Senate at odds over makeup of coronavirus stimulus package; Utah rep hospitalized - updates

Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus cases in Congress send lawmakers packing Coronavirus cases have showed up in Congress, and with more and more lawmakers choosing to quarantine, why can't the legislature move to remote votes?

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote again Monday morning to take up a stalled economic stimulus bill that Democrats blocked earlier Sunday evening, which critics said was too generous to big corporations and too stingy for working families.

The next Senate vote, a procedural roll call to take up the bill, will take place at 9:45 Monday morning, unless there’s a breakthrough before then, McConnell said.

His remarks came as Democrats negotiated late into the night with top Trump administration officials over the details of a possible deal. There are numerous sticking points, including restrictions on corporate bailouts and the scope of assistance to state and local governments.

McConnell, R-Ky., blasted Democrats for opposing a GOP-crafted coronavirus rescue package and said he hoped they would have a “change of heart” after the U.S. financial markets opened Monday morning. McConnell noted there were already signs of another bad day on Wall Street as Congress remained gridlocked over how to help laid-off workers and shuttered businesses.

“The futures market tanked in anticipation of an ugly tomorrow based upon an absence of bipartisan agreement,” McConnell said in remarks at 10:20 Sunday evening. “Even if Democrats reverse course tomorrow, the vote the cast today will almost certain cause more Americans to lose their jobs.”

Democrats say McConnell is trying to jam through a bill that would give big corporations a bailout with too few strings attached. They fear that CEOs would take taxpayer funds and then enrich themselves with stock buybacks and executive pay hikes once the panic has passed.

“The legislation had many, many problems. At the top of the list, it included a large corporate bailout provision, with no protections for workers and virtually no oversight,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said earlier Sunday. “It also significantly cut back on the money our hospitals, our cities, our states, our medical workers and so many others needed during this crisis."

-Deidre Shesgreen

Congressman diagnosed with coronavirus hospitalized

Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, one of two members of the House of Representatives to be diagnosed with the coronavirus, said in a statement late Sunday evening he had been admitted to the hospital after experiencing "severe shortness of breath."

McAdams said he received oxygen "as I struggled to maintain my blood oxygen at appropriate levels" but now was feeling "relatively better" and was off oxygen.

The Utah Democrat said he expected to be released "as soon as the doctors determine it is appropriate."

Two other members of Utah's delegation of Congress, Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, said they would self-quarantine after coming into contact with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who announced a positive coronavirus diagnosis Sunday.

-Nicholas Wu

Coronavirus live updates: Medical aid for 3 states as US death tolls hits 417; stimulus, checks hit snag; Sen. Rand Paul tests positive

Schumer, Mnuchin meeting to worth through stimulus sticking points

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met for a fourth time on Sunday and planned to continue “working late into the night,” said Justin Goodman, Schumer’s spokesman.

He did not say if they had made any progress on resolving the disagreements on a stimulus measure.

Lawmakers are racing to get an agreement in place before the New York Stock Exchange opens Monday.

On Friday, U.S. stocks sank despite promises of congressional action on an economic stabilization package. The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 913.21 points to close at 19,173.98, capping its worst week since the height of the financial crisis in 2008.

More: How the current stock market collapse compares with others in history

Coronavirus stimulus package fails to pass an initial procedural hurdle

A massive stimulus package to blunt the economic effects of the coronavirus failed to pass an initial procedural hurdle Sunday evening by a 47-47 vote.

The motion needed the votes of at least 3/5 of the full Senate.

Speaking on the Senate floor before the vote, McConnell suggested the final bill was not yet ready, saying “discussions continue on the package.”

As of Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called for a bill that would address the needs of individuals and families, deliver relief to small businesses, stabilize the economy and prevent layoffs, and send resources to health care workers and providers.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had asked for a bill that would boost resources for health care professionals and give more direct payments to workers than Republicans had wanted.

Schumer told reporters in the Capitol the Republican plan would assist large companies “with no protections for workers and virtually no oversight.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had objected to the first version pitched by McConnell, claiming it didn't do enough to protect workers and gave too much to corporations.

McConnell had asked the Senate to pass the bill by Monday, but the chances of a Monday approval are not likely after Sunday’s vote.

The Majority Leader voted "no," which allows filing a motion that allows him to bring up the bill again this week.

-Nicholas Wu

Trump vows to test undocumented immigrants for coronavirus

President Donald Trump told reporters that undocumented immigrants will have access to testing without fear of arrest or deportation.

"If that's not the policy I'll make it the policy," Trump said when asked whether undocumented immigrants could be tested. "Yes we will test that person."

