House Democrats on Friday called for the federal government to take a more aggressive role in determining how to reopen American society, schools and businesses, the same day Georgia pressed ahead with plans to reopen some non-essential businesses.
The Democrats warned that an individual state rushing to reopen before it has met key public-health benchmarks could result in more outbreaks of the deadly coronavirus in neighboring states.
“If one state reopened too soon, there is no way to stop the state next to it from getting an increase in infection,” Rep. Donna Shalala
Donna Edna ShalalaCoronavirus oversight lags as trillions in relief head out the door Shalala: 'I take full responsibility' for failure to disclose stock sales Miami Democrat on panel overseeing coronavirus payouts failed to disclose stock sales in Congress MORE (D-Fla.), a former Health and Human Services secretary during the Clinton administration, said on a conference call Friday. “And that's why we need a national strategy with real scientific, health-care, public-health standards because unless we're going to build walls between the states, this disease is simply going to go across borders.
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“So the idea that Georgia would open up parts, that doesn’t protect Florida.”
Shalala has teamed with Rep. Jamie Raskin
Jamin (Jamie) Ben RaskinHillicon Valley: House Dems push for B in state election funds | Amazon suspends over 6,000 sellers for price gouging | Google says 18M malicious coronavirus emails sent daily House Democrats push hard for mail-in voting funds Democrats call for new gas pipeline moratorium amid pandemic MORE (D-Md.) and other Democrats on legislation that carves out a more defined role for the federal government in how exactly to reopen the nation, weeks after governors across the country closed schools and businesses and issued stay-at-home orders.
The Reopen America Act would create a federal coronavirus reopening panel that would work with states on their reopening strategy. But the legislation encourages neighboring states — like South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, or New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — to work together on a regional reopening plan.
Once reopening plans by states or regions are approved by the federal panel, states would receive billions of dollars in funding to implement those strategies, though the bill doesn't yet have a price tag.
The bill also calls for a separate federal health-focused panel that would coordinate and standardize coronavirus testing, protective medical equipment and ventilators for states.
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“So we've spent hundreds of billions of dollars on small business and again we reinfused that fund. We’ve spent hundreds of billions on unemployment insurance,” Raskin, the bill’s author and a member of the Democratic leadership team, said on the call with reporters. “But we are very focused on the fact that we've not spent nearly enough energy, time, resources or thinking on how we're actually going to reopen commerce, education and social life.”
Among the 50 Democratic co-sponsors are Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries
Hakeem Sekou JeffriesDemocrats call on Trump to halt border wall construction amid pandemic NY, NJ lawmakers call for more aid to help fight coronavirus Democrats struggle to keep up with Trump messaging on coronavirus MORE (D-N.Y.), Rep. David Cicilline
David Nicola CicillineOn The Money: House passes 4B relief package | McConnell sparks backlash with state bankruptcy remarks | 4.4M more people file jobless claims Hillicon Valley: Amazon reportedly used seller data to create competing products | Voting machine companies under pressure over sanitization | Democrat proposes merger ban during pandemic Top antitrust Democrat proposes merger ban amid pandemic MORE (D-R.I.), chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee; and Rep. Anna Eshoo
Anna Georges EshooHillicon Valley: Apple, Google launch virus tracing system | Republican says panel should no longer use Zoom | Lawmakers introduce bill to expand telehealth House lawmakers introduce bipartisan bill to expand telehealth services Bottom line MORE (D-Calif.), who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee’s health subcommittee.
The Reopen America Act represents the Democratic response to President Trump
Donald John TrumpNew Mexico governor extends stay-at-home order: 'We're not ready to ease up' Coronavirus culture war over reopening economy hits Capitol Hill Challenge China and the WHO—but not while the pandemic rages MORE’s own reopening strategy, one that often has been undermined by Trump’s own words and tweets. Last month, he said he wanted the country reopened by Easter, but that day came and went as the number of coronavirus deaths and cases spiked.
A week ago, Trump tweeted support for those protesting governors who’ve shut down their states. “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” and “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” he tweeted. But on Thursday, Trump criticized Republican Gov. Brian Kemp for allowing the reopening of certain businesses, including hair salons, gyms, bowling alleys and tattoo parlors.
The Trump administration’s guidelines call for states and local governments to begin easing closures only after they see a two-week downward trajectory in coronavirus symptoms and cases.
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Democrats argued that Trump’s three-part Open Up America Again strategy doesn’t provide sufficient federal guidance or help for states and localities, leading to mass confusion and inconsistent policies across the country.
“This week, the governor of Georgia thought that he was reading the signals that the president and announced he was going to begin reopening on Wednesday. The president then turned on him and said no, he was opposed to that. But then yesterday, the president said he was very excited about all of the reopening activity that's taking place in Utah and Tennessee,” Raskin said. “And, of course, what we get predictably is chaos. …
“If we go with this Helter Skelter, chaotic approach that the administration is overseeing,” Raskin added, “we're going to be thrust immediately into further outbreak and shutdown.”
On the call, Rep. Peter Welch
Peter Francis WelchDemocrats press USDA to create rural coronavirus task force Dems unlikely to subpoena Bolton Democratic candidates gear up for a dramatic Super Tuesday MORE (D-Vt.) praised governors of both parties, including Vermont’s GOP governor, Phil Scott, for enacting healthcare and social-distancing policies that are protecting Americans. He contrasted that approach with Trump, who on Thursday suggested studying whether light and heat — even injecting disinfectants — could treat coronavirus.
“At the federal level, it's totally scattered, and we see that with what the President is doing, where he's for opening the beaches or against opening the beaches. He's now advocating that we take a look at using Lysol disinfectant to see whether that works. That is not what's called a coordinated organized approach,” Welch told reporters.
“It's a person who is essentially speculating, and he becomes a Speculator in Chief as opposed to the Organizer in Chief and the Funder in Chief.”
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