[co-author: Shelley Castle]
Democrats still have a significant number of must-pass bills and priority legislation to consider by the end of the year, with little time left on the congressional calendar to do so. Democratic...more
In Washington: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky urged parents to vaccinate adolescents and teenagers against the coronavirus Friday, adding that COVID-19 can be severe for this age...more
6/7/2021
/ AstraZeneca ,
Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Eviction ,
FDA Approval ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Job Creation ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Moderna Inc. ,
Pfizer ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Regeneron ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has ruled that the Senate can only discharge one more automatic budget reconciliation this year, upending Democrat’s strategy to sidestep Republicans in advancing...more
6/3/2021
/ Anheuser-Busch ,
Biden Administration ,
Budget Reconciliation ,
CARES Act ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Eviction ,
Federal Budget ,
Inspector General ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Moderna Inc. ,
Moratorium ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Scholarships ,
Unemployment Benefits ,
Vaccinations ,
World Health Organization
In Washington: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has loosened its COVID-19 guidelines for summer camps, saying that vaccinated staffers and adolescents do not need to wear masks. The changes represent an...more
6/1/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Federal Budget ,
Federal Funding ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Masks ,
Summer Camps ,
Vaccinations ,
Vaccine Passports
In Washington: President Biden on Wednesday asked U.S. intelligence to “redouble their efforts” to determine the origins of the coronavirus and submit a report within 90 days on whether the virus emerged from an accidental...more
In Washington: According to the Wall Street Journal, an undisclosed U.S. intelligence report says three researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick enough to require hospitalization a month before the...more
In Washington: House Ways and Means Committee Democrats Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Steven Horsford (D-NV) introduced a bill Thursday aimed at boosting the hiring of workers hit hard by the pandemic. The legislation would expand...more
In Washington: The House on Tuesday passed legislation aimed at combating the sharp rise in hate crimes against Asian-Americans that have occurred during the coronavirus pandemic. President Biden is expected to sign the bill...more
5/20/2021
/ Border Security ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Dr. Anthony Fauci ,
EU ,
FOMC ,
Hate Crimes ,
Home Depot ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Masks ,
Race Relations ,
Target ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for youth who are 12 to 15 years old. The recommendation came hours after the Advisory Committee on...more
5/13/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Consumer Price Index ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
General Services Administration (GSA) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Johnson & Johnson ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Lyft ,
Patent Ownership ,
Pfizer ,
School Closures ,
Uber ,
Vaccinations ,
Zoom®
In Washington: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use of the Pfizer vaccine for 12 - 15 years old. An advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to meet shortly to...more
5/11/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Federal Funding ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Sciences ,
Masks ,
Patent Ownership ,
Patient Access ,
Pfizer ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Public Health ,
Rental Assistance Programs ,
UK ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it supports a proposal to waive international patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement that the...more
5/6/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) ,
Eviction ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
HUD ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Patent Ownership ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Pfizer ,
Pharmaceutical Patents ,
Race Relations ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Restaurant Industry ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is looking to let cruise lines resume trips in the U.S. by mid-July and changing some of the rules to allow the ships to sail. A spokeswoman for...more
5/4/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Clinical Trials ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cruise Ships ,
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Johnson & Johnson ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Sciences ,
Masks ,
Medical Reimbursement ,
Moderna Inc. ,
Pfizer ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
State of Emergency ,
TSA ,
Vaccinations ,
World Health Organization
In Washington: President Biden is expected to announce on Tuesday updated guidance on masking from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The guidance is still being finalized but is likely to ease...more
4/27/2021
/ AstraZeneca ,
Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
India ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Johnson & Johnson ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Masks ,
Moderna Inc. ,
Sanofi ,
Supply Chain ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday lifted the recommended pause on the use of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine, saying the benefits...more
4/26/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
India ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Japan ,
Johnson & Johnson ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Masks ,
Moderna Inc. ,
Olympics ,
Pfizer ,
SBA Lending Programs ,
State of Emergency ,
Supply Chain ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on Monday proposed a rule ordering debt collectors to inform tenants about their rights under a federal eviction ban if they’ve been unable to pay rent during the...more
4/20/2021
/ AstraZeneca ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Debt Collectors ,
Eligibility Determination ,
Eviction ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Government Lockdown ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Johnson & Johnson ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Sciences ,