More: Undocumented immigrants, fearful of Trump administration, could be hit hard by coronavirus

Vice President Mike Pence also pointed out that Customs and Border Protection said in its latest guidance it would not target emergency rooms or health clinics as the nation grapples with the unfolding coronavirus crisis.

The Trump administration announced a "public charge" rule last month as part of its hardline immigration policy, rendering immigrants ineligible for citizenship or residency if they rely on government benefits or are considered likely to use them in the future. Immigration advocates are concerned that rule could leave undocumented immigrants who are trying to legalize their status hesitant to seek out medical assistance amid the deadly outbreak.

Trump told reporters Sunday it was important to test undocumented immigrants because "we don't want to send that person back into wherever we're sending that person."

- Courtney Subramanian

Donald Trump states the obvious: 'I'm a little bit upset with China'

President Donald Trump spoke a little more sympathetically about China on Sunday, but made clear he still blames it for the global outbreak of the coronavirus.

"I'm a little bit upset with China," Trump said at a White House briefing on coronavirus. "They should have told us about this."

China, which says it did what it could to contain coronavirus after it broke out in the city of Wuhan, is also angry at Trump for using the phrase "China virus." Some Chinese officials have promoted conspiracy theories that the virus really started in the United States.

All that said, Trump said he has spoken with China President Xi Jinping about the coronavirus and sympathizes with Xi's plight.

"Look, he doesn't want this," Trump said.

- David Jackson

Schumer slams McConnell's stimulus plan as 'highly partisan'

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, speaking on the Senate floor, slammed the Republicans' plan as "highly partisan." The plan as written included a "large corporate bailout with no protections for workers" and did not provide enough funding for healthcare workers and medical funding, Schumer said.

Schumer said negotiations would continue and provisions could change, noting that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had been in his office just half-hour before.

The bill just failed to pass a key procedural hurdle by a 47-47 vote. It required the votes of three-fifths of senators to pass. Following the vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would bring the bill up again.

The next time they voted, McConnell said, "hopefully some adults will show up on the other side of the room and understand the gravity of the situation and the need to act before the markets go down further."

Stock futures tumbled Sunday evening as investors watched the negotiations over the stimulus package hit a roadblock.

-Nicholas Wu

Trump says he won't 'learn' anything by calling predecessors for advice

When asked whether he's considered calling one of his predecessors for advice on how to handle a natural disaster, President Donald Trump said that he didn't think he needed to because he has an "incredible team" in place.

"I respect everybody but I feel I have an incredible team and I think we're doing an incredible job. When you look at the job we're doing, and all you have to do is look at the approval numbers on the job," Trump told reporters.

Trump added that if he felt he would save one life by calling he would pick up the phone, but he didn't think he would "learn much."

"So I don't want to disturb them," he continued. "I don't think I'm going to learn much and you know I guess you could say that there's probably a natural inclination not to call. Now if I felt that if I called I'd learned something and that would save one life, it would save one life. Okay, I would make the call in two minutes but I don't see that happening."

- Courtney Subramanian

Trump open to releasing certain prisoners

WASHINGTON–The Trump administration is considering the release of some federal prisoners in an attempt to reduce the risk of a larger outbreak of the coronavirus in the nation's largest prison system.

President Donald Trump Sunday acknowledged the potential vulnerability of elderly inmates, saying that the administration is weighing the move to include "totally non-violent prisoners" after the nation's largest detention system reported its first known case of the coronavirus involving an inmate. The prisoner has been quarantined at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Federal officials said the inmate, who was not identified, complained of chest pains March 16, shortly after arriving at the New York facility. He was taken to an outside hospital three days later where he was tested for the virus.

Following his March 20 discharge from the hospital, authorities said he returned to the Brooklyn detention center and was "immediately placed in isolation." Prison officials were notified of the positive test results Saturday.

"BOP staff will continue to monitor this inmate," the agency said in a statement, adding that the prisoner remains in isolation. "All (Centers for Disease Control) guidelines are being followed, including the conduct of a contact investigation and additional sanitation of affected areas."

- Kevin Johnson

Donald Trump takes swipe at Mitt Romney over self-isolation

President Donald Trump couldn't resist taking a dig at a political rival Sunday after he was informed that Sen. Mitt Romney was going into self-isolation amid coronavirus concerns.

"Romney is in isolation? Gee, that's too bad," Trump told reporters.

Just last month, Romney was the only Republican lawmaker to vote for the impeachment of Trump.

