. He has also blocked, as recently as Tuesday, a House-passed bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8…
Lexington Herald Leader posted an article titled: “Lexington police order shutdown protester away from Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office.” From the article:
Lexington police ordered several dozen protesters to leave the lobby of a Corporate Drive building Wednesday where they had gathered outside of the district office of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell.
The protesters, including unpaid federal employees from around Central Kentucky, were trying to deliver a letter to McConnell’s staff demanding that the Senate Republican Leader reopen the government. But McConnell’s staff locked the office’s glass door and refused to open it…
…After a few minutes, several police officers arrived on scene and loudly ordered anyone who did not work in the building to leave.
The protestors quickly complied, moving outside to the windy, rainy parking lot…
Kristin Mink tweeted several photos and video of the protest outside Senator Mitch McConnell’s district office. She, and others, used the #OccupyHart hashtag to post comments, photos and videos of that protest.
Senator Cory Gardner (Republican — Colorado) posted a press release on his official website. It was titled: “Gardner to Introduce Legislation to Pay Federal Workers”. From the press release:
Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) announced he will introduce legislation tomorrow to immediately pay federal workers affected by the current lapse in appropriations. The legislation would appropriate funds for all federal employees to be paid their standard pay during the shutdown regardless of their furlough status. With this bill, once the shutdown ends and regular appropriations are made, the amounts paid to compensate the federal employees will be deducted from the department’s full year appropriations to avoid any windfalls for the department.
“I’ve made it clear that I do not believe government shutdowns are ever the right answer,” said Senator Gardner. “We must reopen the government, and I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find a solution. In the interim, our federal workers should not be deprived of their paychecks. My legislation provides peace of mind for our 800,000 government employees who are struggling to make ends meet. I’ve heard firsthand from Coloradans who have been impacted by the ongoing shutdown. These families are in real pain and deserve relief”.
USA Today posted an article titled: “Exclusive: Trump ally Gingrich says White House, GOP should sweeten shutdown offer to attract Democrats”. From the article:
Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House and an ally of President Donald Trump, urged the White House and Senate Republican leaders to make changes to Trump-endorsed border legislation coming to a vote this week to attract more Democratic votes.
“I think that’s misdesigned. I mean, you either design a deal that gets you Democrats, or you don’t,” Gingrich told USA Today on the 33rd day of the government shutdown. “If you’re trying to attract people with sugar, you shouldn’t pour vinegar in top of it.”…
…Gingrich said White House aides, who have been working with the Senate Republicans on the legislation that is scheduled for a vote on Thursday, made a “big mistake” by including provisions in it that Democrats strongly oppose, such as making it harder for minors from Central America to seek aslyum…
January 24, 2019: Day 34 of the Partial Shutdown
The Hill posted an article titled: “Fox News poll: 51 precent say Trump is most responsible for shutdown”. From the article:
A majority of Americans say President Trump is most responsible for the ongoing partial government according to a new poll from Fox News.
The survey, which was conducted with the help of Beacon Research and released on Wednesday, found that 51 percent of registered voters think Trump bears the most responsibility for the shutdown…
…The poll found that support for Trump’s long-sought border wall has risen in the past few months. Forty-three percent of respondents said they favorited building a wall, a slight increase from the 39 percent who said they supported it in September 2018. Meanwhile, 51 percent who said they opposed construction of a wall along the southern border…
NBC News posted an article titled: “Trump says he will not give State of the Union until government shutdown is over”. From the article:
President Donald Trump late Wednesday announced he would not hold a State of the Union address until after the partial government shutdown, now in its fifth week, is over.
The announcement made shortly after 11p.m. ET seemingly put to rest a dispute between the president and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., over whether the address would be held…
…The president is not allowed to speak in the chamber, the traditional spot for the State of the Union address, unless the House and Senate pass a resolution allowing him to do so.
Erica Werner (Washington Post correspondent — formerly AP) tweeted: “McConnell tells reporters: “My hope is that we will pass the proposal that could be signed into law and solve the problem, and that we will not pass the alternative which does not have a chance of becoming law and solving the problem.” Did not respond when asked next step.”
Senator Joe Manchin (Republican — West Virginia) tweeted: “Today I will vote for both gov funding bills b/c I believe we must end this harmful shutdown immediately & its our first opportunity in the Senate to do so. Even though they will probably fail, these votes are a start to finding a way to reopen the gov & get WVians back to work”
The Washington Nationals tweeted: “The #Nats foundation has donated $100,000 to Capital Area Food Bank to support those affected by the partial government shutdown. You can extend our impact by donating to the cause, today Nationals.com/FoodBank”
The Senate voted on H.R. 268 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019. The summary of this bill says:
This bill provided $12.1 billion in FY2019 supplemental appropriations to several federal departments and agencies for expenses related to the consequences of recent wildfires, hurricanes, volcanoes, earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural disasters.
The funding provided by this bill is designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules.
The bill includes appropriations for the following Departments: Agriculture; Commerce; Justice; Defense; Interior; Energy; Homeland Security; Environmental Protection Agency; Health and Human Services; Labor; Education; Veterans Affairs; Transportation; and Housing and Urban Development.
It also provides appropriations for: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Forest Service, and the Government Accountability Office.
The vote on H.R. 268 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019 required 3/5 of votes in order to pass. It received 50 YEAS and 47 NAYS. Three Senators did not vote. This means that the bill failed.
The Guardian reported that H.R. 268 was “a Trump-backed proposal”.
A proposal that would have given Trump funding for his wall and re-open the shuttered departments of the government failed in a 50–47 vote. The measure needed 60 votes to pass.
Almost all of the YEA votes came from Republicans. Senator Joe Manchin (Democrat — West Virginia) also voted YEA.
Almost all of the NAY votes came from Democrats. Senator Angus King (Independent — Maine) and Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent — Vermont) also voted NAY. Senator Tom Cotton (Republican — Arkansas), and Senator Mike Lee (Republican — Utah) also voted NAY.
Three Senators did not vote: Senator Rand Paul (Republican — Kentucky), Senator James Risch (Democrat — Idaho), and Senator Jacky Rosen (Democrat — Nevada). The Reno Gazette Journal reported that Senator Rosen missed the vote because she was recovering from a wrist injury sustained during a Martin Luther King Day parade in Las Vegas.
The Senate voted on the Democratic version of H.R. 268 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019. The summary of the bill appears to be the same as the Trump-backed version.
The vote required 3/5 in order to pass. It received 52 YEAs and 44 NAYS, which means that the bill failed. Four Senators did not vote.
The Guardian reported:
A Democratic plan that would extend current funding levels for two weeks and open the shuttered departments has failed, albeit by a smaller margin than Trump’s proposal.
Almost all of the YEA votes came from Democrats. Senator Angus King (Independent — Maine), and Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent — Vermont) also voted YEA.
Senator Lamar Alexander (Republican — Tennessee), Senator Susan Collins (Republican — Maine), Senator Cory Gardner (Republican — Colorado), Senator Johnny Isakson (Republican — New Hampshire), Senator Lisa Murkowski (Republican — Alaska), and Senator Mitt Romney (Republican — Utah) all voted YEA.
The following Senators did not vote: Richard Burr (Republican — North Carolina), Rand Paul (Republican — Kentucky), Senator James Risch (Democrat — Idaho), and Senator Jacky Rosen (Democrat — Nevada)
Nathan R. Catura, National President of Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association posted an “Open Letter to the President”. From the letter:
Dear President Trump,
Today marks the second paycheck that government employees will miss because of the government shutdown. This includes federal law enforcement officers, many of whom are protecting the border. While these federal law enforcement officers work, bills and mortgages mount with no clear pay back date.
The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) represents almost 27,000 federal agents and officers in 65 federal agencies. All of our members are working with no pay, due to their positions being deemed essential for national security.
The situation has become so dire that a GoFundMe page has been established for federal employees, soup kitchens are advertising availability, and donations are being made around the nation to assist federal employees, including federal law enforcement officers. Mr. President, it is reprehensible that those working to protect America are being put in this perilous position…
…Mr. President, we all agree that our nation’s borders need to be secured but right now, those we’ve asked to do so are more focused on how to pay their bills.
January 25, 2019: Day 35 of the Partial Shutdown
CNBC posted an article titled: “Air traffic controller shortage delays flights at several major US airports”. From the article:
An increase in sick leave among air traffic controllers delayed flights at several major airports in the eastern U.S. on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Fights at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport were delayed on Day 35 of the partial government shutdown. More than 14,000 air traffic controllers and thousands of others federal aviation workers have been deemed essential and have been ordered to work even though they aren’t receiving regular pay due to the impasse between lawmakers and President Donald Trump over finding for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
The FAA briefly halted flights into LaGuardia and some arriving flights were delayed almost an hour and a half, the agency said. By early afternoon, delays had moderated at Philadelphia and Newark, but had picked up at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport, the world’s busiest and a hub of Delta Air Lines, according to the FAA…
CNBC tweeted: “JUST IN: FAA releases statement amid air traffic delays at LGA, EWR, PHL; agency said it has “experienced a slight increase in sick leave at two facilities”. The tweet included an image of a statement from the FAA that said:
“We have experienced a slight increase in sick leave at two facilities. We’ve mitigated the impact by augmenting staffing, rerouting traffic, and increasing spacing between aircraft when needed. The results have been minimal impacts to efficiency while maintaining consistent levels of safety in the national airspace system. The public can monitor air traffic at fly.faa.gov and they should check with airline carriers for more information.”
President Donald Trump delivered remarks regarding the partial government shutdown outside of the White House. A tweet of a video of his remarks was posted on the @ realDonaldTrump website. A key quote from the video is:
… “In a short while, I will sign a bill to open our government for three weeks until February 15th. I will make sure that all employees receive their backpay very quickly, or as soon as possible. It’ll happen fast.
I am asking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to put this proposal on the floor immediately.
After 36 days of spirited debate and dialogue, I have seen and heard from enough Democrats and Republicans that they are willing to put partisanship aside … I think… and put the security of the American people first. I do believe they’re going to do that….
Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted: “How pathetic. On Dec. 19, the Senate unanimously passed essentially the same legislation that we will vote on today. We are back to exactly where we started. Thank you, Mr. President, for shutting down the government and holding 800,000 federal employees hostage. All for nothing!”
Ben Jacobs (political reporter for The Guardian) tweeted: “INBOX: McConnell Supports President’s Plan to Re-Open the Government”.
The tweet included an image of a statement from Senator Mitch McConnell. The statement was titled: “McConnell Supports President’s Plan to Re-Open the Government”. From the statement:
… “For weeks, I’ve states that I wouldn’t let the Senate become a theater for show votes and messaging stunts from either side. We’d only vote on plans that stood an actual chance of being signed by the president and becoming law.
“So I was glad to see today the president’s announcement that he and Democrats have reached an agreement that will immediately re-open the government, while providing the room to negotiate a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security. Further, negotiations on DHS will be prioritized over consideration of any other funding bills. And with cooperation, we can pass legislation opening the government and send the DHS appropriations bill to a conference with the House today…
Alex Moe (Capitol Hill producer for NBC News and Off-Air reporter) tweeted: “House Freedom Chair Mark Meadows doesn’t oppose this 3wk CR — even though he did in December and was adamant the President not sign the CR to avert a shutdown — but also says executive action under consideration”.
The tweet included an image of a statement from Representative Mark Meadows. From the statement:
“Throughout this process, President Trump has made numerous offers and repeatedly expressed willingness to engage with Democrats about a compromise — but failure to fund needed physical barriers along our southern border is still not an option. The President is sticking by his commitment to keep our communities safe and has assured me that nothing will deter him from accomplishing that goal. His resolve remains steadfast. Democrats now have yet another opportunity to come to the table and negotiate, where all Americans will be able to judge for themselves whether they’re truly serious about securing our border. If negotiations don’t result in a solution, executive action is still very much under consideration.”
The Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Trump agrees to end government shutdown without any border wall money”. From the article:
President Trump on Friday announced a deal to temporarily end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, capitulating — for now — on his demand for billions of taxpayer dollars to build a southern border wall.
A day after the Senate defeated competing proposals to reopen the government and as the financial pain from the shutdown spread across the nation, Trump on Friday said it was time to end a standoff he had defended only a day earlier.
The deal includes a three-week extension of government funding through Feb. 15 and an agreement to continue negotiations on border security, including the debate over the wall. Federal workers will receive back pay for the time they were furloughed…
…The agreement — which largely mirrors what Democrats have been suggesting — came as three major East Coast airports reported slowdowns Friday due to unpaid air traffic controllers calling in sick…
…Most public opinion polls increasingly put the blame for the shutdown squarely on Trump, who boasted before it began that he would happily accept full responsibility because he believed building a wall was vital to protecting the U.S.-Mexico border…
…Serious negotiations to end the shutdown began Thursday afternoon, shortly after the Senate voted down the two partisan bills.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky met with Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York after the votes, according to a Democratic aide familiar with the talks.
McConnell first offered a short-term funding bill in exchange for some border wall money. Schumer said Democrats would not support wall funding. Schumer countered with a short-term spending bill and plan to discuss border security in a Senate-House conference. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) also agreed to the approach, the aide said…
…There is no assurance that the deal won’t result in another government shutdown when the new funding measure expires, a point that worries some lawmakers…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump agrees to end shutdown without getting wall funding”. From the article:
President Trump said Friday he will back a short-term funding bill to reopen the government that does not include funds to construct a wall along the southern border, bowing to mounting pressure fueled by growing disruption due to the lengthy shutdown…
C-SPAN tweeted: “.@ SpeakerPelosi: “Disagreement in policy should never be a reason to shut down the government”. The tweet included a video of Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking. From the video:
A disagreement in policy should never be a reason to shutdown government. It really shouldn’t. Especially, again, for a period of time that has an impact on the paychecks. And I’m sad it has taken this long. I’m glad that we have come to a conclusion today as to how we go forward in the next three weeks.
And, again, I salute the Democratic leader in the Senate and the work that he did to bring this… because in the House, we’ve passed ten bill.. ten times we’ve passed a bill. Working with our leadership, Mr. Hoyer, ten times we’ve brought bills to the floor to open up government. To open up government.
And the most recent one that was presented on the Senate floor yesterday was simple. $12 billion dollars for disaster assistance and opening government for two weeks.
The Republicans said no. I think the public weighed in. And, I quote Lincoln all the time: “Public sentiment is everything. With it you can accomplish almost anything.”
We thank the public for weighing in so strongly, for paying attention. And I think that will be the success of this conference. Again, as an appropriator, I’ve participated in many conferences when we used to have them. This conference, that the public awareness is so increased, and the public interest in it is so sharpened. They will see what the decisions are that we make, and help weight in on the decisions.
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Trump Agrees to Reopen Government for 3 Weeks in Surprise Retreat from Wall”. From the article:
…The decision paved the way for Congress to pass spending bills as soon as Friday that Mr. Trump will sign to restore normal operations at a series of federal agencies until Feb. 15 and begin paying again the 800,000 federal workers who have been furloughed or forced to work for free for 35 days.
The plan includes none of the money for the wall that he demanded and was essentially the same approach that Mr. Trump rejected at the end of December, meaning he won nothing concrete during the impasse. But if Republicans and Democrats cannot reach an agreement on wall money by the February 15 deadline, he indicated that he was ready to renew the confrontation or declare a national emergency and bypass Congress altogether.
“We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier,” Mr. Trump said in the Rose Garden. “If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down on February 15, or I will use the powers afforded to me under the laws and Constitution of the United States to address this emergency.”…
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Five was originally posted on Medium in two parts. The first part was posted on January 19, 2019, and the second part was posted on January 23, 2019. Both were periodically updated as the shutdown continued.
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Five is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
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January 12, 2019Photo by Benedikt Geyer on Unsplash
This blog is about what happened during Week Four of the 2018–2019 partial government shutdown. Let’s hope it doesn’t go into Week Five!
What happened before Week Four? Plenty! I’ve got you covered. You may want to take a look at my blog posts about Week One, Week Two, and Week Three.
January 12, 2019: Day 22 of the Partial Shutdown
NPR posted an article titled: “It’s Official: The Partial Government Shutdown Is the Longest in U.S. History”. From the article:
The partial government shutdown is now the longest in history, as Saturday marks day 22. The previous record was 21 days, set in the winter of 1995–‘96 when President Bill Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich were at odds over budget cuts.
Congress went home for the weekend, as some 800,000 federal workers are on furlough, and many have now gone without their first paycheck. Mortgages are held up, security personnel at airports are strained, Coast Guard families line up at a food pantry, and a large majority of the country says they feel the shutdown is “embarrassing”…
NBC News posted an article titled: “Government shutdown becomes longest in U.S. history, enters ‘uncharted territory”. From the article:
…Jason Furman, professor of the practice of economic policy at Harvard Kennedy School and the most recent chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Obama, said the nation is “entering increasingly uncharted territory.”
“The impact really depends heavily on how the highly ambiguous rules are interpreted and implemented by the administration, for example the decisions around SNAP and refund checks matter a lot,” Furman said in an email. “Overall, however, we know that the costs of the shutdown grow non-linearly with time as agencies run out of ways to get around it. So expect them to grow.”
It’s the uncertainty that leaves a lot of experts worried about the economic impact that a prolonged shutdown could have, especially during a period of global market uncertainty…
President Trump tweeted: “Democrats could solve the Shutdown in 15 minutes! Call your Dem Senator or Congreswoman/man. Tell them to get it done! Humanitarian Crisis.”
President Trump tweeted: “I just watched a Fake reporter from the Amazon Washington Post say the White House is “chaotic, there does not seem to be a strategy for this Shutdown. There is no plan.” The Fakes always like talking Chaos, there is NONE. In fact, there’s almost nobody in the W.H. but me, and…”
President Trump followed that tweet with another tweet: “…I do have a plan on the Shutdown. But to understand the plan you would have to understand the fact that I won the election, and I promised safety and security for the American people. Part of that promise was a Wall at the Southern Border. Elections have consequences!”
Philip Rucker (White House Bureau Chief at The Washington Post) tweeted: “It seems the president was watching @ PeterAlexander, @ kwelkernbc and me talk on @ TODAYshow this morning about the lack of strategy in the White House to end what is now the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.” His tweet includes a link to Trump’s tweet that starts with “I just watched a Fake reporter…”
The New York Times posted an article (in April of 2018) titled “To Trump, It’s the ‘Amazon Washington Post.’ To Its Editor, That’s Baloney.” The article provides context to Trump’s tweets from today.
Amazon does not own The Washington Post. President Trump, however — impervious to certain facts and armed with a Twitter account — has tried hard to convince the public otherwise.
On more than one occasion, the president has called the newspaper the “Amazon Washington Post.” He has also accused it of being used as a “scam” to keep Amazon’s taxes low. And on Twitter over the weekend, he escalated his attack, declaring the “Fake Washington Post” a “lobbyist” for Amazon and demanding that it “REGISTER”….
Politico posted an article titled: “Trump touts shutdown plan, but advisers say ‘no one knows what he will do’”. From the article:
…Trump was slated to spend the day speaking by phone to staff and lawmakers, one White House official said. In the meantime, it remained unclear how long he would let the longest shutdown in the nation’s history drag on or whether he planned to declare a national emergency in the coming weeks to secure the funding he has demanded for a wall at the U.S.’s southern border, according to four advisers and staff reached by POLITICO….
“No one knows what he will do, and the president has not decided yet, so it keeps everyone guessing,” said one Republican close to the White House. “This could go on another week and he could declare an emergency, or this will go on until February.”
The president did not have any public events listed on his schedule for Saturday and Sunday. With weather forecasters predicting several inches of snow in Washington, golf — one of Trump’s favorite past times — seemed out of the question.
Instead, he spent the morning tweeting about a New York Times report that the FBI had opened an investigation into whether Trump acted on behalf of Russian interests early in his presidency and insisting Democrats return to Washington to fund his long-promised wall and re-open government…
CBS News posted an article titled: “TSA workers to get $500 bonuses during shutdown”. From the article:
TSA Administrator David Pekoske has approved a one-time $500 award for each uniformed TSA screening officer, utilizing “unique authorities provided TSA in law.” The award is equivalent to about four days’ pay for many officers. It’s essentially a performance bonus for the holiday season.
The government entered its fourth week of a partial shutdown on Saturday, making it the longest shutdown in American history. Around 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed or are working without pay. As TSA screeners are considered “essential,” they have been working without pay since the shutdown started on December 22…
…The bonus is “in recognition of their hard work during yet another busy holiday travel season, maintaining the highest of security standards during an extraordinary period”, Pekoske wrote on Twitter.
The $500 award, as well as payment for those who worked on December 22, should appear in screeners’ accounts in the next few days…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Oregon governor’s husband cleans park amid shutdown, sends Trump bill”. From the article:
Dan Little, the husband of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D), is sending President Trump a $28 bill after he cleaned up bathrooms that were overflowing with garbage at a local park that was understaffed due to the partial government shutdown.
Brown confirmed the news in a tweet on Friday in which she also included before-and-after photos of the bathrooms at the Mt. Hood National Forest Sno-Park and a photo of her husband standing alongside a pile of full garbage bags.
“This is just one of the many reasons I love my husband, Dan,” Brown tweeted…
…The tweet also featured a photo of an invoice that her husband addressed to Trump for the services of “U.S. Forest Service Trash Removal.”…
Governor Kate Brown posted her tweet on January 11, 2019. It includes the photos described by The Hill. The full text of the tweet says: “This is just one of the many reasons I love my husband. He visited Mt. Hood National Forest Sno-Park, and like many national parks across the country, found it a mess due to the partial government shutdown. He cleaned the bathrooms — and sent the bill to President Trump.”
USA Today posted an article titled: “No shutdown for Weather Service ‘tirelessly’ forecasting snowstorm”. From the article:
As winter weather threatened to dump up to eight inches of snow in Washington, D.C., the National Weather Service’s staff kept providing vital information for the nation even as meteorologists tracked the storm without pay in the government shutdown.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which the weather service is under, confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY that its forecasts are on track despite the partial federal closure.
“Much of NOAA National Weather Service operations are excepted status and therefore remain in place to provide forecasts and warnings to protect lives and property,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in a statement to USA TODAY. “With several storm systems impacting the country, staff continue mission-essential functions.”
Weather service employees working are in “an excepted status,” meaning they aren’t being paid now but will get back pay once the partial federal government shutdown ends..
The Hill posted an article titled: “Dems struggling to help low-wage contractors harmed by shutdown”. From the article:
Democrats are struggling to come up with a way to provide back pay for low-wage contractors losing income because of the partial shutdown, a complicated process that hasn’t been tackled during previous government closures.
Contracted maintenance workers, cleaners, security guards and cafeteria staff at government buildings are among the hardest hit by the shutdown, which began Dec. 22.
Unlike the hundreds of thousands of affected federal employees who often receive back pay after a shutdown ends, low-wage contractors are not afforded compensation once the government reopens.
While President Trump is expected to sign legislation that would eventually give back pay to federal workers, even ensuring similar compensation after future shutdowns, contractors are not covered in that bill…
HuffPost posted an article titled: “Canadian Air Traffic Controllers Buy Pizza For American Colleagues Affected by U.S. Government Shutdown”. From the article:
Canadian air traffic controllers are carrying out a simple, but heartfelt gesture for their American counterparts — they’re buying them dinner amidst the U.S. government shutdown.
Air traffic controllers (ATC) in Moncton, N.B. and Gander, Nfld. sent pizza over to controllers manning the stations at the New York Air Traffic Control Center (ZNY), in Ronkonkoma, N.Y., on Friday night in support of their colleagues who are working unpaid as the American government’s partial shutdown drags into its fourth week…
…Air traffic controllers in Atlantic Canada aren’t the only Canadians reaching out to their American counterparts.
Montreal Centre sent Boston Center pizza, while Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport sent pizza to their counterparts in Burlington, Vt., and LaGuardia, N.Y.
Toronto area centre sent pizza to their colleagues at Cleveland Center, while Vancouver bought pizza for Seattle Center….
…The outpouring of support isn’t ending yet though — …Winnipeg Tower is sending dinner to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport’s tower on Sunday night, and already covered Grand Forks’ lunch on Saturday…
NewsChannel 5 Nashville posted an article titled: “Senator Lamar Alexander offers solution to end government shutdown”. From the article:
…The Tennessee Senator first offered up an immediate plan for ending the government shutdown.
Alexander requested that the Senate to take President Trump’s $7 billion request for additional funding for border security and ways to address the humanitarian crisis, reopen the federal government, hold a hearing on it next week, and take three weeks to consider the request.
Senator Alexander then continued his backing of President Trump in the statement, asking why the President wasn’t allowed to extend the border wall he has been campaigning for….
…He said that following these recommendations would allow lawmakers to “reopen the government over the weekend, take three weeks to work this out, and get on with our jobs.”…
NPR posted an article titled: “Furloughed Workers in Hard-Hit Community Organize Potluck During Shutdown”. From the article:
The cafeteria in Montgomery Blair High School was packed last Friday, but not with high schoolers. After enduring more than three weeks of the ongoing partial government shutdown, hundreds of furloughed workers gathered in the Montgomery County, Md. high school to share a meal.