National Institute of Health (NIH) ,
Pfizer ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
World Health Organization
In Washington: An independent advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will meet again on April 23 to resume deliberating about the use of Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine, agency...more
4/19/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Embargo ,
Government Lockdown ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Intellectual Property Protection ,
Johnson & Johnson ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Sciences ,
Pfizer ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Supply Chain ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: On April 13, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) paused the production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six women participants in the U.S. developed...more
4/15/2021
/ Airlines ,
AstraZeneca ,
Biden Administration ,
Biologics ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Government Assistance ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Johnson & Johnson ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Sciences ,
Masks ,
Nursing Homes ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Seating ,
Vaccinations ,
Veterans Administration ,
Veterinarians ,
WI Supreme Court
In Washington: Congress returns this week from their two-week spring recess. The Senate will continue its consideration of President Biden’s health care nominees. On April 15, the Senate Finance Committee will consider...more
4/13/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Congressional Investigations & Hearings ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Federal Budget ,
Free Exercise Clause ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Johnson & Johnson ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Manufacturers ,
Public Gatherings ,
Religious Expression ,
SCOTUS ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: President Biden on Thursday doubled to 200 million his administration’s goal for the number of COVID-19 vaccination shots to administer in his first 100 days in office. The U.S. is set to reach Biden’s original...more
3/29/2021
/ AstraZeneca ,
Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Clinical Trials ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Federal Grants ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Pfizer ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Relief Measures ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Unemployment ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing
In Washington: Federal health officials on Tuesday suggested the efficacy rate of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine may reflect “outdated information.” AstraZeneca on Monday reported a 79 percent efficacy rate for preventing...more
3/24/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Affordable Care Act ,
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
AstraZeneca ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Housing Market ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Surgeon General ,
Telemedicine ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: The White House may split a $3 trillion economic recovery proposal into two bills, The New York Times reported Monday. The proposal comes as the economy struggles through the coronavirus pandemic-caused...more
3/23/2021
/ Airlines ,
AstraZeneca ,
Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Curfews ,
Financial Stimulus ,
International Travel ,
IRS ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Sciences ,
Miami ,
Patient Access ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Public Gatherings ,
Tourism ,
UK ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released their new guidance for opening schools. The new social distancing guidelines say that students attending in-person instruction only need to stay...more
3/22/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Financial Stimulus ,
France ,
Garnishment ,
Government Lockdown ,
India ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
School Closures ,
Universities ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: The Senate on Thursday confirmed California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) as Secretary of Health and Human Services by a 50-49 vote. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) was the only Republican to vote in favor of...more
3/19/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
AstraZeneca ,
Ballot Measures ,
Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Governor Newsom ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mass Shootings ,
Mexico ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Race Relations ,
Remote Learning ,
Russia ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is planning to extend the tax-filing deadline to mid-May, according to two top House Democrats. A news release Wednesday from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard...more
3/18/2021
/ Amazon Marketplace ,
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
AstraZeneca ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Federal Funding ,
Federal Taxes ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Financial Stimulus ,
France ,
Google ,
Government Lockdown ,
Hate Crimes ,
Income Taxes ,
Infections ,
Infectious Diseases ,
IRS ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Life Sciences ,
Mass Shootings ,
Mobile Apps ,
Online Advertisements ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Race Discrimination ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Cuts ,
Tax Planning ,
Telemedicine ,
Vaccinations
In Washington: President Biden on Tuesday began what is expected to be a weeks-long sales pitch to tout the new coronavirus relief package. Biden visited Smith Flooring in Chester, Pennsylvania, a small business that received...more
3/17/2021
/ Administrative Appointments ,
Air Carriers ,
AstraZeneca ,
Banking Sector ,
Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
EU ,
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Income Taxes ,
IRS ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Loan Forgiveness ,
Masks ,
MasterCard ,
Moderna Inc. ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Relief Measures ,
SBA ,
Scientific Research ,
Student Loans ,
Tax Relief ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Visa Inc ,
Zero Tolerance Policies