Asked if he exercising "sarcasm" at the Utah senator, Trump said: "None whatsoever."

- David Jackson

Trump misidentifies Congressman who tested positive for coronavirus

President Donald Trump offered best wishes Sunday to members of Congress who tested positive for coronavirus, but he misidentified one of them.

Trump paid tribute to Jose Diaz-Balart, but he is a former congressman and now a Telemundo television anchor – and he has not tested positive for coronavirus.

It's his brother, Mario Diaz-Balart, who is in Congress and was one of the first lawmakers to announce he had tested positive.

"To clarify, I do not have coronavirus," Jose Diaz-Balert tweeted after the president's mistake. "The President has been in contact with my brother, Congressman @mariodb who has coronavirus, not me. I am healthy."

To clarify: I do not have Coronavirus. The President has been in contact with my brother, Congressman @mariodb who has coronavirus, not me. I am healthy.



Para aclarar, no tengo coronavirus. El presidente Trump por… https://t.co/8VfUlxVlUq — jose diaz-balart (@jdbalart) March 22, 2020

-- David Jackson

Republicans could lose Senate majority during coronavirus aid debate

Republicans could lose their Senate majority as the novel coronavirus courses through the U.S. Capitol – with five GOP members in self-quarantine as of Sunday afternoon as lawmakers negotiated a massive economic rescue package to help laid-off workers and shuttered businesses.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., left the Capitol on Sunday morning after learning he had tested positive for COVID-19. Within hours, two other GOP senators – Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, both of Utah – said they would self-quarantine because of their contacts with Paul.

Republicans hold 53 Senate seats, while Democrats hold 45. The Senate has two Independents, both of whom caucus with the Democrats.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the virus "has arrived" in the Senate and notes that at least 5 senators are in quarantine.

No other senator has tested positive for the virus besides Paul. But before the Kentucky Republican’s disclosure on Sunday, several other GOP senators had gone into isolation because of possible exposure to the virus, including Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Cory Gardner of Colorado.

The lawmaker quarantines come as lawmakers debate a sweeping economic stimulus package ahead of Wall Street’s Monday opening.

Republicans and Democrats spent the day negotiating and sparring over key details of the measure, which would provide direct assistance to individuals and billions of dollars in loans to businesses.

- Deirdre Shesgreen

Senators seek medical advice after Paul tests positive

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said Sunday that lawmakers are speaking with a doctor to determine what steps they should take after Sen. Rand Paul, who was at the Capitol in recent days, tested positive for the coronavirus.

"We just learned our colleague, Rand Paul, has tested positive for the coronavirus. Our thoughts and prayers are with him for a speedy recovery," Thune said on Senate floor. "We will consult with the attending physician here at the Capitol about appropriate measures for those of us who have been in contact with the senator."

Speaking ahead of a procedural vote on a massive stimulus bill that aims to mitigate the economic impact of the outbreak, Thune said Paul's infection "is the kind of situation that Americans across the country are dealing with right now. And it underscores the importance of acting immediately to deliver more relief for the American people."

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah., confirmed he and other lawmakers attended a lunch with Paul on Friday and that they were consulting with doctors to see if they need to self-quarantine.

"Very, very unhappy to hear that Rand Paul has been diagnosed with COVID-19," Romney told reporters Sunday, adding that he wishes "him the very best."

"He's compromised given health conditions he's had in the past, and so we'll be praying for him and thinking about him," Romney said."Of course all the senators are going to seek medical advice as to what action we should take to make sure that we don't in any way spread this virus ourselves," he continued. "We were at a lunch together with Rand and hope he's doing very well. But we have to determine if any of us should self-quarantine as a result of being in the same room."

Soon after Paul’s disclosure, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, went into self-quarantine on the advice of Congress’s attending physician. Lee reportedly had lunch with Paul on Friday. Lee said he has no symptoms and the physician said he did not need to be tested.

“However, given the timing, proximity, and duration of my exposure to Sen. Paul, he directed me to self-quarantine for 14 days,” Lee said in a statement Sunday. “That means no traveling or voting.”

- William Cummings

McConnell: 'This virus is not going to wait for politics as usual'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged Democrats Sunday to support a massive stimulus package to help address the economic costs of the coronavirus outbreak ahead of a procedural vote on the bill, which, if successful could lead to a final vote Monday.

Earlier Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would not support the bill as written and indicated she plans to introduce a separate version of the legislation in the House. McConnell said he had a "productive meeting" with Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, as well as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, that led to the bill which he said was "as bold and as big as the American people deserve" and "as thoroughly bipartisan as our process demands."