The potluck of hearty food like ravioli, pizza, and chicken — whatever people in the community had to donate — fed well more than 600 workers who are feeling the financial strain of missing a paycheck.
There was plenty of dessert too.
The meal was especially sweet for many, considering the circumstances. Just outside of Washington D.C., Montgomery County is home to at least 750,000 federal employees, so even those who aren’t furloughed are feeling the ripple effect in the community.
Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker decided to organize the potluck event, called the “Shutdown Social”, to help furloughed workers get out of the house and get their minds off the shutdown…
January 13, 2019: Day 23 of the Partial Shutdown
The Guardian posted an article titled: “‘It’s ruining people’s lives’: federal workers count cost of shutdown”. From the article:
…The Washington metropolitan area is home to the largest share of federal workers in the country — and on Friday, many of them missed a paycheck for the first time since parts of the federal government ceased functioning on 22 December. Frustrated employees posted photos on Twitter of their pay stub showing $0.
Members of Congress left town Friday and no negotiations are scheduled…
…The nation’s capital is now often eerily quiet during weekday afternoons.
Lunchtime hotspots that typically draw long lines have none. Food trucks pack up earlier than usual. Taxi drivers circle the city in search of passengers. And a few tourists wander the National Mall, where the Smithsonian museums have closed for the duration of the shutdown.
Meanwhile, the city of Washington has hired extra workers to clean up garbage from hundreds of trash bins managed by the federal government. The DC council had to pass the “Love Act” allowing couples to obtain marriage licenses because the bureau that handles them is funded by the federal government.
As the impact of the shutdown ripples across the region, some DC businesses are offering discounts or assistance to ease the financial burden — and tedium — of a prolonged period without work…
ABC News posted an article titled: “Trump, GOP blamed for shutdown; no crisis seen but fewer oppose wall (POLL)”. From the article:
A majority of Americans hold Donald Trump and congressional Republicans mainly responsible for the partial federal shutdown, now the longest in history, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll.
Only a quarter back Trump’s claim that there’s a crisis at the southern border and two-thirds oppose him declaring a national emergency to fund a wall there, according to the poll…
…Forty-two percent now support a wall, the highest percentage in ABC/Post polling since Trump first proposed it. Fifty-four percent are opposed.
Fifty-three percent in the national survey said that Trump and the GOP are mainly responsible for the shutdown, while 29 percent blamed congressional Democrats, nearly a 2–1 margin against the president and his party. Thirteen percent said both equally are at fault. (Slightly fewer, 48 percent, blamed Trump and his party during the brief partial shutdown a year ago.)
Responsibility is assigned largely along party lines. But while 85 percent of Democrats and 78 percent of liberals mainly blamed Trump and the GOP for the partial shutdown, fewer Republicans (68 percent) or conservatives (50 percent) mainly blamed the Democrats in Congress. A third of conservatives said Trump and the congressional Republicans are at fault.
Only 18 percent in this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, said they’ve been personally affected by the partial shutdown. But 79 percent said it would be a serious problem or crisis if it were to continue for months…
The ABC News/Washington Post Poll is available to view online as a PDF.
President Trump tweeted: “I’m in the White House, waiting. The Democrats are everywhere but Washington as people await their pay. They are having fun and not even talking!”
NBC News posted an article (on January 9, 2019) that provides context to Trump’s misinformed tweet. The article is titled: “Latino House Democrats to make show of new strength in Puerto Rico”. From the article:
The overwhelming majority of Latinos in Congress are Democrats and now that their party is in charge in the U.S. House, they want Puerto Rico’s recovery to be a priority.
To that end, more than 30 Democratic members of Congress — mostly members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, but other house members too — are gathering in Puerto Rico this weekend.
They are attending the annual winter retreat of Bold PAC, the CHC’s political and fundraising arm, in Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan.
While there, members of Congress will don their legislative hats and hold a round table with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, the Puerto Rico Assembly’s Majority Leader Carmelo Rios Santiago and other Puerto Rico legislative leaders.
Members are also taking medical supplies that they plan to distribute…
…The Bold PAC conference was scheduled for Puerto Rico months before the shutdown…
BBC News posted an article titled: “US shutdown: Trump urged to temporarily reopen government”. From the article:
A senior US Republican has urged President Donald Trump to temporarily reopen parts of the government shut down for more than three weeks.
Senator Lindsey Graham, who is close to Mr. Trump, said a limited re-opening of a few weeks would allow talks to resume between Republicans and Democrats…
…Mr. Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he had urged the president on Sunday to temporarily reopen government to get negotiations started again.
He said if talks still failed to agree to the funding, the White House could then declare a national emergency.
“Before he pulls the plug on the legislative option, and I think we are almost there, I would urge them to open up the government for a short period of time, like three weeks, before he pulls the plug (to) see if we can get a deal,” Mr. Graham told Fox News Sunday.
He said Mr. Trump had told him: “Let’s make a deal then open up the government”.
The Houston Bush Airport tweeted: “The @ TSA security checkpoint at Terminal B has been closed, and passengers will be routed to either Terminal C or E. if you have a flight, please allow extra time, and check fly2houston.com/iah/depart for wait times.”
NPR posted an article titled: “As Shutdown Continues, Thousands Of Federal Workers Visit D.C.-Area Pop-Up Food Banks”. From the article:
Early Saturday morning, nearly 200 people stood in the freezing cold outside a Maryland supermarket waiting to collect a small allotment of free food.
They were federal employees, there to pick up fresh produce and canned goods from the Capital Area Food Bank, which organized five pop-up food distribution centers for government workers…
…At the end of this past week, many of them received a paycheck for zero dollars and zero cents.
“They’re just worried about where to get their food,” said the food bank’s president and CEO, Radha Muthiah. “We’ve had someone say ‘I’ll pay you back after I get my paycheck, but I just need now.”
More than a quarter-million federal workers live in the capital region. As Muthiah checked the workers’ government-issued ID’s, her tally read like a cross-section of the entire U.S. government: Department of Treasury, Smithsonian Institution, General Service Administration, Food and Drug Administration, FBI, White House. As the line moved forward, the list grew longer.
The food bank — whose clients are most often people living near or below the poverty line — is helping ease at least one expense for workers whose bills keep coming even as their pay has dried up. Federal employees in line said the canned food and bags of carrots and apples would help free up funds for things like utilities, rent and baby formula…
January 14, 2019: Day 24 of the Partial Shutdown
Stars And Stripes posted an article titled: “Commandant tells Coast Guard families: ‘You have not, and will not, be forgotten’”. From the article:
Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz drew attention to ongoing missions around the globe and expressed his support for Coast Guard families as the service prepared for about 41,000 members to go without paychecks on Tuesday as part of the ongoing partial government shutdown.
“While our Coast Guard workforce is deployed, there are loved ones at home reviewing family finances, researching how to get support, and weighing childcare options — they are holding down the fort.” Schultz wrote on Sunday. “Please know that we are doing everything we can to support and advocate for you while your loved one stands the watch. You have not, and will not, be forgotten.”…
…Around 7,400 civilian Coast Guard workers have been furloughed and the disbursement of pay for some 50,000 retired Coast Guard members and employees could be affected, officials said.
Coast Guard officials were able to pull together the $150 million needed to cover the final checks of 2018, but funds aren’t available for this week’s scheduled payday.
The Hill posted an article titled: “This week: No signs of urgency as shutdown enters fourth week”. From the article:
The record-breaking partial shutdown is entering its fourth week with no clear path forward to reopen government…
…But the historic nature of the shutdown is being met by a relatively quiet start to the week in Washington, where a weekend snowstorm blanketed the area with 8 to 12 inches of snow. Though roughly a quarter of the government has been closed since Dec. 22, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced Sunday night that all D.C.-based federal government offices would be closed Monday because of the weather.
As of Sunday night, neither the House nor the Senate had announced formal changes to the start of their work week, with both chambers expected to convene on Monday evening. House members could see votes delayed until Tuesday due to the snowstorm over the weekend, but no final decisions have been made…
President Trump tweeted: “I’ve been waiting all weekend. Democrats must get to work now. Border must be secured.”
Yahoo! News posted an article titled: “AP FACT CHECK: Trump isn’t holed up nonstop at White House”. From the article:
…Trump says he hasn’t left the White House in “months,” including during the partial shutdown that began Dec. 22. Actually, he has ventured out numerous times — to the Mexico border this past week, for instance — and will again on Monday to New Orleans….
…Besides his trip to Iraq and Germany on December 26–27, Trump traveled to the Mexican border town of McAllen, Texas, on Thursday. On Monday, he’s going to New Orleans to address the Farm Bureau. He’s left the White House during the shutdown for meetings at Camp David and the Capitol…
President Trump tweeted: “Nancy and Cryin’ Chuck can end the Shutdown in 15 minutes. At this point it has become their, and the Democrats, fault!”
The New York Times posted an article titled: “President Trump Rejects Proposal to Temporarily Reopen the Government”. From the article:
President Trump said Monday that he has rejected a proposal by Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina to temporarily reopen the government in an effort to jump-start talks with Democratic lawmakers on funding a border wall.
“I did reject it,” Mr. Trump said of the proposal, speaking to reporters as he boarded Marine One outside of the White House, en route to delivering a speech to a farm convention in New Orleans….
…Mr. Trump said he did not want to extend the impasse over funding for the wall. It was not clear, however, what Mr. Trump saw as an alternative. “I’m not looking to call a national emergency,” he said on Monday. “This is so simple you shouldn’t have to.”
Mr. Trump, advisers said, has refused to allow his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, or anyone else negotiating on his behalf to compromise on his demand for $5.7 billion in border wall funding. That has led to awkward moments in front of congressional leaders….
…Mr. Trump emerged on the South Lawn on Monday after spending a snowy weekend without leaving the White House grounds. It was a rare occurrence for a president who typically spends weekend afternoons during winter on his golf course in Palm Beach…
NOLA.com posted a thread of tweets with photos of people protesting outside of the convention center where the Farm Bureau Convention is being held. The protest was happening while President Trump was speaking inside the convention center.
The Daily Beast posted an article titled: “Fox News Host Jeanine Pirro Retracts False Claim That Nancy Pelosi Was ‘Partying’ In Puerto Rico During Shutdown”. From the article:
Fox News host Jeanine Pirro retracted her false claim that Nancy Pelosi was “partying” in Puerto Rico during the government shutdown when the House speaker was actually in Washington, D.C. …
Jeanine Pirro tweeted: “During my exclusive interview with Pres Trump I said Speaker Pelosi was in Puerto Rico with a bunch of her Democratic colleagues. I based that on numerous reports that turned out to be wrong. The Speaker’s office says she has been in DC all weekend and I take them at their word.”
Bloomberg posted an article titled: “House Plans Shutdown Votes as Senators Meet to Seek Compromise”. From the article:
House Democrats plan votes on two stopgap spending measures to end the partial government shutdown as a bipartisan group of senators met for the first time to discuss possible ways out of the impasse.
The meeting on Monday didn’t appear to produce any conclusion, and President Donald Trump has indicated he wouldn’t sign a stopgap without the funding he’s demanding for a wall on the Mexican border, suggesting there’s no clear resolution in sight.
Democrats are planning a vote Tuesday on a bill to open the nine closed departments and dozens of agencies through Feb.1. The bill will come up under a House procedure requiring support from two-thirds of the chamber — including minority Republicans — to pass it.
On Thursday, Democrats plan to vote on a bill to open those shuttered parts of government through Feb. 28, according to the text of the bill posted on a House website.
The measures are unlikely to gain GOP support and advance in the Senate because they don’t contain the $5.7 billion in wall funding sought by Trump…
House Appropriation Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) posted on the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations website a press release. From the press release:
…House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY-17) and House Democrats today announced two Continuing Resolutions to reopen the federal government and end the Trump Shutdown.
The first bill would reopen all closed federal agencies through February 1. It is expected to be considered in the House tomorrow under suspension of the rules.
To provide an additional option, Chairwoman Lowey has introduced a second Continuing Resolution that would reopen all closed federal agencies through February 28. That Continuing Resolution is expected to be considered by the House under a Rule on Thursday…
…Since January 3, the House has passed six pieces of legislation to reopen the federal government. That includes a package of six bipartisan Senate bills, four individual bipartisan Senate bills, and a Continuing Resolution for Homeland Security through February 8. Senate Republicans, acting at the behest of President Trump, have refused to consider the bills.
ABC News posted an article titled: “Pentagon extends troops deployment on southern border through September”. From the article:
The Pentagon has approved a request from the Trump Administration for U.S. soldiers to extend their mission along the southwestern border in order to hang concertina wire and assist with surveillance, officials said on Monday.
In a statement, the Department of Defense said the assistance would be granted through the end of September.
The Department of Homeland Security had asked for more military engineers to install the concertina wire on top of the 160 miles of already existing fencing, as well as additional aviation support, medical personnel and surveillance equipment…
…The president has suggested that the number of troops involved in the operation — dubbed “Faithful Patriot” — could rise to 15,000.
It wasn’t immediately clear how many troops would be sent and whether they will be active duty or National Guard troops.
The Pentagon’s approval came as a partial shutdown of the federal government over a border wall stretched into a fourth week…
January 15, 2019: Day 25 of the Partial Shutdown
President Trump tweeted: “A big new Caravan is heading up to our Southern Border from Honduras. Tell Nancy and Chuck that a drone flying around will not stop them. Only a Wall will work. Only a Wall, or Steel Barrier, will keep our Country safe! Stop playing political games and end the Shutdown!”
CNBC posted an article titled: “Canceled immigration hearings exceed 40,000 amid shutdown over border wall, as Pentagon extends troop deployment”. From the article:
More than 40,000 immigration court hearings have been canceled since the government shutdown began, straining the country’s immigration system…
…Immigration courts have been frozen since the shutdown began, with all scheduled hearings canceled except for those immigrants in detention centers. According to a report from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University, 42,726 immigration hearings have been canceled as of Jan. 11.
If the shutdown continues through the end of the month, more than 100,000 hearings will be canceled; by March, nearly 200,000 will be canceled.
With a court backlog of over 800,000 pending cases, immigration lawyers expect that canceled hearings will not be rescheduled until at least 2020….
Rewire News posted an article titled: “Will Trump Starve SNAP Households to Get his Wall?” From the article:
…The nation’s largest food assistance program, SNAP helps about 38 million people in 19 million households put food on the table each month. Nearly half are children.
Facing criticism that funding for SNAP was set to run out at the end of January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last week that it had cobbled together enough money to pay February benefits. But if the shutdown drags on past that, the Trump administration doesn’t appear to have a long-term plan for keeping SNAP up and running.
The agency had nothing to say about March in its announcement — and apparently SNAP benefits will end altogether if the shutdown drags on…
…Federal workers are already flooding food banks for assistance in feeding their families. Due to the surge, some food banks have taken to hosting special events to distribute food to the furloughed federal workers. And with over 350,000 furloughed federal workers living in the D.C. region, some local food banks, such as the Capital Area Food Bank in Northeast Washington, are reportedly scrambling to get area grocers to help shore up dwindling food supplies.
And this is before any cuts to SNAP have taken effect…
…Meanwhile, SNAP isn’t the only nutrition program running short on funds due to the president’s shutdown. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — better known as WIC — is running dry too, with states already tapping emergency reserves to keep programs going. Though USDA has made assurances that the program is protected through mid-February, after that we could start to see a tidal wave of babies left holding empty bottles and women unable to feed hungry children…
Reuters posted an article titled: “Trump to meet lawmakers at White House as shutdown enters 25th day”. From the article:
President Donald Trump will meet members of Congress at the White House on Tuesday as the partial U.S. government shutdown enters a 25th day without resolution amid a standoff over border wall funding.
Trump is scheduled to host the lawmakers for lunch, according to his public schedule, which did not say who was attending. Moderate House Democrats were invited, CNN and Politico reported…
Roll Call posted an article titled: “Amid shutdown, White House, Democrats, can’t even agree on lunch”. From the article:
No house Democrats will attend a White House-organized lunch meeting on Tuesday with President Donald Trump as the partial government shutdown continues, a sign of how dug in both sides are with no deal in sight.
The White House invited a group pf members from the chamber’s Blue Dog Coalition for a lunch discussion on the 25th day of the shutdown.
“Today, the president offered both Democrats and Republicans the chance to meet for lunch at the White House,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said ahead of the 12:30 meeting., adding “Unfortunately, no Democrats will attend. The President looks forward to having a working lunch with House Republicans to solve the border crisis and reopen the government.”
Trump will break bread with nine House Republicans: Susan Brooks of Indiana; Rodney Davis of Illinois; Doug Collins of Georgia; John Katko of New York; Brad Wenstrup of Ohio; Jodey Arrington of Texas; Van Taylor of Texas; Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio; and Clay Higgins of Louisiana…
USA Today posted an article titled: “White House tries to bypass Pelosi on shutdown talks, but moderate Democrats rebuff offer”. From the article:
A group of moderate Democrats turned down the White House’s invitation to a luncheon Tuesday to discuss border security as the Trump administration sought to bypass House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and win support for border wall and funding.
Pelosi and other Democratic leaders weren’t invited to the meeting, but the speaker had given her colleagues permission to attend. None of them accepted the offer, however, and the meeting was scheduled to go on with only Republicans attending…
…Democrats “support the notion of continued dialogue,” said New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.
But Democratic members invited to the White House luncheon need to ask themselves whether the administration is truly looking to end the government shutdown or just stage a photo op, Jeffries said…
The Hill posted an article titled: “McConnell blocks House bill to reopen government for second time”. From the article:
Senate Republicans blocked a House-passed package to reopen the federal government for a second time in as many weeks on Tuesday.
Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Ben Cardin (Md.) asked for consent take up a package of bills that would reopen the federal government.
One bill would fund the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8, while the other would fund the rest of the impacted departments and agencies through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
Under Senate rules, any one senator can ask for consent to vote on or pass a bill, but any one senator can also object. McConnell blocked the two bills saying the Senate wouldn’t “participate in something that doesn’t lead to an outcome.”…
Tim Kaine (Democrat — Virginia) tweeted: “I said it last week and I’ll say it again: The Senate must not recess without reopening the government. Period.”
The Hill posted an article titled: “Kaine threatens to object to Senate leaving for recess”. From the article:
Sen. Tim Kaine (D.-Va.) said on Tuesday that he will try to block the Senate from taking a week-long recess if the government is still partially shut down.
“It would be outrageous for Senators to leave town this Wednesday without fixing this mess, and I object to the Senate going into recess unless Senator McConnell holds a vote on the bipartisan bills the House passed to reopen,” Kaine said in a statement.
The Senate generally leaves town on Thursday though they’ve been holding brief Friday sessions during the partial shutdown. If the Senate tried to adjourn at the end of the week and Kaine objected, Republicans could force a vote on adjourning.
House Democrats announced earlier this week that they were cancelling the recess if the government is still shut down.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has not yet announced if that chamber will cancel their recess if the government is shut down.
But several Senate Republicans have signaled they believe they should remain in town, even if negotiations are still at a standstill…
The Hill posted an article titled: “NASA Space Center employees to protest government shutdown in Houston”. From the article:
Union employees at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston are expected on Tuesday to protest the partial government shutdown that has kept them out of work for more than three weeks.
The Texas Gulf Cost Area Labor Federation, a regional member of the AFL-CIO, is organizing government employees to protest at noon outside the gates of the Johnson Space Center, The Houston Chronicle reported.
“Furloughed and unpaid federal employees will rally to protest the continuing shutdown and resulting furloughs that are financially hurting 800,000 federal employees and families,” the group said in a news release.
Most of the 3,055 people who work at NASA’s Houston center as well as 16,700 NASA employees nationwide do not know when they will go back to work….
…There are roughly 200 federal employees still working at Johnson to ensure the safety of the humans onboard the ISS…
The Houston Patch tweeted photos and videos from the NASA protest.
The Washington Post posted an article titled: “‘The essence of involuntary servitude’: Federal unions sue the Trump administration to get paid for shutdown work”. From the article:
A federal judge in Washington on Tuesday refused to force the government to pay federal employees who have been working without compensation during the partial government shutdown, rejecting arguments form labor unions that unpaid work violates labor laws and the Constitution.
U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon said it would be “profoundly irresponsible” to issue an order that would result in thousands of employees staying home from work…
…Leon ruled against a consolidated claim that the National Treasury Employees Union and the Air Traffic Controllers Association filed against the government, alleging that employees should not be forced to work without pay. The list of unionized employees who have had to work without pay during the shutdown include the Internal Revenue Service, Customs and Border Protection, the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service, the Agriculture Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Communications Commission.
The American Federation of Government Employees is among three unions, along with a number of government employee, that have filed suit against the Trump administration, alleging that employees should not be forced to work without being paid.
Leon ruled from the bench during the hearing in Washington on Tuesday, declining to issue a temporary restraining order compelling the government to pay its employees. His move keeps the status quo, allowing the shutdown to continue with no end in sight…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Latest funding bill to reopen the government fails in House”. From the article:
House Democrats on Tuesday failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to provide funding to reopen the government through Feb. 1.
The bill, which went down 237–187, was brought to the floor in an effort to pressure the GOP lawmakers to break with President Trump in his demand for border wall funding amid the partial government shutdown.
Six Republicans — Reps. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), Will Hurd (Texas), John Katko (N.Y.), Chris Smith (N.J.), Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.),and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) — joined Democrats in voting for the measure, fewer than backed similar legislation last week.
House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) introduced the measure on Monday along with a separate stopgap that would provide funding through Feb. 28, which is expected to come to the floor on Thursday…
Military Times posted an article titled: “Vet groups plead: “If you say you support veterans, then you need to support ending the shutdown’”. From the article:
Veterans advocates are pleading with congressional and White House leaders to find an end to the government shutdown, no matter what it takes.
“They can and must do better for our country,” Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander B.J. Lawerence said at a Capitol Hill rally Tuesday afternoon. “Lives are being affected by this shutdown”.
“We have Coast Guard members securing the border and protecting us on a daily basis, but in the background they’re worried about making (mortgage) payments and putting food on the table…The American people expect better.”
Joining VFW to plead for an end to the shutdown during a Tuesday rally were a wide array of veterans groups, including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans and the U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump administration to bring back offshore drilling staff during shutdown”. From the article:
The Trump administration is bringing dozens of federal employees back to work to carry out the administration’s plan to expand offshore oil and natural gas drilling.
The Interior Department’s Bureau of Offshore Energy Management (BOEM) updated its plan for the ongoing partial federal government shutdown last week to state that 40 workers would be brought in for offshore drilling, in addition to the 84 others who have already been working during the shutdown.
The employees are working in four areas: geological testing for offshore oil and natural gas in the Atlantic ocean; the administration’s proposal last year to allow offshore drilling in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans; environment review for that proposal and preparations for two upcoming offshore drilling lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico.
Other BOEM responsibilities, like opening offshore areas for wind energy development, remain closed.
Each of the areas is being financed through “carryover funds,” BOEM said…
…But BOEM made clear that the workers newly exempted from the shutdown are there to carry out President Trump’s agenda…
…The employees coming back to work, like others in the shutdown, will not be paid until the affected agencies reopen.
Feeding America posted a blog titled: “How Feeding America and its food bank network are responding to the government shutdown”. From the blog:
As the partial government shutdown continues, more than 800,000 federal workers aren’t getting paid. On top of this, federal contractors and grantees also haven’t been paid. They’re going without the check they need to support their families. And that means — through no fault of their own — that many may struggle to make ends meet.
TSA agents, members of the Coast Guard, Park Rangers, security guards and more are among those not getting paid. This puts them and their families at risk of hunger. And yet, many are working through the shutdown to ensure our country is safe….
…To meet that need, many food banks in the Feeding America network are reaching out to their communities, connecting federal workers with emergency food resources and encouraging them to visit local pantries….
…On a national level, Feeding America is sharing with the Administration and Congress the impact of the shutdown on people facing hunger. We’re making sure lawmakers understand what we’re seeing — that many workers live one paycheck away from hunger. We are also working through the impact the shutdown is having on federal nutrition programs that provide vital food assistance to millions of families across the country…
January 16, 2019: Day 26 of the Partial Shutdown
President Donald Trump tweeted: “There are now 77 major or significant Walls built around the world, with 45 countries planning or building walls. Over 800 miles of Walls have been built in Europe since only 2015. They have all been successful. Stop the crime at our Southern Border!”
Reuters posted an article titled: “U.S. government shutdown enters its 26th day as talks paralyzed”. From the article:
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday is expected to sign legislation providing 800,000 federal employees with back pay when the partial government shutdown ends, even though a conclusion to the impasse remains no where in sight.
As the shutdown stretches into its 26th day, Trump is also scheduled to meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers at 11:30 a.m..
Whether the meeting is related to the shutdown was not immediately clear, however…
…On Wednesday, Trump continued to blame Democrats for the standoff and trumpet his support of the wall, writing in a post on Twitter that wall projects around the world “have all been recognized as close to 100% successful. Stop the crime at our Southern Border!”
It was not immediately clear what wall projects he was referring to…
Roll Call posted an article titled: “Trump to try again to court moderate House Democrats on border wall”. From the article:
President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Wednesday with the bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus in the Situation Room as the White House tries to cobble together votes for a shutdown-ending bill that includes funding for his proposed southern border wall.
