Newsletter Archive

April 2020

Trump Ousts Watchdog for Coronavirus Funds

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked Congress on Tuesday to add $250 billion to the small business aid program that went into effect last week as part of the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. The funds would supplement the …

Plus: Plus: Another $250 billion for the paycheck protection program?

Trump's Surprise Plan for Coronavirus Coverage

The Trump administration sprung a couple of surprises last week: It said that it would not reopen the Obamacare exchanges for a special enrollment period that would allow more people to sign up for coverage in the midst of the coronavirus…

Plus: Plus: How big will this year's deficit be?

Pelosi: Americans Need Another Massive Aid Package

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled a new direction Friday for the next phase of coronavirus aid, calling for more immediate assistance for American households and businesses rather than the broader economic stimulus measures she outlined…

Plus: Plus, small businesses scramble to get their federal aid

10 Million Jobs Lost, and Millions More to Come

More than 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week as the coronavirus pandemic ground the economy to a halt, a staggering number that’s nearly double the record set the week before, which itself obliterated the…

Plus: Plus: States face a coronavirus fiscal storm

March 2020

Trump's ‘Big & Bold’ Idea for the Next Stimulus

As lawmakers set their sights on a fiscal stimulus plan to follow their $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, President Trump on Tuesday said that a $2 trillion infrastructure program should be part of Congress’s agenda.

Plus: Plus: A grim forecast from Goldman Sachs

Pelosi Eyes Another Massive Coronavirus Bill

President Trump signed a $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill into law on Friday — the largest such package in U.S. history. Now, officials are already looking ahead to the next phase of emergency measures — and the cost of those measures…

Plus: Plus: How health insurance rates could soar

After Late Drama, Trump Signs $2 Trillion Coronavirus Bill

The House of Representatives approved a massive, $2 trillion coronavirus relief package on Friday and President Trump signed it into law, but not before some late drama that threatened to delay enactment of the unprecedented measure to…

Plus: Plus, Trump orders GM to produce ventilators

What’s in the $2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Deal

It’s not done yet. Congressional leaders and the Trump administration agreed early Wednesday morning to a massive $2 trillion aid package designed to support individuals and businesses struggling amid the coronavirus epidemic. The Senate…

Plus: Plus: The last-minute snags delaying a Senate vote

The Largest Aid Package in US History

Congressional negotiators and the Trump administration are nearing a bipartisan agreement on a massive coronavirus relief bill totaling nearly $2 trillion — a spending package that would be far and away the largest in U.S. history…

Plus: Plus: Trump wants US to reopen as depression fears mount

A Coronavirus Depression??

Top lawmakers and the White House scrambled Friday to negotiate a massive, bipartisan stimulus package to address the widespread economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, aiming to bridge some deep divisions on specific proposals. The…

Plus: Plus: A $1 trillion stimulus may not be enough

Senate Rolls Out Massive Coronavirus Stimulus Plan

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday introduced the Republican plan for the next phase of economic response to the coronavirus pandemic, setting the stage for talks with Democrats as lawmakers race to deal with the fallout…

Plus: Plus, what will coronavirus relief checks cost?

Trump Wants a $1 Trillion Coronavirus Stimulus

As U.S. economic activity screeches to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration is asking Congress for a massive, rapidly evolving stimulus package that will likely top $1 trillion.

Plus: Plus - 1 million jobs lost?

Trump Declares Coronavirus National Emergency

President Trump declared the coronavirus a national emergency on Friday and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that, after days of frenzied negotiations, she had reached an agreement with the administration on a large economic relief…

Plus: Plus: A deal with Pelosi for a massive relief package

Pelosi and Mnuchin Race for a Coronavirus Aid Deal

President Trump called for unity in his 11-minute Oval Office address to the nation on coronavirus Wednesday night, but that unity was hard to come by on Capitol Hill Thursday as the president and congressional Republicans opposed a…

Plus: Plus: A record monthly deficit

A Coronavirus National Emergency?

President Trump is set to address the nation on the coronavirus Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET as his administration scrambles to coordinate a public health and economic response to what the World Health Organization now calls a pandemic.

Plus: Plus: Pushing back the April 15 tax deadline.

Trump’s Coronavirus Tax Cut Falls Flat on Capitol Hill

President Trump promised Monday evening that his administration would quickly announce “very major,” very “substantial” and “dramatic” steps to boost the economy in the face of the coronavirus threat.

Plus: Plus: Why a coronavirus recession could be especially hard to fight

A Coronavirus Recession?

Stocks cratered on Monday, suffering their worst daily drop in more than nine years, as the spread of the coronavirus and a clash between Saudi Arabia and Russia over oil prices left investors again looking for safety. The S&P 500 fell 7.6…

Plus: Plus: Your viral news roundup

Kudlow Floats Tax Breaks to Fight Coronavirus

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Friday that the Trump administration is considering tax relief for industries hurt by the coronavirus. Expressing confidence that the U.S. economy is “fundamentally sound,” Kudlow said that…

Plus: Plus: Just how big would Sanders' tax hikes be?