"Now what we need to do is to move forward," he said. "This national crisis is not going to wait around if Congress slips back into conventional politics or haggles endlessly over the finer points."

Referring to a reported comment from Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., that the stimulus bill presented a "tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision," McConnell said, "This is not a political opportunity. It's a national emergency."

"The American people need an outcome and they need it tomorrow," he said.

"What we have is a compromise product which contains ideas, contributions, and priorities on both sides, and which could become law as soon as tomorrow," McConnell said. "In other words, it's just about time to take 'yes' for an answer."

- William Cummings

Sen. Rand Paul tests positive for COVID-19

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus and is being quarantined, his office announced Sunday.

“Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19,” reads a statement on his official Twitter feed. “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. Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul.”

Sergio Gor, Paul's deputy chief of staff, said the senator "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."

Gor said Paul is in a higher risk category after having part of his lung removed last year after it was damaged in a 2017 assault by his neighbor.

Last week, Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., and Ben McAdams, D-Utah, announced they had tested positive for the virus and dozens of other lawmakers who fear they may have been exposed have undergone self-quarantines.

Paul was on Capitol Hill several days last week. The statement did not say when Paul tested positive, nor when he might have contracted the illness, but his infection could mean several more lawmakers were exposed.

- William Cummings

McConnell to move forward with Senate stimulus bill

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he plans to move forward on a massive stimulus package Sunday, after failing to reach an agreement with Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who plans to introduce her own version of the bill.

The Kentucky Republican said the Senate still hold a cloture vote on the bill, scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT, which will limit debate to less than 30 hours before a final vote that he plans to hold on Monday. McConnell said it “would be best for the country” if Pelosi and House Democrats pass the Senate measure.

“I believe that’s the way it will end, and that’s the way we’re going to go forward,” he said. He added that negotiations will continue during the 30 hours before the Senate votes.

“We’re still talking about those issues where there’s still some disagreement,” McConnell said. “But make no mistake about it we’ll be voting tomorrow. I mean the wheel has to stop at some point.”

- William Cummings

Pelosi: 'No deal' on stimulus package

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday there’s “no deal” yet on a massive stimulus package, as she and other congressional leaders tangled over the details of a $1 trillion-plus package aimed at stabilizing an economy reeling amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ll be introducing our own bill,” Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters on the Capitol Hill.

Her remarks dimmed the prospect of speedy congressional action on legislation aimed at helping individuals who have been laid off and businesses that have shuttered amid severe travel restrictions quarantines and lockdowns.

Pelosi spoke to reporters after meeting behind closed doors with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel, R-Ky., and other congressional leaders.

McConnell is pushing a bill that would send $1,200 checks for most U.S. adults and hundreds of billions for businesses that have been hit by the pandemic.

Pelosi's spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about what the sticking points are, but she and other Democrats are reportedly concerned that McConnell's proposal does not offer enough protections for workers and needs tougher measures to prevent bailed-out corporations from engaging in stock buybacks that enrich executives.

- Deirdre Shesgreen

AOC tells young Americans to stay home

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, has a message for her generational cohorts amid the coronavirus outbreak: stop going out.

"If you are a young person in America today, you need to stay home," the New York Democrat said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

"There was so much messaging about how coronavirus is only impacting older people and that younger people don't have to worry about it for their personal health," she said. "Well, let me tell you something. In the state of New York, about 55% of our cases are with folks 18 to 49."

Ocasio-Cortez, 30, warned young Americans they risk not only exposing themselves, but their parents and grandparents "if you continue to go out and live life as usual."

She also repeated Democratic lawmakers' call for President Donald Trump to use the Defense Production Act to ramp up the production of medical supplies.

"There are not enough face masks, gloves, ventilators, hospital beds to get us through this. Many hospitals are already at capacity or approaching capacity," she said.

"Companies are donating what they can. That is great. It is not enough," she said, adding that a failure to use the Defense Production Act "is going to cost lives."

- William Cummings

Illinois governor says states are competing against each other for coronavirus supplies

WASHINGTON – Governors are saying their states are competing with each other to buy medical supplies needed to fight the coronavirus, driving up prices and creating a "Wild West" atmosphere – and drawing a rebuke from President Donald Trump.

"We're all competing against each other" and "this should have been a coordinated effort by the federal government," Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker told CNN's State of the Union.

Trump responded by tweeting that Pritzker and other governors "shouldn’t be blaming the Federal Government for their own shortcomings. We are there to back you up should you fail, and always will be!"