The Problem Solvers group is composed of just under 50 Republican and Democratic House members. The session will mark the second time in as many days the White House has attempted to court moderate and deal-minded House Democrats…
ABC News 7 WJKA posted an article titled: “Congress prepares to skip planned recess if shutdown goes on”. From the article:
…The House and Senate announced Tuesday they would stay in session, canceling an upcoming recess week at home if the shutdown continued, which seemed likely. On the shutdown’s 25th day Tuesday, Trump did not move off his demand to have Congress provide $5.7 billion to build his promised border wall with Mexico. Democrats say they will discuss border security once the government is reopened, but Pelosi is refusing money for the wall they view as ineffective and immoral.
The president, on a conference call with supporters, showed no signs of backing down.
“We’re going to stay out a long time, if we have to,” Trump said. “We’ll be out for a long time.”…
…Behind the scenes, though, the administration — and its allies on Capitol Hill — are warily eyeing the next payday, hoping to reach a resolution before next week’s Tuesday deadline, when they’ll need to prepare the next round of paychecks for workers who have been seeing zeroes on their pay slips…
WIRED posted an article titled: “As The Government Shutdown Drags On, Security Risks Intensify”. From the article:
…But crucially, from a cybersecurity perspective, organizations within the Department of Homeland Security — including the new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency launched in November — are operating with a skeleton crew.
…That lack of resources has stoked fears that sophisticated hackers may use the shutdown as an opportunity to infiltrate inconspicuous, backwater federal networks, which they could then use as a launchpad to then penetrate more valuable government targets. As the shutdown persists, attackers have had weeks, instead of just hours or days, to make their moves. They could be carrying out entire operations, or laying malicious infrastructure for future assaults…
…Meanwhile, daily security IT maintenance is breaking down. Many government websites have had their HTTPS encryption certificates expire during the shutdown, exposing them to potential snooping or even impersonator sites. And with most IT staff staying home, it seems unlikely that software patches and upgrades are being installed at their regular clip, potentially leaving them exposed to malware they’d otherwise be protected against….
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to President Donald Trump regarding the upcoming State of the Union Address. The contents of the letter was posted on the Speaker of the House website. From the letter:
On January 3rd, it was my privilege as Speaker to invite you to deliver the State of the Union address on January 29. The Constitution calls for the President to “from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union.” During the 19th Century and up until the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, these annual State of the Union messages were delivered to Congress in writing. And since the start of modern budgeting in Fiscal year 1977, a State of the Union address has never been delivered during a government shutdown.
In September 2018, Secretary Neilsen designated the State of the Union Address as National Special Security Events (NSSEs), recognizing the need for “the full resources of the Federal Government to be brought to bear” to ensure the security of these events. The extraordinary demands presented by NSSEs require weeks of detailed planning with dozens of agencies working together to prepare for the safety of all participants.
The U.S. Secret Service was designated as the lead federal agency responsible for coordinating, planning, exercising, and implementing security for National Special Security Events by Public Law 106–544, December 29, 2000. However, both the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security have not been funded for 26 days now — with critical departments hamstrung by furloughs.
Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th…
The Baltimore Sun posted an article titled: “BWI workers plan rally to call for end to government shutdown”. From the article:
Workers at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport plan to rally Wednesday afternoon to call for an end to the government shutdown, which has left Transportation Security Administration officials among the thousands of federal employees working without pay.
BWI subcontractors — including cleaners, dispatchers, mechanics, and maintenance workers — were scheduled to rally in support of better working conditions and in solidarity with TSA employees. TSA agents are among the 800,000 furloughed federal workers affected by the partial shutdown…
…The rally, set for 2:30 p.m., will be held in the drop-off area of the airport’s departure level.
Pete Gilbert (WBAL TV, WBAL Radio Sportscaster) tweeted a short video of the airport workers at BWI protesting the government shutdown.
The Miami Herald posted an article titled: “School lunches shrink as one NC school district feels heat from government shutdown”. From the article:
…Vance County Schools officials announced on Facebook late Tuesday that lunch menus “have been revised to a minimum level to conserve food and funding” starting Jan. 21. The county is about 50 miles northeast of Durham, along the Virginia state line.
Fresh produce, bottled juices and water, and even ice cream are among the items being nixed…
…Students who once had choices of what to eat will now get the option of one entree, a piece of bread, two vegetables, one piece of fruit and milk, said the district’s post.
“No fresh produce will be included, except at elementary schools as part of the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program,” said the post. “This program will be decreased to two days each week.”…
Reuters posted an article titled: “EPA’s Wheeler says shutdown is delaying new ethanol gasoline rule”. From the article:
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule to allow sales of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline year-round is being delayed by a partial government shutdown, acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler said on Wednesday.
The rule, a key campaign promise by President Donald Trump to farmers, an important constituency, was announced in October and would aim to expand the market for corn-based ethanol.
Speaking at his Senate confirmation hearing, Wheeler, Trump’s nominee to head the agency on a permanent basis, said the EPA was unable to work on the rule at the moment because of the shutdown…
…Wheeler said the rule would still be ready for the 2019 driving season which begins in June. Following the official release of the proposed rule, the EPA will be required to get public comment…
NDTV posted an article titled: “Sikh Community in US Offers Free Meals to Workers Affected by Shutdown”. From the article:
The Sikh community in San Antonio, Texas, offered free meals to US government employees affected by the ongoing shutdown that has left thousands without pay in the country…
…Federal employees, who have been forced to work without pay or have been furloughed during the partial government shutdown, were offered freshly prepared vegetarian meals for three days from January 11.
The Sikh community workers prepared the gurdwara menu which comprised lentils, vegetables, rice and tortillas.
The idea soon drew several volunteers who offered to come and cook to feed the people…
PBS News Hour posted an article titled: “Trump signs bill giving federal workers back pay once shutdown ends”. From the article:
The White House says President Donald Trump has signed a bill that will require some 800,000 federal employees to be compensated for wages lost or work performed during the partial government shutdown.
Wednesday’s bill signing was closed to the media. The House and Senate had voted to give the workers back pay whenever the federal government reopens…
Senator Susan Collins (Republican — Maine) posted a press release on her official website titled: “Legislation Authored by Senator Collins, Cardin to Ensure Federal Workers Affected by Shutdowns Receive Retroactive Pay Signed into Law”. From the press release:
Today, President Donald Trump signed into law legislation authored by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) that will protect federal and other government workers from the financial repercussions of the current and future lapses in federal appropriations.
Earlier this month, Senators Collins and Cardin were joined by 28 Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, which guarantees that furloughed employees will be paid retroactively and stipulates that all employees shall be paid as soon as possible after a lapse in appropriations ends. Senators Collins and Cardin’s bill previously passed the Senate unanimously and passed the House by an overwhelming margin…
…Senators who co-sponsored Senators Collins and Cardin’s legislation included: Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), Angus King (I-Maine), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.).
The full text of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 is available online.
NBC News posted an article titled: “How the shutdown is jeopardizing housing for rural Americans”. From the article:
…Nonprofit groups that help the USDA house rural Americans say they are already feeling the pinch. The Mitchells are part of a program called Mutual Self-Help Housing, in which families put in sweat equity to build their own homes, using loans from the USDA to pay for the land, suppliers and subcontractors.
Self-Help Homes — which is overseeing the construction of the Mitchell’s home and 36 others in Utah — says that the USDA has missed about $960,000 in payments to cover these families’ building costs since the shutdown began. Self-Help Homes has been covering the bills for the families since the shutdown began, but it is running out of reserves this week, according to Brad Bishop, the group’s executive director…
…Families in the Self-Help Housing program could also face liens on their property from contractors and suppliers if they can’t cover the construction costs, which the USDA reimburses after the work is done. That could damage the families’ credit and put them under greater financial strain, said Tom Collishaw, president and CEO of Self-Help Enterprises in California. His nonprofit may have to shoulder a $700,000 bill to protect 70 families building homes through the program if the USDA funding does not come through in January.
The shutdown is also threatening low-income families across rural America who rely on rental housing subsidies from the USDA, a program that mirrors HUD’s Section 8 rental assistance in urban areas….
WOWT Channel 6 News posted an article titled: “Great Harvest Bread Company sets up Shutdown Shelf for furloughed employees”. From the article:
Great Harvest Bread Company stores at certain locations across the country have set up a “Shutdown Shelf,” donating bread to furloughed employees affected by the partial government shutdown…
…The shelf is stocked with sliced white and wheat bread for families affected by the shutdown…
KSBY 6 posted an article titled: “Morro Bay Rotary presents donations to Coast Guard members as govt. shutdown continues”. From the article:
In an effort to provide some aid during the government shutdown, the Rotary Club in Morro Bay presented local Coast Guard members Wednesday with more than $1,000 worth of gift cards to go grocery shopping.
Coast Guard members missed their first paycheck last Friday because of the shutdown…
…Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton are also joining the effort to help those affected by the shutdown and their families.
Active duty Coast Guard members can bring their government I.D. card or wear their uniform to the hospitals to receive free meals in their dining rooms.
The Hill posted an article titled: “Georgia senator concerned shutdown could affect Super Bowl”. From the article:
Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said this week that he’s worried the partial government shutdown could affect next month’s Super Bowl, which will be held in Atlanta.
Isakson on Tuesday suggested that Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport could go “out of business” because of a shortage of Transportation Security Agency employees, who are working without pay amid the shutdown, which entered its 26th day on Wednesday…
…The Super Bowl, the championship game for the National Football League, will be held Feb. 3 inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium…
NPR posted an article titled: “‘Next Round’s On Me”: Buy A Federal Worker A Beer In New D.C. Initiative”. From the article:
In the fourth week of a partial government shutdown that has left more than 800,000 federal employees furloughed or working without pay, there’s at least one tiny consolation: Free beer….
…Now anyone can offer a little encouragement to a government worker, at least within the District of Columbia, by buying them a beer.
“Beers available NOW,” reads the Pay it Furloughed website. As of Wednesday evening, more than 1,400 free beers were available to furloughed and unpaid federal workers, with over 260 already consumed. Both numbers were rising steadily into the night…
…Nevin Martell, a food writer, started the venture over the weekend with Al Goldberg, founder of culinary incubator Mess Hall. Martell tells NPR their goal is to facilitate “a small human gesture” over long distances…
…One beer, tax included, comes to $7.50 for donors. Anyone over 21 with a valid federal I.D. can claim the beers at four partners: Atlas Brew Works, DC Brau, Shop Made in DC, and 3 Stars Brewing Company. Pay It Furloughed says it has raised over $10,000….
HuffPost posted an article titled: “Many Federal Employees Can’t Afford Diapers Due to Trump’s Government Shutdown”. From the article:
…After missing at least one paycheck, many federal workers can’t pay for basics like food and medication and are taking desperate measures to get those items. Affording diapers, a costly expense even for families earning paychecks, has become a particularly difficult problem. Going without them isn’t an option and there are no federal government programs that offer them…
…Jojo was relieved to learn from a friend that she could turn to the Texas Diaper Bank to get some help. The San Antonio-based nonprofit is a two hour drive from her house, but even after accounting for fuel costs, she said making the trek is still financially worthwile.
The group is offering six months’ worth of diapers and wipes to government employees and contractors affected by the shutdown…
…While the Texas Diaper Bank currently has the resources to provide extra supplies to government employees who may be seeking help for the first time, demand could very well exceed capacity, said Ashley Hernandez, program manager at the nonprofit.
The group typically supports 20 families a day. On Tuesday alone, after announcing that it was extending help to families affected by the shutdown, the organization gave out diapers to about 25 families, and more calls are coming in…
GQ posted an article titled: “The Government Shutdown Has Been a Nightmare for Federal Employees Who Get Sick”. From the article:
…Furloughed employees not only go without pay during a shutdown; federal regulations prevent them from earning leave and sick leave while on “non pay” status, too. And while Congress can provide retroactive accrual when the government reopens — it did so in 2013 — in the meantime, uncertainty over the shutdown is starting to have an impact. For example, federal employees do not receive parental leave, which means that during normal periods of government operation, they take some combination of accumulated paid leave and sick leave when they have children. (They may take additional time under the Family Medical Leave Act, if they so choose, but that time is unpaid.)
Once furloughed, however, leave is frozen and employees are limited to whatever time they have on hand. In some instances, it might not be enough…
…For “essential” employees — the ones required to work without pay, such as air-traffic controllers — falling ill during a shutdown presents a different set of problems. To discourage non-furloughed workers from staying home as part of a “sick-out” protest, the rules prohibit taking leave while the government is closed, which means that coming down with a bad cold has gone from a mild inconvenience to an HR nightmare…
Reuters posted an article titled: “U.S. shutdown taking toll on FDA, USDA inspection roles: experts”. From the article:
…Workers in public health laboratories are reporting disruptions in that analysis of DNA from food samples involved in foodborne outbreaks, and have raised concerns about a USDA program that tests agricultural commodities for unsafe levels of pesticides, they said…
…The FDA has furloughed 41 percent of its workforce of more than 17,000 employees, Thomas Gremillion of the Consumer Federation of America told the briefing. About 90 percent of USDA’s 9,500 Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) employees remain on the job but are working without pay, he said.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said on Twitter on Tuesday that he is bringing back 150 food inspectors.
Foodborne disease outbreaks are investigated jointly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA and FSIS, which trace the source of outbreaks back to food producers.
The CDC is fully funded and continuing to investigate foodborne disease outbreaks, but “joint efforts to investigate, coordinate and communicate about such outbreaks may be delayed” as a result of the shutdown, CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said.
He said that trace back and assessment of food production facilities and ongoing lab testing depend on the resources of its partner agencies, which are reudced during a shutdown…
Airbnb posted an article on its website titled: “How Airbnb is Supporting Federal Employees Impacted by the Shutdown”. From the article:
…Starting today, we’re offering all of our federal executive branch employee hosts some extra financial support.
All executive branch employees who share their home for three nights anytime over the three months between December 18, 2018 and March 18, 2019 will get paid an extra night on us — up to $110, which is the average per night income of our U.S. hosts…
…The program is also open to our Experience hosts who are eligible for up to $110 based on the total booked value of their Experience.
Any federal executive branch employee host — either Homes Host or Experience Host — can sign up for A Night on Us…
January 17, 2019: Day 27 of the Partial Shutdown
Reuters posted an article titled: “Shutdown is starting to hurt Trump’s financial deregulation agenda”. From the article:
The U.S. government shutdown over President Donald Trump’s call for Congress to fund a wall he promised to build on the U.S.-Mexican border is threatening another campaign pledge to make rules easier to navigate for banks and corporations…
…The Trump administration has outlined plans to ease bank rules, overhaul corporate governance, and boost financial innovation, sparking hopes among executives that they would already start to feel the benefits this year.
Yet with Democrats now in control of the House of Representatives and the 2020 presidential campaign expected to stymie policymaking, industry lobbyists worry the shutdown will further limit the narrow window for the new rules to kick in…
…Republican lawmakers expected many of those changes would be close to the finish line by now, but several have yet to be put to public comment. This step, among others, is part of a strict rule-changing process dictated by federal law that cannot be easily expedited once the government reopens…
The Hill posted an article titled: “TSA: Screener absentee rate slowing, still double last year”. From the article:
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials say the number of absentee employees during the government shutdown is stabilizing, but the rate is still double from the same time last year.
The number of agents missing work has gone up significantly as a result of the ongoing government shutdown.
Agency officials told The Associated Press that 6.1 percent of its workforce called out sick or otherwise missed work on Wednesday, down from 7.7 percent on Sunday but still more than double the rate of reported absences from the same time last year.
The high rate of TSA comes ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend when airports naturally experience an increased volume of travelers. Nearly 8 million Americans flew through U.S. airports last year on the holiday weekend…
…One union president for the TSA says that some agents have quit their jobs entirely due to the shutdown’s financial burden…
The Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “As shutdown drags on, scientists scramble to keep insects, plants and microbes alive”. From the article:
… Weber and one other member of his lab at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center have permission to do limited essential work like caring for their insects, albeit without pay. “So far, we’re able to keep enough of our colonies going so that we can start up” as soon as the shutdown ends, he said…
…Across the country, millions of fish are treading water in hatcheries run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. At one location, essential staff have scrambled to collect data on behalf of furloughed scientists who are in the midst of a multi-year experiment…
…However, university scientists and former government employees say there is little doubt that the shutdown already has created significant setbacks for federal researchers and their collaborators, especially those who can’t simply put their work on hold…
…At the USDA’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Ill., a skeletal crew is keeping the ship afloat, said Ashley Maness, president of the local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees.
Essential staff can go in to water plants and feed insect, she said, but they cannot collect data on experiments that were in progress when the shutdown hit. Maness doesn’t know exactly which projects have been affected, but they are all time-sensitive…
…Other researchers are studying a fungus that kills the mosquitos that transmit Zika virus and dengue fever, and those experiments require careful monitoring of the insects after exposure…
…At one lab, said several employees were out of town when the shutdown hit just before Christmas and were unable to make arrangements for someone to care for their insects…
The Hill posted an article titled: “State Dept. asks employees to return to work amid shutdown”. From the article:
The State Department on Thursday ordered employees and U.S. diplomats abroad to return to work, saying it would make additional funds available to pay most employee salaries for two weeks.
“As a national security agency, it is imperative that the Department of State carries out its mission. We are best positioned to do so with fully staffed embassies, consulates, and domestic offices,” Deputy Under Secretary for Management Bill Todd said in a statement.
The State Department has been among a number of federal agencies affected by the shutdown that started Dec. 22. Roughly 23 percent of the State Department’s direct hire employees overseas and 40 percent of those operating domestically have been furloughed, meaning they aren’t being paid and aren’t ordered to come to work…
…Employees will not receive paychecks for the first several weeks of the shutdown until a new funding bill is approved…
Bloomberg tweeted: “President Trump tells Nancy Pelosi her international trips are postponed due to the shutdown. Here’s the letter:”
The tweet includes an image of the letter that President Trump sent Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It says:
Dear Madame Speaker:
Due to the Shutdown, I am sorry to inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan have been postponed. We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over. In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate. I also feel that, during this period, it would be better if you were in Washington negotiating with me and joining the Strong Border Security movement to end the Shutdown. Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would be your perogative.
I look forward to seeing you soon and even more forward to watching our open and dangerous Southern Border finally receive the attention, funding, and security it so desperately deserves!
The letter is signed by President Donald Trump.
Roll Call posted an article titled: “Trump abruptly cancels military support for Pelosi overseas trip”. From the article:
…The White House decision was abrupt enough that an Air Force bus ostensibly to be used to transport members of Congress to Andrews Air Force Base was parked around 2 p.m. between the Longworth and Rayburn buildings.
The decision immediately rang alarm bells about operational security: The speaker is second in line to be president, and any trip a government official of that rank takes to a war zone or other such area is typically kept under wraps for safety and security reasons…
…White House officials declined to comment when asked if Trump considered the implication of announcing she was planning to go to still-dangerous Afghanistan, since he left the door open to her going after the shutdown…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump cancels delegation’s trip to Davos amid shutdown”. From the article:
The White House on Thursday scrapped a scheduled trip by several Cabinet officials to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, citing the partial government shutdown…
…“Out of consideration for the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay and to ensure his team can assist as needed, President Trump has canceled his delegation’s trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
Trump last week canceled his own visit to the annual gathering of world leaders and financial titans because of what he called “the Democrats intransigence on Border Security”…
…Trump had come under pressure to cancel or further pare back his administration’s Davos visit after he refused to provide military transportation for Pelosi’s congressional delegation, which was set to meet with NATO commanders in Brussels and U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan…
Slate posted an article titled: “The House Will Redo a Vote to Reopen the Government Because Republicans Weren’t Paying Attention”. From the article:
…The House was voting on another stopgap bill to reopen the government, this one until Feb. 28. Nearly all House Republicans routinely have voted against House Democratic spending bills over the last two week in an effort to stay in lockstep with President Trump’s demand for border wall funding. And it’s important to their messaging that they show unity against the Democratic bills.
When the bill came up, the Democrat presiding over the House, North Carolina Rep. G.K. Butterfield, called for a voice vote and declared the resolution passed. This is a standard majority move. What’s supposed to happen afterward, though, is for a member who wants a recorded vote to call for a recorded vote. The Republican at the lectern responsible for this task was Kentucky Rep. Brett Guthrie. Either he didn’t call for the recored vote, or Butterfield didn’t hear him. (If Guthrie did say something, it’s certainly not audible on the C-SPAN replay.) Butterfield waited about 30 seconds and then moved on to the next item of business…
…Some Republicans, realizing the messaging snafu that took place while they were tuned out, stayed in the chamber and tried to convince Butterfield and the Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer that Guthrie totally called for the recorded vote. Butterfield and Hoyer insisted that they didn’t hear it…
…Eventually, Hoyer and Scalise talked privately, and Hoyer left the floor. I saw him about 15 minutes later emerging from Speaker Pelosi’s office, and he confirmed that he’d decided to give Republicans another shot: They would vacate the voice vote and try again next week…
NBC News Channel 4 posted an article titled: “Metro Says It’s Losing $400K Per Weekday During Shutdown”. From the article:
Washington, D.C.’s Metro system says it is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars for every weekday that goes by during the partial federal government shutdown.
In a letter to U.S. Senators representing Maryland and Virginia, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said the shutdown has resulted in a 16 percent loss in average weekday Metrorail ridership and an 8 percent drop in Metrobus ridership on weekdays.
“Our preliminary analysis estimates that for an average weekday when the federal government is closed, Metro is losing approximately $400,000 in fare and parking revenue,” Wiedefeld said in the letter sent on Thursday.
He goes on to say that if ridership continues to decline, Metro might consider staffing or service adjustments such as scaling back the number of trains it uses during rush hour.
Metro could be forced to use its line of credit or postpone important repair projects if the shutdown continues longterm, according to Wiedefeld.
“Like other transit agencies, we are not receiving our grant funding and cost reimbursements during the shutdown,” the letter says.
Wiedefeld said Metro anticipates a funding gap of about $50 million through the end of January due to the unpaid reimbursements…
Senator Mark Warner tweeted: “Holy smokes. @ WMATA is losing $400,000 PER WEEKDAY due to the shutdown. That revenue loss doesn’t even include federal funds that are on hold because the Department of Transportation is shut down. This has got to stop.” The tweet includes images of the letter from Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld.
PBS posted an article titled: “Why many stores can’t accept food stamps during the shutdown”. From the article:
While so far there have been no major lapses in benefits for the nearly 39 million people who depend on food stamps amid the partial government shutdown, 2,500 retailers around the country are unable to take any form of SNAP EBT payments…
…February benefits, awarded through a debit-style card used at stores, are being paid out this week. Several states, including California and Florida, are warning users to be careful and make sure they manage to make the money last longer.
For 2,500 retailers, the problem is already here. That’s because those stores needed to renew a license for the Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT debit card program, and they failed to meet a deadline before the shutdown. Those renewals, required every five years, are on hold…
Politico posted an article titled: “Next shutdown victim: School lunches”. From the article:
…Under federal school meal programs, school districts typically get paid back by the federal government for the meals they pay up front to give to eligible children. But if the federal funds don’t come in, they aren’t allowed to pull from just any account to make up the shortfall…
…For the short term, many districts say a separate but related priority is ensuring that the children of furloughed federal employees are getting fed. Several district have encouraged them to sign up to receive free or reduced lunches…
…A USDA spokesperson noted in a statement that while schools have flexibility under the program, “we encourage them to use the resources we provide to create meals that will be appealing to students.” The statement said that the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and the Child and Adult Care Food Program are fully funded through the end of March.
“We understand that the current lapse in appropriations creates uncertainty for the future, but we remain hopeful that Congress will soon pass appropriations legislation that the president can sign, so that we can return to normal operations,” the spokesperson said…
January 18, 2019: Day 28 of the Partial Shutdown
Reuters posted an article titled: “On Day 28, no sign of end to U.S. partial government shutdown”. From the article:
As the partial U.S. government shutdown hit the four-week mark on Friday, tensions mounted in Washington on either side of the standoff over President Donald Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion to help fund a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
That ultimatum, which congressional Democrats have rejected, has prevented Congress from approving legislation to restore funding to about a quarter of the federal government, which closed down partially on Dec. 22 when several agencies’ funds expired for reasons unrelated to the border.
The Democratic-led House of Representatives has left town for a three-day weekend, returning late on Tuesday. The Senate was expected to reconvene on Friday, but its exact plans were unsettled…
The New York Times posted an article titled: “‘It’s Making Us Less Prepared’: Shutdown Slows Planning for Hurricanes and Other Disasters”. From the article:
…But the partial government shutdown — the longest in United States history — has brought much of that fieldwork and instruction to a halt. Most researchers have been furloughed, and training academies and courses have been canceled, with no makeup dates in sight.
