Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Both Sides Give Moderate Concessions In Stimulus Deal Negotiations
Frustrated Senate Republicans re-upped their complaints that Democratic negotiators are taking too hard a line in talks on a sweeping coronavirus relief bill, but an afternoon negotiating session brought at least modest concessions from both sides, even as an agreement appears far off. Top Democrats emerged from a 90-minute meeting Tuesday with Trump administration officials to declare more progress. The Trump team agreed with that assessment and highlighted its offer to extend a moratorium on evictions from federally subsidized housing through the end of the year. (Taylor, 8/5)
The White House and Democratic leaders agreed to try to finalize a deal to address lapsed unemployment benefits and eviction restrictions by the end of this week and hold a vote in Congress next week, suddenly trying to rush stalled talks in the face of growing public and political unrest. Senior White House officials said Tuesday that they made 鈥渧ery concrete offers鈥 to Democrats related to unemployment benefits and eviction protections, and after days of bickering, both sides now appear to be trying to secure a compromise. (Min Kim, Werner, Leonnig and Stein, 8/4)
Vulnerable Republicans have a clear message for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: no deal, no recess. With talks between the White House and Democratic leadership at an impasse, Senate Republicans up in November are pressing for the chamber to stay in session until some agreement is reached. (Levin, Desiderio and Bresnahan, 8/4)
In other news from Capitol Hill 鈥
The Interior Department took a shot at the Democratic chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee in a statement wishing him a speedy recovery from COVID-19. 鈥淲e wish Chairman [Ra煤l] Grijalva a speedy recovery. He鈥檚 paid a lot of money by the American people to be an elected official 鈥 a job he sought and was entrusted to uphold 鈥 and showing up for work like millions of other dedicated public servants, such as our law enforcement officers and firefighters, is true leadership,鈥 Interior said in a statement. (Beitsch, 8/3)