Federal Coronavirus Response Timeline Date Administration Action Congressional Action The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing to “Examine the Impacts of the COVID-19 July 23 Pandemic on Users of Public Lands, Forests, and National Parks.” The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will markup S. 4204, the Federal Emergency Pandemic Response Act; S. 4210, the Securing Healthcare Response and Equipment Act; S. 4153, the July 22 National Response Framework Improvement Act; S. 4157, the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center Pandemic Modeling Act; and S. 4158, the PPE Supply Chain Transparency Act. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Trade, and Consumer Protection will hold a hearing on “Protecting Americans from COVID-19 Scams.” The Senate Aging Committee will hold a hearing on “The COVID-19 Pandemic and Seniors: A Look at Racial Health Disparities.” The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on July 21 Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing entitled “Pathway to a Vaccine: Efforts to Develop a Safe, Effective, and Accessible COVID-19 Vaccine.” The House Oversight and Reform Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis will hold a hearing on “The Urgent Need for a National Plan to Contain the Coronavirus.” The House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity will hold a hearing on “Getting Veterans Back to Work After COVID-19.” The House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations will hold a hearing on “Federal IT July 20 Modernization: How the Coronavirus Exposed Outdated Systems.” Current as of 5:30 PM ET 7/15/20 [new updates highlighted in yellow] 1 Federal Coronavirus Response Timeline The House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing on “Oversight of the Small Business Administration and Department of Treasury Pandemic Programs.” The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security will hold a hearing on “The Impact of COVID-19 July 17 on Social Security and its Beneficiaries.” The House Oversight and Reform Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis will hold a hearing entitled, “Former Federal Reserve Chairs on Responding to Our Nation’s Economic Crisis.” The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on “Protecting Homeowners During the Pandemic: Oversight of Mortgage Servicers’ Implementation of the CARES Act.” July 16 The House Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development will hold a hearing on “Putting America Back to Work: The Role of Workforce Development and Small Business Rehiring.” White House Director of Strategic Communications Alyssa Farah said that an The House Small Business Committee held a hearing on op-ed written by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro criticizing Dr. “Long-Lasting Solutions for a Small Business Recovery.” Anthony Fauci “didn’t go through normal White House clearance processes and is the opinion of Peter alone. [President Trump] values the expertise of the The House Budget Committee held a hearing on “Software medical professionals advising his Administration.” Update Required: COVID-19 Exposes Need for Federal Investments in Technology.” The Federal Reserve Board announced it will extend the rule to allow certain bank directors and shareholders to apply to their banks for Paycheck Protection The House Oversight and Reform Select Committee on Program (PPP) loans for their small businesses. the Coronavirus Crisis announced an investigation into July 15 problematic contracts for personal protective equipment, testing supplies, and other medical equipment. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman DeFazio (D-OR) is proposing to extend the Payroll Support Program for air carriers and contractors through March 2021. The CARES Act program is currently set to expire on October 1. The proposal has bipartisan support. Vice President Pence and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Retired General Joseph Dunford has withdrawn from July 14 Force participated in briefings with state officials during a visit to Baton Rouge. consideration to chair CARES Act Congressional Oversight Commission. Current as of 5:30 PM ET 7/15/20 [new updates highlighted in yellow] 2 Federal Coronavirus Response Timeline The Treasury Department published updated FAQs on the CARES Act Payroll Support Program for air carriers and contractors. The House Financial Services Committee held a hearing entitled “Promoting Economic Recovery: Examining The Department of Commerce announced it awarded CARES Act funding to Capital Markets and Worker Protections in the COVID-19 support economic development programs in Maryland, South Carolina, Era.” Tennessee, Texas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and North Dakota. The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed that hospitals Energy held a hearing on “Oversight of DOE During the will report data on coronavirus patients directly to HHS, rather than to the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An HHS spokesperson called CDC’s system “inadequate.” The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability held a hearing HHS announced a large-scale procurement of Food and Drug Administration on “Reviewing Federal and State Pandemic Supply (FDA)-authorized rapid point-of-care diagnostic test instruments and tests to be Preparedness and Response.” distributed to nursing homes in COIVD-19 hotspots. The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, The FDA updated its Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP) Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment held a hearing on webpage to include a dashboard showing crucial statistics related to the “The Importance of Transatlantic Cooperation During the development of potential COVID-19 therapeutics. COVID-19 Pandemic.” The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a study found that the The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee placenta lacks major molecules used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to cause held a hearing called “Sweltering in Place: COVID-19, infection, which may help explain why the virus is rarely found in fetuses or Extreme Heat, and Environmental Justice.” newborns of women with COVID-19. The House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy held a briefing on “Guardrails to Ensure a Safe and Effective COVID-19 Vaccine.” Senators Warren (D-MA), Van Hollen (D-MD), and Cortez Masto (D-NV) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Powell calling for greater financial assistance for state and local governments. Several House Democratic committee chairs wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Esper and Secretary of Health and Human Services Azar expressing concern about the Administration’s efforts to increase domestic production of critically needed medical supplies and equipment. President Trump signed S. 4091, the “Emergency Aid for Returning Americans The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border July 13 Affected by Coronavirus Act,” into law, increasing the amount that the Security, Facilitation, and Operations held a hearing on Department of Health and Human Services may spend for the provision of Current as of 5:30 PM ET 7/15/20 [new updates highlighted in yellow] 3 Federal Coronavirus Response Timeline assistance to repatriated U.S. citizens in fiscal year 2020 from $1 million to $10 “Oversight of ICE Detention Facilities: Examining ICE million. Contractors’ Response to COVID-19.” Vice President Pence held a briefing with governors and the White House Senate Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) and Health, Coronavirus Task Force to discuss local, state, and federal response and Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking recovery best practices. Member Murray (D-WA) released a whitepaper making recommendations in eight areas to ensure a free, safe, The Treasury Department announced the budget deficit in June was a single- and universally available COVID-19 vaccine. month record $864 billion, bringing the total deficit for the year to $2.7 trillion. House Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic The Treasury Department and Small Business Administration (SBA) released leadership wrote a letter to FDA Commissioner Hahn updated guidance for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) lender regarding the agency’s work to determine the accuracy of processing fee payment and 1502 reporting process. SBA also released a COVID-19 diagnostic tests. summary of PPP lending as of July 10. Rep. Wilson (D-FL) introduced a bill to condition the The Department of Commerce announced it awarded CARES Act funding to receipt of funds with respect to COVID-19 on requiring the support economic development programs in Idaho, Iowa, Colorado, and the use of face coverings in public. Nez Perce Tribe. Rep. Slotkin (D-MI) introduced the Strengthening The Department of Labor (DOL) announced a new public awareness campaign America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act. to ensure workers know their rights and employers their responsibilities as they pertain to paid leave, safe workplaces, and lawful pay during the coronavirus pandemic. DOL announced it awarded a $3 million CARES Act Dislocated Worker Grant to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation. The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the conclusion of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance program. Having allocated the July 11 full