Emergency workers, such as firefighters, paramedics and physicians, rely on federal academies to earn national certifications, keep their training current and learn how to keep people safe during a disaster. The prolonged stalemate, though, has forced the cancellation of a five-day course at the National Hurricane Center in Florida for recently hired state and municipal emergency managers. And last month, when the shutdown began, some 50 trainees at the National Fire Academy in Maryland were sent home, their coursework incomplete, said Steve Reaves, the president of the union that represents Federal Emergency Management Agency workers…
…FEMA continues to serve communities where disasters have been declared, including wildfire survivors in California and hurricane survivors in Florida, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the United States Virgin islands. On a recent afternoon, FEMA disaster recovery center in the Florida Panhandle saw a steady flow of people seeking assistance to pay for the damage caused by Hurricane Michael…
NPR posted an article titled: “Federal Shutdown Has Meant Steep Health Bills For Some Families”. From the article:
…Although the estimated 800,000 government workers affected by the shutdown won’t lose their health insurance, an unknown number are in limbo… unable to add family member such as spouses, newborns, or adopted children to an existing health plan; unable to change insurers because of unforeseen circumstances; or unable deal with other issues that might arise…
Drew Hammill, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi posted a statement on the U.S. Speaker of the House website. From the statement:
…“The United States Congress is a co-equal branch of government in our system of checks and balances. The Congress has a constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight in the war zone where our men and women in uniform are risking their lives every day,” Hammill said. “After President Trump revoked the use of military aircraft to travel to Afghanistan, the delegation was prepared to fly commercially to proceed with this vital trip to meet with our commanders and troops on the front lines.”
“In the middle of the night, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service provided an updated threat assessment detailing the President announcing this sensitive travel had significantly increased the danger to the delegation and to the troops, security, and other officials in supporting the trip,” continued Hammill. “This morning, we learned that the Adminstration had leaked the commercial travel plans as well.”
“In light of the grave threats caused by the President’s action, the delegation has decided to postpone the trip so as not to further endanger our troops and security personnel, or the other travelers on the flights,” said Hammill…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Senate GOP blocks bill to reopen Homeland Security”. From the article:
Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Friday that would have temporarily reopened the Department of Homeland Security.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) asked to take up a House-passed bill that would fund the department through Feb. 8. It’s the third time Democrats have tried to bring up the stopgap measure.
But Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) objected to the request “on behalf of the majority leader,” referring to Mitch McConnell (R.Ky.)
It’s the third time McConnell has blocked the bill to temporarily reopen DHS, which is at the center of the shutdown fight. He’s also blocked a bill that would reopen the rest of impacted department and agencies three times, most recently on Thursday…
…Kaine is expected to come back to the floor multiple times next week to try and get the House bills passed. He’s also forcing the Senate to hold a rare Saturday session…
NPR posted an article titled: “Defying Trump Administration, Calif. Offers Federal Workers Unemployment Benefits”. From the article:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says the Trump administration has told states they can’t offer unemployment benefits to federal employees who are required to report to work without pay during the government shutdown.
Newsom called a letter sent to states by the U.S. Department of Labor “jaw-dropping and extraordinary” as he met with TSA workers at the Sacramento International Airport Thursday afternoon. “So, the good news is, we’re going to do it, and shame on them.”
The governor explained that California will offer the workers unemployment coverage, despite the federal government telling the state it can’t do so for workers still on the job. Newsom says he believes California is on strong legal footing…
Vox posted an article titled: “Even with the shutdown, the Trump administration is suing to take land for the border wall”. From the article:
President Donald Trump hasn’t yet gotten Democrats to acquiesce to his demands for $5.7 billion to build barriers — a “wall” — on the US-Mexico border.
But that hasn’t stopped Justice Department attorneys from working to seize the land for it, even as they have to postpone most other lawsuits due to the partial government shutdown.
DOJ instructed federal attorneys to postpone any lawsuits that weren’t necessary to safeguard “the safety of human life or the protection of property” until the shutdown was over. The Trump administration has even put cases on hold that it’s argued are essential to national security — like the lawsuit over its asylum ban, which has been put on hold by a federal judge in California.
But land condemnation cases in the Southern District of Texas, where the Trump administration has declared its interest in building 104 miles of bollard fencing, are still chuggin along. Government attorneys even filed a new case in January, after the shutdown began. The Texas Civil Rights Project is representing defendants in two active eminent domain cases so far — with a third coming up soon and many more in the works — and has seen no evidence of shutdown delay…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Greens formally object to Trump administration approving oil drilling during shutdown”. From the article:
Three environmental groups are filing formal objections against the Trump administration’s decision to keep processing permits and taking other actions to further oil and natural gas drilling during the partial government shutdown.
WildEarth Guardians, Western Watersheds Projects, and the Center for Biological Diversity say the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is breaking the law by processing drilling applications and preparing for upcoming drilling rights lease sales on federal land.
In addition to violating a prohibition on spending money Congress hasn’t appropriated, the groups say that since BLM cannot post information about the applications, the public cannot fully participate in the process through objections or other means…
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Polls Show Government Shutdown Is Eroding Faith in Economy”. From the article:
The government shutdown and a late-year slump in the stock market have eroded Americans’ optimism for the economy and support for President Trump’s economic policies, new surveys show.
The decline in confidence is widespread — among Democrats and Republicans, high and low earners — and it suggests mounting danger for Mr. Trump and the economic expansion that he claims as a strong point of his presidency. Sustained drops in confidence often signal dampened consumer spending in the months ahead, and can be the precursor to broader economic downturns.
On Friday, the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index fell to the lowest point of the Trump presidency, well below forecasters expectations. Analysts attributed the drop largely to the partial government shutdown that has entered its fifth week…
Gothamist posted an article titled: “Airport Safety Specialists Warn of Long-Term Risks From Shutdown”. From the article:
…On Thursday morning, about a dozen federal workers gathered together in LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal A parking lot, bearing picket signs that read, “Don’t Gamble With Aviation Safety.” They were speaking on behalf of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), which represents nearly 11,000 Federal Aviation Administration employee who have either been furloughed or are working without pay — workers who are responsible for things like navigational and communication equipment that airports use every day to maintain air safety…
…Many airline safety jobs entail 24-hour operations, which is usually bearable thanks to the overtime pay. But there’s no overtime pay during a shutdown, requiring fewer workers to put in longer hours for nothing. Under those conditions, it’s easy to see why some workers might quit and look for another job. But when it comes to airline safety, losing a single employee could have lasting consequences…
President Trump tweeted: “I will be making a major announcement concerning the Humanitarian Crisis on our Southern Border, and the Shutdown, tomorrow afternoon at 3 P.M., live from the @ WhiteHouse.”
This blog was originally posted on Medium in two parts, one on January 12, 2019, and the other on January 16, 2019. Both blog were periodically updated as the shutdown continued.
A Timeline of the 2018-2019 Partial Government Shutdown – Week Four is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. [...]
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January 6, 2019Photo by Artem Bali from Pexels
The 2018–2019 partial government shutdown went into a third week.
Want to know what happened before week three? You may want to read my post about week one of the partial government shutdown, and/or my post about what happened during week two.
January 5, 2019: Day 15 of the Partial Shutdown
President Donald Trump tweeted: “The Democrats could solve the Shutdown problem in a very short period of time. All they have to do is approve REAL Border Security (including a Wall), something which everyone, other than drug dealers, human traffickers and criminals, want very badly! This would be so easy to do!”
President Donald Trump tweeted: “I don’t care that most of the workers not getting paid are Democrats, I want to stop the Shutdown as soon as we are in agreement on Strong Border Security! I am in the White House ready to go, where are the Dems?”
AlJazeera posted an article titled: “Talks to resume after Trump says shutdown could last ‘years’”. From the article:
White House officials and congressional staffers will continue negotiations on Saturday over the government shutdown, even after President Donald Trump declared he could keep it going for “months or even years.”…
…Trump has designated Vice President Mike Pence, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and adviser Jared Kushner to work with a congressional delegation at a meeting set for 11am (16:00 GMT) Saturday…
NPR posted an article titled: “No Deal To End Government Shutdown As Negotiations Continue in Washington”. From the article:
There were no breakthroughs in meetings Saturday between Congressional leadership and White House officials as both sides worked to reach an agreement to end the government shutdown, which is entering its third week.
A sticking point remains President Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion to build a border wall. Democrats say they will not agree to any additional money for a wall, and that the government should re-open while negotiations continue…
…Vice President Mike Pence, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and senior presidential advisor Jared Kushner were among the officials at Saturday’s meeting. Pence maintained that funding for the border wall is needed, and that the White House will not budge in its request for funding for the wall…
…Congressional staff and White House officials will meet again on Sunday afternoon to try and hammer out a deal…
President Donald Trump tweeted: “V.P. Mike Pence and team just left the White House. Briefed me on their meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives. Not much headway made today. Second meeting set for tomorrow. After so many decades, must finally and permanently fix the problems on the Southern Border!”
Nancy Pelosi posted a statement on the official Speaker of the House website:
“While President Trump threatens to keep the government shut down for ‘years,’ Democrats are taking immediate further action to re-open government, so that we can meet the needs of the American people, protect our borders and respect our workers.
“Next week, House Democrats will begin passing individual appropriations bills to re-open all government agencies, starting with the appropriations bill that covers the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. This action is necessary so that the American people can receive their tax refunds on schedule. The certainty of the tax returns of hard-working families should no longer be held hostage to the President’s reckless demands. This bill will then go to the Senate where it has already been passed with overwhelming bipartisan support…
The Hill posted an article titled: “OPM directs agencies to halt scheduled pay raises for Pence, top officials”. From the article:
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has reportedly directed federal agencies to halt pay raises scheduled to go into effect today for Vice President Pence, members of the president’s Cabinet and other top administration officials.
A reporter for The Washington Post tweeted Saturday that OPM made the decision Friday evening following news reports detailing the raises, which were unintended consequences of the weeks-long partial shutdown of the federal government…
ABC News posted an article titled: “President Trump, senior White House staff to head to weekend retreat at Camp David”. From the article:
President Trump and his senior staff are headed on a group vacation — all at the direction of new acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.
White House senior officials will spend the weekend at Camp David in Hauvers, Maryland, a rural retreat for the office of president.
Trump will visit the retreat and lead meetings, but only on Sunday…
…It is not clear which staffers will be making the hike, though Vice President Mike Pence, son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen will not be visiting. The three will instead continue to negotiate with congressional leaders in a bid to end the partial government shutdown, which enters its 15th day on Saturday…
CNET posed an article titled: “CES becomes latest victim of US government shutdown”. From the article:
Just before the world’s biggest tech show kicks off in a few days, organizers are warning that several speakers will be canceling due to an ongoing US government shutdown.
The annual Consumer Electronics Show is expected to bring nearly 200,000 tech enthusiasts and leaders to Las Vegas, with the show kicking off Sunday. But on Saturday, Gary Shapiro, head of the Consumer Technology Association, which runs the show, sent out a short statement warning that a number of speakers who work for the US government had to cancel their appearances.
Sarah Brown, a CTA spokeswoman, said 10 speakers have canceled so far. Those speakers come from the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Communications Commission and several other agencies. She added that there are no current plans to replace those speakers with other programming…
The Philadelphia Inquirer posted an article titled: “Muslim youth clean up Independence Mall amid government shutdown”. From the article:
With rakes, brooms, and trash pickers in hand, more than a dozen young Muslim men took to Independence Mall on Saturday in the rain to clean up litter. It was their way of lessening the impact of the partial government shutdown, they said.
Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the Mall’s most famous occupants, have been closed to the public for the majority of the time since the shutdown began Dec. 22. That hasn’t stopped passerby — including tourists catching a glimpse of the Liberty Bell from outside its windowed housing — from leaving their cigarette butts, gum wrappers, and other items of trash behind, or the wind, for that matter, from blowing some of the city’s discards there…
The article says the Muslim youth who volunteered in Saturday’s cleanup are members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, a national organization for Muslim youths with more than 50 chapters around the country.
The Los Angeles Times posted an article titled: “Shutdown spares federal park rangers at site in Trump’s Washington hotel”. From the article:
Smithsonian museums are closed. There are no federal staffers to answer tourists’ questions at the Lincoln Memorial. And across the United States, national parks are cluttered with trash. Yet despite the federal government shutdown, a historic clock tower at the Trump International Hotel remained open for its handful of visitors, staffed by green-clad National Park Service rangers…
…The Trump administration appears to have gone out of its way to keep the attraction in the federally owned building that houses the Trump hotel open and staffed with National Park Service rangers, even as other federal agencies shut all but the most essential services.
Amanda Osborn, a spokeswoman for the General Services Administration, which owns the building and leases it to the Trump Organization, said in an email that the shutdown exemption for the comparatively little-known clock tower was “unrelated to the facility’s tenant” — the Trump business. The agency says the law that put it in charge of the site obligates it to keep it open, even as federal Washington closes around it.
But the scene at the modest historic site at the Trump hotel building, where rangers often outnumber visitors, marked the latest episode in which President Trump’s business interests have overlapped with the work of the federal government, creating at least the appearance of a conflict of interest…
Senator Chris Van Hollen (Democrat – Maryland) tweeted: “Senate Democrats should block consideration of any bills unrelated to opening the government until Sen. Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans allow a vote on the bipartisan bills the House passed to open the government. Mitch, don’t delay. Let’s vote!”
Senator Ben Cardin (Democrat — Maryland) tweeted his agreement with Senator Chris Van Hollen’s tweet: “Agreed. This isn’t business as usual. This is a crisis, a fundamental failure to govern, and Americans are suffering for it. The Senate should not take up any bills unrelated to reopening the government until @ SenateMajLdr lets us vote on exactly that. #Shutdown”
The Hill posted an article titled: “Dad and 10-year-old daughter embark on ‘Government Shutdown Litter Patrol’ instead of hiking”. From the article:
A father and daughter in Tennessee embarked on a “Government Shutdown Litter Patrol” to help clean a local national park earlier this week as parks continue to grapple with overflowing trash due to limited staffing amid the ongoing partial government shutdown.
Marc Newland and his daughter Erica were getting ready to go on their usual weekly hike on Thursday when Newland said his 10-year-old decided their quality time would be best spent collecting litter instead, a local ABC station reported…
…Newland said in a Facebook post detailing the cleanup hike that he and his daughter headed to the Laurel Falls trail with trash bags and pickers in hand for one of their stops and “before we knew it, our bags were full.”…
…The duo also challenged other “hikers to take one day off from getting in miles and impressive vista pics and instead, give back by grabbing a trash bag, heading to the park and collecting some litter!”…
Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, Steny Hoyer, posted an issue report on the House of Representatives Majority Leader website. It was titled: “Trump Shutdown Impacts Grow”. In it, he lists the impact of the shutdown. From the issue report:
Approximately 800,000 federal employees are working without pay or still furloughed.
Government contractors are operating at a standstill. Their employees are unable to work, and they won’t receive retroactive pay like federal employees have in the past.
The shutdown is delaying IRS preparations for tax filing season. If the shutdown lasts beyond January, more than $140 billion in tax refunds could be frozen or delayed. In addition, Americans currently can’t access walk-in taxpayer assistance centers and all taxpayer customer service. Individuals are unable to access return forms necessary for mortgages and lending.
If the shutdown lasts beyond January, nutrition assistance will be reduced by 40%, affecting nearly 40 million individuals and families across the country.
The Food and Drug Administration’s ability to ensure the safety of some medical product, animal drug, and most food related activities is significantly undermined as well as their ability to conduct inspections.
The Federal Housing Administration is not processing loans and mortgage approvals.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Real Estate Assessment Center is not conducting inspections of rental units to ensure housing is safe and sanitary.
Agriculture subsidies from USDA have run out of funds, leaving farmers without loans for rural development.
January 6, 2019: Day 16 of the Partial Shutdown
The Washington Post posted an article titled: “Trump meets with staff at Camp David as shutdown enters third week”. From the article:
With the partial government shutdown dragging into its third week, President Trump on Sunday met with White House staff at Camp David, where the president’s long-promised border wall was among the topics on the agenda.
The meetings came one day after Vice President Pence, top White House officials and senior congressional aides emerged empty-handed after more than two hours of negotiations on ending the stalemate…
…In a bid to force the Democrat’s hand, Trump has said that he is considering declaring an emergency to begin wall construction without congressional approval. The legality of such a move is unclear, however, and the president would almost certainly face immediate legal challenge in the courts.
Trump also said Sunday that he understood the predicament facing hundreds of thousands of federal workers who are not receiving their paychecks…
…And he further backed away from the notion of a concrete wall, telling reporters that he informed his staff to now say “steel barrier.” During the 2016 campaign, Trump often pledged to build a concrete wall, but on Sunday, he argued that steel slats “will be less obstructive and stronger.”…
…While Trump was meeting with staff at Camp David, Pence met again with congressional leadership staff on Sunday afternoon. Trump, whose shifting messages during the shutdown have vexed Democrats as well as members of his own party, told reporters ahead of the Pence meeting that he didn’t “expect anything to happen” at those talks but that “we’re going to have some very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.”…
President Trump tweeted: “V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather concrete. It is both stronger & less obtrusive. Good solution, and made in the U.S.A.”
The Hill posted an article titled: “Collins: Senate should vote on funding bills passed in House”. From the article:
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Sunday that she would support holding a Senate vote on bills passed in the House to reopen parts of the government unrelated to negotiations over funding for President Trump’s wall along the southern border.
Collins said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that she understands Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) is in a difficult spot because the president may not sign bills passed by the Democratic-held House, but pressed for a vote to reopen agencies like Agriculture, Interior, Transportation and Housing, and Urban Development….
…Collins argued that Congress should pass appropriations bills before the end of the fiscal year to avoid the threat of a shutdown being used as a political weapon…
ABC 7 Eyewitness News posted an article titled: “US food stamp program could run out of funding if shutdown continues”.
The partial government shutdown could soon impact the millions of Americans who rely on the nation’s food stamp program.
The program is run by the US Department of Agriculture, which is one of the agencies that has been unfunded during the shutdown.
Congress recently issued $3 billion of emergency funds for the program.
However experts say the funding could run out sometime next month…
The Hill posted an article titled: “House panel to ‘demand answers’ for Interior’s move to use visitor fees to keep parks open”. From the article:
The House National Resources Committee intends to investigate the Trump administration’s decision to dip into visitor fees to keep parks open, the panel’s chairman warned Sunday.
Rep. Raúl Grijalava (D-Ariz.) said that his committee — which oversees Interior — has plans to look into the legality of the decision, saying the shutdown has done “terrible damage” to the U.S….
…The National Park Service (NPS) announced to staff Sunday a plan to dip into “entrance, camping, parking and other fees collected from park visitors” to pay staff to assist in urgent maintenance needs at a number of national parks overburdened by visitors during the recent government shutdown…
USA Today posted an article titled: “‘The goal is not to open up the government’: Sen. Graham says no shutdown end without wall”. From the article:
The White House has said it is willing to extend the partial government shutdown, now in its third week, for months and even years to secure funding for a southern border wall.
And one of President Donald Trump’s most ardent advocates in the Senate amid his battle with congressional Democrats also appeared ready to accept a long-term shutdown to achieve the president’s goal.
“I do want to open up the government, but the goal is not to open up the government,” Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation” when asked if he would support opening up the government before continuing negotiations.
“The goal is to fix a broken immigration system to bring reality to this table, the South Carolina Republican said. And after speaking to Trump, Graham said, “it was pretty clear to me that we’re never going to have a deal unless we get a wall as part of it.”
House Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D.-Calif., have said they will not negotiate on border security funding until the government is reopened…
NBC News posted an article titled: “Hard to digest: Inmates eat holiday steak during shutdown while prison workers go unpaid”. From the article:
The partial government shutdown created a delicious irony at federal prisons — inmates dining on lavish meals in front of disgruntled staffers forced to work without pay…
…Inmates at FCI Pekin in Illinois enjoyed a fancy meal of steak and shrimp on Jan. 1. Cornish hen and Boston Creme pie were on the menu at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. And the prisoners at a federal institution in Minnesota munched on heaping plates of chicken wings, according to staffers and documents obtained by NBC News…
…In addition to working without pay, many of the prison staffers, including correctional officers, were ordered to cut vacations short or face a loss in wages and possible administrative punishment, including suspensions.
Adding to the staffers’ bitter feelings, the working inmates were still drawing government paychecks for their prison jobs, which include painting buildings, cooking meals and mowing lawns…
…The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement that holiday meals are “planned weeks in advance, including as happened here in advance of the government shutdown.”…
ABC News posted an article titled: “House Armed Services Committee chair says President Donald Trump can declare national emergency.” From the article:
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, said President Donald Trump does have the authority to call a national emergency over border security, but is “wide open” to facing a court challenge.
“Unfortunately, the short answer is yes. There is a provision in law that says the president can declare an emergency. It’s been done a number of times. But primarily it’s been done to build facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Smith told George Stephanopoulos on “This Week” on Sunday. “In this case, I think the president would be wide open to a court challenge saying, ‘where is the emergency?’ You have to establish that in order to do this. But beyond that, this would be a terrible use of Department of Defense dollars.”
Smith also said he will use his position as the new chair of the Armed Services Committee to examine whether President Trump has politicized the military on the issue of border security.
“I don’t think you should use the military to advance your agenda,” Smith said. “The main thing I want to focus on in the hearings that we have coming up once we get our committee set is transparency and oversight. You know, why did the president send 5,600 troops — active duty troops to the border? What was the purpose of it?”…
IndyStar posted an article titled: “Restaurant owner Neal Brown offers free meals to those affected by government shutdown”. From the article:
Indianapolis restauranteur Neal Brown is offering free meals to anyone affected by the shutdown, which Sunday hit the 16-day mark. That’s tied for the third-longest on record.
In a New Year’s Day Facebook post, Brown wrote “If you know someone affected by the Gov. shutdown, let me know. We’ll feed them for free until they get paid again.”
Brown said the offer stands at any of his Indianapolis-area restaurants, including The Libertine Liquor Bar on Mass Ave., Japanese sushi bar Ukiyo on College Ave. and Pizzology in Carmel. It also extends to immediate family members of affected individuals…
January 7, 2019: Day 17 of the Partial Shutdown
President Donald Trump tweeted: “Congressman Adam Smith, the new Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, just stated, “Yes, there is a provision in law that says a president can declare an emergency. It’s been done a number of times.” No doubt, but let’s get our deal done in Congress!”
This is significant because, earlier in the partial shutdown, (during week two), The Wall Street Journal reported:
…Mr. Trump also said he is considering using executive authority to build a wall, though he prefers to negotiate with Congress. “It’s called a national emergency,” he said, asserting he had that power. It wasn’t immediately clear how such a move would be funded…
The House Armed Services Committee (which controls oversight and funding of the Department of Defense, the United States Armed Forces, and portions of the Department of Energy) tweeted in response to President Trump’s tweet:
“There is no national emergency. Declaring one would be wrong and horrible policy. Don’t take 5.6 billion dollars from our troops for a wall we do not need. And remember that the estimated cost for Trump’s wall is $20–30B. $5.6B is just a down payment.”
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Trump Wants to Deliver Prime Time Address on Government Shutdown and Will Visit the Border”. From the article:
President Trump wants to address the nation about the government shutdown on Tuesday night, and later in the week plans to travel to the southern border as part of his effort to persuade Americans of the need for a border wall — the sticking point in negotiations with Democrats who are eager to reopen shuttered government agencies.
The White House did not immediately respond to questions about a request to television networks to carve out time for an Oval Office address. A person familiar with the request said the White House had asked to interrupt prime time programming on Tuesday…
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted: “President @realDonaldTrump will travel to the Southern border on Thursday to meet with those on the frontlines of the national security and humanitarian crisis. More details will be announced soon.”
President Donald Trump tweeted: “I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security Crisis on our Southern Border. Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. Eastern.”
CBS News posted an article titled: “White House asks for billions of dollars to fund border operations”. From the article:
As negotiations between lawmakers to reopen the government continue to be locked in a stalemate, the White House is standing firm on its $5.7 billion demand to construct a “steel barrier: along the U.S.-Mexico frontier. It is also asking for billions of dollars in additional funding for immigration judges and border security.
The administration’s negotiating team, led by Vice President Mike Pence, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and White House senior advisor Jared Kushner, have provided Democrats with an outline of their demands for a deal to end the partial shutdown.
In addition to President Trump’s unwavering $5.7 billion request for border funds, the White House is demanding $563 million for 75 additional immigration judges and support staff, $211 million to hire 750 additional Border Patrol officers, $571 million to deploy 2,000 law enforcement personnel, $4.2 billion for 52,000 detention beds, $675 million for inspection technology at points of entry, and $800 million for “humanitarian needs,” which will include funds for medical support, transportation, supplies and temporary facilities along the southwestern border…
TIME posted an article titled: “This Is Now The Third-Longest Government Shutdown in U.S. History”. From the article:
As of Monday, the federal government has been partially shut down for 16 days, making it tied for the third-longest shutdown in U.S. history.
