National Emergency

From the USA Today:

“President Trump declares national emergency over coronavirus, directing billions of dollars to combat global pandemic”

President Donald Trump said the emergency declaration would give broad authority for Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to waive provisions of laws and regulations to give doctors and hospital "maximum flexibility to respond to the virus."

Under the declaration, Azar can:

Waive laws to enable telehealth services

Allow remote doctor visits and hospital check-ins

Waive certain federal licensing requirements so doctors from other states can provide services

Waive requirements limiting hospitals to 25 beds or a stay of 96 hours

Allowing hospitals to bring additional physicians on board and obtain additional office space

Waive rules that restrict hospital care of patients within the hospital itself 

Trump: 'This will pass':   President Donald Trump, whose administration has been criticized heavily over a shortage of tests for coronavirus, promised to increase the number of tests but said administering them to everyone was not necessary.  "Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this," Trump said. "Again, we don't want everybody taking this test. It's totally unnecessary. And this will pass. This will pass through and we're going to be stronger for it."

Trump’s emergency declaration will come with more than just money:   The most significant element of President Donald Trump’s emergency declaration will be federal disaster aid. Trump said up to $50 billion would be made available. Democrats and the Federal Emergency Management Agency had earlier estimated the number to be closer to $40 billion. But it’s not just money. Trump said his order would waive several key regulations. Among them: The order, Trump said, will waive rules so that telehealth can be more easily accessed, providing care in ways that will not require patients to come into a doctor’s office. Trump said the order would waive rules limiting the number of beds and length of stay in hospitals. The president said the order would waive rules about which parts of a hospital can treat patients, a move designed to deal with capacity and space if a large number of patients show up seeking care.

Trump announces drive-through testing:  President Donald Trump announced plans to partner with pharmaceutical and retail companies to set up drive-through test sites for coronavirus in an effort to catch up to a nationwide demand and deliver on the administration's promise for wider access to testing. He met with company executives Friday to discuss expanding access to testing through drive-through testing. "The goal is for individuals to drive up and be swabbed without having to leave your car," he said in a Rose Garden news conference.  By allowing people remain in their car, health officials say it limits the chance for exposure. Trump said the administration is working with Google to create a web portal to direct people to those locations. The administration has faced mounting pressure from lawmakers to increase testing access as the coronavirus pandemic continues to intensify, prompting travel restrictions, school closures, suspension of professional sports leagues and market turmoil. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, admitted to lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday that limited access to testing was "a failing." New Rochelle, a New York City suburb, became the first on the East Coast to open a drive-through testing facility Friday after it was designated a coronavirus containment zone following a recent outbreak.

Trump announces emergency declaration:   President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Friday to free up billions of dollars to combat the coronavirus as he sought to persuade anxious Americans and battered financial markets that he was responding forcefully to the crisis. "I am officially declaring a national emergency. Two very big words," Trump told reporters in the Rose Garden. As the outbreak has shuttered schools, sporting events and even Broadway, Trump has come under intense criticism for his handling of the pandemic, including an Oval Office address he delivered Wednesday that was marred by factual errors. Medical experts say there’s an acute shortage of coronavirus testing kits, the number of infections has soared and Wall Street suffered its worst day Thursday since the financial crash of 1987. ”The action I’m taking will open access up to $50 billion for states in our shared fight against his disease,” Trump said, adding that he was ordering every state to open emergency operation centers. "This will pass," Trump said of the outbreak. "We’ll be even stronger for it We’ve learned a lot.” The emergency declaration comes as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has been negotiating with Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill on legislation to stem the economic fallout from the coronavirus. About an hour before the president delivered his remarks, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the House would move forward with a vote Friday on a sweeping package to confront the coronavirus. The bill would include free testing for all Americans, including those uninsured, as well as two weeks of paid sick leave who have to skip work due to the virus. It would also include expanded food assistance, such as seniors’ meals, student lunches and food banks.

Pelosi: House to vote on relief package:  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House would move forward with a vote Friday on a sweeping package to confront the coronavirus.  The bill would include free virus testing for all Americans, including the uninsured, as well as two weeks of paid sick leave for those who have to skip work due to the virus. It would also included expanded federal food assistance, such as seniors’ meals, student lunches and food banks. "The three most important parts of this bill are: testing, testing, testing,” she said in her televised remarks at the U.S. Capitol. Pelosi has been in constant communication with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who is leading negotiations for the Trump administration. Her remarks came amid reports that President Donald Trump is expected to declare a national emergency Friday over the coronavirus outbreak, a move that would enable federal officials to direct billions of dollars in federal disaster money to responders fighting the virus. The pandemic has killed dozens in the U.S., canceled major sporting events, limited commercial travel, roiled stock markets and transformed everyday life around the globe.

Louisiana will delay presidential primary:  Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin announced Friday he has requested to delay the state's presidential primary for two months due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. The presidential primary was slated for April 4, but will be moved to June 20. Ardoin, during a press conference, said there are provisions in place that allow for the delay of primaries and early voting in “declared states of emergency" as a way to "protect the integrity of the electoral process”  “Today I have certified that the state of emergency exists and requested that the government issue an executive order postponing the elections this spring,” he said. According to the Monroe, La., News Star, Gov. John Bel Edwards will grant the delay. Louisiana is the only state that has announced it will delay its primaries due to coronavirus. Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign released a statement in response to Louisiana’s primary delay, saying that “our elections can be conducted safely in consultation with public health officials.” “Voting is at the very heart of who we are as a democracy,” Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement. “If voters are feeling healthy, not exhibiting symptoms, and don’t believe they've been exposed to COVID-19, please vote on Tuesday.”

G-7 leaders will hold virtual summit to discuss coronavirus :  President Donald Trump and six other world leaders will hold a virtual summit Monday to coordinate a global response to the coronavirus, French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday. The videoconference of G-7 leaders will focus on research efforts to find a vaccine, as well as an economic response to the crisis, which has rocked global markets and sparked fears of a recession. Following a call with Trump, “we agreed to organize an extraordinary Leaders Summit by video conference on Monday on Covid-19,” Macron announced on Twitter.

^ I watched the National Emergency speech live on TV and now am waiting to see what the real aspects of this declaration details besides extra funding. ^

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/03/13/coronavirus-bill-house-nears-approval-free-tests-paid-sick-leave/5039259002/