Illinois Gov. Pritzker says despite FEMA streamlining critical supply requests, the state is still only getting a fraction of what it needs and is competing against other states on the open market for supplies. “It’s a wild west... indeed we are overpaying" for PPE. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/3MLLFir83V — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) March 22, 2020

Pritzker is not alone.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., made the same complaint and, like Pritzker and other governors, called on Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act and "order companies to make gowns, masks and gloves."

Cuomo tweeted: "Currently, states are competing against other states for supplies."

I’m calling on the Federal Government to nationalize the medical supply chain.



The Federal Government should immediately use the Defense Production Act to order companies to make gowns, masks and gloves.



Currently, states are competing against other states for supplies. — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 22, 2020

In his CNN interview, Pritzker said that while the Federal Emergency Management Agency has become a "central repository," the federal government should do more to make sure that scarce resources get to places than need them.

States like Illinois are also competing against other countries for personal protective equipment like masks and gloves.

"It's a wide – Wild West, I would say, out there," Pritzker said. "And, indeed, we're overpaying, I would say, for PPE because of that competition.”

- David Jackson

Mnuchin expects deal on $2 trillion stimulus package Sunday

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said he believes Senate Republicans and Democrats will reach a deal later Sunday on a massive stimulus package, which could approach $2 trillion, aimed at alleviating the devastating economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak.

"I do think it will get done. We've been working around the clock in the Senate with Republicans and the Democrats," Mnuchin said on "Fox News Sunday." He said he spoke with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"And I think we have a fundamental understanding and we look forward to wrapping it up today."

Mnuchin said the package would include small business loans, direct payments to Americans amounting to "approximately $3,000" for a family of four, "enhanced unemployment insurance," and "approximately" $110 billion for hospitals and medical professionals. Mnuchin said - working with the Federal Reserve - it would free up "$4 trillion of liquidity that we can use to support the economy" through "broad-based" lending programs.

McConnell is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. EDT before a procedural vote on the package at 3 p.m. If a deal is reached, a final vote could come as soon as Monday.

- William Cummings

North Korea: Trump offered Kim Jong Un help in fighting coronavirus

President Donald Trump has written another letter to Kim Jong Un, this one offering to help his country fight the potential spread of coronavirus, North Korean officials said Sunday.

Trump “expressed his intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work, saying that he was impressed by the efforts made by the Chairman to defend his people from the serious threat of the epidemic,” said Kim Yo Jong, the North Korean leader’s sister and senior ruling party official, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

North Korea has said it has no cases of coronavirus, but some foreign policy analysts are skeptical of those claims.

Trump and Kim have often exchanged letters during their on-again, off-again negotiations over U.S. demands that North Korea end its nuclear weapons programs. Those talks remained deadlocked.

The latest letter came after North Korea again tested short-range ballistic missiles over the weekend, drawing protests from South Korea.

A White House statement said Trump sent the letter "consistent with his efforts to engage global leaders during the ongoing pandemic. The President looks forward to continued communications with Chairman Kim."

- David Jackson

First federal inmate tests positive

WASHINGTON–The Federal Bureau of Prisons, the nation's largest detention system, reported its first known case of the coronavirus involving an inmate, confirming that the prisoner has been quarantined at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Federal officials said the inmate, who was not identified, complained of chest pains March 16, shortly after arriving at the New York facility. He was taken to an outside hospital three days later where he was tested for the virus.

Following his March 20 discharge from the hospital, authorities said he returned to the Brooklyn detention center and was "immediately placed in isolation." Prison officials were notified of the positive test results Saturday.

"BOP staff will continue to monitor this inmate," the agency said in a statement, adding that the prisoner remains in isolation. "All (Centers for Disease Control) guidelines are being followed, including the conduct of a contact investigation and additional sanitation of affected areas."

- Kevin Johnson

Pence tests negative, White House says

WASHINGTON – Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence have both tested negative for the coronavirus, his office announced Saturday.

"Pleased to report that the COVID-19 test results came back negative for both Vice President @Mike_Pence and Second Lady @KarenPence," his spokeswoman, Katie Miller, tweeted.

The vice president is 60 and his wife is 63.

Both were tested Saturday, the day after the White House announced that an aide to Mike Pence had tested positive.

The vice president said that while the White House physician had no reason to believe that the Pences had been exposed, they were tested anyway "given the unique position I have."

Pence is leading the administration’s coronavirus task force and has been a regular presence at President Donald Trump's side in recent weeks.

Trump was tested for the virus a week ago and it came back negative.

- Maureen Groppe