The other shutdown lasted 16 days took place from Oct. 1, 2013, to Oct. 17, 2013. There have been 21 government shutdowns since Congress began using the modern budgeting process in 1976. Some of them have lasted just a few days, or even a few hours — as was the case last February — and haven’t really affected government operations…
The IRS posted information on its website titled: “IRS Confirms Tax Filing Season to Begin January 28”. From the information:
Despite the government shutdown, the Internal Revenue Service today confirmed that it will process tax returns beginning January 28, 2019 and provide refunds as scheduled…
…Congress directed the payment of all tax refunds through a permanent, indefinite appropriation… and the IRS has consistently been of the view that it has the authority to pay refunds despite a lapse in annual appropriations. Although in 2011 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed the IRS not to pay refunds during a lapse, OMB has reviewed the relevant law at Treasury’s request and concluded that IRS may pay tax refunds during a lapse.
The IRS will be recalling a significant portion of its workforce, currently furloughed as part of the government shutdown, to work. Additional details for the IRS filing season will be included in an updated FY2019 Lapsed Appropriations Contingency Plan to be released publicly in the coming days…
…As in the past, the IRS will begin accepting and processing individual tax returns once the filing season begins. For taxpayers who usually file early in the year and have all of the needed documentation, there is no need to wait to file. They should file when they are ready to submit a complete and accurate tax return.
The filing deadline to submit 2018 tax returns is Monday, April 15, 2019 for most taxpayers…
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Tax Refunds Will Be Issued During Shutdown, Trump Official Says”. From the article:
The Trump administration will direct the Internal Revenue Service to issue tax refunds during the ongoing federal government shutdown, reversing previous policy, officials said Monday.
“Tax refunds will go out,” Russell T. Vought, acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, told reporters in an afternoon briefing.
In a late-afternoon call with the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the administration will call back a significant number of I.R.S. employees from furlough, in order to issue refunds. Mr. Mnuchin also told Mr. Neal that the I.R.S. would open the tax filing season on time at the end of January, and that enough employees would return to work to allow the I.R.S. to answer 60 to 70 percent of phone calls seeking tax assistance.
The employees will not be paid until the shutdown ends…
CBS News posted an article titled: “Trump to make prime time address on border security”. From the article:
President Trump will make a prime time address Tuesday night from the Oval Office about border security, as the partial government shutdown over his border wall continues into its third week. It will be his first prime time address from the Oval Office.
CBS News will air the president’s address, scheduled for 9 p.m. ET…
NBC News posted an article titled: “To air or not to air: Networks face pressure over broadcasting Trump’s immigration address”. From the article:
…As of early Monday evening, CBS, ABC, Fox and NBC had decided to air Trump’s address, according to sources familiar with the decisions who were not allowed to speak publicly. Late Monday, PBS and Telemundo confirmed plans to broadcast Trump’s remarks. The major cable news channels — MSNBC, CNN and Fox News — were also planning to air the speech…
…The four major networks have not had a consistent policy when it comes to airing presidential addresses on immigration. They aired President George W. Bush’s prime-time address on immigration in 2006, but did not air one by President Barack Obama in 2014…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Networks to air Trump prime-time address live on Tuesday”. From the article:
All major networks Monday confirmed that they will air President Trump’s Oval Office address on the government shutdown live, after some initial uncertainty over how the organizations would handle the speech.
CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Fox Business and CNN all confirmed to The Hill that the prime-time speech will air on their channels Tuesday night. CNN reported that local Fox stations and MSNBC also intend to carry the address live.
CBS said in a statement to The Hill that the address will start at 9:01:30 p.m., and the White House informed the network it will last no longer than eight minutes…
The National Governors Association wrote a letter calling for a swift resolution to the government shutdown. The letter was written to President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Minority Leader-designate of the House Kevin McCarthy. From the letter:
…On behalf of the nation’s governors, we urge you to find a compromise and immediately end the partial government shutdown. A federal government shutdown is a failure in governance and a weight on our economy and the American people.
As we enter the 17th day since the lapse in appropriations, it is imperative that you re-open the government now and, then, reach across the aisle to find a solution that will end the current impasse. Every day, governors must work with our state legislatures, local governments, and stakeholders throughout our states to find common ground, and we believe Congress and the President must do the same…
Variety posted an article titled: “Jimmy Kimmel Promises to Put to Work Federal Employees Impacted by Trump’s Government Shutdown”. From the article:
Jimmy Kimmel marked Day 17 of the government shutdown by inviting one of the nearly 800,000 federal employees working without pay to get a paycheck — by working on Kimmel’s late-night talk show.
“It’s unfortunate that these people, these workers, have nothing to do with this ridiculous wall, aren’t getting paychecks, especially right after the holidays,” Kimmel said at the start of Monday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC.
Wanting to do his part, Kimmel vowed to put a federal employee to work on his show every night until the shutdown ends. The first he welcomed was John Kostelnik, a prison guard and union president at the Federal Correction Complex in Victorville, Calif….
…Kostelinik also said that he, along with the rest of the government employees not currently drawing paychecks, “hope” they will see their money eventually, at the end of the shutdown. But for now, Kimmel handed Kostelnik a tambourine and put him in the show’s band, depite Kostelnik saying he does not play any musical instruments…
January 8, 2019: Day 18 of the Partial Shutdown
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer released a joint statement titled “Pelosi, Schumer Joint Statement on the President’s Tuesday Evening Address”. From the joint statement:
…“Democrats and an increasing number of Republicans in Congress have repeatedly urged the President and Leader McConnell to end the Trump Shutdown and re-open the government while Congress debates the President’s expensive and ineffective wall. Unfortunately, President Trump keeps rejecting the bipartisan House-passed bills, which have already received strong bipartisan support in the Senate, to re-open the government. Instead, he is still demanding that American taxpayers pay at least $5.7 billion for his wall, which can’t pass either chamber of Congress and of course Mexico is not paying for it.
“Now that the television networks have decided to air the President’s address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime…
NPR posted an article titled: “Democrats Set to Counter Trump After Oval Office Address”. From the article:
Democrats and President Trump are launching an aggressive public relations campaign in hopes of winning popular support as the 18-day partial government shutdown drags on with no resolution in sight…
…Top Senate and House Democratic and Republican leaders were invited to a meeting at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the shutdown, according to multiple congressional sources. Trump and Vice President Pence are also set to speak with Senate Republicans on Wednesday…
…Trump will begin with a speech from the Oval Office on what he describes as a crisis on the border with Mexico. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will then respond from the Capitol, in part they say to correct the record after Trump speaks…
The Philadelphia Inquirer posted an article titled: “Federal workers rally in Philly to protest shutdown”. From the article:
About 200 federal employees, union leaders, and supporters rallied in front of the Liberty Bell on Tuesday morning to protest the partial government shutdown and pay freeze.
They carried bare-bones signs made from torn pieces of cardboard — “I’d rather be working for the greater good,” one read — and spoke of not being able to pay their bills, of feeling like pawns, of feeling disrespected…
…The rally was organized by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) which represents about 10,000 workers in Philadelphia, including Transportation Security Administration agents, Department of Housing and Urban Development employees and correctional officers, and the National Treasure Employees Union (NTEU) representing more than 5,000 employees locally…
…Another protest by federal unions is planned for Thursday morning in Washington outside AFL-CIO headquarters, and the NTEU plans to bus members to D.C….
Reuters posted an article titled: “A growing number of Americans blame Trump for shutdown: Reuters-Ipsos poll”. From the article:
…The national opinion poll, which ran from Jan. 1 to Jan. 7, found that 51 percent of adults believe Trump “deserves most of the blame” for the shutdown, which entered its 18th day on Tuesday. That’s up 4 percentage points from a similar poll that ran from Dec. 21 to 25.
Another 32 percent blame congressional Democrats for the shutdown, and 7 percent blame congressional Republicans, according to the poll. Those percentages are mostly unchanged from the previous poll…
…It also found only 35 percent of adults in the United States support a congressional spending bill that includes funding for the wall, and 25 percent support Trump’s decision to keep the government closed until Congress approves funding for the wall.
Republicans, however, strongly support Trump’s pursuit of an expanded border wall. They have consistently ranked immigration as their top concern for the country. Seventy-seven percent of Republicans said in the most recent poll that they want additional border fencing, and 54 percent said they support Trump for shutting down the government until Congress approves funding for the wall.
The Hill posted an article titled: “Hoyer: IRS distributing refunds during shutdown is illegal”. From the article:
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) claimed Tuesday that the Trump administration lacks the legal authority to distribute tax refunds during the government shutdown, as the White House says it intends to do.
“Literally, there are $140 billion, approximately, in tax refunds that won’t be able to be sent,” Hoyer said during is weekly press briefing in the Capitol…
…On Monday, the administration vowed that the shutdown will not delay the IRS’s distribution of those payments…
…Hoyer said flatly that making the payments during the shutdown is illegal.
“The president now is going to order them to do what we think is illegal to do because he wants to act like a dictator,” Hoyer said.
To ramp up the pressure on Senate GOP leaders to act, Hoyer and House Democrats plan to pass four separate spending bills this week, targeting some of the shuttered agencies.
On Wednesday, they’ll vote on a financial services bill to reopen the Treasury Department; on Thursday, they’ll bring two bills to the floor, one funding the Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration, and another financing the Interior Department, including the National Park Service. And on Friday, they’ll vote to reopen the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development departments…
The Washington Post posted an article titled: “As shutdown stalls farm bailout, Trump team extends deadline”. From the article:
President Trump’s program to send billions of dollars to farmers hurt by his trade war with China has been stalled by the partial government shutdown, as the Agriculture Department office responsible for administering the payouts is closed for lack of funding.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced Tuesday that the department has extended the deadline for farmers to apply for bailout payments. The application window was slated to close Jan. 15, but Perdue said Tuesday that the deadline will extend until at least three weeks after the shutdown ends.
The shutdown caused the Agriculture Department to run out of money on Dec. 28 to keep Farm Service Agency offices open…
The Guardian posted an article titled: “Six Key Things to know about Trump’s border wall speech”. From the article:
…Terrorists rarely enter the US through Mexico: In September, a state department report concerning 2017 found “no credible evidence indicating that international terrorist groups have established bases in Mexico, worked with Mexican drug cartels, or sent operatives via Mexico into the United States…”
… A wall won’t stop drug traffickers: The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has said the most common way for traffickers to smuggle drugs across the border is by hiding them in cars that drive through official border checkpoints…
…Illegal immigration to the US has plummeted: In 2000, the government apprehended 1.6 million people crossing the border illegally. Last year, it apprehended 310,531, the lowest figure since 1971…
The New York Times posted a fact-check of Trump’s speech titled: “Trump’s Speech to the Nation: Live Updates and Fact Checks”. They identified one lie, and several things that require more context in order to be fully understood.
Here is the thing President Trump said that The New York Times identified as “false”:
…”The federal government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only: because Democrats will not fund border security.”
False.
Democrats have offered $1.3 billion in funding for border security measures like enhanced surveillance an fortified fencing. They do not support Mr. Trump’s border wall.
In a meeting with Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer in December, Mr. Trump took responsibility for the partial government shutdown.
“I will take the mantle, I will be the one to shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it,” he said….
The White House posted a transcript of President Trump’s speech.
A transcript of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s remarks, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s remarks, are posted on the Speaker of the House website.
The Guardian posted an article titled: “Joshua Tree national park announces closure after trees destroyed amid shutdown”. From the article:
For 17 days, a host of volunteers and a skeleton staff kept the trash cans and toilets from overflowing at Joshua Tree national park.
But on Tuesday, 18 days after the federal government shutdown furloughed the vast majority of national park staff, officials announced that vandalism of the park’s distinctive namesake plants and other maintenance and sanitation problems will require closure starting Thursday…
… Land told the Los Angeles Times that, with only eight rangers currently overseeing the nearly 800,000 acre park, the gates would likely be closed until the shutdown ends…
Reuters posted an article titled: “Trump administration says it will provide food stamps in February despite shutdown”. From the article:
The Trump Administration said on Tuesday it would keep providing food assistance to poor Americans in February despite a partial U.S. government shutdown, but warned it had no solution in place for March if the funding shortfall continues.
The announcement provides a reprieve for the roughly 40 million people whose food stamps have been threatened by the shutdown, triggered last month by President Donald Trump’s demand that lawmakers include billions of dollars for his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall in any legislation to fund some government agencies…
…Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the so-called Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program would receive funding for February thanks to a legal provision that allows money to be allocated within 30 days of a shutdown..
…Perdue said, however, that no solution has been identified for March, and called on lawmakers to agree on funding legislation and “send it to the president in a form that he can sign.”…
January 9, 2019: Day 19 of the Partial Shutdown
The Hill posted an article titled: “The Hill’s Morning Report — Back to the drawing board as shutdown reaches 19 days”. From the article:
…President Trump will meet with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) in the Situation Room today as the two sides resume negotiations aimed at reopening the federal government, which has been partially shuttered for 19 days now…
The Wall Street Journal posted an article titled: “U.S. Government Shutdown Freezes IPO Market, Imperiling Expectations for 2019”. From the article:
The government shutdown is threatening to spoil what was poised to be a banner year for IPOs.
The partial closure of the Securities and Exchange Commission is forcing companies that were seeking to list shares in January to push back their plans, according to bankers and lawyers. They include biotechnology firms Gossamer Bio Inc., Alector Inc., and Blackstone Group LP’s Alight Solutions LLC…
…As part of the shutdown, currently the second-longest on record, the SEC has furloughed thousands of employees and stopped reviewing and approving all new and pending corporate registration statements, including proposed IPO filings, according to the agency’s shutdown plan and other notices on its website. Dozens of SEC accountants and lawyers who review IPO paperwork are prohibited from reading email or calling deal lawyers seeking to discuss complex disclosure questions…
President Trump tweeted: “Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA! Far more money coming to the U.S. Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!”
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Democrats Focus on Shutdown’s Cost and Steer Away from Trump’s Wall”. From the article:
…It is at the heart of their effort this week to push through the House a series of bills to reopen shuttered federal agencies, including one scheduled for a vote Wednesday for the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service among others. They are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled chamber but die in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The goal: to win over more Republicans in the House and raise pressure in the Senate, where on Tuesday, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska became the latest Republican to call for a vote to reopen the government as talks on border security continue…
President Trump tweeted: “Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forest fires that, with proper Forest Management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!”
IAFF FireFighters Union posted a response to Trump’s tweet. It was titled “IAFF Response to Trump Tweet Threatening to Cut Federal Funds for Wildfire Response”. From the response:
As Californians struggle to recover from a series of devastating wildfires, the president of the United States has launched another impulsive, reckless and uninformed tweet threatening to halt federal funding dedicated to helping fire fighters keep their communities safe…
…“The president’s tweet is disgraceful at a time when the government is under a self-imposed shutdown and the citizens of Paradise haven’t been at their home sites in 30 days,” says President of the California Professional Firefighters Brian Rice. “This important funding would go toward literally helping this city rise from the ashes. To withhold it in a game of politics is insulting to the people of Paradise.”…
…Last year, unprecedented wildfire destruction in California burned an area larger than the state of Rhode Island — the Camp Fire, with 86 dead, is the deadliest wildfire in California history.
Wildfire season becomes a year-round event, with short-staffed departments and exhausted fire fighters spending weeks at a time on the frontline doing their best to keep communities safe. Further reduction of resources will only make things more dangerous for fire fighters and the citizens they have sworn to protect.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi responded to President Trump’s tweet with a tweet of her own: “@ realDonaldTrump’s threat insults the memory of scores of Americans who perished in wildfires last year & thousands more who lost their homes. @ GOPLeader must join me to condemn & call on POTUS to reassure millions in CA that our govt will be there for them in their time of need”
CBS News posted an article titled: “‘Bye-bye”: Trump walks out of meeting with congressional leaders”. From the article:
President Trump’s meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and congressional GOP leaders in the Situation Room Wednesday afternoon ended abruptly, with the president walking out after Pelosi said she was unwilling to support a border wall soon if the government reopens…
…Mr. Trump and congressional Democrats are currently at an impasse over wall funding, as the president has refused to sign any legislation ending the partial government shutdown without sufficient money for the wall. Schumer said that Mr. Trump “slammed the table” and called the meeting a “waste of time” after Pelosi said that she did not support funding for the border wall. According to Schumer, Mr. Trump said Democrats would not do what he wanted if he opened up the government before they agreed to wall funding.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy characterized the meeting differently, saying that Mr. Trump handed out candy to attendees before it began. He also denied that Mr. Trump slammed anything before leaving the meeting…
…Both sides agreed that the meeting was unproductive, as the partial government shutdown comes close to being the longest on record. Workers at affected agencies will go without their first paycheck this week…
President Trump tweeted: “Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy a total waste of time. I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!”
SF Gate posted an article titled: “Trump ends talks after Democrats reject wall money; he calls meeting ‘total waste of time’”. From the article:
…The breakdown occurred shortly after the president dug in defiantly at a private meeting with Senate Republicans, attempting to rally GOP senators to his side even as he faced skepticism from a few lawmakers…
…Moderate Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, pleaded with Trump to reopen the government, according to lawmakers present…
…After the meeting, Murkowski told reporters: “I shared my support for the need for border security in the country and what we should do from a humanitarian perspective but a recognition that when the government is shut down there are consequences and people are starting to feel the consequences.”…
…When asked Wednesday how long he was willing to let the shutdown continue as he seeks money for a border wall, Trump replied: “Whatever it takes”..
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted remarks titled: “Pelosi Remarks Upon Returning to Capitol Following White House Meeting” on the Speaker of the House website. From the remarks:
Q: President Trump walked out of that meeting. Is that it? End of negotiations?
Speaker Pelosi: Well, I would hope not. We had people over the weekend, in a series of meetings, trying to come to an agreement of stipulation of fact, of what the challenge is, of the merit of ways to protect our border. Border security is a high priority. It’s our oath we take to protect and defend our people, wherever that is and securing our border is part of that.
The President stomped out of that meeting when he said, ‘Will you support a wall?’ and I said, ‘No.’
Now, they’re trying to mischaracterize what he actually said. But that’s par for the course for going to the White House in the first place — mischaracterization…
…Q: You’ve been through a lot of high stakes negotiations, intense negotiations. How does what just happened compare to what you’ve just ben through in the past?
Speaker Pelosi: It wasn’t even a high stakes negotiation. It was a petulant President of the United States. A person who would say, ‘I’ll keep government shut down for weeks, month or years unless I get my way.’
That’s not how democracy works, and so it’s very sad. And the sad part of it is, that when you are having a negotiation, you can’t negotiate unless you stipulate to fact and the President is presenting notions that really do not relate to fact, evidence, data or truth.
Reuters posted an article titled: “House passes bill that would end shutdown, but Senate unlikely to take it up”. From the article:
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation to end a partial shutdown of the Treasury Department and some other agencies, but without any money for President Donald Trump’s border wall.
By a vote of 240–188 along mostly partisan lines, the House passed the bill and sent it to the Republican-controlled Senate…
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi tweeted: “House Democrats just voted to ensure that this irresponsible #TrumpShutdown doesn’t block hardworking families from receiving their tax refunds in full & on time. The @ SenateGOP must pass this legislation or be fully complicit in the cruelty of this situation. #EndTheShutdown”
ABC News posted an article titled: “Shutdown stops federal government from paying its $5 million water bill to Washington DC”. From the article:
As a result of the ongoing shutdown, the government won’t be able to promptly pay Washington D.C. a $5 million water bill for services to federal buildings.
With 195,000 employees, the federal government is the city’s largest water customer. Those employees work in dozens of federal buildings and all of that toilet flushing, hand washing, and other water use adds up.
The bill? Some $16.5 million, of which the federal government paid $10.5 million…
…In a letter from the U.S. Treasury Department read at a water utility board meeting last week, members were told that the government would not be able to immediately pay the $5 million it owes. The Treasury Department confirmed to ABC News in a statement that “due to the partial government shutdown, some of the agencies consuming these services had a lapse in appropriation so no authority exists to collect the funding to pay their bill.”
Some on the utility board raised questions of whether they will shut off services eventually or charge late fees…
Joshua Tree National Park posted information on its National Park Service website titled: “Joshua Tree National Park to Remain Accessible”. From the information:
By immediately utilizing revenue generated by recreation fees, National Park Service officials have been able to avert a temporary closure of Joshua Tree National Park that had been previously scheduled for January 10. In addition, recently closed areas of the park will once again be accessible starting January 10. Some visitor services, including campgrounds and entrance stations, will reopen utilizing recreation fee revenue…
January 10, 2019: Day 20 of the Partial Shutdown
President Trump tweeted: “Cryn Chuck told his favorite lie when he used his standard sound bite that I “slammed the table & walked out of the room. He had a temper tantrum.” Because I knew he would say that, and after Nancy said no to proper Border Security, I politely said bye-bye and left, no slamming!”
President Trump tweeted: “There is GREAT unity with the Republicans in the House and Senate, despite the Fake News Media working in overdrive to make the story look otherwise. The Opposition Party & the Dems know we must have Strong Border Security, but don’t want to give “Trump” another one of many wins!”
The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump: ‘Cryn Chuck’ Schumer lied about ‘temper tantrum’” From the article:
…Trump also declared Thursday on Twitter that there is “GREAT unity” among Republicans in Congress amid the shutdown, even as some members of the GOP — including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — have broken with Trump over wall negotiations….
Alternet posted an article titled: “‘A no-win proposition’”: Here are 4 GOP senators calling for an end to the partial government shutdown”. Those GOP senators are: Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, West Virginia’s Shelley Moor Capito, Maine’s Susan Collins, and Colorado’s Cory Gardner.
NPR posted an article titled: “Shutdown Shutters Many D.C. Tourist Attractions — But Not The One In Trump’s Hotel”. From the article:
…One of the very few government-owned tourist attractions that’s still open is just a few blocks away, in the clock tower of the historic, 1899-vintage Old Post Office building. Three park ranger are on duty, guiding visitors up two elevators and onto an observation deck that provide dramatic views of downtown Washington. There’s also a set of historic bells that ring regularly.
The Old Post Office is owned by the federal government which leases the building to the Trump International Hotel, itself operated by President Trump’s Trump Organization. And once again, Trump’s stake in that hotel is controverisal.
A lawsuit is making its way through the courts alleges that Trump is violating anti-corruption clauses of the Constitution whenever the hotel does business with foreign and state governments. Lobbyists and political allies frequently hold events at the hotel. And there are questions about whether Trump personally intervened in plans to replace the FBI headquarters, which sits across the street from the hotel, in order to protect his business interests.
For Democrats and ethics watchdogs, the clock tower’s continued operation during a government shutdown has raised new questions about whether Trump’s business interests are getting an unfair boost from the government he sits atop of…
NBC News posted an article titled: “Test of steel prototype for border wall showed it could be sawed through”. From the article:
President Donald Trump has repeatedly advocated for a steel slat design for his border wall, which he described as “absolutely critical to border security” in his Oval Office address to the nation Tuesday. But Department of Homeland Security testing of a steel slat prototype proved it could be cut through with a saw, according to a report by DHS.
A photo exclusively obtained by NBC News shows the results of the test after military and Border Patrol personnel were instructed to attempt to destroy the barriers with common tools.
The Trump administration directed the construction of eight steel and concrete prototype walls that were built in Otay Mesa, California, just across the border from Tijuana, Mexico. Trump inspected the prototypes in March 2018. He has now settled on a steel slat, or steel bollard, design for the proposed border barrier additions. Steel bollard fencing has been used under previous administrations.
However, testing by DHS in late 201 showed all eight prototypes, including the steel slats, were vulnerable to breaching, according to an internal February 2018 U.S. Customs and Border Protection report…
NBC News posted a tweet that includes the photo of a steel slat wall that has clearly been sawed through.
President Trump tweeted: “Getting ready to leave for the Great State of Texas! #MAGA”
President Trump followed that tweet with a tweet that said: “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
USA Today posted an article titled: “Trump, heading to border, makes his most explicit threat yet that he may declare a national emergency.” From the article:
President Trump was headed to Texas on Thursday in an effort to promote his long-promised wall and again threatened to declare a national emergency if Democrats don’t agree to his demand for more wall funding…
… “If this doesn’t work out, I’ll probably will do it, maybe definitely,” Trump said. “We have plenty of funds if there’s a national emergency.”…
…Trump is expected to take part in a roundtable and receive a briefing from border officials. The president has also granted an interview to Fox News, which the network said will air Thursday night…
…Hanging over Trump’s visit to the border are questions about whether he will declare a national emergency, a move that would allow him to redirect defense money for a wall but would almost certainly trigger court challenges. An emergency declaration could give Trump an off ramp to reopen the government but continue to fight for the wall…
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Trump, Along the Border in Texas, Reiterates Demand for Wall”. From the article:
…Flanked by Border Patrol officers, as well as Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of homeland security, and a cache of drugs, cash and weapons seized by the authorities at the border, Mr. Trump again blamed the protracted shutdown affecting vast swaths of the federal government on Democrats. He reiterated an untrue claim that Mexico would indirectly pay for the wall through a revamped trade agreement, and heard from people who had loved ones killed by immigrants…
…But as the government shutdown neared the end of its third week, the president left Washington with no additional negotiations scheduled with congressional leaders over a possible compromise that could provide border security and open the government. In remarks to reporters on Thursday, Mr. Trump did not rule out declaring a state of national emergency that would allow him to bypass Congress to fund the wall…
…To bolster his campaign for the wall, the president has also scheduled an interview with the Fox host Sean Hannity, who will broadcast his show Thursday night from McAllen. Mr. Hannity is one of the president’s highest-profile supporters and is highly influential among his political base…
…At least seven senior aides were aboard the flight, including Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and senior advisor; Sarah Huckabee Sanders, his press secretary; Bill Shine, his deputy in chief for communications; Mick Mulvaney, his acting chief of staff; and Stephen Miller, a senior White House advisor and architect of the administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policies.
TIME posted an article titled: “Trump Campaigned on Mexico Paying for the Wall. Now He Says He ‘Obviously’ Didn’t Mean It”. From the article:
When he launched his campaign, Donald Trump argued that he would force Mexico to pay for a border wall. Now he says he “obviously” didn’t mean it…
…“When during the campaign, I would say ‘Mexico is going to pay for it,” obviously, I never said this, and I never meant they’re gonna write out a check, I said they’re going to pay for it. They are,” Trump said.
Again, Trump did say Mexico would pay for the wall, and he did say that it would hand the U.S. money for it…
…As president, Trump has argued that Mexico will pay for the wall indirectly through the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement, which has not been ratified. However, experts say that the new deal doesn’t have any provisions to use tariff funds to build a wall and that Mexico would never agree to the treaty if it did…
NBC News posted an article titled: “Record Latinos in Congress vow to overcome Trump’s wall, shutdown”. From the article:
At a ceremony to usher in a record number of Latino Democrats in Congress, lawmakers exuded more outrage than delight as they recognized their legislative ambitions are contending for now with a standoff over a border wall with Mexico that has partially shut down the government…
… García was one of the members of Congress who participated in a ceremonial swearing-in Wednesday night at the U.S. Capitol for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a bipartisan organization whose members are all Democrat. According to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) there are thirty-three Latino Democrats in the current Congress and five Republicans who have their own caucus known as the Congressional Hispanic Conference.
Speaking to a packed crowd, newly elected CHC Chair Joaquín Castro, D-Texas, told a packed auditorium that the highest number of Hispanics in Congress represents a greater focus on the community at large to counter negative perceptions about Latinos, which some decry as a reason for the elevated attention of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border…
The Guardian posted an article titled: “‘It’s the last resort’: government employees turn to GoFundMe for help. From the article:
People affected by the government shutdown have established approximately 1,000 fundraisers on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe to help cover their expenses, a spokeswoman for the company said on Wednesday.
The campaigns, often seeking a few hundred to thousands of dollars to cover necessities such as rent, groceries and utilities, have raised about $100,000 altogether — or an average of just $100 each…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Second federal employees union sues Trump administrator over shutdown”. From the article:
A second federal employees union has filed suit against the Trump administration over the government shutdown, which is now in its third week.
The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), which represents 150,000 members at 33 federal agencies, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday alleging that hundreds of thousands of workers are being illegally forced to work without pay, according to The Washington Post.
The lawsuit comes just a week after the American Federation of Government Employees union announced a similar lawsuit.
The NTEUs lawsuit names Albert Vieira, a Customs and Border Protection officer considered an “essential” government employees, as the plaintiff.
According to the lawsuit, Vieira has been deployed at the southwest border since November, and worked at least one overtime shift, the Post reported. The lawsuit asks that Vieira and other individuals in similar positions be paid wages they are owed…
Politico posted an article titled: “Air traffic controllers miss first paycheck” From the article:
Air traffic controllers, who are working through the government shutdown, won’t be getting a paycheck for their last two weeks of work, their union confirmed Thursday morning…
…Controllers and other aviation industry workers are planning to rally outside the Capitol building Thursday afternoon to call for the shutdown to be halted. They will be joined by several members of Congress from both parties and representatives of the airline industry, among others…
HuffPost posted an article titled: “Federal Employees are Filing Unemployment Claims To Get Through The Shutdown”. From the article:
…So far, the number of federal workers and contractors seeking unemployment benefits has been rising but appears to remain small as a share of the overall furloughed workforce. Unemployment agencies said they expect the number of claims to rise in the coming days, if more workers fear the impasse will stretch beyond their savings.
The District of Columbia, which has a disproportionate share of federal workers compared with states, had seen 3,745 federal workers and an estimated 822 federal contractors apply for benefits due to the shutdown as of Tuesday night, the D.C. Department of Employment Services told HuffPost. The agency is dealing with the influx of cases by having staff work extended hours.
A total of 1,328 workers in Maryland applied for unemployment as a result of the shutdown as of Monday night, according to the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The state has some of the highest concentrations of federal workers in the country…
The Oregon Zoo posted news titled “Zoo offers free entry for furloughed federal employees”. From the news:
The Oregon Zoo is offering free admission for furloughed federal employees and their families during the partial government shutdown, zoo officials said. The offer — which is effective immediately and will last through the shutdown — is als good for federal contractors who are affected.
To receive free admission, furloughed employees must show their federal ID or badge…
The Chicago Tribune posted an article titled: “Federal workers to rally in Loop, calling for end to government shutdown”. From the article:
Federal workers, from border and customs agents to prison guards and agriculture agency employees were expected to converge on Chicago’s Loop midday Thursday to rally for an end to the partial government shutdown.
The noon rally is sponsored by the largest union that represents federal workers, the American Federation of Government Employees. It will be at Federal Plaza at Adams and Dearborn streets…
..AFGE District 7 represents federal employees in Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, including in agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Homeland Security, all of which are affected by the shutdown…
The Chicago Tribune later posted an article titled: “‘This is just wrong,’ Federal workers rally in Loop as government shutdown stretches into 20th day”. A few key points from the article:
…The workers, from border and customs agents to prison guards and agriculture agency employees, converged on Chicago’s Loop at noon.
The noon rally was sponsored by the largest union that represents federal workers, the American Federation of Government Employees…
…Mike Muchowski said the union plans to hold rallies every Thursday at non in Federal Plaza for as long as necessary.
Among those at the rally was the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
“Workers want jobs, not walls,” said Jackson, who then led a chant as the crowd loudly repeated, “Jobs not walls! Jobs not walls! Jobs not walls!”…
Reuters posted an article titled: “‘We want our pay!’ furloughed U.S. workers shout at White House”. From the article:
Hundreds of furloughed federal employees changing “We want our pay!” marched on the White House on Thursday, the 20th day of a partial government shutdown over U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for border wall funding.
“Stop the shutdown!” protesters shouted in the bitter cold at the union-organized demonstration that started at the ALF-CIO headquarters and ended in front of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, where they hoisted signs reading “Trump: End the Shutdown” and “Not a strike — we want to work.”…
…Protesters, many wearing neon green vest reading, “I am a worker. I demand a voice,” on Thursday demanded the government be reopened, separate from any debate over wall funding.
Smaller protests across the country — from Palm Beach, Florida, to New York City — had similar demands…
…Trump was not at the White House when the protesters arrived, having traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border in McAllen, Texas.
The Louisville Courier Journal posted an article titled: “Federal workers protest government shutdown outside McConnell’s office”. From the article:
Frustrated federal employees gathered outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office in downtown Louisville on Thursday to protest the government shutdown that has frozen their paychecks and prevented them from going to work.
More than 50 people joined the rally, which was led by American Federation of Government Employees’ local chapter. They waved signs with slogans like “We Want to Work” and “End the Shutdown Now” as passing cars honked in solidarity….
The U.S. House of Representatives voted on H.R. 265. It was titled: “Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related agencies Appropriations Act, 2019”. Key points from the bill:
This is an appropriations bill — which means that the intent is to provide funding for the agencies that this bill focuses on. If passed into law, and signed by the President, H.R. 265 would reopen parts of the U.S. government.
It would provide funding to the United States Department of Agriculture for agricultural programs, farm production and conservation programs, rural development programs, and the Food and Nutrition Service budget.
The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The vote was 243 YEAS — to 183 NAYS. The 116th Congress has 199 Republicans, 235 Democrats, no Independents, and one vacancy in the House of Representatives.
The Republicans who voted YEA (with the Democrats are): Rodney Davis (R-IL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jaime Herrera Beulter (R-WA), Will Hurd, (R-Texas), John Katko (R-NY), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Fred Upton (R-MI), and Greg Walden (R-OR).
All of the 183 NAY votes came from Republicans. There were 7 people who did not cast a vote at all — 6 Republicans and 1 Democrat.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi posted a transcript of her weekly press conference on the Speaker of the House website. From the transcript:
Good morning. This week the House Democrats are continuing to pass Senate Republican language. As I said in my Opening Day remarks, we want to accept good ideas wherever they come from, if they’re a solution. And so, in that spirit, we accepted Senate Republican language for bills that had passed the Senate 92 to 6. Strong bipartisan support. We’re putting those on the floor each day.
Yesterday, we did the legislation to open up the Treasury Department, to make sure that people there are able to come to work and be paid as they meet the needs of the American people, including, but not confined to, getting their refunds, or getting a small business SBA loan, answering questions for taxpayers who are calling in — the full function ofthe Treasure Department. You can’t say to the Treasury Department: ‘Come in. Do the job. You’re not going to get paid.’ That’s what the President is saying.
And today we will have the agriculture bill, the bill that covers the Department of Agriculture, on the floor, so that we can address the farmers’ safety net. They are expecting, and not receiving, what the President promised when he did his, shall we say, misinformed trade policies. They also have subsidies and other needs as they plan for the growing season. And food safety inspections, food stamps, all the rest, being held up by the President’s petulance.
Again, today we’ll do — this week we’ll vote on Transportation and HUD to prevent families from being evicted from their homes. There’s so much that HUD has to do with housing in our country that is forestalled by the President’s obstinance. And then we will do Interior Department legislation on Friday.
Next week, we’ll proceed with legislation that did not pass the full Senate yet, but very strongly came out of committee — in fact, with the vote in some cases, where he is on the committee, of Mitch McConnell…
BuzzFeed News posted an article titled: “There’s Little Urgency In Congress To End the Shutdown, As Federal Workers Go Without Pay”. From the article:
…And so a waiting game has set in. Republicans who support a short-term spending bill to reopen the government while negotiations continue agree that Trump would have no part of it. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is largely sitting out the negotiations between Trump and the Democrats and has said he will not allow a vote on any bill that Trump does not endorse.
That kills the option of Republicans and Democrats in Congress working together to pass a bill and daring Trump to veto it. McConnell’s stance also blocks one extreme but otherwise possible end to the shutdown — Congress overriding a presidential veto with two-thirds votes in both chambers, thus reopening the government by themselves…
President Trump tweeted: “Because of the Democrats intransigence on Border Security and the great importance of Safety for our Nation, I am respectfully cancelling my very important trip to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum. My warmest regards and apologies to the @ WEF!”
USA Today posted an article titled: “President Trump cancels Davos trip because of government shutdown”. From the article:
President Donald Trump said Thursday he is canceling this month’s trip to a high-profile economic conference in Davos, Switzerland, because of the partial government shutdown…
…The tweet is a sign the shutdown could last at least another 11 days — he was scheduled to leave on Jan. 21 for the Davos conference that starts the next day.
He tweeted out the announcement while en route to a border inspection tour in southern Texas, part of his ongoing effort to pressure congressional Democrats into signing off on a $5.7 billion plan for a border wall — the key issue in the budget impasse that led to a shutdown.
In his tweet, Trump blamed the Democrats for both the shutdown and the Davos cancellation, and said he would stay in the United States on Jan. 21 and 22 because of “the great importance of Safety for our Nation.”…
…This would have been Trump’s second straight appearance at Davos, a wonky-yet-glitzy event that draws many opponents of the president…
The Hill posted an article titled: “Trump promises to pay federal workers after shutdown”. From the article:
President Trump has promised Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.) that he will sign a bill providing backpay to federal workers once the government shutdown, which has stretched into 20 days, finally ends.
The Senate passed by unanimous consent legislation Thursday evening providing that federal workers — essential and furloughed employees — will be paid once the shutdown is over…
…Trump made his pledge in a phone call with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as part of an effort to work out a deal to adjourn the Senate this week.
Kaine, who represents thousands of federal workers in Northern Virginia, threatened to block the adjournment resolution unless GOP leaders provided some assurance that they would be taken care of for time and paychecks missed because of the shutdown…
…The Senate will reconvene at 10 a.m. Friday…
President Trump tweeted: “President Obama, thank you for you great support — I have been saying this all along”. The tweet included an 8-second video of former President Barack Obama, with former Vice President Joe Biden at his side.
AP posted an article titled: “AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsely claims Obama support for wall”. From the article:
With the deceptive use of a video, President Donald Trump on Thursday heartily thanked his White House predecessor for supporting his policy at the Mexican border. Barack Obama has offered no such support; only criticism…
…THE FACTS: Obama’s remarks in the short video clip do not support Trump’s proposal for a border wall or endorse the path Trump is considering now: declaring a national emergency that might enable him to circumvent Congress and unilaterally spend money on the wall. Instead, Obama was asking Congress to approve an emergency appropriation to deal with a surge of tens of thousands of unaccompanied children and youth, mostly from Central America, trying to cross the border from Mexico.
“We now have an actual humanitarian crisis on the border,” Obama said that the time, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden. He was referring specifically to the surge of minors that year…
The FBI Agents Association posted a petition to the White House and Congressional Leaders signed by representatives of all FBI Agent Association field offices across the country. From the petition:
…On Friday, January 11, 2019, FBI agents will not be paid due to the partial shutdown, but we will continue our work protecting the nation. We urge our elected representatives. to fund the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the FBI because financial security is a matter of national security.
FBI Special Agents are subject to high security standards that include rigorous and routine financial background checks to ensure that Agents are financially stable and responsible. Missing payments or debts could create delays in securing or renewing security clearances, and could even disqualify Agents from continuing to serve in some cases.
The operations of the FBI require funding. As the shutdown continues, Special Agents remain at work for the American people without being paid, and FBI leadership is doing all it can to fund FBI operations with increasingly limited resources — this situation is not sustainable. The important work done by the Bureau needs to be funded immediately.
Pay uncertainty undermines the FBI’s ability to recruit and retain high-caliber professionals. Special Agents are skilled professionals who have a variety of employment options in the private sector. The ongoing financial insecurity caused by the failure to fund the FBI could lead some FBI agents to consider career options that provide more stability for their families…
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted information titled: “FDA 2019 Lapse in Funding Information”. It was updated on January 10, 2019. From the information:
In the absence of either an FY 2019 appropriation or a Continuing Resolution for FDA, beginning on December 22, 2018, and continuing until he date of enactment of an FY 2019 appropriation or Continuing Resolution (“lapse period”), agency operations continue to the extend permitted by law, such as activities necessary to address imminent threats to the safety of human life and activities funded by carryover user fee funds….
…During the lapse period, the agency will be continuing vital activities, that are critical to ensuring public health and safety in the United States. The mission critical, public health activities that will continue include, among other things: maintaining core functions to handle and respond to emergencies — such as monitoring for and quickly responding to outbreaks related to foodborne illnesses and the flu, supporting high-risk food and medical product recall when products endanger consumers and patients, pursuing civil investigations when we believe public health is imminently at risk and pursuing criminal investigations, screening food and medical products that are imported to the U.S. to protect consumers and patients from harmful products, and addressing other critical surveillance for significant safety concerns with medical devices and other medical products will also continue…
January 11, 2019: Day 21 of the Partial Shutdown
CNBC posted an article titled: “The partial US government shutdown is tied for the longest ever as Trump border wall fight rages on”. From the article:
The partial U.S. government shutdown entered its 21st day Friday, tying the record for longest lapse in federal funding…
…The longest previous shutdown lasted three weeks during December 1995 and January 1996. It followed a budget spat between President Bill Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich…
USA Today posted an article titled: “Today should be payday for thousands of government workers. But the shutdown means they’re not getting paid”. From the article:
…It was supposed to be payday. But paychecks are on hold for some 800,000 federal employees forced to go on unpaid leave or work without pay since Dec. 22 because of the government shutdown.
It’s the first time during the 21-day shutdown — which on Saturday will become the longest in U.S. history — that workers will have missed a paycheck. Though the standoff is nearing its fourth week, most federal employees were paid on Dec. 28 for the final two-week pay period of 2018.
Now with no paycheck coming in the foreseeable future, many are wondering how they will make ends meet…
The Guardian posted an article titled: “How the government shutdown could affect your health”. From the article:
…The FDA is responsible for ensuring the safety of about 80% of the US food system. Inspectors looking for “rodents, feces, unsanitary practices” at even high-risk facilities have been furloughed. A small number are expected to resume work mid-January, but it still leaves a huge chunk of the food system at risk Sorscher said…
…“Families may not fully understand that Wic is open for business. Retail grocers may not understand that Wic is open for business,” said Douglas A Greenway, the CEO of the National Wic Association, about the Women, Infants, Children (Wic) food subsidies program. WIC programs feed more than half the infants born in the United States…
..Preventative health clinics and food pantries run by the Indian Health Service are shut down, and only services that meet the “immediate needs of patients, medical staff, and medical facilities,” continue.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is operating with a bare-bones staff, and can’t provide exposure assessments or technical assistance to local and state partners. Their capacity to ensure safe drinking water is limited…
President Trump tweeted: “I often said during rallies, with little variation, that “Mexico will pay for the Wall.” We have just signed a great new Trade Deal with Mexico. It is Billions of Dollars a year better than the very bad NAFTA deal which it replaces. The difference pays for the Wall may times over!”
Vox posted an article (on January 10, 2019) titled: “Trump’s bogus claim that his new trade deal will pay for the border wall, explained.” From the article:
…But Trump’s claims that either Mexico is paying for the wall through the USMCA or that the USMCA deal will “indirectly” finance the wall doesn’t add up.
For starters, the USMCA deal isn’t even in force. Leaders from three countries signed the USMCA in November, but lawmakers in all three countries must still ratify the agreement. In the US, House Democrats have protested elements of the deal, and even if it makes it through the US Congress eventually and is approved by lawmakers in Mexico and Canada, provisions of the trade deal won’t go into effect until 2020, at the earliers.
The text of the USMCA doesn’t include any specific provisions about a wall or funding for any barrier — and experts say its extremely unlikely that if the trade deal is ratified, it will suddenly generate huge revenues for the US. And even if the US economy does grow as a result of the deal, leading to more tax revenue, the money will come from American taxpayers — whether consumers or businesses — and not from Mexico. (Trump, at least seemed to account for this in his Oval Office speech.)…
…The US International Trade Commission, an independent federal agency, is expected to provide a trade assessment of USMCA by mid-March, which would clarify any potential economic benefit for the US, and over how long a period the benefits will exist. There’s just one small wrinkle: The agency, it turns out, has “ceased regular operations” because of the government shutdown wrought by Trump’s border wall. It might, Politico reported this week, miss its deadline…
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine)posted a press release on her official website titled: “House Passes Bill Authored by Senator Collins, Cardin to Ensure Federal Workers Affected by Shutdowns Receive Retroactive Pay”. From the press release:
With overwhelming bipartisan support, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation today authored by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) that would protect federal and other government workers from the repercussions of the current and future lapses in federal appropriations. Their bill passed the Senate unanimously last night and is now on its way to the President’s desk. On the Senate floor earlier yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that President Trump assured him that he would sign the bill into law.
Last week, Senators Collins and Cardin were joined by 28 Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, which would guarantee that furloughed federal employees will be paid retroactively and stipulates that all employees shall be paid as soon as possible after the lapse in appropriations ends.
The Government Employee Fair Treatment Act previously passed by the Senate by unanimous consent prior to Christmas in the 115th Congress…
…Senators who co-sponsored Senator Collins and Cardin’s legislation include: Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Maize Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Richard Durbin (D-ILL), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-ILL.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Joe Manchin (D-WV.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Robert Casey (D. Pa.), Angus King (I-Maine), Robert Menendez (D -N.J.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D -Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.)
The full text of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act is HERE.
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) posted a press release on her official website titled: “Senators Collins, Johnson, Announce Legislation to Pay Federal Employees Required to Work During Shutdown”. From the press release:
U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) today announced legislation to ensure federal workers that are deemed “excepted” and required to come to work each day are paid on time despite the partial government shutdown.
The Shutdown Fairness Act, which was cosponsored by Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Todd Young (R-IN), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), comes on the heels of Congress passing legislation authored by Senators Collins and Ben Cardin (D-MD) that will ensure that all federal workers affected by the shutdown receive retroactive pay…
…Background on the Shutdown Fairness Act:
Provides pay to an estimated 420,000 personnel currently working without pay, including personnel from Commerce, Justice, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, State, Transportation, Treasury, Forest Service, NASA, and SEC.
Authorizes the use of unappropriated funds to pay personnel previously designated as “excepted” in accordance with section 124 of OMB Circular No. A-11. This is similar to the 2013 Pay Our Military Act, passed by the 113th Congress.
“Excepted” individuals include those who are performing emergency work, or performing work involving the safety of human life or protection of property.
NATCA (National Air Traffic Controllers Association) posted information on their website titled: “NATCA Sues Government Over Failure to Pay Members for Work Performed During Shutdown”. From the information:
This morning, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, AFL-CIO (NATCA) filed a lawsuit in the United States District of Columbia on behalf of its members who have not been paid for their work since the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) appropriations lapsed in late December. Molly Elkin, Partner, at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm Woodley & McGillivary LLP, is counsel on the case.
NATCA requested an expedited hearing on its motion for a Temporary Restraining Order against the United States government for its violation of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. NATCA alleges that the government unlawfully deprived NATCA members of their earned wages without due process.
The suit also alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for failure to pay at least the minimum wage to air traffic controllers and other NATCA members who are excepted from the furloughs during the government shutdown. Finally, it alleges that the FAA failed to promptly pay overtime to NATCA members in violation of the FLSA. On behalf of its members, NATCA seeks an order requiring the government to pay its members for the work they have performed as well as liquidated damages…
Miami International Airport posted information titled: “MIA travel tips in response to federal funding lapse”. From the information:
As a precautionary measure due to uncertainties created by the lapse in federal government funding, some passengers at Miami International Airport may experience changes to their security checkpoint and departure gate this weekend. MIA does not anticipate any significant impacts to flight schedules or the passenger experience from any gate changes. …
The Hill posted an article titled: Federal employee unions sue over shutdown”. From the article:
Federal employee unions filed a lawsuit Friday alleging that the government is violating federal labor laws by requiring employees deemed “essential” to continue working through the partial shutdown without pay.
The lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington D.C., was brought by the National Federation of Federal Employees, the National Association of Government Employees SEIU, the National Weather Service Employees Organization and the law firm Snider & Associates on behalf of federal workers.
The 19-page complaint accuses the federal government of violating the Fair Labor Standards Act by not paying workers overtime and minimum wage…
NPR posted an article titled: “Despite Shutdown, Trump Administration Continued Effort to Expand Alaska Oil Drilling”. From the article:
…But, despite the shutdown, the Trump administration is continuing work on one of the Interior’s biggest, most controversial priorities: opening up more Arctic lands in Alaska to drilling.
The Bureau of Land Management, an agency under the Interior, has gone ahead with a series of public meetings on its effort to expand oil development in the 22-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
E-mails obtained by Alaska Public Media show that on January 3 — two weeks into the shutdown — a BLM employee was contacting Alaska community leaders to schedule meetings related to oil lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Congress legalized drilling in the refuge just over one year ago, after decades of opposition from conservation groups…
NPR posted an article titled: “‘Tidal Wave’: Hundreds Of Coast Guard Families Show Up To Pop-Up Boston Food Pantry”. From the article:
…In Boston this week, a pop-up food pantry opened for men and women of the Coast Guard, the only branch of the armed forces working without pay.
Coasties, as they’re called, who usually rush in to rescue others in peril, stepped up to help their own, forming a bucket brigade to ferry 30,000 pounds of groceries off trucks and onto shelves in the corner of a cafeteria. They stocked everything from milk to medicine, and cereal to celery, all free for the taking.
Don Cox, president of the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation, which is running the pantry, says nearly 400 families stopped in to help themselves to food in the first two days it was open…
CTV News posted an article titled: “Amid shutdown, Colorado eatery offers free food to unpaid government workers”. From the article:
A restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colo., is offering free food to federal workers who have gone unpaid because of the U.S. government shutdown.
“They’re dedicated public service employees…and we want to help them,” Richard Skorman, who co-owns Poor Richard’s Restaurant, told CTV News Channel. “We’ve had many hundreds of people and their families that take us up on it, so its been very gratifying.”…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) updated a status that it posted on its website on December 28, 2018. It was titled: “Status of FTC Online Services During 2018 Lapse in Funding”. From the status:
…January 11: 2019 ALERT: The Chairman’s Hearing on Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century scheduled for January 16 on the topic of broadband is cancelled due to the Government shutdown. A hearing on broadband will be rescheduled, circumstances permitting.
Some online services may are available and some are not. The status of online services is listed below.
The following services WILL NOT be available during the shutdown:
National Do Not Call Registry (For consumers
National Do Not Call Registry (For telemarketers)
Consumer Sentinel Network (For law enforcement)
Complaint Assistance (For filing consumer complaints)
Identitytheft.gov (For consumers reporting ID theft)
Econsumer.gov (For consumers reporting international complaints)…
NOTE: Unfortunately, the partial government shutdown did not end after Week Three. You can read about what happened next in my week four blog post.
This blog was originally posted on Medium in two parts. The first part was posted on January 6, 2019, and the second part was posted on January 9, 2019. [...]
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January 6, 2019Photo by Tim Mossholder from Pexels
The 2018–2019 partial government shutdown began on December 22, 2018.
You may want to read my blog post about Week One of the partial government shutdown before reading this one.
December 29, 2018: Day 8 of the Partial Shutdown
The Hill reported that President Trump issued an executive order freezing federal workers’ pay following through on a pledge earlier this year to nix an across-the-board pay increase.
Trump had announced in August that he would cancel the 2.1 percent pay increase which was slated to take effect in January.
The order also cancels the “locality pay increase,” which adjusts paychecks based on the region of the country where workers are posted.
The order does not, however, impact a 2.6 percent pay raise for the military for next year that was part of a defense spending bill Trump signed in August.
December 31, 2018: Day 10 of the Partial Shutdown
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted a Contingency Plan in the event of a Government Shutdown.
The following EPA activities are excepted (which means they will continue during the shutdown): Some or all of the 800 sites associated with the superfund program; the EPA’s 29 program and regional laboratories located across the United States; Emergency Response Readiness Operations (to prevent, limit, or mitigate or contain chemical, oil, radiological, biological, and hazardous materials during and in the aftermath of an accident, natural or man-made; the EPA’s Water Security Division response team (if needed); law enforcement personnel involved in activities designed to protect human life and property from imminent threat be excepted for the minimal time necessary to carry out such activities.
Arches National Park tweeted: “NOTICE: The park is receiving heavy snowfall and it has become necessary to close the park road at the visitor center due to unsafe conditions. Because of the lapse of funding the National Park Service is unable to provide services, including plowing of the roads.”
CBS KPIX 5 posted an article titled: “Overflowing Trash Overwhelms National Parks During Shutdown”. From the article:
Overflowing trash bins and other litter forced National Park officials to close several areas in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Monday because of health and safety concerns.
Elsewhere, human feces, overflowing garbage, illegal off-roading and other damaging behavior in fragile areas were beginning to overwhelm some of the West’s iconic national parks as a partial government shutdown left the areas open to visitors but with little staff on duty…
…The 10th day of the partial federal government shutdown, which has forced furloughs of hundreds of thousands of federal government employees, has left many parks without most of the rangers and others who staff campgrounds and otherwise keep parks running…
…Under the park service’s shutdown plan, authorities have to close any area where garbage or other problems become threats to health and safety or to wildlife, spokesman Jeremy Barnum said in an email Monday.
The Hill posted an article titled: “Federal workers union sues Trump admin over government shutdown”. From the article:
…The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union released a statement on Monday announcing its lawsuit as the shutdown stretches past a week.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, alleges that the federal government is in violation of the law by requiring some federal workers, many of which are represented by the union, to work without pay during the shutdown….
…Many federal employees work during the partial shutdown and receive backpay once the government is funded again, but the lawsuit alleges that practice is unlawful…
January 1, 2019: Day 11 of the Partial Shutdown
President Trump tweeted: “The Democrats, much as I suspected, have allocated no money for a new Wall. So imaginative! The problem is, without a Wall there can be no real Border Security — and our Country must finally have a Strong and Secure Southern Border!”
President Trump tweeted (about five hours later): “Border Security and the Wall “thing: and Shutdown is not where Nancy Pelosi wanted to start her tenure as Speaker! Let’s make a deal?”
Politico reported that nine federal departments haven’t received a cent in federal funding for almost two weeks.
In recent days, new problems emerged. The Federal Communications Commission ran out of money Thursday and will no longer be able to respond to consumer complaints. An anti-opioid campaign slowed with key staff on furlough. National parks saw trash pile up and bathrooms go uncleaned. Companies that had expected to enter the stock market for the first time this month couldn’t launch initial public offerings.
All the while, federal workers are left wondering whether they will get their next check on Jan. 11. While paychecks for federal employees went out last week after a pay period ended on Dec. 22, the pay period for that next check ends Saturday, and pay processing time varies from agency to agency.
In the same article, Politico reported that the Office of Management and Budget said no federal employee, including those still working without pay, can be compensated for the pay period spanning December 23, 2018, through January 5, 2019, until the shutdown ends.
January 2, 2019: Day 12 of the Partial Shutdown
The Guardian reported:
Donald Trump and top congressional leaders failed to resolve a partial government shutdown that has stretched well into a second week as the president refused to back off from his demands for billions of dollars for a long-promised wall along the southern US border with Mexico.
At a cabinet meeting prior to the briefing, Trump warned that parts of the government would remain closed for “a long time” without a deal.
Both Democratic and Republican leaders from both the Senate and the House were invited to the White House’s Situation Room for a classified meeting for a “border security briefing”.
Democrats intend to introduce a pair of funding bills on January 3, 2019, that would end the partial shutdown. The bills do not include funding for a border wall. Instead, the bills include $1.3 billion for border security measures that can be used to repair and replace fencing and existing portions of the wall.
The Federal Communications Commission posted “Impact of Potential Lapse in Funding on Commission Operations”. It is a public notice.
In the event of a continued partial lapse in federal government funding, the Commission will suspend most operations in the middle of the day on Thursday, January 3, 2019.
During a lapse in funding, the Network Outage Reporting System (NORS), the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS), the Public Safety Support Center (PSSC), the Licensing Management System (LMS), the Consolidated Database System (CDBS), the Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), the Universal Licensing System (ULS), the Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS), the Auctions Public Reporting System (PRS), the Auction Application System, the Auction Bidding System, the Daily Digest, and the Commission Online Registration System (CORES) will remain available. All other Commission electronic filing and database systems will be unavailable to the public until normal operations resume.
Smithsonian tweeted: “Due to the #GovernmentShutdown, Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are closed. We will update our operating status as soon as the situation is resolved. We do not plan to update social media other than to inform you of our operating status.”
There are a total of 19 Smithsonian museums. The National Zoo is also part of the Smithsonian.
National Zoo tweeted: “Due to the #GovernmentShutdown, Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are closed. We will update our operating status as soon as the situation is resolved. We do not plan to update social media other than to inform you of our operating status.”
Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute posted additional information about the shutdown on its website. Here are a few of the FAQ’s:
What happens to the animals during a government shutdown? All the animals at the Zoo at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, will continue to be cared for. A shutdown will not effect our commitment to the safety of our staff and standard of excellence in animal care.
Why is the Panda Cam turned off during a government shutdown? None of the Zoo’s live animal cams will broadcast if the Zoo closes for a government shutdown. The cams require federal resources, primarily staff, to run and broadcast. They are deemed non-essential.
Will cars have access to the road through the Zoo if it closes do to a governmental shutdown? No, all gates into the Zoo (vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle) will be closed and locked. Only excepted staff will be permitted to enter the Zoo (this includes animal keepers).
Smithsonian NMAAHC tweeted: “Due to the #GovernmentShutdown, the Museum is closed. Please continue to check Twitter and our website for updates on the Museum’s operating status, as well as the release of timed entry passes. Our social media will only post operating status messages during the closure.”
Smithsonian NMAAHC is the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture.
The Marriage Bureau of the District of Columbia Courts posted on its website: “The Marriage Bureau is closed during the government shutdown.”
Bustle posted an article titled: “Can You Get Married During A Government Shutdown? Couples In Washington, DC Are Out Of Luck”. From the article:
Unlike most courts, the District of Columbia’s local courts are funded by the federal government. Like all federal funds, this money has to be approved by Congress — but Congress hasn’t passed a spending bill, hence the partial government shutdown.
As a result, D.C. courts have implemented a shutdown plan in which its operations are “limited to those functions necessary and essential to continue the resolution of cases without interruption.” Departments and services deemed non-essential have been shut down until the funding resolves itself, and according to the D.C. court’s website, that includes the Marriage Bureau.
The Weather Channel posted a list of National Parks that are closed:
Yosemite National Park: Wawona Campground, Hodgdon Meadow Campground, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Hetch Hetchy
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Azalea Campground, Big Stump Picnic Area, Generals Highway at Hospital Rock, the road to General Grant Tree
Big Bend National Park: Chisos Basin, Rio Grande Village, Cottonwood campgrounds, Santa Elena Canyon Trailhead and trail
Pinnacles National Park: Eastern entrance has been closed to most public access due to waste and increased vehicle congestion.
The Hill posted an article titled: “Old Post Office tower on Trump property to remain open during shutdown”. From the article:
The Old Post Office tower, which shares facilities with the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., will remain open during the partial government shutdown.
The General Services Administration (GSA), an independent government agency that owns the facility, is providing the funding to keep the tower open.
“The referenced facility remains open as the funds needed to operate the Old Post Office tower are not associated with the current fiscal year’s (FY 2019) appropriations bill. The overall operation of the tower was a part of the government’s lease signed in August 2013 in response to the ‘Old Post Office Building Redevelopment Act of 2008,” a GSA spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill on Thursday.
The statement came in response to a request for comment on a report from E&E News that said the tower would be reopening and left it unclear how the funding to reopen the tower was procured…
The National Air and Space Museum tweeted: “Due to the #GovernmentShutdown, both National Air and Space Museum locations are closed. We will update our operating status as soon as the situation is resolved. We do not plan to update social media other than to inform you of our operating status.”
The Air Line Pilots Association International sent a letter to President Trump, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. From the letter:
On behalf of the 61,000 pilots of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), I am writing to urge you to take the necessary steps to immediately end the shutdown of government agencies that is adversely affecting the safety, security and efficiency of our national airspace system.
…at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) there are fewer safety inspectors than are needed in order to ensure the air traffic control infrastructure is performing at its peak levels of performance. There are also airline and aircraft manufacturing oversight activities that either stop or are significantly reduced. These safety and oversight inspections will potentially allow for the introduction of safety issues that put passengers and airline crews at risk. Although the 2018 holiday season is now behind us, the number of recreational drones, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), has likely grown significantly in the past several weeks. The shutdown is a significant stumbling block in the FAA’s efforts to ensure the safety of the airspace from those drone operators who may be operating in an unsafe manner….
…at both the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the air traffic controllers, airspace system maintenance personnel, and the airline passenger security workforce are being asked to work unpaind. They are dutifully providing safety of life services while facing increasingly difficult financial pressures to provide for those dependent on their paycheck. The pressure these civil servants are facing at home should not be ignored. At some point, these dedicated federal employees will encounter personal financial damages that will take a long time from which to recover, if at all…
The letter was signed by Captian Joe DePete, President of Air Line Pilots Association, International
January 3, 2019: Day 13 of the Partial Shutdown
CNN reported that Nancy Pelosi (Democrat) was officially elected the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.
This happened on the first day of the 116th Congress. The Democrats now have the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. CNN also reported that Kevin McCarthy (Republican) became the House Minority Leader.
The Hill posted an article titled: “House passes legislation to re-open government despite opposition from Trump”. From the article:
The House passed legislation to end the partial government shutdown on Thursday, hours after Democrats took control of the chamber and elected Nancy Pelosi as Speaker.
The House measures appear to be dead on arrival in the Senate and have been rejected by President Trump, who is demanding that $5 billion in funding for his wall on the Mexican border. Democrats have rejected providing money for Trump’s wall.
But the measures could shift the debate as Democrats seek to raise pressure on the White House and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to end a standoff centered on the fight over the wall.
Trump had been dealing with a GOP House and Senate, but now must work with a divided Washington where Pelosi wields increased power…
Vox posted an article titled: “The New Democratic House just approved two bills to reopen the government”. From the article:
…The first of these measures is a package of six bills that fund parts of the government that are not particularly controversial, including the departments of Treasury, State, and Justice. This measure would keep these agencies funded through the 2019 fiscal year, which ends in September.
The second bill would provide short-term funding for the more contentious Department of Homeland Security through February 8, separating the conflict over the border wall from the other outstanding government funding bills and kicking this fight a bit further down the road. The stopgap bill would maintain funding for DHS at current levels, which includes $1.3 billion for border security — though not, notably, a wall.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said earlier this week that the upper chamber would not be considering either of these bills, since the President has signaled that he wouldn’t sign them…
ABC KGUN 9 posted an article titled: “Grand Canyon still open, running smoothly during shutdown compared to other parks”. From the article:
…In Arizona, the view of the Grand Canyon is still spectacular and clean…
…That’s because Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order last year allowing trash pick up and restroom maintenance to continue during a shutdown. The governor’s office tells ABC15 those services are provided by National Park Service employees, paid by funds contributed by the state.
NBC News posted an article titled: “Government shutdown closes Indian Health Service but CDC is still watching flu”. From the article:
…There seems to be no end in sight for the current partial government shutdown, the third since the beginning of the Trump administration.
For the vast majority of the federal government’s public health efforts, though, it’s business as usual…
…Health services for Native Americans are on hold, however.
Because Congress has yet to approve funding for the Indian Health Service, which is run by HHS but gets its money through the Department of the Interior, HHS feels the full weight of the shutdown. The only services that can continue are those that meet “immediate needs of the patients, medical staff, and medical facilities,” according to the shutdown contingency plan.
That includes IHS-run clinics, which provide direct health care to tribes around the country. These facilities are open, and may staffers are reporting to work because they are deemed “excepted”, said Jennifer Buschik, an agency spokeswoman. But they will not be paid until Congress and the administration reach a deal.
Other IHS programs are taking a more direct hit. For example, the agency has suspended grants that support tribal health programs, as well as preventative health clinics run by the Office of Urban Indian Health Programs…
The National Gallery of Art tweeted: “Due to the partial federal government shutdown, the National Gallery of Art is closed to the public. We will update our operating status as soon as we can, here and on nga.gov”
The tweet included an image of “View of Constitution Avenue Enterance to the National Gallery”
The National Gallery of Art also posted information on its website:
During the partial federal government shutdown, the offices and all premises of the National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden are closed to the public, and all programs are canceled. The Gallery website, including the calendar of events, is not currently being updated. No online transactions, including email inquiries, Gallery Shops purchases, or newsletter distribution, will be processed.
NBC News posted an article titled: “‘Women’s lives in danger’: Government shutdown holds up funds for sexual violence survivors”. From the article:
Women who are survivors of domestic assault, stalking, rape, or other forms of sexual violence are among the people who could be affected if the partial shutdown of the federal government stretches on.
Amid the budget impasse between President Donald Trump and Congress over his demand for border wall funding, lawmakers failed to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a landmark 1994 law that allots federal money to organizations that serve women across the country who have been subjected to violence.
As the shutdown drags on, money for these nonprofits, many of them on a shoestring budget, could potentially run dry…
…The act funds a host of programs, including rape crisis centers, emergency and transitional shelters, counseling services and legal aid. Julie Goldscheid, a professor of law at CUNY School of Law and a former litigator who argued in support of the constitutionality of an aspect of the 1994 legislation before the Supreme Court, said its passage provided unprecedented legal support for survivors of violence that empowered them against their abusers…
…The law also provides funding for police precincts to improve law enforcement’s responses to domestic violence and sexual assault, with the aim of breaking the cycle of violence…
January 4, 2019: Day 14 of the Partial Shutdown
USA Today posted an article titled: “IRS to take taxpayer’s money in a shutdown but not issue refunds, plan says”. From the article:
As a partial government shutdown approaches its two-week point, concerns are growing that a heavily impacted Internal Revenue Service will delay issuing taxpayers’ refunds.
The agency has categorized issuing tax refunds as a “non-excepted” activity — meaning those tasked with processing refunds would be furloughed during a shutdown. Meanwhile, several types of tax return processing were deemed “Necessary for the Safety of Human Life or Protection of the Government.”
That’s according to a plan that lays out the first five business days of the agency’s response during a shutdown occurring outside of tax season. While the document notes the plan can be reassessed and furloughed employees can be recalled, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, and CNN reported Thursday, that the IRS generally does not issue refunds during a shutdown…
The Wall Street Journal posted an article titled: “Trump, Democrats Split Over Shutdown Talks Progress”. From the article:
…Emerging from the White House after about two hours of talks, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said they pressed Mr. Trump to fully reopen the government and then return to the debate over funding a border wall. But they said Mr. Trump rejected their proposal and indicated he was prepared to keep many federal agencies closed for a long time.
But Mr. Trump characterized the meeting as “very productive” and that talks “have come a long way.” He said, “We’re all on the same path on getting the government open,” adding staff meetings were set for this weekend to continue the talks.
He continued to call for a border wall, saying: “This is national security we’re talking about.”
Mr. Trump also said he is considering using executive authority to build a wall, though he prefers to negotiate with Congress. “It’s called a national emergency,” he said, asserting he had that power. It wasn’t clear immediately how such a move would be funded…
USA Today posted an article titled: “Trump tells Democrats shutdown could last for months, years as talks fail to yield deal”. From the article:
President Donald Trump told Democrats Friday he is prepared to allow the partial government shutdown to go on months or even years if that’s what it takes to get a border wall.
“I will do whatever I have to do,” Trump said at a news conference after a budget meeting that he and Democratic lawmakers described as contentious.
Democrats emerged from the meeting say the president had threatened a long shutdown if they continued to reject his demand for a wall along the U.S.- Mexico border.
Trump acknowledged saying that the shutdown could last months or years. “Absolutely I said that,” he told reporters. He also said he hoped the matter would be resolved soon after more negotiations over the weekend, although it was not clear whether he had offered Democrats any new proposals.
“I don’t think it will” last months, he said of the shutdown, “but I am prepared…”
TIME posted an article titled (in its section called MONEY): “The Government Shutdown Will Cost More Than Trump’s $5 Billion Border Wall Funding, According to Experts”. From the article:
The economic costs of the government shutdown may already exceed the $5 billion President Donald Trump is demanding for a border well, according to some analysts’ estimates…
…Nine out of 15 federal departments, along with dozens of agencies and federal programs, have closed or reduced services. Roughly 800,000 federal employees are affected, either because they have been directed to stay home without pay or because they are working but not receiving paychecks during the shutdown…
…In an analysis published this week, Gray , wrote that “government shutdowns impose costs through three channels: federal budgetary costs, foregone services, and, last and most amorphous, economic disruption.”
The budgetary costs include wages going to federal workers who aren’t working and other smaller factors, such as resources spent shutting down offices rather than getting work done…
…In other words, the costs of the partial government shutdown may already exceed the $4 billion to $5 billion in additional funding that Congress and President Trump are negotiating over…
WTOP posted an article titled: “Furloughed feds stage rally to speak out against shutdown”. From the article:
With no end in sight to the partial shutdown, a number of federal employees directly impacted by the standoff staged a rally Friday in College Park.
The demonstrators, who work for the National Archives and Records Administration, have been furloughed since the shutdown started.
“This has got to end, and we have got to go back to work,” said Ashby Crowder, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2578.
“We’re out here not just for us, but in solidarity with all federal employees who are negatively affected by this situation.”…
The Guardian posted an article titled: “Trump officials to get raises as federal workers go without pay amid shutdown”. From the article:
As hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without pay amid a government shutdown, Donald Trump’s political appointees are set to get raises of $10,000 a year.
The pay raises will go into effect for cabinet secretaries, their deputies, agency administrators and other senior officials, the Washington Post reported. The vice-president, Mike Pence, will receive a raise too.
The raises will kick in automatically on 5 January, unless there is legislation to stop them, according to the office of personnel management documents obtained by the Post.
In 2013, Congress voted to impose a pay freeze on federal executives. It has renewed it each year. But when government funding was allowed to expire on 23 December 2018, leading to the partial government shutdown, the pay cap expired as well.
Raises that otherwise would have been due top officials since 2013 will therefore kick in in their next paycheck…
CNN posted an article titled: “First on CNN: Hundreds of TSA screeners, working without pay, calling out sick at major airports”. From the article:
Hundreds of Transportation Security Administration officers, who are required to work without paychecks through the partial government shutdown, have called out from work this week from at least four major airports, according to to senior agency officials and three TSA employee officials…
…At New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, as many as 170 TSA employees have called out each day this week, Thomas tells CNN. Officers from a morning shift were required to work extra hours to cover the gaps.
Call outs have increased 200%-300% at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, where typically 25 to 30 TSA employees call out from an average shift according to a local TSA official familiar with the situation.
Union officials stress that the absences are not part of an organized action, but believe the number of people calling out will likely increase…
…North Carolina airports, including Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham, have experienced 10% higher TSA call outs, according to Mac Johnson, the local union president…
…A union official, however, said that while some employees are upset about the pay, officers have said they are calling in sick for more practical reasons. Single parents can no longer afford child care or they are finding cash-paying jobs outside of government work to pay their rent and bills, for example…
NBC News posted an article titled: “Three people have died in national parks since the start of government shutdown”. From the article:
Three people have died in national parks around the country, including a 14-year-old girl who fell 700 feet down a canyon, since the start of the government shutdown, during which the Trump administration chose to keep the parks open.
At the Glen Canyon National Park in Arizona, the 14-year-old girl fell from the Horseshoe Bend Overlook on Christmas Eve, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Confirmed.
An Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter wasn’t able to recover her body until the next morning, on Christmas Day.
Later on Christmas Day in Yosemite National Park in California, a man died after he slipped down a long, granite hill and fell into a river, injuring his head, according to the Associated Press.
Andrew Munoz, a spokesman for the National Park Service, told the AP that the investigation into the man’s death is taking longer than usual because of the ongoing shutdown. He added that the shutdown also delayed the park service’s announcement of the man’s death.
A third person died Thursday of this week, when high winds caused a tree to fall over on top of a woman and her 6-year-old son in Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Tennessee, the AP reported. The woman died and her son broke his leg in the accident…
The San Francisco Chronicle posted an article titled: “Shutdown: Muir Woods National Monument to close Monday”. From the article:
The government shutdown claimed its latest casualty Friday when National Park Service officials said Muir Woods National Monument would halt operations beginning Monday.
The part had been one of a handful of sites within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area that remained open after the partial government shutdown began Dec. 22. Anyone with parking or shuttle reservations for the park during the closure would be refined, officials said…
BuzzFeed News posted an article titled: “The Government Shutdown Is “Life And Death” For Low-Wage Subcontractors Who Likely Won’t Be Repaid For Lost Time”. From the article:
On Day 14 of the partial government shutdown, Donna Kelly, a 63-year-old federally subcontracted security officer for the Smithsonian, is wondering if her high blood pressure medication will last through the end of the month — let alone the entire shutdown.
When the government does reopen, Kelly and an estimated 1,500 workers — according to two unions that represent some of the janitors, security guards, cafeteria workers, and hospitality workers who staff federal facilities — likely won’t receive any back pay from the duration of the shutdown.
Government employees usually receive back pay once shutdowns have concluded, but workers who are paid by companies that have contracts with the government don’t receive pay for services that can’t be billed to the government while facilities are shut down…
NBC News posted an article titled: “How the government shutdown is hurting some of America’s poorest families”. From the article:
…The Department of Housing and Urban Development is one of the seven agencies most directly affected by the standoff between President Donald Trump, who is demanding $5 billion in border wall funding, and congressional Democrats, who want to reopen the government without it. Since Dec. 22, the vast majority of federal housing employees have been forced to stay home without pay — prohibited from doing any work, including responding to emails.
Most of HUD’s routine enforcement activities have been suspended, including mandatory health and safety inspections of housing for low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities, according to the shutdown contingency plan that HUD posted on its website. Public housing officials say they don’t know how long rental assistance payments will keep coming from the government, and a suspension could put millions of tenants at risk if the shutdown drags into February. And if there are any problems providing affordable housing grants to local and state governments, as well as nonprofit groups, there are few people on hand to resolve them, according to one furloughed staffer…
Reuters posted an article titled: “Shutdown risks delays to U.S. drilling, ethanol, wind initiatives”. From the article:
The partial government shutdown is increasing the chances of delays in U.S. energy initiatives from the release of President Donald Trump’s proposed offshore drilling plan to allowing higher levels of ethanol in gasoline during summer months, energy industry groups said on Friday…
…The Trump administration has made opening up greater areas to offshore drilling, and holding more frequent lease sales, part of its energy dominance agenda to boost fossil fuel output for both domestic use and exports. Industry interest in several lease sales has been tepid, but the administration has said more interest is expected in the future.
The Interior Department is operating at reduced staffing levels due to the partial shutdown, which has stretched for two weeks…
…When asked about the potential for delays, an EPA spokeswoman said the agency will only be responding to queries directly related to the government shutdown or to environmental emergencies.
This week, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, an office of the Interior Department, warned that public meetings related to what is slated to be the largest U.S. offshore wind farm will be rescheduled if the shutdown continues into next week…
The House Armed Services Committee posted a press release titled: “Smith Statement On Trump Plan to Misuse An Emergency Authority & Divert Money From Military Readiness To Pay For His Wall”. It was written by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (Democrat — Washington). From the press release:
“President Trump is considering a plan to misuse an emergency authority and divert substantial resources from our military to build a wall on the southern border. This is a clear a statement as any that President Trump values the construction of his wall over military readiness and support for our troops and their families. Diverting money from these military construction accounts could have substantial impacts for servicemembers at installations across the country and on defense projects that are important in supporting readiness, training, operations, and quality of life for military personnel and their families.
“Moreover, by abusing this authority, President Trump would be saying that he does not actually believe all the money he requests for our country’s defense is needed for legitimate national security purposes. That would raise major questions about his credibility when he requests his next defense budget from Congress.
“I am adamantly opposed to President Trump using an unwise, weak, and irresponsible legal gimmick to circumvent Congress and the American people’s opposition to using taxpayer money for the construction of an unnecessary wall.”
This blog was originally posted on Medium on January 6, 2019, and was periodically updated through week two of the shutdown. You may want to read my post about week three of the shutdown. [...]
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January 4, 2019Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
First, a little background before the 2018–2019 partial shutdown started:
December 11, 2018:
The White House posted a transcript of a meeting between President Trump, House Speaker-Designate Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. They discussed the impending shutdown. The key part of the meeting was:
Senate Minority Leader Schumer: Twenty times you have called for, “I will shut down the government if I don’t get my wall.” None of us have said –
The President: You want to know something?
Senate Minority Leader Schumer: You’ve said it.
The President: Okay, you want to put that on my —
Senate Minority Leader Schumer: You said it.
The President: I’ll take it.
Senate Majority Leader Schumer: Okay, good.
The President: You know what I’ll say: Yes, if we don’t get what we want, one way or the other — whether it’s through you, through a military, through anything you want to call — I will shut down the government. Absolutely.
Senate Minority Leader Schumer: Okay. Fair enough. We disagree.
The President: And I am proud — and I’ll tell you what –
Senate Minority Leader Schumer: We disagree.
The President: I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don’t want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country. So I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didn’t work. I will take the mantle of shutting down.
December 19, 2018:
The New York Times posted an article titled: “Senate Passes Stopgap Spending Bill That Would Avert Shutdown”. From the article:
Moving to head off a looming government shutdown, the Senate passed a stopgap spending bill on Wednesday night that would keep the government funded through Feb. 8 — and would punt the impasse over a southern border wall to the new year an a divided Congress.
The bill, which quickly passed by voice vote after senators were corralled back to the chambers, was expected to pass the House on Thursday and be sent to President Trump before the midnight deadline, when funding would lapse for nine federal departments.
The measures poses an uncomfortable political problem for Mr. Trump among his far-right supporters, even though it remained unclear if the president, who has been a volatile factor throughout the spending debate, would sign such a measure without the $5 billion he has demanded for a border wall…
December 21, 2018:
Donald Trump posted a tweet that said: “The Democrats now own the shutdown!”
Nancy Pelosi posted a tweet that included a video that showed the part of the meeting where President Trump said: “I am proud to shut down the government.”
The Guardian reported:
The US government was partially shut down at midnight on Friday after Donald Trump’s demands for border wall funding left Washington in a deadlock.
Frenetic negotiations at the Capitol, the House and Senate on Friday failed to reach a deal, sending the federal apparatus into paralysis at midnight.
In the same article, The Guardian reported that the night before, the U.S House of Representatives passed a budget bill that included $5.7 billion to begin building a wall along the United States-Mexico border.
The U.S. Senate had already passed a budget bill, and many Senators had left the Capitol. The Senate began a procedural vote on the bill on Friday, but was stuck waiting for the Senators who left to return.
The Hill reported that federal workers would get their next paycheck over the holidays, even if the government shuts down Saturday.
But the paycheck for that pay period, which would normally be issued between Dec. 28 and Jan. 3, will be about 7 percent smaller than normal. That’s because the last day of the pay period, Dec. 22, would be the first day of a shutdown, meaning workers will not receive payment for that day.
Roll Call reported that the Violence Against Women Act lapsed. Authorization for the law’s programs expired when the partial government shutdown began.
The law authorizes funding for social service agencies that aid victims affected by sexual violence, including rape crisis centers, shelters and legal-assistance programs. Reauthorizations over the years have included expanded provisions focused on reporting mechanisms for sexual violence on college campuses and extending protections for the LGBT community.
Most VAWA programs are administered by the departments of Justice and Health and Human Services. Congress cleared fiscal 2019 funding for HHS in September, which means that funding for some VAWA programs administered by HHS may continue, even as the authorizations expire.
NORAD & USNORTHCOM tweeted: “In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24. Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year.”
December 22, 2018: — Day 1 of the Partial Shutdown
The Associated Press tweeted: “BREAKING: Senate adjourns without action to end partial government shutdown as talks drag on between White House, Congress”
NBC News reported that Senate leaders announced they would meet next for a pro forma session on Monday, December 24, but that the Senate would not actually convene again in a scheduled session until Thursday, December 27, 2018.
In the same article, NBC News reported:
Under the current partial shutdown, more than 420,000 federal employees will be required to work without pay and an additional 380,000 will be sent home, according to a fact sheet compiled by Senate Democrats. TSA employees, correctional officers, FBI agents, U.S. Marshals, Border Patrol officers, Coast Guard employees, Forest Service firefighters and Weather Service forcasters are all expected to continue working without pay, though they may be reimbursed later.
BuzzFeed News reported that all 58 national parks are “effectively closed.” If the parks are not closed entirely, all park amenities (like trash collection and restroom cleaning) will be suspended for the duration of the shutdown
BuzzFeed News also reported that the United States Post Office is not affected by the shutdown because it generates its own independent sources of revenue. The federal judiciary has enough money to keep operating for about three weeks (or until January 11, 2019).
The USGS tweeted: “Due to the federal government shutdown, this account will not be active until further notice.” It include a link to more information.
USGS is the United States Geologic Survey. It is a scientific agency of the United States government. The USGS website says:
Due to a lapse in appropriations, the majority of USGS websites may not be up to date and may not reflect current conditions. Websites displaying real-time data such as Earthquake and Water and information needed for public health and safety will be updated with limited support. Additionally, USGS will not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.
The Department of Homeland Security and USCIS website posted that E-Verify and E-Verify Services are unavailable. The E-Verify system is run by the Department of Homeland Security to help businesses determine whether employees are eligible to work in the United States.
E-Verify and E-Verify services are currently unavailable due to a lapse in governmental appropriations.
Employers will not be able to access their E-Verify accounts to: enroll in E-Verify; create an E-Verify case; view or take action on any case; add, delete or edit any user account; reset passwords; edit company information; terminate accounts; and run reports.
In addition, myE-Verify accounts are inaccessible including: Self Check, Self Lock, Case History, and Case Tracker. Several E-Verify related webinars have been canceled.
Arches National Park tweeted: “During the federal government shutdown, we will not monitor or update social media. Some areas at Arches are accessible; however access may change without notice, and there are limited NPS-provided services.”
Pinnacles National Park tweeted: “During the federal government shutdown, we will not monitor or update social media. Some Pinnacles areas are accessible; however access may change without notice, and there are no NPS-provided services.”
The United States Courts website posted information titled: “Judiciary Operating During Shutdown”.
Despite a partial shutdown of the federal government that began on Dec. 22, 2018, the Judiciary remains open and can continue operations for approximately three weeks, through January 11, 2019, by using court fee balances and other funds not dependent on a new appropriation…
…If the shutdown were to continue past three weeks and exhaust the federal Judiciary’s resources, the courts would then operate under the Anti-Deficiency Act, which allows work to continue during a lapse in appropriations if it is necessary to support the exercise of Article III judicial powers. Under this scenario, each court and federal defender’s office would determine the staffing resources necessary to support such work.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo posted information on his website titled: “Governor Cuomo Announces New York Will Intervene to Keep Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Open in Face of Federal Government Shutdown”. From the information:
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the State will intervene in order to keep the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island open in the face of a federal government shutdown. Throughout the duration of the shutdown, the State will fully fund National Park Service personnel and costs of operations at the cost of $65,000 per day as it has during previous shutdowns in 2013 and this past January in order to keep the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island open to visitors. As a result, the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island will be open tomorrow, and remain open every day except December 25, weather permitting…
NBC Washington 4 posted an article titled: “What’s Open, What’s Closed During the Government Shutdown”. The article listed the Old Post Office Tower was closed to visitors during the shutdown.
Washington’s historic Old Post Office is the location of the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Department of Commerce posted an blog post titled “Shutdown Due to Lapse of Congressional Appropriations”.
Funding for a portion of the federal government expired on December 21, 2018. The Department is prepared for a lapse in funding that would necessitate a significant reduction in operations and is currently implementing its plan.
The Department of Commerce will maintain the following services and activities during a lapse in appropriations:
Weather, water, and climate observing, prediction, forecast, warning and support
Law enforcement activities for the protection of marine fisheries
Fisheries management activities including quota monitoring, observer activities and regulatory actions to prevent overfishing
Water level data for ships entering U.S. ports, critical nautical chart updates and accurate position information
Patent and trademark application processing
Operation of the national timing and synchronization infrastructure as well as the National Vulnerability Database
Maintenance, continuity and protection of certain research property and critical data records
All services of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Export enforcement — the ongoing conduct of criminal investigations, and prosecutions, and coordination with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies in furtherance of our national security
Support for excepted activities under a shutdown
Assignment of radio frequencies to federal agencies for critical national security and public safety purposes
All the functions of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet).
The following services and activities will not be available during the shutdown:
Most research activities at NIST and NOAA (excluding real-time regular models on research computers used for hurricane and FAA flight planning)
Assistance and support to recipients of grant funding
Technical oversight of non-mission essential contracts
Services activities provided by: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Economic Development Administration (EDA), Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), U.S. Census Bureau with the exception of the support of Decennial Census, which remains funded and activities funded by other agencies and non-Federal entities through reimbursable agreements.
Most services and activities provided by the International Trade Administration (ITA)
December 23, 2018: Day 2 of the Partial Shutdown
WTOP posted an article titled: “Still dark on the Ellipse as National Christmas Tree remains dimmed”. From the article:
The lights on the National Christmas Tree flickered on and off Sunday as the National Park Service assessed damage to the tree.
The hope is that the lights will be on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service, said NPS is working on a partnership with the National Park Foundation that would allow for NPS to get the lights repaired.
The National Park Foundation is providing materials and labor for the restoration, Anzelmo-Sarles said…
…The holiday performance scheduled for Saturday in President’s Park was canceled because of the lighting issue, NPS said…
December 24, 2018: Day 3 of the Partial Shutdown
HuffPost posted an article titled: “National Christmas Tree Dark Due to Government Shutdown”. From the article:
The National Christmas Tree may stay dark during the partial government shutdown, according to reports Sunday.
“During the federal government shutdown, the White House Visitor Center and National Christmas Tree site will be closed”, the National Park Services wrote on its website. “Restroom facilities will be closed.”
The tree, a massive Colorado blue spruce, was damaged Friday when a man in “emotional distress” tried to climb it, a park service spokesman told The Hill. The shutdown has “complicated” repairs that would allow for the lights to be turned back on…
NBC News posted an article titled: “National Christmas Tree reopens with donors’ help amid government shutdown”. From the article:
The National Christmas Tree near the White House reopened on Monday despite the funding lapse caused by the government shutdown after a foundation stepped in with the needed support, the National Park Foundation said.
The Christmas tree at President’s Park, south of the White House South Lawn, was closed when the government partially shut down after Congress failed to reach a stopgap funding bill…
The National Park Foundation posted a press release titled: “National Park Foundation Helps Reopen National Christmas Tree Site at President’s Park.” From the press release:
“The National Park Foundation and hundreds of local philanthropic organizations and other park partners are always working to help ensure all people have access to our treasured national parks,” said Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation. “The National Park Foundation’s support to President’s Park is one example of how private philanthropy can help support national parks when they need it most.”
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and non profit partner to the National Park Service. It was chartered by Congress in 1967.
President Donald Trump tweeted: “I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security. At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are talking about. Crazy!”
December 25, 2018: Day 4 of the Partial Shutdown
ABC News posted an article titled: “Melania Trump returns to Washington as Trumps attend Christmas Eve Service”. From the article:
The first family joined back up in Washington on Monday night as the Trumps attended Christmas Eve mass at the National Cathedral.
The couple arrived to the service, officially titled, “The Eve of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ Festival Holy Eucharist,” at about 11 p.m. The packed service was streamed live on the National Cathedral’s website as well.
President Donald Trump had remained in the nation’s capitol as he dealt with the partial government shutdown roiling the country and his administration, but first lady Melania Trump had flown with son Barron to Mar-a-Lago in Florida for the Christmas holiday…
…Trump had ben planing a two-week vacation to the “winter White House” for the holidays before the government shutdown went into effect at midnight on Saturday. Republicans and Democrats in Congress had agreed to deal to fund the government, but Trump reversed course and refused to sign it without the $5 billion he requested in order to build his much-touted border wall between the U.S. and Mexico…
December 26, 2018: Day 5 of the Partial Shutdown
The International Trade Administration tweeted: “NOTICE: Due to a lapse in appropriations, this account will not be updated until a new appropriations act is enacted.”
The tweet linked to an article on the U.S. Department of Commerce website that was posted on December 22, 2018.
The Department of Homeland Security posted a notice on its website:
NOTICE: Due to the lapse in federal funding, this website will not be actively managed. This website was last updated on December 21, 2018 and will not be updated until after funding is enacted. As such, information on this website may not be up to date. Transactions submitted via this website might not be processed and we will not be able to respond to inquires until after appropriations are enacted.
The National Science Foundation tweeted: “Due to a lapse in appropriations, NSF will not be posting or responding to any comments. We will return as soon as possible.”
The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; to secure national defense…” They are the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for medical sciences.
The National Endowment for the Humanities tweeted: “Due to the unavailability of appropriated funds to continue the operations of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the agency has been shut down. Consequently, this Twitter account is not being maintained and the information it displays may not be up to date.”
The National Endowment for the Humanities posted a Shutdown Notice on its website:
Due to the unavailability of appropriated funds to continue the operations of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the agency has been shut down. Consequently, this website is not being maintained and the information it displays may not be up to date. The Endowment will not be able to update information, process any transactions submitted to this website, or respond to any inquiries until funding for NEH is restored and the agency resumes its operations.
The National Endowment for the Humanities provides grants to cultural institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges, universities, public television, radio stations, and to individual scholars.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tweeted: Parts of the U.S. Government are closed & this account will not be updated. @ NOAA websites & social media necessary to protect lives & property WILL be maintained: for critical weather info, see weather.gov.”
NOAA provides daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration and supporting marine commerce.
National Archives Office of the Federal Register tweeted: “We’re sorry, but we will not be posting updates to our social media channels during the government shutdown. We’ll be back as soon as possible!”
December 27, 2018: Day 6 of the Partial Shutdown
NPR posted an article titled: “Smithsonian and National Zoo to Close After New Year’s Day In Government Shutdown”. The article says that Smithsonian officials announced that all of its museums, as well as the National Zoo, will be shuttered on January 2, 2019, unless a deal is reached.
Approximately two-thirds of Smithsonian staff are federal employees, which means, come Wednesday, they’ll have to join the roughly 380,000 furloughed workers who were forced to stop doing their jobs as of Saturday — the day federal funding lapsed.
The Smithsonian will remain open to the public through New Year’s Day using prior year funds.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management tweeted: “Feds, here are sample letters you may use as a guide when working with your creditors during this furlough. If you need legal advice, please consult with your personal attorney.”
The tweet included a link to where furloughed workers could look at the sample letters. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) serves as the chief human resources agency and personnel manager for the Federal Government.
December 28, 2018: Day 7 of the Partial Shutdown
The Associated Press reported:
The USDA in a statement issued last week assured farmers that checks would continue to go out during the first week of the shutdown. But direct payments for farmers who haven’t certified production, as well as farm loans and disaster assistance programs, will be put on hold beginning next week, and won’t start up again until the government reopens.
In the same article, the Associated Press reported:
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, helps feed roughly 40 million Americans, according to the USDA, eligible recipients are guaranteed benefits through January. Other feeding programs, including WIC, which provides food aid and counseling for pregnant women, new mothers and children, and food distribution on Indian reservations, will continue on a local level, but additional federal funding won’t be provided. School lunch programs will continue through February.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency tweeted: “Due to a lapse in appropriations, EPA websites and social media will not be regularly updated. In the event of an environmental emergency threatening the safety of human life or to protect certain property, epa.gov will be updated with appropriate information.”
Military Times posted an article titled: “Coast Guard won’t see paychecks for several more weeks as shutdown continues”.
Coast Guard officials confirmed this week they need emergency legislation by the end of today in order to process paychecks on time for their regular release on Jan. 1. Currently, about 42,000 service members are working without pay because of the government shutdown.
Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines are unaffected by the budget stalemate because funding for their departments was finalized last fall. The same goes for veterans benefits, since the Department of Veterans Affairs saw its full fiscal 2018 budget approved in September.
But the Coast Guard’s money, which is handled through the Department of Homeland Security, falls under one of numerous government agencies forced into shutdown last week over a political dispute concerning President Trump’s proposed southern border wall.
Coast Guard All Hands (the official blog for the Coast Guard Workforce) posted: “UPDATE: Government Shutdown FAQs, CGMA loan information”.
Will Coast Guard members get paid on Dec. 31? Yes, the Administration, the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard have identified a way to pay our military workforce on Dec. 31, 2018. This one-time action applies to military members that served on active duty in the month of December and those reserve military members that drilled prior to the lapse in appropriation.
The information also states that the approval only covers the December 31, 2018 paycheck. It does not guarantee a paycheck on January 15, 2019. Retirees will get paid on December 31, 2018, but if the shutdown continues into February, they may not get paid their future installments.
Zion National Park posted information about “Operations During Shutdown”. It will remain partially open during the shutdown because of funding that is not connected to the federal government.
Zion Canyon Visitor Center will be open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily through January 5 thanks to donations from the State of Utah and Zion Forever Project.
The restrooms near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and in the Campground will be open through January 5, thanks to donations from the State of Utah and Zion Forever Project.
The restrooms at the Zion Lodge shuttle stop will be open through January 31, thanks to a donation from Zanterra…
…One loop of Watchman Campground will remain open through January 5, thanks to donations from the State of Utah and Zion Forever Project…
Roll Call posted an article titled: “White House to Freeze Pay for Federal Workers in 2019”. From the article:
As the partial shutdown grinds on, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday evening that would freeze pay for federal workers in 2019.
Trump telegraphed the move in his February budget request for fiscal 2019 when he proposed a pay freeze for the roughly 2.1 million federal civilian workers. The plan was confirmed by a formal announcement in August required to head off steep pay raises that would automatically take effect under a 1990 law, which presidents of both parties routinely override…
…The decision to freeze pay in 2019 would also affect the 1.3 million or so federal civilian employees at agencies that already have full-year appropriations signed into law. That’s because provisions to block the president’s pay order are in a different spending bill that hasn’t yet become law.
Those workers, plus those who are currently either furloughed or working without pay, would receive pay raises of 1.9 percent starting Jan. 1 under the Senate’s fiscal 2019 Financial Services spending bill. House Republicans said before the midterm elections that they would go along with the pay increase, but that bill was left hanging along with six other unfinished fiscal 2019 appropriations measures…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) posted a status on its official website titled: “Status of FTC Online Services During 2018 Lapse in Funding”. From the status:
December 28, 2018: The FTC is closed as of midnight Friday, December 28, 2018, due to the lapse in government funding. Website information and social media properties will not be updated until the government reopens. All FTC events are postponed until further notice.
This blog was originally posted on Medium on January 4, 2018, and was updated periodically through the first week of the shutdown.
You may want to read what happened next in my blog post titled: A Timeline of the 2018–2019 Partial Government Shutdown — Week Two. [...]
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December 18, 2018A glass of water by frolicsompl on Pixabay
New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced (on December 18, 2018) that the Trump Foundation has signed a stipulation agreeing to dissolve under judicial supervision.
New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood released the following statement in a press release:
“Our petition detailed a shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation — including unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing, and much more. This amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump’s business and political interests.”
The stipulation was petitioned by New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood against Donald J. Trump, Donald J. Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric F. Trump, and the Donald J. Trump Foundation. The stipulation order needs to be signed by Justice Saliann Scarpulla, a Justice for the New York County Supreme Court, Civil Term, in the 1st Judicial District of New York. She previously ruled that this case, filed by the New York Attorney General against the Trump Foundation, could proceed.
The New York Times reported (in June of 2018) information about the Trump Foundation. It was established by Donald J. Trump in 1987. The stated mission was “exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational purposes”, either by directly or by donating to other organizations. It was a private, nonprofit corporation.
Donald J. Trump served as president of the Trump Foundation from its start until January 23, 2017, (three days after he was inaugurated as president of the United States). Ivanka Trump also stepped down from her position on the Trump Foundation’s board of directors. Both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump remained members of the board.
The stipulation requires the following:
The Trump Foundation should be dissolved, annulling its Certificate of Corporation and terminating corporate existence of the Foundation.The dissolution process will proceed under judicial supervision.Within 30 days of when the stipulation is ordered by the Court, the parties must jointly submit to the Court a list of non-for-profit organizations to receive distributions, in equal amounts, from the assets remaining upon the issuance of a final Order of Dissolution.The parties agree that the Attorney General may object to the distribution of funds to any organization designated if information is revealed after the stipulation is ordered that negatively affects the suitability of such organizations to receive distributions of charitable assets in this manner.The Trump Foundation will maintain all of its assets as of the execution of the stipulation. (In other words, it is not allowed to suddenly start selling off assets.)
It
is worth pointing out that there is also an ongoing lawsuit against the
Trump Foundation that seeks millions in restitution and penalties. That
lawsuit was announced by Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood (on June 14, 2018).
That
lawsuit seeks to require the Trump Foundation to dissolve. (That goal
will be reached when Justice Saliann Scarpulla signs the stipulation.)
In addition, it seeks to obtain restitution of $2.8 million and additional penalties. It seeks a ban from future service as a director, officer, or trustee, of a New York not-for-profit for 10 years for Donald J. Trump and one year for each of the Trump Foundations other board members: Donald J. Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump. (That goal will also be reached when Justice Saliann Scarpulla signs the stipulation.)
The
website about the lawsuit provides details about things the Attorney
General’s investigation found that the Trump Foundation did (and should
not have done).
“The Attorney General’s investigation found that Trump Foundation raised in excess of $2.8 million in a manner designed to influence the 2016 presidential election at the direction and under the control of senior leadership of the Trump presidential campaign. The Foundation raised the funds from the public at the nationally televised fundraiser Mr. Trump held in lieu of participating in the presidential primary debate in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 28, 2016. In violation of state and federal law, senior Trump campaign staff, including Campaign Manager Cory Lewandowski, dictated the timing, amounts, and recipients of grants by the Foundation to non-profits, as evidenced by communications between Campaign staff and Foundation representatives”
“The
Trump Foundation also entered into at least five self-dealing
transactions that were unlawful because they benefited Mr. Trump or
businesses he controls. These include a $100,000 payment to settle legal
claims against Mr. Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort; a $158,000 payment to
settle legal claims against his Trump National Golf Club in 2008 from a
hole-in-one tournament; and a $10,000 payment at a charity action to
purchase a painting of Mr. Trump that was displayed at the Trump
National Doral in Miami. Following commencement of the Attorney
General’s investigation, the Foundation paid excise taxes on three of
the transactions and Mr. Trump restored funds for the transactions to
the Foundation, but the Foundation has not paid excise taxes on the
Mar-A-Lago or Trump National Golf Club transactions.”
“As
described in the Attorney General’s petition, none of the Foundation’s
expenditures or activities were approved by its Board of Directors. The
investigation found that the Board existed in name only; it did not meet
after 1999; it did not set policy or criteria for choosing grant
recipients; and it did not approve of any grants. Mr. Trump alone made
all decisions related to the Foundation.”
NPR reported (on December 18, 2018) that in late 2016, Donald J. Trump said he wanted to dissolve the Trump Foundation, but was prevented by then-New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman as the investigation into the Trump Foundation continued.
In the same article, NPR reported: “In its most recent available filing with the IRS, in 2016 the foundation reported $2,929,274 in revenue and $3,075,269 in expenses. Most of the foundation’s donations that year went to veteran’s groups, following a campaign promise made by Trump while campaigning. The foundation also donated $25,000 to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to CREW, in an apparent effort to dissuade her from investigating Trump University, another now-shuttered Trump venture.”
The Hill reported (on December 18, 2018) that part of the dissolution agreement requires the Trump Foundation to sell off its remaining assets. This includes a Tim Tebow-signed Denver Broncos football helmet and two paintings of Donald J. Trump. The reported value of the three items is $975, according to a recent filing with the IRS. The Hill reported that Donald J. Trump reportedly paid $12,000 for the Tebow-signed helmet and a combined $30,000 for the two portraits.
CNBC posted a quote from an article written by David Fahrenthold on The Washington Post:
“The largest donation in the foundation’s history — a $264,231 gift to the Central Park Conservancy in 1989 — appeared to benefit Trump’s business: It paid to restore a fountain outside Trump’s Plaza Hotel. The smallest, a $7 foundation gift to the Boy Scouts that same year, appeared to benefit Trump’s family. It matched the amount required to enroll a boy in the Scouts the year that his son Donald J. Trump Jr. was 11.”
This blog was originally posted on Medium on December 18, 2018.
The Trump Foundation will Dissolve is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites.
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